US/Canadian Made Cheap and Cheerful Components

nomeans · « **Reply #20 on:** 9 Oct 2011, 06:43 pm »

What's most important to me is where the money goes. I don't mind spending the extra money as long as it stays in North America. To make my request a little more realistic, I wouldn't mind spending $1,000 to $2,000 on a single component. So I guess that would make it "Semi-Cheap and Cheerful." Thanks for all the suggestions so far guys. It's opened my eyes to many NA companies that I did not know about.

eclein · « **Reply #21 on:** 9 Oct 2011, 06:55 pm »

Let us know OK who you find....if its not mentioned already we might not know about it...Thanks in advance and welcome!!

doorman · « **Reply #22 on:** 9 Oct 2011, 07:00 pm »

http://www.transcendentsound.com

Letitroll98 · « **Reply #23 on:** 10 Oct 2011, 02:30 pm »

Quote from: doorman on 9 Oct 2011, 07:00 pm

http://www.transcendentsound.com

Very nice, I bookmarked the site, but still no cigar. The cheapest American made amps still seem to be north of $700-$1200.

Doublej · « **Reply #24 on:** 10 Oct 2011, 04:32 pm »

Has anyone mentioned Odyssey Audio yet?

http://www.odysseyaudio.com/products-cyclops.html

srb · « **Reply #25 on:** 10 Oct 2011, 05:07 pm »

Quote from: Doublej on 10 Oct 2011, 04:32 pm

Has anyone mentioned Odyssey Audio yet?

Probably not, because the Cyclops integrated is $995 and the least expensive preamp/power amp combo is $2395.

Steve

JLM · « **Reply #26 on:** 11 Oct 2011, 09:10 pm »

I'm still loving my $348/pair Ascend Acoustics CBM-170 2-way standmount speakers. And from what I can tell, they are built and tested in America.

94cdnm3 · « **Reply #27 on:** 15 Nov 2011, 04:13 pm »

Sorry, a bit late to this discussion but if I were to build a modest system based on the OP guidelines here is what I would do:

Computer source to
Blue Circle USB Thingee DAC/Converter ($182.00)
Virtue Audio 1.2 ($349.00)
Paradigm Atoms V6 ($359.00)

guest1632 · « **Reply #28 on:** 15 Dec 2011, 07:42 am »

Quote from: 94cdnm3 on 15 Nov 2011, 04:13 pm

Sorry, a bit late to this discussion but if I were to build a modest system based on the OP guidelines here is what I would do:

Computer source to
Blue Circle USB Thingee DAC/Converter ($182.00)
Virtue Audio 1.2 ($349.00)
Paradigm Atoms V6 ($359.00)

Ok, thought I'd enter in here. How about the Spud amplifier from Hawthorne Audio., i also see this guy regularly on Audiogon selling tube preamps this one is for $260. He makes it himself.
The Spud amp is a couple of watts, but for about $400 or a little less, it's a good buy, and apparently sounds good too. Both pieces are made by different manufacturers. Just wanted to make that clear in case of any confusion.

On the preamp side, don't know how this guy's pre sounds. Sorry I don't have a link to either site.

On the Transcendentsound "Grounded Grid", for $500 in a kit, you either love it or hate it. Nothing in between. it's a so-so preamp. Out of China is the copycat Analogmetric. For the $500, you get it in a nice case put together. Plus there's an upgrade to that version which I'd like to see if someone has tried on the G.G. Sorry off topic. That's my two sense worth.

Ray Bronk

Doublej · « **Reply #29 on:** 15 Dec 2011, 12:03 pm »

I think all of the Outlaw Audio amplifiers with the exception of the monoblocks are made in USA.

charmerci · « **Reply #30 on:** 15 Dec 2011, 08:12 pm »

"On the border" company - Aperion Speakers are made in Asia but everything else is located in Portland.

JLM · « **Reply #31 on:** 15 Dec 2011, 09:30 pm »

Scott Nixon chip amps and DAC's fully qualify (if you don't ask where the bits come from).

ajzepp · « **Reply #32 on:** 15 Dec 2011, 11:19 pm »

I don't THINK he makes an integrated, but you should send an email to Dr.P at Mapletree Audio. He has a lot of very satisfied customers on AC and he's a great guy to deal with. He makes everything out of his studio in Canada. He makes excellent budget amps and preamps, so he may have plans for an integrated up his sleeves

http://hollowstate.netfirms.com/

For the record, I feel as you do when it comes to buying gear. Magnepan speakers, Butler Audio amps, SAS Audio Labs 10A preamp, BlueJeans cables (only HDMI cable made in the USA), speltz speaker wires, Marchand active crossover, etc, etc...even my previous speakers, the excellent DeVore Fidelity Super 8s were hand crafted and assembled in the US right in NYC. My usb-to-spdif is Italian made, but tweaked by Mapleshade Records in America.

Doublej · « **Reply #33 on:** 19 Dec 2011, 01:57 am »

Sfon Hifi the clue) loudspeakers are made in the US.

http://www.sjofnhifi.com/index.html

Delta Wave · « **Reply #34 on:** 19 Dec 2011, 03:14 am »

Quote from: ajzepp on 15 Dec 2011, 11:19 pm

I don't THINK he makes an integrated, but you should send an email to Dr.P at Mapletree Audio. He has a lot of very satisfied customers on AC and he's a great guy to deal with. He makes everything out of his studio in Canada. He makes excellent budget amps and preamps, so he may have plans for an integrated up his sleeves

http://hollowstate.netfirms.com/

I just bought a custom input switcher from him, I'm probably going to get his preamp in the near future. Extremely easy to deal with. And very nice stuff for the money.

lcrim · « **Reply #35 on:** 19 Dec 2011, 04:12 am »

I remember when this Circle was established and the fairly lax enforcement of those guidelines over time. The fact that so few are even aware that there are guidelines speaks volumes.
The idea that there are still those who aren't caught up in the pursuit of "trophy" audio equipment and truly interested in great sound for reasonable costs was and is an important principle, at least to me.
I would not like to see those original guidelines relaxed even though they seem too restricting. The quality of musical reproduction need not be determined by price strictly.
Larry

guest1632 · « **Reply #36 on:** 19 Dec 2011, 05:15 am »

Quote from: Doublej on 15 Dec 2011, 12:03 pm

I think all of the Outlaw Audio amplifiers with the exception of the monoblocks are made in USA.

if memory serves me correctly, and I could be wrong, the multichannel amps are made by ATI out of Canada.

Ray Bronk

srb · « **Reply #37 on:** 19 Dec 2011, 05:33 am »

Quote from: Ray Bronk on 19 Dec 2011, 05:15 am

if memory serves me correctly, and I could be wrong, the multichannel amps are made by ATI out of Canada.

According to ATI, all of their amplifiers are manufactured in USA in Southern CA.
http://www.ati-amp.com/about.php

Steve

ajzepp · « **Reply #38 on:** 19 Dec 2011, 06:42 am »

Quote from: Delta Wave on 19 Dec 2011, 03:14 am

I just bought a custom input switcher from him, I'm probably going to get his preamp in the near future. Extremely easy to deal with. And very nice stuff for the money.

His preamps are fantastic. I had a Line 2A SE and it was the component that allowed me to fall in love with tubes. I had it for two years until I upgraded to an SAS 10a. Dr P is great, and you'll get many hours of enjoyment out of his preamp

guest1632 · « **Reply #39 on:** 19 Dec 2011, 07:26 am »

Quote from: ajzepp on 19 Dec 2011, 06:42 am

His preamps are fantastic. I had a Line 2A SE and it was the component that allowed me to fall in love with tubes. I had it for two years until I upgraded to an SAS 10a. Dr P is great, and you'll get many hours of enjoyment out of his preamp

And unless you get the SAS11, you will probably be hard pressed to find something out there that is much better than what you have. Slightly hijacking this thread, I had a long talk with Steve, and although I don't know the exact secret, that SAS11 is hard to tell if it's connected between an amplifier, versus just using the source connecting it to the amplifier. DR Lloyd is just out there to let his stuff make good music.

Now back to the regular humdrum of this thread.

Ray Bronk

US/Canadian Made Cheap and Cheerful Components

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