[meyner]

i know it doesn't matter too much (i think?) where the company is based (like country location wise) but i was wondering atleast for some of these high end companies what country are they based. Of course there are some obvious ones like how sennheiser/beyerdynamic is german, audio technica is japanese, and the grado is usa. But how about like audeze? Hifiman? AKG? Ultrastone? Shure? I don't know maybe some of these also sound very obvious but any post on headphone brands that are high end and nationality would be appreciated. I'm just curious that's all. 

 

[GaijinMo]

Google should suffice for that query. Most of these companies have a Wikipedia article detailing their history and so forth. Often, a companies' products are manufactured outside of their country of origin. Despite being a German company, I've seen people regularly state that Ultrasone's cans are made in Taiwan.

 

[Skyyyeman]

Of the additional companies you mention, the home offices are as follows:
Audeze - USA (California)
AKG     - Austria
Ultrasone - Germany
Shure      - USA (Chicago)
 
However, for the larger companies, that doesn't mean all their products are manufactured in the home country.  For example, the Sennheiser's HD25 - II states that it is manufactured in Ireland.

 

[Koolpep]

Google should suffice for that query. Most of these companies have a Wikipedia article detailing their history and so forth. Often, a companies' products are manufactured outside of their country of origin. Despite being a German company, I've seen people regularly state that Ultrasone's cans are made in Taiwan.

Yes, Ultrasone produces in Taiwan and in Germany. The top models are handmade in Germany while the normal range is produced in Taiwan but of course engineered and designed in Germany.

Sennheiser has production plants in Cina, Ireland and Germany and its pretty much the same as Ultrasone, the HD800 is hand made in Germany for example.

Beyerdynamic seems to be the one exception, I have not yet found a headphone that is not produced in Germany.

Cheers,
K

 

[meyner]

thanks for the info. Had no idea

 

[SpecTech]

Quote:

Of the additional companies you mention, the home offices are as follows:
Audeze - USA (California)
AKG     - Austria
Ultrasone - Germany
Shure      - USA (Chicago)
 
However, for the larger companies, that doesn't mean all their products are manufactured in the home country.  For example, the Sennheiser's HD25 - II states that it is manufactured in Ireland.

That is the case for most of audio products. Even Apples has its products manufactured in China.

 

[davidsh]

Stax in Japan. But some chinese people bought the company...
Hifiman in China.

 

[BillsonChang007]

There are actually a lot of company (not only headphones/audio gear company) ones owned by others but China bought it... It can be good, can be bad as well sometimes. The good thing is that, more affordable but the quality decreases.

Any headphone company from UK?

Billson

 

[davidsh]

Nahh... No headphones in UK, but amps  and ofc dacs...

 

[SpecTech]

Quote:

Stax in Japan. But some chinese people bought the company...
Hifiman in China.

There are a few listed Chinese audio companies, kind of aggressive to look for purchase targets in both USA and other countries. As mentioned, the one in Japan is the case. More possibly are on the way.

 

[Wildstar]

Quote:

Nahh... No headphones in UK, but amps  and ofc dacs...

Seems the british are very adept at making loudspeakers, and they're entering the headphone business, such as B&W and KEF. Of course their stuff is probably made in China like everyone else's.
Oh, and I just remembered Goldring and RHA!

 

[meyner]

wait for real!!??? stax was bought by the chinese??? when did this happen? and i thought they were a private company with like less than 20 employees. It wouldn't be possible to just buy them out via shares

 

[NamelessPFG]

Quote:

wait for real!!??? stax was bought by the chinese??? when did this happen? and i thought they were a private company with like less than 20 employees. It wouldn't be possible to just buy them out via shares

 
Edifier buying out Stax was a major headline news item on here a few months back.
 
Thankfully, they claim that "Stax will still be Stax", operating and producing in Japan like they always have, while benefiting from Edifier's greater distribution networks. (And distribution is one area where they sorely need to improve, as there are plenty of people displeased with Yama's Enterprises/STAX USA...)

 

[SpecTech]

Quote:

wait for real!!??? stax was bought by the chinese??? when did this happen? and i thought they were a private company with like less than 20 employees. It wouldn't be possible to just buy them out via shares

It is cash of less than US$1.5 million, costing the same as buying about Stax 500 headphones! Actually Stax had only 12 employees.  

 

[Currawong]

Quote:

wait for real!!??? stax was bought by the chinese??? when did this happen? and i thought they were a private company with like less than 20 employees. It wouldn't be possible to just buy them out via shares

 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/650210/stax-interview-and-factory-tour-12-12-12
 
I think, reading between the lines, they were gambling their entire company on the 009s and couldn't do it without support. Now, with the 009 a huge success and massively backordered it is likely not an issue so much.