[Niyologist]

I tried out the Cayin N3. Very good Entry Level DAP. It sounded silky smooth with a hint of warmth and great transparency.

 

[tuxbass]

2017 will be very interessant with many exciting new technologies and products

Any idea of price and availability date for the UM ME.1 ?

 
They were say something in the range of 600 to 700 USD
And March 2017 for the production release (if I remember that part correctly)

 

[m8o]

I would like to offer a contrary opinion. While I know than many here have complained about the price and usability of the Poly I for one absolutely was enthralled with the form factor and case which Chord came up with. It has me thinking twice about going for a Hugo2 and instead going for the Poly. For me I will be able to move around and stream from the NAS in my house and the cloud when I am out and about

I BOUGHT A MOJO! Lol.

Was always annoyed at all the MOJO love in the past where a discussion about something else became a MOJO love thread; but totally a believer now. Lol


So anyway, bought it in part for a future upgrade path with the Poly. I actually found out the intended (could change?) Msrp of the Poly after I bought the Mojo. I certainly raised an eyebrow! Haha. But I expect with time, I'll probably pay less.

In any case, I actually liked the synergy with my Ether Flow C better than the Hugo^2 ... unlike my M9XX I could stream 24-bit/192K reliably to it over optical, it has more 'balls', and a battery buit-in. Could have lived without it, but didn't want to!

 

[doggiemom]

I had a great time at CanJam!  Initial thoughts:
 
- The seminar on specs by Audio Precision was really interesting - I was surprised that it wasn't better attended.
 
- The Woo Audio and Kimber Cables room was awesome, and turned out to be the best place to A/B the Focal Elear and Utopias, since they were both used at demo stations for the Eclipses.
 
- I'm still on the fence about the Chord Poly........ will wait for the reviews, though the prototype felt heavy and the unit will be a bit bulky with the Mojo.  But I love the Mojo, so........
 
- The Bluewave was very impressive.  There are a lot of bluetooth products now thanks to Apple's canning of the headphone jack, but I haven't found any other than this one that support 24-bit.  I'm definitely going to pick one of these up to throw in my lab coat pocket...... the pricepoint is really appealing.
 
- Meeting the Pres of Focal was really cool!  Also, Jason from The Source AV at the MrSpeakers table was awesome, and spent a lot of time with my husband and I demoing gear and talking us through purchasing decisions.
 
- Didn't get to meet as many forum posters as I had hoped.  A gentle suggestion is to maybe put people's avatars on their badges next time.
 
 
Last but not least, I would like to thank the organizers of CanJam for providing me with my own bathroom.  This was the only event I have ever been to in my life where I did not have to stand in line for the Ladies' room.  Furthermore, it was very private..... I had my choice of 10 stalls (many with the seats still up from the cleaning staff) and 5 sinks, since every time I went I was the only person in there.  So thank you for that........ I felt special, like Oprah or something. 

 

[eddiek997]

What case are you talking about? I saw the Mojo/Poly together enveloped in a beautiful black leather matte finish case with small leather hand strap

The one at the chord booth that I saw was a cheap plastic case. Sure it was sturdy and would definitely protect the mojopoly but it was ugly as hell

 

[Indigo Bob]

I want to say thank you for everyone who made CanJam NYC possible.  It is truly a unique and remarkable experience that all audio lovers owe to themselves to be a part of.   What was so exceptional about it is that as you try out new products you may find yourself traveling through the audio journey all in one day!!!  It's so much easier than weaving through gambling purchases and trying to decipher reviews and trying to maneuver through the ignorance of the scale of what is truly out there.
 
And as you make your way through this journey that may have very well been unfinished and incomplete otherwise, you get to meet many of the enthusiasts and engineers who make this audio world what it is.  And the passion and love that they have for their work on display shows in the enthusiasm and emotion they have when they discuss them, creating an invaluable learning experience for any of the willing attendees who are bound to fall in love with something there.
 
And though many people would call this a hobby, I dare say, from what I have seen, Audio is an art of engineering that seems to strive towards the beauty of sound.  This not only validates why so many of us came to head-fi.org, but also verifies our love for this stuff.
 
It will be an injustice to the many of those I didn't have the time to afford, but I have to give a shout out to Campfire Audio and that Vega IEM of there's...  What a wonderful and beautiful piece of work.  I did not see that one coming.  Congratulations of that one.  You really did it.
 
-BOB

 

[Lookout57]

I went looking for a new player and specifically was interested in the FiiO X5 3rd gen, Opus#1, Opus#1 Metal, Questyle QP1R, Pioneer XDP-300R and Onkyo DP-X1A as a replacement for my FiiO X5 2nd gen.
 
The first booth I visited was FiiO. I had high hopes that the X5 3rd gen would be a significant upgrade to the 2nd gen based on the FiiO X5 3rd gen thread here. Boy was I underwhelmed by the sound. Also, the UI wasn't intuitive, I hard time navigating the player. I guess there won't be another FiiO player for me in the near future.
 
Next up was the Questyle QP1R which sounded great, but I hated the scroll wheel. It was hard to accurately select anything. At times when using it, nothing would happen. Sorry Questyle, but the scroll wheel was a deal breaker for me. And people complain about the FiiO scroll wheel (not me).
 
OK, off to the Pioneer/Onkyo booth to see the Pioneer XDP-300R and Onkyo DP-X1A. They had the XDP-300R out and the DP-X1. I asked about the DP-X1A and was told by the rep that he had one with him, but wasn't allowed to show it. He did state that it will be available in the US next month. I started to play around with the DP-X1, but the UI frustrated the hell out of me so I didn't even bother to listen. For me it's not just how it sounds, it's how easy is it to use.
 
My final DAP stop was at The Bit. I thought the OPUS#1 sounded much better than the FiiO X5 3rd gen and the UI was extremely intuitive, no need to ask questions on how to use. The Opus#1 Metal sounded better than the non-metal, but I wasn't sure if it's worth more than twice the price. They explained that the high cost is due to the metal casing and that it is a limited edition model. I guess if they replaced the non-metal one with it the cost would come down.
 
Scott from The Bit wanted me to listen to the OPUS#2, he said I would love it. I explained to him that I had been using dual 200GB cards in my FiiO and just upgraded to dual 256GB cards as I was running out of space. He said I really need to listen to it, so I did. OMG, the sound was amazing. It's almost twice the price of the Opus#1 Metal, but a significant leap in sound. I could hear what others have been raving about and feel it is well worth the money. It reminded me of the sound from my Benchmark DAC2 HGC at home. So I found my next DAP, the Opus#2. Now to figure out what I don't listen to that often and what will fit on a 256GB card and the internal 128GB. Hopefully a 512GB card will be available within the next year. Or I need to cut back on buying HD tracks.
 
I wasn't looking for a new pair of IEMs but I read a few posts on this site raving about the Campfire Audio Vega so I went to take a listen. Holy Crap, they made my FiiO sound like a new player and put my Westone W50's to shame. I can't image what they will be like on the OPUS#2. Ken Ball then had me try the Andromeda. Wow, another great IEM. A different sound profile, but again much better than my W50's. I spent a long time going back and forth between the Vega and Andromeda trying to hear which one I preferred. The Andromeda is extremely detailed, the Vega smoother, more intimate. I guess my wallet will be taking another hit when I order the Vega.

 

[kumar402]

I had great time as well...Thanks to organizers
Woo Audio room was best to audition Utopia, 800S, Elear and Z1R. Easily the best place to be for me, not much crowd, quiet and plenty of time to audition.
I really enjoyed WA8 with 800S but when i heard Alice in Chains Unplugged on Utopia it was a different experience.
HIFIMAN Shangri-LA was great, easily the best in the show.
I also enjoyed Sony Z1R with Brooklyn DAC, the synergy was just great.

 

[Niyologist]

Wow. I just remembered that I tried out the Lotoo PAW Pico. It's unbelievable. Big sound in such a tiny device. The Pico pretty much 3 levels below the Paw Gold Diana Edition in terms of detail retrieval and resolution.

 

[TSAVJason]

Good Times, Good Friends @ CanJam NYC 2017

 

[jinxy245]

Many thanks to
@jude
@thirdeye
and everyone else who organized this wonderful event.
 
I had a fantastic time at what was my 1st CanJam (won't be my last, I'm sure!)
 
What absolutely wonderful people in this community...I was really overwhelmed, not just by the products.
 
The Schiit team was fantastic knowledgeable and funny, meeting the actual makers of these products like Zach & his wife at ZMF, the ultra helpful people at the ifi/Unique Melody table, everyone was just awesome.
 
Thanks again to everyone for making it happen.

 

[bigbluefan10]

Hey guys, I was happy to volunteer this weekend. It was a lot of fun for a newbie like me to experience some amazing headphones and amps. Can't wait to come back next year!

 

[pmrcrazzy]

Does anyone know where the video footage of the event is? Someone on the 4th was going around

 

[tuxbass]

Blown away by Campfire Vega. Best in show IEMs for me. Of course that's IMHO & YMMV (add other obligatory acronyms here )
Couldn't get instant gratification, since they ran out of them at the show. But placed my order today.
 
 
JD at the Campfire booth was super helpful and patient.
And Ken is such a humble man.

 

[Overkill Red]

GREAT. SHOW.
Great to meet a lot of new people, and always great to see friends I met previously at Canjam Singapore!
Here's what I thought were my show stoppers at Canjam NYC 2017, in no particular order:

1) Empire Ears / Asius Technology
Wow, these guys never fail to impress. I may be a bit biased as I picked up my own set of Zeus XRAs from them at the show, but I was really impressed after trying their Savage 9 ADEL and the prototype IEM they were working on. It really showcased how versatile Empire is in terms of sound signatures; there really is something for everyone. Also, top notch customer service from the Empire crew. Can't wait to see what these lads churn out next.

Also a shoutout to the Asius guys who's ADEL technology is absolutely AMAZING!

2) Unique Melody EM.1 Prototype planar CIEMs
If you're more new to the hobby, you may not have heard a lot about Unique Melody. However, they've been a powerhouse in Japan and Asia for quite awhile now.
Back in the day they were considered one of the best CIEM manufacturers around, and they still are, but they've fallen off a bit in terms of publicity. Which is a real shame.
Their EM.1 prototype, which Lawrence at the booth estimates will be priced at about $600-700, is phenomenal. Sure you need a powerful source or amp to drive them, but if you have that covered you won't believe the sound coming out of these bad boys. Clear, airy and resolving. I found these better than the iSine 20 after doing a side-to-side comparison.
Definitely will be looking out for these.

3) Effect Audio's new Heritage series prototypes
Effect Audio from Singapore constantly churns out quality cables with top notch SQ. I personally own a Heritage series Leonidas which sounds amazing and has one of the best ergonomics I've ever experienced in my time in the audio hobby.
They've outdone themselves again with the new Heritage series prototypes. They all have different wire configurations (two tri wires and one Gold-plated Copper with pure Copper) but my favorite is the GPC + Copper. Priced cheaper than the Leonidas, yet possessing a very rich sound with great musicality and punch. Can't wait/hoping to hear these in the near future.

4) 64audio A18 Tzar
Wow. Great bass punch, clear mids and smooth treble, with some of the best executed decay I've ever heard in an IEM. Add in amazing resolution and a solid soundstage, and you've got a recipe for success. This is a serious competitor to the Zeus, with both of them having different sound signatures to cater to different preferences. For rock music, the A18 definitely will be preferred by many.

5) Stereo Pravda's flagship
Definitely a very weird experience auditioning these, but they were surprisingly very nice sounding. Very bright but with no shrillness or sibilance, with nice bass pinch and sweet mids. Very clear sounding. Reminded me of the Ocharaku Flat-4 range of iems. I preferred the Pravda. Wondrously (??) thick cable with 32 wires in them.

6) Sony WM1Z & Z1R + Z1-ES
Sony's done it. The 1Z competes with the AK380Cu in terms of sound quality, has way better battery life and has a wonderful 4.4mm balanced plug which is sturdy and nice to look at. Its a very warm and full bodied sound, with strong bass punch that creates a sound signature that sort of contrasts with the airy and bright AKs.

Overall, amazing show. Can't wait for the next one.
Awesome job, Canjam team!!