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Base theme by DesignModo & ported to Powered by Vanilla by Chris Ireland, modified by the "theFB" team.
Comments
Only a matter of time friend.
They already have a rip of the HT-5 but Bs tell me that unless they try to market them in UK (EU?) there is little they can do.I suppose Behringer have spotted a rather unique product but one from someone too small financially to fight back internationally?
Dave.
"There is hardly anything in the world that someone cannot make a little worse and sell a little cheaper, and the people who consider price alone are this man's lawful prey." - John Ruskin (supposedly)
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
Fair game then as far as I'm concerned.
"Is that a HT20 copy?"
Not quite. Externally it looks as tho' they have fitted a standby switch which causes me to ask if the amp has the same "no load" protection gate as the original? I would also guess it will be wholly cathode biased without the bias trim and balance circuits.
I suspect Blackstar have been chosen because of the reason I gave, too small to fight it (yeah JPF, Mackie had a go and they are much richer than Bs!) . Then the products are somewhat unique, the Five certainly is. Be interesting to see how closely they have stuck to/ripped off the original circuitry.
But now! IIRC Sweetwater claim to be a "Christian" company? I wonder if they know of Blackstar UK? Maybe they are like politicians? Go to prayers in the Commons then steal food from children.
About a year or so ago I/we thought Behringer had "seen the light" SoS magazine had only good things to say about their very cost effective and truly original digital mixer. There was much interesting discussion with the mag and Uli and he agreed to come in for a live chat.....Bottled it!
Dave.
"Regardless, I don't think Blackstar have any IP that could be protected in by legal action."
I think in this country at least they could bring a case of "passing off"? I am sure Blackstar will have all their design drawings copyrighted.
Had they just ripped the internals but re-modelled the case that would be a whole other ball game but Behringer are clearly hoping to gain sales from the look!
Dave.
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
Lets face it, companies in the east have done this with every other product...TV's, home appliances, cars etc...their first entries into the market were just copies of something that someone else had made, and made cheaper and sold cheaper. Over the yearsa lot of them have morphed into being much better quality and innovative manufacturers...maybe in 20 years time they will be the same with guitar gear too.
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
"historically the original western manufacturers started from best quality and then made things cheaper,"
Ooo! Have to question that IC! Whilst there were some makers building BSH quality radios, there was a hell of a ;lot of crap! The radios got smaller as octal valves gave way to novals and the small cabinets did not allow good airflow. The early printed circuits were dreadful. Tracks would cook, dry and lift in hot spots.
Televisions were worse! The huge rental market made it necessary to build sets as cheaply as possible. One "clever" design technique comes to mind.. Main smoothing caps were rated at 275V not the 340V+ indicated by peak rectified 240V, why? Cheaper of course but the fact is the leakage current of an electrolytic skyrockets when you exceed the V rating and so the caps did double duty as a HT limiters! Naturally they were fairly early casualties!
No, sorry "domestic" electronics in UK was pared to the bone. Continental stuff was better but it was the Japanese that showed the way as they did with bikes and cars.
I was not working on guitar amplifiers during this period but what I saw of British audio such as tape recorders did not inspire! Crappy transport mechanisms using bits of bent tin. Capstan motors were cheap open frame types that you could find in fan heaters. Did not compare at all with a Grundig and a Revox came from another planet!
Dave.
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein