What current China import sounds like a CJ??

Certain manufacturers DO own patents [Atma-sphere for one!]

The example of post war Japan cannot be compared to China, which is still a communist country. Dissidents or undesirables get treated rather harshly [go try to evangelize in China...you'll quickly be deported or imprisoned...or WORSE]!

So Mr. Wong is the floor production manager for Beijing Blaster Tube Amps. The daily production quota is 100 amps. You bet your ass that at least 100 amps per day will be produced, because there are probably dozens of people waiting in line for his job. Will all 100 amps pass QC or are several just slapped together to meet the quota? Mr. Liu, the purchasing agent, is informed by his friend or relative that he can obtain a batch of resistors, capacitors, tubes etc. that were rejected by another manufacturer's QC or outright bootlegs for 10% of the normal price. Beijing Blaster is billed for the full price, and Mr. Liu and his partner split their 90% profit. Don't forget as I previously stated, that China is the biggest bootlegging/pirating country in the world, all of which is sanctioned by the Chinese Government.

The corporate structure is very important...direct in-house oversight by USA or EU personnel is essential. Unfortunately, there are legitimate and VERY dedicated Chinese manufacturers who turn out quality equipment at a very reasonable price, but how will you know who they are? Until the Chinese government decides that their reputation for quality as well as honoring intellectual property and patents is more important that selling "stolen" property for a quick and easy profit, you'll just be buying a "pig in a poke".

Think that I'm just blowing smoke? Watch what happens to the international news media during the 2008 Olympics!!!!

Fatparrot,

So Mr. Wong is the floor production manager for Beijing Blaster Tube Amps. The daily production quota is 100 amps. You bet your ass that at least 100 amps per day will be produced

Even if Mr. Wong and his wife were working together as floor production managers, failing to produce 100 amps would get both of them canned.

Proving that old adage, two Wongs don't make a right.

Fatparrot, was that supposed to be a reply to my specific questions? Cause it's not. We all know how bad the Chinese government is. But I don't think mass production plant managers anywhere else are any more free to flout their quotas and keep their jobs, for whatever that's worth. And how is it "unfortunate" that, as you say, "there are legitimate and VERY dedicated Chinese manufacturers who turn out quality equipment at a very reasonable price"? Personally, I have a tough time putting the blame for exploitive overseas manufacturing and exporting practices on the domestic firms and consumers who take advantage of the cheaper prices -- as long as our goverment policies permit and even encourage this behavior, market forces will dictate that consumers and manufacturers follow this path. The whole process probably *could* be managed so that pros outweigh cons long-term all the way around, but I very much doubt that this is the situation today -- I assume the benefits flowing from the arrangement are imbalanced and shorter-term, and don't necessarily outweigh the cons. So it's up to individual consumers if they want to boycott products they think could hurt the interests of labor (in both countries), or the environment, etc.

Albertporter, I guess that I'm Dean Martin to your Jerry Lewis ;-)

why would anyone be concerned that an amplifier assembled in China sounds like a CJ ? is it possible that there are amps assembled in the US which also sound like a CJ ?

most tube amps of a given wattage sound similar and most of them sound like solid state. who needs them ? who cares ? sounds like a tempest in a teapot to me ?

why not answer a more important question, such as why do so many of current production amps and preamps sound so bad ?