[Skyfall]

I didn't get to listen to all of it but some had left me impressed:
 
Astell & Kern Kann vs Opus #2
When I entered the show I immediately went to AK booth and listened to their newest pre-order unit the Kann. I am not going into details about this new DAP other than what I think about their SQ. The new Kann felt pretty good in my hand despite of their bulky appearance and it's not as heavy as I thought either. I listened to it with both AK T5p and Sennheiser HD800 on balance. After a few minutes of listening to some files, 44.1K and DSD honestly, I wasn't impressed and a little disappointed. Yes, it drove HD800 straight from the balance mode but that's it. The Ui is laggy and slow to respond, it sounds is less transparent - it doesn't have a black background - makes the layering and depth a little murky and less holographical. The sounds has more weight than AK320 but again, less detailed, less airy and less cleaner. My AK120II sounds better although it is not as transparent either.
On the other hand, Opus#2 is really amazing it is very close to the sound of AK320. Note: Opus DAP has three different models : #1 - Burr Brown, #2 - Sabre ES 9018, #3 - Cirrus Logic CS4398.  
 
Hifiman Edition 6 vs HE1K
Edition 6 has VERY very wide stereo image and large soundstage..almost twice the size of HE1K. IS it a Good thing ? I said no. It is too wide and too hard to focus and enjoy, the overall presentation felt like it had been stretched to it's max. Moreover, I am hearing the whole soundstage is actually inside-and behind my head, so weird. HE1K sounds a little warmer compare to it because of the fuller and "narrower" soundstage.
Edition X V.2 sounds really crystal with wider stereo image and good depth. But what I didn't like the bass wasn't dead centered, it sounds too wide following the width of everything else.
My favorite in these lines is actualy the very humble and affordable HE400S. It simply does everything RIGHT ! I will get this one.

NOBLE Audio
Trident - there's a spike somewhere between 5K-8K range. Bass and everything else was good and listenable.
Sage - the bass is definitly has more sub extention, a little boomy - too much maybe ?
Django - Warmer, deep and muscular bass, rolled off highs.
KAtana and Encore - the best sounding of all, balanced, tranparent, punchy a little forward and extended.
 
Mr Speaker Flow vs Aeon
I listened to Flow last year's Canjam and I was impressed I thought it sounds better than HD800 and more detailed than LCD X. But this time I wasn't. Out of Biforst/Mj2 it sounds very clear and clean, good bass but not much impact (compare to My LCD X) and more stereo width then the depth. On the other hand, the Aeon has noticeably better instruments layering and a bit warmer or fuller due to smaller soundstage compare to Flow. I enjoyed the Aeon better..similarly the way I enjoyed HE400S.
 
The ALL NEw LCD PRO
Good built, much lighter and much more comfy and easy to drive. The sound: I LOVE it. It's warmer,intimate yet with very good depth and macro details. Soundstage is smaller than LCD X also less extended but it feels just as wide once you're accustom to it's sound sig. There is plenty of Slam and impact on the bass dept and very satisfying too, vocal is clear. Overall, to me this is what Audeze was famous for to begin with but much better soundstage and imaging even though this is non-fazor. GOtta have it.
 
Isine 10 vs 20
The 10 sounds a bit warmer and meatier while the 20 has more airy and more balance sound. The bass texture and impact is the best I've heard on the IEM other than Layla. Both has a very good imaging, depth and texture. The 10 is pretty similar sounding to K Encore if I'm not mistaken. Tremendous value !
 
HUGO V2 and DAVE
V2 is a tremendous improvements over the older one which now sounds f__lat and less engaging. Hugo V2 has now much much better layering and much darker background making it absolutely fast and accurate. The sound also has more body and depth. Listening to DAVE and LCD 4 is absolutely engaging - excellent!

 

[wdetterman]

 
I had the same problem when I first listened to the Lolas. Then the guy behind the booth adjusted the pots, and they were absolutely lovely. I found that just south of 1:30 made them sound just right.

​Interesting. I guess they were busy or something when I tried them out. I remember the pots were around 12:00 when I heard them. The little screw driver/adjustment tool was sitting out when I tried them, so I briefly attempted to adjust them myself and never found the right setting. Maybe if I spend more time adjusting it I may have liked it.

 

[Trager]

 
​Yeah, I don't know why most exhibitors don't sell products at CanJam. They totally should. My friend and I got to hear so much stuff at CanJam, and by the end of the day, we both would have bought something right then and there if we could have. I saw a few booths with b-stock or a couple older demo units for sale, but very few had anything for sale there. It's really a missed opportunity for them.

I don't get it. In 2015, I walked away with a bunch of new stuff, and lots of vendors had really good show specials. UE was offering 30% off (which they did in 2016 as well, IIRC) of their cIEMs. For me, the delineation seems to be 20% -- if I'm interested in a product, and there's a discount that's around there (or higher), I'm likely to pull the trigger if it's not something outlandish. I was still tempted to get me some A18s, but I was hoping to find portable over-ear cans, not new IEMs.

 

[babyryoga]

Briefly,
 
The best things:
Orpheus HE 1 - Not very often you can hear so many specific nuances related to saliva in vocalist's mouths when they speak with headphones. Is that a good thing? Maybe these are TOO good, if that's a possibility. They also had the finest soundstage i've ever heard on a heaphone, for the very brief 2-3 minute squeeze in I got to use them for.
 
The Focal Utopia and Abyss Phi setups at Woo Audio with some of WA's flagship tube amps - Probably the best thing I heard outside the realm of untouchable absurdity. The Abyss pairing sounded better out of the two, but the Focal setup was no slouch at all, and the builds on both headphones and amps was stunning.
 
Almost as great things:
Mr Speakers Electrostatic - Didn't get enough time, but to me it was comparable to an SR-009 on a similar Blue Hawaii. Maybe the SR-009s are a little better overall, but the Speakers Prototype had some crazy tight, lightning fast bass. 
 
LAB 2 and Piano Forte X from Final Audio Design - These had something i've never heard before. I don't know if they are the best for every type of music, but they have a magical sound with jazz that nothing else can replicate. The LAB 2's were sensitive enough to get good volume from even in the crowded noisy room, even with no sleeves to seal sound in since they are earphones that use a horn speaker design that doesn't need sleeves. The Piano Forte X was hard to get a good listen to with all the background noise, being less sensitive by far, but most of the same sound was there from what I could hear. 

 

[DanWiggins]

 
​Yeah, I don't know why most exhibitors don't sell products at CanJam. They totally should. My friend and I got to hear so much stuff at CanJam, and by the end of the day, we both would have bought something right then and there if we could have. I saw a few booths with b-stock or a couple older demo units for sale, but very few had anything for sale there. It's really a missed opportunity for them.

We sold quite a bit of product at the show, came prepared with boxes of product and a Square card reader.  Definitely a great sales outlet!

 

[FullCircle]

Noble was selling products

Promotion was Encore or Katana universal boundled with a free Wizard Sage Universal ($800 retail value)

 

[wdetterman]

  We sold quite a bit of product at the show, came prepared with boxes of product and a Square card reader.  Definitely a great sales outlet!

​Exactly! You guys have it figured out. Hopefully more exhibitors catch on and start bringing stuff to sell too. Consumers are definitely more inclined to buy headphones when they can listen to them at a place like CanJam. Almost none of the over-ear headphones I was looking at could be purchased at CanJam.

 

[CarlosUnchained]

 

1. The new “LCD-Pro” is going to be released soon at $1200 and sounds like a smoother LCD-X. It’s also much lighter—machined magnesium rather than aluminum if memory serves—and includes the carbon fiber headband. Accurate but still conveying the Audeze house sound. VERY COMFORTABLE!!! We’ve schiit on Audeze’s comfort for years, and THEY FINALLY HAVE HEARD US. 

 
I just bought the LCD-X. But damn, I'd gladly pay $200 more for a more comfortable Xs. I will wait for comparisons and think about selling mine.

 

[geoffalter11]

This was my first Canjam.  It was a lot of fun.  I have been going to food shows for yrs and I was honestly surprised by how few people seemed to be in attendance.  Especially after seeing videos of past gatherings where they seemed to be bustling.  This was mellow and I found the ambient noise levels to be better because of this.  I got the sense a lot of folks were disappointed in the showing.  About 12pm today 25-30% of the booths had no one sitting at them, folks checking their phones.  This was great for me as I had unfettered access to so much.  I really enjoyed my time there and can see myself becoming a regular attendee to a Canjam once or twice a year.  Here are my highlights...
 
1. Wells Audio Headtrip Reference - Wow!  I have been wanting to hear the Headtrip for a long time, so this was a quite a treat.  Jeff Wells was using the Chord Dave as the DAC.  I listened to it with the Abyss, HE-6, Eikon and Dharma's.  Way out of my budget, but one can dream.  I own a Milo and was super happy to hear that the Headtrip and Enigma weren't exponentially better.  
2. Focal Utopia - The Utopia startled me.  It is the most resolving and beautiful sounding headphone I have ever heard.  I just loved it!
3. ZMF Eikons - Really enjoyed spending time at the ZMF booth.  Great people, and the Eikon sounds fantastic.  The Atticus is wonderful too, but the Eikon fit more into my preferences.
4. JH Audio Lola - midrange was very liquid and realistic.  Treble was airy and imagining was as good as almost everything else I heard at the show absent the Utopia and Abyss.
5. Questyle QP1R - I was really looking forward to listening to the QP1R and it didn't disappoint.  I want one...
5. Audeze iSine 20 - Kinda glad they weren't selling any at the show as I would've bought without hesitation.  They are very comfortable and sound more like an over ear than an IEM.  I liked that they told me at their booth they were designed for people who don't like the comfort of an IEM.  I have always struggled with the fit of an IEM.  They hurt my ears.  No such feeling with the iSine.  What a cool product.
6. Holo Spring Level 3 DAC - I found the sound to be very delicate and musical.  Their cables are really nice as well.  They were very helpful and knowledgeable.  I learned more about the technology at their booth than anywhere else at the show.
7. Chord Booth - First time hearing Chord products.  Mojo was great.  Hugo2 was excellent, Dave was exquisite.  Hugo2 or 2Qute will make it's way into my rack at some point in the future.
8. Zenith Audio PMx2 - Oppo PM 1/2 mod... expensive, but really beautiful sounding.  This was one of the biggest surprises to me.  I wasn't expecting it to sound as good nor as different from the Oppo as it did.  Alex has done wonders with the Oppo driver.  I highly recommend a listen.  
9. Campfire Audio - Ken is a super nice guy, generous with his time and is making beautiful products.  I loved the Continental V5 portable tube amp.  I loved the Andromeda, and Vega.  I think the new Lyra II was one of the better deals at the show.  Sounded great.  I struggled with comfort, but that is par for the course with IEMs for me.  
10. Audeze LCD Pro - I think that was the name.  They sounded great.  I liked the lighter materials and comfort a lot more than an LCD.  As great as the 4's sound, I struggle with how heavy they are. The Pro's struck a nice balance and I can see myself wanting to procure one after their release.
 
There were many other highlights.  These are what my tired mind can muster after an afternoon and evening of travel.  

 

[wdetterman]

Noble was selling products

Promotion was Encore or Katana universal boundled with a free Wizard Sage Universal ($800 retail value)

 
I saw that promotion! It had to be one of the best deals at CanJam. The Kaiser Encore and the Katana both sounded awesome, and my friend bought a pair under the promotion.

 

[Andy Regan]

Yes Lola will be available as a CIEM and Universal

 

[KB]

  Yes Lola will be available as a CIEM and Universal

 
Congrats Andy and Jerry, Loved the Lola! nicely done guys.
 
Ken

 

[Trager]

Noble was selling products

Promotion was Encore or Katana universal boundled with a free Wizard Sage Universal ($800 retail value)

Sorry for not giving credit. While that's quite a deal in terms of monetary value, it just didn't make any sense to me (just like the UE deal where you needed to buy a UERR to get half off a UE18+) -- I really only use one top-end IEM at a time. 

 

[makethemusic]

Which manufacturer makes that? Too many posts, can't keep up lol :etysmile:

Cavalli

 

[Edward777]

My GF and I decided to visit at the tail end of the 2nd day (today) around 4pm.  We had a lot of fun!  I am by no means an audio expert.  I have been listening to CDs for years off a portable CD player through my Grado SR60s (the original kind).  I've been meaning to get more into headphones and headphone gear, but I have yet to make a purchase, because I never have enough money saved up, but I've definitely been into headphones for a few years now.
 
Going today was my first time hearing planar magnetic headphones, hearing headphones through proper amps, etc.  We had a lot of fun comparing the HE1000s to the HE400Ss to the HE400is to the Edition Xs at the HiFiMan station.  Since I don't currently have an amp, the 400S is a very tempting headphone to upgrade to, and one I'm definitely considering.  The Edition Xs also sounded great off of our phones.  I knew the Abyss headphones were very well-regarded (and expensive!), so I had to listen to those, which I found at the Wells Audio station (there were always people at the Abyss station, so I couldn't do it through them).  I'm not sure if it was a new model or an old one (I just learned there was a new model by reading some of the other comments in this thread), but it definitely was a fun experience to try it out.  
 
Trying out the Schitt gear was fun, and I had no idea there was a $99 combined DAC/amp, since the last time I had checked the world of head-fi the Modi/Magni combo was the cheapest DAC/amp stack you could get for $200+, and it sounded pretty good with the AKG they had hooked up.  I also listened to the Sennheiser HD800S hooked up to their more expensive amp.  The guys at the Blue booth were really friend and fun to talk to, and again, since I hadn't followed head-fi the last year or so as I've moved around, the last time I checked they had only the Mo-Fi on the market, but now they have both an improved version of that, as well as a planar magnetic with a built-in amp!  So cool, and I thought their headphones sounded great.  Finally, we checked out the MrSpeaker Ether Flow upstairs, after taking a peek in at the Sennheiser HE-1 (that would be fun to listen to it, but honestly, I don't really have enough experience to be able to tell the difference between it and other of the nice headphones we listened to today), although my GF was briefly deafened after I turned up the amp too loud, thinking the volume was down too low when in actuality it was just the music player that wasn't working. 
 
Anyways, totally a fun experience, and I will definitely go to next year's if I'm still in the LA area (just moved back here after some time away).  I'm definitely strongly considering upgrading from my Grados into a headphone in the $200-$400 area.  I was going to do a small leap from the Grados originally and go to an Audio-Technica ATH-M50, but I kinda have my eye set on a HiFiMan now.  I loved their stuff!