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PauliePaul View Drop Down
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    Posted: 04 February 2012 at 2:09pm
Not really sure if this should really be in the un-moderated section, but if it needs to be moved then so be it.
 
I've been thinking about the whole concept of outsourcing manufacturing to China, lots of companies do it, but is the quality of the product affected by who owns the company - ie on the back of my Ipod it says 'Designed by Apple in California, assembled in China'.... would my Ipod be of better quality if that statement read 'Designed and assembled by Apple in California'....?
 
From an audio (and possibly a personal) point of view, Fane build a lot of products in China now. The 18XB was an iconic and legendary British driver which has gone from strength to strength in recent years, co-incidently, since being manufactured in China, but would things have been the same in terms of quality and development if Fane was in Chinese ownership?
 
Is the quality of a product affected by where the product is designed and where it's manufactured?
 
Any thoughts?
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levyte357 View Drop Down
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Originally posted by PauliePaul PauliePaul wrote:

 
Is the quality of a product affected by where the product is designed and where it's manufactured?
 
Any thoughts?


Would think it's the Quality Control at location of manufacture that governs this.

"IIRC", are'nt QSCs/LabGs made in china ?
"This thing is brutally loud. Only been flogging it in the workshop so far but it was amusing listening to the windows rattle as the wave makes it way down the length of the workshop.".
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Almost everything we use these days is manufactured out east. I´ve seen/heard some very good quality Chinese audio products, never mind those designed by western companies. QC of the different companies is the difference. 
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PauliePaul View Drop Down
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Originally posted by levyte357 levyte357 wrote:

Originally posted by PauliePaul PauliePaul wrote:

 
Is the quality of a product affected by where the product is designed and where it's manufactured?
 
Any thoughts?


Would think it's the Quality Control at location of manufacture that governs this.

 
But that's the point, does the term, and level, of 'quality control' change dependent on ownership? If the company is under non-Chinese ownership do they impose stricter QC procedures. Not trying to rubbish any Chinese products either, but there is regular mentions on here of 'cheap Chinese tat'.
 
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levyte357 View Drop Down
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Originally posted by PauliePaul PauliePaul wrote:

But that's the point, does the term, and level, of 'quality control' change dependent on ownership? If the company is under non-Chinese ownership do they impose stricter QC procedures. Not trying to rubbish any Chinese products either, but there is regular mentions on here of 'cheap Chinese tat'.


High quality brand name, i.e QSC, LabG has reputation for faultless use, and quality guarantee/warranty.

Buying Chinese branded product is a roll of the dice.

Some of the products are more than just poor copies, and superior to many western equivalents at double the price, others have proven reputation to detonate/go faulty on first use. Also the possibility of 1st few chinese samples being of very high QC, then qc of remaining shipment could be pile of pants.

Buyer priority decides. Cost vs Warranty+Guarantee+Quality brand.


Edited by levyte357 - 04 February 2012 at 2:34pm
"This thing is brutally loud. Only been flogging it in the workshop so far but it was amusing listening to the windows rattle as the wave makes it way down the length of the workshop.".
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infrasound View Drop Down
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Originally posted by PauliePaul PauliePaul wrote:

Originally posted by levyte357 levyte357 wrote:

Originally posted by PauliePaul PauliePaul wrote:

 
Is the quality of a product affected by where the product is designed and where it's manufactured?
 
Any thoughts?


Would think it's the Quality Control at location of manufacture that governs this.

 
But that's the point, does the term, and level, of 'quality control' change dependent on ownership? If the company is under non-Chinese ownership do they impose stricter QC procedures. Not trying to rubbish any Chinese products either, but there is regular mentions on here of 'cheap Chinese tat'.
 

Yes, they do. The company I used to work for had a full time eng / QA team in the far east. It was stipulated in the contract that they must have their own engineers onsite with the manufacturers.

And they did not have an easy job!
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cyte View Drop Down
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When a design is ready to be made, manufacturers get quotes from different factories in the far-east. Some are cheap, and so the manufacturing will be poorer, and some are expensive (but still cheaper than US or European factories) and may have excellent manufacturing quality. 

It's all down to which factory the company goes for, and whether 'as cheap as possible' is acceptable to them, or whether a certain level of quality is an absolute requirement (such as Apple). 
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I think having the quality control in place from the West is definately the issue here. Also having your own factory and not just getting gear made at an OEM for the cheapest price is the way forward.
As I've mentioned before I've fitted several of the Martin Mania range of lighting units. The factory in China that makes that range is owned and operated by Martin.
The quality on the units is very good. Certainly as good as all the Danish Martin lighting I own.
I have a couple here at the minute that need stripping and servicing but they have had years of constant use.
It would seem this is the right way to build in China, Fane seem to have taken the same approach to Martin. As long as you have your own manufacturing facility with your own QC staff then I really don't see an issue with products made in China this way.
As far as I know Wharfedale Pro have a similar facility, i'm sure there will be others aswell.
Making sure spares are readily available is also important here.
Cheers, Chris.
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Wasn't there a docu on TV not too long ago about this/ One of the conclusions was QC has to be top of your list in that though the Chinese are getting better/more responsible there are still unscrupulous manufacturers who will substitute lower quality, poorer tolerance, even fake, components to make an extra few bob.

On the broader issue of 'Made in England' and its percieved value it depends on your market positioning/company heritage etc


Edited by cooky1257 - 04 February 2012 at 3:22pm
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MattStolton View Drop Down
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It is all about quality control, and specifying stuff correctly.

The Chinese, if left to there own devices, will assume you want cheapest possible, and use the cheapest components and build techniques.

If you specify every detail, and then ask for the price, you get chinese labour rates, but built to modern "western" standards of "tolerence".

Also need to stamp it big on quality control. The Chinese don't often know what they are making, so how can they test it? Again, clear brief to the Chinese about quality control, i.e. what to test, and what indicates a fail, is vital.

It is how Behringer scrape through. German design, and specify every detail, and careful calculation of the minimum quality of components required to get through warranty term.

A lot of others don't, and get caught out badly. Radio mics, that aern't able to take duracell procells (they are 0.01mm bigger, only the supplied chinese PP3 fits), 19" ness is often shy, through to complete failure to perform, and dead out of box. DJ market aimed amplifiers with fans blowing out through sides or top of case, so you can't flight case them or put them in a sleeve, or rack mount them. In this case the importer brought in a range of custom 2U flight cases with side vents cut in them!.
Matt Stolton - Wilding Sound Ltd - www.wildingsound.co.uk
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lickweed View Drop Down
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As people mentioned before,its down to QC,I have few things in my inventory that are made in china and very happy with it,but there is a lot of made in china crap around.
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Originally posted by PauliePaul PauliePaul wrote:

Not really sure if this should really be in the un-moderated section, but if it needs to be moved then so be it.
 
I've been thinking about the whole concept of outsourcing manufacturing to China, lots of companies do it, but is the quality of the product affected by who owns the company - ie on the back of my Ipod it says 'Designed by Apple in California, assembled in China'.... would my Ipod be of better quality if that statement read 'Designed and assembled by Apple in California'....?
 
From an audio (and possibly a personal) point of view, Fane build a lot of products in China now. The 18XB was an iconic and legendary British driver which has gone from strength to strength in recent years, co-incidently, since being manufactured in China, but would things have been the same in terms of quality and development if Fane was in Chinese ownership?
 
Is the quality of a product affected by where the product is designed and where it's manufactured?
 
Any thoughts?
what gets me is, they have kit made in Asia to save huge cost's, but drivers are still expensiveShocked price hasn't dropped at all
Dear God. We paid for all this stuff ourselves, so thanks for nothing
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