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Small and scrappy

Paul's Posts — 20 October 2011

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Small and scrappy

The past few days we’ve been focusing on not setting boundaries but I think it is really more about where much of the innovation we see comes from.

The fact is, most innovation comes from small scrappy little companies – not from big corporate giants.

Take Apple for example – one of the more innovative companies out there. Most of their serious innovations, the iPod, their touch screens, the new voice recognition software were acquired through acquisition of small companies or organisations. The most famous, of which, is the technology created by a small group of mavericks Xerox funded called PARC that actually invented the icon based object oriented GUI Apple made famous and now used on every computer in the world (the mouse as well).

There are many fine examples of this including the transistor and the internet itself.

High-end companies are mostly run by mavericks, they are typically scrappy and underfunded and much of the original innovation in audio comes from them.

Certainly it is unlikely that a smaller company is going to produce a plasma TV, an optical disc, even a CD player.  These major technology innovations take a lot of horsepower.  But all big ideas are built on small ideas.

The high-end is the cutting edge for much of what finds its way into the masses over time when it comes to audio.

I think our industry’s efforts to raise the bar on sound quality has a ripple effect felt all over the world.

Now, how cool is that?

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About Author

Paul McGowan

Paul McGowan is the CEO and co-founder of PS Audio Inc. a Boulder Colorado design and manufacturing company of high-end audio products and services. McGowan has been designing and building high-end products for nearly 40 years. Hobbies include skiing, music, hiking, artisan bread baking, kick boxing and cooking. He lives in Boulder Colorado with his wife Terri and his 4 sons.

(2) Readers Comments

  1. October 20, 2011 at 4:48 am

    Good morning, Paul. First of all and regarding your lasts comments of yesterday, I have to say that I love reading your posts, otherwise, I would an stupid, a masochist or a kind of “troll” :-) )). Although my comments may be felt like a kind ‘caterpillar’, if somebody reads between lines, I guess smart ones can consider them as a kind of fine ‘sandpaper’. And when somebody is right, he is right. Period.
    And you are right in your present post: it is true that innovations need a certain level of independence and small brilliant minds are the authors of most of the advances. The fact that they work for one or other company will be reflected in the marketing power (mainly, promotion). So, although we could discuss for weeks (that’s good) about many details about the present Hi-End direction nowadays whole day, I just want to make this short: Very good article and good favor for that people who decide to leave the mainstream and follow their own way. My most sincere congratulations for the above comments (but …just and only today :-) ))).
    Take care,

    • October 20, 2011 at 10:05 am

      Thanks. I don’t have a problem with you or anyone disagreeing with me. :) .

      It’s what a discussion is all about.

      Check out tomorrow’s post and let me k now what you think.

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