How many here work in the audio field?

[AaronB123]

I'm currently a computer technician. I've basically been building computers since I was a kid but don't really have much of a passion for it anymore. I've lately been thinking of taking a different direction and audio is something I have always been extremely passionate about. I am sure many of you can relate. Wondering, how many of you do some sort of audio related work for a living, if so how did you get into it and how do you like it? 

[minermark]

One of my short Gig's was @ Randell Amps in santa ana as a youngin, couple of Fender engineers used their designs from the Fender days.

[Ceptorman]

I have a feeling you're good at your current job. Is there any way to combine your current profession and your passion for audio? That way you're not starting over, just going down a different path. Good luck in your search.

[Mallette]

Few fields so personally satisfying, but financially unrewarding except at the highest levels.  My only "pure audio" gigs were three years as director of sound production at an educational media supplier back in the late 70s, followed by 3 years on an AV contract with the Air Force in a similar position.  Both were a LOT of fun and paid pretty well for the times.  Other than that, audio has always been some part of my professional life and as Executive Director of the Regional Music Heritage Center I am going to be more involved both with location recording as well as archiving historic recordings. 

 

There are a lot of "niches" in audio these days.  Certainly as a computer technician something involving DACs might work for you.  Or you might try your hand at developing low cost, high resolution audio servers.  Most I see are grossly overpriced. 

 

Making a living from one's passion is about as good as it gets.  Good luck in your search!

 

Dave

[dtel]

On 2/26/2017 at 0:40 PM, Mallette said:

Or you might try your hand at developing low cost, high resolution audio servers.  Most I see are grossly overpriced. 

That was my first thought also, something a normal person can easily work, and afford. 

 

On 2/26/2017 at 0:40 PM, Mallette said:

Making a living from one's passion is about as good as it gets. 

Very true, I was lucky to find that once, and when you do, you quickly realize how important it really is.

 

Good luck

[hsosdrummer]

The short answer is "yes". The long answer is:

 

When I quit trying to be a rock star in 1977, I took what I had learned about pro sound as a musician and began working as a retail salesperson at a large audio (soon to be audio/video) superstore in So. Cal.

 

In 1981 I went to work for Nakamichi as their So. Cal/AZ/Las Vegas factory sales rep. In 1989 I moved into Nak's technical department and spent a few years crisscrossing the USA doing dealer training, clinics and local audio shows. I also created their training materials.

 

In 1993 I went to work for Kenwood, spending a year crisscrossing the USA doing dealer training, clinics and local audio shows. In 1994 I switched jobs at Kenwood and became their technical documents specialist, creating training materials, brochure copy, ad copy and just about anything else that had letters and numbers in it for their home and car audio products. I also created user manuals for products that Kenwood developed in the USA (1st-gen Dolby Digital HT controller & amp, audio/video receivers, 1st-gen Sirius radios, all-in-one rack systems, etc.) and did my best to edit the user manuals that were still being created in Japan. (I often didn't get the opportunity.) While at Kenwood I received 2 levels of training at Skywalker Ranch from Lucasfilm's THX division, which included basic film soundtrack creation, multichannel audio playback system theory, THX theory and technology, home theater outfitting, wiring and construction.

 

In 2004 I went to work for Sonance, creating user manuals for their in-wall speakers, multi-channel amps & controllers and in-wall iPod stations. In 2007 I began working as a freelance tech writer/illustrator, creating user documentation for Sonance, Sirius/XM and Harman audio products, and Xantech control software..

 

In 2009 I went to work full-time for Harman, creating all the user documentation for all of the consumer products for JBL, Harman-Kardon, Revel, and Infinity. This ranged from simple pictographic instructions for Bluetooth portable speakers to 60-page HK audio/video receiver manuals and the manuals for the JBL Everest DD 67000/65000 and S4700 Synthesis-series speakers.

 

In 2013 Harman outsourced my department's work (user documentation and other technical documentation, packaging creation, marketing & tradeshow support) overseas and let the entire Brand Services department (25 people) go. For a short while in 2013 I worked at Harbor Freight Tools creating user documentation for air compressors, drill presses, electric planers and the like, and later in the year I went to work for mophie, where I'm currently employed creating user documentation for all of their consumer battery products, as well as a host of company-facing internal technical documentation.

 

So 2013 marked the end of my 36-year career in the consumer audio industry, although I continue to do freelance work for Harman creating user documentation for a few of their more sophisticated products (Revel Ultima II subwoofer, JBL M2 studio monitor, JBL car audio amps, to name a few).

[Edgar]

Became an electrical engineer, driven by my passion for audio.

In the 1980s I took what work I could find, which happened to be in the Defense industry. Hated it.

By the early 1990s I was on the ground floor of MPEG Audio development (what eventually became MP3, among others). That company folded.

Spent some time at Fostex. That particular division eventually closed.

Went to Altec Lansing, which became Electro-Voice, which became Telex. Spent many years there developing DSP systems. In 1999 they laid-off the entire R&D department in Minneapolis, which just happened to include yours truly.

Freelanced for a while. Designed some motion picture soundtrack equipment that nobody's ever heard of, but everybody has heard. Earned enough money to pay the bills.

Eventually started my own business trying to market some surround-sound systems that I patented. Lost my shirt.

Now I'm working in the electrical power industry. I am still passionate about audio, but I have to admit that it hasn't been very kind to me.