What about all those Chinese DACs?

On a different, but related note, it will be interesting to see how MBL does under Chinese ownership. The buyer in acquisitions often says "no changes" but the realities are that buyers usually need to take costs out of the deal. Hopefully, that comes through reductions in back room operations, not engineering.

Japan started off with budget novelties, then entered into the audio revolution of the seventies, and finally dominated cars in the 80’s (we built big ones, they built small ones) before going bust in the 90’s. Deja Vu all over again, this time it’s China. 

I have read that China has manufactured so many vehicles already and could permeate a country with their cars (as it will now do in Canada) within a year or two; once allowed to flood a market. 

Also have heard many car reps here in the USA say that it will wipe them out. Not sure I feel sorry for them, as while they are not directly responsible for building a car that can compete, but they looked the other way as Chrysler did in the 80’s and are holding everyone back from their lack of judgement over the years. 

As you allude to larsman, I would be more apprehensive with the purchase of a lower cost China option. While it may add monetary risks by going up the ladder, the higher end Chinese products do seem to be well made and reliable. Still, there are so many great options stateside and the T’ffs kind of dent the idea that you are getting more for your money in the end.

@goodlistening64 - yes, during the 50's and 60's, and likely into the 70's, 'Made In Japan' was just as ubiquitous as 'Made In China' is today and was usually thought of as cheap junk. Sony got well known for hand-held transistor radios that teenagers would carry around with them.

But when did the Japanese car industry go bust? 

@goodlistening64 I avoid ASR completely. Its such a one sided conversation and I'm not interested in their conclusions. I like to have a balance in Audio gear. I do believe in gear having good specifications BUT my preferences are never in just gear that surpasses all of the other brands specification wise. I've heard lots of gear whose manufacturers could care a less about measurements that sound extremely good. Musicality is so important in this industry as is synergy with other equipment. With that being said I subscribe to both Stereophile magazine and The Absolute Sound. I subscribe to Stereophile because they do make measurements.

I think its critical to to keep manufacturers honest in their claims, especially related to speaker sensitivity and Tube power output. I remember years ago they did a review in Stereophile magazine and found a defect in the gears output. Later the manufacturer indicated they were putting the incorrect part in it by mistake that was meant for a (Lower priced) different model. With good Quality control, Chinese equipment can be of very good quality. I own 3 different Chinese made DAC's and all 3 were excellent for what they are. My Latest DAC is a Holo Audio May KTE that I've owned for 4 years but my next DAC will most likely be American made. Already looking at that now. Like any industry companies will cuts corners if not monitored and held to a standard. I have no problem with the excellent specifications of the Chinese gear if it sounds good for the money. 

@larsman What's comical is the United States was responsible for the Japanese jump in quality control. After WW2 (In the early 50's) we sent a man named William Edwards Deming to Japan to teach them about Quality control. Little did we know how that would end up.