[Roger A. Modjeski]

As many of you know I will be opening my school in the Bay Area later this year. We have a space near Berkeley and will start equipping it in September. We will have several open-house events. Over the next few months I will be writing up potential classes and getting a feel for what you want to learn. Classes will be on every level from beginner to those who want to design professionally.

We plan to build a website with a forum for the school where much of what we discuss here might go. The question is what to do with this Audio Circle?

What I hope is to get new people interested in reasonable high end while hoping to keep them out of the black hole of tweaks and the  reviewers who support them. Many of us feel the magazines support the trend of ever increasing cost and foolishness in audio. Where is someone going to learn what is really going on?

FastFred's rant on audio reviewers has been the most active topic in the history of the Music Reference forum. It drew in new people (several industry participants we could have done without) who I hope learned something. It also demonstrated that there are people who want to believe in magic even in the face of scientific fact. This occurs in many aspects of life so no doubt it would occur here.

Besides the cost element there is a matter of how much time I can spend here. Once I get the physical school going I plan to do the internet version of classes that many of you expressed interest in previously.

Please vote in the poll. You can vote for multiple items.

[Carl V]

does it have to be either or.
New site or old site?

yes, I am and have been interested in your online tutorials.
the timing and available hours is the sticking point.

best of luck to you in your new endeavor(s).

[steve f]

The poll wouldn't let me vote for multiple items.   

[tubegroove]

The poll doesn't allow multiple options. 
My preference would be to keep this forum as is since it covers (and is likely to cover going forward) topics beyond circuit design, DIY etc
A separate forum for the school would be helpful too - I don't think I will land up building an amp myself but I want to better understand audio and equipment design.  The school forum could provide that input.
All the best with your new venture

[Roger A. Modjeski]

I fixed the poll so you can vote for multiple items. Thanks for your comments.

[steve f]

The poll still doesn't like me. FWIW  I would like to start an online course. I still travel to the Bay Area but probably wouldn't be able to attend a class. An audio seminar though, might be a good starting point for a lot of us.

Steve

[Roger A. Modjeski]

The poll still doesn't like me. FWIW  I would like to start an online course. I still travel to the Bay Area but probably wouldn't be able to attend a class. An audio seminar though, might be a good starting point for a lot of us.

Steve

What would a seminar look like? A day, a weekend? What kind of subject material?

[steve f]

I was thinking a two day event.  The subject matter could be anything from a basic orientation to audio. There is so much bs in the press and blogs; perhaps a honest view with some listening test. Correlation to measurements. An introductory presentation to prepare audiophiles for courses in design. A friendly non threatening situation.

I ask my fellow audiophiles, haven't you been in showrooms or audio societies where an agenda was pushed and dissent was ridiculed? Aren't you tired of being coached into wrong conclusions?  I see potential for introducing people to audio without magic pucks, fancy cords, green cd markers, and other stuff. Not to mention bad design. Just something to think about.

Steve

[Roger A. Modjeski]

I was thinking a two day event.  The subject matter could be anything from a basic orientation to audio. There is so much bs in the press and blogs; perhaps a honest view with some listening test. Correlation to measurements. An introductory presentation to prepare audiophiles for courses in design. A friendly non threatening situation.

I ask my fellow audiophiles, haven't you been in showrooms or audio societies where an agenda was pushed and dissent was ridiculed? Aren't you tired of being coached into wrong conclusions?  I see potential for introducing people to audio without magic pucks, fancy cords, green cd markers, and other stuff. Not to mention bad design. Just something to think about.

Steve

So far my thinking is to have a one day presentation with discussion on a regular monthly basis with tea and cookies. I want to make it pleasant and inviting. The presentation would be brief and lots of time for questions and discussion. I agree there needs to be a place where there is no agenda, no magic pucks or silly stuff. There is too much to learn about this craft to waste time chasing rainbows.

For those interested in deeper knowledge I would put on a two day intensive so we could cover a lot of ground. I also plan to have amplifier building classes and hope to get a few students into their own projects.

I will put up a post to get an idea of the hows and whens.

[Carl V]

about 6 years ago there was a regional
Valve State of the Art  Conference show in
the Portland area (VSAC). There had been
others.  They had a good Amp building class.
Two days with some background education.

With enough lead time I would like to attend
something similar in Berkley.

I would hope that there are others who might
like such an opportunity.

[Roger A. Modjeski]

about 6 years ago there was a regional
Valve State of the Art  Conference show in
the Portland area (VSAC). There had been
others.  They had a good Amp building class.
Two days with some background education.

With enough lead time I would like to attend
something similar in Berkley.

I would hope that there are others who might
like such an opportunity.

Can you find any information on that? A few years ago there was a similar "amp camp" in Northern Cal.  http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/diyaudio-com-articles/214808-amp-camp-amp-1-a.html