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RedOctober XL at 17k and 98lbs I really liked that Amp as well
CanJam New York 2025 Impressions Thread (February 22-23, 2025)
- Thread starter AxelCloris
- Start date
I would have asked if they would consider selling it if I didn’t need to rent a U-Haul to get it back home
love it in the white color; that’s what I’d get if I ordered one.
Zachik
Member of the Trade: xMEMS
Watercooler Travel Team Champion: Traveled 9,823 miles to be at CanJam!
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We have twice-per-year a rather big meetup in downtown San Jose.
Last one was exactly 2 weeks before CanJam... Next one will be in late July, I believe.
PM me and I will provide more details. Those meetups are generously sponsored by Schiit, and the majority there is headphones and desktop gear, but 3 weeks ago we did have 2-3 tables with many IEMs! Most communications and preparations are on a Discord channel. I do not like Discord nearly as much as Head-Fi, but for getting the updates on those San Jose meetups - worth it!!
CanJam NYC 2025 Experience (Thursday Evening and Friday)
As I attend more CanJams, I leave with the impression ‘how can it get better from here?’. This CanJam blew past any expectations I had previously. This was the best CanJam experience yet and interestingly, it was even more focused on seeing friends than auditioning gear.
Thursday Evening:
The CanJam activities kicked off quickly on Thursday, the day my father and I arrived, starting with a dinner alongside Amos @Currawong . He was the first reviewer whose analysis I could fully grasp, distilling complex ideas into clear, relatable points. To this day, his reviews act as a reference point not just for headfi gear but the review process itself. A few years back, I caught up with Amos in Japan, and it felt unreal to see him stateside, especially in NYC for his first visit. Factoring in the unusually cold weather, I made a reservation at Harvard Club which was a brief walk from the Marriott. We had drinks at the bar, which was unexpectedly boisterous that evening and followed it up with a lovely dinner in The Grill. Throughout the evening, we spoke on a variety of subjects from spirituality and critical thinking to Japanese culture. The evening was highlighted by a humorous mischief by the maître d', which I will never forget. It is always a treat when such moments happen, and I can’t wait to see Amos again. Perhaps in SoCal haha.
Friday Morning
Hotel Breakfast
The next morning, I bumped into a few Watercoolers and Warren @warrenpchi at the hotel restaurant for breakfast. Alvin @timeslip was regaling us with his experiences of the Weiss DAC, and the conversation quickly shifted to ‘best DACs of all time’. Warren’s eyes lit up and he pounced! This was the first time I was privy to Warren’s intense passion for MSB DAC’s. I felt like I was sitting in the pews while hearing a sermon. Warren’s words carry weight for me, as I better understand his reference point, especially after watching his review on Weiss DAC 501.
What I learned from Warren’s comments on MSB is, imagine a DAC that has as much naturalness to match what DAVE+MScaler has in sheer detail and then, combine the two. I will not forget Warren’s parting words as breakfast wound down “If I had to exit the hobby for good and cease reviewing, I would sell everything and get the MSB Select stack, including their e-stat amp”. At the price of admission, I certainly hope so! However, after listening to his characterization of MSB house sound and why he adores it with such magnitude, I am left with a kernel of curiosity about MSB. Darn you Warren! This is an avenue I am determined to investigate later.
Audio46 & Pizza
As is tradition, the Watercooler had a meetup at Audio46 at approximately 10AM. While some in the group wisely took the time to try some gear in a quieter environment than the CanJam show floor, the rest of us mingled with each other. I value this time to speak with other Watercoolers, as during the show floor we are prioritizing listening to gear, meeting industry insiders and assessing potential purchases. As pictured in the photo, Skeeb @skeeb23 and his wife were conducting video interviews with some of those in attendance such as Warren and Amos. On the counter, the owner set up a Enuleum HPA23RM stacked with Hugo 2, and a choice of headphones including the Abyss JOAL, Meze Poet and Grado HP100 SE. Apparently the Enleum and Hugo 2 had excellent synergy and the store owner swears by this stack. Given he works in the industry and has likely tried many gear combos, I am intrigued by his enthusiasm for this stack. However, the two hours at Audio46 went by quickly and before I knew it, we were heading into the pizza shop next door. The pizza shop was quite cold, therefore piping hot pies were a much welcome respite from some of the lowest recorded temperatures that week. Jim @HiFiHawaii808 took this opportunity to reunite Frankie @Frankie D with his misplaced Water Cooler name tag. Just after these shenanigans, the pizzas arrived and I couldn't resist the photo opportunity of Amos facing an enormous pizza, he seemed up for the challenge
EyalJam:
This is one of my favorite experiences from the Friday leading up to CanJam weekend. @goldwerger invited us to his classy home, which contains as many paintings as audio gears! Entering his place is like stepping into an art showroom. This time however, I was determined to listen to Susvara OG with Riviera AIC10 along with a smorgasbord of ZMF headphones. In summary, Susvara is as good as ever and it’s probably the best I’ve ever heard it on the Riviera. The AIC10 added depth to the mids and gobs of texture I didn’t know the Susvara was capable of. Switching to the Atrium Open and then the Caldera Closed on the Decware Taboo, I realized what I was looking for. It wasn’t necessarily the superior detail and overall performance of the Susvara, it was texture and richness of Caldera Closed with a hint of darkness. This is what I found in Caldera Closed. I think I may have found my next headphone to complement my 1266 TC.
Throughout the afternoon, many of us got lost in conversation and sampled some truly marvelous wine graciously supplied by Frankie. As the evening approached, the whiskey was decanted and generously poured. It was at this time, the wine began to mix with the whiskey! My mind began to slip and I neglected to take photos of the rest of the evenings activities which constituted dinner at Becco. The meal was lovely and perhaps other Watercoolers will provide photos of some of the food haha.
The CanJam weekend activity writeup with gear impressions will be posted next week. I hope you enjoyed a taste of what pre CanJam activities have to offer
As I attend more CanJams, I leave with the impression ‘how can it get better from here?’. This CanJam blew past any expectations I had previously. This was the best CanJam experience yet and interestingly, it was even more focused on seeing friends than auditioning gear.
Thursday Evening:
The CanJam activities kicked off quickly on Thursday, the day my father and I arrived, starting with a dinner alongside Amos @Currawong . He was the first reviewer whose analysis I could fully grasp, distilling complex ideas into clear, relatable points. To this day, his reviews act as a reference point not just for headfi gear but the review process itself. A few years back, I caught up with Amos in Japan, and it felt unreal to see him stateside, especially in NYC for his first visit. Factoring in the unusually cold weather, I made a reservation at Harvard Club which was a brief walk from the Marriott. We had drinks at the bar, which was unexpectedly boisterous that evening and followed it up with a lovely dinner in The Grill. Throughout the evening, we spoke on a variety of subjects from spirituality and critical thinking to Japanese culture. The evening was highlighted by a humorous mischief by the maître d', which I will never forget. It is always a treat when such moments happen, and I can’t wait to see Amos again. Perhaps in SoCal haha.
Friday Morning
Hotel Breakfast
The next morning, I bumped into a few Watercoolers and Warren @warrenpchi at the hotel restaurant for breakfast. Alvin @timeslip was regaling us with his experiences of the Weiss DAC, and the conversation quickly shifted to ‘best DACs of all time’. Warren’s eyes lit up and he pounced! This was the first time I was privy to Warren’s intense passion for MSB DAC’s. I felt like I was sitting in the pews while hearing a sermon. Warren’s words carry weight for me, as I better understand his reference point, especially after watching his review on Weiss DAC 501.
What I learned from Warren’s comments on MSB is, imagine a DAC that has as much naturalness to match what DAVE+MScaler has in sheer detail and then, combine the two. I will not forget Warren’s parting words as breakfast wound down “If I had to exit the hobby for good and cease reviewing, I would sell everything and get the MSB Select stack, including their e-stat amp”. At the price of admission, I certainly hope so! However, after listening to his characterization of MSB house sound and why he adores it with such magnitude, I am left with a kernel of curiosity about MSB. Darn you Warren! This is an avenue I am determined to investigate later.
Audio46 & Pizza
As is tradition, the Watercooler had a meetup at Audio46 at approximately 10AM. While some in the group wisely took the time to try some gear in a quieter environment than the CanJam show floor, the rest of us mingled with each other. I value this time to speak with other Watercoolers, as during the show floor we are prioritizing listening to gear, meeting industry insiders and assessing potential purchases. As pictured in the photo, Skeeb @skeeb23 and his wife were conducting video interviews with some of those in attendance such as Warren and Amos. On the counter, the owner set up a Enuleum HPA23RM stacked with Hugo 2, and a choice of headphones including the Abyss JOAL, Meze Poet and Grado HP100 SE. Apparently the Enleum and Hugo 2 had excellent synergy and the store owner swears by this stack. Given he works in the industry and has likely tried many gear combos, I am intrigued by his enthusiasm for this stack. However, the two hours at Audio46 went by quickly and before I knew it, we were heading into the pizza shop next door. The pizza shop was quite cold, therefore piping hot pies were a much welcome respite from some of the lowest recorded temperatures that week. Jim @HiFiHawaii808 took this opportunity to reunite Frankie @Frankie D with his misplaced Water Cooler name tag. Just after these shenanigans, the pizzas arrived and I couldn't resist the photo opportunity of Amos facing an enormous pizza, he seemed up for the challenge
EyalJam:
This is one of my favorite experiences from the Friday leading up to CanJam weekend. @goldwerger invited us to his classy home, which contains as many paintings as audio gears! Entering his place is like stepping into an art showroom. This time however, I was determined to listen to Susvara OG with Riviera AIC10 along with a smorgasbord of ZMF headphones. In summary, Susvara is as good as ever and it’s probably the best I’ve ever heard it on the Riviera. The AIC10 added depth to the mids and gobs of texture I didn’t know the Susvara was capable of. Switching to the Atrium Open and then the Caldera Closed on the Decware Taboo, I realized what I was looking for. It wasn’t necessarily the superior detail and overall performance of the Susvara, it was texture and richness of Caldera Closed with a hint of darkness. This is what I found in Caldera Closed. I think I may have found my next headphone to complement my 1266 TC.
Throughout the afternoon, many of us got lost in conversation and sampled some truly marvelous wine graciously supplied by Frankie. As the evening approached, the whiskey was decanted and generously poured. It was at this time, the wine began to mix with the whiskey! My mind began to slip and I neglected to take photos of the rest of the evenings activities which constituted dinner at Becco. The meal was lovely and perhaps other Watercoolers will provide photos of some of the food haha.
The CanJam weekend activity writeup with gear impressions will be posted next week. I hope you enjoyed a taste of what pre CanJam activities have to offer
Last edited:
CanJam NYC 2025 Experience (Thursday Evening and Friday)
As I attend more CanJams, I leave with the impression ‘how can it get better from here?’. This CanJam blew past any expectations I had previously. This was the best CanJam experience yet and interestingly, it was even more focused on seeing friends than auditioning gear.
Thursday Evening:
The CanJam activities kicked off quickly on Thursday, the day my father and I arrived, starting with a dinner alongside Amos @Currawong . He was the first reviewer whose analysis I could fully grasp, distilling complex ideas into clear, relatable points. To this day, his reviews act as a reference point not just for headfi gear but the review process itself. A few years back, I caught up with Amos in Japan, and it felt unreal to see him stateside, especially in NYC for his first visit. Factoring in the unusually cold weather, I made a reservation at Harvard Club which was a brief walk from the Marriott. We had drinks at the bar, which was unexpectedly boisterous that evening and followed it up with a lovely dinner in The Grill. Throughout the evening, we spoke on a variety of subjects from spirituality and critical thinking to Japanese culture. The evening was highlighted by a humorous mischief by the maître d', which I will never forget. It is always a treat when such moments happen, and I can’t wait to see Amos again. Perhaps in SoCal haha.
Friday Morning
Hotel Breakfast
The next morning, I bumped into a few Watercoolers and Warren @warrenpchi at the hotel restaurant for breakfast. Alvin @timeslip was regaling us with his experiences of the Weiss DAC, and the conversation quickly shifted to ‘best DACs of all time’. Warren’s eyes lit up and he pounced! This was the first time I was privy to Warren’s intense passion for MSB DAC’s. I felt like I was sitting in the pews while hearing a sermon. Warren’s words carry weight for me, as I better understand his reference point, especially after watching his review on Weiss DAC 501.
What I learned from Warren’s comments on MSB is, imagine a DAC that has as much naturalness to match what DAVE+MScaler has in sheer detail and then, combine the two. I will not forget Warren’s parting words as breakfast wound down “If I had to exit the hobby for good and cease reviewing, I would sell everything and get the MSB Select stack, including their e-stat amp”. At the price of admission, I certainly hope so! However, after listening to his characterization of MSB house sound and why he adores it with such magnitude, I am left with a kernel of curiosity about MSB. Darn you Warren! This is an avenue I am determined to investigate later.
Audio46 & Pizza
As is tradition, the Watercooler had a meetup at Audio46 at approximately 10AM. While some in the group wisely took the time to try some gear in a quieter environment than the CanJam show floor, the rest of us mingled with each other. I value this time to speak with other Watercoolers, as during the show floor we are prioritizing listening to gear, meeting industry insiders and assessing potential purchases. As pictured in the photo, Skeeb @skeeb23 and his wife were conducting video interviews with some of those in attendance such as Warren and Amos. On the counter, the owner set up a Enuleum HPA23RM stacked with Hugo 2, and a choice of headphones including the Abyss JOAL, Meze Poet and Grado HP100 SE. Apparently the Enleum and Hugo 2 had excellent synergy and the store owner swears by this stack. Given he works in the industry and has likely tried many gear combos, I am intrigued by his enthusiasm for this stack. However, the two hours at Audio46 went by quickly and before I knew it, we were heading into the pizza shop next door. The pizza shop was quite cold, therefore piping hot pies were a much welcome respite from some of the lowest recorded temperatures that week. Jim @HiFiHawaii808 took this opportunity to reunite Frankie @Frankie D with his misplaced Water Cooler name tag. Just after these shenanigans, the pizzas arrived and I couldn't resist the photo opportunity of Amos facing an enormous pizza, he seemed up for the challenge
EyalJam:
This is one of my favorite experiences from the Friday leading up to CanJam weekend. @goldwerger invited us to his classy home, which contains as many paintings as audio gears! Entering his place is like stepping into an art showroom. This time however, I was determined to listen to Susvara OG with Riviera AIC10 along with a smorgasbord of ZMF headphones. In summary, Susvara is as good as ever and it’s probably the best I’ve ever heard it on the Riviera. The AIC10 added depth to the mids and gobs of texture I didn’t know the Susvara was capable of. Switching to the Atrium Open and then the Caldera Closed on the Decware Taboo, I realized what I was looking for. It wasn’t necessarily the superior detail and overall performance of the Susvara, it was texture and richness of Caldera Closed with a hint of darkness. This is what I found in Caldera Closed. I think I may have found my next headphone to complement my 1266 TC.
Throughout the afternoon, many of us got lost in conversation and sampled some truly marvelous wine graciously supplied by Frankie. As the evening approached, the whiskey was decanted and generously poured. It was at this time, the wine began to mix with the whiskey! My mind began to slip and I neglected to take photos of the rest of the evenings activities which constituted dinner at Becco. The meal was lovely and perhaps other Watercoolers will provide photos of some of the food haha.
The CanJam weekend activity writeup with gear impressions will be posted next week. I hope you enjoyed a taste of what pre CanJam activities have to offer
Love this so so much. And can't wait for your next installment! (Also, great photos!)
nephilim32
1000+ Head-Fier
CanJam NYC 2025 Experience (Thursday Evening and Friday)
As I attend more CanJams, I leave with the impression ‘how can it get better from here?’. This CanJam blew past any expectations I had previously. This was the best CanJam experience yet and interestingly, it was even more focused on seeing friends than auditioning gear.
Thursday Evening:
The CanJam activities kicked off quickly on Thursday, the day my father and I arrived, starting with a dinner alongside Amos @Currawong . He was the first reviewer whose analysis I could fully grasp, distilling complex ideas into clear, relatable points. To this day, his reviews act as a reference point not just for headfi gear but the review process itself. A few years back, I caught up with Amos in Japan, and it felt unreal to see him stateside, especially in NYC for his first visit. Factoring in the unusually cold weather, I made a reservation at Harvard Club which was a brief walk from the Marriott. We had drinks at the bar, which was unexpectedly boisterous that evening and followed it up with a lovely dinner in The Grill. Throughout the evening, we spoke on a variety of subjects from spirituality and critical thinking to Japanese culture. The evening was highlighted by a humorous mischief by the maître d', which I will never forget. It is always a treat when such moments happen, and I can’t wait to see Amos again. Perhaps in SoCal haha.
Friday Morning
Hotel Breakfast
The next morning, I bumped into a few Watercoolers and Warren @warrenpchi at the hotel restaurant for breakfast. Alvin @timeslip was regaling us with his experiences of the Weiss DAC, and the conversation quickly shifted to ‘best DACs of all time’. Warren’s eyes lit up and he pounced! This was the first time I was privy to Warren’s intense passion for MSB DAC’s. I felt like I was sitting in the pews while hearing a sermon. Warren’s words carry weight for me, as I better understand his reference point, especially after watching his review on Weiss DAC 501.
What I learned from Warren’s comments on MSB is, imagine a DAC that has as much naturalness to match what DAVE+MScaler has in sheer detail and then, combine the two. I will not forget Warren’s parting words as breakfast wound down “If I had to exit the hobby for good and cease reviewing, I would sell everything and get the MSB Select stack, including their e-stat amp”. At the price of admission, I certainly hope so! However, after listening to his characterization of MSB house sound and why he adores it with such magnitude, I am left with a kernel of curiosity about MSB. Darn you Warren! This is an avenue I am determined to investigate later.
Audio46 & Pizza
As is tradition, the Watercooler had a meetup at Audio46 at approximately 10AM. While some in the group wisely took the time to try some gear in a quieter environment than the CanJam show floor, the rest of us mingled with each other. I value this time to speak with other Watercoolers, as during the show floor we are prioritizing listening to gear, meeting industry insiders and assessing potential purchases. As pictured in the photo, Skeeb @skeeb23 and his wife were conducting video interviews with some of those in attendance such as Warren and Amos. On the counter, the owner set up a Enuleum HPA23RM stacked with Hugo 2, and a choice of headphones including the Abyss JOAL, Meze Poet and Grado HP100 SE. Apparently the Enleum and Hugo 2 had excellent synergy and the store owner swears by this stack. Given he works in the industry and has likely tried many gear combos, I am intrigued by his enthusiasm for this stack. However, the two hours at Audio46 went by quickly and before I knew it, we were heading into the pizza shop next door. The pizza shop was quite cold, therefore piping hot pies were a much welcome respite from some of the lowest recorded temperatures that week. Jim @HiFiHawaii808 took this opportunity to reunite Frankie @Frankie D with his misplaced Water Cooler name tag. Just after these shenanigans, the pizzas arrived and I couldn't resist the photo opportunity of Amos facing an enormous pizza, he seemed up for the challenge
EyalJam:
This is one of my favorite experiences from the Friday leading up to CanJam weekend. @goldwerger invited us to his classy home, which contains as many paintings as audio gears! Entering his place is like stepping into an art showroom. This time however, I was determined to listen to Susvara OG with Riviera AIC10 along with a smorgasbord of ZMF headphones. In summary, Susvara is as good as ever and it’s probably the best I’ve ever heard it on the Riviera. The AIC10 added depth to the mids and gobs of texture I didn’t know the Susvara was capable of. Switching to the Atrium Open and then the Caldera Closed on the Decware Taboo, I realized what I was looking for. It wasn’t necessarily the superior detail and overall performance of the Susvara, it was texture and richness of Caldera Closed with a hint of darkness. This is what I found in Caldera Closed. I think I may have found my next headphone to complement my 1266 TC.
Throughout the afternoon, many of us got lost in conversation and sampled some truly marvelous wine graciously supplied by Frankie. As the evening approached, the whiskey was decanted and generously poured. It was at this time, the wine began to mix with the whiskey! My mind began to slip and I neglected to take photos of the rest of the evenings activities which constituted dinner at Becco. The meal was lovely and perhaps other Watercoolers will provide photos of some of the food haha.
The CanJam weekend activity writeup with gear impressions will be posted next week. I hope you enjoyed a taste of what pre CanJam activities have to offer
This is incredibly kind of you to post. It is amazing how much heart and dedication people like yourself and our fellow community members have for our audio interests.
Definitely a great capsule display of what makes a terrific community of people with like minded interests.
I just published a CanJam NYC video. It was a really great show. Thanks to the Head-Fi team for putting it on. Thanks to all the exhibitors for taking time to travel and put together all those demos. And thanks to the community for a rewarding experience.
Here's the video:
Here's the video:
CanJam NYC 2025 Experience (Thursday Evening and Friday)
As I attend more CanJams, I leave with the impression ‘how can it get better from here?’. This CanJam blew past any expectations I had previously. This was the best CanJam experience yet and interestingly, it was even more focused on seeing friends than auditioning gear.
Thursday Evening:
The CanJam activities kicked off quickly on Thursday, the day my father and I arrived, starting with a dinner alongside Amos @Currawong . He was the first reviewer whose analysis I could fully grasp, distilling complex ideas into clear, relatable points. To this day, his reviews act as a reference point not just for headfi gear but the review process itself. A few years back, I caught up with Amos in Japan, and it felt unreal to see him stateside, especially in NYC for his first visit. Factoring in the unusually cold weather, I made a reservation at Harvard Club which was a brief walk from the Marriott. We had drinks at the bar, which was unexpectedly boisterous that evening and followed it up with a lovely dinner in The Grill. Throughout the evening, we spoke on a variety of subjects from spirituality and critical thinking to Japanese culture. The evening was highlighted by a humorous mischief by the maître d', which I will never forget. It is always a treat when such moments happen, and I can’t wait to see Amos again. Perhaps in SoCal haha.
Friday Morning
Hotel Breakfast
The next morning, I bumped into a few Watercoolers and Warren @warrenpchi at the hotel restaurant for breakfast. Alvin @timeslip was regaling us with his experiences of the Weiss DAC, and the conversation quickly shifted to ‘best DACs of all time’. Warren’s eyes lit up and he pounced! This was the first time I was privy to Warren’s intense passion for MSB DAC’s. I felt like I was sitting in the pews while hearing a sermon. Warren’s words carry weight for me, as I better understand his reference point, especially after watching his review on Weiss DAC 501.
What I learned from Warren’s comments on MSB is, imagine a DAC that has as much naturalness to match what DAVE+MScaler has in sheer detail and then, combine the two. I will not forget Warren’s parting words as breakfast wound down “If I had to exit the hobby for good and cease reviewing, I would sell everything and get the MSB Select stack, including their e-stat amp”. At the price of admission, I certainly hope so! However, after listening to his characterization of MSB house sound and why he adores it with such magnitude, I am left with a kernel of curiosity about MSB. Darn you Warren! This is an avenue I am determined to investigate later.
Audio46 & Pizza
As is tradition, the Watercooler had a meetup at Audio46 at approximately 10AM. While some in the group wisely took the time to try some gear in a quieter environment than the CanJam show floor, the rest of us mingled with each other. I value this time to speak with other Watercoolers, as during the show floor we are prioritizing listening to gear, meeting industry insiders and assessing potential purchases. As pictured in the photo, Skeeb @skeeb23 and his wife were conducting video interviews with some of those in attendance such as Warren and Amos. On the counter, the owner set up a Enuleum HPA23RM stacked with Hugo 2, and a choice of headphones including the Abyss JOAL, Meze Poet and Grado HP100 SE. Apparently the Enleum and Hugo 2 had excellent synergy and the store owner swears by this stack. Given he works in the industry and has likely tried many gear combos, I am intrigued by his enthusiasm for this stack. However, the two hours at Audio46 went by quickly and before I knew it, we were heading into the pizza shop next door. The pizza shop was quite cold, therefore piping hot pies were a much welcome respite from some of the lowest recorded temperatures that week. Jim @HiFiHawaii808 took this opportunity to reunite Frankie @Frankie D with his misplaced Water Cooler name tag. Just after these shenanigans, the pizzas arrived and I couldn't resist the photo opportunity of Amos facing an enormous pizza, he seemed up for the challenge
EyalJam:
This is one of my favorite experiences from the Friday leading up to CanJam weekend. @goldwerger invited us to his classy home, which contains as many paintings as audio gears! Entering his place is like stepping into an art showroom. This time however, I was determined to listen to Susvara OG with Riviera AIC10 along with a smorgasbord of ZMF headphones. In summary, Susvara is as good as ever and it’s probably the best I’ve ever heard it on the Riviera. The AIC10 added depth to the mids and gobs of texture I didn’t know the Susvara was capable of. Switching to the Atrium Open and then the Caldera Closed on the Decware Taboo, I realized what I was looking for. It wasn’t necessarily the superior detail and overall performance of the Susvara, it was texture and richness of Caldera Closed with a hint of darkness. This is what I found in Caldera Closed. I think I may have found my next headphone to complement my 1266 TC.
Throughout the afternoon, many of us got lost in conversation and sampled some truly marvelous wine graciously supplied by Frankie. As the evening approached, the whiskey was decanted and generously poured. It was at this time, the wine began to mix with the whiskey! My mind began to slip and I neglected to take photos of the rest of the evenings activities which constituted dinner at Becco. The meal was lovely and perhaps other Watercoolers will provide photos of some of the food haha.
The CanJam weekend activity writeup with gear impressions will be posted next week. I hope you enjoyed a taste of what pre CanJam activities have to offer
Agreed with Hiker, loved this! Marvelously elegant, picture-painting with your words! Great, great post!
mab1376
1000+ Head-Fier
Did you get a chance to try the Valhalla 3?I’m wondering if anyone else, like me, came away from CanJam hearing the modhouse tungsten for the first time… and hasn’t been able to stop thinking about it. I heard it at Schiit’s booth coming out of gungnir > kara > mjolnir. Blew me away! I wonder how long they’ll stay in stock on the website when they go on sale again next Friday. I’ll be on a plane at the time, so will probably miss out
Yes, still OTL which is good. Fabulous with the DCA E3 ( with the extra power switch engaged ). Really good. I did not like it as much with the HD800 ( they did not have the 800S ).
And we are LIVE! This was a super fun one for me to edit as I got to recount all the great memories and reflect on all the incredible conversations I had across the show. Huge shoutout to everyone who stopped by the Bloom Room and checked out some gear. Everyone was super positive and passionate about audio, and it just made the whole event so much fun to be at. ENJOY! 
FreeWheelinAudioLuv2
Headphoneus Supremus
Looking forward to watching both videos above. Just pumping me up for SoCal later in the year.
Some random thoughts on CanJam:
There were quite a few times when I tapped people on the shoulder to inform them that they were wearing the headphones backwards. With some headphone designs, it's not always obvious...
In a way, I appreciated how contiguous the exhibition space was, with a big area in the middle and two wings with smaller rooms. At Capital Audiofest, exhibitors are spread across like 7 floors of the hotel (two conference center/ballroom levels and 5 floors of regular hotel rooms converted into listening rooms), and I spend quite a bit of time walking around and waiting for elevators to reach the rooms I want. Of course, being mostly speaker-focused, you can't really do the same bazaar-style show as CanJam.
Noise levels overall were surprisingly tame; I've had louder environments at CAF, though part of it is simply placement. At CAF, Audeze, LTA, and some other headphone exhibitors set up in a busy hallway with full-length glass windows near some large listening rooms. This is to maximize traffic and exposure to their products, as the majority of CAF attendees aren't headphone users, but it also means that the listening environment isn't as good. In the main CanJam ballroom, most noise gets dispersed into this background rumble due to the size of the space, while in the side rooms, though there are fewer noise sources, the proximity and acoustics of the rooms mean that you hear more of what others are listening to, which can be more distracting than the background crowd murmur in the main space.
CanJam is a more casual atmosphere than CAF too. It seems like half of the CAF attendees are middle-aged and wearing blazers or other professional attire while the CanJam crowd trends younger and more casual in terms of dress. Going into some of the CAF rooms is like walking into a high-end dealership or attending the opera where the exhibitor announces the next track that will be played. Even in the rooms with high-end gear at CanJam, it nearly always felt welcoming and easygoing.
There were quite a few times when I tapped people on the shoulder to inform them that they were wearing the headphones backwards. With some headphone designs, it's not always obvious...
In a way, I appreciated how contiguous the exhibition space was, with a big area in the middle and two wings with smaller rooms. At Capital Audiofest, exhibitors are spread across like 7 floors of the hotel (two conference center/ballroom levels and 5 floors of regular hotel rooms converted into listening rooms), and I spend quite a bit of time walking around and waiting for elevators to reach the rooms I want. Of course, being mostly speaker-focused, you can't really do the same bazaar-style show as CanJam.
Noise levels overall were surprisingly tame; I've had louder environments at CAF, though part of it is simply placement. At CAF, Audeze, LTA, and some other headphone exhibitors set up in a busy hallway with full-length glass windows near some large listening rooms. This is to maximize traffic and exposure to their products, as the majority of CAF attendees aren't headphone users, but it also means that the listening environment isn't as good. In the main CanJam ballroom, most noise gets dispersed into this background rumble due to the size of the space, while in the side rooms, though there are fewer noise sources, the proximity and acoustics of the rooms mean that you hear more of what others are listening to, which can be more distracting than the background crowd murmur in the main space.
CanJam is a more casual atmosphere than CAF too. It seems like half of the CAF attendees are middle-aged and wearing blazers or other professional attire while the CanJam crowd trends younger and more casual in terms of dress. Going into some of the CAF rooms is like walking into a high-end dealership or attending the opera where the exhibitor announces the next track that will be played. Even in the rooms with high-end gear at CanJam, it nearly always felt welcoming and easygoing.
I have yet to hear the Mk2 versions of the 501/502, but @timeslip has upgraded his unit to a Mk2 recently, so he'd definitely be a better resource than I on Weiss's current offerings.
Again, a forewarning that you can't unhear what you've heard. A bit repetitive of me perhaps, but considering MSB pricing, something that bears repeating I think.
Oh, you tried the 7th Acoustics Rawon Prototype (the one you wrote as Supernova Prototype). I noticed the Verus Audio logo on the connector (which is a local cable brand from Indonesia) and the bowl of Rawon (East Javanese soup dish that uses Black Keluak nut as its main ingredient) on the faceplate and immediately connected the dots LOL.CanJam NYC 2025
New York has always been my favorite place in the world. The mix of cultures and food, all the different languages being spoken, all of the different shops on every street corner, the insane pace that the city moves, all of the shortcomings of living in the city, and all of the benefits... I don't think there's another city on Earth, certainly not in the US, that fully embraces the definition of a 'melting pot'.
I love it more than I express. Being from a major US city myself, Boston, I can fit right in with the crowd in NY, it's a little more intense than up here in Boston, that's for sure, but it's not some tall feat and I definitely don't feel out of my element. However... **CanJam** always makes me feel out of my element. The overwhelming amount of people, things to try, sights, and sounds is most definitely something every Audiophile should experience at least once in their life! It's an attack on the senses and I got to experience it again just a few days ago, so, here's my experience at CanJam NYC 2025!
Symphonium Giant - Very warm and extremely pleasing to the ear, these were a great listen! If I had to make a comparison to something a bit older, I'd say these are similar to the Meteors but with a bit more resolution and overall space within notes and less spice on the back end of the treble. Speaking of the treble, it's extremely smooth and similar to that of a Thie house sound with a bit more dynamics thrown in the mix.
Symphonium Prototype (all BA) - Slightly bright leaning but extreme techs. The resolution is off the charts but in a much more pleasing way than that of an overly bright set. Felix said they were going for a set similar to the Helios with a bit more bass and upgraded treble smoothness. I think they succeeded. Impressive bass for all BA. Timbre is on point. Smooth as silk.
iBasso DC Elite - @Jaytiss is right, this thing is a bit overrated… I’m glad I got to demo it before dropping $400+ on it. I have to be honest, it’s so similar to the BTR17 in terms of overall tonality and presentation. Details come off maybe a touch more effortless and spaced out on the DCE, but not nowhere near double the price worth. The build quality is very nice and the volume wheel is extremely tactile and is clearly nicer than the FiiO but, outside of that, I can’t see the benefit. Maybe I need more time with it but on the initial listen, my expectations were not met, but that's on me. I think they were too high to begin with...
iBasso Nunchaku - The tube mode is maybe a touch warmer compared to the AB mode, with some extra weight in the mids. The bass extension is very nice and the separation is quite on point. Good stuff
Basso DC07 - extremely solid little dongle with slightly pushed upper mids and good bass extension. The volume wheel feels super cheap, though. On such a small device maybe buttons should have been the way to go. Separation is very good, and so is a mid-bass thump. I’d say this outright beats the BTR17 in terms of pure SQ, but it does lack all of the features for the same price... Trade-off? (I ended up buying one with more listening time lol)
M15i - This is clearly more focused on delivering technicalities rather than a musical signature. The bass thump is a lot less emphasized compared to the DC07 but the upper mids are pushed a little towards the glare-y side. I much prefer the DC07 for the more musical approach but I can appreciate the focus on the technicalities.
Kiwi Ears x HBB Punch - These were kind of a disappointment, I can’t lie. Within 30 seconds, I took them out of my ears. The slightly strange tonality and sub-bass rumble was not up to where I was expecting it to be. I fully expect I need more time with these, at home, properly tip rolling and proper source rolling. Just by looking at the graph and reading reviews online, these should of been a home run for me. Go figure...
Thieaudio Origin - These were more my speed for sure. The talk about the bass being bouncy and elastic is 100% true. It really is bouncy and elastic and natural, that DD+BCD is working. I can definitely feel the vibrations in those sub-bass rumbles. Or maybe that’s just the DD doing its thing… either way, really nice. But the Titans still reign supreme for me. I think it just comes down to the actual bass tactility and speed. The Origin had more of a lingering bass note, whereas the Titans have a faster in-and-out type of approach where the mids and treble are almost not affected at all.
Thieaudio Valhalla - oh my goodness…. Best in show so far for me. Unreal vocal texturing, I mean, genuinely some of the best vocal reproduction I’ve heard to date. Rivaling the Diva, Mona 2s, DMs, and anything in between. Bouncy and tight bass impact with perfectly placed sub-bass rumble for the rest of the mix. Treble detail and timbre are pretty much off the charts. I am smitten… too bad they’re $2k!
These have seen some use...
Letshuoer C12 - God damn these are quite good. They weren't the newest version unfortunately, Joesph didn’t have them on hand. It’s a shame they don’t make these anymore because they’re lovely. Warmish without sacrificing on techs. In fact, they’re quite technical, with great staging and super engaging bass. I wouldn’t say these are the last words in mid-range texturing and res, but the overall signature is very pleasing.
Not the final design.
Letshuoer S16 - These are a new Prototype Planar from LetShuoer and right off the bat I can say that they’re warm with fast transients and good bass tactility. I’m not sensitive to planar timbre so take this with a grain of salt but the overall timbre and tonality are very pleasing. Good techs, of course. Slight glare in the upper mids on the highest of notes. Really good bass texture and impact, like, impressively good.
Elysian didn't have a Diva on hand... they let me know that they're being phased out...
Elysian Anni 2023 - as good as I remembered it… every bit as incredible. Still one of my top dogs.
Elyisan Apostle - Kind of flat and not as dynamic as I’d like. It’s going for a neutral with a bass boost kind of sound and for $700 less, I’d go for a Thie set around $1k. Layering is impressive, and vocal clarity is good, but the texture is not particularly a stand-out if I’m honest. Hmmm, I'm not so sure, there doesn't seem to be anything special here imo.
(a few minutes later....)
The more I let them settle in, I can understand why these are priced the way they are. They’re a slow burn. Layering and resolution are actually impressive. It’s an effortless approach here and it takes time for your brain to adapt. For my HRTF, stage depth and instrument separation might be some of the best I’ve heard without forcing any part of the FR.
UM Maven II - as soon as I pressed play I thought, “These are fun” - big, dynamic sound on these that sounds incredibly fun. Treble is just the right amount of splashy without sounding brittle or harsh in any way. The bass is sufficiently punchy, it has a great thump behind the initial attack (which is a little blunted). The resolution is fantastic, stage depth and width for my HRTF are pretty great. Love the looks and build quality of these, too.
UM Stardust - The new entry-level set from UM and it’s great. Warm leaning with hefty vocals and well-extended but slightly subdued treble response. I enjoy it. The bass is on the blunted side if I’m completely honest but the upper mids and lower treble are slightly forward in a really wonderful way. These are another sick-looking IEM... I like this design language UM is going for!
UM Prototype QUADbrid - DD/BA/EST/BCD - these are going for a reference style tonality with texture and resolution all over the place. From the bass to the mids to the treble there are tons of details to be had. Enjoyable IEM, but for $3k+, I’d happily skip it. They don’t sound… “special” but I can see where someone would fall in love.
UM Mest Jet Black - The stage depth and width is kind of absurd on these. At least to my HRTF. instrument separation is immediately jumping out at me as impressive and not like anything I’ve listened to today so far. Not to mention, they are like jewelry. Very good-looking IEM. The cable needs a lot of work, though, it felt cheap and thin and very tangly. These scale like crazy, smaller details are cutting through the entire mix with ease and I’m picking up on those smaller details for the first time. Very cool. I dig these. The bass texture is on point. I could use a little more I suppose but the upper mids aren’t boosted and out of line so the bass level is probably perfect for the rest of the FR. I really like these. The Ceramic shell feels uber premium and extremely comfortable for my ears to boot!
Flipears Legion - WOAH. This is the craziest implementation of a BCD I’ve ever experienced and it’s not even close LOL they sound like a big, bold V-shaped tuning with crazy powerful slam in the mid-bass and slightly too-forward vocals but holy bananas is that BCD nuts!!! These are fun as hell. The aesthetics are still polarizing to me, I'm not the biggest fan but I also don't hate it. I can most certainly appreciate the craftsmanship though. Especially for a set under $1000!
Supernova Prototype - These were smooth as silk. Timbre is as good if not better than my Monarch mk2 across the FR. Bass is nicely implemented and well-balanced within the mix. The treble is subtle, I could use a little more splash-up top but the resolution is extremely well done. Overall a balanced sound signature tilting more on the warm side with a mid-bass punch. Overall really nice. Not flat sounding while still being very balanced. There is a small vent facing the ear on these as well, I tried to take a pic to show ya'll. The guys from Bloom couldn't tell me if that was similar to FiR's Kinetic bass tech, and I honestly didn't notice it too much, but I cannot 100% confirm if it's doing anything or not... still, it's interesting that they're trying something new!
Campfire audio Clara - These were dynamic and the resolution is up there with some of the best I've heard. Mid-bass has a very respectable punch to it. I dig it. Slight glare in the upper mids/lower treble. On busy tracks, it can get congested due to that upper mids glare.
CrinEar Project Meta - very much a Meta-tuned IEM, it lives up to its name. I will admit it is very clean, the upper mids are kept in check and the timbre is very natural. No weird peaks or anything of that nature. Not overly warm either, but still nicely clear with very good resolution. The design and stock cable feel top-notch and premium for sure. The chamfered edges on the shell are such a nice touch and when I mentioned that to Crin, he seemed proud of it so, kudos to him on that small touch.
NightJar Duality - holy Jesus Christ. There are 2 bass settings to these and when I first listened to them, I thought it was on the “boosted bass” setting…. That should tell you everything.
In all seriousness, I can say confidently that I prefer the Titan's overall signature. The Duality is extremely, and I mean extremely warm with a massive sub-bass lift that is already almost too much on the lowest setting. On the high setting, the sub-bass is actually an incredible accomplishment in personal audio engineering. Is it too much for me? Yes absolutely. But there is 0 distortion, it is still rumbly and somewhat clean (Titan has a cleaner rumble) and details in the music aren’t completely lost, surprisingly. Overall, they made me chuckle on a few tracks. But you NEED a desktop amp to run these. Even on desktop mode with the BTR7, they weren’t being run to their full potential @ 100/120 volume. Without desktop mode just normal high gain, anything over 100/120 volume, and there was a distinct distortion on every mid-bass kick. No bueno… overall, really fun IEM. But for that money, I’d hard pass.
I ran out of files I could attach :')
OG Helios - These are WAY warmer than I expected and honestly right up my alley when it comes to tuning. The techs are off the charts, the resolution is impressive, and so is sound stage and imaging. These are similar to the Crimson in a lot of ways but they have a better fit (slight pressure on first insertion), but otherwise, no pressure builds up after about 15 minutes of listening. Sub bass is rumbly but mid-bass is slightly blunted and most would probably say they’re lacking. I really enjoy these… to the point where they might be a future purchase if I see a pair in the classifieds. I was fully expecting these to be overly bright and lacking in the bass, but I was so wrong. At least to my ears.
I also had another go at the STORM, Meteor, and Crimson while I was there hanging out with the crew from Symphonium. The STORM is... the STORM. It's incredible. The Crimson is still one of the best bright-leaning sets I've heard to this point and the Meteor... ah the Meteor. Genuinely one of my favorite IEMs I've ever listened to. The fit was better this time with the tips they had on them, but I know after a while they'll start sliding out and irritating my ears. What a shame.
In terms of listening impressions, I didn't get as much as I hoped to but that's okay, there's always next year! There were a few IEMs I really wanted another shot at though, like the stuff from Canpur, QDC, and Alpha/Omega. The Musictek table was always full of folks listening and I figured I'd better keep it moving to an open spot if I want to make good use of my 5 hours there. Still, I had a great time. The highlight of my day and the sticking memories are definitely the ones of the folks I met and took some pics with. Crin, Ted, Mark, Caleb from Bloom and the rest of their crew, Joseph from Letshuoer, and of course, the guys from Symphonium - Felix, Mikol, and Gary, thanks again for your hospitality at your booth. I spent way too much time there...
This was a long one but if you made it this far, thanks so much for reading! I hope to meet some of you guys there next year maybe. Until then, cheers.
I'm slightly ashamed that as a fellow Indonesian, where 7th Acoustics is from, I have yet to try this particular prototype. it was available at our local audio show in Jakarta back in December but since I live out of town, I couldn't participate.
Definitely gonna keep your impressions in mind. Hopefully 7th Acoustics will come to Canjam SG, which is very close to where I currently live (an hour's ferry from Singapore). I've only tried his other prototype that he brought to last year's Canjam Singapore which was a 2DD/10BA (IIRC) setup which sounded like the Supernova on steroids; a step up in every regard.
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