InVeNtOr Posted March 30, 2007 Author Share Posted March 30, 2007 i am sure the china ones are great, but not offense, this is america and sometimes people want great quality stuff made here buy us for us. IMO if i have to pay a little more for that i will. "You have to pay to play!" i am positive if you took the same models (china vs. arkansas) they would sound identical. to me i would feel a little cheated if i didn't get the ones made in Hope. i guess now when i look to upgrade i am going to have to keep a look out for that. i hope that doesn't get anyone mad, it's just my opinion. we all know what opinions are..... now that opinion isn't for everything i own, just specifically klipsch speakers. i am sure all the computer parts that i put into my computer, my tv, and i couldn't name the rest are made overseas. american companys can't compete with the labor costs across the oceans. here is a quick example. my job. i work at Gulfstream and i wire up aircraft. our back shop use to build the complete wire harness for all our planes. a group of 5 (i think it was 5, maybe 7) built the entire harness, rang it out, and had ZERO defects. the "bean counters" came down, laid all those people off, sent the harness work to Mexicacally. they had around 40 workers taking 1000 hours, sent it to us, we still had to do 3 days worth of work to fix all the problems, and it was still cheaper sending it to Mexically then have us do it right the first time. you are right, "sad but true." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
germerikan Posted March 30, 2007 Share Posted March 30, 2007 I myself am happy that Klipsch is making a quality speaker for a tight budget, it is like fishing though, once they have you on the hook you will be upgrading to another Klipsch product at some point in the future. Amy Is the quality control bieng reguarly monitored by Klipsch USA? If so we should be getting the same quality standard!!! Still cant wait to win the lottery, buy a house and fill a brand spanking new HT room with the TXH setup!! (one must dream) Randy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill H. Posted March 30, 2007 Share Posted March 30, 2007 Either one is the best bang for the buck.......compare the quality, clarity and the overall effect of Klipsch to any other brand and Klipsch clearly comes out on top................[^o)] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Amy Posted March 30, 2007 Moderators Share Posted March 30, 2007 Amy Is the quality control bieng reguarly monitored by Klipsch USA? If so we should be getting the same quality standard!!! Absolutely Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
germerikan Posted March 30, 2007 Share Posted March 30, 2007 [Y][Y] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xdetroitx Posted March 30, 2007 Share Posted March 30, 2007 Yeah, I am sort of bummed mine say Made In China on them. Ill make sure my next pair does not. As it is obvious by that last statement I will be upgrading. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dr venkman Posted March 30, 2007 Share Posted March 30, 2007 Yeah, I am sort of bummed mine say Made In China on them. Ill make sure my next pair does not. As it is obvious by that last statement I will be upgrading. Personally, I could care less where my speakers are made as long as they meet my expectations. If the MIC speakers were inferior, then of course I'd expect them to cost less. But if the quality is the same, they look the same, and they sound they same, who cares where they are made? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
InVeNtOr Posted March 30, 2007 Author Share Posted March 30, 2007 This is my personal take on it. i am expounding from the previous post i made. in our culture or society we our out sourcing everything to save a few dollars. in the short run thats a very smart thing to do. in the long run, we won't be able to compete and HAVE to buy everything overseas and be dependent on someone else. now i work with some people who in my opinion should be fired. they are lazy and don't get any work done. to the company it's just a waste of money. there is little the company can do because over here there are lawyers and "rules" that lets that lazy worker keep his job. i also know of Union workers that have the same complaint. (this is from them) once you reach a certain year, it's almost impossible to be fired. they have told me certain people just sit around and drink coffee. a few of them have even clocked into work, then left and worked across the street for 8 hours and the company still couldn't fire them! we are workers are hurting ourselves by acting this way. I believe the workers in Hope love their job and are truly proud of their product. This is where I think the products are different. There is a degree of love put into every speaker during every phase of construction. Like it was stated before, china has machines and assembly process like that. I am just a little more happy knowing that a person built my speaker over a machine because no machine can match the craftsmanship of a person. Maybe the builder in Hope sands down the wood a couple of more times or places the glue in the joints a little neater, or even just takes a second look to inspect the entire job to make sure they did a great job. It's things like that I believe the Hope workers do. To ensure that those great workers still have a job I will try and do my part and buy from that factory to honor their love and craftsmanship. To all the Hope workers Thank You for having pride in your work and taking the time to put these beautifully crafted works of art together. ps. the only thing missing from these speakers is a an engraved plate with the workers name who put it together (if thats possible). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roc Rinaldi Posted March 30, 2007 Share Posted March 30, 2007 so basically they were a "cheaper" version of the reference so they can compete? i don't recall BB selling these speakers at the time, i know for a fact there was only 1 place to get them in arkasas when i bought them and it was a HT store. i just checked the sticker and they were made in Arkansas. i didn't even know the BB klipsch speakers were even made in china. i might have to go in there to see that. It's not a pretty site. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roc Rinaldi Posted March 30, 2007 Share Posted March 30, 2007 Unfortunantly I cannot blame Klipsch. If you want to compete you have to eventually. We The People have allowed this to happen with fair trade and nafta. I will not get into it, but we have allowed it so we are just as much to blame. Klipsch still has hope which is more than I can say for most companies. I am a nationalist and the whole china thing makes me want to cry in my innermost being. Luckily I decided to research Klipsch online and came across this forum and was given the advice to check out the reference line. I made the upgrade for the same price as the f-3 line after some negotiating at the AV store. I told them they can have my money or BB. I went back to BB and let them know and they were willing to knock off almost $500 on the f-3 line, but I wasnt going to pass up an opp. to step into the reference line. Well McIntoshes are still made in Binghamton, NY. No Chinese labor there. It's funny because I still have a "yen" for McIntosh products. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roc Rinaldi Posted March 30, 2007 Share Posted March 30, 2007 She says if we're going to charge anything It's gonna be on something more important than speakers. Like what exactly? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roc Rinaldi Posted March 30, 2007 Share Posted March 30, 2007 Whether it was to sell at BB or not, price had a lot to do with it. And, anyone will tell you that Synergy is now made in China, and here's the real kicker...So is the Reference line!![8o|] It's all about money. It almost always is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roc Rinaldi Posted March 30, 2007 Share Posted March 30, 2007 Not all Klipsh Ref are made in China. Not sure about the new models, but the some of the old ones were done in Hope, Ark. Yes but the real issue is where are they manufactured today. And the problem isn't just the quality of the labor, but also the quality of the materials. Moving manufacturing to China isn't the only cost cutting measure employed, I'm sure. Sad state of affairs. Will North Korea be the next manufacturing site? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roc Rinaldi Posted March 30, 2007 Share Posted March 30, 2007 I was referring to the new ones. Maybe the 83s are still done in hope, but my 82s say made in China right on them. Now that you know this are you sleeping as well as before? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roc Rinaldi Posted March 30, 2007 Share Posted March 30, 2007 The Synergy line has been around for at least 10 years, but sold in Best Buy starting in 2003 (the newest Synergy III line launched in Fall 04). You can find our press release here. The manufacturing plant in Hope, Arkansas is still very much active. So apparently the crack in the dam happened in 2003. When did the plant in China begin producing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roc Rinaldi Posted March 30, 2007 Share Posted March 30, 2007 No problem [] The folks in Hope are truly craftsman with what they do with the wood product. If anyone gets the chance to visit the plant there, do it! And just a comment on the topic at hand...I've noticed the Synergy products sometimes get a bad rap here and on other speakers forums, largely from people who haven't heard them. Take a mintue to listen to them at Best Buy next time you are there (if they are on display correctly, of course!). I think they are incredible in their price point --and even compared to other brands in a higher price point. You can trust me...if I thought they were sub-quality, I wouldn't bother speaking up at all! [] I have heard them at BB and they did sound pretty good. It's just that I can't get past the uncomfortable feeling about "Made in China". It's probably just me or not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roc Rinaldi Posted March 30, 2007 Share Posted March 30, 2007 My KSF-10.5's (FL & FR) are tagged "Inspected by" & "Tested by" with signoffs by Klipsch, Hope Arkansas. The same for my KSF-S5's (LR & RR). Circa 1998. These units have exceeded all of my expectations while taking a SMALL footprint and obeying Paul W. Klipsch's "Ten Cardinal Rules" for Loudspeaker Design & Placement. What a comfort to have a real product made my real people -- in Hope, Ark. Hope this helps. It does give one Hope. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roc Rinaldi Posted March 30, 2007 Share Posted March 30, 2007 i am sure the china ones are great, but not offense, this is america and sometimes people want great quality stuff made here buy us for us. IMO if i have to pay a little more for that i will. "You have to pay to play!" i am positive if you took the same models (china vs. arkansas) they would sound identical. to me i would feel a little cheated if i didn't get the ones made in Hope. i guess now when i look to upgrade i am going to have to keep a look out for that. i hope that doesn't get anyone mad, it's just my opinion. we all know what opinions are..... now that opinion isn't for everything i own, just specifically klipsch speakers. i am sure all the computer parts that i put into my computer, my tv, and i couldn't name the rest are made overseas. american companys can't compete with the labor costs across the oceans. here is a quick example. my job. i work at Gulfstream and i wire up aircraft. our back shop use to build the complete wire harness for all our planes. a group of 5 (i think it was 5, maybe 7) built the entire harness, rang it out, and had ZERO defects. the "bean counters" came down, laid all those people off, sent the harness work to Mexicacally. they had around 40 workers taking 1000 hours, sent it to us, we still had to do 3 days worth of work to fix all the problems, and it was still cheaper sending it to Mexically then have us do it right the first time. you are right, "sad but true." You are correct. I do consider where the Klipsches are made as a serious factor. However, in the 80s & 90s whenever I had a choice I would select CDs made in Japan over anywhere else. You can also get junk made in america so be careful. Maybe the quality gaps are shrinking as time passes and other countries improve their approach and processes in manufacturing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roc Rinaldi Posted March 30, 2007 Share Posted March 30, 2007 Yeah, I am sort of bummed mine say Made In China on them. Ill make sure my next pair does not. As it is obvious by that last statement I will be upgrading. From when I bought my first Klipsches (KG_4s) in 1989 I have been concerned about place of manufacture. It was important to me and comforting that they were made in Hope. I was actualy very disappointed when I discovered the Made in China issue. Oh well, everything changes. At least some Klipsches are still made american. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roc Rinaldi Posted March 30, 2007 Share Posted March 30, 2007 Yeah, I am sort of bummed mine say Made In China on them. Ill make sure my next pair does not. As it is obvious by that last statement I will be upgrading. Personally, I could care less where my speakers are made as long as they meet my expectations. If the MIC speakers were inferior, then of course I'd expect them to cost less. But if the quality is the same, they look the same, and they sound they same, who cares where they are made? But do you really know for sure that the quality and materials are the same. I'm sure China has it's own suppliers of materials. Not the same one as in Hope. that's why I care where they are made. Maybe I'm being unfair but that is my opinion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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