[Redcarmoose]

Anyone has impressions on the Woo Audio WA11?
Planning on using it via 4.4 out with my 1Z.
Impressions much appreciated.

Just a suggestion; but I don’t think double amping your 1Z is going to be your preference?

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Yeah to this day I still regret selling them. But what most people don't know is that a well-driven HD560 can slam almost as hard as HE6. And I'm talking about the first revision HE560 with SMC connectors stored in a wooden box, not those that bear 2.5mm connectors and comes in a vinyl-looking box, those have different (read:simplified) drivers. Folks who still owns HE6 are dead serious about power while those who have 560 either doesn't care or doesn't expect much SQ improvement with power and that's why most people dismiss 560 as mid-fi. On a very powerful speaker amp, the HE560 actually sounds pretty close to the HE6, with just soundstage, bass depth and mid fullness trailing behind a little bit. And even that can be remedied with a better cable and a speaker amp.

Agreed. I still have and love my HE-6 and I drive them with a 75-watt Emotiva speaker amp and a HiFiMan 4-pin XLR adapter.

My HE-560 are one of the first pairs made, and wow’d me on my Eddie Current ZDT that puts out a couple of watts into 32 ohms and it’s an 8 watt speaker amp (the 560 are 45 ohm). I haven’t tried them with a speaker amp yet.

But the original HE-6 are one of the best headphones I’ve owned, when properly driven with a speaker amp, such as my Emotiva. But I have an old 55 watt Yamaha AVR that drives them equally as well through a simple 4-pin XLR to speaker banana plug pigtail, and my old Denon 1804 80-watt AVR actually drives them pretty well right out of the headphone jack! They were magical out of my 1980’s vintage Marantz receiver speaker out as well.

But out of the Eddie Current ZDT the HE-6 fall flat. The bass punch is gone and it comes out sounding a bit limp at higher volumes. On that amp, when listening at moderate to high volumes to pretend like you’re there just doesn’t work.

Yet somehow the HE-6 low-volume listening remains quite good on many headphone amps, such as when you’re in a quiet house with nobody to interrupt you and you just want your ears to relax - the bass remains extended and you don’t need to EQ or use a “loudness” setting to hear everything.

I really should have spent more time with the HE-6se but I couldn’t imaging it being better.

 

[arnaud]

Good blog post about the MQA seminar at the end of RMAF that was a real Charlie Foxtrot (as is MQA, but that’s another discussion).

http://archimago.blogspot.com/2018/10/musings-on-rmaf-2018-mqa-talk.html

Interesting read. The last bit about change in demographics and the end of the traditional koolaid selling process thanks to ever more popular forums must be making some of these marketers uncomfortable to say the least.
<<My feeling is that we are witnessing a "post-High-End audio" trajectory with MQA clearly demonstrating, perhaps like never before, the importance of objective analysis beyond appeals to certain "authorities", many of whom have been feeding audiophiles with myths and fantasies of the pseudoscientific variety for essentially a generation. Guess what? Maybe the upcoming generations of audiophile consumer isn't as uneducated or as docile as might be expected. Maybe the mainstream media isn't as capable in promoting the intended message as the "high-end" audio segment thinks.

Like it or not, "the forums" and communities like those on CA are on the rise. I see this as a healthy development that restores the rights and promotes the interests of consumers. Perhaps this will rhyme with the times in other areas of grassroots advocacy, social change and politics.>>

 

[musicman59]

@Mark Up, the Meze Empyrean has changed since CanJam NYC. I've been listening to the production Empyrean (with microfiber earpads) (from the Chord Hugo TT2 / Hugo M Scaler stack), and its bass extension is outstanding -- no roll-off under 50 Hz that I can hear.

When I have the time later today, I'll post the Meze Audio Empyrean measurements.

i agree!
The first time I listened to them (I think was Axpona) I was not impressed at all but after listening @ RMAF CanJam they are in my short list. Out of the Auris Nirvana they were very impressive.

 

[Hansotek]

My massive 6,000 word CanJam RMAF show report is live!!

http://www.enjoythemusic.com/CanJam_RMAF_2018/page1.htm

 

[Mark Up]

@Mark Up, the Meze Empyrean has changed since CanJam NYC.

Thanks for the response Jude. That's great. I knew from the 99 series that Meze knows how to bass (sometimes a bit much). The weakness in planar bass that I have consistently heard (despite claims of slam, it always seems rolled off, even on the best Audeze and HiFiMan). These hopefully address that. The others I've heard that have the quantity of the below 30-40 hz range are the Abyss, the sadly not to be Advanced Audio GRT-1 (incredible for what their price would have been), maybe 1 - 2 others that I've heard I can't recall.

 

[Odin412]

Good blog post about the MQA seminar at the end of RMAF that was a real Charlie Foxtrot (as is MQA, but that’s another discussion).

http://archimago.blogspot.com/2018/10/musings-on-rmaf-2018-mqa-talk.html

I finally got around to watching the YouTube video and it's interesting, despite the frequent interruptions. I gained a lot of respect for Computer Audiophile and lost all respect for the MQA mafia.

 

[snk8699]

My massive 6,000 word CanJam RMAF show report is live!!

http://www.enjoythemusic.com/CanJam_RMAF_2018/page1.htm

Your show reports are some of the best Dave! Kudos for covering everything I was hoping to hear more about, even though it will directly impact my wallet.

 

[arnaud]

I finally got around to watching the YouTube video and it's interesting, despite the frequent interruptions. I gained a lot of respect for Computer Audiophile and lost all respect for the MQA mafia.

Indeed, the MQA staff (or zealots) who intervened in that session shoot themselves in the foot alright. I was a bit skeptical on MQA, now I’ll be downright negative lol. In that sense the CA guy says he failed his attempt but I’d diseagree, this video totally discredits MQA (and the part of the industry desperately pushing for this).

Arnaud

 

[ashwinvyas1981]

Hi,

Nice impressions...... any more detailed comparison between ZMF Verite vs Auteur.

Regards

 

[ashwinvyas1981]

*** Notice! Quite the verbose brief notes ahead! ***

This was my first CanJam and I enjoyed it immensely. When I lived in Asia, it was easy to try new IEMs and headphones with so many hifi shops around, but now that am in the US that has proven to be quite difficult, so I knew I was not gonna miss this, especially since I just needed to walk to the show!. Walked over on Friday and the show was much bigger than I had envisioned in my mind. The paradox of choice argument by Barry Schwartz is very much in effect here. There is too much to listen to within the time frame. Only after I resolved to listen to a few select items did I stop feeling like I was missing out on everything. Just a tip. My biases lie more to getting me into the music than extreme fidelity, though ironically a great deal of fidelity is a prerequisite to getting me into the music. The point is I will forego extreme detail and technality if something can provide me with great coherency, and timbre.

These are my superficial and ostensibly brilliant insights with respect to what I tried at the show. Source: Hiby R3 -> Coax Cable -> Chord Mojo w/ Flac and Alac files.

Focal: Utopia, Clears, Elegia

Started with the Elegia, and didn't think too much of it. It was good sounding, but forgettable to me. Jumped immediately to the Clear, and started hearing a ton of details in the music I hadn't noticed before. I remember thinking is the treble on these boosted or what. It was an exciting listen, but thought it may get fatiguing over extended listening sessions. Proceeded to the Utopia, and felt right at home. It had a relaxed clarity and effortless beauty that I liked with excellent vocals. I really enjoyed the Utopias, and thought perhaps they're the best headphones I had heard that day, but would never pay that much for them.

64 Audio: 12t, 18t, Trio, Fourte

Spent a great deal of time here and listened to the entire line up. I have to say that it was the Trio that impressed me the most. It sounded more natural and organic than the others, and for my biases thought surely they made a mistake and this should be the flagship item. The transparency, depth, and detail of this IEM was amazing, but most importantly it had better coherency than the others. It sounds sooo "musical". The Fourtes were excellent as well with slightly more detail, with a tad more technically adept, but I sensed a slightly elevated treble in the mix. The mids on the Trio had better timbre to me as well. This was the super star of the show for me until another experience I had on Sunday with another audio product. I remember thinking the Fourtes sound good, no doubt, but the Trios are the better value though still insanely expensive.

JH Audio: JH13V2 Pro, Layla; Shure: KSE 1500

These JH Audio IEMs sound amazing, great focus, and imaging. You can tell where everything in the soundscape is located. They both had excellent depth as well. I felt like there was an ever so slight brightness with the 13s, but the clarity on both of these IEMs was exquisite. You can hear the space between the elements. I tried these after trying the Shure KSE 1500. Within the show environment I couldn't tell if the Shure was more detailed, but I found the JH stuff to be more coherent, and didn't do much wrong. I remember thinking I'd be happy with either one with a slight preference to the Laylas. The Laylas seemingly needed more power from my DAP. The Shure's had exceeding detail, but I'm not sure I got into the music as much with them. Nevertheless, they had a compelling show.

iFi: Micro iDSD BL; Schiit: Jotunheim, Valhalla, Bifrost; Sennheiser: HD 820, 800, 660S

I found the Micro iDSD BL to be one of the best valued products at the show. It has more buttons than I care for, but drives almost everything in my opinion. I currently own a Mojo, and though I felt the Mojo sounds more natural, and has better imaging/depth. I thought this transportable was more true to being able to drive everything. I recently picked up some Massdrop Sennheiser HD 6XX about 5 days ago, and these drove them much better than the Mojo in my view. It sounded clearer, with more apparent detail, and focus, and an actual headstage. I listened to some of the Schiit products like the Jotunheim, and Valhalla, but still thought I could really just be happy with the Micro iDSD BL and the 6XX. By the way if you ever thought the HD 6XX lacked clarity and detail listen to them through the Jotunheim. I was really impressed with that amp. There was also the Bifrost, and Valhalla stack, which I thought had more mid bass, but sweeter mids than the Jotunheim. I couldn't really confirm my suspicions as the area got kind of loud, but the experience made me realize just how much of an extraordinary value the Schiit products and especially the Massdrop 6XXs are. I started plugging them into hi-end systems when comparing whatever expensive headphone was on the table and in many cases was more listening to the inexpensive Sennheisers. These headphones can scaaaaaale!! Wow. Even after trying all the Sennheisers I felt the value in these was too much to not state. The 820s I felt were forgettable, and um wait how much do you want for these? The 800s are much better, and very good technically, but predictably does not get me lost in the music as much as the 6XX. Don't get me wrong though, the 820s are a capable closed back headphone, but value wise abysmal.Thankfully they do nothing for me. The 660s did sound pretty dynamic, and I need to definitely give those another listen.

Stax SR-009; Meze Empyrean

I thought these were the two most transparent headphones I tried. The Stax still has more and more transparency than the Meze to my ears, and it left a lasting impression on me. I was so bowled over by its clarity and transparency that it was mainly what I focused on. It was like the singer and instruments in the ensemble were right there in the same air that I was present to the most realistic degree that I've heard. I wasn't lost in the music, but could definitely appreciate what was coming through. A lot of folks were going crazy over the Meze Empyrean. I had a more measured experience. It weirdly sounded brilliant with music I didn't know and not so good with music I knew. I have no clue what that means, but it was still an excellent listen. Still won't pay this much to get it. I view this hobby as a connoiseurship activity, and perhaps at some point I may grow to like what these two beauties have to offer, but until then I shall go with what gets me lost in the music.

Chord: Poly, Astell & Kern: SP1000M

Since I do have a Mojo, I was naturally interested in the Poly. I did recently build a raspberry pi streamer, and connect my Mojo via optical to a Hifiberry digi + Pro hat all for less than 60 dollars. I am tempted to say that the poly sounds a tad better, with more space, and micro detail, but my brain could be playing games with me. I did try the 6XX with the Mojo and Poly and thought I heard slightly more detail, clarity, and depth to the soundstage than when it was driven merely via Mojo. Why that is the case I do not know, but it was hard to confirm this as that area was also very loud. At the same time, I felt like the Mojo was up there with the Astell & Kern product. Perhaps the SP1000M had slightly better clarity and bass, but the Mojo seemed more at one with the music to me. I know I won't get an AK player at those prices, but for those interested the interface is nice, and from what I heard they'll be releasing a firmware update that will allow you to listen to tidal downloads offline.

Empire Ears: Phantom, Legend X

I honestly cannot remember much about the Phantom, but the Legend X was excellent. I was thinking wow. Now this is definitely vying for the top spot with the tia Trios for my tastes. I got into the music and really digged the presentation. Excellent clarity, and imaging. It reminded me of the experience I had at the JH Audio booth with the Laylas and the the 13s in terms of 3 d soundscape and imaging.

ZMF

I had the most fun at this table. Everyone was very warm and welcoming. The type of folks with a passion for the hobby that I'd like to support. I was able to listen to every single pair of the headphones and all I can say is that they all sound excellent. The tuning on all of them are quite similar with subtle differences, but man these were all smooth, and natural with excellent sense of space and vocals. The Verite sounded really impressive, but I think I walked away loving the Auteur. It is articulate yet smooth, and effortless. Really incredible sound and perhaps my favorite. Being at this booth was like being sprayed with multiple nice colognes at the same time. They all smell good, but how do you distinguish which is your favorite after taking a dose of all. These are still expensive to me, but some of the better valued phones for what they offer in my opinion.

Campfire Audio: Andromeda

In my opinion, these are the best valued IEMs because they arguably sound almost better than anything below 1000 that I tried yet they can compete convincingly with the over valued ones. It has a reference tuning that is still magically coherent with an excellent 3-D sound stage and impressive imaging. If it erred I'd say the bass still sounds like armature driver bass and it's slightly lacking in body of the instruments and vocals relative to what I'm used to (IMR Acoustic R1). I somehow didn't quite like it with the Mojo, nor the Hiby R3, and opted to use the Sony players they had. These guys were also true professionals and welcoming. It was a very organized booth. In any case I never liked the look of the green Andromedas from pics, but in person they are much smaller and really beautiful to behold. The Andromeda S is also a looker, to me it fixes the body niggle I mentioned and at least to my hearing seems to have retained the majority of the original's profile. These IEMs present a very compelling listen, and I could see how one could be wise to make this the only one they own.

Sony: IER-Z1R

This is the best thing I have ever put in my ears. Wow and Wow! It's hard not to talk about this product without overhyping or using expletives. Actually it's impossible for me. This was by far the standout product at the show for me. I was just minding my business when I went past the Sony booth on the last day (Sunday) and thought ok let me check out their weight lifting dumbbell players, but then my eyes caught sight of the new IEMs and I went straight for the top. This Sony IEM gave me an experience that is indelibly written in my mind. 3 dimensionality in spades. Details like crazy without over boosted treble. Actual blackness and air around instruments. This certainly was unlike any IEM or headphone for that matter that I have ever heard, and to boot an inimitable coherency to the sound that makes your music come so alive! I know these are hackneyed statements in these circles, but it was true for me today in that it was like listening to my music for the first time all over again. Though cognizant of time limits to be considerate, I couldn't skip a track. I was enchanted and kept skinning my 44s. There was some serious voodoo going on in those drivers. I don't know how they did it, but I tried to go back and listen to almost everything I had listened to and couldn't stop thinking about these. I predict that this will be a product they try to out do, but will take a while to, if ever. Now for the hypocritical part, I have to get these $2400 IEMs What!

What I learned and will do next time: Select a realistic number of vendors to view per day. Seek out less popular brands, and what this show most importantly offered is the chance to have more realistic expectations when reading reviews. Knowing what some of the best sounds like provides that limitation check because at the end of the day it's the same music am listening to.

Hi,

Couldn't agree more with regards to iFi BL.... its a really awesome all rounder.... capable of driving anything even IEMs with authority.... but yes it requires a little break-in time..... & I felt a bit if treble issue when drove my TH900 with these.

 

[NovaFlyer]

My massive 6,000 word CanJam RMAF show report is live!!

http://www.enjoythemusic.com/CanJam_RMAF_2018/page1.htm

Thanks for the great write up, great information since I couldn't make it in person. CanJam RMAF was going to be my first CanJam, but had to cancel due to work - hope to attend next year.

 

[Zachik]

My massive 6,000 word CanJam RMAF show report is live!!

http://www.enjoythemusic.com/CanJam_RMAF_2018/page1.htm

Great work Dave, as usual
Totally agree with your conclusion that these CanJams becoming more and more a social event (in addition to the gear, of course)!

 

[Calliope]

CanJam @ RMAF 2018 has come and gone and it was enlightening, fun and wallet RIP-inducing to be certain. I was stoked to join everyone at the event, which was my first official CanJam. Gear was tested, lots of music was played, great conversation (and knowledge exchange) abounded and it turned out to be a memorable experience for this audiophile neophyte. I’ve compiled my impressions below.

HEADPHONES

Ether 2: The Ether 2 has the distinction of being my first headphone audition on setup day. It was as dreamy as I had imagined, imparting great detail AND warmth to both the Shpongle track that Dan Clark selected for me as well as my Ry Cooder test track. Adding to the magic was the legendary Cavalli Liquid Glass Amp powering the Ether 2. I was impressed by the light weight of the headphone, and it was one of the most comfortable cans I auditioned at the show.

ZMF Auteur: Remember that meme from Pulp Fiction involving the super enigmatic briefcase? There was a similar sense of awe when the good folks at ZMF brought out their presentation case containing custom steampunk-inspired ornate brass inlay Auteur headphones. They were easily some of the most stunning headphones at the show. But along with their good looks came great sound too! The Auteur proved to be a well-balanced headphone, both highs and lows shining without feeling overpowered in any one area. All the while, providing faithful renderings across the various genres of music I tested with.

Focal Clear: Driven by an SPL Phonitor Amp. I found the Clear to be a mid-centric headphone with a decent soundstage depending on the track. The mids in Michael Jackson’s "Another Part of Me" felt recessed and the track lacked a big soundstage, although my Warren Zevon test track fared better in that regard.

Focal Utopia: Utopia indeed! I had a chance to listen to the blissful Utopia on 2 different setups: Focal’s booth which utilized a Auralic DAC and Manley amp, as well Questyle’s booth with the technically impressive CMA Twelve. Both setups delivered phenomenal sound that is damn near perfect to my tastes: clean, analytical, and DETAILED sound with an extra punch of bass for good measure. One of my favorite auditions by far at CanJam and on my dream list!

Abyss Diana Phi: The search for the Diana Phi was initially an elusive one, as there were rumored to be only a couple units floating around CanJam. When the headphone appeared at the Abyss booth, I made a quick beeline to check out what was probably one of the most talked about headphones at the show. While not my personal favorite audition, the Diana Phi performed strongly, with bright detail, large soundstage and a sound signature that seems to skew towards mids. It sounds fantastic for weighing next to nothing, and aesthetically was one of the sleekest looking headphones at the show.

Audeze Mobius: As a gamer, I was totally impressed by this headset from a gaming perspective - I can imagine how fun and immersive it would be to play an MMO or FPS with the 3D enhancement provided by the Mobius. However, to me, listening to music was a tad bit disappointing, and my tracks sounded cavernous and hollow, both with the 3D setting on and off. If I purchased this item, which is certainly tempting, I would be inclined to use it solely for gaming purposes, which makes it more of a limited product, in my opinion.

Sennheiser HD 800S: Late to the audio game, I had my first (and very memorable) encounter with the 800S a few months back at the Audio Video Boutique in Las Vegas, NV. At the time, it was far and away, the best thing I’d ever put to my ears. So after having listened to some of the other headphones at CanJam, I wanted to revisit the experience. Once again, I found the sound to be extremely clean and detailed, with a grand soundstage, although now lacking in bass comparatively speaking to some of the other headphones I auditioned at the show. I was limited to listening to the tracks available at the booth so was unable to have a longer audition using my own familiar test tracks.

Sennheiser HD 820: I was impressed by the interesting design of the 820 with it’s gorilla glass encased drivers, and was surprised by it’s warm sound and deceptively large soundstage that felt liberating considering I typically prefer the privacy of a closed can headphone. Having listened to both the 800S and 820, if I had to choose one headphone, I’d go with the 820 as it seems to have more bass, which I favor, than the 800S while still maintaining a large soundstage.

Meze Empyrean: As a newcomer to the audiophile world, I am still discovering manufacturers and product brands. So I want to preface this by saying I knew little to nothing about Meze, except that I had seen a photo beforehand of the Empyrean, and it looked aesthetically stylish to my eye. So I had no performance bias as I sat down to what would become 3 separate auditions of the forthcoming Empyrean. In a word, this headphone is MAGIC. It was the only product at the show that gave me that x-factor feeling - I had an emotional reaction with this one bordering on supernatural! The Empyrean skews very differently from my usual taste for analytical and clean sounding headphones. Make no mistake, it has a ton of detail, but also conveys a sense of warmth, intimacy of the music and this oneness with the sound that can only be explained by saying, you have to hear it for yourself! Everything I threw at it sounded beautiful, across all genres from Dave Brubeck to Michael Jackson to Sarah McLachlan. It’s also worth mentioning, the Meze booth setup including the Schiit Yggdrasil, Auris Nirvana and Empyrean was an absolutely drool-worthy combo. I may just sell an organ on the black market for this most amazing headphone - I am totally hooked.

IEMS

Alclair Electro: Billed as the first electrostatic hybrid IEM, the Electro’s were one of the first IEM’s I auditioned at CanJam, and made such a great impression they stayed on my mind during the entire show. In fact, if you spoke with me at the show, chances are I probably directed you to the Alclair booth for a listen! I auditioned the Electro with my trusty AK320 player, and the sound was sublime, powerful and detailed. Days later, I am still thinking about the Electro and am certainly craving a longer audition with this fantastic IEM.

InEar ProPhile 8: This was a last minute audition at the urging of fellow Head-fier @drgajet who insisted I simply must have a listen. So glad I did! The ProPhile 8 delivers with a large soundstage, detailed sound and as a bonus, adjustable bass and treble. Although I didn’t take the time to try the different settings, even on the base neutral setting, the IEM’s sounded pretty amazing.

InEar Stagedriver 5: Another fantastic IEM from InEar. Although not as beefy as the ProPhile 8, this IEM had many great characteristics including detailed sound and an airy soundstage but with tighter punching bass.

AMPS/DACS/PLAYERS

Sony DMP-Z1: I certainly hyped myself up for this particular item - a high-end all in one unit from Sony (what is this sorcery?). I didn’t get to spend too much time auditioning the unit, but I was a bit underwhelmed by its performance, especially given the price point, with my test tracks lacking separation, sounding a bit fuzzy as well as with weak mids. Bass sounded marginally better. To me, the aesthetics, not the output sound is the strongest feature of the DMP-Z1.

JDS Labs Element Amp/DAC: Not only did I appreciate the sleek good looks of the Element, I was also impressed by the powerful, detailed sound coming through as I tested some rather quirky music including Ween’s "Buckingham Green" and Jocelyn Pook’s "Dionysus", which I have found challenges some gear. The Element added a great boost of energy, detail and separation to my LCD-X headphones.

Chord Mojo/Poly: Being new to the hobby, I’m probably one of the last people to discover the Chord Mojo/Poly, but I am so glad I did! I am a sucker for portables, but add to this the fact that the Mojo/Poly sounds and performs tremendous and my admiration for this item just shot to the next level. The device packed a wallop of power, has a bunch of cool features and brought my Audeze LCD-X to life with warm and detailed reproduction. Nick Cave’s “I Need You” sounded gloriously gloomy, and The Clash’s “Straight to Hell” rendered with amazing separation and imaging. The Mojo/Poly (mo-jah-paly? ) has rocketed straight up to the top of my wishlist!

Chord Hugo 2: While at the Chord booth, I also auditioned the Hugo 2 with my LCD-X and was pretty stoked about what I heard. Lows and Mids feel pronounced with the base settings, but enabling the onboard crossfeed filters created a very noticeable enhancement to mids as well as imparting a warmth that made my various test tracks feel inviting and more detailed.

Schiit Lyr 3 Amp with built in DAC: I spent some time with my LCD-X and the same two test tracks (Nine Inch Nails’ “Gave Up” and Oingo Boingo’s “Dead Man’s Party”) throughout Schiit’s booth, discovering their lineup of gear for the first time, and was quite impressed by the Lyr 3. Both tracks kicked my ears with powerful bass, good detail and separation. As someone currently in the market for a mid-priced yet powerful desktop DAC/Amp, I found the Lyr 3 to be a strong contender.

Things I Missed (But Wish I Didn’t)

• Astell & Kern - Billie Jean IEM
• Questyle CMA Twelve - would like a longer audition
• Westone line of IEMS
• Fostex line
• Chord Hugo 2 TT and M Scaler
• Focal Elegia
• HiFiMAN line
• iFi line

I’d like to send kudos to the Head-FI and RMAF staff as well as exhibitors for putting on a fantastic show. It was certainly a memorable way to begin my CanJam experience! I had a great time helping the Head-Fi guys setup and it was cool hanging out with you all - Warren, Jude, Ethan, Joe and Brian!

I was impressed by how friendly and welcoming the community is, especially from my perspective as a newcomer, and during the show I had the pleasure of chatting with numerous Head-Fi members including @Stillhart @drgajet @musicman59 @Hansotek @fzman and even got to meet one of my childhood heroes - David Robinson, as well as industry members Owen Kwon of Astell and Kern, Amy and Tony of Schiit Audio, Jeff Fowler of Westone, John Marshall of The Audio Video Boutique, David Solomon of Qobuz, Mike Dias of Domo Audio, Steve and Heather Rochlin of Enjoy the Music, Bill Leebens of PS Audio, Tyler Folsom of Alclair, Bruce Ball of Questyle and the lovely people of JDS Labs and ZMF Headphones who were booth neighbors to Head-Fi.

What else can I say, CanJam - you were a blast, and I look forward to seeing y’all in NYC next February for more adventures in audiophilia!

 

[Zachik]

CanJam @ RMAF 2018 has come and gone and it was enlightening, fun and wallet RIP-inducing to be certain. I was stoked to join everyone at the event, which was my first official CanJam. Gear was tested, lots of music was played, great conversation (and knowledge exchange) abounded and it turned out to be a memorable experience for this audiophile neophyte. I’ve compiled my impressions below.

HEADPHONES

Ether 2: The Ether 2 has the distinction of being my first headphone audition on setup day. It was as dreamy as I had imagined, imparting great detail AND warmth to both the Shpongle track that Dan Clark selected for me as well as my Ry Cooder test track. Adding to the magic was the legendary Cavalli Liquid Glass Amp powering the Ether 2. I was impressed by the light weight of the headphone, and it was one of the most comfortable cans I auditioned at the show.

ZMF Auteur: Remember that meme from Pulp Fiction involving the super enigmatic briefcase? There was a similar sense of awe when the good folks at ZMF brought out their presentation case containing custom steampunk-inspired ornate brass inlay Auteur headphones. They were easily some of the most stunning headphones at the show. But along with their good looks came great sound too! The Auteur proved to be a well-balanced headphone, both highs and lows shining without feeling overpowered in any one area. All the while, providing faithful renderings across the various genres of music I tested with.

Focal Clear: Driven by an SPL Phonitor Amp. I found the Clear to be a mid-centric headphone with a decent soundstage depending on the track. The mids in Michael Jackson’s "Another Part of Me" felt recessed and the track lacked a big soundstage, although my Warren Zevon test track fared better in that regard.

Focal Utopia: Utopia indeed! I had a chance to listen to the blissful Utopia on 2 different setups: Focal’s booth which utilized a Auralic DAC and Manley amp, as well Questyle’s booth with the technically impressive CMA Twelve. Both setups delivered phenomenal sound that is damn near perfect to my tastes: clean, analytical, and DETAILED sound with an extra punch of bass for good measure. One of my favorite auditions by far at CanJam and on my dream list!

Abyss Diana Phi: The search for the Diana Phi was initially an elusive one, as there were rumored to be only a couple units floating around CanJam. When the headphone appeared at the Abyss booth, I made a quick beeline to check out what was probably one of the most talked about headphones at the show. While not my personal favorite audition, the Diana Phi performed strongly, with bright detail, large soundstage and a sound signature that seems to skew towards mids. It sounds fantastic for weighing next to nothing, and aesthetically was one of the sleekest looking headphones at the show.

Audeze Mobius: As a gamer, I was totally impressed by this headset from a gaming perspective - I can imagine how fun and immersive it would be to play an MMO or FPS with the 3D enhancement provided by the Mobius. However, to me, listening to music was a tad bit disappointing, and my tracks sounded cavernous and hollow, both with the 3D setting on and off. If I purchased this item, which is certainly tempting, I would be inclined to use it solely for gaming purposes, which makes it more of a limited product, in my opinion.

Sennheiser HD 800S: Late to the audio game, I had my first (and very memorable) encounter with the 800S a few months back at the Audio Video Boutique in Las Vegas, NV. At the time, it was far and away, the best thing I’d ever put to my ears. So after having listened to some of the other headphones at CanJam, I wanted to revisit the experience. Once again, I found the sound to be extremely clean and detailed, with a grand soundstage, although now lacking in bass comparatively speaking to some of the other headphones I auditioned at the show. I was limited to listening to the tracks available at the booth so was unable to have a longer audition using my own familiar test tracks.

Sennheiser HD 820: I was impressed by the interesting design of the 820 with it’s gorilla glass encased drivers, and was surprised by it’s warm sound and deceptively large soundstage that felt liberating considering I typically prefer the privacy of a closed can headphone. Having listened to both the 800S and 820, if I had to choose one headphone, I’d go with the 820 as it seems to have more bass, which I favor, than the 800S while still maintaining a large soundstage.

Meze Empyrean: As a newcomer to the audiophile world, I am still discovering manufacturers and product brands. So I want to preface this by saying I knew little to nothing about Meze, except that I had seen a photo beforehand of the Empyrean, and it looked aesthetically stylish to my eye. So I had no performance bias as I sat down to what would become 3 separate auditions of the forthcoming Empyrean. In a word, this headphone is MAGIC. It was the only product at the show that gave me that x-factor feeling - I had an emotional reaction with this one bordering on supernatural! The Empyrean skews very differently from my usual taste for analytical and clean sounding headphones. Make no mistake, it has a ton of detail, but also conveys a sense of warmth, intimacy of the music and this oneness with the sound that can only be explained by saying, you have to hear it for yourself! Everything I threw at it sounded beautiful, across all genres from Dave Brubeck to Michael Jackson to Sarah McLachlan. It’s also worth mentioning, the Meze booth setup including the Schiit Yggdrasil, Auris Nirvana and Empyrean was an absolutely drool-worthy combo. I may just sell an organ on the black market for this most amazing headphone - I am totally hooked.

IEMS

Alclair Electro: Billed as the first electrostatic hybrid IEM, the Electro’s were one of the first IEM’s I auditioned at CanJam, and made such a great impression they stayed on my mind during the entire show. In fact, if you spoke with me at the show, chances are I probably directed you to the Alclair booth for a listen! I auditioned the Electro with my trusty AK320 player, and the sound was sublime, powerful and detailed. Days later, I am still thinking about the Electro and am certainly craving a longer audition with this fantastic IEM.

InEar ProPhile 8: This was a last minute audition at the urging of fellow Head-fier @drgajet who insisted I simply must have a listen. So glad I did! The ProPhile 8 delivers with a large soundstage, detailed sound and as a bonus, adjustable bass and treble. Although I didn’t take the time to try the different settings, even on the base neutral setting, the IEM’s sounded pretty amazing.

InEar Stagedriver 5: Another fantastic IEM from InEar. Although not as beefy as the ProPhile 8, this IEM had many great characteristics including detailed sound and an airy soundstage but with tighter punching bass.

AMPS/DACS/PLAYERS

Sony DMP-Z1: I certainly hyped myself up for this particular item - a high-end all in one unit from Sony (what is this sorcery?). I didn’t get to spend too much time auditioning the unit, but I was a bit underwhelmed by its performance, especially given the price point, with my test tracks lacking separation, sounding a bit fuzzy as well as with weak mids. Bass sounded marginally better. To me, the aesthetics, not the output sound is the strongest feature of the DMP-Z1.

JDS Labs Element Amp/DAC: Not only did I appreciate the sleek good looks of the Element, I was also impressed by the powerful, detailed sound coming through as I tested some rather quirky music including Ween’s "Buckingham Green" and Jocelyn Pook’s "Dionysus", which I have found challenges some gear. The Element added a great boost of energy, detail and separation to my LCD-X headphones.

Chord Mojo/Poly: Being new to the hobby, I’m probably one of the last people to discover the Chord Mojo/Poly, but I am so glad I did! I am a sucker for portables, but add to this the fact that the Mojo/Poly sounds and performs tremendous and my admiration for this item just shot to the next level. The device packed a wallop of power, has a bunch of cool features and brought my Audeze LCD-X to life with warm and detailed reproduction. Nick Cave’s “I Need You” sounded gloriously gloomy, and The Clash’s “Straight to Hell” rendered with amazing separation and imaging. The Mojo/Poly (mo-jah-paly? ) has rocketed straight up to the top of my wishlist!

Chord Hugo 2: While at the Chord booth, I also auditioned the Hugo 2 with my LCD-X and was pretty stoked about what I heard. Lows and Mids feel pronounced with the base settings, but enabling the onboard crossfeed filters created a very noticeable enhancement to mids as well as imparting a warmth that made my various test tracks feel inviting and more detailed.

Schiit Lyr 3 Amp with built in DAC: I spent some time with my LCD-X and the same two test tracks (Nine Inch Nails’ “Gave Up” and Oingo Boingo’s “Dead Man’s Party”) throughout Schiit’s booth, discovering their lineup of gear for the first time, and was quite impressed by the Lyr 3. Both tracks kicked my ears with powerful bass, good detail and separation. As someone currently in the market for a mid-priced yet powerful desktop DAC/Amp, I found the Lyr 3 to be a strong contender.

Things I Missed (But Wish I Didn’t)

• Astell & Kern - Billie Jean IEM
• Questyle CMA Twelve - would like a longer audition
• Westone line of IEMS
• Fostex line
• Chord Hugo 2 TT and M Scaler
• Focal Elegia
• HiFiMAN line
• iFi line

I’d like to send kudos to the Head-FI and RMAF staff as well as exhibitors for putting on a fantastic show. It was certainly a memorable way to begin my CanJam experience! I had a great time helping the Head-Fi guys setup and it was cool hanging out with you all - Warren, Jude, Ethan, Joe and Brian!

I was impressed by how friendly and welcoming the community is, especially from my perspective as a newcomer, and during the show I had the pleasure of chatting with numerous Head-Fi members including @Stillhart @drgajet @musicman59 @Hansotek @fzman and even got to meet one of my childhood heroes - David Robinson, as well as industry members Owen Kwon of Astell and Kern, Amy and Tony of Schiit Audio, Jeff Fowler of Westone, John Marshall of The Audio Video Boutique, David Solomon of Qobuz, Mike Dias of Domo Audio, Steve and Heather Rochlin of Enjoy the Music, Bill Leebens of PS Audio, Tyler Folsom of Alclair, Bruce Ball of Questyle and the lovely people of JDS Labs and ZMF Headphones who were booth neighbors to Head-Fi.

What else can I say, CanJam - you were a blast, and I look forward to seeing y’all in NYC next February for more adventures in audiophilia!

Very nice write-up. CanJams are addictive. My first was RMAF 2016, and since I have been to 4 more (including RMAF 2018)
I totally agree the Head-Fi guys, Zach and Bevin from ZMF, and the JDS Labs guys are ALL amazing people!
For the $500 range - I highly recommend both the Lyr3 and the Gilmore Lite Mk2 (I own both).

Lastly, PM @joe and he would grant you an RMAF 2018 badge.