American Made Audio

[Melvin]

Stumbled upon this new website devoted to products made in the USA. It's informative for those looking for products made/assembled here.

 

American Made Audio - Equipment. Companies. Audiophiles.

[NOMBEDES]

As the website states, not all products offered by the companies listed are MADE in the US. Some products are made outside the US or made with parts from foreign sources.

 

It would be nice if "American Made Audio" had a subsection listing companies and/or products which are 100% US parts and build.

 

Otherwise nice list of US Companies.

[johndark]

Good to see this here. @Melvin, thanks for sharing it. I'm the publisher of American Made Audio. It's a new site and still growing with both content and features.

 

@NOMBEDES Let me clarify a bit:

 

 

1. This list is self-reported from manufacturers or based on information gleaned from advertising, corporate websites, reviews and other places.
   
2. Not every product from every manufacturer is made in the USA.
   
3. I published a whole post about “Made in USA” and “Assembled in USA” standards. I've found that there is a tremendous amount of confusion, or obfuscation among manufacturers regarding the FTC standards of what you can claim per their guidelines. http://americanmadeaudio.com/2016/06/25/made-usa-standard-guidelines-audio-equipment-manufacturers-consumers/
    
   "Made in USA" means all or virtually all of the value of a product comes from the US. A very high standard that precludes things like foreign drivers/cabinets for speakers or foreign circuit boards/capacitors for electronics products, even if those products are the best quality. Many companies think they get around this standard by saying "Built in" or "Hand crafted in..." I always take that to mean "Assembled in the USA of some mix of domestic and foreign parts" but each manufacturer may mean something different.
   

There are well over 150 companies each with many products. It would be impossible to create a complete list of products that are truly made in the USA. Even now, the list requires a bit of guesswork on my part. However, it's an excellent starting point.

 

There is a way to see which companies reasonably claim "Made in USA" vs. "Assembled in USA" by clicking on the relevant tags once you're in a product. I'm trying to find a good way to present those links on the site. in the meantime, here they are:

- Made in USA: made in usa Archives - American Made Audio

- Assembled: assembled in usa Archives - American Made Audio

Because of the very stringent requirement for "Made in USA," "Assembled in USA" shouldn't be completely discounted. It simply means that more than a trivial amount of the value of that product is sourced offshore. In some cases, it's only a few parts. In others, it's a lot. Ask your manufacturer about the product you're interested to be sure.

[NOMBEDES]

Thanks johndark.

 

I have nothing against well built foreign equipment and/or parts.

 

Your attempt to bring some light to this subject is a breath of fresh air.

[Sal1950]

Great idea for a site and a resource for those audiophiles interested in supporting US products and our countries economy. IMO everyone should be involved in supporting the economy of what ever country they live in by purchasing home grown products whenever possible.

[johndark]

Thanks. I certainly don't have anything against foreign equipment or parts either! I've owned, loved and coveted many components from Canada, Europe, and Asia. But I think every detail of audio equipment is interesting, including provenance. Plus, I do think that much of the best audio equipment in the world is from American companies producing in America.

[crenca]

Good to see this here. @Melvin, thanks for sharing it. I'm the publisher of American Made Audio. It's a new site and still growing with both content and features.

 

@NOMBEDES Let me clarify a bit:

 

 

1. This list is self-reported from manufacturers or based on information gleaned from advertising, corporate websites, reviews and other places.
   
2. Not every product from every manufacturer is made in the USA.
   
3. I published a whole post about “Made in USA” and “Assembled in USA” standards. I've found that there is a tremendous amount of confusion, or obfuscation among manufacturers regarding the FTC standards of what you can claim per their guidelines. http://americanmadeaudio.com/2016/06/25/made-usa-standard-guidelines-audio-equipment-manufacturers-consumers/
    
   "Made in USA" means all or virtually all of the value of a product comes from the US. A very high standard that precludes things like foreign drivers/cabinets for speakers or foreign circuit boards/capacitors for electronics products, even if those products are the best quality. Many companies think they get around this standard by saying "Built in" or "Hand crafted in..." I always take that to mean "Assembled in the USA of some mix of domestic and foreign parts" but each manufacturer may mean something different.
   

There are well over 150 companies each with many products. It would be impossible to create a complete list of products that are truly made in the USA. Even now, the list requires a bit of guesswork on my part. However, it's an excellent starting point.

 

There is a way to see which companies reasonably claim "Made in USA" vs. "Assembled in USA" by clicking on the relevant tags once you're in a product. I'm trying to find a good way to present those links on the site. in the meantime, here they are:

- Made in USA: made in usa Archives - American Made Audio

- Assembled: assembled in usa Archives - American Made Audio

Because of the very stringent requirement for "Made in USA," "Assembled in USA" shouldn't be completely discounted. It simply means that more than a trivial amount of the value of that product is sourced offshore. In some cases, it's only a few parts. In others, it's a lot. Ask your manufacturer about the product you're interested to be sure.

 

Very interesting - there are more USA "hi-fi" companies than I really had thought about (though I knew most of the names).

 

Good luck with the "made in the USA" definition - it is of course a controversial subject, and folks are going to differ on what qualifies.

 

Are you planning on linking the websites of the individual companies? I noticed that I expected a link to each companies website after I drilled down to a specific company on your site - it just felt like a natural thing to expect

[johndark]

Very interesting - there are more USA "hi-fi" companies than I really had thought about (though I knew most of the names).

 

Good luck with the "made in the USA" definition - it is of course a controversial subject, and folks are going to differ on what qualifies.

 

Are you planning on linking the websites of the individual companies? I noticed that I expected a link to each companies website after I drilled down to a specific company on your site - it just felt like a natural thing to expect

 

Regarding the "Made in USA/Assembled in USA" definition, I am going with the FTC definitions. However, it is clear to me that there is a long road ahead that will involve educating both manufacturers and consumers what those definitions mean. There will be, but shouldn't be, anything controversial in determining whether a company's products match the claims they make. It's about transparency. I dislike it when companies obfuscate the origins of things.

 

Regarding links: basic listings are free, and include enough information to easily find any company through a single web search. To recover the not-insubstantial costs of creating and maintaining the site, I am offering advertising and premium listings that include custom copy, images, a bolded title in "The List," and a link to the manufacturer's site. I simply hope to cover my costs and fund trips to audio shows so I can report on new American gear.

[Panelhead]

Good to see this here. @Melvin, thanks for sharing it. I'm the publisher of American Made Audio. It's a new site and still growing with both content and features.

 

@NOMBEDES Let me clarify a bit:

 

 

1. This list is self-reported from manufacturers or based on information gleaned from advertising, corporate websites, reviews and other places.
   
2. Not every product from every manufacturer is made in the USA.
   
3. I published a whole post about “Made in USA” and “Assembled in USA” standards. I've found that there is a tremendous amount of confusion, or obfuscation among manufacturers regarding the FTC standards of what you can claim per their guidelines. http://americanmadeaudio.com/2016/06/25/made-usa-standard-guidelines-audio-equipment-manufacturers-consumers/
    
   "Made in USA" means all or virtually all of the value of a product comes from the US. A very high standard that precludes things like foreign drivers/cabinets for speakers or foreign circuit boards/capacitors for electronics products, even if those products are the best quality. Many companies think they get around this standard by saying "Built in" or "Hand crafted in..." I always take that to mean "Assembled in the USA of some mix of domestic and foreign parts" but each manufacturer may mean something different.
   

There are well over 150 companies each with many products. It would be impossible to create a complete list of products that are truly made in the USA. Even now, the list requires a bit of guesswork on my part. However, it's an excellent starting point.

 

There is a way to see which companies reasonably claim "Made in USA" vs. "Assembled in USA" by clicking on the relevant tags once you're in a product. I'm trying to find a good way to present those links on the site. in the meantime, here they are:

- Made in USA: made in usa Archives - American Made Audio

- Assembled: assembled in usa Archives - American Made Audio

Because of the very stringent requirement for "Made in USA," "Assembled in USA" shouldn't be completely discounted. It simply means that more than a trivial amount of the value of that product is sourced offshore. In some cases, it's only a few parts. In others, it's a lot. Ask your manufacturer about the product you're interested to be sure.

 

I did not see if there is a qualifier for volume. If dollar amount a couple of pair of the latest should cross a threshold. I do not see Shahinian listed.

I am sure there a lots more.

[johndark]

I did not see if there is a qualifier for volume. If dollar amount a couple of pair of the latest should cross a threshold. I do not see Shahinian listed.

I am sure there a lots more.

 

There is no volume requirement (although a company has to appear for all intents and purposes as if they are in business since the goal is to connect audiophiles looking to purchase with companies looking to sell things) I have about 20 companies on my list still to add, including Shahinian. Plus, I know that there are more that I don't know about yet. Have hardly touched guitar amps or car audio - trying to do all the audiophile stuff first since it's what I know well.

[duxservit]

There is no volume requirement (although a company has to appear for all intents and purposes as if they are in business since the goal is to connect audiophiles looking to purchase with companies looking to sell things) I have about 20 companies on my list still to add, including Shahinian. Plus, I know that there are more that I don't know about yet. Have hardly touched guitar amps or car audio - trying to do all the audiophile stuff first since it's what I know well.

 

@johndark: thank you for the link to your site about the FTC. Very useful article.

 

I believe that consumers are entitled to know about all the "ingredients" of the goods they are about to purchase and the origins of these ingredients. This should hold true for all products, be it audio gear or breakfast cereals.

 

Just a curiosity: Apple says that their products are designed in California but "Assembled in China". Using the FTC definition, this means I don't really known the origins of the electronics inside my iPad that was assembled together in China :-)

[johndark]

@johndark: thank you for the link to your site about the FTC. Very useful article.

 

I believe that consumers are entitled to know about all the "ingredients" of the goods they are about to purchase and the origins of these ingredients. This should hold true for all products, be it audio gear or breakfast cereals.

 

Just a curiosity: Apple says that their products are designed in California but "Assembled in China". Using the FTC definition, this means I don't really known the origins of the electronics inside my iPad that was assembled together in China :-)

 

Correct. The FTC only requires that automobiles, textiles, wool and fur list country of origin. For all other products it is optional. However, they give guidelines for the kinds of claims that a company can make (as detailed in my link.) Regarding your (and my) iPhone, they assemble it in China (at Foxconn, I think). You have no way of knowing where the parts come from. There is also a bit of an unfair playing field, globally for country of origin claims. For example, a "Swiss Made" watch has a 60% threshold of Swiss parts, whereas a "Made in USA" component must be "all or virtually all" made from US components to make an "unqualified claim." At the same threshold as the Swiss, for example, a company like Shinola can say "Made in USA of US and imported components" but not just "Made in USA"

[duxservit]

Correct. The FTC only requires that automobiles, textiles, wool and fur list country of origin. For all other products it is optional. However, they give guidelines for the kinds of claims that a company can make (as detailed in my link.) Regarding your (and my) iPhone, they assemble it in China (at Foxconn, I think). You have no way of knowing where the parts come from. There is also a bit of an unfair playing field, globally for country of origin claims. For example, a "Swiss Made" watch has a 60% threshold of Swiss parts, whereas a "Made in USA" component must be "all or virtually all" made from US components to make an "unqualified claim." At the same threshold as the Swiss, for example, a company like Shinola can say "Made in USA of US and imported components" but not just "Made in USA"

 

Hmm, if the notion of "percentage" is used, I wonder how the FTC measures software and firmware. For example, I know that my US wifi hardware is made 100% in China but the firmware and control software is made truly in the USA by local developers.

 

How would you express this in FTC terms.

[ctsooner]

Empirical Audio in Portland, OR is all home grown. Steve Nugent makes some of the best DAC's and digital products on the planet. Not sure what he needs to do to get on your site. I personally think it's cool. As for the politics, that's not what this site or thread seems to be. Folks will purchase whatever they want, but sometimes it's nice to know if something is truly a US product. I will buy the best sounding, but just realized that my whole system from Aesthetix phono, Ayre amplification and soon to be DAC, Krell DAC (older one using now), recently sold Empirical DAC and Audioquest cables are all US products. oh, also Vandersteen speakers and a Basis Audio Turntable which are also US designed and made. For the first time in years I have a complete US made system and didn't even realize it until this thread. Have the new QX-5/twenty from Ayre on order so I'll be keeping my DAC's US only too. Thanks for sharing. Great luck on your site.

[johndark]

Hmm, if the notion of "percentage" is used, I wonder how the FTC measures software and firmware. For example, I know that my US wifi hardware is made 100% in China but the firmware and control software is made truly in the USA by local developers.

 

How would you express this in FTC terms.

 

This falls under the claim for specific parts and processes The short answer is you list the hardware and software separately, for example: "Router made in Taiwan - Software made in USA" From the FTC page: [h=3]U.S. origin claims for specific processes or parts[/h]Claims that a particular manufacturing or other process was performed in the U.S. or that a particular part was manufactured in the U.S. must be truthful, substantiated, and clearly refer to the specific process or part, not to the general manufacture of the product, to avoid implying more U.S. content than exists.

Manufacturers and marketers should be cautious about using general terms, such as "produced," "created" or "manufactured" in the U.S. Words like these are unlikely to convey a message limited to a particular process. Additional qualification probably is necessary to describe a product that is not "all or virtually all" made in the U.S.

In addition, if a product is of foreign origin (that is, it has been substantially transformed abroad), manufacturers and marketers also should make sure they satisfy Customs’ markings statute and regulations that require such products to be marked with a foreign country of origin. Further, Customs requires the foreign country of origin to be preceded by "Made in," "Product of," or words of similar meaning when any city or location that is not the country of origin appears on the product.

Example: A company designs a product in New York City and sends the blueprint to a factory in Finland for manufacturing. It labels the product "Designed in USA — Made in Finland." Such a specific processing claim would not lead a reasonable consumer to believe that the whole product was made in the U.S. The Customs Service requires the product to be marked "Made in," or "Product of" Finland since the product is of Finnish origin and the claim refers to the U.S. Examples of other specific processing claims are: "Bound in U.S. — Printed in Turkey." "Hand carved in U.S. — Wood from Philippines." "Software written in U.S. — Disk made in India." "Painted and fired in USA. Blanks made in (foreign country of origin)." https://www.ftc.gov/tips-advice/business-center/guidance/complying-made-usa-standard

[johndark]

Empirical Audio in Portland, OR is all home grown. Steve Nugent makes some of the best DAC's and digital products on the planet. Not sure what he needs to do to get on your site. I personally think it's cool. As for the politics, that's not what this site or thread seems to be. Folks will purchase whatever they want, but sometimes it's nice to know if something is truly a US product. I will buy the best sounding, but just realized that my whole system from Aesthetix phono, Ayre amplification and soon to be DAC, Krell DAC (older one using now), recently sold Empirical DAC and Audioquest cables are all US products. oh, also Vandersteen speakers and a Basis Audio Turntable which are also US designed and made. For the first time in years I have a complete US made system and didn't even realize it until this thread. Have the new QX-5/twenty from Ayre on order so I'll be keeping my DAC's US only too. Thanks for sharing. Great luck on your site.

That's pretty much how I walked into this, too. Most of my system was made (or assembled) in the US. Had a Canadian DAC from Bryston but that was it (now replaced by a Berkeley Alpha 1).

 

I'll add Empirical Audio to my list. Basically, what I do is look at what the manufacturer claims on their labels (google image search is invaluable) then look at their claims on their site to see if their country of origin claim is plausible since manufacturers often get the claim wrong. For example, one manufacturer rightly touts their outstanding European components, which make up a substantial portion of the value of their product, then claims that their products are unqualified "Made in USA." I would list a company that does this as "Assembled in USA."

[Melvin]

Good to see this here. @Melvin, thanks for sharing it. I'm the publisher of American Made Audio. It's a new site and still growing with both content and features.

 

Hi johndark. Welcome to CA and best of luck with your website. Love what you're doing with it.

 

There is a way to see which companies reasonably claim "Made in USA" vs. "Assembled in USA" by clicking on the relevant tags once you're in a product. I'm trying to find a good way to present those links on the site. in the meantime, here they are:

- Made in USA: made in usa Archives - American Made Audio

- Assembled: assembled in usa Archives - American Made Audio

Because of the very stringent requirement for "Made in USA," "Assembled in USA" shouldn't be completely discounted. It simply means that more than a trivial amount of the value of that product is sourced offshore. In some cases, it's only a few parts. In others, it's a lot. Ask your manufacturer about the product you're interested to be sure.

 

I think Odyssey Audio and Wyred 4 Sound would qualify under "Assembled in USA". Salamander Designs makes great audio/video furniture and is "Made in USA". I love their manufacturing philosophy BTW.

[duxservit]

This falls under the claim for specific parts and processes The short answer is you list the hardware and software separately, for example: "Router made in Taiwan - Software made in USA" From the FTC page: U.S. origin claims for specific processes or parts

 

John, thanks for the clarification. Very useful to know.

 

For me the "Manufactured in the USA" label is a major factor in choosing my audio. Good to see that both my amplifier manufacturer (upstate NY) and DAC manufacturer (Boulder, CO) are listed on your site. And my Grado headphones are definitely local :-)

[chetthejet]

I'd think that Benchmark Media Systems would qualify for addition to this list.....

[lucretius]

Good to see this here. @Melvin, thanks for sharing it. I'm the publisher of American Made Audio. It's a new site and still growing with both content and features.

 

@NOMBEDES Let me clarify a bit:

 

 

1. This list is self-reported from manufacturers or based on information gleaned from advertising, corporate websites, reviews and other places.
   
2. Not every product from every manufacturer is made in the USA.
   
3. I published a whole post about “Made in USA” and “Assembled in USA” standards. I've found that there is a tremendous amount of confusion, or obfuscation among manufacturers regarding the FTC standards of what you can claim per their guidelines. http://americanmadeaudio.com/2016/06/25/made-usa-standard-guidelines-audio-equipment-manufacturers-consumers/
    
   "Made in USA" means all or virtually all of the value of a product comes from the US. A very high standard that precludes things like foreign drivers/cabinets for speakers or foreign circuit boards/capacitors for electronics products, even if those products are the best quality. Many companies think they get around this standard by saying "Built in" or "Hand crafted in..." I always take that to mean "Assembled in the USA of some mix of domestic and foreign parts" but each manufacturer may mean something different.
   

There are well over 150 companies each with many products. It would be impossible to create a complete list of products that are truly made in the USA. Even now, the list requires a bit of guesswork on my part. However, it's an excellent starting point.

 

There is a way to see which companies reasonably claim "Made in USA" vs. "Assembled in USA" by clicking on the relevant tags once you're in a product. I'm trying to find a good way to present those links on the site. in the meantime, here they are:

- Made in USA: made in usa Archives - American Made Audio

- Assembled: assembled in usa Archives - American Made Audio

Because of the very stringent requirement for "Made in USA," "Assembled in USA" shouldn't be completely discounted. It simply means that more than a trivial amount of the value of that product is sourced offshore. In some cases, it's only a few parts. In others, it's a lot. Ask your manufacturer about the product you're interested to be sure.

 

The FTC definition is too fuzzy--i.e. 'all or virtually all of the components must be made in the USA (i.e., no more than a “negligible amount” of foreign content)'. Suppose (1) U.S. manufacturing costs constitute 75% of the manufacturing costs for the product; and (2) the product was last substantially transformed in the United States. Can the Maufacturer expressly claim the goods are "Made in the USA"?

[The Computer Audiophile]

Thread re-opened. Please keep it on topic.

[johndark]

The FTC definition is too fuzzy--i.e. 'all or virtually all of the components must be made in the USA (i.e., no more than a “negligible amount” of foreign content)'. Suppose (1) U.S. manufacturing costs constitute 75% of the manufacturing costs for the product; and (2) the product was last substantially transformed in the United States. Can the Maufacturer expressly claim the goods are "Made in the USA"?

 

As I read the guidelines, they are pretty clear: the manufacturer could NOT say "Made in USA" because not all or virtually all of the value is made in USA. They COULD say "Made in USA of 75% US parts" or "Made in USA of domestic and imported parts" or "Assembled in USA," which doesn't specify the amount.

 

I'm no lawyer, though I know my way around a contract and I'm a guy who loves language and fine distinctions. Any manufacturer shouldn't take my advice as final, but I do think someone who reads the guidelines and my article on them can walk away with a prety good idea about how to interpret them.

[crenca]

Thread re-opened. Please keep it on topic.

 

But but but I did not get my "top shelf" joke in

 

I'm no lawyer, though I know my way around a contract and I'm a guy who loves language and fine distinctions. Any manufacturer shouldn't take my advice as final, but I do think someone who reads the guidelines and my article on them can walk away with a prety good idea about how to interpret them.

 

You would think, but the experience of the auto industry around this issue is one of much effort going into the blurring of otherwise "common sense" distinctions and language. Walmart did not have the best experience either, though if I recall correctly a lot of that was self inflicted. Of course, your effort will be led by you so it will have your personal stamp on it, and of course being a niche in a niche will limit the scope/size so it should be more manageable and clear...

[johndark]

Question for the group since this is "Computer Audiophile:" how should I create categories on my site. I see here that the forums break down products into 1) Music Servers 2) DACs 3) Disk Storage 4) Networking 5) Software 6) DSP/Room Correction.

 

If you were looking for American makers of those products, are those the right categories? I'm not sure that there are enough makers in each categor, and I'm not 100% satisfied with the categories I used "digital" "computer" "DAC" "CD/Transport"

 

I'm mainly a vinyl guy, though I have a respectable digital setup, but not optimized for computer listening - I don't even used the USB input of my DAC, so this is a bit outside my expertise, but I'd like it to be relevant to a computer audio user.

[duxservit]

Question for the group since this is "Computer Audiophile:" how should I create categories on my site. I see here that the forums break down products into 1) Music Servers 2) DACs 3) Disk Storage 4) Networking 5) Software 6) DSP/Room Correction.

 

If you were looking for American makers of those products, are those the right categories? I'm not sure that there are enough makers in each categor, and I'm not 100% satisfied with the categories I used "digital" "computer" "DAC" "CD/Transport"

 

I'm mainly a vinyl guy, though I have a respectable digital setup, but not optimized for computer listening - I don't even used the USB input of my DAC, so this is a bit outside my expertise, but I'd like it to be relevant to a computer audio user.

 

I think you have them pretty much correct already. Amps, DACs, Speakers, headphones, TT, etc.