Rockets made in China? (1 Viewer)

[Max F]

My wife ordered some dining room furniture, which wasn't cheap. The movers brought it in and sure enough they came from China. I was glad my wife wasn't there when they arrived!

Anyway, the movers mentioned that some people kindof get upset when they realize that the furniture they bought in North Carolina was actually made in China. But he said the quality is just as good and its affordable. Indeed the furniture is beautiful and well made. Also, the red cherry wood did indeed come from the US, which was my main concern. The wood gets shipped to China, they make the furniture, and then ship it back to us. There is an economic term for that - i think its value added service or something.

Basically it comes down to this, we would not be able to afford this beautiful, well made furniture if it was built in the US. As long as we all have jobs and we can afford luxuries like nice furniture and subwoofers that can shake a house down, its not such a bad thing.

 

[Mike^C]

Put it this way. There's no way you'd get the quality of Rockets at this price if it were not made in China.

 

[Shane Martin]

Phase Tech is 100% US made

 

[MikeLi]

Thats great but most things are not and the way we have it now we are going to have to learn to live with buying things from overseas. Now much way around it even if your bound and determined to try. Also what if you don't like Phase Tech? Not trying to get into a pissing match here but this conversation should have started about 15 years ago. I think at this point we are too far behind and am going to have to learn to live with things the way they have become. It's just like the car world. Have a lot of folks lost their jobs in the car industry due to outsourcing to other countries. A few but not many, most of it has been technology that allows a machine to do what a person used to do. If it were your company and you were responsible to yourself and share holders (and you were honest) you would have no choice but to be competitive in the market place. Believe me I understand and get your post. That is not the issue...
MikeL

 

[Garrett Lundy]

Very true. My father recently purchased a couch, and a friend of his that builds furniture commented that an American artisan earning a living wage ($20/hour) would have to charge 16x what my father paid for it.

 

[Shane Martin]

Good because you doubting we could find a US manufacturer of speakers with 100% US made stuff. This is an example. I could be wrong but I'm 99.9% sure that ACI is another. I bet we could actually find more if you wanted to.

 

[BradJudy]

The ACI Sapphire XL cabinets are made in China, although the point is well taken. There are several companies (both speakers and electronics - although mostly two-channel electronics) who make products in the US.

 

[MikeNg]

Well, it would appear that my fears about this thread are beginning to come true!



Shane, are you 'drawing the line' by tailoring your purchases to only Non-China/non-Communsist manufactured products? Good luck finding anything electronic that does not have a Chinese part in it.

Well, there is this one guy in town that hand builds amplifiers for two-channel listening. He wants $15000 for one of his amps.

It would suprise me to find that Phase Tech is 100% US made. Anyone ever crack their speakers open and see where the drivers and crossovers are made?

James, getting back to your original concern, I think a vast majority of Rocket owners will say that they are very please with the build quality of their speakers. You will have to see one in person an judge for yourself though. I think that's the bottom line. If buying something that's made in China concerns you on a moral/socio-economic level, then by all means let your conscience be your guide. No matter how much you like the speakers, it'll bug you that they're not made here.

Mike

 

[Chu Gai]

Well, Shane's entitled to his buying preferences and how he makes up his mind is entirely up to him. The thing is, not to take it personal. Myself, there are countries whose products I boycott but I'd rather not list them. I'd like to see business and government get together though to see what could be done about keeping more manufacturing jobs in the US. For that matter, it's not a bad thing for other countries to also find ways to do the same.

 

[Garrett Lundy]

China is more of a socialist government when it comes to enterprise these days. Foriegners that are opening up factories, and setting up franchises there and becoming billionaires overnight are the cover story for every business magazine on the rack this year.

So when you buy a Chinese product, you're paying for an American's second vacation home!

 

[james vaughan]

I take it all in stride. Like I said before, dont care where it comes from as long as the quality of the product is good. Only problem I have is with sweat shops and I would draw the line there. And I did not mean to put a damper on the rocket line iether, if you think about it we dont really know what is on the inside of some of the things we have in our home. If China and Korea are upping the anty on quality I would just as soon buy from them than here in the U.S. I personally feel that the us makers have burnt the buying populace in many ways with inferior products and I always go back to the auto maker as a good example because we are not talking a box of laundry soap at the local Walmart but a product that costs thousands of dollars that you would expect to get some long term reliability out of . If Japan can make a car that goes this many miles reliably why cant the us makers do the same.
So the same goes for our home theater "needs" we will iether in the short or long run spend thousands on this stuff and expect it to last and perform reliably. I had a gentelmen at Good Guys (known him for 10 years) jokingly say that I know more than the average joe who comes walking through thier doors and he cannot sell me anything at the asking price. I believe they are way over priced and will only get "b" stock or clearanced and not the usual $20 off but more like 30% to 50% off. So I have kicked over to online purchasing now to save that little bit extra.
Do not mind spending $500 or $2000 on a piece as long as its built well and they have not jacked the price up to a 200% profit. Sombodys living in fat city and it certainly isnt me

 

[Arthur S]

If I am not mistaken, China has most-favored nation status with the US regarding trade. Perhaps that is something that one could try to deal with early in November.

The economic situation in China is an extremely complex issue. PBS might still be running its series on China tonight.

 

[Chu Gai]

Cuba has the rest of the world to trade with. Their poverty may have more to do with Fidel's approach to a variety of matters. OTOH, Forbes estimates his worth at approximately $550 million. With that kind of money, he could buy a whole island. Ummm..wait a minute. Viva la revolution!

 

[Thomas_A]

James...My question is- what are you going to do with your RT55i's? If you are to part with them...I'm very interested...just give me a PM.
Thomas.

 

[MikeLi]

Actually has anyone thought that Cuba could be made into a great tourist place and co close to the folks on the east coast like Hawaii is to us on the west coast. Let forbes buy the country and but their own people to work building resorts and such and turn it into a tourist place... Just a thought that ran quicly though my head... haha

Sorry.. did not mean to turn this into anything but an idea thread and not get all worked up over something most of us will have not control over.

 

[PaulT]

As a Consumer you cannot always have it both ways - low(er/est) cost and Made in (name western country here). If you decide to purchase Made in (name here), then be prepared to pay for it. If it is a privately held or small company doing the sales, then they need to keep their costs lower to be able to sell for less, therefore they must outsource some or all of their parts/manufacturing to stay competative. If it is a publicly owned company, then profits drive the stock price and dividends and outsourcing is necessary to lower costs.

it already is, there are no Americans there and the French-Canadians are all in Florida

 

[Chu Gai]

is that where the Burmese Pythons came from?

 

[Shane Martin]

It is a hot tourist spot for Canadians. Personally I'd love to see it open for US citizens. I would go there.

 

[Garrett Lundy]

It was decades ago and will be again. Six months after Fidel buys the farm there will be a 6 Flags over Havana. And a Planet Hollywood god help them.

 

[Lee-c]

Just so long as all the communists end up in front of a firing squad where they belong and the
people who's property was stolen by the commies get it all back, then that's fine.