I wouldn't say that my DIY stuff would put the Big Brands to shame, but it was all quite competitive with many of them, and certainly filled my needs.
My Teres turntable was a kit, my tonearm is my DIY modded, my preamp is heavily modded, my previous cables were my DIY, my amp is David Berning's DIY(prototype), and my speakers are my DIY.
It can be done, and you can get very good results. It requires experience, knowledge, and effort. It is very rewarding to see/hear a good final product.
My Teres turntable was a kit, my tonearm is my DIY modded, my preamp is heavily modded, my previous cables were my DIY, my amp is David Berning's DIY(prototype), and my speakers are my DIY.
It can be done, and you can get very good results. It requires experience, knowledge, and effort. It is very rewarding to see/hear a good final product.