First of all, huge thanks to Jaap ( paaj ), and his mama&papa, who were organising and hosting the whole thing. The location & house were great, to say the last, beautiful. Another huge thanks to everyone who took a time to help with food, coffee and tea etc, really nice of you.
Another mega thanks to Henk (tohenk2 ) who gave me a ride and make it possible for me to come, but not only, to have the opportunity to try his amazing headphone collection as well.
One little min point, Henk and I must leave to early, so, I having some hard time to give the fully & detailed impressions about the gear I tried, sorry about that. There were also not that many matched amps to try them with, next time we need that guys as more sources to, so, less laptops more CD players and amps.
Here we go.
The eye opener
He Audio/Jade electrostats + GES Woo amp ( aRRR set up ): Never been a truly fan of electrostats, but with this combo I got the feeling that there is something that still take my attention, which this combo was. I am quite impressed with the space / airiness of these stats, compare to HE60 they reproduce huge space, which was bit like to K1000, not as natural, but still. Bass was good, but I was missing tightness, it was bit loosy, however buy changing of IC, and I am sure if Woo gets some NOS 12AX7 pre tubes, this issue will not be there anymore. Even with their huge reproduced space found them quite balanced sounding through the whole sound spectrum. They are quite picky to the record and possible to the rest of the gear they are connected to. Comfort wise, well, not bad. They are light weight, but I think if you have small head, you may be having little "problem" to keep them tight while moving, however can be wrong. These babies cost like USD 1500 and made in China, I believe, so, here are some issues. For that money I expect better quality material, but also the finish, which wasn't top notch, however they do come with luxury box. Leaving this aside, like their sound better than HE60.
Big boys
L3000 & R10 (tohenk2): This meet offered amazing quantity of headphones, but matched amps just weren't there, so, don't take this impression to serious.
R10 are quite light and pretty comfy, found them having better comfort than CD3k I had in the past. Finish is good, but not amazingly impressiver than W5000 for example, so, lets leave it there. Sound wise I wasn't impressed, flat and lifeless, that's all I can say. I tried them on two amps, first was Akai AM69 Power Amp
and second was KEES's small USD 600 Goldpoint amp, which did significally better job with both of them, however not good enough to say more, sorry. L3000 are the same story, not that I found them flat, just not enough energy came out to say more. Like I wrote, to many headphones and not that many matched amps, pity. I will not say anything more until I get the chance to hear them with the right set up, other than that I wasn't blown away, if you can say so, especially when we are talking about money these costs, no way I going invest that much.
And more...
Stax 404 ( paaj ): I listened to it very briefly and they leaved quite nice impressions, not that I am going to buy them or any stats, however for the money they sounded better than HE60, but than again, we had one great GES Woo amp, which did better job using with Jade than HE60. Unfortunately I didn't try 404 through it, expect to sound even better.
DT48E - To heavy and industrial looking/finish, they looks same as they sound, nothing special.
Ultrasone Pro900 ( modded by KEES ) - Another interesting headphone. I found them to dark for my taste, but some strong points, like bass, without blowing the rest and still quite balanced made them very interesting, not enough for me, but certainly with great potentials, pity I missed ED9, next time maybe.
W5000 - I like these and probably would buy if I need some closed back, just find a matched amp for them and enjoy. Most what I like about them is there ability to sound not as closed back, but having enough space/soundstage to create nice open feeling. The rest of the spectrum are very good, at least to my liking, never had a single issue with comfort either, great headphones.
Grado HF2 ( paaj ) - Using with Graham solo was pretty nice, but with KEES's amp not, to shrill, especially when you compare them to PS1, which to me are the best Grado ever made, well after my beloved GS1k and Yoshino HP4, was glad to hear them again, thanks to KEES by bringing them again. Also tried SR325i through LD MKIII amp+LD CDP 1 player set up ( Stitch ), great combo, very good headphones and LD set up to, was quite impressed how good LD sounded, great budget amp, especially when you invest in some NOS tubes. There was Cambridge magic DAC as well, in that set up, all by all, very good combination.
HD800 - Not quite understand them. I tried them with budget NAD set up ( cd player+integrated amp ) and they leaved the same impressions as with other gear I tried. Still having some questions about their focus and not been involving enough, seems that they are trying to be great headphones, but having hard time. For example reproducing of piano, where you can clearly hear that last hit, which do sound right, but there is no weight or life behind, so, the whole representation feels like not finished, which may translates in artificial kind of sound, don't know guys. To me, they try to be the stats, while they are dynamic and that's where I cant put them in the same league with K1000 at all, they just don't hold it. On the other hand I do understand why they are loved by many, cos Sennheiser have produced something that maybe with next model will hit the top rank. Their finish, look and comfort are good, way better than HD650, but for now no HD800 for me.
Sorry guys/girls if I didn't mention everyone buy name, cos like I wrote, was to short for me to have that last fun to know you better, with beer and chips, which I regret by not be there. On the positive side, meeting all of you, where some I know for years ( Kees and Indra ) and others just for the first time, with no differences, all, for sure, leaved enough good impressions and take their own place in my memories. My apologies to Henk that he was missing his family event, cos of that stupid traffic problem, hoping you were fine after all. My greetings to Anouk, keep it that way, was very nice to meet you in person to. All by all I enjoy this meet very much, thank you all and hopefully see you next time again.
Here some pics
Beautiful place
And of course great people and set ups
apatN, Drosera & ZarakiSan
tohenk2, Anouk & Contrastique
tohenk2&Anouk
tohenk2 & Contrastique
apatN
Stitch
Contrastique, Drosera and aRRR
Another mega thanks to Henk (tohenk2 ) who gave me a ride and make it possible for me to come, but not only, to have the opportunity to try his amazing headphone collection as well.
One little min point, Henk and I must leave to early, so, I having some hard time to give the fully & detailed impressions about the gear I tried, sorry about that. There were also not that many matched amps to try them with, next time we need that guys as more sources to, so, less laptops more CD players and amps.
Here we go.
The eye opener
He Audio/Jade electrostats + GES Woo amp ( aRRR set up ): Never been a truly fan of electrostats, but with this combo I got the feeling that there is something that still take my attention, which this combo was. I am quite impressed with the space / airiness of these stats, compare to HE60 they reproduce huge space, which was bit like to K1000, not as natural, but still. Bass was good, but I was missing tightness, it was bit loosy, however buy changing of IC, and I am sure if Woo gets some NOS 12AX7 pre tubes, this issue will not be there anymore. Even with their huge reproduced space found them quite balanced sounding through the whole sound spectrum. They are quite picky to the record and possible to the rest of the gear they are connected to. Comfort wise, well, not bad. They are light weight, but I think if you have small head, you may be having little "problem" to keep them tight while moving, however can be wrong. These babies cost like USD 1500 and made in China, I believe, so, here are some issues. For that money I expect better quality material, but also the finish, which wasn't top notch, however they do come with luxury box. Leaving this aside, like their sound better than HE60.
Big boys
L3000 & R10 (tohenk2): This meet offered amazing quantity of headphones, but matched amps just weren't there, so, don't take this impression to serious.
R10 are quite light and pretty comfy, found them having better comfort than CD3k I had in the past. Finish is good, but not amazingly impressiver than W5000 for example, so, lets leave it there. Sound wise I wasn't impressed, flat and lifeless, that's all I can say. I tried them on two amps, first was Akai AM69 Power Amp
and second was KEES's small USD 600 Goldpoint amp, which did significally better job with both of them, however not good enough to say more, sorry. L3000 are the same story, not that I found them flat, just not enough energy came out to say more. Like I wrote, to many headphones and not that many matched amps, pity. I will not say anything more until I get the chance to hear them with the right set up, other than that I wasn't blown away, if you can say so, especially when we are talking about money these costs, no way I going invest that much.
And more...
Stax 404 ( paaj ): I listened to it very briefly and they leaved quite nice impressions, not that I am going to buy them or any stats, however for the money they sounded better than HE60, but than again, we had one great GES Woo amp, which did better job using with Jade than HE60. Unfortunately I didn't try 404 through it, expect to sound even better.
DT48E - To heavy and industrial looking/finish, they looks same as they sound, nothing special.
Ultrasone Pro900 ( modded by KEES ) - Another interesting headphone. I found them to dark for my taste, but some strong points, like bass, without blowing the rest and still quite balanced made them very interesting, not enough for me, but certainly with great potentials, pity I missed ED9, next time maybe.
W5000 - I like these and probably would buy if I need some closed back, just find a matched amp for them and enjoy. Most what I like about them is there ability to sound not as closed back, but having enough space/soundstage to create nice open feeling. The rest of the spectrum are very good, at least to my liking, never had a single issue with comfort either, great headphones.
Grado HF2 ( paaj ) - Using with Graham solo was pretty nice, but with KEES's amp not, to shrill, especially when you compare them to PS1, which to me are the best Grado ever made, well after my beloved GS1k and Yoshino HP4, was glad to hear them again, thanks to KEES by bringing them again. Also tried SR325i through LD MKIII amp+LD CDP 1 player set up ( Stitch ), great combo, very good headphones and LD set up to, was quite impressed how good LD sounded, great budget amp, especially when you invest in some NOS tubes. There was Cambridge magic DAC as well, in that set up, all by all, very good combination.
HD800 - Not quite understand them. I tried them with budget NAD set up ( cd player+integrated amp ) and they leaved the same impressions as with other gear I tried. Still having some questions about their focus and not been involving enough, seems that they are trying to be great headphones, but having hard time. For example reproducing of piano, where you can clearly hear that last hit, which do sound right, but there is no weight or life behind, so, the whole representation feels like not finished, which may translates in artificial kind of sound, don't know guys. To me, they try to be the stats, while they are dynamic and that's where I cant put them in the same league with K1000 at all, they just don't hold it. On the other hand I do understand why they are loved by many, cos Sennheiser have produced something that maybe with next model will hit the top rank. Their finish, look and comfort are good, way better than HD650, but for now no HD800 for me.
Sorry guys/girls if I didn't mention everyone buy name, cos like I wrote, was to short for me to have that last fun to know you better, with beer and chips, which I regret by not be there. On the positive side, meeting all of you, where some I know for years ( Kees and Indra ) and others just for the first time, with no differences, all, for sure, leaved enough good impressions and take their own place in my memories. My apologies to Henk that he was missing his family event, cos of that stupid traffic problem, hoping you were fine after all. My greetings to Anouk, keep it that way, was very nice to meet you in person to. All by all I enjoy this meet very much, thank you all and hopefully see you next time again.
Here some pics
Beautiful place
And of course great people and set ups
apatN, Drosera & ZarakiSan
tohenk2, Anouk & Contrastique
tohenk2&Anouk
tohenk2 & Contrastique
apatN
Stitch
Contrastique, Drosera and aRRR
)
). Oh, and I would like to say thanks to Drosera for making the most delicious brownies ever (the kind of brownies that if you take two you're stuffed 
).
.
), K1000 much smaller than expected, Symphony is very big. Fun to see how different pictures really are.
and I didn't listen to my own HP's. BTW it is supposed to be the bass heavy version based on the serial. But still, that was part of the fun - sharing and letting others experience my HP's on their own setup. I will not sell them, just like I will keep the L3000 for as long as I can (forever) (...never say never...), so next time I will bring them with the amp and CDP I use myself. But they do sound quite different compared with the Ultrasones. I still like the Ed8, even as I don't think them realistic. No hurry there, they are still in production. My guess is - that no mather what, you will not like them.
