[reeltime]

I love this thread every year. I always enjoy reading about what I overlooked.

My focus for day 1, considering I'm not certain I'll make it back for day 2-- was to audition things I haven't heard before. I seem to always wander back to the same vendors every year. Time to hear some new stuff. First up, 64 Audio:

I auditioned the tia Trio, and was met immediately by a sound that caught my attention. The Trio is a rich in-ear with excellent range and dynamics, my initial impression was "Powerful." The Trio sounded like the mids were pushed a bit forward to my ears-- or something wasn't quite to my taste. When I moved to the Fourte, WHOA.

This is a special headphone. It cleaned up that mid range that didn't sit well with me on the Trio. This is a headphone I could live with every day. It's super easy to drive, too. It was just the 2nd headphone I auditioned today, and it earned my "Best of Show." Extremely impressive. I spent more time with the Fourte than any other item at the show, I'm pretty sure. Not that it needed it, but 64 Audio does not offer the Forte in a custom, surprising, given its $3500 price.

I next wandered a bit, taking in some of the different booths and stopping for a quick chat here and there. My next sit-down was with HifiMan. I own the HE1000v2, an excellent headphone, but I wanted to have a listen with the Susvara.

OK, HifiMan definitely bested the HE1000v2 with the Susvara in terms of sound, and this is at or near the bleeding edge of Summit-Fi. My gripe is that the build feels flimsier than the HE1000v2. It feels like a delicate product. Very comfy. Open. Bass extends deeper than my HE1000v2 (Damn it.). But I don't think the Susvara is on my list of a headphone I would go out and purchase. It's in that "I can put a new roof on the house for that money" category. Well done HifiMan, but beef this headphone up a bit. Use thicker metal or something to give it greater strength. Quick interlude for an honorable mention. Driving the Susvara was the venerable GSX mk2.

All these years later, the GSX mk2 is still one of the very best solid state headphone amps I've ever heard. Standing amid the latest greatest Shangri-La and Susvara, we wound up marveling over how great the GSX still sounds. I would love to add this amp to my collection one day. If you haven't heard it, the GSX was driving a number of headphones around the show. Not bad for a fairly old product in Head-Fi years. Check it out if you have the opportunity.

Immediately next to HifiMan was the covert Shure table. Totally unmarked, I would have walked right on by had the KSE1500 not caught my eye. This is a headphone I've wanted to listen to since its 2015 premiere-- but the table was always full or I didn't get around to hearing it for some reason or another.

Here's what struck me about the KSE1500. First, it's closed-backed. I don't know why, but given that it is an electrostat, I assumed it would have been open backed. The sound was OK going from my AK240 direct into the KSE's digital input direct. But honestly, I expected better. I was hoping to get hid across the head with the cleanliness and detail I've come to expect in an electrostatic headphone. So I changed to the analog input and used my Chord Hugo v1 to drive the amp, and things got much, much better right away. I immediately came to the conclusion that the KSE needs a custom DAC badly. The Shure rep confirmed-- they're in the business of making headphones, not components. The DAC in the KSE amp is an off-the-shelf chip, nothing special. They'd love to partner with a DAC company, they already know the headphone is special. Chord? Astell and Kern? Are you listening? Call Shure! The KSE was damn close to the best sound I heard all day, but the sub-par DAC took away points.

Next: I HATE YOU, CHORD.

I had yet to hear the new Hugo2. It was at last year's show, but I didn't get any time with it. I A/B'd it with my Hugo1 that was in my backpack. Damn it to hell, the thing doesn't sound a little bit better, it sounds crazy better in every single way. I want one. Now. I can't afford it. I don't have kids to sell, so if you have a few you can live without, hit me up.

I moved on to JH Audio. Jude recommends the Lola, and I was eager to give them a try.

Lola had a very pleasant sound. I wouldn't turn anyone away from them. But it fell shy of where I remember the Layla impressing me back in the day. So I shifted to the Layla, which has been revised since I first heard them.

The Layla sounds about where I remember it-- but I have to be honest, after auditioning the 64 Audio products, the JH Audio offerings were a bit lacking to my ears. I wouldn't turn either away, but if I were putting money down, the Fourte was more to my taste than either the Lola or the Layla.

Next I moved upstairs. My time was running short and I always want to hear what Woo has brought, since I own a WA5-LEv2. I got to check out their new electrostatic king-of-the-hill, the 3ES, paired with the mighty Stax 009.

Truth? It's amazing. It's everything I'd want in an electrostatic amp if I were jumping into that style of headphone, I suppose, and it's $9000 dollars. I'm so unfamiliar with the electrostatic sound, I can't begin to offer an honest comparison with the Blue Hawaii. Both have sounded amazing every time I sat down with them. It's just so out of my league as far as what I'd spend on a headphone system unless I get a 3 picture deal from Sony, and I think dynamics and magnetic headphones sound just as good.

My last stop was my best of show from last year, the WA33, which was a prototype at last years' show, I was told.

The base model was paired with the Susvara-- which on a normal jazz track took a wide open pot from the WA33. The Susvara is a power hungry headphone! It sounded just as good as at the HifiMan table on the main floor. This amp adds warmth and depth the GSX can't compete with. It's my personal favorite amp, and again, I will likely never own it. Sitting next to it was the cost-no-object black beauty-- the upgraded SE edition which gets this nifty badge:

It was paired with the updated Abyss that showed up at last years' show. A nice sounding headphone, but I cannot get over the styling and the comfort woes.

Till next year! Thanks to everyone!

 

[alphanumerix1]

dr. cavalli said they're using eletroharmonix tubes in the liquid platinum. it sounded good but really hard to tell under show conditions. it's hooked up to the thx aaa amp using the dac section and whichever monoprice headphones are available at the stand. really difficult to demo like this but i'll be picking one up when it comes out.

interested in more liquid platinum impressions from anyone.

 

[Shecky504]

I love this thread every year. I always enjoy reading about what I overlooked.

My focus for day 1, considering I'm not certain I'll make it back for day 2-- was to audition things I haven't heard before. I seem to always wander back to the same vendors every year. Time to hear some new stuff. First up, 64 Audio:



I auditioned the tia Trio, and was met immediately by a sound that caught my attention. The Trio is a rich in-ear with excellent range and dynamics, my initial impression was "Powerful." The Trio sounded like the mids were pushed a bit forward to my ears-- or something wasn't quite to my taste. When I moved to the Fourte, WHOA.



This is a special headphone. It cleaned up that mid range that didn't sit well with me on the Trio. This is a headphone I could live with every day. It's super easy to drive, too. It was just the 2nd headphone I auditioned today, and it earned my "Best of Show." Extremely impressive. I spent more time with the Fourte than any other item at the show, I'm pretty sure. Not that it needed it, but 64 Audio does not offer the Forte in a custom, surprising, given its $3500 price.

I next wandered a bit, taking in some of the different booths and stopping for a quick chat here and there. My next sit-down was with HifiMan. I own the HE1000v2, an excellent headphone, but I wanted to have a listen with the Susvara.



OK, HifiMan definitely bested the HE1000v2 with the Susvara in terms of sound, and this is at or near the bleeding edge of Summit-Fi. My gripe is that the build feels flimsier than the HE1000v2. It feels like a delicate product. Very comfy. Open. Bass extends deeper than my HE1000v2 (Damn it.). But I don't think the Susvara is on my list of a headphone I would go out and purchase. It's in that "I can put a new roof on the house for that money" category. Well done HifiMan, but beef this headphone up a bit. Use thicker metal or something to give it greater strength. Quick interlude for an honorable mention. Driving the Susvara was the venerable GSX mk2.



All these years later, the GSX mk2 is still one of the very best solid state headphone amps I've ever heard. Standing amid the latest greatest Shangri-La and Susvara, we wound up marveling over how great the GSX still sounds. I would love to add this amp to my collection one day. If you haven't heard it, the GSX was driving a number of headphones around the show. Not bad for a fairly old product in Head-Fi years. Check it out if you have the opportunity.

Immediately next to HifiMan was the covert Shure table. Totally unmarked, I would have walked right on by had the KSE1500 not caught my eye. This is a headphone I've wanted to listen to since its 2015 premiere-- but the table was always full or I didn't get around to hearing it for some reason or another.



Here's what struck me about the KSE1500. First, it's closed-backed. I don't know why, but given that it is an electrostat, I assumed it would have been open backed. The sound was OK going from my AK240 direct into the KSE's digital input direct. But honestly, I expected better. I was hoping to get hid across the head with the cleanliness and detail I've come to expect in an electrostatic headphone. So I changed to the analog input and used my Chord Hugo v1 to drive the amp, and things got much, much better right away. I immediately came to the conclusion that the KSE needs a custom DAC badly. The Shure rep confirmed-- they're in the business of making headphones, not components. The DAC in the KSE amp is an off-the-shelf chip, nothing special. They'd love to partner with a DAC company, they already know the headphone is special. Chord? Astell and Kern? Are you listening? Call Shure! The KSE was damn close to the best sound I heard all day, but the sub-par DAC took away points.

Next: I HATE YOU, CHORD.



I had yet to hear the new Hugo2. It was at last year's show, but I didn't get any time with it. I A/B'd it with my Hugo1 that was in my backpack. Damn it to hell, the thing doesn't sound a little bit better, it sounds crazy better in every single way. I want one. Now. I can't afford it. I don't have kids to sell, so if you have a few you can live without, hit me up.

I moved on to JH Audio. Jude recommends the Lola, and I was eager to give them a try.



Lola had a very pleasant sound. I wouldn't turn anyone away from them. But it fell shy of where I remember the Layla impressing me back in the day. So I shifted to the Layla, which has been revised since I first heard them.



The Layla sounds about where I remember it-- but I have to be honest, after auditioning the 64 Audio products, the JH Audio offerings were a bit lacking to my ears. I wouldn't turn either away, but if I were putting money down, the Fourte was more to my taste than either the Lola or the Layla.

Next I moved upstairs. My time was running short and I always want to hear what Woo has brought, since I own a WA5-LEv2. I got to check out their new electrostatic king-of-the-hill, the 3ES, paired with the mighty Stax 009.



Truth? It's amazing. It's everything I'd want in an electrostatic amp if I were jumping into that style of headphone, I suppose, and it's $9000 dollars. I'm so unfamiliar with the electrostatic sound, I can't begin to offer an honest comparison with the Blue Hawaii. Both have sounded amazing every time I sat down with them. It's just so out of my league as far as what I'd spend on a headphone system unless I get a 3 picture deal from Sony, and I think dynamics and magnetic headphones sound just as good.

My last stop was my best of show from last year, the WA33, which was a prototype at last years' show, I was told.



The base model was paired with the Susvara-- which on a normal jazz track took a wide open pot from the WA33. The Susvara is a power hungry headphone! It sounded just as good as at the HifiMan table on the main floor. This amp adds warmth and depth the GSX can't compete with. It's my personal favorite amp, and again, I will likely never own it. Sitting next to it was the cost-no-object black beauty-- the upgraded SE edition which gets this nifty badge:



It was paired with the updated Abyss that showed up at last years' show. A nice sounding headphone, but I cannot get over the styling and the comfort woes.

Till next year! Thanks to everyone!

Thanks for sharing! Did they have the Tia Trio for sale? How was the treble on them?

 

[moedawg140]

Also posted in the main CanJams thread as well:

Tonight (4-7-18) at 8pm, will be the Ping Pong Showdown at Paddle Room (formerly named SPiN) Los Angeles! The venue is a short walk from JW Marriott, or a short Uber ride if you don’t want to walk.



Here’s more info:

550 S Flower St, Los Angeles, CA 90017 (in The Standard Hotel, 2nd Floor)

(213) 892-8080

Looking forward to seeing those who can make it!

Sorry guys, Ping Pong will be cancelled because there is a private event tonight, and the available ping pong table is only for hotel guests. Next year hopefully!

Currently some of us are at nearby The Dolly Llama - feel free to come on over if you’d like! Info here:

611 S Spring St
Los Angeles CA 90014
United States

 

[reeltime]

Thanks for sharing! Did they have the Tia Trio for sale? How was the treble on them?

I don't know if it was for sale from the show floor, though I'm sure they'd have taken an order. The treble is more recessed than the Fourte, to my ears.

 

[mattmik]

I am very excited about the Monolith Liquid Spark. I am a true mid-fier and always glad for anything that pushes the line there. Thanks all for the impressions.

 

[adorable]

My show comments and photos for Saturday!
A nice show once again. Feels a touch smaller than when it was in Orange County since some prior vendors like Fong and Cavali weren't present, and almost everything's in 1 big room this year versus many smaller rooms of years past. Nonetheless, many new vendors that weren't at the OC show, and lots to listen to for the afternoon (and if you try to listen to Everything, far too many items).
Definitely bring your own headphones to compare, and remember - the room is noisy since there's many people present and talking, so you'll be pushing the volume a bit higher than when you're in a quiet room at home. The headphones here and your own will sound different at higher volume levels, so take the time to listen carefully.
Exception being the active noise cancelling headphones like the Sennheiser's, which really don't care about the background noise to a huge degree, sealed cans, sealed IEMs, etc. And the handful of rooms that are quieter that hold more private listening sessions.
Parking in the lot just North of Denny's was only $5 for the day in a nice 7+ story garage - clean and safe.
As always, every vendor was amazing and very nice - you really do get the chance to compare and test everything to make the best decision for your next purchase. I'd recommend everyone to try a handful of headphones using a set of personally selected music tracks on your own phone/music player - you'll be surprised how different each are and how different they can be. Like shoes, comfort is mostly subjective, so just because one set sounds 'poorer' to your ears doesn't mean they don't sound 'better' to another person's.
(For example, the Fiio earbuds are like smooth, rich coffee while the Sennheiser HD1 sound like an excited Redbull. Which is better? Depends on you. Some may not want the heavier bass of the HD1 for long listening periods, while others don't want the relaxed bass of the Fiio. Totally up to you, and your choice of music will make a big difference as well.)
Don't just stick to one genre if you can.
I tried opera, ballads, pop, R&B, electric, etc. and listening to each track on different headphones really helped to define what I found 'nice' characteristics in a headphone.
(Naturally, when $1000+ planar headphones get plugged into $5000+ Cavali tube amps, well.... there's a point where $$$$$ = AMAZING! =D)

 

[rschoi75]

Here are my notes from today in no particular order:

- Sennheiser HD820: Looks and sound amazing. The sound stage is the widest I've heard in a closed headphone, but it still sounds closed. Bass is tight and rich, with a surprising amount of sub-bass for an HD8xx. Overall sound is airy but a bit echoey when A/B'd with the HD800S. The rep said don't quote them on the sound signature just yet since they're still working on the final production model, but I liked where the sound signature is headed.
- Sennheisier HD660S: Also very pleasant with the HDV820. To me it has more initial sparkle/wow factor HD650/6XX, but for the current price, you still can't beat the HD6XX.
- Speaking of the HD6XX... Massdrop is knocking it out of the park with their audio collaborations. The HD6XX + the Massdrop CTH + SDAC is the value winner of the show. It's an unbelievable value for around $550 (including tax & shipping). I've never heard the CTH + SDAC before today, and I think it sounds very clean with a touch of warmth. I currently use a SS amp/dac combo, so hearing that hint of tube warmth was quite nice.
- Massdrop Elex: The best sounding sub-$1000 headphone imo right now. It did everything right for me... overall natural sound signature with slightly elevated bass/sub-bass. The mids were robust, and the treble very smooth and not offensive at all. The last thing I need is another set of headphones, but I want these.
- Massdrop EDC3: A really great all entry level iem. I just joined the drop for two of them after coming back from the show. I'm starting to sound like a massdrop infomercial, so I'm going to stop here. Definitely spend some time at their tiny table if you can make it to the show.
- Campfire Atlas: it's a Vega on steroids. Bigger, cleaner, harder hitting, larger sound stage, but still smooth as silk.
If the Vega is a nice 32oz porterhouse steak, the Atlas is a 64oz tomahawk ribeye. I think it's a pretty amazing iem for what it is, but it's too much for me.
Build quality is rock solid.
- Campfire Comet: Was a miss for me. For $199, I expected a little more clarity and extension on both sides. It's a very smooth iem, but I think you can do better for the money. Build quality was amazing on these. I hope he continues with this line and adds a multi-driver BA or a hybrid down the road. I actually like the housing on these iems.
- Schiit Lyr3: Buttery smooth tube goodness. It has tons of power, and drove my Audio Zenith PMx2's with authority. At $499 and up, it's a really solid offering from Schiit. It would be at the top of the list if I were in the market for a tube amp under $1000.
- Hifiman Sundara: Really strong offering from Hifiman at the $499 price point. First thing's first. Build quality is fantastic (on the one I saw, no promises about Q.C. down the road). It looks and feels rock solid though. Sound quality is nice and airy, good sparkle up top. I could use a little more low end, but I really liked what I heard.
- Hifiman Shangri-la Jr.: Amazing headphone & amp combo. If I were an uber rich bank executive/serial killer, I'd buy one and listen to Huey Lewis & the News with it.
- Sonoma Acoustics Model One: IMO it edged out the Hifiman Shangri-La Jr combo in treble quality, and tonality. This in my mind is a near perfect headphone. If I were personally rich, I'd buy one of these, move to the Russian River Valley to grow grapes, smoke ganja, make weird lawn art from welded car scraps, and become a coffee snob while I'm at it.
- Dunu Falcon C: Interesting DD iem. Not bad, but not really totl material like they say it is. The Advanced GT3 was better in most aspects for slightly less money.
- Advanced GT3: Really nice DD iem for $200. One of my show surprise favorites. I had never even heard of this company before, but after a quick audition, I'd buy this over the Campfire Audio Comet in a heart beat. The look is not my favorite... I actually think it's pretty ugly to be honest, and comfort is somewhat meh with it's long pill shape, but I can forgive all once I heard them. It has a competent, U-shaped signature. The bass is tight, mid bass focused, mids are present and not drowned out, treble is smooth and not offensive to me at all. Moderate sound stage. I thought it was a really nicely tuned DD iem.

I didn't have time to reach every booth unfortunately, and most like won't have time to make it back out to the show tomorrow.
Hope everyone who is there has a good second day. Thanks for the fun time.

 

[Gibson59]

Today was my second SoCal CanJam and I was fortunate enough to win the Audio 64 A12t IEMS. I'm absolutely floored and still in shock. I posted about the experience over in the Audio 64 thread for anyone interested: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/the...ia-technologies.826606/page-237#post-14158430

My notes from the day:

• I thought I wanted either a ZMF Auteur or Eikon coming into the day to pair with my HE1000v2. During a lengthy listening session today they both sounded amazingly engaging and refined, both extremely comfortable and I left knowing that I NEED an Eikon (probably teak or zebrawood... they were both significantly lighter than the blackwood which is important to me). I actually don't think much soundstage is sacrificed when comparing the Eikon directly against the Auteur and the isolation of the Eikon is really valuable to me. Even in the loud CanJam environment I could have closed my eyes and felt like I was in my quiet living room. Once again Zach and his lovely wife were wonderful and I really enjoyed my conversation with Zach. I'll be proud to spend my money with them.
• At the Schiit booth the Lyr 3 (DAC/amp) was the standout. I briefly previously owned and really enjoyed a Lyr 2 until i got the HE1000v2 and they were hugely underpowered for my liking. The Lyr 3 easily powered the HE1000v1 they had out today and it really sounded fantastic. Even at about 12pm-1pm on the volume dial it was plenty loud. I still use a Bifrost Multibit DAC, but I'm truly tempted to sell that and my expensive boutique amp in order to downsize and put some money towards other gear.
• I tried the Utopias again and they just don't do it for me. I actually enjoyed the Clears more but I didn't spend enough time with them to be able to articulate why. Just my initial impression. I can't get over the build quality of both though, stunning headphones.
• The Ultrasone Edition 15 were just OK. Not bad by any means, but not special either. Nice deep reaching low end, fun to listen to but it didn't have the finesse I was hoping for out of an expensive headphone. Not overly resolving to my ears either, just didn't reach deep into the details of the music for me to be pulled in. Great build quality and extremely comfortable. I was listening through a MyTek Brooklyn amp/DAC.
• I LOVE the Sennheiser 820 and this is coming from someone who is really not a fan of the 800. The 800 has some redeeming qualities no doubt, but it has no balls and just isn't enjoyable for me to listen to (for anything but classical and some jazz). The 820 retains the details, transparency, comfort and much of the soundstage (maybe 70% of it?) but is FAR more engaging. The isolation is pretty great. It sounded wonderful with every genre i threw at it including blues, classical, jazz, classic rock, hard rock (the only one I forgot to try was rap, yes I still listen to rap). If I wasn't so sprung on the Eikon for both sound and aesthetics this would be an easy choice for a closed back headphone to pair with my HE1000v2. I was listening out of the Sennheiser 820 amp.
• I had a better session with the HifiMan Susvara than at the last SoCal CanJam. It's so comfortable it's ridiculous. The sound is just effortless and a bit more dynamic than I remember. If I were a millionaire i'd own one for sure, but as an owner of the HE1000v2 I just don't think the increase in performance is enough to justify the extra price. The HifiMan booth was playing the Susvara out of the HeadAmp GS-X Mk2 stack which once again proved to me to be a powerful and musical amp. Oh and through a Dave DAC. Not a shabby setup.
• The Chord Dave is perfect. In case everyone didn't already know.
• The Westone 60 is a very nice and fairly neutral IEM with a little mid hump and I liked them a lot. They were a touch too polite for me at first straight out of my iPhoneX but they got a great overall boost in dynamics and warmth through my Mojo, it was an awesome paring.
• The Westone UM Pro 50 was ok, but too much bass for me that took away from other aspects of the sound. If i primarily listened to rap, pop or IDM they'd be a good option.
• The UE 18+ Pro is also a very composed and neutral IEM. However even through my Mojo it was kind of lack luster for me. Just not a lot of wow moments during my time with it. It did everything pretty well but nothing stood out.
• The UE Reference Remastered almost went home with me. It was very resolving, loads of detail, great vocals, nice 3D imaging, pretty good soundstage and was pretty engaging.. Felt a touch bright at times was my only concern. I was between buying this and the Westone 60 until i got lucky and won the A12t.
• The Audio 64 U12t was fantastic. I thought I really enjoyed the Westone and UE offerings until I heard the U12t. This may just be my personal sound preferences but it's just in a different league. Liked it so much it had me wondering how much time my HE1000v2 would get if I owned one. It actually shares most of the sound characteristics that I love so much about the HE1000v2, just feels like it does everything right and it's effortless. Like no matter how high I turn the sound it's going to stay composed and just get better. I am impressed and absolutely can't wait for my A12t to arrive. Played them through a Mojo/iPhoneX.

That's all I can remember. My only regrets were not getting time to try the new Audeze M4Z, Hifiman Sundara and Mr Speakers electrostat. Looking forward to impressions on these from others!

 

[wasupdog]

I really wish Cayin had been able to show the HA-300. I can't consider buying it blind and it's something I'm interested in later on down the road.

Mr Speakers Voce was pretty amazing. It's hooked up to the Blue Hawaii SE at the TSAV booth. I think they have to tell every single person that sits down "the DAP is not a touch screen" lol.

In the end, good sound wins out regardless of price or what not. IE Susvara's are pretty common on the conference room floor. They sound great but also like a slightly better and more refined version of my ported HEK v2.

Last year they had a few Abyss Phi around. This year the only place I saw them and also the Diana was the Woo/Stax room upstairs.

 

[JVal]

Here are my notes from today in no particular order:

- Sennheiser HD820: Looks and sound amazing. The sound stage is the widest I've heard in a closed headphone, but it still sounds closed. Bass is tight and rich, with a surprising amount of sub-bass for an HD8xx. Overall sound is airy but a bit echoey when A/B'd with the HD800S. The rep said don't quote them on the sound signature just yet since they're still working on the final production model, but I liked where the sound signature is headed.
- Sennheisier HD660S: Also very pleasant with the HDV820. To me it has more initial sparkle/wow factor HD650/6XX, but for the current price, you still can't beat the HD6XX.
- Speaking of the HD6XX... Massdrop is knocking it out of the park with their audio collaborations. The HD6XX + the Massdrop CTH + SDAC is the value winner of the show. It's an unbelievable value for around $550 (including tax & shipping). I've never heard the CTH + SDAC before today, and I think it sounds very clean with a touch of warmth. I currently use a SS amp/dac combo, so hearing that hint of tube warmth was quite nice.
- Massdrop Elex: The best sounding sub-$1000 headphone imo right now. It did everything right for me... overall natural sound signature with slightly elevated bass/sub-bass. The mids were robust, and the treble very smooth and not offensive at all. The last thing I need is another set of headphones, but I want these.
- Massdrop EDC3: A really great all entry level iem. I just joined the drop for two of them after coming back from the show. I'm starting to sound like a massdrop infomercial, so I'm going to stop here. Definitely spend some time at their tiny table if you can make it to the show.
- Campfire Atlas: it's a Vega on steroids. Bigger, cleaner, harder hitting, larger sound stage, but still smooth as silk.
If the Vega is a nice 32oz porterhouse steak, the Atlas is a 64oz tomahawk ribeye. I think it's a pretty amazing iem for what it is, but it's too much for me.
Build quality is rock solid.
- Campfire Comet: Was a miss for me. For $199, I expected a little more clarity and extension on both sides. It's a very smooth iem, but I think you can do better for the money. Build quality was amazing on these. I hope he continues with this line and adds a multi-driver BA or a hybrid down the road. I actually like the housing on these iems.
- Schiit Lyr3: Buttery smooth tube goodness. It has tons of power, and drove my Audio Zenith PMx2's with authority. At $499 and up, it's a really solid offering from Schiit. It would be at the top of the list if I were in the market for a tube amp under $1000.
- Hifiman Sundara: Really strong offering from Hifiman at the $499 price point. First thing's first. Build quality is fantastic (on the one I saw, no promises about Q.C. down the road). It looks and feels rock solid though. Sound quality is nice and airy, good sparkle up top. I could use a little more low end, but I really liked what I heard.
- Hifiman Shangri-la Jr.: Amazing headphone & amp combo. If I were an uber rich bank executive/serial killer, I'd buy one and listen to Huey Lewis & the News with it.
- Sonoma Acoustics Model One: IMO it edged out the Hifiman Shangri-La Jr combo in treble quality, and tonality. This in my mind is a near perfect headphone. If I were personally rich, I'd buy one of these, move to the Russian River Valley to grow grapes, smoke ganja, make weird lawn art from welded car scraps, and become a coffee snob while I'm at it.
- Dunu Falcon C: Interesting DD iem. Not bad, but not really totl material like they say it is. The Advanced GT3 was better in most aspects for slightly less money.
- Advanced GT3: Really nice DD iem for $200. One of my show surprise favorites. I had never even heard of this company before, but after a quick audition, I'd buy this over the Campfire Audio Comet in a heart beat. The look is not my favorite... I actually think it's pretty ugly to be honest, and comfort is somewhat meh with it's long pill shape, but I can forgive all once I heard them. It has a competent, U-shaped signature. The bass is tight, mid bass focused, mids are present and not drowned out, treble is smooth and not offensive to me at all. Moderate sound stage. I thought it was a really nicely tuned DD iem.

I didn't have time to reach every booth unfortunately, and most like won't have time to make it back out to the show tomorrow.
Hope everyone who is there has a good second day. Thanks for the fun time.

For the campfire atlas, do you mean the sound stage was too V shaped for your taste, or too much bass, or too much for price?

 

[Rowethren]

This Monoprice/Cavalli gear sounds interesting, so if the Liquid Platinum is based on the Liquid Crimson but with added balanced how has the price dropped so much (from 2850—699)? Very interested is more details on this if anyone has listen to it.

 

[Drewminus]

This Monoprice/Cavalli gear sounds interesting, so if the Liquid Platinum is based on the Liquid Crimson but with added balanced how has the price dropped so much (from 2850—699)? Very interested is more details on this if anyone has listen to it.

You’d be surprised how much you can shave off costs with economies of scope & scale, not to mention their profit margin will be much slimmer

 

[audionewbi]

Here is how you can win over the market, a DAP maker partner up with Shure and make a electrostatic DAP that pairs with KSE1500, the limiting factor for Shure Electro is KSA1500, the energiser . It isnt good enough on its own (no unless you hear it paired with a better DAC), and paired with something like HUGO just defeat the portability factor.

If I had money and the know how I would make a tailored made DAP for it. I can't imagine the future of IEM will be more about BA, it is heavier and a lot more complex to get right. Electrostatic concept is rather easy and what limits it is the current mass production and what really makes it unpopular is needing a energiser which makes is bulky for the masses.

 

[Chrono251]

Hi!
I went there today as well. It was the first time for me to attend an event like this one and time really run fast!
I really appreciated how all the vendors were available to spend some time not only describing their products, but also explaining technical details and why a model was better than another while listening.

I really enjoyed listening to the Audio-Technica ATH-ADX5000. I'm quite new to hi-end audio and my ears are not as trained at finding the finest detailed, my reference is the HD650 powered by Schiit Valhalla 2 that I use at home.
I was impressed by clarity and imaging of the ADX5000 and I found that the sound was very pleasant and balanced in the whole range and spacious. They were also very light and comfortable. I actually liked better the sound of the ADX5000 compared to the HD800S. I think that if in the future I'll have the money, ATH-ADX5000 might be the upgrade I might consider.

I also spent some time listening to IEMs. Some I enjoyed, some not as much, but what I found worth trying were the Campfire Audio IEMs. I didn't try the flagship, but up to the mid-range and starting from the "cheapest" (the Comet) I think they sounded really good, with an outstanding build quality. My favorite IEMs were the Polaris.

That's it, I learnt a lot and I'm happy I had the chance to try some headphones and IEMs about which I only had the chance to just read the comments online until today.