MichaelJoly
Banned
Thanks for that personal insight Robert. I don't doubt its true. As you suggest, greed has no borders.
I had a momentary lack of restraint and clarity when I wrote above. I think the root of what bothers me is Oktava - the brand - could have been something really special with compentent brand stewardship and accompanying manufacturing QC. They had everything they needed - a colorful history spaning the cold war times, some legendary products like the ML-19 ribbon mic, some fine contemporary condenser products and an opportunity to ride the peristroika wave of openess towards the West.
But instead, both manufacturing quality lapses and greed-based brand mis-management on the part of the McKays has tarnished what could have been a leading post-Soviet brand.
Was it the Chinese manufacturer or the McKays that suggested changing the silver-plated connecting pins on the O12 to unprotected copper? We'll probably never know. My guess is the McKays simply requested the best price and the vendor came up with ways to comply.
Yeah, denouncing inferior products is doing the right thing and is being helpful. But often Oktava in Tula and the vendor in China bear the brunt of the bad rap and the largely invisible McKays escape accountability.
I had a momentary lack of restraint and clarity when I wrote above. I think the root of what bothers me is Oktava - the brand - could have been something really special with compentent brand stewardship and accompanying manufacturing QC. They had everything they needed - a colorful history spaning the cold war times, some legendary products like the ML-19 ribbon mic, some fine contemporary condenser products and an opportunity to ride the peristroika wave of openess towards the West.
But instead, both manufacturing quality lapses and greed-based brand mis-management on the part of the McKays has tarnished what could have been a leading post-Soviet brand.
Was it the Chinese manufacturer or the McKays that suggested changing the silver-plated connecting pins on the O12 to unprotected copper? We'll probably never know. My guess is the McKays simply requested the best price and the vendor came up with ways to comply.
Yeah, denouncing inferior products is doing the right thing and is being helpful. But often Oktava in Tula and the vendor in China bear the brunt of the bad rap and the largely invisible McKays escape accountability.
