Thanks everyone. Very instructive. By Chinese made, I actually meant speakers literally sold in China. I'm here currently and and thought I'd check out what's available locally while I'm here. I think Hi-Vi is probably the most well known and respected brand that is widely available here.
Few quick comments:
1. The Usher S520 look very interesting as a sort of a ProAc clone. I spoke with a tube amp manufacturer who suggested that I audition a pair of speakers that were the ProAc clones. Looking at the specs, look almost identical to the Ushers.
2. Bestbuy pair - do those have concentric drivers - meaning is the tweeter in the middle of the woofer? That should image great at close distances. Under $90?
3. I'm a bit of a collector of USB powered speakers. They have improved slowly but surely. Picked up a pair on this trip that is CLEARLY the best USB powered yet. Really quite remarkable. I'll have to compare with my B&W MM-1 desktop. Obviously not nearly the same power nor have the same bass extension but it feels almost like a miniature B&W MM-1. It's the first USB speaker that reproduces with musicality that I can listen for hours. It also images wider than the speaker. Really remarkable considering USB port only puts out 0.5 amp max.
UL
i forgot about hi-vi. these are wery nice; i owned a pair of swans m2's a long while ago, quite nice, if a bit fat in the bass - they actually sounded better crossed over to vmps larger subs at 125hz than at 60-80hz, as the subs were not as ripe, if you can believe that... my step-brother is wery happy with them combined w/a sharp digital receiver i suggested he pair them with, as this amp's characteristics are a good match, imo.
if i were in china, i would really be wanting to audition the jungson's and the aurum cantus'
doug s.
