Hey Boston!
Ptwining here - live in Sherborn (kinda next to Natick/Framingham).
Here's the message -
<rant>
The Boston Audio Society seems to be a dead-lost group of dusty old dudes who are a bunch of high-ticket gear worshippers.
</rant>
Ok, now that I have that off my chest - how about we start (I'll carry the ball) a DIY group in the Boston area dedicated to swapping techniques, showing off our gear, and working together to rescue the absolute *home* of hi-fi by combining forces to re-innovate and re-build the grass-roots audio industry here.
Maybe, heaven forfend, we could host a Burning Amp here - where it all began. Boston was home to Winslow Burhoe (EPI/Genesis), Henry Kloss (KLH), Huy Powell (Genesis) - and the list goes on (google it...).
Now all we have is *the name that must not be spoken* and a bunch of home-theater mutants at Boston Acoustics and Cambridge Audio (now defunct I think).
Generally, we all build stuff that is better than what is commercially available. Truth - I see The Boston Audio Collective (resistance is futile) as the future of vertical high-end audio on the East Coast. There is a fantastic commercial opportunity waiting for us here - as most folks are *sick* of being told what to like and even sicker of stacks of impenetrable numbers that are supposed to tell them what is *good*. Not to mention the 30,000$ price tag that goes with anything decent.
Let's build, audition, and make available a new vision of audio - *volks-audio* - if you will, machines for the people, designed to please them, that they can afford - machines that will deck the dusty power-houses.
Now, I am aware that a *bazillion* DIY'ers have tried before to enter the commercial market - consider the case of Kevin Haskins at Exodus Audio - he is (IMHO) one of the best speaker designers on the face of the planet. He offered the 261's, the 2641's (whose design I still use), and the Keplers. He had every resource at his disposal, fabulous designs and yet, he folded them all up.
I used to wonder why he folded, but now I understand. The market is thin at best and over-served at worst - but (!), if it is approached with a new business model (ie: a vertical, bespoke and personalized approach) based on serving those who give enough of a damn to pay for something unique and handcrafted - even if it's (gulp/hack/cough) home-theater stuff.
The time is right. People have lost trust in the *big* guys after this huge financial crisis. The pure commercial motive behind their operations is now fully exposed - as it has been with all huge multi-national marketing engines..
So, let's rock Boston and then shake the mountain. That is my cunning plan. Any takers? (me straps leek to forehead - "Don't worry My Lord, I have a cunning plan..." - Baldric in BlackAdder)
As Maimonides taught us - If not now, when? And if not me, then who?
Oh, and yes, there are bats in my belfry, lots of them.
Muhahahahahah!
Anyway, an invitation to play for any takers...
(Oh oh, was that too much of a *chime-in*?)
Lol.
Regards,
Tom
Ptwining here - live in Sherborn (kinda next to Natick/Framingham).
Here's the message -
<rant>
The Boston Audio Society seems to be a dead-lost group of dusty old dudes who are a bunch of high-ticket gear worshippers.
</rant>
Ok, now that I have that off my chest - how about we start (I'll carry the ball) a DIY group in the Boston area dedicated to swapping techniques, showing off our gear, and working together to rescue the absolute *home* of hi-fi by combining forces to re-innovate and re-build the grass-roots audio industry here.
Maybe, heaven forfend, we could host a Burning Amp here - where it all began. Boston was home to Winslow Burhoe (EPI/Genesis), Henry Kloss (KLH), Huy Powell (Genesis) - and the list goes on (google it...).
Now all we have is *the name that must not be spoken* and a bunch of home-theater mutants at Boston Acoustics and Cambridge Audio (now defunct I think).
Generally, we all build stuff that is better than what is commercially available. Truth - I see The Boston Audio Collective (resistance is futile) as the future of vertical high-end audio on the East Coast. There is a fantastic commercial opportunity waiting for us here - as most folks are *sick* of being told what to like and even sicker of stacks of impenetrable numbers that are supposed to tell them what is *good*. Not to mention the 30,000$ price tag that goes with anything decent.
Let's build, audition, and make available a new vision of audio - *volks-audio* - if you will, machines for the people, designed to please them, that they can afford - machines that will deck the dusty power-houses.
Now, I am aware that a *bazillion* DIY'ers have tried before to enter the commercial market - consider the case of Kevin Haskins at Exodus Audio - he is (IMHO) one of the best speaker designers on the face of the planet. He offered the 261's, the 2641's (whose design I still use), and the Keplers. He had every resource at his disposal, fabulous designs and yet, he folded them all up.
I used to wonder why he folded, but now I understand. The market is thin at best and over-served at worst - but (!), if it is approached with a new business model (ie: a vertical, bespoke and personalized approach) based on serving those who give enough of a damn to pay for something unique and handcrafted - even if it's (gulp/hack/cough) home-theater stuff.
The time is right. People have lost trust in the *big* guys after this huge financial crisis. The pure commercial motive behind their operations is now fully exposed - as it has been with all huge multi-national marketing engines..
So, let's rock Boston and then shake the mountain. That is my cunning plan. Any takers? (me straps leek to forehead - "Don't worry My Lord, I have a cunning plan..." - Baldric in BlackAdder)
As Maimonides taught us - If not now, when? And if not me, then who?
Oh, and yes, there are bats in my belfry, lots of them.
Muhahahahahah!
Anyway, an invitation to play for any takers...
(Oh oh, was that too much of a *chime-in*?)
Lol.
Regards,
Tom
Last edited:
New England GTG 2/23/2012
We've been holding these events for a few years now with usually about 40-50 people showing up. Mostly AudioKarma guys but everyone is invited. We have demos, buying/selling/swapping and give away stuff.
New England Winter Frankenfest February 23rd Clinton MA - AudioKarma.org Home Audio Stereo Discussion Forums
New England Winter Frankenfest February 23rd Clinton MA 2013
At Franks shop
55 Sterling Street
Clinton Ma 01510
Just over the railroad tracks (like in Alice's Restaurant).
As usual we'll start around 11AM and we usually go until around 6-7PM. Folks come and go throughout the day.
These events are going quite well with people taking more responsibility for bringing food and cleaning up afterwards. Let's keep that up!
The swap / sell tables will be a given as usual and people can bring their favorite toys and systems to set up. Just take your unsold treasure home with you, don't load Frank's dumpster.
Please spread the word to anyone and everyone in the New England area to attend - AK involvement isn't a requirement, although typically a given.
All that is required is an obsessive interest in all things audio - that's our common bond.
We've been holding these events for a few years now with usually about 40-50 people showing up. Mostly AudioKarma guys but everyone is invited. We have demos, buying/selling/swapping and give away stuff.
New England Winter Frankenfest February 23rd Clinton MA - AudioKarma.org Home Audio Stereo Discussion Forums
New England Winter Frankenfest February 23rd Clinton MA 2013
At Franks shop
55 Sterling Street
Clinton Ma 01510
Just over the railroad tracks (like in Alice's Restaurant).
As usual we'll start around 11AM and we usually go until around 6-7PM. Folks come and go throughout the day.
These events are going quite well with people taking more responsibility for bringing food and cleaning up afterwards. Let's keep that up!
The swap / sell tables will be a given as usual and people can bring their favorite toys and systems to set up. Just take your unsold treasure home with you, don't load Frank's dumpster.
Please spread the word to anyone and everyone in the New England area to attend - AK involvement isn't a requirement, although typically a given.
All that is required is an obsessive interest in all things audio - that's our common bond.
Just curious, is it a DIY listening type gathering where people get to demo other's creations? Or is it more of a swap meet with some tech sessions on how snake oil cables are better than others?
If people are interested in the former rather than the latter, I usually invite a friend or two to my home in southern NH to drink beer and demo our latest creations. Send me a PM if you're interested in showing off your DIY speakers with us. It's a low budget sort of thing. You won't find expensive amps and cables (although you're welcome to bring some). We DIY because its a cheap alternative.
Last Saturday we tried out my new 6" tapped horn sub, did the subwoofer crawl, and then compared 4 sets of speakers. An old cheap pair of DCMs from College, my Alpair 10.2 Pensils, my friend's new-to-him vintage speakers (I forget the brand), and my friend's Zaph ZA5.2 kit. Ok, so the DCMs were really brought up from the basement to serve as stands but we did play a few songs through them to see how they stacked up. I also built a new center channel but we ran out of time and didn't test it.
If people are interested in the former rather than the latter, I usually invite a friend or two to my home in southern NH to drink beer and demo our latest creations. Send me a PM if you're interested in showing off your DIY speakers with us. It's a low budget sort of thing. You won't find expensive amps and cables (although you're welcome to bring some). We DIY because its a cheap alternative.
Last Saturday we tried out my new 6" tapped horn sub, did the subwoofer crawl, and then compared 4 sets of speakers. An old cheap pair of DCMs from College, my Alpair 10.2 Pensils, my friend's new-to-him vintage speakers (I forget the brand), and my friend's Zaph ZA5.2 kit. Ok, so the DCMs were really brought up from the basement to serve as stands but we did play a few songs through them to see how they stacked up. I also built a new center channel but we ran out of time and didn't test it.
Regarding our GTG in Clinton - it is what you want it to be. Lots of swap stuff, lots of gear to demo and lots jawboning (that's chatting with folks and eating snacks).
Not much in the way of high end cables - mostly vintage stuff and DIY stuff.
In the past I've done comparisons between various vintage gear, high end vs low end CDP's, LPs vs CDs and comparing recapped vs stock receivers.
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