[Dean Seislove]

Just got back from the first day. This event just gets bigger, but also better organized, every year! Lots of people, but rarely too crowded to keep me from listening to something I'd like to hear. I'll post a more detailed impression tomorrow after the second day, but here were my highlights: The Cavalli Liquid Crimson- for me, this amp blends some of the best attributes of the other Cavalli amps (which are all excellent in their own right). I really liked the Audioquest Nighthawk/JDS Labs The Element pairing, and will give more time to both tomorrow. Meze headphones were new to me, and they were comfortable and sounded very nice for the price. The fact that Airist cut the price of the Heron amp makes it much more of a choice for those who enjoy a super smooth presentation. A big surprise for me was listening to the second generation Beyerdynamic T-1. I owned one long ago, and found it to be too shrill for my taste, but this iteration is is decidedly smoother and more listenable. More tomorrow, looking forward to Sunday!

 

[Dean Seislove]

Of course, I haven't heard the Tungsten, yet...

 

[lurkusmaximus]

I'm with you. My first CanJam as well. I was super impressed with the people. Everyone I talked to, exhibitor and attendee alike, was friendly, kind, and gracious. The high end equipment was staggering. I am much more interested in the value end of the spectrum, mainly because my ears just aren't what they used to be and I can't justify the high price tag for ears that can no longer appreciate it. That said, there was still plenty at the show for me to enjoy. I thought the Radius products were an exceptional value for the price. I also was impressed with the build quality of both the Atomic Floyd and RHA product lines. Both of these lines had superlative build quality and were clearly made to last, qualities that I personally value. With any luck, this will not be my last CanJam, only my first.

 

[BoyNamedSue]

Just got home from another great Canjam. Like last year, it is such a privilege to listen to some of the best headphone systems, with the designer standing a few steps away to answer any questions. I recognize that evaluating headphones in meet conditions is NOT valid, due to a number of factors, such as differences in systems (source, amps, DACs), overloaded power circuit, unfamiliar music, limited time per station, and ambient noise. However, I wanted to share my impressions based on systems that most impressed and most disappointed me relative to my expectations entering the meet. I should also note that impressions are based primarily on my musical preference of female jazz vocalists and soft/country/folk/indie rock.
 
Most Impressive:
 
1. Stax L700. The Stax room showcased their new L700, which was driven by the Stax 006 tube amp and an unknown DAC (the Stax rep didn't know either). To me, this setup was the most musically engaging system of the show, which made me want to just sit and enjoy the music. I own the Stax 009s and 007s (driven by KGST and KGSSHV Carbon), and it sounded like that the L700's tonal balance was in between the two flagships, merging the clarity of the 009s and the euphony of the 007s. Technically, I would say the L700s was a level below with regard to size of soundstage, imaging, spatiousness, linearity (L700s slightly mid-forward), and separation; however, the musicality sucked me into the music more than the 009 and 007 setups in the same room.
 
2. Hifiman HE1000 off various amps. One of my primary objectives of the show was to find a good amp for the HE1000s. IMO, the SQ of the HE1000s is highly amp dependent, and what's better is not necessarily based on the pricing or prowess of the amp. At Canjam today, I was fortunate to listen to the HE1000s off many good amps, and was most impressed by the Microzotl2 followed by the Headamp GSX (Mk2?), and less impressed by Yggdrasil/Ragnorak and Hifiman's own EF1000. 
 
HE1000 with Microzotl2. The Microzotl2 had the upgraded PSU and was fed by a Metrum Musette. The sound was very natural and musical, with slight euphonic sound. Instruments sounded like real thing. The tone was linear with right balance of bass, mids and treble. The sound stage was intimate, as opposed to large or spacious. The only downside was that bass sounded a bit soft, as opposed to tight and impactful. A few members in the HE1000 thread highly praise the Microzotl2, and from listening to this combination today, the praise is warranted.
 
HE1000 with Headamp GSX Mk2, fed by Ayre DB9. This amp sounded technically better than Microzotl2 but not as musically engaging. Compared to the Microzotl2, the HE1000s sounded more detailed and transparent, had larger sound stage, and had better separation. Despite its transparent sound signature, I was impressed that there was not a hint of any harshness or stridency in the highs. Despite these strengths, the Headamp GSX Mk2 did not grab me as the Microzotl2 but still musically engaging. 
 
HE1000 with Ragnorak, fed by Yggdrasil. Holy Cow, I played the Mombasa track on Inception soundtrack, and the bass hit very hard and fast, at times rattling the headphone frame. The hard hitting bass dispelled the stereotype that the HE1000s are not capable of tight, impactful bass. Despite being impressed by the hard hitting bass, I just couldn't get into the music, despite sampling 5+ tracks that I'm familiar with. The tonal balance had a U-shape, with recessed mids and some stridency in some vocals. I had to turn volume really loud on one track to hear the vocals. Also, the sound was a bit too energetic, which sounded unnatural to me. 
 
HE1000 with EF1000amp, fed by Hifiman DAP. I think Hifiman does a disservice to themselves by not using a higher quality source when showcasing their amps and phones. The sound was transparent and full-bodied, had large sound stage, instruments sounded natural; however, vocals had a bit of grain and stridency to them and the bass was diffuse/not tight. 
3. Stax 009 with Headamp Blue Hawaii Special Edition, fed by Ayre DB9 DAC. I've heard this BHSE system multiple times now at past Canjams and The SHOW, and it never fails to come out on top as the best of show for me. The only downside was that the Stax 007 was missing this year at the Headamp table, apparently due to a driver malfunction. The high praises of the BHSE is well-documented, so I won't repeat it here. Its worth mentioning though that the build quality and aesthetics of the amp is amazing. The BHSE is a beaut!
 
4. Pioneer XDP-100R DAP, Pioneer AMP, and SE Master-1 Headphone. I listened to this system on a whim, while waiting for the Chord DAVE system to free up, and I was pleasantly surprised by the SQ. The tonal balance was very linear. The sound was transparent and detailed. Everything just sounded right. Also, the build quality of the XDP-100R is very solid, has ES9018 Sabre DAC, and its $700 price point is really attractive. 
 
Most Disappointing (i.e., did not satisfy due to soaring expectations)
 
1. Hifiman Shangri-La PROTOTYPE, amped by 300B tube amp and Hifiman DAP. I am a big fan of Fan Bian and Hifiman. For the longest time, the HE-6's was my favorite headphone, and I highly regard the HE1000s. My expectations were very high for the Shangri-La entering the meet, given the praise for Fan Bian's previous electrostatic (HE Jade) and anticipated high price point. In short, I was disappointed the two times I listened to the system, once around 10:30am and again at 3pm. I wanted to give it another chance the second time, thinking that the tubes may have not warmed up enough the first time. The sound was underwhelming the second time as well.
 
The two strengths that stand out to me is the 3-D/depth of the sound, and its hard hitting, tight bass. Regarding the latter, the bass is as tight and impactful as the Stax 009s on my Mjolnir KGSSHV Carbon. However, the sound was also muddy/not transparent, tonal balance U-shaped, congested/not wide sound stage, and there was slight grain in vocals. Again, I think Hifiman does disservice to themselves by using their DAP as source as opposed to high quality dedicated DAC. Its a mystery how much higher this system will scale with a better source. Also, I should mention that there were two Shangri-Las on display, and the one with darker wood sounded more transparent for me, when I switched back and forth. It is important to note that Shangri-La on display is still a prototype, and I have confidence in Fan Bian that sound will be much improved by time it is production ready and when paired with better source. I had similar disappointing experience when I first heard HE1000 at a meet, but impressed by it after living with them and finding the right pairing.
 
2. Audeze LCD-4, off multiple systems. The LCD-4s sounded technically good: great imaging, natural vocals, wide sound stage, spatious with good separation, 3D, black background, and deep, enveloping bass. However, for whatever reason, the sound didn't engage or pull me into the music in any of the systems I listened it with (i.e., King amp, Woo Audio tube amp, Deckard, and Chord DAVE). Its interesting that LCD-4 has the Audeze house sound which I really liked when I used to own the LCD-2s. However, while there was something magical about the LCD-2s, I am not getting it with the LCD-4s. 
 
3. Yggdrasil, off multiple systems. Checking out the Yggdrasil DAC was another priority for me after reading so much praise for it on headfi. Across multiple systems and headphones at the meet, the Yggy did not blow me away. The one consistent, distinguishing strength I heard was its ability to present distance in music. For example, on Supertramp's School, the gradually increasing sound of the kids playing in the background up until the loud scream, is clearly discernible despite it being in background. The systems with the Yggdrasil also seemed quite transparent and detailed, but not at a level higher than many other DACs. The reason the Yggdrasil was underwhelming for me was not because it isn't a great DAC, but it was not clearly better than other DACs, as Purrin's DAC rankings would suggest. 
 
Random Notes
 
1. Despite posts in the Stax thread suggesting Stax-made amps are inferior to third party alternatives, I found them quite capable when I listened to several in the Stax room. I preferred the tube-based amps, the 006t and 007t, over the solid state ones. I actually found the 007t driving the 009s to be close to SQ when driven by my KGST.  
 
2. My favorite part of last year's SoCal Can Jam was the member showcase. Unless I missed it, but I don't believe there was a member show case this year, which was very disappointing. I was really hoping to get a chance to listen to Nerdling's R10 again . 
 
3. It was sad to see the Hifiman HE-6 no where in sight, not even on the Hifiman table. I hate to admit this, as I paid 3x more for my He1000s, but IMO, a modded HE-6 may still be the best headphone Hifiman has produced. It would be great to see a HE-6 MkII with a version of the mods applied. It would be even better if Hifiman names the MkII something like HE-6 Headfi version, to recognize members like Jerg and Ohrougami who have taken the HE-6 to another level. Wishful thinking, I know.

 

[moedawg140]

MAN DOWN, MAN DOWN!! :eek:

 

[adorable]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[adorable]

  Check-In was quick and easy. Tablets allowed the staff to
quickly look up visitors, and badges were handed out in no
time at all. Very nice setup although a touch too much
sunlight in the eyes of the staff since they faced right at
the doors to the outdoor Pavillion.
  The show guide lists every one of the vendors.

  The For-Sale and Trade sign was right next to the check-in
desk and had a variety of gear up.

  The crowd on Saturday was lighter than I remembered from
years past. Even the Pavillion wasn't as crowded as I recall.
Maybe it's because Spring Break for many SoCal schools is next
weekend?

  Tube amps were present, but not as obvious in number and
attention as in years past.

  Many vendors like Final had many headphones out for one to
try at leisure. Because the crowds were lighter than last
year, it was easier to sit and test for extended periods of
time this year.

  Many vendors from last year returned, like Schiit,
Sennheiser, Darin Fong, Cavalli, Audeze, but some did not,
like Sony. It's interesting to note that except for Pioneer,
the Japanese headphone makers were not present. Perhaps next
year?

  Technically, the Bruel & Kjaer booth with the Sound Check
dummy was the most fascinating for lab rats. Flash back to the
past of my own Labview days! The headphone is carefully
centered on the dummy, then signal sweeped. They let you test
your headphones with their audio dummy, with full frequency
response diagrams and all emailed! Very nice! I hope HeadFi
figures out a way to do a CanJam Headphone Sound Check
marathon where everyone brings in as much as they can, and all
the reports get posted. This would greatly help the community
with accurate reports everyone can compare and use to find the
best headphones.

  Clearly, now I can see why my Sony MDR-ZX110 headphones
sound the way they do - voices are clear in TV and movies
played on my laptop, with a bit of low end to make things
lively. But, clearly, I'm missing everything above 10Khz,
which I've heard before comparing the MDR-ZX110 to my other
headphones.

  The 'FUN' combo pick of the year is the ModWrite Tryst +
MrSpeakers Ether C. Honestly, as fun as a Cavalli + Audeze,
different, but very lively and rich. And the curved carbon
fiber Ether C headphones feel so smooth and warm in the hands
vs. the Audeze.  The Tryst + Ether C is seriously one of those
rare setups where you can simply crank that volume up and up
and up and there is no limit - not a bit harsh or distorted at
the highest volumes and a rich, live soundfield. Details are
super-clear and you can easily focus on individual elements in
a band. In the thousands of dollars for either setup, but
honestly, worth it if you have the money.

  The Source, a local gear vendor in SoCal, had the most
stimulating setup for the eyes and ears. The broken glass blue
lit stand was just so appealing - makes you start to think you
need one for the stereo system, another for drinks, another
for books, etc.

  'FUN, FUN, FUN' speaker of the year is the Naim Audio Muso
Qb Wireless speaker cube! OMG!!! It's so 'artsy' with the
grill off! NO way one should hide it behind a grill! The $1000
cube rocked the room with more liveliness than a tiny speaker
ought to, easy exceeding anything Bose can do, and the sound
seriously tingles the ears! Xmas present idea for 2016!!

  AK has been around for years, and this year's AK 380 is the
nicest implementation I've seen from them thus far. The angles
really shine on the dark copper model, and coupled with their
AK T1p headphones, the combination makes for a very relaxing
portable setup. You can easily float away for hours listening
to music on this setup.

  Ah, simplicity! The Airist Studio Heron 5 will not blow away
more expensive amps, some tube driven, but in exchange, gives
you the simplicity of a very good setup for less. If you're
not the type to swap dozens of tubes just to find something
that works for you, then this nice setup will definitely
deliver. It's not as warming or engaging as some amps, but it
does it's job well and steps aside to let the recording do
it's thing.

  And to wrap it up, Darin Fong returns with his show setup
and special 50% offer, which once again shows that sometimes,
a bit of 'software' can really do the trick when applied
right. Not a tube, not an amp, not even a headphone, but pure
software that recreates the 'virtual' audio reproduction
environment of a real location and setup, like the Chinese
Theater, or my favorite, Technicolor's editing room. This is
far better than the Dolby Theater software and the like that
you often find on laptops sold today.
<p>
  Like all years past, 5.1 Transformers sounds pretty good
with the enhancement software turned off, but once you turn it
on with Technicolor set, OMG!! Audio ecstacy! and a smile
rapidly appears! The feeling of being in the movie totally is
absolutely there. Naturally, a good set of headphones will
help you get the best out of this software, so don't go cheap
and plug in a $20 pair like I did ,) (Even then, it did a very
good job.) Seriously, this is one bit of software that really
brings a smile to anyone's face the moment they listen to the
audio processed by it.

 

[kyle1010]

THAT escalated quickly. My first CanJam as well. On the drive up from San Diego I was thinking MAYBE I'll pick up an upgrade dac for my WA7tp and LCD-Xs. Walked out at 5pm having bought a Chord Mojo, Woo WA22 with Sophia Princess rectifier, and a $500 copper Gingko Audio Dana Cable for my LCD-Xs. What have I done??!? Lol. Oh well, with show discounts it was worth it. I was gonna get all that stuff at some point this year anyway. But impressions..whoa..as a relative noob to head-fi the equipment that stuck out to me the most were the HE-1000s, Edition Xs, and the above mentioned stuff I purchased. That Mojo is in-SANE sounding for a portable. I wouldn't even have given Gingko Audio a second look after I auditioned the Wy-Wires red cable with my cans, but my girlfriend insisted so I went with it. Wow. The increase in sub bass and imaging dropped my jaw. The cool thing is they had two of each kind of headphone plugged into their Wells Audio amps, one with stock, and one with their cable for A/B comparison. The Dana Cable completely transformed the EA Dharma and my LCD-Xs into different beasts. It's truly awesome what they've done with that cable. Worth an audition if you guys get some time tomorrow. Oh man, so much more stuff to hear on Day 2!

 

[Luckbad]

Are they cool with you bringing in your own headphones to test gear? I'm going to come by tomorrow and wouldn't mind taking along my HD650s to sample amps/dacs with something I'm familiar with.

 

[Khragon]

  Are they cool with you bringing in your own headphones to test gear? I'm going to come by tomorrow and wouldn't mind taking along my HD650s to sample amps/dacs with something I'm familiar with.

Yeah I think so, I saw so many brought their own headphones.  Wish I brought my HD1000 too.  I may come back tomorrow to do A/B between LCD4.  We'll see.

 

[Peti]

Anyone can tell what Astell & Kern model was hooked up to the Cavalli Liquid Carbon - LCD-X combo at the Cavalli booth?

 

[madmax7]

Indeed they are. Brought my T1's and HD800's. 

 

[Hansotek]

Are they cool with you bringing in your own headphones to test gear? I'm going to come by tomorrow and wouldn't mind taking along my HD650s to sample amps/dacs with something I'm familiar with.

Yes. They will measure anything you want.

 

[buke9]

  Are they cool with you bringing in your own headphones to test gear? I'm going to come by tomorrow and wouldn't mind taking along my HD650s to sample amps/dacs with something I'm familiar with.

My Ether-C tested everything I was around. Lot's of people had there own.

 

[hrq12345]

Don't know why no one mentioned this,  but Headtrip paired with the Abyss is my favorite for today, better than paired with WA5. It has just marvelous soundstage, bass and vocals.
 
009 with BHSE was not good as imagined though. Prefer the stax amps with 009 actually.
 
Gumby + mjolnir2 + LCD3 with upgrading cable is really really good. IMO even better than Yggy + Rag + HEK. I guess just fewer people tried these "second flagship" from Schiit.