Chinese products

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.  

My Jolida 502P was compared (by me, I schlepped) to much more expensive things here and there and I concluded its main issue was regardless of its sonic excellence, it was too inexpensive for audio snobs. It just was. My hand made Dennis Had Inspire "Fire Bottle" HO (it’s a HO) cost me 1200 bucks nearly new, and the latest batch of triodes he’s been making on his cute little workbench (!) are about 1500 new (you should have efficient speakers as these things are 10 to 12 watts per side, so there’s that). I think these Had amps are world class, but I know they're not as they don't cost as much as a Shindo. My amazingly good sounding Schiit Freya (USA Made) sells for about 700 clams (actual clams, weirdly). Are these non recommendable? Should I be ashamed? Too late…I’m sad now, and shuffling off to look at my little pile of substandard gear…*sniff*…

My NAD DAC  and OPPO 103 are made in China.   My tuner is made in Canada eh,  Preamp,  Amps, Speakers , and headphones are made in USA.    .....and they did not cost an unreasonable amount.