Melody amplifiers are deliberately under-stressed, over-spec'd and changing valves is very easy. I learned that the service life of the 5881, EL34 and KT88 valves is around 1500 to 2000 operating hours. The 300B and 2A3 direct-heated triodes sport a service life of around 15,000 operating hours. All valve types are readily available at reasonable cost and Melody's in-house valve testing rejects 30% by applying strict standards. Apparently Melody amplifiers do not require extended warm-up times. They sound good after about 10 minutes of operation. Amplifiers are shipped with the valves installed and prebiased ready to use.


Finished amplifiers are play tested, then wrapped in plastic and shipped in double boxes with foam liners. All amplifiers are provided with a protective tube cage in case the customer has pets or young children, plus a pair of white gloves for handling.


Burn-in rack next.

Play-test room next.

End of assembly line and packing bay.


I have often heard mega dollar amplifiers and wondered what all the fuss was about. A friend of mine calls it trophy hifi. You know the type of thing the customer brings home like a bowling trophy, as though hoping that spending big money on a brand name will bring him sonic heaven. Such things are often sold with the claim that when you want to trade up, the resale value will be good. Unfortunately, this is often patently untrue. The depreciation in value can far exceed the entire purchase price of a product like Melody. This is because the intrinsic value was not in the product in the first place. Most of the cost was in the glossy ads and markups for the many mouths in the food chain - or unduly extravagant casework that actually contributed very little to the sound. [Melody's roof can accommodate an extra story should future expansion necessitate it. How is that for forward thinking?]


I was initially attracted to Melody's products because the sound quality is at the highest level and the pricing is affordable. After visiting the factory, I can see there is far more value than I anticipated in my wildest dreams. Make no mistake, this company will be doing great things in the future.


Allen Wang does not follow the crowd. He designs truly unique products. Who else uses the 101D valve for example? I was very impressed with his operation and being a fiercely independent thinker and visionary. Translated discussions showed his head bursting with exciting future ideas for Melody. His ambition is to become the pre-eminent supplier of valve amplifiers to the audio community. He is a bit like captain Kirk, guiding Starship Melody onwards and upwards.
As I headed back to Hong Kong on the train again, I reflected on the trip. Manufacturers in the West have a lot to be concerned about with Chinese manufacturers like Melody claiming market shares. Many of those same Westerners are beating a path to Melody's doors asking for OEM deals to get their products fabricated there. Some of the names would surprise youl This is especially disturbing because most such firms do not reposition their products to reflect the lower cost of offshore manufacture. They still charge the same as they did before, some even pretending that their product continues to be made in Europe or the USA when this is clearly no longer the case.


I appreciated the opportunity to visit Melody and mainland China. Certainly Allen Wang and his amplifiers are going to be noticed around the world and enjoyed by audiophiles who take the trouble to seek them out. I have and I am.

Publisher's note: Mr. Wang has informed us that Mr. Freemantle has been assigned the role of international liaison for Melody, to help bridge the language barrier by answering English e-mail queries, facilitating the necessary information exchange and to handle international sales in areas presently not served by importers or dealers. The main Melody website is www.melodyvalvehifi.com, the European distributor's website www.melody-europe.com. English-speaking parties interested in the brand without domestic Melody sources; or with product queries not answered on these sites; are now encouraged to interface with Warwick by e-mail. Simply click on his signature above to auto-launch Outlook Express.