AKSAPHILE MEETING (SYDNEY CHAPTER)

E TYPE PHIL · « **on:** 30 Apr 2003, 11:23 pm »

Hi All

Following the reponse to the offer by Malcolm to have a few people over to hear and compare their respective GK-1's, I decided to follow up a conversation I had with Hugh some months ago re his visiting Sydney.

Despite his previous posting re time constraints etc. Hugh is reconsidering his decision about coming to Sydney to coincide with Mark's (Oz Audio) proposed visit on or about May 28th.

I have offered my offices in Frenchs Forest as a venue given that the number of people wishing to participate (from reponses to date) will more than likely exceed the capacity of most peoples homes.

It is envisaged that both owners and prospective owners will be encouraged to come along to meet the designer & fellow Aksaphiles and hear the various permeations of the GK-1 and other AKSA products.

Obviously this is still in it's infancy re planning and as I hear from the respective players we will put some meat on the bones.

Stay Tuned.

Oz_Audio · « **Reply #1 on:** 1 May 2003, 12:24 am »

Thanks Phil, your generosity will be appreciated by all.

As this "event", now sems to becoming bigger than Ben Hur and it all depands on my travel arrangements, all I can say at the moment is I will be in Sydney for a meeting on the evening of Tuesday 27 May and all day Wednesday 28 May. I should be free on Wednesday evening.

May I proposed the "event" is held on Thursday (start time to be proposed by Phil) and going into the evening of Thursday. This will give all who would like to attend the opportunity to attend.

Personnally, I would love to hear the various GK1's, but also I would like to hear the AKSA combination with other speakers as well.

The only speakers I have listened to with this combination are my own DIY T-line speakers (TLb) and the AKSAonics at Hugh's residence.

As I will be coming from Darwin, I will not (unfortunately) be able to bring my whole system, but I will have my GK1 and the Phono pre. If someone could bring a Turnable with a MM or high output MC and another standalone phono pre for comparison, we will all be able to hear another of Hugh's creations.

Mark

PS. I will also try and bring some of our Dry Season weather with me as well.

JohnR · « **Reply #2 on:** 1 May 2003, 01:38 am »

Cyuul!

I'll be there. No equipment to bring tho

Malcolm Fear · « **Reply #3 on:** 1 May 2003, 01:43 am »

Hi all

I'm happy to take my gear to Phillip's office and set it up. I can't take my sub woofer. It about the size of a fridge, made of 1.5 inch ply. I can't lift it, and I can't transport it. I'll try and get Vic to bring his (sort of a 12 inch cube).
I will bring 2 Dekstands, 2 inner tubes, 2 Corian shelves, Rega Planet 2000 CD player, GK-1, AKSA 55, Sub crossover, CAT 5 interconnects and speaker leads. I will also bring the beloved Diatone speakers.
I will also bring black and original versions of some cd's.
It will be good to compare a 6 Auricap with DACT stepped attenuator GK-1 (mine) with Larry's (different brand of stepped attenuator). It will be good to compare Larry's with Mark's (Panasonic pot, I think).
Perhaps silver stealth interconnects versus CAT 5. Bart could bring a set of Chimera cryogenic interconnects.

AKSA · « **Reply #4 on:** 1 May 2003, 03:29 am »

Folks,

I'd like to formally announce a meeting of all Sydney AKSAphiles and prospective AKSA owners to be held in Frenchs Forest, NSW, commencing at 4pm till late on Thursday 29th May.

International visitors to Sydney on the day are also invited to attend!

My sincere thanks to Phil for suggesting this get together, which is now moved one day forward to accommodate Mark's timetable as he is flying down from Darwin. Interestingly, Phil's company is OpenPlus Software, and his offices are the original Microsoft Australia HQ at Unit 1, 17 Rodborough Road, Frenchs Forest.

OpenPlus has a 400 square metre premises, including two large, lounge sized rooms, and three smaller offices. most walls are plasterboard and glass, but partitions are available for sound deadening. Phil tells me there is plenty of space, so please bring your gear along for a squizz!!

There will be no formal start time, and the premises will be available from 4pm for those setting up. I will flying up from Melbourne with Ben Williams, my digital genius, and plan to give a talk on Aspen origins, developments, triumphs and failures, and strategy. Ben will present on on the forthcoming DACSA. We are both anxious to meet as many AKSAphiles as possible. I will also outline new products, show around a few prototype pcbs soon to become new products (not telling which!), and indicate future directions for the company.

This is a wonderful opportunity for me to thank my Sydney AKSA supporters and let you know what's happening in the pipeline, and gives us the opportunity to meet in a great atmosphere.......

I hope quite a few Sydney AKSAphiles can attend, and once again thank Phil for his huge part in offering the venue and helping with the organisation. I would also like to thank Larry and Mal, who have played a part in getting this meet off the ground.

Cheers,

Hugh

Seano · « **Reply #5 on:** 1 May 2003, 04:36 am »

Here I am............eight hours from Sydney..........and I can't go. It's just too far for one night. And what really upsets me is that I'll be down there for during the second week of May................

And this is the second time I've missed out on Mark's toys!!!

Don't suppose a little town in upper far western NSW would be too far for anyone.........perhaps.........maybe... ........pleading. You'd only have to bring some of that Sydney weather with you..........

S'not too much to ask really is it?

Malcolm Fear · « **Reply #6 on:** 1 May 2003, 04:55 am »

Hey Seano
You're always welcome to pop into my place at Frenchs Forest to have a listen to my system. What date are you due in Sydney?

AKSA · « **Reply #7 on:** 1 May 2003, 04:56 am »

Sean,

I'm not sure about pointing and giggling (I get a huge kick out of that!) but I am geniunely sorry. This is just one of those things; the price of isolation and country life.

However, you are on the end of a surprisingly short digital cable, and we have a few tricks up our sleeve (you there, Larry?) so you shouldn't feel left out.

Cheers,

Hugh

Larry · « **Reply #8 on:** 1 May 2003, 11:05 am »

Quote from: AKSA

However, you are on the end of a surprisingly short digital cable, and we have a few tricks up our sleeve (you there, Larry?) so you shouldn't feel left out.

I am here, Sir.

I can setup a Webcast, if it is desirable, provided there is a unblocked broadband access at the venue.

Larry · « **Reply #9 on:** 1 May 2003, 11:09 am »

Hi, Seano, don't be too sad

You are welcome to my place as well, or I can bring my GK-1 to Malcolm's place if you like to compare.

Rocket · « **Reply #10 on:** 1 May 2003, 11:20 am »

okay that's it, i'm returning to sydney to live it's just too remote living here in perth anymore

. i'm missing out on all the great audio happenings.

i'd love to go, may'be there can be an aksafile meeting next year in sydney.

regards

rocket

Larry · « **Reply #11 on:** 1 May 2003, 11:54 am »

(This post is continuously updated based on follow-up posts)

We should all thank Phil to make a AKSAphile meeting finally materialized.

I have the following components people may like to hear:

1) Heavily modded and reclocked Marantz 63SE, as transport/player;
2) Heavily modded ART DIO DAC; (To be brought)
3) Ultra-Curve Pro DSP 8024 (room/system correction);
4) GK-1 with Goidpoint attenuator; (To be brought)
5) AKSA 100 Nirvana; (To be brought)
6) VAF DC-X.

I will bring GK-1 along to the meeting. If there will be a AKSA 55/N, I would like to bring my AKSA 100N and listen to their differences as well.

If anyone likes to hear any above components, please indicate then I will bring it along.

I will bring following accessaries as well:

7) Digital cables; (To be brought)
8) Analog cables; (To be brought)

PS. If DC-X is needed, I need help in transportation as they can not be fitted into my sedan car.

Oz_Audio · « **Reply #12 on:** 1 May 2003, 12:16 pm »

Hi Larry,
This is all very humbling. The audio gear we will get to hear will make this event memorable.

Please if you could bring the Art Dio, this is one piece of gear that will make interesting listening.

I will also bring along my 55 non nirvana AKSA. This will also be interesting to hear the difference.

Mark

AKSA · « **Reply #13 on:** 1 May 2003, 01:23 pm »

Larry,

My thanks for chiming in with the comment about a webcast!

Phil, I believe you do have a broadband connection? Would this be possible from your standpoint?

Larry, do we need to broadcast to a specific website? How do we get around that problem? Use www.aksaonline.com?

Ah, this is a lot of fun.........

Cheers,

Hugh

Malcolm Fear · « **Reply #14 on:** 1 May 2003, 08:56 pm »

Hi Larry.

Can you bring a digital cable?
I have an AKSA 55. I have modded it with Hovland caps. It will be at the meeting.

Seano · « **Reply #15 on:** 1 May 2003, 10:40 pm »

The genorosity of you mob is very impressive.

Unfortunately, family commitments and prior scheduling (when you live in a remote area and go to the big smoke you have to plan time to find everything that you need whilst you're there prior to going -otherwise you forget it and you are stuffed for many months without whatever it was) will prevent me any real time to play in Sydney (I'm actually travelling into the Central Coast area).

A webcast is a top ripper excellent idea for those of us that can't attend. The bummer for me is that web access for me here is determined by chance and speed by how fast I can pedal..........real time video and sound is out of the question. Connections out here generally lack sufficient bandwidth even for Internet radio.......which is why I can't listen to Triple J.

I appreciate and applaud the efforts of the organisers in making this exercise as accessable to as many of us as possible. With that sort of effort you can't help but succeed first go.

As for me..........well, I'll be there in spirit. Maybe next time.

Cylon · « **Reply #16 on:** 1 May 2003, 11:37 pm »

Why am I thinking that a webcast is going to be a huge tease?

Compressed video and audio anyone?

Having people telling you something is sounding wonderful when you are listening through your dialup connection is probably going to cause sudden mass hair loss

Larry · « **Reply #17 on:** 2 May 2003, 03:18 am »

Regarding the software materials, Malcolm said he would bring some black CD and originals.

I'd like hear phono stage of GK-1 Option 2. If anyone can confirm a good turntable (I don't have), I can bring some software:

1) Eagles, Hell Freezes over, on LP & XRCD & CD;
2) Pink Floyd, The Wall, on LP & CD;

Larry · « **Reply #18 on:** 5 May 2003, 11:04 am »

Hi, Mark and Malcolm,

I think you both have been aware that I have updated my earlier post to reflect the gears you requested for me to bring to the meeting.

Besides, I will bring the power amp switch and source switch to facilitate AB comparison on GK-1s and AKSAs. I will put together a AB test procedure and statistic data analysis.

First, we do some casual listening. If they sound very close, then proceed to ABX test to establish the difference and ABA test to assess the preference. It's only worth doing AB test if they sound very close. I believe GK-1s built by various builders fall into this category.

I think we will not have time to do proper critical listening as the listener training (to familarise with the characteristcs of the source materials) would take too much time and maybe boring as well. But throw in our own favorite music for some casual listening would be interesting.

People can, I guess, suggest what they want to compare/hear at the meeting. I personally like to compare GK-1s built by various builders and AKSA 55 and 100, and like to hear the phono of GK-1 option 2.

Larry · « **Reply #19 on:** 28 May 2003, 07:05 am »

Hi, everyone,

Here I just to confirm that my source switch is ready for use in the meeting. It uses quality relays of gold flashed silver contacts made in Japan. So far, I don't hear any coloration.

So, I will bring a Source Switch (line input/output), a PowerAmp Switch (line input/speaker output) and a Source Selector. The Source Switch is able to switch 5 sources (preamps etc), the PowerAmp Switch is able to switch 5 power amps. ( 2 channels have ALPS pots to do volume matching, if so desired; other 3 channels are direct passthrough.) and the Source Selector can select 5 analog sources (using DACT selector) and 3 digital sources (using Elma selector). All these will facilitate various AB tests on sources, preamps and power amps.

PS1. Does everyone know the venue?

PS2. I understand that Hugh has decided not to go for Webcast but video tape the event for CDROM distribution. So there will not be any live Webcast.