Rockford IL Audio Society - November '07 Meeting

dkg999

Our small group of Club Polk members from the Rockford IL area had another get together on Saturday afternoon (11/3). The group for this meeting was Heiney9/Brock, a_mattison/Aaron, and daboyz/Dave, and myself dkg999/Doug. We split our meeting between a couple of locations. We started out the meeting at my apartment in Belvidere IL with a listening sessions in 2 ch and multi-channel/HT. My apt is a little cramped and my stay there has been extended due to a number of factors, so I have a lot of gear jammed into a small area, and placement is not something I have a lot of room to play with.

The 2 channel system consists of Magnepan 1.6QR's with the bottom end filled in by an SVS SB12+ sub. The multi-channel system is LSi9, LSiFX, LSiC, and LSi7's. I've posted some pictures below. I'll let the others in the group discuss their listening observations prior to offering mine.

We then moved to Brock's place to listen to the SDA 1C's he brought home from the IL Polk Fest. I'll let him describe his system when he posts to this thread. I had heard this speakers at the IL Polk Fest, and it's a good thing he bought them so I didn't have to :eek: The upgraded tweeters and enhancements to the x-overs really make these an exceptional pair of SDA's! We listened to an assortment of music types, and everything sounds great on Brock's system. The presentation from the SDA's is a very deep and solid soundstage, with that fantastic SDA imaging. The bass from these just rocks! Magnepan's were my first love, but SDA's were my second. Maybe my pair of SDA 2A's in storage won't be find a new home

We all had a good time! I look forward to our next get together!

dkg999

And a couple of additional pictures I didn't get into the first post! The second picture is my bedroom system that I had hidden until someone said "Hey, didn't you used to have a pair of RTi70's?". You can't hide anything from Club Polkies

Lowell_M

I started this post to discuss Doug's audio isues and the help I was going to suggest that we all find him. Then I realized that I only felt he needed this help out of jealousy. DKG999 has a serious amount of very nice gear and has put together a couple of terrific rigs.

The Magnepans along with the SVS sub sounded very nice. The large panels have great detail without being bright or harsh. You can hear subtleties in the music that you might not hear on other systems. To me, though, that detail and upfront soundstage makes the listening experience a little artificial. I preferr the laid back sound of Brock's SDA's.

Doug's LSi home theater is fantastic. When we walked in, I thought his living room was doubling as an SVS warehouse. We did get through the day without any broken window panes even though his neighbor wasn't home.

Thanks guys for your excellent hospitality as always! If my Lsi15's ever get here my place is next.

dkg999

I'm somewhere on a 12 step program to recovery!

Step 1 - buy Magnepan speakers - completed successfully
Step 2 - upgrade pre-amp - completed successfully
Step 3 - add SVS SB12+ sub for 2 channel - completed successfully
Step 4 - upgrade HT electronics - completed successfully
Step 5 - move to LSi speakers for HT - completed successfully

See, I'm almost half-way to recovery :rolleyes:

halo

Sounds / looks like it was a great time!

The Rockford group is a solid bunch of Polkies. Kudos.

SCompRacer

dkg999 wrote: »

Step 1 - buy Magnepan speakers - completed successfully

I can relate to guys with planar-magnetic speaker tastes.;):cool: I've got MK III ESL's now Doug.

Good to see a fellow stick to his plan.:D Local get togethers are fun.

daboyz

I had a great time!! Always awesome to get together.:) You know, I enjoyed both the Maggies and the SDA's. Both had their own characteristics that made each a great listen.

I knew Doug had some crap but WOW!!!:eek: Impressive to say the least. I call dibs on all of it.:p Heck, most of my gear came through him anyway. Or, if Brock decides to dump those SDA's that'll be a consideration,too.

I was afraid of listening to their setups and getting that upgrade itch but I still enjoy my own right now.

Thanks soooo much for a great day guys, can't wait to check out Aaron's
15's and that new amp he snagged last night.

Dave

halo

daboyz wrote: »

Thanks soooo much for a great day guys, can't wait to check out Aaron's
15's and that new amp he snagged last night.

Dave

New amp?

Aaron - Did you pull the trigger on some 15's or are you still debating with the VR-2's?

danger boy

very cool meeting... looks like a fun time. also checking out other people systems and how they have put them together is always a blast for me. way to go guys!!

Lowell_M

halo wrote: »

New amp?

Aaron - Did you pull the trigger on some 15's or are you still debating with the VR-2's?

Hey Victor, how's it going? I snagged a pair of 15's on ebay a couple of weeks ago, but they haven't arrived yet. (for that matter, if there is anybody that lives in Dayton, oh and would be interested in helping me get these shipped to me, let me know)

So, my GFA-555 is moving to pure 2-channel duty with the 15's and last night I bought a GFA-7000 for the HT. I was thinking of branching out a bit, but decided to stick with what I knew I liked for this purchase and maybe experiment down the road.

heiney9

I have to say these local get togethers are a lot of fun. I'd love to do a Midwest gathering again.

I had heard a lot about Doug's Maggies and we had all been trying to put together a date to listen to them as well as his finalized HT rig of which includes my former LSi 9's. Plus, I wanted the guys to hear my SDA's now that are set-up properly, etc.

I'll have to say Doug has a lot of gear just sitting around in his magic audio closet as well as in his 2-ch/HT rig(s). The Maggies were quite an experience, very detailed and up front (not in a bad way) they are quite the contrast to the SDA's. To be fair I've been listening to the SDA's for over 6 months and the Maggies for a few hours. And what I heard I really liked.

One would really have to choose the recordings carefully with the Maggie's but when you do you are rewarded. I was truely happy I got my ears on them. The HT system was just fantastic, even though the subs were dialed down for the neighbor's sake . The LSi's are superb in an HT setting and when run with proper amplification.

Doug, anytime you need someone to "house sit" while you are on a trip, let me know because I don't have an HT set-up I'd be glad to come over and check on things and watch a few movies in the process.

What more can I say about my SDA's other than they still put a huge grin on my face. The Maggies and SDA's presentation are very different but both are just as enjoyable. I listen to a lot of live music and the SDA's are superb for that. I told Doug I need a pair of Maggies to switch in/out every few months. . If I had to make a choice, I'd still keep the SDA's they are a better "all purpose" type speaker, IMO.

I encourage others to seek out some audio "buddies" in your area because the sharing and experience of things other than your own is certainly very rewarding not the mention the great people you can meet.

Next stop is Aaron's for his LSi's, and while both Doug and I feel 5.1 for music is unnatural, I'm ready to go over to Daboyz and see if he can change my mind. I'm told he has a sweet 5.1 setup at his place including SACD.

H9

Lowell_M

LSi's are apparently "in the mail", so I should see them Monday or Tuesday.

dkg999

Aaron - although the Club Polk road trip to OH would of been fun, I'm glad to hear they are being shipped!

I have to agree with H9's comments. What I have always enjoyed about this hobby is how many different types of speakers and gear there is. With that comes a variety of presentations of music, sound stages, etc. I enjoy listening to them all, and deciding what for now sounds good to me. I really don't see myself ever deciding that one type of speaker, etc. is what I want to have forever (must be that male committment thingy ).

The Maggies aren't for everyone, but I really enjoy their presentation of music. They don't do well with marginal recordings, or with marginal gear. It doesn't take expensive gear upstream, just decent quality sources and pre/amps. Listening to H9's SDA's also highlighted the things I like about the SDA's and their presentation of music. The SDA's are a much more all-around speaker than the Maggies. Again, one or the other isn't right or wrong, just different ways to enjoy the music we love.

I am fortunate that I have been able to put together some decent systems. The Audio Closet has a spare system that was in my home office on the farm in IA, and I have some of my equipment I enjoyed and kept as currently the bedroom system, and that HT system will go in the kids playroom when I move.

Another midwest gathering would be an excellent plan!

Ricardo

a_mattison wrote: »

Hey Victor, how's it going? I snagged a pair of 15's on ebay a couple of weeks ago, but they haven't arrived yet. (for that matter, if there is anybody that lives in Dayton, oh and would be interested in helping me get these shipped to me, let me know)

So, my GFA-555 is moving to pure 2-channel duty with the 15's and last night I bought a GFA-7000 for the HT. I was thinking of branching out a bit, but decided to stick with what I knew I liked for this purchase and maybe experiment down the road.

I live 35 minutes from Dayton; PM me and we can discuss the details.

Looks like you all had a great time!!!!!

EDIT: Ok; should have read the whole thing. Glad to hear speakers are on their way.

halo

Anytime one of the Rockford group's members find themselves in Chicago you are welcome to stop by my place for another crack at the InnerSound Eros. Like the SDA's @ the PF they really weren't set up / demo'd "properly" and I feel they had much more to offer.

Toxis

I see DKG and I have similar tastes. Same 34" Sony TV, LSI HT... nice.

RuSsMaN

How did I miss this? Way to go guys! It's hard recently to keep the local audio meets going, it's good to see you all getting together and doing what makes you happy.

Cheers,
Russ

dkg999

Best of all, now that a_mattison has a new LSi15 2 ch rig, we need to have another get together soon! The gear in my audio closet wants to come out and play

heiney9

dkg999 wrote: »

Best of all, now that a_mattison has a new LSi15 2 ch rig, we need to have another get together soon! The gear in my audio closet wants to come out and play

Absolutley, except we need to wait until a_mattison has some fresh home brew ready to go. Last time we were at his place he was out. LSi's and fresh Fall/Winter brew would be excellent.

H9

daboyz

nuthin' would be finer. I really want to hear those 15's.

Lowell_M

heiney9 wrote: »

Absolutley, except we need to wait until a_mattison has some fresh home brew ready to go. Last time we were at his place he was out. LSi's and fresh Fall/Winter brew would be excellent.

H9

I'm ordering some supplies tonight. My friends drank all my beer over the weekend!!:eek:

You guys MUST come over and here this. I love the 15's. Probably try to get together shortly after Thanksgiving?? I know the holidays will be tough for everybody.

You'll have to check out the HT now that I have REAL power to all 5 channels with the GFA-7000.

daboyz

I'm up for it

heiney9

daboyz wrote: »

I'm up for it

+1. Golf season is over so my Saturday's and Sunday's are a bit more open than the summer.

Lowell_M

I just ordered a nice Double Chocolate Stout to brew..... mmmmmm.....

dkg999

So............ ETA on that brew being ready for prime time

I should be good for upcoming weekends as long as I have a little lead time.

Lowell_M

dkg999 wrote: »

So............ ETA on that brew being ready for prime time

I should be good for upcoming weekends as long as I have a little lead time.

I do still have a little bit of a couple batches that I had warm in the back room and my friends didn't get to. They are in the fridge now and as good as every. The kits I ordered last night won't arrive until Monday or Tuesday, then I'm going out of town, so those won't realistically be ready until close to Christmas. The weekend of the 8th will be out for me. Not sure about the weekend of 12/1 or 12/15.

daboyz

Both dates should work for me