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But how? Seems like the market is too small/competitive. I'd love to have a high-end studio, but it seems like a fast track to bankruptcy
The recent Consumer Electronics Show (CES) and T.H.E. Show exhibits at Las Vegas' Alexis Villas and St. Tropez hotels reminded us once again that many audiophiles turn their passion into a business. Have you ever thought about starting up or working for an audiophile-oriented business?
Ever since I was a little guy (I'm now 57), I've always had a desire to work in an audio salon. The notion of having access to equipment I couldn't possibly afford, coupled with the prospect of assisting fellow audiophiles in auditions and the selection of their systems is just the kind of stuff dreams are made of.
Not a chance. I'd feel serious guilt about overcharging the obscene prices that "high-end" gear commands. Also, I feel the market for anything but mass-market gear is too small for anything but the largest cities, and I'm not moving to a larger city. I'm all for making a profit at running a business, but to me, audio is not one of them.
I have always wanted to run my own record store; well, I'd sell CDs too, but I have had this dream since before they were invented! Classical and jazz, lots and lots of opera, and (in my dream, anyway) plenty of discerning, wealthy customers hanging around...
I've never responded to one of these vote questions, but this question brought back memories. I've been into stereo equipment since I was 13 (1966) and I actually put myself through college selling stereo equipment (McIntosh, JBL, Klipsch, Teac, etc). I went for an electrical engineering degree in order to design stereo equipment. I interviewed with a few stereo companies in my senior year. One company was very interested in me because of my grades and sales/marketing experience. However, I was going to get married after graduating college and the security of working for a big company (IBM) prevailed over the excitement of working for a speaker manufacturer. Since then I've become a patent lawyer and satisfy myself by enjoying equipment designed by others.
The cables and power chords my business plans to sell are lubricated with only the highest purity (99.9999%) snake oil and the resulting clarity, space, and palpable sense of "there" far exceed what has been achieved heretofore.
With the lack of interest in high quality audio these days I could starve to death. I'm not going to sell MP3 to entice the knuckle dragging masses and stay in business. Nor am I interested in selling Best Buy caliber equipment. Besides, I'm no salesman or businessman.
I worked my way through dental school working in what would now be a high end audio shop. ... McIntosh, Marantz, Bozak, and the like. I would love to go back to doing that especially when my child goes of to college and I can partly retire. If Krell is listening, I really, really want to work with you!!!!