Dirty Little Secrets

[O'Shag]

Perhaps there may have been a cut-throat attitude to begin with, but one thing is clear. The best Japanese products of today reflect an obsessive attention to detail and quality.

[emaidel]

The quality of Japanese products was never an issue. It was the marketing of them, and the "business as war" approach used by many Japanese companies. One of the more despicable business practices was that which is called, "dumping." Dumping is what happens when a manufacturer sells his product for a price that's at or about others' manufacturing, as opposed to retail prices. One of the worst offenders in this arena was Kenwood, and the net result was simply for Kenwood to garner a greater market share.

"Marketing Development Funds," or as it came to be known, "MDF" was another issue. Many Japanese companies offered MDF to their retailers in such huge amounts, that those retailers could sell products at ridiculously low prices, yet still make a profit, much to the detriment of competitors. Instead of developing a market, as the name suggested, MDF merely made it impossible for competitors who didn't receive huge quantities of MDF to sell their products other than at a loss.

Just as often, retailers (Newmark and Lewis in New York was a perfect example) just pocketed MDF to bolster either the bottom line, or the owner's bank account.

I have a particular loathing for Newmark & Lewis based on the horrible dealings I had with them both when at ESS, and then later with ADC. N&L would consistently pay their bills late, but still take the prompt-pay discounts, and frequently take unauthorized deductions from just about all of their invoices for matters never discussed with their suppliers. One time, a huge deduction was taken from an ESS invoice for N&L's internal costs for putting together an advertising program, that didn't even include ESS!

At another time, ADC sent a shipment of brand-new Sound Shaper equalizers for the N&L "Show" that was held annually. These equalizers had to be palatized and shrink-wrapped for security, and I was physically present as the merchandise was brought into the ADC booth one year. I also helped sell each and every piece during the several days of the show. Not to anyone's surprise, N&L not only paid the bill many months late, and took the prompt-pay discount, but had the audacity to claim they were short-shipped well over $10,000 worth of product, which was an out and out lie. They never paid ADC back a cent.

[melvin walker]

Perhaps there may have been a cut-throat attitude to begin with, but one thing is clear. The best Japanese products of today reflect an obsessive attention to detail and quality.

if you are referring to mid range products. The Japanese built excellent mid range goods.The Japanese high end goods are not as high in quality as European and American goods.

An example the high end Nkamichi Dragon cassette recorder , Japan first attempt to compete with the high end cassette recorders made in Europe.
Revox and Tandberg. The Nkamichi is more likely to have mechanical failure , and is less likely to last as long as the European recorders.
As a result the European cassette has a higher resale value. This same problem exist with many Japanese products.

[Feanor]

if you are referring to mid range products. The Japanese built excellent mid range goods.The Japanese high end goods are not as high in quality as European and American goods.

....

Owners of, say, Accuphase products would dispute this point.

[melvin walker]

Owners of, say, Accuphase products would dispute this point.

I will agree that Accuphase audio equipment is no doubt high end. Will it stand the test of time ?
Many speakers , amps TT , and tape recorders made by American and European audio companies are still around , still performing 50 years later.
I have a pair of James B, Lansing Hartsfield , purchased in 1958 ! they still sound great.
Marantz, McIntosh , Lansing , Revox , Tandberg , Fairchild , Thorens etc , built as far back as the late 50's are still going strong and still bring higher prices today than what they sold for over 50 years ago.

Nakamichi is an example of Japanese high end products lacking longevity. But maybe Accuphase is different.
An example if one bought a Lexus 400 15 years ago and another person bought a BMW 540 in the same year which car would have a higher real sale value today ? The two cars are about the same size and cost about the same.

I also have a Revox A77 purchased in 1967 that still makes excellent recording , has been in for servicing only three times in 40 years ! What have you to say about that ?

[GMichael]

How many 15 year old BMW's still run?

[basite]

I will agree that Accuphase audio equipment is no doubt high end. Will it stand the test of time ?

have you actually ever heard or seen one? let alone own one? Accuphase is equal to Mcintosh, if not better. their products will last forever, and just like Mcintosh, they sound fantastic, have the greatest build quality, are exclusive and everything you want.

Saying Accuphase will not stand the test of time is a cheap insult to the company and the owners of the gear.


This comes from a Mcintosh owner himself (me).


Keep them spinning,
Bert.

[melvin walker]

have you actually ever heard or seen one? let alone own one? Accuphase is equal to Mcintosh, if not better. their products will last forever, and just like Mcintosh, they sound fantastic, have the greatest build quality, are exclusive and everything you want.

Saying Accuphase will not stand the test of time is a cheap insult to the company and the owners of the gear.



This comes from a Mcintosh owner himself (me).


Keep them spinning,

Bert.

Where did I post that the Accuphase would not stand the test of time ? I asked the question. Will Accuphase stand the test of time ? McIntosh has been building audio equipment for over 50 years ,
Can you read ???

[Feanor]

Where did I post that the Accuphase would not stand the test of time ? I asked the question. Will Accuphase stand the test of time ? McIntosh has been building audio equipment for over 50 years ,
Can you read ???

Accuphase as been around for 35 years. The resale price of their old products is, in proportion to their original prices, as good or better than McIntosh' of the same era.

[basite]

Where did I post that the Accuphase would not stand the test of time ? I asked the question. Will Accuphase stand the test of time ? McIntosh has been building audio equipment for over 50 years ,
Can you read ???

you were asking, but you were asking in such a way that you believed the answer would be 'no'. Now that's assuming, which gives me the right to defend myself.

[Deadeye]

I have owned my Accuphase T101 tuner since 1983. It has been in for repair once. It has otherwise performed superbly. Here in Phila when WRTI used to go off the air it would routinely pick up a station broadcasting from Washington DC that also broadcasted at 90.1. It sounds better than just about everything I've ever heard with the exception of Marantz 10B's, Sequerra's and the like.

[emaidel]

the high end Nkamichi Dragon cassette recorder , Japan first attempt to compete with the high end cassette recorders made in Europe.
Revox and Tandberg. The Nkamichi is more likely to have mechanical failure , and is less likely to last as long as the European recorders.
.

Sorry, but that's categorically false. The Tandberg 64x, 6000, 3000 and numerous later cassette decks had astronomical failure rates, especially the 6000. I was in the service at the time, and recommended to my fellow GI's that they purchase the Tandberg 6000 over similarly priced Teac models, as Tandberg made superb sounding recordings at 3 3/4, which no Teac ever could or did. Unfortunately, the 6000's that my friends bought all had numerous mechanical problems, as did later production cassette decks. You really ought to get your facts straight before you start spouting them as sacrosanct.

[melvin walker]

Sorry, but that's categorically false. The Tandberg 64x, 6000, 3000 and numerous later cassette decks had astronomical failure rates, especially the 6000. I was in the service at the time, and recommended to my fellow GI's that they purchase the Tandberg 6000 over similarly priced Teac models, as Tandberg made superb sounding recordings at 3 3/4, which no Teac ever could or did. Unfortunately, the 6000's that my friends bought all had numerous mechanical problems, as did later production cassette decks. You really ought to get your facts straight before you start spouting them as sacrosanct.

Let's be specific , the Tandberg model 3014A is revered as one of the finest cassette recorders ever built. Check out the price of this cassette recorder on Ebay.
The Revox 215 and 715 is in the same class as the Tandberg 3014A.
The Nakamichi Dragon placed last when compared with the cassette recorders listed above. The Dragon was the finest cassette recorder built by the Japanese.
Teac is in a lower class of cassette recorders.
Your friend's should spend a little more money and they would have gotten a better Tandberg cassette recorder.
What I am comparing is high end cassette recorders in the $1000 + category.