[Mrs. Ninja]

Mrs. Ninja's Rocky Mountain Audio Fest 2010 Write Up Part 1:

I know in years past I have told you all of what I saw and liked and tried not to say too much of what I didn’t like (everyone does) to be PC. Not this year though. This year I need to address a few things… serious things. That is why I would like to start off with a segment I like to call Hit the Mark/ Blew your Watts.

First off it “Hit the Mark” the increase in rooms this year offering free alcohol because it has been scientifically proven that listening to music sounds better with wine or scotch. Chances increase the longer I am in the room drinking and listening of me opening my checkbook. Laufer Teknik you almost got me this year.

Next you “Blew your Watts” exhibitors who felt they didn’t need to actually finish the show at 4 o’clock like everyone else. You seemed to think you could pack up whenever you wanted and the attendees who bought 1 day passes for Sunday be damned. Next year I hope Marjorie sets a rule that if you start packing up before the end of the show you will ensue a huge penalty fine. Huge. Big.

Way to “Hit the Mark” Steven R. Rochlin of Enjoy the Music for your RMAF Friday coverage. I especially like the MIT Cables picture and this quote, “Sure this sounds harsh, but serious guys wake up and realize the newfound technology…” No spring chicken and you get the “move with the times” mentality so lacking in this industry I have to applaud. For those of you who have not seen the picture please go and see what he and I are saying here. Bravo.

Lastly, talk about “Blowing your Watts”  and this is universal because this year it was the worst it has ever been. (preface: no I did not go into every room nor could I be in every room all the time to hear every song that was played for the entire 3 days of the show, please get serious.) Turn off the elevator music and play something real. I know you know what I am talking about, real is the stuff that you actually play when you are at home and in the volume you play it at home (the reason why most of you are now losing your hearing volume.) There has been for too long the idea that you must choose music that showcases only parts of your system (best and brightest part) during a show. Reality check: if you want to really move your product make it so when an attendee enters your room what they see and hear makes them say, “That is what I want in my house.” 

“Mrs. Ninja,” you say, “but some of that “stuff” people brought in and asked us to play.”

I know and I will address it in the segment titled:

“Mrs. Ninja’s Audio Show Music Do’s and Don’ts.”

I have very simple rules for how one chooses music to play in the audition room.
(For exhibitors but also attendees):
1.   The person running the room has the right to veto anything brought forward. So make sure what you suggest is good enough to get past the velvet ropes.
2.    If it needs to be explained before it’s played then it’s out. I thought this was a no brainer until I was in a certain room (we will keep anonymous) and had to go through a explanation of (AHEM) Tribal Africans singing acapella southern Baptist gospel music. Oh hell no. Please see last year’s rule on the obscure and strange.
3.   If within the first 3 seconds people are starting to get up and leave then make an excuse and change it fast. Everyone cannot be pleased, but a room with one guy enjoying his music or 10 people all listening happily, you do the math.
4.   If you want a no holds barred, anything goes, all request jamboree keep it to certain hours, like lunch. Post the times clearly and then when they come in wanting to play something you know will empty the room simply point to your open request hours. Like a radio station you can control what gets sent out over the air waves.:director:
5.   Do not hog the room playing only your stuff. Treat each room as if you get only one song so make it the one you really want. There are hundreds of rooms at a show spread your love around.
6.   Classical, Opera, Country (no Johnny Cash is not country), Folk, Foreign, Religious,  and New Age Instrumentals do have their place among some great made audio but it is to be peppered into the day and not the meat of the day. First off, it is not a universal crowd pleaser and too much of it can exhaust you make listening no longer enjoyable.
7.   Always acceptable: (If you have a addition please email mrsninja@skiingninja.com for her consideration and it may be added to the list below because this could in no way be all inclusive)

Before the 1980’s
AC/DC
Aerosmith
Allman Brothers
Aretha Franklin
Blondie
Bob Dylan
Bob Seger
Boston
Carlos Santana
Carly Simon
Carole King
CCR
Cheap Trick
Chicago
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
Dave Clark Five
David Bowie
Diana Ross
Dire Straits
Donna Summer
Earth, Wind & Fire
Electric Light Orchestra
Elton John
Elvis Costello
Elvis Presley
Eric Clapton
Fleetwood Mac
Four Tops
Genesis (Peter and Phil)
Glenn Miller (Colorado Grown)
Heart
James Taylor
Jethro Tull
Jimi Hendrix
Johnny Cash
Journey
Kiss
Led Zeppelin
Linda Ronstadt
Lynyrd Skynyrd
Moody Blues
Nick Drake
Otis Redding
Pink Floyd (Not Syd)
Pixies
Queen
Rush
Scott Walker
Simon & Garfunkel
Smokey Robinson
Steely Dan
Steve Miller Band (butThe Joker is on probation)
Stevie Wonder
Styx
Ted Nugent
The Beatles
The Doors
The Eagles (but Hotel California is on probation)
The Everly Brothers
The Four Seasons
The Isley Brothers
The Kinks
The Mamas and the Papas
The Police
The Ramones
The Rolling Stones
The Who
The Yardbirds
Tina Turner
Tom Petty
Van Halen
ZZ Top

1980’s and beyond
10,000 Maniacs
311
A-Ha
Alanis Morissette
Ani DeFranco
Ash
Avett Brothers
Belle and Sebastian
Beck
Ben Harper
Big Head Todd and the Monsters (Colorado Grown)
Billy Idol
Billy Joel
Black Crows
Blues Traveler
Bonnie Raitt
Bruce Springsteen
Coldplay
Counting Crows
Damien Rice
Dave Mathews Band
David Gray
Del Amitri
Diana Krall
Eurythmics
Fiona Apple
Five for Fighting
Flaming Lips
Foo Fighters
Franz Ferdinand
Fugees
Gnarles Barkley
Green Day
Guns N Roses
Hum
INXS
Jack Johnson
Jamiroquai
Jason Mraz
Joan Jett
John Mellencamp
Jump Little Children
Liz Phair
Madonna
Men at Work
Michael Jackson
Modest Mouse
Morcheeba
Neko Case
New Pornographers
Nine Inch Nails
Nirvana
Nora Jones
Oingo Boingo
Pat Benatar
Pearl Jam
Pete Yorn
Porcupine Tree
Prince
R.E.M
Radiohead
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Red House Painters
Ryan Adams
Sarah McLachlan (Watch the too slow stuff though)
Simple Minds
Sinead o’Connor
Sonic Youth
Stevie Ray Vaughn
String Cheese Incident (Colorado Grown)
Talking Heads
Tears for Fears
The Bird and the Bee
The Clash
The Donnas
The Lemonheads
Tom Waits
Tool/A Perfect Circle
Tori Amos
Traci Chapman
U2
Velvet Revolver
Yeah Yeah Yeahs

Don’t argue with the list. You may have noticed I mentioned bands but not members of the band who later went solo because it would be redundant. What you want as an audiophile are high quality sources of the above and when you come across an unusual version (ie: live, acoustic, rearranged, etc) … love that.

To be continued....

[Mrs. Ninja]

Continued from part 1...

Moving the Hobby/Industry Forward
This was on a lot of people’s minds this year and I was asked how we can get more young people and women interested. “WELL…,” I answered and paused because I wasn’t really sure if they wanted the answer given that the audio world is 95% men over the age of 50 and it was usually them doing the asking. This problem I believe has a few root issues that can be overcome with a few solutions as I will outline for you. (Now if you are over the age of 50 and in the audio hobby I am sure you are as spry as a jack rabbit so you can ignore my generalities an assume I am talking about someone else, unless you own a business in this industry then I am talking about you.)

Root cause number 1: Living in the past
Just for an example let’s look at the Stereophile November 2010 edition available if you don’t already get it at the show. The cover tells us of Manfred Eicher’s 40 years in the biz,  Focal’s 30th anniversary, and the Smyth Realiser article has the writer remembering back to the 1960’s. Come on guys. The “when I started in this hobby” stories are fine but to live there in business is just plain irresponsible. Currently the model isn’t killing the industry because the guys with the money are the ones more established (aka older) but in a few years that well is going to start drying up and we have not planted any seeds to replace the crop we have now.

Solution number 1: Futures stock
As children where did your love of big speakers or new music come from? Have you taken the time to teach your own kids about the differences in a MP3 played over tiny ear buds and sitting with a pair of electrostatic cans playing your HDTracks recording or vintage Doors on vinyl? If we do not start educating the next generation we will not have an industry for very long. For example, The Ninja and I have a 13 year old daughter and she as all kids her age has a computer. But, unlike all her friends she has Swan M-200’s as her desktop speakers. Who’s room and for that matter who’s house do they spend the most time? Right the one they can play the music loudest and it sounds the best. Our daughter will never own some crappy plastic speaker that just makes noise because she knows better. I do understand a lot of parents do not want to spend the kind of money involved in the audio hobby on their kids (they won’t appreciate it, or take care of it) but you don’t know until you have tried. If they had to pay part of it I bet they do take real good care of it.

As with our kids our wives and/or significant other should be educated in the hobby and made a part of it. It is sad for the industry too because women have much better hearing then men. It has been proven that we hear more frequencies men can’t and are more sensitive to the top range. We see more color and are in every way more adept at picking out a loudspeaker that would truly fit the family not to mention pick a better “best in show”. Wives are shuffled off on day trips and excluded from learning about the hobby. Many men do not want us in the club, sitting in the room saying how it is (you know we will.)  Maybe next year I will hold an Audio for Loved ones 101 seminar and give the basics and start making high end audio fun for the whole family. I mean the High Def TV industry; BluRay and Disney have certainly started banking on the family home theater concept. Two channel music, vintage media, and even high end personal portable audio (the headphone) can go family friendly.

Root cause number 2: Tape and vinyl v/s dreaded MP3
New technologies the young un’s seem the most interested in have teeny tiny files on them to store a thousand songs and still be used as a phone. New artists do not release on vinyl ort (do not even know what they are) and they chop of the tops and bottoms of everything. Where does any of that belong in our world of lossless media and restoration analog projects? It doesn’t until we can find a way to make high quality digital media more accessible/cost affordable. I heard an interesting idea, a music only operating system, seems to me that is something the younger generation could get really into. The more we create products that will make technology retrofit with the past the younger our audience would get.

Solution number 2: it’s here now and proven
In the beginning the old guys (I mean pioneers) of audiophiles were taking things apart to see how they worked, how to make them better and then reached a precipice. Started companies and didn’t want to share anymore in the sandbox. They were modding, tweaking, the loners in basements and garages.

Today modding or tweaking is an activity universal in industries across the board that young people gravitate to that our hobby does not make very assessable (of course you all know The Ninja and I are doing what we can to change that.) But, we cannot do it alone the manufactures also have to realize that they have to give a little to get that new breed of buyers.

Let’s compare high end audio to the computer industry, where building your own computer has become almost the norm for college kids and 20-somethings. They grew up with the tech and now customize to their hearts content. I-apps make it so we can customize our phones, surfers, skiers, snowboarders all can customize their boards, and of course the biggest one has always been cars. In the 1960’s when Shelby started messing around with a Mustang it did not devalue what the car manufacture (Ford) had done. Nor could Ford produce the car on a mass scale, to a public that could afford it, the changes that Shelby had made, as good as they were. But, a perfect symmetry of good design getting pushed to its limit for the people that wanted it was created and the industry has not suffered because of it (other things yes but not because of aftermarket upgrades.) We can make the same synergy in home audio and gain a whole new demographic of buyers and of what we really want …audiophiles.

You could take the last part as shameless self promotion but The Ninja and I are younger than most of you and we know we are right. (Like we are the only modding company out there – PLEASE.)

OK now for something completely different…
So far I have been quite snarky and a little bit a bummer so let’s turn it around. What I liked and didn’t like this year… (Yea I know I said I wasn’t going to do it, sue me)

  Liked the sound of the GR Research room, treatments galore thanks to Dave (PI Audio).
  Didn’t like the Lamborghini Yellow (aka cat piss yellow) paint job on Danny’s Super V’s. Danny please take the next year and find a cabinet maker worthy of your speaker designing genius.
  Liked the German Physiks HRS 120 on the 11th Floor where Laufer Teknik had appropriate sized speakers for the room and some treatments in there.
  Didn’t Like the German Physiks Borderland Mk IV on the 10th Floor. The speakers are too big for the room and just placed in there (too close to the back wall) with no treatments or anything. For an omnidirectional speaker it was the worst thing you could have done.
  Like Frederik Caroe of Dueland Coherent Audio. Congrats on the new little one, baby at home and the more affordable line of Dueland caps coming out. You have truly earned the name The Mad Capper.
  Didn’t Like Vandersteen’s room this year without the cage. Come on guys the 7’s are about the only thing you have done that I don’t hate and you ruined it this year by not treating the room. Now last year you did it right. Make a note for next year.

Well I think that wraps it up for me. If anything else happened I don’t remember because I had one to many scotches at the bar before bed each night.

Mrs. Ninja

[dvenardos]

but how do you really feel? 

PS - Thanks for calling me young. 

[etcarroll]

Way to be Mrs Ninj!!!!!!! 

And you just reminded me of my favorite commercial - "Scotch, it's what's for dinner!"

[Tyson]

Not to mention, audiophile gear is built to appeal to a male aesthetic, which is why good systems are often banished to the basement or a "dedicated" listening room.  If that one thing could be changed, so that good audio is allowed back into the living room, then the industry will be in much better shape.  Same goes for speaker design - so many speakers are designed to sound good from the "sweet spot", that it prevents the general family from enjoying "great sound" from anywhere in the room/home.  These 2 things together really push this to be a solo activity and not something easily shared, even with family.

[Mrs. Ninja]

YES AND YES!

Most equipment look like it was designed to go in garages or hold up a car and really only the "sweet spot" has the "true to live performance" experience? What friggin' shows are you guys going to cause I go where everyone can hear the band.

Mrs. Ninja

Not to mention, audiophile gear is built to appeal to a male aesthetic, which is why good systems are often banished to the basement or a "dedicated" listening room.  If that one thing could be changed, so that good audio is allowed back into the living room, then the industry will be in much better shape.  Same goes for speaker design - so many speakers are designed to sound good from the "sweet spot", that it prevents the general family from enjoying "great sound" from anywhere in the room/home.  These 2 things together really push this to be a solo activity and not something easily shared, even with family.

[Tyson]

Part of why I got into DIY is so that I could customize the look of the speakers to fit my room.  I've also gone to open baffle speakers (GR Research V2's) because I wanted something that had that "room filling" sound that my family could enjoy from any where in the room, or anywhere in our home, for that matter. 

[dvenardos]

That is one thing that Seth at Virtue Audio has really done a great job of. 
http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=83103.0

If that one thing could be changed, so that good audio is allowed back into the living room, then the industry will be in much better shape.

[arthurs]

....I found my Ninja pin....finally.....   

You guys were so awesome to hang out with, what a blast!  I'll for sure see you next year....but it's BYOWP next time!   

[Bill Baker]

I still have my pin as well. Still on my badge strap. Mr Ninja, you really have your hands full with the Mrs. She's a spunky one..... I like that but she did scare me a little

 It really was nice to meet both of you in person. See you at the next one.

[drphoto]

  A fun read, and I think you are spot one about many things. I think this explains the popularity of so called 'lifestyle' systems as popularized by that apparent villian of good sound....Bose. I remember going to a cocktail party a few years ago where the host had one of these systems. You know, on first listen, it sounded just dandy, it filled up the room w/ music that really didn't suck. Sure I could have put on my 'audiophile' hat and picked it apart, but for the intent, it was not half bad. No hulking speakers that demanded one to sit in one spot. There's an obvious appeal to that.

I know that you can't fight physics, that really great sound requires big drivers, optimally placed, but maybe the designers can find a way to produce 'good' sound from speakers that can somehow be effectively minimized or hidden, whether in wall or tiny.

I'm sure this has been discussed, but I think one thing that has changed from the 'good 'ole days' that produced that crop of now middle aged white men audiophiles is in part do to choice in entertainment and time constraints. When there were only 3 channels on TV, and many people worked 9-5 jobs, there were less distractions and more time to dive into the audio hobby.

And while some young people do indeed build computers, I read an article that talked about how engineering schools had to adjust to a younger generation that might be great at software, but was not so adept at the hardware side. The article essentially said the generation (X, Y, Z???) was not like their fathers, who built a shortwave radio, or tore apart the TV to see how it worked.

So wlll they become the next gen. of audiophiles? I tend to doubt it.

 I've taken friends to hear really great systems. Any they 'get it'. They realize something special when they hear it. But I know they will not fill their house w/ the systems that are currently needed to obtain that level.

Yeah, I wish when I have friends over, I didn't have to say, 'well you got to sit right here'.

Sorry to ramble. But again, I like your points.

[Hebrew Hammer]

Not to mention, audiophile gear is built to appeal to a male aesthetic, which is why good systems are often banished to the basement or a "dedicated" listening room.  If that one thing could be changed, so that good audio is allowed back into the living room, then the industry will be in much better shape.  Same goes for speaker design - so many speakers are designed to sound good from the "sweet spot", that it prevents the general family from enjoying "great sound" from anywhere in the room/home.  These 2 things together really push this to be a solo activity and not something easily shared, even with family.

speak for yourself   ..... 

[HAL]

Mrs. Ninja,
A very nice analysis of the state of the industry.  As one of the old guy's that you know, I try when I can to educate my nieces and nephews on how to make their music sound better.  This has actually gone on to their friends as well.

If as music lovers we were to setup a very good inexpensive system for family and friends, they would get what we mean when we say you can make your music sound better.   This takes some research on our parts to find very good inexpensive systems to start them off.  After that, demoing what we have usually gives them an understanding of what "better" can mean. 

There were many rooms at the show this year that just did not understand that room acoustics have to be worked to make their system sound good!  This is my biggest gripe with folks not really making the systems be what they could be!

Love the read and keep up the good fight forward!   

[dvenardos]

I think where we have missed the boat is making it easy to integrate good two channel sound into a home theater / tv setup. Lots of people are now into getting better sound out of their TV and when we basically force them to have a separate system to listen to music that is just plain stupid. 
Home theater bypass is a good start, but even that is still missing from the majority of audiophile integrateds and pre-amps. We look down our noses at the hybrid setups, but if you want to give people that ahah moment, make their TV sound better and then they will hookup their iPods or maybe start throwing in some CDs.

[Paul Hynes]

I know what you mean by your quest for live sound without hot seat problems. I used to get complaints about hot seat problems from my family until I installed a pair of open baffle, full range driver line arrays in the system. They were designed to minimise destructive diffraction and room interaction and they can move enough air to give that concert hall sound. The nice thing about the image is no hot seat. The image is nice and stable and if you move to the left of right the image is still there but you just hear it from a different perspective rather like you would do if you moved around the concert auditorium.

Regards
Paul

[Mama Virtue]

Mrs. Ninja, It was a pleasure meeting you and refreshing to hear some of the comments you have made. Jason and I actually talked a lot about how he has kept good audio gear as part of his kids lives despite the cost. I think it is also a very important and healthy thing for kids to get passions and hobbies passed down from their parents or grandparents, that's one thing I never got passed on to me, and as an adult I've had an extremely difficult time finding my own hobbies/passions.

I like the idea of an Audio seminar 101 for loved ones 


Mrs. Ninja I look forward to seeing you again!

Cami aka Mama Virtue

[jtwrace]

I've had an extremely difficult time finding my own hobbies/passions.

Oh, not every woman buys shoes, purses & clothes....like I buy stereo equipment?   

[Mama Virtue]

Oh, not every woman buys shoes, purses & clothes....like I buy stereo equipment?   

Ummmm....I avoid shopping like the plague. Unless its grocery shopping.

[jtwrace]

Ummmm....I avoid shopping like the plague. Unless its grocery shopping. Besides, why spend $300 on a purse when you can by an amp (Virtue ONE.2 "Classic) or make your own gamer computer for the same price? 

Oh you're such a good Virtue saleswoman. 

[HAL]

I talked to Bob Cordell and Peter about possibly having another Technical Seminar at RMAF like they had 4 years ago.  They are talking to possible sponsers to see if they would like to be involved.  It had many subjects on audio including amps and clipping, peak power needed for music reproduction, speaker measurements and what they mean, etc.   The also had the Parts Express speaker driver person there with examples.  They also had a completely DSP crossover speaker IIRC.   It would seem like an Audio 101 seminar for loved ones would be a natural fit given a good presenter.