Ar Member Get Together, Who's Comin?

[Mr Peabody]

I've been brain storming with IBStormin and we'd like to get members to grab some of their gear they want to show off or hear with other gear and meet us in Kansas City. If it's just a few that can make it the place may be Norm's but if we have a large RSVP he knows of a hall we can get. Date isn't firm but we are shooting for the weekend before President's Day, I believe that is Sat. 2/10/2010. We haven't discussed time or making it two days. What we'd like is to know who is coming and to get some feedback or suggestions. So please list your name if you will plan to come and maybe what gear you are interested in bringing.. Once we get sort of an idea of who is coming we can take ideas and firm up details. Hopefully some one has a large enough vehicle they will volunteer to bring some speakers.

1. IBStormin
2. Mr Peabody ( ERC-1, maybe 500i, other DAC's, gfa-5500 )

[blackraven]

Make it in the spring when the weather's better and I could probably make it and visit family at the same time! I'd bring my Van Alstine gear and Monitor Audio S1 speaks.

[JohnMichael]

We had a great time in Chicago when members got together. If I am driving I could bring the Onkyo A-9555 and compare it to the Krell S-300i. Oh wait I could bring the Onkyo and its stock fuse along with a Hi Fi Tuning fuse. The MoFi OML1's could travel along.

[poppachubby]

Which KC? KC MO?

[Mr Peabody]

Yes, KC, MO.

If later Spring, do you think people would come on a holiday weekend like Memorial Day to have more travel time etc. or just any Saturday? Also, if we went ahead with 2/10, we could do another. Good point though, Feb. in the Midwest can sometimes be not so nice.

[harley .guy07]

Yeah being that Kansas City is about a 3 hour drive form my home I would probably be there. Not sure which equipment I could bring because I am not sure what I will have at that point. by that time I might have quite a different system since I plan on upgrading quite a bit in the near future. But I guess if there is something I feel could be worth bringing I could load it up and bring it. Depending on work, family stuff and timing in general I should not have a problem making a trip like that.

[thekid]

Well I get some say in my travel schedule for next year. If we are going to be in the MW area at the time of the get together I am sure I could rearrange my flight schedule. Could'nt bring any gear but I think you all are sick of seeing it posted here anyway...... :D

[Mr Peabody]

Kid, next go round we'd have to come to your museum :) Hope schedules work out.

Harley that would be great. Keep us posted on the upgrade progress. Anything firm in your sights at this point?

[harley .guy07]

Not just yet, Still doing research and listening to different things. Looking for a change in my main speakers. Adding a Dac for my multidisk player and computer for a computer based audio server. I need to build a new powered sub since the amp in my JBL blew a couple of days ago. I think I am going to concentrate more on the two channel setup than on the theater part of my system since I listen to music mostly. I have even thought about doing away with my Yamaha receiver and going with a 2 channel preamp and ditch the theater thing and just building the subwoofer for a more music oriented use. I am not positive on this its just one of my ideas. I am at the place in my life when music plays a way more important role than theater does.

[Mr Peabody]

Harley, I have a CJ solid state and Audio Note 1.1x DAC I could sell. If interested PM and I'll give you more detail.

[atomicAdam]

the bay area has like 3 million people in it... how come no one around here wants to have an AR get together....

[kexodusc]

I'll be there in spirit, fellas, living vicariously through you all. Maybe you could setup the ar.com web cam for any gear shootouts, and let us vote online :D

[Mr Peabody]

Webcam.... that would be cool. It would take some one way more tech savvy than I. I'm surprised this hasn't been done before. Like from CES or other similar events. But the "live" aspect may scare some folks at the event. People get nervous with loss of control.

[poppachubby]

People get nervous with loss of control.

What do you mean by that Peabody? I think it's actually a great idea to have some kind of camera with a live feed, it's not hard to do. This way the event is not exclusive and only for people who can attend. My wife and I are discussing a trip for the first time in a few years, I don't think it will include an AR convention. I would love to meet all of you guys, sounds like fun...

[Mr Peabody]

I was referring to why maybe manufacturers or who ever may not want a live feed from something like CES or CEDIA.

[poppachubby]

I was referring to why maybe manufacturers or who ever may not want a live feed from something like CES or CEDIA.

Ohhh, interesting. I never considered that. So basically if the Brand X amp sounds like chit for whatever reason, they would be concerned about any negative perceptions that might send out? Am I understanding this correctly?

If so, this could be a great way to fund the meet. We will take money from manufacturers for advertising and "air time" on our live feed. This way we can fly out all of the members who want to attend, perhaps rent an entire floor of a hotel. Hahaha, we could have something here.

[harley .guy07]

Sounds great to me. I would love to have a room full of different brands of equipment and speakers that would allow me to finally be in a room full of brands so we can drop the hammer on some of these brands and see what some people are really talking about when they say their amp is warm, or another brand is tight and bright. having this all around us would be interesting just to see how different people's ears hear these things differently. hell I might bring my Paradigms just to show what a little ingenuity and knowledge can do with 15 year old mid high fi speaker. they do sound good for me having around 500 bucks in them origionally and an additional 100 bucks with mods. I would put them up against anything i have heard in the 600 dollar price range.

[atomicAdam]

Ohhh, interesting. I never considered that. So basically if the Brand X amp sounds like chit for whatever reason, they would be concerned about any negative perceptions that might send out? Am I understanding this correctly?

If so, this could be a great way to fund the meet. We will take money from manufacturers for advertising and "air time" on our live feed. This way we can fly out all of the members who want to attend, perhaps rent an entire floor of a hotel. Hahaha, we could have something here.


well, I don't think over web feed you could really hear the quality of an amp. What you could see is product demo failures and negative reactions or comments from the surrounding watchers.

On the livefeed note. It would be great. You can actually do live feeds via you iPhone or G1. I think the iPhone app is being used by a co-worker, I'll ask him.