Beware of Knockoffs

Multiple companies are selling knockoffs of our original designs. The knockoffs have quality and performance deficiencies which create compelling reasons to choose originals from SynthRISE (formerly KVgear) instead. We ask that you continue to support us so we can continue to support you and your synthesizers.

Boring Facts

Analog Cases XTS Stands are lower quality knockoffs of SynthRISE Utility M1 and Utility L1 stands. Although Analog Cases was smart enough to copy our designs, they made unfortunate decisions which cause their XTS stands to be less stable, less adaptable, and far less expandable.

XTS Stands Are Less Stable

XTS stands use lower quality trim and knobs which cause occasional loosening of knobs, leading to instability of the stand and a slight tendency for gear to slip out of position on the stand. The same is mostly true for Innox and Headliner 2-Tier and 3-Tier desktop synth stands which are slightly enlarged knockoffs of KVgear Utility M2 and Utility M3 stands. All of these knockoffs are manufactured in China.

See our Synth Stand Showdown which directly compares the wobbly Analog Cases XTS knockoff stand against the rock solid original SynthRISE Utility M1. And for proof of toughness, see this video of our Utility M1 supporting our chief engineer as he does push-ups on them. We attempted to reproduce this stunt using XTS stands, but we had to give up when the XTS stand slid across the floor like a greased pig.

XTS Stands Are Less Adaptable and Expandable

SynthRISE stands are unmatched for adjustability and expandability: telescoping tubes for width adjustment, mounting points for an add-on upper tier, two different mounting points for Adapt Wings OG which provide stability for extreme loads, three different metal shelves, and hook extenders to securely hold odd-shaped gear. SynthRISE stands are unmatched for quality: extra sticky rubber trim that securely grips your gear, plus premium knobs that hold tight and look great. And SynthRISE is unmatched for innovation: we've introduced several unique stand designs to the market and have more in the pipeline.

See the Timeline below for perspective on how this situation has developed.

Synth Stand Mystery, Part 1: Tainted Love

If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then Analog Cases must hold SynthRISE in high regard. Why else would Analog Cases copy our products and then lavish praise on their nearly identical knockoffs, describing them as "a unique extendable design", the "most versatile ... stands on the planet", "the ultimate in stability", "a revolutionary new solution", and "innovative tools for your studio"? We’re blushing at the idea that Analog Cases thinks our designs are deserving of those words. But the red in our cheeks is also due to multiple false claims from Analog Cases.

KVgear originally created these stands in 2016 with enhancements in 2020, and we've been selling them worldwide ever since. Copying old designs is the antithesis of “revolutionary” and “unique”. And, if Analog Cases XTS Stands lack the adjustment and expansion features of KVgear Utility stands, how can they call their knockoffs the “most versatile”?

Their behavior is a mystery. Perhaps the reason for bizarre behavior by Analog Cases is that they adore SynthRISE’s designs so much that they got overexcited and said things they’ll regret in the morning. Alas, we cannot reciprocate their tainted love.

Synth Stand Mystery, Part 2: The Curious Case of the Enthusiastic CEO.

The plot thickens ...

In December 2022, a person in Los Angeles placed an order for a Utility M1 stand. This would be followed over the next 4 months by six more orders, totaling to five Utility M1 stands, an Adapt L1 stand, plus Expansion Shelves in large and medium sizes. During this period, the customer emailed us several times with praise for our Utility M1 stands. This customer asked a few probing questions about sizing of our stands and comparisons between our different models of one tier stands. We communicated in our normal upbeat and open manner. Little did we know that there was trouble afoot in Los Angeles which would soon head our way. After noticing the launch of Analog Cases XTS stands, we examined our records and discovered that the CEO of Analog Cases placed all of these orders for stands, with most of the orders being shipped to an address that matches the official business address for Analog Cases.

Timeline

See below for a timeline of how KVgear (now SynthRISE) and our products have evolved over the years. A simplified overview of Analog Cases is included alongside.

	KVgear	Analog Cases
2013	KVgear is founded and launches with Volca power supplies and wood cases
2014	New products launched: Key Dog, Volca daisy chain cable, Volca case with integrated power and audio jack panel.
2015	New products launched: Lobe V3 and V4 stands, Model A stand and shelf.
2016	New products launched: Utility M1/L1/L2/XL1, Volc 45 -2/3/4, Ramp Rack short/medium/long, Expansion Shelf Medium/Large, Stiletto Angled/Flat, Boo-1/2/3.
2017	New products launched: Vixen mixer, Utilility M2/M3/Mx0x, Volca Eurorack Mounting Kit
2018	Both production batches of our Vixen mixer sell out.	Analog Cases begins.
2019	New products launched: Captive B2/B3/B4/EK2/EK3/V2/V3/V4, Adapt L1/L2, Adapt Wings, Stand Risers
2020	New products launched: Gear Rail, SubPiggy, EDS-1K/2/3 stands, EDS-UX add-on tier, Stand Risers. Upgraded all stands to use extendable telescoping connectors.
2021	Our stands continue to sell great worldwide.
2022	Sales of existing stands remain strong.
2023	Heads down and nose to the grindstone, we've been redesigning our entire catalog of stands to use a new system that can accurately be described as revolutionary, innovative, unique, and the most versatile. We expect to receive at least 2 patents for the new system. We're almost ready to launch, and then we discover that ...	... Analog Cases knocks off KVgear designs, but uses materials and design tweaks that decrease stability. Analog Cases makes false claims in their XTS stand marketing such as: "revolutionary new solution", "innovative", "unique extendable design", "most versatile"
2024	Big things are coming from KVgear in early 2024. For real.	What revolutionary things will the Copy-and-Paste Department at Analog Cases drop in 2024?

A CALL FOR HELP

Please purchase original stands directly from SynthRISE. We've retired our old Utility stands and replaced them with the vastly superior Adapt line. And please spread the word about our stands online. If the issue of knockoffs comes up in your online conversations, feel free to share a link to this page. We devote most of our time to designing, manufacturing and shipping stands. We spend too little time on marketing, so any noise you make on our behalf would be helpful. But don’t worry, we’re not dependent entirely on word of mouth. Coincidentally, we had been planning on ramping up our marketing efforts anyway. See our SynthRISE YouTube channel and Instagram for our latest developments.

Why Avoid Knockoffs?

A knockoff is usually designed and manufactured with less attention to detail than the original, often resulting in reduced performance. Analog Cases XTS knockoff stands suffer from a lack of expandability due to omission of mounting holes, a lack of available accessories, and they suffer from stability problems due to slippery edge trim, plus the knobs have a tendency to loosen in some situations.

A knockoff is usually less expensive than the original. Curiously, Analog Cases is charging more for their knockoffs even though their stands are manufactured in China and they were able to save substantial money by taking advantage of R&D conducted by KVgear.

But even if the knockoffs were less expensive, is it in the consumer’s best interest to buy them? If we limit our judgment only to the short-term, then yes, consumers benefit from knockoffs. But if we extend our vision further, we’ll see that the host company is damaged when consumers support the parasites, which leads the host company to take any of the following actions: go out of business, stop development of new products, raise prices to cover the high cost of patents, or refuse to develop interesting but non-patentable products. The end result is less innovation and possibly less competition.

Why Support SynthRISE?

We’ve been developing and manufacturing stands and accessories since 2013. We are the oldest producer of power supplies and daisy chain cables for Volcas. We stand behind our products and provide exceptional customer support. Our stands have proven their durability worldwide for over 10 years, which gives us the confidence to offer the longest manufacturer's warranty in the business. We frequently give free advice to musicians who request help in organizing their studios. We created The Volca Guide as a service to the community. Most of our manufacturing and shipping processes are optimized to reduce waste and environmental impact. We design and assemble all of our stands here in Chicago in the USA, using components that are 80% from the USA and 20% imported.

We’ve worked tirelessly developing many innovative synth stands and accessories. Check out our unique Key Dog key weight and our Adapt line of stands that boast a tremendous amount of versatility and adjustability. And don’t forget about our unusual and highly useful SubPiggy and Gear Rail stands. All of these products have been developed with expert engineering and an obsessive attention to detail. And there’s more to come, but we can't reveal anything until patent applications have be submitted..

All of this is evidence of our commitment to synth users and our desire to make this tiny sliver of the world a better place.