[doctorjuggles]

Yeah - heard the 109s in Munich and they were one of the stand-out products at that show too

 

[MasterZen]

Campfire Supermoon was amazing especially for its price, not sure why they had some many trifectas on demo, the supermoon was much better. Only need them to make it a universal , we need a petition!

 

[senseitedj]

Stand out value product for me was Hifiman Edition XS. Insane value for the asking price. Very detailed and high level of instrument seperation for the money

 

[phillevy]

I tried the DCA Stealth at the Chord stand. And I really did not like it...

So did I and wasn't blown away. I also tried it with my Hugo2 and it just about coped - at max volume setting!

 

[HONEYBOY]

Quick and superficial thoughts:

I've been trying to find a great headphone system for the DCA Stealth.

The Mola Mola Tambaqui with the Riviera Labs AIC 10 was exceptional. No clue whether it was the DAC or Amp that contributed the most to the sound, but the combination was definitely end game. I suspect I would take this over the dCS Lina Stack. The dynamics of this combo was unbeatable with the Stealths. Just a beautiful neutral sound with immense detail and sound stage with insane dynamic range.

The Zahl HM1 which is what I really went to the show to try was just wow! This amp looks so much better in person, and a lot of the features I thought I wouldn't use were actually very impressive. This is definitely going to be my endgame amp with the Stealth. It's so effortless and natural, so detailed and just so engaging. I'll be combining this with the Mola Mola Tambaqui for my system and I can't wait. The HM1 was so good that I kept checking to see if there was some fishy setting turned on, but I tried it with all settings on default. The left to right separation is the best I've heard. The HM1 is not trying to be impressive. It just is!

I actually thought the Chord Anni and Qutest was a very nice little system with relatively great value for money.

One of the prongs on my U12T cable was broken and one of the nice gentleman at the 64Audio booth gave me a replacement cable at the end of the show. Thanks so much!

 

[TheTalbotHound]

The one that really blew me away this canjam was the Monarch mk2. Tuning is 99.99% perfect IMO, and detail is up there with the best of them while still retaining silky smooth treble. Even with all the multi kilobuck IEMs i've tried, including at this show, i'd say the Monarch Mk2 is my favourite sounding IEM.

 

[johnnym]

The HM1 is not trying to be impressive. It just is!

I actually thought the Chord Anni and Qutest was a very nice little system with relatively great value for money.

I tried the Anni as I have a Qutest, I thought it was quite good too. If I can get over a hang up about balanced cables instead of single ended I might get it.

I’d brought my own headphones so pushed the DCA Stealth to one side, should have tried them too.

The Zahl was good. I wasn’t sure about the extras initially also. The widening soundstage knob was impressive.

 

[waveSounds]

Where did you find the DCA Stealth?

Yep same here, the LCD-XC was the best headphone on the show for me too. The new MM-500 had a fuller midrange, possibly for recording engineers, but not me.

I tried the DCA Stealth at the Chord stand. And I really did not like it...

Yup, it was at the Chord stand. I took my Dad with me who's not an audiophile but enjoyed it nonetheless - he has a Naim Uniti Nova with Sonus Faber Lumina III for his main audio listening. Without knowing anything about the headphones prior, I had him listen to both the Stealth (through the Qutest + Anni stack) and the 99 Classics (through a Mojo 2), and he preferred the 99 Classics. He was also smitten with the Utopia and the LCD-XC. One of the things he loved most about the XC was actually its weight haha.

I thought the Stealth were absolutely amazing from an industrial design and build perspective, and they were evidently more neutral and more revealing than my TH900, but I I'm not one who values scalpel like detail retrieval as I don't listen to dissect music, I listen to for pure enjoyment and only the XC was on equal par for me. It was the same story for all the other TOTL headphones I listened to. Whilst I could appreciate them for what they did well, they lacked the engagement factor and thus ultimately enjoyment was a second behind detail.

If I'd been able to audition before purchasing, the XC may have just had an edge over even my Fostex for my preferences, which I never thought would have been the case from reading sound impressions of it here on Head-Fi. It had fantastic bass; it was weighty, detailed and impactful (it didn't even feel particularly far behind in quantity compared to the TH900), in addition to sounding lovely and full throughout the rest of the spectrum. I was seriously, seriously impressed by what I heard. I agree with @Kentajalli about the MM-500, the midrange was too in your face for my liking, and with a notably light(er) bass presence than the XC. I know I'm in the minority when it comes to the sound that is sought amongst traditional audiophile values (which seems to be treble >= mids >>>>>>>>> bass), but I simply don't understand why bass has to be shoved so low down the pecking order in TOTL releases. Wish I'd have made the effort to give the 1266 a listen as I know that's often touted as having the best bass from any headphone, but even then, that's a solitary outlier amongst a sea of flaccid brethren. On the other hand, at least I came away knowing that there aren't any far more expensive temptations out there I'll be lusting after.

 

[Reputator]

The Hifiman stand:
Hifiman were showing off some of their headphones, specially the new Sundara Closed back, and some electronics. I was only interested in the headphones. They did not have too many samples at hand, eg. there was one single Edition XS at hand!
I do own a pair a EDXS that I have modified slightly, so I was eager to check mine against an unmodified one. To me mine sounded better! then one of the Hifiman men, noticed my EDXS was different, so he had a listen too - with in five seconds he took them off, puzzled, took me to a corner, asked me what I had done, and started taking pictures of it from different angles - he liked them too.

lol that's interesting. Edition XS V2 incoming!

 

[Kentajalli]

lol that's interesting. Edition XS V2 incoming!

?? is there?

 

[zen87192]

Though I don't know what his exact plans are, I do know that he'll be in SoCal for CanJam, and that he's a Star Wars fan... so maybe you can entice @Rob Watts (Chord) to join you?

EDIT: I should also mention that, in an effort to limit attendance, Disneyland now requires that park reservations be made ahead of time. https://disneyland.disney.go.com/experience-updates/park-reservations/

OK.. I've costed it all up and I'm good to go... the Disney Park has spaces on the days I want to visit after CanJam SoCal (bit shocked at the entry prices but hey... you only live once & it's Star Wars!) My US ESTA Visa Application was accepted online so all is good to complete. Got a great room rate in the Marriott as I'm a member. I'll just need to roll out of bed & in to the CanJam Halls! Will now book my holiday with my employer and off I trot soon... YES! CanJam SoCal and SW Galaxy's Edge! This is an awesome combo! Well worth the jaunt over the Atlantic for me!

 

[warrenpchi]

OK.. I've costed it all up and I'm good to go... the Disney Park has spaces on the days I want to visit after CanJam SoCal (bit shocked at the entry prices but hey... you only live once & it's Star Wars!) My US ESTA Visa Application was accepted online so all is good to complete. Got a great room rate in the Marriott as I'm a member. I'll just need to roll out of bed & in to the CanJam Halls! Will now book my holiday with my employer and off I trot soon... YES! CanJam SoCal and SW Galaxy's Edge! This is an awesome combo! Well worth the jaunt over the Atlantic for me!

You are going to have such a good time!

As of this past May, I've been to Disneyland 140 times so I'm a little more blasé about it, but I can imagine how fantastic your first time is going to be! Couple of quick tips:

1. Do Lightning Lane, and pay the extra $20 Lightning Lane + thing for Rise of The Resistance. The line for that ride is insanely long, hours long. Paying the extra charge lets you skip the line entirely.

2. Make your reservation at Oga's Cantina as soon as you can. Waitlisting for a spot is very hit and miss, and is also a timesuck.

3. If you're not staying at a Disney resort property during your day at Disneyland, get a large locker before you enter the park. You'll need it to hold any sabers and droids that you'll be building, or for any Kowakian Monkey-Lizards that you'll be bringing home.

Trust me, it's an absolute pain trying to carry those around all day, though you'll miss the ad hoc saber fights that occasionally break out. If you ARE staying at a Disney resort property, you can request to have any and all souvenirs you've purchased in the park to be delivered to your room while you remain at the park.

4. Drink blue milk and green milk. Blue (tropical taste) is better for the cooler parts of the day, green (citrus taste) is better for the hotter parts of the day.

5. Eat a turkey leg.

 

[zen87192]

You are going to have such a good time!

As of this past May, I've been to Disneyland 140 times so I'm a little more blasé about it, but I can imagine how fantastic your first time is going to be! Couple of quick tips:

1. Do Lightning Lane, and pay the extra $20 Lightning Lane + thing for Rise of The Resistance. The line for that ride is insanely long, hours long. Paying the extra charge lets you skip the line entirely.

2. Make your reservation at Oga's Cantina as soon as you can. Waitlisting for a spot is very hit and miss, and is also a timesuck.

3. If you're not staying at a Disney resort property during your day at Disneyland, get a large locker before you enter the park. You'll need it to hold any sabers and droids that you'll be building, or for any Kowakian Monkey-Lizards that you'll be bringing home.



Trust me, it's an absolute pain trying to carry those around all day, though you'll miss the ad hoc saber fights that occasionally break out. If you ARE staying at a Disney resort property, you can request to have any and all souvenirs you've purchased in the park to be delivered to your room while you remain at the park.

4. Drink blue milk and green milk. Blue (tropical taste) is better for the cooler parts of the day, green (citrus taste) is better for the hotter parts of the day.

5. Eat a turkey leg.

Gosh.... can't wait!

 

[swedishpat]

Yup, it was at the Chord stand. I took my Dad with me who's not an audiophile but enjoyed it nonetheless - he has a Naim Uniti Nova with Sonus Faber Lumina III for his main audio listening. Without knowing anything about the headphones prior, I had him listen to both the Stealth (through the Qutest + Anni stack) and the 99 Classics (through a Mojo 2), and he preferred the 99 Classics. He was also smitten with the Utopia and the LCD-XC. One of the things he loved most about the XC was actually its weight haha.

I thought the Stealth were absolutely amazing from an industrial design and build perspective, and they were evidently more neutral and more revealing than my TH900, but I I'm not one who values scalpel like detail retrieval as I don't listen to dissect music, I listen to for pure enjoyment and only the XC was on equal par for me. It was the same story for all the other TOTL headphones I listened to. Whilst I could appreciate them for what they did well, they lacked the engagement factor and thus ultimately enjoyment was a second behind detail.

If I'd been able to audition before purchasing, the XC may have just had an edge over even my Fostex for my preferences, which I never thought would have been the case from reading sound impressions of it here on Head-Fi. It had fantastic bass; it was weighty, detailed and impactful (it didn't even feel particularly far behind in quantity compared to the TH900), in addition to sounding lovely and full throughout the rest of the spectrum. I was seriously, seriously impressed by what I heard. I agree with @Kentajalli about the MM-500, the midrange was too in your face for my liking, and with a notably light(er) bass presence than the XC. I know I'm in the minority when it comes to the sound that is sought amongst traditional audiophile values (which seems to be treble >= mids >>>>>>>>> bass), but I simply don't understand why bass has to be shoved so low down the pecking order in TOTL releases. Wish I'd have made the effort to give the 1266 a listen as I know that's often touted as having the best bass from any headphone, but even then, that's a solitary outlier amongst a sea of flaccid brethren. On the other hand, at least I came away knowing that there aren't any far more expensive temptations out there I'll be lusting after.

Yes I totally agree it’s hard to find a headphone with satisfying bass. The only one I like so far is the D8000 non-pro. I’m looking into abyss also. Don’t know why so many don’t appreciate a decent amount of bass and richness.

 

[protoss]

I've been to Disneyland 140 times

You been to Disneyland 140 times! Holy schiit

I been there once and it was amazing. Might go again for Mickey 100th birthday.