Boy Stereovox, I'm glad you believe in your products, but your condescending line that Chinesse made products can no way compete with the European or American products is the stuff of the uninformed and xenophobic.
The world has changed, remember that some thirty years ago "made in Japan" was a euphomisim for the shotty and cheap? Now made in Japan is synonomous with superior quality!
I judge a product by its' technical merits and by its' build and enginnering quality, not by where it is made and its snob appeal.
Usher has not been well known outside of Asia due to poor represenation, not becuause the products they build aren't world class. The reason Usher can build the products they do is that Usher is a $70,000,000.00! company!
Usher is the Asian version of B&W! Usher builds the only beryillium midrange driver currently available and they make their own beryillium tweeter as well.
The humility of Usher is evidenced by the fact that if they can find a better driver than what they themselves can build they will buy it, even when the driver is quite expensive. The BE series uses the same Eaton of Germany woofers that Kharma and Marten design use!
Usher also hired one of the most talented crossover designers around, Dr. Joseph D'Appolito.
You may be misunderstanding my position, I am leading audio's next generation. I am finding companies whose products are as good as anything currently available for less money because of what they produce and how they produce it.
For both American and European manufacters the time to laze about in the sun is over! For audio as well as for most industries. The quality of Chinese made goods will force many European and American companies into smaller and smaller production runs for more and more money!
You can't fight the future but to join with the inevitable, Chinese goods will continue to either directly or indirectly take over many industries.
I carry products from all over the globe: Denmark, France, Japan, England, Scottland, Israel, New Zealand, and of course the United States, and China both main land and Taiwan which has for many years produced extremely high quality goods. Usher is Taiwanese, not Chinese by the way!
My view is to bring the cost of great audio down to more and more people, so I will champion great products where ever they are made.
So how about this I will bring my cheapie, 300lb hand made beryillium and Eaton drivered $16,800.00 a pair BE 20 to compete with your $35,000.00 Peak audio Zoltan's any day of the week. Lets do the shoot out and see how many people will buy which product.
I will and have to side in some way with sirspeedy, about working conditions in China but how does one know what the working conditions are in any other countries factories. and etc.
Yes sir speedy Sterovox is passionate and he believes in his products, and I believe in mine. You as an educated consumer need to listen and hear the merits of a particular product and make the best decision you can/ Don't be swayed just by the press or by price, let the music be your guide.