Has anyone heard the Usher Audio Speakers

I heard the 8871s at CES this year. I was not familiar with Usher Audio but stuck my head in their room. Once you you see these speakers you are pulled in by their looks. I was told that the 8871s retail for $8400. Based on what I saw, if I was told that they cost $16000, I would have believed it. While the hotel room I heard them in was small, the Ushers has a sound stage that was wider and deeper than any I had ever heard. And bass like theres no tomorrow. As soon as I sell my speakers, I am going to seek a dealer that has the Ushers so I can do some further listening. I have to say that my impression of Usher Audio is completely different than Fernel's. But then again, I saw them and listened to them. Judging by his comments I don't think that he can say the same.

I read an article about Usher awhile back (1 year?). It was a show report from one of the big stereo mags. It said that Usher manufactures all it's drivers in house, and does in-fact seem to copy the design of other manufacturers. I believe it said that they were manufactured in China, and as a result at a substantially lower cost than the originals.

That said, who cares? Everybody copies somebody sometime. Even if they aren't exact copies, many of the positive attributes of one speaker may find it's way to the design of another speaker manufactured by somebody else. Sometimes that design is improved upon in the process.

It doesn't just happen in audio. How about the Ford Focus type designs coming out of Japan? Toyota, Mazda, and Suzuki all have body styles strikingly similar to each other, and the Ford Focus. How many Harley Davidson motorcycle clones are out there?

I'm sure if I was a designer, it would really piss me off to see a copy or a very similar product to the one I designed show up on the market. But I'm not a designer or manufacturer. I'm a consumer, and I can only think that this competition can help me purchase a better speaker for less money.

For what I saw in their shop, those top line speaker drivers are made in Europe(France?). They do have some drivers made in Taiwan or box made in China for their lower priced lines target at local market. The new top line ones are co-designed by European also. Well who cares! Sound is more important. As far as I know the store is there more than 20 or 30 years. The owner started his own driver/cabinet building business when he was young. That's McIntosh's time in US.
The owner decided to go for international business incorporated with foreign design. And that's we see in CES show. Magzine's comment is probably before that.

Why I know? I got some used speakscan drivers here in US. Then I plan on building my own speaker. I am an EE engineer so need help to build the cabinet. When I have a chance to have business trip to Taipei, I walked into the oldest store to see if anything can help me. I did not get my customer made cabinet but audit some of their new goody.
That's right before CES show.

The sound is not bad at all. In US, those big speakers are probably push by better amplifiers. I can't comment how it compares with others with different electronics. But it seems friendly to drive. If you can drive it with store's local 150 W amp, I think it will have better kick if Krell, ML, audio research... are used.

The best sounding Usher I heard in CES actually used Usher's own drivers. Usher was actually a major OEM for drivers, and they supplied to the major US speaker makers with brands all of us recognize (eg, woofer to a famous electrostatic maker). The 7" mid/woofer looks like the top of the line Seas, only because the graphite paper both Usher and Seas use were from the same source (a patented technology). One of the poster mentioned the Ceramic midrange, but I prefer the graphite Usher driver.

I spent quite some time in the CES listening to Usher, as I am just so impressed. Most of the complaint, I would actually think they are caused by not setting up the system such as AC cord, speaker cable, etc.

The problem is that not many people with super high-end electronics would go for a 'no-brand' like Usher.

As for the comment comparing Sonus Faber and Usher, I think the other way for me. As I have had 2 friends with SF, but after spending enough time with SF, I think they are colored, it is just the wood work impressed most people more so than the sound, and again, the buyer of Sonus Faber likely to have more worthy electronics.

www.extremephono.com

People should go to Usher's website and read about the drivers they use for their high-end lines - all Scanspeak and Thiel (German). No Taiwan or China (!!!) made stuff there. I am from Taiwan and I know how high tech the country is, but I do know no one makes better drivers than Denmark where Dynaudio and Scanspeak are born. I own Amati, I wonder why I pay so much more for less?