[CamperBob2]

From the company's 'About' page:

   Do you seriously make your stuff in the USA?
   Yep. We worked long and hard to get our designs and 
   chassis so they could be assembled by first-world labor 
   for prices similar to the Chinese. ...

   But wouldn’t it be cheaper doing it in China?
   Maybe. But we’re not going to find out.

   Well, hell, all your parts are probably Chinese anyway, 
   right?  Um, no. The majority of our parts, on a total 
   cost basis, come from right here in the USA, from 
   companies manufacturing their products in the USA. ...

As the Least Interesting Guy in the Hardware World, I don't always start companies, but when I do, I always make sure to insult 75% of my potential market.

[cthalupa]

I'm not entirely sure that I'd consider that insulting, but, from the forward:

  Be memorable—this isn’t about getting everyone to like you, 
  this is about getting some people to love you.

The company isn't built around catering to a massive amount of people, but instead a niche. And there's definitely a market out there that is very much swayed by the "Made in the USA, from parts sourced in the USA" line of rhetoric

[CamperBob2]

Yeah, absolutely, and I really like a lot of what I'm reading in the .PDF that darinf put together.

But this is still an instance of taking the low road. We all live on the same planet, and commercial jingoism isn't the way forward.

Edit: if you "aren't sure if you consider it insulting," try reversing the roles. Imagine a Chinese company that brags about how they avoid using parts and labor from the US whenever possible. How do you suppose that will play in Peoria?

[cthalupa]

>Edit: if you "aren't sure if you consider it insulting," try reversing the roles. Imagine a Chinese company that brags about how they avoid using parts and labor from the US whenever possible. How do you suppose that will play in Peoria?

If Peoria had largely created an industry based on creating things at the absolute cheapest price point and gained a reputation for making sacrifices in quality to do so, I feel like they wouldn't really have a lot of room to complain.

[ssalazar]

Having spent time in China and having experience with Chinese manufacturers, I wager most Chinese would continue to take our money and ignore minor slights such as this, if you can even call it that. The immediate need to jump up and be offended by the smallest thing, especially on behalf of the "Other"/non-Westerners, is a phenomenon fairly unique to the Western world.

[throwawayaway]

official chinese military grade stuff? sign me up. people who are opinionated can sometimes be talented, i don't take it as a negative indicator.

[CamperBob2]

Who in the world said anything about "military grade stuff"?

This site seems to be trying to be the next Digg.

[throwawayaway]

does the "designed by apple in california assembled in china" similarly offend your sensibilities?

http://s3.amazonaws.com/rapgenius/1322155944_iphone_back.jpg

[throwawayaway]

you did!

> Imagine a Chinese company that brags about how they avoid using parts and labor from the US whenever possible.

chinese military grade stuff?

yes, i am the entire website you have interacted with for years to attain ~5k of karma.

[CamperBob2]

So Chinese military contractors sell high-end consumer audio equipment in the US now?