The JVC HA-S500.. Appreciation, fan thread. - Page 289

Originally Posted by analogsurviver 

Interesting. How commercial strategies that took place decades ago still affect general state of affairs and will obviously continue to do so for forseeable future.

On the other side, I can't blame Japanese (too much). You said yourself there was anti-japanese bias in US in 70s and even 80s. And I guess anglo-american type of reviewing in journals and japanese approach do not mix at all. Japanese could build a piece of audio equipment that stood head and shoulders above anything non-Japan made - and would never even get a review, be it good or bad. West simply chose to ignore truly pinnacle designs originating from Japan - if it was not done, sooner or later the true due would have to be given to the japanese manufacturers. No review - no problem. Simple as that - and it did work. 

My observation is that the whole anglo-american approach to audio is overly obsessed with looking for best buys ( UK) and most bang for the buck (US). In general, and with general public interest, that is OK. What is not OK - designs ( here I mean design like concept/idea/execution, not
"Porsche designed cigarette case box" ) that are going places nothing went before - and consequently unfortunately do cost an arm and a leg and then some - do not get covered at all or only with a brief mention. 

The most sterling example I remember well : Technics SE A1 Power Amplifier. I first  "saw" it in
one of the british audio magazines during my visit to London in 1977. Two sided advert, colours ( rare those days, definitely premium ). Price - 5.999,95 Pound Sterling. It was beyond comprehension/belevability ; for reference, A SME Series 2 Improved pick up arm, one of the very best available at the time and considered expensive, retailed for 40 Pound Sterling, give or take few pounds difference from shop to shop ! It was my introduction to the capitalist pricing ( .99 or, in this case .95  ) too; it did NOT occur to me it is actually 6K at the time, I was muttering to myself: God - five thousand pounds... ! 

The only known test/review of SE A1 is in German HiFiStereophonie from 1977 - that issue is considered collector's item and I had a privilege of losing it on ebay at EUR 89 maximum bid a couple of years ago. One working sample of this uber uber uber amp is known to be in the possesion of ex -soviet now russian army. I never saw one turning up on used market - but did not look too much for it, it was unaffordable then and sure as hell is now. It was technology demonstrator for Technics, in financial terms few amps actually sold could not cover for expense of development and manufacture, that money came from much lower quality mass produced gear.

There is another problem with quality gear from Japan in the US - it simply does not get recognized as premium quality under its own japanese name nomatterwhat. Japanese designs that are too good to be marketed as such get "made" or "distributed" by some premium US vendors - then they
are all of sudden kosher, even if that nationality disguise costs the end user double or more it would cost under real name. 

Eventually, Matsu****a chose to terminate Technics around turn of the millenium - going to the greener pastures of LCD/plasma TVs globally and cell phones in Asia. Given the treatment they were given for all the efforts and innovation they brought to audio, I can't blame them at all.

That is real world.