Behringer - damaging?

[Tony Hardie-Bick]

On 06/03/11 09:57, punkdISCO wrote:
> Another interesting copy from Behringer:
>
> http://www.dv247.com/studio-equipment/behringer-behritone-c50a--82419
>
> Copy of my lovely Avantones:
>
> http://www.dv247.com/studio-equipment/avantone-mixcube-passive-studio-mini-reference-monitors-pair--40713
>
> Competition is good and healthy but, when a company like Behringer just copy
> products outright, this must be damaging to the companies who pay all the origin
> R&D costs??
>
> I both admire and resent Behringer. Great products to the masses but, maybe
> there are victims along the line..

It could be argued that by keeping the pressure on, they force well-established 
companies to stay reasonably fit. There is the whole patent/trademark/ip game, 
which can help, but a genuine problem is a small company becoming large, and 
having to feed all its managers. Under those circumstances, Behringer actually 
may help to keep those managers fed :)

It's occasionally the case that companies do rip each other off, but I think 
Behringer is playing a very calculated game.

Their innovation? Build complex (dual-rail) external power supplies that the 
other manufacturers are scared of, making it possible to use high quality 
op-amps in ultra-cheap products.

Tony (HB)