Millercarbon's Mega Moab Mod Meander

I agree with the concept of what you're saying Chuck, but in reality, most Porsche tinkerers have tuner shops do the upgrades of suspension, roll cages, etc. I don't know of many audio "tuners" out there, heck, there are hardly any repair shops.

You doing your own lab work is great, and there is a small number of audiophiles who want to get their hands this dirty. I am surprised there isn't a business out there seeking to upgrade crossovers and drivers in speakers, SS components, etc.

If the manufacturers can economically improve the sound, I would think they would want to. Once you start spending more on the product, you have to charge more, and the marketing positioning changes. What you are doing is providing the free labor and paying more for the parts. It's like that car show Wheeler Dealers where they try to make money fixing and improving used cars and selling them at a profit. When they do the summaries at the end of the show, they never appropriately value all the time spent by the mechanic, and even the main guy's time hunting around for various parts.

Just like older Porsches typically command more money for originality, I wonder what the market is for homemade upgrades on audio. Now, if they came from a manufacturer, that would be another conversation.

rushfan71 yes I am sure they will! Ted Denney tells me it is time not power level that soaks and equilibrates dielectrics, so just leave on 24/7 for a week. The Melody blew a tube last week, have been running it on an old spare backup set, might just leave it one and see what happens. At least the first few days anyway, I am off this weekend and next Mon/Tues.  

Great news! DHL notified me my Townshend Pods are out for delivery! I will have them today! Thank you John Hannant for getting them out so fast! 

Was thinking the crossovers would have to go in without, then add Pods later. Now it will all be in one fell swoop! Yes!!  

sokogear, I am working on another project in tandem with this one. That one in some respects is actually ahead of this one. What I mean, it has passed proof of concept. It has been done. It works. The challenge now is to figure out how to make it cost effective, to sell at a profit and still be good value, and of course to be something people can actually use. 

Because yes there is a skill level, and there is time. There was a time we had Dynaco and Speakerlab and even today we have some kits people can get a lot for their money if they are willing and able to turn a screwdriver and solder. That is about the level we are talking. That is the way I started, building a Dynaco ST400 in High School.  

This current project, everything all-in is well over $2k. Probably close to $3k if you count the BDR, Mats, and Pods. Some of this like BDR was already here just sitting around left over but you get the idea. One guy on FB was wanting me to make him one- until I said $2k just in parts! 

BUT this is more a learning curve thing than an actual problem. The learning curve is what all us who have done mods know very well, that manufacturers always use the cheapest possible parts they can get away with! This means the guy with mere soldering skills can easily do a $5k or even $10k upgrade for $1k worth of parts. We who have done this know this. Problem is hardly anyone else gets it. 

That is my big motivation for doing this. Already know very well these punch way above their weight even in stock form. With this crossover upgrade, forget about it! Mine are 194 & 195. There are probably by now 200 pair out there. Ten percent market penetration would be huge, but even that would only be 20. So whatever I do will be with the thought in mind there could be a market for this- of a whopping 10-20 customers. Maybe. 

Michael Spallone does something like this. He figured out a great cap and diode mod for Synergistic Active Shielding MPC. I know, I bought it. Because even though I can DIY he is the man who knows which parts really sound the best. So it would be like that. IF I can get the wiring figured out AND find some really primo wire AND figure out how to deliver something your average motivated screwdriver solderer can handle... but yeah you are right. Any way you slice it, huge amount of work to sell only a small number, just not worth it. 

That is the challenge all these manufacturers face. Eric's real genius was to figure out a better way of using the same parts to deliver sound at a level no one can touch at that price point. If he made them like mine, even though he would pay maybe $1k for the parts that cost me $2k that would still wind up being $3k for him to profit. At that price people look and see Encore has more drivers. There we are back at the learning curve, they see more and better drivers, crossover components are hidden inside, the average customer just does not and probably will not ever get it. 

Oh well. We do. Man am I stoked for this weekend!!!

@flynnrd - as you posted directly under a comment by petg60, (I’m guessing it wasn’t a question for me, but the timing was too good to give up)
I just went and played Faithless - Flyin Hi.
Okay it’s British rap, and it’s mixed like it’s for audiophiles, and it’s not overly crass or vulgar - and I just love that track on my system.

I love the surge, the pull, away from the curb
The way the sound-reverberate
As I push my foot down, accelerate straight out of town
And with the help of James Brown on the tape
I reach escape velocity on the M3
Transcend my physical boundaries
Blend with the mystic reality
And finally, I’m free
Traveling instantaneously through space
’Till I will reach that place within me
That has no trace of a beginning, has no end
Where I both receive and send
My soul fills the universe end to end
And I feel myself heal and mend
My mind is still and I’m floating
Look down, throttle’s still wide open
Inner serenity comfort me, past junction twenty three
On my way back, full chat and I’m flying
I won’t crack and I’ll never stop trying
I’m flying, I’ll never stop trying
I’m flying....

He’s in a 350Z, but it works for Porsche too :-) Peace brov!

@millercarbon - oh the mortgage crack was a good one. I won’t be owning a car until it’s paid off, well so long as my employer keeps buying me new GMC Sierra trucks to drive ;-P