Tomorrow will start packing up for that yearly tradition of visiting Starfleet Headquarters (aka Anaheim Convention Center) for the annual NAMM conference. We just got out a premium edition handmade U47 to a university in the country of Luxembourg right before shutting down the lab for a week, and it was the perfect way to close. Already have a re-amp order to get out the door upon my return.
I'm always inspired to see the new gear and old friends at this show, and usually come back excited and invigorated to build more mics and develop more things. While I'll be there to promote the works of the more mainstream company I am involved in (United Studio Tech), I am committed to continue handcrafting beautiful microphones and re-amp boxes and other things for direct clients as long as I possibly can. While I know United will begin to consume more and more of my free time as we add on more products; I also know there is a need for and a market for custom, absolutely no-compromise, completely handmade goods that have ridiculous levels of attention to detail put into them. It also keeps me grounded, as a hands on person. Handmaking microphones is the best primer for developing mics for mass production, and vice versa. I think the two compliment each other well, and things move forward I expect Signal Art to become a more clearly 'high end/boutique' line of things while United takes advantage of some of the benefits of mass production and puts these items into actual stores and web retailer's hands.
The end of 2019 also saw my decision to finally close and finish liquidating my studio other than what I need for mic testing and analysis, a decision I'd been mulling and trying to do for five years; but never quite pulled the trigger on. From here on out, my focus will be on developing and making great audio products. Here's to 2020, hoping yours will be as busy as I know mine will be.
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