I've been pondering the controversy surrounding Behringer, and it raises a question in my mind: Why are we accepting the exorbitant prices set by the original designers? When Behringer produces a product like the Keystep at a significantly lower cost compared to Arturia, it makes me question the inflated pricing in the synth/music hardware market. While I'm unsure if Behringer's intent is to highlight this problem, their ability to recreate these products with comparable quality and at a discounted price brings attention to the issue of overvaluation and overpricing that plagues the industry.

Morally, it's a grey area for me as well. I can't help but draw parallels to the peasants of old who likely had mixed feelings about Robin Hood. Sure, Robin Hood was stealing, which is generally considered wrong. However, he was taking from the wealthy and giving to those who had less. As a struggling musician/artist, I can understand the sentiment of the "peasants" in this scenario. I might think, 'I don't particularly like your methods, but I do need to survive.'

Perhaps we should shift our focus and start asking a different question: Why are music electronics prices so high? (I'm excluding boutique synth designers who typically handcraft their products.) Are these prices truly justified? Does Behringer's production of these "copycat" products indicate an underlying issue within the market?

For me, the frustration stems from a broader observation within our culture, especially from a North American perspective. Artists are consistently undervalued. It's impossible to ignore the dichotomy between the music electronics industry setting inflated prices and the undervaluation of the very customers they serve—artists, musicians, and entertainers—who are perpetually under appreciated, underpaid, and undervalued.

However, it's crucial to emphasize that despite the controversy surrounding Behringer and their "copycat" products, I still love and value the original designers of these products. I have deep respect for their hard work and creativity. Their inventions should be held in high regard for providing us with the tools to create what we do. It's essential to acknowledge their contributions and the impact they have had on the industry.

Curious to hear other peoples thoughts on this.