[zorin]

When looking online for a new W3000ANV in the stores across Japan I came across a website selling these headphones. Its presentation is slick and the prices are unreal, literally too good to be true. Another giveaway is the uniform pricing of headphones with varied price points.
For some time I was considering whether to post the information / warning on head-fi or not. Some enterprising and unscrupulous types might use the opportunity of a supply of fake headphones to swindle decent and naive people out of their moneys. On the other hand some unexperienced and ignorant folks could also get robbed when finding the website and getting fooled. A veteran or a smart head-fi member would be able to see what is behind the facade but there are a lot of young and/or new members who are not 'deal wise'. This consideration prevailed.
The website is camouflaged as a Japanese one, its script is Japanese, the website title tag ends in letters ' jp ' dot ' biz 'and the displayed prices are in the Japanese currency. The reality is different. The website's registrant is an enterprise in the Fujian province of China. [see below] The folks of this province have talents for economic activities of all kinds. In not too distant past a good percentage of the province's population earned their living by piracy.
The website is fairly new, how long before the fakes they peddle will find their way to Ebay and to other public markets on this side of the world ? 
CAVEAT EMPTOR.
 
- The website - http://headphonesjp.biz
- W3000ANV page - http://www.headphonesjp.biz/audiotechnicaathw3000anv-jp-2786.html
 
 
- The fingerprint - http://dnstoolkit.net/whois/headphonesjp.biz
 

WHOIS result for headphonesjp.biz

 

Domain Name: HEADPHONESJP.BIZ
Domain ID: D55315849-BIZ
Sponsoring Registrar: GODADDY.COM, INC.
Sponsoring Registrar IANA ID: 146
Registrar URL (registration services): whois.godaddy.com
Domain Status: clientDeleteProhibited
Domain Status: clientRenewProhibited
Domain Status: clientTransferProhibited
Domain Status: clientUpdateProhibited
Registrant ID: CR146516878
Registrant Name: firme liao
Registrant Address1: cangshan qu pushsnag
Registrant City: Fuzhou
Registrant State/Province: FuJian
Registrant Postal Code: 350000
Registrant Country: China
Registrant Country Code: CN
Registrant Phone Number: +1.8650252389
Registrant Email: dmgf0703jp@hotmail.com
Administrative Contact ID: CR146516880
Administrative Contact Name: firme liao
Administrative Contact Address1: cangshan qu pushsnag
Administrative Contact City: Fuzhou
Administrative Contact State/Province: FuJian
Administrative Contact Postal Code: 350000
Administrative Contact Country: China
Administrative Contact Country Code: CN
Administrative Contact Phone Number: +1.8650252389
Administrative Contact Email: dmgf0703jp@hotmail.com
Billing Contact ID: CR146516881
Billing Contact Name: firme liao
Billing Contact Address1: cangshan qu pushsnag
Billing Contact City: Fuzhou
Billing Contact State/Province: FuJian
Billing Contact Postal Code: 350000
Billing Contact Country: China
Billing Contact Country Code: CN
Billing Contact Phone Number: +1.8650252389
Billing Contact Email: dmgf0703jp@hotmail.com
Technical Contact ID: CR146516879
Technical Contact Name: firme liao
Technical Contact Address1: cangshan qu pushsnag
Technical Contact City: Fuzhou
Technical Contact State/Province: FuJian
Technical Contact Postal Code: 350000
Technical Contact Country: China
Technical Contact Country Code: CN
Technical Contact Phone Number: +1.8650252389
Technical Contact Email: dmgf0703jp@hotmail.com
Name Server: NS51.DOMAINCONTROL.COM
Name Server: NS52.DOMAINCONTROL.COM
Created by Registrar: GODADDY.COM, INC.
Last Updated by Registrar: GODADDY.COM, INC.
Domain Registration Date: Wed Jul 03 07:51:05 GMT 2013
Domain Expiration Date: Wed Jul 02 23:59:59 GMT 2014
Domain Last Updated Date: Wed Jul 03 07:51:06 GMT 2013

 

[asko]

Thanks, dude.

 

[zorin]

  Thanks, dude.

 
Please post the warning in Russian on the Russian internet HiFi and electronics/headphones fora and boards.
Thanks.
S.

 

[asko]

   
Please post the warning in Russian on the Russian internet HiFi and electronics/headphones fora and boards.
Thanks.
S.

Ok. I have just done it (the new thread is here).

 

[zorin]

  Ok. I have just done it (the new thread is here).

 
Спасибо друг за твое усилие, ты попадешь в рай, когда ты умрешь.

 

[asko]

   
Спасибо друг, ты попадешь в рай, когда ты умрешь.

So are you.

 

[Failed Engineer]

From what I can gather of the distribution of these headphones, I think most if not all of the 2000 headphones produced have been sold.  Secondhand is pretty much the only place to get these now.

 

[zorin]

  From what I can gather of the distribution of these headphones, I think most if not all of the 2000 headphones produced have been sold.  Secondhand is pretty much the only place to get these now.

 
There are still some new ones in the stores but the second hand is indeed pretty much the only way to get them for a reasonable price, unless one has a stroke of luck [after an effort].

 

[tk3]

Hm, was surprised at first that a Japanese company could be doing this since you don't really hear about that, but then I saw it's actually from China.
 
The text is in Japanese but the site looks to be some common template or copied from another webshop, and the text is directly copy pasted from somewhere as well.
It only has stock pictures as well, coupled with these prices I hope no one is gullible enough to actually fall for the scam.

 

[veyrongatti]

The funny thing is some headphones are still at ripoff prices even though they are fake.......

 

[daigo]

Thanks for the heads up.  People expecting stock of these headphones new on an online site are asking to be duped.  Probably only available at some local boutique audio stores who haven't been able to sell it at full price, or second hand online from reputable sellers on audiophile sites at this point.  

 

[Maxx134]

They also have a fakes of so many others! And makes me wonder if they actually made or just pics to take your money!

 

[zorin]

They also have a fakes of so many others! And makes me wonder if they actually made or just pics to take your money!

 
I am curious too but I am utmost reluctant to send my money to the counterfeiting rascals in order to satisfy my curiosity and see what would arrive in mail. In a giant mall in the Chinese city of Shenzen, where one can buy all kinds of faked electronics goods one can also find a contact to the gangs that run the industrial enterprises that manufacture these faked goods. If you give them a sample they will copy virtually anything and then manufacture it in heaps. As an illustration see this documentary, called 'Counterfeit culture', that was broadcast on the Canadian CBC channel just the last week [the link below]. What was, years ago, a stream of fake products from China has these days turned into a flood.
For those who are really curious how does a faked W3000ANV or any other top rank headphones sound [Stax SR009 especially] I would suggest make a collection of 1 dollar contributions and order it from the website and then have it evaluated by a respected head-fi member. There is a risk that there would be just a brick in the parcel but a one dollar loss for each would not be too painful.
[I can't help not taking this dig at the Beats - faked Beats might be even better than the real ones.]
 
The documentary -  http://www.cbc.ca/doczone/episode/counterfeit-culture.html - watch from 14:10 to 19:57 and from 38:33 to 40:15.
EDIT : the link seems to be working only for Canada. I found other ones, try them :
- http://www.canada.com/onlinetv/documentary/doc-zone/7806394/video.html?o=10 - watch from 14:10 to 19:57 and from 38:33 to 40:15.
- http://www.cbc.ca/player/Shows/ID/2324420977/
- http://www.cbc.ca/player/Shows/Shows/Doc+Zone/ID/2324420977/
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8wOZK_htFM
Link for the USA - http://www.hulu.com/watch/521530
Outside USA and Canada - http://www.primewire.ag/external.php?gd=1890371760&title=Counterfeit+Culture&url=aHR0cDovL3NoYXJlc2l4LmNvbS81eHdoazZhcnB0YXU=&domain=c2hhcmVzaXguY29t&loggedin=0
- http://www.primewire.ag/external.php?gd=1890371759&title=Counterfeit+Culture&url=aHR0cDovL2ZpbGVudWtlLmNvbS84OHB1c2ZnOWpieDI=&domain=ZmlsZW51a2UuY29t&loggedin=0
 
Then there is a British documentary - Fake Trade : 
- http://chinadocs.blogspot.ca/2008/08/channel-4-fake-trade-2008.html
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTjf-iy4Nxk Part 1
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_zlGjGnDvs Part 2
 

Man who sold up to $40 million worth of counterfeit headphones [Chinese made]: - http://www.engadget.com/2013/04/19/man-sentenced-for-selling-counterfeit-headphones/

"Last year, Sennheiser introduced a series of authentication technologies to prevent counterfeiting that was mainly originating in China -- including QR codes on product packaging that customers can verify online."
 
Ebay alert - fake Sennheisers - http://www.ebay.com.au/gds/Fake-earphone-seller-alert-mostly-from-China-/10000000007646648/g.html 

 

[TheMiddleSky]

Very good and informative info, thanks a lot!

 

[Makiah S]

  Hm, was surprised at first that a Japanese company could be doing this since you don't really hear about that, but then I saw it's actually from China.
 
The text is in Japanese but the site looks to be some common template or copied from another webshop, and the text is directly copy pasted from somewhere as well.
It only has stock pictures as well, coupled with these prices I hope no one is gullible enough to actually fall for the scam.

 
 

They also have a fakes of so many others! And makes me wonder if they actually made or just pics to take your money!

 
 

   
I am curious too but I am utmost reluctant to send my money to the counterfeiting rascals in order to satisfy my curiosity and see what would arrive in mail. In a giant mall in the Chinese city of Shenzen, where one can buy all kinds of faked electronics goods one can also find a contact to the gangs that run the industrial enterprises that manufacture these faked goods. If you give them a sample they will copy virtually anything and then manufacture it in heaps. As an illustration see this documentary, called 'Counterfeit culture', that was broadcast on the Canadian CBC channel just the last week [the link below]. What was, years ago, a stream of fake products from China has these days turned into a flood.
For those who are really curious how does a faked W3000ANV or any other top rank headphones sound [Stax SR009 especially] I would suggest make a collection of 1 dollar contributions and order it from the website and then have it evaluated by a respected head-fi member. There is a risk that there would be just a brick in the parcel but a one dollar loss for each would not be too painful.
[I can't help not taking this dig at the Beats - faked Beats might be even better than the real ones.]
 
The documentary -  http://www.cbc.ca/doczone/episode/counterfeit-culture.html - watch from 14:10 to 19:57 and from 38:33 to 40:15.

 
 
I will say even without reading your warning, the site looks very templete happy and very cheap. Still good to know, and talk to a mod about getting the funds together for the Fake W3000ANV together, maybe get the fake into the hands of some one who owns the real thing!