Bummer- seems as though my fears are turning out to be true.

I overheard an engineer in a studio I used to work at say he heard a difference as well, but I guess I was hoping for the best. uggh! i hate buying on ebay!
Why do these "pro audio" companies continue to shoot themselves in the foot (in terms of build quality)? Especially in this day and age where word (i.e. modem speed) travels quite fast. The paradigm of large pro audio companies skimping on costs to meet a price point is almost becoming comical.