How can we find a good venue for WDfests?

[petercom]

I echo your thoughts. Not having been to any WDfest before I was really encouraged by the discussions that went on at the Phono Shoot Out. To my mind it wasn't the critical analysis of the various phono stages that mattered (and we couldn't manage this anyway given the turn about of partnering equipment etc), but the chit-chat about the relevance of design approaches.

I was sorry to have to leave on the Sat eve as I would have liked to carry on discussions on members' various amp and circuit designs that evening and the following day, but I had a committment to sing in a choir on the Sunday (some solo parts involved so I couldn't duck out of it).

The social side seems more rewarding than the competitive nature of 'who's equipment is best'. It was clear on the day which phono stage was the most rewarding but choosing between the rest was a pretty close call and a lot of it came down to personal preference.

So aiming for the 'best' sound quality from the system(s) was not the be-all and end-all; it was more of a learning experience for everyone there, especially as we ended up with a fantastic sounding system by the end of the day and everyone could see/hear how we got there.

As for a 'SpanishWDfest' your description is mouth-wateringly attractive. What is the best time of year, weather-wise?

[Martin213]

Greg,Paul,
I am not in the least offended,but i feel that most people struggle with their own listening environment acoustically,so what is the likelihood of finding an acoustically good room 'off the cuff',in all honesty
What Stuart said about smaller meets makes a lot of sense.....
I volunteered to host the Phono Shoot-Out due to my relatively central location,and it's distance off the A1,yet it was still too far for some
I think what we need is 'regional' hosts.
Perhaps 1 or 2 per county?

Peter,
I'm pleased you enjoyed your day with us,it was nice to meet you(and i think i speak for all who attended)
BTW,how do you pronounce WDFest? And was mine the 1st?

[Paul Barker]

[Martin213]

HELP
HELP
HELP
!!!!!

Paul B's got a coat-hanger stuck in his mouth



:p

[Black Stuart]

Peter,
The only time NEVER to visit southern Spain is the summer. The very best time is Primavera - Spring or Otono - Autumn. We had a reasonable amount of rain and a little snow down here in Guadix (alt. 900M) this winter, so everything is deep bright green at the moment. In May the Snowy mountains are carpetted in flowers.

It is a fact of life that most women could'nt care less about music, would'nt it be nice to arrange something that involved our ladies but gave them the chance to duck out entirely from the music side, if they so chose.Being a small airport, Granada is a breeze to fly into and out of. It now has connections with most of the UK.

For a very reasonable price Rafael (el jefe, the boss) will pick up clients at Granada/Malaga or Almeria airports BUT the very best thing is for those that come from a particular part of the country (and get on with each other) to hire transport at the airport or it can be arranged by Rafael or his very efficient German wife Eva. This way the ladies can take the cars and visit Granada or wherever (while the boys get on with music) and the Autovia to Granada and Almeria is excellant - if your the driver, you just have to remember not to get lost in the enormous and beautiful landscape.

For those into riding (horses) there is an equestrian school here in Guadix, mountain bikes can be hired at the hotel.

For those that are'nt too energetic, there are two bars in Lugros (the nearest village) 3.5K away and a tranquil stumble and lurch back to the hotel. For those with a weight problem, be warned - the tapas will put the weight on - I know but then you can always get up early for a 10K jog - good idea?

If I can get Rafael to agree, we may be able to organise cook-ins re. Indian/Pakistani/Persian curries/Thai/Chinese/Italian cuisine though the Andalucian lamb casseroles - a small leg of lamb each, should not be missed by Rosa the Galician cook. His wines are a bit limited but that can be remedied by visitors coming laden with wines of their choice. I now have contact with a wholesaler (this is not good news for my liver) who can supply a very good Ribero del Duero and a cheap but excellant Tempranillo from Valdepenas etc etc.

The other option for getting here and really worth thinking about is to drive down, this way other equipment could be brought. Maybe a very good and powerful S/S amp. The trip from either Plymouth- Santander (excellant food/French) or Portsmouth- Bilbao have to be rec. Without panning it - from NW Spain to the South, one day will suffice. Or because France is such a lovely country some might like to include time in France as well.

I think that if a reasonable price can be obtained hiring something like an 8 seater small coach may well be an option. Rotating of drivers making the journey a breeze.

This is the kind of thing that will need a lot of planning but I think will be worthwhile. Granada is known for it's music - Flamenca/Classical/ Rock. Most of this happens in Spring/ early Summer.

I've only given a flavour here, so maybe we should start a thread on this very idea Peter. It maybe there is somewhere in France where this could happen also. In the Netherlands there are small complexes of holiday houses which people hire for a weekend or for a week and if there was somewhere near A'dam, a visit to the Concertebouw is a must - the acoustics are sublime.

I may also be able to negotiate a reduction - all this is possible but first we need input from interested parties.

please look up www.patiodelugros.net

Black Stuart