The machines itself are not that expensive to manufacture. Software is also free after the development is done. And since Behringer owns Midas, they have some talented developers there - Deepmind software is arguably as complex as most Elektron boxes.
Somewhat related, Behringer might be moving to interesting new direction by the way:
Well, I think you underestimate the cost of developing.
Completely missed…
First world problems.
Let the person with no items made in China or from anything but recycled, sustainable, locally sourced cast the first stone.
We live in a global economy.
I personally find it hypocritical for me to judge working conditions in a country I don’t fully understand with the basic standard of living consists of.
Most people can’t agree on a livable wage in my own country(US) let alone determine things for others.
I personally care more about my local community and circumstances at the moment affecting things that I can.
And having the knowledge to know the difference what I have the means or energy to do something real about.
Anyone who feels the Behringer products are a problem I hope do not shop at WalMart.
I also hope that in an era of corporate patent and marketing or intellectually proprietary manipulation…this whole topic may be a creation of a competitor who doesn’t want to lower their prices to compete.
First world problems…love em
Interesting…
Despite how people feel about what Behringer is doing this is the march of technology and its supposed to be what happens. Technology that doesnt move forward is supposed to get cheaper and more accessible to everyone over time, this is a good thing to allow more people to experience creating music with these instruments. Smaller companies have been doing it forever with clones and I have no problem with Behringer bringing machines that were originally dirt cheap back in the day to everyone else that can’t afford an original. Roland has the boutique line which I think are better due to having USB integration which the Behringers do not.
Despite the terrible conditions in some factories there are thousands upon thousands of normal factories where workers are treated well, they are not all torture chambers and many of these developing countries have to start at the bottom in order for their economies to begin to grow in the right direction. At least Behringer is keeping the end price cheap to consumers.
I feel very differently about “luxury” items made with slave labour wages in the third world and handed off to western consumers for $1000’s for something that will be disposable and cost little to nothing to create which is the majority of the italian fashion industry.
My real concern in all this, is that it’s likely going to kill some little actors with interesting offers.
If all there is in the end are big players spitting clones, it’s going to be very sad.
I think cheap cases will increase the overall popularity of Eurorack. When you start out with a low budget a case can make or break the “first system”.
They might eat into the sales of some, but i think all those with original and interesting modules will be pretty safe. And 50% of eurorack is clones of other stuff anyway, so you cant blame Behringer for cloning stuff. hehe.
maybe those guys get an employment in one of the big companies. might be better than husseling the whole time. might not. so many perspectives.
to the eurorack thing from behringer: I wanna see what this costs, if there will be smaller ones , and what modules they will be bringing to the table. I never wanted to start going into that rabbithole, but if it is affordable, maybe I’ll change my mind. Dont want to build up a synth, but more a processing chain
It will never be the case that all small players will disappear and big companies churn out clones endlessly. People make modules for the love of it, it’s hardly a profitable business venture already hence why modules are often so expensive. Even in some bizarre dystopia where everyone gives up hope and everything is made by behringer the companies can only go on as long as people will buy it. Innovation can’t be stopped, it’s an inevitability and I think accessibility for technology decades old is a good thing that actually drives innovation
Quoted for posterity. Behringer is Tesco.
Seriously though, hold me to it. I’m not saying they’ll stop making clones, my point is that that small players will always exist. Case in point: Tesco exists, as do millions of other small businesses, and if you want to start a successful shop it needs to provide a better experience and/or more convenience
This is spot on.
I think it’s interesting that anyone might feel the desire to make music at the expense of others’ suffering / intellectual property even if it’s not legally restricted. The most regretful purchase I’ve made is a MIC Novation unit. Other than that and things I’ve been given (that I’d rather not just toss in a landfill) I try to buy boutique/hand made in the U.S.A.
I haven’t purchased Behringer gear, likely never will, but I don’t care about them. You get what you focus on. There are people fighting the good battle out there, give that your attention. Behringer has been cloning / stealing for a long time now in other sectors of this industry, it’s nothing new. Someone’s gotta do it for the masses, amirite?
I understand your point, and hope you’re right.
I am afraid synth market is not comparable to grocery, though… B’s attitude (encouraged by our ultra-capitalist world) might perturb synth world to a scale never seen.
I don’t foresee new people coming to the hardware synth world that much, so there are chances money goes to the big copycat and inventive eurorack heads disappear…
Anyway, nothing much I can do about it.
This is certainly a first world problem.
As a consumer sure, but these products are almost exclusively made in places with human rights issues. It’s an interconnected web no one would rather look at and instead live blissfully ignorant of.
Like lifting up a huge rock on the ground and finding all sorts of vile insects living underneath it.
Your concerns are warranted once they start going after the little guy. I just dropped $420 on a single Eurorack module from a relatively small builder that I won’t see for up to 18 months. I’m sure they’re doing just fine.
If all there was available were $420 eurorack modules, only priviledged few would have the funds to buy those. Because of Behringer, poorer people can enjoy this hobby too. It’s a good thing.
How though? How is letting “poorer” people have access to musical instruments made with human rights issues a good thing? I’d rather make no music than make music watching someone suffer at my expense. At what point are the life choices you make more musical than anything you can play on an instrument?
You think I’m rich? Stop assuming as it ruins your entire premise when you use knowledge you don’t have. You want me to send you my taxes so you can see? I’m in the bottom of the barrel in the U.S… I save my money instead of buying the newest product every other month.
