[WoollyGeezer]

For those of you that have heard the LCD-5 -- I have a LCD-4z and a HE1000SE, and I use the former when I want to rock out and the latter when I want detail and resolution. Does the LCD-5 come close to the resolution/detail on the HE1000SE while maintaining the smoothness and dynamism of the LCD-4Z? I'd love to replace those two with just one.

This is my question as well.

 

[LetTheKidsTechno]

I don't know if anyone else has this opinion, but my number one, above susvara, is the 64 audio forte. Honesty most the high end stuff from 64 audio. It is by far the best sound at the show and my endgame

I wish I spent more time at the 64 audio booth! The u12ts were pretty incredible so I can imagine the Forte's being mind blowing. I'm a complete noob when it comes to IEMs so it was strange having such high end sound come from some tiny in ear devices. Also listened to some empire ears (Odin, legendx) but I definitely preferred the sound signature of the u12.

 

[Makiah S]

Any word on the Raal circumaural?

mmhm it sounds great, it was shocked by how much extension it had!

 

[earthtodan]

For me background noise has never been an issue at any meet. Cranking up the volume cancels out the noise and is more ideal to put the headphone through its paces anyway and see what it can really do. Headphone drivers have a much greater upper limit than most people realize... the human hearing on the other hand, not quite so much, LOL.

I'm glad to see the (open) Meze Elite getting some love, especially above certain others that happened to be closedback, and IMO quite bright with and with rolled off bass, where the Elite does everything right. I honestly think it's worth the price over the Empyrean, And I freakin' can't believe I'm saying this, but as of now I actually prefer it over the HEDDphone. Wouldn't mind owning both though!

The Elites were the best sounding headphones I demoed yesterday, while the Empyreans sounded a bit veiled in comparison. Also veiled was the fidelity of my judgment, because I didn't get enough sleep. Need to go back and confirm today.

However, one thing I can say for sure is that the best listening session I had was in the evening, in the silence of my hotel room with my Aryas. Not because they're the best headphones (they're excellent), but because I didn't have to crank them to compete with the surrounding din. I was finally able to relax into sonic bliss with music that is best served chilled, be it vocals, acoustic or downtempo electronic. Hifi cannot be substituted for a bigger hammer.

 

[HiFiHawaii808]

The Elites were the best sounding headphones I demoed yesterday, while the Empyreans sounded a bit veiled in comparison. Also veiled was the fidelity of my judgment, because I didn't get enough sleep. Need to go back and confirm today.

However, one thing I can say for sure is that the best listening session I had was in the evening, in the silence of my hotel room with my Aryas. Not because they're the best headphones (they're excellent), but because I didn't have to crank them to compete with the surrounding din. I was finally able to relax into sonic bliss with music that is best served chilled, be it vocals, acoustic or downtempo electronic. Just consider how much of a premium we place on quiet electronics.

Yeah, I had a problem demoing tube amps yesterday with open back headphones. It was way too noisy to get good impressions of the amps.

 

[duranxv]

Would love to hear more comparisons between the Rognir, Stealth, VC, and any other TOTL closed backs if anyone there has a chance!

 

[rmsanger]

Did anyone happen to try the $200 Ifi Go blu ? I think they had one at the hp.com table just wondering if it's a legit portable option for anyone with iems or efficient hps?

Did you get a sense of the internal dac quality as well as power output? A few initial comments were a warm or tube like presentation, did you hear that?

 

[xirxes]

I'm wondering how long did you guys at CanJam listened to the Stealth for and what are you plugging them into? They're taking quite a beating.

I've placed my order on the DCA site on the 5th of Sept so I still haven't received them. Once I do, I'll compare them to my other closed back headphones & post my own feedback.

Love the impressions regarding the new Audeze headphones and the Meze Elites!

I listened to all the closed cans (zmf VC, Rognir, Stellia) vs my stealth, and they are just not bass emphasized. This is all obviously matter of opinion but I see the VC as a wholly enveloping and obviously heavily extended bass range, where Stealth is much more realistic, like the bass actually sounds out if an instrument, in stead of a signifier that is bass centric.

These are all taste preferences, but the way I see it, you can EQ Stealth bass way up, but there is no way to EQ out the bass of VC down to Stealth’s delivery, that’s why I prefer the stealth, both for accuracy to instruments and ability to add the bass character of other house sounds.

 

[14christ]

Hopefully next year I'll be able to start joining you guys at CanJam.

 

[frix]

Dca stealth seems polarizing.

 

[pbui44]

The Elites were the best sounding headphones I demoed yesterday, while the Empyreans sounded a bit veiled in comparison. Also veiled was the fidelity of my judgment, because I didn't get enough sleep. Need to go back and confirm today.

However, one thing I can say for sure is that the best listening session I had was in the evening, in the silence of my hotel room with my Aryas. Not because they're the best headphones (they're excellent), but because I didn't have to crank them to compete with the surrounding din. I was finally able to relax into sonic bliss with music that is best served chilled, be it vocals, acoustic or downtempo electronic. Hifi cannot be substituted for a bigger hammer.

Once you have the elites back on your head, try to find albums that you best know and try to play 2-3 songs straight. Of course, the songs will have to be 2-4 minutes long to ensure that you don't take up too much auditioning time, but it will make an even closer comparison to what you already have, which are the Aryas. If you have to, close your eyes as well to keep your attention on the music.

 

[earthtodan]

Dca stealth seems polarizing.

FWIW, as someone who was impressed by the Stealth, I can't listen to most of the Audeze lineup because they're too bass heavy for me, even though I know they're held in high regard by many.

The tracks I demoed on the Stealth were "Three" by Massive Attack and "Madam I'm a Darling" by Karan Casey and John Doyle. My only quibble was that they seemed a bit vocal forward.

 

[xirxes]

Would love to hear more comparisons between the Rognir, Stealth, VC, and any other TOTL closed backs if anyone there has a chance!

VC: king of bass, lush sound throughout audible range, you will miss many subtleties of any recording due to Lush presentation and extension into what should be separation between sounds. Very pleasant experience but warm warm warm on bass.

Rognir: VC lite, less bass but more of the recording revealed, more natural timbre, but less natural fidelity in mids and vocals, can tell an off-normal coloration here

Stealth: Less bass than above two, but of all most accurate bass (each note has strum, rise and decay, rather than lush or bloom or shortened single note feel), mids and vocals extremely natural and most accurate to music/voice in a room, treble is fast and accurate and well defined but never harsh or fatiguing. NOT A BASS HEAD CAN. If you are not willing to EQ and you are going to feel like you don’t get the warm ness of a VC, but it can be added back.

Stellia: impactful throughout whole audible range, MUCH more treble centric/bright than others above, to my ear a tuning aimed at airiness and energy but ultimately fatiguing, neither bass lush nor easy to listen to nor accurate IMO.

 

[gancanjam]

Any rare High end DAC or Amp you have heard from a Head Fier ?

 

[lsantista]

what was pushing the CRBN? Someone mentioned a Mjolnir, what model?