Esoteric Mods

Dbphd, I suppose the only real answer to your question is that the moder has cheaper labor and may be more able to ignore the parts cost as he or she is not working through a dealer network. Price point concerns are the only real difference.

Dbphd

If this was the case then why is it that there are Professional Car Mechanics that will do High Performance Modifications to car engines to enhance the performance of such? Why don't we let the Car Manufacturers do it? As a Matter Of Fact Many Car dealers sell High Performance Vehicles in their respective Dealerships but if you look at the window sticker it will show you were was the car sent to have all this modifications done by a Professional High Performance Modification Place.
That is why you have an MD who practices General Medicine but in many cases he may send you to see an Specialist"
I hope this will help you in understanding why we believe in professionals doing modifications to High End Audio Equipment. It is all made to Enhance the Performnace of an Already Excellent Built Unit!

Carlos.

Dbphd,

I don't think your analogies work well. Specialists have additional training in medicine. It is cheaper for MB to have another company mod. its cars for the performance range. I doubt seriously that moders of audio gear know anything more than the people at Esoteric.

Moders can put more expensive parts in as they have no interest in a price point. I am not knocking moders and indeed have a personal friend, John Tucker, who does this, at least part of the time.

Production tolerances can stack up in many different ways.Modding a mass-produced item frequently means just building it to the blueprint. True in a lot of areas outside audio, as well. :)

Tbg,

The analogies were Carlos, not mine, but I agree they don't seem to apt. Two modders that come to mind, AMG for MB and RUF for Porsche, don't improve the product, they make it different in ways unlikely to appeal to most of the buyers of the original product. I think AMG may be a subsidary of MB; the cars are sold by MB dealers. (My next wagon may be an MB E 63 AMG, or the 2010 equivalent.)

I doubt a modder is more specialized in the design of an Ayre C-5xe or Esoteric SA-60 than Ayre or TEAC. I also doubt that modders have labor rates lower than OEMs. As in so many aspects of high-end audio, mysticism seems to rule.

db