To All, a wonderful time!!!!
I also was stricken with the talk too much, listen too little syndrome, but no complaints, I truly enjoyed meeting everybody and look forward to the next Meet!!!
This was my first Meet, and Theogenes, you have set the bar incredibly high, hope we can accept the challenge as a group to make every meet progressively better.
Listening; this was my first opportunity to step outside my stable and listen too some of the best phones available from Sennheiser, Audeze, other Hifiman's and some tremendous front ends.
First, as much as I like to think my 560's are the greatest thing since sliced bread, the HD800's, HE-6, various generations of Audeze Cans, and the surprising T1, remain the top game in town, at what they do best. The HD800's soundstage is too die for, clarity, insight into the musical event, just wish I had more time to listen to them, and on some tube gear, the the Meier Stack was one of my "big 4 surprises". B., the HE-6, on your set-up, was ethereal, sublime, and purely musical, while the modded 560 had a slight edge in body, the 6's had the extremes wired, cannot wait to hear them with the Grill Mod.
One of my other pleasant surprises was the HD700, yes it has a different presentation from the 800, but is a strong contender, great stage, bass, a much better headphone than my old 650's. The Skoll 2 Cabling really made them sing!
I'll be honest, I walked into the Meet with a prejudice against Audeze, I thought they would be dark and syrupy like old Conrad Johnson Gear, I was wrong. Darker perspective, yes, syrupy, no, a different but beautiful take on musical presentation in contrast to the HD800/HE560's. My wallet of course hates this finding, I need to add an Audeze, preferably pre-fazor, to my lineup!!!
Gear, as mentioned, I loved the Meier Stack, very musical, and not just "for the price". Great soundstage, just the right hint of sweetness, great grip on the bass, reminded me a lot of my big Krell in the main rig, voiced very similarly. Jay, really enjoyed your BH1, especially in balanced operation, both of these amp alternatives worked magic with my 560's and Alpha Dogs. I hate that my drive to converse incessantly with my fellow HeadFi'ers (worth every second, really enjoyed meeting my Brothers in HiFi) and missed hearing Matt's Beyerdynamic, and Mojo/Gungnir Stack.Hopefully at the Spring Meeting. Fred, I also loved that amp of your, but I have forgotten the manufacturer and cannot find it in my notes.
Big THANK YOU! Theogenes, great meeting, great people, great job!!! Matt Poe, thank you for taking pity on the technically inept and installing my Uber Board, sounds great, smoother, improved tone and dynamics, you are the best!
Big 4 Surprises: The T1, a great headphone, my listening was too brief, but I really thought it gave the 800 a run for it's money. The much maligned HD700, the opinions against this little Bro are off the chart, I really liked this can and would enjoy hearing more. The Audeze Cans, yes I had prejudged them, and as often is the case, I was wrong. Beautiful presentation of the musical event. The Meier Stack, great value, excellent sound.