I'm fine also w/ or w/out ads here, just want this amazing forum to keep being amazing whether it has ads or not.
Not sure if I shd write this here or on forum feedback thread, do ads effect loading speeds that much for everyone? My own inexpert experience is that page load speeds depend more on my device/com speed, location, isp n other factors independent of ads, I thot. I experience slow loads cos my shit phone, slow wifi, too many tabs open n time wise/when too many users/either here or the pipe connection thru my continent to wherever ur server ultimately located is, my beliefs only (only ur stats will tell for sure.) also maybe wherever the ads r loading from, maybe. (I'm bragging to say I disabled ad blocker for ur site cos of trust n faith to see the ads so that it might add to kps revenue.)
I hv my confidence in ur ability to make ads work for this site to ur satisfaction if it can b done, I'm sure u'll make it work. (Another factor could be the ad service ur using/servers load time to user. Noticed whenever I'm browsing that other forum their site loads w/ads take longer or just as long but maybe ur standards r stricter?) u don't hv to explain just FYI from my (unqualified) exp. u deal more w/tech issues n i studied graphic design n dabbled w/design tangent to advertising so our perspectives r a bit different.
I believe in this forum n ur vision/hope for it becoming premier kpop destination so just do as you envision to balance ads vs speed.