Dammit feifan JUST DROP IT. He's withdrawing ALL first version Headphonia amps so why don't you just shut up? At least he is making a move at doing something instead of nothing. Robert is obviously trying his best. Think about it, would any other amp company withdrawal all their amps and send the users either a refund or new amp? He's doing it for the best and not only that he's also losing money so everyone just drop the topic and be happy.

/rant

-_-

Will a moderator please lock this thread, nothing good is going to come of it.

Of course good comes from freedom of opinions, criticism and feedback to designers and marketeers. Robert has learned much from the free sharing of information. For example, how criticisim in this thread has enriched readers I offer this PM from Robert:

Robert Gehrke
Junior Member

ProfileJoin Date: Nov 2005
Location: Germany
Posts: 9


IM Contacts
The name Conhead
Hello,

I just wanted to let you know that I won't use "Conhead" as the new name. Still searching for it...

-Robert

Although, I must admit, "Headphonia Conhead" did seem ironically too, very apropo.

I don't think locking it is necessary because it is important that everyone knows about this withdrawal. I think people should just stick on topic.

Quote:



Guys, don't you think Jan should give an explanation to this statement before we start this pointless argument? This thread is going nowhere.

There was a different thread to discuss this debate, it shouldn't have been dragged it back into this thread. Robert has made an offer here, and we should restrict discussion in this thread to that offer in specific, IMO.

Quote:



I still am waiting for this to happen..only been a month since he posted this.

some talk the talk while others walk the walk..

Post the circuit Robert..you did say that a month ago rite? you will back up your own word on the boards rite?

Okay, I have seen and had enough, and feel I must comment with my firm opinion on this rather contentious topic.

Quote:



Robert, you never did post your circuit--the schematic of the one in the generation of Headphonia amplifier that Jan had seen, held, examined, and photographed.

Quote:



I don't know why you shouldn't either. The fact remains, however, that you did not. You used--as you've admitted--the Meier crossfeed. I've seen the term "red herring" used in this thread by another. And even prior to that, I had written you, Robert, to tell you that, in my opinion, your Ohman/Meier assertion is just that--a red herring, a distraction from the issue at hand.

Regarding Ohman/Meier: In the many years I've been a part of this community, I will be the first to tell you that I'm not a DIY'er. Nevertheless, I do still pay some mind to what goes on in the DIY part of our community, inside and outside of Head-Fi. In the seven or so years I've been a Member of the community (even before Head-Fi on HeadWize) I do not recall even one occasion in which Jan Meier has been accused of stealing anyone else's design, including Ingvar Ohman's crossfeed--until now, by you.

The two designs are there, on HeadWize and on Meier Audio's site for anyone to compare. They are not the same, and I challenge anyone to tell this novice that they are.

So, Robert, again, you asked why you shouldn't use the Ohman design from 1994, and I answer that you didn't, so that question is moot. What you did use was Meier's crossfeed circuit, which you've since admitted.

In fact, as is well known by many of the Members in this community, respected manufacturer Grace Design thought enough of Meier's crossfeed to properly license it for use in their m902 product.

Frankly, I find your Ohman argument nothing more than a baseless diversion from the crux of this issue, which I'll say more about through this post.

Quote:



For the first feature you state (the gain switch), you're wrong. The Porta Corda MkIII does have a gain switch, inside. From the Porta Corda MkIII user manual: Quote:



Additionally, it seems that in the generation of Headphonia amp that Jan Meier was sent, the different gain settings use the same resistor values and layout as the Porta Corda MkIII, only you've placed your gain switch on the front panel. Do you dispute this?

Regarding the second and third features you mention: I get the impression you're deliberately confusing the issue. Let's examine Meier's claims, as originally made (in its original form, as he hasn't subsequently edited it) on April 1, 2007: Quote:



It seems to me that what Jan said was that, value for value, your amp's crossfeed and amplification stages were identical to his. It's obvious to anyone familiar with the Porta Corda MkIII that it does not have a charging circuit (it uses normal batteries), and, from what I've seen, Jan has never commented on the power stages of the amps in question--only the crossfeed and amplification stages.

In other words, it seems to me that what Jan, in a later post, asserted with more clarity, was that the amplification and crossfeed stages of the Headphonia amp he was sent had, value for value, the exact same schematic as his Porta Corda MkIII's amplification and crossfeed stages, seen here:



Other than the opamps, what Jan Meier has found is that the path and resistor values you see in the photo above can be found in the version of the Headphonia amp that he has received.

Afterward, Jan Meier produced photos of the Headphonia amp version he has in his possession which seem to me to clearly corroborate the resistor values and positions in the schematic as being exactly the same. That was in this post:

Quote:



If one compares the values in the post above with the Porta Corda MkIII schematic above it, one would notice what seems to me to be equivalent resistor values in the same places.

Robert, again, in that thread you posted this: Quote:



And still you have not posted the schematic for the crossfeed and amplification stages of that amp (though you have since acknowledged that you were indeed using Meier's crossfeed)--but, in my opinion, you tried to further obfuscate by dragging Ohman's crossfeed circuit into the discussion, which, if anyone reviews both designs will be able to come to no other conclusion except that they are not the same--and, again, in all these years, prior to you, nobody has made that accusation; and, in fact, you can find them discussed in HeadWize's project pages together in the same article, with no suggestion of design thievery therein.

When asked in the forums why you haven't posted the schematic for that amp, as you said you would, you have not answered. But when asked via PM (in a message forwarded to me by a concerned Head-Fi'er) why you did not post the schematic as you'd promised, you answered him with this: Quote:



Additionally, in that same message to this Head-Fi'er, you said this: Quote:



Then, yesterday, at 14:42 EST, you posted this in the forums: Quote:



However, sometime around 21:49 EST, you edited that same line to this: Quote:



In other words, you claim to have used this circuit since 1995 to at least one other Head-Fi'er. You later make that same claim again in the forums. Might there be some chance in the cosmos that you have indeed been using that design since 1995, which I believe would mean back when you were 16 years old, and also predating not just the Porta Corda, but Chu Moy's CMOY? Maybe. But, in my opinion, not at all likely.

Then, again, later you changed that to 2004. I feel confident you'll offer an explanation, and I'm interested in reading it.

Here's my take on this situation, Robert: It seems to me that you sold amps (however many I don't know, but, regardless of the number, it seems you were selling them) that did use, value for value (save for the opamps), Meier's Porta Corda MkIII amplification stage and crossfeed schematics. You have couched your words carefully, and, in my opinion, somewhat artfully dodged the question--in the forums at least--of why you haven't produced that schematic, after Jan had produced not only his schematic(s), but also photos of the Headphonia amp version in question.

The way it looks to me, rather than simply own up to it all, you decided to go on the counter-attack.

I have known Jan through this community since before Head-Fi was started. He has built what is easily one of the most successful families of headphone amps this community has seen and heard. Meier Audio is how Jan makes his living entirely. I can't for a moment believe that he would put it all at risk to make such a bold assertion without being at least 100% certain of the claim(s). His reputation in this community has been sterling for years. He has contributed to this community his designs for open-source non-commercial use (and licensed at least one of his designs for commercial use).

Not that long ago, Robert, you contacted me to tell me that you had registered the domain name "head-fi.de," and wanted to know if I was okay with your use of it for a German headphone audio forum. Of course, I said I would not be comfortable with it. In my opinion, that you thought that might be acceptable showed me what is, in my estimation, some naivete with respect to the concept of intellectual property. At least you gave me the courtesy of asking prior to using it, but only after you'd already registered it.

My opinion, Robert, is that you don't have much of a leg to stand on here, not on this issue of the amps in question. Your recall is, in my opinion, some measure of a measure; but accompanied by what I see as your baseless counter-attacking, any dignity or class associated with that initiative is greatly diminished in my eyes.

Again, I've seen and read enough. And now, for whatever that's worth, you all have my firm opinion on the matter.

--Jude--

Amen.

Quote:



x2

Quote:



X3

Deathblow.

(btw, while I do not condone Robert's actions [especially after Judes experienced clarification] I'm still curious why this could not have been handled privately?)

*Edit: Now I'm not so certain...

I made the mistake of initially giving Robert the benefit of the doubt, and now I feel like a fool, as later on, analyzing all what has been said here, and these facts and some other info, not sure what Robert's intentions are, but one thing is sure, as Jude stated, a man of the integrity and size of Jan Meier, is not easy to spot like you tried to do, Robert, at least not in front of the ones who have known him very well for years, and years...period!!!

I think that you **** with the wrong bull here, man, and, not only I agree 100% with Jude, that Jan's reputation "has been sterling for years", I also would like to add, with no fears of any kind, as I'm 100% sure that he will never disappoint me, that it has been, is, and will be for years, and years...sterling, and impeccable. This is not a condition that you add or learn in any school, no, this is a condition that you born with it, and keep for your entire life with you, and IMO you have not very clear this condition, Robert, a real shame for you, as this is an essential one while dealing with customers day by day...Not sure what kind of customers you will have from now on, but for sure it will not be me, nor anybody I know off, and I really encourage our honest members to do the same...

One thing I hate is the thievery, and for a designer the lack of intellectual capability to produce your own work, for bad that it could be, is fatal. If you have some of those problems to deal with, I think that you already have enough...But, at least, please respect the intellectual property of others, regardless of the legal or not implications, there are ethics to follow...and see first the kind of person you would pick to drag into a mud war, as we have here some members that are mud proof, and I feel that Dr. Jan Meier is one of them...!!!

Sorry but I'm really sad that this is happening to one of our icons in head-fi...

Quote:




true..
but i am more worried about the people who bought his amp and have been umm..you know...
those people are like you and I SOV (well besides the MOT status..lol j/k) those people are headfiers..

thats not Cool to do this to headfiers...and Jan of course..

Quote:



x2

Now that many of us who gave Robert the benefit of the doubt have waded through the muck and deception, in hindsight I retract my previous statements. I personally just wanted this ordeal to end or settled privately, and have Head-fi restored to productive posts and fun times. At this point (and by Robert's actions) settling this ordeal is impossible.