How would you get into the biz?

" Last year I read 'Schiit Happened,' the memoir by Jason Stoddard and Mike Moffat that describes the startup years of Schiit Audio. It's an easy read and it can fool the reader into thinking that starting up an audio manufacturing business isn't too hard. "

That's not a good example because these guys were very well known from other audio companies since the 90's. If Moffat designs a dac, some people are going to buy it regardless of brand name.

The Schitt book is excellent and something you really should read.
all audiophiles should read it IMO.
Jason and Mike already had reputations in the Audio world and ears to know good - Mike in particular for 2 channel thru speakers and Jason for headphones.
do you have ears and the scientific and physcoacoustic and marketing chops ?
dunno.
i think the Vandersteen internship comment is hilarious - for the last several years that would be me - learning at the feet of the master -  note unpaid ! ( I can do this I am old and retired at 55 )
Richard was  a truck driver when he invented the model 2 - probably the best selling Audiophile speaker ever at least 500K sold
refined amd honed and worked over and over and over by the frugal Dutchman for what 35 years now- can you do that ? And a serious engineering approach - watch his utube video on pistonic motion....

stick to 8 to ten key design principles largely ignored by the crowd ?

speakers as a path to rich ? Probably not but an interesting goal, I always worked at doing what I loved and taking risk in my career and moving within the firm like a mercenary

marketing is.becoming much more important

what distribution channel / business model is an essential question - can you get your product into an influential dealer with ears who can also move product ( displacing ???? )

Direct ? These are probably not $250 headphone amps right ? Can you beat Andrew Jones at $500 ?

but Fred Smith' professor gave him a C in business school for the concept of Fed Ex, so what do I know

" Richard was  a truck driver when he invented the model 2 - probably the best selling Audiophile speaker ever at least 500K sold"

They are the best selling high end speaker of all time, by far. I don't think there's even a close second. I have a pair myself paired with over 20k of electronics. Not bad for a $2500 speaker.

Thanks for all the input everyone, I am still reading, just in lurk mode as I learn more and more. :)

Best,

E

Erik,

Many designers/manufacturers started as hobbyist, building something for themselves. Friends/aquantinces hear their handiwork and asked for some to be built for them. You could start this way. Build for your friends, build some and pass them on at costs to folks who will review them for you, then expand. Several speaker builders have done it this way. It’s not a fast road to riches and most fail/go under. But it is a way to start without investing (losing) too much money.

Good luck if you try it........