Made in America

Humbuster,

FYI - while it's true that McIntosh gear has been continued to be manufactured in the U.S. (mostly), McIntosh Laboratory has not been a U.S. owned company since 1990 when it was acquired by a Japanese car audio manufacturer (Clarion), until 2003 when it was sold to another Japanese company (D&M Holdings), and most recently was sold to Fine Sounds SpA, an Italian firm.

For me it is hard to get nationalistic when buying most anything. Some of the worst products I have purchased in the last 20 years have been American made. Fortunately most of my high end USA audio stuff was pretty good after it settled in and got the bugs worked out.

But I've had both good and bad products from both domestic and foreign companies so I focus on who will be able to service the product when it fails. It is getting harder as time passes even to find a good USA tech when the manufacturer has closed shop. So I also buy product that is easily understood and repaired with the techs we have. A harder test for foreign products in the USA. Note a lot of very good Chinese products/manufacturers can't even get a distributor to last more than a year or two. European product is not that much better.

But nationalistic "Buy American" is just so much union propaganda, IMHO. Our manufacturers do not subscribe religiously to that, why should we. Even our government doesn't subscribe to that!

Mrtennis, what do you mean by "American company"? Most of companies are international. Is "Phillips-USA" American or Dutch company. They still have small building there to signify their origin. Is Telefunken German (bought by Vishay)? We can ask who is majority shareholder or where company was incorporated (Tyco in Bermuda). But if I can determine for sure, that company is not American shall I then stop buying in 7-eleven because it is Japanese or in Trader's Joe because it is German, not to mention Shell Gas (Dutch), Burger King (UK) etc. Every single Toyota Avalon sold anywhere in the world, including Japan, is made in Kentucky giving jobs to a lot of folks there. I have currently two Avalons (one 17 years old) and they work like Swiss watch. I had Ford Taurus before that was falling apart costing me a lot of money and sleepless nights. Ford's quality is still very poor (according to latest surveys), perhaps because a lot of people buy "American". Should my next car be Toyota or Ford? I think it should be the "best" car for me. Making selections based on other factors is against the very system we live in and hence un-American.

I have Luxman amp from japan.
Harbeth speakers from the UK
AZ cables from the USA
Nordost IC USA
Rega p5 UK
Hegel Hd11 DAC Norway
PS Audio PWD USA

In the past I own cayin china made, Marantz china, Yamaha USA,
Ayon Austria.
So far I don't get focus in where they were made, more in how they sound or match my taste.

I respect made in America products and followers, just not the way I look the hobby or handle myself.

Regards

Regardless of product genre (audio or otherwise) I always try to buy American whenever possible and always avoid Chinese goods. The former because I see it as being best for our economy, the latter because of far too many experiences with poor quality goods that disappoint. Products from other countries get a fair shake. Regardless of origin all goods have to meet certain standards.

The only items in my system today that were made in China are power tubes. The rest are from the USA, Canada, Japan and Great Britain. YMMV.