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RE: Stand by your guns!

Posted by woofersus (D) on April 27, 2012 at 08:28:20

In Reply to: Stand by your guns! posted by Chris O on April 26, 2012 at 08:09:19:

Perhaps I shouldn't feel defensive about such posts at this point, but I can't help it. This kind of generalization perpetuates falsehoods that hurt my business.

For one thing, not many USA made amps actually use USA iron, even if they do their own winding, and certainly it's impossible to use only US sourced parts. Quality level varies significantly just like any other country of origin. The blatant generalization shows a lack of understanding about both modern manufacturing and the audio business. I can't speak to a comparison between the Melody amp and the others suggested here since I haven't heard them, but I can tell you that Melody uses quality parts and first rate construction.

It's a privately owned factory built by Melody, and many employees are family members. Here is a nice tour of the Melody "sweatshop."

http://www.6moons.com/industryfeatures/roadtourchina/melody_2.html

I've certainly been in factories in the US with worse conditions. Also note some of the pictures of the "crap inside the metal covers" being made as they hand-wind all of their transformers. (even interstage and balancing transformers) The C-Cores in the ANXX series are imported from Japan, btw. You'll also see such crap as Jensen and Mundorf capacitors, huge chokes, and point to point wiring. Also notice the terrible quality control featuring capacitor testing, tube burn-in testing, amp burn-in racks, extensive measurement equipment, and a "noise sniffing" room for finished products. As an example of how superior "made in USA" gear is, Genesis amps have come out of that factory in the past.

This article shows the transformer used in the AN211 and AN300B (the AN300b has been updated since these pictures were taken)

http://www.6moons.com/industryfeatures/roadtourchina/sidebar_melody.html

Like I said, I don't know which amp discussed here is the best, but I would encourage the OP not to rule out Chinese amps (doesn't sound like he is) and to give the AN211 a listen if possible. I wouldn't say it beats the dramatically no-holds-barred Ongaku, and I've heard both, but it certainly shares sonic similarities. It is a special amp though, and to achieve maybe 85% of the Ongaku at about 5.9% of the price (US pricing) is an impressive feat to say the least. Stereomojo recently named it best integrated of 2011. (http://www.stereomojo.com/2011%20Stereomojo%20Products%20of%20the%20Year/2011PRODUCTSOFTHEYEAR.htm) Unfortunately they've been dragging their feet a bit on getting the full review finished.

I've included a picture of its internals for reference.

Edits: 04/27/12 04/27/12 04/27/12

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