With all that is going on in Hong Kong. Does anyone feel bad buying chinese HiFi goods? I feel bad about my Fiio M11 and Ikko OH10’s at the same time, I realize that most of the things I own or buy still have parts made in china in them even if I buy a campfire audio or JDS Labs the caps or some part is going to be from china I realize that. But it feels better to try and put more money in the hands of American, European, and Australian businesses. I don’t know. sometimes it’s really hard to not buy as with my Fiio M11. The main competition is from other chinese companies. South Korea has Astell&Kern and Cowon/Plenue but those Dap’s don’t have the features I want or are prohibitively expensive. So M11 is a good choice even if it weighs on me? Then I look around my apartment at the other goods I own and I feel like giving up trying to not look for non chinese goods.
i’m not giving up my Sendy Aiva’s!
I mean, the choice is up to you, but I don’t really think not buying Chinese goods will do anything to help people in Hong Kong unless everyone does this (which will realistically not happen). I would say you could find more direct ways to support Hong Kong, and go from there
Personally, it’s not American, European, or Australian based businesses that I feel good about putting money towards, but companies that don’t outsource production to other countries like China. However, to be realistic, how many of those are there really? Maybe half a dozen? It’s just a fact of life in our society that most everything around us is made in China. Life goes on.
There are audio companies that don’t outsource to china, but they are either extremely high end/niche or still use components from china.
Part of my point. Focal (rather expensive for most people), a limited number of Sennheiser’s skews, and Gradeo are the only ones off the top of my head that I’m fairly certain are manufactured outside of China… I wanna say Stax are made in Japan, and AKG still makes a couple things outside of China, but I’m not sure about them.
Aspen: you’re in the USA. As a Canadian I feel quite a bit of animus towards both the USA and China. It would be hard to choose one as the greater villain at the moment. Both countries have put in place concrete economic policies that are causing significant hardship to large segments of our population here in Canada. But the people working for a US outfit like Audeze, Dan Clark or ZMF have zero to do with US economic policy. Punishing them doesn’t make sense to me. Similarly, the people responsible for China’s many injustices past and present are not the ones who would be affected by a lost sale or even 10,000 lost sales.
That said, I have my own questions about buying a Monoprice product due to what I’ve heard regarding their theft of key aspects of Audeze’s LCD design. That sort of specific targeting seems a different matter. But of course it’s more likely that in this case too I’m simply not up to speed on the relevant nuances.
Yes, at the end of the day these are just people living under the government that they really don’t have much control over, and it doesn’t really make sense to stop supporting them because they live in a country that has a corrupt or unpopular government. And that goes for any government, not just China lol
Yeah that’s a whole nother’ topic where that is a different situation
I mean… 90% of what’s in your house is either made in China, or have parts of it made in China. You just can’t boycott China, sorry.
You can buy used stuff instead, though.
Or push for action and change either by taking action yourself or supporting efforts that are actually (and successfully) pushing and making change
Never thought I’d talk about activism on hifiguides but there you go lol
Well I never thought I would have the displeasure of hearing the phrase “pad foreskin” on hifiguides but here we are
Not really no. Also mainly not buying Chinese Hifi brands.
Not feeling any different for some poor African or American or Chinese peep or business what life is kicking hard. Cannot help em all or even want. Cold maybe but it’s life.
Not only Hifi since like +90% of consumer electronics are made / manufactured in China.
Anyone can still buy or not buy or support what they want but don’t try to “sell” it. Please.
Large corps that had moved production to China for the cheap labor and lax regulations have been leaving for other more lucrative opportunities for at least a decade now. Folks have become more aware due to the media focus and now, with the brutality going on in HK, there are also political/social pressures pushing companies to seek relocation. Vietnam and Cambodia come to mind (Vietnam is exploding with growth).
I also remind myself that, as Mon wrote, the people making these products are like myself; living where I was born and making the most of my life. It’s tough though as I have a friend who was born, lives, and owns a bussiness in HK… Her heart is breaking. As Mon also wrote, I support in ways I hope may help (write/call politicians, make those around me aware, etc).
I don’t disagree I guess what I am trying to ask is where do I turn to find the greatest good and the least evil. Every country has it’s fair share of atrocities to the citizens and foreigners.
The country i have a problem with is Germany. Buying products from them. I mean after what they did in WW 1 and 2?
Also Russia. What a bunch of bad guys. In almost every movie ive seen they play the bad guys.
And then i feel very guilty about my Focal Elex. The french are so snobbish and mean. Everyone says so.
And also American products. I mean they elected Trump as president! anyone could see he was a dumpster fire. yet even after all the trouble hes caused they still try to defend him.
Germany today is nothing like Germany of that time. They have really changed.
This is mainly just a stereotype in my experience
Also a stereotype in my experience
Ok now this is just getting political lol
Edit: I missed the message lol
rofl. i guess what i mean is that no one has a clear record in this world. and its a little shallow to say no anything from china. humanity is very imperfect and susceptible to corruption and bad moral principals. until we have a perfect world we have to put up with this stuff. I’m not gonna let it change my shopping preferences.
Unless were talking about Sun City. Aint gonna play sun city
The only thing I don’t like about China is how their government treats their people. Personally don’t mind supporting Chinese entrepreneurs creating solid products. IMO, SMSL is a great company. Hifiman is also great.
Just due to their recent history, they have a pretty major advantage in their manufacturing infrastructure, so it’s not surprising they can so quickly and easily iterate on products. More than happy to pay a bit more for something made in the USA to support the creator, but it still has to be reasonably competitive.
In unrelated news, Hifiguides has now been blacklisted in China