[Avinunca1]

Is there an actual reason that the floor plan and programme can't be posted? The floor plan was posted in the preview thread but it was removed - although it carried through in the notification email I received, so I have it. I suggested a preview of the programme in the preview thread but whilst it got some likes received no response. A preview of the programme would be useful to those now going on Sunday and would be interesting to a lot of people not able to make it. What's the story?

I found it only took a few minutes to find where everything was - not like some shows I've been to where dozens of hotel rooms have been used. Thinking about Hifi Wigwam show and North West Audio show.

 

[freddyknop]

Since people brought up the new HEDDphone, here are some photos and quick thoughts:







I was one of few people completely fine with the original HEDDphone. In fact, I still think it merits a place today thanks to it's wonderful reproduction for jazz and classical music genres. The new set is designed from the ground up to address the various comfort issues of the original such as the replacement of aluminium for lower profile and lighter magnesium, an ingenious clamp and sizing mechanism using carbon fiber, leather, and memory foam, and even replacing the mini XLR connectors to dual 3.5 mm to save on plastic material for a further reduction in size and mass alike. The net result is a set of headphones that now weighs 550 g but comes off less than that when worn.

In addition, there are minor updates to the drivers. These are now slightly more efficient (~2 dB) and HEDD has also gone for a more balanced tuning. Gone is the pronounced sub-bass dip from before and we have a set that plays well with electronic music and rock too, while rendering vocals well too. I do miss the magic in the upper mids and treble the original set had, which is why I urge @freddyknop and the rest of the HEDD team to consider selling the original HEDDphone alongside the new one. Either way, I do agree with them that the new version is a definite upgrade for most people. I'd certainly like to test it in familiar conditions!

Thanks so much, and well noted on HEDDphone ONE

 

[LazyPenguin]

I mainly demoed IEMs and formed a lot of rapid-fire thoughts. Everything was played through my SP3000 and tips were mainly with my Spinfit CP360 and Symbio W:

1. 64 Audio Fourte Blanc: I like these. Compared to the original Fourtes, these are more fun-sounding and had more bass impact. Blanc also doesn't have this weird "hollowness" I experience with the OG Fourte. The OG Fourte has a wider soundstage to it and better separation making it more suitable for orchestral/classical/instrumental tracks. The Blanc has a more intimate staging, which I quite like, and is more suitable for pop/vocals. It still has a rather large stage and good separation, but just smaller compared to the OG.

2. Ice Lab Prismatica: They have a similar tuning to the Blancs. The Blancs are more "V-Shaped" than the Prismatica. It's a slightly worse technical version of the Blanc but is still good enough. I can see people who like the Blanc also liking the Prismatica. If you want a Blanc but can't afford it, definitely consider the Prismatica especially since it is decently priced (roughly 720GBP).

3. Campfire Supermoon: I heard the new Andros, Solaris, and Trifecta before and only truly liked the new Solaris. I have not heard the Supermoon before. I love the Supermoon's bass. It extends deeply and rumbles and makes a lot of tracks very enjoyable. Midrange is very clean and separation is really good on this IEM. The only problem I have with it is the occasionally spicy treble in tracks that makes me want to rip them out of my ears. Other than that, I like it and see why it has a following to it. Apparently a lot of people are asking for a permanent run of universal-fit Supermoons as well and it's unsure whether Campfire will consider it.

4. Noble Audio Spartacus: I also heard the Ronin, Viking Ragnar and Kublai Khan. I'm not the biggest fan of the Ronin as it's just weird to my ears. I think it's because it's a bit bass-anemic coupled with a bit of a shouty treble to me. The Viking Ragnars separate everything so nicely with really airy treble and sounds relaxed yet has insane resolution and detail. The Kublai Khan has one of the best implementations of bone-conduction bass imo. As for the Spartacus, it's just pure fun. It has a clean bass shelf with enough resolution to make everything sound enjoyable.

5. Soundz Flame & Avant: Really good IEMs from Greece. Both IEMs have a bass boost that increases subbass. The Flame has a very relaxing sound that reminds me of rewinding and relaxing on a sofa after a long time. The one thing I think they absolutely nailed perfectly is the fit. I have not in a long time had such a comfortable IEM wearing experience. The bass boost switched on on the Flame makes male vocals like Andrea Bocelli or Tony Bennett absolutely magnetic and I love it. The Avant is a more neutral version of the Flame with better treble extension and air. Both IEMs are designed to be non-fatiguing as the owner thinks it's pointless to have all that resolution yet only be listenable for a couple of minutes. I really appreciate his tuning philosophy.

6. Spirit Twin Pulse IEM: I hate the fit and the shape. It protrudes too much and is extremely uncomfortable. I managed to let it fit without much sound leakage by using large CP360's. The bass has decent impact and the mids are pretty lush. It's not worth the price to me though even with the show discount as the fit is just a nightmare to me.

6. Nightjar Singularity and Duality: The Singularity is one of the most detailed single dynamic IEM I have heard so far (that includes the IE900). The bass has a very satisfying impact to it with neutral mids and highs. I'm not a fan of the fit though. I feel like elongated/small IEMs or IEMs with small nozzles don't really work for me as I find even the IE900s to be uncomfortable. The Duality is so much fun. It is very clean bass where it just throws and gobbles tons of bass down your earholes. It's clean and never throughout the entire listening experience have I thought they sounded muddy. These will work very well with movies or gaming imo. There is an impedance adapter that increases bass for the Duality. That became way too much bass for me and I didn't enjoy it. What has surprised me about both Nightjar IEMs, especially the Duality, is how hard they are to drive. The owners have mentioned that they specifically designed it like this so they can scale well with sources and not be obsolete in the future.

7. Symphonium Crimson: These are a re-tuned Helios to me. They are what would happen if you increased the separation and soundstage of the Helios and added a clean bass boost to it. I wasn't the biggest fan of the Helios and same goes for the Crimson. However, I would like to mention that it's because their tuning doesn't work for me and I really appreciate what they have created. I think they are fantastic IEMs but just not for me.

8. Plussound Allegro: They have good detail but the tuning is just weird to me yet I can't exactly put my finger on why. I didn't spend a lot of time one these to form a better opinion.

9. Moondrop Beautiful World: They are soooo beautiful. I could look at these all day. These are best described as re-tuned KATOs. I love the tuning of these but these are more for collection purposes. I really wish they would release a new version of the KATO in the future with this tuning. If they released the original KATO with this tuning it would've made a lot of IEMs obsolete imo.

10. Empire Ears Raven: If you put the best of Odin and the best of the Odyssey together you get the Raven. Tuning and resolution wise these are absolutely flagship level. The only thing I would complain about it the rather large shells and slight driver flex. The driver flex issue has been present in both the Odin and Odyssey and I honestly wonder whether it's possible EE can solve it.

11. Hifiman Svanar: Some people say it sounds natural some say it sounds relaxing, but I think it sounds a bit congested and I didn't like it a lot. Just like the Allegro, I didn't spend a lot of time on these to form a better opinion of them.

12. Vision Ears VE10: Last but not least, the VE10s. Why did I put them last here? Because I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THEM. I LOVE THE DYNAMICS I LOVE HOW WELL THE HIGHS EXTEND AND HOW AIRY THEY ARE AND LOVE THE MIDS. THE MIDS ARE SO LUSH AND ORGANIC AND VOCALS SOUND GODLIKE. They fit my preferences so perfectly it's scary. Not only that, but they're super comfortable as well. I used to want a VE Phonix but upon hearing the VE10 I immediately chucked the Phonix out of my mind. These are the only IEMs where I went back to listen to a second time. I can't wait until they are officially released ( I think September?). Only thing I dislike about them is probably the design because it looks like something chi-fi/KZ would design but it's still bearable to me. I WANT THEM SO BADLY.

 

[LazyPenguin]

Realized I forgot to put these 2 IEMs in my post as well:

1. AK Zero2: These are better than what I initially expected, but that's because I didn't really like the Zero1. There's nothing super special about it or stands out that makes me remember anything of.

2. AK Aura: Take the Phonix and give it a more neutral tonality. That's the Aura. Again, I still LOVE the VE10's A LOT MORE.

 

[Draxu]

Empire Ears Raven, wow did this almost slip under my radar.

This surprising last minute find for me stole the IEM show for me. Even with EE's absence from the event did they manage to blow my first impressions into the moon. I managed to demo these monitors over 3 separate sessions during the day (yes they're that addictive). Just to note, I had both the Legend EVO and Odins on hand to compare directly with. I've tried to compare these three IEMs together directly in my initial impressions.

Appearances first the shell is definitely a force to be reckoned with, even larger than the Legend EVO and Odyssey, but the metal faceplate is a looker for sure. It is a more understated look following the footsteps of the EVOs rather than the Odyssey or Odins. Build-wise I can say that it feels more robust and substantial. Even with smaller ears I was able to comfortably fit these units into my eyes with no stress or fatigue, they remained in my canals quite firmly (tested with my own silicon and the included Final Eartips).

Now for the sound, the show stealer, maestro of the Empire Ears house signature tuning. If the EVO let out the bass, these Ravens reigned in and perfected the low ends from the W9+ and W10 drivers. There is tighter but similarly impactful bass to the EVOs that doesn't bleed into the mids. When called upon the low frequencies will come rumbling through the shells, a very visceral and real sensation of bass. A notable improvement is the texture of the notes from the low frequencies, it seems that the team has tuned W10 close to it's optimal performance where the rumble is not only there for physical impact but also for the musicality of the songs.

The mids (and highs) take DNA from the Odins and smooth out the performance. Without the low ends bleeding into the mids, the Ravens can confidently bring the vocals closer to the limelight. There's extra clarity and detail without sacrificing the smoothness of the voices, from my ears I couldn't detect any sibilance. The treble has also seen some needed tweaks from the Odins while retaining the original extension and airiness of the higher pitched instruments and voices as well. A certain realism has been achieved through the combination of smoothing and bringing out the mid-high frequencies where you could almost imagine yourself being in the same room as the artist/vocalist.

The combination of all these improvements have made the Raven one of the most pleasing and musical IEMs I've had the pleasure of trying out since the EVOs. Without gushing too much about it, I would summarise it as the pinnacle of Empire Ear's sound signature and if that is something that fits your taste you should definitely try to source one out for yourself and try it on.

 

[Rockwell75]

I mainly demoed IEMs and formed a lot of rapid-fire thoughts. Everything was played through my SP3000 and tips were mainly with my Spinfit CP360 and Symbio W:

Great impressions.

12. Vision Ears VE10: Last but not least, the VE10s. Why did I put them last here? Because I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THEM. I LOVE THE DYNAMICS I LOVE HOW WELL THE HIGHS EXTEND AND HOW AIRY THEY ARE AND LOVE THE MIDS. THE MIDS ARE SO LUSH AND ORGANIC AND VOCALS SOUND GODLIKE. They fit my preferences so perfectly it's scary. Not only that, but they're super comfortable as well. I used to want a VE Phonix but upon hearing the VE10 I immediately chucked the Phonix out of my mind. These are the only IEMs where I went back to listen to a second time. I can't wait until they are officially released ( I think September?). Only thing I dislike about them is probably the design because it looks like something chi-fi/KZ would design but it's still bearable to me. I WANT THEM SO BADLY.

Loved reading this. I don't know if you're aware but this VE10 is (allegedly) based off a pink prototype they had circulating at some shows earlier in the year. The pink proto stole the show for me in NYC and like you it was the one IEM I kept coming back to. I'm really excited to hear the 10 next month in SoCal and see how it lines up with my memories of the prototype.

 

[mainguy]

Great impressions! I heard Duality in prototype form in NYC...great IEM but I preferred Singularity also.

Whenever I hear someone talking about some great new IEM only to find it doesn't have any DDs:






Nice I can't wait to hear your thoughts!

For real! This was my first ever big IEM audtion, and all I learnt was, DDs are the way for me. Most likely going to pick up a Singularity or Trifecta soon. Singularity was just amazing honestly, one of my fave iems i've tried.

 

[Rockwell75]

For real! This was my first ever big IEM audtion, and all I learnt was, DDs are the way for me. Most likely going to pick up a Singularity or Trifecta soon. Singularity was just amazing honestly, one of my fave iems i've tried.

Trifecta and Singularity are my number one and number two right now. The VE10, if it's everything I'm hoping it will be, will complete a perfect triumvirate for me.

 

[TheAbyss2022]

Can it get any better than this? DCS Rossini Apex, Rossini Master Clock & Viva Egoista 845

This Viva amp is probably the best designed audio product I have seen in person with exception of the HE1 unit.

 

[slumberman]

I haven’t seen anyone posting about these.
They were the highlight of the show for me, along with VE10 and Singularity.

 

[audiocroissant]

Wows:

• CA-1a - not my first time listening to this headphone but this time it hit me. Loved the extra bass feature with ICAN, it really hit hard while remaining extremely clear and detailed.
• Verite Open / Atrium Open - sounded very natural and I felt like I could just listen to it all day
• HE1000Se - heard it right after I heard HE1000 Stealth. Preferred it much more. Also more than Susvara

Not wow but will probably love it with more time:

• Caldera - sounded "right" but didn't have the immediate allure of Verity Open or even Atrium
• Expanse - clean and accurate but didn't draw my in right away
• Susvara - I could see how someone would love this one but the dynamics lacked, even with serious amps
• Abyss 1266 - sounded resolving, grand and novel but the fit considerations take something away from the experience
• YH-5000se - not an immediate wow but started growing on me as I listened. Perhaps the small size played with my expectation bias initially as the high-level stuff tends to be heftier
• Meze Elite - I didn't think of them as anything too special but as I listened, I just wanted to keep going as it sounded good with whatever played.
• LCD-5 -I remember it as harsh and aggressive from when I heard it after release but I liked it more that I thought I would, especially after colouring my old non-favourable memories further with all the talk on head-fi about how it sucks without eq etc...

Surprised by:

• Stax L-300 with Topping's electrostatic amplifier - This thing produced sounds that I have only listened with high end stuff
• CRBN - I lowkey loved it, I could listen to it for hours. Based on the reviews, I expected much more of a "meh" experience
• Arya Organic - I like the tunning, the stage, clarity. Sounds like old Arya all grown up
• Valkyria - what surprised me was that it could sound godly with certain tracks and so mid-tier with others. I wouldn't own it as a standalone HP but would be awesome in a collection
• Final's new flagship - I can't believe the looks of the new flagship. It really looked like something someone found it the trash, especially as the white was grimy from all the touching. Hope Final knows what they are doing with this

 

[Shape77]

Not a lot of IEM impressions in this thread it seems.

I listened just IEMs (and some HP just for enjoy them).

Best for my ears and tastes were the new Annihilator, then a lot of IEMs that were really good for different reasons: Thieaudio Prestige LTD, Viking Ragnar, Kinera Loki Emerald, 64Audio Trio and Fourté, RN6 and XE6, VE X and Storm.

I thought that the u12t were the right choice for me, but I preferred the Trio and the Fourté. But the Annihilator are the best for me in terms of listening pleasure: resolution, detail, soundstage, crispness of the high, presence and texture of the bass, amazing mids, overall sensations.

Unfortunately the Annihilator weren't available, so I have to manage a solution to have them without paying taxes over taxes, but I must have them, because I simply love them (yes, even more all the other).

The Prestige LTD are for me the best IEM for quality price ratio, I'd buy them or the Trio if I didn't try the Annihilator.
I didn't like the Svanar, for me it's overpriced respect what I listened.

My 2 cents

Empire Ears Raven, wow did this almost slip under my radar.

Where the hell they were?

 

[Sayed2020]

Thanks to Head-Fi, the sponsors dCS & Fiio and all the exhibitors for making this the best CanJam London ever!
It was another fantastic experience, I met so many people again from this community. Many friends too, a great way to spend my birthday

I wanted to say a massive thank you to everyone who helped out, we are blessed to have you guys in our community & we really appreciate your help & efforts.

@Cabbages
You really did great man, this experience will help you buddy

@Skullar
Your bassy beef was really needed, mad luv bro.

But the biggest shout out goes to…
@LoneFurrow
You sir took ownership & control of basically 2 booths, you were organised & calm.
I have learned from you, you smashed it my friend

Happy listening everybody, Zellous out.

 

[Draxu]

Where the hell they were?

They were next to the meze stand, they only had 3 iems on the table.

 

[Tchu1337]

What amp is this?