Hey y'all. I'm going through the motions of education for software engineering. Databases seems interesting to me but I honestly can't think of doing 30 more years in this field. Thought the same thing after getting bussiness/account degrees/certs... Plus, I've never had good relationships with corporate style structure. Use to work with self employed persons and that itch to be one myself has never left.
Atm, I have basic speaker/xover and wood knowledge/experience. I've made some custom speakers with basic crossovers and I've never had any tools to make boxes, so they were always pre cut. Everything I know is self taught from here, reading the cookbook and asking the pros. I've never had recording equipment or the fancy smancy unpirated xover programs. Some of these problems could be solved by contracting them out. Also there is family and friends whom are lawyers, media personalities, marketing/business majors and artistic geniuses who have offered close to free services.
I live in Warszawa, Poland and currently there is a huge money boom here. When it comes to local pride and other factors, some marketing ideas would practically write themselves in this country. The uniqueness angle I'm going for could have a fair chance for export.
After that long winded intro, the question is; is getting a formal education in 'sound engineering' worth it? None of the programs I've looked at dive into xover/electric theory, for as much as I can tell. I know some gurus but I can't constantly be getting lessons from them on the side; they're busy too. In regards to the entrepreneurial perspective, there are a lot of Polish and EU financial aid programs that could cover the location/equipment/living expenses for a short time. Many others believe in the idea but I'm my biggest, detrimentally, skeptic.
To reiterate, I think I have a million zl idea and the means to do it. Would a formal education really teach me the required nuances, that self taught methods wouldn't? Would it be worth it involve some gurus in a more financial way? Trying to do this as simply and cheaply without compromising material, quality and vision; just overhead expenses add up quick.
Sorry for the nonsensical english. Just wanted to say everything so we don't have to further talk about the little details.
Atm, I have basic speaker/xover and wood knowledge/experience. I've made some custom speakers with basic crossovers and I've never had any tools to make boxes, so they were always pre cut. Everything I know is self taught from here, reading the cookbook and asking the pros. I've never had recording equipment or the fancy smancy unpirated xover programs. Some of these problems could be solved by contracting them out. Also there is family and friends whom are lawyers, media personalities, marketing/business majors and artistic geniuses who have offered close to free services.
I live in Warszawa, Poland and currently there is a huge money boom here. When it comes to local pride and other factors, some marketing ideas would practically write themselves in this country. The uniqueness angle I'm going for could have a fair chance for export.
After that long winded intro, the question is; is getting a formal education in 'sound engineering' worth it? None of the programs I've looked at dive into xover/electric theory, for as much as I can tell. I know some gurus but I can't constantly be getting lessons from them on the side; they're busy too. In regards to the entrepreneurial perspective, there are a lot of Polish and EU financial aid programs that could cover the location/equipment/living expenses for a short time. Many others believe in the idea but I'm my biggest, detrimentally, skeptic.
To reiterate, I think I have a million zl idea and the means to do it. Would a formal education really teach me the required nuances, that self taught methods wouldn't? Would it be worth it involve some gurus in a more financial way? Trying to do this as simply and cheaply without compromising material, quality and vision; just overhead expenses add up quick.
Sorry for the nonsensical english. Just wanted to say everything so we don't have to further talk about the little details.
Formal education for speaker building is pretty much non-existent.
Unless you plan to build the drivers from scratch, there is very little formal knowledge about speaker building that would be relevant.
I would suggest you work for 1-2 years at a reputable company to learn the trade from an experienced designer, and then transition to start your own company. There is a wealth of industry knowledge, but it will be hard to learn it without a mentor in the field.
Unless you plan to build the drivers from scratch, there is very little formal knowledge about speaker building that would be relevant.
I would suggest you work for 1-2 years at a reputable company to learn the trade from an experienced designer, and then transition to start your own company. There is a wealth of industry knowledge, but it will be hard to learn it without a mentor in the field.
Most education in "sound engineering" is in live sound.
I've worked with a few of those guys, and was never impressed. They tend to be the same ones that will put a gate and compressor on everything, just because the option is there to do so.
FWIW, I'd recommend a solid background in Physics and Maths.
Chris
I've worked with a few of those guys, and was never impressed. They tend to be the same ones that will put a gate and compressor on everything, just because the option is there to do so.
FWIW, I'd recommend a solid background in Physics and Maths.
Chris
I have never heard about educational degree on loudspeaker building. This sounds like nonsense to me. Even if there were such studies, people would not have any practical knowledge. They would not know how to find themselves in this market. They would not have any unusual ideas, they would only have rules and formulas implanted by their teachers.
I also live near to Warsaw. I haven't heard about money booms etc. There IS a boom of raising claimantry of customers angry on never-ending marketing bullshits and quality of sound which is lower and lower, and prices higher and higher - the demands are so high. This market is also in serious trouble becouse of smartphones, people just are selling audio rigs and start to listen music on smartphones. Part of them who don't like listen to music on smartphone are buying cheap rubbish playing music from another place of the world. Take the effort and show them that your equipment will sound better and will be more convenient than sh*tty smarphones and cheap alu-boxes. I quit many-years work in imaging market from the same reason. Hard times for true fidelity equipment lovers!
This market is difficult to survive here, you need a great business idea, a great approach to people, a true passion at heart and a lot of luck at the same time. Perfect english is also valuable.
In order to star a business in this field you need to do much more than your wooden boxes and ordinary crossovers, even if you use hi-end drivers.
If you do not feel that, it is better to work in a corporation. You do not risk, do not lose, do not fight, do not achieve success.
I also live near to Warsaw. I haven't heard about money booms etc. There IS a boom of raising claimantry of customers angry on never-ending marketing bullshits and quality of sound which is lower and lower, and prices higher and higher - the demands are so high. This market is also in serious trouble becouse of smartphones, people just are selling audio rigs and start to listen music on smartphones. Part of them who don't like listen to music on smartphone are buying cheap rubbish playing music from another place of the world. Take the effort and show them that your equipment will sound better and will be more convenient than sh*tty smarphones and cheap alu-boxes. I quit many-years work in imaging market from the same reason. Hard times for true fidelity equipment lovers!
This market is difficult to survive here, you need a great business idea, a great approach to people, a true passion at heart and a lot of luck at the same time. Perfect english is also valuable.
In order to star a business in this field you need to do much more than your wooden boxes and ordinary crossovers, even if you use hi-end drivers.
If you do not feel that, it is better to work in a corporation. You do not risk, do not lose, do not fight, do not achieve success.
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The speaker market is swamped with suppliers.
In fact its hard to get into anything these days as most things are already well covered.
If making something then larger manufacturers have the benefit of scale to keep prices low.
The best thing to do is become a specialist in something that isn't easy to be a specialist in.
I have tried selling amplifier modules and other electronics devices and the market is already overloaded.
I found I could sell some but not at a profit so basically a waste of time and effort.
I did quite well for a few years selling pcb design software on ebay until last December when 140 other listings suddenly appeared and killed it dead.
In fact its hard to get into anything these days as most things are already well covered.
If making something then larger manufacturers have the benefit of scale to keep prices low.
The best thing to do is become a specialist in something that isn't easy to be a specialist in.
I have tried selling amplifier modules and other electronics devices and the market is already overloaded.
I found I could sell some but not at a profit so basically a waste of time and effort.
I did quite well for a few years selling pcb design software on ebay until last December when 140 other listings suddenly appeared and killed it dead.
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FWIW I have doing that on my own,and successfully, for almost 50 years now, just look at my signature, and have never ever worked for anybody, BUT:
1) I started almost 50 years ago, in Argentina, which in some ways might be comparable to Poland, but it was before the Tsunami of cheap cutthroat price Oriental product, originally just cheap and today also nice looking and performing, *tough* competition.
2) I coud build a "Brand" way back then and kept it floating no matter what.
I bet that would be tough today.
My specific niche is Musical Instrument amplifiers and Speakers and from early on I was lucky/smart? to associate my Name/Brand with famous Artists, that gave me a big push forward and separates me from the Oriental stuff.
Maaaayyyybeee if you got some noted Polish Classical Musicians, Orchestra Conductors or Film Music composers to use your products, the National Pride factor may help you ... otherwise you will have to invest Millions of Zlotys to achieve some impact.
We are talking serious money here, not kidding.
3) I *have* invested tons of money along the way in Publicity, Magazine ads, participating in Trade Fairs (think AES, etc.) , cultivating friendship or contacts with Audio/Musical Industry newsguys or who write columns in Magazines, etc.
4) *Studies/Education*: I have studied 4 years Industrial Engineering, 2 years Electronics Engineering, focused on Acoustics and Analog Design (think anything you can design using Discrete parts and Op Amps) and 1 year Business Administration.
That said, I consider myself mainly an Industrial/Production Engineer, who happens to manufacture products in the Electronics/Acoustics field.
I might as well be manufacturing plastic or metallic stuff, paint, knitting machines, whatever, only the MI market worked better for me.
I do not hold a formal, registered Degree because I switched Careers and Universities 3 times, since there is not a "MI Engineering" degree I know of, with a heavy emphasis on manufacturing from the ground up so I had to build up my own curricula, as needed.
And once it started going strong (late 70´s) I simply had no free time for University, doubly so because I went on Tour all the time with famous Artists who used my stuff, as a way to promote the Brand all over the place (Argentina and surrounding Countries).
My friends who kept steady and got a Degree, today in a way envy and tell me: "you are the only one of us doing *real* Engineering, designing and producing your stuff, we work as glorified clerks, glorified "Technical salesmen" or as Court Technical advisors, or in Politics, etc." .... although some of them have earned way more money than me
FWIW all Electronics Engineers Faculty had to offer me (way back then, we are talking '73 or '74) was *one* year "Acoustics" Course, .... basically learning Beranek´s book cover to cover.
Only other Acoustics course incorporated into a formal university Career was Architectural Acoustics, and they didn´t waste time in such trivial things as "Transducers" , go figure
Only way to "learn the trade by practicing" was to get a job at LEEA, our largest Speaker and Microphone company, which used to build Altec Lansing speakers under license.
I seem to remember you had a similar State Owned Polish Speaker factory which turned out quite a good product.
As of Manufacturing, I build my own speakers from scratch, I mean starting with CRS sheet metal, thicker steel plate for magnetic circuits, cold rolled steel bar, spare magnets , winding own voice coils, the works.
You can reach something similar, but it will take years and a hefty investment.
1) I started almost 50 years ago, in Argentina, which in some ways might be comparable to Poland, but it was before the Tsunami of cheap cutthroat price Oriental product, originally just cheap and today also nice looking and performing, *tough* competition.
2) I coud build a "Brand" way back then and kept it floating no matter what.
I bet that would be tough today.
My specific niche is Musical Instrument amplifiers and Speakers and from early on I was lucky/smart? to associate my Name/Brand with famous Artists, that gave me a big push forward and separates me from the Oriental stuff.
Maaaayyyybeee if you got some noted Polish Classical Musicians, Orchestra Conductors or Film Music composers to use your products, the National Pride factor may help you ... otherwise you will have to invest Millions of Zlotys to achieve some impact.
We are talking serious money here, not kidding.
3) I *have* invested tons of money along the way in Publicity, Magazine ads, participating in Trade Fairs (think AES, etc.) , cultivating friendship or contacts with Audio/Musical Industry newsguys or who write columns in Magazines, etc.
4) *Studies/Education*: I have studied 4 years Industrial Engineering, 2 years Electronics Engineering, focused on Acoustics and Analog Design (think anything you can design using Discrete parts and Op Amps) and 1 year Business Administration.
That said, I consider myself mainly an Industrial/Production Engineer, who happens to manufacture products in the Electronics/Acoustics field.
I might as well be manufacturing plastic or metallic stuff, paint, knitting machines, whatever, only the MI market worked better for me.
I do not hold a formal, registered Degree because I switched Careers and Universities 3 times, since there is not a "MI Engineering" degree I know of, with a heavy emphasis on manufacturing from the ground up so I had to build up my own curricula, as needed.
And once it started going strong (late 70´s) I simply had no free time for University, doubly so because I went on Tour all the time with famous Artists who used my stuff, as a way to promote the Brand all over the place (Argentina and surrounding Countries).
My friends who kept steady and got a Degree, today in a way envy and tell me: "you are the only one of us doing *real* Engineering, designing and producing your stuff, we work as glorified clerks, glorified "Technical salesmen" or as Court Technical advisors, or in Politics, etc." .... although some of them have earned way more money than me
FWIW all Electronics Engineers Faculty had to offer me (way back then, we are talking '73 or '74) was *one* year "Acoustics" Course, .... basically learning Beranek´s book cover to cover.
Only other Acoustics course incorporated into a formal university Career was Architectural Acoustics, and they didn´t waste time in such trivial things as "Transducers" , go figure
Only way to "learn the trade by practicing" was to get a job at LEEA, our largest Speaker and Microphone company, which used to build Altec Lansing speakers under license.
I seem to remember you had a similar State Owned Polish Speaker factory which turned out quite a good product.
As of Manufacturing, I build my own speakers from scratch, I mean starting with CRS sheet metal, thicker steel plate for magnetic circuits, cold rolled steel bar, spare magnets , winding own voice coils, the works.
You can reach something similar, but it will take years and a hefty investment.
Sumo comes to mind, man was that one great Argentinian band and Luca Prodan (RIP) a great musician...
at the risk of beating a dead horse
Actual manufacturing sounds like trying to make a small fortune in the wine industry - better start out with a large fortune.
Have you considered becoming a distributor of drivers / kits from China / Indonesia / Brazil / Zaph for example? Something obscure where the performance is suitably out-sized from the conventionally sourced competition?
Sort of a Zalytron re-boot?
Actual manufacturing sounds like trying to make a small fortune in the wine industry - better start out with a large fortune.
Have you considered becoming a distributor of drivers / kits from China / Indonesia / Brazil / Zaph for example? Something obscure where the performance is suitably out-sized from the conventionally sourced competition?
Sort of a Zalytron re-boot?
The key with entrepreneurship is that you have to have that pulsing inner need to pursue your dreams like the devils chasing you. Can’t be forced, has to be an innate quality from what I’ve seen of life. If you have that kind of “chutzpah”, sky is the limit. If you don’t, you won’t get far.
You’ll find the schools or education or funding or whatever you need and make your way.
A huge thing to not underestimate is the value of apprenticeship in areas that don’t have defined paths of learning or success. Find whoever does what you love the best and travel to wherever they are and stick to them like glue for a while. Set up a teepee outside their office and go on hunger strike until they pity you / question your mental health enough to let you bring them their coffee...whatever you have to do. It’s invaluable. Flying blind will leave you in flames.
Of course you also have to be ok with (perhaps protracted) suffering, bigger swings of ups and downs, self doubt, perhaps watching your peers making better money selling their souls for fat checks. But.... the funny thing is, as JMFahey alluded to: when you’re all old you’ll find out the whole time they’ve envied YOU.
Your life will go by in a flash, don’t squander it.
Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage. - Anais Nin
You’ll find the schools or education or funding or whatever you need and make your way.
A huge thing to not underestimate is the value of apprenticeship in areas that don’t have defined paths of learning or success. Find whoever does what you love the best and travel to wherever they are and stick to them like glue for a while. Set up a teepee outside their office and go on hunger strike until they pity you / question your mental health enough to let you bring them their coffee...whatever you have to do. It’s invaluable. Flying blind will leave you in flames.
Of course you also have to be ok with (perhaps protracted) suffering, bigger swings of ups and downs, self doubt, perhaps watching your peers making better money selling their souls for fat checks. But.... the funny thing is, as JMFahey alluded to: when you’re all old you’ll find out the whole time they’ve envied YOU.
Your life will go by in a flash, don’t squander it.
Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage. - Anais Nin
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Well said.
IMHO, if you want formal education- pursue electrical, mechanical engineering or a combination if available. Universities may offer a program/path for acoustics or audio within those fields of study.
You can get all the non-degreed education that you want or need, free on the internet
from many universities, like MIT OpenCourseWare | Free Online Course Materials,
and Coursera | Online Courses & Credentials From Top Educators. Join for Free
and many others, and you can go through the material much faster than in a
traditional education. Working for yourself, you don't need a degree.
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