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Meixing MingDa and Icon Audio - one and the same?

I think Mei Xing/Ming Da OEM for Icon Audio's stuff to Icon's specification, just like Melody OEM for a US branded tube amplifiers.
 
Icon Audio fit upgraded parts and play with the circuit on the basic Ming-da amps and sell them at double the price, Puresound do similar with Bewitched amps.
 
I can't speak for Icon. I'm unsure of the relationships there. In my case I deal with two factories in China. Both make a wide range of products the majority of which are of no interest to me. There are certain items I can get made to my specification. There's also the option to have entirely new products manufactured if I send designs over to them & the numbers make sense. The intention is to move more in that direction as & when funds allow it.
 
I think the Icon relationship is even more complex. The Icon stuff is specced by Icon, UK specific spec (transformers etc) and can be upgraded on ordering - your personal favourite caps etc. Tested and supported from UK. Originally this seemed to be Icon modding Ming Da stuff, now new products from the ground up. Ming Da make similar stuff in the cases. And I think (from a few comments on different forums) that Icon design stuff for Ming Da. Although if they get then to make product to a spec then you just can't really stop them manufacturing a copy cat product - so maybe that is a polite way of describing it.

Bottom line is - good valve kit at reasonable prices with UK spec and support can be had from a few different guys in the UK. All very good for us. I really must go and hear the PS3 at some point. I have a PS1 and it is very good. I'd be a little nervous still buying direct from manufacturers.
 
Mattdcb said:
I found this page.....

http://www.ornec.com/Meixing_Mingda_QQA5C

A lot of stuff on here looks suspiciously like the Icon Audio stuff, especially the two box phono stage, it's almost identical to the Icon Audio PS3.....

Who's copying who???
Click to expand...

From Ming Da's Website

According to our research this year, we have known that several commercial tenants are selling products with our brands Mei Xing Ming Da, which are fake and with poor quality. Therefore, we would like to remind seriously all of your respected customers of this: It would be better to check the distributors directories on our website before buying our products. Please buy the products from our distributors. Or’ll we take no responsibility for the deceived customers and their loss and the after-sale service.

You can buy directly from our factory here if there is no distributors around your location.
Click to expand...

Does that answer the question? :D :D :D
 
Ok thanks all.

I'm still tempted by the Icon PS3, gets plenty of good press.

I was tempted to just go buy the MingDa look-a-like direct (for less than half the price) but if the Icon specific componentry is different as indicated here then I guess it's not really the same product and could consequently be perceivably half the product in terms of sonics ability etc.

I'll reserve judgement for a while, I need to check out the Whest 30 RDT first too......
 
If it was me i would buy from Icon because if anything goes wrong you can
send it back for a repair plus i think they must do some upgrades on it.
It also did warn on ming da website sometime back about buying
their amps from certain online retailers from china because you may not be getting a ming da amp as their are copies out their.
and they also said it is best to buy from a ming da dealer in your country so you have full back up.
in the uk icon are as good as their dealer.
I would rather have the peace of mind myself of buying from icon
but you could buy a cheaper ming da and not icon and have no problems.
pot luck i guess.
though remember intl postage can add £100 to the price then you have import fee's(TAX)
 
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