CanJam New York 2025 Impressions Thread (February 22-23, 2025)
- Thread starter AxelCloris
- Start date
Are the 2's available on Amazon? A quick search found one listing for "Crystal Standard 2" for wireless earphones. Are these what you ordered?
Thank you for all of these impressions! You tried so many of the models I would have wanted to check out if I was there. And don’t think we didn’t notice the Meze cable bracelet…but you did admit to being a Meze fangirl after all!Hey y'all! I wanted to pop in some of my impressions from the show. This was my 4th canjam but my second one in NYC! And since I'm local, I went both days. While I really like the Dallas shows because there are usually less people, the NYC show definitely has a LOT more to see so its really nice.
That being said, I thought this show was definitely the busiest I've seen it, especially on Saturday. The main floor was quite loud so I spent a lot of Saturday with my partner trying to find them a new set of iems, I didn't really demo any myself. I did more critical listening on Sunday when it was a little less busy.
Just like before, all my impressions should be taken with a lot of salt as I only spent 5 to 10 mins max on each headphone in a noisy show floor. Although I did go back for 2nd demos for a few. Since I have @Audio46 close by its not hard at all to demo headphones so I use these shows as a way to listen to new releases and gear that would be hard to demo locally. I did try different amps and sources with my Susvaras and 650's but it was so loud I'm really not confident about any sound impressions without a quiet A/B. I will comment on the build and feel though. One thing I really like about these shows is that its a great way to check build and comfort of different headphones.
For those wanting IEM impressions, I apologize but I'm not an iem person so I didn't really listen to any. However, my partner did and their top iems were the IO Volare, the CA Astrolith, Moonriver, the Subtonic Storm (you should have seen their face when I mentioned the price lol) and the Moondrop Blessing 3. They actually ended up ordering the Volare from @headphones.com.
Finally, I also want to point out that I tend to prefer neutral warm tunings with a slightly relaxed presentation, and I'm pretty sensitive to forward uppper mids and uneven treble so please take that into consideration. I was the girl taking a lot of notes with an orange notebook. It was really fun chatting with you guys!
Here are my impressions in no particular order, I will add in my highlights at the end.
Grell OAE1
This one was...interesting. I actually listened to them both days just because they sounded very different from what I was expecting. First off, I thought the build was very well done, it felt nice and solid in the hand with durable metal and good quality plastic parts, its also fully serviceable which is nice. Comfort was not the best as it has quite the clamp to it and I wish the pads were more compliant. Also if you have a larger head, this might not be the best as the headband adjustment is limited, aside from the clamp it did fit me just fine though. So for the sound, the first thing that stood out to me was the bass, it's quite prominent and gave instruments and male vocals especially a lot of depth and body. The soundstage presentation was also quite unique, I assume due to the angled drivers, things sounded very large and spacious albeit a little smeared and not as well delineated as I would like. I had my HD650's to A/B and tonality wise, it was quite colored and nowhere near as natural sounding as the 650. Still though, I thought they were kinda fun to listen to, I couldn't help think of how fun these might be for gaming or listening to OST's. Side note but Axel Grell was there and as someone who loves the 6xx series, it was pretty cool to meet him. He was really nice to talk to, very friendly and answered all my questions about the OAE1.
HFA Dhalia
I heard a lot about this headphone from Canjam SoCal impressions last year so I was really looking forward to trying them out for myself. The build was really good, I think it's 3D printed but it was very refined with a nice metal head band and what felt like real leather headband strap and pads. The comfort was fantastic, it felt way lighter on my head than the weight indicated, the pads also felt really nice ( I think they were ZMF pads?). For the sound, I found them to be really really well tuned, nice strong bass emphasis that wasn't too overwhelming, nice present mids that weren't too forward and nice even treble that wasn't fatiguing, they kinda reminded me of the Modhouse Tungstens and sounded really natural. I listened to these right after the OAE1 so I thought the stage was a little more intimate but it was probably more accurate, all in all, really well done. The sub 1k price bracket has gotten quite competitive and if you're in the market this should be seriously under consideration.
Meze Audio POET
This was just announced days before Canjam. I'm a bit of a Meze fangirl, I absolutely love their build quality, comfort and aesthetics of their headphones and this model was no different. I will say though that I would have preferred if these had the black and copper colorway of the original Empyrean instead of the gray and copper. The build was fantastic although I did notice a slight clicking sound in one of the cups when I adjusted them. This seems to be random since all the other units i checked out didn't have this. Comfort was unsurprisingly great and the headphones felt very lightweight on my head. Soundwise, they were definitely warm tilted, with slightly relaxed mids and a reduced treble, they did really remind me of the OG Empy albeit a little more neutral. Unfortunately, just like the OG Empy, I think there might be a peak somewhere in the upper treble because there was that sort of shimmery quality, especially to vocals that I noticed. I would love to listen to these in a quiet environment.
Pud's headphones:
Pud of Reddit fame had some of his creations at the headphones.com booth. I actually didn't listen to any of these, just wanted to look at them. My partner did listen to the Bob, ( I wanted to as well but I didn't want to mess up my hair lol) and they said it didn't sound as bad and they thought it would sound. The really big bowling ball ones, (I think they are called old thumpy), with the bass medalion was a sight to behold. I swear the whole main floor filled with bass when someone had a bass heavy track playing. This hobby takes itself a little too seriously sometimes so its nice to see someone embracing the wackiness and having fun. Also I can't be the only one who thinks Pud bears an uncanny resemblance to Steve Jobs right?
Dunu Arashi
This was another new release I was eager to try. It's a brand new open back planar from Dunu. I'm not very familiar with the brand, I just know them for their iems. I have to say, as a first headphone they hit it out of the park. The build was impeccable and they felt really solid, the headband adjustment reminded me of the Hifimans but more sturdy. Comfort was great too although they were a little heavier on my head than I would like. For sound, wow this thing slams, the very tight punchy bass immediately stood out, it wasn't bass boosted at all just really well textured down there, soundstage was on the smaller side and the upper mids was occasionally a little too forward for my tastes, however the treble was really smooth. These are priced around $1400 and I think and they definitely punch above their price point, would definitely recommend folks checking them out.
Fiio FT7
Yet another new release from Fiio. Fiio has had a lot of great headphone releases so far, both the FT1 and FT1 pro are really quite exceptional especially when you consider their price point. I believe this is slated to be Fiio's newest flagship, not sure what the price is yet but knowing Fiio, I expect them to be quite competitive. The build was really nice, with an nice carbon fiber headband, (faux?) leather headband strap and pads and wood grilles, it kind looked like an old school Audeze. I did have an issue with the headband adjustment though, it felt a little loose and everytime I put it on my head it slid up a bit and I had to readjust. I'm not sure how final the design is so just wanted to note that. These sounded very natural, nice tight well extended bass, natural mids and well controlled treble, overall a pretty inoffensive tuning, nothing really stood out to me as a glaring issue. The fiio booth was quite packed so I'd love to hear these in a quiet environment.
Headphones.com booth
They had the full B&K 5128 head and torso sim at the booth so I got to measure some of my headphones. While I believe that your own ears should be the final word, it was pretty neat to see the process of getting measurements. I chatted with Listener while I was there, he took a lot of seatings and measurements of each headphone and explained the process along the way, pretty cool to see that irl. Also the whole booth was really well put together and the staff was very attentive and helpful.
DCA Corina + HeadAmp Blue Hawaii SE
Okay so I cheated a bit cause I've definitely heard this combo before but I just had to try them again because they really sound exceptional. These just sound so natural, idk how much the BHSE is influencing the sound but everytime I listen to these, it just sounds so lifelike, especially with vocals. I'm definitely not a fan of estats but if I had to pick one, it'd be either this or the Aperio GSE (although the Corina is a lot more comfortable). Easily my favorite DCA headphone. Speaking of DCA...
DCA Noire X
This is DCA's latest closed back offering. The build and comfort are great however the finish of the cups are a huge fingerprint magnet (as you can see in the photo). I would have loved a more matte finish to prevent this. Aesthetically I really dig the understated look. Sound wise, I compared them to the E3 right next to it and I just thought they sounded like a baby E3 with slightly more mid bass and not as resolving. If you are in the market for a sub 1k closed back and like the E3, this is a no brainer, the closed back market has vastly improved over the years and this is another great entry.
Woo WA24 + Susvara Unveiled
This combination was excellent, again I didn't get to do a comparison with other amps quickly but I really enjoyed what I heard, very smooth yet detailed. The WA24 looks and feels fantastic and runs fairly cool too for a tube amp.
Zmf atrium + DNA Supernaut
I owned the Atruims but I wanted a chance to try a DNA amp since they seem to be very well liked in the community. I don't know for sure how much the amp was influencing this but when I tried some electronic music with the Atriums, they absolutely slammed. I don't remember the Atruims hitting like that before, I really enjoyed my time with them and they seem to be a great pairing.
ZMF Verite Open
Thia is actually my first time hearing these, I've managed to listen to every other ZMF but somehow these slipped through the cracks. Build wise, its classic ZMF, so pretty machined wood cups with a beautiful intricate grill. The ZMF staff were also really helpful and friendly. These sounded really warm but certain instruments like trumpets really stood out, I have a feeling the FR of this might be a little uneven but they were really fun to listen to, when it worked, it really worked for certain songs and was kind of okay with others. I can definitely see why people like them though, they added a coloration to the sound that was quite enjoyable.
Yamaha YH5000SE
These are not new but I've never listened to these before, I didn't even know Yamaha made headphones so I was eager to give these open back planars a try. Build wise these are great and I love the look and feel of them. The only thing I will note is that similar to the Fiio FT7, the headband adjustment mechanism is a little loose so it slid down on my head after a while, there's probably a way to tighten it but just wanted to note that. Comfort was great too. Okay for the sound... these are not for me. As soon as I queued up one of my vocal focused test tracks things just sounded wrong. The voices were just way too forward and shouty and I picked up way more instances of sibilance compared to the other hps I tried. I imagine these are probably more specialist headphones but for my library, they just didn't work. Kinda disappointing because the build and comfort were first class.
Audio Technica ADX3000
These were built well, a little plasticy feeling but sturdy, very lightweight and comfortable to wear. These actually had a slightly similar tuning to the Yamahas but more reasonable sounding. I thought the upper mids were a little too forward and there was a little too much lower treble energy for my tastes, not great for vocals but string instruments sounded really nice.
Auroros Audio Quasar and Australis
These caught my eye at the LTA booth, haven't seen them before so was eager to check them out. Starting with the Quasar, which is the open back dynamic driver headphone. The grill is this really cool wheel shape, it felt like wood but I'm not sure. Build felt really solid, and i didn't hear any creaks or squeaks, comfort was pretty good too though ever so slightly heavy and clampy. Similar to the Dhalia, I thought these were exceptionally tuned, really smooth and refined, good staging with really nice texturing in vocals and midrange instruments. The upper mids/lower treble were occasionally a little too forward but overall these sounded really balanced.
Normally I largely prefer open backs but in this case, I actually really enjoyed the Australis, which is the closed back, a lot more. Primarily because this had a bit more bass punch to them, the upper mids/treble also felt a little more relaxed which made it easier to listen to more aggressive recordings. The build was similar to the open backs and I love the patterning on the cups. For hand made headphones, these are both really well done.
Sennheiser HD505 Copper
Build and comfort was pretty good, plastic frame but good quality. A little clampy but they were very lightweight. I A/Bd these with my 650 and I still much prefer the 650, these sounded a bit thinner in the mids but overall, the tuning was pretty good, nothing really stood out. However for the price, I'd definitely take a 6xx series hp over them.
Fosi Audio Headphones
I saw these on the Fosi Audio booth and wanted to check them out, didn't catch their name though. They looked a lot like an egg shaped hifiman, down to the headband although I will say the Hifiman headband looks a lot nicer, the ear cups are massive and the fit was bit awkward because it protruded down way past my jaw. Sound wise, they sounded a bit v shaped, other than that, nothing really special.
Shanling HW600
These piqued my interest because I noticed the headband, reminded me a lot of the OG Empyrean headband, probably because of that these were one of the most comfortable headphones I wore at the show. Build was pretty good too, nice and solid. I belive these are open back planar headphones, I know Shanling for their daps but just like Dunu they sepp to be dipping their toes in the headphone market. I found these to sound a little bright, very detailed and good separation however the bass seemed a bit low for my tastes, the sound remined me of an Arya. Overall a pretty good headphone and I'd love to try them at home in a quiet environment.
Abyss JOAL
The build and feel of these was really solid, not as premium feeling as the MR but still exceptional. These were decently comfortable although I really wish these had some cup swivel. This is definitely the most well balanced of the Abyss headphones I've tried so far, the bass was nice and textured and the mids and treble were well balanced and nothing sounded really weird or unnatural, glad to see Abyss making their headphones a little more accessible price wise.
Abyss 1266 Phi TC + B21 Raider Amp
Okay so I know these are not new. Unlike the VO's these didn't really escape me, I've actually been avoiding them because they just looked so uncomfortable. But when I was in the Abyss room, I noticed these were hooked up the the B21 Raider amp which I wanted to check out. The amp itself is built like a tank and runs fairly cool, pretty cool to see dynamic/estat amp combos. I think if you got this or the LTA Z10e you could get any headphone you wanted, I love when gear is really versatile. Okay back to the 1266, when I put them on my head I was surprised because they didn't feel as cursed to wear as I thought they would be. These have new plush suede pads and this seemed to help the comfort a lot. They are still quite heavy and I don't think I could comfortably wear these for more than 30 mins. I queued up my standard vocal test tracks and they sounded, okay? I was surprised at this too, beacuse from what I've heard from others, I assumed the mids would sound very wonky. They still didn't sound as natural as my Susvaras or HD650's but still pretty good. I know fans of this hp love them for electronic music and large orchestral pieces so I threw on some Bob Moses and Hans Zimmer. When "Battle Lines" started playing I couldn't help but have a large smile on my face the whole time. I get it now, I get why people relly love these, the tactility and punch of the bass was really special. I don't think I could have these as my main headphone but for that kind of music these are hard to beat. Seriously considering getting a pair to complement my Susvara.
I tried a lot more but I'm really tired of writing lol. I took a lot of notes so if there's something you would like impressions for just shoot me a PM and I'll check. Also want to give a shout out to the guys at @BloomAudio, their room was really nice and my partner got to try a lot of iems and I got to try the Mass Kobo 465. Didn't get to try the Narukami amp unfortunately but based on people's reactions, it might be best if I don't hear it so I can still enjoy my set up in peace. The show highlights for me were the AB1266 TC, the DCA Corina and the Auros Audio Australis, all for different reasons. As always, the Headfi team put on an amazing show, and my partner was asking when next year's show will be. I also saw a lot of reviewers I follow on YouTube and got a chance to chat with some of them as well as some friends, all in all it was a great experience and I'm already counting down the days to Dallas!
@bunnygal23 Thank you for your impressions! I always look forward to your posts about the CanJam shows.
You took care of some that I meant to try out but either the tables were too busy or I overlooked. I don't know how I missed the Auroros Audio ones. I was at the LTA table but I guess I was too distracted by the POET. The Auroros models do look interesting and hopefully they will return to some shows.
You took care of some that I meant to try out but either the tables were too busy or I overlooked. I don't know how I missed the Auroros Audio ones. I was at the LTA table but I guess I was too distracted by the POET. The Auroros models do look interesting and hopefully they will return to some shows.
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Hey y'all! I wanted to pop in some of my impressions from the show. This was my 4th canjam but my second one in NYC! And since I'm local, I went both days. While I really like the Dallas shows because there are usually less people, the NYC show definitely has a LOT more to see so its really nice.
That being said, I thought this show was definitely the busiest I've seen it, especially on Saturday. The main floor was quite loud so I spent a lot of Saturday with my partner trying to find them a new set of iems, I didn't really demo any myself. I did more critical listening on Sunday when it was a little less busy.
Just like before, all my impressions should be taken with a lot of salt as I only spent 5 to 10 mins max on each headphone in a noisy show floor. Although I did go back for 2nd demos for a few. Since I have @Audio46 close by its not hard at all to demo headphones so I use these shows as a way to listen to new releases and gear that would be hard to demo locally. I did try different amps and sources with my Susvaras and 650's but it was so loud I'm really not confident about any sound impressions without a quiet A/B. I will comment on the build and feel though. One thing I really like about these shows is that its a great way to check build and comfort of different headphones.
For those wanting IEM impressions, I apologize but I'm not an iem person so I didn't really listen to any. However, my partner did and their top iems were the IO Volare, the CA Astrolith, Moonriver, the Subtonic Storm (you should have seen their face when I mentioned the price lol) and the Moondrop Blessing 3. They actually ended up ordering the Volare from @headphones.com.
Finally, I also want to point out that I tend to prefer neutral warm tunings with a slightly relaxed presentation, and I'm pretty sensitive to forward uppper mids and uneven treble so please take that into consideration. I was the girl taking a lot of notes with an orange notebook. It was really fun chatting with you guys!
Here are my impressions in no particular order, I will add in my highlights at the end.
Grell OAE1
This one was...interesting. I actually listened to them both days just because they sounded very different from what I was expecting. First off, I thought the build was very well done, it felt nice and solid in the hand with durable metal and good quality plastic parts, its also fully serviceable which is nice. Comfort was not the best as it has quite the clamp to it and I wish the pads were more compliant. Also if you have a larger head, this might not be the best as the headband adjustment is limited, aside from the clamp it did fit me just fine though. So for the sound, the first thing that stood out to me was the bass, it's quite prominent and gave instruments and male vocals especially a lot of depth and body. The soundstage presentation was also quite unique, I assume due to the angled drivers, things sounded very large and spacious albeit a little smeared and not as well delineated as I would like. I had my HD650's to A/B and tonality wise, it was quite colored and nowhere near as natural sounding as the 650. Still though, I thought they were kinda fun to listen to, I couldn't help think of how fun these might be for gaming or listening to OST's. Side note but Axel Grell was there and as someone who loves the 6xx series, it was pretty cool to meet him. He was really nice to talk to, very friendly and answered all my questions about the OAE1.
HFA Dhalia
I heard a lot about this headphone from Canjam SoCal impressions last year so I was really looking forward to trying them out for myself. The build was really good, I think it's 3D printed but it was very refined with a nice metal head band and what felt like real leather headband strap and pads. The comfort was fantastic, it felt way lighter on my head than the weight indicated, the pads also felt really nice ( I think they were ZMF pads?). For the sound, I found them to be really really well tuned, nice strong bass emphasis that wasn't too overwhelming, nice present mids that weren't too forward and nice even treble that wasn't fatiguing, they kinda reminded me of the Modhouse Tungstens and sounded really natural. I listened to these right after the OAE1 so I thought the stage was a little more intimate but it was probably more accurate, all in all, really well done. The sub 1k price bracket has gotten quite competitive and if you're in the market this should be seriously under consideration.
Meze Audio POET
This was just announced days before Canjam. I'm a bit of a Meze fangirl, I absolutely love their build quality, comfort and aesthetics of their headphones and this model was no different. I will say though that I would have preferred if these had the black and copper colorway of the original Empyrean instead of the gray and copper. The build was fantastic although I did notice a slight clicking sound in one of the cups when I adjusted them. This seems to be random since all the other units i checked out didn't have this. Comfort was unsurprisingly great and the headphones felt very lightweight on my head. Soundwise, they were definitely warm tilted, with slightly relaxed mids and a reduced treble, they did really remind me of the OG Empy albeit a little more neutral. Unfortunately, just like the OG Empy, I think there might be a peak somewhere in the upper treble because there was that sort of shimmery quality, especially to vocals that I noticed. I would love to listen to these in a quiet environment.
Pud's headphones:
Pud of Reddit fame had some of his creations at the headphones.com booth. I actually didn't listen to any of these, just wanted to look at them. My partner did listen to the Bob, ( I wanted to as well but I didn't want to mess up my hair lol) and they said it didn't sound as bad and they thought it would sound. The really big bowling ball ones, (I think they are called old thumpy), with the bass medalion was a sight to behold. I swear the whole main floor filled with bass when someone had a bass heavy track playing. This hobby takes itself a little too seriously sometimes so its nice to see someone embracing the wackiness and having fun. Also I can't be the only one who thinks Pud bears an uncanny resemblance to Steve Jobs right?
Dunu Arashi
This was another new release I was eager to try. It's a brand new open back planar from Dunu. I'm not very familiar with the brand, I just know them for their iems. I have to say, as a first headphone they hit it out of the park. The build was impeccable and they felt really solid, the headband adjustment reminded me of the Hifimans but more sturdy. Comfort was great too although they were a little heavier on my head than I would like. For sound, wow this thing slams, the very tight punchy bass immediately stood out, it wasn't bass boosted at all just really well textured down there, soundstage was on the smaller side and the upper mids was occasionally a little too forward for my tastes, however the treble was really smooth. These are priced around $1400 and I think and they definitely punch above their price point, would definitely recommend folks checking them out.
Fiio FT7
Yet another new release from Fiio. Fiio has had a lot of great headphone releases so far, both the FT1 and FT1 pro are really quite exceptional especially when you consider their price point. I believe this is slated to be Fiio's newest flagship, not sure what the price is yet but knowing Fiio, I expect them to be quite competitive. The build was really nice, with an nice carbon fiber headband, (faux?) leather headband strap and pads and wood grilles, it kind looked like an old school Audeze. I did have an issue with the headband adjustment though, it felt a little loose and everytime I put it on my head it slid up a bit and I had to readjust. I'm not sure how final the design is so just wanted to note that. These sounded very natural, nice tight well extended bass, natural mids and well controlled treble, overall a pretty inoffensive tuning, nothing really stood out to me as a glaring issue. The fiio booth was quite packed so I'd love to hear these in a quiet environment.
Headphones.com booth
They had the full B&K 5128 head and torso sim at the booth so I got to measure some of my headphones. While I believe that your own ears should be the final word, it was pretty neat to see the process of getting measurements. I chatted with Listener while I was there, he took a lot of seatings and measurements of each headphone and explained the process along the way, pretty cool to see that irl. Also the whole booth was really well put together and the staff was very attentive and helpful.
DCA Corina + HeadAmp Blue Hawaii SE
Okay so I cheated a bit cause I've definitely heard this combo before but I just had to try them again because they really sound exceptional. These just sound so natural, idk how much the BHSE is influencing the sound but everytime I listen to these, it just sounds so lifelike, especially with vocals. I'm definitely not a fan of estats but if I had to pick one, it'd be either this or the Aperio GSE (although the Corina is a lot more comfortable). Easily my favorite DCA headphone. Speaking of DCA...
DCA Noire X
This is DCA's latest closed back offering. The build and comfort are great however the finish of the cups are a huge fingerprint magnet (as you can see in the photo). I would have loved a more matte finish to prevent this. Aesthetically I really dig the understated look. Sound wise, I compared them to the E3 right next to it and I just thought they sounded like a baby E3 with slightly more mid bass and not as resolving. If you are in the market for a sub 1k closed back and like the E3, this is a no brainer, the closed back market has vastly improved over the years and this is another great entry.
Woo WA24 + Susvara Unveiled
This combination was excellent, again I didn't get to do a comparison with other amps quickly but I really enjoyed what I heard, very smooth yet detailed. The WA24 looks and feels fantastic and runs fairly cool too for a tube amp.
Zmf atrium + DNA Supernaut
I owned the Atruims but I wanted a chance to try a DNA amp since they seem to be very well liked in the community. I don't know for sure how much the amp was influencing this but when I tried some electronic music with the Atriums, they absolutely slammed. I don't remember the Atruims hitting like that before, I really enjoyed my time with them and they seem to be a great pairing.
ZMF Verite Open
Thia is actually my first time hearing these, I've managed to listen to every other ZMF but somehow these slipped through the cracks. Build wise, its classic ZMF, so pretty machined wood cups with a beautiful intricate grill. The ZMF staff were also really helpful and friendly. These sounded really warm but certain instruments like trumpets really stood out, I have a feeling the FR of this might be a little uneven but they were really fun to listen to, when it worked, it really worked for certain songs and was kind of okay with others. I can definitely see why people like them though, they added a coloration to the sound that was quite enjoyable.
Yamaha YH5000SE
These are not new but I've never listened to these before, I didn't even know Yamaha made headphones so I was eager to give these open back planars a try. Build wise these are great and I love the look and feel of them. The only thing I will note is that similar to the Fiio FT7, the headband adjustment mechanism is a little loose so it slid down on my head after a while, there's probably a way to tighten it but just wanted to note that. Comfort was great too. Okay for the sound... these are not for me. As soon as I queued up one of my vocal focused test tracks things just sounded wrong. The voices were just way too forward and shouty and I picked up way more instances of sibilance compared to the other hps I tried. I imagine these are probably more specialist headphones but for my library, they just didn't work. Kinda disappointing because the build and comfort were first class.
Audio Technica ADX3000
These were built well, a little plasticy feeling but sturdy, very lightweight and comfortable to wear. These actually had a slightly similar tuning to the Yamahas but more reasonable sounding. I thought the upper mids were a little too forward and there was a little too much lower treble energy for my tastes, not great for vocals but string instruments sounded really nice.
Auroros Audio Quasar and Australis
These caught my eye at the LTA booth, haven't seen them before so was eager to check them out. Starting with the Quasar, which is the open back dynamic driver headphone. The grill is this really cool wheel shape, it felt like wood but I'm not sure. Build felt really solid, and i didn't hear any creaks or squeaks, comfort was pretty good too though ever so slightly heavy and clampy. Similar to the Dhalia, I thought these were exceptionally tuned, really smooth and refined, good staging with really nice texturing in vocals and midrange instruments. The upper mids/lower treble were occasionally a little too forward but overall these sounded really balanced.
Normally I largely prefer open backs but in this case, I actually really enjoyed the Australis, which is the closed back, a lot more. Primarily because this had a bit more bass punch to them, the upper mids/treble also felt a little more relaxed which made it easier to listen to more aggressive recordings. The build was similar to the open backs and I love the patterning on the cups. For hand made headphones, these are both really well done.
Sennheiser HD505 Copper
Build and comfort was pretty good, plastic frame but good quality. A little clampy but they were very lightweight. I A/Bd these with my 650 and I still much prefer the 650, these sounded a bit thinner in the mids but overall, the tuning was pretty good, nothing really stood out. However for the price, I'd definitely take a 6xx series hp over them.
Fosi Audio Headphones
I saw these on the Fosi Audio booth and wanted to check them out, didn't catch their name though. They looked a lot like an egg shaped hifiman, down to the headband although I will say the Hifiman headband looks a lot nicer, the ear cups are massive and the fit was bit awkward because it protruded down way past my jaw. Sound wise, they sounded a bit v shaped, other than that, nothing really special.
Shanling HW600
These piqued my interest because I noticed the headband, reminded me a lot of the OG Empyrean headband, probably because of that these were one of the most comfortable headphones I wore at the show. Build was pretty good too, nice and solid. I belive these are open back planar headphones, I know Shanling for their daps but just like Dunu they sepp to be dipping their toes in the headphone market. I found these to sound a little bright, very detailed and good separation however the bass seemed a bit low for my tastes, the sound remined me of an Arya. Overall a pretty good headphone and I'd love to try them at home in a quiet environment.
Abyss JOAL
The build and feel of these was really solid, not as premium feeling as the MR but still exceptional. These were decently comfortable although I really wish these had some cup swivel. This is definitely the most well balanced of the Abyss headphones I've tried so far, the bass was nice and textured and the mids and treble were well balanced and nothing sounded really weird or unnatural, glad to see Abyss making their headphones a little more accessible price wise.
Abyss 1266 Phi TC + B21 Raider Amp
Okay so I know these are not new. Unlike the VO's these didn't really escape me, I've actually been avoiding them because they just looked so uncomfortable. But when I was in the Abyss room, I noticed these were hooked up the the B21 Raider amp which I wanted to check out. The amp itself is built like a tank and runs fairly cool, pretty cool to see dynamic/estat amp combos. I think if you got this or the LTA Z10e you could get any headphone you wanted, I love when gear is really versatile. Okay back to the 1266, when I put them on my head I was surprised because they didn't feel as cursed to wear as I thought they would be. These have new plush suede pads and this seemed to help the comfort a lot. They are still quite heavy and I don't think I could comfortably wear these for more than 30 mins. I queued up my standard vocal test tracks and they sounded, okay? I was surprised at this too, beacuse from what I've heard from others, I assumed the mids would sound very wonky. They still didn't sound as natural as my Susvaras or HD650's but still pretty good. I know fans of this hp love them for electronic music and large orchestral pieces so I threw on some Bob Moses and Hans Zimmer. When "Battle Lines" started playing I couldn't help but have a large smile on my face the whole time. I get it now, I get why people relly love these, the tactility and punch of the bass was really special. I don't think I could have these as my main headphone but for that kind of music these are hard to beat. Seriously considering getting a pair to complement my Susvara.
I tried a lot more but I'm really tired of writing lol. I took a lot of notes so if there's something you would like impressions for just shoot me a PM and I'll check. Also want to give a shout out to the guys at @BloomAudio, their room was really nice and my partner got to try a lot of iems and I got to try the Mass Kobo 465. Didn't get to try the Narukami amp unfortunately but based on people's reactions, it might be best if I don't hear it so I can still enjoy my set up in peace. The show highlights for me were the AB1266 TC, the DCA Corina and the Auros Audio Australis, all for different reasons. As always, the Headfi team put on an amazing show, and my partner was asking when next year's show will be. I also saw a lot of reviewers I follow on YouTube and got a chance to chat with some of them as well as some friends, all in all it was a great experience and I'm already counting down the days to Dallas!
I agree. Great to see a post focused on headphones.
Please stop by Campfire Audio for free Modulate scan at our booth using the new phone scan app. We can secure your impression files for a later Modulate custom slip overs for Campfier IEMs.
Place an order this weekend on campfireaudio.com to recieve your modulate tips for $99 per set. Use code CJNY25 at checkout
Thank you,
Ken
I think I was the first to get scans done at the show. Wild that an accurate 3d scan can be done with a phone app these days! Thanks to Ken for having free scans as an extra perk for show attendees on top of the discount offered for Modulate orders! Can't wait to try them out on my Trifecta, which by the way is still very much relevant and definitely holds its own in today's ever changing iem landscape! Such a unique sound!
phiemon
Headphoneus Supremus
I'm really not sure that Storm's tips and the AET07 are really "identical". The tips of Storm seem to me to be a bit "harder" in the inner part, although both really look the same. I don't know if that's just imagination... maybe my AET07 are older and therefore a little softer?Could be the AET-07:
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What an absurd amount of IEMs available these days! It's both great, yet also quite overwhelming for someone looking to make the dive into the IEM game. Excellent impressions all around, can't wait for Canjam LA later this year!
I think it is indeed the AET07. The images look just like the set of tips I got while listening to the Storm. I have no idea if these are actually the tips they include as a part of the package with the Storm, but it's what the guy told me is the best sounding tip with it. And I found it to be very comfortable with a number of IEMs, it gave a good seal, wasn't sticky, and was fairly easy to put on and take off, yet stayed on each IEM securely.
@Thracian can you let us know what the stock tips are that come with the STORM please, sir? The people want to know!
phiemon
Headphoneus Supremus
You can buy them here: https://www.symphoniumaudio.com/products/premium-tips However, there is no mention of "AET07", but of "Symphonium Premium Tips". I have both tips here.
Exactly this: https://www.symphoniumaudio.com/products/premium-tips, it's not a supposition, but I know it because I asked Chang, so it's 100% sure.
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Those look identical to the tips I got while listening to the Storm, and just like the Acoustune AET07 tips. As soon as someone on here mentioned Acoustune, I remembered that’s what the guy told me they were.
Sorry the pics are a little blurry.
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phiemon
Headphoneus Supremus
Yes, as I wrote: I have here both the Acoustune AET07 and the official tips from Storm. Even if they look really identical on the outside, the nozzle of the tips from Storm is somehow harder / the nozzle of the AET07 is a little softer. Now the question is whether it is because my AET07 are older, or is there actually a (small) difference.
Couldn't find them on Amazon. I ordered them direct from Azla. Fortunately was able to demo them extensively on the show floor in NYC and are an upgrade to the OG Crystals which have been my exclusive tips for the last like 4 years.
Holy crap that's an impressive list of excellent impressions. I can only listen to so many in a day before sensory overload kicks in and everything starts to sound the same. There are like 2-3 CanJams worth of impressions here. It's always interesting to me how everyone hears things a little differently. I never got to the Encephalorrhagia-- I tried the Incontience and wasn't too impressed. At least I didn't pee my pants though. Would be great if you could share these in the Watercooler thread if you haven't already.
