Chinese products

While researching Nubsound and Douk Tube amps I noted they produce some very expensive Tube amps costing thousands.  It did get me to wondering, based upon the reviews of the cheap Tube amps, if it is that much of an improvement in audio quality.   Some, like Germtune appear to be rebranded Nubsound amps.

People need to keep the politics out of this.  I like most of you will try to buy American when possible.  But there are times when buying a product made abroad makes more sense and is far more cost effective.

Buying a new Chinese made product that comes with a warranty and money back guarantee makes more sense than buying something without either especially if you don't have the money to eat the cost of a used piece of gear that croaks and needs hundreds or thousands of dollars to repair.

They will only get more expensive with new trade tariffs.

I think you are lumping all Chinese-made products together in one basket. Like many countries, China produces some low-priced products, but they are also capable of producing excellent high-end stuff, which necessarily dictates a higher price. Of course, all business people try to get as high a price as the market will bear, so there’s that. As far as whether you should, from a patriotic standpoint, purchase foreign products, that’s a personal choice. There are some foreign products shipped directly from China, so the US doesn’t really benefit, but there are others foreign companies such as Toyota and BMW that have American factories and dealerships employing thousands of people here. Rationalize things as you will.

@recluse "Are all these products in fact the same? with the hope that someone will pay more for a variety of reasons?"

No, they are not all the same.  That said, many instances DO exist where the same product gets sold under different names, and different pricing.  And the span of that range of pricing can really surprise.  It's not difficult to find the same product offered for $X and for $5X.  Rule Number One in business is buy low, sell high.  Don't think the Chinese sellers did this first, consider how many high-end audio loudspeaker companies claim to use a special version of a driver made only for them or everyday cable marketed for audiophiles at unbelievable (100 - 1000X) markup.

Personally, I think it makes sense to look into Chinese gear on the low-end.  They offer a wide array products with a fair amount of what more expensive ones provide.  However, once you get to the mid to upper ranges, service after the sale, intermediate / long term product reliability, and overall track record of a company become some of the more important factors.  With a few exceptions, you just don't get that from the Chinese products

Quality control, attention to detail, proper design, better parts, better transformers (big one there), and better customer service and warranty work are all reasons why the higher priced units are worth it.  Quality transformers aren't cheap and greatly influence the sound.  They are critical IMO to make a great tube amplifier.  

It all leads to better security and most importantly, better sound.  I normally don't even recommend tube products unless we start talking around the $3,000 mark as I feel that is where all the above start to line up.