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A 'Made In America' system?

1930 Views 18 Replies 17 Participants Last post by mphfrom77, Feb 18, 2010

dvddud

Discussion Starter · Feb 10, 2010

So i'm new to this....buying new audio/video stuff. But i started to think, could i buy American made equipment. I think with tv's no, but how about the other parts. A/V receiver, amp, speakers, etc. So a question to you 'experts' can it be put together, and if so, design a entry level,middle, and high end, system.

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1 - 19 of 19 Posts

Ron Alcasid

· #2 · Feb 10, 2010

Entry level not likely

Mid level maybe

Hi end possible

PIRSQUARED

· #3 · Feb 10, 2010

For products made in the U.S., only a "high end" system can be built...I could be wrong of course, but I don't think so. Some combinations of electronics and speakers would include:

Electronics: Lexicon; Mark Levinson, Krell; Theta Digital; Macintosh;

Speakers: Revel; Thiel; Wilson Audio

rdclark

· #4 · Feb 10, 2010

And even then, if this matters to you, check whether the unit is really just a "tweaked" item of Asian manufacture. More likely with electronics than with speakers. I'm not saying this is a bad thing, but if you're concerned, then you may not want to discover later that your high-end American Blu-ray player is really a Chinese unit in an American case.

dookie1

· #5 · Feb 11, 2010

^^

its true.

riverwolf

· #6 · Feb 11, 2010

If you expand to "assembled" instead of "made in" and/or Canadian, the task gets a little easier.

My Panasonic RP LCD HDTV, purchased just a couple of years ago was "Assembled in USA". One would assume other products from Panasonic probably were also, but you'll need to check each SKU somehow. At the time, out of surprise and curiousity, I went hunting for other TV manufacturers that might have assembly/production back in country. Seems like one of the tier2 brands (Vizio/Olevia/?) had just opened a production facility in California. There may be more, but the info of where stuff is actually OEM'd is hard to find.

The Outlaw multi-channel amps are "made in USA", not just "assembled". See the FTC site for the difference. ATI, the most likely candidate for OEM of Outlaw, also builds amps under their own name and for others so there are likely a few brands of amps that have at least some models "made in USA". Adcom used to be, but appear to have gone offshore at some point.

I'm not aware of any reasonably priced source components that are even packaged on US soil, but there's a lot of gear out there, so it's not out of the question. I don't consider the Lexi-Oppo reasonably priced, even if Lexi did all the work, but it does at least have some work done to it on US soil. ;-)

Speakers are easy, but getting harder. Some brands that used to roll their own drivers and cabinets have recently outsourced those functions, for at least some models. Even the driver OEMs that had European manufacturing have shifted some work to China. At one time, SVS even sourced their sub amps from Canada, but I think Indigo eventually moved production to China, possibly after being bought by a Chinese firm. SVS also used to source some cabinets in Ohio, but reported at one point their OEM quit and they were forced to go to China for cabs simply because they coudln't source what they wanted in the US.

For a processor, your most likely candidates are probably B&K or McIntosh.

-Brent

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ensmarcum

· #7 · Feb 11, 2010

If you think about Canada, Anthem products and Paradigm speakers are made in Canada...

High end klipsch speakers and some reference speakers are made in the USA.

Wyred4Sound amps are made in California.

I would pick Anthem and Klipsch, but that is what I have had before so...

Emig5m

· #8 · Feb 11, 2010

Legacy Audio is another US speaker maker. http://www.legacyaudio.com/

math-geek

· #9 · Feb 11, 2010

It's becoming more difficult to find electronics manufactured in the USA. I ended up putting a system together with first world manufacturers. My equipment hails from USA (Krell), Germany (Dual), and Denmark (Dynaudio). In the past I have also owned PS Audio (USA), Arcam (UK) and Bryston (Canada) equipment. I have never suffered from an equipment failure. Good luck or something else?

As a matter of fact, Krell, Levinson, and McIntosh equipment will not come inexpensively. BUT (!!!), you can find used equipment from many USA mfgs. for far less than retail. for example, though made in the UK, I just scored my brother a mint Arcam FMJ A22 integrated amp for $550.00. This amp sold new for $2000.00! It sounded great and was truly a great deal. I also found his Revel M20 loudspeakers used for $785.00 ($2300.00 new). You can find your system and piece it together if you are patient and dilligent.

mphfrom77

· #10 · Feb 11, 2010

Try Blue Jeans Cable (sponsor at the top of these forums)

.

And its nice to be able to talk with some of the smaller American companies through forums. I'd say most of those companies have their own forums on their own websites where you can have you questions answered, as well as on here. I know the (an AVS sponsor) HSU owner answered one of my questions really quick.

.

(Now if you were looking for a rifle I would promptly direct you to Henry rifles! I really, really like that company and my Golden Boy is awesome!

surdy

· #11 · Feb 11, 2010

Till recently I had a all made in USA system almost.

The amps and processor are Proceed-made in USA

Legacy Speakers-Made in USA

Wadia Transport/DAC -Made in USA

Even the Pioneer 5080HD is Assembled in USA of Japanese/USA parts. I believe my Elite set is also assembled in USA tho I am not 100% sure.

Unfortunately, both my Pioneer 79AVI and Denon 2500Btci DVD players

are made elsewhere. Haven't bothered to check tho.

And now the replacement (in transit) for my AVP is the Pioneer Sc-27 which I think is made in Japan

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Dave McWilliams

· #12 · Feb 11, 2010

B&K is another option for electronics. Good quality without the high-end price tag.

kucharsk

· #13 · Feb 11, 2010

Quote:
Originally Posted by rdclark /forum/post/18111197

And even then, if this matters to you, check whether the unit is really just a "tweaked" item of Asian manufacture. More likely with electronics than with speakers. I'm not saying this is a bad thing, but if you're concerned, then you may not want to discover later that your high-end American Blu-ray player is really a Chinese unit in an American case.

If you use that as a guide, then it's truly impossible as every "American" unit will contain components and assemblies made overseas.

For example, there's no such thing as an American disc transport, laser, or DVD/Blu-ray chip set, let alone things like capacitors and resistors.

So in a very real way it's a "Which is 'American' - the Toyota made in Kentucky or the Dodge made in Mexico?" question.

Tolstoi

· #14 · Feb 11, 2010

Quote:
Originally Posted by dvddud /forum/post/18109332

So i'm new to this....buying new audio/video stuff. But i started to think, could i buy American made equipment. I think with tv's no, but how about the other parts. A/V receiver, amp, speakers, etc. So a question to you 'experts' can it be put together, and if so, design a entry level,middle, and high end, system.

Be careful to the made in America sticker. This also applies for the made in Canada. On a product do you know how much local content need to added to a foreign product to be considered build locally? Not that much.

This rule allow a company such as Lexicon to put made usa sticker to the BD-30 while in fact the unit with the exception of the aluminum casing is 100% made in China.

MannyE

· #15 · Feb 11, 2010

B&K for electronics (pre/pro) Outlaw amp and I believe Definitive Technologies is also made in the usa for speakers...

riverwolf

· #16 · Feb 13, 2010

Quote:
Originally Posted by Tolstoi /forum/post/18114394

Be careful to the made in America sticker. This also applies for the made in Canada. On a product do you know how much local content need to added to a foreign product to be considered build locally? Not that much.

This rule allow a company such as Lexicon to put made usa sticker to the BD-30 while in fact the unit with the exception of the aluminum casing is 100% made in China.

Maybe things are different in Canada, after all ya'll do have a law to the effect of prohibiting companies from following the US laws for trade embargoes against Cuba.

However, "Made in USA" or "Assembled in USA" mean just that . Not Canada, Mexico, or Zimbabwe. It also doesn't allow something like the Lexi-Oppo to even qualify as "Assembled"...neither can the Dell's that are put together and boxed up down in Austin.

I probably shouldn't try as the OP's question is pretty pointless, but I will try to correct some things I know as fact.

A number of previously North American based suppliers have moved some or all of their production overseas...including either Paradigm or PSB, possibly both. Not NA based, but B&W of merry old England has resorted to this practice as well.

Since Legacy Audio doesn't roll their own drivers, it's likely their products don't qualify as "Assembled" even though their beautiful cabinets are made here.

Any ICEPower based amp, such as Wyred4Sound will not qualify for "Assembled". The amp modules are imported completely assembled and placed in a chassis. I'm not sure where the amp modules are actually assembled for B&O.

-Brent

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M Code

· #17 · Feb 13, 2010

Quote:
Originally Posted by MannyE /forum/post/18117080

B&K for electronics (pre/pro) Outlaw amp and I believe Definitive Technologies is also made in the usa for speakers...

Outlaw power amplifiers are sourced from ATI and built in California..

Just my $0.01..

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rick240

· #18 · Feb 13, 2010

Quote:
Originally Posted by dvddud /forum/post/18109332

So i'm new to this....buying new audio/video stuff. But i started to think, could i buy American made equipment. I think with tv's no, but how about the other parts. A/V receiver, amp, speakers, etc. So a question to you 'experts' can it be put together, and if so, design a entry level,middle, and high end, system.

Define entry, middle and high? (by $ maybe)

Is US designed and made in China qualify, or must it be manufactured in US?

Are we talking 2.1 or 5.1?

mphfrom77

· #19 · Feb 18, 2010

http://www.parts-express.com/pe/show...number=295-080

I discovered that this warehouse/store is next to a Dayton Audio factory, and that they are only 45 minutes from me. They do a lot of DIY business.

The link provided was a deal of the day for today. The headline was "Made in the USA". Maybe you could give them a call, and they could provide you with some assistance. They seem to be very reputable, from what I understand. I will eventually visit them.

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