Forums https://www.decware.com/cgi-bin/yabb22/YaBB.pl AUDIO FORUMS >> General Discussion and Support >> Fest Report https://www.decware.com/cgi-bin/yabb22/YaBB.pl?num=1476036941 Message started by Palomino on 10/09/16 at 19:15:41

Title: Fest Report Post by Palomino on 10/09/16 at 19:15:41 Just a few comments about the fest. The Zen mono's with the single drivers and imperials lived up to Steve's billing.  I was slack jawed listening to the bass being produced from 3 watts.  They didn't play real loud, but within their SPL range, it was exciting to listen to. I picked up some good music suggestions which I will definitely follow up on. Randy's Betsy Baffles are extremely pleasant drivers and when paired with some bass augmentation can produce wonderful engaging music. The Jimi Hendrix practice tape was as real as it gets.  Definitely a highlight. The single drivers in the corner horns also were not slouches.  Smooth and nice bass. Dan's pork was cooked to perfection and the seasoning was mouth watering. Decwarians are nice people.  Everyone was about sharing and learning.  Not much "mine's bigger" in this crowd.  People worked to help those who were there on a buying trip to find the right amp. UFO's (not the transformers) exist.

Title: Re: Fest Report Post by Matchstikman on 10/09/16 at 23:18:36 I checked it out online and everything sounded great.  I can only imagine how good it sounded in person.  I once again wished I had gone.  Next year.  I tell myself every year.  It looked like everyone had a good time.

Title: Re: Fest Report Post by Randy in Caintuck on 10/10/16 at 15:04:36 I just LOVE audio road trips ..... This year's trip to East Peoria was one of the very best. First, thanks to DeVon and Steve for the hospitality and everyone else who contributed to the event. It was great (as always) to see some old friends and make several new ones. Friday was better attended than usual and a lot of good music was heard over the course of the fest. A couple of us crazies stayed up listening until 4:00 AM and beyond Saturday night and I was pretty well in zombie mode by the time I drove home Sunday night ..... but, I would do it again in a minute. There was a lot of very good sound at the fest. The new mono blocks are an absolute winner. I got to hear my Betsy baffles for the first time with a "big boy" amp ..... actually a couple (the Mystery Amp and the Torii) ..... wow ..... They are two "top shelf" amplifiers by any standards and bring the music to life. A final thought ..... if you have never heard Steve's reel to reel tape machine, you need to do so before you take the dirt nap. It is like nothing, and I mean NOTHING I have ever heard before. Among those of us who discussed the sound after hearing it, the word "density" kept coming up. You will have to hear it to understand the term. With a good amp and speakers, it puts the closest thing to an honest to goodness live performance in the room that I can imagine. As usual, I picked up a bunch of great new music from the attendees and shared some that I brought. Looking forward to Zen Fest 2017 ..... Happy listening, Randy

Title: Re: Fest Report Post by Dom on 10/10/16 at 16:11:14 While I was not there is person...I was also one of the crazies who was listening in on the live stream at 4 AM.  There was a guy in a black T-shirt and jeans, drinking a beer who was totally taking it all in.....was that you???  Whoever it was...he was feeling no pain...LOL!!   ;) I was working the graveyard shift and was listening in on my phone...I remember the Hendrix music earlier...and then there was Clapton's Cocaine REALLY LATE.

Title: Re: Fest Report Post by Palomino on 10/10/16 at 16:59:45 Did the guy have much hair?  Could have been me.  I was there for both of those songs, had a black shirt and was no stranger to the beer coolers outside.

Title: Re: Fest Report Post by Lonely Raven on 10/10/16 at 17:18:01 I think several of us were "feeling no pain" Friday night. LOL. Well, except till the next morning. Steve had us well supplied with better than average brews, and I brought some home brewed mead to share. For being only 14% alcohol (like a strong wine), it seemed to put a few people back in their seats.  :) This was one of the best Decfests I've been to, though I admit I've not been to many (and had to bail early on last years). So many great people to hang out with, and chat with, and many of us stayed up really late. The monoblocks wow'd me on the Decware open-baffles with the imperial subwoofers for low end support. It wasn't just room filling at 3 watts, the big imperials added a presence and *scale* to the bass! When I played the good copy of fanfare for the Common Man, I think we were all floored at how you could hear that mighty, giant tympani take up space in the room! I've heard big deep bass before; I've got a 21" woofer with 2000 watts behind it in my home theater that can make the siding on my house start flapping (no joke!)....and yet this little three watt setup with the imperials bringing up the bottom had had this huge presence that I just can't match...I was floored and had to ask Steve what exactly this "scale" thing is, and maybe how to reproduce it at home. Just, WOW.   I wasn't there for all the amp testing for that one guy who has the monoliths and was trying to figure out what amp he wants (sorry, I can't remember your name, I'm terrible about that). I can only handle so much music and was really enjoying the great conversations with like minds, and enjoying the fire pit, feeding and petting horses, and looking for UFOs.   ;D I did however get to hear the Zen-C Selects "strapped" for 6 watts each on the turntable side of the room, through Randy's open baffles...and as someone who doesn't care for OBs, I think I'm interested enough after hearing his setup, that I'm going try and procure a pair of those drivers for myself to play with. I hear they are back ordered through December though. Sunday morning we were all pretty bushed, but I did give Randy's OBs a run with the Zen Amp there. I'm really saddened that I didn't get to hear Mike's modified Torii 3 setup Saturday night, but Jester and I were bushed and cashed out as he was setting up. I have a few ideas and suggestions for 2017 Decfest, and I think I'm going to volunteer to be "the digital guy" for those that bring flash drives etc. Steve had it setup great, but I think a few people had trouble using digital gear they were unfamiliar with, and I already see ways to make it easier and more accessible. For those looking to get into digital playback, that Tascam setup Steve uses sounds way better than it's price tag, but being studio gear it has a clunky interface (both on the front panel and via app/software). It can do quite a bit and sounds great though. So much more I could talk about, but I really need to get back to work (LOL).  I spoke with Tom (Palomino) via chat, and we're starting a thread where we are going to list our "demo tunes", and I hope we can get others to share theirs (especially Randy - he brought a lot of great, well recorded music on independent labels).  So please keep an eye out for that threat and contribute.

Title: Re: Fest Report Post by Dom on 10/10/16 at 22:52:58 Palomino.......the guy I was referring to was sitting mostly on the right side of the couch.  Did your black shirt have like a white face on the front...then yes it was you I saw.  You were definitely all in....Very cool!!

Title: Re: Fest Report Post by Palomino on 10/10/16 at 23:25:00 No, mine was all black. The person you saw Probably a decware shirt on.

Title: Re: Fest Report Post by Dom on 10/11/16 at 05:56:58 Ok.  Yeah...the front of the shirt was a bit hard to make out at times.  You guys were playing some great music!!  I am soo bummed I couldn't make it.   Next year I will make the trip next year with one of my bosses.  He is scrapping his conventional system and going back to tubes.  I turned him onto Decware after I bought my Zstage...which did wonders for my iPod/iPad playback.   I am fairly new to tubes myself in terms of home stereos.... But I know from playing the guitar since I was a kid....that you can't beat a tube amp!!  My old guitar tube amp had a sound that you could not replicate.   I almost bought a used Rachel, but decided to wait due to finances, especially since I knew that I would wind up upgrading later.

Title: Re: Fest Report Post by maddog07 on 10/11/16 at 16:40:38 I had a black Decware t-shirt on... jeans... and I do have hair :)... if it was really, really late Saturday night (early Sunday actually) and if it was during the time Cocaine was played - it was probably me you're referring to - and that was my own personal Torii III providing the amplification.... via Decware's monolith's for awhile, and then we switched to Randy's Betsy baffles.

Title: Re: Fest Report Post by Lonely Raven on 10/11/16 at 16:53:05 I'm sorry I missed that part. My friend Jason was tired, and I was already running on only 3.5 hours of sleep. I think it was great how many hours we gave to the event. I'm already counting the days till the next one. I have a lot of projects in mind between now and then...especially since I don't have money for new gear, LOL. So diffuser builds it is!

Title: Re: Fest Report Post by Palomino on 10/11/16 at 17:02:03 maddog, have you done mods to your III?

Title: Re: Fest Report Post by Matchstikman on 10/11/16 at 17:28:06 Ok, who was it that said, "I've got a woody."  HAHAHAHAHAHA

Title: Re: Fest Report Post by Dom on 10/11/16 at 22:00:21 Maddog07.....It was about 4 am Sunday morning when Cocaine was playing.   So it was you... I could not believe that you guys were still going strong that late...talk about hardcore!! Yes....I was watching you guys switch over to the Betsy.  I wish they had a way of having a two way radio system set up.   I would have joined in on the conversation.

Title: Re: Fest Report Post by maddog07 on 10/12/16 at 23:02:41 Palomino.... Steve added the Jupiters to my Torii III and the stepped attenuator - I personally have never messed with it - nor would I ever.

Title: Re: Fest Report Post by Palomino on 10/12/16 at 23:19:41 You are a wise man maddog.  I added jupes myself. Any comments on the audio nirvana alnico 8" classic?  In my price range and might fit my baffles.  I think I recall you mentioning the classic series before.

Title: Re: Fest Report Post by maddog07 on 10/12/16 at 23:39:57 I would like to hear some of the new Classic series AN drivers.  I only have the older Super Cast Frame models - I have some Alnico versions and some ferrites.  I think RandyInCaintuck may have heard the 8" Classic's... ask him.  Based solely on studying response graphs, I would expect the Classic series to be "smoother" especially in the upper frequency ranges... but this is pure speculation at this point.  I can tell you that the SCF's I have, the Alnico's are smoother sounding than the ferrites. After hearing Randy's Betsy baffles at length during the fest, they have gotten my attention - I'm going to play with some of them.  They will likely never replace the 15" AN's in my Trio's, but I plan to have another set of smaller OB's based on the Betsy drivers.  They are just so musical with "easy listening" type music, so inexpensive and so easy to implement/build - I cannot resist.  In fact I need to send off an email tonight to Randy about some.

Title: Re: Fest Report Post by Lonely Raven on 10/14/16 at 14:58:00 Those A.N. 8" "horn" drivers have had my attention - but the AlNiCo are simply way out of my price range. I could buy another (whole pair!) pair of Zu Audio speakers for the cost of *just* those two Audio Nirvana drivers. I'm also tempted to give the 4" "horn" drivers a run as computer speakers.

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