[Darkestred]

@Niyologist Thank you!

@AlwaysForward I really enjoyed it. The one i tested was the 1 DD and i don't recall if it had a CIEM option. I really enjoyed it considering it had a similiar signature as the Tia 12t (but obviously way less).

 

[Ali-Pacha]

I get the feeling events' report regularly includes a "XXX is the best of the show" statement even if the reviewer didn't listen to YYY.
With XXX any impressive totl system (HE-1, Shangri-La, Abyss, Susvara, 009, Voce, LCD-4, Utopia, whatever), and YYY = {the same group} - XXX. And you may add amp / DAC combination to this. Am I biased and / or misreading ?

Ali

 

[Zachik]

Here are my notes and impressions. Attended both days, and it is my 4th CanJam (been to RMAF 2016, SoCal 2017, RMAF 2017).
Big thank you to Ethan (@third_eye ), @joe , Brian (@AxelCloris ) and @jude for organizing such a great event You guys are the best!

About me, for context:
I am in my mid-40s, with good hearing - been tested a month ago…
I am not musically trained, and still enjoy learning as I go with this crazy hobby.
My music taste is mostly Rock, Pop Rock, Hard Rock, Alternative Rock, and some Metal.
My sound signature preference: smooth, warm, with a little extra bass.

For the first time, my GF has joined me for the first half day on Saturday. Very interesting experience for her despite not being an audiophile, and she also had the opportunity to meet some of my audiophile friends

Unlike previous CanJams, I took very very few photos, and since I already seen better photos from others - I won’t bother…

Here are my notes at no particular order:
* Mr Speakers - always a pleasure to meet and chat with Dan (@mrspeakers). I spent some time listening to his new VOCE driven by the BHSE amp in the quiet side room. ES headphones, in general, are a bit too detailed for my taste (I prefer smooth sound) but the VOCE sounded great never the less! The VOCE is as good or better than TOTL ES cans from other manufacturers (e.g. STAX). I am very familiar with Dan’s other cans (I own EFO and AFC), so did not really spend any time with them.

* ZMF - spending time with Zach (@zach915m) and Bevin is enough of a reason to attend CanJams. Anyone who knows them - understands what I am talking about! Being familiar with ZMF offerings, I did audition the Atticus (I own a pair) with the new Suede earpads. I think these take the Atticus comfort to the next level, without changing the sound signature. At least not taking anything away

* Clear Tune Monitors (CTM) - Sandra and Cesar are great. Very patient and knowledgeable. Very nice to chat with. Made me feel like I am very important to them as a customer. I wish some others (will not mention names here) would learn from them how to treat CanJam attendees stopping by their table to audition gear (being potential customers)… My plan was to audition CIEMs from various companies (5 or 6 companies) and order a pair. TLDR: I ordered the CT500 Elite (5 drivers) from CTM.
The 4-driver (CT400 Pro) were great, too, and choosing between them was super hard (although I do not think one could go wrong with either). Now… the 4-week wait has begun

* Campfire Audio’s Cascade - Fun headphone. A real bass cannon, in a very good way. Reminds me of Sony Z7 - sounds maybe a bit better, but not as comfy. Poor block of ambient noise which is surprising (I do not wear glasses, so no excuse for not blocking ambient noise). Ken from CA is a down to earth guy. Very approachable and nice to chat with. Despite my previous comment about disappointing (to me) noise isolation, I still would have bought them if not already owning the Sony Z7.

* Shure KSE1500 - IMHO, the best sounding universal in-ears. My GF is not easy to impress (when it comes to audio gear), but she was VERY impressed. In term of fit and seal - she was very impressed by Shure’s entire in-ears line. I have to admit, as someone who can never get a good fit and seal - Shure’s foam tips are the best and maybe the only ones that really do work for me...

* Sony - I auditioned the Sony WH-1000MX2 and was very impressed. ANC worked really well, very effectively making the ambient noise in the show floor disappear! Sound quality and signature were to my likings, too. Those are my #1 choice for over-ears ANC headphones for air travel. I tested them with Sony’s new NW-A45 tiny DAP ($220). Used NFC to pair them, and LDAC connection (Sony’s version of AptX-like high quality BT) for streaming music. From the 5-10 minutes I played with it, the biggest (and only) flaw is Sony’s proprietary connector on the DAP… sigh… I wish Sony would just switch over to USB-C (or micro USB)!

* Sennheiser HD820 - very disappointing audition. Could not use my source, and could not choose a track. Basically, Sennheiser ran their own playlist without ANY ability for me to control. After 10-15 minutes of tracks that I was not familiar with nor to my taste (all Jazz...) - I just gave up. They sound nice, with nice details and open sound feel, but not to my personal taste (or budget).

* Cleer NEXT - interesting headphones. Design is very cool and look high quality. Headband not cushioned enough, IMHO, but according to the rep - it is not the final headband design, and should be substantially more cushy. In term of sound - good details and neutral signature. Too neutral for my taste, though (not enough bass to make me happy).

* Meze EMPYREAN - one of the stars of the show, at least hype-wise. First, the design is gorgeous. I think almost everyone agrees on that (I know that it is very subjective). In term of comfort - those are one of the most comfortable headphones I have ever put on my head! Now to the important part… how is the sound? To my ears, and I know others made similar comments, they sound a lot like the Mr. Speakers AEON. Since I love my AFC - that is a good thing. Compared to the AEON, not a direct A/B with quick back and forth mind you - I think the new Meze are a little better. More detail and better bass while remaining very smooth and pleasant. Also keep in mind they were driven by high-end Amp (Cayin HA-300)… I never auditioned the AEONs with that amp. Would I pay 4-5 times the price of the AEONs for those? Absolutely not! IMHO those are $1000-1200 headphones. Not $3000-3500 headphones!

* Beyerdynamic Amiron wireless ($799) - Comes with app to personalize profile for hearing. Very comfy. A little bright for my taste. Doesn't block ambient noise much so definitely not for flight. Could not test personalization app at CanJam so cannot provide any information on its usefulness.

* Beyerdynamic DT 240 Pro - new on-ears. For $99 those are solid choice! Not going to compete with much more expensive headphones, but for the $100 price range - those are definitely good (if on-ear is not an issue)!

* Sonarworks True-Fi - the company hosted a very small and intimate demo in a recording studio a block away from CanJam hotel. I was lucky enough to get in (thanks Jude and Ethan). My first time in a recording studio, so that was very cool. The demo itself was very well done, and conveyed the message very effectively! The guys from Sonarworks were awesome and smart. True-Fi software is very impressive and I am going to purchase it. For (most) who are not familiar - it is a DSP software that corrects the FR of your headphones (if they’re on their ever growing list of supports cans). Tried it on HiFiMAN HE-400i (which I own) and the difference is mind blowing!!

* 1More - Auditioned the new triple driver on-ear headphones for 5-10 minutes. I liked their sound. Nothing exceptional about them, but nothing wrong either. Did not know what to expect, being triple driver

* FiiO - I love this company. They have a very impressive portfolio of value minded good products! My very first purchase getting into this hobby has been the FiiO X3-II DAP as a travel companion. I still bring it to CanJams for auditioning IEMs and other very easy to drive cans
* FiiO Q5 - their new "Swiss army knife" gadget. Only tested it connected to my iPhone through lightning-to-USB cable. Using FiiO’s IEMs (not sure which model) - I could not really hear improvement compared to directly connected to my iPhone. Having said that, keep in mind those IEMs were not very good, and the show floor was anything but quiet… I was still a little disappointed by not noticing any improvement (other than much higher volume levels of course). Build quality wise - the Q5 is very impressive! Also keep in mind it offers a lot of functionality and not just a DAC/Amp for iPhone users!
* FiiO M7 - new upcoming tiny DAP. 2nd in the M series (I have the even smaller but plasticy M3). Not released yet - FiiO brought a prototype / pre-production model. Think of it as mini-X5III. MUCH better build and UI compared to the M3. Roughly same height but 2/3 of the width of X5III. Depending on price - this could be a huge hit for people who’re not audiophiles yet, or just getting their toes into the audiophile pool (swamp?). Price in China is approx. $220 but no pricing for USA is known yet.

* Sennheiser HE-1 - there is nothing I can say that others have not said yet
My 2nd time auditioning it (last time in SoCal 2017, I think). Pure joy for 10 minutes… Oh, and I got to hear the introduction and the design story of the HE-1 by Axel, the chief designer from Sennheiser!! That was an unexpected treat. Like going into an Apple store and get the story behind the design of <fill the blank> by Jony Ive

* Audeze - tried their LCD-X and the "new" LCD-2C. The LCD-X was a little too heavy for that design - the headband started causing pain on top of my head after less than 10 minutes… Not what you’d expect from headphones at this price range. The LCD-2C were substantially lighter, and a much better headband (that according to Audeze rep, would be used for upcoming LCD-X as well). Sound wise, and especially in the very noisy show floor - I did not notice any compromise moving from the X to 2C. Both were good sounding, and forced me to crank up the volume to overcome ambient noise... I wish I could audition those 2 in a quiet room!

* HiFiMAN - Very brief audition of the $8000 Shangri-La Jr. In a word: Meh. Nothing wrong with it… other than the price! Call me crazy, but I like the HEXv2 better

* Abyss Diana - I would give these the “most uncomfortable headphones” award. Earpads too small and weird shaped, which caused serious discomfort from the first moment. The headband has no cushion and has contact with my head on a very small area which leads to serious discomfort. So… to summarize… ears unhappy, head unhappy. How is the sound you may ask? Who cares?! Since I cannot keep those on my head long enough for 1 full track - sound quality is a moot point!! Personally, I would not pay $100 for those, since they are totally un-usable.

* Focal Clear - from previous audition at RMAF 2017, my (only) favorite from Focal’s lineup. Wanted to give them another listen… Focal’s listening station was terrible. Tried several times during 2nd day - WiFi kept failing and Tidal kept buffering every few seconds. Totally not able to audition

* Dekoni Audio Blue - I liked the sound and “industrial” look. Earpads a little too small for my ears, but not a big issue. With larger earpads - I would definitely consider those!


These are all the notes I took. As always, feel free to ask me any question, and I will try to answer to the best of my ability

 

[Libertad]

I agree IEM prices are just sky rocketing but as long as we as consumers buy them at those prices they will continue to be iems at those prices but competition is great and it seems competition is fierce in the iem market

 

[MezeTeam]

Guys, thank you all for visiting us at CanJam NYC and putting our Meze Empyrean prototype to the test. Your feedback is priceless!

 

[ostewart]

Did no-one notice Matrix audio / Keces there?

I have the Keces S3, its so underrated and I wanted to see if anyone here got to demo it...

 

[zmhaha]

Guys, thank you all for visiting us at CanJam NYC and putting our Meze Empyrean prototype to the test. Your feedback is priceless!

Yea man. If you really mean it, don't price the Empyrean at $3000. But being an for-profit business, you can't be really mean it..
I personally loved the Empyrean very much and could not help coming back to the Meze booth over and over again during the weekend.
But the analytical part of me keeps on screaming this:
Total of 500 unit to be produced @ $3000+/per, given the previous flagship is only $309? This is nothing but a business strategy of attempting to break into the high-end market, and that is all. More precisely, recouping the initial R&D investment, but more importantly, trying to make a name of themselves by letting the owners or reviews of the $3k Empyreans to discuss about it, thus plowing the road for the future products.

As other head-fier have mentioned, I own the Aeon flow open too, and Empyrean does sound a lot like it in terms of overall sound signature, and a little better than the AFO maybe in terms of the sound. As for build quality, materials, and comfort, the Empyrean wins. But 4x of the price than a $800 AFO?? NO!

 

[ArthurPower]

This was also my assumption until I heard the Empyrean, saw the design, and spoke to all the guys from Meze. This is nothing like their previous headphones. They joined forces with another company who designed the planar driver for them.

I didn't even have any interest in trying these headphones but then Fried Reim CEO of Violectric asked if he could borrow the pair to try with our V281 amplifier. We were both extremely impressed. I have no doubt this is a flagship in the making. They have a unique driver design I've never seen used before. I was told they are still refining and tuning them, but even their current revision was absolutely exceptional.

This is not a business strategy to just break into the high end market like I also assumed. They put a ton of research and development into this new model from the ground up. This has the makings of being an extraordinary headphone up there with the best of the best. Considering the price of some of the flagships these days I think $3,000 is actually reasonable for this level of performance and quality.

 

[zmhaha]

Im sure they did put into tons of research, no doubt. But it is the way of the "breaking in" nonetheless.

By comparing with other similarly priced products from other companies, it only gives it a "me-too" status, and done reasonably well. However, the overall flagship war is very unhealthy as it is. So what another "me-too" product does is nothing but, well, "me-too", and the "$3000 reasonable" is relative to an "unreasonable" environment.

Given reasonably enough funding, many improvements can be done, like the Enpyrean. But it's still based on the existing plannars tech, thus "improvements", unlike the entry of plannar to when we only had dynamics to the mass. So its galaxy away from the iron-man suit that only Tony Stark can make.

 

[Libertad]

To be fair there are products on the market that 100% justify there price based on perfomance and innovation alone

 

[czy6412]

Here are my notes and impressions. Attended both days, and it is my 4th CanJam (been to RMAF 2016, SoCal 2017, RMAF 2017).
Big thank you to Ethan (@third_eye ), @joe , Brian (@AxelCloris ) and @jude for organizing such a great event You guys are the best!

About me, for context:
I am in my mid-40s, with good hearing - been tested a month ago…
I am not musically trained, and still enjoy learning as I go with this crazy hobby.
My music taste is mostly Rock, Pop Rock, Hard Rock, Alternative Rock, and some Metal.
My sound signature preference: smooth, warm, with a little extra bass.

For the first time, my GF has joined me for the first half day on Saturday. Very interesting experience for her despite not being an audiophile, and she also had the opportunity to meet some of my audiophile friends

Unlike previous CanJams, I took very very few photos, and since I already seen better photos from others - I won’t bother…

Here are my notes at no particular order:
* Mr Speakers - always a pleasure to meet and chat with Dan (@mrspeakers). I spent some time listening to his new VOCE driven by the BHSE amp in the quiet side room. ES headphones, in general, are a bit too detailed for my taste (I prefer smooth sound) but the VOCE sounded great never the less! The VOCE is as good or better than TOTL ES cans from other manufacturers (e.g. STAX). I am very familiar with Dan’s other cans (I own EFO and AFC), so did not really spend any time with them.

* ZMF - spending time with Zach (@zach915m) and Bevin is enough of a reason to attend CanJams. Anyone who knows them - understands what I am talking about! Being familiar with ZMF offerings, I did audition the Atticus (I own a pair) with the new Suede earpads. I think these take the Atticus comfort to the next level, without changing the sound signature. At least not taking anything away

* Clear Tune Monitors (CTM) - Sandra and Cesar are great. Very patient and knowledgeable. Very nice to chat with. Made me feel like I am very important to them as a customer. I wish some others (will not mention names here) would learn from them how to treat CanJam attendees stopping by their table to audition gear (being potential customers)… My plan was to audition CIEMs from various companies (5 or 6 companies) and order a pair. TLDR: I ordered the CT500 Elite (5 drivers) from CTM.
The 4-driver (CT400 Pro) were great, too, and choosing between them was super hard (although I do not think one could go wrong with either). Now… the 4-week wait has begun

* Campfire Audio’s Cascade - Fun headphone. A real bass cannon, in a very good way. Reminds me of Sony Z7 - sounds maybe a bit better, but not as comfy. Poor block of ambient noise which is surprising (I do not wear glasses, so no excuse for not blocking ambient noise). Ken from CA is a down to earth guy. Very approachable and nice to chat with. Despite my previous comment about disappointing (to me) noise isolation, I still would have bought them if not already owning the Sony Z7.

* Shure KSE1500 - IMHO, the best sounding universal in-ears. My GF is not easy to impress (when it comes to audio gear), but she was VERY impressed. In term of fit and seal - she was very impressed by Shure’s entire in-ears line. I have to admit, as someone who can never get a good fit and seal - Shure’s foam tips are the best and maybe the only ones that really do work for me...

* Sony - I auditioned the Sony WH-1000MX2 and was very impressed. ANC worked really well, very effectively making the ambient noise in the show floor disappear! Sound quality and signature were to my likings, too. Those are my #1 choice for over-ears ANC headphones for air travel. I tested them with Sony’s new NW-A45 tiny DAP ($220). Used NFC to pair them, and LDAC connection (Sony’s version of AptX-like high quality BT) for streaming music. From the 5-10 minutes I played with it, the biggest (and only) flaw is Sony’s proprietary connector on the DAP… sigh… I wish Sony would just switch over to USB-C (or micro USB)!

* Sennheiser HD820 - very disappointing audition. Could not use my source, and could not choose a track. Basically, Sennheiser ran their own playlist without ANY ability for me to control. After 10-15 minutes of tracks that I was not familiar with nor to my taste (all Jazz...) - I just gave up. They sound nice, with nice details and open sound feel, but not to my personal taste (or budget).

* Cleer NEXT - interesting headphones. Design is very cool and look high quality. Headband not cushioned enough, IMHO, but according to the rep - it is not the final headband design, and should be substantially more cushy. In term of sound - good details and neutral signature. Too neutral for my taste, though (not enough bass to make me happy).

* Meze EMPYREAN - one of the stars of the show, at least hype-wise. First, the design is gorgeous. I think almost everyone agrees on that (I know that it is very subjective). In term of comfort - those are one of the most comfortable headphones I have ever put on my head! Now to the important part… how is the sound? To my ears, and I know others made similar comments, they sound a lot like the Mr. Speakers AEON. Since I love my AFC - that is a good thing. Compared to the AEON, not a direct A/B with quick back and forth mind you - I think the new Meze are a little better. More detail and better bass while remaining very smooth and pleasant. Also keep in mind they were driven by high-end Amp (Cayin HA-300)… I never auditioned the AEONs with that amp. Would I pay 4-5 times the price of the AEONs for those? Absolutely not! IMHO those are $1000-1200 headphones. Not $3000-3500 headphones!

* Beyerdynamic Amiron wireless ($799) - Comes with app to personalize profile for hearing. Very comfy. A little bright for my taste. Doesn't block ambient noise much so definitely not for flight. Could not test personalization app at CanJam so cannot provide any information on its usefulness.

* Beyerdynamic DT 240 Pro - new on-ears. For $99 those are solid choice! Not going to compete with much more expensive headphones, but for the $100 price range - those are definitely good (if on-ear is not an issue)!

* Sonarworks True-Fi - the company hosted a very small and intimate demo in a recording studio a block away from CanJam hotel. I was lucky enough to get in (thanks Jude and Ethan). My first time in a recording studio, so that was very cool. The demo itself was very well done, and conveyed the message very effectively! The guys from Sonarworks were awesome and smart. True-Fi software is very impressive and I am going to purchase it. For (most) who are not familiar - it is a DSP software that corrects the FR of your headphones (if they’re on their ever growing list of supports cans). Tried it on HiFiMAN HE-400i (which I own) and the difference is mind blowing!!

* 1More - Auditioned the new triple driver on-ear headphones for 5-10 minutes. I liked their sound. Nothing exceptional about them, but nothing wrong either. Did not know what to expect, being triple driver

* FiiO - I love this company. They have a very impressive portfolio of value minded good products! My very first purchase getting into this hobby has been the FiiO X3-II DAP as a travel companion. I still bring it to CanJams for auditioning IEMs and other very easy to drive cans
* FiiO Q5 - their new "Swiss army knife" gadget. Only tested it connected to my iPhone through lightning-to-USB cable. Using FiiO’s IEMs (not sure which model) - I could not really hear improvement compared to directly connected to my iPhone. Having said that, keep in mind those IEMs were not very good, and the show floor was anything but quiet… I was still a little disappointed by not noticing any improvement (other than much higher volume levels of course). Build quality wise - the Q5 is very impressive! Also keep in mind it offers a lot of functionality and not just a DAC/Amp for iPhone users!
* FiiO M7 - new upcoming tiny DAP. 2nd in the M series (I have the even smaller but plasticy M3). Not released yet - FiiO brought a prototype / pre-production model. Think of it as mini-X5III. MUCH better build and UI compared to the M3. Roughly same height but 2/3 of the width of X5III. Depending on price - this could be a huge hit for people who’re not audiophiles yet, or just getting their toes into the audiophile pool (swamp?). Price in China is approx. $220 but no pricing for USA is known yet.

* Sennheiser HE-1 - there is nothing I can say that others have not said yet
My 2nd time auditioning it (last time in SoCal 2017, I think). Pure joy for 10 minutes… Oh, and I got to hear the introduction and the design story of the HE-1 by Axel, the chief designer from Sennheiser!! That was an unexpected treat. Like going into an Apple store and get the story behind the design of <fill the blank> by Jony Ive

* Audeze - tried their LCD-X and the "new" LCD-2C. The LCD-X was a little too heavy for that design - the headband started causing pain on top of my head after less than 10 minutes… Not what you’d expect from headphones at this price range. The LCD-2C were substantially lighter, and a much better headband (that according to Audeze rep, would be used for upcoming LCD-X as well). Sound wise, and especially in the very noisy show floor - I did not notice any compromise moving from the X to 2C. Both were good sounding, and forced me to crank up the volume to overcome ambient noise... I wish I could audition those 2 in a quiet room!

* HiFiMAN - Very brief audition of the $8000 Shangri-La Jr. In a word: Meh. Nothing wrong with it… other than the price! Call me crazy, but I like the HEXv2 better

* Abyss Diana - I would give these the “most uncomfortable headphones” award. Earpads too small and weird shaped, which caused serious discomfort from the first moment. The headband has no cushion and has contact with my head on a very small area which leads to serious discomfort. So… to summarize… ears unhappy, head unhappy. How is the sound you may ask? Who cares?! Since I cannot keep those on my head long enough for 1 full track - sound quality is a moot point!! Personally, I would not pay $100 for those, since they are totally un-usable.

* Focal Clear - from previous audition at RMAF 2017, my (only) favorite from Focal’s lineup. Wanted to give them another listen… Focal’s listening station was terrible. Tried several times during 2nd day - WiFi kept failing and Tidal kept buffering every few seconds. Totally not able to audition

* Dekoni Audio Blue - I liked the sound and “industrial” look. Earpads a little too small for my ears, but not a big issue. With larger earpads - I would definitely consider those!


These are all the notes I took. As always, feel free to ask me any question, and I will try to answer to the best of my ability

Thanks for the impression, would like to hear more about Dekoni Audio Blue and if possible, the comparison with T60rp.

 

[ArthurPower]

Not everyone can afford the best, but the design and technology always trickles down to more affordable models. Innovative new flagships products drive most industries from electronics to cars. Headphone design and technology was stagnate for many years. Most models were reasonably affordable but their audio performance could not compete with a good two channel speaker system. Since the headphone market exploded companies could finally afford to really re-think their approach to the design and come closer to the two channel experience. Yet, those who can not afford these top model headphones get offended for some reason.

Headphone manufacturers do not make the bulk of their money from selling top of the line products. Affordable models are the foundation of most companies and this enables them to finally have the money to spend on research and development to push the boundaries of what is possible. The same goes for cars, Audi is a good example. Audi doesn't sell millions of R8 super cars yet this platform has enabled them to test new materials and develop new designs. They don't expect everyone to buy one nor is their company structured to depend of the sales of these super expensive flagships. Yet no one gets offended if they can not afford to buy one.

I think we all need to be thankful that so many fantastic yet affordable headphones are now available and they keep getting better. Yes flagships keep getting more expensive but the affordable models keep improving as a result.

 

[ArthurPower]

Did no-one notice Matrix audio / Keces there?

I have the Keces S3, its so underrated and I wanted to see if anyone here got to demo it...

Actually a lot of people got to demo the S3 from Keces and everyone was really impressed. Hopefully we will hear from some of them on the forums. We had the new Ultrasone edition 15 which was a big hit along with headphones from Audeze, Sennheiser, Mr speakers, and ZMF so people could have a familiar reference to hear what the S3 was capable of.

 

[ostewart]

Actually a lot of people got to demo the S3 from Keces and everyone was really impressed. Hopefully we will hear from some of them on the forums. We had the new Ultrasone edition 15 which was a big hit along with headphones from Audeze, Sennheiser, Mr speakers, and ZMF so people could have a familiar reference to hear what the S3 was capable of.

Great to hear it got some love Arthur

 

[urez]

Have anyone make the photos of restyled Wells Headtrip ?