I've never heard of such a "syndrome." It certainly sounded to me like you were saying that BLUE was making their mics in China.

I just did this and I still can't find any prices. Where are they?

It is amazing how much bandwidth this topic consumes around here and elsewhere...

In the end, it gets both manufacuter's names in front of the public, which is ultimately a good thing. Free advertising!

FWIW, this industry is a mess, and in order to continue to sell and design products, all of the vendors need to cut costs, that is just the way of the world right now.

If everybody was making money, and things were flying off the shelves, it would be different story. These guys make a lot less money that most of us assume.

With regard to JZ's EU patent claims...I have no idea who is telling the truth here, but it is relatively easy to get a patent, and until challenged, it is still valid, even if it is a "copy". His links are no reassurance that the patents are "real", although there is no proof that they are false either. Bottom line, they do nothing to convince me one way or another that JZ designed the mics in question. If Blue says they are going to challenge the patents, then we need to wait to see the outcome of those legal challenges, and whether JZ's patents are validated.

I own a Blue Bottle, and love it. Does Violet make great mics? No clue, haven't heard any, but from the looks of things, it appears that they have some pretty cool stuff.

Like someone already said, "Call me when the dust settles...".

Maybe they're priceless heh


ruudman

Based on what has been posted elsewhere the people at JZ were building the BLUE mics all along. The BLUE camp was bankrolling the operation, importing them to the US and then selling to your dealer from whom you bought.

But somewhere along the way the two camps got crossways and officially parted ways in the fall of 2004.

However, neither side wanted to quit selling mics. So the JZ folks ultimately started the Violet brand and the BLUE folks started looking for a new home of manufacture in addition to the introduction of the RED brand. Their new home is either a different location in Latvia and/or Southern Cal.

Lastly and most importantly (to me) is that I've seen pics of the JZ man's name stamped on the guts of BLUE mics.

What kind of Spam? I missed that one - I joined pretty recently.

I am sure there is another side to this arguement.

You left out the first part of that statement by Blue:

The wording in that first sentence is very hazy. There is a fine line, and maybe no line at all, between "designing a mic," and "choosing what techniques and technologies are used" to manufacture a mic. If a manufacturer, even a subcontracted one, chooses say, mylar instead of PVC for a diaphragm, isn't that a design decision?

The key question (for most, I think) is who designed the capsules, and who designed the electronics. That "choosing technologies" statement could mean anything. It could mean that JZ designed the capsules and electronics as well as manufacturing them, or it could mean that he just spec'd the type of machinery was used on the assemby line.

I'm not choosing sides here, it's just interesting to see how this is playing out. But I don't think Blue is helping itself with Internet posts like this one. If they designed the capsules and electronics from scratch, then why can't they come out and say that in plain language? And they need to explain why the other party has "designed by" on the circuit boards. How did that slip through, if Blue was the designer?

do a search for blue and you will get the idea.

I read all the threads where these 2 companies are sh!t talking each other and I got to thinking....

Clearly violence is the only solution to this problem. I'm really surprised I was the first to think of it.

CAGE MATCH!!!!
CAGE MATCH!!!!
CAGE MATCH!!!!
CAGE MATCH!!!!
CAGE MATCH!!!!
CAGE MATCH!!!!
CAGE MATCH!!!!

I'll have to see this Violet guy before I place my bets I believe its a bit of a toss up.

Let's break down the odds....

Violet- Pros
-Unknown apearance
-Grew up in Latvia...I think they've got CAGE MATCHES!!!! instead of the SATs there
(Don't know what to do after secondary school...Let THE CAGE!!!! decide!)
-Aggressive, possible underhanded business practices could translate well in THE CAGE!!!!
-Product line includes The Black Knight- That just sounds ASS-KICKING

Violet-Cons
-Unknown appearance
-Product is called Violet....pretty pansy-ish
-One man against 2
-Product line includes The Flamingo....once again pink, pansy.

BLUE-Pros
-Based in the USA, man they kick everyone's ASS!!!!
-BLUE is a good Strong color
-2 men against 1
-Product line includes "Balls"

BLUE Cons
-Middle-aged surfer looking guy
-Geriatric
-One is named "Skipper"
-Product line includes "The Mouse"


Maybe we can get this sh!t on Gearslutz Pay Per View!


Bobby Peru
Milwaukee, WI

LMAO u are wild son.

"I've never heard of such a "syndrome." It certainly sounded to me like you were saying that BLUE was making their mics in China."


If you haven't heard of such a syndrome then you aren't reading the papers, watching the news...etc. It is happening all over the world in every industry...

Manufacturing jobs are being lost to China everyday...also to Mexico, Thailand and lots of other third world countries...

Didn't you ever see the movie "China Syndrome"???? : ))))) See it does exist!!!

LOL...

Tom

I didn't leave out anything. Blue denies that JZ designed the mics. I'm not saying they're telling the truth, or that it's impossible that the phrase "choosing what techniques and technologies are used" could, if you stretch it, mean design work. However, that doesn't change the fact that Blue directly contradicted JZ's claim that he designed the mics. I was just pointing out the error in JTT's statement, nothing else.

[comic book guy voice]Best Thread Ever! [/comic book guy voice]

Three of them!!!



I'd pay for that!

Agree, either cage match or hire Robocop

ruudman

In this case I'm not so sure. I don't think I would consider either company, especially with the large selection of microphone manufacturer's that are out there.

jmtc,
Rob

I'd buy that for a dollar!!!

Bobby Peru
Milwaukee, WI

I am deeply aware of this. I've just never heard it referred to as "The China Syndrome." Have you?

How is the phrase "The China Syndrome" enough to clue me in on your intended meaning, which you claim was not to suggest that the mics were made in China, but to suggest that JZ was fighting the tendency to "[make] things cheaper, where ever possible..."

So, unless I've missed the widespread use of the phrase "the China Syndrome" you were being unclear at best. Your post strongly suggested to me a claim on your part that Blue was moving its manufacturing to China. Don't blame me for misinterpreting your very unclear post.

Lighten up dude...why do you even care??????

Tom

if jz was employed to make or design the mic's or parts of the mic's, then as a employe would not blue still be the owner?
i had no beef with jz when i fist noticed the violet line, but i find a twinge of dislike as to the way he, and others, have come in on a topic pertaining to blue, and totally turned it into a campaign to dam them.
i could understand, if someone stole from me, i would be livid, i hope this is not the case with blue.
however jz has turned many against himself based on his tactic's, i believe at this point they were intended solely to damage blue, a vedette so to speak.
jz, so you allegedly designed the mic's, but you worked for blue, they think they own them, so do you.
tell your story, thats fine, deal with the dirty laundry in court, win or loose, make a good mic, a great mic, and deal the world in, we all need great mic's.
sadly this free advertisement, i do not believe, is poss for ether company, jz leaves a bitter taste, and blue ( aside from being somewhat vague ) will need to prove their new production of mic's, to be as good as the originals....

here's one idea: no blue, no red, no voilet


sorry if this seems harsh but i never related to the concept of haute couture microphone visuals BLUE is known for ... it's the sound of a mic that makes it pretty. By the anagram name Baltic Latvian one assumes they're made-for-cheaper elsewhere ... then the elsewhere's turned capitalists ... and the capitalists turned legal ... and the principals brought it all back home where it could have been in the first place ... what a nighmare.

Chinese manufacturers try to do this all the time, and in a sense, who can blame them? Outsourcing can have karma paybacks, and this is a good example. We teach by the energy we promote in the example of outsourcing, and they learn their value, then they want more just as we did when we hired them. Why do "I " need "You" they come to say. Seems predictable in a market system. Sufficiency is not an element for EITHER party here.

Then the manufacturer-turned-storefront goes public and in a rush to play the game like everyone else over-promotes, being comparatively new Capitalists and not getting the subtlety of understated advertising in an advanced economy. Again, no shock there and i dont fault them for this faux pas of ignorance.




An alternative approach would be a company like Korby Audio, 100% designed and made in the USA by veterans of microphone care and adjustment, who dont go on the forums, and have all the cred and sales they need. A business not built on margins, but for a life of good enough money and the holistic merits of the craft and the music it helps to create.

...

On this forum? I've already seen everything concerning this subject on this forum. The way I see it, back in March people were freaking out cause neither company was making a statement about what was really going on. Then BLUE started posting a couple of legal statements over and over and JZ responded to a lot of posts individually. Basically each side is insisting they're right in this dispute. I don't know if I would consider it spam in either case.

let both parties send a batch of mics to fletcher, and i'll gladly donate $$ for the
comparison tests. thumbsup thumbsup

fletcher referees a cage match, where's the tickets, count me in!

Celebrity "Color Mic" Death Match, in living Clamation... thumbsup

If an owner of an original BLUE mic opens up the mic and finds the JZ man's name stamped on it, what does this mean?

just because you make or even design something dose not mean you own it.

not if blue were an investor who technically own everything , because of their invest ment . then they are no creator

but even if you dont "own it "

that is your mic ...wierd huh ?