[Jan Meier]

Dear Headfellows,

As many of you will know I started my Headwize/Head-Fi contributions by publishing various designs on Headwize. The most popular of these were crossfeed filters that relieve some of the problems associated with the extreme channel separation of headphones. These filters are commercially implemented in all CORDA amplifiers/crossfeed filters but were also published on Headwize so they can be used by any DIY-er for free. Audio for me still is a hobby that I like to share with others.

One of our fellow-Headfiers/Headwizers also produces (passive) crossfeed filters that can be placed between a source and a (head)amp. He never published his design though and the circuitry of each of his filters is carefully potted. Out of curiosity and suspicion I asked him whether this filter was based on one of my designs. Only after some persisted mails did I receive an answer and the guy ascertained that this was not the case. I left the situation as it was but not without doubts.

It just happens that one of my customers had bought one of the filters and didn't like its sound quality. He asked me whether I would be interested to check the sound quality of it and share my opinion. Of course I immediately agreed.

However, after having received the unit I didn't start with listening but curiosity won and I opened the device instead. As expected the components were potted but this wasn't done very carefully and with little difficulty I was able to "debug" the schematics.

The results were not surprising and extremely annoying. The filter was an exact duplication of the bass-enhanced natural crossfeed filter that I had published on Headwize. Even the component values were left unchanged!!

For those who want to know how this filter is build please take a look at fig. 3 in

http://headwize2.powerpill.org/proje...meier2_prj.htm

I don't mind if people use my designs. I wouldn't publish them if it would be otherwise. However, to use my designs commercially without asking for my consent, to refuse answering my first mails and to completely deny and hide the fact that my designs are used is, in my opinion, intolerable. It shows a behaviour that is steered by greed and lacks the virtues of a honest and sincere person.

Yours,

Jan

P.S. My customer was right. Sonically the filter is suboptimal. With the use of better components, a small modification and a better layout it's very easy to obtain a much better sound quality. For people interested in making their own crossfeed filter I strongly suggest to take a look at:

http://home.t-online.de/home/meier-a...sivefilter.htm

 

[gloco]

This has always been a tough topic on communities such as head-fi. There's bound to be someone who will attempt to earn money on someone else's work without acknowledge the creator. It happens all the time in other fields, i'm not surprised by this one bit. Did you happen to email the maker and let him/her know how you felt about this?

 

[eric343]

That's just wrong.

 

[00940]

the practice is wrong

the lie is disgusting

 

[usc goose]

 

[sleepkyng]

is it possible to have some sort of commercial patent?

i don't understand why he wouldn't give you props, what difference does it make?

what a wanker

 

[Jan Meier]

> Did you happen to email the maker and let him/her know how you felt about this?

Not yet, but I'll do so after I've spoken to my laywer.

> is it possible to have some sort of commercial patent?

I do have a patent on this one and I certainly intend to take my actions.

Cheers,

Jan

 

[Lil_JV]

What an *********. I can't believe he doesn't even have the decency to ask to use the design. It's kind of funny that he made an exact copy and didn't even do it properly. Sorry to hear about this Jan. Hope this can be resolved peacefully.

JV.

 

[rsaavedra]

Sad to hear about this, but yes we shouldn't forget there are plenty of dishonest people out there believing lack of integrity will pay off. When things get to the point you reached, I believe the legal route is certainly the way to go. Wish you a fair resolution on this Jan.

 

[elrod-tom]

That really is too bad. It's a shame that there always seem to be people like this who crop up whenever an opportunity to make a buck "the easy way" on someone else's back comes up.

BTW - I LIKE my Corda Cross...

Good luck Jan...nail that #@%$&* to the wall!!

 

[rickcr42]

I am really sorry to hear this jan

You have always shared your designs freely to the benefit of all and i do not think it is too much to ask for those copying your work to do it for personal use only

to make a profit on the hard work of another is stealing

no other way to put it

 

[Tuberoller]

this is no huge suprise and I'm sorry it had to happen to a decent guy like Dr. Meier. there are plenty of builders out here using designs that they copied from someone else or off one of the forums such as headwize.

Dr. Meier should feel free to expose this guy and let everyone know who he is without hesitation. He's stealing and thieves deserve no less.

 

[markl]

I guess I don't fully understand.

Dr. Gilmore posts his schematics for all to use, and several people now produce commercially available products based on them for sale to Head-Fiers, but he doesn't seem to mind. If you post your schematic on the internet for any and all to use, and this fellow is doing just that, how can you sue?

If you never published your design, and he took your product and coped it, and advertised and sold it as a cheaper generic "Dr. Meier Crossfeed device", I could certainly see being justifiably upset. If you don't want to be ripped off, though, why make it easier for the thief by publishing your designs on the web in the first place?

Not trying to be a smart-alek, just trying to understand? If he had asked your permission, would you have granted it? If not, and he went ahead and used them anyway, what legal basis could you have for suing if you gave away the basic design? I'm obviously not a DIY-er and unfamiliar with DIY-er code and ethics. I guess this crosses the line? I'm definitely not justifying what this person has done, but it just seems like if you have something of proprietary and commercial value, that gives your product its basic identity and competitive edge, it's bad strategy to give it away.

 

[eric343]

Quote:

Originally posted by markl I guess I don't fully understand. Dr. Gilmore posts his schematics for all to use, and several people now produce commercially available products based on them for sale to Head-Fiers, but he doesn't seem to mind. If you post your schematic on the internet for any and all to use, and this fellow is doing just that, how can you sue? If you never published your design, and he took your product and coped it, and advertised and sold it as a cheaper generic "Dr. Meier Crossfeed device", I could certainly see being justifiably upset. If you don't want to be ripped off, though, why make it easier for the thief by publishing your designs on the web in the first place?

Because everyone who builds Gilmore amps acknowledges that Kevin Gilmore designed them. This person went so far as to lie in order to conceal that he was using Jan Meier's design.

 

[elrod-tom]

I gather that the identity of the person referred to in Dr. Meier's post will be apparent to many. I'm not so sure that we should be posting his name here, however.

I will discuss this with the mod staff and see, but let's keep it anonymous (like Dr. Meier did) for the moment. Thanks...