ChiUniFi 2009 Impressions - Page 3

Updated my impressions in post # 12.

Thanks for sharing pictures and impressions. Looks like an awesome meeting!

Asr – First off, those are some awesome pics! I’m tempted to remove my pics out of embarrasment! Glad to help removing the flange – it was in there pretty deep! Hopefully no further problems. I’m really sorry for getting there so late! I have to just plan on doing nothing else in the AM, esp if someone else is counting on me for listening.


Aura- It was great to see you, too! We totally have to hang; I wish we lived closer! Too bad I didn’t go to the Ram, it sounds great; the family heartstrings were tugging on me.

Not realizing that there would be a separate impressions thread, I posted a short blurb on the original thread...anyway, I thought that I'd share a few impressions.

It was great meeting so many people, and I appreciate being welcomed to my first meet. The entire experience was really educational for me.

My intention was to compare different brands of headphones and get a sense of what each company generally sounds like. Having only ever heard Grados, I especially wanted to listen to some Senns and AKGs. Senns were not my cup of tea. They were too dark and the HD650 especially was too heavy on the bass for me. The HD600s were pretty good but still not my favorite.

I loved the AKG k601 and K701. The headphones' neutrality (at least, what I perceive as neutrality) was right up my alley. I was especially enamored by its tight, focused bass. It seemed like, if the recording was bass heavy, the AKGs would put out plenty of bass, and if the recording was bass light, the AKG would do likewise.

I also found that I really like the upfront, Grado sound. It's a lot of fun with rock music, to which I listen a lot, but I wouldn't want it with classical, jazz, ETC., especially with its lack of soundstage. Ohh, and I like bowls versus flat pads, just my two cents.

I had always wanted to try a Headamp Gilmore Lite, GS-1, or GS-X. Aura's Gilmore Lite was a great little unit. I loved the build quality. I would still love to hear a GS-1 and GS-X at some point. When it comes time to buy a headphone amp one day, I'll probably go with a model from Headamp. I'm a definite fan of the solid state sound versus tubes, and Headamp seems to produce great solid state amps.

I was also pleasantly surprised to see that I was not the only person with a vintage receiver as a headphone amp. I think that it was Doug who showed me how to fix my volume pot...whoever it was, thank you. I got the thing tightened up and it's working like a champ.

I'm sure that there's more that I could say, but that's enough for now. I'm looking forward to some future meets and seeing people again.

well... My wife has vowed to never let me attend another meet. She doesn't care about my wallet, but after Saturday is suddenly concerned with "our" wallet.

I was another one of the first-timers. As such, I felt very welcome amongst the Chicago crew, and have come to appreciate the effort that goes into a meet like this. With that, many thanks to the gents mentioned above for all of the work that went into this meet, and all of your efforts looking ahead to CanJam. This was a good taste, and my appetite is certainly wet for the big show in June.(speaking of appetites, I can now recommend the meatloaf sandwich at The Ram, quite tasty!)

If I learned anything at this meet it's that you should always bring a pad and pen...You hear that newbies? Bring a pad and pen!!! You'll want to take notes. I failed in this respect, and am kicking myself for it. C'est la vie.

I got to hear too much great gear to list. Here are a few things I managed to remember...

System synergy is real, and finding complimentary gear within a system is crucial. This was apparent in the room.

dsavitsk's solid state beast made sweet love with the grados, while making the beyers cry for their mother.

morphsci's Eddie Current Balancing Act is bar none the quietest amp I've ever heard. The noise floor is nonexistent. I'm not sure if this is a result of the BA, the source, or both, but that system is black as night.

ASR's WA22 has me rethinking my own choices, and now...Merry Christmas to me. Based on my impressions it will be a versatile entry into the balanced world. Which also means time for my first re-cable.

I thoroughly enjoyed myself on Saturday. The opportunity to hear the equipment, and learn from the many years of experience in the room was a blessing indeed. I'll look forward to future events, and to being able to contribute further, as I gain experience myself.

Thanks again guys!

I've posted my pics of the Hyatt Regency O'Hare in the CanJam 2010 forum here: http://www.head-fi.org/forums/6146954-post242.html

It was nice to finally meet everyone. CanJam should be quite an event. I didn't get a chance to listen to a whole lot of gear, but I can say that those HE-5's are something special.

Transconductance. Basically a current source. This is an amp that, as noted below, is really specialized for Grados -- it isn't just that high Z phones don't sound good, they actively sound bad. But Grados are great.

That's a DAC

That was the solid state amp that the HE-5's went so well with -- really a special combo. They were passably OK with the pentode amp, but nothing I'd want to spend a lot of time with. By the way, don't take that as a "HE-5's go well with solid state" sort of statement as I have no idea if this is the case -- the solid state amp is a bit of an oddball, too.

And that was the pentode (tube) amp (the transconductance one) that only works with Grados.