After watching YouTube and attending a few myself. It appears competitions make the hobby kind of sour. Online were all friends, then comp day rolls around and it's like the wild wild west. I've seen a lot of friends and drama start and end from these "comps" Almost to the point I don't even like attending them. I go to shows to talk interact and enjoy the hobby. I just feel like comps get way too serious. FTLOB!!!!

Every major comp I've been to or competed in has been a blast. Been a few years, but fun while I was there. Only major problems I ran into personally was finding and fixing any and all rattles, then tuning night before competition. Basically no sleep.

 

But no problems with competitors.

Yes, I understand its a competition. Keyword: competition. Maybe it's my area... I've had no problems personally but I've seen and herd alot of it. Could be healthy or destructive not sure. Overall I just would like yalls opinion on what youve seen and maybe how we can make stuff like this more enjoyable. Thoughts?

Not a bad question. And i can see what your saying. For me, and my experiances, its been a absolute joy. I love to compete. Take it kinda serious. 99 percent of my competition is just ourselves. There have been a guy/rig or two i was gunning for. But not from hate, but respect. If you know what i mean. 

But dude,... im ALL about meeting and greeting. Competing takes a back seat for sure. The group i go or roll with, ... thats family. And then, the others, are great great friends. Have many come from out of state, or we go out of state(s) to meet and hang with them. The weeks leading up to the show, its about the rig, the drive up, or over, or whatever, its ALL about getting there to see the people. Our shows are normally a monster family. Everyone knows everyone. Maybe dont care for them, but no hate.

There has been a "issue" here and there. Frustration has came into play, ... some mouths ran, hell ive done it a few times. But never physical, personal, never un forgiving.  Id have a audio rig if there was comps or not, but man... do i love to see everyone. Catch up, meet their families, kids and such. Sit under the tent , have a beer, laugh our asses off..... Man, your making me want to go right now lol.  

I can see what your saying. And why you would wonder though. Ive seen some vids at a show or two there was yelling, shouting and fighting. But, ive never seen it. I love the north, west and south people gatherings. Ive never been further east than wyoming. 99.9 percent of the time, its hugs, fist bumps, and everyone roots everyone on. And everyone helps anyone in need.

I myself, look forward to them big time. I use my vacation/pto time to not miss them. Drive hours to get to them. Spend money on gas, hotel rooms. Whatever it takes. If you have had a bad experiance, that sucks man. But i wouldnt let it drag you down, or stop you at all. 

I look forward to them for months. And a show, thats ran smooth, people have personal bests, or some silly shit happens, get to see a buddy thats states away ya keep in contact with, but dont see but 2 times a year or something,.... man.... it dont get much better for me.

Shows I have competed in have been really fun. I was welcomed & complimented by everyone I ever took the time to engage on a personal level. Several guys from on the forum here and from Team IAK  & many other teams, were so welcoming and friendly. Yeah you had some friendly ball busting & pranks but it's all in fun. You have to have thick skin and let stuff slide off your back sometimes only to find yourself waist deep in another persons ride diagnosing a problem or saving the day with a spare fuse. I've been lucky to have made many awesome memories & had fun with a lot of people who I would have never met and become friends with. David, Chuck, Sean, papa chop, many many others..... Super awesome people, without competition and these shows I never would've been introduced to such amazingly, caring, & friendly people who shared the same hobby. I never came home with a trophy, but I always came back with memories that for all positive reasons I will never forget.

Iv never seen any problems.  There always fun to go to .  Just alot of people that enjoy the hobby and love to help each other and show off there shit

9 hours ago, Jay-C76 said:

Shows I have competed in have been really fun. I was welcomed & complimented by everyone I ever took the time to engage on a personal level. Several guys from on the forum here and from Team IAK  & many other teams, were so welcoming and friendly. Yeah you had some friendly ball busting & pranks but it's all in fun. You have to have thick skin and let stuff slide off your back sometimes only to find yourself waist deep in another persons ride diagnosing a problem or saving the day with a spare fuse. I've been lucky to have made many awesome memories & had fun with a lot of people who I would have never met and become friends with. David, Chuck, Sean, papa chop, many many others..... Super awesome people, without competition and these shows I never would've been introduced to such amazingly, caring, & friendly people who shared the same hobby. I never came home with a trophy, but I always came back with memories that for all positive reasons I will never forget.

Well said

Same here Kylar. I'd post my vacation time and make reservations months in advance for major events. 

1 hour ago, Randal Johnson said:

Same here Kylar. I'd post my vacation time and make reservations months in advance for major events. 

i wouldn't be surprised if i start doing this. i would really like to attend slam sometime. 

1 hour ago, bluedreamz said:

i wouldn't be surprised if i start doing this. i would really like to attend slam sometime. 

Same bro. Slamology, is a MUST go for me as well. I will get there. If it kills me.  So far away, but..... ill get there. 

I wouldn't say competition  destroys the hobby but I find that I go thru a lot less subs now that I don't use bass

cd's and do useless test tones for the mic

1 hour ago, Thumpper said:

I wouldn't say competition  destroys the hobby but I find that I go thru a lot less subs now that I don't use bass

cd's and do useless test tones for the mic

LOL

I will say that I do not miss those expensive hotel bills, dinners / mixed drinks, and all of those other expenses that we had to pay out every trip. 

But if given a chance, I'd be on the road again to another World Finals event no matter where it is.

On 9/1/2016 at 7:20 PM, bluedreamz said:

Maybe it's my area... I've had no problems personally but I've seen and herd alot of it.

Not your area.  Sure it has been more than 20 years since I competed up there, but that just isn't Fargo/Moorhead.  What you've "heard" is heresy and nonsense.  Just go out and try to have fun and you will.

18 hours ago, ///M5 said:

Not your area.  Sure it has been more than 20 years since I competed up there, but that just isn't Fargo/Moorhead.  What you've "heard" is heresy and nonsense.  Just go out and try to have fun and you will.

Agree. Even if there was, or is a meat head acting a fool, or some shit, theres no way it would get in my way. Me and my group would still make the best of it. No way it would hamper the time we would have. It pour'd rain at one show,... some people walked around moaning and growning. Shit, i wasnt at work, or a funeral, or a insurance seminar, soooooo i was fine. Walked around with a big stupid grin all day.

 

All in how you look at it i suppose. 

Going to competitions wasn't really about winning for the most part, but more for getting judges comments on my progress with the system. There's always room for improvement every time you get judged. Honestly gave me something to work towards for the next event. 

Wish I could find time to work on the truck I have now so I can start going to events again !!!

I've actually had about the opposite experience....there's always some beef someone has when they lose but for the most part competing and shows are a lot of fun and a lot of sportsmanship. By the opposite I mean that I've found the arrogance and attitudes the keyboard warriors online have to be draining and taking all the fun out of the hobby.

That being said, I don't like the way a lot of people treat competitions.....it's as if they sometimes forget why we do what we do....not during the shows mind you...but later when people want to ask questions or share experiences online....someone saw something they liked somewhere and suddenly it can be the end all be all of all audio. Or worse the only thing they care about are numbers.....amp specs or sub parameters....or SPL scores...they forget we got into this because we liked music...especially loud music...or maybe we liked the custom installs we saw and the talent and effort that went into them.

And the whole youtube thing is just ridiculous. 

But when I get to the shows and start getting in trucks/cars and talking to the owners and builders of the systems we are all on the same page. Competitors at least understand what it takes to get out there often and to invest in their ride. They understand what the other people have done to get their rides to the show week in and week out. They have respect for that effort....people online not so much

Edited September 16, 20168 yr by musgofasa

40 minutes ago, musgofasa said:

I've actually had about the opposite experience....there's always some beef someone has when they lose but for the most part competing and shows are a lot of fun and a lot of sportsmanship. By the opposite I mean that I've found the arrogance and attitudes the keyboard warriors online have to be draining and taking all the fun out of the hobby.

That being said, I don't like the way a lot of people treat competitions.....it's as if they sometimes forget why we do what we do....not during the shows mind you...but later when people want to ask questions or share experiences online....someone saw something they liked somewhere and suddenly it can be the end all be all of all audio. Or worse the only thing they care about are numbers.....amp specs or sub parameters....or SPL scores...they forget we got into this because we liked music...especially loud music...or maybe we liked the custom installs we saw and the talent and effort that went into them.

And the whole youtube thing is just ridiculous. 

But when I get to the shows and start getting in trucks/cars and talking to the owners and builders of the systems we are all on the same page. Competitors at least understand what it takes to get out there often and to invest in their ride. They understand what the other people have done to get their rides to the show week in and week out. They have respect for that effort....people online not so much

I Agree with this 100%. I have thousands and thousands of dollars worth of equipment in my cars, and all I ever hear online is its junk, or how this speaker or sub is better. But that's ok, cause when I'm out running around I get 10 complements a day on my cars. But that's not why I do it anyways, I work on my cars because I like it. When I get a new car I feel like something is missing until I get a system going. I'm all about that bass!

5 hours ago, musgofasa said:

 They understand what the other people have done to get their rides to the show week in and week out. They have respect for that effort....people online not so much

It's hard sometimes to type what you're trying to say & not have people read it and misunderstand you sometimes. Face to face you can read body language. But on a website there are a lot of ignorant jackasses that love to do nothing but start things by feeling the need to argue & bully people. Speaking only for myself, if I type something or say something that upsets or offends someone I appologize. Unless they need to have something said that makes them upset. I would rather have everyone laughing at something I said on purpose that was stupid than have them think that I am serious and stupid. I know I've been corrected many times and got bent out of shape until I realized I was wrong.

3 minutes ago, Jay-C76 said:

It's hard sometimes to type what you're trying to say & not have people read it and misunderstand you sometimes. Face to face you can read body language. But on a website there are a lot of ignorant jackasses that love to do nothing but start things by feeling the need to argue & bully people. Speaking only for myself, if I type something or say something that upsets or offends someone I appologize. Unless they need to have something said that makes them upset. I would rather have everyone laughing at something I said on purpose that was stupid than have them think that I am serious and stupid. I know I've been corrected many times and got bent out of shape until I realized I was wrong.

Me to ^.