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General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: castlesteve on January 11, 2014, 06:25:13 AM

Title: Mid atlantic Bottleneck meeting.
Post by: castlesteve on January 11, 2014, 06:25:13 AM


   It`s been a while since we held the last meeting so i think it is time for another. I will host at my place. Lets aim for late March /early April. I would like to do a simple "run what you brung" meet with good music and conversations. Chime in if you would like to come and let`s have a concensus on the date. I will also post on the diy audio and the parts express sites once we have the date.
   Steve.
Title: Re: Mid atlantic Bottleneck meeting.
Post by: RayP on January 11, 2014, 06:37:25 AM
Thanks for hosting Steve. Either weekend works for me.

Hope you enjoyed the Maamite.

ray
Title: Re: Mid atlantic Bottleneck meeting.
Post by: castlesteve on January 11, 2014, 08:39:20 AM
Thanks for hosting Steve. Either weekend works for me.

Hope you enjoyed the Maamite.

ray

The Maamite was wonderful. Had some on a sesame bagel this morning no less. April 6th looks good to me.

Steve.
Title: Re: Mid atlantic Bottleneck meeting.
Post by: JamieMcC on January 11, 2014, 09:45:10 AM
Marmite & Avocado on toast give it try. You might be surprised it tastes really good ;)
Title: Re: Mid atlantic Bottleneck meeting.
Post by: castlesteve on January 12, 2014, 10:32:25 AM
Marmite & Avocado on toast give it try. You might be surprised it tastes really good ;)

I`ll try that thanks. I also like marmite and tomato .
Title: Re: Mid atlantic Bottleneck meeting.
Post by: RayP on January 12, 2014, 12:04:42 PM
Of course there are those 'superior' beings who prefer Vegemite.

We 'golden mouths' even have a jingle which you can hear  at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vaESxxvCCFk (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vaESxxvCCFk).

And of course there is the Cheesymite Scroll. http://australian.food.com/recipe/cheese-and-vegemite-scrolls-230926 (http://australian.food.com/recipe/cheese-and-vegemite-scrolls-230926)

Perhaps at the meet we can have a blind tasting to see who prefers what.

ray
Title: Re: Mid atlantic Bottleneck meeting.
Post by: castlesteve on January 12, 2014, 04:10:09 PM


Here`s a couple of reasons we British prefer the Maamite.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBY5epc8BS0

and

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QusZ3mrCF-w
Title: Re: Mid atlantic Bottleneck meeting.
Post by: davechen on January 13, 2014, 05:41:56 AM
It's certainly been a long time since I've been to one.

I started working on a BeePre and should be done by then.  I'm not exactly the quickest draw with a soldering gun.
Title: Re: Mid atlantic Bottleneck meeting.
Post by: castlesteve on January 14, 2014, 11:29:20 AM
It will be great to see you there.
Title: Re: Mid atlantic Bottleneck meeting.
Post by: Listens2tubes on January 18, 2014, 04:17:23 PM
Where will this all take place?
Title: Re: Mid atlantic Bottleneck meeting.
Post by: Downhome Upstate on January 18, 2014, 05:30:40 PM
Where will this all take place?

Ditto!
Title: Re: Mid atlantic Bottleneck meeting.
Post by: RayP on January 19, 2014, 02:00:59 AM
Steve's  house in Sterling, VA. And of course, you will be most welcome. Get in touch with Steve for the address.

I'll be driving down from North East Maryland and have room for a couple of extra passengers.

By the way, I rediscovered my pairs of home made barb wire speaker cable that I constructed for the meet that did not happen last year. I will bring them along for some fun.

http://www.bottlehead.com/smf/index.php/topic,3273.0.html (http://www.bottlehead.com/smf/index.php/topic,3273.0.html)

ray
Title: Re: Mid atlantic Bottleneck meeting.
Post by: dbishopbliss on January 22, 2014, 04:45:54 AM
I'm free late march and early april as well, though it would be good to get a specific date.  I've been building guitar amps lately so I haven't been on this board very often.  I can bring a guitar amp. 

I got an idea... I also took a recording class last year.  Might be fun to record some things at home, then bring the recording and the real instrument to the meet for comparison.
Title: Re: Mid atlantic Bottleneck meeting.
Post by: RayP on January 22, 2014, 11:57:14 AM
That's an interesting idea with the guitar amp.

By the way, Steve, I would now prefer March 29 or 30 if possible. We could save the following weekend in case of snow.

ray
Title: Re: Mid atlantic Bottleneck meeting.
Post by: freakmech on January 28, 2014, 07:25:24 PM
Hello, Chad here. New to forum but would be greatly interested in attending a meet. I have a tube amp/headphone amp/speaker combo I would like to bring. Not my own design but DIY all the same. I would likely ride along with Ray as I had the fortune to meet him not to long ago. Im a DIY guy that primarily focuses on studio/guitar gear but have been recently looking into more home audio gear. My next project would be a DIY phono preamp so hoping to get some ideas, suggestions, etc... Anyhow, I will stay tuned for details.
Title: Re: Mid atlantic Bottleneck meeting.
Post by: castlesteve on January 31, 2014, 02:24:13 AM
Hello, Chad here. New to forum but would be greatly interested in attending a meet. I have a tube amp/headphone amp/speaker combo I would like to bring. Not my own design but DIY all the same. I would likely ride along with Ray as I had the fortune to meet him not to long ago. Im a DIY guy that primarily focuses on studio/guitar gear but have been recently looking into more home audio gear. My next project would be a DIY phono preamp so hoping to get some ideas, suggestions, etc... Anyhow, I will stay tuned for details.

Hi Chad. We would love to see you there. Please bring whatever gear you would like to demonstrate. The more the merrier.
Title: Re: Mid atlantic Bottleneck meeting.
Post by: castlesteve on January 31, 2014, 02:28:18 AM
That's an interesting idea with the guitar amp.

By the way, Steve, I would now prefer March 29 or 30 if possible. We could save the following weekend in case of snow.

ray

   Let`s set the date for March 29. Hope you can all make that date. With any luck the snow will stay away. Better get busy.
Title: Re: Mid atlantic Bottleneck meeting.
Post by: castlesteve on February 15, 2014, 08:04:11 AM

  i have a chance of getting a much better room for this meet. I can rent the conference room at my wifes old work place. This is a bigger room and comes with an attached kitchen. It would make a great location. Here is the location.

 https://maps.google.com/maps?q=39959+Catoctin+Ridge+Street,+Paeonian+Springs,+VA+20129&ie=UTF-8&ei=x7n_Ut-FHtSksQT0iYGICw&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAQ

39959 Catoctin Ridge Street, Paeonian Springs, VA 20129

 Do you think it is too far or is it ok for you guys? It`s about 20mins west from my place. this way we can play all day with no noise restrictions or wife restrictions.
Title: Re: Mid atlantic Bottleneck meeting.
Post by: RayP on February 15, 2014, 11:22:09 AM
It would be ok with me. An extra 20 minutes won't matter too much. I'll be happy to contribute to the rental cost.

I'm not sure what I will bring with me yet but I will bring my netbook running Jriver into an Odac. It's well burned in now and is sounding pretty good. Maybe if the B'head Dac is out in time, somebody could buy one and bring it along.

ray
Title: Re: Mid atlantic Bottleneck meeting.
Post by: freakmech on February 15, 2014, 04:45:52 PM
If there is an interest in exploring DAC's, specifically in the sub $500 range, I have a few I could bring including some of the DIY kits from china available on eblay.  However, ive found comparing DAC's similar to comparing white bread. But thats not to say I havent tried to compare them, much less build them.
Title: Re: Mid atlantic Bottleneck meeting.
Post by: castlesteve on February 16, 2014, 05:09:44 AM
Ok then I will  look the room for that day. As to dac's I say bring them and we can put them in the system as we proceed. I will have some new speakers to show off and hopefully a new digital amp to play with. Should be good to go .
Title: Re: Mid atlantic Bottleneck meeting.
Post by: dgb on February 17, 2014, 04:32:56 AM
hi all, i'm Don and been to 3 meets. you may remember me. i'd like to make it 4. health has been a bit of an issue for me of late but i have built one el84 guitar amp with tiger stripe maple and a 1x10 speaker cab of sapele wood finished in tung. if anyone would like me to bring it (and if anyone would have a guitar to wail away on it) i can. otherwise i'd like to come empty handed in any case. a partial ride with Ray would be nice if he's up for my sterling personality, but i'd could handle the entire ride too. let me know if i'm okay to attend. thanks, don
Title: Re: Mid atlantic Bottleneck meeting.
Post by: RayP on February 17, 2014, 07:50:05 AM
There should be room for you in the car. Hopefully your guitar amp will fit in the boot / trunk as well. Chad will be coming as well. Send me a message closer to the date of the meet and we can work out how to pick you up.

ray
Title: Re: Mid atlantic Bottleneck meeting.
Post by: freakmech on February 17, 2014, 08:45:21 PM
Everything I plan to bring would fit tidily into a third of your trunk. It would even fit into a spare seat of your car if there is one by the time this meet happens, lol. I build very compact electronics, thats sort of my niche. I just hope that someone will have a turntable and preamp to play through the set up I plan to bring. Fingers crossed.
Title: Re: Mid atlantic Bottleneck meeting.
Post by: castlesteve on February 18, 2014, 03:54:15 AM
Everything I plan to bring would fit tidily into a third of your trunk. It would even fit into a spare seat of your car if there is one by the time this meet happens, lol. I build very compact electronics, thats sort of my niche. I just hope that someone will have a turntable and preamp to play through the set up I plan to bring. Fingers crossed.

  I think i will put out a post inquiring about what is coming and also what we will need a little before the meet. It would be helpful if people would post as to what they are bringing so we can plan ahead.
Title: Re: Mid atlantic Bottleneck meeting.
Post by: davechen on February 18, 2014, 04:06:51 AM
I am making gradual progress on my BeePre kit.  I'm on page 42 out of 63 in the instruction manual.  I think I'm a couple capacitors short, so I sent email to Bottlehead about getting some more.  So I ought to have it done by the end of March. 

Also, I can bring along my telecaster to plug into any guitar amp.  I don't claim to be an actually guitarist though.  I goof around with guitar licks or barre chords, but not a lot more.

Oh, another thought.  I bought a set of replacement picks for my MIM telecaster a long time ago.  They're Microcoils designed by Bill Lawrence.  I never did get around to putting them in.  Maybe I will for this meet.
Title: Re: Mid atlantic Bottleneck meeting.
Post by: dgb on February 18, 2014, 09:20:55 AM
thanks Ray. will meet up at your convenience. the amp is small and the speaker cab is only about 18x20x12deep. will msg as things move fwd, don 
Title: Re: Mid atlantic Bottleneck meeting.
Post by: castlesteve on March 10, 2014, 11:51:25 AM
Looks like the meet will be at my place. The room is in use that weekend. No problem though, just a little less room. Looking forward to a good turnout.
Title: Re: Mid atlantic Bottleneck meeting.
Post by: freakmech on March 19, 2014, 07:51:33 PM
Bump.....To keep this thread alive. Im looking forward to this meet.
Title: Re: Mid atlantic Bottleneck meeting.
Post by: dbishopbliss on March 21, 2014, 11:33:21 AM
I could check into the Reston Community Center if you like.  Then maybe we could stroll down to the woodshop.

I should have my Fender Bandmaster rebuilt for the meet.  Not audio stuff but its been a good learning experience for me.  If you want, I will also bring my audio interface and a microphone I have modded (Its close to a Neumann U87 now) so that people can get an idea of the differences between live sound and recorded sound.  We could record voice, acoustic guitar, guitar amp, etc.
Title: Re: Mid atlantic Bottleneck meeting.
Post by: RayP on March 22, 2014, 02:46:29 AM
I will be there. Don and Chad, I will send you messages to discuss where and when we will meet up.

ray
Title: Re: Mid atlantic Bottleneck meeting.
Post by: RayP on March 22, 2014, 03:09:25 AM
By the way, I will bring my fake barb wire speaker cables.

ray
Title: Re: Mid atlantic Bottleneck meeting.
Post by: davechen on March 24, 2014, 07:50:58 AM
What time did y'all have in mind?
Title: Re: Mid atlantic Bottleneck meeting.
Post by: roscoe primrose on March 26, 2014, 08:07:25 AM
I may be able to make it, if I'm not in Charlotte this weekend....

Roscoe
Title: Re: Mid atlantic Bottleneck meeting.
Post by: RayP on March 26, 2014, 10:10:24 AM
It will be great to meet you Roscoe and possibly talk about some ideas for the CAF competition for next year.

ray
Title: Re: Mid atlantic Bottleneck meeting.
Post by: dbishopbliss on March 27, 2014, 07:43:08 AM
By the way, I will bring my fake barb wire speaker cables.

ray

That reminds me... I will bring my 89259 cross connect speaker cables.
Title: Re: Mid atlantic Bottleneck meeting.
Post by: roscoe primrose on March 27, 2014, 07:59:20 AM
I may be able to make it, if I'm not in Charlotte this weekend....

Well, I'm not going to be in Charlotte this weekend, so looks like I can make it  :D
Title: Re: Mid atlantic Bottleneck meeting.
Post by: castlesteve on March 28, 2014, 03:38:43 AM
 Hey everyone. Sorry but i`ve been consumed by work. Looks like a good turnout. If you need directions you can call me at 703 60eight87oneone or message through the forum. I`ll have speakers and a new amp but my preamp has quit and i have`nt had time to troubleshoot it. I may just end up recycling it into a new project. I plan on starting at the usual time of between 9-10 and we can run all day. I will provide some light refreshments but if you wish to bring some it will be most welcome.
   see you all tomorrow.
Title: Re: Mid atlantic Bottleneck meeting.
Post by: roscoe primrose on March 29, 2014, 01:59:16 PM
Thanks for hosting Steve.  Had a great time, met some new people, nand heard some great music.  Fine business.

Roscoe
Title: Re: Mid atlantic Bottleneck meeting.
Post by: davechen on March 29, 2014, 06:00:24 PM
Hear, hear!  Thanks for hosting, Steve.  And it was nice meeting and re-meeting folks.
Title: Re: Mid atlantic Bottleneck meeting.
Post by: RayP on March 30, 2014, 05:25:56 AM
I've posted a bit of a write-up and photos at
http://bottlenecksaudio.blogspot.com/2014/03/bottleneck-meet-march-2014.html (http://bottlenecksaudio.blogspot.com/2014/03/bottleneck-meet-march-2014.html)

Again, many thanks to Steve for hosting again and to all who brought stuff along. It was great to meet everybody again and listen to new music.

Here is the link to the Heritage Blues Orchestra which really sounds good.
http://www.amazon.com/Still-Rise-Heritage-Blues-Orchestra/dp/B006JFZUJG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1396192704&sr=8-1&keywords=heritage+blues+orchestra (http://www.amazon.com/Still-Rise-Heritage-Blues-Orchestra/dp/B006JFZUJG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1396192704&sr=8-1&keywords=heritage+blues+orchestra)

The Motorcycle trombone concerto which has the most amazing trombone playing.

http://www.amazon.com/A-Trombone-Odyssey-Christian-Lindberg/dp/B0000016HT/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1396192987&sr=8-3&keywords=sandstrom+trombone (http://www.amazon.com/A-Trombone-Odyssey-Christian-Lindberg/dp/B0000016HT/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1396192987&sr=8-3&keywords=sandstrom+trombone)

We have tentatively set our next meet for Saturday, October 18 2014 at Steve's place or the nearby hall that is a bit larger than Steve's listening room.

A few of us have the urge to have another build an inexpensive amp competition, this time a low watt push-pull where you try to use components you already own, either recycled or new. We would use very efficient speakers. More details later in a separate thread but we expect it to be held on October 18.

We were pleased to have Roscoe along. He runs the DC Audio DIY group which is based in Washington and hopefully we can have closer contact between the two groups.  By the way, I would like to remind those in the DC area about the Capitol Audiofest to be held on July 25-27. http://www.capitalaudiofest.com/ (http://www.capitalaudiofest.com/)

Our Bottleneck group has also held meets in northern Maryland and Delaware so perhaps we could organize another meet sometime to suit the northern contingent.
Title: Re: Mid atlantic Bottleneck meeting.
Post by: Doc B. on March 30, 2014, 07:33:23 AM
Nice write up Ray!
Title: Re: Mid atlantic Bottleneck meeting.
Post by: roscoe primrose on March 30, 2014, 07:58:53 AM
We were pleased to have Roscoe along. He runs the DC Audio DIY group which is based in Washington and hopefully we can have closer contact between the two groups. 

For anyone who wants to check out what's going on in the DC area: DCAudioDIY (http://www.dcaudiodiy.com/)

Roscoe
Title: Re: Mid atlantic Bottleneck meeting.
Post by: dgb on March 31, 2014, 10:27:09 AM
Thanks for a wonderful day Steve. it's always so much fun explaining to my wife what i did all day. I love your speakers
Title: Re: Mid atlantic Bottleneck meeting.
Post by: Paul Birkeland on March 31, 2014, 02:39:06 PM
Sweet meet!

Doc and I were trying to remember who ended up with the HD650's that he had.

Title: Re: Mid atlantic Bottleneck meeting.
Post by: castlesteve on March 31, 2014, 03:57:23 PM
Many thanks to all who came to the meet. It was a real pleasure to see all the familiar faces. I thought it was an excellent meet with some great new music and plenty of interesting equipment. Roscoe`s amp and passive linestage was  really good and made the speakers really sing. Don`s guitar amp was really a work of art and sounded terrific also. I am already hunting through my workshop for parts for my low powered push pull amp which i am going to build for the upcoming competition later this year. Many thanks to Ray for the write up, he always does a wonderful job.
   Lets keep in touch on the forum regarding the competition and i think we said we might hold a mini meet mid summer to check out the new room and go over the plans.
     Steve.
Title: Re: Mid atlantic Bottleneck meeting.
Post by: dbishopbliss on April 02, 2014, 02:50:11 AM
Sweet meet!

Doc and I were trying to remember who ended up with the HD650's that he had.

Tony brought the MB Quart headphones and the HD650's.  Can I just say, that there was no comparison at all between them.  The MB Quarts were not listenable once I used the HD650's.

I wish I had known there was going to be a headphone station, I would have brought my Audio-Technica ATH-M50 to see how they compare.  I don't know if anyone here uses them.  I was using a pair of Sennheiser 570's and a pair of 500A's with my S.E.X. amp and I thought they were pretty good.  A co-worker bought a pair of the M50's and tried them out with my amp.  Huge Difference!!! I have retired both Sennheisers and have re-discovered a bunch of my music.  For $90 headphones (got them on Massdrop) they sound great to me.

As an aside... maybe we can have a headphone station at the next meet and people can bring what they have.  Who's going to build the Crackphones?