Suggest your most desired MSRP $1,500-$3,000 Stand Mount for a Shootout.

@dayglow My experience with exclusivity is different than yours. Surely brands like Focal, B&W and Sonus Faber are built in China. Boutique brands like Tekton assemble in the US but use off-the-shelf drivers from China (probably). 

In France there are several driver manufacturers like EMS, Audax, Supravox and Davis Acoustics. However, it's murky whether the drivers or finished speakers are built in France or not. The lower end stuff is 100% likely to be made in China. 

This is why I blindly bought the OGY:

- The drivers are EMS LB5 (fullrange). EMS is a tiny driver manufacturer. An old couple runs the company. Everything is assembled by hand and the price reflects that. The EMS LB5 driver sells for 300€/unit. 

- The enclosure is a wavy transmission line built from glued layers of laser-cut plywood. No other speakers will have the same construction. The outter box is corian. Most other manufacturers just use MDF and cover it with glossy paint/vinyl/veneer. The backside of the speakers has an embossed logo in the corian which is a nice touch. It's clear that the speakers were difficult to assemble.

- It is clear that the builder did everything he could to maximize the potential of the EMS LB5 driver. That takes some guts. Conventional wisdom says that fullrange drivers suck. 

So maybe I get your point in a sense that:

- Just spend $30 on a tweeter/woofer combo shipped from China. Design a crossover and a ported box around that and you'll get something good. Every manufacturer is doing that with speakers from $600 to $3000. Every speaker model performs similarly across all brands with minor differences in the tuning and cabinets. 

- Maybe there's just one way to design and build a bookshelf speaker (and other inferior ways). We figured that out over 50 years ago. There's little room for innovation. Speakers are about as exclusive as electric kettles. 

The trial and error part of the discussion is interesting. A live show wouldn't demonstrate trial and error because the environment is unlikely (stage) and the experience with the products is limited in time. Perhaps this is an invitation to purchase/sell/swap/lend/borrow equipment with other audiophiles? The idea here is to experience many gear in your own space without spending mountains of cash. 

@kokakolia, Sonus Faber is made in Italy, Focals are made in France; they make all their own drivers and some for other manufacturers (like Wilson). Tekton Design, sources drivers from all over but many of their woofers are made in the USA by Eminence. I believe SF is making all their drivers now too after a failed experiment with China on the Venere line. I know this because I have owned/own speakers from all of these brands.

Regardless, country of origin shouldn’t matter from a sonic persepctive. Supply chains are global and parts or materials are sourced from all over the world. Who "makes" your smartphone? It’s about design and QC, that’s what matters.

For myself, origin is more about supporting friends or pride of ownership. I’m under no believe that something will sound better or worse just becasue of where it was manufactured so long as design and QC are behind it (e.g. branding).

@kokakolia You could not be more wrong about SF and Focal. SF did make some of their HT stuff in China at one point and abandoned that practice some time ago. Focal has always been made in France.

Stick to the facts. 

@kokakolia    +1 Like your swagger! Yes Sonus Faber and Focal claim all products are manufactured in Italy or France but what is the % of Chinese parts on the entry level speakers?

@prighello      -1 Comparing an I/Phone with audio components is ludicrous!

"-1 Comparing an I/Phone with audio components is ludicrous!"

@dayglow Why?