Made in Britain? Sadly, not.

[admin_exported]

I recently went out looking for speakers and a new amplifier, and was shocked to find that very little seems to be made in Britain, or indeed Europe, these days. My information may not be accurate, but apparently such great names as KEF, Wharfedale, Mission, Mordaunt Short, Audiolab, and some B&W, Arcam and Quad are no longer made in the UK.

Now, I'm not xenophobic, nor am I arguing about the quality, it's just that I wanted to support the local industry. When I expanded the net to Europe, I found that even the nominally Danish speaker component manufacturers such as peerless and scanspeak are also made offshore.

Are there, apart from Naim and Rega, any purely local manufacturers left? I've also got the horrible feeling that some fine names are no more than labels now.

 

[Anonymous]

Linn.

 

[chebby]

...

 

[Anonymous]

Cyrus.
Spendor.

 

[Anonymous]

Proac too. Howvever I feel issue can be overly and perhaps wrongly pointed out to mean a decrease in quality. With effective quality control it should mean the same or BETTER quality product can be made for a cheaper price therefore offering us (the customers) a better value product than would be possible otherwise. Of course the cynical among us may say the only benefit is for the overseas replica industry......

 

[Anonymous]

JAXON5:Of course the cynical among us may say the only benefit is for the overseas replica industry......

The only benefit is for the overseas replica industry......

 

[Anonymous]

Needless to say, that only means you're one of the cynics.

 

[chebby]

...

 

[plastic penguin]

It's the same with most industries. Take cars, for instance. Name a popular family car that's all British? The world of audio visual is no different. It's a sad reflextion on the influence [or lack of] in Britain in a competitive and overcrowded marketplace.

Wharfedale were actually American, originally owned by Rank Organisation.

 

[a.g.]

I believe Arcam and Spendor manufacture in the UK.

 

[fr0g]

plastic penguin:
It's the same with most industries. Take cars, for instance. Name a popular family car that's all British? The world of audio visual is no different. It's a sad reflextion on the influence [or lack of] in Britain in a competitive and overcrowded marketplace.

No it isn't. It is a simple fact of economics. The Chinese workers get paid about a 10th of what workers on a production line in the UK do, so the manufacturer can make more money by outsourcing. Exactly the same thing that happened with telephone help desks.

However, I wouldn't worry about it. The average developing country production line worker is grateful for work, unlike the same person in the UK, and in all likelihood, far more conciencious.

Saying that, my Dali speakers, and Lyngdorf amp are made in Denmark, and my Harmony DAC, in Sweden...

 

[matthewpiano]

plastic penguin:
It's the same with most industries. Take cars, for instance. Name a popular family car that's all British? The world of audio visual is no different. It's a sad reflextion on the influence [or lack of] in Britain in a competitive and overcrowded marketplace.

Wharfedale were actually American, originally owned by Rank Organisation.

No they weren't. Wharfedale were originally British but were eventually purchased by the Rank Organisation. Now they are of course owned by IAG who also own Audiolab, Quad, Mission, and Castle.

I personally don't think this is an issue. Yes, it would be wonderful if goods were manufactured in Britain, but it doesn't make any difference ultimately and British manufacture is hardly an automatic sign of great craftsmanship anymore. Just look at the rubbish Rover/MG were churning out at the end.

 

[Anonymous]

fr0g:plastic penguin:
It's the same with most industries. Take cars, for instance. Name a popular family car that's all British? The world of audio visual is no different. It's a sad reflextion on the influence [or lack of] in Britain in a competitive and overcrowded marketplace.

No it isn't. It is a simple fact of economics. The Chinese workers get paid about a 10th of what workers on a production line in the UK do, so the manufacturer can make more money by outsourcing. Exactly the same thing that happened with telephone help desks.

However, I wouldn't worry about it. The average developing country production line worker is grateful for work, unlike the same person in the UK, and in all likelihood, far more conciencious

Saying that, my Dali speakers, and Lyngdorf amp are made in Denmark, and my Harmony DAC, in Sweden...

Scandinavian stuff is really distinctively sylish imo. Swedish esp (no ikea jokes pls). Not sure about Norway though. Still at least they can lay claim to

 

[Anonymous]

plastic penguin:

Wharfedale were actually American, originally owned by Rank Organisation.

Not until 1958 - Wharfedale was originally setup by Gilbert Briggs who created the Wharfedale Wireless Works.

 

[Anonymous]

matthewpiano:

No they weren't. Wharfedale were originally British but were eventually purchased by the Rank Organisation.

Sorry, I beg your pardon! note to self: read threads thoroughly first!

 

[Anonymous]

There's still loads of great stuff 'made' in the UK, Kudos, Neat,Sonneteer,Leema,Revolver, Graham Slee, Talk, all made still in the UK the list is endless, the parts might be manufactured someone else but they are made in the UK, but at the end of the day me feelings are if it sounds good who cares where it's made.

 

[a.g.]

Neat speakers are made in the UK.

 

[Anonymous]

KEF Reference is all hand built in Maidstone and all of our R&D is still undertaken by a large group of engineers there. We have a very cool museum which is open to anyone feeling nostalic.

 

[cse]

Densen

 

[Andrew Everard]

cse:Densen

Esbjerg, Denmark.

 

[cse]

Yes, that's in Europe.

 

[Andrew Everard]

I think the clue is probably in the thread title...

But agreed, Denmark does count, and yes, Densen does make its own products in-house. Though probably the earlier comments about extra-European components do apply.

 

[Anonymous]

The Danes are pretty handy when it comes to decent hif then.

I'll celebrate tonight by listening to my Dynaudios and eating a bacon roll

 

[Andrew Everard]

thfcwestlower:I'll celebrate tonight by listening to my Dynaudios and eating a bacon roll

In the spirit of the thread, I hope...

 

[Anonymous]

Harbeth, ATC