Wow – The HA industry is going into the same type of changes the computer industry went through in the early 1980’s. I was there, and this has many similarities to then:
Radio Shack insisted in locking each PC, so if you opened the case, they would void the warranty. Apples cost more, but were open. PCs from IBM and other compatibles (like my company, Columbia Data Products) allowed add-ons and promoted modular support and repairs. RS is Dead. Apple and IBM PC’s cost more, and still wiped them out. Even IBM and Apple tried to “control” who could sell their products, or provide support. Luckily for them, they lost complete control.
– Anyone want a TRS-80, -3, -16 ?? No?? Closed systems won’t work as a business model.
– Ever HAVE to call an IBM, Apple, or any PC manufacturer to add to, or repair these devices?? No?? Restricting access to users is crazy.
– Calling any specific dealer to “program” a computer?? No?? That was the whole basis for the PC revolution that used PCs to displace datacenter providers.
Still, programming your own PC operating system settings is a bit nuts, unless you know what you are doing, or get some professional advice so you don’t turn your PC into a brick. Same goes for your HA’s – Allow the volume to go too high for too long, your hearing loss will get worse. OTOH, if properly “fitted”, you’d never need to overdrive the volume.
(That is excepting the intentional bass deficiencies built into ambient amplification that unfortunately, was carried over by poor design into Bluetooth HA implementations. – See my other posts on this Bass subject, and how to overcome these problems.)
I can pretty much attest to not doing your own repairs on complicated proprietary devices like BMWs as well. OTOH, with great YouTube Videos, I’ve replaced most all of the front end parts on my 745i, the window motors and regulators, etc.
How?? Just use the great advice on the internet. “Use”: ==->> Know when to use which advice, and when to leave it alone and don’t mess with it. This is a skill everyone needs to learn at an early age. All the most detailed information is freely available to everyone today, and will be more so in the future. Learning which sources to trust, which you can use, and which you shouldn’t is the future’s most important skill and essential to being brilliant. That also means that, for many subjects, you will never be qualified enough to be great, and safe, or require much more skill than you are likely to gain anytime soon. I’ve worked with brilliant engineers for decades that I’ve employed. Sometimes, I know more than they do, but most often, I’d be a fool to not defer to their judgement, since they have much more context to make those decisions. Still, unless they’ve studied that area of an operating system like Windows, they don’t have enough expertise either, to make critical design decisions.
Here’s what I predict for the HA industry: The hardware will ALL become a very inexpensive commodity. Your cell phone is far more advanced than all the computers that took us to the moon and back. Already, the hardware that is being produced by the CE manufacturers is far more capable than most all HA’s. That said, programming them properly and perfectly, will really remain much more of an art, and you will have professionals that can take that hardware, and design / program it to do more amazing things than you can imagine today. For instance, I listening now to the the TV from a separate room, and even with my “default 100% hearing with no losses”, I’d never be able to hear or understand what was being said. Already, when getting on a flight, we expect to be able to tune out virtually all the sound of the engines. But, can we also hear the drink cart choices?? Nope… not engineered for that–yet. But, it will be in the future. Want to hear what they are saying in first class?? Yup, you will be able to hear most of that as well.
But, before any of this is possible, both engineers and professional, artful, HA “fitters” and engineers have a lot of work to do. I suspect that I’m always going to want to use a professional to properly tune my HA so I can hear perfectly as is possible. With HA, I’m close to 100% of usable sound today, even with a loss. Even though I replaced my whole front end suspension on my BMW, no way could I possibly align it perfectly and safely. But, with the right equipment and an expert, it only took 15 minutes to perfectly tune that car. HA’s will be no different.
Most all these crazy business practices you see today, will kill off whoever practices them. Used computers were also unheard of, and an anomaly until a few people like Alex Randall from Boston Computer Exchange, (think=early EBay) and me that started Godfather’s Used Computers, popularized them.
