Suggestion for Next Fest

pustelniakr

Silver Miner at Large
Subscriber
Maybe, for intended attendees of the next fest, a downloadable template could be provided, allowing folks to put their screen names, avatars, and real names on their badges, then, print their own badges and bring them along, to put into an official badge holder (for proof of registration). Many folks did not include their screen names on their badges, and I for one, probably walked right past folks I would have wanted to accost with some well chewed fat, if only I had known who they were. As in here, there is no better way to identify folks than by a quick glance at their avatar.

I don't intend to cause a badge creation bottleneck at the registration table. That is why I suggest folks can print theirs at home, or at a fest laptop/printer setup, then use some sort of officially marked badge holder, to show that registration has taken place, with associated fees.

Maybe some folks could step up and share the manning and operation of a room or 2, dedicated to basic instruction about the audio game: setting up turntables, basics of speaker positioning, room treatments, vinyl care, etc. etc. etc. Maybe specific seminar classes could be held at specified times, where folks could attend if interested.

I offer my own services in either or both ot these areas.

Enjoy,
Rich P
 
Excellent suggestions on the name tags as well as the seminars! Not that there isn't plenty to do and lots to see. I for one am always up to learning new stuff, and picking up some new ideas! On a side note , I lived in Tucson 1973-1986, is Electronic City still there on 22nd Street?

Terrry
 
Great suggestions Rich.

One thing I do is help develop training seminars and presentations. And the most successful and satisfying ones are when the people attending aren't just spectators but get involved and have actual hands on.
 
I think this is a great point! My bad vision and worthless memory need all the help they can get.

I know that members came into my room and got mostly ignored because I couldn't tell them apart from walk-ins, and at any distance, I can't read those damn name tags. I feel stupid leaning over towards someone's chest to peer at the small print. Walk-ins with just "MIKE" on the tag were easy to see, but told me nothing.

I was thinking that we could change the badges to make ID easier. For me a simple visual that I don't have to squint at will work best.

The exhibitors got badges with a red "Exhibitor" tag at the bottom. I was thinking that we could use a white tag for AK Member and blue for AK Staff (mods etc.). Walk-ins get no tag. For me, that'd make it a LOT easier.
 
I think this is a great point! My bad vision and worthless memory need all the help they can get.

I know that members came into my room and got mostly ignored because I couldn't tell them apart from walk-ins, and at any distance, I can't read those damn name tags. I feel stupid leaning over towards someone's chest to peer at the small print. Walk-ins with just "MIKE" on the tag were easy to see, but told me nothing.

I was thinking that we could change the badges to make ID easier. For me a simple visual that I don't have to squint at will work best.

The exhibitors got badges with a red "Exhibitor" tag at the bottom. I was thinking that we could use a white tag for AK Member and blue for AK Staff (mods etc.). Walk-ins get no tag. For me, that'd make it a LOT easier.

Excellent thoughts, Rich and David.
Would certainly make things much easier!
 
I think that suggestions like these would go a long way to make newbies feel more comfortable in going up to and introducing themselves. I like the idea of having the post count number big and loud on the badge - AK veterans can make an effort to reach out to the the newbies and get them involved. Experiences like what SubWolfer mentioned in his thread could be handled better...

:music:
 
This was a new registration setup for us and when we opened (almost 30 minutes early), we were pleasantly surprised to see that there was a line for almost 3 hours.# Where that time went is a blur.......In the past we used all of the same color lanyards for everyone.# This year we made the decision to make sure that the exibitors stood out by giving them lanyards that said "Exibitors".# We tried at the registration table to try and put the members name onto the nametag, but alot of people did not want thier AK name on the nametag.# Who were we to argue.# You guys have given some great suggestions for the nametags, some of which we have considered in the past.# Every year we have tried to make improvements on the last, and this year we learned alot.# After a few weeks of relaxation and decompressing we will start planning next years fest.# David needs to get his voice back (I am loving this) and I need to rest my "robofoot".Thanks again to everyone who attended......
 
I like the idea of having some instructional seminars.

DIY amplifier building Q+A would be sweet!

It would take too long, but imagine if you could leave the fest with a flea power DIY amp and a little fostex single driver speaker system.

(I think I am dreaming though, that would be a logistical nightmare)
 
I like the idea of having some instructional seminars.

DIY amplifier building Q+A would be sweet!

It would take too long, but imagine if you could leave the fest with a flea power DIY amp and a little fostex single driver speaker system.

(I think I am dreaming though, that would be a logistical nightmare)

While seminars may be cool, my gut feel is that there really isn't any time. I had a swap table again this year and me and my roomies decided that if we have the Swap room again, we'd prefer to have it open only on Saturday so to free us up on Sunday to hang in the exhibition rooms. :yes: so taking another hour out of a already too short weekend seems counterproductive to me.

I've toyed with doing a refoam presentation, but really think I'll tape a youtube video for it and post a link here. That topic really is simple enough that it makes perfect sense. But something like DIY amp building, crossover design, or speaker building seems complex enough that any seminar may be too complex for beginners and to simple for the pros.
 
While seminars may be cool, my gut feel is that there really isn't any time. I had a swap table again this year and me and my roomies decided that if we have the Swap room again, we'd prefer to have it open only on Saturday so to free us up on Sunday to hang in the exhibition rooms. :yes: so taking another hour out of a already too short weekend seems counterproductive to me.

I've toyed with doing a refoam presentation, but really think I'll tape a youtube video for it and post a link here. That topic really is simple enough that it makes perfect sense. But something like DIY amp building, crossover design, or speaker building seems complex enough that any seminar may be too complex for beginners and to simple for the pros.

But we could put together a couple one-hour seminars on basic speaker design, or tube amp design, a short course of the history of hi-fi with names and short bios of the giants, even a quickie class on how a tube works.

I know lots of guys who want to get more involved with tubes, but this isn't their generation's technology - or even dad's. Grandpa's, maybe. Give 'em the quick run-down so they know a triode from a pentode and turn 'em loose on the manufacturers.

Hell, I'd be willing to teach. I've been a corporate trainer for over a decade. Might cut into my "annoying people with my camera" time, though.
 
We tried at the registration table to try and put the members name onto the nametag, but alot of people did not want thier AK name on the nametag.# Who were we to argue.# You guys have given some great suggestions for the nametags, some of which we have considered in the past.#

To make it easier for the check-in staff, if the size of the nametag holder was posted in advance, those who preferred to could print up their own at home and bring it with them to insert into the holder.
 
Other subjects for possible displays or seminars:

Re-foaming seems to be a common request.

Setting Bias and DC Offset.

Removing and soldering components from circuit boards.

Speaker placement.


Kept short, 15-30min, they could be rotated on a schedule, leaving plenty of time for the presenters to browse the show.
 
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OK a thought suggesting what you would like to see is great.

Finding someone to provide your suggest is Awesome.

doing the leg work for Grumpy and the people who already have way to much to do is OUTSTANDING.

So guys take this the next BIG step and if you want to see how someone refoams a woofer find someone who has a woofer to refoam and the knowledge to do it and get it set up.

I'll bet if someone emailed Dave in a couple weeks when he and his over worked crew finally wake up from their much needed rest. And said Dave we need a room to put on demos we have this guy who will do a speaker refoam dem 4 times on Saturday and twice on Sunday. We have a guy who will demo iron on Veneer twice on Sat and twice on Sunday we have a guy who will build a small 8 watt tube amp over the course of the event in 4 stages (thinking one of the cheap kits)

And all we need is a room to set it up I bet Dave would be tickled to make it happen.

If on the other hand you have great suggestions to add to Dave's HUGE list of work to do. I see it as something that might not happen.

SO my suggestion is Ask not what Dave and AK can do for you, But what can you do for AK.

to paraphrase.
 
Hey Nancy!

How about this: One month in advance, AK members can fill out their info on the site and pay for the Fest via Paypal. Their nametag will be pre-printed with no waiting at the Fest. It'll have their first name and AK name in easy-to-read print, and a member color tag for easy ID. Color code:

Members will be green,
Subscribers will be red,
Staff will be blue,
Exhibitors will be black,
Walk-ins get no extra tag part.

Since we'll have a month to get these printed, there won't be a panic, and the member benefits by no waiting to register. Subscribers get to attend some free function... dunno what, and staff and exhibitors are easy to identify. Staff benefits by easier registration and shorter lines.

Of course, I'm making this up... :D
 
Maybe some folks could step up and share the manning and operation of a room or 2, dedicated to basic instruction about the audio game: setting up turntables, basics of speaker positioning, room treatments, vinyl care, etc. etc. etc. Maybe specific seminar classes could be held at specified times, where folks could attend if interested.

I'd be happy to help out on the speaker side. I could probably put together a herd of speakers to show different types (currently I have sealed, ported, TL, and horns on the premises, could create OB and line array in a matter of days, and could probably come up with planar magnetics and AMT if I asked the right guys) with displays on how/why they work. I would be disinclined to spend the whole weekend there though as room hopping and hobnobbing were the highlights of my weekend this year.

I don't know if refoaming a speaker every hour would work out well because the rooms were pretty small (assuming the same or a similar venue for next year) and you'd never get more than about 10 people who could actually see what was going on. However, a static display of the various stages of a refoam might work out as passersby could check them out at their leisure and ask questions.

I offer my own services in either or both ot these areas.

Bless you, sir. You are a gentleman and a scholar, and I mean that most sincerely.

Ray
 
I would be more than willing to coordinate the "shoestring contest" if there were a couple of rooms available to conduct it in.

G
 
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