I agree.
This is probably the best show out of the years I've attended. Great open/relaxed layout with plenty of top-notch vendors and many new releases/prototypes.
Some highlights from Day 1, include:
iFi Retro
A multi-purpose, multi-function tube headphone/speaker amplifier that sounded very sweet, but at the same time detailed and full. Very nice sound coming from my portable DAP, connected by bluetooth and through my HD650s, DAP/Cable shown in the first picture above, which it drove better than 90% of what I've heard the HD650s through; very impressive. The Retro comes with two bookshelf size 2 way speakers that unfortunately weren't hooked up (being that it is in the headphone area); there may even be a subwoofer as well in the near future, which would make this quite the little bedroom setup that the even a spouse might compliment. With the additions of tonal controls, plus their proprietary bass and holographic 3D sound management controls, the tweak-ability/use-ability of this amplifier is high. I wish I knew all the specs, but it pushes 25 watts per channel and the bluetooth worked flawlessly from my DAP. All in all, great sound coming out of this amp and in what some would argue as a more fashionable and timeless way with its old-school design/looks.
They also had a matching bamboo turntable that looked awesome, but unfortunately wasn't hooked-up either (maybe tomorrow).
In addition their component stack, which is a plug-n-play component type design/model, that is very cool and sounds very good.
VK Music
If you haven't checked out any of the DIY Elekit speaker/headphone amplifiers before, I highly recommend that you go and see Victor from VK Music in the side lobby. He has some really great kits with him this year as well as a few new more portable solutions as well. In addition, I highly recommend that you try out the
Elekit TU-8200 DX, which is my current main amplifier and just sounds amazing through
Oasis Speakers 8 inch single drivers. Below are a few pictures; the single drivers shown below are made using no-other than gourds, very cool:
Mr Speakers - Alpha Prime
The Alpha Prime really did sound better to me than the Alpha Dog; not to dog on the Dog, as it is a great sounding closed headphone, but to me the Prime had more warmth with more body/weight to the sound/tone as well as being a bit more detailed than the Dog. However, going for around a grand, is it worth the extra coinage... hard to tell as their are some fine peers in its price group, however I would say that after my brief audition with them today, I definitely would want the Primes over the Dogs; even though I could live with the Dogs, the extra sophistication/detail and the fullness of the sound of the Primes over the Dogs was noticeable. Now for an extra $400 over the Dogs, how much that noticeably is worth to you is up to your ears. Both are highly recommended.
Alpha Dogs with the Schiit DAC/AMP combo I used to compare to the Alpha Primes
More to come tomorrow, but below are a few additional pictures I took today:
Now to rest for round 2!!