[grayeyes]

Hi Guys, can someone shade some light onto this puzzle?

Over the internet, I bought a Chinese copy of the Lehmann Audio Black Cube for $115. which is 10% of the price of the real Black Cube.

HEF188¡±·ÉÌìÁú¡°¶ú·Å,ÐÂÍƳöÕë¶Ô¸÷Æ·ÅÆ»òÐͺŶú»úÁ¿É í¶¨×öµÄרÓÃ°æ ¶ú»ú´ó¼Ò̳ ¶ú»ú,¶úÈû,¶ú»ú·Å´óÆ÷,ËæÉíÌý,DIY,ÒôÀÖ

I open it up (HEF188), it has the exact circuitry layout to the Lehmann. All the ingredients are there and most of them to my humble eyes looks exactly the same. Putting it next to my friend’s real Lehmann, We could hardly tell any difference inside and outside…

The sound? Absolutely terrible! Nothing like the Lehmann! All the worst sound characters you can imagine came in one punch. I felt sick within 5 mins after listening to it.

Well, I am not here to bitch about a lost of $100, but I am puzzled by my experience… how can two headamps sound so different when they are exactly the same?

 

[rds]

I have a suspicion based on my own limited experience with this stuff that at least some of these Chinese products are using counterfeit components.

 

[grayeyes]

I have the same suspicion but there are only few components. It does not make sense to me! Anyone?

 

[Blackmore]

Next time you can better donate, I guess.

Can not see any picture, anybody?

 

[grayeyes]

Pics updated. :

 

[Nick 214]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blackmore /img/forum/go_quote.gif Next time you can better donate, I guess. Can not see any picture, anybody?

The regular version,

And the "More Than My Income-Fancy Caps" Version

 

[Nick 214]

Quote:

Originally Posted by grayeyes /img/forum/go_quote.gif Pics updated. :

12:09, double post, same pics... the curse continues...

 

[Nick 214]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nick 214 /img/forum/go_quote.gif The regular version, And the "More Than My Income-Fancy Caps" Version

Why hotlinkning, why?

 

[Blackmore]

Thats the inside of the real one and I can see some differences, however

 

[FallenAngel]

What are the 4 heat-sinked transistors and what's the opamp?

 

[fkclo]

I doubt very much if the Chinese cloner get permission from Lehmann Audio to do that.

I think it is equal to stealing, and as such the Chinese "copy" should not get any mention, promotion or support here.

I have seen this "Chinese Lehmann BCL" discussed in various forums, and in my opinion we are not respecting the original designer.

F. Lo

 

[TheLeftChannel]

Well said fkclo!

But it’s happening all around us dude. Not only the low end stuff, but they are also cloning the Hi-ends. I’ve seen an asian company that counterfeits scan speak drives. WeiWei I think. Audio-gd in China sells cloned Marantz PM-14, SA11, Krell and Mark Levinson 334. Looks pretty impressive on photo, but don’t seem to have any official reviews. Then again, who would review such products?

You’ve got to realised that it’s a billion dollar industry and the name of the game is not to replicate a component’s performance but it’s LOOK. These counterfeit companies don’t have a reputation to defend and can happily disappear when crap hits the fan. Here is an article that shows how big and how dangerous the counterfeit component industry really is.

Counterfeit Chinese Electronic Parts Can Lead to Disaster

Companies like, HEF188, Audio-gd, WeiWei and Lit are offering cloned Lehmann, Marantz, Krell, Scanspeak at a fraction of the price. Whatever goes into those products, it must cost them next to nothing.

That end of the world is one big mess and I would never go near it with my money.

 

[fkclo]

Being a Chinese myself, it is heart breaking to see some smart fellow Chinese spent their energy in the wrong place. The "get rich quick" syndrome in mainland China are distorting things, cutting corners in many aspects of our life that this indeed is worrying.

I owned a Lehmann BCL for a long time. Although I have climbed up the ladder over the years the BCL is still a very capable amp which I heartily recommend to my friends and fellow Head-Fiers.

Associating a Chinese copy to the Lehmann BCL is actually hurting the reputation of Lehmann Audio, and this is the last thing I would want to see in this community.

F. Lo

 

[TheLeftChannel]

Hi fkclo,

I hope you don’t take it the wrong way. I don’t have anything again Chinese people.

In the recent years Chinese Hi Fi companies are doing very well gaining recognition all around the world. Brands like Original, Shanling and East Sound are offering great value product for market. But there are always one or two "get rich quick" type that will just happily operate in the shadowy conner doing the unspeakable deals. Audio-gd or HEF188 they will not stand the test of time.

China is moving on though, the joining of WTO and the hosting of the Olympics game…I am sure illegal operators like those will not last much longer.

 

[QQQ]

In fact this is normal price for such an amp.(10% of OG price). And the components inside of the clone is pretty decent. OG Lehmann are crazy overpriced. Can't support the pirates though...