797 Audio Sennheiser copies

  • Thread starter Thread starter crawdad
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crawdad

crawdad

Dammit, Jim, Shut Up!
Thought some of you might like to see this if you haven't already. These are copies of the Sennheiser 441 and 421 as made by 797 Audio in China. As I understand it, you can't order one in the USA due to trademark problems, but here they are.

http://www.797audio.com/product6.htm
 
I would bet my expensive 441 against that $20 mic any day. Then I would have a real one and a fake one.
 
Yeah, all this has been known since the turn of the century...

Although, I've never known anyone who has been able to get their hands on one of the 797 Audio dynamic mics. Anytime anyone has ever asked, the response I heard they got back was they weren't interested in selling them. Maybe if you actually bought it while you are in China? MAYBE?!

By the way, just because they look like fimiliar mics on the outside, doesn't mean at all that that is what it sounds like, somewhat sounds like, or even what 797 Audio was trying to get them to sound like. I mean, my CR998s may look like a C12 on the outside, but on the inside, it certainly does NOT look like a C12 and I know FOR SURE that a C12 internally is NOT what they were trying to emulate!
 
Ive seen an EV version of the 421, I guess that we could ask a member from China, I think we have a few there, somehow I doubt that the mics are $25.
 
797 do not sell the mic, they just have not updated their web site. Many Chinese still have cloan mics in their catalogs, but they are smart enough not to sell them anywhere except China.

So no one will be able to buy them.
 
What keeps them from cloning the mics, the patents only really effective for 13 years, and EV did an exact replica a long time ago.

Ive set eyes on this mic, it exists.
 
Recording Engineer said:
Yeah, all this has been known since the turn of the century...
Click to expand...

Recording engineer: Hey, sorry I brought it up. :D

Just thought maybe somewhere, someplace, there was someone who was not aware of this.

On the other hand, you make some good points too. Just because it LOOKS like something familiar doesn't mean it SOUNDS like the trusted brand, as you obviously have learned.

If Darrn_h2000 is right, whats preventing any company from making clones of these tried and true dynamics?

My whole reason for posting this was that we were having a discussion about 797 Audio in another thread, discussing how many mic companies buy off the shelf stuff and stick a brand name on them. I thought it might be useful to somebody to understand that these clones exist--for the very reasons you brought up.

And for those of you who already know all this, my apologies for bringing this to your attention.
 
If I recall correctly, 797 don't sell any clone mics outside of China. Their prime business these days is supplying Rode with certain components and manufacturing export mics exclusively for Studio Projects and anyone from outside of China wanting a 797 mic is likely to be referred to PMI/Studio Projects.

Alan may wish to confirm or correct this.

Specifically discussing clone mics from Asia is a guessing game, as these manufacturers will not willingly reveal what they supply and to whom.

:cool:
 
That still doesnt keep a member from china from buying one and shipping it here via UPS. There are a few from China and Korea on the boards but I cant remember who.

If I were there I would be aquireing them now and selling them at a big markup to my stateside homereccer chums, that is if they pass muster.
 
I'll bet the Sennheiser clones sound little like the real thing, and that the capsule is probablly the same one as in their Shure clones, probably the same transformers and whatnot, too.

The 421, I could see someone actually coming close to or, with a serious effort which I imagine isn't the case here, surpassing, but the 441 has got to be untouchable.

Bear
 
crawdad said:


Recording engineer: Hey, sorry I brought it up.

Just thought maybe somewhere, someplace, there was someone who was not aware of this.

On the other hand, you make some good points too. Just because it LOOKS like something familiar doesn't mean it SOUNDS like the trusted brand, as you obviously have learned.

If Darrn_h2000 is right, whats preventing any company from making clones of these tried and true dynamics?

My whole reason for posting this was that we were having a discussion about 797 Audio in another thread, discussing how many mic companies buy off the shelf stuff and stick a brand name on them. I thought it might be useful to somebody to understand that these clones exist--for the very reasons you brought up.

And for those of you who already know all this, my apologies for bringing this to your attention.
Click to expand...

crawdad,

I was just making a little funny... And honestly telling everyone when a lot of us saw 797 Audio come-out of the wood-work; although they've been here a good portion of the time! And no apologies needed for bringing this up again.

ausrock said:


Specifically discussing clone mics from Asia is a guessing game, as these manufacturers will not willingly reveal what they supply and to whom.
Click to expand...

RIGHT! I've tried to keep-up on it all and was doing a VERY good job with it in the beginning if I may say so myself! However, it has become WAY too time consuming now that damn near eveyone and their mama has a mic with their name and logo on it coming out of various factories in China, that I don't even try or care anymore! I now keep-up enough to know that as a general statement, it's most likely not worth your effort if it's not a Studio Projects now that 797 Audio is exclusively OEMing mics for Studio Projects and capsules for Rode.

What's preventing any company from making clones of dynamics?

I'd say what's preventing is there actually being anyone out there wanting to and being successful at it no matter where that "success" may lay. That goes for damn-near ALL mics! Is there really anyone out there that could even do it? If so, even then make it worthwhile? Is there really any reason behind it? Is there really any money in it? Is there really a real demand for it with the excecption of a few mics I can count with my fingers on 1 hand which haven't been manufactured in quite some time; which would only be bought by those who can afford an original anyway?

Don't forget, 797 Audio's microphone history is a branch off Germany's tree, given by Germany after WWII and was adapted by China for China considering their government system, the way other countries viewed their government sysytem at the time, and their cultural general philosphy of business.
 
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