Photos from AKFest 2010

[Andyman]

Here's a cell phone picture we snuck in the Swap room of a secret new record weight prototype being tested.

It appears to be a joint effort between 3M Scotch and Channel-Lock. :yes: :thmbsp:

 

[dmax99]

Andy, Your link's not working for me.

 

[Andyman]

Should be now...

 

[dmax99]

Looks like everyone had a great time and there was some interesting looking gear.

Who makes these are how did they sound?

How did the Pi speakers sound?

What is this gear and how did it sound?

The Pi speakers sounded very nice to me,and there were lots of favorable comments from people visiting the SMAC room.They worked especially well with a home-brew single-ended amp built by Ashok,/SMAC club member.

 

[dmax99]

Here's a cell phone we snuck in the Swap room of a secret new record weight prototype being tested.

It appears to be a joint effort between 3M Scotch and Channel-Lock. :yes: :thmbsp:

That was Too Funny!

 

[Andyman]

The speakers on the bottom are made by Classic Audio Reproductions, but I don't know what model they are.

 

[krikor]

Here's some more I just uploaded. Great fest thus far, but I need to spend more time on the third floor tomorrow.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/audiosnoop/sets/72157623972231686/

Updated link above with photos from day two. Enjoy!

 

[krikor]

Attack of the Killer Mini Monitors!

I was quite impressed by several of the small... check that... TINY monitors and their ability to reproduce decent bass while completely disappearing with stat-like detail and speed. Especially:

Dali speakers

And whatever those were in the Arte Forma room

 

[krikor]

Looks like everyone had a great time and there was some interesting looking gear.

Who makes these are how did they sound?

Those are the Heil-based speakers from Parker Audio, and I would agree with hibuckhobby's previous comments.

 

[Bob_in_OKC]

Did anyone have any thoughts on these speakers?

Also...it seems like most of the speakers specialists were using tube gear...

 

[x_25]

I was quite impressed by several of the small... check that... TINY monitors and their ability to reproduce decent bass while completely disappearing with stat-like detail and speed. Especially:

Dali speakers

Those were amazing. They retail for $1500. That is a 4" woofer in them. They are not much bigger (although a bit deeper) than a Minimus 7W

Looks like everyone had a great time and there was some interesting looking gear.

What is this gear and how did it sound?

Audio Classics. They are fun to listen to but not worth the $36k asking price.

Did anyone have any thoughts on these speakers?

They sounded good with Miles Davis on sax. That's the only that was ever playing when I was in there. Other than that not as impressive as the look.


[/quote]Also...it seems like most of the speakers specialists were using tube gear...

[/QUOTE]

Lot's of tube gear at the fest this year. :yes:

 

[VinylHanger]

Here's a cell phone picture we snuck in the Swap room of a secret new record weight prototype being tested.

It appears to be a joint effort between 3M Scotch and Channel-Lock. :yes: :thmbsp:

If that is any indicator of the pricing in there... it is way too high.

 

[olson_jr]

I played your CD in the Rega room. :yes:

One guy came in and started playing some ambient techno and instrumental hip-hop and a group of people with some really odd music ended up in there and spent about 2 hours in there. We had everything from Black Sabbath to your CD playing. It was great. The guy running the room was loving it because it was all stuff he liked but was afraid to play at an audio show. :thmbsp:

The 'Guy' in the Rega/Dali room was playing some very interesting and unusual music for us towards the end of the show Sunday. ( IE ~ The Dark Side of the Moon by The Flaming Lips!!)

I had to go back for a second visit with pen in hand because some of the stuff I heard was haunting me.

He told me that he was really enjoying this show as there was a real interest in the music and so many folks had eclectic tastes!

The Rega 2 box system and both the Dali speakers were very impressive too.

 

[grumpy]

Thanks for posting your fest photo's. I know who that Sweets LP belongs too

 

[Andyman]

If that is any indicator of the pricing in there... it is way too high.

Yeah, that solid state stuff just doesn't draw the action that the tube gear does...:lmao:

 

[Cosmos]

I have to say, Cosmos' speakers not only look fantastic, but IMO they were the best sounding speakers I heard at the Fest.

I'm kicking myself for leaving my camera at home.

Thank you very much Andy for your comments. It's really great to hear positive comments about something you create. Beyond that, the Fest is great for me too, as it creates a definite deadline to projects. You have no choice, It has to be done by Fest!!

I am sure I can also speak for Kegger when I say we had a great time at the Fest. It's so cool. This year was the first year that my wife or son stopped by to see what the Fest is. They both left with the opinion that it was far cooler than anything they could have imagined and I think my wife would be up for spending at least a day at Fest next year. How cool is that???

I hope the Fest continues for many years to come. Thank you to Dave and all that contributed their time and effort to make it happen.

Viva la AKFest!

 

[Tubamark]

Did anyone have any thoughts on these speakers?

'Sounded pretty dynamic from the hallway . . . In-room they sounded boxy, but this was (to some extent) due to spkr placement - they were a low-directivity design, and placed way too close to the sidewalls -- 'Pretty hard to have a fair audition of the spkr itself under those conditions.

Aside: the seller(s) were NOT living-up to the AK pledge of "No Attitude". After a demo, they asked if anyone had questions about the speaker, so I asked a good question . . . The gent who replied was outright dissmissive and rude -- rolling his eyes and saying that it was an "irrelevant question". It seems (and I'm being gentle here) that he couldn't understand the question and/or had limited knowledge of audio.
I don't expect everyone to be an engineer, but it was a basic question. If multiple salesmen are hovering about the room just to sell a single product that costs more than my car, I expect more. In the end, it was simply a big speaker with traditional components in a curvy box. Nothing innovative about it.

If the folks referenced read this (I'd be shocked) I would welcome a PM to discuss.

Sorry for the rant . . .

-- Tubamark

 

[Dudly]

It sure looked like a good time, sure am glad I couldn't come.
It would have just made me want more stuff that I couldn't even begin to buy...........

 

[ScofieldKjv]

'Sounded pretty dynamic from the hallway . . . In-room they sounded boxy, but this was (to some extent) due to spkr placement - they were a low-directivity design, and placed way too close to the sidewalls -- 'Pretty hard to have a fair audition of the spkr itself under those conditions.

Aside: the seller(s) were NOT living-up to the AK pledge of "No Attitude". After a demo, they asked if anyone had questions about the speaker, so I asked a good question . . . The gent who replied was outright dissmissive and rude -- rolling his eyes and saying that it was an "irrelevant question". It seems (and I'm being gentle here) that he couldn't understand the question and/or had limited knowledge of audio.
I don't expect everyone to be an engineer, but it was a basic question. If multiple salesmen are hovering about the room just to sell a single product that costs more than my car, I expect more. In the end, it was simply a big speaker with traditional components in a curvy box. Nothing innovative about it.

If the folks referenced read this (I'd be shocked) I would welcome a PM to discuss.

Sorry for the rant . . .

-- Tubamark

I would have to concur with the above on the attitude of these guys, not good.

I was not able to hear them anywhere near a sweet spot nor with music I'd prefer, but they were clearly dynamic and a couple friends I was with did hear them in better situations than I and had some good to say about them.

 

[Andyman]

I stopped in that room briefly and was surprised. The vendor was asking guys how they liked the system and they flat out told him they wouldn't buy it. He said he could take it, but when they told him they weren't impressed he seemed to go over and pout, so perhaps I missed out on something earlier. I wasn't impressed either and FWIW, those are the fugliest things I saw all weekend. uke: Even if they sounded good they are so visually obnoxious I wouldn't buy them.