CanJam Shanghai 2019!!!
Hope I don't ramble too much! This year I could only come to one day, since I was working on Saturday. My head wasn't quite in it this year, I wasn't really prepared. Also, I have my end-game IEM, Headphone and (for the moment) DAP so there was less excitement for me and also I have not kept up with the hype-trains this year.
It took me an hour and a half to make it up the first aisle before reaching Hifiman and turning the corner!! Forget everything above, this was VERY exciting suddenly! Wish I had two days, I needed it this year. I'm not sure if there were more exhibitors, or more "big" names but I really could have done with an extra visit.
As it was, time was a little limited for me and so I flew around. There's a lot I didn't listen to because either a) I listened to their gear last year and it didn't do it for me or b) other things caught my eye and I ran out of time. So my sampling was based purely on what interested me and I apologise in advance for not being able to give any kind of comment on some gear which I know others would be interested in.
I won't mention any companies or gear that I tried that got swiftly placed back. There were a couple, not many.
My all-round awesome wife Paris took photos (except the ones of a beautiful woman listening to earphones).
Ok, let's do this!
InEar - the new flagship (forgive me, I can't remember the name and can't be bothered to find out)
Tough one this. Obviously they're very nice. Look absolutely stunning, amazing fit (especially for a universal) and they sound great, with a more pronounced bass presence than their Prophile 8s (which I own and adore). No doubt, these are top tier IEMs, but with that extra little bass (extension and bias) I am taken away from the more neutral signature that I prefer and something, for me, is lost amongst the gains - somewhere around upper-mid/high. It will be a very popular model but the PP8s still wears the crown as far as I'm concerned.
No pics here - criminal oversight on our part - they were gorgeous.
Shuoer - Tape and Unnamed New Model
With all the excitement online about Tape I had to have a listen and, well, I'm glad I did. What a lovely little earphone! Very good and clean representation across the frequencies - for me, maybe, a tough bright in the upper-mid or lower-treble. But at their price-point, they are really delivering. Soundstage was fine, neither expansive nor enclosed. Bass response was pretty decent. One of my wife's favourites of the day.
The as yet nameless new model should be launched before the end of the year and it's a bullet style earphone, similar in form to the Final Audio range. These are going to retail for 500RMB (less than $100). These blew me away considering the size and price. Dual drive, I think a dynamic and a BA but a little unsure. Lovely lovely sound from these, everything in its place. Again, I felt they were a little hot up top, to which the Shuoer staff replied that there's a changeable filter at the nozzle so you can tailor them to your liking. I loved these. Bear in mind that I listen to the PP8s every day, which tells you about my signature preferences and my frame of reference (haha) for sound quality. Also, it is not in my best interests to be so pleased with an IEM that is a fraction of the price I paid. Watch out for these, they are just fantastic. Had a little issue with the tips and I would definitely recommend tip-rolling to find the best possible seal. When you find it though, they are a treat.
HEDD - Heddphone
New product from a German company which has thus far been working with speakers. Estimate retail price of $2000, still in development but not far from production.
Again - I like a neutral signature but not anemic. These, for me, were just perfect. I don't know what else to tell you. Beautiful definition to the sound, neither too much or too little anywhere. Realistic soundstage. One of those moments when I realise I'm listening to a perfect reproduction of the audio.
HUGE. Biggest I've ever had my hands on. A bit heavy (they're aiming to shave 100g off) but worth it for the results.
If you get a chance to hear them, do it. Stunning.
Oh! Also, uses a technology called air motion transfer. Not planars, not dynamics, something more like a squeezebox. Very interesting - apparently the tech is relatively old but had been abandoned, so they had another look at it to see if they could get a good result. That was a very worthwhile quest!
Manley - absolute headphone amplifier
Absolutely beautiful tube amp with a widerange of settings (bass, treble, feedback, push-pull or single ended) which produces a wonderful tone. It sounds exactly as good as it looks, as you would hope considering the price. But, if you're absolutely flush and want everyone to know that music is the most important thing to you, this is definitely a conversation starter! Awesome, as in invoking a sense of awe.
Yongse
No pics, but quick shout out to this company. Tried their 12 (I think) driver IEM which retails at 9000RMB and honestly, I really liked it a lot. Wouldn't pull me from my current set, but flashback to a year ago and my decision would have been made much more difficult with these. Also bought a lovely silver plated copper balanced cable for my PP8s (which I am listening to at this moment and loving EVEN more than before, if that's possible) for a reasonable amount considering how much they CAN go for! Nice guy, nice gear - worth checking out if you get a chance.
EarSonics - Blade
I'm running short of adjectives. These were solid metal, matte black, diminutive but weighty. Lovely balanced sound from 10BA drivers. 12000RMB. If you're looking for top quality, buy-them-and-you're-done IEMs, these are well worth a listen. Liked them a lot.
Fiio - M11 Pro
Incremental update and there's definitely a noticeable improvement over the already excellent M11. It's a small improvement though, and you lose an SD card slot. If you're looking for a DAP around this price (4000RMB I think) and can go on one card, this is fantastic. If you already have the M11 - it's probably not worth the upgrade unless you are really fastidious and yearn for a
slightly more precise sound. Upcoming M15 will be the flagship at around 8000RMB. Will be interested to see what it's like (no sign of it here). Really do admire Fiio though, something for everyone's budget and just great quality - if I mention other DAPs below, you'll see the trend that Fiio does it just as well, for considerably less.
Hiby - R8
This is a BIG HEAVY DAP. Anyone complaining about the M11 being non-portable, look away now. Very fast responsive UI and wonderful sound (single ended and balanced). Retailing around 10000RMB. Did I pick up a difference between this and the M11? Very slight.
Very slight. Nice bit of gear though, and probably running a Play Store capable version of Android, so there's that to consider. Oh! Also, you can put a SIM card in it and thus stream directly on a 4G network. Is that something you want to do? Then this is a possibility!!
Meze - 99 Classic
"You didn't listen to the Empyrean?" No, I didn't. I think I heard it last year. I have never heard the 99s and I wanted to know what they sounded like. Plugged into single ended - oh, very nice. Kind of on the Nighthawk tip but not as warm and a bit more clarity. Nice. Do you have a balanced cable? Oh you do? Thanks! Plugged into balanced (more power as well as balanced) and WOW they came alive. What absolutely gorgeous headphones these are when driven well. Soundstage which does not seem to equate with closed cans, plenty of crisp detail, lovely bass response. Instant hit and added to the list for the future. Not for nothing they're called Classic. VERY glad I got to hear them.
TP - Aurora
These completely defied (and exceeded) expectations. Single balanced armature driver. What? These are batting with the big boys, no doubt. Really
really liked these, one of the top results (taking price into consideration) of the day. Enough of everything, not too much anywhere. Reasonable soundstage. Currently 2200RMB (can be had for less in 11.11 sale) and well worth it. I was seriously impressed. Absolutely worth checking out if this kind of budget is where you're aiming (although this then brings in the Fiio IEMs, and I don't know if the Aurora would beat them. Would be very close though).
And that was about it. Wanted to hear the Dan Clarke Audio headphones but they had moved from their room to the main hall when I went to hear them and I was already done for the day. Heard Cambridge Audio's lovely little speakers (need to find the name of them, please let me know if you happen to know) which amazed me with the size and quality of reproduction considering how small they are. Might be a binaural video of these on the way.... Audiofly was too busy when I went there - though a friend went in and listened and was very impressed. They had live musicians playing and then being routed into their earphones. He's a musician himself and said the sound was fantastic. I would have liked to have experienced this. Oh! Got to shake Jude's hand and thank him, that was nice. Thought about asking for a photo with him but then remembered that I'm 49 and shouldn't do this sort of thing.
Loads of gear that I didn't try - this was a hell of a turnout in terms of exhibitors and, again, an incredible opportunity for anyone with even a passing interest in what they're listening on. Very well organised, plenty of space, good amount of people without being too too busy (hope it was busy enough for Head-Fi!!). Fantastic event, very well done to all involved. Really wish I'd had that extra day this year - hopefully next year will be better for me. As it was, I saw and heard plenty to get excited about and walked away with the right balanced cable for my IEMs and two or three headphones/IEMs to add to the list for fun purchases or presents.
Thank you to everyone who made this happen. It's an absolute gift!!!
edit - Speakers were not Cambridge Audio, they were Amphion - the Argon 1.