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small companies making today's best products

i think the audio research, conrad johnson, rolamd, mcintosh, monster cable, esoteric, etc., are superseded in sound quality by many small independent companies which operate direct to the consumer.

most of the comments praising components of different types seem to mention small companies, who do not have dealer networks. why ?

perhaps innovation with out marketing or other constraints enables creativity and thinking outside the box to flourish.

when i consider my own system, i own cables from small companies, digital components from a medium sized and well known company, and an amplifier from a well known company as well as another amp and preamp designed by a retired professor from canada.
mrtennis
mapman's avatar
mapman
21,851 posts
 
Customizing is a nice option but not really needed by most.
inna
7,132 posts
 
I would certainly want to have a custom LAMM. What would I want to improve on stock? I would discuss it with Vladimir. Perhaps best to my taste tubes and even better some other parts, a bit more current and power, something else. More expensive? Sure. But if I am prepared to pay this kind of money additional $10k or so should not be a problem. And I would probably keep that thing forever.
isochronism
2,893 posts
 
Inna, I hope that extra $10k doesn't come out of your prostitute budget. ie: "So, what DONT you spend money on"? thread 3/12/11 sorry, I couldn't resist :)
audiokinesis
2,716 posts
 
I have learned that getting involved in custom work is a good way to waste a lot of time.

No one who has come to me with their own custom design in mind has ever gone through with placing an order after many hours of research and modelling and revision and phone consultation on my part.

On the other hand, most people who come to me with a specific problem, and let me come up with the solution, have gone through with it when my proposed solution was something custom.

I think many of those in the first category are DIYers posing as serious customers.

Duke
chayro
2,927 posts
 
Mrtennis - which companies have you approached to "modify their designs" for you? I'm not talking about upgraded caps and such, which some of the smaller companies offer, but an actual modified design? Did you supply the specs for the circuit?

Yes, I'm sure some amp builders will do anything you ask for, so long as you don't want to keep sending it back if you don't like it.
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