@ugly_woofer said:
I'm completely finished for a change. Last year I spent 25 hours the last two days before the contest finishing the Minions. I was exhausted and barely functional. This is a much better year!
I have to attach and solder the correct resistor values for the Monoculus padding, and then install the xovers inside the cabs and I'm done. My Bottleships are done already for the <300 category.
Just to clear the air, I wasn't insinuating that Ben was putting all his hopes on this judge combination. I was just curious as to what he thought, and thought maybe others would be as well. Guys take this competition pretty seriously. I went over to PETT for the first time in ages, just to see what Dan N was bringing, and there's a guy over there crying that he missed the registration deadline. I mean the guy is pissed. Seems silly to me, that it's such a huge concern in your life, but then again I'm not the guy who walks in and says "I built the greatest speaker ever". I mean come on, if you win it's $250, not exactly life changing, or maybe it's the bragging rights, I don't know. Keep in mind, it's just the judges opinion, it doesn't mean what you brought sucks if you don't place. I'll go on record that I don't care for the way Klipsch speakers sound, but that does make them bad or poorly engineered, hell no, they're a good solid speaker, just not my taste. To each his own. While I'm rambling, I have been disappointed at times in the past with my scores, but sound is subjective and only once have I felt that a score was completely wrong, and it wasn't in a sound category. But anyway, for those of you going, just have fun.... I hope to this year, because I won't be dead tired from trying to finish.
@ugly_woofer said:
I'm completely finished for a change. Last year I spent 25 hours the last two days before the contest finishing the Minions. I was exhausted and barely functional. This is a much better year!
@ugly_woofer said:
I'm going more "normal" this year.
Normal for me would be 1" tweeter, 6-1/2" woofer in a rectangular box, satin black with seams projecting through. Normal for Nick is a small satellite on top of a square pyramid, using isobaric woofers that go down to 30hz, with beautiful veneer and 2k gloss! 😂
My measurements are done and I am starting on my XO is where I am at...
I was hoping for Andrew Jones, just because, well, he is Andrew Jones!
Just told my wife I hope I don't get personally crushed by the judges score and there is some constructive criticism so I can at least learn from this trip...
I'm completely finished as well. No cracks or checks on my completely solid wood cabinets yet; it has now been almost 2 years since I glued them together (knock on wood). Hopefully they will not crack apart during the long trip. Nothing left to do, so I have moved on to a dual chamber sub project and a complete restoration of the vintage 807 tube amp that Ken gave me a while back.
@ugly_woofer said:
Just to clear the air, I wasn't insinuating that Ben was putting all his hopes on this judge combination. I was just curious as to what he thought, and thought maybe others would be as well. Guys take this competition pretty seriously. I went over to PETT for the first time in ages, just to see what Dan N was bringing, and there's a guy over there crying that he missed the registration deadline. I mean the guy is pissed. Seems silly to me, that it's such a huge concern in your life, but then again I'm not the guy who walks in and says "I built the greatest speaker ever". I mean come on, if you win it's $250, not exactly life changing, or maybe it's the bragging rights, I don't know. Keep in mind, it's just the judges opinion, it doesn't mean what you brought sucks if you don't place. I'll go on record that I don't care for the way Klipsch speakers sound, but that does make them bad or poorly engineered, hell no, they're a good solid speaker, just not my taste. To each his own. While I'm rambling, I have been disappointed at times in the past with my scores, but sound is subjective and only once have I felt that a score was completely wrong, and it wasn't in a sound category. But anyway, for those of you going, just have fun.... I hope to this year, because I won't be dead tired from trying to finish.
The butt hurt guy just learned that life has consequences. He is probably going to pay better attention to a "deadline", any deadline, in the future. Some things you gotta learn the hard way.
I thought it would be better if PE established hard and fast limits on entries. They could create a near-live "entry spots remaining" counter on the SDC web page to keep people informed when certain classes were filling up. Rushing through a too-crowded field is not really great from any side, competitors or judges.
@Wolf said:
I should also add, I've not even placed in the top 3 since that 1st place in 2015. That is also interesting...
I m lucky I placed when I did prior...
Bah, Tatankas are out. They somehow measure totally different now than they did before. I'm not going to have time to mess with them and not worth lugging these chonkers out as they are. I'll just bring the Tuxedo t-shirts. Fortunately I was able to get the entry for them in time.
@charlielaub said:
11 days to go... is anyone nearly or completely done with their SD project?
I haven't finished yet. Still wondering how to clone myself so I can complete cabinet finishing in the garage while doing XO measurement and tweaking in the basement. I have my initial design measurements done. XO simmed in PCD8 and Xsim, and components to build them have been delivered... I just hope I don't need to make major tweaks and end up rush ordering a different inductor value or somesuch.
I think you'll be surprised at what you can pick out.
Under 300, Pumas is a great tune and lots going on. The Linda cut with the orchestra and her higher range will divide and conquer. Patricia Barber is not always my favorite, but it is usually dry and spacious with a toneful stand up bass presentation.
Over 300, The Bonnie Raitt and Chantal Chamberlain cut are going to be tough for some speakers to sound right.
Unlimited I feel has okay songs, but not really much to pick up on.
The Dayton cuts are good ones that have been used before, save maybe for the Sarah K.
What we are likely not seeing in the list, is that the judges may know these personally and listened to them thousands of times. I think the Stevie Wonder song has been used before at PE's event, but I personally see it as an over-wah'd synthetic piece and don't get much from it.
I'm currently planning to use another track from that Linda Ronstadt/Nelson Riddle album during my demo. I heard this album in the 1980s when it came out. At the time I was listening to mostly either Pink Floyd or Little Feat. Along comes this "jazz standards" album that my stepmother bought. Wow. The arrangements and recording are pretty good for that era, and for a pop singer doing a standards album. IMO it's good for use in demo/evaluation.
I don't really have a way to mix my own disc. I used to have it in me to figure that stuff out. Not really anymore, too damn lazy and my recent pc build has no optical drive at all. I'll probably just bring a couple regular album cds.
@ugly_woofer said:
Use Audacity, it's got a short learning curve.
Cool, thanks! I look into it and maybe try to pick up an external drive bay and scavenge a burner drive from one of the old towers in storage. Probably not by next week though lol.
For the judging, it is only the three preselected tracks that get played for the judges?
The optional self brought playback tracks are for playing to the "crowd" in another room?
Trying to make sure I understand the format and that I arrive prepared. I don't want to handicap myself by not bringing tracks if they are optional but practically required...
@DaveFred said:
For the judging, it is only the three preselected tracks that get played for the judges?
The optional self brought playback tracks are for playing to the "crowd" in another room?
Here is how it went last year:
All speakers started in out in a staging room. Next door in a separate small room, three judges sat behind a table. You brought in your speakers and set them up and perhaps had 30-60 seconds to chat about them with the judged before it was time to "face the music". First a noise track was played and the playback level adjusted to a pre-determined SPL level. Next the three pre-selected judging tracks were played. After that you left that room and hauled your speakers to the other side of the building to the large "jam room" and waited your turn to play whatever tracks you wanted (lasting up to 5 min maximum IIRC). Typically attendees hung out in this room and listened to speakers as the came in from judging. Once you were done in the jam room you brought your speaker back to the staging room where they remained until the end of the day on Saturday. At that time the winners were announced, there was a presentation to the winners, and then everyone packed up and left within about 1 hour.
This year the rooms will be arranged differently. It is not exactly clear at this point how that will be conducted, but I was told by Jill that what was the staging room last year will be the judging room this year. This will allow some or possibly all the attendees to listen to the speakers as they are judged. It is not clear where speakers will be before judging and after judging, in that same room or elsewhere. Once your speaker has been judged you are (evidently) free to take it to the jam room to play the 5 minutes worth of demo tracks of your own choosing. Then where your speaker is supposed to go after that is not clear (to me at least). It seems that people will need to decide whether to be in the judging room or in the jam room. It will be interesting to see how this will work out compared to last year.
Comments
The Minions were cool! Very well done.
I have to attach and solder the correct resistor values for the Monoculus padding, and then install the xovers inside the cabs and I'm done. My Bottleships are done already for the <300 category.
InDIYana Event Website
Just to clear the air, I wasn't insinuating that Ben was putting all his hopes on this judge combination. I was just curious as to what he thought, and thought maybe others would be as well. Guys take this competition pretty seriously. I went over to PETT for the first time in ages, just to see what Dan N was bringing, and there's a guy over there crying that he missed the registration deadline. I mean the guy is pissed. Seems silly to me, that it's such a huge concern in your life, but then again I'm not the guy who walks in and says "I built the greatest speaker ever". I mean come on, if you win it's $250, not exactly life changing, or maybe it's the bragging rights, I don't know. Keep in mind, it's just the judges opinion, it doesn't mean what you brought sucks if you don't place. I'll go on record that I don't care for the way Klipsch speakers sound, but that does make them bad or poorly engineered, hell no, they're a good solid speaker, just not my taste. To each his own. While I'm rambling, I have been disappointed at times in the past with my scores, but sound is subjective and only once have I felt that a score was completely wrong, and it wasn't in a sound category. But anyway, for those of you going, just have fun.... I hope to this year, because I won't be dead tired from trying to finish.
Thank you Jim. I'm going more "normal" this year.
Normal for me would be 1" tweeter, 6-1/2" woofer in a rectangular box, satin black with seams projecting through. Normal for Nick is a small satellite on top of a square pyramid, using isobaric woofers that go down to 30hz, with beautiful veneer and 2k gloss! 😂
My measurements are done and I am starting on my XO is where I am at...
I was hoping for Andrew Jones, just because, well, he is Andrew Jones!
Just told my wife I hope I don't get personally crushed by the judges score and there is some constructive criticism so I can at least learn from this trip...
I'm completely finished as well. No cracks or checks on my completely solid wood cabinets yet; it has now been almost 2 years since I glued them together (knock on wood). Hopefully they will not crack apart during the long trip. Nothing left to do, so I have moved on to a dual chamber sub project and a complete restoration of the vintage 807 tube amp that Ken gave me a while back.
Haven't finished the new builds, but did finish the revamp on the Monuments, so those with be my entry this year.
The butt hurt guy just learned that life has consequences. He is probably going to pay better attention to a "deadline", any deadline, in the future. Some things you gotta learn the hard way.
I thought it would be better if PE established hard and fast limits on entries. They could create a near-live "entry spots remaining" counter on the SDC web page to keep people informed when certain classes were filling up. Rushing through a too-crowded field is not really great from any side, competitors or judges.
I should also add, I've not even placed in the top 3 since that 1st place in 2015. That is also interesting...
I m lucky I placed when I did prior...
InDIYana Event Website
Yes...you...are!
Bah, Tatankas are out. They somehow measure totally different now than they did before. I'm not going to have time to mess with them and not worth lugging these chonkers out as they are. I'll just bring the Tuxedo t-shirts. Fortunately I was able to get the entry for them in time.
I haven't finished yet. Still wondering how to clone myself so I can complete cabinet finishing in the garage while doing XO measurement and tweaking in the basement. I have my initial design measurements done. XO simmed in PCD8 and Xsim, and components to build them have been delivered... I just hope I don't need to make major tweaks and end up rush ordering a different inductor value or somesuch.
Anyone else think the under $300.00 music selection is a little anemic/blah?
Black Pumas, Colors, Under $300, 1:30, 2:30
Patricia Barber, The Beat Goes On, Under $300, 0:00, 1:15
Linda Ronstadt & the Nelson Riddle Orchestra, What's New, Under $300, 0:00, 1:00
Not a very dynamic selection.
Judges hear the total of 3:15 min of those songs and judge?
I think those are great songs, this over 300 entry is a little bit jealous...
I think you'll be surprised at what you can pick out.
Under 300, Pumas is a great tune and lots going on. The Linda cut with the orchestra and her higher range will divide and conquer. Patricia Barber is not always my favorite, but it is usually dry and spacious with a toneful stand up bass presentation.
Over 300, The Bonnie Raitt and Chantal Chamberlain cut are going to be tough for some speakers to sound right.
Unlimited I feel has okay songs, but not really much to pick up on.
The Dayton cuts are good ones that have been used before, save maybe for the Sarah K.
What we are likely not seeing in the list, is that the judges may know these personally and listened to them thousands of times. I think the Stevie Wonder song has been used before at PE's event, but I personally see it as an over-wah'd synthetic piece and don't get much from it.
InDIYana Event Website
Judge? Wait.... they're judging this?
I'm currently planning to use another track from that Linda Ronstadt/Nelson Riddle album during my demo. I heard this album in the 1980s when it came out. At the time I was listening to mostly either Pink Floyd or Little Feat. Along comes this "jazz standards" album that my stepmother bought. Wow. The arrangements and recording are pretty good for that era, and for a pop singer doing a standards album. IMO it's good for use in demo/evaluation.
I used the "You go to my head" Rondstadt/Riddle track to demo in 2014. The recording quality is top rate.
Not close. I've been travelling. Hope by the end of the weekend I can finish polishing and start assembly. I hate rushing.
I don't really have a way to mix my own disc. I used to have it in me to figure that stuff out. Not really anymore, too damn lazy and my recent pc build has no optical drive at all. I'll probably just bring a couple regular album cds.
Use Audacity, it's got a short learning curve.
Cool, thanks! I look into it and maybe try to pick up an external drive bay and scavenge a burner drive from one of the old towers in storage. Probably not by next week though lol.
^ use audacity for demo tracks, like this...http://www.midwestaudioclub.com/resources/audacity/
My 2022 Iowa demo had Ronstadts "Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered". A pretty good demo cut.
Audacity has changed their UI since I wrote that tutorial - but it is largely the same process.
Sorry if I am being a little slow.
For the judging, it is only the three preselected tracks that get played for the judges?
The optional self brought playback tracks are for playing to the "crowd" in another room?
Trying to make sure I understand the format and that I arrive prepared. I don't want to handicap myself by not bringing tracks if they are optional but practically required...
You don't have to play in the jam room. The judging is by the tracks posted only.
InDIYana Event Website
Here is how it went last year:
All speakers started in out in a staging room. Next door in a separate small room, three judges sat behind a table. You brought in your speakers and set them up and perhaps had 30-60 seconds to chat about them with the judged before it was time to "face the music". First a noise track was played and the playback level adjusted to a pre-determined SPL level. Next the three pre-selected judging tracks were played. After that you left that room and hauled your speakers to the other side of the building to the large "jam room" and waited your turn to play whatever tracks you wanted (lasting up to 5 min maximum IIRC). Typically attendees hung out in this room and listened to speakers as the came in from judging. Once you were done in the jam room you brought your speaker back to the staging room where they remained until the end of the day on Saturday. At that time the winners were announced, there was a presentation to the winners, and then everyone packed up and left within about 1 hour.
This year the rooms will be arranged differently. It is not exactly clear at this point how that will be conducted, but I was told by Jill that what was the staging room last year will be the judging room this year. This will allow some or possibly all the attendees to listen to the speakers as they are judged. It is not clear where speakers will be before judging and after judging, in that same room or elsewhere. Once your speaker has been judged you are (evidently) free to take it to the jam room to play the 5 minutes worth of demo tracks of your own choosing. Then where your speaker is supposed to go after that is not clear (to me at least). It seems that people will need to decide whether to be in the judging room or in the jam room. It will be interesting to see how this will work out compared to last year.
With a packed house, I don't see everyone being in that "staging" room.