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RE: "Clone" amplifiers - can they be trusted? . . .

Posted by Schurkey (A) on June 26, 2015 at 10:34:25

In Reply to: "Clone" amplifiers - can they be trusted? . . . posted by wangmr on June 25, 2015 at 06:46:01:

I think that before we can have a reasonable discussion, we need to define some terms, two of which ("Clone" and "copy") you seem to use interchangeably in your original post.

What do you think of the following?

OEM updated design: The original manufacturer continues or resumes production of an older "vintage" product, using updated parts and construction as deemed necessary, but retaining as much of the original design and product "flavor" as practical. All manufacturers update products, often without telling the consumer about them, or changing the model number. The original manufacturer of a product therefore has the strongest claim to "authenticity" when they continue or resume production of an older product, even if the result is judged to be unsatisfactory by reviewers or it's intended market.

Clone: Exact reproduction of an original design, performed by an aftermarket (not-original) manufacturer. Critical parts for the clone will be from the same supplier(s), and the same, or superseded (equivalent) part number(s) as parts from the original, aside from cabinetry. Construction will be identical. The only real difference will be the manufacturer's nameplate. In some cases, minor updates are made to obtain safety (including environmental) certification in the intended market(s). If there is no current supplier of critical original parts, the design cannot be cloned. In a few cases, used parts are obtained and refurbished, but this tends to limit the quantity of Clones that can be made, and may run afoul of regulations relating to advertising the product as "new".

Copy: Less-exact reproduction of an original design. Parts are generic substitutions (including "upgraded" parts of higher-quality than the original) and assembly is somewhat different than the original. *A company should be careful that their product is not so far removed from the original that it isn't really a copy at all, but a new work merely using a similar circuit or cabinetry as the original.*
A product so made could actually be an improvement on the original. In some cases, updates are made to obtain safety (including environmental) certification in the intended market(s).

Knockoff: Poor reproduction of an original design. Parts are generic substitutions which may include low-quality or otherwise inappropriate selections to lower the cost to manufacture. Assembly may be entirely different from the original. The end product superficially resembles the original. There may be an intent to deceive on the part of the manufacturer and retailers.

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