2010 Great Northwest GTG

Tomorrow

Tomorrow

Audioholic Ninja
3RD ANNUAL GREAT NORTHWEST GTG

It's that time again!!


Aerial photo courtesy of the Lincoln City Visitors and Convention Bureau.

The 3rd Annual Great Northwest GTG is being held on September 18 at its usual venue in Lincoln City, Oregon. Those who attended last year's event or followed any of the threads know what a great time was had by all. Good audio. Good people. Good food. Great fun.

In order to keep it fresh, we change up our presentation every year. In 2008 we ran a budget monitor shootout on 9 pairs of inexpensive speakers. (The review, by Joe Pierre, is available here ... http://www.audioholics.com/reviews/speakers/bookshelf/budget-bookshelf-shootout-2009.) Last year we had more of a mini-convention with over a dozen sponsors and nearly 60 attendees (http://forums.audioholics.com/forums/showthread.php?t=53440&highlight=oregon+gtg). While we'll still have lots of audio hobbyists, freebies, and good equipment again this year, the 2010 event will be much smaller, more focused, and have an overriding goal.

I've noted that there are literally thousands of requests on the internet forums about internet-direct (ID) speakers. Who has experience with them? How do they sound? How do they compare to Brand-X? Reviews are hungrily sought by potential buyers and just plain old interested hobbyists. ID speakers can involve a healthy dose of shipping investment just to audition them. I sunk a bit of cash into this well, myself. And while some manufacturers have owners who are willing to provide auditions, that prospect can be quite limited. So it is with a focus of doing a bit of a public service that the 2010 GNW GTG will be auditioning and reporting on ID (or in one case, difficult to audition) speakers. The loudspeakers are all going to be in the stand-mounted class and costing $2,000 or less (shipping not included).

Since the testing, auditioning, and reporting will have to be fairly intense to fit into a one-day event, we'll only be using one room this year. Attendance had to necessarily be limited due to space and time constraints. We'll have ~9 reporters, and all positions have now been accounted for. Others are welcome to attend (and others will be attending), but if you are interested, please PM me for details, space availability and other restrictions.

Details of the event protocols, measurements, and audition format will be posted in threads over the next couple of weeks. We might even take a stab at measuring listener bias as well as loudspeaker performance. But the procedures we will be using will be unique and, hopefully, enlightening. Our focus will be on speaker performance and not on choosing 'winners' or 'losers'. Dennis Murphy, crossover designer for Salk Sound loudspeakers will be on hand with his measuring and switching gear. Maybe we can talk him into a brief design lesson. We'll see. ;)

As usual, parking on the site will not be a problem with a couple of acres to choose from. Vistas of the Oregon coast and mountain ranges are worth the trip.

Let's start off this thread with a huge Thank You to our sponsors this year. It is through their gracious generosity that we are able to put on this event and bring some interesting audio information to you.

SPEAKERS
Aperion Audio - http://www.aperionaudio.com/home.aspx
Ascend Acoustics - http://www.ascendacoustics.com/
Lauren Acoustics - http://www.laurenacoustics.com/Lauren_Acoustics/Intro.html
Nate's Audio - http://www.natesaudio.com/nahome.html
Salk Sound - http://www.salksound.com/
Selah Audio - http://www.selahaudio.com/
Tyler Acoustics - http://www.tyleracoustics.com/
Usher Audio - http://www.usheraudio.com/

From the sponsors above, we are honored to present the premier public unveiling of at least one brand new loudspeaker model, and perhaps as many as THREE!! All are very interesting models that I think will generate a lot of interest. More on these later as prototypes round into auditioning shape and availability. (You might be able to guess one or two, but surprises are definitely promised.)

DRIVE GEAR
AVAHifi - http://www.avahifi.com/

Frank Van Alstine will be supplying us with his Vision DAC/preamp and Insight+ Double 240 power amp.

LUNCH
Audioholics E-store - http://store.audioholics.com/

Once again lunch will be sponsored by Audioholics E-store. There will also be a "scratch and dent" sale of E-store items after the event.

FREEBIES

The City of Lincoln City will again be donating a variety of door gifts AND we believe we'll have some really wonderful (not to mention expensive) free audio raffle prizes.

It looks like another great Fall on the Oregon coast. Hope to see you there!
 
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P

penpitt

Audioholic
I wish I could attend. My in-laws live in Portland and I have a good friend that lives in Lincoln City. But right now money is too tight until I get out of school.
 
Tomorrow

Tomorrow

Audioholic Ninja
I wish I could attend. My in-laws live in Portland and I have a good friend that lives in Lincoln City. But right now money is too tight until I get out of school.
Well, hopefully we'll have some good reports to keep you updated. Perhaps next year......

Chandler is ... just a bit different from the Oregon Coast in September. (I really dig AZ!) Stay out of the monsoons, penpitt.
 
Tomorrow

Tomorrow

Audioholic Ninja
I wonder if Majorloser is going to lead the Great Rogue Brewery Caravan again this year? :D
 
AverageJoe

AverageJoe

Full Audioholic
I wonder if Majorloser is going to lead the Great Rogue Brewery Caravan again this year? :D
If not, I wouldn't be surprised if he found a few bottles of Dead Guy Ale in the downstairs 'fridge (and maybe a few other Rogue selections).:)
 
Hicks

Hicks

Audioholic
What time it will be getting under way and how long will it go?

I'm interested in attending but might be moving kind of slow since I'm seeing Phil and Bobby in Eugene on Friday night. :D
 
majorloser

majorloser

Moderator
I wonder if Majorloser is going to lead the Great Rogue Brewery Caravan again this year? :D
This year I need a DD.

Last year I had an Oregon State Trooper follow me when I left the brewery and stayed behind me for the hour long ride back to the hotel.
 
STRONGBADF1

STRONGBADF1

Audioholic Spartan
This year I need a DD.

Last year I had an Oregon State Trooper follow me when I left the brewery and stayed behind me for the hour long ride back to the hotel.
Mazer will drive you....;):rolleyes:
 
Tomorrow

Tomorrow

Audioholic Ninja
This year I need a DD.

Last year I had an Oregon State Trooper follow me when I left the brewery and stayed behind me for the hour long ride back to the hotel.
Cops can smell paranoia from blocks away, even at highway speeds! :D

Instead of the tour, maybe we should just plop you down in front of Joe's 120 inch pj screen, surround you with Dead Guy Ale (or the Green Fairie?? :eek:), and put on Shoot 'Em Up! (Great and fun flick, btw.)
 
Tomorrow

Tomorrow

Audioholic Ninja
What time it will be getting under way and how long will it go?

I'm interested in attending but might be moving kind of slow since I'm seeing Phil and Bobby in Eugene on Friday night. :D
Hi Jason!!

All audition seats are booked...unless you can talk Ken (or Jim or Ed) out of the Aperion seat. Want on the waiting list in case of cancellations? Phil, Bobby, and Eugene sounds to me like an herbal stew about to be enjoyed. ;)

We start at 9:30 ... a.m. But I suppose you could wander in later in the afternoon and pallaver with the folks after the auditioning...maybe hear a couple of speakers.
 
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Tomorrow

Tomorrow

Audioholic Ninja
THE SPEAKERS


All of the manufacturers listed below are committed to sponsoring our GNW GTG with a pair of their speakers. As stated earlier, these will all be sub-$2,000 (not including shipping) stand-mount monitors. Some of them just do squeak in under the limit, so there are some fine loudspeakers for all the auditioners to evaluate.

The manufacturers not only have graced us with their loudspeakers to audition, but in a couple of cases we will have the privilege to be the first to publicly unveil brand new models. Keep in mind that the list below is not set in concrete. It is fluid in the sense that the various speaker companies have ongoing developments that may alter the model that they send. But these are reasonably certain.

Here, alphabetically, are the pairs that we currently expect to review at the 2010 event.


Aperion Audio - 6B... http://www.aperionaudio.com/product/Intimus-6B-Bookshelf-Speaker,111,20,257.aspx

Ascend Acoustics - Sierra-1 NrT... http://forum.ascendacoustics.com/showthread.php?t=4088 (Please note that this new Ascend flagship model was announced only last week. It is in its late development state. If it is not yet available for the September 18th event, we believe Ascend will instead be sending the Sierra-1.)

Lauren Acoustics - One B ... http://www.laurenacoustics.com/Lauren_Acoustics/The_One_B.html (Please note that this model from a new company, as far as we're aware, has never been seen or heard publicly.)

Nate's Audio - T5... http://www.natesaudio.com/naproducts_t05.html

Salk Sound - Ellis 1801B ... http://www.salksound.com/ellis 1801b - home.htm

Selah Audio - Verita ... http://www.selahaudio.com/id216.html (Please note that the shipping fees are included in the $2,050 product cost.)

Tyler Acoustics - Limited Edition Taylo ... http://www.tyleracoustics.com/taylo.html (Please note that this Taylo model is not in the company's current lineup. Tyler Acoustics will be making a run of Limited Edition Taylos at <$2,000 which will run concurrently with our event.)

Usher Audio - X-718 ... http://www.usheraudio.com/Loudspeaker_X-718.html (Please note that Usher is not strictly an ID company. However, it's models can be difficult to find to audition in many places. It seems to fit well with the other speakers listed here, so we decided to include the X-718.)


I have to state again, that these companies are all run by first-rate people who are fans of audio first and foremost. I have thoroughly enjoyed working with each and every person I've contacted. We're lucky to have these folks in our great hobby, and they have been most gracious to send their gear to us for our pleasure and our reporting.

We also may have an additional surprise appearance of a new model at the event. I can't say anything about it at this time, but we're pretty excited at the possibility of presenting this new monitor model to the world. As the timing of its availability is crucial, we will provide further information regarding it as it nears launch.

Next up ........

THE FORMAT
:)
 
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Rickster71

Rickster71

Audioholic Spartan
Wow, the West Coast GTG is really shaping up!:eek:
It sounds a lot like our East Coast version.....did I mention we had two different kinds of potato salad?
 
majorloser

majorloser

Moderator
Wow, the West Coast GTG is really shaping up!:eek:
It sounds a lot like our East Coast version.....did I mention we had two different kinds of potato salad?
Sorry Rick, you mean "Northeast Coast".

You've got a long way to go if you want to catch up to us Florida Audioholics with food and drink. :p
 
Tomorrow

Tomorrow

Audioholic Ninja
Wow, the West Coast GTG is really shaping up!:eek:
It sounds a lot like our East Coast version.....did I mention we had two different kinds of potato salad?
Aha! Maybe my next post should be our lunch menu!! :D



Oh, but you should have been here last year! ;) By golly, yes...that DOES look like two kinds of potato salad. LOL!

 
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Hicks

Hicks

Audioholic
Hi Jason!!

All audition seats are booked...unless you can talk Ken (or Jim or Ed) out of the Aperion seat. Want on the waiting list in case of cancellations? Phil, Bobby, and Eugene sounds to me like an herbal stew about to be enjoyed. ;)

We start at 9:30 ... a.m. But I suppose you could wander in later in the afternoon and pallaver with the folks after the auditioning...maybe hear a couple of speakers.
Cool, I will try and make it out in the aftenoon just to say hi, thanks!
 
S

skeeter99

Junior Audioholic
So I take it no one else is allowed to come? That's kinda how its looking :( I was the lucky winner of the 6B's from Aperion last year and would love to come again (maybe give someone else a chance to win speakers though ;) ).
 

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