Audio Karma's AK Fest

jsalk · « **on:** 15 Apr 2008, 03:51 pm »

For those in the Midwest, we will be exhibiting at this year's AK Fest, May 3rd and 4th in Livonia, MI. We will be sharing two rooms, 318 & 319 with Audio by VanAlstine. It should be a great time.

For more info, check out the AKFest web site: http://www.akfest.com/

See you there!

- Jim

MaxCast · « **Reply #1 on:** 15 Apr 2008, 04:30 pm »

Seeing those two vacant rooms next to yours, I was wondering if you'd get a second one. What speakers will you have in each room?
See you Saturday.

jsalk · « **Reply #2 on:** 15 Apr 2008, 04:52 pm »

MaxCast -

Quote from: MaxCast on 15 Apr 2008, 04:30 pm

Seeing those two vacant rooms next to yours, I was wondering if you'd get a second one. What speakers will you have in each room?
See you Saturday.

I don't know for certain. The rooms are very small. So the HT3's may be a little too much for them, although I will most likely bring a pair anyway. Of course, the SongTowers will be in the mix. These speakers continue to amaze me. And there may be a new design that we haven't announced yet. We'll have to do some listening first, however, to make sure they are ready for prime time.

- Jim

jd3 · « **Reply #3 on:** 15 Apr 2008, 06:57 pm »

Jim,
Will you have the entire Song series or is the room too small to accommodate a complete system?

John

jsalk · « **Reply #4 on:** 15 Apr 2008, 07:05 pm »

John -

Quote from: jd3 on 15 Apr 2008, 06:57 pm

Jim,
Will you have the entire Song series or is the room too small to accommodate a complete system?

John

We haven't decided that yet. Chances are we will not. We would have to set up an entire surround sound system and I don't think Frank has enough amps for that. He is already bringing a large number of amps required to set up a special system.

- Jim

jd3 · « **Reply #5 on:** 15 Apr 2008, 08:09 pm »

Jim,
I was hoping you'd have a SongCenter there to listen to so I can convince my wife we 'can't live without one!' Oh well...I'll see you there.

John

sanlanman · « **Reply #6 on:** 19 Apr 2008, 10:28 pm »

I have made arrangements to visit relatives in northern Ohio the weekend of May 3rd and 4th and plan to drive over one of the two days to listen to the Salk speakers. The contact in my state has not yet responded to my request to listen to hs V3s so this will give me a chance to hear one or two sets of Jim's other speakers. I am really looking forward to being there.

PS, If we drive over on Saturday or Sunday, how late will the Salk Sound room(s) be open?

mike1964 · « **Reply #7 on:** 20 Apr 2008, 03:08 am »

Quote from: jsalk on 15 Apr 2008, 04:52 pm

Of course, the SongTowers will be in the mix. These speakers continue to amaze me.
- Jim

Nice to hear that you're continually impressed Jim!
Now I really can't wait for mine...

sanlanman · « **Reply #8 on:** 29 Apr 2008, 06:50 pm »

Jim, are you in a position to say what speakers you are bringing to the Fest?

martyo · « **Reply #9 on:** 29 Apr 2008, 06:58 pm »

Quote

Quote from: sanlanman on 29 Apr 2008, 06:50 pm
Jim, are you in a position to say what speakers you are bringing to the Fest?

Quote

I don't know for certain. The rooms are very small. So the HT3's may be a little too much for them, although I will most likely bring a pair anyway. Of course, the SongTowers will be in the mix. These speakers continue to amaze me. And there may be a new design that we haven't announced yet. We'll have to do some listening first, however, to make sure they are ready for prime time.

avahifi · « **Reply #10 on:** 29 Apr 2008, 08:21 pm »

We will be bringing our new Differential equipment to power the Salk speakers at the AudioKarma show. I will have the Ultra differential DAC, differential preamp, and a couple of Fet Valve Ultra hybrid amps for one set up. We will also bring the OmegaStar Differential Preamp/DAC and Differential amplifier. Assuming I have room in the Avant wagon, I will also bring a couple of Ultimate 70 amplifiers to run Jim's new speakers in the differential mode. That should make an outstanding combination.

See you this coming weekend I hope.

Hoping to make Big Red's with the equipment on Saturday evening too.

Regards,

Frank Van Alstine

P.S. Jim, I hope you have room to bring your AVA equipment too for backups and in case anyone wants to hear the differences directly.

jsalk · « **Reply #11 on:** 29 Apr 2008, 09:46 pm »

Quote from: sanlanman on 29 Apr 2008, 06:50 pm

Jim, are you in a position to say what speakers you are bringing to the Fest?

Our plan at this point is to have a pair of SongTowers, a pair of HT3's and a pair of a new model that does not yet have a name. Information on the new speaker design will be posted in the next couple of days. It will be a open baffle midrange, music-oriented, design with a sensitivity of 93db. It was previewed last week-end at the InDIYana speaker meet and received extremely well. This will be its first "public" showing.

- Jim

bahorn1 · « **Reply #12 on:** 29 Apr 2008, 11:36 pm »

Quote from: jsalk on 29 Apr 2008, 09:46 pm

Quote from: sanlanman on 29 Apr 2008, 06:50 pm
Jim, are you in a position to say what speakers you are bringing to the Fest?

Our plan at this point is to have a pair of SongTowers, a pair of HT3's and a pair of a new model that does not yet have a name. Information on the new speaker design will be posted in the next couple of days. It will be a open baffle midrange, music-oriented, design with a sensitivity of 93db. It was previewed last week-end at the InDIYana speaker meet and received extremely well. This will be its first "public" showing.

- Jim

Oh man I wish I were going. Michigan is just a little too far. I'd love to hear the new stuff from Jim and Frank. And I still want to hear the HT3s. Jim, Frank: Are you going to this year's RMAF? I assume that is as close as you get to California.

MaxCast · « **Reply #13 on:** 29 Apr 2008, 11:47 pm »

Where is the InDIYana held?

zybar · « **Reply #14 on:** 29 Apr 2008, 11:54 pm »

Quote from: MaxCast on 29 Apr 2008, 11:47 pm

Where is the InDIYana held?

HOLY COW!!!

Jim, please provide details on these.

George

jsalk · « **Reply #15 on:** 30 Apr 2008, 12:51 am »

InDIYana was a DIY speaker competition held in Richmond, IN over the week end.

I'm going to try and take some photos and put together some technical information on the design in the next couple of days. But here is the story of how they developed.

Last summer, Jeff Bagby and I were working on a new design that resulted in a speaker called the Pharos. While visiting Jeff during the process, he asked me what I thought about open baffle speakers. The reason he asked is that he recently finished just such a design. I told him I was intrigued so he told me to take them home and spend some time with them. He had too many speakers sitting around (like every speaker designer) and his wife told him he would have to get rid of some before he built more. He suggested that after I put them through their paces, I could simply sell them for him.

After spending some time with the design, I emailed Jeff and told him that I thought the midrange and top end were stunning, but that they were a little weak in the bass department. I also told him that I had some reservations about selling them due to the bass performance, but it seemed like a shame since the mids and highs were so good.

About that time, I came across some Lambda drivers and asked Jeff if there might be a woofer that would be a drop in replacement. It turned out that one Lambda design in particular was quite close in performance to the woofer Jeff originally used. So I went ahead and had a pair of woofers built.

Well, as luck would have it, while they were very similar in performance, they weren't exactly a drop-in replacement. They didn't fit in the cabinet Jeff originally built. But the drivers tested phenomenally. So well in fact, that I thought it would be worth developing a whole new cabinet for them.

When we finished the new cabinets, the speaker performed very well but the new woofers were slightly more sensitive than the originals and the bass was a little overpowering. So Jeff modeled a revised crossover and we made the changes. The result was perfect from top to bottom.

We thought all along that if things worked out, AKFest would be a good place to introduce the new design. But Jeff had never heard the finished speakers.

It just so happened that he was going to be attending InDIYana and asked if I would be willing to drive down with them so he could see and hear what we had done to his design. It would also be a good opportunity to have other speaker designers listen to them and provide feedback.

I told Jeff I thought he would love both the new cabinet design and, more importantly, the sound of the finished speaker. So we set off for Indiana on Friday evening after closing the shop.

While InDIYana was a DIY speaker-builder competition, we chose not to complete. We thought it would not be fair to others who were submitting designs. But the reaction to these speakers was extremely positive. One speaker designer, who by the way had one of the best entries at the event, emailed Jeff later and said it was the best speaker he had ever heard and he wouldn't change a thing - high praise indeed. Jeff put his stamp of approval on the design as well (and Jeff is VERY fussy).

So now we're back home preparing for AKFest and we're definitely taking these speakers along for the ride.

I hope to have technical details and post a "name this speaker" thread in the next couple of days. We're extremely busy these days, but I hope to get this accomplished before we leave for AKFest.

- Jim

zybar · « **Reply #16 on:** 30 Apr 2008, 01:07 am »

Thanks Jim.

George

yooper · « **Reply #17 on:** 30 Apr 2008, 01:30 am »

WOW! Kudos to Jim and Jeff! Very intriguing.

Another design I am very anxious to listen to, and YEA... I will get to hear them Saturday!!

Mark

avahifi · « **Reply #18 on:** 30 Apr 2008, 01:49 pm »

Jim the new speaker looks really great as you have turned a concept into art again. Amazing!

Beautiful work and I bet it will sound as good as it looks. Wait until you hear it driven by the differential system and a set of Ultimate 70 tube amps.

I will bring a bunch of CDs along as I suspect you won't be able to use the computer as a source in both rooms at the same time, along with my good old CD player transport too.

Can't wait.

Bob Cook and I will pack up and be out of here by 6 am Friday morning so should make the hotel early evening at the latest to help with the setup.

Best regards,

Frank

Wardsweb · « **Reply #19 on:** 30 Apr 2008, 01:57 pm »

See you there Jim. I'll be sure to get some pics and specs for my writeup for EnjoytheMusic.com

By the way, is that sapele pomelle?