Posted by Wayne Parham [ 64.149.63.223 ] on August 01, 2007 at 11:17:36:
In Reply to: Prosound Shootout 2007 posted by Wayne Parham on August 01, 2007 at 09:14:45:
As in all previous Prosound Shootouts, our main focus is on gathering useful data. This is what is most difficult for people to get, because you need the right environment and test equipment to get it. The environment has to be a large, open space free of obstructions and noise. It has to be a place where you can generate high SPL's that can be heard for miles. And you have to have a good measurement system. So getting this kind of data is important for us.
Secondly, we all want to actually hear the equipment present. Of course, you can listen to the gear in other environments, at gigs and whatnot. So if pressed for time, we'll always get the data first.
Thirdly, David Lee has been a proponent of the workshop approach to events like this. He would like to have a training session, a question-and-answer period where people can discuss issues and learn things like proper use and loudspeaker placement.
We will have the track from 10:00am to 6:00pm. Load-in and setup usually takes about an hour. We may be able to get the track to open the gates a little earlier, say 9:00am. In fact, I'm sure that's OK, maybe as early as 8:00am. If we can all be sure to be there early, it will help us get setup quickly. I usually connect lines to the power distro, setup the amplifier and measurement system and measure out the environment, marking lines on the ground to know where to set the speakers. Each of the exhibitors load out their gear and get them setup in the staging area.
After load-in and setup, it takes about 30 minutes to properly measure each speaker. This is a very aggressive and optimistic schedule though. Sometimes, it can take closer to an hour to move out a set of speakers, move in another set, connect up and do all the measurements. If there are any problems, like a connector won't cooperate or someone finds a speaker is phased wrong, this takes extra time. So we ask that each exhibitor come prepared with speakers that are ready to test and with cables that are easy to identify polarity and connect up to use.
If all goes smoothly, we can be ready to measure by 10:30am and have the first three systems measured by lunch. We'll call in a pizza or have a volunteer grab us all some sandwiches and break for lunch. Depending on our schedule (how many exhibitors are there and things are going), we may choose to stagger lunches so we can keep making measurements through the lunch period. Best case, we can measure six to eight systems in a day.
After we've measured everything, we'll listen to each system. So bring your favorite CDs. Some people have already volunteered to bring tops so we won't be listening to just subs. We probably won't have time to listen to more than one or two songs on each speaker though.
After that, we'll have a question and answer session. David Lee has expressed interest in this, so he will be available for offering his advice. Others may volunteer to do so as well. Discussions always get started throughout the day too, but they are often interrupted by our sweeps. So we'll finish out the day with a question and answer session. If we've exhausted our time, we can always meet in the conference room at one of the local restaurants for this part of the event.
We have really just started taking commitments from exhibitors this week. But so far, we have the following exhibitors that will be present:
Lance Klaurens or David Lee may bring other commercial products to compare with, but it is likely that we will not have time. We may have a full schedule from exhibitors that attend, leaving no time to measure outside gear from companies that don't attend. We'll see.
If you'd like to bring something to be tested, please write to me at webmaster@audioroundtable.com. Currently, we are only performing measurements of subwoofers, but are interested also in having top boxes for the listening portion of the event. We are considering taking measurements of top boxes at subsequent events, maybe next year.
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