If people had the skill, time and willingness to experiment, modify and test, a lot of money could be saved, no doubt. And there is a robust DIY community- I give huge props to those folks that are skilled and can produce good sounding gear, some of which actually gets made into commercial products. For many of us, it isn’t a realistic option.
I remember building a few kits back in the day- it was fun, and I was figuratively shocked (not literally), that they worked!
One of the nice things about hi-fi is that it is something the "shade tree mechanic" can do, circuit designs are readily available, lot’s of stuff is "known" about acoustics and design and parts are available. You don’t have to reinvent the wheel.
There’s a pretty good biography about the Wright Brothers that was published a year or so ago. They didn’t just "invent" the airplane- there were lot’s of people around the world working on the same problem- manned heavier than air, controllable, powered flight. Their success came not just from their mechanical skills as bicycle makers, but from their willingness to learn the science of flight, which was still a mystery at that time. Wing shape, control surfaces, etc. Apparently, Dayton Ohio at that time had more patents than any other place in the U.S.
Unlike rocket science (which is a slightly more ambitious endeavor), DIY hi fi is fully within the reach of those who have the skill, time, etc. For the rest of us, we read fora like this one. :)
enjoy~
bill hart
