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Thoughts on TC Electronics.

#24
I had one of their heads with the built in compression and tube tone I thought the quality was outstanding but it just wasn't the sound in my head. I love the studio gear they make especially the reverbs and the fact that they were bought out by another company doesn't bother me at all
 
#26
Why is it assumed that quality will automatically suffer when a small company is absorbed into a larger one? Can't it also be assumed the quality/innovation will increase due to having a larger R&D budget and access to better manufacturing facilities and additional market opportunities?

Did the quality of Genz Benz products drop after it was sold to KMC (Kaman/Ovation)? Did it drop again when FMIC (Fender) later bought KMC?
Quite the contrary. Some of the best Genz Benz products were designed, built and marketed during those periods.
 
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#27
wcriley said:
Why is it assumed that quality will automatically suffer when a small company is absorbed into a larger one? Can't it also be assumed the quality/innovation will increase due to having a larger R&D budget and access to better manufacturing facilities and additional market opportunities?

Did the quality of Genz Benz products drop after it was sold to KMC (Kaman/Ovation)? Did it drop again when FMIC (Fender) later bought KMC?
Quite the contrary. Some of the best Genz Benz products were designed, built and marketed during those periods.
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Because when that happens, often the new parent company seeks ways to reduce costs. That can easily be accomplished by consolidating R & D, then as a result of that bean counting, you get parts sharing and other bean counter tricks. Just look at what happened to GM with the acquisition of their various divisions for an illustration of the principles I'm referencing. I'm not saying it WILL happen but very often does.
 
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#29
wcriley said:
Doesn't reducing costs benefit the consumer?
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In the short term it may. but in the long run it stifles innovation. So the question is do you want less expensive equipment now; or, killer gear later? Further, cutting costs doesn't always mean a savings for consumers, often they are made to fatten the bottom line.
 
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#30
My first TC amp was an RH?250. I love it because it fits in my gig bag and gives me basically 3 channels plus tuner, all accessible from the footswitch. Super convenient, and the tone and volume works for me. I then bought a BH500 on SDOTD, my only gripe with it is the tuner doesn't recognize the C on my sixers (but I mostly play fives) and no footswitch, but more oomph then I need (the RH250 has plenty) and everything is built in (no downloading the compressor and tubetone through their app, which is what I have to do on the 250).

I got my money's worth and I'm happy.

As for then being bought out by Behringer, well, my first bass amp was a Behringer BX600. Nice tone, but too heavy to lug around. I also have 4 guitar amps from Behringer that sound good to great (my BC30 really does sound great!). I buy with my ears for what fits my budget and meets my needs. If I was touring (that'll never happen), I might be thinking more about reliability, but neither my TC nor Behringer stuff has let me down for the little playing I do (church). Different strokes for different folks, but for my money TCE is just fine!
 
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#32
While production quality itself might not suffer due to a change in ownership, strategic decisions from the new management can (and will often) affect how legacy products are treated. The pro audio business is (as far as I see it) very much about high performance, no-nonsense gear, reliability and mid- to long term support and maintainability. Lab.gruppen has had (at least in their Swedish home market) a fixed price service fee, with predetermined rates for repairing one channel, a conventional power supply or a SMPS, respectively. Not only that, but the rates have been VERY reasonable, and can not have generated much (if any) direct profit in itself. The fixed rate also applied for their legacy products all the way back into the mid 80's. While the MIGHT be other amplifier brands doing that too, Lab.gruppen is the only one I personally ever heard of. So not only have they offered utterly reliable equipment, they have also taken great care of all customers that have chosen their products. :thumbsup:

So, when a company like Music Group take over, why should they continue to do such "image building" maintenance work at a financial break even or mayber at a loss, when they instead can hope that 20 years old, "built to last" amplifier is replaced by a new "disposable" modern, made in China amp, thus generating more profit and sales volumes. (Because keeping "on top" of supply of old/obsolete components, documentation, ensuring supply from manufacturers of "drawn parts"; ie. non standard parts that will have to be uniquely manufactured etc is a tough task, and it keeps getting more complex and hard as time goes on.)

Again, this is not specifically related to Music Group or Behringer, but I have seen this happening before, mostly due to new ideas about "market segmentation" and "brand image" after business acquisitions like this.

By the way, in September 2014, an italian company called Prase engineering bought Lab.gruppen, a fact that is highlighted in the news flow on Lab.gruppen's home page. However, I can not find any information about Uli Behringer taking over the business, looking at the same home page... Coincindence? ;)

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
 
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#34
ebozzz said:
Did Prase actually acquire LabGruppen or was it simply a distribution deal? The way I interpret what was on that page it appears to be just distribution related.
Click to expand...

Aaahh, yeah it seems like it!
The thing is when I discussed the Lab.gruppen being bought by Music Group with my friend, who is working in the pro audio business, he replied something in the lines of: "Ok, so they are changing owners again... Weren't they just recently (as in last year, maybe?) bought by some other company in the business?"

But this was my error, not reading the text, but just thought the headline referred to the deal my friend mentioned...
 
#39
I had an RH750 a few years ago, lowest rating was 4 ohms. I seem to remember TC putting out a cab that was something like 2.7ohm that was compatible but they advised against using any other make of can under 4ohm.
To answer the op, the head was very good apart from the crappy knobs.
 
#40
Sounbwoy said:
I'm trying to find out if the BH and RH heads can handle a two ohm load. Nothing I've seen so far indicate that. Anyone have any ideas on this?
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How about the back of the amp:
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both are 4 ohm minimum. I have never seen an amp w/o the minimum on the back.
 
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