What aftermarket cables are people using? When I first started using my Lolas (shortly after release), I found the high-end harsh and fatiguing. But no more, and I'm not sure if they burned in, or my ears have adjusted and I'm just now used to it. On my last pair of JH16s, I used Silver...

  I thought they were offering 10% off! (Although I noticed it was missing from the sheet highlighting discounts).   If you're ready to buy, might be worth calling those guys first thing tomorrow and seeing if they can make something happen.

  I went custom. I'm not sure if I had to -- the seal I was getting with the universal seemed good enough, but my listening test was only about 20 minutes, and I've gotten use to the custom fit with my current JH 16, so I stuck with that.   I briefly compared to the my current JH 16, and it...

  It seemed fine, but I didn't pay much attention. Since the base is adjustable, I assume it can go from "far too little" to "far too much", and everywhere in between. I always thought the bass on the old JH16 was quite good. 

I have an 7-year old pair of JH16, and I went into the show looking to upgrade. I had had my eye on the Layla for a few months, so I was happy when I heard a new model was coming out, and I was eager to see how it compared.   The biggest difference for me came in vocals. After listening to the...

Speaking of Vinnie, I sat down next to him without knowing of him or Red Wine audio and was blown away by the Isabellina. Using Etys, it was hands down the best sound I heard that day.   I came to the show primarily to hear the JH-16s, and those were pretty good, but I wasn't as impressed as...

I haven't been to a meet in years, but I'm excited this one is near me! Thanks for organizing.   I'll bring a Benchmark DAC1 USB.

I'll be there with a Benchmark DAC-1. Looking forward to meeting everyone.

^

shoe, do you find your current combination bright? I find the ER4-S bright, and find the headphone jack on the DAC1 bright. The combination would leave me bleeding. You can do much better than the DAC1's headphone out. I suspect a Meier amp could be a great choice for you -- I used a HA-2...

Hirsch, who is the "late arrival" pictured above? Could it be ... (I'd feel foolish making my guess)

For about a year I've been looking for the ideal laptop solution, something that's: driven by USB, with good driver support, with a good amp and DAC, and doesn't take up too much space. My budget is around $1000. My first attempt was a Sonica connected to an amp, but the sound quality wasn't...

I'm sure the SR-71 is a better amp than the small amp squeezed into Echo. Since I didn't notice any improvement, it makes me think the source in the Echo was the limiting factor, and adding a higher-quality amp wouldn't improve things.

I added a SR-71 to my Indigo and didn't notice any improvement. If you want to step up, I recommend the Headroom Bithead. I had one for a month and it was a definitely better. I use Etys.

I can't make the 2nd, but I'd be happy to let you borrow my HA-2 and SR71 for the day if someone can swing by my place in Brookline to pick them up. PM me.

If the date works for me, I can likely bring a SR-71, a Meier HA-2, and a Benchmark DAC1.

We'll get a meet whenever someone is willing to open their place and choose a date. I'd offer my place, but my schedule is tight for the next few weeks, so I'm not able to commit to a date. If someone has a place but is concerned about the meet growing too large, they should choose a few...

Quote: Originally Posted by ampgalore Can you do a detailed comparison between the Benchmark headphone out and the prehead? I always felt the headphone out on the Benchmark is a bit harsh. I just picked up a DAC1 last night, and find it painfully bright with the Ety 4p...

I had molds made by Sensaphonics about a year ago. They're certainly more comfortable, but I no longer use them because they tweak the sound for the worse (in my case). The sound gained body, which was good, and lost some of its refinement, which was fine, but the killer was that it accentuated...

(Chincy -- I tried responding to your PM yesterday, but you were over your limit, so it wouldn't go through). With the Ety 4p, I don't hear any hiss at all. Regarding sound quality, the line out is pretty good, but the headphone jack sounds a little thin compared to the Echo Indigo or the...

I'm interested. Just let me know what dates you have in mind.

I had a Total Bithead on hand for about a month and I enjoyed my music more than I had in a long time (from my work system). Last week I was using the SR-71 with the M-audio Audiophile USB, and thought the combination was a step down in quality (for a little over twice the price). The Bithead...

Out of the box, the amp sounded smooth but had a very narrow soundstage. The first ~ 30 hours of burn-in have helped, and I'm hoping the improvements will continue. I also find the amp more fatiguing than my Meier HA-2, but I'm hoping this too will improve. I'm still on my first set of...

Quote: Originally Posted by DanG Would anybody be interested in meeting during that time, perhaps on a Sunday? I'm in! I'll keep an eye on this thread. Or PM me as the date draws near.

Brookline is good for me. I'm only a few blocks away from kelesh. After July 1, I should have the Ray Samuels SR-71 and a Melos on hand in addition to my Corda HA-2.