Lets not automatically assume now that outsourcing is bad. Outsourcing is ONLY bad if it is outsourced to the wrong place. In fact, more often than not, outsourcing is a good thing. It allows a company to take advantage of what each individual businesses do well rather than having to learn it all themselves.
Personally, if I am buying an expensive boutique piece of gear, then I probably want as much of the work done in the same place. I want to know that they guys at API, or Neve, or Manley etc... physically put their own blood into whatever piece of gear I am buying from them. The difference is that I am also paying a large amount of money for a piece of gear that costs FAR less to actually put together. What I am buying is an incredible design and quality parts and craftmanship.
If however I buy an $85 compressor, I want to make sure that thing was assembled on a line and all the parts were all premade. I don't trust the company that can afford to sell me the piece of gear for that price and still make a profit unless it was made on a line. What kind of quality could I really be paying for at that price if the companies overhead was any higher?
Consider Behringer. People buy Behringer comps for $89 at GC or somewhere. I always figured those companies must use Behringer as a "loss leader". I was stunned to actually see the dealer price list and find out that that $89 comp only cost the retailer $49. So if Behringer can sell a comp at $49 and make m,oney, do you really want all the parts made in house? Heck no, the only chance of the parts not being completely trash is to keep their overhead down and outsource some parts from somewhere else.
Bottom line, if something is really expensive, I want it made by hand. If something is too cheap, I don't want the kind of people they can afford to touch it
