DCAudioDIY.com

Hey all,

Does anybody have some ideas of any reliable ways to make some money on Ebay/Craigslist, doing something related to audio?

Left my job in April, so now I have a lot of free time. I have another income that pays my bills, so I'm not trying to replace an income. I'm just trying to figure out how I can reliably generate a couple extra bucks each month to keep my speaker building venture going.

My primary approach to Hi Fi is as a Craftsman/Artist, not an engineering approach.

I build beautiful speakers but I have never been able to sell them without taking a loss. It's not that they don't sound good! I have been doing this for 25 years so I know how to build speakers that sound good! I just can't convince people to show up at my house for an audition to prove it unless I price them way under their value in my listings, and then what usually happens is that people buy them "Un-heard", and I never really get any feedback on my work.

I thought about building Cables.

I also have a fantastic stand design, but it's relatively expensive compared to the cost of materials, because I have to pay a steel guy to do the welding, and a countertop guy to cut the marble for me.

Any other suggestion?

thanks,

Chris

Based on another discussion, it seems like Computer-based audio is an area where people may feel a need, but don't have the skills to pull it off reliably. Maybe offer to install a properly configured NAS with all their CDs ripped to it, and set up the streamer in their existing audio system. This way, they're paying for your knowledge, not your sweat equity....(except for the CD ripping process).

Just a wild thought..... maybe

Thanks Ferdinand,

But I don't even have the beginnings of understanding computer audio. I'm pretty old school. I only use a computer when I have not other options. I don't even have an I-pod or a cell phone! I have ripped some CD's and put them on a USB for my car, but beyond that I'm sort of clueless

Plus, I think I need a product, something solid that does the talking for me.

Chris

Learn to weld, then....?????

John K has a lot of low cost system designs, that sound pretty good.
Are your (high) cost drivers in the components or the cabinets?

Boxes.

Boxes with labels, even better.

Wood boxes.

With metal or Delrin tops or fronts.

Gotta be 1) Beautiful and 2) affordable, not necessarily "cheap".

Offer a choice of woods.

What for? Not just speakers, but electronics projects!

We DIY guys don't all have the same skill set. Many a DIY amplifier, preamp, phono stage has a VERY low WAF (Wife Acceptance Factor) because they end up FUGLY!

How about an assortment (easily scaleable (sp?), for you) of boxes to put the customer's electronics in. Front Panel Express offers faceplates, and lots of "off-shore" firms offer metal boxes, however, some of us are convinced that the final sonic product is affected by the chassis material. (Ask Grover, who did pioneering work in that regard, without knowing that he was going there!) Wood is good (write that down)! Delrin better, but stupid expensive.

Extra points for silkscreen work and pre-punched holes for controls, jacks, IEC connectors, tube sockets, etc.

Show your products at the CAF and other venues!

Look at the attached pics, NOTHING is labeled! Almost never is.

Here is a niche, I think!

I know what you're thinking, "That Stuart is a F#@$ing Genius"!!!

I know, I get that all the time.

Personally I am struck by how simple yet elegant that banana looks.

ray

Ever say something, then wish you hadn't, almost immediately?

This may not be the best forum for counseling.

Even the guys here who DON'T think they need counseling, really do. Ask their wives!

LOL!

Gotta go, time for my meds!

Yes, My approach for the past 10-15 years has been cost no object kind of work.

Scanspeak Drivers, Phenolic Cabinets, Mundorf Caps etc.

I laminated the cabinets 9 times, and auditioned them inbetween every layer. I have built two speakers this way and it took over 6 months to complete both of them.

I want to get back into building bargain systems now that I know How to do the good stuff.

about $400-$1500 price range is what I would like to shoot for.

This may be in the realm of fantasy, but I would like to eliminate the cabinets, or abbreviate them in some way because they are the bulk of the labor. Especially the finishing process, which I do because speakers need to have a finish, but I don't particularly enjoy. I don't want to resort to 15" woofers and 30" wide baffles to get open baffle bass however, and it would be really cool if I could figure out how to do it with only one or two drivers.

chris

Electrostatics.

Build your own drivers. Listen to the pair that Dave Berning has. Listen to Bruce's. Figure out how to refine the Berning model. Figure out affordable. Of course the step up transformer will still be there for most guys, but that's not an expense or time consumer for you.