Sitting

I am in a Cat Stevens kind of mood - " Sitting on my own not by myself, everybody's here with me" and that is how I find myself when folks call in and ask me to compare one of our products to re-branded Chinese brand (NAD, Cambridge) or for that matter, a Chinese brand (Cayin, Prima Luna, Vincent) to one of our brands

And it is not really true that our brands are sooooo superior that they are not even worth the discussion - that is not it all. In fact, the brands, mentioned above a really excellent brands. They are just, well, priced liked the real estate market in 2003-2004.

And this is the part that everyone misses. A new paradigm has emerged in high end audio and I hope you do not miss it. Pacific Valve aside, there is now and there will be for the foreseeable future, a chance to purchase some excellent high end products at rock bottom prices. Pacific Valve aside, companies like Morrow audio and Vacuum tube valley are re-branding the Yaqin products and selling them to you at a reasonable price. They, in effect, are imitating our "Insurance" model of giving you the best from China, but with warranty, repair and support. And although we do not carry the Yaqin products, (sans for an excellent tube buffer), we applaud these folks.

But you may miss it. I still see prejudice on the audiophile boards. And just like the folks that believed in the spontaneous generation during the 18th century, we have folks on the boards that still believe in the combustion generation; Chinese audio equipment self-destructs like the mission impossible tape, and given the chance, a KT88 amp will take the high-road to pyrotechnics. If they are not tooting the fire extinguisher horn, they insists that the efforts of a Pacific Valve, Morrow or VTV result in a slave labor camps that makes the tomfoolery on the "Lord of flies" seems conservative.

But you may miss it - because this nonsense goes unchallenged. Someone asks a question, these ridiculous statements are made, and then the thread ends. The truth of the matter, is that if any of this were true, the gang of 3 (Pacific, Morrow, VTV) would surely be out of business by now. The truth of the matter is, when you buy a Ming Da, Yaqin, Jolida or for that matter a Cayin amp, you are helping a family business grow and prosper in a country where persecution and lack of freedom are to the culture what 12AX7s are to phono preamps. Helping, not hurting a family business in a country like this, well folks, this, is a nice sound.

The folks that import Chinese products and triple the cost they are missing it - not Mr. Morrow or the folks at VTV- they are getting it.

So I am sitting answering these emails asking to compare equipment at a reasonable price with equipment that is triple the price of what you can get it for at a local cafe on Heifei. But why? Don't miss it

All the best,

Vic