[emdeevee]

I'd like to make a formal apology for bringing the British weather with me to LA

I have been wondering who's fault this was, and apologizing to all the out of towners !

 

[MRHiFiReviews]

Holy crap. You are really making your rounds. Thank you so much for this. For people who can’t go to events like this, this is invaluable.

Anytime man! Thanks for tuning in. We will streaming tomorrow most of the day too.

 

[galthepal]

Haven’t been to CanJam in years. It was fun.
Problems: most booths used the same music selections which were very limited. When trying to search for a specific song it would not play.
When I asked the Clark Audio rep about it he told me not in a nice way: this is a trade show not your home!
How rude. DCA needs to teach their reps some manners and customer service.
Sennheisers reps on the other hand as well as Meze were very polite and helpful.
Sennheiser did allow to plug in your own device to listen to music you are familiar which is nice.

Stax X9000: I liked it but not much more than the 009S which I already have.
Meze Elite: I was surprised! Great sound. Clean, enjoyable, big soundstage and nice bass and highs. No sibilances or edges. Thinking about it. Liked it more than the Expanse.
DCA Expanse: almost as enjoyable as the Meze. Experience soured by their floor reps.

I had a similar experience with DCA. I unplugged the iPad to connect my iphone and they literally freaked out and announced to the whole room not to do that because apparently the network could go down. The Expanse was a headphone I was really looking forward to but I just got up and left, not going to tolerate being humiliated in front of a whole room. Even before that I felt they were rude. There’s too many good headphone companies out there and the last thing I’m expecting to deal with when looking at a $4,000 headphone.

 

[DecentLevi]

Hello all! This Can Jam was real and surreal!!! Almost more than I could even process. On par with my normal course, here's a (subjective / personal)
initial tally of selected headphones present, with my ranking of 10-1 from best to worst.

Audeze LCD-5
9.6 Boundless
With Hugo TT with M-scaler. Micro and macro detail love with sweet tone and coherence hard to touch.

STAX SR-009S
9.5 Hypnotic
With Woo Audio 3ES esat tube / transformer stack. Exceptional and balanced detail and definition and great dynamics for an electrostat. Preferred over their SR-X9000, with their Lambda series as a close next-best.

ATH-ADX5000
9.2 Transfixing
Staggering prowess, expansive soundstage, vivid succulent mids, sweet highs, accurate extended bass and spot-on dynamics. May be the best dynamic headphone I have heard.

ZMF Atrium openback with Ultra Caldera pads w. Hugo 2
9.1 Profound
Vivid, sweet, holographic, punchy and true to life!

HEDD Audio HEDDphone 2
9.0 Stellar
Smaller, lighter brother of HEDDphone One with more intimate / vivid sound depending on source chain. Soundstage may be slightly smaller and dynamics are comparable.

DMS Omega red black with large black foam pads
8.9 Quite good
This is all about the soundstage, good bass definition and slam, and leans towards non-fatiguing on the top.

HifiMan HE-6 new version
8.9 Quite good
Great soundstage and has a modest emphasis on the top (highs).

HifiMan Susvara
7 Acceptable
Similar to above and could be a nudge thinner sounding.

update after day 2 of CanJam: The Susvara does seem to scale and change sound depending on the system it's connected to. Tried it with Japanese botique amp Mass Kobo 465 the next day and was blown away, and sounded neutral with a great soundstage.

Dan Clark Corina electrostats
7 Passive
Too mid-focused, mediocre soundstage, details & dynamics. Seems to struggle with the pairing of iFi ICAN Phantom

ZMF Caldera
7 Good
Great vividness, bass and dynamics but slightly dark for my tastes.

Modhouse Tungsten
7 Good
Competent but may have low end roll off and upper mids accentuation

Moondrop Venus
6.9 Proficient
One of the best affordable planars though may be slightly v-shaped and clinical

ZMF Verite open
6.5 OK
Quite competent but slower and not as neutral to me as ZMF Atrium

Moondrop Para
6.5 Still good
Very affordable planars with well extended bass, neutral and near perfect dynamics. May do better than with the Topping DAC / amp combo it was using.

Focal Utopia 2022 version
5.5 Aberrant
Quite inaccurate sound reproduction especially in the quality and extension of bass, along with un-natural mids and may have highs roll off. Big but artificial soundstage.

T+A Solitaire P
5.4 Off kilter
The system it was paired with and thin cables may have left a lot of performance on the table. May be pleasing for new hobbyists. Solitaire T closedback had better detail but still seemed to struggle on the system it was paired with.

Spirit Torino
4 Unsatisfying
I spent some time with both top models on display and expected greatness, but they just did nothing right. Silver earcup version struggled terribly to etch out anything resembling a proper sound picture with much distortion on all genres and lack of detail and soundstage. The other had a different tonal character and somewhat more detail.

Note: this is subject to change with more testing and as more discoveries are made.

day 2 impressions here

 

[adorable]

CanJam 9/30/2023 A
Driving to the Irvine Marriot was easy enough even though Google Maps sometimes loves absurd routing.
It is 30~ minutes by foot from the outside Airport parking just north of John Wayne for those that have found the Marriott lot full or want to try and save more money.
Parking normally is absurd at $42 for the day, but when you go to the HALLWAY where CanJam is in the Hotel, you will find a guy maning a Clover credit payment device where you can get your parking ticket validated for $15. HOWEVER, even though it has the sticker on it, the exit gate could not read it correctly and tried asking for ANOTHER $42! DO NOT INSERT your credit card again if you've got the $15 validation - Press the Call Attendant button instead and explain your case. If needed, press Cancel and get your ticket back to complain to hotel staff directly.
As for parking, I arrived about an hour after 10am, and the front spaces and parking structure was FULL. The parking structure is a FARCE - Don't even both because they only open the ground level to us coming into the parking lot. 2nd+ floors almost empty, apparently for hotel staff. Drive around the structure to the back side and you'll find more spaces.
That said, if you arrive later, no idea what to do if the lot is filled and you've got your parking ticket in hand.

 

[Dellwolf]

For anyone interested, I'm going to be headed down to the lobby of the hotel with the full Empire Ears lineup including Raven if anyone would like some more time to listen to them. Just DM me if you need any help finding me.

 

[adorable]

CanJam 9/30/2023 B
General photos of the main floor with a quick walkaround after picking up the yellow wristband at the CanJam table in the hallway. You can visit the other smaller rooms without the wristband, but will need it to enter the main floor where most vendors are. Show your QR code if you have already purchased the badge. Quick and easy.
While those new to SoCal CanJam might think it to be big, it is actually smaller than years past pre-covid, so many vendors that used to attend aren't. This means instead of a full 8 hour day or more seeing and testing everything, you can get things done in about a half-day if you know what you're after. (eg. If you're not the type to spend $$$ on an amp, well, there's a few you can skip testing.) So no Sony, no Eargasm, no SpinFit, no Cavalli booths that I could find.
Room NOISE levels are moderately high in the main floor, lower in the side rooms. So test accordingly! (ie. if you're testing open-ear headphones, don't expect to test very quiet music passages on the main floor. IEMs are a touch better with properly fitted earphone tips, but you will still notice covering your ears helps.)

 

[gilency]

The other thing missing from the old days is the DIY room. It was so much fun to visit with fellow DIYers from years past and compare builds.

 

[04gto]

Best IEMs quick impressions, in order of greatness:

• 64 Audio Volur- When compared to the Nio which I previously owned, this is a direct upgrade to the Nio. However, when compared to my current Trio, this is a very good side grade. The advantages for the Volur over the Trio are few- Volur is perhaps a little bit cleaner and tighter in the bass with a better more balanced stock tuning. The Trio advantages over the Volur are several- Bigger, better, deeper, wider, taller soundstage. Bass that has slightly more impact with more detail and extension in the treble.
• QDC Anole VX- Been wanting to try this for YEARS. It did not disappoint. This is a great heads up battle with the amazing U12t. Hot take- I think the bass on the VX is a little more impactful/slammy. But the U12t has a better stage. Can’t lose with either really.
• Empire Ears Raven- I went to the Empire Ears table with lust in my eyes for the Odin, which I quickly pushed aside for the Raven. The tuning on the Raven is perhaps the best match for my preferences. Compared to my beloved Trio the tuning is better. But here again, the bass on the Trio wins out. And with EQ (I EQ everything at least a little) the Trio is still my preference. But I want to hear the Raven more. It may be the best ‘all-arounder’ I have heard. One issue- This is a BIG MF IEM.
• Symphonium Crimson- Great, balanced IEM. This is a great IEM for someone who wants one IEM that works with all genres, or at least everything I listen to. Fit is great. Only one demerit, it is very power hungry, though not as much as the Helios for sure.

Biggest IEM disappointments, in order of disappointment relative to expectations:

• Elysian Annihilator- Beautiful IEM. But the bass is a little flabby and lacks impact. The stage is average-ish and the tonality is a little plasticky. Also the nozzle is GIANT and the fit was never gonna be 'all day comfortable' for me. Sorry, that is what I wrote down.
• Gaea- Stock tuning is way too mid forward and when I reduced it with EQ, it sounded thin and lacking body. Bass is similar to the Annihilator bass only maybe slightly better. Tonality is again weird to me. Also, the build on these felt kinda cheap and the cable, while pretty, was pretty sloppy and stiff. This from a collab with a cable company? Also the nozzle is GIANT and the fit was never gonna be 'all day comfortable' for me. As with the Annihilator, I really wanted to like these, but meh.

 

[adorable]

CanJam 9/30/2023 C
Tested a bunch of headphones and earphones at CanJam, and because sound is subjective, I'll only point out the 2 to 3 that really makes me happy as a starting point for others.
Listen to vocals, ballads, J/K-pop, modern music, jazz - so Utada to Adele to Twice to Dua Lip to Nakashima to Yanawabara to Chara to Monkey Majik.
For me, Crosszone's CZ-1 was the best and happiest to listen to at this show. Dynamic, lively, with almost all of my music playing back on a LG G7 on HQ DAQ with a 3.5mm connection coming out great! The harder to render songs coming out a 90-95%, the rest going up to 100%. Very satisfying especially with their uniquely hinged earcups that clamp lightly. You'll definitely wonder why they don't patent and license that to everyone else once you get used to having such a light clamping pressure from such a large, heavy headphone.
Yes, there's 'better', like an Audeze LCD-X coupled with a $5k Cavalli tube amp and a $10k DAQ Cavalli had at his booth years ago, but that's mostly likely the $15k amp/daq, right?

 

[adorable]

CanJam 9/30/2023 D
A lot of Chinese companies (apparently based on the salespeoples talking amongst themselves) here...or maybe I'm mistaken?
In any case, they've got a lot of gear to test and try out.
One of my fun combos was the MoonDrop Venus connected to the TA20 Plus and XD05 Pro.
A noticeably different sound versus the relaxed Crosszone, and definitely geared towards modern music like Twice's Fancy You with the expansiveness, boom, and crystal clarity. Like the Crosszone, enjoyable across a wide range of modern music without sounding harsh, brittle, or annoying, so another pick of mine.

 

[adorable]

CanJam 9/30/2023 E
World of IEMs vs Headphones.
None of the 'popular' low-end brands like JLabs here, and fewer wireless models than I seem to recall from years ago when CanJam overflowed into the outdoor tent.
One of the must brings with you are clean tissues or alcohol wipes (Zeiss Eyeglass Cleaning Wipes at Walmart optometry works very well - believe it's pure alcohol wipes) when testing IEMs because not all vendors are the same. Some don't bother cleaning, some clean with wipes themselves, while others use fresh tips with each customer and let you keep the used ones (for your own use).
Also, some vendors like Ultimate Ears will put the earphones on for you if you like, while others let you fiddle with them to get them in. It's relaxing to have full service IMO. Anyways, while testing the dozens and dozens and dozens, do keep in mind that most are going to be 3.5mm or Bluetooth. For Bluetooth, do make sure sure you set the phone into LDAC mode (best quality) or AptX's higher quality modes when available on your portable music player or phone. Luckily for me, no issues going either way with my LG G7 (BT mode set in Developer Mode settings) as it has a HQ DAQ built-in.
The take away here is vendors will fight for your dollars on colar, design, number of drivers (up to 21!! wow!!), cabling, tonal balance and tuning, etc. But do keep in mind the high sound level of the main floor, and test accordingly knowing that you'll be able to hear the performance at moderate to loud volume levels, but not at low to whisper level settings.
Eyecatcher for me was the UHA SuperDeck reel-to-reel analog deck on display, but obviously tough to get a spot to listen to without a long wait. Definitely fun to see some analog gear here.
Audio Technica had their obvious giveaway sign, but otherwise didn't see as many freebies and giveaways as years prior.

 

[adorable]

CanJam 9/30/2023 F
Warwick was the only vendor with their own sound booth on the main floor. Smart move to allow visitors to hear their products in a quieter environment.
FIIO undoubtedly had the coolest desktop music play with their vertical format cube that has a nice, tall display for cover art and time. It kept catching my eye and it just goes to show that a music player doesn't have to be flat, black and boring!
Each vendor is more than happy to talk to you about specs, design, pricing, music performance, and more, so do take the time to do more than test and say hi, ask them what's unique about their products. You'll learn a ton in no time!
The crowds weren't bad between 11am and 2pm, so no more than a 5 to 10 minute wait to get to try something on display. Naturally, if the person ahead of you is having a great time listing to their newfound favorties, you might be better off detouring to test some other products before returning to a shorter wait.

 

[korvin12]

Any1 demoed Campfire's Chromatic series? Interested to hear your thoughts!

 

[reeltime]

Greetings from the Director's Garage! Great day! I missed CanJam last year because of the Queen's funeral. Super excited to make this year's event. I met a lot of folks-- and some truly inspiring artisans. The day started and ended at DCS, where I got to experience the DCS Lina system with and without the clock in the chain. I have the DCS Lina DAC/Streamer-- and the clock adds clarity and depth, and even lets the bass cut through mixes a bit better (a surprise there). Is it $8000 better? Well...

Next stop was the 64Audio table-- had to check out the new Velur. Bass cannon! Fire!

Just across the way was an open seat for the OG HEDDphone. Nice place to escape while waiting to check out the new HEDDphone 2. Added bonus, got to play with an RME DAC/Amp, good stuff!

Then the seat opened and I got to check out the new HEDDphone 2. Can't really speak to the tuning and stage-- these sound like there are funnels attached to them amplifying the sound of the crowd in the room! Open back? Ya think?!! I'm going to need a quieter room for any meaningful assessment. But cool to check them out.

No CanJam trip is complete without worshipping at the alter of Noble Audio. Goodness these guys do things next level. This photo doesn't begin to capture the beauty of the new Spartacus. Simply stunning, and what a fun tuning. Super enjoyable IEM. Another hit for Noble. They continue to impress with each release. Unfortunately I forgot to shoot their new FoKus Pro Wizard edition. Folks-- the battery case matches the wireless IEM, and no two cases are alike because they are natural materials. It's audio jewelry, and among the best TrueWireless IEMs for sound.

Sticking with IEMs, I hit up Empire Ears and their new Raven. Basically they took what was great about the Odin and added a more robust, but tight bass, and shaved a bit off the upper mids to smooth them over. Perfection.

I was hoping for a session in the Warwick Acoustics booth, but the line. The line. The line. So I moved to the Woo Audio/Abyss room. Finally got a session with the Diana, paired with the new WA-23. It's just art. Beautiful headphone. Beautiful amp.

Jumped tables to check out the new Woo Mini dongle DAC. Definitely a highlight. I was thinking an iPad with this dongle would be an outstanding road rig for nearly any headphone or IEM.

Over in the ZMF room I had a long conversation with Zac and Bevin-- lovely and inspiring-- both of them. Tables were pretty full, but I did get to finally hear the Holo Audio May/Bliss stack with my ZMF Caldera. Very impressive. I nearly bought this rig last year.

I love the Kinera Nanna 2.0. One of my most used IEMs. Well I had to check out their latest flagship the Loki. One of the best sounds of the day, for sure. Terrific IEM.

Headphones.com had a LOT of gear. They know how to do a CanJam! A must listen for me, since I missed last year, was the Zahl HM-1 and they are the only US distributor. I pulled out my Caldera and dove in deep. This is a formidable amp. One of the best I've ever heard. Bonus: It was paired with the Weiss 502. Yep, nearly $20k in a system. Why not?

The fellow next to me got up, so I swiped the new Hifiman Arya organic for a listen. This could be one of the best values on the market today, and one of Hifiman's best looking headphones.

Checking back on that Warwick booth. Nope. Unless I had an hour to kill in the cue! At the end of the room was something special. I'm a reel-to-reel person and attached to it was an $18k Viva tube amp. Delicious. Audio porn.

My oh my. I wanted to hear the new Grand Caymen amp from HeadAmp, but they didn't have it at the show. But I did get to hear the Blue Hawaii (Mine is for sale in Head-Fi classifieds! LOL) paired with the Corina from Dan Clark. Excellent tuning.

I've been a fan of Unique Melody since the original MEST. Welcome the MEST 3.0! It's just as impressive as the original, but it sounds more refined. It's a more elegant design, too.

Also at the MusicTeck table, I got a listen to a prototype that isn't in production. Kind of an honor that the designer sat down and asked me for my thoughts on the sound. Then I heard the new Unique Melody flagship, the Mentor. Wow. Impressive.

And the new DAC/Streamer/Amp doitall from Lotoo called the Mjolnir (really? Another Mjolir? We need more names for this stuff!). This thing has serious potential. This is still a prototype, I was told.

I finished off the day back at DCS where I was asked to stop by and check out the Rossini Apex. Easily the best system of the day. It should be!

CanJam? That's a wrap! Said, "Hey!" to Jude in the hallway. We are in a golden era for headphones and IEMs. We've never had a field this rich with terrific sounding gear. A nod of appreciation for all of these exhibitors who keep managing to top themselves. Cheers, folks! Until next year...