[audiobat]

This show seemed to have a great vibe, not super crowded or up tight.
Great that there was a bar in the center of the action, even if the service wasn't super fast at least they had a decent beer selection.
Did this show seem like it had a lower attendance than last year, or were there just more rooms?

[Roscoe Primrose]

Next time, I hope to spend a little more time in the other rooms, soaking in the sounds... The Conn organ pipes with the licensed Western Electric Bogen amps was a trip... made me think... wow!

I'd hear part of that system before when I worked with Deja Vu...  Doesn't sound at all like you'd think it would.

Roscoe

[nicksgem10s]

Thanks for the show coverage.

Can anyone else comment on the Gallo Strada system on the Mapleshade stands?

I would love to have a chance to hear these but maybe I am missing something.

I have not seen many comments and the earlier ones were not all that positive. 

Anyone else?

Thanks

[Phil A]

This show seemed to have a great vibe, not super crowded or up tight.
Great that there was a bar in the center of the action, even if the service wasn't super fast at least they had a decent beer selection.
Did this show seem like it had a lower attendance than last year, or were there just more rooms?

I thought the attendance was down but it could be the rooms.  I don't mind the cover charge but for people who just go one day it is steep.  I talked a friend into going and he brought another friend.  Neither are super audiophiles and I only caught them as they were leaving and they only had time to spend a bit over a couple of hours.

[dB Cooper]

Thanks for the show coverage.

Can anyone else comment on the Gallo Strada system on the Mapleshade stands?

I would love to have a chance to hear these but maybe I am missing something.

I have not seen many comments and the earlier ones were not all that positive. 

Anyone else?

Thanks

When I went in the Gallo room, a man went in there just ahead of me, stayed for a couple minutes, muttered "Hmmmf... OK", and left. My reaction was similar; didn't hear anything that really grabbed me and if WAF was the slightest consideration to someone, that room would not be the place to be.

[DTB300]

When I went in the Gallo room, a man went in there just ahead of me, stayed for a couple minutes, muttered "Hmmmf... OK", and left. My reaction was similar; didn't hear anything that really grabbed me and if WAF was the slightest consideration to someone, that room would not be the place to be.

When you walked in, it reminded me of Tinkertoys, Legos, and an Erector Set all in one.   Outside of the looks, the sound was just okay for me.

Last year Pierre wanted you to sit about 2 ft from the speakers on the little VERY LOW stool for the best seat.

[StereoNut]

Thanks for the show coverage.

Can anyone else comment on the Gallo Strada system on the Mapleshade stands?
I would love to have a chance to hear these but maybe I am missing something.
I have not seen many comments and the earlier ones were not all that positive. 

Anyone else?

Thanks

I hate to say this, but I am in agreement with John Atkinson's assessment of the Mapleshade room.  It was one of the poorest sounding rooms in the show.  (At least when I visited it anyway.)  Their system had a strident top end and overall a very "dis-jointed" sound.  No offense to Pierre, but I was extremely disappointed in their room.

Just my 2¢

SN

[Phil A]

I didn't care for the Mapleshade room either.  I was standing in the back mildly crouched down and Pierre suggested I sit.  It didn't resolve the issues.  It was also pretty ugly (someone mentioned legos) and there was lots of $$$ in the set-up/tweaks (maple boards, etc.)

[Barry_NJ]

When I went in the Gallo room, a man went in there just ahead of me, stayed for a couple minutes, muttered "Hmmmf... OK", and left. My reaction was similar; didn't hear anything that really grabbed me and if WAF was the slightest consideration to someone, that room would not be the place to be.

I hate to say this, but I am in agreement with John Atkinson's assessment of the Mapleshade room.  It was one of the poorest sounding rooms in the show.  (At least when I visited it anyway.)  Their system had a strident top end and overall a very "dis-jointed" sound.  No offense to Pierre, but I was extremely disappointed in their room.

Just my 2¢

SN

I didn't care for the Mapleshade room either.  I was standing in the back mildly crouched down and Pierre suggested I sit.  It didn't resolve the issues.  It was also pretty ugly (someone mentioned legos) and there was lots of $$$ in the set-up/tweaks (maple boards, etc.)

Wow. I've been a big fan of Gallo speakers for a long time, and have a set of those that I really like. I've brought them to audio gatherings in my area and usually get pretty good results with little to no set-up. I wonder what was going on there to cause the poor sound?

[Robin Hood]

Same goes for full range planars. I guess they need a big (=$$$) display space and are a pain in the (_|_) to set up? I missed a lot of rooms but didn't see any electrostats anywhere, even in the guide. Unless you count the Stax headphones in the Woo Audio room.

The electrostats were in the second room hosted by the DC Audio DIY group. They sounded great with David Berning's ZOTL amp, though butt ugly.

[StereoNut]

Wow. I've been a big fan of Gallo speakers for a long time, and have a set of those that I really like. I've brought them to audio gatherings in my area and usually get pretty good results with little to no set-up. I wonder what was going on there to cause the poor sound?

Barry

I've heard your Gallo's twice in the past 5-6 weeks in two different locations and with minimal set-up, they sounded really good. If you look at my pix posted below, you'll see what a mess this room set-up was.  They tore the poor Gallos apart, put them on various wood stands, moved them around and placed everything at different angles than your speakers.   

That should be explanation in itself!

SN
 

[Roscoe Primrose]

The electrostats were in the second room hosted by the DC Audio DIY group. They sounded great with David Berning's ZOTL amp, though butt ugly.

But, they weren't the only speaker system we used in the room, so anyone who came by when we were running the Swans probably didn't even see the 'stats...

Roscoe

[audiobat]

I would be the FIRST person to say it's all about the sound, however...

I won't put something butt ugly or cheesy looking in my listening room, ain't gonna happen. It has nothing to do with my wife because I have a dedicated listening room and she doesn't go to that part of the house for any reason at all. If it looks like DIY it doesn't say quality to me.
Frankly some of the things I saw at this show should have stayed in someone's garage or work shed.

I say "only" some things... not all, there was still some very nice gear and some good looking rooms to be sure.
I saw rooms where people really though about what they were doing! Not only about the equipment but the lighting, seating, sound (of course), and even the temperature (some rooms were bloody HOT!).
Not trying to take anything away from someone pursuing their passions, but at a show I want to be impressed. Frankly at a car show I don't want to see a Ford Maverick Grabber (remember those things), I want to see the new Shelby GT500.

[DS-21]

They tore the poor Gallos apart, put them on various wood stands, moved them around and placed everything at different angles than your speakers.

Has Mapleshade ever done a system at a show that didn't look like a below-average 4th grader's science fair project?

[woodsyi]

My whole experience at the show was about and hour at the show Sunday.  Just back from vacation, things were so hectic for me and the wife that we even punted a prepaid Roger Water's Wall concert and I had no chance to get out there Friday or Saturday.   On Sunday, I had a nice lunch with Nature Boy, Mrs. NB and Scottdazzle right after I arrived.  Checked in with Lou at Daedalus room and ran into Bill Baker.  I didn't think he was going to be there Sunday or I would have brought the amps that I have been meaning to send to Bill.  I had to run back and get them and that ate up 2 precious hours.  Lou's room was sounding good Sunday and his case work on the Purity preamp was fantastic.  I am going to get him to make me one too.  I look forward to checking out his new and very fancy speakers at the Denver show. 

I ran up to Charles' and Pete's room and met Pete in person for the first time.  It was sounding very good there.  I got a Triode 7N Power Cord to try out in my system.  I have been burning in Wywire gold interconnects in my system and I think the about done cooking.  I just received a Neko Audio D100 Mk2 DAC to audition too.  It will be a busy 2 weeks in the listening room.  My new CD player is also arriving in a week.  I hope I get a chance to AB Neko DAC before I send it on.  I will just living in the basement next two weeks.  Charles was very graceful as usual and it was a pleasure to meet Pete.  I also got to say hello to some of the DC DIY guys who were at my house last year. 

I walked through Mapleshade/Gallo room and was not sure what I saw there.  I would trip all over the place the way wires where going around everywhere.  I then spent a few minutes in Soundfield room.  I commented on how good the coax drivers blended with the active sub.  I didn't know I was talking to AJ at the time but I did talk to him.  The speakers were very nice.  I like good coax speakers.

That was the extent of my CAF 2012.  I am sorry I didn't get to catch up with some folks and meet others.  Perhaps next year.  I am going to RMAF again this year and I will have more time there for audio.  Perhaps I will see some folks out there.  It's ironic that I will get more time in Denver for audio show than in my own backyard but that's the way it played out this year.   

Cheers,

[doug s.]

rim - sorry only were there such a short time, and that i got to chat for only a minute.  but i do appreciate you bringing my software i left at your place; it helped me in a few last-hour ewaluations.   

now, for something a bit weird.  the special mit bi-wire cabling that was used for the $4k polk floorstanders, and the $1.5k monitors, (i heard the monitors); retail for a mere $22k.   

i bet the system woulda sounded better w/some simple speltz anti-cables, or some alpha-core silver cabling...

doug s.

[nature boy]

The MIT cabling systems are mucho expensive.  My local area dealer Overture Audio/Video uses them in their high end system: Spectral Electronics + Avalon's top speakers.  Great sounding system but you have to have serious coin to afford a system like that.

NB

[doug s.]

The MIT cabling systems are mucho expensive.  My local area dealer Overture Audio/Video uses them in their high end system: Spectral Electronics + Avalon's top speakers.  Great sounding system but you have to have serious coin to afford a system like that.

NB

you can have a great sounding system for the price of those speaker cables.   

doug s.

[nature boy]

Doug, you can probably put together two nice sounding systems for the price of MIT cables!

NB

[AJinFLA]

I then spent a few minutes in Soundfield room.  I commented on how good the coax drivers blended with the active sub.  I didn't know I was talking to AJ at the time but I did talk to him.  The speakers were very nice.  I like good coax speakers.

Thanks. Did I know I was talking to you? .
Met a bunch of ACers, don't recall a woodsyi.
I'm surprised the attendance was low, as it didn't seem that traffic through the room was any less than last year. As a matter of fact, Friday seemed busier than last year. Unfortunately, I did not get much of a chance to cruise the other rooms, wish I had. I do agree that Gary might want to reconsider the admission charge for the show, although the lower attendance may have caught him as a surprise given the growth from the 2 previous years.
I like the show and plan to be back next year. Thanks again for all who stopped in.

cheers,

AJ