Uli Behringer of The Music Group Q&A

Re: Uli Behringer of The Music Group Q&A

One question for Uli that doesn't relate to the X32.
Do you think that the current situation regarding Neodymium supply will be an advantage for companies manufacturing in China?
 
Re: Uli Behringer of The Music Group Q&A

Like others, I appreciate Uli taking the time to respond to the questions asked. I would like to know how MUSIC Group plans to address distribution and support for 'professional' products such as the Behringer X32 and line arrays? Will availability, dealers and distribution be differentiated from that of 'MI' products? Will there be direct factory support for production companies, contractors, consultants, etc.?
 
Re: Uli Behringer of The Music Group Q&A

John Chiara said:
Does iPad control require a laptop running included software, and a wireless router?
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Hi John,

Thanks for your question John, and allow me to answer it. I know that others have claimed iPad remote control but when they require a host computer to be connected to the console you have to ask yourself if it's a real solution. If at the end of the day the iPad is simply controlling a computer then why not just use a remote desktop client like LogMeIn?

The iPad control option on the X32 doesn't require a host computer. All that is needed is a network connection that both the iPad and mixer are subscribed to such as a wireless router. Just connect the Ethernet port on the X32 to the router using a CAT5 cable and log the iPad onto the router. The iPad application effectively looks for the IP address assigned to the console. Pick up any router from $30 on up and forget the computer.

Of course you can also use our PC application to control the X32 if you prefer. I can see this as a great option for a church for rehearsals or even a studio when you want to restrict access to the console itself.

Costa
 
Re: Uli Behringer of The Music Group Q&A

Great question Brad, thanks.

Those of us from a more pro and install background know that there is a huge divide between retail/MI and true professional applications. That's why we have invested in the expansion of our infield product support team and have launched the "Pro Zone" initiative. This initiative includes not only more resources in design and application support but also more direct factory contact in the field. Stop by our booth at InfoComm and see the first of what will be a fleet of trucks crossing the country with demo gear and expert advice.

I should also mention that since the launch of our Eurocom Install product line we have seriously upgraded our ability to communicate with system designers and consultants and offer them real support. Our new CL series and ELX line array speakers all have published EASE data and we have the resources to assist in any system design. We are looking forward to supporting our professional customers with first-class service and genuine application knowledge.

Costa
 
Re: Uli Behringer of The Music Group Q&A

BJ James said:
HI Uli,
Perhaps this is more due to a decision made by the Canadian Distributor, but I was disappointed to not see any representation of Behringer products at the recent MIAC show in Toronto. Although MUCH smaller in scale, it's Canada's version of the NAMM show.
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Hi BJ, I too attended MIAC/PAL show, but I gotta say that this year's show has got to be one of the smallest I have attended both in attendance and the number of exhibitors, and I have been attending the show off and on for the past 25+ years! There were a *lot* of pro audio manufacturers with no representation at the show, partly due to the expense of exhibiting and the sluggish economy, partly due to other shows that compete (including Solotech's "en coulisse" that was held a couple weeks prior), partly due to scheduling the show the same weekend as Mother's day (a big oops on that one)! I'm not going to speculate the future of MIAC/PAL, however it's not the same as it once was, and given the state of our industry, I would hope that it survives to see another year, perhaps in a modified form.
 
Re: Uli Behringer of The Music Group Q&A

Hello Uli. I am honored to be able to present a question to you. What methods and standards does Behringer use to rate the power output of your power amps? How do your methods and standards compare to other popular brand amps in the same product bracket?

Take an iNUKE 6000 as an example. My question would be 6000 watts into what load, with what input, at what supply voltage, and for how long a duration? Forgive me if this is published somewhere, I have not yet found it.
 
Re: Uli Behringer of The Music Group Q&A

Mr. Behringer.

This is directed to you personally rather than towards the Behringer Concern if you don't mind, and it's about running a business rather than about technology.

When looking back to when you ran a very small and hands-on operation:

What is it that you miss the most?

How big was the company when you reached the point that you no longer had any daily tasks that were the same as when you started?

Did you ever hit a "breaking point" where it all just started "snowballing" and growing very quickly? Or has the growth been steady and gradual all the way? If there was a breaking point, what was it?

Do you still work with some of the people you started with?

Lastly, I am interested to know about how Behringer plans to function in the future in regards to sales towards sound companies, installers, etc: Will you continue to mostly sell products through music stores, etc, or will you start a "pro-dealership program" like the manufacturers of many other brands of professional audio gear.

Now that you are aiming to replace less and repair more, will Behringer train and hire personell in various countries to run local repair desks?

Best regards from Norway,

Kristian Johnsen

PS: I really, really like that you are planning to repair more (hopefully locally) and replace less. It's time the electronics industry goes back to this model for many reasons, including the "green ones".
 
Re: Uli Behringer of The Music Group Q&A

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Dear Rafi and Mark,

once again thank you for your question on Environmental Measures and Responsibilities.

This is a huge topic for us at MUSIC Group because of course we own the factory that produces our products. While competitors who use contract manufacturers can easily turn a blind eye to compliance, we take responsibility for our own compliance and of course absorb the sometimes significant costs of doing so.

In our view there are two important aspects to environmental responsibility for which we are accountable. The first relates to the way our products are made and the measures we take to ensure that we leave as small an environmental footprint as possible. The second relates to the impact our products have on the environment when they are in use and at the end of their service lives.

We are lead-free
In 2006, the European Community introduced the RoHS Directive (Reduction of Hazardous Substances) which restricts the use of six hazardous materials in the manufacture of electronic equipment. It is widely known as the “Lead-Free” regulation but actually includes 5 additional substances, even-more toxic than lead. While compliance is legislated in the EU, with the exception of California, leaded products are still allowed to be imported and sold in the United States.

Lead is one of the very poisonous and harmful substances as it causes severe brain and nerve diseases in humans and animals. Since lead is water-soluble and it is heavily concentrated in electronic waste, it can easily enter the water supply through the groundwater as it is washed out from dumping grounds and ultimately ends up in our drinking water.
The EU is trying to mitigate this impact with the WEEE Directive (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) which sets targets for collection, recycling and recovery of electrical goods. It is part of a pan-European legislative initiative to solve the problem of huge amounts of toxic e-waste.

Several years ago, we decided to become an early adopter of lead-free manufacturing. To do so we had to invest not only in the specialized equipment needed to apply lead-free solder, but to also convert all our soldering machines, PCB's and board-level components to lead-free versions. Our decision was to implement the RoHS Directive for all of our products sold world-wide, despite the lagging legislation the US and other markets.

It is important to note that many factories in China still manufacture leaded products and export them to the US plus other countries as leaded components are often less expensive. That’s where manufacturers take short-cuts.
Even parts suppliers try to cheat by falsifying compliance certificates, so we have implemented a test laboratory and equipped it with expensive equipment that allows detection of hazardous material.

The benefits of a fully lead-free manufacturing environment have been recognized immediately by our employees who work in the factory. In addition, when we upgraded to lead-free manufacturing we also installed a sophisticated solder fume suction system to evacuate all gases from the wave solder and hand soldering stations. This is a rarity to this day in China where workers are exposed to solder fumes with no positive airflow to disperse the gases.

We recycle material
Wherever possible we recycle waste even if it comes at a higher cost, rather than just disposing of it. For example, we employ a huge vacuum suction system in our wood processing facilities that gather all of the waste material produced from cutting and shaping wood. Unlike most manufacturers in China who simply sweep up and dump this waste, we return it to our vendors for recycling and re-use in the manufacture of man-made wood products. Vacuum suction systems are not common in China (and not even in the West) as they come at a substantial cost. However, we see this as our contribution to the environment and protection of our workers.

Once a year we invite our business partners from across the world to visit China and completely open our factory to them. There are many videos on-line where you can see our manufacturing and environmental standards. People who have visited our “MUSIC Group City” commented that it is the cleanest and best organized factory they have seen, and not only in China; comments we take great pride in.

We use recycled material
Several years ago we started a huge initiative to introduce more environmentally friendly packaging for our products. One of the biggest objectives was to replace poly-foam used in packaging by pulp completely made out of recycled paper material. With the exception of some heavy and fragile equipment such as guitar amps for example, which require high-density poly-foam, we have converted all of our packaging to recycled and recyclable material.

Our packaging, product manuals and any other paper products shipped from our factory now must contain significant percentages of post-consumer waste. We have converted to the use of vegetable-based inks wherever possible in our printing, even using them on full-color packaging. We also demand that our plastics suppliers demonstrate post-consumer recycled content where product performance and durability are not adversely impacted.

We live “Green Energy”
Across the company we subscribe to the Japanese “Kaizen” (continuous improvement) principle which calls for preservation of resources by continually preventing waste. This important principle drives everything from the way we run the factory to how we light our offices using natural light wherever possible. It also drives the way we allocate engineering resources to constantly advance the value proposition.

As I mentioned earlier, we have opened two research centers; in the UK as well as in China. The focus of these Centers of Excellence is not direct product development, but true technology research in areas such as power conversion, networking, wireless, etc. While it is common knowledge that the return of investment in research is unpredictable, we view the creation of intellectual property as a critical differentiator and driver of the value proposition.

Among the breakthroughs developed in our research centers to date is a radical new amplifier technology we have termed “Class-Zero” as it is fundamentally different from Class-D technology. By successfully integrating a switch mode power supply with an amplifier we have combined both into an ultra-efficient single stage that delivers up to 94% power efficiency. A patent has been applied for and hence we can talk about it now.

As it happens with research projects, the breakthrough developments can sometimes have even greater potential in other than the initial application. Interesting is the fact that the “Class-Zero” technology might now lead us into very different fields of power conversion such as Solar technology or Automotive application where efficient and sine-wave based power conversion is crucial. The benefits there are potentially many times greater than in power amplification.

We are no longer “linear”
Traditional linear power supplies and amplifiers have a poor energy efficiency of 30% or less, which means 70% of all energy is lost and converted to heat. Over the last several years we have made a concerted effort to convert most of our products from inefficient linear power supplies and Class-AB amplifiers to more energy efficient designs.
I am proud of the fact that we have built one of the best digital power engineering teams in the industry that enables us to design cutting-edge SMPS and Class-D based products with total efficiencies of up to 85%!

Several years ago we bought the complete Coolaudio technology portfolio from a large US semiconductor company called Intersil. The portfolio consisted of around 10 important patents covering Class-D amplification, which have served as the foundation for our continued development of these technologies. Since then we have invested massively in R&D resources to develop ground-breaking products such as the iNuke power amps as well as the Eurocom Installed Sound products.

When we started looking into the Install market we discovered that manufacturers were still making 70/100V amplifiers with linear power supplies, Class-AB amplifiers and heavy output transformers; delivering system efficiency of 20-30%! Even worse was the fact that products of this type are typically left running 24/7 and of course the current draw even with no program material can be enormous when compared to digital power systems. We knew there had to be a better way.

We started a 2-year development effort to produce the industry’s most energy efficient product line, including transformerless 70/100V amplifiers that, when combined with SMPS technology could deliver power efficiencies of up to 85%. The development effort resulted in multiple patent applications and delivered 14 power amplifier designs that set new standards for efficiency.

While the Install market is generally very conservative, we have already received extremely positive responses in relation to our new Eurocom line. Customers do seem to care about "green power" which we find very encouraging. We have invested heavily in leading the industry through cutting-edge technology and not merely following established competitors. We truly believe that our energy-saving technology will become the industry standard in the Install market, even if it will take some time.

We estimate that our Eurocom amplifiers can pay for themselves in energy savings alone over 2-3 years.

Eurocom products are now shipping and the huge energy saving benefit has already been recognized by our customers. Hopefully the European Community and progressive States like California will take the lead by declaring the use of energy efficient technology mandatory also for the Install market.

I always believe that “Green Initiatives” should ideally be connected to commercial benefits as then it becomes a true “win-win”. In today’s world, people have become much more sensitive to environmental concerns which means that their buying behavior will ultimately force manufacturers to adopt change.

By finding ways to deliver those environmental benefits while also improving our own efficiencies, we become first movers in this area much as we were when we moved manufacturing to China 20 years ago.
 
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Re: Uli Behringer of The Music Group Q&A

That is an interesting take on the fixed install market. Perhaps you will be more persuasive than others who have tried to get them to forgo their transformer isolated 70/100V speaker lines (such amps have been tried before over the decades). I've found the install market to be very conservative and resist change, but maybe this time will be different. In the past they seemed far more concerned about reliability (i.e. service calls) than energy usage, and in my experience had a "don't fix it if it isn't broke" mentality. One place where amp efficiency matters is in large equipment rooms that need to factor in air conditioner cooling load, but those guys aren't using class A/B now for the larger amps.

You may try to argue how reduced operating temperature of efficient amplifier technology should extend MTBF, if you get that far. I repeat if you really want to save the planet and improve total system efficiency, loudspeakers are not very efficient.

Perhaps an end run around customer preferences could be pulled off if governments mandate efficiency improvement.

===

Many companies choose to go all ROHS because it is impractical to make two versions of every product to service different world markets and the cost saving (of non-ROHS) does not justify the extra handling and inventory utilization inefficiency. I suspect the health claims for lead free solder are overstated but you can't fight city hall. It's the law in some major markets (EU), and the future trend is for more not less markets to follow suit.
---
Kaizen (continuous improvement) is a good philosophy for life as well as business.

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I am unclear about what you mean by "true technology research"... While the running joke is most companies practice R&D with a small "r" and big "D", meaning practical product development with obvious short term payback dominates any non-targeted research. Operating across multiple markets as you now plan for suggests prudent planning should include targeted research to develop company wide technology platforms (like a low cost high efficiency audio amplifier) that can be incorporated into all product lines. Given adequate resources it seems wise to pursue what comes after the apparent "next". Pure (random) research not so much... but opinions vary.

JR
 
Re: Uli Behringer of The Music Group Q&A

Arthur Skudra said:
Hi BJ, I too attended MIAC/PAL show, but I gotta say that this year's show has got to be one of the smallest I have attended both in attendance and the number of exhibitors, and I have been attending the show off and on for the past 25+ years! There were a *lot* of pro audio manufacturers with no representation at the show, partly due to the expense of exhibiting and the sluggish economy, partly due to other shows that compete (including Solotech's "en coulisse" that was held a couple weeks prior), partly due to scheduling the show the same weekend as Mother's day (a big oops on that one)! I'm not going to speculate the future of MIAC/PAL, however it's not the same as it once was, and given the state of our industry, I would hope that it survives to see another year, perhaps in a modified form.
Click to expand...

I can't say I disagree with you Arthur. I haven't gone the last few years because I really do not like the Convention Centre, but since it moved back to the International Centre and I had time, and I wanted to talk face to face with a few reps- I decided to go this year. It was the smallest MIAC I can remember of the 15 or 20 I've attended. As I said, disappointing.
Am I correct in remembering that a few years of shows were skipped? Late 90's maybe?
BJ
 
Re: Uli Behringer of The Music Group Q&A

Dear John,

Thank you for your question.

The X32 is absolutely phase-coherent and doesn’t require any delay management unless you use inserts.

What will surely interest readers is the fact that the console has an overall latency of about 0.8 msec. (any analog input to any analog output). If you use inserts, the latency increases to around 1.5 msec. We are using truly high-end and ultra-fast AD DA converters of the type Crystal CS5368 and CS4385 which you will find in the most expensive digital consoles.
The DSP's used in the X32 are of the type Analog Device Sharc AD21371, which is one of the most powerful DSP’s in the market.

To our knowledge there is no other digital console available in the market that offers such a low latency, regardless of any price. This extremely low latency of the X32 almost equals analog performance.

But don’t take our word for it and wait for test reports which will be coming out soon.
 
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Re: Uli Behringer of The Music Group Q&A

Not sure if this is a question toward Uli, or a comment of an issue I have had with Behringer kit.
I live in Leeds in the north of the UK, we are not short of distributors of various brands of audio kit, however, this particular problem only seems to rear its head with Behringer kit.
Whenever I try to get a demo of kit, I am met with resistance, most recently it was the X32 and inquiries into a demo when it became available, I am always met with either, we can order one in (for you to buy), sorry we don't demo that, or trying to sell me another brand. (the last enquiry I forwarded to the Music Group as i was quite honestly disgusted with the reply from a dealer)
Before a purchase, I do alot of research into possible contenders, and then like to demo the last couple to see how they look/feel in real life. is there a plan to try to ease this issue? or a suggestion of how to get around it, as I'm sure you can appreciate, I'm not going to spend 3000GBP on anything before I at least see it.
Im not sure if you ever got my email re the dealer, its under my name, if not I would be happy to forward it straight to you, todays climate is hard enough, without dealers bad mouthing the products they are supposed to be selling.
 
Re: Uli Behringer of The Music Group Q&A

Dear Tim,

I understand your frustration and have since reached out to our Customer Support staff in the UK. John Steven will get in touch with you.
I would appreciate if you share any communication with John so we can try to help you.

Uli
 
Re: Uli Behringer of The Music Group Q&A

Dear Tim,

My name is John Steven and I'm part of The Music Group Customer Support Team, we work directly with the distribution network. With regards to specifically being able to demo the X32; when this product first arrives in the UK, which will be in August, you have one of our key UK partners, Red Submarine (gear4music.com) just 20 miles away in York. Additionally, you also have an exceptionally good pro audio store based in Leeds, The Production Room. If they have ordered the X32 and this is a store that you normally deal with you can ask them to contact me direct and I can work with our distribution network to ensure they are included in the first delivery schedule.

As someone who has worked in this industry for over 25 years, the issue of retailer support and pro-active help to end-users has always been a thorny topic. Very recently a customer contacted me directly, disgusted by the fact that a retailer treated him so badly, that he suggested if possible that I did not allow them to sell Behringer products, as they were so lazy in their attitude to customer support.

As a manufacturer we try and help the distribution network in many ways, not least of all by making our product support team available to them for training and in-store promotions. Our distributor in the UK has the most flexible order and delivery process in the industry, and has major deliveries of stock arriving every month.

I would ask that if anyone has problems trying to buy or demo Behringer of Bugera products in the UK, that reach out to me personally through the retail network and I will do everything possible to help smooth the process.

And finally, thank you for your feedback, this is the best way for us to know where problems lie and to be given the opportunity to try and fix them. The Music Group is committed to delivering the best possible products to the end user, and we put the bricks in place to help the retail channels put them in front of you; but they need to play their part as well.
 
Re: Uli Behringer of The Music Group Q&A

Dear Kristian,

Greetings to Norway and thank you for asking questions that I truly enjoy answering.

I realize that you are directing the questions at me personally and not the company but I am afraid that separating the two is not possible. Since I started this company it has become my life and in many ways an extension of who I am as a person. This company represents my life experience and is truly my only work experience. My friends joke that I am “unemployable” except for maybe a return to playing jazz in a piano bar. Perhaps that’s what I will do if I ever retire.

I started this business like many others have done, out of a desire for my own recording studio, an interest in electronics and a curiosity of business. In the early days I designed circuitry, laid out PCBs and even made my own panel graphics using Letraset. I sourced the parts, haggled for better deals and then acted as as assembly worker, salesman, accountant and even took out the trash. And I have to admit that I enjoyed every one of those roles.

Where my experience differs from many others is that I have remained completely involved in the daily operation of this business. While I no longer design or lay out boards myself, I am completely involved in the creation of every one of our products. I am also very hands-on with our management team and spend at least 18 hours a day talking to senior managers and engineers across the world. Many years ago, I came to the conclusion that sleep is overrated.

I am proud of the team we have built over the years and honored to have many employees who have been with me right from the start. I do miss the times when the whole company consisted of only 20 people and we would all work in the same building together. We could communicate directly and make decisions on the spot. That is a bit more difficult with 3,500 people on our team today, spread out across the world.

I am a firm believer in the concept of the “flywheel” as it relates to the momentum of a business. Two of my all-time favorite business books are “Good to Great” and “Great by Choice”, and they explain the concept rather clearly. That is, if you continue to do the right things and you do them well, it is like spinning a flywheel; it is difficult at the start but eventually it becomes unstoppable.

That is how I feel about our business today. We now have an incredible team of dedicated people in all functions across the company. We have the best and most well-run factory in the industry and through careful management of our resources we have the capital to pursue our dreams. My dreams have nothing to do with money; I live a comfortable yet simplistic life. Rather than spending my money for a yacht or plane, I have more fun riding my mountain bike to work and using the money instead to hire great people or to build a new factory.
I am more motivated by continual self-improvement and the goal of doing better every day. The same applies to our company.

The introduction of the X32 Digital Mixer is a landmark accomplishment for our company and for me personally. I have always pushed the envelope of affordability in professional audio but the X32 takes it to another level entirely. We have invested not only in engineering the best possible product but also we have invested in making it affordable. This is our greatest accomplishment to date and one that we are all very proud of.

Of course as we now start to offer more products aimed at the rental and production companies, the install market and live sound professionals we must also adjust our customer support model. That starts with the expansion of our factory-trained product support team, a new focus on product demonstrations and hands-on workshops and a fleet of vehicles that will take the gear as well as the message across the US and Europe.

Our new policy to repair goods is rooted in several important facts, some only recently uncovered. In a study lasting over one year we determined that from 50% to 70% of goods returned as defective had in fact, no fault found! So, in effect, we were scrapping products that in some cases had not even been plugged in by a customer who had returned it to the store for credit. These returns were costing our dealers and ourselves immense resources and were adding to e-waste unnecessarily.

Another important reason to repair goods is that we learn a lot about failure modes and in turn prevent it from happening again. When our technicians find a problem with a component they can immediately feed that information into the repair system and if needed changes can be made right on the production line the same day. This is invaluable in reducing failure rates even further the 0.75% rate they average now.

Thanks again for your excellent questions. I hope I have answered them clearly and wish you the very best in your future business interests.

Warm regards,

Uli
 
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Re: Uli Behringer of The Music Group Q&A

Hi Uli, I have two questions.

1. How do you feel about the advancements Behringer has made in the past decade, and what sort of advancements and products can we look forward to in the upcoming years?

2. Are there any things you wish you could have done differently if you could with Behringer? If so, what?
 
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