That's more great audio shops than you'll find in the US, Canada and most of Europe combined.
CanJam Singapore 2023 Impressions Thread (March 25-26, 2023)
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That's more great audio shops than you'll find in the US, Canada and most of Europe combined.
How does Raven compare to EVO?
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By sheer number of audio store, yes. But by total amount of square footage, no. In other words, the audio stores are plentiful here in Singapore but they are quite small.
Portable audio is such a niche market outside Asia that I bet most portable stores (or portable sections in larger stores) are quite small. Headphone Bar here in BC, for example, is a small hole-in-the-wall shop.
Looking forward to all the SG impressions rolling in. On a related note I just booked my flight to SoCal
congratulations to headfi, ground crew and all the vendors that came together to make this happen! in many ways, this year's edition was an improvement over the last. the floor layout was better, and I was pleasantly surprised to see gear that I was really not expecting to be there. not having to wear a mask this time round was rather delightful too.
got to canjam Sg 2023 sometime mid afternoon and there was a decent crowd all the way to near closing. wait times to listen to gear was decent. usually just one or two people ahead of me. if I didn't get to listen to something, it was mostly because I didn't bother to wait long enough for it..
Zeppelin had a couple of nice sets of limited (?) atrium closed near the main entrance. really nice looking cups, I must say!
I did manage to demo the atrium closed. the ones I tried had a matte sheen/finish to the cups which I preferred over the units they had near the main entrance. the headphone is surprisingly light! much lighter than the Caldera Kingwood, and is extremely comfortable on the head. I can imagine it would be much nicer wearing this for long listening sessions over the heavier wood models. the unit I tried was hooked up to the cayin big boy and source was a dcs lina + clock.
first impressions were "these are closed??!". they really sound very open for closed headphones. I don't know how they did it, but they're much more open sounding than any other closed headphones I've tried. sound wise, these seem very nimble and quick sounding, similar to the open atrium. very pleasant inoffensive highs. staging is excellent for a closed, both in width and depth. I'd have to ask for a bit more bass and punch, but according to Jeremy at Zepp, they actually nerfed/dialled back the bass on the hps I tried by using the suede pads instead of the stock. unfortunately I didn't manage to try these with the stock pads. if I was in the market for another closed, these would definitely be way up high on the list; I can't think of any other closed that sounds as good as this.
I was surprised to see a whole msb stack at the show. first time I've seen one in person and first time I've had a listen to it. it was hooked up to the final audio D8k Pro LE.
choosing songs was a bit of a pain as I wasn't allowed to hold the tablet (for some reason) and I had to make verbal requests for the guy manning the table to search for songs/albums on the tablet. anyhow small. matter.
The D8k Pro LE is built very well. Nice solid feel. it does feel a bit heavy on my head and I could feel it weighing me down. pads are very comfortable though. Sound wise, super fluid top end that is just so sweet. Mid range is strong and clear. that low end though.. fantastic bass; it's got the punch, the texture and detail. just the right amount of reverb. very lifelike sound.
i don't know if it's the headphone or the msb stack but I really enjoyed this combination. the price tag was a killer though. perhaps in another life. I did manage to ask the guy what the difference was between the LE and non LE and he said there was no difference other than the colour... so go figure..?
managed to try the DCA Corina. it was hooked up to an LTA Z10e. perhaps the DCA house sound is not to my preference. it seemed very neutral sounding to me. I didn't get to enjoy the music much. felt it needed some bass boost and probably some more mid bass too. top end is very detailed and clear, so it has that going for it. either that or its the amp (I remember I was not fond of the Audeze CRBN + Z10e pairing during the last canjam).
Mass Kobo had a couple of amps, with a Susvara hooked up. I think that was the only Susvara I saw in the whole floor. I didn't manage to have a listen because that table was always occupied. must have been good. Sajid told me that pairing was fantastic.
CRBN paired with the older woo electrostatic amp. Woo didn't make much of an appearance this show, which was a bit sad for me as I was hoping to see the Luna 23 and 3ES and perhaps the newer smaller stat amp they have. oh well, maybe next year then.
was not excepting Spirit Torino, but they showed up with gusto. brought their whole lineup as well as their massive amp which reminds me of a souped up Xbox. I only tried the Valkyria. quite an alluring sound, very safely tuned, I feel. top end is smooth and lush, possibly blunted slightly. low end was a bit rounded for my liking; I would have liked a bit more tightness and detail. voices do sound very real on these headphones, almost like the singer is right next to you. very ethereal sounding sometimes. I think showroom conditions didn't do it justice. nonetheless, I don't think I would pay the asking price for this.. and the aesthetics are quite an acquired taste.
emmlabs had some nice dacs on show. I didn't try the MA3 because I know it's an amazing dac (lol), and didn't try the big brother because it was hooked up to some crosszone headphone which I knew nothing of and had no interest in. same guys bring in Keces and that stack looks like it packs a punch!
Some random photos. Focal always has a good showing. saw lots of folks enjoying their offerings, connected to dcs lina stacks. Abyss connected to formula stack; is it just me or is this combo getting old/overplayed? Feliks Euforia Evo amp looks fantastic. I would not mind having it on my bedside table.
Only managed to try one iem. Nightjar Singularity; bass was overwhelming for me. am going to aim for the Aur Neon Pros instead. waited ages for Warwick aperio but constant line of people and then disaster as their server crashed and couldn't play music for quite a while. then when it was finally my turn, some guy cut in front of me and sat down. oh well.. Also would have loved to try more iems but those booths were super popular and most of the people who sat down, tried more than one iem and took a fair bit of time.
all in all a great show once again by headfi and the local vendors. very pleased to see stuff I wasn't expecting. wish there was more headphones gear like Zähl hm1, woo audio gear, holo bliss, eksonic gear, etc etc but one can hope and perhaps next year will be a dream come true!
ended the day with a nice seafood dinner and beer at Long Beach, Dempsey with @HiFiHawaii808, @Sajid Amit, @innocentblood, @nepherte, and @Mattyjm ! was truly a pleasure hanging out and meeting you guys!
Sajid must have eaten like 10 of these fried buns... Lol I had to order a second plate for him.
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samuraix920
Head-Fier
Nice, i have been dying to try them out since so many ppl rave about them.... though to be honest i am already in a happy place with my Odins and my Utopia
Not sure if it's relevant but sharing some coverage here by Ian..
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Unreleased tri-brid by Hyla. Very impressive. It uses PWaudio 1960s 2w Hyla tuned as the stock cable. Specs I won't share since it is not final.
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If possible can any one provide more details about Empire Ears' Raven in comparison to the Legend Evo?
CanJam Singapore Day 1 was brilliant.
What follows are highlights of products I spent time with, starting with the Empire Ears Raven.
I have been looking forward to this one having owned and loved the Legend EVO and with the Odin being one of my favorite IEMs in the analytical/bright-of-neutral category. And it didn’t disappoint! As @Jack Vang himself points out, the Raven is more of an all-rounder. Less forward mids, airy treble, and that great EE bass as usual. This is certainly more of a genre-neutral IEM and will cater to a large group of audiophiles.
Next I tried the Cayin N7 digital audio player. I have tried their flagship N8ii and owned their N6ii. The N7 marks a departure because it has a more “romantic” sound than either and softer transients which worked really well with my Odin. The N8ii sounds airier and possibly a smidgen more detailed but the N7 sounds richer and more midrange-focused. I liked it a lot. And I think the back cover looks really cool.
Moving on…
I finally tried the Helios and I agree with @Precogvision and @GoldenOne that they are pretty great for the price. In fact, I liked their entire lineup. The guys behind the Symphonium brand are also really cool and it was a lot of fun bantering with them.
Next I tried some tube amps from Cayin and Feliks.
I need more time with the Euforia EVO but having owned the Euforia AE for a while, I may be biased towards the Feliks house sound. They have a certain timbral enhancement they offer to most headphones, which I appreciate very much.
Right next to the Feliks booth was seated Masuda-san of Mass Kobo. It was nice to meet him and learn about his amps. Mass Kobo is a respected manufacturer of high-end audio amplifiers that may be less well-known outside of Asia.
His amp 465-000 may be one of the best solid state amplifiers out there. It is insanely expensive at SGD 22,500 or USD 17,000. But oh man, it drove Susvara so well and made it such an astonishingly “real” experience. The Sus sounded even more majestic. The 465 made it flow like a river, picking up nuances only the Sus can, and offering impeccable stage depth. I also loved the retro vibes of this amp.
Mass Kobo has a transportable amp for IEMs called the 475 and it made my Odin sound sound better than it ever has, off my Sony WM1ZM2, with increased grunt in the bass and more top-end extension and resolution, whilst maintaining the Sony’s warmth.
I then moved on to the Diana Phi which wasn’t my cup of tea. I only ever liked the 1266 and I loved it while I owned it and never had the same sort of affinity for any of the Diana headphones. They all do bass well but the treble sounds unnatural and midrange is a bit dry to my ears.
Between all the auditions, I sat down with Rob Watts and conducted an interview with the venerable engineer on upcoming Chord products. Was excited to hear about the Ultima DAC that would be an upgrade to the Dave and the Dave Scaler! Will drop the interview on my channel Amplify later on.
I loved the Hugo 2 with a variety of IEMs and was quite impressed with the new LetShouer Cadenza. Priced at $2000, it does not disappoint for technical performance whilst retaining a warm of neutral tonality that will please many. It has stiff competition though at its price point.
Next I spent a good deal of time with my friends at FatFreq. I liked all their IEMs to varying degrees, from the Mini to the Grand Maestro. The Mini is a steal at its price point of sub-$500. The Maestro SE impresses for bass whilst presenting a softer transient response. The Grand Maestro is clearly the flagship in terms of technical proficiency while presenting an enticing midrange performance and a toned-down bass.
The Elysian Annihilator 2023 is as wonderful as the 2021 which I used to own. The treble is smoother which brings out the bass a tad and the shells look more shiny but premium. Have an interview with Lee Quan which will come out later.
I also really liked the Fir Audio Radon 6 for its lower levels of midbass spread and enhanced treble clarity. Somehow, it also made me appreciate the Xenon 6 more, which sounded bloaty and muddy to me the first time I had heard it earlier this year. Interesting IEMs, both, in that they offer something different from the usual run-of-the-mill Harman-tuned fare.
To me, the Radon 6 also looks good and it is much smaller than the Xenon 6.
The Sennheiser HD660S 2 wasn’t my jam. It wasn’t anything interesting in so far as its tuning goes and doesn’t offer much of a technical performance upgrade to the HD650, if any.
The Spirit Torino Valkyria is an interesting headphone with nice tonal density, very impactful bass and a nice midrange timbre.
Pianos sounded marvelous on it and it certainly has an impressive amp that the Spirit Torino guys (really friendly and good to talk to) drive them with at their booth.
But both the headphone and the amp are priced at $12,000 each and I personally wouldn’t pay such monies for what they offer. I really enjoyed chatting with Andrea though.
The Final D8000 SE, on the other hand, really impressed despite its price and I would argue that it could rival a TC or a Susvara for overall tonal + technical performance. While both the Susvara and the TC likely surpass it for things like resolution, the D8000SE has a solid tonality and perhaps a better all-rounder than most flagship headphones with some impeccable bass, natural midrange, and superb treble clarity and extension without being sharp or fatiguing.
Have to disclaim though it was being driven by the MSB Premier DAC and matching amp.
Last but not the least, I really liked the single dynamic driver Dita Perpetua and the Mjolnir from Lotoo. The Perpetua has some of the natural single DD timbre I tend to like and I am considering bringing it in for a full YouTube review.
Overall, a solid day at Canjam Singapore.
Loved chatting with @crinacle and @jude. Amazing vibes all around.
The day ended with a feast with HeadFi friends (good friends) comprising of Singapore Chilli crab and other wonderful delicacies. Thanks @Roasty for the treat.
Good people, good music and good food.
I need to do this more often!
What follows are highlights of products I spent time with, starting with the Empire Ears Raven.
I have been looking forward to this one having owned and loved the Legend EVO and with the Odin being one of my favorite IEMs in the analytical/bright-of-neutral category. And it didn’t disappoint! As @Jack Vang himself points out, the Raven is more of an all-rounder. Less forward mids, airy treble, and that great EE bass as usual. This is certainly more of a genre-neutral IEM and will cater to a large group of audiophiles.
Next I tried the Cayin N7 digital audio player. I have tried their flagship N8ii and owned their N6ii. The N7 marks a departure because it has a more “romantic” sound than either and softer transients which worked really well with my Odin. The N8ii sounds airier and possibly a smidgen more detailed but the N7 sounds richer and more midrange-focused. I liked it a lot. And I think the back cover looks really cool.
Moving on…
I finally tried the Helios and I agree with @Precogvision and @GoldenOne that they are pretty great for the price. In fact, I liked their entire lineup. The guys behind the Symphonium brand are also really cool and it was a lot of fun bantering with them.
Next I tried some tube amps from Cayin and Feliks.
I need more time with the Euforia EVO but having owned the Euforia AE for a while, I may be biased towards the Feliks house sound. They have a certain timbral enhancement they offer to most headphones, which I appreciate very much.
Right next to the Feliks booth was seated Masuda-san of Mass Kobo. It was nice to meet him and learn about his amps. Mass Kobo is a respected manufacturer of high-end audio amplifiers that may be less well-known outside of Asia.
His amp 465-000 may be one of the best solid state amplifiers out there. It is insanely expensive at SGD 22,500 or USD 17,000. But oh man, it drove Susvara so well and made it such an astonishingly “real” experience. The Sus sounded even more majestic. The 465 made it flow like a river, picking up nuances only the Sus can, and offering impeccable stage depth. I also loved the retro vibes of this amp.
Mass Kobo has a transportable amp for IEMs called the 475 and it made my Odin sound sound better than it ever has, off my Sony WM1ZM2, with increased grunt in the bass and more top-end extension and resolution, whilst maintaining the Sony’s warmth.
I then moved on to the Diana Phi which wasn’t my cup of tea. I only ever liked the 1266 and I loved it while I owned it and never had the same sort of affinity for any of the Diana headphones. They all do bass well but the treble sounds unnatural and midrange is a bit dry to my ears.
Between all the auditions, I sat down with Rob Watts and conducted an interview with the venerable engineer on upcoming Chord products. Was excited to hear about the Ultima DAC that would be an upgrade to the Dave and the Dave Scaler! Will drop the interview on my channel Amplify later on.
I loved the Hugo 2 with a variety of IEMs and was quite impressed with the new LetShouer Cadenza. Priced at $2000, it does not disappoint for technical performance whilst retaining a warm of neutral tonality that will please many. It has stiff competition though at its price point.
Next I spent a good deal of time with my friends at FatFreq. I liked all their IEMs to varying degrees, from the Mini to the Grand Maestro. The Mini is a steal at its price point of sub-$500. The Maestro SE impresses for bass whilst presenting a softer transient response. The Grand Maestro is clearly the flagship in terms of technical proficiency while presenting an enticing midrange performance and a toned-down bass.
The Elysian Annihilator 2023 is as wonderful as the 2021 which I used to own. The treble is smoother which brings out the bass a tad and the shells look more shiny but premium. Have an interview with Lee Quan which will come out later.
I also really liked the Fir Audio Radon 6 for its lower levels of midbass spread and enhanced treble clarity. Somehow, it also made me appreciate the Xenon 6 more, which sounded bloaty and muddy to me the first time I had heard it earlier this year. Interesting IEMs, both, in that they offer something different from the usual run-of-the-mill Harman-tuned fare.
To me, the Radon 6 also looks good and it is much smaller than the Xenon 6.
The Sennheiser HD660S 2 wasn’t my jam. It wasn’t anything interesting in so far as its tuning goes and doesn’t offer much of a technical performance upgrade to the HD650, if any.
The Spirit Torino Valkyria is an interesting headphone with nice tonal density, very impactful bass and a nice midrange timbre.
Pianos sounded marvelous on it and it certainly has an impressive amp that the Spirit Torino guys (really friendly and good to talk to) drive them with at their booth.
But both the headphone and the amp are priced at $12,000 each and I personally wouldn’t pay such monies for what they offer. I really enjoyed chatting with Andrea though.
The Final D8000 SE, on the other hand, really impressed despite its price and I would argue that it could rival a TC or a Susvara for overall tonal + technical performance. While both the Susvara and the TC likely surpass it for things like resolution, the D8000SE has a solid tonality and perhaps a better all-rounder than most flagship headphones with some impeccable bass, natural midrange, and superb treble clarity and extension without being sharp or fatiguing.
Have to disclaim though it was being driven by the MSB Premier DAC and matching amp.
Last but not the least, I really liked the single dynamic driver Dita Perpetua and the Mjolnir from Lotoo. The Perpetua has some of the natural single DD timbre I tend to like and I am considering bringing it in for a full YouTube review.
Overall, a solid day at Canjam Singapore.
Loved chatting with @crinacle and @jude. Amazing vibes all around.
The day ended with a feast with HeadFi friends (good friends) comprising of Singapore Chilli crab and other wonderful delicacies. Thanks @Roasty for the treat.
Good people, good music and good food.
I need to do this more often!
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Thank you for the brief summary on the Empire Ears Raven @Sajid Amit ! Greatly appreciated! I'm really wondering how it compares to the Evo. I intend to purchase a pair of Empire Ears IEMs, and chill out on purchases for a while.CanJam Singapore Day 1 was brilliant.
What follows are highlights of products I spent time with, starting with the Empire Ears Raven.
I have been looking forward to this one having owned and loved the Legend EVO and with the Odin being one of my favorite IEMs in the analytical/bright-of-neutral category. And it didn’t disappoint! As @Jack Vang himself points out, the Raven is more of an all-rounder. Less forward mids, airy treble, and that great EE bass as usual. This is certainly more of a genre-neutral IEM and will cater to a large group of audiophiles.
Next I tried the Cayin N7 digital audio player. I have tried their flagship N8ii and owned their N6ii. The N7 marks a departure because it has a more “romantic” sound than either and softer transients which worked really well with my Odin. The N8ii sounds airier and possibly a smidgen more detailed but the N7 sounds richer and more midrange-focused. I liked it a lot. And I think the back cover looks really cool.
Moving on…
I finally tried the Helios and I agree with @Precogvision and @GoldenOne that they are pretty great for the price. In fact, I liked their entire lineup. The guys behind the Symphonium brand are also really cool and it was a lot of fun bantering with them.
Next I tried some tube amps which I have also tried before from Cayin and Feliks.
I need more time with the Euforia EVO but having owned the Euforia AE for a while, I may be biased towards the Feliks house sound. They have a certain timbral enhancement they offer to most headphones that I like very much.
Next I had the pleasure of interacting with Masuda-san of Mass Kobo. Mass Kobo is a respected manufacturer of high-end audio amplifiers that may be less well-known outside of Asia.
It was a pleasure speaking to him. His amp 465-000 may be one of the best solid state amplifiers out there. It is insanely expensive at SGD 22,500 or USD 17,000. But oh man, it drove Susvara so well and made it such an astonishingly “real” experience. The Sus sounded even more majestic. The 465 made it flow like a river, picking up nuances only the Sus can, and offering impeccable stage depth. I also loved the retro vibes of this amp.
Mass Kobo has a transportable amp for IEMs called the 475 and it made my Odin sound sound better than it ever has, off my Sony WM1ZM2, with increased grunt in the bass and more top-end extension and resolution, whilst maintaining the Sony’s warmth.
I then moved on to the Diana TC which wasn’t my cup of tea. I only ever liked the 1266 and I loved it while I owned it and never had the same sort of affinity for any of the Diana headphones. They all do bass well but the treble sounds unnatural and midrange is a bit dry to my ears.
I then sat down with Rob Watts and conducted an interview with the venerable engineer on upcoming Chord products. Was excited to hear about the Ultima DAC that would be an upgrade to the Dave and the Dave Scaler! Will drop the interview on my channel Amplify later on.
I also loved the Hugo 2 with a variety of IEMs and was quite impressed with the new LetShouer Cadenza. Priced at $2000, it does bot disappoint for technical performance whilst retaining a warm of neutral tonality that will please many. It has stiff competition though at its price point.
Next I spent a good deal of time with my friends at FatFreq. I liked all their IEMs to varying degrees, from the Mini to the Grand Maestro. The Mini is a steal at its price point of sub-$500. The Maestro SE impresses for bass whilst presenting a softer transient response. The Grand Maestro is clearly the flagship in terms of technical proficiency while presenting an enticing midrange performance and a toned-down bass.
The Elysian Annihilator 2023 is as wonderful as the 2021 which I used to own. The treble is smoother which brings out the bass a tad and the shells look more shiny but premium. Have an interview with Lee Quan which will come out later.
I also really liked the Fir Audio Radon 6 for its lower levels of midbass spread and enhanced treble clarity. Somehow, it also made me appreciate the Xenon 6 more, which sounded bloaty and muddy to me the first time I had heard it earlier this year. Interesting IEMs, both, in that they offer something different from the usual run-of-the-mill Harman-tuned fare.
I also like how the Radon 6 looks and its much smaller than the Xenon 6.
The Sennheiser HD660S 2 wasn’t my jam. It wasn’t anything interesting in so far as its tuning goes and doesn’t offer much of a technical performance upgrade to the HD650, if any.
The Spirit Torino Valkyria is an interesting headphone with nice tonal density, very impactful bass and a nice midrange timbre.
Pianos sounded marvelous on it and it certainly has an impressive amp that the Spirit Torino guys (really friendly and good to talk to) drive them with at their booth.
But both the headphone and the amp are priced at $12,000 each and I personally wouldn’t pay such monies for what they offer. I really enjoyed chatting with Andrea though.
The Final D8000 SE, on the other hand, really impressed despite its price and I would argue that it could rival a TC or a Susvara for overall tonal + technical performance. While both the Susvara and the TC likely surpass it for things like resolution, the D8000SE has a solid tonality and perhaps a better all-rounder than most flagship headphones with some impeccable bass, natural midrange, and superb treble clarity and extension without being sharp or fatiguing.
Have to disclaim though it was being driven by the MSB Premier DAC and matching amp.
Last but not the least, I really liked the single dynamic driver Dita Perpetua and the Mjolnir from Lotoo. The Perpetua has some of the natural single DD timbre I tend to like and I am considering bringing it in for a full YouTube review.
Overall, a solid day at Canjam Singapore.
Loved chatting with @crinacle and @jude. Amazing vibes all around.
The day ended with a feast with HeadFi friends (good friends) comprising of Singapore Chilli crab and other wonderful delicacies. Thanks @Roasty for the treat.
Good people, good music and good food.
I need to do this more often!
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Being as brief as possible versus the EVO, Raven is similar in the low end and mellowed out in upper mid range. Lastly there is a ton more air and treble separation in the upper registers. Hope that helps. I'm sure other will provide their perspective in more detail so hopefully that gives you just somewhat of an idea.
Yes, thank you for the perspective @CL14715 , money will be spent on something from Empire Ears lineup. I borrowed the Legend Evo a few weeks ago from a friend for 3 days. That bass impact really stuck with me. I really enjoyed the presentation of sound.
I haven't seen any detail regarding the driver configuration of the Raven. I definitely don't want to assume that this a the rebadged Odyssey made generally available.
I'm hoping @Jack Vang will shed more light on the Raven in the next few days about pricing and availability.
ThanatosVI
Headphoneus Supremus
That sounds very promising. Now I'm really hyped for the review tour
drftr
Headphoneus Supremus
I managed to keep them in my ears for a full 15 seconds, so there's the indication how much bass they have.
drftr
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