[TONEPUB]

I know the two birthday cakes we had were a big hit with our readers.  They swarmed in like locusts and went through two of them pretty quickly!

[ltr317]

The best rooms always have chocolate. 

Ah, you discovered the secret to good sound! 

[Nuance]

Don't you mean a fabulous trip to home depot.   But in all seriousness you still build the best speakers IMHO.  Man if my praise for you keeps up soon people are going to think Nuance is to Salk as Standub is to Vapor, sadly Nuance is much more personable.  Sorry Ryan.

Okay, that was a good zinger.

This year at RMAF I found that visitors were very pleased to learn that we had a second set of components set up in order to allow playback of their listening discs.  It may not have been as nice as the streaming setup, but I feel it accommodated a lot more people.  I always enjoy hearing new music and the styles that float other people's boats, so it was win win. 

Enough room treatments would have been more beneficial (bass traps for the corners especially), and I like the idea of taking in-room measurements.  I had my REW gear ready to be packed, but I didn't know if my 50 foot mic cable would be allowed through security as a carry-on so I chickened out.  I should have called the airline...

Finally, a mistake many vendors make is their own expectations.  There will be people that love and hate your room, and that's okay.  You cannot please everyone, so don't take it personal, which is something I struggle with.  Even is someone is intentionally being a d!ck, just be cool.  I have to work on that one.

Oh yeah - and free treats (a bowl of candy) is always a good thing.  Heck, we had people walk in just to grab candy, then walk right out. 

[audioengr]

Ryan -  I think a lot of these things you just have to learn from experience and making the mistakes.  This is probably the best way to learn anyway.

It is going to be fire-drill for the first few shows that you do.  After about 6 they get easier.  You think of everything .

The thing that made shows good for me was either to control everything myself, or rely on only one or two vendors with a good track record.  B-P-T was one of these, as is GIK acoustics.  Highly recommended.  There are a lot of flakes in this industry, and it takes time to discover who they are....

Another thing that it takes time to discover is that no matter how much break-in you have on a component or speaker, after you transport it, it needs another day of break-in.  Sunday is always the best SQ.

Thanks for doing a great show.  Saved me the grief and expense.

Steve N.
Empirical Audio

[Scottdazzle]

The best rooms always have chocolate. 

Yes, but Roy Hall had Aberlour 12-year old single malt Scotch in the Music Hall room! 

[jtwrace]

Ryan -  I think a lot of these things you just have to learn from experience and making the mistakes.  This is probably the best way to learn anyway.

It is going to be fire-drill for the first few shows that you do.  After about 6 they get easier.  You think of everything .

The thing that made shows good for me was either to control everything myself, or rely on only one or two vendors with a good track record.  B-P-T was one of these, as is GIK acoustics.  Highly recommended.  There are a lot of flakes in this industry, and it takes time to discover who they are....

Another thing that it takes time to discover is that no matter how much break-in you have on a component or speaker, after you transport it, it needs another day of break-in.  Sunday is always the best SQ.

Thanks for doing a great show.  Saved me the grief and expense.

Steve N.
Empirical Audio

Yes, Ryan did a great job as the whole system sounded glorious.   

[stvnharr]

I have been to every RMAF since the show started in 2003 until this year, when I could not make it. I always found the biggest issue with many vendors is that they would have too many speakers in a room, or too large of a speaker in a room. I learned through the years to quickly pass by the rooms with either of the above.
Also, many vendors just simply do not know how to set speakers in a room, especially a small room. It's a dead giveaway of poor setup when the only place where the music comes together is the front middle seat. It's not so much about room treatment, but setting the speakers so that they are in proper time and phase with each other. 
And, another issue often overlooked is the look of the room, and making the room a pleasant place to listen to music.  Some vendors really spend time with this, some ignore it. And then there's that room covered in white sheets, two or more years in a row. What were they thinking?
I distinctly remember the 2010 show as the year of bad sound, moreso than other years. After a walk through on Friday afternoon, I commenced proper listening Saturday morning at 9am, and by noon, my ears hurt and I simply left.  I returned only to visit a few vendor/exhibitors that I knew.

[jtwrace]

Who's this?  There was some woman that was near the Vapor room that was singing (damn good too)  in the hall.  She looked like this girl..   

[Don_S]

I think it is helpful to have an equipment list for the room that includes prices.  One copy should be in a plastic sleeve in a conspicuous place and others should be available for interested potential customers and the press. 

That accomplishes several things. It reduces the amount of questions the exhibitor has to answer and may not have time for--especially if they are flying solo at the moment. It gives exposure to the less noticeable equipment (like cables, DACs, racks) and their vendors. It makes it easier for the press and anybody posting about the room to get the facts correct.

I think it could be instructive for a vendor to think back to a show and ask themselves what questions they were asked the most.  Maybe they could find a way to address those up front with literature or a dry-erase board. Maybe a room equipment list with prices would be the answer. Be sure and put it right next to the chocolate. 

[standub]

Who's this?  There was some woman that was near the Vapor room that was singing (damn good too)  in the hall.  She looked like this girl..   

Here you go: http://www.stereophile.com/content/what-turntable

Ok so I actually just got around to reading it and it claims Ryan is her dad????? There's no way Ryan is that old.

[Vapor Audio]

Here you go: http://www.stereophile.com/content/what-turntable

Ok so I actually just got around to reading it and it claims Ryan is her dad????? There's no way Ryan is that old.

Haha, the whole Vapor family tree is getting very confusing.  I've been called Pete's son, now Jessica is my daughter?  We like to keep it in the family 

Actually Jessica is Pete's daughter.  She's a trip too, shy is not in her vocabulary.  And she is a pretty fantastic vocalist, she'll start singing full volume any time, any place. 

[jtwrace]

Haha, the whole Vapor family tree is getting very confusing.  I've been called Pete's son, now Jessica is my daughter?  We like to keep it in the family 

Actually Jessica is Pete's daughter.  She's a trip too, shy is not in her vocabulary.  And she is a pretty fantastic vocalist, she'll start singing full volume any time, any place.

Who's Pete?

Does she have an demo album?

[standub]

Also your room made it into the main stream:
http://www.stereophile.com/content/arte-forma

[Vapor Audio]

Who's Pete?

Does she have an demo album?

Pete is my co-worker, he was running room 593 for the most part.  She may have an album, I know Pete's son has a pretty solid hip-hop borderline rap album that was enjoyable.  Pete has talented kids 

[jtwrace]

Pete is my co-worker, he was running room 593 for the most part.  She may have an album, I know Pete's son has a pretty solid hip-hop borderline rap album that was enjoyable.  Pete has talented kids 

Ah I see.  So he's your employee?  Partner? 

Well, post the details to his son's and Jessica's album.  I like to support up and coming artists. 

[Vapor Audio]

Ryan -  I think a lot of these things you just have to learn from experience and making the mistakes.  This is probably the best way to learn anyway.

It is going to be fire-drill for the first few shows that you do.  After about 6 they get easier.  You think of everything .

The thing that made shows good for me was either to control everything myself, or rely on only one or two vendors with a good track record.  B-P-T was one of these, as is GIK acoustics.  Highly recommended.  There are a lot of flakes in this industry, and it takes time to discover who they are....

Another thing that it takes time to discover is that no matter how much break-in you have on a component or speaker, after you transport it, it needs another day of break-in.  Sunday is always the best SQ.

Thanks for doing a great show.  Saved me the grief and expense.

Steve N.
Empirical Audio

I'm glad we were able to give you some exposure Steve, your products deserve it!  I am listening to the Overdrive at home right now, gotta sneak in a few days before I send it back 

Honestly for my first time not only putting together a room by myself, but 2 rooms, I think we did pretty good.  The big mistakes were getting rooms backing the highway, and not having all my cables IN HAND before I left town for the show. 

Axpona Chicago is next, we'll see if I learned anything.

[lonewolfny42]

I specifically pick out tracks that get me to where I need to be in less than one minute each.  30 seconds is better.

"Short Music for Short People CD" ........

[Vapor Audio]

Haha, where do you find this stuff?

[lonewolfny42]

Haha, where do you find this stuff?

Can't help it Ryan....I buy a lot of Cd's.....

[TONEPUB]

Haha, the whole Vapor family tree is getting very confusing.  I've been called Pete's son, now Jessica is my daughter?  We like to keep it in the family 

Actually Jessica is Pete's daughter.  She's a trip too, shy is not in her vocabulary.  And she is a pretty fantastic vocalist, she'll start singing full volume any time, any place.

She certainly brought a lot of levity to our room when she stopped by.  Nice girl, reminded me of my daughter.  Same personality.