China built tube amps

A couple of years ago I inquired with a dealer who had a used Line Magnetic amp listed on his website (he otherwise did not carry the LM brand). He tried to discourage me from buying his listed amp and stated the following in an email back to me:

In my opinion and my experience, the gear out of China is inferior and we had way too many technical issues. The sound performance is also disappointing. We recommend that you buy USA, European or Japanese, Only.

I wonder if we are all talking about the same dealer here? These comments were completely off-putting and I ended up purchasing a brand new LM805ia from an authorized dealer. The LM has been flawless and is my favorite amp in my stable by a long margin.

I'm a happy owner of several amps manufactured in China and Japan.  I purchased through US dealers with warranty and have no question that they can easily be serviced if the need ever arises.  The only amp I've ever owned that was plagued with service issues was a US brand (not going to mention it).  Never had a single problem with a Chinese or Japanese amp. 

@veerossi

Re: LM805ia

If you go with one, I’d suggest swapping in some NOS Melz 6SN7’s, a National Union 1940’s NOS 6SL7, PSVANCE ACME 805, and PSVANE ACME 300b tubes. I estimate a 20-25% sound improvement over the original tubes.

Your tube rolling experience is very similar to mine on the LM805ia. I’m using the Psvane ACME 805’s, EML 300-XLS’s, a 1960 Mullard ECC35 (6SL7), and a pair of 1944 TungSol 6SN7GT round plates. 25% sound quality improvement is about right. Such a lovely amp that conveys hauntingly evocative music.

@inrealtime  Realistically it's impossible to avoid Chinese products.  And if even if somehow the entire world were able to boycott buying their products (tough to believe no country would continue buying the most cost effective products in the world), the result would be massive unemployment to the very oppressed Chinese people who you are supposedly standing up for in the name of morality.  Would they be better of unemployed?  Would the government convert to a democracy as a result of the boycott?

We are all free to do what we like in this regard and I respect your decision.  As a pragmatist I don't think the actions are helpful to the chinese people.

@falconquest Yep, that's the same dealer I communicated with as well.  I knew it.  He carries both Ayon and Atma-Sphere (among others) so the recommendations make sense - both are great brands but there is no place in this market to disparage entire country's products.  He will never get my business.