advertisement


Any lawyers or solicitors here that can help ?

I think you'll probably find that the answer is 'it depends' unless you go into the specifics. Each country is different, and there is also consumer protection legislation as well as trademark and patent law to consider. I think we have some a trademark lawyer on the forum who may be along with some info.

A casual legal answer is always 'it depends', rightly so and indeed it does. Lawyers then make their money testing the 'it depends' in or out of court.
 
Lawyer is a generic term in the UK for anyone who has studied law and isn't the same as having a professional legal qualification such as solicitor or barrister. I am a lawyer but you really wouldn't want advice from me.
 
Lawyer is a generic term in the UK for anyone who has studied law and isn't the same as having a professional legal qualification such as solicitor or barrister. I am a lawyer but you really wouldn't want advice from me.
Really? Interesting, didn't know that, I always assumed that it meant someone actually qualified in law. (I'm also not; I have patent and trade mark attorney qualifications in several jurisdictions, but no law degree).
 
I think I'm going to drop the idea entirely and just let the designs speak for themselves. They look like BBC speakers and that's close enough.
I am just going to say "inspired by classic designs" and just leave it at that. My logos and everything else are entirely different.

OTOH, You have the SP100 and the Harbeth 40, for example, and they are both versions of the same schematic idea, so I don't know why I can't do it too.
It's not made under liscense, but following a general specification, right ?
 
Plus, there's all these versions of the LS35/A. I don't know what is stopping me from making a "version" as long as I don't infringe on anyone's trademark or claim my product is made in England.....
 
I agree with Tones. Geographical designations tend to be for foodstuffs and wines - e.g. Stilton cheese, Champagne, Parma Ham.

At a fundamental level we are talking about the tort of passing off. Is there a misrepresentation as to the origin or quality of the goods likely to deceive or confuse a purchaser? If so it is probably actionable by a party adversely affected.

Well, they are not made in England. I think I'm going to leave it as "Inspired By Classic Designs" and forget about any references to England, although I HAVE gotten attention just by saying, "would you like to try my British Speakers made in the USA" ? That's actually how I'd like to word it.
 
If you are planning to make proper thin-wall plywood screwed-baffle speakers saying BBC-influenced design would be perfectly fair IMO. It would however be entirely inappropriate to say that if they were glued-MDF!

I would agree but I know someone who took apart a famous (current model) BBC speaker and it was partially MDF. Anyway, I want to make mine sealed (acoustic suspension). I would think the thin walls would only work on a ported system unless the speaker was very small, but I haven't done this so it's just conjecture.
 
Stumpy

Inspired by Classic British Design seems OK. Anyway, who do you think might sue you?
 
I would agree but I know someone who took apart a famous (current model) BBC speaker and it was partially MDF. Anyway, I want to make mine sealed (acoustic suspension). I would think the thin walls would only work on a ported system unless the speaker was very small, but I haven't done this so it's just conjecture.

My point is that this *is* the British BBC design of which you speak, and to try arguing that something that is not this somehow is is disingenuous IMHO. I know there are many doing it, e.g. I have huge issues with all speakers calling themselves LS3/5As aside from the current Falcon, as with that exception they just aren’t LS3/5As at all as they do not have either the correct drivers or crossovers, some don’t even have the right boxes. Same for Graham’s LS5/8 and 5/9 etc, they are genuinely lovely speakers that are influenced by the BBC originals (I really like them!), but they don’t even use the correct divers! They are just not the thing they purport to be. Harbeth (who I think are the only ones using MDF cabs) are only ‘influenced by’ BBC design, none of their speakers has a LSx/x designation so they have rather more freedom for interpretation.

I have no issue with influence or homage to great designs, but I have real problems with things claiming to be things they very clearly are not.
 
Leave out any specific references to ‘British’ but start being seen around wearing plus fours and tweeds. Sneak a Bulldog or Labrador into your marketing shots, and make oblique references to cricket and warm beer in the copy. Simples.
 
it might be perfectly legal, but as a potential customer, I think it is a crass wannaabee attempt to emulate the successes of others, without having confidence in your own work.

hmmm - not sure about that - if you designed your own amplifier based on time honoured 'british' strategies and you came by it earnestly i think it's a reasonable moniker - just like if you made a GIGANTIC class A amplifier with five foot heat sinks etc you may also have every right to call it 'american' (?)
 
hmmm - not sure about that - if you designed your own amplifier based on time honoured 'british' strategies and you came by it earnestly i think it's a reasonable moniker - just like if you made a GIGANTIC class A amplifier with five foot heat sinks etc you may also have every right to call it 'american' (?)

You need to read more carefully, I didn't say they had no right to name it or express it how they like.

I gave my opinion as a potential customer - and as we know the customer is always right.
 
I have an audio legal question, a simple one. I'd rather ask it via PM, but I can pose it in a roundabout way...

Apparantely if a product is called "Swiss chocolate" you can't make chocolate in, say, the USA and call it "Swiss chocolate" or I think even "Swiss style choclolate". I may be wrong about that.

Stumpy
You are mistaken. You can call yogurt from any country "Greek Style Yogurt" if it has the right characteristics. I know, I have made the stuff here in the UK. See also "Napoli Style pizza" or "New York style bagels"
Don't confuse this with a PGO product (Protected Geographical Origin, see also AOC, DOC, etc), for example Feta cheese, which used to be made all over Europe until the Greeks got it declared (via the EU) as a PGO product made in Greece only, it now has to be called "Greek Style cheese2 if it is made in Germany, Holland, etc. See also Champagne (very very strict labelling rules here), Stilton cheese, many French cheeses. Cornish butter.
I am referring here to UK/EU laws. Food labelling law is part of my job.
 
Thanks for all the opinions. I decided to skirt the issue almost entirely and only once mentioned "BBC style monitor" because in truth, these aren't copies or BBC spec by a long shot.

www.savantespeakers.com
 
does this mean anything? what is it about your speakers, that is BBC style?

nothings it seems - IMO it is disingenuous at best and misleading at worst. Your choice, and your product......but I wouldn't
I'm inclined to agree. As a customer, if I knew what BBC style implied, I'd be miffed if the product didn't conform to what I expected. And if I didn't know, I might form the mistaken impression that all BBC speakers sounded and behaved like those.
 


advertisement


Back
Top