So How Much Are These Chinese Mics Costing To Make?

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Vikki

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Hmmm I was watching a programme on TV the other day and it was saying that the average Chinese worker hopes to take home the equivalent of 60 dollars each month. So how much do these Chinese mics actually cost to make?

I was talking to a company rep who deals in Chinese made musical equipment, he was saying if you want to make money go and have a product made in China, stack 'em high and don't sell 'em too cheap! He reckons a valve mic (not stating any brand name here) can be produced virtually to your own spec and sold for about 25 dollars from the factory.

I believe they are usually sold by the container load, so you have to buy quite a few! Then of course, there's the transport and distribution costs and import taxes depending on the country. So perhaps 50 dollars per mic, could be a good business to get into? Yes, I know the mic business is getting swamped by loads of different brand names, perhaps I can see why!

The same company rep was saying on a recent visit to China, the particular company he was visiting were advertising for workers, by the job deadline around 450 people had formed a queue at the gates of the factory. One of the directors of the company told the managers to leave the people standing outside the gates for a couple of days, stating "the ones who go without food and water for a couple of days must be prepared to work hard" i don't know how true this is, but he seemed pretty knowledgeable. If it is true it's a sad world isn't it?
Vikki(uk)
 
They are very lucky if they can find a job in the factory.
USD$60 salary is way much better than working in farm in china.....
with USD$60 they can make a huge improvement for the living environment for the whole family.

I am a chinese who live in Hong Kong (lucky me!), and some of my cousin who still living in mainland China, They can just get around USD$60 for a whole year of farming.

and yes.....Hong Kong industries are fxxked up totally by The cheap labours in China.....
 
Sorry if this is OT

Yes, we're buying them, and I believe the reason is, because of their price, it's what those of us that record...as a hobby...can afford. Most of us do not have the means of buying the top brands made, but have to buy the best of what we can afford. I understand that it's sad that chinese workers have to deal with that lifestyle and that American consumers help support it (though unintentionally) because of what OUR lifestyle financially dictates. My question is the opposite of what your stating. I'd like to know what justifies the exhorbitant price of some other mostly foreign made microphones. There are microphones that retail at $6000-$10,000! What's up with that? Granted, they're not marketed at "our" level of recordist, but it still seems pretty outrageous. Granted, their level of quality control is much better than the Chinese made mics offer, but damn! My ears are NOT going to hear the difference between a $1500 mic and a $10,000 mic (or at least I'll never find out). The chinese mics offer our market more choices, some good, some not, but choices non the less. I wouldn't go comparing (as some others tend to do) comparing an MXL to a Neumann, but Neumanns are beyond most peoples reach, and MXLs are a decent option. If I could afford a Neumann, I'd buy it, plain and simple. But I can't, and my options are limited by finances. But the quality (and quantity) available within my limited finances is overwhelming. So, I can't qualify my buying Chinese products other than the fact that it's what I can afford, but I can't qualify buying other foreign products at the opposite end of the spectrum either, because I'll never fathom why a microphone (it's a microphone!) would have to cost $10,000. I'm not talking vintage either. When you figure that in this day and age, most music buying consumers are listening to tunes on a glorified boom box or an MP3 player, rather than a good home stereo system, it makes the logic of high end (i.e., high cost) recording seem more illogical. Granted, this is all my opinion, and it's probably not what you were getting at, but it got me to vent a little. Thanks.
 
I'm torn on the Chinese issue as well. Clearly, this is a government that does not believe in civil liberties particularly when it comes to free exercise of religion. However, these jobs are the best available in many cases.

I try to buy from other countries of origin when I have a choice. On audio gear, I think I own one mic made in China. Otherwise, my personal mics are made in the USA, Germany, Russia, Japan and Latvia.
 
And our TV's and computers are made mainly where?

In the long run, there seems to be a correlation between industrialization and general standard of living.

What do you think?

Chris
 
I didn't buy my chinese mics because of price.I bought them because of the quality and sound. :)
 
Yesterday I've bought a hybrid player which plays almost everyting between SACD and MP3.

It has six analog outputs and the usual digital out and scart etc

The brand is Philips and it costs 99 euro, which is approx $118

The box says: made in Hongary, but where do the parts/components come from?

A VCR costs around 80 euro here, my first VCR was a Hitachi with 12 channels and it has cost me 1150 euro back in the early eighties.

The times they are a-changing
 
mikey@thecave said:
I didn't buy my chinese mics because of price.I bought them because of the quality and sound. :)
Click to expand...

You're joking right? :D
 
mikey@thecave said:
I didn't buy my chinese mics because of price.I bought them because of the quality and sound. :)
Click to expand...

You'd buy a Chinese mic over a Blue, a Beyer, a Shure, an Audio-Technica, an Electro Voice, a Sennheiser? No doubt that there are some Chinese mics of good build and good sonics. But, for me, I bought Chinese mics due to the quality available at the price which is a position that somewhat has been negated by Guitar Center dumping Oktavas on the market from time to time.
 
I was speaking with a walmart employee in sporting goods the other day and he told me concerning the non-food items that almost EVERYTHING they sold came from China. My point? Mics are a tiny, tiny fraction of the goods manufactured there.

BTW, the average Chinese mic cost $10-$20 US$ to manufacture.
 
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Someone was criticizing me once about owning mics that were made in China. He seemed so self-righteous about it as he gave me the speech.

I asked him about things he owned around his house- electronics, computer, clothing, etc, etc... things that were certainly made in China. Even products that were labled "made in U.S.A." had some IC's that came from Asia. I told him that if he had just ONE item that was made in China, then he was just as guilty of the same thing he accused me of.

He was trying to pluck the splinter out of my eye, and ignoring the log in his... boy did he get off his high horse quick.
 
BTW, I read that a U87ai costs about $450 or so to build. I'm trying to find this post from one of the forums.
 
It's pretty amazing how trading with the "enemy" is bad, until enough folks figure out how lucrative it is, and another bunch of folks figure out they can get their kicks taking economic advantage of another group of folks.

Use those Chinese mics with pride!
 
Morality and values are dictatated by a cultural barometer. No more. no less. How would you feel if the Chinese imposed their beliefs and values on you? So, be carefull when imposing yours on cultures and religions that are not yours!
 
Mark me down for some of that Chinese porno guys. I'm just as guilty as the trailer trash people that shop Walmart! :D
 
What actually be worse is if we do boycott and stop buying the mics. Probably just put the factories out of business and stop highering them. It is sad that it is that difficult to survive, they really are lucky that we are giving them a factory to work at in the first place.

Also i agree that it is their culture and there morals so it shouldnt concern us too much. Im sure if they really had a problem with it they would fight it themselves.

Danny
 
Donating to a reputable charity that aids people in China seems the most practical individual step then for those concerned, doesn't it?

Chris
 
darnold said:
What actually be worse is if we do boycott and stop buying the mics. Probably just put the factories out of business and stop highering them. It is sad that it is that difficult to survive, they really are lucky that we are giving them a factory to work at in the first place.

Also i agree that it is their culture and there morals so it shouldnt concern us too much. Im sure if they really had a problem with it they would fight it themselves.

Danny
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I'm not playing high and mighty because I've puchased Chinese mics. I do however have a problem with people who pretend there is no problem. Just wait till the Chinese start demanding reasonable wages. The American standard of life is going to drop about 400%.

Which is probably about the same as the mark up on most Chinese mics (if not more).
 
krs said:
Just wait till the Chinese start demanding reasonable wages.
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I thought they shot you for that. Really though, imagine what would happen if communism fell over there. Might put a slight wrinkle in OUR economy.
 
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