One of the best and busiest CanJams I've ever been too. It was tough to actually get a seat at the popular booths throughout the day. So I'll be going back for day 2. :) Booths to check out: - RAAL Requisite SR1a headphones - not only are they one of the very best headphones I've ever heard -...

There's no way you're going hear glare, harshness, or get fatigued from Nick's cable. If you do, it's definitely something else. Btw, Happy Birthday Rob Watts!

I should mention this is a very rare case (seemingly only for a few SE owners) so if it isn't a problem for you, keep calm & carry on. Connecting the laptop via USB (playing 44.1/16) to BluDAVE and testing via Squeeze apps was just to confirm the problem might be due to the Linux Roon...

For the few BluDAVE owners with the Innuous Zenith SE server, dropouts may be caused by the implementation of Roon for Linux OS. From what I'm gathering, it seems like ultraRendu and microRendu owners don't have this issue (could be wrong). I've found that as long as files/streams from Roon are...

You are so zen my friend :)   So many sad faces! I was pretty excited to get the Hugo 2 as well but delays happen. It's OK to be disappointed, just get your deposit back if you need the cash flow, and listen to your favorite music on the best equipment you have now. That way when it's finally...

Very nice. Thanks Rob!

The only thing I regret not trying was the crossfeed setting. It's really difficult to do right but if it sounds anything like the DAVE's Crossfeed 3, that would be a nice bonus.

Meaning vocals and instruments sound more natural. The highs and energy are definitely there, even more so than the original Hugo. Basically sounds like a thick veil has been lifted from the original and everything was tightened up and refined.

I had a chance to do a direct comparison at the show. It's a significant upgrade. Really brought new life to my JH Audio Angie. The most noticeable attributes is a much blacker background (which means more soundstage and separation in this case) and a more natural timbre.  ...

I had free rein over the laptop while listening to the Orpheus. The tracks off of Tidal were unbearable. Could be the wifi card, power, router, whatever. I told Wally about it and he said that's why Sennheiser wants everything to be played via local files. So, if you ever get a chance to listen...

Best in show for me was probably the Tia Fourte. I was completely enveloped into the amazingly natural sound. It wasn't as detailed or textured as the U18 but it conveyed a very addictive and musical sound regardless of genre. Comes to show...it's not about the number of drivers but the tuning...

Ah, that aligns with what I would expect, especially if you're referring to the WA5-LE. The Nordost cables are quite revealing indeed but didn't expect them to get to the level of bright on any amp. Appreciate your insight!

Yeah, headphones are definitely the lower hanging fruit but not everyone could afford or is allowed (WAF) to convert their bedroom into an awesome listening room :P The greatest benefit of headphones over speakers is resolution. The rest, speakers tend to do better. Obviously it's whole new...

Yeah I've had this exact feeling/thoughts, especially in recent times. After reviewing so much gear and trying out so many permutations, burn-out is imminent. I think as my current headphone reference rig stands, it's about $35k+ worth of components. At some point, I remember being happier with...

I was wondering which amps are used by Nordost Heimdall 2 owners. Impressive as it was the most tonally accurate out of the bunch but I couldn't get enough warmth out of it. The Danacable Lazuli Ref. was to my ears the most euphoric out of the Chord DAVE.   For those looking for a cable...

Need a quick review here: https://audiobacon.net/2017/03/16/high-fidelity-cables-trinity-helix-review/   It does apply the HFC signature sound which tightens up the image, provides better clarity, and a more holographic sound. Due to a few time constraints I've only extensively tested with...

Could've been the dealer's source or not. I actually thought the Utopia was a tad bright/harsh, even on a well-built rig, and especially with the stock cable. As far as sMS-200 + DAVE + Utopia, I've found that including a W4S Recovery (Rev C) improves the low-end and overall naturalness of...

Hopefully I'll hear back from Focal in a few days. 

I'm still waiting on a Focal loaner. I'll have the Prion4, Complement4, Dana, and Lazuli cable on hand for the review. Will keep everyone posted.

Which headphones are you using again?    Roy was there when I swapped between the crossfeed settings on the DAVE and it didn't take more than 5 minutes for me to settle on crossfeed 3. I get a much more natural sound and a better sense of the space and air. It just sounds more "as-intended" to...

Great question and I apologize for the ambiguity. I'll update the post to clarify.   When I switch between Crossfeed 0 and 3 with just the Lumin, the holistic sonic differences were significant (Hopefully someone else with a Lumin S1 could confirm this). With the DAVE not so much. However...

Personally, I really like the TT, always have. Extremely detailed, still musical, but lacks a bit of warmth for a truly euphoric sound. For some studio recordings, it's actually a subtle difference between DAVE and TT (I think I wrote raw notes on some of them). I blind tested my girlfriend and...

Completely agree. The JPS didn't sound quite right but could be fun with some recordings. Still quite detailed and artificially energetic. The Shunyata, just lush and truthful. Personally, I believe the difference in price is worth it. I'm going to have to revisit the Shunyata vs Challenger AE15...

Much appreciated Beolab! Great ears hear alike! :P I'll be getting a DHC Complement 4 very soon.