Anyone else attend?
These shows are small in every way compared to the other well known audio shows (Rocky Mountain, Newport Beach, Capitol Fest) but organizer Constantine Soo (dagagao) never lacks for trying to make it a fun event. I almost skipped this year due to heavy work schedules and unusually hot weather in the area. Then I realized what better to do on a hot weekend than to chill indoors with HiFi folks. Fortunate decision.
Here are the postings from Jason Victor Serinus at Stereophile whom I have run into to at each show.
http://www.stereophile.com/category/cas-2015
Also, Facebook.
https://www.facebook.com/CaliforniaAudioShow?fref=ts
It wasn't so much the exhibitors that was interesting (maybe total exhibitors were down from years past) but rather the vibe and interesting events organized. We had luminaries such as Nelson Pass, Keith Johnson, Siegfried, Andrew Jones, Peter Madnick to name a few.
The first three participated in seminars along with ASC and Bob Hodas on room setup/treatments. There was also presentations on cables that (I heard) provided some challenges to the mind in terms of the information presented.
This photo below was from Nelson's presentation. Likely the highest attended (that's me in the grey hair). Nelson started off with his approach geared to newbies, as he mentioned he usually spoke to experienced DYI types and those exposed to electronics. About 10 slides and 20 minutes into it Constantine whispered to Nelson that he may want to pick out the best slides, or something since we only had an hour with Nelson. Nelson chuckled saying he had 110 slides which might take a bit more than the one hour allotted. After taking some questions he still managed to run overtime. Nelson could spend hours on the subject. No wonder he is so appreciated at events like Burning Amp.
As a side I was waiting outside the event room at the door before the session started. A long line began to develop. Nelson and his wife eventually moved to head of the line and I had the chance to speak on a variety of subjects. Mostly with his wife Jill and their 10-years-old pooch Jack. Jack got some serious attention from Victor Serinus while the general chit chat was anything but about audio. Nice folks, indeed.
If you could pick out a theme at the show it could easily be DSP. This was in abundance and in some of the more interesting equipment set ups this year. Andrew Jones was showing his Elac speakers with subs and DSP. My totally unsubstantiated opinion is that Andrew's speakers with Peter Madnicks electronics was the hardest room to get into. ATC used DEQX to cross to the subs and equalize the two subs in the room.
More fine DSP sound in dealer Audio Pathways' room with with the fully active horn loaded Avantgard Zero One with, at the time I was in the room, a tangential tracking turntable playing a wonderfully dynamic and percussive recording by a french-speaking Latin fusion band whose name I forget. Wow, truly wonderful sound. Vinyl at its best and horn speakers equally at their best. Really, really involving even in the small hotel room.
Another stand out in my mind was the sanely priced Larsen speakers. I always notice speakers that are designed to be placed against the walls. If done correctly this has benefits as to the sound but also promotes domestic bliss (one square foot enclosures against the wall). Not huge in terms of impact and dynamics but the sound spreads along the walls and allows the music to energize the space very nicely. A well done, alternative design to speakers.
On a side note I was standing in the lobby hall munching a sandwich outside a large room with Gamut equipment. The song Riders On The Storm by the The Doors started coming out of the room (a Hi Rez digital version??). This an absolute favorite of mine and in heavy rotation for 44 years on differing media. There is something about the tone of the song and the mix with the rain and lightening that hits a sensory nerve within me. I hurried to bury the garbage and jump into a seat. The two-way Gamut is a fine speaker and its imaging did well in the rather large room. I could have used a little more volume but didn't want to miss the song chasing down a host. Three things catch my attention in the song. The rain drop splattering, the punch and drive from the drum kit and the whispering of the lyrics by Morrison. This is one of those recordings that is magic if you can get all three. Surprisingly the smallish Gamut did not get the rain as well as I have heard and the drive just wasn't there in the drums. Morrison's whispering could be noticed. Maybe a little more volume could get some punch into the drums but the rain drops, I don't know, didn't sound quite wet enough. Just to show you how some equipment can float your boat...or not.
Anyway, wish the attendance could be better and for what ever reasons folks don't travel from too far to visit as they do in other shows. Still highly recommended to Lansing Heritage folks in the No Cal area.
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