I suppose it would depend on flight costs from your country and if you need to stay over. London accommodation isn't cheap!There is absolutely nowhere in my country to demo iems, so I think I'll go at some point
Did you aee egoista inside?
Egoista still sounds great, but yeah that inside picture looked messy. For 16K it is also a bit overpriced. Looking at the competition, 10K-12K would be more realistic. I personally preferred the Trafomatic Primavera to the Egoista.
Its extremely overpriced. We buy highend for the whole package, that's why you have to pay premium.
Wow, the VC are my favorite headphones. I'm going to have to get a listen to the Bokeh's
. I was a fan of the brass tips with the IEMs I had with me the Alba’s. I was not as keen on the aluminum tips as I was the brass. The IEMs were very nice better than expected but I did not spend enough time to form a solid impression but they are on my radar for future events.I remember seeing you around the tables! Thanks for adding your experience here!Wow another CanJam in the books, I think this makes 11 or so for me from NYC, to SoCal, Chicago, Denver and London. Each location and community has it’s strengths that make their events a somewhat unique experience. It was a pleasure seeing Jude, Joe, Ethan and the rest of the organizers and support team. They do such great job with lots of passion and it shows in the results.
New York for me is by far the most social but also the lowest ability to listen to gear as we east coaster's are LOUD. London for the most part offers the better listening experience with somewhat lower attendance (just a guess) and Europeans tend to talk softer. This year the room was fairly loud with an ambient noise level between 63db and 74db as measured by my phone app. So this is my way of stating take mine and most meet impressions with a grain of salt as nuance and subtle difference were difficult to hear with open back headphones and even some IEMs.
I began my listening at the Meze table and focused on the 109 pro and the new 105 as I had previously heard the Empy 2 and Elites. I tend to like a bit of air and resolution but timbre is also important to me. The 109 pro was a great headphone in its retail pricing space and plays at the top of that segment IMO. My quibble with it is the slight emphasis in the upper mids - lower treble that while not a deal breaker might impede long listening session. The 105 took the top end issues and negated them but at the expense of a slightly compressed stage and bass that was not as tactile and resolving. The pricing of the 105 is not official yet (I think) but if it comes out in the 400-500 range it should be a winner.
I already own the Alba so no need to hear that as my pair came to event with me. However the Alba is a game changer in the sub € 200 rice range both sonically and build quality. I could do with a nicer cable and tips but at their MSRP you can just upgrade these yourself. I also really like the Meze folks as they are always friendly and informative.
HiFiMan table - I needed to hear the Susvara Unveiled as I have a lot of love for the Hifiman planer headphones. The headphone was driven by a traformatic amp and golden wave dac. My notes read effortless, wide open staging with best in class vocal realism. I very much liked my time with these going from Tracy Chapman for vocals and Skynrd for rock. These headphones are very nimble and exciting. After speaking with Mark at the table my fears about the open nature of the cans were alleviated. They held up well over two days with everyone wanting to hear them. That said, like most I can’t just buy every headphone that sticks my fancy. If I were given a choice between the OG and the Unveiled I might go OG. Not as resolving but still highly resolving and maybe more suited for long listening sessions with all genres over the Unveiled. The new Unveiled is maybe one of two or three headphones that can truly test all your down stream components with its openness and resolving capabilities. Those with the means will not be disappointed. Those without the means the HiFiman 1000se or Arya Organic offer excellent listening experiences at a fraction of the cost but not nearly the open window to the music.
Mark and Tom it was a pleasure chatting with you both and learning more about Hifiman.
Hifonix table in main meet room I just stopped by for a quick listen to the D7000. Not my thing as they were too warmish and after the Susvaras the D7000 sounded a bit congested by comparison. It did have great bass but with a middling soundstage. Overall not bad but didn’t make the list of cans I covet.
Activo DAP table - The P1grabbed a listen to this very cool new DAP. I used the LCD-x and am pretty familiar with the sound of these and the Audeze sound. First impressions it looks and feels like the more early mainstream players in white and lightweight. While being from A&K and I am sure there is some trickle down the case work is not one of them. This is not a bad thing in some much as this casework is lightweight, seemingly robust and likely helps keep the player at the reduced cost. Nice soundstage and bass presentation, I maybe could have asked for a bit more mid weightiness but overall a great product that likely would complete at 1.5 to 2x the MSRP. Fast UI, good to great sound and light - winner in my book. I do wonder if the white color scheme will make people think it is cheap as opposed to a black or gunmetal color.
Pentaconn - forgive my ignorance, I had no idea the company also produced ear tips and IEMs. Didn’t expect much as the table was unassuming but fancy tables don’t always guarantee great sound
Far Freq - Last year was the year of the IEM to me as that aligned with my life plans of travel. Well fast forward to today and I am more stationary so not as much IEM time this year. I was intrigued by the Scarlet Mini but was wary of the reviews of BASS CANNON. The bass is pronounced but I did not feel it bled or obscured the midrange or treble. Too thick of a sound for me but I can really appreciate why people like these.
The guys at the booth were extremely friendly and encouraged me to listen to the $4k behemoths Forgive me I have forgotten the exact name (maybe Grand Maestro Limited ed?) but it is represented in the pics I included. Wow very impressive but cost and the large modules that stick out were detriments to me. Top notch sound though in this flagship and at the mega buck range often you get weird tunings to make thinks seem better. These were very detailed, spacious and even toned - just a great view into the music. While not for me still recommended, I’d opt for Symphonium’s Europa if the cost was a consideration or the Storm if cost was not an object.
Symphonium Audio - I fell into finding out about these guys when looking to audition the Storm as they as part of a triad of collaborators/supporters (Subtonic and Nightjar). I was a super fanboy of the Crimson and still love it (albeit I sold it a few months back to support the big rig). My sole quibble was the top end being a touch bright at times. Other than that gorgeous midrange and bass to die for. The Europa is the ultimate improvement to the Crimson and I will score a set of these in the near - mid future. This was the IEM of the show for me!
Fiio Audio - not a big fan of the Fiio brand having been underwhelmed with some of the DAPS I’ve had from them. Well I had heard great things about the FT5 full sized HP.. At the price around € 399 they are right up there and to me represent extreme value to sound ratio. Meet conditions were rough at the moment I was testing these so need to score a pair maybe to try them more. I think these are a great landing spot for budget minded folks or as a rung on the ladder of HP discovery.
Warwick Acoustics - first I totally applaud the set up they used as their portable listening room was pretty sweet. Great fit and finish. I did not care for the lesser expensive unit and the costlier one was a bit over the top price wise for the quality delivered. Overall hard pass for me.
ZMF - I have been resisting the siren call of Zack’s creations for some time now. I had purchased a Verite Closed and liked it but there was a slight bit of upper mid glare that over time got to me. I just plain like Zach, Bevin and their team so stopping by the room more to see them again than to buy anything. Last year at London I took a hard look at an Autuer demo unit but ultimately went for another purchase.
This year I thought I see what all the fuss was about with the Caldera, Bokeh and Atrium. While I really liked all three, I loved the atrium and this my friends was my CanJam project of the year, backed up by me laying my hard clod cash down for one. After going after so many “sounds” in headphones the Atrium just felt natural to me and did extremely well with all genres. So I guess I am part of the ZMF fam now.
Closing up I have to give a shout to Samuel (dienow) for meeting me out for a few beers! This is what the hobby is all about, great guy and thanks for conversation. Next year maybe Shanghai to get a flavor for the hobby immersed in a different culture.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts. Great read!Wow another CanJam in the books, I think this makes 11 or so for me from NYC, to SoCal, Chicago, Denver and London. Each location and community has it’s strengths that make their events a somewhat unique experience. It was a pleasure seeing Jude, Joe, Ethan and the rest of the organizers and support team. They do such great job with lots of passion and it shows in the results.
New York for me is by far the most social but also the lowest ability to listen to gear as we east coaster's are LOUD. London for the most part offers the better listening experience with somewhat lower attendance (just a guess) and Europeans tend to talk softer. This year the room was fairly loud with an ambient noise level between 63db and 74db as measured by my phone app. So this is my way of stating take mine and most meet impressions with a grain of salt as nuance and subtle difference were difficult to hear with open back headphones and even some IEMs.
I began my listening at the Meze table and focused on the 109 pro and the new 105 as I had previously heard the Empy 2 and Elites. I tend to like a bit of air and resolution but timbre is also important to me. The 109 pro was a great headphone in its retail pricing space and plays at the top of that segment IMO. My quibble with it is the slight emphasis in the upper mids - lower treble that while not a deal breaker might impede long listening session. The 105 took the top end issues and negated them but at the expense of a slightly compressed stage and bass that was not as tactile and resolving. The pricing of the 105 is not official yet (I think) but if it comes out in the 400-500 range it should be a winner.
I already own the Alba so no need to hear that as my pair came to event with me. However the Alba is a game changer in the sub € 200 rice range both sonically and build quality. I could do with a nicer cable and tips but at their MSRP you can just upgrade these yourself. I also really like the Meze folks as they are always friendly and informative.
HiFiMan table - I needed to hear the Susvara Unveiled as I have a lot of love for the Hifiman planer headphones. The headphone was driven by a traformatic amp and golden wave dac. My notes read effortless, wide open staging with best in class vocal realism. I very much liked my time with these going from Tracy Chapman for vocals and Skynrd for rock. These headphones are very nimble and exciting. After speaking with Mark at the table my fears about the open nature of the cans were alleviated. They held up well over two days with everyone wanting to hear them. That said, like most I can’t just buy every headphone that sticks my fancy. If I were given a choice between the OG and the Unveiled I might go OG. Not as resolving but still highly resolving and maybe more suited for long listening sessions with all genres over the Unveiled. The new Unveiled is maybe one of two or three headphones that can truly test all your down stream components with its openness and resolving capabilities. Those with the means will not be disappointed. Those without the means the HiFiman 1000se or Arya Organic offer excellent listening experiences at a fraction of the cost but not nearly the open window to the music.
Mark and Tom it was a pleasure chatting with you both and learning more about Hifiman.
Hifonix table in main meet room I just stopped by for a quick listen to the D7000. Not my thing as they were too warmish and after the Susvaras the D7000 sounded a bit congested by comparison. It did have great bass but with a middling soundstage. Overall not bad but didn’t make the list of cans I covet.
Activo DAP table - The P1grabbed a listen to this very cool new DAP. I used the LCD-x and am pretty familiar with the sound of these and the Audeze sound. First impressions it looks and feels like the more early mainstream players in white and lightweight. While being from A&K and I am sure there is some trickle down the case work is not one of them. This is not a bad thing in some much as this casework is lightweight, seemingly robust and likely helps keep the player at the reduced cost. Nice soundstage and bass presentation, I maybe could have asked for a bit more mid weightiness but overall a great product that likely would complete at 1.5 to 2x the MSRP. Fast UI, good to great sound and light - winner in my book. I do wonder if the white color scheme will make people think it is cheap as opposed to a black or gunmetal color.
Pentaconn - forgive my ignorance, I had no idea the company also produced ear tips and IEMs. Didn’t expect much as the table was unassuming but fancy tables don’t always guarantee great sound
Far Freq - Last year was the year of the IEM to me as that aligned with my life plans of travel. Well fast forward to today and I am more stationary so not as much IEM time this year. I was intrigued by the Scarlet Mini but was wary of the reviews of BASS CANNON. The bass is pronounced but I did not feel it bled or obscured the midrange or treble. Too thick of a sound for me but I can really appreciate why people like these.
The guys at the booth were extremely friendly and encouraged me to listen to the $4k behemoths Forgive me I have forgotten the exact name (maybe Grand Maestro Limited ed?) but it is represented in the pics I included. Wow very impressive but cost and the large modules that stick out were detriments to me. Top notch sound though in this flagship and at the mega buck range often you get weird tunings to make thinks seem better. These were very detailed, spacious and even toned - just a great view into the music. While not for me still recommended, I’d opt for Symphonium’s Europa if the cost was a consideration or the Storm if cost was not an object.
Symphonium Audio - I fell into finding out about these guys when looking to audition the Storm as they as part of a triad of collaborators/supporters (Subtonic and Nightjar). I was a super fanboy of the Crimson and still love it (albeit I sold it a few months back to support the big rig). My sole quibble was the top end being a touch bright at times. Other than that gorgeous midrange and bass to die for. The Europa is the ultimate improvement to the Crimson and I will score a set of these in the near - mid future. This was the IEM of the show for me!
Fiio Audio - not a big fan of the Fiio brand having been underwhelmed with some of the DAPS I’ve had from them. Well I had heard great things about the FT5 full sized HP.. At the price around € 399 they are right up there and to me represent extreme value to sound ratio. Meet conditions were rough at the moment I was testing these so need to score a pair maybe to try them more. I think these are a great landing spot for budget minded folks or as a rung on the ladder of HP discovery.
Warwick Acoustics - first I totally applaud the set up they used as their portable listening room was pretty sweet. Great fit and finish. I did not care for the lesser expensive unit and the costlier one was a bit over the top price wise for the quality delivered. Overall hard pass for me.
ZMF - I have been resisting the siren call of Zack’s creations for some time now. I had purchased a Verite Closed and liked it but there was a slight bit of upper mid glare that over time got to me. I just plain like Zach, Bevin and their team so stopping by the room more to see them again than to buy anything. Last year at London I took a hard look at an Autuer demo unit but ultimately went for another purchase.
This year I thought I see what all the fuss was about with the Caldera, Bokeh and Atrium. While I really liked all three, I loved the atrium and this my friends was my CanJam project of the year, backed up by me laying my hard clod cash down for one. After going after so many “sounds” in headphones the Atrium just felt natural to me and did extremely well with all genres. So I guess I am part of the ZMF fam now.
Closing up I have to give a shout to Samuel (dienow) for meeting me out for a few beers! This is what the hobby is all about, great guy and thanks for conversation. Next year maybe Shanghai to get a flavor for the hobby immersed in a different culture.
yes I did and apologies for the omission, from my notes I was very impressed. A bit restrained dynamically to me but very open sounding and detailed. I have these on my radar but I am finding it difficult to see if my Headamp GSX mk2 would adequately power them. Great headphones and probably a contender to Susvara (OG) light
not a criticism of the event but more a caveat to mine and in general meet conditions as they are typically 30 to 50 db louder than an inside room in your home. Great for IEMs as you mentioned in one aspect of isolating feature testing.The Saturday seemed notably busier than the Sunday, although I was not everywhere all at once. The upstairs rooms that Hifonix and ZMF had were better for full size headphones. I do not mind the main room being loud for IEM, can test the isolation
