The Sony Z1R are going to be delayed to December from what I have gathered. They are having production yield issues with the housing. I sincerely hope that is not the case, I have pre-ordered one since August and I was really hoping they will be shipping in November.
I tried almost all headphones, and most of them were what you would expect from them. I'll put my most significant impresions:
I was a little disappointed by the Sony player, I expected something magical. It was paired with the Sony flagship headphones that I don't like and the music in them wasn't something I knew. So at the end they sounded good, but I had higher expectations. They should have connected one of them to a tablet with Tidal or Qobuz.
Most of the booths had a tablet or computer with some kind of streaming service (Tidal in most cases). And that is great, what I still don't understand is why some of them don't do that. For example Schiit booth had interesting pieces of hardware to try, but their library of music is constrained and didn't have anything I knew. I hope next time that improves.
The ribbon headphones sound really good (https://raalrequisite.com). You need a speaker amp, and the magic box that increases the impedance but the results are amazing. Those are the ones I liked most in the entire show.
The Ether CX are something I wouldn't buy, better to save some more money and get the Ether C Flow that sound much better.
The Ether 2 are astonishingly light, as for the sound I guess the environment wasn't the best so I didn't find them remarkable.
The Focal Elegia sound like a closed focal, I don't like Focal headphones, but it sounded like other Focal headphones which I guess is something good.
Spirit Torino headphones were a big deception. I was expecting an improved Grado (because they are using the same form factor). I guess nothing sounds like a Grado. Sound wise they had more bass and the sound felt heavy.
ZMF new headphones were interesting, most ZMF headphones sound good to me. I didn't like the one with beryllium drivers (which is the expensive one). I really liked the open Atticus, it was fast with a lot of impact I've only heard that kind of impact in electrostatics.
Mackie MC-250 headphones sound good, are comfortable and not expensive. Great value there.
Cleer Next have a very interesting sound, it feels like a ton of dynamic range, they have some isolation, and a lot of detail. I really liked them. Thinking seriously in buying a pair.
Qobuz was giving free early trials and I feel it sounds better than Tidal (and it's explicit about what version are you listening/downloading). It also has a really cool feature, if you stream a song it get's stored in cache (in the memory of your device), so if you listen to it again you don't need to download it again because it's already in the device.
The thing that I loved the most and was really affordable was the Buffalo Chicken Wraps of the food trucks.
That's what I remember as remarkable. If you have questions regarding my impressions you can ask, but I don't promise an extensive audiophile analysis of nuances, I can describe things in very broad terms. Hopefully someone finds this post helpful.
Thank you for your impressions. . . helpful and interesting. Although you don't like Focal headphones are you able to compare the Focal Elegia to the open Focals that you have listened to?
Did anyone else stop here... I drank my coffee across the isle from this small booth and finally went over and took a listen. This think packs a lot lot of features, including MQA hardware/software decoding, the only other unit that I know of that does that is Mytek. The little display was very well laid out and there was a lot of info on it about the source and file played. It has all the inputs and outputs you could want on something that small. All for $399.00.
It had power to power my MrSpeaker Ether C just past uncomfortable. They did not have any at the show but they are available at national retailers.
Looks quite rough, is it an unfinished prototype?
The sound of that thing has to be next level good, RAAL tweeters (I've heard two speakers using the 140-15D Amorphous Core version) have IMO the BEST treble performance you'll find anywhere, very full bodied but ultra fast, kinda like mixing a soft dome with the finest electrostat but more resolving. The problem is that you're tied to a 4th order crossover and that no cone driver can properly match that thing...a full range RAAL sound, without anything else of subpar quality to mock up it's performance like woofers or crossover parts, in headphone form, if they do it properly (which they'll surely do), must be HEAVEN.
I heard them twice at the show and they are not something you want to be seen in public. They have amazing soundstage and surprising great space . They are very open to the environment but $3500 with the connection box that you hook up to 50 -100 watt stereo amplifier. They are supposing added leather pads to the foam pads that touch your head. The cool part is that you can pull the ribbon and replace them at anytime and they only cost $50 a side.
I heard them twice at the show and they are not something you want to be seen in public. They have amazing soundstage and surprising great space . They are very open to the environment but $3500 with the connection box that you hook up to 50 -100 watt stereo amplifier. They are supposing added leather pads to the foam pads that touch your head. The cool part is that you can pull the ribbon and replace them at anytime and they only cost $50 a side.
Have anybody checked AAW booth? They should have planar-magnetic hybrid iem "Nightingale".
And Dita Audio with theirs latest prototype iem made of ebony wood and brass.
Limited edition AndromedaS. In the beginning of the show I got to hear their line up and I have to say I was extremely impressed with the AndromedaS. So much so I kept on asking about them. They look stunning in person. These are easily 3rd runner up in the entire show. These and the In ear stage prophile8. I kept listening to them and that was when I realized I needed these in my life. I was gonna wait for the MD Zeus drop.. Nope. Not after hearing these.
To my ears the 5BA tuning on these are so masterful and the new mids driver they incorporate has a slightly more mid forward from the previous green Andromedas. Did a head to head and I think either one was good but these S version to my ears was special. These will go toe to toe with anything I heard all day and in many ways does things better. Like stage. Has just a good a mids as the Zeus but with better bass and treble shimmer. Imaging is impeccable. The sound quality was off the chain. If the looks is any indication these are the real deal and in limited supplies. I believe on 2K in existence. It was a close toss up between the Green which they had on hand as well vs these. The mid range won me over while retaining much of what makes the Andromeda special. No comfort issues. Wide specious. I couldn't get the sound out of my head while listening to the other earphones. I had to have it.
Wow, great impressions! I think I am in the same boat as you... Was set on getting the Andromeda's, then heard about the S version and almost pulled the trigger on that, then found out about the Zeus drop on MD and now leaning towards them instead! After reading this though, I'm wondering if I should just stick with the Andromeda S. I am wondering if you had any additional insight comparing these two iems? Which would you say is more mid-forward and has the better overall mids for rock music? Also, would you care to comment on the fit? I am concerned about the large size of the MD Zeus housings. Thanks so much!
I would most definitely get the Andromeda S. Was listening to them this morning. Astounding sound quality for the price. It has a better bass and treble end vs the Zeus to my ears and the mids while the Zeus had the mids going on Andromeda S does not fall off on the mids. Was listening to my music on the way to work this morning. Vocals sounds amazing on the Andromeda S. I know people are worried about fitment on the Andromeda but I have average sized ears and they fit very comfortable for me. I have zero issues with fit. The newer Zeus will be a larger housing. Both are compelling at the price but I am gonna be honest and say I was more impressed with the overall even balanced detailed tuning of the Andromeda S vs the Zeus I heard at can Jam. It has a more versatile sound vs the Zeus.
I liked the Zeus. But no way was I gonna wait 5 months for them to reach me once I gave them $1000. What made the decision. Wait till you see an Andromeda S in your hands. Besides the looks. They sound stunning. Absolute best value at the show. One of the best balanced higher end earphones I have ever heard and these stood toe to toe with earphones 2 to 3 times as much. I still preferred the Andromeda S. I liked it better than any of the higher end CTM earphones or the Audio 64s U12. Both earphones in the 2,000 range. There is not a part of their sound that is lacking or even remotely average on any part of the sound. It is the complete deal. Good bass that don't drop off in the subs. These rumble like dynamics. Crazy in the bass, Mids have dimensions to it with the right amount of fullness. Treble has nice shimmer extended clean distinction no brittleness or glare. Nice wide and deep stage for an iem. Great 3D depth and imaging is pin point.
If your gonna get an Andromeda S. I Wouldnt wait too long. Ken Ball told me they are running out of them. People are snapping them up left and right. I am certain I am not the only person that grabbed a pair from the show.
Anybody else that auditioned JH Laylas had issue with fitting them in the ear? Supposedly a new shell design. I noticed there is a protrusion on the shell facing the ear that pressed against my ear and was uncomfortable. Don't know if it was just me. Loved the sound from it. I thought it was 2nd best at the show after the IER-Z1R but that fit.
Wow, it looks like the Sony IER-Z1R might become as legendary as the MDR-R10.
Keep sharing those impressions, especially the longer-lasting impressions, folks! CanJam@RMAF will be moving to Aurora, CO and it looks to be more interesting and intriguing in a tourist-like manner, but the nearby restaurants and MicroCenter conveniences will be gone, along with all of the other amenities offered within the Denver Marriot Tech Center.
Hmmm...Gaylord of the Rockies...odd name, but my bro still lives around it.
I am seeing more and more vendors have discounts for their phones at the shows. ( Another great reason to attend one of them) Ken was gracious enough to have a few of his Andromeda Ss on hand. Had to take one of em. Just had to.They are a deal even at $1100 on their web site but at the show he gave everyone a $100 discount on the Green version or the S version. I didn't mess around. Gave him my credit card.
This is the man himself. Ken Ball, not every day you get to give your card to the guy that made the thing. lol. He is holding the very Andromeda S he sold me. Nice guy. Loved my AKA on headfi.
Jerry Harvey had what they called an employee discount on their stuff at the show. All their earphones at the show if bought was discounted. $2700 Laylas for example was sold for $2300. Good discount from buying MSRP but we are talking a bigger chunk of cash,
Plus truth be told if Sony had their IER-Z1R at the show for sale. My $2300 would have gone to them. Lol.
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