Uli ripped off

[audioio]

What does it say about the state of audio manufacturing when Uli gets ripped off? (And I don't mean functionally equivalent, but cosmetically as well!)

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Roxy-4-Channel-Headphone-Amp-/220761113240

[rick]

i reckon if you aim for the gutter you will probably hit it everytime
so i dont think uli would be too bothered - after all he thinks his gear has soul !

[DarkSky]

Hard to see what their (Roxy's) point is - it doesn't seem to be significantly cheaper than Uli's, and I've no idea if it's better, but it seems doubtful.

Maybe they're just doing a "me too" and making a grab for a slice of the pie, which admittedly (and sadly) does seem to be a fairly large pie.

[rick]

might actually be a rebranded beringer to double up in some markets
thats pissing in the gutter isnt it ?

[DarkSky]

might actually be a rebranded beringer to double up in some markets
thats pissing in the gutter isnt it ?

Could be, Rick. That would probably make more sense than someone tooling up to make a replica. Uli and his B- brand are all about the economics of scale and disposability, so making pieces to be used as OEM or re-badged by others doesn't seem like too much of a stretch for them.

[Kurt]

Seems like most of those little mixers all over eBay resemble the be!@#$%^& ones pretty strongly too. I think the big B is selling OEM to even cheaper brands. Pretty scary when you think about how cheaply they must be able to make this stuff if they can sell it to a third party who still makes a profit underselling be!@#$%^&.

[chribble]

ive always wondered who made the carillon brand they sell in billy hydes.
looks like an oem of phonic or be!@#$%^&.

[DarkSky]

Pretty scary when you think about how cheaply they must be able to make this stuff if they can sell it to a third party who still makes a profit underselling be!@#$%^&.

Yeah - I agree, it's interesting to speculate.

Presumably, the way they operate, once they've tooled up and bulk-ordered the cheapest possible parts/materials, the marginal costs for popping out a few "extra sausages" off the production line are peanuts (if you'll pardon the mixed metaphors). So competing with their own product through OEM and re-branding channels might not be as silly (from a financial POV) as one might suppose.

[Drumstruck]

What goes around comes around - I guess Mr Mackie is smiling to himself about this

[rick]

apparently uli is just finishing another beringer city ! (whole surburb sized factory complex )
this one is to cater for the install AV market which he is just about to enter / decimate (err... change for ever )
audio tech are going out to see it in china soon so the rumour goes

[heathen]

Hopefully the Chinese have released thier own brand in competition with him, stole his super duper awsome design (cough splutter) and have started to manufacture 100 000 for him and 100 000 for themselves. Now that would be great. The Chinese could then say "don't like it, manufacture it elsewhere", which would be almost immpossible to do so you'd just have to suck it up and compete.

Theoretically that would be great.

[Drumstruck]

Poor Uli - always cursed, always beaten......

[peterfitz]

That's so cool, it's like walking in to an elevator with mirrors on both walls


I wonder if he'll sue . . .

[AnthonyMF]

If he did, and won, it would set a dangerous precedent for him.