[Tyson]

Hola all from sunny Denver!  Pez and I are about to meet up at the Hilton for RMAF first day!  We are totally stoked to be doing the coverage again.  If you are wondering, who the hell are Tyson and Pez, we are RMAF coverage veterans, baby!  Check out our previous reports to get a flavor of what is in store this year:

http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=99214.0

Last year we started doing live coverage, where we took photo's, uploaded them and half-commented on the rooms semi-live.  Pez posted live, I took notes and updated each day at the end based on notes.

Fully Live Coverage - We learned a lot from last year and we've streamlined our process so that this year we can comment LIVE while still in the rooms!!!  This means you get us unfiltered and raw.  Very exciting stuff, I have that tightness in the gut that I used to get back in Texas playing football, a couple of hours before the big game starts!

Method - Our main secret weapon is our special "RMAF CD".  We took 4 different tracks from different genre's and with different areas that test a system, cut out all the extraneous stuff, and got each track down to between 1 and 2 minutes.  The tracks are:

Bach - Solo Violin Partita #2 (Julia Fischer performing) - Solo violin in a lage acoustic.  Great for testing if a system is too hard or bright, cause if it is, this will drive you out of the room. 

Mahler - Symphony 2 beginning (Paavo Jarvi conducting) - Tests dynamics and scale, and also has a large and complex soundstage with very complex music.

Ani DiFranco - "To the Teeth" - Girl with an acoustic guitar.  And lyrics to piss off pretty much any republican present.  Not that I hate republicans, I just like to stir the pot, whatever the belief system

Thom Yorke - lead singer of Radiohead - "Harrowdown Hill" - great modern electronica and male vocals. 

I listen to the first 2 tracks and take notes while Pez snaps pics, then Pez listens to the last 2 tracks and posts his comments.  Hopefully this all works as well in reality as it does in my head!

[konut]

  This means you get us unfiltered and raw.   

I'm looking forward to plenty of expletives.

[Mike B.]

I look forward to catching your comments. How about adding a SPL meter to your instant evaluation? Note the average SPL  during your evaluation.

[Tyson]

Yeah, we're gonna carry around an SPL meter.  Because we don't already have enough crap to carry around with us.  No!  We sit down, put in the disc, take the volume and adjust it by ear and LISTEN.  If it sounds good, it is good.  If it doesn't, then it isn't.

[Pez]

For a guy that is still at home while I'm waiting at the Marriott you sure are effusive Tyson. I'm hear ready to rock. Tyson is probably on his way. It's hilarious to me when you get to these shows and vendors are freaking out. Soldering irons, tools, multimeters are all out dealing with numerous problems. I thought this shit was supposed to be for consumers!  guess you need to be an EE to buy this stuff.  live coverage starts soon!!!!!

[jparkhur]

Pez.. are you going to start a new thread to help get rid of the extra stuff.   cleaner look, lock it too..

[roscoeiii]

Yeah, we're gonna carry around an SPL meter.  Because we don't already have enough crap to carry around with us.  No!  We sit down, put in the disc, take the volume and adjust it by ear and LISTEN.  If it sounds good, it is good.  If it doesn't, then it isn't.

Your call on if you want to bother with SPLs or not, but FYI there are SPL meter apps that can be downloaded onto iPhones, Android and iPads. Pretty cool.

Anyway, look forward to your coverage. Promises to be epic!

[Pez]

Lets talk about the gear we are carrying. I'm carrying a HUGE D300 Nikon with 18-200 super zoom lens, SB900 flash (which weighs more than most DSLRs let alone attached to my DSLR) an iPad, iPhone, backup battery charger for iOS devices.



Tyson will be carrying his 13" MacBook Air, and using his iPhone for hotspot due to the terrible wifi at the hotel in previous years this setup should be as close to ideal as possible. As far as te SPL thing I find it both ridiculous and unnecessary. Not going to happen even in App form.

Breakfast sausage, bacon ham omelet with jalapeños, mushroom and tomato. Bacon, potatoes, pineapple. I need my fuel to take off.

[Mike B.]

For a guy that is still at home while I'm waiting at the Marriott you sure are effusive Tyson. I'm hear ready to rock. Tyson is probably on his way. It's hilarious to me when you get to these shows and vendors are freaking out. Soldering irons, tools, multimeters are all out dealing with numerous problems. I thought this shit was supposed to be for consumers!  guess you need to be an EE to buy this stuff.  live coverage starts soon!!!!!

Sounds like you guys need to get more organized or go to the gym more often. Maybe you can find a senior to help carry your stuff?

[Rclark]

let 'er rip fellas.

[jhm731]

Tyson will be carrying his 13" MacBook Air, and using his iPhone for hotspot due to the terrible wifi at the hotel in previous years this setup should be as close to ideal as possible. As far as te SPL thing I find it both ridiculous and unnecessary. Not going to happen even in App form.

In case you change your mind, JL Audio has a free app that has a SPL Meter and Real Time Analyzer.

Look forward to this year's coverage.

[SlushPuppy]

Have fun guys. The refresh key on my laptop is going to get hot today!

[Tyson]

Matching spl's is idiotic when you are in completely different rooms with different acoustics.  Nevermind the fact that you'd really have to pump pink noise through their systems.  Which is a totally assholish thing to do with other people in the room.  Soooo, big middle Finger, and NO!

[Andre2]

Tyson, now tell us how you really feel? 

[Pez]

Be kind to Tyson he has Chronic dickishenss majoris disease. It has no cure. 

[roscoeiii]

Good points on SPLs Tyson (though I don't think the first poster was asking for matched SPLs, just an idea of how loud the systems are playing—"average SPL during your evaluation"). And no need for middle fingers, we are all friends here. All of us back at home are cheering your coverage on!

Looking forward to the reports.

[Tyson]

Yes, we are all friends, please don't take my comments too seriously, they are all said in fun and good natured ribbing.  In real life I'm a nice guy, even when I'm being a dick   At least that what Jason tells me, when he's not too busy punching me in the face

[Tyson]

OK, room reports are starting in 3...2....1....

[Pez]

Analysis Audio
Arion Audio
VPI Industries
JPS Labs
RealTraps
Chang Lightspeed
EMM Labs Inc.









Arion audio - right off the bat great setup with thoughtful room treatment.

Great looking apogee clones. The sound is very pleasant! Bach piece sounded very sharp and non fatiguing. Depth of soundstage on the Mahler is incredible. Dynamics are very very good in this room. Imaging is spot on. Ani piece is soulful and just so right. I can't believe the imaging in this setup! I feel like I can walk out into the landscape these speakers project. Thom Yorke piece starts out big and gets BIGGER when his vocals start. There is a touch of that ribbon hash, sort of a crossover range fuzziness, but its far from offensive. Great depth

Tyson Notes[/u]
General Room Notes - Room Treatment!!! Yay for that.  I like this room already.
Mahler - Very spacious!  Sounds very, very good!  Bass is a bit tubby, but might be where I am sitting.
Bach - Yay, correct tonality and a smooth even sound with plenty of emotion.
Ani DiFranco - Guitar sounds very good, as does her voice.  That lovely brutal honesty of Ani is well conveyed.  Oh wait, that boominess is back.  Right at the lower range of the guitar.  Too bad, otherwise excellent sound in this room.
Thom Yorke - Nice, clean, and dynamic on Thom!  Bass sounds a bit cleaner, voice sounds sufficiently like the effete male that Thom Yorke is....

[taoggniklat]

Suggestion, put the room info at the top of the post. Just a suggestion so do what you want/have time to.

See you guys tomorrow.
Jared