I will wait to comment on the quality of my 686's which are made in China I believe..... The 700's are still being produced in England I believe, so we'll see how they both hold up over time..... close inspection of the assembly of each, and I don't see any glaring defects. The price tag of the 686's are affordable to pretty much everyone though, so if they produce the same quality in China, without compromising the integrity of the design or quality, I think the "Chinese Connection" could really help expand B&Ws fan base in the states to the "Big Box Mega-Store" shoppers who are unaware B&W is a speaker manufacturer. B&W only sells via "Authorized Dealers" but so does Rolex time pieces, and they're synonymous with high-quality watches.... I'm not saying B&W is the highest quality, as watch afficianados probably migrate towards other brands also, but on a branding level, this is gonna be great for B&W, and possibly increase the hobby we all share now (I'm trying, just started in this thing!)