So, I haven't been checking in on this thread for a while, but this morning I saw this video from Headphones.com:
I was like woah What is going on here? This SJV headphone is pretty clearly ripping off the visual language of the Caldera with the wood / grill / rods / etc. I'm not putting the actual headphone down - I'm sure they sounds nice. They are described as an open back Noire which I can really get behind in theory. I know Zach puts a lot of effort into his design ideas and I was frustrated for him that someone copy him so closely.
After watching the DMS video I saw that Zeos had a review linked as well. I watched that one and he actually mentioned that the tighter grill pattern was his influence. Should headphone influencers be elevating a copy cat design by giving it attention...even if it sounds nice and the price is right? How do you all feel about this?
When is it a riff vs. a rip?
The Caldera is still my favorite headphone in my collection personally.
I'll briefly address this to clarify my stance, but I'd rather not dwell on it. For my own well-being, it's crucial to focus on my work and stay excited about it, rather than letting negativity affect my mindset.
When I started my journey by modding Fostex t50 headphones, my vision was to create headphones with wooden enclosures that resembled vintage instruments, incorporating elements of vintage architectural metal accents. As ZMF grew, my mission was always to make headphones so uniquely "ZMF" that they didn't require logos or branding – the design itself would be instantly recognizable.
Recently, I've become aware of a company on AliExpress that appears to be producing chassis and cups very similar to what we do, and even copying them. While I’m flattered, I also can’t help but worry that all the work I’ve put in to be able to make these designs through our engineers, machinery, wood hunting and more has been reduced to a singular 2 dimensional thought, rather than a complex journey that took many many years, sacrifices that both Bevin and I have made through long days and nights.
I don’t know exactly what parts from Ali Express are being used by any particular business, but I know that this is playing a large role in this.
Modding and entrepreneurship are fantastic, and I support individuals forging their own path. I have great admiration for creators like Ryan of Modhouse. There's a fine line between "inspired by," "paying homage to," and "replicating," While I can't define this for each of us, we all recognize it when we see it.
Creating with a clear vision and respecting the boundary where inspiration becomes too close to the source is crucial. Regarding SJY, they reached out to me in 2020, stating that their design at the time resembled one of ZMFs and was asking if that was ok. I expressed that it’s be worth a conversation, and if the designs were close that we should make an agreement. Unfortunately, despite my attempts at further communication, SJY's headphones have continued to resemble ZMF's more and more since our initial communication.
I cherish this community and what fellow builders achieve, often starting as I did. I encourage collaboration rather than competition. Building a successful business is incredibly challenging, and I'm always willing to help in any way I can.
I’m so SO excited about I’m doing right now! A giant challenge has always been trying to find the time in the day to get everything done. I have so many talented people in our shop, measurement gear I never thought I’d have, CNC machines and wood tools that I never knew existed years ago, it’s just amazing and I’m so excited about it and to continue learning and working on headphones. Things are going to be really fun moving forward regardless of any of this, and I’m so thankful for that.