So the SDC got me thinking about other get togethers, and the house tracks. I found the playing of the same tracks over and over repulsive, and fatiguing. If I ever get enough time to put together a meeting, my thought is to use 3 one minute house tracks and let everyone bring 5 to 7min of their own music. I get the idea of a house track is to compare one speaker to another, but how about we as a group stop comparing and competing for pecking order and just do it for comradery. I mean who really gives a shit who's speaker is better? I just want to enjoy some music on some interesting home brew speakers. I know some of you will disagree and that's completely fine and reasonable, but I thought I'd throw this out there for everyone to mull over. Oh while I'm at it, what do you say, no more back handed compliments like those sound great, too bad the cabinets don't match the sound. WTF first off stop critiquing without being asked, only positive comments without. Okay rant over.
@ugly_woofer said:
So the SDC got me thinking about other get togethers, and the house tracks. I found the playing of the same tracks over and over repulsive, and fatiguing…
Agreed.
I, and I’m thinking many builders here (… I’ve been wrong before) go at a build project with a unique (from their previous builds) goal (or three) and so picking music that accentuates these build goals is interesting, IMO, for the demos.
I hope to get to more events (Colorado isn’t all that MID) for a) spending time with a fun group, b) looking at and ‘borrowing’ what I find unique and interesting at these meetings/ events, and c) I appreciate honest feedback/ suggestions as I hope to be always learning from this group.
Anything more than 4 minutes I start getting fatigued unless there is a track or two I truly enjoy.
I'm also a fan of "run what you brung", which is exactly why we do it that way at Iowa/DDIY. Always interesting to hear what people listen to on their own time. My personal demos are rarely what I listen to for fun, though.
That being said, one minute is too long IMHO for individual cuts. I target 30-45 seconds. I also never include tracks that have limited dynamic range. Those are the ones that get old really fast, similar to a lot of the pop music people might use for example.
At the end of the day, I do encourage people to engage in open dialogue - but feedback should generally be positive unless the recipient is asking specifically for a critical evaluation. It is also important to realize that we all have a different aesthetic - criticizing each other over what stuff looks like borders on poor tact. I think we can all agree that there are designs at these events that are less than pleasing to our personal eye, but I think we should all agree that it is generally worth keeping that to ourselves. No need to generate friction between peers. This coming from the guy who builds some pretty boring looking speakers - I just target function over form, I guess. I shoot for some dimensional objectives I personally like and go from there.
Of all the house tracks I've heard, I though JR's selection was really good at DIY Dakota this year. But I agree - hearing the same tracks over and over all day can get really fatiguing.
But are we really trying to judge the speackers against other ones? I think it should be to just show off your project to your peers. "Here's your 10 minutes"
I'm trying to judge if I like the speaker and implementation. The same 3 1-minute racks would be short enough to stand, but familiar enough to not have to guess or concentrate on what the track is suppose to sound like.
I was surprised how easier it was. 6 hours of the same tracks was much better than I thought it would be.
Not everyone can be front and center. And im not going to be fighting to get a good seat. But being off center towards the back after the sound has smashed into 20 heads... They all start to sound the same barring any glaring issues. It is what it is. But that is one thing that tempers my enthusiasm for the gatherings.
Need to find a small movie theatre with elevated seating like an amphitheater to rent over a weekend during the daytime and clear-out around 5:00PM . . . I used to know a theatre manager in my youth and our little band would use one of the theatres for practice during the winters there - the sound was night and day from playing in self storage warehouse . . .
We had one, the Harris Center at Grinnell. Not sure how I feel about that room vs the more common hotel meeting rooms (ie the current Iowa and Indiana rooms). My speakers seem to sound almost the same in my livingroom and the normal hotel meeting rooms. Grinnell was great but very different.
I don't wish to disagree as I had stated a Movie Theatre with elevated seating LIKE but not specifically an amphitheater. The former is rectangular and has sound suppression all around while the later has sloped walls like a megaphone to project sound.
Anyways the idea was a passing one and evidently not favorable - carry-on, guys.
Comments
Congratulations, you've got that licked
So the SDC got me thinking about other get togethers, and the house tracks. I found the playing of the same tracks over and over repulsive, and fatiguing. If I ever get enough time to put together a meeting, my thought is to use 3 one minute house tracks and let everyone bring 5 to 7min of their own music. I get the idea of a house track is to compare one speaker to another, but how about we as a group stop comparing and competing for pecking order and just do it for comradery. I mean who really gives a shit who's speaker is better? I just want to enjoy some music on some interesting home brew speakers. I know some of you will disagree and that's completely fine and reasonable, but I thought I'd throw this out there for everyone to mull over. Oh while I'm at it, what do you say, no more back handed compliments like those sound great, too bad the cabinets don't match the sound. WTF first off stop critiquing without being asked, only positive comments without. Okay rant over.
I like this idea.
I like your idea on the sound tracks
Agreed.
I, and I’m thinking many builders here (… I’ve been wrong before) go at a build project with a unique (from their previous builds) goal (or three) and so picking music that accentuates these build goals is interesting, IMO, for the demos.
I hope to get to more events (Colorado isn’t all that MID) for a) spending time with a fun group, b) looking at and ‘borrowing’ what I find unique and interesting at these meetings/ events, and c) I appreciate honest feedback/ suggestions as I hope to be always learning from this group.
Anything more than 4 minutes I start getting fatigued unless there is a track or two I truly enjoy.
I'm also a fan of "run what you brung", which is exactly why we do it that way at Iowa/DDIY. Always interesting to hear what people listen to on their own time. My personal demos are rarely what I listen to for fun, though.
That being said, one minute is too long IMHO for individual cuts. I target 30-45 seconds. I also never include tracks that have limited dynamic range. Those are the ones that get old really fast, similar to a lot of the pop music people might use for example.
At the end of the day, I do encourage people to engage in open dialogue - but feedback should generally be positive unless the recipient is asking specifically for a critical evaluation. It is also important to realize that we all have a different aesthetic - criticizing each other over what stuff looks like borders on poor tact. I think we can all agree that there are designs at these events that are less than pleasing to our personal eye, but I think we should all agree that it is generally worth keeping that to ourselves. No need to generate friction between peers. This coming from the guy who builds some pretty boring looking speakers - I just target function over form, I guess. I shoot for some dimensional objectives I personally like and go from there.
When is Iowa this year, new thread?
New thread, working out some logistics.
Good luck, JR! I smoked for 19 years and quit cold turkey in 1991 (23 yrs ago). It takes some serious will power, but it can be done.
I think your math is a bit off there, Bill... but congrats!
InDIYana Event Website
Oops! Guess I thought it was still 2014! I quit 33 years ago! How time flies!
Still tobacco free, but more than a few Miller Lites in tonight. Deadlift day should be interesting tomorrow morning.
Day 9? That's awesome!
10 days, brothers. Ten fucking days!
Team Schwefel, come on board.
Of all the house tracks I've heard, I though JR's selection was really good at DIY Dakota this year. But I agree - hearing the same tracks over and over all day can get really fatiguing.
It could, but for a one day event it's really the best way to judge a bunch of speakers. Especially with how good all the entries are becoming.
But are we really trying to judge the speackers against other ones? I think it should be to just show off your project to your peers. "Here's your 10 minutes"
I'm trying to judge if I like the speaker and implementation. The same 3 1-minute racks would be short enough to stand, but familiar enough to not have to guess or concentrate on what the track is suppose to sound like.
I was surprised how easier it was. 6 hours of the same tracks was much better than I thought it would be.
Not everyone can be front and center. And im not going to be fighting to get a good seat. But being off center towards the back after the sound has smashed into 20 heads... They all start to sound the same barring any glaring issues. It is what it is. But that is one thing that tempers my enthusiasm for the gatherings.
Need to find a small movie theatre with elevated seating like an amphitheater to rent over a weekend during the daytime and clear-out around 5:00PM . . . I used to know a theatre manager in my youth and our little band would use one of the theatres for practice during the winters there - the sound was night and day from playing in self storage warehouse . . .
We had one, the Harris Center at Grinnell. Not sure how I feel about that room vs the more common hotel meeting rooms (ie the current Iowa and Indiana rooms). My speakers seem to sound almost the same in my livingroom and the normal hotel meeting rooms. Grinnell was great but very different.
I rented one for DDIY 2014 as well. It isn t what you think it would be.
Border-line anechoic . . .
Not really.
artificially . . . ?
Theaters amplify, that's what they do.
I don't wish to disagree as I had stated a Movie Theatre with elevated seating LIKE but not specifically an amphitheater. The former is rectangular and has sound suppression all around while the later has sloped walls like a megaphone to project sound.
Anyways the idea was a passing one and evidently not favorable - carry-on, guys.
Walk around a typical movie theater sometime.
and chirp like Sheldon