Houston HT Group Meet July 17, 2004

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  • Burke Strickland
    Ultra Senior Member
    • Sep 2001
    • 3159

    #1

    Houston HT Group Meet July 17, 2004

    Get set for the next meeting of our local Houston-area HT interest group, which is going to be Saturday, July 17th, 2004 in the Greenway Plaza area inside the Loop. We'll be starting with a Dutch-treat lunch at Shanghai River restaurant at 11 AM. Lunch will give us an opportunity to compare notes about recent and future HT trends, our own HT upgrades and timely topics like who we’ve had good luck with for installation help.

    Then about 1 PM or 1:30 PM, we’ll be going to Audio Concepts, which is near the restaurant, for some interesting demos. Top of the list for HT enthusiasts is the D-Box experience in Area 51. It gives movies a whole new dimension, once that most of us won’t be able to duplicate at home (given the entry price of about $25 grand) but is sure a lot of fun to try out.

    For music lovers, the big music room has a couple of extraordinary new speakers, Audio Artistry Vivaldis which have been heavily modified by Dick Brown, the designer of the incomparable BEL 1001 Mk V power amp. I recently spent a couple of hours listening to these remarkable audio devices, and let’s just say they came the closest to making me think there might be something out there to upgrade to of anything I’ve heard since stepping up to my Maggies a few years ago. Here we were listening to a cone speaker design driven by a solid state amp, and you could easily believe you were listening to planars driven by a very powerful tube amp.

    Attendance at this event is “unlimited” – we can make room for everyone at both the restaurant and the store, but as a courtesy to both, we’d still like an RSVP, preferably to HoustonHTGroup@hotmail.com. I’ll be sending directions a couple of days before the event to all who respond. Hope to see a big crowd on the 17th!

    Burke

    What you DON'T say may be held against you...
  • David Meek
    Ultra Senior Member
    • Aug 2000
    • 8934

    #2
    You know I'll be there! :banana:
    .

    David - Trigger-happy HTGuide Admin

    Comment

    • George Bellefontaine
      Moderator Emeritus
      • Jan 2001
      • 7636

      #3
      Me too... well, in spirit anyway.
      My Homepage!

      Comment

      • JonMarsh
        Mad Max Moderator
        • Aug 2000
        • 16058

        #4
        Sounds like a really interesting agenda, especially the modified Vivaldi's! The Vivaldi is a large part of the inspiration for the Arvo Part, apart from the driver choices!

        Unfortunatley, I"ll fall into George's category, just joining you in spirit, as I'm leaving for Singapore that weekend.

        Best regards,

        Jon
        the AudioWorx
        Natalie P
        M8ta
        Modula Neo DCC
        Modula MT XE
        Modula Xtreme
        Isiris
        Wavecor Ardent

        SMJ
        Minerva Monitor
        Calliope
        Ardent D

        In Development...
        Isiris Mk II updates- in final test stage!
        Obi-Wan
        Saint-Saëns Symphonique/AKA SMJ-40
        Modula PWB
        Calliope CC Supreme
        Natalie P Ultra
        Natalie P Supreme
        Janus BP1 Sub


        Resistance is not futile, it is Volts divided by Amperes...
        Just ask Mr. Ohm....

        Comment

        • Bam!
          Super Senior Member
          • Jan 2004
          • 2458

          #5
          Lucky bums....

          The day before my Birdday! :B :roll: :W

          :rofl:

          Birdday! I love it! The day where I have a bird! or my mamma gave birth to a bird brain! Figured I'd beat you guys to it! :lol:


          oh and :

          have fun! take Pic's!
          Got a nice rack to show me ?

          Comment

          • Burke Strickland
            Ultra Senior Member
            • Sep 2001
            • 3159

            #6
            David -

            If everyone shows who signed up, you will be one of 19 having a good time talking about HT-related topics and exploring the goodies Audio Concepts has to offer. Should be a lot of fun!

            George, Jon, Bam! -

            Sorry you guys can't join us, but who who knows -- maybe the gang from HT Guide will get together sometime in the future!

            Burke

            PS -- Happy Birthday, Bam!-

            What you DON'T say may be held against you...

            Comment

            • David Meek
              Ultra Senior Member
              • Aug 2000
              • 8934

              #7
              Yeah BAM!, enjoy your birdday this Sunday! arty:
              .

              David - Trigger-happy HTGuide Admin

              Comment

              • Bam!
                Super Senior Member
                • Jan 2004
                • 2458

                #8


                Merci buckets!

                Burke! Maybe one day! It would amazing!
                Got a nice rack to show me ?

                Comment

                • Chetk
                  Senior Member
                  • May 2004
                  • 247

                  #9
                  Just curious. How was the D-Box. Also, why are these things $25,000 starting price?

                  Comment

                  • David Meek
                    Ultra Senior Member
                    • Aug 2000
                    • 8934

                    #10
                    I've always thought the D-Box was over-priced for what you get. Admittedly though, there is a coolness factor to it that tactile transducers just can't touch. As far as enhancing a movie? After the first few hops, bounces and tilts you've pretty much exhausted its capabilities and then it becomes more of a distraction than anything. Also, you are at the mercy of the manufacturer as to which movies they encode for use with it.

                    Summing up: For that amount of money? No thanks.
                    .

                    David - Trigger-happy HTGuide Admin

                    Comment

                    • Burke Strickland
                      Ultra Senior Member
                      • Sep 2001
                      • 3159

                      #11
                      The D-Box is a system that is sold only through CEDIA installers and is not available for DIY. The D-Box system we witnessed involves four heavy duty kinetic controllers that give motion to a platform on which you have your HT seats (up to four seating positions). The controllers are connected to a CD-ROM unit that reads pre-programmed CDs with motion signals synchronized with the soundtrack of the movie you are playing via your HT system. Overview of D-Box.

                      They have created these F/X ("programmed") Mode signals for hundreds of the most popular action movies, although supposedly the system can be used with any movie via an “Audio Mode”, as discussed in the D-Box FAQ. For some reason, they never demo the "Audio Mode". :>) The $25,000 price of the basic system includes a subscription for the CDs which are updated monthly in addition to the equipment and custom installation.

                      It was exciting to experience the D-Box in much the same way a carnival ride is fun. I know I would not want the D-Box moving me around during every flick I watch at home, even if I could afford it. But it does make an impressive demo. The store that gave us the demo has actually sold and installed a few of these in some high dollar HTs around Houston.

                      Burke

                      What you DON'T say may be held against you...

                      Comment

                      • Wilfred
                        Junior Member
                        • May 2003
                        • 27

                        #12
                        I felt the same as Burke. It was a different experience however, first thing came to mine was driving games & flight sims! For movies... I think I will pass.

                        Comment

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