Behringer bought TC Electronic

[culturejam]

Just saw this linked on TGP and thought I'd spark a convo here about it:
http://createdigitalmusic.com/2015/04/behringer-just-bought-tc-tc-helicon-tannoy/

People hate Behringer, but it seems like lately they have upped their game on quality. I recently got a Bugera V22 head, and it is fantastic!

[Leevibe]

I guess a couple of their newer digital mixing boards are getting some respect. I'm kind of looking forward to when the X-touch control surfaces hit the used market. Wouldn't mind getting me one.

[jimilee]

Bugera is beheinger?


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[pickdropper]

Bugera is beheinger?


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I think Behringer owns half of all musical instrument companies.  They might even part of the Pentavirate.  What is the Pentavirate?


Stuart Mackenzie: Well, it's a well known fact, Sonny Jim, that there's a secret society of the five wealthiest people in the world, known as The Pentavirate, who run everything in the world, including the newspapers, and meet tri-annually at a secret country mansion in Colorado, known as The Meadows.

Tony Giardino: So who's in this Pentavirate?

Stuart Mackenzie: The Queen, The Vatican, The Gettys, The Rothschilds, *and* Colonel Sanders before he went tits up. Oh, I hated the Colonel with is wee *beady* eyes, and that smug look on his face. "Oh, you're gonna buy my chicken! Ohhhhh!"

Charlie Mackenzie: Dad, how can you hate "The Colonel"?

Stuart Mackenzie: Because he puts an addictive chemical in his chicken that makes ya crave it fortnightly, smartass!

[jimilee]

Bwahahahahaha......and scene.....

[lincolnic]

Just saw this linked on TGP and thought I'd spark a convo here about it:
http://createdigitalmusic.com/2015/04/behringer-just-bought-tc-tc-helicon-tannoy/

People hate Behringer, but it seems like lately they have upped their game on quality. I recently got a Bugera V22 head, and it is fantastic!

The reason people hate Behringer (or at least the reason I hate Behringer) is that they built an entire company out of blatantly stealing other companies' designs and products, and selling lesser quality versions of them. I'm not thrilled to see them buying TC, but I'm also not sure exactly what it'll mean yet.

[Muadzin]

The reason people hate Behringer (or at least the reason I hate Behringer) is that they built an entire company out of blatantly stealing other companies' designs and products, and selling lesser quality versions of them. I'm not thrilled to see them buying TC, but I'm also not sure exactly what it'll mean yet.

Well, a lot of boutiquers have made a living of stealing other people's designs as well, some of them even blatantly (Freakish Blues, Vertex). At least Behringer isn't charging 3 to 4 as much for the ripped off product. And they're honest about it. You know you're getting a copy of inferior quality. But you will get it dirt cheap! And I reckon if you're a beginning guitarist that's a pretty sweet deal.

I'm not that worried about this take over. While TC makes good solid stuff, they don't make outstanding stuff. Says the guy who swears by his Nova delay. What I mean is their gear is good, and their sounds are solid. Better sounding then Line 6. But if I had to absolutely chose between TC or Line 6 I'd pick Line 6 because their stuff allows you to do crazy things as well. And sometimes you want to do something crazy and out of this world as well. And you just can't do that TC gear.

[micromegas]

Hey! I started a thread about this too... like 8 hours before I suppose this is what happens when you live in the other part of the world and you have opposed time schedule.
Thread for reference -> http://www.madbeanpedals.com/forum/index.php?topic=21082.0
(Admin, please delete it)

TC electronics is good because of their designs/ideas, but quality in components and reliability isn't the best.
However I think this purchase is not going to improve anything, and it's a pity, because TC was one of the biggest (better said "few") audio-related companies in Europe with international projection. Behringer (better said Music Group) isn't european at all: the founder is german, but the company is based in philipinas.

[Willybomb]

Behringer also have their own factory in China - Behringer city.

It'll probably mean cheaper TC gear, either in Berry clones, and/or actual TC branded gear.  Which in all likelyhood will be rebranded Berry stuff.

It's all a bit of a moot point, Berry own nearly everyone anyway.

[sonarchotic]

Behringer also have their own factory in China - Behringer city.

It'll probably mean cheaper TC gear, either in Berry clones, and/or actual TC branded gear.  Which in all likelyhood will be rebranded Berry stuff.

It's all a bit of a moot point, Berry own nearly everyone anyway.

Are there suicide nets around the factory though? I need the guts of my cheap gear to rust quickly from the tears of slave labor that slosh around when I rock...   It's like the captured evil in the gear makes me sound more metal.

[culturejam]

Well, a lot of boutiquers have made a living of stealing other people's designs as well, some of them even blatantly (Freakish Blues, Vertex). At least Behringer isn't charging 3 to 4 as much for the ripped off product.

This is what I was going to say. I think it's worse to "steal" someone else's idea and charge more for it.

Hey! I started a thread about this too... like 8 hours before

doh! Maybe a moderator can merge the two threads?

[micromegas]

Hey! I started a thread about this too... like 8 hours before

doh! Maybe a moderator can merge the two threads?

No need, nobody posted there and I just shared a link.

[pickdropper]

Well, a lot of boutiquers have made a living of stealing other people's designs as well, some of them even blatantly (Freakish Blues, Vertex). At least Behringer isn't charging 3 to 4 as much for the ripped off product.

This is what I was going to say. I think it's worse to "steal" someone else's idea and charge more for it.

Outside of certain guitar forums, I wonder how many people even know the designs aren't original?

I think Behringer takes more of a hit because their stuff is super low price and not the highest reliability.  I seem to remember it was received better when they first came out and the products appeared to be decent quality alternatives (and not quite as cheap).  The prices headed south and the quality dipped as well.  At some point, they became a lowest common denominator product and their reputation reflects that.  Sometimes it's deserved, other times not (often true for companies that produce cheap products).

Or I am totally remembering it wrong.  Also possible.

[culturejam]

Outside of certain guitar forums, I wonder how many people even know the designs aren't original?

Don't know. But I think that might be a side argument. Is it stealing if the people buying it have no idea? 

Lately, just about all the cheap brands have been bringing up their game, it seems.

[bcalla]

If you google the Rippingtons' contract rider you will see Behringer mentioned several times:

For the house system: "However, we NEVER EVER want to see any Behringer, Mackie (other than ONYX), Peavey, Phonic or other non-professional grade consoles."

Also, "You will be asked to remove ANY Behringer compressors that may be found in your system, so don't even bother trying to get us to use them." 

And "FOUR (4) Channels of high quality gates. Preferred are: Drawmer, Aphex and BSS. Absolutely NO Behringer gates will be accepted."

Under monitor consoles, "However, we NEVER EVER want to see any Behringer, Mackie (Excepting the ONYX 80 series), Peavey, Phonic or other 'secondary' brand consoles." 

And finally, "VERY IMPORTANT – ABSOLUTELY NO Behringer, Peavey or Alesis outboard gear (compressors, gates, graphic EQ's, direct boxes, effects processors, etc) shall be deemed in any way acceptable. Please provide professional grade equipment. Our Tour Manager does not want to hear any arguments about this, for this show, these brands are not reliable enough to provide consistent, sonically pleasing results."