How does Behringer not get sued???

Resonant Alien · Post by **Resonant Alien** » Tue Oct 24, 2006 10:22 am

Behringer makes some decent equipment for the prices they charge, but I keep wondering how they keep going without getting sued for patent infringement. So many of their products are not-so-covert rip offs of some other product - Mackie mixers (they even call their new mixers "Xenyx" like Mackie's "Onyx"), Line 6 POD and POD Pro - they call theirs V-Amp and V-Amp Pro, their desktop mic pre looks nearly identical to the ART Tube MP from a few years back. Seems like I do remember Mackie suing them a few years ago, not sure what happened with that.

Kind Of Loud · Post by **Kind Of Loud** » Tue Oct 24, 2006 10:45 am

Not positive RA, but I think Mackie lost that suit, for whatever reason.....

Good question though.....

I often wondered the same, when it came to guitar makers....They make guitars with their name on the headstock, but it sure looks like a "Strat"..."LesPaul"...."Tele"...etc...

Any "part time" lawyers, care to jump in...!!! HA! HA!

Newsles · Post by **Newsles** » Tue Oct 24, 2006 11:07 am

Yes, Mackie tried to sue over the MX8000 wasnt it?

What I'd find amusing would be a new player to the world of audio equipment coming along and copying Behringer - warts-and-all!

That's one case I'd be in the public gallery for!!

homebilly · Post by **homebilly** » Tue Oct 24, 2006 11:20 am

it's kinda like mac OS (X) then windows (X)P

i'd rather have the original!

HCMarkus · Post by **HCMarkus** » Tue Oct 24, 2006 12:03 pm

Remember the early Behringer ads? "From the ears of Uri BehRINGer," pronounced as in "ring the bell" or "ringer", a perhaps not-so-subtle reference to the reverse engineering the company was inflicting on its technologically innovative competitors.

Well hello Marge, it looks just like a Mackie!

In my opinion, Behringer essentially manufactures hardWarez... I try to resist any urge to buy this stuff, as I don't see any R&D coming from Behringer.

arth · Post by **arth** » Thu Oct 26, 2006 11:04 am

homebilly wrote:it's kinda like mac OS (X) then windows (X)P

i'd rather have the original!

You mean you'd rather have X? Don't blame you!

homebilly · Post by **homebilly** » Thu Oct 26, 2006 2:30 pm

yes OS X

mac since 1984

Spikey Horse · Post by **Spikey Horse** » Thu Oct 26, 2006 2:54 pm

I got tempted away from mac OSX by Behringer's own cheaper alternative - OSB (or 'ferret' as it's known). It's quite nice - the same brushed metal look, although the folders are a bit wonky and the system apps are quite noisy....

RCory · Post by **RCory** » Thu Oct 26, 2006 3:30 pm

It costs a LOT of money to sue somebody...

Resonant Alien · Post by **Resonant Alien** » Fri Oct 27, 2006 5:47 am

Spikey Horse wrote:I got tempted away from mac OSX by Behringer's own cheaper alternative - OSB (or 'ferret' as it's known). It's quite nice - the same brushed metal look, although the folders are a bit wonky and the system apps are quite noisy....

Have you tried UltraOSB (code name 'polecat')? Much improved over OSB. Also, I hear they will also be releasing UltraOSB Pro (code name 'weasel') soon.....you know, Behringer has such a creative and unique naming convention

HCMarkus · Post by **HCMarkus** » Fri Oct 27, 2006 2:13 pm

I'm using OSB to sheath the studio I'm building. Hope it never crashes.

i am monster face · Post by **i am monster face** » Sat Oct 28, 2006 10:43 am

Behringer was sued by Mackie, Roland, Line 6, and a few others. Not sure what happened with the lawsuits, but I remember seeing it in some trade mags (Pro Audio Review, maybe). I think Roland won actually, now that I think of it. Theirs was based on the design of the Roland stomp pedals.

Here's a story for you. I am friends with a higher-up at Electrovoice who used to work for Mackie. He told me that the new Mackie Onyx boards have, written on the circuit board, a very tiny little message that translates from German into;
"Reverse Engineer This, Assholes."
I, however, feel that writing it in Chinese would have been more appropriate.

Ian

monkey man · Post by **monkey man** » Wed Jan 03, 2007 4:25 am

i am monster face wrote:Here's a story for you. I am friends with a higher-up at Electrovoice who used to work for Mackie. He told me that the new Mackie Onyx boards have, written on the circuit board, a very tiny little message that translates from German into;
"Reverse Engineer This, Assholes."
I, however, feel that writing it in Chinese would have been more appropriate. Ian

Classic! Way to go, Mackie.

Spikey Horse wrote:I got tempted away from mac OSX by Behringer's own cheaper alternative - OSB (or 'ferret' as it's known). It's quite nice - the same brushed metal look, although the folders are a bit wonky and the system apps are quite noisy....

Don't forget, if it glitches, you gotz ta throw your entire rig out the Windoze and buyz a new one.

jgest · Post by **jgest** » Wed Jan 03, 2007 8:50 am

my buddy is an engineer in the Atlantic City Casino's, NJ (armpit of america, exit 32

) He says that many of the touring nostalgia bands...(you know all those washed up 70's 80's and now 90's bands) Actually use Beringer stuff frequently, as you can "trash" it on the road, then junk it and buy new instead of top $$$$ gear (leaves more $$$ to put up your nose I guess

) SO I guess that is there their "market" demographic, as well as first time buyers/ametuer DJ "starfishes", and such........

BradLyons · Post by **BradLyons** » Wed Jan 03, 2007 10:49 am

It is VERY expensive to hold up international lawsuits, you're dealing with world-wide...not national. Most recently, they were fined $1,000,000 for not properly testing and regulating their electronic components. Cutting costs at all costs is all that matters to some. What gear you decide to purchase is how you vote with your dollars on whom and what you support.