American Hi-Fi: Inferior?

[GUTB]

Compared to all the amazing designs coming out of Europe over the last 10-20 years, what have American manufacturers been doing? Sure, there’s been some great boutique type companies for things like high end cables etc. Sure, Pass is still an institution. Sure you still have the Mark Levinsons. But it seems like year after year at the shows it’s 8 times out of 10 a European company that turns my head.

 

Does anyone else see this trend? Why are so many great designs coming out of these have-nothing Euro countries (not counting UK and Germany obviously)? Why can’t America raise another Nelson Pass? 

[R1200CL]

ATI 

 

Who owns Theta

[mansr]

8 minutes ago, GUTB said:

Why are so many great designs coming out of these have-nothing Euro countries

Must be the coffin apartments. And the communism.

[Ralf11]

11 minutes ago, GUTB said:

turns my head 

 

maybe the US companies are focusing on SQ?

[Andyman]

9 minutes ago, GUTB said:

Compared to all the amazing designs coming out of Europe over the last 10-20 years, what have American manufacturers been doing? Sure, there’s been some great boutique type companies for things like high end cables etc. Sure, Pass is still an institution. Sure you still have the Mark Levinsons. But it seems like year after year at the shows it’s 8 times out of 10 a European company that turns my head.

 

Does anyone else see this trend? Why are so many great designs coming out of these have-nothing Euro countries (not counting UK and Germany obviously)? Why can’t America raise another Nelson Pass? 

 

Don’t panic. Your president is actually making America great again.

BTW are you perhaps Howard Stern?

[Andyman]

14 minutes ago, R1200CL said:

Who owns Theta

 

The Greek Ministry of Culture. But it’s in the British Museum for safekeeping - alongside the marbles...

[RickyV]

29 minutes ago, Andyman said:

 

Don’t panic. Your president is actually making America great again.

BTW are you perhaps Howard Stern?

Hahahahaha good one

[Ralf11]

32 minutes ago, Andyman said:

 

Don’t panic. Your president is actually making America great again.

BTW are you perhaps Howard Stern?

 

you misspelled "grate"

[R1200CL]

2 hours ago, GUTB said:

Compared to all the amazing designs coming out of Europe over the last 10-20 years, what have American manufacturers been doing? Sure, there’s been some great boutique type companies for things like high end cables etc. Sure, Pass is still an institution. Sure you still have the Mark Levinsons. But it seems like year after year at the shows it’s 8 times out of 10 a European company that turns my head.

 

Does anyone else see this trend? Why are so many great designs coming out of these have-nothing Euro countries (not counting UK and Germany obviously)? Why can’t America raise another Nelson Pass? 

 

Not sure how serious you are with this thread. But from me looking over the Atlantic to you guys, there are technology you’re doinging great, and in other areas not so. 

 

You used to make fantastic cars, some decades ago ?,

and now the president even had to help the industry survive. 

 

In in other areas you are would leading. 

 

Can this be a cultural issue ?

(As an example, people did not buy HD for it’s quality)

 

It’s my understanding part of American thinking is extremely conservative, and that can prohibit developing.

 

However I’m not so sure the HiFi industry is one. Some companies do peresreve the thinking weight is equal to quality.  Is that still the truth ?

 

Also, not to forget, how huge is the marked for quality sound ?

That could be a important factor. 

 

Maybe you can convice people that if you use Elon Musk’s power bank on your stereo, it will sound better.

 

Or maybe you guys need to start use 220 VAC, as Charles Hanson pointed out in the Ayre thread: 220 VAC sounds better ?

 

 

 

[sphinxsix]

20 hours ago, R1200CL said:

Or maybe you guys need to start use 220 VAC, as Charles Hanson pointed out in the Ayre thread: 220 VAC sounds better ?

He hasn't heard 230 or 240 V I guess..  Although I know some fans of 127 V (mainly guys from Curaçao). Obviously all Japanese 100 V gear sounds like s..t, no need to convince anybody I hope..

 

As for the main topic - IMO the Albanian loudspeakers maker Magico alone has shown clearly how worthless whole American hi end is

[mansr]

24 minutes ago, sphinxsix said:

He hasn't heard 230 or 240 V I guess.

I like the 250 V my sockets usually deliver. 

[Ralf11]

anything under 300 V SUCKS

 

Let's get real 'Murican and JUMP OVER those pesky Euro-peon with 800+ V of pure Tesalation Fast Chargin' Porsche e-tron Power !!

 

 

Then we can run our home HiFi off of our car battry' packs and recharge it all down at the Grange Hall Hoedown

 

[AudioDoctor]

I was going to say Zu Audio, but we both know they suck...

 

Then, I considered McIntosh and laughed at myself.

 

Peachtree?  Class D garbage!
 

Ascend Acoustics.  Who?

 

Maggies?  Nah.

 

Audio Research?  Aren't they Canadian?

 

Balanced Audio Tech?  Communist tubes!

 

Cary Audio?  Who?

 

Grado?  SUCK!

 

Joseph Audio?  Crap!

 

Manley?  More like Girley amirite?

 

PS Audio?  PS You're garbage!

 

Rogue Audio?  More Class D garbage!

 

VPI?  Turntables suck!

 

etc...

[AudioDoctor]

15 minutes ago, Ralf11 said:

anything under 300 V SUCKS

 

Let's get real 'Murican and JUMP OVER those pesky Euro-peon with 800+ V of pure Tesalation Fast Chargin' Porsche e-tron Power !!

 

 

Then we can run our home HiFi off of our car battry' packs and recharge it all down at the Grange Hall Hoedown

 

 

Wouldn't a Tesla battery be more 'Murican?

[NOMBEDES]

Ha.  The only thing that keeps the EU’s overstuffed budget afloat Are the fines they extort from American companies, you know, because the typical EU citizen is to frail to delete Google search and install go duck go.  

 

Come on, I lived in Europe for a good number of years and I know that most Europeans can make their own decisions without some Eurocrat’s mothering. Anti- competitive my arse!

[sphinxsix]

19 minutes ago, mansr said:

I like the 250 V my sockets usually deliver. 

 

6 minutes ago, Ralf11 said:

anything under 300 V SUCKS

I'm in the process of getting real (!) high voltage for my gear. I think you know what it means,, guys (it's not going to be 100% legal so I won't say no more)..

 

I have already the capacitors ( ) to store the energy of these:

 

 

..just for the sudden bursts of orchestra crescendo energy..

 

But I'm open to any new ideas..

 

 

[Ralf11]

Tap into this baby

 

 

 

[sphinxsix]

19 minutes ago, AudioDoctor said:

Balanced Audio Tech?  Communist tubes!

+1

[esldude]

I wish we had three phase power with 208 volts from 120 volt legs.  Rectified 3 phase has little ripple.  

[mansr]

2 minutes ago, sphinxsix said:

I'm in the process of getting real (!) high voltage for my gear. I think you know what it means,, guys (it's not going to be 100% legal so I won't say no more)..

Industrial consumers often get 10 kV or more. It makes sense if you're using megawatts of power. If you want to properly reproduce Disaster Area music, you probably should look at such options.

[sphinxsix]

2 minutes ago, Ralf11 said:

Tap into this baby

 

 

 

 

Yeah, will have to rethink this ..  You think these will do.?

 

(their advantage is they're near my current source)

[esldude]

I forgot to mention, all my listening is done at 5800 volts.  

[mansr]

Just now, esldude said:

I forgot to mention, all my listening is done at 5800 volts.  

Electrostatic speakers?

[esldude]

2 minutes ago, mansr said:

Electrostatic speakers?

Yes, but they suck because they are American made.  

 

I suppose I could reverse polarity, and they'd blow. 

 

Either way, GUTB has shown me they must be inferior.  

[sphinxsix]

IMO Disaster Area rocks the galaxy!