B&W factory tour

[SPACEMANRICK]

This is from Home Theater Magazine. Not sure if this has been posted on here yet and it includes some nice pictures.

http://hometheatermag.com/gearworks/1007factbc/

[Andrew M Ward]

This is from Home Theater Magazine. Not sure if this has been posted on here yet and it includes some nice pictures.

http://hometheatermag.com/gearworks/1007factbc/

The last of the Speaker makers... (I mean they "make" the speakers) not procure them like 99% of the other "speaker companies" do...


(BTW: I don't work there) ... anymore 8) but it's an awesome place with the highest ethics and build requirements I've ever seen... ;x(

[kobestonecold]

Nice find man. This is what quality Made in England i was talking about. Have you seen any 705 there? :W

I wonder what the Chinese factory like? ops:

[Rosso_Corsa]

I wonder what the Chinese factory like?

Probably no worse. They're still owned and operated by B&W and presumably the same training and work standards apply. They just pay the people a whole lot less.

[nicky]

Nice SPACEMANRICK.


It's pretty naive to base and conclude the quality of a product based on where it's made.

It's true that a lot of great products are made in England as well as in the US, etc, etc ie. order countries, but that also includes China. I've been to China and some of their architecture and skills like in wood making for example is just amazing.

But just as inversely, lot of crap is also made in England, US, China, etc, etc.

So to group and generalize a product just by where it's assembled or made is again just naive.

[Mark-n-b]

I don’t think kobestonecold is being naive by what that member is saying; I think what kobestonecold is trying to imply that Made In England used to imply quality, and that it good to see an English company still upholding that, even though so many English companies that stood for quality in the past have now disappeared or are owned by overseas companies. (correct me if that is not what you are saying!)

Made in China used to mean poor quality in the UK, but that is changing as more western influences are entering the area. Ironically I live in England but work for Delphi making diesel injection systems, and we take quality very seriously indeed, and Delphi is an American company.

[RobP]

That was great! Thanks for sharing..

[WI Rotel]

Cool Pics, thanks!

[RebelMan]

So to group and generalize a product just by where it's assembled or made is again just naive.

Not necessarily true. China has been getting a bad rap in the US lately. At the moment my family is steering clear of anything made in China. Unfortunately, the current perception could have a financial impact on any product branded "Made in China" regardless of its quality.

Gordon Gekko had it all wrong. He should have said "greed is good... until you get caught!"

[Aldo]

The only thing I regret is not knowing I could order the snails in Pink!

[Race Car Driver]

Those are mine, dont be jealous. 8)

[Aldo]

Those are mine, dont be jealous. 8)

Why dont we post a survey!
Are they for Britney of for Paris? :B

[kurtholz]

I probably shouldn't jump into this, but being all wrapped into the Asian cultures and having studied the different cultures for decades, it's extremely naive to call a 2000 year old culture ( as in China),and one that has been very dominant for over 1500 years as being a country of less intelligent or capable people

ever wonder why the USA doesn't mess with China, because they are as strong or stronger than us, look at the trade alone, it's absolutely ridiculous how lopsided it is, they have been raping and pillaging America since it's inception, but we are smarter?

one could say we, ( being Americans) are naive when we espouse our dominance, when in fact, we have only been dominant for a few decades, compared to there past and current cultural position

have you any idea how many inventions are attributed to the chinese, most of which we try and copy,

the list is endless

my two cents

:-)

Kurt

[nicky]

I agree with kurtholz and as a white proud American myself was just pointing out the same thing and the bias we anglo nations tend to have.

I'm an engineer and have had a chance to spent a lot of time in Asia including China. I used to be a very naive arrogant American. But when you actually learn about their culture and the technological skills and very smart thinking of these Asian countries which are thousands of years old, you become humbled.

Yes, China has gotten bad press recently from lead paint toys, etc, etc. But realize that more than 80% of items in the US are made in China and the percentage is increasing due to their efficient skills, production and low costs. China has billions invested in the US and along with middle east countries like Saudi Arabia has kept the dollar what it is right now, although the value of the dollar is still at a all time low. Our economy and low cost of products in the US right now is because of China and their investments in the US.

So we may still be the most powerful nation in the world from a military point of view, but economically we are not. Not even in education. We are almost the LAST in education in Science and Math.....Asian and some European Countries are at the top.....so who is less intellegent.

Don't get me wrong, I'm a proud American who loves this country, but what made this country great is the diverse people who ALL immigrated here from somewhere else...even us white folks (excluding the Indians). Our culture and thinking was formed by the mix of other cultures from other countries including Asian countries that existed thousand of years before the US was even formed.

So when I hear people generalize and say this country sucks or makes bad products, I shake my head. All countries make crap as well as good products. And such stereotyping and naiveness is wrong, incorrect and makes us look bad.


Sorry for the rant...."the end" for me. And since this is a B&W forum......I do love my 703s...great craftsmanship and sound. And am even saving up now for my dream 800s....some day I'll have them...so it was good to see the behind the scenes of making the 800s.

[Aldo]

I agree with kurtholz and as a white proud American myself was just pointing out the same thing and the bias we anglo nations tend to have.

I'm an engineer and have had a chance to spent a lot of time in Asia including China. I used to be a very naive arrogant American. But when you actually learn about their culture and the technological skills and very smart thinking of these Asian countries which are thousands of years old, you become humbled.

Yes, China has gotten bad press recently from lead paint toys, etc, etc. But realize that more than 80% of items in the US are made in China and the percentage is increasing due to their efficient skills, production and low costs. China has billions invested in the US and along with middle east countries like Saudi Arabia has kept the dollar what it is right now, although the value of the dollar is still at a all time low. Our economy and low cost of products in the US right now is because of China and their investments in the US.

So we may still be the most powerful nation in the world from a military point of view, but economically we are not. Not even in education. We are almost the LAST in education in Science and Math.....Asian and some European Countries are at the top.....so who is less intellegent.

Don't get me wrong, I'm a proud American who loves this country, but what made this country great is the diverse people who ALL immigrated here from somewhere else...even us white folks (excluding the Indians). Our culture and thinking was formed by the mix of other cultures from other countries including Asian countries that existed thousand of years before the US was even formed.

So when I hear people generalize and say this country sucks or makes bad products, I shake my head. All countries make crap as well as good products. And such stereotyping and naiveness is wrong, incorrect and makes us look bad.


Sorry for the rant...."the end" for me. And since this is a B&W forum......I do love my 703s...great craftsmanship and sound. And am even saving up now for my dream 800s....some day I'll have them...so it was good to see the behind the scenes of making the 800s.

Too much for me....
Lets return to... Britney or Paris? :rofl: :rofl:

[RebelMan]

I'ts not about intelligence, might, diversity or culture. It's about corporate greed and government exploitation, competition only play's a small part. Cheap labor means cheap prices and quality suffers. There’s nothing naive about it. Like it or not perception is KING!

[beden1]

Growing up in the 60's . . . made in the USA and in England stood for pride in quality craftmanship. Japanese and Chinese products were price oriented, and perceived to be of lesser/cheap quality, because they were.

In the 70's, the Japanese armed with their cameras, took pictures and tried to copy everything the US was doing in producing cars, TV sets, stereos, cameras, etc., etc. Their copies produced by cheap labor started flooding the US marketplace, by offering cheaper prices for products that were meant to be "perceived" as good as the US originals . . . but they were not in the long run. Sales for these products from the Orient started to outstrip those US and European goods, but these products did stumble when their longevity became nearly disposable (like rusted out cars produced from recycled scrap steel from WWII armaments).

The largest mistake the US made that enabled the Japanese products to prosper here in our marketplace, is that we did not anticipate the gas shortages in the early 70's. This enabled the Japanese to gain a foothold into the US, and to sell their cheaper and less thirsty cars at a fortuitous time in our nation. Once the marketplace opened up for these Japanese products, goods like cars were followed by cameras, TVs, small appliances,sports equipment, etc., etc.

IMO, the Chinese are just copying the Japanese business model . . . and reproducing any and all goods through their underdeveloped economic cheap labor costs, and flooding the world with their cheap copies. And, our corporate greed along with a thirst for ever rising stock prices, is enabling these cheap goods to become the new millennium standard in an ever growing marketplace of disposable goods.

Hopefully, the US will survive in the future through our strength in creative inginuity. We will continue our economic strength by continuing to create the products that others copy.

And, also in my opinion, I am not a fan that B&W has been economically forced to start outsourcing some of their speakers to Chinese manufacturing. In the long run, this will cheapen their products, and their perceived reputation for producing quality crafted goods.

[joetama]

I must say from those pictures have given me some more ammunition for the argument between the girlfriend (a fine arts painter) and me.

She says that there is NO way that speakers are artwork, mostly because they are cookie cutter and machine made. I disagree, saying that the engineering, design, and manufacturing of good quality loudspeakers (especially B&W) is not cookie cutter and takes more skill than mathematics and training and IS an art form. Thus saying the loudspeaker is a piece of art, especially since it reproduces an art form (music) so elegantly.



Oh and I really really really hope the pink loudspeakers are going to someone other than those two mentioned. There is no way that they would appreciate or enjoy music enough to deserve them.

[Briz vegas]

I'ts not about intelligence, might, diversity or culture. It's about corporate greed and government exploitation, competition only play's a small part. Cheap labor means cheap prices and quality suffers. There’s nothing naive about it. Like it or not perception is KING!

Cheap labor means cheap prices and quality can suffer depending on the company and the intended market. I think that the Japanese economic model indicates what can happen over time. I recall the term Jap crap from my childhood. It has no meaning now.

Whether or not China makes a good product is simply a parts and QC decision by the company and the folks running the factory floor. In this instance that is B&W in both cases.

[RebelMan]

Whether or not China makes a good product is simply a parts and QC decision by the company and the folks running the factory floor. In this instance that is B&W in both cases.

But it's price and profit that dictates choices over parts and labor. Both China and B&W had their own agendas to meet and they each knew the incentives for doing so, plain and simple.

If you ask me product quality has been steadily dropping as exportation has been steadily rising. The largest retail company in the world did get that way by selling quality goods at reasonable prices. The got that way from selling cheap and inexpensive stuff. Eventually, the price for poor quality is paid with a damaged public image.

[nick.h]

Amazing pictures. It would have taking some time for them to get the production line working all in together.

[RNKC]

That was a nice sneak peek. I look forward to reading the full article when it comes out.

[sikoniko]

I got my last issue. I hope I can renew in time to not miss this! figures it would work out this way.

[RNKC]

Just when you thought you were out, they suck you back in ...

[Kirium]

I wasn't aware the Nautilus was still in production with such strong demand..

Given it's well over 10 years old, I'd like to see it updated with current technologies like the diamond tweeter and see how they could make the best even better...

[greggz]

I wasn't aware the Nautilus was still in production with such strong demand..

Not only are they still in production, B&W just raised the price on them from US$40,000 to US$60,000. :E

[Hdale85]

60 grand...wow....are they really worth that?

[WI Rotel]

60 grand...wow....are they really worth that?

Hell no.
But the price is due to the worthless dollar. Since the Nautilus is only manufactured in the UK, contrary to other BW's which are also manufactured in China the exchange rate essentially is killing the US market for that particular speaker! :x