Yet another of our presenters - a bit of the exotic on Sunday!
Tony Salsich: The Hill Type I Plasma Speaker: How It Works, and How You Can Hear It For Yourself
Tony Salsich worked for Alan Hill at Plasmatronics Inc. from 1977 to 1990. He helped design some of the electronics supporting the Hill type I plasma loudspeaker and worked the CES shows with Alan. During those years he got an incomparable education in pulsed power and laser physics. He currently designs welding and induction heating power sources for Miller Electric in Appleton, WI.
When faced with the 2020 Covid lockdown, Tony finally accomplished his dream of resurrecting his personal pair of plasma speakers; designing the high voltage power supplies and class A amps from scratch. Tony also plays the Gansa in a Balinese Gamelan group.
Tony Salsich: The Hill Type I Plasma Speaker: How It Works, and How You Can Hear It For Yourself
Tony Salsich worked for Alan Hill at Plasmatronics Inc. from 1977 to 1990. He helped design some of the electronics supporting the Hill type I plasma loudspeaker and worked the CES shows with Alan. During those years he got an incomparable education in pulsed power and laser physics. He currently designs welding and induction heating power sources for Miller Electric in Appleton, WI.
When faced with the 2020 Covid lockdown, Tony finally accomplished his dream of resurrecting his personal pair of plasma speakers; designing the high voltage power supplies and class A amps from scratch. Tony also plays the Gansa in a Balinese Gamelan group.
Hi everybody, just a friendly reminder to the participants, please bring your own power strips, extension cords, power cables, interconnects and speaker cables. If you are going to need a music source, amp or speakers to complete your system please speak up. Tom will mate your components with others. One last thing please have a small write up of your components, so others can view it when you are not around.
I am concerned about being around lots of people so I will not be attending this year. I wish everyone a great show. Hopefully I'll be back next year.
I am concerned about being around lots of people so I will not be attending this year. I wish everyone a great show. Hopefully I'll be back next year.
And of course a key part of Burning Amp is finding out what Nelson Pass has been up to.
Nelson Pass: Current Topics
“Papa” Nelson Pass needs little introduction to the DIY community and to attendees of Burning Amp having been there from the start.
In 1974, he received his BS in physics from the University of California-Davis. While there he and Mike Maher founded the small speaker company PMA. From 1973 to 1974, he was employed at ESS and assisted Dr. Oskar Heil with crossover design, woofer selection, and final build cabinetry of audiophile, consumer grade loudspeakers. Nelson Pass holds 6 patents related to magneplanar speakers.
After graduating in 1974, he and René Besne founded Threshold Electronics. Threshold is perhaps best known for the "Stasis" amplifiers . He sold Threshold Electronics in 1997. In the mid 1980s, Pass also designed the well-reviewed Adcom GFA-555 amplifer.
Pass Labs was founded in 1991. Notable Pass Class A product lines include the "Aleph" series of single-ended amplifiers. The X series amplifiers, which make use of the SuperSymmetry topology (patented by Pass) giving extremely low distortion levels, and the XA series, which combine the two. In parallel with Pass Labs, Pass also runs First Watt, a "kitchen table" commercial venture which produces, in very limited numbers, low-power / minimalist Class A designs.
Nelson Pass has been a champion of the DIY community for decades, beginning with a series of articles in Audio Amateur magazine introducing the “Zen” variations, amplifiers that answer the question “What is the sound of one transistor clapping?” His more recent designs introduced at prior Burning Amps, include the ACA (Amp Camp Amp), DIY Bi-Amp 6-24 Crossover, ACP+ (Amp Camp Pre-amp + Headphone Amp) and most recently the ACA Mini. His Moth SLOB (Slot-Loaded Open Baffle) was built at the Speaker Camp held this June in Sonoma County.
Nelson Pass: Current Topics
“Papa” Nelson Pass needs little introduction to the DIY community and to attendees of Burning Amp having been there from the start.
In 1974, he received his BS in physics from the University of California-Davis. While there he and Mike Maher founded the small speaker company PMA. From 1973 to 1974, he was employed at ESS and assisted Dr. Oskar Heil with crossover design, woofer selection, and final build cabinetry of audiophile, consumer grade loudspeakers. Nelson Pass holds 6 patents related to magneplanar speakers.
After graduating in 1974, he and René Besne founded Threshold Electronics. Threshold is perhaps best known for the "Stasis" amplifiers . He sold Threshold Electronics in 1997. In the mid 1980s, Pass also designed the well-reviewed Adcom GFA-555 amplifer.
Pass Labs was founded in 1991. Notable Pass Class A product lines include the "Aleph" series of single-ended amplifiers. The X series amplifiers, which make use of the SuperSymmetry topology (patented by Pass) giving extremely low distortion levels, and the XA series, which combine the two. In parallel with Pass Labs, Pass also runs First Watt, a "kitchen table" commercial venture which produces, in very limited numbers, low-power / minimalist Class A designs.
Nelson Pass has been a champion of the DIY community for decades, beginning with a series of articles in Audio Amateur magazine introducing the “Zen” variations, amplifiers that answer the question “What is the sound of one transistor clapping?” His more recent designs introduced at prior Burning Amps, include the ACA (Amp Camp Amp), DIY Bi-Amp 6-24 Crossover, ACP+ (Amp Camp Pre-amp + Headphone Amp) and most recently the ACA Mini. His Moth SLOB (Slot-Loaded Open Baffle) was built at the Speaker Camp held this June in Sonoma County.
Good point Sean! I have neglected the first time attendees who are not familiar with Burning Amp.
Burning Amp is the Do It Yourself festival. It is YOUR festival. There is no paid staff except the folks who are helping with the live stream for Zoom. So bring your project and display it with pride. If you have a project to display come early. Someone (usually Variac) will be waiting to direct you to a table and pair up amplifier projects with speaker projects, etc. If you have a high end system which you want to seriously audition, let me know in advance so you can be directed to the proper room. Read Nikon F's post above - bring a project writeup, cables, power strips and extension cords, Gaff tape, etc.
Since we are a Do It Yourself festival be prepared to help with setup, load out, and whatever else needs doing. The folks in a given room should work together so everyone gets to demo their systems. We will need other volunteers throughout the day. I will try to organize the schedule so that there is time to get things done so no one misses anything.
So yes Sean, buy a ticket on Eventbrite, bring your project, and be ready learn something, meet some great people, and to have an amazing time!
-Tom-
I've got ten spare PCBs for the "hedgehog" version of Nelson Pass's Amp Camp Amp, that I'll give away at the catered lunch during this year's Burning Amp Festival. If you'll be at Burning Amp on Sunday AND if you'll be attending the lunch AND if you want these boards, send me a private message "Conversation" today {don't wait!} and I'll give you all ten boards at the lunch.
If by some miracle, more than one BAF attendee wants them, I'll divide them up and give them out at the lunch. If by some greater miracle, more than five attendees want them, I'll choose 5 recipients by flipping coins and I'll hand the PCBs out at the lunch. 5 people x 2 monoblock PCBs per person (a stereo pair) = 10 boards given out.
And if nobody wants them I'll put the boards in the prize hopper for the raffle.
These are "RACAM" boards - Round ACA Monoblock. (thread #1 link) , (thread #2 link)
If by some miracle, more than one BAF attendee wants them, I'll divide them up and give them out at the lunch. If by some greater miracle, more than five attendees want them, I'll choose 5 recipients by flipping coins and I'll hand the PCBs out at the lunch. 5 people x 2 monoblock PCBs per person (a stereo pair) = 10 boards given out.
And if nobody wants them I'll put the boards in the prize hopper for the raffle.
These are "RACAM" boards - Round ACA Monoblock. (thread #1 link) , (thread #2 link)
So, I asked earlier and didn't get any response.
I'd be willing to bring my suite of HP test equipment to the show and test amplifiers for distortion and power output if people would like me to.
If there isn't any interest I'll leave that mess at home and just bring along something I built.
Is anyone interested in the opportunity to obtain accurate power output/distortion/ frequency response measurements for their project?
Anyone?
I'd be willing to bring my suite of HP test equipment to the show and test amplifiers for distortion and power output if people would like me to.
If there isn't any interest I'll leave that mess at home and just bring along something I built.
Is anyone interested in the opportunity to obtain accurate power output/distortion/ frequency response measurements for their project?
Anyone?
Super idea! We would have a place for you in the Firehouse Sunday morning along with Scott Hinson who has volunteered to test speakers.
-Tom-
Thank you very much, Tom. It is going to be a great pleasure to join you for a fun weekend
. -Sean-
Down to one last seat for the ACA ReduxBuild Camp before we go to waitlist.
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/burnin...mason-sf-in-person-event-tickets-413085428637
-Tom-
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/burnin...mason-sf-in-person-event-tickets-413085428637
-Tom-
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BAF Sunday Indian Lunch at Firehouse (12-12:30pm)
RaaviSF will again be providing a delicious Indian lunch at the Firehouse. Cost is $16 which is more than last time, but Covid and inflation has affected all San Francisco events and venues. Sit outside and enjoy al fresco dining! (The San Francisco forecast for Sunday is 70 degrees.)
For anyone interested in building a pair of the Amp Camp Redux mono-block amplifiers Saturday morning, there is still ONE seat left.
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/burnin...mason-sf-in-person-event-tickets-413085428637
More news soon! See you there!
-Tom-
RaaviSF will again be providing a delicious Indian lunch at the Firehouse. Cost is $16 which is more than last time, but Covid and inflation has affected all San Francisco events and venues. Sit outside and enjoy al fresco dining! (The San Francisco forecast for Sunday is 70 degrees.)
For anyone interested in building a pair of the Amp Camp Redux mono-block amplifiers Saturday morning, there is still ONE seat left.
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/burnin...mason-sf-in-person-event-tickets-413085428637
More news soon! See you there!
-Tom-
Tom:
It appears that I am the first person to sign up for lunch. In the past, the Indian meals served at Burning Amp have been excellent. To everyone who is on the fence about buying a lunch ticket, don't bother: I plan on starving myself the day before and eating it all myself.
Looking forward to seeing you all in a few days!
Regards,
Scott
It appears that I am the first person to sign up for lunch. In the past, the Indian meals served at Burning Amp have been excellent. To everyone who is on the fence about buying a lunch ticket, don't bother: I plan on starving myself the day before and eating it all myself.
Looking forward to seeing you all in a few days!
Regards,
Scott
Hey, for lunch, is that show up with $16 in hand, or online ticket / reservation or call dibbs here in the thread or anything? I don't want to force Scott to shoulder the entire burden of eating all that food without doing my part... Already bought the BA ticket so if you just put it onto the eventbrite site I might havta... do... something?
Yes it is a separate ticket in Eventbrite. I urge you to go ahead and get a ticket in advance so you are assured of lunch (we may sell out).
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/burnin...mason-sf-in-person-event-tickets-413085428637
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/burnin...mason-sf-in-person-event-tickets-413085428637
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