I was only able to spend about 2 hours at this meet, so my biggest impression is that 2 hours is not enough time for a meet. That said--
--I spent some time listening to a prototype earbuds that Nankai provided, and comparing it to my E500. I'm not sure if it had a model number or name--it was *not* the modified PK1. I found that the earbud sounded good overall, though the highs were somewhat exaggerated to my ear.
--I really liked Barry's Darkvoice with my Sennheiser HD580, and also with Barry's k701. I didn't like it so much with Grado RS-1s.
--Through the Melos, the RS-1s had a much better overall presentation, though they still have a treble emphasis that I find fatiguing. (There is clearly a theme here: I seem to definitely prefer a warmer presentation to a bright presentation.)
--I went back and forth comparing my k501 to Barry's k701 through his Darkvoice. They definitely sound different. The k701 had a somewhat stronger bass and a bit more forwardness in the upper register, but the k501 really held its own. I honestly couldn't decide which one I prefer.
--I spent a fair amount of time comparing the stock 650 cable on my HD580 to several aftermarket cables. The aftermarket cables are certainly better built and I suspect will last longer, and they're pretty, but they didn't make an appreciable difference to my ears. Clearly, others have a different experience, but this confirmed to me that my money would be better spent on other parts of the system besides cables.
Overall, I was pleasantly surprised to confirm that I am quite happy with the HD580, k501 and E500. There were some great-sounding pieces of gear at the meet, but nothing that made me feel like I need to trash my existing cans and get something new.
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