AKFEST07 WEEKEND at PICKY'S: (Attendees & Detroit Area Klipschers)

[picky]

Michael Colter: I'm glad to hear that Doc got his microphone stand back after he left it behind at my house. (Thanks Roger!)

Doc did a lot of testing in my room. He tested all speakers and 2-channel from the sweet spot (12 feet from the front array) and did some 2-channel only readings at 1 meter away from the the right-front RF-7.

(Doc, correct me if I am wrong:) The graph I posted was at the sweet spot 12 feet away with all 7.1 channels running and both the office and bathroom doors open. The utility room door was closed for all tests.

We discovered that the bass in the room goes lower (19 Hz) with the office and bathroom doors open. With them closed (21 Hz), the over-all graph is the same, but without the same extension in to the lower bass. Because the difference is less than 3 db, the change, for the most part is inaudible at the point of measurement. If you were in the back portion of the room, you could hear a very slight change in the overall sound when the doors were opened and closed.

The only standing wave Doc could identify ran through the middle of the room diagonally from a back corner to the opposite front corner. But the change was so small, it's difficult to hear any difference in the bass throuhout the entire room. Roger remarked that the bass is perfectly dialed-in and impossible to localize. Again: Thanks for doing the testing, Doc! Thanks for your analysis too, Roger. -Glenn

Here is the same trace I posted earler: 72 represents -3db and the roll-off occurs at both 19 Hz and approximately 16 KHz

[picky]

Ron: Since you were in town: It would have been great to have you come by the house too with the rest of the gang! It's too bad things didn't work out that way. Dr. Who told me he met Clarence at the AKFEST, too. I had no clue he was there until after we left and Doc told me. Clarence was not at our house, however. -Glenn

picky,

Was not in town. Here in Dallas following all the fun via the internet. March tends to be too cold and wet for me in Michigan. Did drink some Verners and wondered what happened with the Redwings the other night.

Oops! Sorry Ron. I made the assumption that you were actually at the AKFEST because you posted an additional photo of "Mrs.NOS Valves" on the other thread. My bad!

How ironic: Dizrotus brought over a 12-pack of Venors on Friday and I've been drinking it all weekend! LOL

I missed the Wings game the other night: Was too busy listening and watching stuff with the guys.

[Parrot]

Craig and I had a fun time experiencing Picky's extremely well-planned home theater after AKFest closed down Saturday night. We wished that we'd have had time for an entire movie. Thanks for the hospitality, Picky.

[Parrot]

Call me horny, but I liked the La Scalas and a pair of Altecs down the hall better than any other speaker systems at AKFest. I did hear a lot of good gear and also some other stuff that I would have not wanted for free, including the most expensive items there. At least the presenters seemed to like their own bad-sounding equipment, even if no one else did. Some of it sounded okay in its range, but when pushed a little would horrify you. Interestingly, though, it wasn't the auditioners who pushed the volume, but the presenters, and they seemed oblivious to the shortcomings they were revealing. Go figure. But there were a lot of rooms that had quite enjoyable systems, if not as engaging as I'm used to at home.

This year there were two or three systems showed off exclusively with music servers, some with CDs, and some exclusively vinyl. The vinyl sounded the best, no matter what Dr. Who says.

Craig's La Scalas were, for the great majority of the time, kept at levels where you could carry on a reasonable level conversation, without shouting. No headbangers around this time!

I sold some LPs and CDs dirt cheap, and picked up several nice records. Gilbert (not the Klipsch Gilbert) played a fantastic recording of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" by Israel Kamakawiwo'ole, that I hadn't heard before. I'm going to have to buy this.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israel_Kamakawiwo'ole

[Audio Flynn]

Just thought I'd chime in and mention that I pulled in safely this morning and just finished my first class....ended up spending the night at Trey's after Roger's, Colter's, Picky's, AK Fest, and lots more of Picky's....talk about a wild trip. I had a blast and thanks to everyone for everything. Got some school stuff to do and then I'll probably get around to posting later tonite...

By the way, I totally forgot to bring my music to AK Fest so can't really comment confidently on anything I heard (except for the utter crap). I still don't like LP's, heard one "acceptable" one but forget what it was. Craig's tube amps are interesting though...

Unfortunalty I could not attend.

My wife would not have liked my walking pnumonia body that showed up at home Saturday night from a week long trip, walking around AK on Sunday so I had had to behave at home. She says I sound like I am coughing up a lung. How does one know what that sounds like? I have never seen a person cough up a lung I guess.

From the pictures, Parrot seemed far too relaxed without Dean and I there to tweak his beak.

Youngsters (Who)....

Even 30 years ago in the old days when gas was $ 0.80 per gallon we always had at least our ANALOG cassette tapes in the car with us on a serious road trip. Music got packed before socks and underwear.

"Interesting" or "uninteresting" is a more clear term when used to describe people. Craig's new lady friend appears to be more interesting than him. Is she the new technician Craig is sending over to bias my amp?

Who, you need to consult the Theasaurus to find some better music words for tube amps.[:|]

[Deang]

Craig's La Scalas were, for the great majority of the time, kept at levels where you could carry on a reasonable level conversation, without shouting. No headbangers around this time!

What a waste of a great system.

[IndyKlipschFan]

I wanted to thank Glenn, Verna & Rose... first off, for opening your doors to me, (and really other too) as strangers into your house, let alone stay 2 nights for the weekend too. Really, other than knowing you off of here and maybe 1-2 times in person, I am always amazed this whole "internet friendship thing" to a 45 year old male works out. As a general rule, I have often found after 6- 12 months on here (as a forum) you do get to know someone pretty well. I think, your even nicer and more giving and gracious as a couple in person. I just feel lucky to be your friends. You have a place here, too, next time you go through Indy!

For the un initiated, the room as Picky (Glenn and his wife) have described it, and we have seen in pictures IS just as amazing, if not more. I liked the comment before, "You should call it small house theater... with a BIG sound." And even being quite modest, as he is, you get lost to any size issues once your there... The picture is beautiful, clear and the sound just makes it HUGE you forget how small the room is.. (Which is my point, too, you want to get lost in the experience of HT..and you do at his place!) I should also point out BIG n LOUD at times.. WOW.. You want to experience Pink Floyd as if you were there? hehehehe Yep, we did!! I loved "The 5th Element" so much on my own theater, I gave him a copy.. It was just brutal (in a very good way) how dynamic that movie was/is on your system! I want a full list of what you used to demo for us too. From the guns in the fight scene, (jump?) LOL I almost @#@!$@ my pants a few times like someone had a gun in your room! The Pirate scene?? OK, I need to get those too. You even listened to and watched things you had never seen or heard and probably had a interest in as well from Myself and Mike Betz. You do it with better grace than I do too. (I say this cause my nephew had some seriously alternative music he wanted to listen too very loud on my own system... I let him, of course... but after about 45 min, I just had to get up and say to him.... "Have fun... I will come back down later when you want to see something on the screen or watch sports or anything!" LOL!!! I just could not take it anymore at that level.... (It would not matter what genre really, just say anything you do not like in your head..but amazingly loud!!! It gets to you.. trust me, if it is not what you like.)

This actually leads me into the AK fest update from me. Is it me, or do people think playing things loud is always better? Is cranking a type of music on your speakers no one likes, and you see the room just get up and leave but your standing there rocking out...a way to SHOW off your speakers? (I felt like I was on my dorm floor in my first year of college all over again... All men, basically, cranking up the tunes showing off! AC/DC Back In Black! <<I can only imagine that on some of the esoteric stuff! hahahaha Back In Black hit the sack!!! hahahahahah>> My biggest hint to most of the people that showed equipment to others at the show. Turn it down, at least sometimes.. We can't even hear a conversation while talking to you about YOUR product. (I want to say here I am not a turn it down old dude here...... OK, well maybe I am an old dude, but you get my point) Seriously... Have some different Genres of music too! There was no pop, country, really anything alternative, at all. Some had no Rock N roll??? Not that we want to listen to say TOOL for 24/7, but nothing? I have to admit, I would love a compilation of some of it to take home.. Very cool stuff.

Part of the Hobby itself is a esoteric look at the extreems..... $40,000 dollar turn tables With TWO tone arms, to 50k amps... Speakers from a couple hundred to again almost 20k dollars... (IDS by ex McIntosh guru Roger Russell. $18,900 to your door plus tax!) The IDS speakers they are 88.75 inches tall, 25 drivers, all lined up from the floor to your ceiling with no x overs.. with a loudspeaker EQ Box.... I was expecting to be just awe in one of those life changing audio experiences... Same with the big gun speakers in the McIntosh Room. I agree with Glenn(Picky) his RF 7's for us, at least, were just as good and if I can be bold here too....better than most of what we listened to all day. I say this, because Klipsch speakers do handle all different types of music better where some at the show sounded good on some music... terrible on others... Good at some levels.. Horrible at others... Were very lucky (even with our own biases to Klipsch) it actually DOES perform well to really to ANY good recording, and at all levels too.

I liked Craig's (Nos Valves) La Scala's as well. It was a mixture of this and that on the high and mids end (Different than stock) also a different x over as well. I will not claim to understand everything... even though I get about 90% of the ideas of what you changed verses a stock La Scala. The sound stage is bigger with the mods you used. We had a (inside) laugh at how much bass really was coming out of the bottom end as well. (There is plenty when others claim it is not there at all.) I am not so sure if it was the changes to your speakers... The Pre Amp or your own VRD Amps, too, Craig.... but it really did sound wonderful in your room verses a LOT of others. I also liked the fact that you also allowed people to play anything they wanted... (WOW what a concept...so they can play "new age chants from Buddhist monks" as well as Aaron Copeland to Classic rock n roll.... and do it well too?) hahahahaha It also gave me a reference point to come back to your room then go down the hallway to give other equipment a listen too. In a home situation, I bet your system is just wonderful!

Paul Parrot.... your a good friend, I love your humor, and I could hang out with you any time! I hope you make it back to Indy in June for the Klipsch Weekend.

So much about the weekend, after just saying that about Paul, reminded me just how incredible it is to meet people off of here. It IS fun to BS, eat some good local food... drink a few cold ones... and just hang out and learn from others off of here. I never would of met any of you if it had not been for this love of Klipsch and this hobby. We learn from each other.. But we also "celebrate each others journey" in this hobby too.

Thanks again, especially to Glenn, Verna & Rose. It was a blast! Now I need a vacation, from my "Vacation." LOL

[Deang]

Is it me, or do people think playing things loud is always better...I felt like I was on my dorm floor in my first year of college all over again?

Strange, last year the only time any systems were actually cranked was on Friday and Saturday nights, when the show wasn't open to the public.

[IndyKlipschFan]

Not every room... But seriously.. It was a shame...

The older stuff was pretty cool too to listen too. Magnaplaner(?) ADS, Altec, Dahlquist to some others as well...

Oh, and no BOSE Speakers at this event? That might have been fun for giggles n grins though!!

[jacksonbart]

Call me horny, but I liked the La Scalas and a pair of Altecs down the hall better than any other speaker systems at AKFest. I did hear a lot of good gear and also some other stuff that I would have not wanted for free, including the most expensive items there. At least the presenters seemed to like their own bad-sounding equipment, even if no one else did. Some of it sounded okay in its range, but when pushed a little would horrify you. Interestingly, though, it wasn't the auditioners who pushed the volume, but the presenters, and they seemed oblivious to the shortcomings they were revealing. Go figure. But there were a lot of rooms that had quite enjoyable systems, if not as engaging as I'm used to at home.

This year there were two or three systems showed off exclusively with music servers, some with CDs, and some exclusively vinyl. The vinyl sounded the best, no matter what Dr. Who says.

Craig's La Scalas were, for the great majority of the time, kept at levels where you could carry on a reasonable level conversation, without shouting. No headbangers around this time!

I sold some LPs and CDs dirt cheap, and picked up several nice records. Gilbert (not the Klipsch Gilbert) played a fantastic recording of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" by Israel Kamakawiwo'ole, that I hadn't heard before. I'm going to have to buy this.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israel_Kamakawiwo'ole

Despite being what?, 700+ lbs, Israel Kamakawiwo'ole, rocks or I sould say rocked. Great voice, he has many great tuned, try Sea of Love as well.

[NOSValves]

Just thought I'd chime in and mention that I pulled in safely this morning and just finished my first class....ended up spending the night at Trey's after Roger's, Colter's, Picky's, AK Fest, and lots more of Picky's....talk about a wild trip. I had a blast and thanks to everyone for everything. Got some school stuff to do and then I'll probably get around to posting later tonite...

By the way, I totally forgot to bring my music to AK Fest so can't really comment confidently on anything I heard (except for the utter crap). I still don't like LP's, heard one "acceptable" one but forget what it was. Craig's tube amps are interesting though...

Unfortunalty I could not attend.

My wife would not have liked my walking pnumonia body that showed up at home Saturday night from a week long trip, walking around AK on Sunday so I had had to behave at home. She says I sound like I am coughing up a lung. How does one know what that sounds like? I have never seen a person cough up a lung I guess.

From the pictures, Parrot seemed far too relaxed without Dean and I there to tweak his beak.

Youngsters (Who)....

Even 30 years ago in the old days when gas was $ 0.80 per gallon we always had at least our ANALOG cassette tapes in the car with us on a serious road trip. Music got packed before socks and underwear.

"Interesting" or "uninteresting" is a more clear term when used to describe people. Craig's new lady friend appears to be more interesting than him. Is she the new technician Craig is sending over to bias my amp?

Who, you need to consult the Theasaurus to find some better music words for tube amps.[:|]

When I called you after you hadn't showed up all it took was you saying hello for me to know you had no business any where but your bed! Take care of yourself, forget about work and let your body heal.

Craig

[Parrot]

I was told that the McIntosh system that we heard would sell for . . . wait for it . . . a cool quarter of a million dollars! Some of the private comments I heard about it from attendees are unprintable on a public forum.

[Parrot]

Despite being what?, 700+ lbs, Israel Kamakawiwo'ole, rocks. Great voice, he has many great somes, try Sea of Love as well.

Thanks, I am going to buy some of his stuff. Sadly, he died some years back.

[IndyKlipschFan]

I would say after being in Hawaii last year with my kids and buying his CD's, they fell in love singing this Karaoke style too. hahahaha Nothing like a 5 and 3 year old enjoying something different singing at the top of their lungs!! hahahahaha Somewhere Over the Rainbow!!

I think this one song is in like 4-5 movies too. Everyone seems to be touched by it.

I think I have 3 or 4 of his CD's, all very well recorded... They grow on you too.

[IndyKlipschFan]

Paul said....."I was told that the McIntosh system that we heard would sell for . . . wait for it . . . a cool quarter of a million dollars! Some of the private comments I heard about it from attendees are unprintable on a public forum."

hahahahahahah ("Crickets chirping for dramatic effect...") OK, I will try to be good too! But seriously... How can so much money, so much science, so much... SHHHHH I better quit..

Just beacause you spend... xxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox Dollars... Does NOT mean it sounds good.. But maybe you think so... after the xoxoxo dollars?

We have to, at some point, be truthful with ourselves...... and not believe in this HYPE..

[jacksonbart]

I only became aware of Israel Kamakawiwo'ole after visiting Hawaii in Febuary of this year, actually learned of him after I returned. Did not realize he had passed until I saw the Wiki link from Parrot. Its sad. In 2000 I got really into Junior Wells, buying many of his albums before learning he died in 1998 of cancer. After that I learned as much about him as I could. Its always good discovering new artists, just sad when thay are already dead before thier time. I must be weird because I enjoy discovering new music much more than new equipment. Glad everyone enjoyed themselves. Picky, thanks for the pictures.

[NOSValves]

Not every room... But seriously.. It was a shame...

The older stuff was pretty cool too to listen too. Magnaplaner(?) ADS, Altec, Dahlquist to some others as well...

Oh, and no BOSE Speakers at this event? That might have been fun for giggles n grins though!!

Indy,

The volume gets raised as the show gets busier because the noise floor is so high during the show. Heck that building has a incredibly high noise floor of its own.

[meagain]

Indy - Try also A Perfect Circle - 'Thirteenth Step'. Nice album. Pretty.

I had no idea Jr. Wells died.

I wish someone cranked Craig's speakers!

[NOSValves]

Picky,

Almost forgot to thank you for the fine time we had at your home. The Pizza was great and the demo of your system was impressive! Sorry I have to say this but I was dissapointed.....................With every scene you played I wanted to just sit back and watch the entire movie! But time did not allow that [] Great HT room you have and it proves that size does is not always all that important[] It's obvious that you spent much time planning and executing a great plan and it paid off for you. You and your wife are wonderful hosts thanks for having us over.

Craig

[Deang]

I wish someone cranked Craig's speakers!

That's normally my job, but I wasn't there. I think I took them up to about 100dB steady state last year, sounded incredible. I guess after I left to go to bed, my son Austin took over. Rumor has it when he was done everyone in the room had to enter a decompression chamber.