[chesebert]

Regarding Spirit Torino, can anyone describe the sonic differences between the current TOTL Valkyria/Pulsar, and their previous TOTL Twin Pulse 1706? (I have the Twin Pulse 1706 and the Grande).

No meaningful comparison from CanJam: Valkyria was fed by some plastic dac and predetermined music selection while Pulsar was fed by Bricasti M3 and you can listen to anything from Qobuz.

Weiss 502 when I had it on tour made me want to just sell everything and buy it but I felt like my chain gave me more freedom can’t replace tube sound with a ss no matter how good.

TBH, I would only use 502 as a network dac.

 

[genefruit]

"...Valkyria was fed by some plastic dac and predetermined music selection..."

This - left after 30 seconds of listening. Pointless.

 

[wazzupi]

Thank you for the comment! I really hope you'll like them better at SoCal!
Danny has a preference for recordings that are significant in showing certain aspects and differences in musical production, and how our headphones can show that, so it's limited in choices.

Thank you for the opportunity to talk about the foam and build quality.

All foams look alike, but we use Memory foam. Expanded PE is a completely different beast, but it sure does look similar.
One of the ways to change the appearance of the memory foam is that we will use the type with much smaller cell-size. This will also increase the comfort as the one with the smaller cells feels smoother to the skin. But, it will remain naked foam, unwrapped, for most favorable acoustical properties.

The cups are made of weapons grade polycarbonate. It is unbeatable in the mechanical and acoustical properties we needed them for.
The design of the cups, with all those sharp edges and corners would not be good for painted finish. The paint would quickly wear-off the corners and edges and the cups would look heavily used after one week of use. As they are now, unpainted, they will never scratch or wear off, as this material is really tough.

So, I just need to point out that build quality is a different thing than finishing appearance, speaking of which, once I fell in love with the material, we wanted to keep it as is, in it's natural form, with that mother-of-pearl effect that it has. To me, personally, that is a better finish than any paint.

The apparent simplicity of the headspring/forks design, made of one piece of Spring-Stainless Steel, requires a tremendous amount of time in manual bending in just the right way, so it's a sort of handywork that nobody but us here can afford in manufacturing, so there is a lot of man-hours effort in it, that you won't find elsewhere. And it was very hard to engineer the right mechanical behavior in just one piece of metal.
Of course, it's another thing if one don't like the design of it, but the mechanical behavior is superb and nothing will ever break or malfunction with it.

We just wanted to make a step in an unusual direction with the whole design/appearance thing, in hope that it will be appreciated for how it makes a great headphone for not so much money, so still hoping

Here's a gif of the build quality, driving a Mazda CX-30 over the cup:

They didn’t feel cheap to me at all besides the sponge material used… it felt solid for the most part.

TBH, I would only use 502 as a network dac.

I liked the headphone amp in it… as a SS solution. For me to be able to afford it I’d have to sell all my equipment XD. I’d have to wait for more funds on a Tube amp after but I like my chain XD.

 

[Abyss Headphones]

Lina amp can’t even power 1266 all that well. Lina works well in the context of Lina stack when I heard with ZMF cans.

The Lina amp has plenty of power for the AB1266, as well as Diana TC, and Diana V2.

There are 2 settings on this gear that you need to concern yourself with if you're attempting to ascertain how loud this system plays. One is the gain switch under the right rear corner of the Lina amp (low or high), even more significant is the output voltage setting of the DAC (2 or 6 volts).

The Lina DAC defaults to the lower 2 volt setting, so I'd bet most if not all of them at this show were set for the lower setting. In-house we tend to run the system at the 2 volts setting for listening, this gives the greatest range from that extra large volume control that's so much fun to adjust, all the way up to full stop. it's not possible to run the amp into clipping with 2 volts out of the DAC as it can handle 3 times this on it's input.

In our room I'm thinking we had one Lina DAC set-up at 6 volts and the other at 2 volts as one of them was brand new out of the box, but can't say for sure. Not to mention we saw no need for any more gain, the systems sounded great as is in our quiet room. Not to mention people were swapping headphones on the 3 systems we had in the room all day long, as well as connecting their own headphones, so we as experienced exhibitors tend to default to 'safer' settings.
Next time you want to drag race let us know and we'll make sure it's set to launch mode.

 

[chesebert]

A 1266 drag race would be fun: Headamp (gsxmk2 + Bricasti M3) vs Abyss (Lina stack)

Weiss 502 when I had it on tour made me want to just sell everything and buy it but I felt like my chain gave me more freedom can’t replace tube sound with a ss no matter how good.

You for sure don’t want to listen to Linn Klimax Organik, Rossini, any MSB or Emm Labs DV2 - you will want to sell your body if you ever heard any of those. We try to discourage such behavior generally

 

[LoryWiv]

A 1266 drag race would be fun: Headamp (gsxmk2 + Bricasti M3) vs Abyss (Lina stack)

The Wells Audio level II stack in the main room may want to get in on this action too.

 

[AnyDave]

The Auteur Classic was really impressive. It was competing with my VC's for attention. It's amazing how much change a pad swap makes. Joe was behind the table the day I was there (Sat) and was very, very accommodating. Helped me with different amps I wanted to try, even let me try out his personal Cayin portable. Their room was the highlight of the show for me. So many gear combinations to try!

Not only are the headphones works of art both sonically and aesthetically, but Zach, Bevin, and their team are some of the kindest people I've ever met in any industry.

I've met some wonderful people in this industry and Zach and Bevin are two of my favorites. Just fantastic people.

I finally got a chance to hear the ZMF Atrium and really liked it. I also liked the LTA booth. I could see myself owning a Z2 or Z3 at some point in the near future.

 

[zach915m]

I've met some wonderful people in this industry and Zach and Bevin are two of my favorites. Just fantastic people.

I finally got a chance to hear the ZMF Atrium and really liked it. I also liked the LTA booth. I could see myself owning a Z2 or Z3 at some point in the near future.

Amen Dave you're the man!

The Zotl is great, I cherish mine. I have a zotl 2 and 3 because it's great to have one at home and work. One of the most unique and best amps on the market. Great pre-amp as well.

 

[rando]

Yes, Jeff had it connected to the Dragon amp. Going to it after hearing the Cipher i really couldn’t hear what it was bring to the table. That’s because I could not unhear the Cipher and needed to let my ears readjust so I could hear what it was doing. I’m sure it will be a great sounding DAC, but to be fair I probably should have started with it. That way I could have described some of the differences I was hearing between it and the Cipher DAC.

The prototype dac and the Dragon paired nicely with my HiFiMan Arya Stealth. The amp is the base model at $1500 there are two more tiers up from there. You can switch between a 6DJ8 and a 12BH7. Lots of dip switches on top to change output. I turned it up about an eight of a turn for the Aryas to get loud. Also, Jeff is a great guy.

The GSX ii amp with these headphones was quite clear and open. Loved the sound! Super uncomfortable though, mesh screen inside the cup that rubs on your ear. Didn't look like a premium product and fragile.

 

[Zachik]

I've met some wonderful people in this industry and Zach and Bevin are two of my favorites. Just fantastic people.

+1
Wish I could make it to Chicago, and finally meet them again... after almost 3 long years of not seeing Bevin and Zach in person

 

[goldwerger]

MY CANJAM CHICAGO 2022 OVERVIEW

I promised a few folks I'd report on my impressions, so I am going to attempt my first comprehensive write up. I will do it in the order of how I walked the show. This is a layman hobbyist's view, subjective, and all that jazz. It is the story of my experience of the last two days..

My focus has been on headphones and headphone amps. To keep things as directly comparable as possible, I've carried around: (1) my Susvara (to test amps), (2) my AK SP2000, which I usd line-out to either a dual XLR cable or a dual RCA cable. This let me compare headphones and amps using mostly the same DAC. The one exception was where the Bricasti M3 was used as a DAC, which I have at home and therefore can discern the changes in the chain; or in case of a built in DAC.

Before jumping into some great gear, I have to mention that the highlight of the event was reconnecting with friends and making new ones. Including a gathering in the lobby the prior afternoon, an ad hoc conversation ended up slowly built into a gather, and into an eveing-long conversation about head-fi, sci-fi, and everything in between... with @warrenpchi , @third_eye , @joe , @AxelCloris , @Rob Watts , Marshall , @Frank I , and Roger and Adam (Hifiman); and a very memorable night out at the end of Day 1, with @HiFiHawaii808 , @Kerry , Marshall, and @Makiah S

Further below are my impressions of the following gear, which will follow in this order (in case you'd like to quickly scroll down to any one particular you may be interested in). This is not a critical review. Rather, these are my personal impressions and experiences of CanJam Chicago:

• ZMF Atrium
• ZMF Aueteur Classic
• dCS Lina (amp only, followed by the amp/dac/clock stack)
• @L0rdGwyn Airmid (amp)
• Spririt Torino Pulsar (headphone)
• Spirint Torino Sigfrid (amp)
• Audeze CRBN
• Well Audio Head Trip III, Level II (amp)
• Well Audio Commander, Level III (pre-amp)
• RAAL-requisite CA1A
• Dan Clark Audio Stealth
• Ampandsound Nautilus
• Stax SR-X9000
• Eksonic T2
• Rupert Neve's Fidelice Precision DAC
• Abyss AB1266 Phi TC
• Cayin HA-300MK2
• Noble Audio Limited Edition Gold & Diamon Noble Sultan
• Noble Audio Kublai Khan
• Audeze MM-500
• Ferrum Orr+Hypsos

My very first stop was at ZMF. A genuine pleasure to finally meet @zach915m and Bevin in person. Such nice people!

I planned to spend a little bit of time trying out the new Atrium and Auteur Classic. I ended up staying for 2 hours.. They had a magnificent set up with lots of amps to pair with!

I own the VC and Aeolus, which were a reference points. The Atrium provides a real interesting complement to the VC. The Atrium is sound is more lush and "analog" feeling. Lower bass is less defined than the VC, but the sound stage feels much wider. It is very evenly tuned, and it is super enjoyable. Like all ZMFs, it sounds best with tube amps (more below). The Auteur Classic sounds a bit leaner and faster than the Atrium. It will provide a great alternative in its price tier to the HD800s and Arya.

ZMF had lots of limited editions on display for immedite sale. I walked the "wall of shame", bowed my head in submission and awe, and conceded to the fact that I am walking out with an Atrium... some of the options included:

I chose the Maccassar Ebony (which @zach915m later told me was his favourite; I think he may have posted it on the ZMF channel the prior evening):

ZMF had the dCS Lina stack, and at my early time of arrival, I had an opportunity for a quiet listen.

I first tested the Lina amp ONLY. I connected my AK player directly to the amp with XLR cables off my AK, and connected my Susvara to the amp (with the generous permission of the team). Making a long story very short, the Lina amp will provide sufficient volume but it is not good enough to drive the Susvara well. It will however, power any other headphone well (I believe @HiFiHawaii808 may have mentioned that it drove the 1266 well). I have also tested the LINA amp with the VC, Atrium, and Auteur Classic. That worked very well. However, I can't put a nice spin on it, but imho is not worth $9,100. As a standalone SS amp, I prefer the Ferrum Orr+Hypsos at $3,200 (more on the latter further below).

I then tested the entire Lina stack, including the clock, DAC, and amp. It is a very good setup. I think that dCS fans will be very pleased. It is similar to the Bartok's sound signature, packaged into a very small, desktop friendly, form factor. Needless to say, it is built very, very well. The dCS sound offers a thinner and more analytical sounding. My taste goes more to the smoothness the Bricasti sound signature. At the price point of $29,000 for the stack, the target market is the price-indifferent buyer, so there is no need to comment on value. Personal choices and all that.

ZMF had a wide variety of tub amps. They were all great, but the one that stood out to me was the Airmid. Unfortunately, this DIY OTL amp isn't built regularly; but I hold an ounce of hope (prayer? this will change in the future. The bass on this (tested with Atrium) was magnificently resonant. Very memorable. I will be the first to get one if/whenever @zach915m can convince @L0rdGwyn to let him build them...

My next stop was Spirit Torino.

Having tried the stratospherically priced Valkyria at CanJam NYC earlier this year (a modest $11,000), I was very curious to test their newly launched limited edition sibling, the Pulsar ($5,500). It was good to reconnect with Andrea Ricci, the passionate designer, and his always gregarious partner (and occassional translator) Giordano Zacchini.

The change from the Valkyria to the Pulsar resulted in a much lighter weight and a more comfortable headphone. It remains exceedingly well built. As far as the design, you will either love it or hate it. It is meant to be distinct! It's certainly on brand.. Note that, like before, the cables are undetachable, following Andrea's obsession with controlling every aspect of the sound chain (the good news is that they are very soft and comfortable; I believe one can order them to any length desired). I'd have preferred them detached, as I assume would most folks.

Sound wise, they are much more balanced to my ears than the bassy Radiante (for reference), while still retaining the open sound of the Valkyria. Andrea's ambition to capture the sound and feel of a live concert is the strength of this headphone, and it delivers on that. However, compared side-by-side with my Susvara (with which it would need to compete at this price point), it can't match its resolution or timbre. If Spirit Torino were able to iterate again and deliver yet another younger sibling at $3k.... hint, hint...

Spririt Torino also showcased their Sigfrid amplifier ($10,000). This is a hybrid amp (tube input stage with SS output stage). It is great! They kindly let me test it with both the Pulsar and my Susvara. I can report that it can drive the Susvara beautifully (for the numbers hungery, 5 Watts into 32 Ohm). It is clean, transparent, and sounds effortless (it can also power speakers, with 30 Watt into 8 Ohm). In contrast to the Lina amp, this one delivers. It does have one major disadvantage however, which is an unwieldy form factor similar to an old upright PC tower. Branding stays consitent..

[footnote to the Spirit team: putting a Geshelli DAC in your chain isn't the best choice for what you aspire to achieve. I ignored it and didn't use it, but most everyone else has; this impacts your voicing... ahhm]

Next up, Audeze CRBN.

Audeze chose to demonstrate this headphone with the Mjornir Carbon amp. This was my second time trying this combo, as they used the same setup at CanJam NYC earlier this year. It is also familiar grounds, as I own the Mjolnir Carbon amp (and love it).

The CRBN has many fans. I am not one of them. Don't misunderstand, I think it is a very good headphone. But, to me, it sounded like the most planar-like headphone among the estats. It is not surprising for Audeze to tune close to their house sound. Personally, when I reach for my estats, I crave their unique sound porfile, that excitement of audible speed and super-fine imaging. I also found the CRBN mid-forward. If you like that, you should really try them out. I prefer my music a bit more evenly laid out in front of me.

Following was one of my show's highlights: Wells Audio.

Jeff Wells is a perfectionist. His attention to detail is insane, as his selection and testing of every single component in his products, which he hand builds. This is one passionate guy..

@warrenpchi pointed me in this direction, for a good reason. The Headtrip III, Level II debuted at this show ($15,000). I tested it first in isolation, connecting my AK directly to it. This is a very powerful SS amp that can drive the Susvara effortlessly, without breaking a sweat. It has a speaker-amp like soundstage.

I next added the Commander, Level III tube pre-amp to the chain ($18,000), connecting my AK directly to it (and it, in turn, to the Headtrip III). I was BLOWN AWAY. The Commander beautifully rounded off the edges, providing a rich texture and silkiness to the sound. This hybrid combination (tube pre + SS head amp) was inspiring. It may be one of the best headphone setups I have heard, and the best setup in which I've ever heard the Susvara. Let's get one thing quickly out of the way: This is a $33,000 (!) headphone setup, the relm of unobtainium to most mortals. But if you are ever able to demo it, give it a listen. It is an experience worth having. Is it worth it? There are no definites in audio.. wait, there are. Holy #$% - yes, it is!

Off to RAAL-requisite!

One of the other new products showcased at CanJam Chicago was RAAL's new circumaural (aka normal headphones, inspirationaly named the CA1A... They are lightweight and comfortable (yay!). I've seen a thread of commnets earlier from both attendees and the company, but impressions are just that. And the headphone simply felt cheap. The foam, acoustics properties and considerations aside, is a Ux turn-off. I suppose RAAL has never tried to play it safe and win based on its heapphones' look or feel, but has followed a path of sonic conviction in its design. I'll give them that!

Has it paid off here as well? It is a very well-sounding headphone but, alas, that x-factor of the SR1A is gone. The CA1A did not have anything that I found unique or memorable. So I moved on...

...to Dan Clark Audio.

I listened to the DCA Stealth on the Ampandsound Nautilus. @Rob Watts shared with me the prior evening his love for the Stealth headphone, which prompted me to seek and try it out again. Using the Nautilus was a great choice, it drove the Stealth very well. I am not a Stealth camper. My ears perceive its excellent resolution and accurate presenation, but I confess that I miss some euphony. It brings me deep appreciation and profound respect for what it can achieve performance wise, but it doesn't bring me joy. In the end, I want to listen to my music rather than listen to my gear. What can I say, I'm a tough customer

Seeing Justin Weber's handywork, another passionate, perfectionist, headphone amp builder, was a real pleasure. For a moment, I again bemoaned Ampandsound's absense from Chicago. Justin's debut of the Red October at CanJam NYC was one of that show's highlights for me, and it is currently at the top of my aspirational shortlist. The Nautilus voicing is different, but both amps share an astounding build and sound quality.

As Day 1 concluded, the real listening was just beginning... It was time to introduce @HiFiHawaii808 to the electrostatic rabbit hole, and promptly push him right into the deepest end! And so... @Makiah S brought the Stax SR-X9000 and a Bricasti M3, @Kerry offered his spectacularly well-built Eksonic T2 amplifier, and with Marshall and yours truly in tow, we all headed to Eksonic and closed the doors behind us. @Kerry also provided the Stax SR-007mk1, one of the most enjoyable headphones (which I have at home, and is in very high use in my rotation). The T2 can power both headphones simultanously, which allowed for easy comparisons as well as shared listening. As @Kerry put it, the X9000 is the girlfriend you'd like to bring home your parents, and the 007mk1... (..............is the one you take to your greatparents!! gotcha!!! Shame on you...

The X9000 ($6,200) to me is one of the best headphones I have ever heard. I aspire to get one (Stax has such supply chain issues that even dealers cannot get on their waitlist). It would compete with the Susvara heads on (or perhaps it is the other way around?). The X9000 is very balanced, and to my ears it is laid back across the entire frequency range, making all instruments equally accessible and spread right in front of you on the soundstage. Its resolution and imaging are outstanding.

And, the Eksonic T2 ($13,000 or so) is the best electrostatic amplifier I have ever heard. It is the only amp which, to my ears, bests my Mjolnir Carbon (for reference on my preferences, I love the BHSE and find its voicing very similar to the Carbon, for which I have a slight preference; but I could go either way with those two). The T2 makes any estat headphone I have tried on it soar (the above aforementioned headphones, and previously also the 009s and CRBN). The combination of the T2 and the X9000 is sublime. Pure magic!

One day, when I grow up, I will be getting a T2

@HiFiHawaii808 , learning to drive on a Ferrari...

We capped Day 1 with a nigh out on the town (@warrenpchi again pointing us safely in the right direction..):

Day 2!!

Rise and shine... first stop, Rupert Neve's Fidelice "Precision Digital-To-Analog Converter" (perhaps time for a quick branding braindstorm session?. The Fidelice Precision DAC ($5,000) is an all-in-one DAC/headphone amp. I wasn't expecting it to power my Susvara, and it didn't. But it should work very well with all average to high sensitivity headphones. The voicing of this unit is warm. Too warm for my taste, but if warm is your cup of tea then this unit is worth checking. Its very well built. At its price point, I assume this is geared less to optimizing audiophiles and more for well-heeled convenient-seaking consumers who want an easy entry into head-fi (competing with Unity Atom HE and similar products).

I continued to Abyss, and listened to the AB1266 Phi TC ($6,000) powered by XI Audio Formula S and Sagra DAC. There is something about the bass of the 1266 which is physical and palpable. It (literally) moves you. That is what this headphone is built for, and boy does it deliver on that end. But I find the mids lacking and unnatural in their timbre, and since vocals and acoustics account for a big share of my personal listening, this headphone remains out of bounds for me. If you listen to lots of rock, EDM, or other bass-heavy music, you will get a literal kick out of these cans!

I spotted the Cayin HA-300MK2, which I wanted to try, at ZMF's in the main hall. They had the VC at hand, which I own and know well (another can in high rotation), offering a useful reference. This amp is extremely powerful. I had to listen at the lowest volume setting (I might have adjusted my AK line-out voltage, but I didn't think to do so at the time). The 300B offers a lush and rich texture. The amp is a little too warm for my taste (compared to my Auris Nirvana, which is more transparent and linear sounding).

Next, a reunion with Fumie and Jim at Noble Audio. Another wonderful couple in audio!

I got my Noble Sultan ($2,900) from them at CanJam NYC, which I love. Those are wonderfully resolving, with an insane bass.

As a treat, Jim pulls out something and hands it over to me with a wink. Fumie looks at me with a knowing smile. Apparently, it is the Limited Edition Gold & Diamond Noble Sultan. This is not a gold-plated IEM, it is pure gold. I gingerly hold them in my palm and feel the literal weight of gold. Those are two small concentrated pieces of jewelry. But, in my ears, they fit as well as the "regular" Sultan and are very comfortbale. Then.. they tell me they cost $27,000 !!! It's a good thing I wasn't drinking hot coffee at that moment.. It is obviously meant to be a (billionaire?) collector item (and I learned that collectors abound in the Asian market). Putting that aside, there is in fact a slight sonic difference in this variation. That’s to be expected, as the sound waves interact with a different encompassing material. It is, in fact, a bit improved. Fumie surreptitiously snuk that picture while I was listening.. the joy was very real

I next tried Noble Audio's new Kublai Khan ($2,600). The added bone-conductor subwoofer enhances the bass, which was lacking in the original Khan. This IEM has great clarity in the mids and treble. But I do still miss the bass presence of the Sultan, so the Sultant remains my personal preference. For those seeking a more counter-clockwise frequency response, you should really try it.


Back to Audeze, this time to try the just launched MM-500. It is built and meant for leaning forward and mixing music in the studio, rather than for leaning back and kicking your legs up at home listening to music. It is therefore super flat in tuning, very revealing, and not a lot of fun to listen to. I am pretty sure that a mixing professional would be delighted with it. I am just not one mixing professional But I can say I gave it a listen. On to the last stop....


My last stop was at Ferrum, where I revisited the Orr+Hypsos stack ($3,200) with my Susvara. This is a setup which I tried at CanJam NYC and had good memories of. With some mileage under belt with the Susvara since (on my Auris Nirvana, my Moon 330A speaker amp; and many of the amps mentioned above), I was curious to gain a fresh perspective. I was, yet again, impressed. This small stack packs a very big punch. The Susvara is driven with authority and a offers a perception of depth of soundstage that is impressive and enjoyable. This was a foot-tapping moment. At this price point, in this form factor, it is just a fantastic setup. If I didn't get addicted to tubes... too late


After 2 days and 2 nights of non-stop audio & friends, it was time to catch my flight home. I got to share one last moment with my listening buddies @buke9 and @HiFiHawaii808

This has been a pure joy. Thank you Head-Fi team - @jude @third_eye @warrenpchi , @joe , @AxelCloris - from all of us.

See you all soon!

 

[warrenpchi]

Wow, you guys have been busy here!

The best part about any audio show is actually talking with manufacturers and catching up with friends

Yes, by far. I can understand how gear takes center stage for anybody's first CanJam or two. But the real treasures are the lifelong friends (both fellow attendees and manufacturers) that one makes at CanJams.

one of the Torino guys had the device in hand and was choosing the music and volume.

Ray Samuels used to do that to me. He listens a lot louder than I do... a lot louder.

So far, I have been pretty restrained from a lot of spending. I did end up purchasing a CEntrance Ampersand portable high powered amp.

https://centrance.com/ampersand/

This little amp is smaller and lighter than all of my DAPs and yet it can deliver 6 watts of power and drive a Susvara and 1266TC very well. This amp would allow me to travel with my Susvara or 1266TC.

I think @goldwerger picked one up as well! BTW, CEntrance has two accessories for the Ampersand that you might want to take a look at. They rarely (if ever now that I think about it) bring them to shows, but they're both extremely useful for travel applications.

To prevent accidental volume increase:
https://centrance.com/store/Ampersand-Cover-p442788782

A nice and snug case:
https://centrance.com/store/Protective-Case-p112263433

Also where was the canjam after party !! Haha

https://www.yelp.com/biz/happy-lamb-hot-pot-chicago

We closed it down. I think Warren went there 3 times this week.

lol, I only went twice this time. Best hot pot in Chicago!

It was a first time and a fun time for myself and my gf. As stated the crowd was low but for us being our first time, I think that was perfect. Majority of the time we walked around solo and I think that helped her tremendously as she was able to sit and listen, the vendors were very helpful, as always at events like these. The seminars were great for us and they helped her understand this "world" a little better. Even though we've been to Axpona and the local Chicago meetups including ZMFestivus, this by far is in a league all by itself.

We would like to thank all the vendors that were able to make it, all the volunteers and of course this wonderful place called Head-Fi and all who were there helping and enjoying this life.

We can't wait til next year's CanJam Chicago 2023.

Were you two the ones close to the counter in the seminar room? If so, it was great seeing you guys there! We work hard to make the seminars as enlightening as possible, and hope they were insightful!

 

[hifixman]

MY CANJAM CHICAGO 2022 OVERVIEW

I promised a few folks I'd report on my impressions, so I am going to attempt my first comprehensive write up. I will do it in the order of how I walked the show. This is a layman hobbyist's view, subjective, and all that jazz. It is the story of my experience of the last two days..

My focus has been on headphones and headphone amps. To keep things as directly comparable as possible, I've carried around: (1) my Susvara (to test amps), (2) my AK SP2000, which I usd line-out to either a dual XLR cable or a dual RCA cable. This let me compare headphones and amps using mostly the same DAC. The one exception was where the Bricasti M3 was used as a DAC, which I have at home and therefore can discern the changes in the chain; or in case of a built in DAC.

Before jumping into some great gear, I have to mention that the highlight of the event was reconnecting with friends and making new ones. Including a gathering in the lobby the prior afternoon, an ad hoc conversation ended up slowly built into a gather, and into an eveing-long conversation about head-fi, sci-fi, and everything in between... with @warrenpchi , @third_eye , @joe , @AxelCloris , @Rob Watts , Marshall , @Frank I , and Roger and Adam (Hifiman); and a very memorable night out at the end of Day 1, with @HiFiHawaii808 , @Kerry , Marshall, and @Makiah S

Further below are my impressions of the following gear, which will follow in this order (in case you'd like to quickly scroll down to any one particular you may be interested in). This is not a critical review. Rather, these are my personal impressions and experiences of CanJam Chicago:

• ZMF Atrium
• ZMF Aueteur Classic
• dCS Lina (amp only, followed by the amp/dac/clock stack)
• @L0rdGwyn Airmid (amp)
• Spririt Torino Pulsar (headphone)
• Spirint Torino Sigfrid (amp)
• Audeze CRBN
• Well Audio Head Trip III, Level II (amp)
• Well Audio Commander, Level III (pre-amp)
• RAAL-requisite CA1A
• Dan Clark Audio Stealth
• Ampandsound Nautilus
• Stax SR-X9000
• Eksonic T2
• Rupert Neve's Fidelice Precision DAC
• Abyss AB1266 Phi TC
• Cayin HA-300MK2
• Noble Audio Limited Edition Gold & Diamon Noble Sultan
• Noble Audio Kublai Khan
• Audeze MM-500
• Ferrum Orr+Hypsos

My very first stop was at ZMF. A genuine pleasure to finally meet @zach915m and Bevin in person. Such nice people!

I planned to little spend a bit of time trying out the new Atrium and Auteur Classic. I ended up staying for 2 hours.. They had a magnificent set up with lots of amps to pair with!

I own the VC and Aeolus, which were a reference points. The Atrium provides a real interesting complement to the VC. The Atrium is sound is more lush and "analog" feeling. Lower bass is less defined than the VC, but the sound stage feels much wider. It is very evenly tuned, and it is super enjoyable. Like all ZMFs, it sounds best with tube amps (more below). The Auteur Classic sounds a bit leaner and faster than the Atrium. It will provide a great alternative in its price tier to the HD800s and Arya.

ZMF had lots of limited editions on display for immedite sale. I walked the "wall of shame", bowed my head in submission and awe, and conceded to the fact that I am walking out with an Atrium... some of the options included:




I chose the Maccassar Ebony (which @zach915m later told me was his favourite; I think he may have posted it on the ZMF channel the prior evening):




ZMF had the dCS Lina stack, and at my early time of arrival, I had an opportunity for a quiet listen.

I first tested the Lina amp ONLY. I connected my AK player directly to the amp with XLR cables off my AK, and connected my Susvara to the amp (with the generous permission of the team). Making a long story very short, the Lina amp will provide sufficient volume but it is not good enough to drive the Susvara well. It will however, power any other headphone well (I believe @HiFiHawaii808 may have mentioned that it drove the 1266 well). I have also tested the LINA amp with the VC, Atrium, and Auteur Classic. That worked very well. However, I can't put a nice spin on it, but imho is not worth $9,100. As a standalone SS amp, I prefer the Ferrum Orr+Hypsos at $3,200 (more on the latter further below).

I then tested the entire Lina stack, including the clock, DAC, and amp. It is a very good setup. I think that dCS fans will be very pleased. It is similar to the Bartok's sound signature, packaged into a very small, desktop friendly, form factor. Needless to say, it is built very, very well. The dCS sound offers a thinner and more analytical sounding. My taste goes more to the smoothness the Bricasti sound signature. At the price point of $29,000 for the stack, the target market is the price-indifferent buyer, so there is no need to comment on value. Personal choices and all that.




ZMF had a wide variety of tub amps. They were all great, but the one that stood out to me was the Airmid. Unfortunately, this DIY OTL amp isn't built regularly; but I hold an ounce of hope (prayer? this will change in the future. The bass on this (tested with Atrium) was magnificently resonant. Very memorable. I will be the first to get one if/whenever @zach915m can convince @L0rdGwyn to let him build them...




My next stop was Spirit Torino.

Having tried the stratospherically priced Valkyria at CanJam NYC earlier this year (a modest $11,000), I was very curious to test their newly launched limited edition sibling, the Pulsar ($5,500). It was good to reconnect with Andrea Ricci, the passionate designer, and his always gregarious partner (and occassional translator) Guido Haschke.

The change from the Valkyria to the Pulsar resulted in a much lighter weight and a more comfortable headphone. It remains exceedingly well built. As far as the design, you will either love it or hate it. It is meant to be distinct! It's certainly on brand.. Note that, like before, the cables are undetachable, following Andrea's obsession with controlling every aspect of the sound chain (the good news is that they are very soft and comfortable; I believe one can order them to any length desired). I'd have preferred them detached, as I assume would most folks.

Sound wise, they are much more balanced to my ears than the bassy Radiante (for reference), while still retaining the open sound of the Valkyria. Andrea's ambition to capture the sound and feel of a live concert is the strength of this headphone, and it delivers on that. However, compared side-by-side with my Susvara (with which it would need to compete at this price point), it can't match its resolution or timbre. If Spirit Torino were able to iterate again and deliver yet another younger sibling at $3k.... hint, hint...

Spririt Torino also showcased their Sigfrid amplifier ($10,000). This is a hybrid amp (tube input stage with SS output stage). It is great! They kindly let me test it with both the Pulsar and my Susvara. I can report that it can drive the Susvara beautifully (for the numbers hungery, 5 Watts into 32 Ohm). It is clean, transparent, and sounds effortless (it can also power speakers, with 30 Watt into 8 Ohm). In contrast to the Lina amp, this one delivers. It does have one major disadvantage however, which is an unwieldy form factor. similar an old upright PC tower. Branding stays consitent..

[footnote to the Spirit team: putting a Geshelli DAC in your chain isn't the best choice for what you aspire to achieve. I ignored it and didn't use it, but most everyone else has; this impacts your voicing... ahhm]




Next up, Audeze CRBN.

Audeze chose to demonstrate this headphone with the Mjornir Carbon amp. This was my second time trying this combo, as they used the same setup at CanJam NYC earlier this year. It is also familiar grounds, as I own the Mjolnir Carbon amp (and love it).

The CRBN has many fans. I am not one of them. Don't misunderstand, I think it is a very good headphone. But, to me, it sounded like the most planar-like headphone among the estats. It is not surprising for Audeze to tune close to their house sound. Personally, when I reach for my estats, I crave their unique sound porfile, that excitement of audible speed and super-fine imaging. I also found the CRBN mid-forward. If you like that, you should really try them out. I prefer my music a bit more evenly laid out in front of me.




Following was one of my show's highlights: Wells Audio.

Jeff Wells is a perfectionist. His attention to detail is insane, as his selection and testing of every single component in his products, which he hand builds. This is one passionate guy..

@warrenpchi pointed me in this direction, for a good reason. The Headtrip III, Level II debuted at this show ($15,000). I tested it first in isolation, connecting my AK directly to it. This is a very powerful SS amp that can drive the Susvara effortlessly, without breaking a sweat. It has a speaker-amp like soundstage.

I next added the Commander, Level III tube pre-amp to the chain ($18,000), connecting my AK directly to it (and it, in turn, to the Headtrip III). I was BLOWN AWAY. The Commander beautifully rounded off the edges, providing a rich texture and silkiness to the sound. This hybrid combination (tube pre + SS head amp) was inspiring. It may be one of the best headphone setups I have heard, and the best setup in which I've ever heard the Susvara. Let's get one thing quickly out of the way: This is a $33,000 (!) headphone setup, the relm of unobtainium to most mortals. But if you are ever able to demo it, give it a listen. It is an experience worth having. Is it worth it? There are no definites in audio.. wait, there are. Holy #$% - yes, it is!




Off to RAAL-requisite!

One of the other new products showcased at CanJam Chicago was RAAL's new circumaural (aka normal headphones, inspirationaly named the CA1A... They are lightweight and comfortable (yay!). I've seen a thread of commnets earlier from both attendees and the company, but impressions are just that. And the headphone simply felt cheap. The foam, acoustics properties and considerations aside, is a Ux turn-off. I suppose RAAL has never tried to play it safe and win based on its heapphones' look or feel, but has followed a path of sonic conviction in its design. I'll give them that!

Has it paid off here as well? It is a very well-sounding headphone but, alas, that x-factor of the SR1A is gone. The CA1A did not have anything that I found unique or memorable. So I moved on...




...to Dan Clark Audio.

I listened to the DCA Stealth on the Ampandsound Nautilus. @Rob Watts shared with me the prior evening his love for the Stealth headphone, which prompted me to seek and try it out again. Using the Nautilus was a great choice, it drove the Stealth very well. I am not a Stealth camper. My ears perceive its excellent resolution and accurate presenation, but I confess that I miss some euphony. It brings me deep appreciation and profound respect for what it can achieve performance wise, but it doesn't bring me joy. In the end, I want to listen to my music rather than listen to my gear. What can I say, I'm a tough customer

Seeing Justin Weber's handywork, another passionate, perfectionist, headphone amp builder, was a real pleasure. For a moment, I again bemoaned Ampandsound's absense from Chicago. Justin's debut of the Red October at CanJam NYC was one of that show's highlights for me, and it is currently at the top of my aspirational shortlist. The Nautilus voicing is different, but both amps share an astounding build and sound quality.




As Day 1 concluded, the real listening was just beginning... It was time to introduce @HiFiHawaii808 to the electrostatic rabbit hole, and promptly push him right into the deepest end! And so... @Makiah S brought the Stax SR-X9000 and a Bricasti M3, @Kerry offered his spectacularly well-built Eksonic T2 amplifier, and with Marshall and yours truly in tow, we all headed to Eksonic and closed the doors behind us. @Kerry also provided the Stax SR-007mk1, one of the most enjoyable headphones (which I have at home, and is in very high use in my rotation). The T2 can power both headphones simultanously, which allowed for easy comparisons as well as shared listening. As @Kerry put it, the X9000 is the girlfriend you'd like to bring home your parents, and the 007mk1... (..............is the one you take to your greatparents!! gotcha!!! Shame on you...

The X9000 ($6,200) to me is one of the best headphones I have ever heard. I aspire to get one (Stax has such supply chain issues that even dealers cannot get on their waitlist). It would compete with the Susvara heads on (or perhaps it is the other way around?). The X9000 is very balanced, and to my ears it is laid back across the entire frequency range, making all instruments equally accessible and spread right in front of you on the soundstage. Its resolution and imaging are outstanding.

And, the Eksonic T2 ($13,000 or so) is the best electrostatic amplifier I have ever heard. It is the only amp which, to my ears, bests my Mjolnir Carbon (for reference on my preferences, I love the BHSE and find its voicing very similar to the Carbon, for which I have a slight preference; but I could go either way with those two). The T2 makes any estat headphone I have tried on it soar (the above aforementioned headphones, and previously also the 009s and CRBN). The combination of the T2 and the X9000 is sublime. Pure magic!

One day, when I grow up, I will be getting a T2




@HiFiHawaii808 , learning to drive on a Ferrari...




We capped Day 1 with a nigh out on the town (@warrenpchi again pointing us safely in the right direction..):




Day 2!!

Rise and shine... first stop, Rupert Neve's Fidelice "Precision Digital-To-Analog Converter" (perhaps time for a quick branding braindstorm session?. The Fidelice Precision DAC ($5,000) is an all-in-one DAC/headphone amp. I wasn't expecting it to power my Susvara, and it didn't. But it should work very well with all average to high sensitivity headphones. The voicing of this unit is warm. Too warm for my taste, but if warm is your cup of tea then this unit is worth checking. Its very well built. At its price point, I assume this is geared less to optimizing audiophiles and more for well-heeled convenient-seaking consumers who want an easy entry into head-fi (competing with Unity Atom HE and similar products).




I continued to Abyss, and listened to the AB1266 Phi TC ($6,000) powered by XI Audio Formula S and Sagra DAC. There is something about the bass of the 1266 which is physical and palpable. It (literally) moves you. That is what this headphone is built for, and boy does it deliver on that end. But I find the mids lacking and unnatural in their timbre, and since vocals and acoustics account for a big share of my personal listening, this headphone remains out of bounds for me. If you listen to lots of rock, EDM, or other bass-heavy music, you will get a literal kick out of these cans!




I spotted the Cayin HA-300MK2, which I wanted to try, at ZMF's in the main hall. They had the VC at hand, which I own and know well (another can in high rotation), offering a useful reference. This amp is extremely powerful. I had to listen at the lowest volume setting (I might have adjusted my AK line-out voltage, but I didn't think to do so at the time). The 300B offers a lush and rich texture. The amp is a little too warm for my taste (compared to my Auris Nirvana, which is more transparent and linear sounding).




Next, a reunion with Fumie and Jim at Noble Audio. Another wonderful couple in audio!



I got my Noble Sultan ($2,900) from them at CanJam NYC, which I love. Those are wonderfully resolving, with an insane bass.

As a treat, Jim pulls out something and hands it over to me with a wink. Fumie looks at me with a knowing smile. Apparently, it is the Limited Edition Gold & Diamond Noble Sultan. This is not a gold-plated IEM, it is pure gold. I gingerly hold them in my palm and feel the literal weight of gold. Those are two small concentrated pieces of jewelry. But, in my ears, they fit as well as the "regular" Sultan and are very comfortbale. Then.. they tell me they cost $27,000 !!! It's a good thing I wasn't drinking hot coffee at that moment.. It is obviously meant to be a (billionaire?) collector item (and I learned that collectors abound in the Asian market). Putting that aside, there is in fact a slight sonic difference in this variation. That’s to be expected, as the sound waves interact with a different encompassing material. It is, in fact, a bit improved. Fumie surreptitiously snuk that picture while I was listening.. the joy was very real




I next tried Noble Audio's new Kublai Khan ($2,600). The added bone-conductor subwoofer enhances the bass, which was lacking in the original Khan. This IEM has great clarity in the mids and treble. But I do still miss the bass presence of the Sultan, so the Sultant remains my personal preference. For those seeking a more counter-clockwise frequency response, you should really try it.


Back to Audeze, this time to try the just launched MM-500. It is built and meant for leaning forward and mixing music in the studio, rather than for leaning back and kicking your legs up at home listening to music. It is therefore super flat in tuning, very revealing, and not a lot of fun to listen to. I am pretty sure that a mixing professional would be delighted with it. I am just not one mixing professional But I can say I gave it a listen. On to the last stop....


My last stop was at Ferrum, where I revisited the Orr+Hypsos stack ($3,200) with my Susvara. This is a setup which I tried at CanJam NYC and had good memories of. With some mileage under belt with the Susvara since (on my Auris Nirvana, my Moon 330A speaker amp; and many of the amps mentioned above), I was curious to gain a fresh perspective. I was, yet again, impressed. This small stack packs a very big punch. The Susvara is driven with authority and a offers a perception of depth of soundstage that is impressive and enjoyable. This was a foot-tapping moment. At this price point, in this form factor, it is just a fantastic setup. If I didn't get addicted to tubes... too late


After 2 days and 2 nights of non-stop audio & friends, it was time to catch my flight home. I got to share one last moment with my listening buddies @buke9 and @HiFiHawaii808

This has been a pure joy. Thank you Head-Fi team - @jude @third_eye @warrenpchi , @joe , @AxelCloris - from all of us.

See you all soon!

The best impression ever!!!!!! I stayed up till almost 2:30 am to double and triple read your detailed and accurate description!

 

[HiFiHawaii808]

Wow, you guys have been busy here!



Yes, by far. I can understand how gear takes center stage for anybody's first CanJam or two. But the real treasures are the lifelong friends (both fellow attendees and manufacturers) that one makes at CanJams.



Ray Samuels used to do that to me. He listens a lot louder than I do... a lot louder.



I think @goldwerger picked one up as well! BTW, CEntrance has two accessories for the Ampersand that you might want to take a look at. They rarely (if ever now that I think about it) bring them to shows, but they're both extremely useful for travel applications.

To prevent accidental volume increase:
https://centrance.com/store/Ampersand-Cover-p442788782

A nice and snug case:
https://centrance.com/store/Protective-Case-p112263433




lol, I only went twice this time. Best hot pot in Chicago!



Were you two the ones close to the counter in the seminar room? If so, it was great seeing you guys there! We work hard to make the seminars as enlightening as possible, and hope they were insightful!

Epic Report!

 

[goldwerger]

The best impression ever!!!!!! I stayed up till almost 2:30 am to double and triple read your detailed and accurate description!

Thanks!