LDM, agree we do pay much more for branding (middlemen). Ads are expensive but for the companies they pay off big time. A prime example is Spectrum. That brand has a great many more problems than most. Maybe more than the generic Chinese brands. While the change to the hoping format may reduce the complete loss of control problem they still have a multitude of troubles. RX chips that have come loose, at least two types of RX that gave you full down elevator occasionally, antennas coming off, one RX that was sold its use was disallowed but no replacement for 5 months or so, transmitters with all types of problems, and more.

Yet with all of that and more, you will see people jump all over me for just stating the above facts. (All of this can be found on their website.) They will jump because they completely consumed the advertising and branding. When some of these problems surfaced we had people at our club crying out that it could not be so because the advertising told them it could not happen. Believe me I will hear all about it from the fanatics. But the facts are there. I was one of the first to go with Spectrum. After loosing 6 planes in 250 flights, I dumped it for Futaba. So far with thousands of flights I have not had one incident with radio control. I.E. no lost aircraft due to the radio.

Next I will buy XtremeLink's 16 channel radio when it comes out. I believe it might be more capable than my rather expensive 12Z for 1/6 of the price. Incredible value, 16 channels, telemetry, voice, open programming, templates of other radios, for only $250. The difference here is no advertising, not Japanese, actually made in the US for that price.

What the retailer does for us is give us someone to complain to and fix errors in a timely manner. IE be responsible for any troubles. So the customer feels more secure. It took Hobby City a long time before people would trust them and now they do very well. I have made some direct buys from Hong Kong and China with good luck so far. But China is rather like the wild west in retail you can almost never be sure and a lose of one order can easily make up for the price difference of a US retailer. Ya pays your money and you takes your chances.

Really crazy that some people would stand up for Nitro with them advertising a DLE as a DA. Being that I was an officer in the AF for 25 years I take great umbrage with deceit and lies. I have bought aircraft from Nitro previously but this willful act of dishonesty should keep me away.