HEGEL - Is it really made in Norway ?

To those who misunderstood,

This forum isn't about products made in China or any kind of racism. This is about companies like Hegel and Ayon trying to be deceptive about where their product are being assembled. Clearly there is an intent to mislead by labelling Norway or Austria with out adding where it is actually made.

Example of Good chinese company like Line Magnetic or USA company like Oppo are honest about the fact that it is properly labeled made in China. Obviously the op isn't complaining about Chinese production.

And yes, I do own some some Chinese made components like Oppo, Martin Logan, Mac Mini (music server). I have no complaints. =)

Totally agree with s1mn3r:

And to the person who says that the buyer must do his own research, I agree also - but to a certain limit.

Not everyone is as hard-core about their audio, and the simple labeling of "Norway" or "Austria" may be just enough to leading the less-hard-core purchasing into thinking the gear is an actual made-in-Europe product, but wrongly so.

Again, this whole thing is about being manufacturers being upfront with full disclosure to their customers.

I for one am a previous Ayon Orion integrated amp owner and it was one of the very best-sounding amps I ever had in my system.

I did go through 3 sets of remotes ($ 140.00 a pop), but this is nothing compared to being misled this was not a "made in Austria" product. Purely subjective of course.

Look at the back of the Sonus Faber 3.0 speaker. It clearly says "Designed by Sonus Faber in Italy. Made in China.

Build is ravishing, nothing wrong with it. And you know what you are buying. I consider this minimum requirement for those expensive toys, not playing something you are not.

And this separates the long-standing class act companies from the flavor of the months wannabees.

Add Classe Audio to the list of gear that is made in China and has no mention that it is not made in Canada anymore. They still have the balls to charge premium prices!

[Chinese are fully capable of building anything as well as anyone in the world.] Capable is one thing. Doing is another.

Would you buy a BMW if it was made in China?

So its racist if people don't want to buy Chinese goods because of poor build quality?

You won't see too many Chinese cars over here, though. They don't hold up well on the boat ride over. Its just too much of a strain. They can't take that kind on punishment.

Now that the Chinese are making cars, we don't make the worst ones anymore.

The Chinese re-named one of their cities to USA so they could put made in the USA on their products.

Regardless, I can't be one [racist]. I had real Chinese food last night for dinner, made by real Chinese people.

I have no idea what's in someone's heart, but these are the comments of a single person in this thread. I read these comments and I detect a anger against Chinese manufactured products. It's just assumed that Chinese products are of poor quality and there's the use of false information to support their belief. If racism, bigotry or xenophobia aren't an accurate description, then please provide a better word to describe this anger. Questioning Hegel's business practices is one thing, and I believe thoroughly legitimate, but IMO these comments are about something else. What is it really about?

BMW from China is OK but not those lemons from SC !

It not exactly racism Onhwy61. but a variation on that theme commonly called " American Exceptionalism" which most Americans believe in at some level .
More hyper-nationalist that xenophobic but all are daughters of the prime sin, Pride .