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Why do DIY products have less value ?

As many of you know, I do alot of DIY projects and am very happy with them. I have noticed that many folks seem to think that DIY stuff is not as good as store-bought stuff. It seems like they think that DIY is only for people who can't afford to buy something good. For example, when I tell people that I made my own cables, the first thing they suggest is that I buy some "good" cables. Or when I show them my DIY speakers, they say "Wow they're really good for DIY speakers. Imagine how good your system would sound with a pair of XYZ Mark 8 with petrified Jello cones and extruded pasta baskets!" What I'm saying is that there is this preconcieved notion that if it's DIY, it cannot be really good. This disturbs me. And if you try to sell a DIY item, forget it. You MIGHT get parts cost back, if you're lucky. They say "I'm not paying that much for something you cooked up in your garage. I can get the Mark 8 for only twice what you're asking." Performance is not the issue, only the idea that it did not come from a commercial maker so it just can't be as good or better as the Mark 8. All listening evaluations are always prejudiced with this view. Am I destined to be forever viewed as a tinkerer, or will anyone ever give DIY products the respect they deserve for their performance and not their origin?
twl
buckingham
333 posts
 
"And if you try to sell a DIY item, forget it. You MIGHT get parts cost back, if you're lucky"
-This is the reason why people are skeptical about buying DIY stuff... There is no standard brand or reviews to gauge the quality by. You basically have to know the guy or audition the piece in your system. I have just bought a DIY pre amp from my friend and will be receiving it later this week. I auditioned it in my system for about 2 months and requested some tweaks which were done at a very fair price for me. I am confident that this pre will sound much better than 2-3K pre amps out there and I only paid 400 (CDN). But I had to accept the fact that there was no way that I could ever resell that pre amp.
seandtaylor99
1,262 posts
 
Why do people eat the crap at McDonalds ... because they know what they're getting. Same with Hifi. If I buy homebrew from some guy I have never heard of I might get a fabulous bargain. On the other hand I might get a complete dog which I can't resell. Given the risk I'll settle for a mass manufactured item.

Plus you have to respect that Hifi is not important to the majority of the population, just as, for example, owning the ultimate car might not be important to you. Hence you buy a Toyota or similar ... it works ... you might be able to build better in your garage .. but huh, who cares.

Audiophiles seem to spend a disproportionate amount of time fretting over why non-audiophiles aren't into their hobby.
blkadr
739 posts
 
Fear of low resale value, catch 22, no? The speakers and preamp I am listening to are both available as a kit, parts quality and sound are far beyond what I have heard for the money at shops. If you are careful (lucky) its like getting the top of the line for the entry level price. Be Not Afraid.
onhwy61's avatar
onhwy61
5,216 posts
 
I applaud anyone who has the knowledge and ability to design and construct their own hifi equipment. I don't for a second doubt that the resulting product is sonically the equal to anything one could find in a store. However, there's more to product value than sound quality. When I purchase a product I pay attention to warranty, repair service, potential for upgrades and resale value. Rightly or wrongly, home built products don't offer these added value items.
s7horton
1,077 posts
 
I would have no problem buying DIY stuff, I would make my own if I had the time, and knew enough about electronics. The whole thing for me is to know what I'm buying. There are already enough scams online. I could tell you that I have a 7' tall majestic speaker that will *blow away* (I love when people use that term) Legacy Whispers or Dynaudio whatevers, only I'm charging 7500 a pair for mine. What a deal, huh? Maybe, depends on who built them, the quality of workmanship, and the sound quality. I can't test all those things unless I see the product before I buy.
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