[KingStyles]

I figured I would start a thread to get the bottle rolling. It was a fun meet with a nice array of various rigs. Stats, dynamics, and orthos were all present along with sacd, computer, and tape sources. Thanks to Doc B for the use of his wonderful facility and being such a great host. Thanks to Big Poppa for setting it all up.(even though he missed most of it). Thanks for all who came and to those who brought gear to share. I will post my impressions later.

 

[BIG POPPA]

Yeah, It was  great meet. First time to be late. Do not plan to make it a habit. Had a great cause and could not pass it up. Will give impressions soon.

 

[Doc B.]

Thank you to all who came, Eileen and I had a great time! My head count was 41 and it was a nice mix of Head-Fier's, Bottlehead and Tape Project customers, and audio buds of mine who go back 20 years. I'm glad you guys liked the place. I wasn't really sure of how many we could cram into the building. It seemed to work out just about right. I only recall one point throughout the afternoon in any given room where it got really packed for a while.
 
The group were such truly nice people, and the level of respect that everyone was showing for each other's gear was the best I've seen at any meet.
 
A few quick impressions -
 
Ironbut's rig was great as always. He even let me watch his homebrew electrostatic amp go up in a blue flash, just after the last person left the party.
 
KingStyles' rig was gorgeous looking and sounding as always.
 
It was great to see mikel show up with two very nice rigs and a wonderful player. Hopefully I will get to hear it soon, just didn't time it right yesterday.
 
Serge's vinyl rig was really fun too. He deserves a special medal for having the sand to haul a Ttable to a meet and set it up.
 
Everyone else's stuff was really interesting to listen to as well. There was really nice sound at every table I had the chance to listen to. I am impressed at the level of listening skill that the group has and heard the sharing of a lot of thoughtful impressions of the sound of various rigs.
 
Hope someone took some pics, as I didn't get the chance.

 

[pseudohippy]

Thanks to Big Poppa for taking the time to set this all up for us and of course Doc B for hosting. Im very grateful to have been given the opportunity to listen to so many wonderful rigs. Its super cool of all those folks who tear down there setups just so other people can share in what they have. I had a bunch of fun and I think Im pretty much set on my next audio move and I dont have to just go by  other peoples online reviews. So thanks to all of those who came out to share their passion for music and audio in general.
 
I saw a pretty nice camera running around, Im hoping to see a few of those pics

 

[ironbut]

My thanks to the Seattle area (and further) Headfiers for making an out of towner feel welcome to your group!
I seems to me that this area's interest in headphone audio is on the upward curve and members like BigPoppa who puts out the time and effort to organize the meets have a lot to do with that.
That said, I was amazed at the quality of gear that everyone had. I didn't spend that much time listening but the what I heard was outstanding!
 
Keep up the great work and hopefully I'll be able to make it up for another some day.

 

[Equus]

Thanks for coming up and giving us the opportunity to hear your awesome rig, ironbut.  It was pleasure to meet you and get to talk to you.  Would love to see you come up here again some day!
 
Also thanks to Gil for his work organizing the meet (though he wasn't able to make much of it himself...bummers) and Dan for graciously hosting our crazy and talkative group.  Widespread thanks to everyone who attended...without the collective group and the rigs that people are willing to bring out, none of this would be possible.
 
Some early thoughts and impressions:

1. ironbut's rig reopened my eyes to analog and how wonderful it can be.  The solid attack and weight of the sound produced without distortion or harshness is amazing.  Lots of bite without being painful.  It was also my first good listen to Jades, which was a treat.  Definitely was nice that I got a chance to hit the rig before a lot of people showed up.  Much thanks again.
2. Love the stuff you're doing with your rig and tuberolling, Kingstyles.  The increase in musicality and weight was great, and clarity and speed didn't seem really compromised from my last listen to the rig.  Chatting with you and being able to compare the Liquid Fire and Balancing Act out of the Sklla was awesome.
3. The Liquid Fire was great to listen to.  Good weight, impact, and still with great clarity and good separation.  Looking forward to more impressions of it, as well as word from sachu what it sounds like if you roll something besides the cheap tubes into it.
4. The Stax 02 Mk1 was a treat to listen to, and the Playback Designs MP-5 was an awesome source.  While there wasn't a lot of weight for driving rock, it was absolutely BRILLIANT on the instrumental stuff I listened to.
5. Serge's turntable setup was great.  It made the Liquid Gold sound about as non-solid-state as I think would be possible.
6. Finally had a chance to listen to the M50, and I was unsurprisingly a little unimpressed.  Congested and muddy, though to be fair I can't really fault it for it's price.
7. The Schitt Lyr was a pleasure to listen to.  Fun punchy low end, not too muddy or confusing on the upper end.  Simply great for the price if you don't have the budget for the stuff with more clarity and want that bass punch.

 
On other things, Bainbridge was a fun trip.  It was nice to be almost "forced" to slow down and relax on the ferry ride, and waiting for the ferry on the way back was a great opportunity to decompress.  Sachu and I hit the Streamliner Diner in Winslow before the meet, and I think I'll start making it a tradition to grab breakfast for lunch or something before a meet.  Did the same before the meet in Portland, and it was awesome.
 
Cheers!

 

[curbfeeler]

[size=small]Thanks, Doc, for hosting our motley crew. Thanks, Gil, for organizing the affair. The Eddy Current Balancing Act was able to provide control of the bass when paired with the LCD-2, a rarity in my experience for a valved amp. Sergio has inspired me to bring forth a vinyl front end for a future meet.  [/size]

 

[KingStyles]

 
Quote:

[size=medium]Sergio has inspired me to bring forth a vinyl front end for a future meet.  [/size]

The first meet I went to, you brought a vinyl rig to it. It was my first experience with vinyl. It help change some of my misconceptions I had about it.

 

[sachu]

 
I am a crappy photographer, but seeing that there are no pics up as is, no one's gonna give me crap for the crappy shots.

 
Shoving off from Seattle to Bainbridge Island on the ferry
 

 
 

Ironbut's Reel to Reel

 
 
Doc B's Nagra Reel to Reel..

 
Equus, curbfeeler, BigPoppa

 
 

 
 
Sergio's Project TT with my superb prototype Cavalli Audio Liquid Gold solid state amplifier and LCD-2 (one of the highlights for me). I am so ready to buy a record player right now!! 

 
 
Equus''s Cavalli Audio Stacker 2, Assemblage DAC 2.7 and LCD-2...the definition of musicality

 
 
A cool looking Sony Reel to Reel player

 
 
The Tape Project's fricking amazing!! Such dedication and hard work. Hats off to Doc B and his team.

 
Wharfrat 

 
This was one crowded room

 
 
The well stocked well stock area was stocked up with quite a spread..humbled by your hospitality Mrs Doc B 

 
 
Kingstyles checking out the little crap of an amp alongside a WA 2...Psuedohippy's rig

 
 
One of many Doc B's setup..it was a brilliant pairing with the Senns

 
Equus, kingstyles, big poppa keeping it classy 

 and joe pitman 

 
 
The upstaris room saw a lot of traffic thanks to Mossback's brilliant Playback Designs MPS-5 CD player. Phenomenal source material too..thanks for some great music introductions  Mike

 
 
Joe's rig in front of Doc B's envious speaker setup

 
 
A HFier checking out Wharfrat's rig..no PNW meet is complete without Smeggy's Thunderpants being represented.

 
 
MuuMuu and poetic..buddies

 
 
Joe Pitman's Rig

 
 
One of the main draws of the show. Kignstyles rig consisting of : Ayon Skylla for source, Balancing Act with some 1000$ tubes , Apple iMac  with haldide bridge alongside the Cavalli Audio Liquid Fire prototype.

 
 
The Playback Designs + Stax rig was phenomenal with instrumental music.

 
 
I want one..someday perhaps

 
 
The ultra clean sounding Balancing Act very painstakingly setup by Kingstyles. Kudos my friend.

 
 
The prototype Cavalli Audio Liquid Fire was sounding bloody brilliant with just the JJ tubes

 
 
Steve...aka ironbut

 
 
Doc B and Peter..simply some of the best folk i have met in this hobby or otherwise.

 
 
 
And so after the meet we got back on the ferry and got lost trying to make our way to west seattle..called it a night and ended up at Equus place where the Cavalli Audio LIquid FIre was once agian brought out for a late night listen ..the guys were up listeing till 2 while i passed out around midnight
 
Just got back this noon and set my system back up again and figured i'd make the most of having the liquid fire on loan too and so here we go..
 
 
 
 
Till next time ...

 

[bcg27]

Very nice pics, looks like a fun meet. Did Doc B's headphone prototype make an appearance?

 

[Dtown808]

Hey guys, I just got back from Washington, It was great meeting all you fellow audio nuts. Just like to thank Doc B for the great meeting place all those help put this together. I hope to be at the next one with some of my gear. Till next time Mike.

 

 

[iamoneagain]

Damn, looks like a missed a nice meet.  Hopefully I don't make a habit of it.  BBQ meet next?

 

[oscarhong]

 
[size=medium]

It is so nice to meet with all you guys in the meeting. It is my first time to hear high-end quality sounds (compare to my K702 and Audio-gd Fun). I am still looking for my ideal sound (actually, I still don't know what sounds good to me) and I got some idea about different sounds of different gears from this meeting. Thank you for all who prepare this meeting. I had a really fun time talking to you guys and listening to your gears. Looking forward to the next meet and I hope I can bring something different next time to share with you guys.
​

[/size]

 

[KingStyles]

 
Quote:

I am a crappy photographer, but seeing that there are no pics up as is, no one's gonna give me crap for the crappy shots.

The pictures look good to me. I cant complain about something I know nothing about.
 
Quote:

Very nice pics, looks like a fun meet. Did Doc B's headphone prototype make an appearance?

They were not ready yet. He is hoping to have them ready by the next meet.
 
As usual, I never get to listen to everything that I would like too. It always seems that the meet is always about 2 hours to short. I really wish I could get something analog for the front end. I have been impressed with every analog front end I have heard up to this point. It doesnt matter if the analog is hooked up to a tube or ss amp, dynamic or stat, tape or vinyl. There is something special that I havent been able to reproduce with a digital front end.
 
First off, I thought ironbut's rig was awesome. Loved the jade's hooked up to the real to real. Not only did  I like the analog front end, I really enjoyed the stats on this rig. It was everything I was hoping stats to be. Clear, detailed, warm mids and good bass with the treble falling in place so sweetly. Thanks for driving up.
 
xtreme4099 vinyl rig was just as good as it was last time. Last time it was hooked up to a schiit amp, but this time it was hooked up to the liquid gold. I have no idea what either one of those amps sound like on a digital front end, but slap some vinyl to them and you have such awesome potential. Thanks for taking the time to bring the vinyl.
 
Of course our host with a variety of rigs around the place. I was only able to hear his new prototype smack amp off of his real to real. It had a lot of potential. I listened to it with some sort of grado, not sure what model. Didnt know the can or the music so I will only comment on things other than signature. The amp drove the cans really efficiently with great dynamics and control.
 
It was fun having both the liquid fire and my BA hooked up to my front end. It made for equal and fare comparisons with just a flip of a switch on my dac. The ba was a little bit clearer with better bass detail and articulation and possibly a little better dynamics. The liquid fire had more bass than the ba and its mids were on par with the ba. Overall the liquid fire is a good value for the price compared to the ba. It has a chance of even getting better with different tubes. The comparisons were done using the lcd2.
 
The Schiit Lyr is a great little amp. I figured it would be bigger than that considering the power it puts out. It did stay relatively cool to the touch. Powerful enough to power any can that was thrown at it. A fun amp with good dynamics and control over the drivers.  It was missing some of the clarity and detail of some of the other amps, but all in all it is well worth its price.The gain did cause you to be sensitive with the warm volume knob on efficient cans.
 
The other pair of stats hooked up to the playback design was a little disappointing to me. I wasnt sure if it was the stats or the source, but the highs seemed tipped up to me. The mids and  bass was nice, but as soon as eva casidy's voice went up the register the sound was unpleasant for me. It could be I am not accustomed to that clarity on the top end or maybe my setup is a little rolled off. It was nice to hear the playback design since it was a cdp that I was looking at getting. While it was smooth and brought out a lot of detail, I think I made a good choice in sticking with straight computer audio and getting the skylla.
 
I did start to like the lcd2 during this meet. I still prefer the la7000, but the lcd2 agreed with me a lot more and seemed to pair with my ba pretty well. I may end up buying a pair one of these days.
 
It was fun talking with everybody. Sachu and equus are always great for discussion on the various equipment. Always nice to see ham sandwich make the trip up from oregon . Always a pleasure to say hi to wharfrat. To curbfeeler, xtreme4099, and BIG POPPA, always good to see and talk to you guys. You been at all the meets since I started into this crazy little world. To pseudohippy and Mossback thanks for coming and letting me hear your gear. To poetic, thanks for getting the correct pads back on my la7000. It just donned on me to check and see if I had my v1 pads on them still.

Hey Jax, if you use XLD, you may want to read this tip. http://www.computeraudiophile.com/content/XLD-Mac-Metadata-Tip  Joe Pittman is a great mot with a ton of knowledge along with our host DocB. To everybody else, it was great talking with you all. (sorry,I an bad with names). I guess that is all till the next red bull kicks in.
 
 

 

[lugia862]

Thanks for making the meet such a great one guys!

Indeed this is the first meet I've gone to and it was such a nice experience that I've got the chance to share my rigs and experience the rigs I cannot afford so far (lol)
The Omega really sounded phenomenal and I still have that violin string plucking in my head

As a foreigner, the atmosphere was really friendly and engaging that made me feel kind of embarrassed sometimes when I don't know what to talk about, but it's always fun to talk to you guys more about anything in the field

Gotta thanks Doc for providing this great place for having this meet, and the trip to Bainbridge was also fun, though I really have to think about getting my license and a car next time if I'm going to leave any late, but hopefully you guys are always friendly enough to give me a ride haha
And thanks for the nice shots, till next time!