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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
nrchy's avatar
nrchy
2,124 posts
 
How much of the problem is that people just don't know you and the quality of work it is possible for you to turn out. If someone else knows they couldn't build a first rate piece of equipment why should they think you can? I build furniture in my spare time (Ha!) and people are alwways surprised that it doesn't look homemade or even worse, like crap. Who makes anything anymore. With the mentality of "buy everything" not many people understand quality anymore. Look at the clothes people wear!?! They could make a shirt for five dollars or buy it for fifty. People will keep buying the fifty dollar shirts and name brand mid-fi and think they got a great deal while yours will sound better.
wstritt
170 posts
 
Many people probably think about the DIY projects they did themselves either as a kid or otherwise and extrapolate that experience to all DIY situations (for example, I believe I am a fairly good amatuer carpenter but I recognize my limitations and I certainly wouldn't buy a house built by me). Further, some might extrapolate that if it was "good", you would commercialize it but since you haven't it must not really be "good". There may also be the fear of "sawdust in the transmission" that give people pause in buying DIY equipment from unknown quantities.

In many cases, these extrapolations may be correct, though not necessarily in your (or all) cases. I don't know you or your work personally so I can make no judgement. However, you probably get painted with the same broad brush. Let's face it, there is some comfort (or discomfort) in a known brand from a quality, reputation, and/or repair perspective.

Having said that, I gather that there are some folks out there who do "mods" on equipment who, by word of mouth, have established a "brand", presumably having started from tinkering. So there is hope.

Good luck.

Bill
musicdoc
320 posts
 
Man, the key is to not give a f*%k what other people think and just enjoy what YOU know to be the "truth." If people who see your system can't get past their visual perceptions and their value systems to hear the result, their loss. The MMTB crowd drives the commercial aspect of this hobby, and likely always will.
marakanetz's avatar
marakanetz
5,473 posts
 
Here is what you need to do:
-- First name your company with meaningful unoccupied name.
-- Second state your philosophy and scientific conclusion on the home page.
-- Third take care of advertising your product over the internet, among the small retailers and than further on in the magasines like Stereofile or something else.

And finally Even if it's DIY who's going to care if it's so good!!! :^)
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.
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