Behringer
Behringer is an audio equipment company founded by the Swiss engineer Uli Behringer on 25 January 1989 in Willich, Germany. Behringer produces equipment including synthesizers, mixers, audio interfaces and amplifiers. Behringer is owned by Music Tribe (formerly Music Group), a holding company chaired by Uli Behringer.[1]
Not to be confused with Beringer.Company type
Private
Audio equipment
25 January 1989 in Germany
Willich, Germany
Uli Behringer (Founder and CEO)
Audio and lighting equipment, musical instruments
3,500
History[edit]
Foundation and early development[edit]
Uli Behringer was born on April 13, 1961 in Baden, Switzerland. His father was a church organist and nuclear physicist; his mother a pianist and interpreter; his uncle a professor of composition at the Richard Strauss Conservatory in Munich; and his aunt a classical singer and pianist. At the age of four, Uli Behringer started to learn piano.[2] When Behringer was five years old, his father acquired the organ from a church being demolished. He then helped his father integrate the organ with over 1000 into the family home. At the age of 16, he built his first synthesizer, the UB1.[3]
Marketing, manufacturing, and acquisitions[edit]
While Behringer products were manufactured in Willich, Germany, many of the individual components were imported from mainland China. In 1990, to lower production costs, Behringer shifted production from West Germany to mainland China. Initially, subcontractors were engaged to produce the equipment. By 1997 Uli Behringer had relocated to Hong Kong to better supervise manufacturing quality.[4]
Legal developments[edit]
FCC dispute[edit]
In February 2006, the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) fined Behringer $1M,[28] issuing a Notice of Apparent Liability against Behringer, claiming that 50 of the company's products had not been tested for conducted and radiated emissions limits as required by US law,[29] and noting that Behringer continued to sell the products for a year after being notified.[28] Behringer's position was that they believed that since the units had passed stringent European CE standards, they would also comply with FCC verification requirements.[28] According to Behringer, it had overlooked the differences in testing standards and procedures under FCC and European requirements. The company has since implemented a complete UL certified safety and EMC testing laboratory under the UL Certified Witness Program, including in-house audits and global regulatory review systems.[30]
Legal cases[edit]
In June 1997, the Mackie company (now LOUD Technologies) accused Behringer of trademark and trade dress infringement, and brought suit seeking $327M in damages.[31][32] The claims were later rejected by the court. In their suit, Mackie said that Behringer had had a history of copying products by other manufacturers and selling them as their own.[33] The Mackie suit detailed an instance, in which Behringer was sued by Aphex Systems for copying the Aural Exciter Type F. In that case Aphex Systems won DM690,000.[33] The Mackie suit also mentioned similar cases filed by BBE, dbx and Drawmer.[33] On 30 November 1999, the U.S. District Court in Seattle, Washington, dismissed Mackie claims that Behringer had infringed on Mackie copyrights with its MX 8000 mixer, noting that circuit schematics are not covered by copyright laws.[34][35][36]
In 2005, Roland Corporation sued to enforce Roland's trade dress, trademark, and other intellectual property rights with regard to Behringer's recently released guitar pedals. The companies came to a confidential settlement in 2006 after Behringer changed their designs.[37]
In 2009, Peavey Electronics Corporation filed two lawsuits against various companies under the Behringer/Music Group umbrella for patent infringement, federal and common law trademark infringement, false designation of origin, trademark dilution and unfair competition.[38] In 2011 the Music Group filed a countersuit against Peavey for "false advertising, false patent marking and unfair competition."[39]
In 2017, Music Group filed a defamation lawsuit against Dave Smith Instruments, a Dave Smith Instruments engineer, and 20 Gearslutz forum users. The case was dismissed as a SLAPP lawsuit.[40][41]
"Kirn CorkSniffer"[edit]
In March 2020, Behringer published a mock video for a synthesizer, the "KIRN CorkSniffer", which appeared to mock the music technology journalist and synthesiser developer Peter Kirn. The video received criticism and accusations of using antisemitic imagery. Uli Behringer issued a response on Facebook, saying the video had been intended as "pure satire by our marketing department".[42] The apology was deleted the following day.[43]