Audiovox/Klipsch suing Monoprice for its Energy Take Classic 5.1 speaker system clone

Danny Tse
Danny Tse Posts: 5,206
edited March 2013 in The Clubhouse
Scary thought, isn't it? Audiovox owning Klipsch, and Klipsch owning Energy.

Here's the story from cnet.com....

http://news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-57576411-38/monoprice-a-tech-consumers-best-friend-or-a-copycat/?tag=nl.e703&s_cid=e703&ttag=e703
Post edited by Danny Tse on
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  • chumlie
    chumlie Posts: 8,658
    edited March 2013
    Interesting story. Lawyers are happy.
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  • obieone
    obieone Posts: 5,077
    edited March 2013
    Based on those pic's, I'd say Monoprice is SOL on defending that line.
    I refuse to argue with idiots, because people can't tell the DIFFERENCE!
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  • Syndil
    Syndil Posts: 1,582
    edited March 2013
    I recall being called a "troll" for suggesting Monoprice does exactly what the CNET article confirms:
    While declining to discuss specific products, Monoprice's Kumar said his company has contracts with Asian manufacturers that own the intellectual property of products made for brands that sell in the United States. Often those brands don't lock up an exclusive agreement with their Asian manufacturers. Moreover, he said, Monoprice requires its Asian suppliers to sign documents that hold them liable for any product that might infringe on the intellectual property of another company.

    "We can go to that same factory and legally have them make the same product for us," Kumar said. "We're basically selling the product for a lot less money."

    Kumar declined to name Monoprice's Asian vendors, though, citing proprietary arrangements that he wanted to protect.

    He also said Monoprice sometimes cuts deals with American companies to license their technology, even though they know Monoprice will offer the same product for a lower price.

    "They may do that as a way to get incremental volume," Kumar said.

    Again, Kumar declined to name any of those partners. And those companies are unlikely to disclose the relationship; if consumers recognized the arrangement, they'd likely opt for the less expensive Monoprice product.

    Point, me.

    RT-12, CS350-LS, PSW-300, Infinity Overture 1, Monoprice RC-65i
    Adcom GFA-545II, GFA-6000, Outlaw Audio 990, Netgear NeoTV
    Denon DCM-460, DMD-1000, Sony BDP-360, Bravia KDL-40Z4100/S
    Monster AVL-300, HTS-2500 MKII
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  • Danny Tse
    Danny Tse Posts: 5,206
    edited March 2013
    Syndil wrote: »
    He also said Monoprice sometimes cuts deals with American companies to license their technology, even though they know Monoprice will offer the same product for a lower price.

    "They may do that as a way to get incremental volume," Kumar said.

    I wonder if this is the reason Monitor Audio is "reissuing" some of its older models at a lower price?
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  • Syndil
    Syndil Posts: 1,582
    edited March 2013
    Not sure, but it doesn't look like the lawsuit has stopped Monoprice from selling the Energy clones:

    http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=109&cp_id=10906&cs_id=1090601&p_id=9774

    RT-12, CS350-LS, PSW-300, Infinity Overture 1, Monoprice RC-65i
    Adcom GFA-545II, GFA-6000, Outlaw Audio 990, Netgear NeoTV
    Denon DCM-460, DMD-1000, Sony BDP-360, Bravia KDL-40Z4100/S
    Monster AVL-300, HTS-2500 MKII
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  • WilliamM2
    WilliamM2 Posts: 4,788
    edited March 2013
    When all these companies decided to outsource to China, what did they expect to happen?
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  • cnh
    cnh Posts: 13,284
    edited March 2013
    Shouldn't surprise anyone after that CNET video that tells "everyone" that the monoprice package seems to be the Energy package without the Energy logo. And then hedges to recommend people purchase it (because they expected a suit!). lol

    On the positive side, at least it's not FAKE Chinese, of which there are many, many, many products. I recently decided to pick up a couple of h-phones and I really had to make sure I was NOT being suckered by lowballers that were selling at rock bottom prices. So many fakes in that market (buyer beware). I decided to go with the lowest price from an "authorized" online dealer that's been around for a WHILE!

    Fakes in China itself, are even MORE of a problem. They're rampant. I remember going to one of those ubiquitous Bazaar-like places in Beijing, trying to buy a pair of cans for my daughter and having to thoroughly eye, inspect, listen to the final purchase. They had fake Sonys, Audio Technicas, JVC, Bose, etc. An unbelievable supply (store) of fakes! And most Chinese consumers who shop in these concession are "certainly" buying fake product!

    The funny thing is even our U.S. youtube is now full of unboxing videos that tell you how to determine if you have an authentic item or a fake?

    And you definitely cannot "trust" something like Amazon "market place"--lots of dealers in "fakes" there!

    cnh
    Currently orbiting Bowie's Blackstar.!

    Polk Lsi-7s, Def Tech 8" sub, HK 3490, HK HD 990 (CDP/DAC), AKG Q701s
    [sig. changed on a monthly basis as I rotate in and out of my stash]
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  • Speedskater
    Speedskater Posts: 495
    edited March 2013
    We should also note that Monoprice sells unbranded cables to home theater installers and system integrators so that they don't appear to be selling a budget cable at a high price.

    What ever happened with the Monoprice 'UL' cable problem? Some cables showed up with both Monoprice & UL labels that were never UL tested.
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