I agree it is about design. The Cambridge Audio T500 FM/AM Tuner is identical to the Creek T43 at half the list price. The Creek is hand made in the UK; the Cambridge assembled in China. The Creek has a more solid case and switches. When Mike Creek designed (ie, copied) the T43 for Cambridge he also thought through where he could cut corners without giving up sound quality. The circuit board and some less critical electronic parts are of a lower quality, but still very functional for quality audio. The layout and critical parts including the FM Chipset are identical in both tuners. The Cambridge does not have a manual mono over-ride switch, only the automatic hi-blend out eventually to mono. So the Creek performs better with distant stations. Mike Creek could not give it all away.
Who Makes It Anyhow?
We all know that some companies have other companies make their products, but there seems to be no way for the consumer to figure out who is making what for whom. Case in point, I recently acquired a Harman Kardon CDR/RW reader/writer and then read a review which stated that "Despite being graced with a harman-styled fascia, gold livery and back-lit keys, this dual-transport CDR/RW player is very close indeed in both design, execution and performance to another LG-sourced recorder, the Grundig RCD-45. " (referring to a Lucky-Goldstar production in the far east). Looking at the new Pioneer CDR/CDRW's the faceplate looks just like the HHB CDR 830. Hmmm..... Is this happening with speakers and amplifiers?
.......I guess my point is how does everyone feel about this? Should there be a resource to see who is outsourcng their products from whom? Is there such a resource? I suppose manufactures want to keep this info secret, but its something I would have liked to know. While I have referenced CDR/RW players/ writers, this has to be happenning with CD players, amps and preamps. I know everyone will say that even though boxes come out of the same factory some were made to special "specs", so we have to be careful, but still, is this info worthwile and will it be likely to be available in the future? Good or bad idea?
.......I guess my point is how does everyone feel about this? Should there be a resource to see who is outsourcng their products from whom? Is there such a resource? I suppose manufactures want to keep this info secret, but its something I would have liked to know. While I have referenced CDR/RW players/ writers, this has to be happenning with CD players, amps and preamps. I know everyone will say that even though boxes come out of the same factory some were made to special "specs", so we have to be careful, but still, is this info worthwile and will it be likely to be available in the future? Good or bad idea?