[jarcher]

Thanks for the pictures Phil A.

More CAF pictures here:

http://parttimeaudiophile.com/

Did you hear the Volti Audio Vittoras?

I was going to post similar detailed comments on day 2 / 3 as I did for day 1, but humbly came to realize that probably no one wants to slog through all that.  Surprisingly I haven't seen the audio press + bloggers put down detailed reviews yet, but maybe they are still overcoming show hangover.  I did add my 2 cents to partimeaudiophiles show coverage in the comments section, and most made it through moderation, the exception being some harsh but true words about some of the rooms.  Scott's a great writer + photographer & I'm sure that he will start filling in the skeleton as the days go by.

Addition : dbcooper made some interesting comments re: his issue w/ planars + electrostatics being to egotistical / antisocial w/ their narrow sweet spot.  And while I don't disagree, it makes me wonder if there are really many speakers that have a substantially wider one that's more conducive to social listening.  Aside from the obvious such as MBLs, Ohms, etc that are omnipolar, it seems like with most speakers its more of a case of choosing how many inches wide you want for a sweet spot vs feet. Warning Phil - no double entendre intended    I can almost start to understand some folks case for mono as it allows you to focus on other issues vs the soundstage and imagining, though that seems needlessly luddite and throwing the baby out w/ the bathwater, so to speak.

Anyway - perhaps another topic for another place & time. 

[fsimms]

I was going to post similar detailed comments on day 2 / 3 as I did for day 1, but humbly came to realize that probably no one wants to slog through all that. 

I love slogging. 

Bob

[Phil A]

Warning Phil - no double entendre intended    I can almost start to understand some folks case for mono as it allows you to focus on other issues vs the soundstage and imagining, though that seems needlessly luddite and throwing the baby out w/ the bathwater, so to speak.

Anyway - perhaps another topic for another place & time.

Who me - sweet innocent me   I only make comments like that at dinner talking about whether someone has Manley stuff or not

[jarcher]

Who me - sweet innocent me   I only make comments like that at dinner talking about whether someone has Manley stuff or not

That was a good one - I totally walked into that one!   

[SteveFord]

You either need BIG planars or a handful of little ones for a big sweet spot.
I didn't make it to the show due to Subway's tuna subs giving us food poisoning but those rooms look made for a bunch of smaller models.
It looks like the show is catching on so perhaps Magnepan can do a demo next year.

[Roscoe Primrose]

• Why do vendors feel they have to play music so LOUD!@!@!@!

Probably because they want you to listen to the system, not the air conditioner....

Roscoe

[simon wagstaff]

yes, some of the rooms with the AC off were a little stuffy...

[rollo]

interesting comment about the mono.  in the high water sound room, there was a dedicated fono stage and tonearm/cartridge for mono recordings, and i can honestly say that the mono recordings i heard in that rig were absolutely fantastic.  there was no wanting anything more, re: soundstaging, etc.  i don't know how or why, but that's the way it was.  it simply sounded fantastic.  and i am definitely into the soundstaging thing.  there was one dave brubeck recording circa 1957 that was to die for.  i actually liked what i heard so much on friday, that on saturday i brought an old mono ramsey lewis recording i had (circa 1958); it too was great.

doug s.

    Doug with ya 100% on mono. Bought a cheapie grado mono cart to check out.  Man O man what a different presentation with the mono cart. Much less noise, no sibilance with vocals and just tracks like a champ. No going back to stereo cart for mono.


charles

[AJinFLA]

AJ.  Thanks for coming this year and last (pics below).  Maybe after I get settled in down there sometime next year, I can see if the Space Coast Audio Society is up for a show on a smaller scale.

Would love to. Have a friend on the coast and could make it a whole weekend trip. We also have a club here (Suncoast Audio Society) with monthly meets and solid attendance/membership.
With the way this show went, I'll almost certainly be back next year. Perhaps in a slightly less narrow shoebox for a room  .

cheers,

AJ

[rollo]

Thanks Charles : you all were the best hosts.  Should have come back around when things were optimized.  As they say : it's that last day when the sound really comes together.  Despite the overly cranky comments, somehow I think it's important & useful to be honest, and you have taken the comments like a gentleman, and not been defensive as is usually the case.  Look forward to next year.

   Da truth is da truth no matter how ones slices it. I believe you would have heard a different presentaion late Saturday or better yet on Sunday. I walked in the room after touring the show and heard nails going through my head in 816. WTF. VTA is a wonderful thing when right and a horror when not right. Detail is one thing but harsh and bright is another. Next year I'm going to put an explosive device on the VTA tower and that should stop them  . I also feel a 1/2 W resistor is needed in the tweeter section. As there is no crossover me thinks it needs a slight voicing. My personal pair will have that resistor and be internally wired with Duelund CAT hook up wire.
    Anyway what I'm reallyexcited about is the BG Radia subwoofer system and the Arion class "D" hybrids with Duelund CAST output caps. 1000W/4 ohm and 500W/8 ohm.



charles
   

[Phil A]

Would love to. Have a friend on the coast and could make it a whole weekend trip. We also have a club here (Suncoast Audio Society) with monthly meets and solid attendance/membership.
With the way this show went, I'll almost certainly be back next year. Perhaps in a slightly less narrow shoebox for a room  .

cheers,

AJ

Yes, please do a better room, but you were not alone.  I was in the Odyssey room late in the day picking up a preamp for a secondary system (was not planning on it but the opportunity was right) and Gary Gill stopped by to listen.  His room was even weirder as far as configuration.  Gary acknowledged he assumed if he looked at one room the one above it would be identical and he'll be more diligent next time.  Besides with some of those rooms, I felt if they were any smaller, I'd need butter (no one would mistake me for Rollo) to get through the doorway.  The venue was a little dated and those elevators in particular.  Perhaps when I'm down and settled, I'll find a way to crash the Suncoast Audio Society now and then.  It's probably going to be around this time next year by the time I have everything more or less the way I want and be settled in.

[jarcher]

   Da truth is da truth no matter how ones slices it. I believe you would have heard a different presentaion late Saturday or better yet on Sunday. I walked in the room after touring the show and heard nails going through my head in 816. WTF. VTA is a wonderful thing when right and a horror when not right. Detail is one thing but harsh and bright is another. Next year I'm going to put an explosive device on the VTA tower and that should stop them  . I also feel a 1/2 W resistor is needed in the tweeter section. As there is no crossover me thinks it needs a slight voicing. My personal pair will have that resistor and be internally wired with Duelund CAT hook up wire.
    Anyway what I'm reallyexcited about is the BG Radia subwoofer system and the Arion class "D" hybrids with Duelund CAST output caps. 1000W/4 ohm and 500W/8 ohm.



charles
   

OMG those BG Radia subs were astounding. Honestly one of the highlights of the show for me. The more I learn about this company the more impressed I am. I wonder how good the rest of their stuff is.

[Rocket_Ronny]

Can anyone say which BG subs were used and how many? Were they the:

BGX-S12B
or
BGX-S6B
or
something new?

Thanks,

Rocket_Ronny

[jarcher]

Can anyone say which BG subs were used and how many? Were they the:

BGX-S12B
or
BGX-S6B
or
something new?

Thanks,

Rocket_Ronny

Dual 12's with the bgxa2 amp if im not mistaken.  $3900 for the whole lot I think. About what one reference class sub would run you from the likes of Rel Velodyne JLAudio etc. But maybe in line with TOTL SVS.  As good as those are, I'd take the BG Radia.

[DTB300]

Dual 12's with the bgxa2 amp if im not mistaken.  $3900 for the whole lot I think. About what one reference class sub would run you from the likes of Rel Velodyne JLAudio etc. But maybe in line with TOTL SVS.  As good as those are, I'd take the BG Radia.

You are correct concerning the setup.

I would still need to hear more "real" music with the BG instead of the drum demos they wanted to play.

[woodsyi]

I have some audio observations to share later but I want to share this with you all first.

Sunday Dinner at Ray's Classic.






Klaus and I each had a Manley 28 Oz rib eye steak.   
Others ordered small steaks. 

[Roscoe Primrose]

By Sunday evening, I woulda fallen asleep in my dinner
Was good to see some of you for dinner Friday though.

Roscoe

[AJinFLA]

Hi Woodsyi, you just jogged my memory, thanks for stopping in!
Recognize Phil A and mix4fix in the pics, but the gentlemen with the hat and the pink shirt were also in my room. ACers??
And Sunday dinner? Ouch, guess I should have paid closer attention (ate Sun dinner at lobby bar!).

cheers,

AJ

[Phil A]

The hat guy is 'Pansixt' or James.  The pink shirt guy is 'Bunky'

[Phil A]

The guy at the far right (in the bottom pic) has worked in FL in Disney at Pirates of the Carribean.  You probably don't recognize him without the bandana, hook and parrot on his shoulder.