[PopZeus]

Any word on when we should expect the Meze 109 to drop? Seems like it's pretty far along the prototype process.

 

[BKJarvis]

Any word on when we should expect the Meze 109 to drop? Seems like it's pretty far along the prototype process.

I was told June/July for $650-700

 

[PopZeus]

I was told June/July for $650-700

Ooh nice. Thanks for the hot tip!

 

[ralphp@optonline]

Ooh nice. Thanks for the hot tip!

I strongly suggest that as soon you see that pre-orders for the Meze 109 are being taken, order one immediately!

 

[warrenpchi]

These were the show standouts to me:

HEDDphone – Heard these off the tiny Centrance Hifi m8 v2/Ampersand combo… biggest surprise of the show for me. These were awesome. They had such an effortless, yet punchy and crisp sound. Felt like the music was coming from a deep, dark hole out of nowhere. Nothing was offensive to me. Soundstage width and depth were excellent and I got really into the music. Many will not be able to get over the size and weight of these and that is totally understandable. I didn’t mind it. I sat there for a long while enjoying these… As much as I was floored by the Elite’s - $4k is a tough sell. I think at current used prices, the HEDDphone is what I took from the show that I will be going to seek out.

Also, the Centrance amps were small but mighty impressive!! Was amazed at how well they powered the HEDDphones!!

I'm actually listening to that combo right now, and I agree with your impressions! I'm running this chain: CEntrance HiFi-M8 V2 (bass and treble boosts engaged) ▸ 2.5 mm output to 4.4mm input ▸ CEntrance Ampersand (~11:00 volume; high gain) ▸ XLR output ▸ HEDD Audio HEDDPhone.

Technically-speaking, only the Ampersand is needed to drive the HEDDphone, but I finding the HiFi-M8 V2 to be a very welcome addition to the chain. Without the M8's bass and treble boosts engaged, I get that quintessential neutral studio-monitor signature. But with the M8's bass and treble boosts engaged, I get a very audiophiley signature with plenty of low end and air. The M8 gives me a super-easy way of switching back and forth between two very different presentations, both of which I can enjoy for different music, as I am multigenral.

BTW, if y'all are considering the combo, I'm pretty sure CEntrance was running a good show discount. I'd definitely contact them before purchasing anywhere else, to see if they'd consider extending that offer to save some money.

Also wanted to say thank you for @jude for the late night chat with Justin and me, as well as the rest of the Head-Fi crew! S-Tier folks! @warrenpchi and @third_eye thanks for chatting with me, and thanks again for the awesome event! If I missed someone... sorry, it's hard parsing usernames with the real names/people lol but, know I appreciate all you did! Very fun event!

Aww, thanks for coming! All that gear is absolutely lovely, and necessary to be sure, but I've learned over the years that it's really the people that make CanJam special.

p.s. man it is hard to capture the color of the Red October lol

Justin @ampsandsound was telling me the same when he was trying to take his own photos before the show. I think the best bet is just to fix it in post.

 

[stuck limo]

I was trying to find videos on this event and I can't find almost any online. Who has some good video content from this year's event?

 

[rantng]

And from @Relaxasaurus!

2:22 mark, you tell em, Axel!

 

[PopZeus]

I strongly suggest that as soon you see that pre-orders for the Meze 109 are being taken, order one immediately!

Speaking from first hand experience or just extremely hyped?

 

[HiFiGuy528]

Actually Mike from Woo Audio was talking to someone else in the room who asked him how to swap the tunes, I learned something about the WA8, according to Mike it is a portable amp runs off battery that last about 4 hours and he said not to place the amp inside back pack. The amp requires ventilation. Only reason I didn't try was the setup for WA8 was pairing with a headphone I never saw, the headphone reminds me of my old walkman I probably giving it a bad impression.

WA8 eclipse is our smallest all-tube amp that is transportable (not portable) from room to room or to enjoy in hotel room when traveling.

Yup! the tubes are user replaceable and we have upgrades available.

 

[HiFiHawaii808]

WA8 eclipse is our smallest all-tube amp that is transportable (not portable) from room to room or to enjoy in hotel room when traveling.

Yup! the tubes are user replaceable and we have upgrades available.

IMHO, this is the most under rated product in all of portable audio. It is fantastic and I am telling everyone I know about it. It is the only product that enhances everyone's portable collection when they add it. It doesn't work for every pairing, but for the pairings it works with, it is glorious. What does it work with? Odin, KR5, Z1R IEMs. All of my full sized headphones and it even sounds decent with Susvara.

 

[prtuc2]

WA8 eclipse is our smallest all-tube amp that is transportable (not portable) from room to room or to enjoy in hotel room when traveling.

Yup! the tubes are user replaceable and we have upgrades available.

Thanks for the clarification Mike, it was a pleasure talking to you at CanJam. Hopefully will see you in next year CanJam.

 

[buke9]

Speaking from first hand experience or just extremely hyped?

Can’t be too hyped as I believe this was the first time many have heard them . I will say I did like them as a owner of the 99 Classics they dialed down the bass a bit and gave it a bit more high end but for me the price tag is a no go as $500 or so might have been better but close to $700 I think there are better but definitely comfortable.

 

[Makiah S]

We had an awesome time at CanJam New York 2022 this year. Part one of our show report is a more detailed look at each of the various systems that were on display for everyone to listen to.

Words can't quite convey just how excited we were to have had the chance to demo the brand new RAAL-requisite VM-1A Vacuum Tube Amplifier for their SR1a Ribbon Headphone. Pre-orders are now available for this new flagship amplifier and orders will begin shipping later this month.

We ran the VM-1A along with the Chord Hugo TT2 as our DAC with an iFi Audio ZEN Stream connected to ROON for lossless streaming of both Qobuz and local files with our HeadAmp GS-X Mini Balanced Headphone Amplifier paired with both the Hifiman Susvara and Abyss AB-1266 Phi TC headphones.

For electrostatic headphones, we had our HeadAmp Blue Hawaii Special Edition and NAIM Uniti Atom Music Player serving as the DAC for the:

• Audeze CRBN Electrostatic
• STAX SR-009S
• STAX SR-007 MK2
• STAX SR-X9000

We also had a secondary system, hosted by our room partners, the Dan Clark Audio team. We would like to give them a big thanks for sharing the space with us! They had a Schiit Yggdrasil DAC feeding our HeadAmp Blue Hawaii SE and HeadAmp GS-X MK2 Balanced Headphone Amplifier, which served the following headphones:

• Dan Clark Audio VOCE Open-Back Electrostatic Headphones
• Dan Clark Audio Stealth
• Dan Clark Audio Ether 2
• Dan Clark Audio ETHER C Flow 1.1
• Dan Clark Audio AEON 2 Noire Closed Back Planar Magnetic Headphone

On the far left of the table, hooked into the NAIM Uniti Atom Music Player, we had the new RAAL-requisite PDT-1a Tube Amplifier for planar magnetic and dynamic headphones with the Meze Elite and Sennheiser HD800S open back headphones.

Finally, on the right side of the table, we had the Bricasti Design M3h DAC with Integrated Differential Headphone Amp paired with the:

• DCA Stealth
• Abyss Diana TC
• Audeze LCD-5
• & the recently redesigned Hifiman HE-R10P

On the showroom floor, we had the following two systems:

• Our HeadAmp GS-X Mini with the Border Patrol Tube DAC alongside two headphones, the DCA Stealth and Dan Clark Audio Aeon 2 Closed Back.
• Plus, we had the new desktop stack from Mytek Audio, consisting of their Mytek Liberty DAC II going balanced out into the Liberty THX AAA™ Headphone Amp and single ended into our HeadAmp Gilmore Lite mk2 with the DCA Stealth and Dan Clark Audio AEON 2 Noire Closed Back Planar headphones.

The Mytek team were present once again, as well, with the Mytek Empire Streamer alongside their entire lineup of products, including the: Mytek Liberty DAC II, Liberty THX AAA™ Headphone Amp, and Mytek Manhattan II DAC.

Be sure to share your thoughts of the show and our gear here on Head-Fi’s official CanJam 2022 impressions thread!

Lastly, to wrap up part one of our show report, we’d like to extend a special thank you to the world renowned composer, Mr. David Chesky, for taking a moment to stop by and listen! We hope that he enjoys his music on our systems as much as we do!

 

[HiFiGuy528]

2A3 SET 6C45 (?) w/Alps RK-50 (not sure, but may be optional). It's basically a smaller footprint of the WA33, which sounded fantastic w/Diana TC and is a very appealing departure to their chassis designs, which should be released in a few weeks or so.

Single Crystal copper hook-up and signal wires, Mundorf MCap and ALPS RK50 are all included on WA23 as standard build. It is why internally we are calling it the "baby WA33 Elite". Here's a birds eye view next to WA33 Standard Edition for size comparison.

 

[BKJarvis]

Can’t be too hyped as I believe this was the first time many have heard them . I will say I did like them as a owner of the 99 Classics they dialed down the bass a bit and gave it a bit more high end but for me the price tag is a no go as $500 or so might have been better but close to $700 I think there are better but definitely comfortable.

Completely agree. If they listed these at 599 they would have a hard time keeping them on the shelf.