Sophonax
500+ Head-Fier
- Joined
- Jan 6, 2010
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I was out in Denver for a long weekend visiting family, and I had the opportunity to check out CanJam on Friday. Since I only had the one afternoon at the show, I focused on the things that were of most interest to me (headphones) and didn't pay much attention to anything else (electronics).
Overall, it was a great show -- it's definitely grown since 2012, the last time I was there. Not sure if it was the fact that it was in a tent, or if there were more people and exhibitors -- probably some combination of both -- but there was definitely a much more energetic atmosphere than I remember in the past. It was very cool on the one hand, but on the other hand it was also a louder environment and made it a little bit more difficult to do any serious listening.
Here are just a few notes from memory. I'll try to list where I heard each headphone and on which amplifier.
FULL SIZE HEADPHONES
I'll preface this section by saying that I sought out headphones which I hadn't heard before, which is why you don't see some of the usual heavy hitters here like the HD800(S). I also didn't bother with electrostats, since I don't want to open that particular can of worms.
Overall top full-size headphone picks: Focal Utopia, MrSpeakers Ether Flow, and Beyerdynamic DT1990. Without considering price, I honestly liked these three headphones almost equally. Considering price, this makes the DT1990 a no-brainer for me.
IN-EAR MONITORS
I'm definitely an IEM noob, having never really owned a good pair of them -- but I'm starting to look into them as an option for portable listening with good passive noise attenuation. I've determined that I'm willing to spend up to $1000 for a pair of custom IEMs, if I can find a pair that meets or exceeds the sound I can get from full-size, over-ear, portable headphone options on the market -- so this is what guided my listening choices. Obviously I could only listen to the universal-fit versions at the show, but I was hoping to get a general idea of what to expect in the custom versions.
Overall top IEM picks: JH Audio JH13V2 PRO, Noble Audio Django, and 64 Audio U6. These are all good choices around the $1000 mark, but the U6 was the clear winner for me on comfort and sound.
In conclusion, going to a show like CanJam is an invaluable experience that I'd highly recommend to anyone. There's practically nowhere else you can hear so many different audio products in one spot. If you're even thinking about spending more than $1000 on audio gear, the costs of traveling to a meet like CanJam are pretty minimal when compared to how much money you can waste buying and selling gear, searching for the perfect setup. I was happy to find two headphones that I really liked and will probably end up purchasing (Beyerdynamic DT1990 and 64 Audio A6). Hopefully I'll be able to make it out again next year!
Overall, it was a great show -- it's definitely grown since 2012, the last time I was there. Not sure if it was the fact that it was in a tent, or if there were more people and exhibitors -- probably some combination of both -- but there was definitely a much more energetic atmosphere than I remember in the past. It was very cool on the one hand, but on the other hand it was also a louder environment and made it a little bit more difficult to do any serious listening.
Here are just a few notes from memory. I'll try to list where I heard each headphone and on which amplifier.
FULL SIZE HEADPHONES
I'll preface this section by saying that I sought out headphones which I hadn't heard before, which is why you don't see some of the usual heavy hitters here like the HD800(S). I also didn't bother with electrostats, since I don't want to open that particular can of worms.
- Focal Utopia: Moon Audio's table, Dragon Inspire IHA-1 amp. Overall, I was quite pleased with the sound. Good tonal balance, very clear and natural sound, excellent dynamics, and a moderately-sized soundstage. The build quality was excellent, and it seemed like long-term wearing comfort should be good. Maybe the only ergonomic complaint I had was that they almost felt a little too loose on my head -- almost like there wasn't enough clamping pressure to get the pads seated properly. These headphones will definitely make some people happy, although at $4000 the price isn't justified for me personally.
- Focal Elear: Moon Audio's table, Dragon Inspire IHA-1 amp. For my preferences, these were a clear step down from the Utopia -- not so much in technical ability (which I couldn't judge especially well in the show conditions), but more so in tuning. I noticed a definite lack of presence in the upper midrange / lower treble, which made acoustic instruments in particular fade back into the recording. If you listen primarily to pop, rock, or electronic music, I can see how these would be appealing -- but I listen to a lot of acoustic music, and to me these weren't a particularly good choice for the genre. Build quality was on par with the Utopia though, and I actually found these to be more comfortable than the Utopia as the ear pads seemed to conform to my head a little bit better.
- MrSpeakers Ether Flow: Moon Audio's table, Pass Labs HPA-1 amp. These were really good -- I would say the tuning was overall neutral, but with a slight, pleasant emphasis in the bass. Fast, dynamic, and with decent spatial characteristics. The build was very nice, and comfort was beyond reproach. If I were in the market for a flagship-tier headphone, these would be on the short list.
- HiFiMAN HE-1000 V2: Moon Audio's table, Pass Labs HPA-1 amp. To be honest, there wasn't much I liked about this headphone. The overall tonality was fine, reasonably neutral, with nothing out of place -- but the presentation was very laid back and very much lacking in dynamics, especially compared to the Focals or Ether Flow. Comfort was good, but I found the build to be pretty lackluster for a headphone in this price category. Definitely not for me, so much so that I didn't bother listening to the Edition X.
- Sony MDR-Z1R: Sony's table, Sony TA-ZH1ES DAC / amp. I was generally pleased with this headphone, but I'm just going to come right out and say it -- not as good as the legendary R10, which I had the privilege of owning several years ago. The Z1R was very balanced from top to bottom, more so than the R10 (which lacks bass extension), but it simply didn't deliver the midrange magic that made the R10 so special. To my ears, there was something just a little bit strange going on in the upper mids, though I couldn't quite put my finger on exactly what it was. Overall though, the sound was very even-handed, polite, and well-behaved, which I think is somewhat rare to find in a closed-back headphone. Comfort was outstanding, but the build quality was maybe a little lacking, considering the price -- the adjuster mechanisms felt a little bit loose and plasticky to me. A good effort from Sony overall, but my wallet isn't ready to cough up $2300 for these.
- Sennheiser HD569: Sennheiser's table, straight from my iPhone 4. Not an ideal source, but good enough to get a general idea. Overall, these were a pretty decent closed-back headphone for the price. Bass was a little bit overblown and muddy, but I suspect this would clean up at least somewhat if the headphone were driven from a dedicated amp with lower output impedance. Mids and treble were nicely balanced. Comfort was top notch, and the build was pretty good -- plastic, but of good quality and construction. I don't think I'd personally buy these, but they're definitely worth a look if you're interested in a closed-back 'phone at this price.
- Sennheiser HD599: Sennheiser's table, straight from my iPhone 4. Pretty sure these sound nearly identical to my HD598, which in my opinion is one of the best headphones at this price point. Excellent overall balance, with a spacious, mid-forward presentation, though lacking a little bit of bass extension. One thing that did change is the build -- I would say the HD599 is built a little more nicely than the HD598, specifically in the leather(ette?) headband. Highly recommended, but no need for current HD598 owners to upgrade.
- Beyerdynamic DT1770: Beyerdynamic's table, Beyerdynamic A2 amp. I thought these were pretty good for a closed headphone, but personally I've almost always preferred the sound of open-back headphones. I often find closed headphones to have strange resonances or reflections that result in a less natural sound, and although the DT1770 was better than most other closed headphones I've heard in this regard, it was no exception. Pretty good overall balance though, from top to bottom, though I think the treble was a little bit emphasized in traditional Beyer fashion. Build and comfort were top-notch, also in traditional Beyer fashion.
- Beyerdynamic T1.2: Beyerdynamic's table, Beyerdynamic A2 amp. I don't know what it is, but I have always preferred Beyer's flat-driver headphones rather than the angled-driver ones, and I still found this to be the case here. I think my DT880/600 is a little better overall, both tonally and technically, than the original T1 and the T1.2. Maybe I'm just crazy -- but if you look at the measurements for the DT880 versus the T1 on InnerFidelity, there may actually be some merit to this.
- Beyerdynamic DT1990: Beyerdynamic's table, Beyerdynamic A2 amp. Now this is much more like it! This headphone, to me, is a more mature and even-handed take on the Beyer house sound. The bass is robust, dynamic, and well-extended; the mids are more forward in the mix than previous Beyer models; and the treble has been tamed a bit while still retaining outstanding clarity and extension. Comfort and build quality are wonderful. Price seems very fair. I'll probably be buying one of these.
- Beyerdynamic Amiron: Beyerdynamic's table, Beyerdynamic A2 amp. This is Beyer's home version of the DT1990, and the tuning is definitely different. These headphones depart significantly from the Beyerdynamic house sound. The bass is warmer and somewhat looser than the DT1990, and the treble is much more subdued. A more relaxing listen overall. Build and comfort were comparable to the DT1990. Overall the DT1990 was much better for my preferences, but the Amiron is worth a listen if you like a warmer, thicker sound. I saw @Allanmarcus's impressions of the Amiron a couple pages back -- not sure why my sonic impressions differ so much from his.
Overall top full-size headphone picks: Focal Utopia, MrSpeakers Ether Flow, and Beyerdynamic DT1990. Without considering price, I honestly liked these three headphones almost equally. Considering price, this makes the DT1990 a no-brainer for me.
IN-EAR MONITORS
I'm definitely an IEM noob, having never really owned a good pair of them -- but I'm starting to look into them as an option for portable listening with good passive noise attenuation. I've determined that I'm willing to spend up to $1000 for a pair of custom IEMs, if I can find a pair that meets or exceeds the sound I can get from full-size, over-ear, portable headphone options on the market -- so this is what guided my listening choices. Obviously I could only listen to the universal-fit versions at the show, but I was hoping to get a general idea of what to expect in the custom versions.
- Audeze iSine 10: Audeze's table, straight from their iPad. I wasn't really interested in these, but the Audeze guy talked me into giving them a try. Despite the distinct lack of music choices available on the iPad, the iSine sounded really good -- bass was strong and dynamic, and balance from top to bottom was pretty seamless. Very impressive for the asking price. However, I find this to be a strange product. It's essentially an open-back IEM, which offers very little isolation and therefore isn't particularly useful for on-the-go listening. And if I'm listening at home in a quiet environment, I'd much rather just use my more comfortable full-size, over-ear headphones. I'm sure someone will find a good use for these, but they're not for me.
- Westone W50: Westone's table, straight from my iPhone 4. I didn't really care for these; they sounded overly dark and thick to me. I suspect the frequency response graph would look more or less like a monotonically descending curve from bass to treble. Not nearly enough air and sparkle for my preferences.
- JH Audio JH3X PRO: JH's table, straight from my iPhone 4. These were decent -- the bass was maybe a little strong and the treble a little dull and lacking resolution. Not bad for the price I suppose, but they left me wanting and I wasn't convinced.
- JH Audio JH13V2 PRO: JH's table, straight from my iPhone 4. A definite step up from the JH3X. The treble gained some sparkle and resolution, and I was able to tune the bass to a good level using the in-line bass adjuster on the cable. Overall these seemed pretty good, but for the price I'm not sure I would have opened my wallet for these.
- Noble Savanna: Noble's table, straight from my iPhone 4. As Noble describes on their site, these are definitely linear -- a very different presentation from Westone and JH. These sound much more like the sound I would expect from a full-size audiophile headphone like the Senn HD800. The mids and treble were very clear and open, and the bass, while present, fell just a bit behind in the mix. Sounded great with acoustic music. I liked the sound overall, but since I would be using these primarily for portable listening, I was concerned that the bass wouldn't be strong enough to be heard over the roar of airplane engines or road noise.
- Noble Django: Noble's table, straight from my iPhone 4. A little more musical than the Savanna, and in my opinion a definite step in the right direction. Bass and mids were a little bit fuller, though they were still light in the bass compared to Westone or JH, and the same concern about the bass being lost in airplane or car noise prevailed. Once again, these were excellent with acoustic music, and better than the Savanna for rock or electronic. These were my favorite IEM I'd listened to up to this point, but I still wasn't sure.
- Noble Dulce Bass: Noble's table, straight from my iPhone 4. I listened to these more out of curiosity than anything else, just to see what a "bass-heavy" IEM would sound like for Noble. In short, I didn't like these at all. The tonal balance didn't sound nearly as good as the Savanna or Django to me, and the bass, while somewhat stronger, was still weak compared to the Westone and JH options. I didn't even listen to these long enough to determine what specifically bothered me about the tonal balance; I just know that I didn't like them. Pass.
- 64 Audio U4: 64 Audio's table, straight from my iPhone 4. The first thing I instantly noticed, when I put these in my ears, is how much more comfortable they were for me than any other IEM I had ever used. I think one of the reasons I've avoided IEMs as long as I have is that I never liked the sensation of pressure that they create in my ear. I sat and read through 64 Audio's brochure at their table, and I read about their APEX design -- essentially a slow, controlled leak to equalize pressure in the ear canal. Makes sense to me, and it worked great! No sensation of pressure to speak of. I was liking these before I even pressed the play button. After pressing play, I liked these even more -- the tuning was great, with strong bass and midbass, clean and clear mids, and sufficiently present highs. If anything, these sounded a little bit bass-heavy to me, but overall I was very impressed. Getting warmer.
- 64 Audio U6: 64 Audio's table, straight from my iPhone 4. I looked at the tuning graphs in 64 Audio's brochure as I listened to the U4, and it looked like the U6 might suit my preferences a bit more, cutting down a bit on the bass and adding some midrange. That's exactly what they did. These were wonderfully balanced from top to bottom -- robust bass that wasn't overwhelming, forward mids that were clear and natural, and nice high-end presence and resolution. The tuning was essentially perfect for me, and combined with the APEX design that greatly increased comfort for me, I knew I had found my winner here. No need to look any further. Vitaliy B took some impressions of my ears right at their booth, and I'll be ordering a custom A6 in the next few days.
Overall top IEM picks: JH Audio JH13V2 PRO, Noble Audio Django, and 64 Audio U6. These are all good choices around the $1000 mark, but the U6 was the clear winner for me on comfort and sound.
In conclusion, going to a show like CanJam is an invaluable experience that I'd highly recommend to anyone. There's practically nowhere else you can hear so many different audio products in one spot. If you're even thinking about spending more than $1000 on audio gear, the costs of traveling to a meet like CanJam are pretty minimal when compared to how much money you can waste buying and selling gear, searching for the perfect setup. I was happy to find two headphones that I really liked and will probably end up purchasing (Beyerdynamic DT1990 and 64 Audio A6). Hopefully I'll be able to make it out again next year!