Interesting topic. I am just about there. So far about 3 years of research and development to make a DAC, Phono stage and preamp that I felt would be game changers. It was a hobby that began to take shape after everyone heard my products in their systems and asked how much for me. I am talking about 30 seconds into the demonstration. Two non brick dealers wanted my products for the shows last year but I could not commit then. Originally I had build everything for myself as I was having difficulty finding something that was better than what I had that was significantly better. Everyone wanted one but since everyone knew me that wanted me to make something for them. I have a day job and know that I do not have the capital to really make products that I can mass produce. My products are all hand wired with expensive parts so nothing inexpensive. The hardest part was getting small quantities of a chassis made. The design is in the third re-design and I am not even really ready to go all out yet. Now design the shipping box, foam inserts, etc. Reviews, well if you don't know how to get your product reviewed you cannot just call up a reviewer and they jump for you. The only difference I can say is that my products are Direct Heated Triode designs so they really have never heard these before. But I am not there yet. Parts, parts, parts, yeah plenty of parts until you need to order quantities around the holidays, then out of stock. I learned that lesson along the way. So my goal was to begin with local audiophiles that I know in the NYC area. Find a few people in other parts of the country who had a following or carried off brand lines (not the local brick audio stores) who could get my product out there and offer a trial period. (anyone interested with a following, let me know). Then a few of the audio clubs to get some traction and start some buzz on some forums. Still not there yet. There are plenty of set backs in design and production (again my products are hand made).
The only reason I started this was because when someone wanted to hear my product in their system versus another manufacturers product in the same price range, it was an easy decision for them. I took my DAC to a few dealers who also agreed that the sound was something very different then what they had. The change was very big in the majority of the cases. Speakers are difficult because they are hard to ship out for a trial period. And you would have to make something that someone else says hey, these are better than what I currently own and they are compelled to make the purchase.
I also agree that this is a shrinking world. But there is a market for something that makes a difference in a system that most people have not heard before. I know I am competitive within my price range.
My goal was to build the best sound that no one had heard before. I did accomplish that in my opinion but the cost is high for a start-up. I also thought that I should have designed a cheaper product line first and have something that could be massed produced. It just was not the path my partner and I thought about until recently.
I am currently working towards the audio shows later in the year. I am keeping fingers crossed at this time. I probably have $40K invested and another $10K coming this month. Don't tell my wife!
My main objective is building what someone has never heard before and has been chasing like most of us for a long time. I know my DAC and phono stage do that and also my preamp. BUT IMO the source makes the biggest difference (I know it is my opinion please) so we will see if I can get there later this year.
I just took a trip to a few audiophiles homes last week. One person had my first DAC design and he sold it to another guy who was floored by it. The person who bought the first one could not believe that the second generation could be better. He kept asking me how, where, what is the difference. I told him everything. He did not believe me. I told him that I would bring one to him to hear. We plugged the DAC in cold and he looked at me within 30 seconds and said, OK yeah its way better. The more we let it play (tubes take about 20-30 minutes to begin to warm up) he was floored. So that was another DAC that never made it home with me. If I never got that look, I would have never taken the next step. To me without that, I would be just another audio company.
I encourage everyone to make something for yourself. Learn what makes the sound different and how to improve your systems sound. My partner was very experienced and I learned so much about design, what parts do, how to change or modify a design to improve the sound and also very important, how to listen. Now I can hear a system and pretty much tell what the sonic signature is of each component and what makes the system sound the way it does. It does get in the way of sitting back and enjoying music sometimes though.
Thanks for reading and Happy Listening.
