I have not seen any discussion started for this years Decfest.
I assume it will be the first weekend in October as usual.
I just want to make sure it is in fact October 5th, 6th and 7th. before I book my hotel room.

Can't wait to see old faces and meet some new.

DECFEST 2018 live camera / information page is now updated with this years fest info.

https://www.decware.com/newsite/zenfestcam.html

This year is going to be a little over the top with the new 25th Anniversary Zen Amp, and more than one new pair of speakers!!!  I can't wait to see the regular attendees whom are all considered personal friends, but also the new faces make this event frankly the highlight of my whole year.  Every year has been a notch more impressive than the last from a sound quality standpoint and every year I've wondered how would we ever top last year???  

If ever there was a year to come, trust me it is now.  It's going to be a really good one !!!

For those who don't know, during the 3 day and night fest we broadcast the listening room pretty much live 24hrs a day until late Sunday when it ends.  The page linked above is where the live feed will be.

If there is anyone attending that's into Facebook live videos, please feel free to broadcast the event from your point of view while you are here!  The more the better!

I can pretty much guarantee if you come you will see some UFO's.

Steve

Woo Hoo !!!  ...  

This year's Decware Audio Fest will be well worth whatever effort it takes to be in attendance.

After having the pleasure of personally hearing the 25th Anniversary Zen amp, I can attest to the fact that there will be many jaws hitting the floor .....

From what I understand, there were even some improvements made to the amplifier after I heard it .....  

Looking forward to seeing all those who have become audio buddies over the years and meeting many future ones.

33 days and counting .....

Randy

YAAAHOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   Made my room reservations for all three days! I am excited!

This will be my first Decfest. Looking forward to it. Does anyone have any hotel/motel recommendations they would like to suggest?

I am here:


Fairfield Inn By Marriott      
Fairfield Inn & Suites Peoria East
Address      200 Eastlight Court East Peoria Illinois 61611 USA
Telefone      +1-309-699-4100

Guys,

For those who travel to Decfest from the east coast, I am looking for advice on airports and possibly car rentals.  Do most guys fly into O’Hare or into Peoria due to accessibility?

I have been on the Decware forum for years now, and listen evey year live during Decfest.  I have some scheduling hurdles to overcome, but with the new Zen Amp out, I really want to get out there and hear it.  
Any advice/ input  would be greatly appreciated.  

Thanks Steve.  I was able to clear up a few hurdles, and just got the green light from the bride to attend.  This will be my first Decfest and I am totally stoked!!  

I am looking forward meeting the regulars on this forum, and  to being blown away by the new Zen amp.  

Having been listening live for the past 4 years during Decfest, it will awesome to finally be there to experince it in person.  

Update:
Flight and hotel reservations are booked!!  

I’m staying at the Fairfield Inn by Marriott in East Peoria.  

Dom

Awesome Dom!  Can't wait to meet you!  One of our favorite things is that during the fest since it is a 3 day and 3 night event, basically a 72 hour gig -- there are many people who find themselves in the Decware listening room from 8:00 P.M. to the wee hours of the morning (some passed out on the floor) who get to hear what these amps really sound like when I listen to them during that after dark magic audio window I've written about several times.  Even a hateful solid-state receiver can sound magical without all the power supply dirt and harmonics aggravated by solar radiation during the day.  When I see what happens to me during this magic window of time happen to others then I know it's real and I can continue on the trek.  It really is the time when you can compare a Decware amplifier to most everything and hear why it's better.

Steve

UPDATE 9/20

In preparation for some recording I hope to do in coming years with my tape machines, I decided to get some really good Aston microphones, and 32 feet of silver wired XLR cables which until then I am using in the listening room to broadcast this years fest.  Since I won't be feeding a tape machine, I have a great sounding Tascam A to D computer USB interface which is the most direct method possible to get the sound on the computer.

I have also moved the microphones to the other end of the room so for the first time we won't be recording the room, we'll be recording the speakers.  In fact the microphones are laser aligned to the DNA2 speakers as I type this, and I have been dialing in the feed.  I was able to get it perfect with everything dead flat and zero processing.  Just a raw feed from the microphones and it sounds so good it is easy to hear the magic of the SE84UFO25/DNA2 combo with a pair of decent headphones once the feed is set to 24/96.

Couldn't be happier with this result, because I have the microphones in a sweet spot just behind the seated listening position so those who watch the feed will get a FAR MORE REALISTIC experience as if there were themselves standing just behind the couch (a common favorite listening position for many attendees).

Comparing my own head just behind the microphones vs. going in the other room and putting on the headphones, I have it sounding exactly the same with the microphones sounding slightly warmer than live.

Fun stuff!  So glad I did it.  When I get the actual feed working ( many times a hair pulling experience since nothing from the year before can actually still work since it's on a computer... drivers have to be updated.  Software has to be updated.  Software has to be changed so you can't find anything... and so on) I will let everyone know and maybe I can send out a feed before the fest.

BTW, anyone wondering if a headphone rig is really worth the trouble when watching the live feed -- vs. ear buds hooked to a phone or laptop, the answer is that it's only worth it if you want to hear what it is like to actually be here.  Even a good USB DAC with a headphone jack on it will be a far superior experience to the headphone jack on the computer itself.

Happy Listening!

Steve

Well a mere 24 hrs later one of the microphones has developed an issue and the pair has to go back.  I have a pair of Lewitt on the way as replacements.  So tonight I put the old Sure SM57's I've been using to mic the fest and put the headphones on and couldn't even stand to listen to.  Like 38% of the music was missing in action and they sounded like going from a live event to a 4 inch radio speaker.  Holy Crap I didn't realize how bad they were for this application...  I always thought they sounded good until I heard the new ones.  Word is the Lewitt will be a whole plateau better than the Astons... we will see.  This is why you don't wait till the last minute to get everything working right.

Steve

I have the DECFEST LIVE FEED updated, and am testing it tonight.  Please give it a watch and see what you think.

Thanks,

Steve


https://www.decware.com/newsite/zenfestcam.html

Not relevant to most of you but I have the need to say that, due to a death in the family, I have been forced to cancel my trip to DECFEST this year. That makes me doubly sad and I will remain hopeful that next year will work out better for me. Enjoy!!!

Thanks. Yeah, I will listen a bit but it just "ain't the same thing"!

Thanks, Lon.

Thanks! Yes, even though the occasion was sad, visiting with loved ones, both family and friends, was nice. Thought about missing Decfest a lot, too. During drive back home yesterday I was thinking about missing the drive up to Peoria! About 6 1/2 hours to home and about 8 to East Peoria. I am hopeful of making the 8 hour drive next year! Meanwhile, I will enjoy my ZEN25 and DNA2s!

Steve....lucky enough I was sitting center stage and shot a video of the entire song.  My only regret was that I didn’t attach my Lavalier microphone to my iPhone X  to capture better audio.  I basically just sat there and let the video record.  One thing to notice....no one talked for the entire song.  

Guys.....I can attest to what Steve posted.....It was truly an outer body experience!!

Here is the link to the YouTube video.  Make sure to adjust the video settings in the playback browser to get the maximum resolution.  While it was shot in HD, it appears that YouTube lowered the quality upon upload from my iPhone.  Bummer.  

Apparently the only workaround for HD video uploads is to go through iMovie on my Mac.  I may give it a shot to see if there is a noticeable improvement in the audio quality.

https://youtu.be/onLMORjksCo

Enjoy!!

Dom

Wow.....a definite brain fart for sure.  Thanks for the correction Jeff...I’ll change the description in Youtube.  

Here is the YouTube video link for Takla Makan by Yello.....

https://youtu.be/u_eTsVktaxc

Enjoy!!

Dom