Now that the seminars are locked in, here we go!
The past few years have seen phenomenal growth in high-end personal audio -- with the number of new product options being eclipsed only by the number of newcomers to the hobby.
To properly welcome everybody that is new to the hobby, we have prepared a series of highly-instructional "101" seminars, suitable for beginners and veterans alike. These seminars - lead by some of the most exceptional experts in personal audio - will establish a foundational knowledge base, expand understanding, shatter myths, and help you choose the gear that is best for you (often through personal Q&A sessions with our instructors).
Please note that we've scheduled all of these highly-instructional seminars to take place early, on Saturday. It is our hope that you'll be able attend them early, then immediately use what you've learned to help you audition and evaluate the gear out on the show floor.
Digital Audio 101 (11:00a)
Join us for a clear and concise introduction to digital audio and Digital-to-Analog Converters (DACs). Learn about different DAC topologies (Delta-Sigma, R2R, etc.), filters, jitter, ringing and whether DAC chips really have a house sound.
Instructor: Michael Goodman, Founder & Lead Engineer/Designer, CEntrance Technologies
Amplification 101 (12:00p)
What amp will best drive your headphone(s) of choice? Should you opt for tubes or solid state? Learn the basics of amplification including gain, topology, and classification. Understand how power output, voltage, current, output impedance, damping factor, and distortion will factor into your decisions - and what an amplifier's specifications can and cannot tell you about its performance.
Instructor: Justin Weber, Founder & Lead Engineer/Designer, ampsandsound
Headphones 101 (2:00p)
Simple in theory, headphones can be extraordinarily complicated electroacoustic devices. Join us for a clear overview of various driver designs (dynamic, planar magnetic, electrostatic, etc.). Learn about basic acoustics, frequency response, impedance, sensitivity, and more. And most importantly, discover how to choose the headphone that best suits your needs.
Instructor: Everett Manns, Community Manager, Sennheiser
Headphones 201 (3:00p)
Take your understanding of high-performance headphones to the next level. Explore more advanced acoustical concepts, understand how to interpret headphone measurements, and learn why there is no such thing as a perfect headphone, yet.
Instructor: Dan Clark, Founder & Lead Engineer/Designer, Dan Clark Audio