[Feischmaker]

Any idea how much the 475 is?

475 (the portable one) is 1750 usd w/o shipping and tax

 

[Craft Ears]

Thank you all for visiting us at Zeppelin & Co! How can you not say "Hi" to those guys? We appreciate you taking the time to catch up with our products, and if you feel intrigued, we have more coming in soon!

 

[Nostoi]

475 (the portable one) is 1750 usd w/o shipping and tax

Quite, and taxes are generally hefty with Mass Kobo because they/he won't under-declare customs value...makes a notable difference depending on one's location.

But the results are worth it!

 

[twister6]

Quite, and taxes are generally hefty with Mass Kobo because they/he won't under-declare customs value...makes a notable difference depending on one's location.

But the results are worth it!

how about the wait time? I heard Mass Kobo amps are hand-build/assembled and it takes awhile from the time you place order.

 

[Nostoi]

how about the wait time? I heard Mass Kobo amps are hand-build/assembled and it takes awhile from the time you place order.

I ordered a bunch of things from Mass Kobo when they were in stock - including the specific Brise ICs which can only be bought from Mass Kobo - so turnaround was rapid. Otherwise, I think waiting time is about 2-3 months depending on availability of parts (for example, I know there were some delays on 428 because of shortages). Masuda-san is pretty good at updating the latest status on his Twitter account.

 

[dooxtypoox]

These are just impressions of notable IEMs done over a few rock and metal songs which are the staple of my library. Such short auditions over multiple IEMs are bound to be plagued with inaccuracies. In my experience, an audition over the same product within a week (without ear fatigue) may change my mind completely. But hey, Canjam is precisely all about this very experience, noisy show floor included. You won’t find highly descriptive jargony audio terminology here and I’ll just be painting these impressions with broad strokes based on how I felt. Enjoy!

Most listening done Sony ZX300 4.4mm balanced output (high gain).

FIR Audio
I don’t know why I skipped out on Fir Audio last year but I’m so glad I gave the Frontier series a go this year. I’ve seen a few negative impressions from reviewers who I actively follow calling these mediocre or outright bad. I guess we all lookout for different things in our music.

The Frontier series was probably the highlight of my trip this year. Kinetic Bass is no joke, I hesitate to label the massive bass boost we visually see on graphs “bloat”. The bass contributes more to its impactful and explosive presentation which seriously took me aback on first listen.

Allow me to harken back to a few years ago (2018) when Fir Audio released their M series 3D printed prototypes for auditioning at a Singapore audio store Music Sanctuary (now closed down), I was wholly impressed by its huge open sound from the entry level M2 up to the flagship M5; I’ve never heard anything like it before and I believed that that was it – e*dg*m*. But alas, when the tunings on the demo units were finalized, the whole series merely sounded unimpressive and mediocre. What had happened to their magic sauce?

Well I’m glad to say that said sauce makes a comeback with their Open Acoustics. It complements Kinetic Bass well, giving all that bass goodness room to breathe and create this expansive stage. All members of the Frontier Series have this massive open perceived stage to my ears that none of the other IEMs I’ve listened to this Canjam can even compete with. Of the 3 members, I’d rank the Krypton 5 > Xenon 6 > Neon 4 based on personal taste, here’s why.

Krypton 5: My favorite of the trio; I’ve seen this labelled as the least detailed of the bunch but not to me hahaha. The Krypton 5 and Neon 4 do have similar bass, and somewhat similar treble presentations but the crucial difference lies in their midranges. The Neon 4 has some “honk” in the vocals which may contribute to a sense of richness to some ears. For me, I found myself struggling to “hear through” the honk after a few songs. Enter the Krypton 5: Essentially “fixes” the Neon 4’s mids which made it easier for me to immerse myself in all my favorite tunes.

Xenon 6: Turns that magical boom boom bass up to 11. Too much? Yes. Enjoyable? Hell yea. I’d consider this a guilty pleasure. I sense some brain burn-in might be indicated for this level of bass impact. My heart lies with the Krypton 5 likely because the vocals don’t sound as coloured as the Xenon 6 (or Neon 4) for a daily driver IEM.

Neon 4: Covered in the KR5 write-up above, just a snap for your viewing pleasure.

Radon 6: Of course, I tried this fella too. Despite AB-ing with the KR5, I didn’t have enough time to think up of a comprehensive overview of why I’d pick this over the KR5. In essence, it just sounded more “mature” and refined in terms of tonal quality and better-defined separation. It achieves this whilst retaining all the good stuff which made the Frontier Series so attractive to me.


Subtonic
Shoutout to the members of Subtonic! What a friendly bunch. Let’s cut to the chase, the STORM

STORM: Coming from the Fir Audio booth not too long before, SLAM woofers had like… no impact on me. However I stuck with it and it took 1 and a half songs for what the team had been working so hard on to finally sink in. If I could describe the STORM in a single word, it would be “effortless”.

Simply put, it is probably the pinnacle of raw detail among all IEMs I’ve heard. I suspect the toned-down upper midrange (relative to Harman) contributed to this feeling of immense “effortless” precision. It didn’t try to blow me away on first listen with forwardness in mids or artificial sharpening with elevated upper mids just south of being strident. I only began to appreciate the STORM for what it was when using my mind’s eye to appreciate that all components of the mix were so damn well separated and well-defined. Just a solid reference grade IEM.

The inaccessibility of the STORM pricewise (for me) makes it just “an experience”. This or the Radon 6/Krypton 5 you ask? Fir Audio takes a W here. It’s way easier to immerse myself with em furries especially with live performance recordings. The STORM’s massive price tag is almost fivefold more expensive than the amazing Symphonium Helios, only for that last ~15-20% of detail.

On that note, @SymphoniumAudio please give us a more ergonomic Helios & Triton. The STORM is pretty big but it’s way more comfortable. This leads me to believe that the Helios’s size isn’t as much of an issue as shape (for my ears anyway), but I digress.

Nightjar Singularity (prototype): Bassy single DD with fair detail all-around. At this price I think I would top up a little more for an IER Z1R

Nightjar Project Bass (prototype): AKA “Duality” as coined by the community. Chang let me use it with an impedence adaptor which increased the bass and wowza, that was a lot of bass. Not something I would ever purchase for myself but this and the Singularity does the whole basshead signature heaps better than the Maestro/Scarlet Mini. As compared to Fir’s Kinetic Bass, the lack of that open staging Fir Audio achieves makes the overwhelming bass feel a little suffocating; I literally found myself holding my breath at times


64 Audio

64 Audio U4s: I couldn’t pass up the chance to give this spanking fresh new release a go. Bass only had a modest amount of impact and sounded fairly dry. Quite an inoffensive sound with a relatively reserved upper midrange. The M20 module sounded a little muddy while the M12 cleaned up the signature yet managed to sound balanced. Bass texture also improved with the M12 due to increased control reducing bloat. It goes without saying that I largely preferred the M12 over the M20.

The U4s is not a bad choice with the added benefit of their pressure-relieving technology which I’m quite into. I foresee this growing on me with future listening; this calls for another audition when I’m fresh in a quiet environment.

Fatfreq

Fatfreq Scarlet Mini (and Maestro Mini): Just “okay” sounding. Mids and highs sounded two-dimensional and compressed while its purported big bass merely clouded over the mix. I’d easily choose the Symphonium Meteor over this.


Elysian

Elysian Diva (middle setting): The infamously elusive Diva which made its debut in Canjam SG 2022 makes a return in a new UIEM form factor with a metal spout. Still sounds pretty good with decent technical chops but I think I now prefer the Gaea.

Elysian X Effect Audio Gaea: Next to the Gaea, the Diva sounds a little limp in the bass. The Gaea wholly embraces Elysian’s “exciting V-shape” house sound in a much smaller form factor. I think it’s a tough fight between the Gaea and Helios but previous auditions tell me that the Gaea may get fatiguing for my ears after a few songs despite the initial thrill. Quite the matter of taste here.

Elysian prototype: This pic is just an Annihilator dressed in silver, the actual prototype was dressed in iconic Annihilator gold. Through the clear acrylic body, a custom DD with a matching gold casing was visible among the array of various drivers used. The result? A pleasant warm sound somewhat reminiscent of the Oriolus Szalayi… didn’t make any notable impression for an Elysian IEM (take with several grains of salt, I only listened to 2 songs). Lee tells me that it is meant to be aggressive but perhaps my ears were just too tired in addition to the conducive show floor environment - it just didn’t impress at all. I preferred the Diva and Gaea over this prototype.


Softears

Softears Studio4: Decent 4BA setup with a relaxed yet balanced presentation. It didn’t strike me as particularly impressive though, imaging and separation could be more well-defined even for this pricing. I’d rather top up a little more for something more exciting and “ear-catching” like the Moondrop Variations.

Symphonium Audio
You might have noticed that I have mentioned Symphonium Audio a few times over the course of this writeup. No pictures but they deserve a special mention for their class-leading performance and build quality topped off with reasonable pricing in today’s market. Their lineup has easily attained a benchmark status whenever I test something new.

I was disappointed to see that neither of the two new IEMs teased on their Instagram made an appearance. I’ll be keeping a close lookout this 2023!

 

[UncleGrandpa]

Second time going to Canjam SG. I had an absolute blast this year, much more stuff to try compared to last year.

Below are my quick impressions of various stuff I tried during the two days. My personal reference is:

• Source used at the show: Sony WM1Z
• Inear: Empire Ears Odin, Custom A12t, Campfire Solaris
• Headphone: Audeze LCD-5, LCD-X to Hugo TT2

Please take the impression with a grain of salt, as I listened to each IEM for 10-15 minutes only (except for a few).

Let's start.

1. Empire Ears' Project Raven. 1 Bone Conductor W10, 2 W9+, 5 BA & 4 Estats. A more evenly tuned Odin, with better bass, less forward upper midrange, more even mid to treble. Overall I would take this over the Odin anyday. Special shoutout to Jack for being super friendly!
2. Empire Ears' Legend Evo. First time I tried this, and yeah it has a lot of bass, with excellent extension & rumble. Didn't feel suffocated like the last time I tried Legend X. The mid & high of the LE is still clear & doesn't get drowned out by the bass.
3. FIR Audio’ Xenon 6. I once was close to blind-buying the Xenon 6, but still decided not to because of mixed reviews from people I trust. After listening to their entire line up today, I understand why. Very non-fatigue (read: non-exciting, non-moving) tuning, with a lot of bass & lower mids that seems to cloud the entire frequency response. Can certainly see the merit of this tuning, as one can really listen to it all day long, and it doesn't grab your attention. Key difference between this & the Legend Evo is the LE's is muscular, flexing, hits hard whereas this is fairly laidback.
4. Krypton 5: After trying Xenon 6, I switched to Krypton 5. And wow, now I know why people love this. The sound is so lively, dynamic, exciting. I literally was tapping my feet constantly when I listened to this. Bass hits hard, mid & treble both seems decently forward. All contribute to a very musical experience.
5. Radon 6: Vlad said Radon 6 is his most favorite in the line-up. It basically combines the Xenon 6's bass with Krypton 5's mid & highs. For me it's a Krypton 5 but one notch up everying, and quite a bit more treble (which hmmm actually makes the Billboard's pop way less listenable) => Tempted to get a Krypton 5 for myself after this experience.
6. Elysian's Annihilator. Details, details, a lot of details, more than any other IEMs I have heard, maybe more than LCD-5 as well. Bright tunning, lack lower mids but upper-mid to treble is so amazing. The vocal in songs appear crystal-clear, it's like singers singing to your ears. It's too good that I got overwhelmed! Having said that, I can also foresee getting fatigue after 20 30 mins listening to this.
7. Elysian's Prototype. I got so shocked when I listened to this. Polar-opposite to the Annihilator, with a lot of bass, ton of subbass while the rest of the spectrum remains clear. Think EE's LE but with softer bass & bass rumble.
8. Elysian's DIVA. Well I listened to this right after the Annihilator, so it's easy to be underwhelmed. Yet, DIVA is a well tuned, balanced IEM with no part of the sound really jumped out on me.
9. Subtonic's STORM. Best IEM I have ever heard. Bar none. Best of the show. A true reference signature WITHspeaker-like soundstage (rectangular, not spherical) AND exceptional dynamic (think Focal Clear / Utopia dynamic). Very well controlled bass, hits hard. Everything is good, nothing to fault, at all. For more praise, I can confirm this impression FC Construct's impression to be exactly what I heard. Massive respect to Subtonic for creating this. Special shoutout to Toranku for being super friendly!
10. QDC Anole VX, 8SS. Balanced, neutral, very studio sound. Nothing jumped out on me but I can see myself owning one due to its pure reference signature (Sony IER M9 but supercharged).
11. QDC Anole V14. Their new flagship. Plenty fun, plenty bass even in the default configuration. Still without any coloring.
12. Vision Ears VE8. Tight solid bass. Very coherent, musical, liquid midrange. Upper mids / lower-treble is a bit shouty.
13. Vision Ears Blue Prototype. A lot of bass that dominates the signature, but it didn't bleed into the mids, and the rest of the spectrum is still clear. No irritating peaks. The visceral impact of the bass is great, and can really move you. Downside is the bass is a bit bloated.
14. Vision Ears Red Prototype. A more balanced signature compared to the Blue. With considerable brigher mid & treble, bass takes a step back but still hits hard. Treble can be bright at times. Still very engaging, even more so than the Blue. I have equal preference of both the Blue & Red.
15. 64 Audio Tia Fourte Blanc. Sounded nothing like the Fourte. It's a bass canon, perhaps the best done bass canon for my ears. The rest of the FR still remain clear & the bass / rest of FR balanace is better than that of Vision Ears Blue. Very enjoyable.
16. 64 Audio Tia Trio. Used to be my favorite in the 64audio family, but after listening to the Foute Blanc I don't know why I should bother about the Trio anymore.
17. Sony IER-M9. I had owned M9 for 2 years then sold it to begin the high-end journey. Listened to it again today, and it was a very reliable sound, balanced, neutral, did nothing wrong, nothing exceptional. Will probably buy it again for permanent ownership as my reference.
18. Effect Audio’s Code 23. Wow a very thick copper cable, created a deeper & more air for my Odin. Got one for special show price after 5 hours of fun negotiation & deliberation.
19. Abyss 1266 Phi TC on Eleven Audio Stack + Hugo TT2. First time demoing this set-up properly. 1266 has a remarkably roomy, speaker like sound, with exceptional quality bass. Upper mid & treble is quite sharp and requires you to listen to strictly well recorded albums (Come Away With Me, Random Access Memory ...)
20. DCS Lina Stack. Well, what can I say? Worth the money? I don't know, but the stack certainly sounds exceptional! The transparency, staging is unmatched, and it's very evident.
21. ZMF Artrium Open on Cayin Tube Amp. Very analog sounding, maybe the most analog sounding inear / headphone I have ever heard.
22. Dan Clark's Stealth & Expanse. They sounded “correct”, but nothing jumped out. I will need way more time to appreciate the combo.
23. Inear ProMission X. Pleasant warm-neutral tuning. Very relaxed sounding. Would say it’s like Sony M9? I kept coming back to this after 2 Canjams.

Personal conclusion for me:

• Empire Ears’ house sound is about the flexing, powerful sound
• Each model of FiR has its own unique tuning, like nothing else in the market
• If only the STORM is same price as Odin I would get one for myself, right at the show.

Finally, I won the first giveaway ever in my life, a Vision Ears EVE20, which marked the end of an incredible Canjam! See everyone next year!

 

[Sajid Amit]

Second time going to Canjam SG. I had an absolute blast this year, much more stuff to try compared to last year.

Below are my quick impressions of various stuff I tried during the two days. My personal reference is:

• Source used at the show: Sony WM1Z
• Inear: Empire Ears Odin, Custom A12t, Campfire Solaris
• Headphone: Audeze LCD-5, LCD-X to Hugo TT2

Please take the impression with a grain of salt, as I listened to each IEM for 10-15 minutes only (except for a few).

Let's start.

1. Empire Ears' Project Raven. 1 Bone Conductor W10, 2 W9+, 5 BA & 4 Estats. A more evenly tuned Odin, with better bass, less forward upper midrange, more even mid to treble. Overall I would take this over the Odin anyday. Special shoutout to Jack for being super friendly!
2. Empire Ears' Legend Evo. First time I tried this, and yeah it has a lot of bass, with excellent extension & rumble. Didn't feel suffocated like the last time I tried Legend X. The mid & high of the LE is still clear & doesn't get drowned out by the bass.
3. FIR Audio’ Xenon 6. I once was close to blind-buying the Xenon 6, but still decided not to because of mixed reviews from people I trust. After listening to their entire line up today, I understand why. Very non-fatigue (read: non-exciting, non-moving) tuning, with a lot of bass & lower mids that seems to cloud the entire frequency response. Can certainly see the merit of this tuning, as one can really listen to it all day long, and it doesn't grab your attention. Key difference between this & the Legend Evo is the LE's is muscular, flexing, hits hard whereas this is fairly laidback.
4. Krypton 5: After trying Xenon 6, I switched to Krypton 5. And wow, now I know why people love this. The sound is so lively, dynamic, exciting. I literally was tapping my feet constantly when I listened to this. Bass hits hard, mid & treble both seems decently forward. All contribute to a very musical experience.
5. Radon 6: Vlad said Radon 6 is his most favorite in the line-up. It basically combines the Xenon 6's bass with Krypton 5's mid & highs. For me it's a Krypton 5 but one notch up everying, and quite a bit more treble (which hmmm actually makes the Billboard's pop way less listenable) => Tempted to get a Krypton 5 for myself after this experience.
6. Elysian's Annihilator. Details, details, a lot of details, more than any other IEMs I have heard, maybe more than LCD-5 as well. Bright tunning, lack lower mids but upper-mid to treble is so amazing. The vocal in songs appear crystal-clear, it's like singers singing to your ears. It's too good that I got overwhelmed! Having said that, I can also foresee getting fatigue after 20 30 mins listening to this.
7. Elysian's Prototype. I got so shocked when I listened to this. Polar-opposite to the Annihilator, with a lot of bass, ton of subbass while the rest of the spectrum remains clear. Think EE's LE but with softer bass & bass rumble.
8. Elysian's DIVA. Well I listened to this right after the Annihilator, so it's easy to be underwhelmed. Yet, DIVA is a well tuned, balanced IEM with no part of the sound really jumped out on me.
9. Subtonic's STORM. Best IEM I have ever heard. Bar none. Best of the show. A true reference signature WITHspeaker-like soundstage (rectangular, not spherical) AND exceptional dynamic (think Focal Clear / Utopia dynamic). Very well controlled bass, hits hard. Everything is good, nothing to fault, at all. For more praise, I can confirm this impression FC Construct's impression to be exactly what I heard. Massive respect to Subtonic for creating this. Special shoutout to Toranku for being super friendly!
10. QDC Anole VX, 8SS. Balanced, neutral, very studio sound. Nothing jumped out on me but I can see myself owning one due to its pure reference signature (Sony IER M9 but supercharged).
11. QDC Anole V14. Their new flagship. Plenty fun, plenty bass even in the default configuration. Still without any coloring.
12. Vision Ears VE8. Tight solid bass. Very coherent, musical, liquid midrange. Upper mids / lower-treble is a bit shouty.
13. Vision Ears Blue Prototype. A lot of bass that dominates the signature, but it didn't bleed into the mids, and the rest of the spectrum is still clear. No irritating peaks. The visceral impact of the bass is great, and can really move you. Downside is the bass is a bit bloated.
14. Vision Ears Red Prototype. A more balanced signature compared to the Blue. With considerable brigher mid & treble, bass takes a step back but still hits hard. Treble can be bright at times. Still very engaging, even more so than the Blue. I have equal preference of both the Blue & Red.
15. 64 Audio Tia Fourte Blanc. Sounded nothing like the Fourte. It's a bass canon, perhaps the best done bass canon for my ears. The rest of the FR still remain clear & the bass / rest of FR balanace is better than that of Vision Ears Blue. Very enjoyable.
16. 64 Audio Tia Trio. Used to be my favorite in the 64audio family, but after listening to the Foute Blanc I don't know why I should bother about the Trio anymore.
17. Sony IER-M9. I had owned M9 for 2 years then sold it to begin the high-end journey. Listened to it again today, and it was a very reliable sound, balanced, neutral, did nothing wrong, nothing exceptional. Will probably buy it again for permanent ownership as my reference.
18. Effect Audio’s Code 23. Wow a very thick copper cable, created a deeper & more air for my Odin. Got one for special show price after 5 hours of fun negotiation & deliberation.
19. Abyss 1266 Phi TC on Eleven Audio Stack + Hugo TT2. First time demoing this set-up properly. 1266 has a remarkably roomy, speaker like sound, with exceptional quality bass. Upper mid & treble is quite sharp and requires you to listen to strictly well recorded albums (Come Away With Me, Random Access Memory ...)
20. DCS Lina Stack. Well, what can I say? Worth the money? I don't know, but the stack certainly sounds exceptional! The transparency, staging is unmatched, and it's very evident.
21. ZMF Artrium Open on Cayin Tube Amp. Very analog sounding, maybe the most analog sounding inear / headphone I have ever heard.
22. Dan Clark's Stealth & Expanse. They sounded “correct”, but nothing jumped out. I will need way more time to appreciate the combo.
23. Inear ProMission X. Pleasant warm-neutral tuning. Very relaxed sounding. Would say it’s like Sony M9? I kept coming back to this after 2 Canjams.

Personal conclusion for me:

• Empire Ears’ house sound is about the flexing, powerful sound
• Each model of FiR has its own unique tuning, like nothing else in the market
• If only the STORM is same price as Odin I would get one for myself, right at the show.

Finally, I won the first giveaway ever in my life, a Vision Ears EVE20, which marked the end of an incredible Canjam! See everyone next year!

Lovely impressions

 

[UncleGrandpa]

Lovely impressions

Haha I forgot to add, was able to shake hands with the legend Sajid Amit at the show!

 

[Sajid Amit]

Haha I forgot to add, was able to shake hands with the legend Sajid Amit at the show!

 

[drftr]

and quite a bit more treble

Without it Radon6 would have become the very best IEM out there for me, no matter the others that can be twice as expensive. But because of the treble it now has to share the first spot with Ronin.

Perhaps they should put their hands together on a Ronin6?

drftr

 

[UncleGrandpa]

Without it Radon6 would have become the very best IEM out there for me, no matter the others that can be twice as expensive. But because of the treble it now has to share the first spot with Ronin.

Perhaps they should put their hands together on a Ronin6?

drftr

Indeed. I saw Jaben has a great show special for Radon 6, and was frantically "trying to like" the Radon 6, but still I couldn't handle the treble.

 

[gLer]

Did anyone spend any time at all with the HiBy R6 Pro II and Zeta IEMs?

 

[TheMiddleSky]

Finally back to Canjam SG! This time I focus more to try various TOTL IEM (damn, so many new products these days).

Having said that, I have to admit the 3 set up that I think the best in the show are still desktop set though: (not in particular order)
- DCS Lina Trio Stacks with ZMF Caldera = Very enjoyable, musical, I thought Line would be bright, but nope, it's just linear, deliver solid body and impact, crisp treble, with expansive soundstage.
- Final Audio D8000 Pro LE with MSB Premiere DAC and Premiere Amp: Ridiculously good, vocal is the main highlight, very natural, full body, combine with clean treble, and solid bass impact. Soundstage is more spacious than I expected. natural, musical, but very transparent as well.
- Stax X9000 with T8000: Holy damn, the most natural sounding of Stax ever. Not too thick like SR007mk2, and definitely there is no hint of bright/sharp/harsh. Kind of a safer tuning than SR009, but deliver better technical aspects. More organic character, and very precise imaging compared to any other Stax.

For IEM, that I really impressed (not in particular order):
- Fatfreq Grand Maestro, with vocal boost switch: Rich of subwoofer effect, with forward, musical and energetic midrange, and clear sparkle treble. Their new air flow system bring airy and big soundstage image. Really fun sounding IEM with great soundstage.

- FIR Audio Radon 6: SImply better Midrange tuning than Xenon 6 and Krypton 5. Xenon 6 is a bit too dark, and too much of thickness in midbass + midrange area while Krypton a bit cold with Vocal and position a bit recessed. Radon 6 cut the midbass of Xenon 6 a bit, so I can focus more on sub bass, with more pronounce Vocal, and airier treble. really fun IEM for rock/punk/pop songs.

- Elysian Acoustic Annihilator: Balance, linear, very good detail, smooth and fluid presentation, with wide soundstage. Definitely deliver very good value for the price. I quite like the cosmetic finish too (quality wise), with brass faceplate, and clear shell.

- Subtonic Storm with standard cable: Balance-warm character, easy to enjoy, bass is nice, tight and good impact. Vocal is full body and smooth, and same also for treble area. Safe tuning, but pleasant to listen.

- Nighjar Singularity: Bass punch is strong, nice full body vocal, a bit darkish treble but still remain clean with wide soundstage. I can imagine hip hop and rock listener may love this thing.

- Dita Perpetua and Kondo Cable: The most expensive of the bunch, wide and spacious soundstage, simply fluid, smooth, organic and superb for jazzy songs. The Kondo cable does help a lot to create natural and palpable quality.

- Vision Ears Prototype "Red": Punchy, good impact/bite, with balance linear character. Highly musical and energetic. A bit remind me of Phonix, but this one is closer to reference tuning. Can't wait to see the final product.

Thats all, overall a nice show. Not too big in term of space, but the product quality inside is really superb, especially for anyone looking for TOTL set up.

Additonal impression:
- ZMF Atrium Closed: A bit similar to Atrium Open, but I felt better clarity on top and less mid bass punch, perhaps due to the pads option. Overall balance and organic sound, but I'm not sure I can like it more than Verite Closed. Really depend on the set up I guess.

 

[drftr]

Finally back to Canjam SG! This time I focus more to try various TOTL IEM (damn, so many new products these days).

Having said that, I have to admit the 3 set up that I think the best in the show are still desktop set though: (not in particular order)
- DCS Lina Trio Stacks with ZMF Caldera = Very enjoyable, musical, I thought Line would be bright, but nope, it's just linear, deliver solid body and impact, crisp treble, with expansive soundstage.
- Final Audio D800 Pro LE with MSB Premiere DAC and Premiere Amp: Ridiculously good, vocal is the main highlight, very natural, full body, combine with clean treble, and solid bass impact. Soundstage is more spacious than I expected. natural, musical, but very transparent as well.
- Stax X9000 with T8000: Holy damn, the most natural sounding of Stax ever. Not too thick like SR007mk2, and definitely there is no hint of bright/sharp/harsh. Kind of a safer tuning than SR009, but deliver better technical aspects. More organic character, and very precise imaging compared to any other Stax.

For IEM, that I really impressed (not in particular order):
- Fatfreq Grand Maestro, with vocal boost switch: Rich of subwoofer effect, with forward, musical and energetic midrange, and clear sparkle treble. Their new air flow system bring airy and big soundstage image. Really fun sounding IEM with great soundstage.

- FIR Audio Radon 6: SImply better Midrange tuning than Xenon 6 and Krypton 5. Xenon 6 is a bit too dark, and too much of thickness in midbass + midrange area while Krypton a bit cold with Vocal and position a bit recessed. Radon 6 cut the midbass of Xenon 6 a bit, so I can focus more on sub bass, with more pronounce Vocal, and airier treble. really fun IEM for rock/punk/pop songs.

- Elysian Acoustic Annihilator: Balance, linear, very good detail, smooth and fluid presentation, with wide soundstage. Definitely deliver very good value for the price. I quite like the cosmetic finish too (quality wise), with brass faceplate, and clear shell.

- Subtonic Storm with standard cable: Balance-warm character, easy to enjoy, bass is nice, tight and good impact. Vocal is full body and smooth, and same also for treble area. Safe tuning, but pleasant to listen.

- Nighjar Singularity: Bass punch is strong, nice full body vocal, a bit darkish treble but still remain clean with wide soundstage. I can imagine hip hop and rock listener may love this thing.

- Dita Perpetua and Kondo Cable: The most expensive of the bunch, wide and spacious soundstage, simply fluid, smooth, organic and superb for jazzy songs. The Kondo cable does help a lot to create natural and palpable quality.

- Vision Ears Prototype "Red": Punchy, good impact/bite, with balance linear character. Highly musical and energetic. A bit remind me of Phonix, but this one is closer to reference tuning. Can't wait to see the final product.

Thats all, overall a nice show. Not too big in term of space, but the product quality inside is really superb, especially for anyone looking for TOTL set up.

Yay! I finally found somebody who liked Perpetua too! IEMs that do nothing wrong are so underappreciated.

drftr