All interesting points.
Certainly, I won't pretend buying old gear, of unknown provenance, from unknown sellers, is anything but high risk. It's a bit like buying a used car. The pics of the gear matter, the wear on the knobs, et cetera, just like the wear on the accelerator and brake pedals are more believable than the odometer. When I buy used gear, it is with the assumption that it may have been an error, only time will tell. And certainly, I wouldn't want to fail to reiterate what Saturation said, how it was used (duty cycle, and what percentage of maximum load) I cannot detect from a photo. It's a gambler's game, on the average, will I save enough to justify the risk, adjusted for the fact that I can get some better gear than what I'd buy new? And then there is the type of risk, as bad gear doesn't just cost money, it costs time, and they have different values in a home lab than a commercial one. In buying that load, my assumption is that if it fails, and I can't troubleshoot and repair it quickly, I'll be giving it away, as the repair cost will be higher than replacement.
My experience with PRC manufacturing is out of date. But, I'll share some lessons... It is getting almost impossible to compete, over some volume, if you aren't doing some manufacturing in the PRC. In order to succeed with manufacturing in the PRC, you've got to maintain very high quality assurance, and quality control is generally best done outside of the PRC. Some quality assurance can be accomplished by supplying the components, but that often fails, as the components you supply are often resold, and cheaper parts substituted. It has been suggested to me that the lack of financing available in the PRC makes this a necessary model to achieve required plant improvements. Further, in the PRC, the concept of intellectual property is very, very different. I wonder, is that an effect of communism? A concept of collective ownership? We found that whenever you manufacture in the PRC, you will see your product elsewhere on the market, unlicensed, carrying someone else's name. Further, you've no legal remedy, other than if it's patented, you can get it seized at the importing country's customs, at great expense. Some would suggest, why pay for a brand name? To me, because I see a value in the quality control, and after purchase support. And because I believe in a name, that someone has pride in it, and is loathe to allow others to spend up that good will in the name of short term profits. Certainly, it's no guarantee. Goodness knows, I'm still using every Milwaukee power tool I've ever bought, except one, when it was an American company, and I burn up two a year on all the units since they've become an Asian company. All my Fluke meters are made in China, and they've seen some unbelievable abuse, so they are succeeding in manufacturing in the PRC.
I think that brings us full circle. We need to depend on our colleagues, and forums and reviews like those found here on eevblog, to share their experiences, and to do what those of our ilk tend to do: take things apart. As such, I'm fortunate to have found you all.
If not for this site, I'd not have purchased the Rigol 1052E. I'd probably have some chitty-chitty-bang-bang old scope with dried out caps exploding when I fired it up, and a burned screen, frustrated, and cursing my frugality.
I think the one point I intended to make, and failed to, aimed more at the beginners, is that you'll never have the budget to get all you want and think you need. But, you sure will need some gear to earn enough to get close. Don't be afraid to buy some old gear and basic gear that is inexpensive. I think few would argue, the only thing that comes close to the value of a bench supply is a second bench supply, the only thing that approaches the value of a scope is a second scope (preferably analog if your #1 unit is digital).
When I chose the Kikusui, it was because I didn't want to spend on a new Array unit, as that would cut my budget for a function generator; I had spent so much time researching my scope purchase, I didn't have the time to research my load purchase; so, I went with a unit which I had enjoyed a long and positive experience. Also, I was compartmentalizing my risk. If my scope fails, my project will be in big, big trouble. If my load fails, I'll get by with lightbulbs and resistors. I can think of many a project where the opposite would be true, and I'd survive the lack of a scope, but I'd need an accurate, predictable, consistent and bulletproof load. All in all, the win will be if, at the end of the job, beyond the profit, I've increased my equipment, and am that much more capable of taking on the next project, not needing to purchase that much more.
Thanks for the dialogue. It's quite informative and clarifying.
Regards,
Mike O'