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The return of the DIYer

I’ve been thinking about several trends and forces that are affecting our hobby and how this will change things.

The global pandemic and supply issues, unemployment and how disposable income has dwindled in the middle class over the last 30-40 years. The brick and mortar showroom is vanishing, and audio shows have become scarce. About the only aspect of the audio industry which has not dwindled or hurt as much are bloggers/review sites and DIY suppliers.

Our hobby grew up out of tinkerers and experimenters, and then seemed to have been subsumed by the all powerful consumer. The arm chair speaker or amplifier designer who could talk tech without every doing a bit of math or soldering became what we call a "true audiophile" so long as they regularly bought and sold gear.

Now though, perhaps the tables are turning. The lack of funds in many an audiophile’s pocket, lack of ability to go listen for yourself, I’d like to believe the age of the mega speaker holding the cover of audio magazines is over. I honestly wouldn’t mind seeing most mega-speakers vanish, being rarely more than excess without commensurate capabilities. Tweaked sounds, and fashionable trends in frequency alterations dominated the press and showrooms.

Is that all over? And if it is over, are we ready to return to our roots as makers instead of buyers, or are we in a temporary malaise? Nothing more than a flu from which we will bounce back? Or is the DIY er himself to vanish as well with the hobby?
erik_squires
sns
3,464 posts
 
DIY are starting to be heard, check out newly proposed 'National Right To Repair' bill. Proprietary rights are being taken to extremes by many corporations, they don't even want you to have the ability to open up their product. More vertical integration, trying to control profit generation for life of product.
Yes, manufacturers do have property rights, they have the right to prove property theft to the courts. But we're talking about diy hobbyists here, assume we're not trying to market the equipment we've modified. I don't see audiogon or even the diy forums as platform for property theft for enriching oneself.

I suspect some of these manufacturers would like to seal their equipment with tracking devices that directly report tampering to internal police force. Well, ok, give me lifetime full warranty coverage at no charge.
Reverse engineering has been going on since the beginning of more complex innovation, property rights last for limited time. This is how knowledge is dispersed and further innovation promoted.
pwayland
82 posts
 
I would venture to say DIY is alive and well in this hobby and may be gaining momentum. For me it's about self-reliance and extends beyond just updating and modifying electronics. 
I hope the Right to Repair takes hold, although I'm personally not that interested in schematics of boards with hundreds of surface mount components, I do hope there are those that are and can save them from the landfills.
mrklas
441 posts
 
If you are a DIYer - great.  My not being a DIYer doesn't diminish my enjoyment of the music.  In the end, I want to hear music from my system - not work on my system. 

My time is important to me and I'd rather pay for an outcome (listening pleasure) than buy and experience (pride in creating something with my hands) when it comes to my audition equipment.  
czarivey
5,946 posts
 
RadioShack used to have all the tools and circuit components and not only RadioShack.
Instruction manuals for sound equipment used to have schematics of all boards printed and now instead all we read that access under the box should only be done by professional.
DIYing died back then.
erik_squires OP
16,414 posts
 
RadioShack used to have all the tools and circuit components and not only RadioShack.
Instruction manuals for sound equipment used to have schematics of all boards printed and now instead all we read that access under the box should only be done by professional.
DIYing died back then.



You know, you hit it on the head.  With the death of Radio Shack it's really hard for a hobbyist to get into anything without a mentor or group.  I mean, sure, the Internet has a video for that, but why would you eve get interested? How do you get started?

The big interest is in robotics and Python and Raspberry Pi.
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