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What if we started our own loudspeaker company?

Flint

Prodigal Son
Superstar
We could make exactly what we want with the performance, price, size, and appearance that meets our desires is we owned our own loudspeaker company. I wonder if there is a market for that?

We could make modules for bass, mid-bass, midrange, treble, and full-range transducers and let customers mix and match to get the results they want. One could get anything from a single full-range driver to a massive 4-way behemoth. They could choose the driver technology they prefer, like a selection of tweeters including soft dome, hard dome, ribbon, and horn. They could choose the crossover tech and go active or passive or hybrid. They could choose the sonic signature and be modern bright, classic mellow, studio flat, THX target tuned, and so on. They could choose the finish on the cabinets from pricy hardwoods to moderately priced gloss lacquers to simple spray on paint. They could even choose cabinets coated with truck-liner rubber or top-end solid hardwood staves.

I think this could be very interesting.
 
It sounds like a great idea. But, with that much diversity do you think it would be viable.
It seems most manufactured don't spread themselves out that much and I am assuming economies of scale come into play.
 
I don't think it would be hard. I believe the components would be fairly limited:

13" Bass Module
2x 9" Bass Module
9" Bass Module
6.5" Midrange / Mid-Bass Module (doubles as a two way bookshelf bass module)
4" Midrange Module
Soft Dome Tweeter Module
Metal Dome Tweeter Module
Ribbon Tweeter Module
Horn Tweeter Module

Pick a target SPL efficiency and make all the crossovers work together, so the soft-dome tweeter would have three settings on a single crossover (and users could experiment). Same with all the other crossovers, so all you do is hook them up.

The trick is building a frame, bracket, or stacking method to hold the modules together.
 
By the way, these would not be cheap speakers. This only works if top quality transducers and crossovers are used.
 
Look! They even stole Flint's words!

We should sue them for all they're worth!

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Geez, that's a weird looking system, especially with the different colored grille cloths! Is that a current system, or something from what looks like the 1970s?
 
I would totally dig being involved with something like that. My initial thoughts/comments/concerns:
  1. Manufacturing – where would you have the boxes made/assembled?
  2. Inventory – What are the chances you’d be able to do a made to order so you don’t need to maintain a large stock of boxes.
    1. I'd assume you'd have to stockpile a reasonable number of drivers
  3. Parts – are you able to source a consistent source of drivers and crossover parts.
  4. R&D – I’d assume you’d be the one to do the main design work
    1. same for quality control.
I’d be curious to see what kind of cash you might get from kickstarter or gofundme.
 
  1. Manufacturing – where would you have the boxes made/assembled?
    A: I would do the initial box making with first systems sold at a discounted price. Once revenue is real, the cabinets would be outsourced locally. Assembly would be myself and if enough revenue, a hired hand. If we hit proper volume, a facility would be acquired (built or leased) and all work would be brought in-house.
  2. Inventory – What are the chances you’d be able to do a made to order so you don’t need to maintain a large stock of boxes.
    1. I'd assume you'd have to stockpile a reasonable number of drivers
      A: There are quality OEM transducer makers out there. I am looking at higher grade quality, so companies like SB Acoustics, Morel, Seas, Tang Bang, Scan-Speak, Typhany, and others are easy to do business with. In fact, most of those can do small batch customization at reasonable prices which get better as volume grows. The bigger concern in inventory for repairs, which would require a climate controlled warehouse and we'd have to consider how many spares would be required per unit sold.
  3. Parts – are you able to source a consistent source of drivers and crossover parts.
    A: This is easy, there are easy to work with distributors for components with robust supply chains and change management capabilities.
  4. R&D – I’d assume you’d be the one to do the main design work
    1. same for quality control.
      A: Initially, I would do the design work, but v.2 of the systems would need a proper engineer to ensure reasonable costs of supplies and manufacturing processes. The acoustic and performance principles would be driven by me and would be based on traditional, known physics and typical popular "voicings" that customers would want. Over time updates and versioning would be driven by the customers' input. It is easy to stock and maintain crossover designs and offer them to DIYers who like the overall concept. Klipsch has proven that with their Heritage line.
 
I think the concept can be great, especially for hobbyists who know they want amazing sound but they realize they need to find the right "sound signature" for their tastes. So, educated audio nuts would be the target. Likewise, the prices would not be "cheap" for comparable systems, so it would require a customer base willing to pay an appropriate amount of their HT or Gear budget on speakers. I fear just a few aspects - how do you claim the cost of the speakers should be half of your total gear budget when that contradicts the common and accepted knowledge of the industry and thus alienate the consumers with interest in such things. I think that could be managed, but it would be a challenge. Likewise, we'd have to win over the audiophile crowd, which can be difficult. SVS managed it and now Power Sound is doing it, but can we? We would be going head to head with top of the line mass market speakers and low to mid level audiophile speakers. The competition in that space is fierce.

We could go 100% high end and hire a proper furniture makers for finishes and fit and feel. Heck we could even go exotic with concrete, granite, metal alloy, and marble baffles to go after the esoteric market at high prices. That would require an aggressive marketing campaign, but it could work. But it would be hard to do both esoteric and the affordable mid-level audiophile space at the same time with a startup.
 
I appreciate the input. This is a conceptual exercise for right now, not a commitment, but your input is welcome. In fact, I too have worked in manufacturing for decades and know it is far more complicated than can be expressed in a basic online forum. Because of my long career in manufacturing, I know some of the finest supply chain, manufacturing, and support people in the world and will rely heavily on their support and advice - including yours - if I ever dare to pursue this.
 
I'm sure a lot of people (including myself) have asked, with the knowledge some of yall on this forum have, have yall ever thought about selling your own speaker designs/builds? :)

But as some have already chimed in, the chance a small/startup company surviving is extremely slim. But maybe this is an opportunity to get in on a winning opportunity lol!

Either way, I'm sure this will be an interesting thread and I'll learn a lot :thumbsup:
 
I like risk, we wouldn't have any new companies, products, or services if no one took risks.
 
I am not sure if any of you have followed the success of Power Sound Audio, however, they are the perfect example of how a new company (yes Tom V., did have an edge up) on how to break into the mid-ranged priced market of subs and speaker systems.

Take a look at their following on the AVS Forum and also their website. Maybe it was a little bit of luck on their end, however from my conversations with Tom V, their business has grown far beyond their exceptions. There is a way to to this, but the right receipt is needed.................I'm In!!
 
  1. So what do you think you're initial cash outlay would be for something like this?
  2. And how long between starting the process to where you actually deliver a finished product?
  3. Are you doing passive crossovers or active? It looked like you were going for a passive -- would you just have separate circuit boards for each tweeter you would consider using? I'm just trying to visualize how that part works, especially with a modular system where i had envisioned the purchaser could later swap out sections later if they wanted.
  4. What are you thinking the inital part cost for each speaker would be and what final price do you think you'd have charge?
 
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