I had been using my Velbon Sherpa 750 and Slik Pro ballhead 800 for the past few years without issue until I moved into my new house and I lost the knob off the Slik... decided, like many of us do, that I'd better get a new tripod to go with my new ballhead 
So, I purchased the Benro M228-n6 tripod and the KS-1 ballhead from ebay member link-delight.
Here are my super short mini-reviews of the two pieces:
THE TRIPOD
Construction: 9/10
Value: 10/10
For $220 USD, you really cannot find a better tripod IMO. The construction is first rate - the legs are very well finished and very strong (they are either 6 or 8 layer CF... I can't remember which). They also have an anti-rotation system built in (like the Gitzo that they clone) which is very handy (my CF monopod doesn't have it, and it makes a big difference when you want to quickly extend/retract the sections). When extending and retracting the legs have a very quality feel to them - they are also sealed against water and sand, which is nice. The feet are easily changed from rubber to steel spikes by simply turning the feet... very nice. Some other niceties - compass and bubble level built in, centre column hook for adding weight, and a great carry bag. Only thing that I can count as a minus is that the centre column is magnesium (I think) and not carbon fiber, but that's a minor niggle IMO. This tripod is light (3.7lbs) and can hold significant gear (18lbs) - this particular 4-section model also folds down to 20.8" so it's great for travel.
THE BALLHEAD
Construction: 9/10
Value: 10/10
I paid $80 USD for this - there is absolutely nothing on the market at this price that compares. The fit and finish are VERY good - not far off the kirk heads I've briefly used (certainly not a few hunder $$s off). The panning base is very smooth, as is the ball itself. The tension adjustment is a little finicky, but that's not a big deal for my purposes. The ball locks down TIGHT. It's rated for 26lbs but I pulled on it with force much greater than that and it didn't budge. The arca/kirk clamp is great, although the security button may annoy some (luckily it's removable).
OVERALL I can't say enough good things about these two products for the price - also, the ebay vendor had it shipped to me in about 6 days (China to Canada), very fast. I understand that these are Chinese copies of very good american-made products... but the bottom line is I'm a consumer, and if I can get something of similar quality for 1/2 the price, I'll do it. I'm very happy with both of these products.
(7lbs!)
. small and strong. 
