moedawg140
Grand Master Moe "G"….Don't crossface me, bro!
Ping Pong Champ: SF Meet (2016,2017), CanJams (London 2016, RMAF 2016, NYC 2017, SoCal 2017, RMAF 2017)
CanJam London 2016 Experience and Multi-Product Reviews
Aerial view of London
Before starting, my apologies if this post slows down your device/computer - please use a device that can handle the load of the post. I was going to post this in the main CanJam Impressions thread like last year, but I wouldn’t want a repeat of what happened last year (complaints about a bunch of pictures loading). I "spoilered" the pictures and videos by day, as to help alleviate all pictures from loading that would take a long time to scroll through if nothing was "spoilered". With that said…let’s go!
Hey everyone,
CanJam London 2016 was a resounding success, and it was great being able to show gear as well as being able to highlight certain equipment that may not have been listened to. Meaning, if you weren’t able to listen to certain equipment that I brought, you can read my thoughts on some of the equipment a little later in this impressions post.
I would like to say thank you to the organizers (in alphabetical order) – Ethan ([color=rgb(34, 34, 156)]@third_eye[/color]), Joe ([color=rgb(34, 34, 156)]@joe[/color]), Jude ([color=rgb(34, 34, 156)]@jude[/color]), and the Park Plaza staff, thanks to all of the Head-Fiers and non-Head-Fiers that attended over the two days, and thanks to those who were instrumental in me arriving to CanJam before and during my stay in the beautiful country.
There are some people that I would like to acknowledge that I met or talked to (I apologize in advance if your name isn’t mentioned)
[color=rgb(34, 34, 156)]@AndrewH13[/color] – it was great seeing you again! Hopefully next year we will get to play some ping-pong at Bounce, great place it is!
[color=rgb(34, 34, 156)]@Bart147[/color] – nice to meet a person that I’ve mostly talked to in the QP1R thread! Hope to see you next year!
[color=rgb(34, 34, 156)]@Cagin[/color] – very nice spending a little time with you again, and congrats on your awesome-looking Zeus-Remastered!
[color=rgb(34, 34, 156)]@dill3000[/color] – great meeting you, and your custom HE-6 looked legit!
[color=rgb(34, 34, 156)]@Duncan[/color] – awesome seeing you again, and looking forward to seeing what your setup is next year, or if you are content with the amazing-sounding Layla!
[color=rgb(34, 34, 156)]@ejong7[/color] – thanks for being such a help and overall good guy, even though it’s fun to rustle your feathers from time to time (my Lightning charging cable was hilarious fun).
Emil Stolecki – it was great to meet you and talk audio for a while. Your Lime Ears Aether sounded really nice, and also really liked your 2-driver LE2.
[color=rgb(34, 34, 156)]@Gilly87[/color] – always fun hanging out with you. You’re hella funny and inquisitive, all at the same time!
[color=rgb(34, 34, 156)]@glassmonkey[/color] – nice to meet you and it was also nice having time to shoot the breeze! Looking forward to seeing you next year!
[color=rgb(34, 34, 156)]@ibbreezy[/color] – it was nice to meet you and glad you got some listening time at the IEM Clinic!
James Strong (Atomic Floyd) – thanks for the revelation with regards to your HiDefDrum IEM, SHaG prize, and looking forward to seeing what’s in store for the future for you and your company!
Lorand (Meze Headphones) – it was nice to finally meet you! Also fun karting with you as well. Your band is awesome as well!
[color=rgb(34, 34, 156)]@mark2410[/color] – very cool meeting you again – crazy you have two HE1000s! I look forward to seeing you next year!
[color=rgb(34, 34, 156)]@ostewart[/color] – nice meeting you again, and thanks for lending the in-ears; I think the AAW model was my favorite out of the three models that were lent.
Piotr Granicki (Custom Art) – nice to meet you, and I liked listening to your Harmony 8.2!
[color=rgb(34, 34, 156)]@Ra97oR[/color] – thanks for being a great travel friend, as it was nice to see you first out of everyone (in the Waterloo Station), and riding in your super-awesome Honda Civic Type-R!
Sam – I don’t know what’s better, your Echobox job skills or your musical talents. Simply amazing on both ends, that’s for sure! Thanks for everything – it was fun hanging out at Bath and Stonehenge, and getting an epic view of The Finder X1 as well!
Stan (Cavalli Audio) – even though we talk at local meets, it was great getting to know you even better in London. Riding the bicycle through Hyde Park and around the city was a time I won't forget.
@TheOneInYellow – it was nice to meet you, and keep being you, your positive nature is awesome.
[color=rgb(34, 34, 156)]@warrenpchi[/color] – always fun to hang out with you and travel. Thanks for all you that do, and looking forward to your Cavalli endeavors in the present and future!
In-Ear Monitors (IEMs)
Note: most all IEMs that are in my possession have been burned in at least 200 hours before writing any impressions. All are paired with either the Questyle Audio QP1R or the iPhone 6 (for paring with Bluetooth IEMs).
1MORE C1002 Capsule Dual Driver
The C1002 Capsule Dual Driver (hereby called the Capsule) is a somewhat uniquely designed in-ear monitor. The weight is very light and is feels like a quality product. The housing is made just like a capsule (like a medicine capsule you consume), and what makes the housing so special is that there are magnets on each end of each housing, which means when you aren’t listening to music, you can have the housings connect to each other without it going anywhere! You would have the housings magnetized behind your neck if the Capsule’s cable is in front of your neck, and you would have the housings magnetized in front of your neck if the Capsule’s cable is in back of your neck. Pretty cool as I haven’t seen another IEM with this specific built-in feature from what I’ve seen.
Fit is pretty straight-forward, feels very comfortable, and the Capsule also comes with silicone extension sleeves if you want to have another way to fit the housings in your ears, similar to earbud foam sleeves. I tried the extension sleeves, but found that without the extension sleeves felt the best to my ears. The extension sleeves may be of better use for use in the gym, so it’s good that there are options for attempting to find the best fit for each individual’s preferences. I didn’t find the cable microphonic, either.
The sound signature of the Capsule is polarizing, where you may adore the sound, but some may not adore the sound as well. What the Capsule does well, it does well in spades, which is the smoothness and treble. Areas where it may be debatable are the bass to lower midrange. The bass is light and not impactful, most especially when compared to its sibling, the Dual Driver. What the Capsule does personify is a quality of bass, but it isn’t very apparent. You can attempt to add bass by either using foam or hybrid tips, or add in EQ to taste. The midrange is very smooth and coherent, and is a little cold in nature. The treble continues in this trend and sound very extended, but is a little cold sounding – transparent is what I would use to describe the treble. Spatial capabilities are better than average when it comes to perceived soundstage.
The overall signature sounds a little distant, but is clear in nature. The Capsule is unique and is a choice for listeners mainly because it does not sound anything like the other 1MORE IEMs that I own, and someone may actually adore the tonality of the Capsule.
1MORE EO301 Crystal Piston Crystals from Swarovski
This is an in-ear that has looks and great sound to back up those good looks. Let’s talk about the looks for a moment. This is a dual-pack (there is a single pack as well) that comes with one black and one pink Crystal Piston earphone. The back of each housing comes with chessboard faceted Swarovski Crystals. As you move, you sparkle and bling. It looks pretty darn snazzy, if I say so myself. The cable is made very well and the Pink has a criss-cross shiny highlights which shimmers in the light, and the Black has a much more subdued sheathing below the Y-connect.
Fit is very comfortable as the Swarovski Crystals rest on your ears (depending on your specific fit), and the housing is small enough that when paired with your favorite tips, you shouldn’t have an issue with obtaining a good fit. Microphonics aren’t too much of a concern, as you can always use cable/shirt clips if you have an issue.
The Crystal Piston utilizes a triple layer diaphragm for each driver, and is tuned by Grammy Award winning Sound Engineer, Luca Bignardi. Cool story, but how does it sound? Well, the Crystal Piston sounds like a wholly tonally accurate presentation. Not neutral, not super bassy, not super trebly…just right. I should call the Crystal Piston the Goldilocks -, it simply sounds just right. The bass is punchy enough but is not a basshead earphone to my ear, but has just the right about of bass to make me bob my head if listening to some Daft Punk or Kendrick Lamar. Midrange is intimate, but not stuffy. Very reference/balanced sounding to my ears. The treble is apparent, but is right under sibilant, so that tells me the treble extends just enough to not fatigue the ears. The spatial capabilities are that of a vibrant, juicy nature, intimate soundstage, but with good imaging and adequate spacing between each instrument. The Crystal Piston is a just a hair bit more vibrant sounding than the Piston Classic, which will be discussed after the iBFree Bluetooth. For the price of both in-ears, it’s a great buy, and a great way to introduce your significant other (or family/friend) into in-ears that look great as well as sounding just right.
1MORE iBFree Bluetooth In-Ear Headphone
I first felt these in my hands at T.H.E. Show Newport earlier this year, and I thought to myself “Wow, this looks like a substantial piece of Bluetooth equipment!” I was curious to hear how they sounded, and came to a revelation pretty quickly: these are some great sounding Bluetooth in-ears! More about that a little later, though. The aluminum housing and construction isn’t just substantial in creation, but is IPX-4 water-resistant as well, which is perfect for as sweating workouts as you could possibly muster and still not put a dent into the iBFree’s sound or performance. The only thing I didn’t like very much was the fact that it takes about 3 seconds of holding down the middle button press to turn the unit on, and about 5 seconds of middle button holding to turn the unit off. Now that we have that out of the way, onto the fit!
I used the included “Sports Grip”, which is a soft shark fin-looking attachment/sleeve for your helix of your ear to rest on. It works quite well to keep a very comfortable, snug fit where the in-ear may have not been the deepest in my ear canal, but was not going to go anywhere with relatively vigorous use (I did not try front or back flipping to make sure that the iBFree wouldn’t budge). Battery life when listening to music is rated at 8 hours. It is better rated than the similarly priced Brainwavz Audio BLU-200 Bluetooth 4.0 aptX Earphones, which offers 4 hours of battery rated life.
One of the first facets that I noticed was how bassy the iBFree was. I was told by the representatives that the reason why it was tuned to be pretty bassy was because when you work out or move about, the bass diminishes somewhat, so the added bass makes up for lost bass due to ambient noise from yourself and/or others around you. The midrange and treble are smooth, but have that intimate feel, with just a touch of vibrancy to the range. Bass is pretty heavy in quantity, similar to the 1MORE Dual Driver, and is not the most diverse and detailed in nature, but the notes that it does emit, the iBFree sounds pretty punchy and enveloping. For the price, the iBFree is a very good sound, and is a recommended buy if you love oodles of bass, are in the market for a Bluetooth earphone, but don’t want to break the bank in the process!
1MORE Piston Classic
The Piston Classic is similar to the aforementioned Crystal Piston, with some key differences. Firstly, the fit is similar but doesn’t have the super smooth feel of the Swarovski Crystals, but the housing is still small enough where it fits without any issue for my ears. Second, the remote of the Crystal Piston has a remote several inches from the right monitor, but the Piston Classic has a remote in the middle, acting as a Y-connect. Third, and what may be the telling result of the slight change in sound signature between the two in-ears, is that the Crystal Piston has the Swarovski Crystals with no visible vents, but the Piston Classic has an approximately 3mm grill that acts as a vent for the internal driver.
The Piston Classic, even though it has the vent, doesn’t sound as open-sounding as the Crystal Piston. The Piston Classic is warmer sounding, with more emphasis in the bass registers. Since the construction of both in-ears are similar, the sound of both are more similar than dissimilar. For the price, you really can’t go wrong with the sound, especially if you are looking for a slightly warmer than neutral presentation with commendable overall tonality, in a small and lightweight package.
Atomic Floyd HiDefDrum
Here is one IEM that not only has a really vibrant and detailed-sounding signature, especially for those that are into crisp highs, but is also able to fit most ears well and is built to last. Another really interesting facet is how the HiDefDrum is the original design at least with regards to the build of its housing (created in 2007), as other competitors such as DUNU has copied Atomic Floyd’s housing design, to a T. After thoroughly looking at both competitors’ housings side by side/back to back and getting full, 100 percent confirmation in London, I believe it! I am a person that loves healthy competition, but, copying designs aren’t the best way to conduct business, in my honest opinion. In the least it shows that the company chose the "easy way out" instead of coming up with their own design, and in the worst it shows that it’s a company to not be trusted. I choose to support companies that are true to their own designs, not support those that copy (in this case, blatantly), and I fully support Atomic Floyd even more, as a result.
CustomArt
I remember really liking the Music One when I listened to it in CanJam SoCal at Massdrop’s booth last year, but this time I listened to other IEMs in Piotr’s Granicki’s stable. My favorite is his Harmony 8.2 – a very smooth, very mellow sound. I’m looking forward to writing more about CustomArt in the future.
Echobox Audio The Finder X1 Titanium Earphones
This earphone is one that is about a year in the making. I listened to it at CanJam in 2015, and liked it, but didn’t think it sounded amazing to my ears. Fast forward to the San Francisco meet in 2016 when I was able to have one of my own. There are filters! "Oh, goodness", I said to myself, knowing that if I knew there were tunable filters that were included with The Finder X1, then I may have adored the earphone back in 2015! I’m not even sure which filters were installed back then, but I found filters that I enjoy the most with my setup – and that is the pre-installed Bass filter.
How is the durability of The Finder X1? I’ve heard of a representative jumping up and down on the housings, and a vehicle running over the earphones, just to demonstrate the durability is no joke when it comes to the sheer abuse The Finder X1 can take and still work like they were new. The fit is really nice because the very small housing and curved nature of the housing means that I don’t have to have the ends of the earphone rest with much pressure on the cavum of my ear. You can use any tips that you want with The Finder X1, but I really like using the silicone "Echobox" imprinted eartips that come with The Finder X1.
Take some time to find the filters that work best for your setup and your preferences, and you can change them based on your mood or if another person wants to listen/audition The Finder X1. The Balance and Treble filters were not too shabby with my QP1R, but I preferred the Bass filter for most of my listening. The midrange is very smooth with warmth, and the treble is slightly rolled off (use the Treble filter for that treble boost if seeking some free highs) – but the treble is smooth and not fatiguing in the least. The bass and lower midrange are where this earphone shines when it comes to the Bass filter. Invigorating, enveloping, weighty, and full of delicious, warm sweetness is what I would use to describe the lovely bass of The Finder X1. For the price, there are none that will combine the versatility of The Finder X1, coupled with the tank-like durability and comfort as well. Well worth a detailed listen and purchase.
Empire Ears Zeus-Remastered
Even though Empire Ears did not attend CanJam London this year, the Zeus-Remastered was in attendance, as I counted four owners of the custom in-ear, carrying their god tier CIEM in tow with them. Hopefully Empire Ears will attend next year with some future products that listeners will be sure to adore.
Here’s a video that I posted of my Zeus-Remastered unboxing, and showed the CIEM to people at CanJam:
Jerry Harvey Audio Siren Series - Layla
Here is another CIEM that I received right before leaving to London, and showed to listeners as well. The sound is wholly pristine, soundstage truly natural, with an overall sound that is reference (not neutral), similar to the sound of well-tuned speakers. Why I say this is because I believe the UERR sounds a lot like the Layla, and the UERR was tuned by Capitol Records – correlations and similar sound signatures are in effect, to my ears. What I was surprised most of all was that the customer service has been increased and enhanced tremendously since just a short time ago. Emails back and forth were very refreshing, and it took me less than a week to receive my custom Layla. Also, the Layla was the CIEM that I used the most on my flights from London, to Paris, to New York, and then back to the Southern California area.
Lime Ears
My favorite of the two are the Aether and his 2 driver, the LE2. I like the selectable bass switch of the Aether, and the LE2 reminds me a lot of my Earwerkz/Empire Ears Supra dual driver in-ear. As with CustomArt, I’m looking forward to writing more about Lime Ears in the future.
Massdrop x HIFIMAN RE00
I have my review of the RE00 here – but this is an IEM that I like having in my stable because it does sound different enough from others that I own to garner conversation about the IEM, and that’s a trait that I can truly appreciate.
Master & Dynamic ME03
This is an earphone that is not for the bass faint-of-heart! If you don’t like gobbles of bass, then run away. If you aren’t afraid by now, and want to experience some head-bobbing bass that sounds great with pop and hip-hop, the ME03 is one IEM to listen to! Fit is very comfortable as the housing is smooth, but the cable may sound microphonic to some people. Nothing that a cable shirt clip can’t take care of!
This is a V-signature type of earphone, but treble isn’t as apparent because of the 8mm Neodymium dynamic driver that pumps out loads of bass. The midrange is lush and the treble has a sweet sound to it, but it’s not going to win the super clarity awards. The sound is enjoyable and has enough resolution to make it one of my favorite Master & Dynamic earphones, and one of my favorite when it comes to sheer bass quantity, heft and volume.
Master & Dynamic ME05
This is the current flagship of the Master & Dynamic earphone lineup, and the ME05 doesn’t disappoint! Fit is slightly more comfortable to me compared to the ME03 because of the very smooth brass housing, but the cable (same as the MH03) may sound microphonic to some people. Nothing that a cable shirt clip can’t take care of! The golden color look of the ME05 is one of my favorite aesthetically out of all of the IEMs that I own – looks a lot better than viewing the ME05’s pictures online, that’s for certain.
This is a balanced-sounding earphone, with a healthy amount of bass, and smooth sounding treble up top. The driver is the same size as the ME03, but I believe the brass housing has something to do with the additional clarity that I hear from the ME03 compared to the ME05. Some may think that the ME05 has a lot of bass, but in all actuality, it’s only somewhat above neutral compared to a reference sounding IEM such as the UERR. The bass is less in sheer abundance than the ME03, though. Clarity, as mentioned above is more apparent and resolution is bumped up as well. The ME05’s soundstage isn’t its strong suit; however, the sound is intimate with good depth. For the price, you will receive a well-made product that sounds lush with a good amount of midbass – a smooth and fun experience.
Meze Headphones 12 Classics
Comforting iced green tea, goes well with the comforting 12 Classics
What do you get when you take the similar philosophy of using walnut earcups with your highly successful 99 Classics headphone and create your newest IEM with walnut wood housing? You get the 12 Classics! The look is truly classic, as each wood housing looks different, and, as time goes on, the color and contrast will change, like a fine bottle of your favorite beverage. The housing’s construction embodies a slight flare, and that leads to a comfortable fit. Each housing is also very lightweight, and the cable is a nice and thicker-than-normal cable with a nice, subtle texture to it. The remote is pretty interesting as it is only one button and works as such with my iPhone 6:
One button press to play/pause and take or end calls.
Two button presses to track forward.
Three button presses to track at the start of the current song/track backward.
There isn’t any fast forward or backward functionality.
Hold the button to summon Siri.
How does it sound? The 12 Classics sounds almost like the IEM version of the 99 Classics! What I will say is the 12 Classics do have a bit more midbass and subass than the 99 Classics, but the natural, organic-esque sound signature of the 99 Classics are largely the same with regards to the 12 Classics. The sound is full and smooth, with just the right amount of lushness to the presentation. Spatial abilities are not in full abundance, as soundstage, imaging is adequate, however, the depth of the midrange right on down to the lower registers is simply dignified with commendable detail. You may stop for the walnut wood, but stay for the textured sound that should sound thoroughly pleasing to your senses. Worth a solid audition.
Puro Sound Labs IEM100
The IEM100 is an IEM that is primarily designed with your hearing health in mind. The IEM100’s Y-connect double-duties as a volume regulator. There is a hard limiter that you can set goes up to about 75% of the available full setting that means that when you hit it, it’s the full volume of what is the maximum of save hearing that can be listened with a connected device such as a smartphone or DAP. Once you push the limiter to its maximum, the sound can get quite loud. I like the ability to set my volume level limits on the fly to try to save my hearing as best as possible.
Fit is good as the housing is very lightweight, curved, plastic, and fits in my ear canals without any issue at all. The cable is sturdy, but doesn’t come with strain relief at the jack portion of the cable.
I would say the sound is very treble focused, with not a whole lot going in the lower registers, and the midrange sounds slightly recessed as well. Soundstage and imaging is satisfactory, and detail is higher than average. If you are a treble lover, the IEM100 is worth a listen. If you want more detail and more overall quantity and quality out of the midrange and bass, look for a discontinued IEM500, if you can.
Puro Sound Labs IEM-200
The IEM-200 is an IEM (just like the IEM100) that is primarily designed with your hearing health in mind. The IEM-200’s Y-connect also acts as a remote. The remote has only one button, but is very easy to operate, and works as such with my iPhone 6:
One button press to play/pause and take or end calls.
Two button presses to track forward.
Three button presses to track at the start of the current song/track backward.
There isn’t any fast forward or backward functionality.
Hold the button to summon Siri.
Unlike the IEM100, there is no onboard volume regulator for you to set your lower volume listening. Rather, they made the IEM-200 a lot harder to drive than the IEM100. At half-volume on my iPhone 6, listening to Britney Spear’s new album on TIDAL (it’s not bad!) the volume is just a bit too low for me. The volume doesn’t start to get loud to my ears until 15 or 16 (max volume) on the iPhone 6. If you like hearing your music loud, you’ll need to either use a dedicated DAP that will be able to power the IEM-200 louder, or attach a DAC/amp to your device to listen to it.
It’s difficult for me to pick a sound that I like more from the Puro Sound Labs series, the IEM-200 or the discontinued IEM500. While the IEM500 is also difficult to drive, the hybrid IEM has a real smooth sound with good punch – a sound that is tough to duplicate from competitors. The IEM-200, by contrast, is a different beast in itself. The midbass and midrange are the stars of the show to my ears. Some may call it boomy, and some may call it immersive, but the IEM-200 has a sound that sounds really good with modern music as well as music that may need a little bit of bass in their tracks. The layering between images is broad enough to not congest the entire sound, and as a result the sound has good depth, with good headstage as well. My guess is that people will want to listen with a system that can truly bring out the best out of the IEM-200. For the price, it is a fine-sounding IEM that wants to save your hearing, but sounds good enough to make you want to break its own rules.
RHA T20i Black
The T20i looks great in its brushed color, but in Black, it looks amazing, and also reminds me of the Knight Rider car for some reason! The earphone comes with loads of tips, and 3 different sounding filters (bass, reference and treble). Even though I love bass, the bass filter I felt was holding itself back. Trying the treble filter made me love the T20i, because there was still a lot of good quality bass to my ears, but the upper registers were as open as they could be, and lent to a clearer and more pristine overall sound. I saw a T20i on the Tube in London as a gentlemen wore one, so I talked to him (after asking if I could take a couple pictures of him with the T20i in his ears) – and invited him to meet one the RHA team at CanJam London. I’m not sure if he went to meet RHA, but at least he knew that RHA was noticed by myself, and that his IEM has major props with regards to a great build with a great sound attached to it. My two favorite RHA IEMs that I’ve listened to currently are the S500i (bass and upper midrange/treble deity), and the T20i with treble filters installed.
Sennheiser CX 686G Sport
Ooh…neon yellow, or neon green…or bright lime green. Whatever color you call it, I can see how this earphone can garner looks, but not a whole lot of listens. When I show this at meets, I usually see looks, but not a whole lot of people are willing to pick them up themselves and give them a listen – unless I hand it to them. I can see why though: the IEM is made for sports, I mean, it has the name "Sport" in its name! However, these are very good sounding IEMs. First, though, let’s discuss fit really quick. The housings have integrated helix flaps, meaning, the upper part of each IEM goes underneath the flap of your ear, which makes it feel more like a custom IEM without you having to even obtain ear impressions or 3D scans! The fit is deep and stays completely in place. The fit is even better in my opinion than the awesome sounding Momentum 2.0 and their current IEM flagship: the IE800.
The sound: enveloping, reference with just a bit of kick. Quite detailed, intimate, yet coherent. Out of the Sennheiser IEMs that I’ve listened to, it is one of the most accurate. For the price, it may be pound for pound one of the best I’ve heard. This is saying a lot because I do thoroughly enjoy the Momentum 2.0 (midbass and midrange smoothness), but I really like the overall sound of the CX 686G Sport as it has a resolute, full, deep presentation with naught fatigue – I can listen for hours on end without issue. Worth at least an audition, especially for its asking price.
Cable accessory
Westone Audio Bluetooth Cable
If you have been wanting a Bluetooth solution to your favorite MMCX connected earphones and/or headphones, your search has been fulfilled with the introduction of the Westone Audio Bluetooth Cable! I’ve been connecting it to my Shure SE846, and it has been nothing but blissful. The connection of the Bluetooth Cable to the MMCX sockets are very tight, which is a reassurance with regards to there being a solid physical connection, as well! The Bluetooth connection is very good – one of the best of all of the Bluetooth products that I own, and doesn’t hiccup, and has a great range as well, 40 feet away from my iPhone 6 was easy and no sweat for the Bluetooth Cable. Also, it has a battery operating time of around 8 hours, which is about true in my experience. You can see the volume level to the upper right when it the Bluetooth Cable is connected to the iPhone 6. Listening to the song God, Your Mama, And Me by Florida Georgia Line and Backstreet Boys was a country revelation that was smooth and silky, with satisfying transparency and presence.
The Bluetooth Cable offers full iOS/Android support, and the buttons work as such with regards to listening and taking/ending calls:
Press the O (middle) button to play/pause and take or end calls. Hold down the O button to reject calls.
Press the + button to volume up one level.
Press the – button to volume down one level.
Hold down the + button to track forward.
Hold down the – button to track at the start of the current song/track backward.
There isn’t any fast forward or backward functionality with the iPhone 6.
Hold the down the O button to summon Siri.
The sound as a whole is not entirely the same depth, clarity and richness as a connected cable, but you have a large portion and high degree of the overall sound that you are able to hear with the Bluetooth Cable. For those that want to finally ditch their connected cable, are seeking no tangles which is especially a breath of fresh air while working out or walking around the neighborhood, the Bluetooth Cable is a dream come true. For a price that won’t break your bank, you can hook the Bluetooth Cable up most any MMCX earphone or headphone to the Bluetooth Cable, and presto, you have the potential to have a TOTL MMCX BA/DD/etc. C/IEM (OMG!) connected as a Bluetooth device rather easily! Having the Shure SE846 + SCS + BC + Tidal and the iPhone 6 turns my listening experience into a slim, very easy to manage custom silicone in-ear solution for my wants and needs, perfect for the gym, running, hiking, or cruising around the airports around the world during my trip back to Southern California from CanJam London, to Paris (two airports), New York, then back to California. It is because of products like these that make my life easier and thoroughly more enjoyable as a result. Worth a purchase for those interested!
Headphones
1MORE MK802 Bluetooth Over-Ear Headphone
The MK802 headphone is in some sorts, an anomaly. How can a headphone that offers much, have a price tag that doesn’t quite match? Well, that’s good for the consumer, I would say! The colors that are available are vibrant and have a very nice sheen to them. The blue and red matte glossy colors really do pop! Not only does the MK802 headphone have Bluetooth capability, but it also has a bass boost and bass decrease! The bass boost works as advertised and works well with devices or songs that need just a tad more boost in the lower frequencies. Having the bass switch in the middle leads to a sound that has bass, but won’t overbear you with gobs of bass in your ears. Having the bass switch in the minus (decrease) almost sounds like a bass decrease and treble boost as a result. The switch alone is a very good selling point. The headphone is lightweight as well, and the earpads may be a little small for large ears, but my regular-sized ears fit in the earpad openings without any issue. The overall sound is a warm, sufficiently detailed, and has good sounding vocals (male and female). This is not the most resolute and coherent sounding headphone, but for the price, and features, it’s a great headphone to try out.
What I liked as well was the 1MOREAssistent application on my iPhone!
Extensive burn-in is only a couple of button presses away
You can set the 1MORE button to launch any music, phone’s camera, and third-party chat apps. You can set Hearing Protection to the MK802 also. One of the most interesting features of the application is the “Smart Burn-in”, where it goes through several phases by emitting a combination of pink noise, a soundtrack that last about 15 seconds, and also silence as well. The whole process takes around 100 hours. I would advise putting the app on an iPad or a device that doesn’t need to be used all of the time, as trying to do the burning in on my phone took on and off about a week and a half.
Fostex x Massdrop TH-X00 Ebony and Purpleheart
The Ebony and Purpleheart, as well as the Mahogany have been discussed in my review, here. I brought all three to London, and the Mahogany has been around for a while now, but the Ebony and Purplehearts are the newest additions to the TH-X00 family. It is very difficult to pick one, as I adore both of them for their own reasons. The Ebony has great sounding bass with smoothness that is utterly delectable, and the Purpleheart is pretty much the closest in sound to the TH-900, as the Purpleheart is the bassiest to my ears out of the entire lineup (including my modded Mahogany that has the Mahogany earcups replaced with E-MU’s Ebony earcups. If you choose to obtain either one, you should be in auditory heaven as hopefully you’ve chosen the one that suits your personal sound signature preferences.
Massdrop x HIFIMAN HE350
The HE350 has been discussed here, and it is still one of my favorite open back headphones in the price range. Pairing it with a balanced amp such as the Pro iCAN, and setting it to your favorite amp setting (solid state, tube, hybrid) brings out the true best of what the HE350 has to offer. I couldn’t believe I was listening to a $99 headphone. Once I dialed in the right earpads for my preferences, as well as increasing the bass (bass boost) from the Pro iCAN, the sound blossomed into a beautiful looking and sounding butterfly. Even if you don’t have expensive equipment to hook the HE350 to, it sounds great and is relatively easy to drive out of a smartphone such as the iPhone 6.
Puro Sound Labs BT2200
The BT2200 is a Bluetooth headphone that is designed to save your children’s hearing, as the headphone was designed with the Balanced Response sound curve, which means there is technology that is designed to limit the volume that your children are listening to audio with the BT2200. What Puro claims is that it "is the best sounding kids headphone available in the market today. Period." I would say that for a children’s headphone, it sounds pretty good, compared to the few that I’ve listened to. However, when comparing it to a headphone that is designed for ultimate fidelity, not quite.
The sound is pretty single-toned, but the frequencies it does emit, it manages to sound relatively compliant. I would think that a child listening to the headphone wouldn’t mind the sound at all, and as a parent I would be much happier that a headphone that they are listening to (especially when paired with the volume-limiting cable) will keep my child’s ears nice and safe from the loudness that can emit from headphones if their volume is much too loud. The BT2200 is not suitable for adults, because, the headphone is sized for much smaller heads, so it is perfect for those in lower grade schools, up to probably middle/primary school. If you want a more thoroughly rich and coherent sound, and you have an adult-sized noggin, then you’ll want to step to Puro’s BT5200 Bluetooth headphone.
Puro Sound Labs BT5200
As mentioned above, the BT5200 is a richer and more coherent sounding headphone compared to the BT2200. Also, the BT5200 is larger in size than the BT2200, but the ergonomics are largely the same – perfect for children "taking classes" with the BT2200, get older and "graduate" with the BT5200. Fit is very comfortable as the headphone is very lightweight and is padded enough to give you a nice pillow effect. They are my favorite fitting and feeling on-ear headphones that I have in my stable.
The sound is not too shabby using Bluetooth, but for the ultimate in fidelity when listening to the BT5200, a cable is recommended. Bass is rich and plentiful, and isn’t basshead territory, but does have pretty ample bass presence. As a result, the sound is not super pristine, but sounds rich and full in the bass and midrange areas of the frequency spectrum. This is one headphone that is easy to transport and gives you a comfortable and full sound when you are on the go.
Puro Sound Labs OEH-200
The OEH-200 is a headphone that is primarily created to promote save listening, utilizing technology what is called the Balanced Response sound curve. What does this mean to my ears? More on that a little later. First let’s get to the weight of this headphone. The OEH-200 is one of the lightest weight headphones available on the market today (I’m thinking around PortaPro weight!). Secondly, the construction of the OEH-200 is really utilitarian, and is more of a “no fuss, no muss” type of approach, as nothing is added to the aesthetics of the headphone. Those that want more “bling” can purchase the upmarket BT5200 in tan or black, instead. Clamp against my head is pretty strong, and auditory isolation, as a result, is pretty sufficient.
Now, what does the Balanced Response sound curve mean to me? I would say that it is what Puro’s research has found that is the optimal listening volume level for all listeners. In this case, the sound of the OEH-200 is “set” to top at 85dB. If you connect it to a device like an iPhone 6, the upper level of sound may or may not be loud enough for you, especially if you listen to very loud listening levels, but it will give you a great base to work off of with regards to finding out the “right” listening levels to listen to. What if you want to listen to the OEH-200 with a device that doesn’t have an internal limiter, like a DAC/amp or a DAP such as the QP1R? You will experience louder sound levels when you raise the volume, but, since the OEH-200 is designed to play at lower volume levels, the amplified sound as a result becomes distorted and not suitable for listening. This is one way, albeit crude, to let you know that you are listening too loudly and need to lower the volume, so it’s better for your ear’s overall health.
Sound is overall a little hollow to my ears, but has some lower midrange and midbass going on. There is a little bit of depth to the music, but ultimately, their BT5200 has a more preferable sound. For the money and for what the headphone is achieving, which is a healthier hearing regiment, is a good buy for those seeking to save their hearing, like students and children.
Sennheiser HD 630VB
The first time I heard this headphone was at CanJam London last year, and to tell you the truth, I didn’t like the tonal signature of the headphone. The look of the headphone is perfect for those that like to be seen and want a conversation piece, but not so recommended for those who want to blend in with their surroundings or want to stay largely unseen when it comes to the public not noticing most headphones that are out in the market. Fit is pretty good as it is a very large headphone (the earcups are humongous), but the headband and earpads are very plush and comfortable.
The next year, I heard another one at The Source AV in Torrance, CA, USA a few months ago, and that was when I started to like the HD 630VB more. I have come to the determination that the headphone is especially source/amp dependent, and depending on what you pair it with, can change your interpretations of the headphone based on my experience, and more of a factor than some headphones when I’ve listened to those with different sources and DAC/amps. Also, the bass level dial is a nice concept, but, you need to make sure to use it sparingly. With a lot of sources, the bass level can sound pretty muddy if the bass level dial is set to its maximum. Halfway at its maximum is a good compromise between higher bass quantity and quality, and a signature that starts to sound smothered with a gob of jumbled and incoherent bass. Once you establish a preferable bass level position and pair it with your favorite source and/or DAC/amp of choice, is when you will find the HD 630VB has a lot to offer.
Bass as mentioned above needs to be dialed in to reach bass delightfulness, the midrange is forward in nature but is coherent, and the treble can be perceived as non-fatiguing, or slightly fatiguing at least partly based on where you set the bass quality/quantity level with the bass level dial. The soundstage isn’t the widest and the overall sound isn’t the most filled with depth, but what it does do is give you good customization, on-the-fly, to literally dial in a sound that is the best to your ears. Worth an audition!
Ultrasone Tribute 7 (one of my favorite headphones at CanJam London)
Snazzy looks, very comfortable fit, with such a glorious sound to match. Only 777 are being made, and from the listen with my QP1R, it was a headphone that would be on my short list for overall favorite closed-back that I've ever experienced. So much so that I didn't want to listen to it any longer because then I would be tempted further to purchase one.
Digital-to-Analog Converter/Amplifiers (DAC/Amps)
CEntrance DACport HD
The DACport HD is a bigger and more capable DAC/amp than its smaller sibling, the DACport Slim. With regard to dimension, the DACport HD is slightly thicker in height than the DACport Slim when both are laying length-wise on a surface. The DACport HD supports a full 384kHz sample rate and 32-bit resolution, while the DACport Slim supports 192kHz sample rate and 24-bit resolution. The DACport HD also has more power to drive headphones as the DACport HD has 775mW of output power compared to the DACport Slim’s 450mW of output power. I would say though, that the DACport Slim has ample power for a lot of headphones.
The DACport HD might be diminutively small compared a lot of DAC/amps in the market, but it is a very capable product that sounds deceptively big, as the sound is dynamic and full of coherence. There are not a lot of options, as the DACport HD offers a nicely textured volume knob, and a LOW and HIGH gain switch that you can use a toothpick or edge of your micro USB cable to switch the settings.
The sound that emits from the DACport HD, Microsoft Surface Book and TIDAL HiFi is a positive experience. Balanced with commendable brilliance is what I would describe the sound to be. Good punch in the lower registers, with extends out, but not excessively so in the upper registers. The DACport HD sounds clearer in sound as well to me compared to the DACport Slim – the difference is apparent, but there is a place for both of them. The DACport Slim is lower in price and works very well for most applications, whereas the DACport HD is the (insert a favorite car) of the series. The only DAC/amp that can give it a run for its money is the DACportable, which will be mentioned below.
The DACport HD would be the one that I would choose if I wanted a very small amp, wasn’t looking for an internal battery, with support for the some of the highest sample rates in the market today. For the wallet-thanking price of $199, you are going to get a lot of DAC/amp for the money and you may find sounds a little to a lot sweeter and coherent in sound than some competitor DAC/amps that are multiple times more expensive.
CEntrance DACport Slim
The DACport Slim was originally discussed here, and is currently one of my favorite very small DAC/amps that I have listened to and own. I do enjoy the sound of the DACport HD more. However, the DACport Slim is no slouch at all, and offers a very good sound quality for a fraction of the DACport HD’s price. It’s life if you want something that is economical but still sounds amazing, the DACport Slim is a good DAC/amp to add to your collection. Only if you must experience the best that CEntrance has to offer and don’t mind spending a little more I would say the DACport HD is worth at least an audition!
Even though the DACport Slim is the smallest out of CEntrance’s lineup, it packs some power, especially at the HIGH gain setting. What’s great is how low the DACport Slim can get in LOW gain, as it’s a welcome feature for IEMs to not just blow your ears out with the LOW gain setting (especially if you keep the volume low while connecting/first listening to the attached C/IEM.
This is one DAC/amp that for the price of less than $100, is one that is easily recommended, and may be seen as a DAC/amp that can be delegated to solely desktop duty.
CEntrance DACportable
CEntrance DACportable, Fostex x Massdrop TH-X00 Ebony, Apple iPhone 6
The DACport HD and the DACport Slim are the ones that are the no-frills approach to reaching a blissful sound to your ears. However, the DACportable is the DACport HD, but when it is laced with an additional plethora of features. You’ve got the same supporting of a full 384kHz sample rate and 32-bit resolution, 775mW of output power. However, with the DACportable, you gain a rechargeable li-polymer battery with 8 hours of play time (with bright white LEDs that show you the battery level), bass boost switch, but also a treble boost switch!
How the battery works is this: You need to turn on the DACportable with the power button in order for it to function. Regardless of the DACportable being plugged into a device such as an iPhone to play music, it won’t charge until the DACportable itself is using its own charging cable/port to charge as well.
The DACportable isn’t just as full and coherent sounding as the DACport HD, but it gives you extra options to help tune the sound on-the-fly that tailors to your preferences faster and easier. Meaning, you've got the same wonderful sound of the DACport HD, but with further flexibility as you can boost the bass and/or the treble.
As for the sound that the listener is fortunate enough to hear, the DACportable has ample heft in the bass section, and the middle and high ranges blend together for a richly smooth experience.
High-resolution. Versatile. Apple/Android compatibility. Bang-for-the-buck. All of these personify the DACportable, but knowing that you’ve got one of the most engaging and multi-signature portable DAC/amps in the market, especially for the price of $349 is simply nothing but priceless.
iFi Audio micro iCAN SE Amp
The micro iCAN SE is an amp that is very versatile in a few ways, but mainly it is in the as-listening versatility that makes it a very good amp for those that have a great sounding source, but wants to tweak the sound and power whatever is connected to the amp with sheer ease. The micro iCAN SE is the only amp out of the three mentioned today that has the most "XBass" and "3D HolographicSound" settings. More info is in my Meze Headphones 99 Classics review, here.
The micro iCAN SE doesn’t have all of the inputs/outputs of the later mentioned iDAC2 and iDSD, but for the money, the amp performs at a high level, especially when paired with your favorite source. The sheer available power (4000 mW) coupled with the varying degrees of "XBass" and "3D HolographicSound" makes for an amp that can be cherished for many years to come.
iFi Audio micro iDAC2 DAC/Amp
The iDAC2 is a literal technological powerhouse. It is able to handle many formats such as up to 12.4 MHz DSD, 353/384KHz DXD and uses a Burr Brown DAC that is 2-Channel with 4-Signals. It offers "Bit-Perfect/Minimum Phase/Standard" selectable digital filters. There are Extreme/Extended/Standard, Analogue filters selectable for DSD and PCM, Bit-Perfect Processing, Fixed Analogue filter selectable for DXD. There is one input and four outputs, as I feel this DAC/amp is mostly made to be used in conjunction with an only DAC such as the iCAN SE, but can be used completely on its own. The iDAC2, unlike the micro iCAN SE and iDSD doesn’t utilize the flexible "XBass" and "3D HolographicSound" settings. Sound is just as good as the iDSD to my ears listening through TIDAL HiFi, but the sound signature is largely set as there aren’t any sound signature changes except possibly the "Bit-Perfect/Minimum Phase/Standard" selectable digital filters that may or may not change the sound based on at least differing sample rates and if we are able to discern them.
The iDAC2 is a DAC/amp that has ample power (see what I did there) in a streamlined design that is very much plug and play. If you want more overall customization and a uptick in power, the iDSD is the way to go.
iFi Audio micro iDSD DAC/Amp
I will go ahead and say it: the iDSD DAC/amp is a beast. Not only the 4000mW of power, but the different selectable options and the sound signature customization with the implementation of the "XBass" and "3D HolographicSound" settings. The amount this DAC/Amp can do is literally a mile long. Let’s talk about the most important aspects (in my opinion) for a moment:
USB input, SPDIF Coaxial and SPDIF Optical input, with RCA, SPDIF Coaxial and SmartPower (charge all portable devices) outputs.
Power modes – Turbo, Normal, Eco.
Polarity, which is normal or inverted.
Some of the most extended audio formats available from any DAC/amp in the entire world:
Up to DSD 512 sample rate
Up to 24.6kHz resolution
Up DXD 2x sample rate
Up to 768 kHz resolution
Up to PCM 768/705.6/384/352.8/192/176.4/96/88.2/
Up to 48kHz resolution
All native decoding, which also features "no internal hardware conversion".
The iDSD is the (insert favorite travel location) of DAC/amps, regardless of size. It will play currently anything in the world thrown at it. At the time of its release, it was claimed to be the only DAC/amp in the entire world that could play every format natively.
The technical ability of the iDSD is very nice, and am happy to say that the iDSD sounds fantastic as well. Even though a signal, or the interpretation of the signal from a DAC/amp may be as clean as possible, it may sound sterile based on what you pair with the DAC/amp. What I adore is that the iDSD offers the sound signature customization with the implementation of the "XBass" and "3D HolographicSound" settings – meaning I can just with a flip of a switch add more mid and subbass to my headphone and/or add a 3D sound, which sounds to me a bit like a slight treble boost, and not having to resort to an equalizer. You can of course use an EQ if you’d like, but it’s great to have a package that already houses features like those in from the get-go. Speaking of going somewhere, the iDSD has an internal battery which means you can continue to listen to your desktop quality sound-in-a-small-package most wherever you go! You can listen on a plane, on a train, on a car when not driving or even when walking around if you put it in a bag or backpack while moving around.
This is the ultimate DAC/amp – the question of if it sounds very good to your ears is up to you, but there is no denying that the iFi Audio crew have been able to come up with a product that transcends the present and looks towards the future while bringing smiles to listeners faces every day.
Digital Audio Player
Echobox Audio Explorer 64GB
The Explorer is Echobox’s first foray into the DAP scene, and it is definitely making a splash onto the audio enthusiast scene. The Explorer has almost as coherent sound as my current auditory favorite, the QP1R, but the Explorer offers something that the QP1R does not, and that is…the internet. Oh, the internet. In this case, it’s mainly the ability to stream services such as TIDAL, which the QP1R cannot do. Tidal sounds adequately coherent to my ears, and it’s nice to know that there are certain apps that I can use within the Explorer ecosystem. Are there issues? Yes, but all have been relayed back to Mr. McKinney, and he is having the engineers around the world work on eradicating these issues.
There isn’t any denying of the fact that the designs of the flask-like player are very snazzy and strike conversations everywhere I go with the Explorer. The volume knob on top is ribbed and easy to turn, the screen is vibrant, and one of the best features of the Explorer is the HUGE battery life it offers. We are talking about 4000mAh level here - gargantuan levels, no doubt! How can you put that into perspective? Well, it’s similar to the iPhone playing music at least a couple or few charge cycles in a row.
I am looking forward to writing about the Explorer once the rollout of the device comes in the near future.
Oh, and Echobox’s own The Finder X1 pairs splendidly with the Echobox.
Revelation
The Realiser A16 3D Audio Headphone Processor was the biggest eye-opening experience of the entire CanJam, for me. "How come?", you may ask? For one reason, and one reason only: after listening and being able to compare the speakers' sound with the calibrated headphones, I will forever say that headphones can not only sound like speakers, but depending on the model of headphone, may sound better to your ears. I can say the HD 800's transducers sounded more detailed, rich and slightly more full-in-sound to me than the speakers that were used in calibration. Only caveat: adding a subwoofer to the mix when comparing between headphones and speakers will garner you a whole-body visceral experience that the Realiser can not fully recreate. Using a more bassy headphone with the Realiser will help to bridge the subwoofer/headphone gap. Overall, simply amazeballs!
Here are the rest of the photos from my CanJam London Experience, which include places like London, Bath, Stonehenge, Paris, New York and Los Angeles. This took a long time for me to edit (longer than last year's CanJam London impressions post, here (apologies in advance for a possible slowdown of your devices/computer). Please enjoy!
Some of the products I brought to CanJam London
Los Angeles International Airport
If you want to travel around London, the easiest way to get around is with the Oyster card, which works with the Tube, Train, Bus, etc.
Group photo!
Ashley and Sam from Echobox
Little did I know that I would be taking a picture with @Ra97oR at the Waterloo Station in the frame! He recognized me from last year and said to me "Don't I know you?" I replied "Oh, hey!", and thus our hanging out started where it left off.
Park Plaza - the location of CanJam London!
Multi-colored elevator floor LED lighting!
Made it!
A view of Big Ben from Park Plaza
@Ra97oR and I
@warrenpchi's Birthday Bash!
Saw a gentlemen with the RHA T20i, and asked if I could take a couple of photos. I let him know there was a CanJam London going on in the next day and two, and that he should come to meet the people behind the in-ear he was listening to!
Tom from Echobox doing his thing!
@Cagin checking out the Zeus-Remastered
Old school in action!
@AndrewH13 and I brandishing our paddles - hopefully @AndrewH13 will be able to make the Showdown at Bounce next year!
It was super hot at the Tube station, so here is @Gilly87 getting his cool-down on!
Who is behind the Sub-Zero mask?
Let's race!
@mrspeakers cheesing!
Lorand and the Meze crew!
@TheOneInYellow is a funny guy...
...real funny!
Group photos!
Emil from Lime Ears (now I know why it's called Lime Ears!) and Piotr from CustomArt
The founder, Paul Jobin and I
Bob was awesome, and his products are simply amazing because with all of the models and combinations with each model's filters, there is something that you are bound to love!
Thanks 1MORE - love the Piston series!
The most crisp, coherent and exhilarating complete system that I've ever listened to.
@dill3000's modded HE-6 with awesome cable!
@dill3000 and @glassmonkey
@dill3000, @glassmonkey and I
Lorand from @MezeTeam and I
Last year, the Orpheus I, and now, the Orpheus II! The presentation of the system when turning it on is unrivalled. The sound of it was very good, but if I had to pick one, the MSB system to my ears was more detailed, and embodied the utmost in clarity and depth.
Couple of CanJam event goers on our ride to Bounce
The Home of Ping Pong: Bounce! The Ping Pong Showdown was a success, and had a lot of very good players. The food was very tasty, the camaraderie was laid back, and looking forward to more Showdowns in the future!
The London 2012 Olympic Games table! I played on it the entire night!
@third_eye (right) taking names
@ejong7 giving a smirk
The 2012 World Table Tennis Championship Table!
Nice Bounce wristband, @Gilly87!
Really like the British ping pong paddle!
Group photos!
Echobox CanJam shirt + Echobox The Finder X1 + Echobox friends taking a trip to Bath and Stonehenge = an amazing experience!
Bath and the Roman Baths!
Stonehenge!
The Finder X1 helped me find Stonehenge!
Pointing down to the present
@Gilly87 and his soulmate Heather
Ashley having some fun
Early morning at Heathrow Airport
Paris!
A sign of the times, at the Paris Airport
New York!
Back home to Los Angeles, Southern California!
Here are some videos, sorted chronologically (sorry for the shakiness in some of them)
Hope you enjoyed the experience, and take care!
