I'm sure the profit margin on their headphones is absurd.
Normally the cost of engineering, research, and design is baked into the high price of a product.
However, when a company creates a counterfeit product and then sells it for more than the original product's price, one has to wonder where their ethics lie.
IMO, as a community, we should not be supporting this behavior.
I'm sure the profit margin on their headphones is absurd.
Normally the cost of engineering, research, and design is baked into the high price of a product.
However, when a company creates a counterfeit product and then sells it for more than the original product's price, one has to wonder where their ethics lie.
IMO, as a community, we should not be supporting this behavior.
I'm sure the profit margin on their headphones is absurd.
Normally the cost of engineering, research, and design is baked into the high price of a product.
However, when a company creates a counterfeit product and then sells it for more than the original product's price, one has to wonder where their ethics lie.
IMO, as a community, we should not be supporting this behavior.
I think calling an homage to a legendary headphone that has been out of production nearly 20 years a counterfiet is more than ridiculous. I only wish they had gone all the way and copied the headband, hinges and yoke as the one they used is a joke for the money. Calling it a counterfeit product is ridiculous hyperbole.
Plus there's no doubt in my mind this Hifiman R10 sounds better than the original. Either version. Even the non bass-light R10 is too damn bass-light. Especially for todays market. Releasing the R10 in 2020 would go over about as well as releasing the Z1R in 1989.
I think calling this product a "homage" to the R10 is ridiculous. This has no similarities to the original aside from the wooden ear cups that are purely cosmetic.
Furthermore, how can you be so certain that these sound better than the original when you haven't even heard them before? That assertion alone is mind boggling
I think calling this product a "homage" to the R10 is ridiculous. This has no similarities to the original aside from the wooden ear cups that are purely cosmetic.
Furthermore, how can you be so certain that these sound better than the original when you haven't even heard them before? That assertion alone is mind boggling
There is a lot of claims and the like compared to the original but you can’t really take any seriously unless you know the reviewers/posters have properly listened to both Sonys and Hifimans at length preferably with both on hand, the reviewers tastes, if you agree with them, etc.
It’s going to be obvious the Hifimans will have more bass as bass presence was never the Sony MDR-R10’s strong point on either version and it’s tuning is meant for a different era and set of costumers while the Hifimans will have a more modern tuning. They are different flavors of sound with different sound philosophies. What I want to hear about is the actual fidelity, transparency, grain, decay, vocal intelligibility, texture, depth, layering, body, dynamics, etc. of them compared.
I think calling an homage to a legendary headphone that has been out of production nearly 20 years a counterfiet is more than ridiculous. I only wish they had gone all the way and copied the headband, hinges and yoke as the one they used is a joke for the money. Calling it a counterfeit product is ridiculous hyperbole.
Plus there's no doubt in my mind this Hifiman R10 sounds better than the original. Either version. Even the non bass-light R10 is too damn bass-light. Especially for todays market. Releasing the R10 in 2020 would go over about as well as releasing the Z1R in 1989.
Sony is not going to take Hifiman to court over expired patents. In fact, no one would unless their side would like to get slapped with sanctions from the court for bringing a frivolous claim. It was a facetious remark from Fang. It would have been better if he said that anyone could use Sony's disclosed MDR-R10 CNC'd wooden cup tech and design since the Sony patents pertaining to them have long been expired.
In the headphone device according to an embodiment of the present invention as described hereinabove, the inner surface of the housing which holds the loudspeaker unit contains irregularities, so that, even when the diaphragm of the loudspeaker unit is positioned so as to be parallel with the inner surface of the housing, the sound waves radiated from the rear side of the loudspeaker unit are randomly reflected by the irregularities so as to prevent the generation of standing waves. Thus the sound reproducing properties are prevented from being lowered.
The irregularities on the inner surface of the housing also act to scatter the resonance points caused by the vibration of the housing thus preventing the mechanical ringing of the housing which, in turn prevents the acoustic properties of the reproduced sound from being lowered.
Further, the irregularities act to prevent warping or deformation from occurring when the housing is constructed from a block of natural wood. Thus, natural wood can be utilized for the housing material, which is a preferred material because of its relatively high Young's modulus and relatively high internal losses, so as to result in a headphone device which exhibits optimum sound reproducing characteristics, improved durability and can be while the headphone easily produced.
As a original Sony R10 owner its very sad to see Hifiman copying the R10 and making a fake one, I used to respect hifiman being one of the most innovative and advance company in making hi-end headfi product but not anymore.
Hifiman not only copied the style, material, housing and internal chamber design of the R10 but also copy its name calling it the HE-R10 and mentioned the following in front of press , "I know people out there will accuse us of copying Sony. This product is not paying homage to Sony's design. Sony and I are competitors. Homage or not, all we should care about is making good product. Even though Sony owns more market share, Sony won't be able to sue me. I researched Sony's patents; they are expired. "
I understand copywrite is a concept which is not well understand in China especially with non educated people, but what happening now sure marks one of the darkest page within Hifiman's company history. the hifiman guy have a phD and call himself Dr.
Not to mention this fake R10 is price at more or less the same as their Susvara...I would rather see they come out with a close back version of their Susvara or even close back Shangri-La which I will defiantly be interested on buying but not anymore...
I am will not comment on how they sound as I haven't heard them but I bet they sound awesome with hifiman proven record, however, the sprit and philosophic behind this product should deserve criticize.
I believe the true value of Sony R10 are not how they sound, but the collecting value of it being a 30odd years
antique headphone and price at such a high price back in the 1980s where head-fi is not yet a popular hobby similar to the sennz He90 or STAX SR-omega/T2.
If I don't have enough money to buy the original I rather not to own any, and is the will to own the original which set people a target and help them to achieve even more. But sadly, many don't understand the process which matters more than the result.
I am sure I will feel ashamed if I am seen wearing a hifiman r10 which is basically a (legal) counterfeit consumer goods.
Like those LV bags with the logo printed XL which is very popular in china but illegal in many civilise country and the rest of the free world.
Shanzhai (山寨R10) is a Chinese term literally meaning "mountain fortress" or "mountain village" whose contemporary use usually encompasses counterfeit, imitation, or parody products and events and the subculture surrounding them.
Same feeling here too.
I suffered from Chinese counterfait twice, in 1996 and 2001. I thought only non famous companies did it. But Hifiman proves us wrong.
And their pricing is psychologically inflated, as to sell to newly rich Chinese customers.
How can anyone trash an item never having had it in their hands? I can understand that some are pissed with what hifiman has done, but to trash something by looking at a picture is crazy.
What's the big deal, it's a 20 year old design if you don't like just don't buy it. But me personally I would love to get fee-back on the sound and I don't think the sounds is 20 years ago technology, I just don't see what's brouhaha is all about, I ready don't.
If the earcup Design is excellent from a sound perspective, I see no reason why they shouldn't use it.
They use their own driver, headband etc. They even use different Materials.
The headphone has it's own sound signature.
Doesn't even compete with the original on the market, since it is not sold anymore.
If the earcup Design is excellent from a sound perspective, I see no reason why they shouldn't use it.
They use their own driver, headband etc. They even use different Materials.
The headphone has it's own sound signature.
Doesn't even compete with the original on the market, since it is not sold anymore.
How do you then justify them copying the name as well? does that help with the sound also?... Dont Kid yourself, they did this to ride on the coat tails of the great name Sony R10 has gathered among enthusiasts. cash grab.
How do you then justify them copying the name as well? does that help with the sound also?... Dont Kid yourself, they did this to ride on the coat tails of the great name Sony R10 has gathered among enthusiasts. cash grab.
Well yeah it is to get attention and ride on the fame, I don't appreciate this part either.
However it is not new to the He-10R they do the same with the Drop He-5xx which rides on the name of the original He-500 albeit it has nothing in common with it.
And I don't justify anything, it just doesn't make sense to be upset about a company reusing something which has proven to be good. This gets done in all industries.
I definitely don't agree with the marketing strategy here, but I don't see anything wrong with the actual product.
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