2009 RMAF & Head-Fi (CanJam 09.5?)

[Asr]

Head-Fi Audio Fest? Hey if this is going to be an annual event alongside CanJam, might as well give it a distinct name that separates the two and identifies it more with RMAF.

[Dusty Chalk]

Well, obviously it should be called RMHF (or RMHPF).

[Sherwood]

Well, obviously it should be called RMHF

x2

I'll fire up a thread over there regarding member systems -- I already know of a few folks I've talked to.

Hopefully we'll get a few commuter systems, too -- plenty of good stuff in CO, but plenty of room for more as well.

[jp11801]

Thanks a bunch for rounding up the locals!

[Augsburger]

I already bought my plane tickets and received my room confirmation, supposedly Super Shuttle has some special RMAF discount rate so that will be my ride. The only rig I am bringing will be in a bottle.

[Edwood]

Well, obviously it should be called RMHF (or RMHPF).

RMHCF?

[Sherwood]

The only rig I am bringing will be in a bottle.

I'll be happy to help with that.

[Augsburger]

Well then it is you me & JP#s so far, sounds like a plan.

[jp11801]

I'll drink to that!

[Dusty Chalk]

RMHCF?

C?

RMHP&ESF?

[Asr]

For the locals setting up "member rigs", we should do shifts where members can take turns watching each other's rig so that each member isn't stuck guarding their own rig the entire time. Any suggestions for making it work?

If you plan on "guarding" your rig while you're at the show, I predict you won't have as good a time than if you went around and explored the floor and the rest of RMAF across the two hotels. I have no idea what you'd be worried about. I'm sure the Head-Fiers in attendance will look out for each others' gear as usual at every meet that's ever happened.

Well, obviously it should be called RMHF (or RMHPF).

Is that short for Rocky Mountain HeadFest?

I already bought my plane tickets and received my room confirmation, supposedly Super Shuttle has some special RMAF discount rate so that will be my ride. The only rig I am bringing will be in a bottle.

Look forward to seeing you there Greg! I'll bring my own bottled contributions as well.

Will any other notorious HC-ers from California, Florida, or NYC be making the trip too btw? The more the merrier....

[Dusty Chalk]

Is that short for Rocky Mountain HeadFest?

No. Headphone fest.

[Sherwood]

No. Headphone fest.

HeadFest happens in Vegas right around CES, IIRC.

[zippy2001]

I really do want to attend this show, it sounds like it should be a blast.

[manaox2]

[Dusty Chalk]

HeadFest happens in Vegas right around CES, IIRC.

[HeadphoneAddict]

If you plan on "guarding" your rig while you're at the show, I predict you won't have as good a time than if you went around and explored the floor and the rest of RMAF across the two hotels. I have no idea what you'd be worried about. I'm sure the Head-Fiers in attendance will look out for each others' gear as usual at every meet that's ever happened.

Well, I'd be worried about someone flipping switches on the ZDT to another input or speaker out, turning up the volume, getting no sound, flipping a switch, and suddenly blasting sound, thus cooking phones.

Or the hair gel guys leaving a stench on my phones because they weren't considerate enough to not wear hair products.

Gear getting up and walking away is always a concern when there are people who are not members of the community who are trying out gear.

And more...

[Sherwood]

This is a legit concern, Larry, and I'm working on a good answer for you. Every exhibitor at RMAF has a guy who keeps things in order, and those are things that are harder to carry away than headphones.

I expect we'll have a few folks whose job it is to explain the rigs, get them running, and monitor the gear on display at all times. Since we all want to see the show as well, those positions will rotate around.

I'll assume you're in for a few turns as security guard, and Steve, Bill and I will no doubt do the same. As more rigs show up, those volunteer numbers should rise as well.

[HeadphoneAddict]

This is a legit concern, Larry, and I'm working on a good answer for you. Every exhibitor at RMAF has a guy who keeps things in order, and those are things that are harder to carry away than headphones.

I expect we'll have a few folks whose job it is to explain the rigs, get them running, and monitor the gear on display at all times. Since we all want to see the show as well, those positions will rotate around.

I'll assume you're in for a few turns as security guard, and Steve, Bill and I will no doubt do the same. As more rigs show up, those volunteer numbers should rise as well.

Great, that's what I'm saying.

[Asr]

I noticed the RMAF Exhibitor list has integrated the Head-Fi vendors instead of making a separate list. Looks like everyone (except Ultrasone) will be packed into the "Rocky Mountain Event Center," wherever that is:

- Audeze

- Head-Direct

- HeadAmp

- HeadRoom

- JH Audio

- Lavry

- Moon Audio

- RSA

- Sennheiser

- Ultrasone - Marriott 427

- Woo Audio

I also noticed these vendors who I'm pretty sure weren't at the past two years' shows (and I'm sure there are plenty more):

- April Music

- Emotiva

- Marantz

- Quad

- Weiss

- ZYX

[Listens2tubes]

CanFest at RMAF2010

[Guest sachu]

I also noticed these vendors who I'm pretty sure weren't at the past two years' shows (and I'm sure there are plenty more):

- April Music

- Emotiva

- Marantz

- Quad

- Weiss

- ZYX

Emotiva was there for sure and probably Weiss too last year.

[Asr]

^ Thx for the correction.

Gear I'm bringing to the show, because Tyler isn't updating the thread over at HF:

System #1: Cary 306 SACD Pro > (XLR ICs) > HeadAmp BHSE > Stax OII MKI, SR-404 LE, and SR-X MKIII

System #2: laptop PC (loaded with all the music I bought recently) & Pico USB DAC > Gilmore Lite (or AE-2, if GL doesn't get here on time) > AKG K702 and Audio-Technica ES7

System #3 (maybe, not sure if I'm going to bother): either Arcam FMJ CD36 > PPA > K701 | AD2000 single-ended, or North Star Sapphire > WA22 > HP2 | AD2000 | K701 balanced (since Jack told me my WA22 will be done in time and will also be there)

Also bringing the Qualia 010 but it's going to be hidden away and will only be brought out for supervised listening sessions.

[ironbut]

For the locals setting up "member rigs", we should do shifts where members can take turns watching each other's rig so that each member isn't stuck guarding their own rig the entire time. Any suggestions for making it work?

When we had a Headfi room at VSAC in 2008 (much smaller event but the same type of thing), I realized after a little while of "guarding" our gear, that when there's more than one person in the room, neither one knows if the other one is keeping an eye on things or what. What you end up doing is showing folks how to use the stuff.

Almost all the exhibits at a big show like that are conducted by someone who spoon feeds the attendees so folks get nervous about turning on stuff even when they should know how to work it. Since there's going to be a number of listeners who know nothing about high end headphones, keep it simple. For example, if you have several headphones you want to bring, just leave your favorites hooked up and put the others off to the side so folks can look at them. They almost never ask to listen or plug them in themselves no matter how much they want to. In fact, sometimes you'll have a bunch of folks just standing there looking at headphones and as soon as you sit down and start listening yourself, they get the idea that it's OK and they'll have a seat and listen.

In hindsight, it would probably be a good idea to to put a sign up telling people to help themselves.

So, I guess the point is that this will be a totally different sort of thing than these guys are used to. They'll be hesitant to even touch your gear at first. You'll get a number of guys asking you what you're selling or expecting a sales pitch. I always told them," I'm not here to make money,.. I'm here to figure out how to spend every penny I own!"

They always think that's funny,..

One way to free yourself from your set up is to be sure and have explicit instructions available for working it (display these in a way that they can't miss it!) If you have discs, be sure and put a note on your disk wallet (or whatever you have) asking people to help themselves but to replace the discs when they're done.

If you're going to be keeping an eye on things, be sure that you know how to operate all the gear. Take a quick scan of what's there and ask the owner how you eject it, load it or shut if off if it doesn't seem obvious at a glance. If there's something that you don't know, it's pretty likely that someone else won't either and they'll ask you for sure!

I guess my last piece of advice is, after the rooms close for the day (around 5pm) keep an eye out for large platters of shrimp or other party trays (hand trucks of Absolute is also good). Drop whatever you're doing and follow them. They'll lead you to the rooms that have afterpartys planned. Pay particular attention to the ones that are in European vendors rooms. These rooms will have women and unspeakable activities long into the night. Believe me when I say that "Swedes know how to parrr-taaa!"

If anyone asks you what you're doing there, tell em you're meeting Danny from Positive Feedback there. Everybody loves Danny!

[HeadphoneAddict]

Yeah, I like the idea of writing up and posting instructions for the gear on the table.

I will have a 160GB Apple TV with remote and 19" HDTV hooked into a PS Audio DLIII optical, and feeding that into two amps - EC ZDT and Woo GES (using Jensen XLR>RCA transformer since neither amp is balanced). I'll have HD800 and LA7000 hooked to the ZDT, and Stax O2 Mk1 hooked up to the GES, with a spare HE Audio Jade people can try. If the apple TV sucks I can hook up a Macbook with iTunes on an external drive, running inside of a limited user account.

Additional stuff - I will likely also have an HE60/HEV70 hooked up to the GES RCA loop out, and I might bring a Marantz CD5001 connected to DAC via coax so people can try their own music. The DAC will auto switch to the active source, or there is a button on front if both sources are playing at the same time.