Mend it Mark gets suspect copyright strike for £25k audio amp repair

Video availability & Streisand effect

• Original YouTube repair video was removed after a copyright claim; users note it’s still accessible via Internet Archive and torrents.
• Several commenters explicitly seed or share archival links, framing this as a classic “Streisand Effect” where takedown attempts increase attention.

What might be infringing? (Unclear / disputed)

• Many watched the original and saw no obvious copyright violation beyond normal teardown/repair footage.
• Possibilities floated:
  • Brief use of a commercial music track at the end (rejected because the takedown notice names the manufacturer, not a label).
  • Use of the manufacturer’s logo on a self-made service manual (more like trademark than copyright).
  • Detailed reproduction of PCB layouts and internals, and a formally prepared design/service document.
  • Reading and mocking the marketing blurb from the manufacturer’s website.
• One detailed comment argues the real issue may be UK “design right” (covering recorded shapes/configurations of products), not traditional copyright, and that the creator’s training-course framing weakens any “educational” defense.

YouTube’s copyright/strike system & incentives

• Multiple commenters stress that a “copyright strike” is a YouTube policy construct, only loosely tied to actual law.
• Frustration that claims are easy to file, opaque, and hard to contest without doxxing oneself or having a large channel.
• Debate over DMCA, safe-harbor obligations, and a past lawsuit pushing YouTube toward over-enforcement.
• Suggestions include loser-pays, escrow or penalties for bogus claims, stricter DMCA evidentiary requirements, or shifting more liability away from platforms.

Perception of the amp & audiophile industry

• Many see the £25k preamp’s build quality as embarrassingly “prototype-ish” with questionable mechanical decisions (e.g., plastic standoffs, PCB stacking, overkill regulators).
• Recurrent criticism of high-end audiophile gear and accessories as “snake oil” or Veblen goods whose value is mostly status and marketing.
• Some argue that such exposure can materially damage boutique audio brands’ reputations.

Views on the repair creator & ethics

• Strong praise for the repairer’s skill, pedagogy, and thoroughness; several share other repair videos as examples.
• A minority note that public mockery of a small manufacturer or previous repair work can have real consequences, suggesting the drama aspect isn’t entirely victimless.