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Melody tradition for visiting foreigners is to hoist their flag. Our new residence in Switzerland created a challenge for Melody's stack but in a very touching display of creativity, we watched the flags of both our prior US residence and my German birth country being flown. Saludos and gracias to mondo hospitality!

While we're still looking outside, let's point the camera through two other windows to show the immediate environment here at the edge of an industrial business park in mainland China.

To call visiting the office area 'proceeding to the heart of the operation' would be quite in error. This is a factory after all. The hands-on labor stations are the heart of any such outfit. But of course marketing, engineering, management and such are essentials too, especially if you're not a mere OEM but sell your goods through your own distribution chain under your own brand name. (Melody's only OEM contracts at present are with Onix and Mystère.)
Key personnel works within eye sight of the front desk in a small island of work stations.
With the Guangzhou AV Fair concluded just the day prior, everyone had to fall back into the regular rhythm of things.
Electrical engineering had a parts layout graphic on screen.
Mechanical engineering countered with a new chassis.
This office had gotten veritably raided and stripped during show preparation and attendance. It might become new operations central for Alex as he assumes his new strategic responsibilities in his father's factory.
His father's office meanwhile had the presidential desk strategically positioned such as to view the new Audixun components which run direct-heated triode drivers. For more details on Audixun, visit our Melody coverage in the Guangzhou show report.

During the Guangzhou show, I had the opportunity to meet Y.K, the famous Hong Kong reviewer and publisher of the above magazine, over lunch. I wanted to investigate a potential alliance between our two publications. Alas, Y.K. isn't at home with the Internet format at all. He doesn't yet understand the benefit even of his own web portal. "If people want to read my stuff, they should buy the magazine." John Atkinson at Stereophile has a rather more progressive take on the many opportunities which the Internet affords traditional paper publishing so my search continues. But this interlude proved how Internet publishing in Asia hasn't caught up with the West yet. To be serious, credible and reputable there requires being on paper. Sniff.

Back at Melody, listening of course is a vital ingredient as it is for any audio designer. Allen Wang has built himself a dedicated room in his favored Australian brick, wood and stone look. At the day of my visit, the speakers were the new Onix monitors of Hsao-Hsiung Pu of Sound Art Electronics Co. Ltd whom Westerners know indirectly through his speakers for Mark Schifter's AV123.com; and Allen's JMlabs. Electronics were Melody's CD 10 MKII, 1688 MkII preamp and either 845 monos or the new 211 Audixun integrated with either Shuguang or Full Music power tubes.

Unlike the trademark bright white light emitted by traditional 211s (here Shuguangs in Melody's newest Audixun model), Liu Zhe Sheng's Full Music variants remain dark. Their emissions are contained within the plate structure. Mr. Liu [below] has also issued a brand-new 300B SE version and new 12AX7 and 12AU7 small signal valves. Within China, he is considered the undisputed master of valve designs. Allen Wang considers him a close personal friend and I was fortunate to be personally introduced.

This now concludes our one-day visit to the Melody factory. Formal sound commentaries shall be reserved for future reviews. I will let slip though that these components don't merely look exceptionally well put together. With the features and parts envisioned for the new export line -- interstage transformers, true balanced connections, hi-gain drivers, military rectifiers, remote control and more -- it takes little imagination to predict some very exciting production introductions soon. Needless to say, bids for review samples have been submitted and accepted already.

In the past, Melody's greatest handicap for sales outside China has been its lack of English-speaking management and concomitantly poor choices of foreign business partners. Alex Wang's joining of his father's business; his fluency in 'gizmo' from iPods to the latest cell phones and electronics gadgets associated with his generation; and his upbringing and schooling in Australia's Western culture all spell a fresh infusion of ideas and tactics. Meanwhile his handling of marketing matters from now on will free up Allen Wang to immerse himself more fully than ever into designing and perfecting attractive new valve kit.


Now that I've seen how Melody product is made, would I own it? Hell, I purchased my review I2A3 integrated long before I ever visited China. Now I'm simply doubly proud having gotten to know the actual people whom my very satisfied ownership supports. If, like me, you believe that acquiring any luxury item should include not just the actual hardware but a high-level corporate ethic and an agreeable spirit of designers and builders involved, then Melody packs a wallop well beyond the visible. It's also squarely the reason why the PrimaLuna folks hand-picked Melody for its Mystère line from all the makers of valve gear in China.


Listening to fine audio is a luxury no matter what. Considering what your money buys at Melody, it's certainly the kind of luxury that remains within reach of the 'mere mortals' among us. That perhaps is the most exciting confirmation of many which our Melody visit netted. That this company wouldn't be a sweat shop I was certain of long ago when I first cracked open my I2A3 to marvel at the workmanship. But nothing convinces as personal experience does. While there's no predicting how the current economic crisis will alter the consumer landscape, when it comes to who deserves to be successful, there can be no doubt that Melody is a top choice. Over and out.
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