OK, so let's make some money in audio...

Early B.

Wouldn't it be nice to make money in the audio field. Imagine making money from something you enjoy doing, like trying out different audio gear, watching movies and listening to music.

Let's generate some ideas about how we can make money off this hobby. Maybe start with just some extra pocket money while we keep our day jobs. OK, so here are the parameters:

1. It's gotta be legal/legit
2. You gotta work for yourself (otherwise, it's just another damn job with a boss you probably won't like)
3. It's gotta be a real business, not just something you do for friends

For instance, some people buy/sell/trade equipment, while others make and sell audio cables or customize audio furniture. Any other ideas come to mind?

VR3

Speaker cabinets

petrym

Cool. Good to know that you're using the skills of your hobby in other areas of your life that benefit others.

In another thread I voiced that I am the head of audio in our church. Early B. praised me in the above quote (and I do thank you for that) and so I am profiting in helping others receive the Word of God. :cool:

danger boy

Originally posted by Early B.
Let's generate some ideas about how we can make money off this hobby. Maybe start with just some extra pocket money while we keep our day jobs. OK, so here are the parameters:

1. It's gotta be legal/legit

well, i'm out then.

Jstas

OK, I have two questions.

One:
If you are going to make a living at it then is it still considered your hobby? By definition, no, it is not a hobby. If that is the case, can you still have fun with it when you add the pressure of necessitaing the "earning a living" aspect of it?

Two:
If I have such a great idea to make some bank at this, why would I tell you and not take advantage of it myself?

Come up with your own ideas, research them and go make them work. I'll keep my ideas and do the same and then you won't have to pay me copyright fees, patent fees, licensing and royalties for making all your bank on my ideas. Howzat sound?

Demiurge

You need a lot of capital to get started in this business. Making your hobby your living is an awesome thing to do if you can pull it off. The above comment that your career can't be your hobby is all wet. I can't rememeber the last time I bitched about my career. I love it and I get paid to do it.

Jstas

"All wet" huh?


hob·by n. pl. hob·bies

An activity or interest pursued outside one's regular occupation and engaged in primarily for pleasure.




In retrospect, that was mean so I removed it.

Early B.

If you are going to make a living at it then is it still considered your hobby? By definition, no, it is not a hobby.

Reread the original thread. No one said anything about making a living out of it.

If I have such a great idea to make some bank at this, why would I tell you and not take advantage of it myself?

Unless its an extraordinarily original concept, any ideas you got are probably already being done, so there's no secret. In fact, some members on this forum are already making extra money from this hobby. Additionally, most people aren't in a position to take advantage of their own ideas. I'm sure you've had tons of ideas about making money in your lifetime, but didn't have the time, resources, or inclination to pull them off. So what's the value in keeping a great idea to yourself if you ain't gonna do it? If you are gonna do it, then get to it. I hope you make a zillion dollars.

VR3

I'm definetely up to making speaker cabinets, but man..it would be hard to turn over a profit with only one guy working...

LOL...would be cool though...

madmax

For me going to work is a hobby. Kinda like going to the zoo. Of course there are serious things in life which you cannot ignore. For example: Is the spacing of my speakers as good as possible. Now there is a situation worth getting stressed over.

I've done a few things audio wise.

1. Modded different items and sold for time and money spent. Mostly just one thing at a time as I try new things. Yep, sometimes you eat the cost and quickly learn how to BE MORE FREAKIN CAREFUL! Nothing eats the profits like buying a second piece of equipment after **** up the first one. (There is a cost of doing business, never forget that).

2. Car stereo installation. In the early 90's I set up my car to be exceptionally stout audio wise. With almost every listening session I ended up with a contract to do someone elses. This lasted for years. Every weekend there was a car to do. I quickly found out you dismantle the car, install the system, re-assemble the car. And yea, someone always has to have it done on the coldest freakin day of the year!

Just something I've learned through the years, especially from the car stereo installations. If you don't charge enough people will take their business elsewhere. Most have the perception that paying more guarentees a better job. Some jobs are just plain simple and easy and I've never been one to take advantage. I can't tell you how many times I was asked to mount a sub box or something as simple, gave a cheap price and lost the job because some audio shop offered the same service for two or three times the price. In general the service was not done to the same standards. Still, I often heard "I really wanted a good job, not a cheap price" while I was fixing the rattles or re-wiring or whatever after they had the "professionals" do it.

madmax

George Grand

I have been thinking for YEARS, custom dyed or designed speaker grilles. Palm trees, shooting stars, Southwest U.S. motifs, ANYTHING other than the plain black, or brown fabric that comes on them. Not for us, but for them. Think WAF.

George Grand (of the Jersey Grands)

Early B.

Oh, I really think you're onto something here, George. I'll be your first customer. In fact, I'd love to get new grille cloth for my fronts. Plain black grille cloth on black speakers -- doesn't get any more bland than this. I'd like to get gray, but something other than just plain gray color. Maybe some kind of design interwoven in the fabric with various shades of gray. Something fairly conservative, though. The WAF would love it.

mantis

I'm in the audio / video field and It's still my hobby.

I love what I do for a living.

Dan

masanz1

I always liked a Home Audio design idea, much like the Interior Designer but only audio. You can have people call you to come over and design a cost effective home audio system. Not the high price designs that is already out there but more for the normal consumer.

George Grand

I'm not too much an arts and crafts guy Brad. Just thought it would be a good idea. Always have.

My own personal favorite, in my own personal room would definitely be Saturn complete with rings, that big bad boy Jupiter, and at minimum a bunch of shooting stars and comets. Stuff like that.

A silk screen shop owner could really take this ball and run with it.

George Grand (of the Jersey Grands)

organ

Simple! Gather as many M*nster lovers as you can in your house for a meeting. Now I'm talking hardcore M*nster fans, you know, like the Bose fans. Tell them you want to start placing bets. If they can hear a difference between their beloved M*nster cable and a competitor's cable at half the cost, they get $20. If they can't, they need to fork over $20 to you. They have to be able to tell you during the switching which cable is being used. Now, these guys are hardcore and of course they won't say no. I'm sure every guy will leave your house $20 short:).

Maurice

madmax

I could go with some of those GG grilles as well.
madmax