Hi Everyone,
Yes...there is a certain momentum in these threads that gives rise sometimes to an ever increasing bite to our observations.
May I suggest that there are a great number of now successful audio manufacturers, that started in their garage or basement. I think of that as being rather wonderful, and a very healthy thing for science, and the art of audio.We, of course, are the ultimate beneficiaries.
Sometimes, these lone innovators and inventors do not find the backing they need to bring their product to a large market. Sometimes the products they make fill a rather narrow nitch in the hi-end world. May I give you a case in point.
I just purchased a tiny "passive" pre-amplifier from a cable manufacturer, that has one input and one output and a simple attenuator...it is called the Axiom and it works splendidly...I could not be happier with its performance...it only costs $150. and it's performance could easily rival "passive" pre-amps that costs more than a thousand dollars. The company that makes it is Luminous Audio.
I found the little Axiom by reading reviews and threads on Audio Asylum and here at Audiogon. I feel inclined to support companies that are making inexpensive products that rival the audio jewelry that sells for very high prices. Frankly, it is fun to find these products and put together a "system" that sounds fabulous...on a shoe string.
I am not knocking the expenditure of a great deal of money to achieve musical nirvana. I am an artist and adjunct college teacher so my income is much lower, by choice, then many audiophiles who can make decisions on purchases based on deeper pockets.
One can, for fun, research and check out who is offering products that can qualify as state of the art, that do no advertise in magazines, but do sometimes advertize here at audiogon and are otherwise known through word of mouth.
Yes, this is America, and we are all exposed to a great deal of inculturation that suggests that there is no success as great as great success...and a thorough knowledge of marketing and advertising techniques is essential for an "upright" business to succeed.
But in my world, there is plenty of room for innovators that make wonderful inexpensive (relatively...of course) products that may not have the savy, or inclination, or energy, or know how, or contacts, or personality, or drive, to go past the word of mouth or simply advertising here...in audiogone.
Many of these innovators make these poducts as a "second" career. They may not make enough through sales of their audio poducts to survive, if it was not for their "day" job.
Another case in point is David Berning...whose wonderful amps are "hand made" and yes, he actually has a different "day job."
It requires a bit more work on our part to investigate these "alternatives" to the large (corporate) manufacturers. But it is well worth it...believe me.
Richard
Yes...there is a certain momentum in these threads that gives rise sometimes to an ever increasing bite to our observations.
May I suggest that there are a great number of now successful audio manufacturers, that started in their garage or basement. I think of that as being rather wonderful, and a very healthy thing for science, and the art of audio.We, of course, are the ultimate beneficiaries.
Sometimes, these lone innovators and inventors do not find the backing they need to bring their product to a large market. Sometimes the products they make fill a rather narrow nitch in the hi-end world. May I give you a case in point.
I just purchased a tiny "passive" pre-amplifier from a cable manufacturer, that has one input and one output and a simple attenuator...it is called the Axiom and it works splendidly...I could not be happier with its performance...it only costs $150. and it's performance could easily rival "passive" pre-amps that costs more than a thousand dollars. The company that makes it is Luminous Audio.
I found the little Axiom by reading reviews and threads on Audio Asylum and here at Audiogon. I feel inclined to support companies that are making inexpensive products that rival the audio jewelry that sells for very high prices. Frankly, it is fun to find these products and put together a "system" that sounds fabulous...on a shoe string.
I am not knocking the expenditure of a great deal of money to achieve musical nirvana. I am an artist and adjunct college teacher so my income is much lower, by choice, then many audiophiles who can make decisions on purchases based on deeper pockets.
One can, for fun, research and check out who is offering products that can qualify as state of the art, that do no advertise in magazines, but do sometimes advertize here at audiogon and are otherwise known through word of mouth.
Yes, this is America, and we are all exposed to a great deal of inculturation that suggests that there is no success as great as great success...and a thorough knowledge of marketing and advertising techniques is essential for an "upright" business to succeed.
But in my world, there is plenty of room for innovators that make wonderful inexpensive (relatively...of course) products that may not have the savy, or inclination, or energy, or know how, or contacts, or personality, or drive, to go past the word of mouth or simply advertising here...in audiogone.
Many of these innovators make these poducts as a "second" career. They may not make enough through sales of their audio poducts to survive, if it was not for their "day" job.
Another case in point is David Berning...whose wonderful amps are "hand made" and yes, he actually has a different "day job."
It requires a bit more work on our part to investigate these "alternatives" to the large (corporate) manufacturers. But it is well worth it...believe me.
Richard