[Muinarc]

First off: Big thanks to @Coolzo, @koover, @Destroysall, and all others that contributed to getting this even organized for all of the hard work and effort. These gatherings don't happen out of thin air!

My dealer contribution fell through in the end but we had so many wonderful products on demo from: @Jason Stoddard and the team from Schiit and their huge Schiit Kit, Dan @mrspeakers, @Kennerton Team and their cool headphones, @Audeze, and @zach915m from ZMF. A big heartfelt thanks to you all for assisting our small but dedicated head fi community here in and around Arizona, you helped make this a wonderful and informative (and maybe expensive ) day for many people!

I only have a few pictures uploaded so far so I might as well post them:

@funch's sweet little Altoids amps that had zero trouble powering his HD800.



Got another listen to the Z1r on @balderon's Balancing Act, not sure these warmish cans need tubes but I still found some great tracks on this pairing.



Was nice to get more time on the Auteur after very limited listening at RMAF.



@cskippy brought his new Aficionado and I managed to listen to 0 tracks off of it! We kept getting distracted! lol. Next time I'm listening to this guy and those HE-6 of yours which will no doubt be rev.3215.1b.



Quite enjoyed the Mr. Speakers E-stat as well as hearing everyone's opinions on them throughout the day. I have heard these twice since the San Francisco meet in 2016 when they were in Ether open housings. They have come a long long way since then. They have gained a lot of efficiency, and they are very balanced and clear, not to mention the slick, almost all-metal construction. Looking forward to their imminent release!

 

[koover]

I Only took 1 picture so here goes it

 

[BzzzzzT]

Hey everyone!

I am selling my LCD-X. If anyone wants them I will give you guys a discount.

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/lcd-x-with-fazor-will-trade-for-he-6-hd800-hd800s.863515/

 

[Astral Abyss]

Hello everyone! Sorry for the late entry. I've been trying to upload all my photos into an album before posting, but the forums have been fighting me the entire way.

Here's what I was able to add before it locked me out of my own album: https://www.head-fi.org/gallery/album/phoenix-az-head-fi-meet-oct-2017.1154576/

I just want to start by saying how nice it was to meet all of you and for making me feel so welcome. This was my first audio meet, of any kind, and I didn't know what to expect. I was a bit nervous. Well, after the fun I had Saturday, I think it's safe to say I'll be attending the next meet for sure. So much to see and listen to, and people to talk with. What a great bunch of people you all are. Huge thanks to @koover, @Coolzo, @cskippy and @Destroysall! I can see the difficulty organizing one of these events and making everything come together seamlessly, and I salute your hard work.

Some of the highlights for me were (in no particular order):

The Abyss Phi. My first time listening to it, and @drew911d even brought a Milo with it! After relearning years worth of muscle memory on how to put on headphones and getting it situated, I was blown away. Best sounding headphones I've ever heard. That is my preferred sound signature, to a tee. It wasn't uncomfortable either, like I always figured it would be. Now, to figure out how to come up with $4500. Maybe next year... I don't really need BOTH kidneys, right?

ZMF Auteur. Very impressive. I like the changes Zach made to the cups, slimming them down a bit, and also the new upgraded gimbals. They sounded similar enough to my Eikons for me think I probably won't get them, but I did appreciate the openness of the sound compared to the Eikon. They didn't seem as dark either, with more energy in the upper mids and treble, or maybe that was just due to the lower bass volume. Either way, they're a hit.

Mr Speakers Ether Flow and Electrostatics. Dan and I appear to have the same tastes in sound signature. I've been happy with every headphone of his I've heard. I do think the e-stats could use a bit more low end though, but it wasn't too bad as to make me dislike them.

@cskippy with his EC Aficionado, Vidar, and ridiculously good sounding modded HE-6. I have an unmodded HE-6, so I had a basic idea what they were going to sound like, but WOW, those were at a whole different level. The upper mid/lower treble harshness was gone, the mids were moved forward a bit, everything was tight and clean, and somehow the bass hit even harder. I hate you, now my HE-6 suck... haha, I'm kidding... mostly. Also, a big thanks for doing the measurements. I can't wait to see the graphs!

@koover and his wonderful collection of headphones. Loved the TH900. It was unexpected too because I had and sold a TH-X00 that I didn't really care for. Obviously the 900 is in a whole different league in sound... and cost! Also, thanks for introducing me to the band Earthside! Love your taste in music and hope to hear more of it next time.

Focal Utopia. First time getting to hear it. Very energetic, live sound. I really loved the sound, but not $4000 loved. A bit too much treble for me and my tinnitus. It probably would have been more impressive if I hadn't heard the Abyss first, because I was already in love and had the blinders on.

Kennerton Vali and Odin. I'd been really wanting to hear these for a long time, and finally got my chance. I started with the Vali and it wasn't really for me. I though the mids were a bit too recessed and it didn't have the dynamic range I was looking for. I must give it credit though, it sounds amazing with metal music. If you're a metal head, this is a great choice. You can really crank it up without going deaf. That's when it seems to really come into its own. The Odin was a mixed bag. First, with both the Vali and Odin, I couldn't make them small enough to actually fit on my head properly. I needed like another 1/2 inch. The 2nd problem is that the Odin is really good sounding, but not good enough that it really wowed me. I think its a bit overpriced at the retail asking price. Kind of disappointing, but at least I know I can drop that one off my list while I save for the Abyss.

Sleeper hit: Koss 950. I already forgot your name, because I suck at names, but thanks so much for bringing the 950. Couldn't believe how light it was. I thought it sounded better than both the MrSpeakers and the Stax 007. Really mellow, enjoyable sound.

I was so happy that the raffle for the Jotunheim went to someone that is really going to appreciate it. Fulla2 to Jotunheim. Now that's a nice upgrade!

@BzzzzzT and his monster custom built amp. That thing is pure madness! I loved it. Thanks for showing it to me along with the Mojo.

There were plenty of other amazing amps and DACs there. Hopefully I'll get a chance to see you all next time and try out some of the gear I missed. I kind of went into sensory overload there near the end and had to take a break, so I didn't get to try everything I wanted to, like the EC Balancing Act, Woo WA6, and the Acoustic Research AR-H1.

Thanks again everyone, I had a great time!

Astral Abyss
Matt

 

[koover]

Hello everyone! Sorry for the late entry. I've been trying to upload all my photos into an album before posting, but the forums have been fighting me the entire way.

Here's what I was able to add before it locked me out of my own album: https://www.head-fi.org/gallery/album/phoenix-az-head-fi-meet-oct-2017.1154576/

I just want to start by saying how nice it was to meet all of you and for making me feel so welcome. This was my first audio meet, of any kind, and I didn't know what to expect. I was a bit nervous. Well, after the fun I had Saturday, I think it's safe to say I'll be attending the next meet for sure. So much to see and listen to, and people to talk with. What a great bunch of people you all are. Huge thanks to @koover, @Coolzo, @cskippy and @Destroysall! I can see the difficulty organizing one of these events and making everything come together seamlessly, and I salute your hard work.

Some of the highlights for me were (in no particular order):

The Abyss Phi. My first time listening to it, and @drew911d even brought a Milo with it! After relearning years worth of muscle memory on how to put on headphones and getting it situated, I was blown away. Best sounding headphones I've ever heard. That is my preferred sound signature, to a tee. It wasn't uncomfortable either, like I always figured it would be. Now, to figure out how to come up with $4500. Maybe next year... I don't really need BOTH kidneys, right?

ZMF Auteur. Very impressive. I like the changes Zach made to the cups, slimming them down a bit, and also the new upgraded gimbals. They sounded similar enough to my Eikons for me think I probably won't get them, but I did appreciate the openness of the sound compared to the Eikon. They didn't seem as dark either, with more energy in the upper mids and treble, or maybe that was just due to the lower bass volume. Either way, they're a hit.

Mr Speakers Ether Flow and Electrostatics. Dan and I appear to have the same tastes in sound signature. I've been happy with every headphone of his I've heard. I do think the e-stats could use a bit more low end though, but it wasn't too bad as to make me dislike them.

@cskippy with his EC Aficionado, Vidar, and ridiculously good sounding modded HE-6. I have an unmodded HE-6, so I had a basic idea what they were going to sound like, but WOW, those were at a whole different level. The upper mid/lower treble harshness was gone, the mids were moved forward a bit, everything was tight and clean, and somehow the bass hit even harder. I hate you, now my HE-6 suck... haha, I'm kidding... mostly. Also, a big thanks for doing the measurements. I can't wait to see the graphs!

@koover and his wonderful collection of headphones. Loved the TH900. It was unexpected too because I had and sold a TH-X00 that I didn't really care for. Obviously the 900 is in a whole different league in sound... and cost! Also, thanks for introducing me to the band Earthside! Love your taste in music and hope to hear more of it next time.

Focal Utopia. First time getting to hear it. Very energetic, live sound. I really loved the sound, but not $4000 loved. A bit too much treble for me and my tinnitus. It probably would have been more impressive if I hadn't heard the Abyss first, because I was already in love and had the blinders on.

Kennerton Vali and Odin. I'd been really wanting to hear these for a long time, and finally got my chance. I started with the Vali and it wasn't really for me. I though the mids were a bit too recessed and it didn't have the dynamic range I was looking for. I must give it credit though, it sounds amazing with metal music. If you're a metal head, this is a great choice. You can really crank it up without going deaf. That's when it seems to really come into its own. The Odin was a mixed bag. First, with both the Vali and Odin, I couldn't make them small enough to actually fit on my head properly. I needed like another 1/2 inch. The 2nd problem is that the Odin is really good sounding, but not good enough that it really wowed me. I think its a bit overpriced at the retail asking price. Kind of disappointing, but at least I know I can drop that one off my list while I save for the Abyss.

Sleeper hit: Koss 950. I already forgot your name, because I suck at names, but thanks so much for bringing the 950. Couldn't believe how light it was. I thought it sounded better than both the MrSpeakers and the Stax 007. Really mellow, enjoyable sound.

I was so happy that the raffle for the Jotunheim went to someone that is really going to appreciate it. Fulla2 to Jotunheim. Now that's a nice upgrade!

@BzzzzzT and his monster custom built amp. That thing is pure madness! I loved it. Thanks for showing it to me along with the Mojo.

There were plenty of other amazing amps and DACs there. Hopefully I'll get a chance to see you all next time and try out some of the gear I missed. I kind of went into sensory overload there near the end and had to take a break, so I didn't get to try everything I wanted to, like the EC Balancing Act, Woo WA6, and the Acoustic Research AR-H1.

Thanks again everyone, I had a great time!

Astral Abyss
Matt

Thanks for the kind words but most importantly, awesome write up man! It was great meeting you and hanging for a while. Hope to see you again soon my friend!
Greg

 

[Coolzo]

So, do I hear a "ja, da, hai, si, oui" for March 10th, 2018? Then the meet after will be mid to late September...

 

[koover]

So, do I hear a "ja, da, hai, si, oui" for March 10th, 2018? Then the meet after will be mid to late September...

Excellent!
I cast the first “yeah” vote

 

[funch]

x2

 

[Barra]

So, do I hear a "ja, da, hai, si, oui" for March 10th, 2018? Then the meet after will be mid to late September...

Hec ya, keep em comin'

 

[drew911d]

Aye

 

[Astral Abyss]

Yeah, I'd be down with another meet in March, especially if we can get an excellent room like that one again.

 

[13713]

March sounds good. Only other suggestion I would have is to talk to the people bringing gear and perhaps set them up before hand. That way we get in set our stuff up and don't have to fuss with where to go what to do.

Again this last meet was top notch. The types and amount of gear that was brought was something spectacular.

 

[grizzlybeast]

I can attend around that time for sure

 

[Coolzo]

Is it too soon?

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/arizona-head-fi-minicon-march-10th-2018.863672/

 

[Destroysall]

I wish I took more pics. Got swept up with listening and meeting with everyone! Great meet, if not the best ever! My highlight listening came from the new Mr. Speakers Aeon Flows. Of course, I forgot to capture a photo of those babies. Hopefully next time I'll pay more attention with my camera (and my shutter speed).