New Audio Company --- Sekei Inc

sekei · « **on:** 15 Jan 2004, 12:30 am »

Hello:

Just wanted to let the Circle know where we can be located....

www.sekei.com

Wholesale prices on Chinese Hifi.

Regards

Andrew Aird
Owner
Sekei inc

Ernest · « **Reply #1 on:** 15 Jan 2004, 02:43 am »

Wow Andrew! You've started an audio company! Congratulations!

You have a lot of interesting looking products on your web site. How does ordering work? Is shipping from China? What would the cost be for shipping? Do you have a return period?

Thanks and good luck!

Ernest

sekei · « **Reply #2 on:** 15 Jan 2004, 02:54 am »

Hey Ernest;

Actually, I have a partner in this biz, who's the real brains of the outfit, so I'm just a half-owner.

Shipping is from here in Indiana when we have stuff in stock. When we don't have it in stock, we'll order it and ship it from here after it comes in.
Nobody will have to pay for shipping from china. Just from our warehouse.

Shipping will be the usual domestic rates by all the major players. You don't live far, Ernest, so as you can imagine it will not be a whole lot for small items, but big items might be better to pick up, like the biggest speakers and such.

There is a no hassle 30 day return policy, expressly designed for audiophiles who want to try new things.

So, don't be afraid to try something that catches your eye!

Regards
Andrew

(P.s. If you experience any of the many glitches on the website, we apologize. We are actually still building the catalog, and many of the products are not yet in their final state.)

Ernest · « **Reply #3 on:** 15 Jan 2004, 03:07 am »

Woo hoo! This is great! As soon as I recover financially from my trip to Vegas I'll be in touch!

Ernest

gary · « **Reply #4 on:** 15 Jan 2004, 03:21 am »

wow... i expected $100+ shipping charges from china...
some of those products look amazing for the money, i think i'll definitely be purchasing some things.

-gary

Mad DOg · « **Reply #5 on:** 15 Jan 2004, 03:48 am »

Congrats, Andrew! Good luck!

Figo · « **Reply #6 on:** 15 Jan 2004, 11:21 am »

took a quick look around... some of those speakers look like they use Scan-Speak drivers for a very reasonable cost... and those amps are pretty inexpensive too.

Looks like a good place

rosconey · « **Reply #7 on:** 15 Jan 2004, 11:51 am »

i'm going to email for more info on the sacd players-they have a nice looking case

Brad · « **Reply #8 on:** 15 Jan 2004, 08:34 pm »

That Audcom tube preamp w/remote looks pretty cool, too.

audiojerry · « **Reply #9 on:** 15 Jan 2004, 09:23 pm »

If the products and service are as good as the website, we may have a real player here.

Very thoughtful and efficient website - great job!

Tyson · « **Reply #10 on:** 15 Jan 2004, 10:05 pm »

Hmm, a very stylish looking SACD player w/coax and optical out for less than $600. Very interesting indeed. Maybe it's time to sell my nOrh CD-1. . .

Rocket · « **Reply #11 on:** 16 Jan 2004, 12:05 am »

Hi,

How good are the products?

Most of the speakers look like excellent and the drivers seem to be good quality but is it a well designed xover?

The sacd player also looks like it would be interesting as well.

Good luck with your new company, it looks like you might sell bucket loads of these products.

regards

rocket

sekei · « **Reply #12 on:** 16 Jan 2004, 01:15 am »

Hello:

Thanks for all the good wishes.

Concerning the quality of the products--

Korsun, a famous Chinese SS company, www.korsun.com.cn, makes OEM products for a famous audio personage whose initials are ML.
You can see them here--- http://www.redrosemusic.com/amplifiers.shtml
The speakers on that site also bear a striking resemblance to some that you will find here... http://www.aurumcantus.com/loudspeaker/hifi/youx2/youx2.htm
This is another very fine Chinese speaker company.

Shengya, www.shengya-audio.com, is a famouse Chinese SS company, and is the OEM for the Vincent products in Europe, and now over here. http://www.symcore.com/_lines/Vincent/vincent.htm

If you search the Audio Asylum coverage of the CES show, you will see some interesting tube amps in the Bertrand Audio room. They were made in China by Meixing audio, who is one of our suppliers. Some people gave that room some very good reviews...

Those are just some concrete examples of quality Chinese hifi. But what about Jungson? Above Korsun, above Shengya, stands the best Chinese SS company of them all, and that is Jungson. Their JA100 monoblock amplifiers have been THE top monos to beat in all of China, according to the press over there, ever since they came out. Their new JA 200 monos have no competition at all in the Chinese domesic market. They are unparalleled over there. How good are they over here in comparison? We shall see...

Perhaps one of you discerning people may like to take some for a test drive?

Regards

Andrew

gary · « **Reply #13 on:** 16 Jan 2004, 01:39 am »

The Jungson products look to be the most interesting for me. The JA-88C looks to have a lot of potential, as does the JA-88D (at least within my price range). Other manufacturers have sent products around to audiocircle members to audition, if you'd consider doing that please put me at the top of the list

Any thoughts on the one phono stage you offer? That's the one thing that I'm definitely in the market for at the moment, and if you could give me some more details on the Image I might add it to my list of contenders.

Thanks
-Gary

sekei · « **Reply #14 on:** 16 Jan 2004, 02:05 am »

Hello:

The point about demoing products is well taken. Since I am an old Asylum guy, I know the value of this myself. I've bought many a product from the marketplace. So if I have the opportunity, I will set one of these up. It probably will not happen for a few months, however, since it's beginning to look like our whole first shipment will be sold pretty quickly. If I am wrong, and after a while there is still a 88C or 88D hanging around, I'll recommend to my partner that we offer it up as an audiocircle demo unit. Though that was sorta the point about the 30 day no-hassle return, if you know what I mean.

As for the one phono stage we sell, it's not the one you think. In our 'Other' category is a phono stage, true, but that is coming off the site in the next few days. We won't be carrying that one, since we have found a competitor to that company, whose products we wish to sell more. That is Meixing Audio. On our 'Preamp' page, down at the bottom, you can see the Meixing Phono stage, which is called the MC-767RD. This Chinese company is already well known in the world. Their products were at CES, they are sold on Ebay from time to time by other sellers, and the reputation they have is great. Their products are always highly regarded. They use point to point wiring, great tubes (for the money), even better aesthetics, and solid highend name brand parts.

Hope this helps.

Regards

Andrew Aird
Sekei, Inc.

randog · « **Reply #15 on:** 16 Jan 2004, 02:54 am »

Andrew,

Tell me a little about Audcom and the A/V preamp...

Randog

sekei · « **Reply #16 on:** 16 Jan 2004, 03:20 am »

Hello:

To answer your question generally, Audcom is among the better Chinese audio companies. Their amps and preamps, both solid state and tube, are solidly well made, using quality materials and construction techniques. The company aims its sales at the value end of hifi, rather than at the extreme high end like Piraudio does (see on our site). In our opinion they represent a solid value, no matter which product you look at. On our site we have listed an Audcom 110 Tube preamp w/remote. That is several years old now, and has just been passed by a brand new model, the AP 120, which is much better looking and has the additional benefit of several more years of tube experience going into the construction. It is priced at $329. I have 4 coming, which is all I could get from their last manufacturing run.
As for their other products, I believe they will be a good purchase for someone, because build quality and features are always impressive.
And, thankfully, they are not one of the 'unknown' Chinese audio companies. Right now on Audiogon other sellers have Audcom products for sale, and have for years. Ebay has some for sale often. There are reviews in the USA by audiophiles, a couple of which we've posted.

There is a new 7 Channel amp that Audcom has made for HT. It's very nice looking, and Sekei has it for a great price, when we can get it. Their AV preamp is a good deal at the price, but is not as feature rich as the Japanese AV gear. Almost, though.

If you have any other questions, just ask.

REgards

Andrew

droliver · « **Reply #17 on:** 16 Jan 2004, 05:12 pm »

An article on a related note re. OEM of chinese hifi

http://audio-nirvana.fortunecity.net/pag_eng/chinawayg.htm
[ The Chinese way: I want to know ]

[Admin note: Copied text removed. Please see: http://www.audiocircle.com/circles/faq.php#9 ]

TheChairGuy · « **Reply #18 on:** 17 Jan 2004, 02:25 am »

wow - that is really an impressively good idea you have, Andrew...welcome!

Given the time and effort it takes for speaker finishes, I think this is the place, more so than other categories, where Chinese labor will create quite a value gap vs. domestic entries.

kudo's - good luck in your venture!

droliver · « **Reply #19 on:** 17 Jan 2004, 04:57 pm »

Andrew,

just a question.... In general how much modifying is done by western OEM distributors of these Chinese products before rebadging them. Like Music Hall for instance, which sells lots of the Shandling CD/SACD players. Are they just silk-screened different, or are the internal components upgraded along the way. Same for the speaker & Amplifier distributors (ML Red Rose, Vincent, etc..)?