Poor Fritz

[@any-novice]
"Total cost of drivers is $1300. Cost of speakers is $3500. So how much is he actually making? Can anybody answer that without insulting me?"

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Yes. Not making much.  

• Drivers are part of the cost equation, not the total cost. 

• Missing overall  R&D research time on a build. For some it's years. 

• Missing the crossover design, parts for the "right" design.  

• Missing the labor time to build and test the crossovers.  

• Missing the cabinet R&D time and labor cost to design it right.  

• Missing the wood and veneer materials costs and storage costs.  

• Missing LABOR time to cut/assemble/build the pair of cabinets.  

• Missing the time to lay up veneer or other cosmetics for cabinets.

• Missing the time to fix or redo something on the finish, it happens.

• Missing stock of internal wiring, terminals, solder,  costs, etc.

• Missing wiring, terminals, soldering time for assembly of speakers

• Missing costs of a facility to build and store materials, speakers

• Missing costs of boxes, fillers, packaging materials and storage.  

• Missing the costs of electricity, cooling/heating of a facility. 

• Missing costs of tools, saws, blades, machinery, maintenance $
  

• Missing shared property tax costs if you own the facility and land.

• Missing time and labor $ for packing and shipping costs $.

• Demos cost $. All sunk cost $.  Who absorbs these return costs...  

• [Add] glue, and several things probably missed here, $

• Missing the time-cost $ answering everyone's questions for FREE.

• Time is $.  Remember boutique builders, where respect is due.
  

Caution:  
Only brave souls with extra savings $ need try to build and sell quality "value" speakers for public consumers in a boutique setting. It takes a very special person to do this long term for the audio community.  

>>Respect to those who do it well and stay in business<<.  Go Fritz! 

@decooney...
+100000 great post

Well said decooney!

I’d like to add that I’ve looked inside the Carreras and Carbon 6’s and they both use a good amount of no rez and the are braced really well.  They are very solid and pass the knuckle test no problem.

Fritz explained that the cost of doing any rounded cabinets and the cost would go up substantially.  He also said that he had experimented with various materials and cabinets that were completely inert and he felt that these cabinets had the best blend of being inert but still alive enough to impart the music with life.

Fritz’s speakers are fun to listen to.  They are not overly bright but yet they have great detail.  The Carreras are so special that listening becomes an occasion.  I’m in hifi heaven with the Belles Aria and the DSP I have going on now.  
I could go on for days about how delicious these sound but I’d rather you just have Fritz build you a pair and then you can see for your self!

kenjit is living proof that the fable of The Princess and The Pea was based on an actual person.