MWAF the under $200 category----I'm $3 over again

[ugly woofer]

Well I'm actually at $203.38. Last year in my original configuration the peanuts were to use the m8a, and that would have put me about $3 over, so I changed to the m8n. No harm no foul just a pain. Well this year I think I will just leave it as is and bring a knife to gun fight so to speak. I really wish that PE would give a cost of living increase- maybe $250 and under. I'm just complaining, but seriously what are your guys thoughts.

[tomzarbo]

I know how you feel, kind of.

A few years ago when I bought my 'Classic Tension Headaches' in the under $200 category, I was sweating leading up to the event because I was about $10 or so away from the limit. I could just see there being a a slight increase in the price of the four classic woofers they used which would have killed it for me. Luckily, even a year later, the price for all the drivers was still under the limit, but I was still pretty nervous at the time.

Is there any way to get the driver you need from another supplier at a cheaper retail outlet? I think as long as it's retail and not 'used' you would be okay.

I think $200 is a good limit still, but that's just me. As long as everyone is playing by the same rules, it's good. I think you can do a lot with $200 in drivers.

TomZ

[ugly woofer]

Don't get me wrong, I knew the rules ahead of time, it is completely my fault. I start designing a speaker without regard to cost, sometimes its using drivers I already own, sometimes it's just what I think will work together. It's just strange that I keep coming up a few dollars over. I don't really care about winning, I would just like to hear them next other similarly priced speakers. There is no way a $7 tb tweeter is going to be comparable to a scan, tl labs, or hiq. Maybe I'll have time to build something different for MWAF

[jhollander]

My Synergy horn is $237.34, so $250 is good for me

[4thtry]

I would vote for $250 also, but the problem is, once you get over $250, you have the same problem. You just moved it up to a slightly higher price level. I was at $288 for my Plumber's Delight speakers, which forced me into the "high end" over 200 category. What would you think about adding a "middle of the road" category, say 200-500, to the existing breakouts?

[JRT]

Well I'm actually at $203.38. Last year in my original configuration the peanuts were to use the m8a, and that would have put me about $3 over, so I changed to the m8n. No harm no foul just a pain. Well this year I think I will just leave it as is and bring a knife to gun fight so to speak. I really wish that PE would give a cost of living increase- maybe $250 and under. I'm just complaining, but seriously what are your guys thoughts.

Maybe take another look at the components that you used in the crossover and see if you might be able to substitute some lower priced components to shave a little cost.

[Wolf]

Well- my Nephila were $204, or thereabouts, and we know how that turned out.
I vote leave it the same as it is.

JRT- it's drivers only.

Wolf

[philthien]

Well- my Nephila were $204, or thereabouts, and we know how that turned out.
I vote leave it the same as it is.

JRT- it's drivers only.

Wolf

Was it disqualified?

[Paul K.]

I'm pretty sure that if you bought drivers at their normal selling prices and their normal prices were increased before the event, I don't think it would count against you, unlike using drivers that you got on sale at temporarily reduced prices. In my Balmora design from 2 years ago, I bought the SB woofer from the one of two suppliers having the lower regular price, so I could stay under the $200 limit.
Paul

I know how you feel, kind of.

A few years ago when I bought my 'Classic Tension Headaches' in the under $200 category, I was sweating leading up to the event because I was about $10 or so away from the limit. I could just see there being a a slight increase in the price of the four classic woofers they used which would have killed it for me. Luckily, even a year later, the price for all the drivers was still under the limit, but I was still pretty nervous at the time.

Is there any way to get the driver you need from another supplier at a cheaper retail outlet? I think as long as it's retail and not 'used' you would be okay.

I think $200 is a good limit still, but that's just me. As long as everyone is playing by the same rules, it's good. I think you can do a lot with $200 in drivers.

TomZ

[isaeagle4031]

Was it disqualified?

No, just put it in the over $200 class. My Armonicos were much the same, just barely over. Had I used what I actually paid for the drivers I could have entered the lower class, but that just wouldn't be right.

[Kevin K.]

Nick, a lot of the drivers have quantity discounts at 4 pcs. That's technically still retail pricing. Build two pair, enter one pair in the under $200 and one pair in the over $200. All kidding aside, I agree, the prices of drivers go up each year but the category limit stays the same, makes it tough to conform. $250 would be better in my opinion.

[kenny_k]

Make it $250, but include xo's.

[Wolf]

Kenny- Dayton has never included xover parts. I think the reason for this is it's easier to regulate the cost requirements.
Wolf

[philthien]

No, just put it in the over $200 class. My Armonicos were much the same, just barely over. Had I used what I actually paid for the drivers I could have entered the lower class, but that just wouldn't be right.

Oh no, that seems harsh.

It seems any price point is going to be somewhat arbitrary.

It would be interesting if a formula could be developed that would include the driver prices in the score.

But that would be sort of like computing value, I suppose, so the higher-end stuff might suffer unfairly.

Interesting problem, though.

[ernperkins]

The "just barely over" problem will exist at any price point; if it's bumped up to $250 you'll just be enticed to go with better drivers. I like the idea of an intermediate category, but it would cause PE more logistics complications in scheduling, judging, etc. So if I were PE I'd keep the current limits. Just my two cents.