House calls vs. institutions?


In the old days (vey old days), physicians carried a black bag to each sickly person's humble abode, filled with simple instruments for diagnostic purposes. This 1 on 1 interaction has been touted as "the good old days" of doctor/patient personalized care. Granted, you couldn't carry an MRI machine in your back pocket, but I'm talking about that initial BOND that seems to have diminished throughout the years.

This brings me to the possible correlation with audio.

How many of you, think that there should be a similar relationship between the designers of high-end audio equipment and each prospective client? Now, I'm not stating that they should "fly" to our homes/businesses and take a survey. I am specifically referring to a 1 on 1 interaction where the opportunity for specific design implications are sculpted to each clients unique circumstances.

Keep in mind that I'm not suggesting that Pass, Rowland, Levinson et al can realistically do this. I'm implying towards other smaller entities than CAN and DO prefer this sort of relationship.

Now, one could interject that "dealers" are the interface between designer & client. You would be correct I think.

Let’s look at examples where one could have their own unique tube amp designed for their specific needs. Or preamp. Or speakers. Or something much easier to implement like CABLES.

Cost factors come to mind I would think. This type of 1 to 1 is usually associated with higher cost. But what if that were not the case?

Would we all prefer this relationship? Does this mean that "dealers" would not have a place in the industry (GENERALLY SPEAKING OF COURSE). Would we be more satisfied with the outcomes? How would are ideologies be affected when feeling that this 1 on 1 could steer our subjectivities one way or another. Maybe we would come to the conclusion that the "sound" we have helped to sculpt (through the designers) IS better than just buying and trying out equipment? How would our subconscious deal with this???

Now, after all my ramblings, I would like to focus on an area where I think this would be the easiest and most practical of the bunch to visualize and put into practice...CABLES.

Please feel free to comment. As far as my personal opinion...I would welcome these opportunities.
vandermeulen
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This is true Elizabeth. Let’s look at this on a deeper level. Audiophiles are subjective creatures. What is best for one can be horrible for the other. Could are behavior and expectations be altered if we knew that a specific piece of equipment was tailored to our specific whims? Would we "think" that it sounds better BECAUSE of this 1 on 1 interaction with the designer? It has been shown, that the human touch does wonders for developing infants. It’s absolutely mandatory for proper cognitive development. Also, patients show marked improvements when a more "hands on" approach is taken by the doctors. When dogs or cats are brought to nursing homes and children's hospitals there is a direct correlation with improvement in emotional/psychological behavior which can lead to improved health.

Anyone who feels free to elaborate on this proposed philosophical and behavioral supposition...please chime in.

There should be more discussions here on AudiogoN on how we are influenced through external variables, and proposed alternatives to repetitive behaviors.
Well, I would be more concerned with sound quality and dynamics and I truly don't think anyone could build the perfect sounding gear that I have in mind, not at any price, and not in this lifetime !

Van....

It seems to me that everyone out there designing and building whatever it is they design and build, have given a little thought to what they wish to make and for it’s point of sale pricing. The sound, it’s esthetic and so forth.
A lot.

Not everything in their components by and large are all made and constructed in house…. Or solely by strickly ‘hand made’ as so many of this ‘cottage industry at it’s finest’ implies. Consequently by their own hand it’s just gbeing assembled there and not entirely fabricated.

They’ve decided on the ‘voice’ they wish to impart to a thing and settled on that. Too, there is some pride there as well.

Even God does that, you know? If you have ever pick out produce at the grocery store? He says to me all the time, If you don’t like this squash, get that one, or that one over there! Same way with potatoes, cucumbers, etc. Amps, Preamps… etc.

I’ve asked for some different ones now and then but He’’s not seem fit to put them into my path, and reminds me to be less picky.

Cables are the easiest I suppose, to alter. Add a few more strands of this or that, this connector or that one, this amount or type of dialectic. BUT… IT will always be about the voice.

Personally, I don’t see how a cable or device maker could ever hope to satisfy accurately, a buyer’s idea of the voice he or she desires unless the buyer is right there during the alterations… like buying a nice suit or shoes, or a ring, or other very personal ‘needs to fit’ items. That’s going to take time and resources from both the maker and buyer so very many do not have to spare…. Or want to.

Good luck with all that. The underlying caveat remains… in six months or a year…. Or a bit more…. You’ll just want something else anyway.

Things have changed for a reason… a few in fact. There are more people. Less time for one another and our nuclear society is no longer so closely knit. we’ve outgrown our nucleus. Expanded. Detached ourselves from intimate personal contact in perhaps the guise of sophistication or personal growth and our populous as a whole has thrived on it’s remoteness. Industry too has so enabled us with cell phones, the web where no one has to be themselves or disclose themselves to another as the rule. We’ve come to being as anonymous a population as we can afford to be. We are 300 million folks on 300 million islands.

Is it do-able to ‘personalize’ a thing completely? Sure. Whoever wants it done though is going to have to pony up some serious bucks…. You know the ones, those where Ben Franklin is grimacing at you.

One off items have forever cost whomever, lots of dead presidents. Doubtless this trend will continue.

I did read a review recently in Sic Moons I think, where an amplifier maker can and will voice his amp to your squeakers…. Though there are limits in that endeavor too. It was a tube amp or a Hybrid I think. Recently I believe. Or you could just buy a Wolcott and twist the knob yourself to suit..

Gone is the charm of distance we enjoyed so, or endured enough, when we actually had to visit each other in order to have one another’s company. The telephone ultimately took that away. It’s a brave New World and the acutely personal touch is a vanishing memory.