[deharrison]

Any T-shirts left? Can I buy one online?

 

[crashtest33]

Just listened to the much-hyped Meze 99 Classics, and let me say, they live up to every word of it. Holy smokes. Honestly, I'm not sure that there is anything that can touch these value-wise for $309 right now.

I'm part of the European review team for the 99, and I can't wait to do a side-by-side with my Focal Spirit Classics which I feel are untouchable for £204uk!!

 

[Hansotek]

Did anyone hear any headphones at the show by Mitchell & Johnson?

They're a new company making some hybrid electrostatic/dynamic headphones. Tyll featured them a couple months ago and they were listed as a SoCal vendor.
 

Those were really interesting. They are super open sounding for a closed back headphone. They actually sound really, really great for the price. My only issue with them is the build quality seems to be a little delicate.

 

[Allanmarcus]

 

Originally Posted by rajivarora /img/forum/go_quote.gif
 
Which brings me to one aspect of CanJam that I didn't like - the noise. I realize that conversational noise is unavoidable at the listening tables, but I think a lot could be done if exhibitors, organizers, et al. actually made an effort to allow people to listen. It's one thing if you're manning the station and answering questions and talking about the equipment. But there were a lot of socializing and casual conversations happening right next to people trying to listen. It would be good to take that outside into the hallways.

+1
 
I wasn't there but totally agree any listening room should be like a library and as completely silent as possible. I mean how much of the audio quality can you really actually hear and discern with a high noise floor? The signal to noise ratio of the audio to your ears would be too bad to even be able to evaluate anything very well. 

I think the best you can get out of any audio show is to see, feel, and chat about the products. You can listen to get a high level understanding of the sound signature of the headphones or speakers (I don't see how anyone can tell any differences between Amps, DACs, sources, power, cables at show, they re too subtle, assume there is any difference at all . So you can check for comfort and build, cable length, and signature, but there are too many other variables to get anything more than that from a show, or even a meet.

 

[mic21]

more up-to-date photos can be found at https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2053327139/kannon-headphones-accurate-bass-you-can-feel/description ... sorry our home page is not as current as it should be ...

 

[Dean Seislove]

It's a complicated issue. Do you hold an event that promotes the enthusiasm of everyone meeting fellow headphone fans and encountering new gear? Or, do you limit the experience so that optimal conditions exists? CES has circus crowds and boring audio tombs and neither are ideal for a headphone event. Personally, I'm grateful that the organizers go through all of the hassle so that I can hear a weekend's worth of gear for the price of one vinyl reissue. Yes, I could've done without the dude next to me blasting "Billy Jean" through a pair of Ether's, but that's my problem. I went to another table, then came back later. Not complicated, and I left perfectly happy.

 

[conquerator2]

  [Snip]
 
Anyways, thanks to @mikemercer for facilitating the Tungsten listening sessions, and @Stillhart (and probably @conquerator2, though I wasn't exactly sure who you were) and the other Head-Fi'ers who were manning the Cavalli table. Nice to meet all of you!
 

Nooooooo! How'd I miss you? :/ I was at the Cavalli table indeed!
 
Anyway,of the new headphone sutff, beside the Estat Ether,
I was really impressed with this guy, which I bought...
 
The Verisonix 1502C.
 

 

 
 
A closed back hybrid dynamic/electrostatic, small form factor headphone for 199$ that sounds very decent. Wait, What?!
True, it is a combination of wood and plastic and they don't feel particularly sturdy [they don't seem like they'd fall apart any minute mind you]. But they are covered by a 2 years warranty and have removable earpads and detachable cables.
 
For those not familiar with them, they are the manufacturers of the hybrid drivers used in the ENIGMAcoustics Dharma.
They had 5 different closed back versions [going from 149$ to 499$ and they all sounded quite differently. I did like the one I bought best], with open backs coming in Summer and bigger more desktop versions coming further down this year.
None of the models will be priced above 599$. Well, that is quite something.
 
I talked to the Verisonix guys for a bit and I really liked what they were going for.
 
Needless to say, this is my new portable hybrid headphone. For 199 dollars... Yeah. Easily my budget highlight of the show.

 

[adpo]

Here's my extended impressions, going in alphabetical order and as memory serves. My lovely girlfriend also came along with me this year, she was the lovely lady being wheeled around in the wheelchair by yours truly. It was nice having her there to confirm what I was hearing.
 
1More - Amazing bang for buck IEMs, would definitely recommend to friends who want to just dabble into our little hobby. I was a really big fan of their little 3 driver IEM and my jaw dropped when they told me it was only a hundred bucks.
 
1964 Ears/64 Audio - Had a good listen to their models at CanJam last year, so nothing too new for me here. Solid IEMs all around, I'm partial to their A6 model as far as sound sig goes.
 
Audeze - Tried the LCD-4. I liked the sound, but I couldn't stand the sheer weight of the damn things.
 
Audioquest - Anyone who knows me knows I'm a huge fan of the Nighthawks. Got to listen to one hooked up to the violectric v281 they had set up; looks like I've found my future endgame amp. My girlfriend also fell in love with the violectric, so I know I've got GF-approval-factor covered when the time comes for me to put down the money for one
 
Beyerdynamic - I liked how they smoothed out the response from the T1 gen 2. That said, I'm not the biggest fan of the Beyer sound.
 
Cardas Audio - Had a lot of fun at this booth. We sat down and had a nice long chat with the rep there. He was a fellow fan of the Nighthawks, so we had a really fun talk over different cans/pairings we've liked and ideas on modding the Nighthawks. I was a really big fan of their IEMs, the bass was huge with a lot of slam and the overall signature was just a ton of fun. They also had Ayre's Codex at their table, which sounded simply fantastic: clean, detailed and dynamic. These would've easily been a contender for my endgame amp had I not heard the v281.
 
Cavalli Audio - Solid amps as always, their new little Spark blew me away with it's performance given it's size, portability and price. Similar impressions were had from the Carbon, which I've heard before. The liquid gold is just as legendary as always; such a shame that we can't all afford gear in such rarified air Overall though, solid performance from their whole line and amazing value as well.
 
Cayin Audio - Had a lot of fun with these guys. Their new HA1A mk2 was a joy to both look at and listen to. To me, it sounded like a very nice alternative to Ayre's Codex and it easily made my shortlist on things I want simply for how amazing it looks and sounds. Maybe I can justify it as a speaker amp that just so happens to drive headphones.......
 
Chord Electronics - Given all the hype around the mojo, I was a tad disappointed in what I heard. That said, it was a solid performer that delivered a smooth and detailed sound. Does it make me want to upgrade from my GOV2+? No.
 
Darin Fong Audio - It was a lot of fun listening to their demo, the processing they applied was both realistic and enjoyable, so long as I kept my head still. I only wish they could also add the head-tracking capabilities of Smyth's Realiser at some point in the future.
 
Emotiva  - Got to listen to their Stealth dac/amp, I felt it was a competant performer in it's price range
 
Empire Ears - Really damn good sounding IEMs. Their Zeus sounded very clean and well balanced to me. Unfortunately, we also didn't have too much time to listen to their other models due to how late we got to their table
 
Final Audio - I always have a blast listening to Final's stuff. Came away really impressed with their Piano Forte X. My girlfriend said it best: "With classical and live music, I'm there. These make it sound like I'm right there". I was also a big fan of their Sonorous VI, moreso than the X
 
Meze Headphones - I've always loved woodies and these were no exception. Everything you love about woodies, they've got it right here. Solid headphones at their price, especially if you love a laid back and somewhat warm sound signature. A pair of these, a nice drink and a comfy chair would be a fantastic way to wind down from work.
 
Mr Speakers - Solid headphones as always. Dan always brings out the sort of pairings I'd love to personally have in my own home if I ever made the money to do so, especially the Ether + WA5 that was front and center next to the e-stats. I liked a lot of what I was hearing from the e-stat he was working on as well and I'll look forward to hearing it again as he finalizes the design.
 
Noble Audio - The updated universals were really cool, definitely a step up on the design end. As for sound, it was everything I'd heard before from Noble, although maybe a touch more detailed and refined than I remembered.
 
Oppo Digital - I really like their dac/amps, not so much their headphones. Both the HA1 and HA2 impressed me as always, so much so that I had recommended the HA2 to my friend when he was looking for a portable amp to listen to at work for his Mad Dogs. The HA1 was clear, controlled and detailed, while the HA2 is more dynamic and bombastic than it's bigger brother. Their headphones are solid options for the money, but nothing that quite "wows" me, especially in the sort of setting where they're sat side-by-side with flagships upon flagships.
 
Pioneer - I was honestly surprised at the Master-1's soundstage. The sound was huge and epic, sort of like the HD800 but with more visceral body to the sound. Definitely a fan.
 
Puro Sound Labs - Impressively capable wireless headphones with good looks to boot. They seem to be positioning themselves as the go-to solution for recovering Beats/Bose addicts.
 
Radius Earphones - Probably the biggest surprise for me at the show. To put it simply, they were Final Audio without the Final Audio pricetag. I was a huge fan of the TWF31K, definitely looking into getting one at some point in the future.
 
RHA - First time hearing the T20's and I was impressed. They were dynamic and crisp and the tunable filters added a ton of value to the pricepoint they're targeting. Definitely what I'd recommend as a step-up IEM for an indecisive friend.
 
RIVA Audio - These little guys never fail to impress with the big sound they put out. Having two of them in stereo painted a massive soundstage that seems nearly impossible for speakers of their size. That said, I wish they'd make a matching subwoofer for the instances where I could see myself actually wanting to own 2 of their speakers for a stereo setup. In any case, the new RIVA S is definitely going into my shopping basket for my Dad come the holidays.
 
Schiit Audio - The gungnir multibit impressed me hugely. Near-yggdrasil performance at half the cost? Sign me up! The Mjolnir 2 and Bifrost multibit were also pretty great, a solid evolution over the previous generation.
 
Sennheiser - The HD800s proved to be everything I thought/wanted it to be: a "fixed" HD800. Outstanding headphone, and now one that I can't complain about either.
 
Taction Technology - The Kannons were a boatload of fun. The moment I said "I'd love to watch a movie with these", the two guys there stopped me and pulled up the T-Rex scene from Jurassic Park. It was legitimately the most fun product I got to listen to at the show and I'm looking forward to seeing them come to market.
 
Torque - Really cool concept, each of the changes from the filters and pad venting made a big difference to the sound. I'm looking forward to seeing what else they put out in the future.
 
Ultimate Ears - I was a really big fan of the new UERM. The sound was balanced and had oodles and oodles of detail. Got my ear scanned, which was really cool to see and really fast as well. I'm struggling to convince myself that I don't need another IEM right now....
 
Warwick Audio Technologies - These were my favorite headphones from the show. Detailed, balanced, dynamic and imaged incredibly. I was so very, very sad that these weren't a "real" product yet. I wish them the best of luck on finding a manufacturer, as I'll easily be one of the first in line to get one.
 
Westone - Got to listen to their W60's, definitely the sort of IEM I'd love to own. Imagine a slightly more laid-back Noble 4/Savannah. Just as detailed and largely as linear, but just a tad less forward with the upper mids.
 
Woo Audio - Impressive stuff as always. The new WA8 is definitely a solid piece of engineering, providing a clean and open presentation. The WA5 is still the amp of my dreams, so no surprises there.

 

[austinpop]

It's a complicated issue. Do you hold an event that promotes the enthusiasm of everyone meeting fellow headphone fans and encountering new gear? Or, do you limit the experience so that optimal conditions exists? CES has circus crowds and boring audio tombs and neither are ideal for a headphone event. Personally, I'm grateful that the organizers go through all of the hassle so that I can hear a weekend's worth of gear for the price of one vinyl reissue. Yes, I could've done without the dude next to me blasting "Billy Jean" through a pair of Ether's, but that's my problem. I went to another table, then came back later. Not complicated, and I left perfectly happy.

 
Yeah - I realize I made my comment without any overall context - and which, upon reflection, does sound churlish. This was not my intention.
 
I still really enjoyed the event, and have nothing but the highest praise and gratitude for all who either volunteered their time to setup and run the event, or the manufacturers who showed up with their amazing gear.
 
The key point I was trying to make was that even small steps by organizers and exhibitors to reduce, not eliminate, noise would be really helpful. I think we all understand eliminating the noise is impossible.

 

[adpo]

I definitely need to stay the night and go for both days next year, since I didn't even get to listen to everything I wanted to listen to

 

[Rocco Khan]

Finally recovered from Saturday. Here are a few scattered impressions. I've added spoiler tags to avoid the giant post and any possible quoted replies. 

A surprising standout for me was the Ultimate Ears Pro Reference Remastered (UERR).

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

I'm familiar with the UERM and while it's great for its intended purpose, it was never something I would have considered buying. The UERR with the foam ear tips disappeared into my ears. The music sounded effortless, natural, and so smooth. It was 100% non-offensive. I felt like I could listen comfortably for hours on end without any sign of fatigue. Sadly it's not offered in the universal configuration that I demo'ed or my wallet would be much lighter right now. 

The Riva S -

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

At the end of the day I spent some time listening with  Donald in the Riva room. The crew there is always fun to talk with. What really impressed me was the two Riva S models in the corners of the room, linked, one for each channel. I could not believe the sound. The sound was incredible and so full. Add in the fact that they are portable, bluetooth, the small form factor and $249 a piece....crazy. They would be great for an office or travel. So many potential uses for those things. Donald also introduced me to METRIC. More specifically their album "Fantasies". I love finding new music. I left that room and the show on a very high note. 

Vali 2 + Modi 2 + 650 -

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

I wasn't expecting the level of enjoyment that I received from this system. I put it on at a whim while waiting for a friend. I could see this being end game for those on a budget. I could see myself being content with such a setup. 

Beyerdynamic T1 2nd gen. -

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

Going to be frank. I sat down for the signature on my SHaG card. I've never enjoyed the T1. My ears have always thanked me for passing it up at meets. The second gen has made some significant improvements to the treble region. Overall, I enjoyed them very much. I think finding them refurbished/pre-owned around $750 would make them a very competitive choice.

Mr.Speakers Electrostat Prototype -

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

I believe that Dan has a kind of "house sound", and he's been slowly moving towards that sound little by little with new pieces of technology. His headphones have come a log way. I absolutely love the new headband style. It's pretty much everything I've ever wanted: Light, low-profile, flexible and conforming. The pads have always been on point. The sound, that "house style" as I refer to it just doesn't match up with my tastes. I find the headphone technically proficient, but I don't really enjoy the music I'm hearing. I don't want to spend time pinpointing each area, but for me it just doesn't bring the emotion, coherency or naturalness that I'm looking for in a headphone...or the price point, lol. Still, cheers to Dan. 

Cavalli Spark -

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

I'll start by saying that I haven't heard a Cavalli product that I didn't enjoy. I've also never purchased one either, but I'd like to and thus the Spark made my must see list. I didn't get to demo it out of my own DAC so I'm not overly confident in giving impressions. It was hooked up to an AK240, I think. Anyway, It sounded great. Hooking up some JVC-FX850s and I noticed just how much the sound was able to tighten up. It seems that the Spark was able to focus the sound of the 850 to a level I hadn't heard before. Again, I take my own impressions here with a grain of salt. My only problem with the spark is the size. It's "portable"...kinda. The thing is pretty thick with large corners. There is no chance in hell it's going to fit in my pocket comfortably, and this is coming from a guy who shamelessly sports his cargo shorts everywhere. If I were to strap a phone to it, then I would definitely call it a brick. I would consider this somewhere between portable and transportable depending on how one plans to carry it. Maybe I need to invest in a man purse or a sweet fanny pack. 
P.S. I loved the Cavalli Shirts. @warrenpchi
 You'll have to tell me how I can procure one. 

Meze 99 -

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

I was able to have a very open conversation about this headphone with Antonio. He is passionate about his product and design choices. That level of enthusiasm and determination almost always yields a good product. The Meze 99 is no exception. You can see and feel the quality right away. His choice to reduce the parts on the headphone to only the necessary parts is something that really appeals to me. Even so, he manages to give the remaining pieces a level of design and character that make the Meze 99 stand out from the crowd. 
Here is the problem. The ear pads are going to be hit and miss depending on your ear size. I have long ears. That is a problem for these. It creates odd seals in places and affects the response. It also significantly impacts comfort as  the pads sit on the top edge of my ears. He was completely open about that fact and is working on larger pads. However, he had some larger velour pads on another pair that fixed the comfort issue but resulted in a 180 to the sound response. Another problem is that these fall somewhere between desktop and portable. They don't fold and people have been letting him know. He said he plans on working on making a folding pair but not to expect that for at least a year. I love when designers really listen to feed back. Antonio does. I see great things coming from him in the future. Sorry I cannot comment on the sound more, but I didn't think it would be fair considering the circumstances. I'll leave that to those with smaller ears.

 Empire Ears -

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

The guys at the booth were fun to hang out with. I tried the 6's, 4s, and 14. Didn't like the 6. Loved the 4, and didn't like the 14. The 14 seriously lacked coherency. The 4 was a complete contrast to the 14. The 4 is most popular model I believe. It was well tuned with a nice balanced tonality that I could enjoy for hours. I didn't take many mental notes here apart from liking/disliking really. 

Puro Sound Labs BT2200 (Children's Headphone)- 

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

I was mildly interested in these as a parent. My girls always want to hear what I'm listening to, but my headphones aren't exactly ideal for them. I think these would be great for my daughters. The sound was good enough, nothing very offensive. Better than average build quality and obviously geared towards a styled looked that my wife wouldn't find revolting. The price point of $79 is a bit higher than I'd like, but at around $55 I think shelling out for two pairs would be great for road trips, flying and other occasions.

More impressions to come when I work up the time. My thanks and appreciation to all of the crew that worked to make the experience a safe and exciting one. These seem to get better every year. Had a great time with friends and meeting new ones. The lunches and dinners are always a special part for me. I do miss the member showcases and hope they find a place in the future.  

On ether Electrostatic are you comparing the "new" headband to the Ether C and Ether? Or are you comparing it to the alpha dogs etc? If your comparison is to the Ether, what's new about it? Thanks

 

[Kamakahah]

Sorry for the confusion.

I was referring to the headband that has been used since the Ether. I believe it's the same on all three Ether iterations. I was comparing, in general, against all other headbands including the Fostex headbands on previous models.

 

[Pazz]

15 pages already, nice!
 
The weekend was incredibly awesome. I loved showing VR to everyone who wanted to try it. 
 
Big thanks to @Gilly87 and everyone at Echobox for all the help and charity outside of just providing travel arrangements for me. Really a cool bunch of people to hang out with. 
 
And of course thanks to everyone who helped make this event possible. I'm proud to be a part of the community. 

 

[gr8soundz]

Those were really interesting. They are super open sounding for a closed back headphone. They actually sound really, really great for the price. My only issue with them is the build quality seems to be a little delicate.

 
Agreed. Materials and build are far from TOTL but the sound is pretty good from the ones I have.
 
Recently got a different pair of headphones using the same driver and reviewed them here:
http://www.head-fi.org/t/793225/verisonix-in2uit-verisonic/15#post_12434876
 
Quote:

 
Anyway,of the new headphone sutff, beside the Estat Ether,
I was really impressed with this guy, which I bought...
 
The Verisonix 1502C.
 

 

 
A closed back hybrid dynamic/electrostatic, small form factor headphone for 199$ that sounds very decent. Wait, What?!
True, it is a combination of wood and plastic and they don't feel particularly sturdy [they don't seem like they'd fall apart any minute mind you]. But they are covered by a 2 years warranty and have removable earpads and detachable cables.
 
For those not familiar with them, they are the manufacturers of the hybrid drivers used in the ENIGMAcoustics Dharma.
They had 5 different closed back versions [going from 149$ to 499$ and they all sounded quite differently. I did like the one I bought best], with open backs coming in Summer and bigger more desktop versions coming further down this year.
None of the models will be priced above 599$. Well, that is quite something.
 
I talked to the Verisonix guys for a bit and I really liked what they were going for.
 
Needless to say, this is my new portable hybrid headphone. For 199 dollars... Yeah. Easily my budget highlight of the show.

 
I didn't know they also made the Dharma D1000 drivers! Thanks for that info.
 

 

[phillipwangusa]

Great show and lots of fun!  
 
I posted a dozen pics on Instagram under the hastag #canjam #canjam2016