Sennheiser Cracks Down on Counterfeits

[Framerate]

No "etc." This is about Sennheiser's response to counterfeit products and has nothing to do with RØDE and a cheap imitation. Again, there is a huge difference between a counterfeit and a knock-off. If the mic you're referencing were a counterfeit, it would have the RØDE name on it, and the trademark gold dot. The mic has neither.

And when did RØDE complain? All we know of their response is a paraphrase from some one else about an email they got from the company. They simply stated that the mic was a cheap knock-off and didn't sound as good. As for the softies, there's only so much you can do with a product like that to make it look completely different. A windscreen is a windscreen. At least they put "RØDE" on it. And why is RØDE coming up here, anyway? They aren't the ones dealing with counterfeit products right now.

It's implausible to assume that Rode are not as concerned about copyright violation as Sennheiser are.

However, in the case of Rode, I think that it is entirely valid to point out that they are not averse to (what appears to be) a bit of product copying, themselves.

I have a Rode MS6 arriving tomorrow. I also own a Rycote 'Softie' I can see no real difference between the two - but I'll update you when the Rode version is in my sweaty hands....

It's all very well attempting to dismiss copyright violation when it's done by a favoured company - but if, the MS6 turns out to be virtually the same product as the Rycote Softie, what other conclusion can be drawn, other than that Rode shamelessly copied Rycote's product?

Not that I care, you understand - the Rode copy cost less than half the Rycote version, and if there was a Chinese 'copy of a copy' selling for a quarter of the Rode price, then I'd buy that one and be glad.

My point is that it would be hypocritical of Rode to complain about Chinese copies of their product, given their own apparent willingness to copy existing products....



It's also worth pointing out the uncanny similarity of the Rode 'rubber doughnut' shock mount to the Rycote 'Multimount'.......



Or, are we saying that product plagiarism is a purely Chinese phenomenon?

 

[John Willett]

... if the Chinese mic manufacturers turned out an NTG 3 clone, Rode would be apoplectic....

No, they wouldn't say anything; why would they?

It's implausible to assume that Rode are not as concerned about copyright violation as Sennheiser are.

However, in the case of Rode, I think that it is entirely valid to point out that they are not averse to (what appears to be) a bit of product copying, themselves.

My point is that it would be hypocritical of Rode to complain about Chinese copies of their product, given their own apparent willingness to copy existing products....


It's also worth pointing out the uncanny similarity of the Rode 'rubber doughnut' shock mount to the Rycote 'Multimount'.......


Or, are we saying that product plagiarism is a purely Chinese phenomenon?

There is a difference about copying a product and putting your own name on it and copying a product and trying to sell it as the original.

The former is theft of intellectual property and, though several audio companies seem to do this, they don't get pursued by the original manufacturers so much who feel that it would cost lots in the courts, get publicity for the copyist and then the copyist would make changes enough to be legally OK and sell the product anyway. I do tend to avoid products from companies who do this, though.

The latter is a different matter as the purchaser thinks they are buying the real thing - but all they are buying is some cheap cr*p that only looks like the original. This can affect the reputation of the original manufacturer very seriously as the purchaser of the fake thinks that the original is bad. This is why Sennheiser and Shure stamp down on this as much as possible.

There are loads of people out there who think they have bought a bargain SM58, evolution wired mic., evolution radio (it started with G1) or Sennheiser or Shure in-ear headphones are unhappy with the quality and think it's the real thing.

 

[RichT]

This is what I would do if I was Mr Choo Hun-Seng, owner of an electronics factory in China. First, I would register a decent brand name - let's say 'TFZ' (short for 'Faithful Frequency Response' (Treu Frequenzgang) because, in the microphone world, Teutonic brand names sell.... Then I would shamelessly copy existing high-end mic designs - churning them out cheaply, but not selling them *too* cheaply - in order to preserve the quality mystique. Then I'd invest heavily in advertising to establish 'TFZ' as a premium brand. Then I'd buy a new Merecedes, or perhaps a fleet....

I believe that's a reasonably similar way to how sE elecrtonics started. Now they've got their own factory, running their quality control and they're getting some big name engineers in to do R&D and are putting out some original products. In fact they're getting their products copied now, see the reflexion filter

 

[Doc Bernard]

Framerate, I know you think you did good. Not going to try and dissuade you of that.

I would leave you with coupla' thoughts though. By proudly stating you support counterfeiter's, you are not going to make many friends in the audio industry or the film industry for that matter. Because counterfeiters are destroying the ability of quality companies to compete honestly. And they (the quality companies) will soon disappear because of those individuals willing to accept fakes, especially knowing they are fakes. Had it not been badged, it would fall under a "cloned" item. But you bought this item because it had the namebrand on it. And you have stated so on a public forum.

Sadly, you are helping that happen. Enjoy your equipment. Just don't crow too loudly on a pro set/forum, you will find that professionals aren't too kind to people that knowingly support counterfeiters. Just keep your secret to yourself. Just a heads up. And eventually it does catch up to you. Especially if you claim you have all this pro gear, and when they find out that 1. you were untruthful, 2. willing to support counterfeiters, 3. and were proud of it on a PUBLIC forum. We are a fairly small community (us audio guys), and eventually you will meet one of us. And we will know that you don't fly quality, and can't tell the difference. That reputation has now been set for you, of your own doing.

Here's another thought. Something you may not have thought of. If the work you turned in is side by side with someone who has the identical gear (but the real thing), and their stuff sounds better, despite the "same" gear........how is that going to make you look as an engineer? Because you won't be able to blame the gear without admitting what you did. So it will be your talent that comes into question. And you will NOT be able to honestly say you have Brand X or Y gear, because you know you don't actually have that gear.

Just a few thoughts from an old and tired sound guy.

 

[Doc Bernard]

Could it be that what counterfeiters are really destroying is the myth of quality and associated high prices so carefully nurtured by the audio industry?

And that statement tells me you have not developed your ears to tell the difference, hopefully that will come later. Because there really is a difference. And that is what sets a c-stand apart from a real audio engineer. Their ears and experience.

 

[Alex H.]

Counterfeiting is illegal, plain and simple, and just like piracy is not tolerated here.