Will China become the poor man’s dealer for high end audio?

Just for the record, high end audio has always consisted of high priced items. Also, China’s place in this world is changing.  Labor cost in China have soared.  The business environment has soured.  It is difficult to predict the future, but the high end electronic value manufacturing countries just might be distributed throughout a number of fast developing countries.  Also, the ability to design and not just copy can be found in China as well as many other countries with lower manufacturing costs.

Lastly, there is no way that people in our community can be depicted as “have-nots”.  I managed to buy used and build my own speakers at a time that I didn’t have the finances to buy a car.  I appreciated my system then much as I appreciate my current system now.  How can you be a “have-not” if you appreciate what you have?

I think maybe you meant to say “manufacturer” rather than “dealer,” no? This is not new and many manufacturers have been designing equipment in the US and Europe for decades and having them manufactured in China. Actually, the speakers I bought over 20 years ago were designed here and built there, and it’s an attractive business model as long as quality control is good at the factory (think Apple products). In the mid-to-longer term China’s labor rates will continue to rise and other countries like Vietnam, Malaysia, etc. will become relatively more attractive and cost-effective options similarly to how China attracted manufacturing business in the past, and businesses will begin to migrate there instead. Frankly I’m pretty amazed by companies like Schiit, Rogue and some others who can play in the budget/midFi categories and still manufacture here in the US what with our significantly higher wages, health benefits, and overall costs of doing business — truly impressive.

No, bit of a troll question.

Already there Africa is the next labor market to be exploited. Already has been by some companies. Many of them Chinese companies. Vietnam and Malaysia, China, India have all caught up to each other. 

 Vietnam, Malaysia, etc. will become relatively more attractive and cost-effective options similarly

Switzerland with CH Precision and DarTZeel stands atop the ultra-hifi business! China will never contend in that segment! 

I just hope they stay out of biology labs for awhile 😉 .