New England Winter Frankenfest February 23rd Clinton MA
- Thread starter w1jim
- Start date
Yes indeed thanks to Frank, Peter, Jim and Don for making all this possible. It was great to reconnect with some familiar faces and meet lots of new people as well. I'm already looking forward to the next one.
Even though I had a wallet full of mad money no gear was able to find it's way into my vehicle no matter how I tried. But I did come home with a smile, and a belly full of beer and great tasting lasagna. What a fun day and by far the best one yet:thmbsp:.
Even though I had a wallet full of mad money no gear was able to find it's way into my vehicle no matter how I tried. But I did come home with a smile, and a belly full of beer and great tasting lasagna. What a fun day and by far the best one yet:thmbsp:.
AudioJoe413
Active Member
I just wanted to give a sincere thank you to Frank, Peter, Don & Jim and anybody else that had anything to do with organizing this great event.
I also wanted to give a big thanks to Steph for the record grading seminar as I gained a little more knowledge about the subject. It was very interesting to see the results of the grading. It seemed I graded in the middle to lower end of general consensus which gave me a lot more confidence in my grading.
This was my first fest, but will not be my last. It was really cool to see all the different gear and people.
I also wanted to give a big thanks to Steph for the record grading seminar as I gained a little more knowledge about the subject. It was very interesting to see the results of the grading. It seemed I graded in the middle to lower end of general consensus which gave me a lot more confidence in my grading.
This was my first fest, but will not be my last. It was really cool to see all the different gear and people.
A few more pics (lots more back on page 16):
I'm one of the new faces. I was really impressed. Great people, gear, music and food. It was like a mini-Woodstock. Thanks to the organizers for setting up such a special get together. Thanks also to everyone who bought records from me. It helps fuel my own collection. The nice thing is I know the vinyl I sold will be treated well and given a good home. As if it couldn't get any better, someone (sorry-didn't catch your name) gave me a free Kenwood receiver as I was leaving. I'm looking forward to the next one.
audiodon
Addicted Member
Wow that whole day was a blur.
These fests just ripen with time. I think it's great to get a minute with people that I can now call friends and others I hope to call friends in time.
There are a number of people who drive 3 hours or more one way. There can only be one reason for that.
AK's "All Audio, No Attitude" spirit has helped build a real community.
Thank you to everyone for participating in, building, being part of, and promoting that community.
Retroman98 brought these space age wall-hanging Fisher speakers that just lit up when connected to the pretty one amplifier. With a powered subwoofer supplementing them in the low end, they seem to defy physics.
Pretty one amp restoration thread: http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=491521
Does anyone have a picture of that hallway setup using those panels?
I heard more than one comment on their grilles needing to have velvet Elvis or sad girl with teardrops fabric, but the space-age modern art material on them really fueled imaginations.
Someone with good and reliable ears pronounced Retroman's (oh, and how that name fits) system "Best In Show" because, while there were many good to great systems playing throughout Frank's and Peter's shops, these panels were the most non-traditional.
I think it sounded best playing Jeff Beck's "Blow by Blow" on vinyl.
These fests just ripen with time. I think it's great to get a minute with people that I can now call friends and others I hope to call friends in time.
There are a number of people who drive 3 hours or more one way. There can only be one reason for that.
AK's "All Audio, No Attitude" spirit has helped build a real community.
Thank you to everyone for participating in, building, being part of, and promoting that community.
Retroman98 brought these space age wall-hanging Fisher speakers that just lit up when connected to the pretty one amplifier. With a powered subwoofer supplementing them in the low end, they seem to defy physics.
Pretty one amp restoration thread: http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=491521
Does anyone have a picture of that hallway setup using those panels?
I heard more than one comment on their grilles needing to have velvet Elvis or sad girl with teardrops fabric, but the space-age modern art material on them really fueled imaginations.
Someone with good and reliable ears pronounced Retroman's (oh, and how that name fits) system "Best In Show" because, while there were many good to great systems playing throughout Frank's and Peter's shops, these panels were the most non-traditional.
I think it sounded best playing Jeff Beck's "Blow by Blow" on vinyl.
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Yay! Next event - Summer SweatFest July 13th in Clinton, MA
Well now, that was a really good time!
First off I'd like to thank everyone for the most generous gift, it is truly appreciated and I can assure you it will not go to waste!
Frank, Peter and I did a rough count and we estimate we had 75-80 participants, I think our previous high was around 60 last winter so this things seems to be growing - but not in an unmanageable manner even though we had less space than at the October event.
One shortcoming was with the smaller space we didn't have the ability to have an area for some critical listening.
At Don's urging he and I went upstairs and took a look at the space available there.
We are hoping that at the next event we can set up an area where the music can be enjoyed away from the crowd.
Access is by the stairs in the corner by the restrooms and there is also the freight elevator if necessary (there's a Mazda Miata up there so I'm sure the elevator will be adequate for our needs).
The food, as always was ample, varied and delicious, the deals abounded but as has been noted elsewhere sometimes it's difficult to sell gear to our crowd since we've all been at this for a while and we've been moving up the food chain so to speak.
That's another reason we can always use fresh new faces.
I did personally pick up a couple of nice items and sold / gave away some things to make room in my tiny car to haul my goodies.
Thanks to Darren aka Taylor Playe for his photographic contributions, though they did tend to show off my dwindling hair :sigh:.
BTW, a blister packed MP3 player of some sort did seem to go missing, if it ended up in anyone's box on the way out please get in touch with me and we'll return it to it's rightful home.
UPDATE - this item was found in another box so all is good.
Next event will be the Summer SweatFest and is scheduled for Saturday July 13th in Clinton.
Thanks again and keep posting those pictures!
JimB
Well now, that was a really good time!
First off I'd like to thank everyone for the most generous gift, it is truly appreciated and I can assure you it will not go to waste!
Frank, Peter and I did a rough count and we estimate we had 75-80 participants, I think our previous high was around 60 last winter so this things seems to be growing - but not in an unmanageable manner even though we had less space than at the October event.
One shortcoming was with the smaller space we didn't have the ability to have an area for some critical listening.
At Don's urging he and I went upstairs and took a look at the space available there.
We are hoping that at the next event we can set up an area where the music can be enjoyed away from the crowd.
Access is by the stairs in the corner by the restrooms and there is also the freight elevator if necessary (there's a Mazda Miata up there so I'm sure the elevator will be adequate for our needs).
The food, as always was ample, varied and delicious, the deals abounded but as has been noted elsewhere sometimes it's difficult to sell gear to our crowd since we've all been at this for a while and we've been moving up the food chain so to speak.
That's another reason we can always use fresh new faces.
I did personally pick up a couple of nice items and sold / gave away some things to make room in my tiny car to haul my goodies.
Thanks to Darren aka Taylor Playe for his photographic contributions, though they did tend to show off my dwindling hair :sigh:.
BTW, a blister packed MP3 player of some sort did seem to go missing, if it ended up in anyone's box on the way out please get in touch with me and we'll return it to it's rightful home.
UPDATE - this item was found in another box so all is good.
Next event will be the Summer SweatFest and is scheduled for Saturday July 13th in Clinton.
Thanks again and keep posting those pictures!
JimB
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steph_gaynor
Well-Known Member
it must have been a Frankenfest
for a girl to have so much fun in one day!
wonderful conversations, great listening, delicious apple wine, yummy beer and snacks.
Many thanks to our hosts Frank and Peter and to the organizers Jim and Don.
And to the folks who took the time to set up some really wonderful sound systems -- complete with Pokemon enclosures, blanket forts, super mod art panel speakers, magical DIY builds & vintage resurrections -- Thank You!
I had a blast at the record grading workshop and am always interested in how other folks get it done. Thanks to the leaders Tom and Dmitri, to Tim (Truck99) on the record grading ballots and to all the other participants.
One regret is that I did not get to learn more about evaluating styli under the scope. I hope Dan can school me another time.
all my best, Stephanie
for a girl to have so much fun in one day!
wonderful conversations, great listening, delicious apple wine, yummy beer and snacks.
Many thanks to our hosts Frank and Peter and to the organizers Jim and Don.
And to the folks who took the time to set up some really wonderful sound systems -- complete with Pokemon enclosures, blanket forts, super mod art panel speakers, magical DIY builds & vintage resurrections -- Thank You!
I had a blast at the record grading workshop and am always interested in how other folks get it done. Thanks to the leaders Tom and Dmitri, to Tim (Truck99) on the record grading ballots and to all the other participants.
One regret is that I did not get to learn more about evaluating styli under the scope. I hope Dan can school me another time.
all my best, Stephanie
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I regret that I didn't know much about actually evaluating stylii under the scope. I need to school myself first before I can provide much useful information to anyone else. Deli/Paul says he'll send me a good Audio-Technica booklet about what to look for and how to interpret what we see.
I, in turn, regret that I wasn't able to get back to the record grading session. Sounds like it was interesting and useful to those who took part.
reidcc
Active Member
Thanks to Jim, Frank, and Peter-as without them, we'd surely be meeting in a parking lot somewhere.
Big thanks to the guys and gals who put on Demo's(did not get to see them all). I know Dan(LexDM3) spent a lot of time getting his Microscope setup going. I happened to catch a small part of Jamal's surround replacement- but got in too late, and had to leave.
I didn't move any Gear- and thats ok, BUT I thoroughly LOVED the collaboration between JohninMa and Baco99's demo of Pipe Organ Music and Baco's AR Speakers. That was the highlight of my day. Where else is it COOL to listen to that!!!
I hope Baco does well on his Half Marathon in Hyannis today. I am sure he was draggin BIG time moving all those speakers In and Out yesterday!!!
Thanks Again-
Chris
Big thanks to the guys and gals who put on Demo's(did not get to see them all). I know Dan(LexDM3) spent a lot of time getting his Microscope setup going. I happened to catch a small part of Jamal's surround replacement- but got in too late, and had to leave.
I didn't move any Gear- and thats ok, BUT I thoroughly LOVED the collaboration between JohninMa and Baco99's demo of Pipe Organ Music and Baco's AR Speakers. That was the highlight of my day. Where else is it COOL to listen to that!!!
I hope Baco does well on his Half Marathon in Hyannis today. I am sure he was draggin BIG time moving all those speakers In and Out yesterday!!!
Thanks Again-
Chris
Attachments
The item in question was a NuForce UDac2 Headphone amp/Dac.
In the spirit of Karma and good vibes. Crisis averted... I am glad that the unit was found.
without going into detail. I will say this. I trust our core group, I don't own anything that anyone doesn't own, couldn't own or hasn't at some point owned. The circumstances of the missing unit were a bit more suspect in my opinion but I'll chalk it up to someone picking it up to find me to ask about it and failing to put it back where it belonged. How it ended up where it did, why, who , when blah blah blah... Pointless at this juncture. So conspiracy theories and CSI forensics are being put to rest in the name of GOOD KARMA. (Audiodon can be thanked for that bit of wisdom)
I will suggest that we be a bit more mindful if we are moving other folks items to listen, plug in, test, or find it's owner to inquire about the item.
**** happens!, there's a lot of distractions at these events ( even during the last hours when there are less people and gear to talk yourself into or out of ). 5 or so beers and a gut full of delicious pasta ( I had some for lunch today.. My compliments to the Chef, that's good stuff) and you'd probably put your car keys in the refrigerator if you weren't paying attention.
The case of the Missing DAC is closed... Moving on. Thanks
Speaker re-foaming.
For the group of folks who teamed up for the Speaker re-foaming session ( as late as it was) - GOOD TIMES!
I think this is something that is much more fun when done as a group ( at least for me) it's like a sewing circle in that way. I'll avoid it forever, but if one my buddies comes over to do a set, it's just way easier to engage in the task.
I'd like to see this as a regular feature of the meet ups. My bad for the late start. but once we got a few people gathered around , it was a blast and I think folks really took away some solid approaches to tackling this tedious process.
There are quite a few things that come in handy to get it done efficiently and I will put a list of the most common things you should have in your re-foaming tool kit. I'm referring to it as the RICK COBB method, because it's based largely on the instructions he includes in his kit. I get no kickback for endorsing the guy but there are certain surrounds that I only buy from him because he has the right products and really seems to know his stuff. Even if he doesn't know , with a few proper measurements, he's been able to get me the right size foam. There are plenty of other vendors , so shop where you feel confortable. but the most important and tedious part is cleaning the old junk off first, the rest is like a Kindergarten art session.
It's rewarding to revive decent quality discarded speakers and bring them back to life for a listening session or even long term use. ( or whatever you do with them, sell , give away, whatever - Consider yourself an audio conservationist -
Green Audio is a Sound Investment!
For the group of folks who teamed up for the Speaker re-foaming session ( as late as it was) - GOOD TIMES!
I think this is something that is much more fun when done as a group ( at least for me) it's like a sewing circle in that way. I'll avoid it forever, but if one my buddies comes over to do a set, it's just way easier to engage in the task.
I'd like to see this as a regular feature of the meet ups. My bad for the late start. but once we got a few people gathered around , it was a blast and I think folks really took away some solid approaches to tackling this tedious process.
There are quite a few things that come in handy to get it done efficiently and I will put a list of the most common things you should have in your re-foaming tool kit. I'm referring to it as the RICK COBB method, because it's based largely on the instructions he includes in his kit. I get no kickback for endorsing the guy but there are certain surrounds that I only buy from him because he has the right products and really seems to know his stuff. Even if he doesn't know , with a few proper measurements, he's been able to get me the right size foam. There are plenty of other vendors , so shop where you feel confortable. but the most important and tedious part is cleaning the old junk off first, the rest is like a Kindergarten art session.
It's rewarding to revive decent quality discarded speakers and bring them back to life for a listening session or even long term use. ( or whatever you do with them, sell , give away, whatever - Consider yourself an audio conservationist -
Green Audio is a Sound Investment!
