CanJam SoCal 2024 Impressions Thread (September 28-29, 2024)

Sep 30, 2024 at 4:42 PM Post #181 of 530
I'm curious how many of these statements were made using the "Birds of a Feather" track. I find that track to be sonic mess.
I was surprised by many of the tracks playing on the demo gear when I would try them. Some really low quality recordings, not what I'd expect when demoing unfamiliar equipment. I really laughed when one of the Focal tablets had Metallica St Anger queued up. I no joke laughed out loud.
 
Sep 30, 2024 at 4:49 PM Post #182 of 530
I was surprised by many of the tracks playing on the demo gear when I would try them. Some really low quality recordings, not what I'd expect when demoing unfamiliar equipment. I really laughed when one of the Focal tablets had Metallica St Anger queued up. I no joke laughed out loud.
My take is people are welcome to use whatever helps them understand the equipment in question. If you listen to a flawed recording then the flaws are going to be the highlight of the experience, either through highlighting or masking. Use a track with muddy bass and you'll get muddy bass response.
 
Sep 30, 2024 at 4:56 PM Post #183 of 530
Awesome write up!

I'm surprised you skipped over pairing Sussy OG with the B-21 Raider. It was one of if not the most dynamic amps I've paired with my HE6SE. Also, it bears mentioning again; Immanis on the CFA3 and Brooklyn Bridge II (with Kimber Kable Carbon ICs) was impeccable.
Oh dang that’s true. I haven’t heard of B-21 Raider (excuse my ignorance) and there were already too many headphones on the table so I didn’t squeeze the susvara in.
 
Sep 30, 2024 at 4:56 PM Post #184 of 530
Do you know what the driver configuration is on Apostle?
Sorry not OP but I can clarify that for you.
5-driver tribrid featuring 1DD, 2 BAs, and 2 ESTs.
 
Sep 30, 2024 at 5:02 PM Post #185 of 530
Yes, as I mentioned in one of my other post, one is at the mimic audio booth I believe. The other one is in the ZMF room. The one in ZMF room def sounds like there’s some issue going on as there’s some buzz noise. I did have to turn up the volume at the show and I’m also probably more sensitive to peakiness than average person. I took pictures so perhaps you can tell the tubes? No idea about the dac…

First one at mimic audio
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Second one in ZMF room.
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We can't judge the condition of the tube through your photo, besides, external interference can also cause buzz noise in vacuum tube amplifiers, it can be RF interference or coming from the contaminated power line. Since we have many amplifiers and electronic and mobile phones in the room, it will take a lot of effort to debug the problem exhaustively.

The Soul 170HA has two sound-shaping features that might be able to tame the peakiness you didn't like. The Timbre toggle offers "Dynamic" and "Soft" options, and the Mode toggle allows you to select the operation modes of the KT170 output tube, you can select between Triode or Ultralinear mode. Triode + Soft probably will smooth out the edges and offer a more pleasant listening experience. Last but not least, you can try rolling the driver tubes, which are the two 6SN7 vacuum tubes in the middle of the top panel. Tube rolling allows you to fine-tune the sound signature of the amplifier to meet your preference, this is one of the main attractions of using headphone amplifiers.

170HA Front Top Panel.jpg
 
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Sep 30, 2024 at 5:33 PM Post #187 of 530
My surprise and laughter when I donned the McHeadphones and the fries fell out! Then my bewilderment when the McHeadphones sounded good! I was laughing during the drive home thinking about them. My spouse asked me which headphone I’d get if I had the money. I said McHeadphones. Easily THE standout moment of CanJam 2024 for me.
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Edit: Name correction. Thank you @pud667.
 
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Sep 30, 2024 at 5:36 PM Post #188 of 530
My surprise and laughter when I donned the Fryphones and the fries fell out! Then my bewilderment when the Fryphones sounded good! I was laughing during the drive home thinking about them. My spouse asked me which headphone I’d get if I had the money. I said Fryphones. Easily THE standout moment of CanJam 2024 for me.
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Available at Frye's?
 
Sep 30, 2024 at 5:46 PM Post #190 of 530
What a blast this weekend was. I brought my camera both days, but ended up taking so few pictures throughout the two days…

Anyway, here I am… and here are my impressions:

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IEMs
  • Disappointments
    • Campfire Moonrover - Having heard others from CFA, I was kind of expecting more when I heard it. I think most of the frequency response was inoffensive, however I found the mid and upper midrange to be tonally wonky. That also goes for the lower treble area. I almost couldn’t get them off my ears fast enough and I really don’t think they are worth the $1200 asking price.
    • Unique Melody Multiverse Mentor - Hearing all about this one I thought I was really going to like it. I don’t particularly have a problem with BA timbre, but this one just left me underwhelmed. Stages quite large, but it just didn’t feel like anything special. I say that last statement with the caveat that I had listened to some real ringers prior.
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  • General Thoughts
    • PMG Audio APX - this one was GREAT with a “but” attached to it. This was the IEM I was most looking forward to and in many regards it did not disappoint. Fit and finish, fantastic. One of the most comfortable IEMs for me to wear. Size-wise, it was a lot smaller than I thought it would be. Bass was incredible. Midrange was fanantastic. Treble was great, except there was a certain treble peak that made this hard to listen certain songs with. Source may help with this, but I think it is just a treble frequency sensitivity that just made this one I couldn’t listen to for very long and/or with certain tracks. Really glad I tried it, glad it wasn’t quite for me, especially since they are all sold out.
    • Cayin/UM Amber Pearl - This one generally surprised me. Tuning-wise it is different enough to make it even more impressive than the Multiverse Mentor. Stages large, bass was really good, and the treble and midrange tuning was different enough and was more to my preferences than the MM. The shell is beautiful, too. Loved the way this one looked and also felt great in my ears.
    • Elysian X - Great IEM and glad I got to listen to this. Elysian tuning is something I really like. Annihilator ‘23 is one I still really like. The Elysian X is just less bloomy in the mid-bass as the Anni ‘23. Generally an IEM I was pleased with.
    • Alpha Omega Omega - I liked this one. It was a bit thicker in the bass, but I enjoyed listening to these. I enjoyed the tuning and thought this one didn’t do anything wrong for my ears. I really like the purple color way of it, too. Great looking and sounding IEM.
    • Subtonic Storm - This was high on my list to listen to and I am glad I did. I can understand what the hype about this one is. However, midrange tuning, more specifically the upper midrange is not agreeable to my ears. I think the bass is fantastic and the treble, too. Articulation and speed overall are really high up there. Fit and finish are great, though I still am wanting to see the final production faceplate, instead of the launch edition faceplate (or the wonky make-shift faceplates that they have been trying). The fact that this one is so hard to drive though and the price increased (understandably so), I think there’s too much competition at or around it.
    • FatFreq Deuce - I was among the first to preorder this, probably get mine among the first batch being sent out this week. I wanted to give this a try while I was at the FatFreq booth and I am glad I did. At the $200-300 range, this is an absolute no brainer for bassheads. I tried it with the impedance adaptor and without and I think both are going to be great for specific needs. I think in general, I am going to prefer without because there is still plenty of a bass rise for my preferences. I just find for certain genres that the additional bass from the adaptor adds to much bloat to the mid bass that bleeds into the lower mids. This is not the fastest or most articulate, but the prominent V shape makes this just a fun listen. Looking forward to getting mine soon.
    • FatFreq Grand Maestro Anniversary Edition - This is a great IEM all around. It takes one of my favorite IEMs and takes everything to the next level. The titanium shell and fit work even better in my ears than the present GM. The Super Stage module is a CHONK. I don’t love the way it looks. It looks like Frankentstein’s monster’s neck bolts. They do sound good, though. It opened the sound up a good amount.
    • Aroma Audio Fei Wan - This IEM impressed me. I knew I would like it, but I liked it even more than I expected. Great bass, texture, great mids, great treble. Look even better in person than the pictures.
    • Empire Ears Raven - I quite like this one. Bassy IEM with a few treble peaks that are a bit questionable, but nothing that became an issue as I was listening. The only issue that I had with this one is simply the fit in my ears. Its shape and size were even an issue for my ears.
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  • Surprised By
    • Astell & Kern x EE Novus - I kept coming back to this one. So, biggest concern was fit and finish on this one. I liked the look of it when I first saw them online and they are even better looking in person. It looks beautilful and feel substantial and premium. Knowing these were nearly the same size as the EE Ravens and the angular shells all around, I was concerned it wouldn’t be one that I couldn’t wear, however, that was not the case. Fit great in my ears, felt great, and easily wearable for me, despite the large size. Bass is articulate and commanding. Midbass was just a liiiiiiittle bit thicker than I would look for in this kind of IEM, but really not a problem at all. Midrange was fantastic on these. Treble, it’s a tiny bit spicy in a certain area for my ears, but this is easily manageable with different sources. The funnest experience with this was the last hour of CJ on Sunday. Bloom Audio’s room was relatively light, so I had a chance to run these off of the Cayin Soul 170HA amp. Treble spice gone. I just kept turning this up and up and got to my upper limit and beyond, very briefly, but had a hell of a time trying it out. It made my ears and head rumble like I’ve never experienced before. It might have actually massaged my brain.
    • Campfire Trifecta - I wanted to try this one, fully expecting to be disappointed by it. I keep hearing that its tuning is wonky and divisive. I didn’t get any of that. Great bass, obviously, with a triple dynamic driver set up. However, I really liked the texture and PRaT of this one. One thing that I kept noting was that the bass kit sound great! Crash, ride, and hi-hats sound timbrally right to me. Still don’t love the look of them, but they are small, light, and easy to wear.
    • 64 Audio Solo - 64 Audio sound has done right by me pretty consistently. They have become pretty low on my radar with so many other IEMs coming out. However, I still use my custom A12t regularly and I still enjoy them. The Solo, being the first planar offering by 64A, really impressed me. It is tuned really, really well for my preferences. It goes great bass, mids are tuned right for me and the treble is generally inoffensive. Aesthetically, I also think this is one of my favorite of 64A’s offerings. I do have issue with the size of the 64A (and FirAudio) shells. They are too small for me in general and this one is no different.
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Headphones
  • Disappointment
    • Modhouse Tungsten DS - Kind of surprised by this. Respect Ryan for what he did with this, but this was just not my cup of tea. It don’t think it was as resolving as the Susvara OG, it’s thicker sounding, and fuller bodied sound all around, but doesn’t have the same airiness. It was being powered by the Cayin Soul 170HA and it was plenty loud.
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  • General Thoughts
    • Susvara Unveiled - Not going to comment on this much since I’ve shared my thoughts extensively on this one in the SUV thread. In short, great, great headphone and an upgrade to the OG, just come to the conclusion that it’s not worth the asking price.
    • SJY Horizon - Met Jeffrey last year at So Cal CJ. Had generally positive feelings, but slight tuning issues. Biggest complaint was just a bass roll off. Horizon is flat down low and is impressive. Not super easy to drive. A bit darker than my preference, but not too far off.
    • SJY Horizon Closed - Similar impressions to the open ones. Really like the faceplate options Jeffrey showed. Closed backs had even more bass and sounded a bit darker in presentation, too.
    • ZMF Caldera - I’ve decided, I am not a big fan of the Calera. I think it’s a good headphone, but there’s a treble peak that makes the tuning less appealing to me than the Atrium. I like the bass and the mid-bass presence. The midrange just missed the mark a bit for me.
    • ZMF Atrium Closed - I didn’t love the Atrium closed. Atrium opened is still one of my favorites.
    • RAAL 1995 Immanis - Won’t say too much here on this one. Favorite headphone to date right now and I have plenty of thoughts expressed in the various RAAL threads here. Plus, I’ve got mine coming in the latest shipment which should be any day now.
    • Audeze Crbn 2 - They done added more bass to the Crbn 2. The first one had a solid amount of bass, but they increase the bass on this one, even more so. The most bass presence from an estat to date. Crbn 2 isn’t the fastest/resolving estat on the market. I really dig the color way they chose for this one, though.
    • Abyss 1266 TC - Tried this on the Rockna Wavedream Sig Bal and the LTA. This is the first time I began to really understand the appeal of the 1266. I’ve tried it 4-5 times prior and just couldn’t get it right. This time though, got the bass slam everyone talks about. However, I am just not a fan of Abyss tuning from the various Abyss headphones I’ve tried. I also really don’t like the look of the 1266, to me it’s ugly, and I know a lot of people don’t.
    • Hifiman HE1000 Unveiled - Speaking of ugly… I don’t have anything more to add here. No sound impressions. Stopped, saw it in person, just as awful as I saw in the pictures, continued walking. I understand people are liking how it sounds, so take that for what you will. So at least it’s not the Audivina open!
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  • Surprised By
    • ZMF Caldera Closed - Caldera Closed, however I do like. Best closed back I’ve heard. Tuning seems just right and it unsurprisingly sounds more expansive due to the patented Atrium dampening. Lovely headphone. If/when there is a stabilized version of this that I love, I may just bite the bullet. Otherwise, I don’t have much use for a closed back. If I am needing sound isolation at home, which is not often, I still reach for IEMs more.
    • Meze Empyrean II - First time I heard this headphone was this weekend. Friend brought his with him and tried it at home. Loved it within the first minute of listening. Great tuning. Easy to listen to, resolving enough, wide sound stage, though not the deepest, beautiful craftsmanship, and so, so comfortable! Just sat in the back of my mind both days, so I bought a demo unit on Sunday.
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Amplifiers
  • General Thoughts
    • Zahl HM-1 - Still a great, great amplifier and every time I see it in person, it’s form factor still impresses me. I really like the tone controls, still wonder how much I would use them in reality. Sonically, a very neutral, but not sterile/thin sound and I quite enjoy it. Still continue to consider it if I want a proper SS in my system.
    • Viva Egoista 2A3 - This amp was high on my list to try and I am glad I did. It is a dynamic amplifier. I don’t find it a better offering than my Woo Audio WA23, though. It loses some of the romanticism at the sacrifice of dynamics and thickness to the sound.
    • Viva Egoista 845 - unfortunately when I was there, they were having issues with their set up and didn’t get to try this one out. They fixed the issue, but I never circled back around to listen to it.
    • Enleum HPA-23RMH - this was brought by a friend of mine to try. Quite a good, good amp. Tried a number of headphones in the quiet of a hotel room, including Kennerton Heartland, Meze Empyrean II, and the RAAL Immanis. Yes, this little thing can drive the RAAL Immanis. It isn’t the best the headphone sounded, the sound is closed in a little bit, but there is a lot of punch! It’s thick and it still is quite detailed. Granted, was just using my phone as a source fed into the Enleum. For a portable-ish (I know…) solution, it actually works!
    • Feliks Envy 25th Anniversary Edition - To be frank, the OG Envy is not one of my favorite sounding amps. I think it is a good amp, but I don’t think it’s an amp for me. The AE is better all around, hands down. Expanded and holographic sound stage. Tight, punchy bass, shedding a little bit of the gooeyness that I personally don’t enjoy. Aesthetically, piano gloss black finish has always, always been one of my favorite! However, it’s still not for me and my preferences.
    • Woo Audio WA24 20th Anniversary - This was an absolute must to listen to and I am glad I did. It’s articulate, it’s fast, it’s holographic, it’s punchy. I love that the look of the flagship went towards the WA23. It’s a beautiful, beautiful amp and the WA24 is just a bit thicker in size. One of the coolest aspects of the amplifier, though, has to be the fact that it is cool to the touch when running it. You can even touch the tubes. They are warm, but not hot. That bodes extremely well for those concerned about heater amplifiers. All that being said, the more I thought about it, the more I realized, the WA24 is not an amp for me. I still prefer the WA23 Luna. Why? The WA24 is the successor to the WA33 Elite. So it sounds more analytical and Solid-State-y. Not entirely so, but it still does. Despite that, I really have to give Woo props for such a wonderful product! Those who like the WA33 and it’s signature, really, really need to consider this amp.
    • Ray Samuels B-21 Raider - Okay, I tried a couple headphones from it and I didn’t love it. I kind of expected to like it more than I did. Tried a buddy’s RAAL Immanis on it, tried the Caldera Closed, and Atrium Open. Each time I listened, I thought, it seemed dry. It wasn’t thin, quite the opposite, it was dynamic, weighty, and had a solid sound. It just seemed colorless or lifeless. That’s the best that I could describe. I did not try the Stax X9000 that was paired with it. I really don’t care for Stax in general, so I was not compelled at all to even bother.
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Last, but not least…

Stars of the Show
  • Forte Ears Macbeth - Just wow. Showstopper for me. Riccardo hit the ground running with this release. Incredible IEM. This is just tuned absolutely perfectly for me. Bass is deep, impactful, lacking bloat, aggressive. Midrange is absolutely magical for my preferences. Piano, strings, vocals, absolute best I’ve experienced in an IEM. Treble is articulate, incredibly detailed, yet no fatigue whatsoever. I had to try it several times to make sure that the fit would be right because despite having bigger ears, I do have sensitive ears. ****I feel compelled to warn those considering the Macbeth though, as I was kindly (actually boldly told and emphasized)— to not listen to the Macbeth with the upgraded cable, the Eletech Ambition. It is a fantastic IEM, but the Ambition takes everything that I loved about the IEM and takes it several levels beyond. With the Macbeth it is such a sensitive IEM at 7ohms and 106db sensitivity, cable changes make a difference. Now, does the Ambition take it from effectively a $4K IEM to an $8K IEM? Only you can say for sure. For me? I am on the fence, but the fact that I am really considering it is substantial for me. That being said, don’t listen to the Macbeth with the Ambition and you’ll never need to make that decision. To me, it’s an incredible, incredible IEM and just right for the asking price. Add the ambition to the mix and to me it becomes one of the worlds best IEMs.
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  • Cayin Soul 170HA - This was really high on my list to try. When Cayin announced it, the aesthetics alone drew me to it. As I heard about it, I was even further intrigued by its flexibility and power capabilities. The ability to drive IEMs, or headphones, or speakers from the same amplifier? I had to see for myself and I did. Numerous times. Had to try it at each and every booth that had one. Tried it with the Modhouse Tungsten, Atrium Open, Caldera Closed, Final D8000 Pro, Immanis, Susvara OG, Susvara Unveiled, Meze Empyrean II, and finally the A&K Novus IEM. Probably stupid grinned numerous times. Just as versatile as they claimed. Sonic signature, slightly warm, but not gooey in Ultralinear mode. However you can make it more romantic by putting it in triode mode, but it’s not gooey. Not as dynamic, but more holographic. Punchy, hard hitting, beautiful highs. I could not get enough of it. So much so I bought the demo unit and took it home:
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Closing impressions - what a show. Lots and lots of new products. Made a lot of new friends. Caught up with a few old friends. Had great conversations with friends and vendors alike. Gathered a lot of insight, including gathering additional respect for those I already knew from the forums, but met for the first time. Great, great individuals, especially in the Watercooler crew. Had a lot of good food this weekend. Walked away thoroughly exhausted each day, but extremely satisfied.

Already looking forward to next year! Here are some bonus shots:

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Sep 30, 2024 at 6:18 PM Post #191 of 530
My Bloom Audio room impressions are up! Check them out in my thread: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/cin...ions-thread-a-compendium.974333/post-18351990

In this post I cover:

- Vision Ears VE 10
- Vision Ears EXT MK II
- Noble Audio Spartacus
- Noble Audio Ronin
- Noble Audio Viking Ragnar
- Noble Audio Onyx
- Noble Audio Khublai Khan
- 7th Audio Acoustics Supernova
- Ice Lab Prismatica

I seem to have lost some of the photos from this time of day, so please forgive the sporadic inclusion of images.
 
Sep 30, 2024 at 6:29 PM Post #192 of 530
What a blast this weekend was. I brought my camera both days, but ended up taking so few pictures throughout the two days…

Anyway, here I am… and here are my impressions:

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IEMs
  • Disappointments
    • Campfire Moonrover - Having heard others from CFA, I was kind of expecting more when I heard it. I think most of the frequency response was inoffensive, however I found the mid and upper midrange to be tonally wonky. That also goes for the lower treble area. I almost couldn’t get them off my ears fast enough and I really don’t think they are worth the $1200 asking price.
    • Unique Melody Multiverse Mentor - Hearing all about this one I thought I was really going to like it. I don’t particularly have a problem with BA timbre, but this one just left me underwhelmed. Stages quite large, but it just didn’t feel like anything special. I say that last statement with the caveat that I had listened to some real ringers prior.
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  • General Thoughts
    • PMG Audio APX - this one was GREAT with a “but” attached to it. This was the IEM I was most looking forward to and in many regards it did not disappoint. Fit and finish, fantastic. One of the most comfortable IEMs for me to wear. Size-wise, it was a lot smaller than I thought it would be. Bass was incredible. Midrange was fanantastic. Treble was great, except there was a certain treble peak that made this hard to listen certain songs with. Source may help with this, but I think it is just a treble frequency sensitivity that just made this one I couldn’t listen to for very long and/or with certain tracks. Really glad I tried it, glad it wasn’t quite for me, especially since they are all sold out.
    • Cayin/UM Amber Pearl - This one generally surprised me. Tuning-wise it is different enough to make it even more impressive than the Multiverse Mentor. Stages large, bass was really good, and the treble and midrange tuning was different enough and was more to my preferences than the MM. The shell is beautiful, too. Loved the way this one looked and also felt great in my ears.
    • Elysian X - Great IEM and glad I got to listen to this. Elysian tuning is something I really like. Annihilator ‘23 is one I still really like. The Elysian X is just less bloomy in the mid-bass as the Anni ‘23. Generally an IEM I was pleased with.
    • Alpha Omega Omega - I liked this one. It was a bit thicker in the bass, but I enjoyed listening to these. I enjoyed the tuning and thought this one didn’t do anything wrong for my ears. I really like the purple color way of it, too. Great looking and sounding IEM.
    • Subtonic Storm - This was high on my list to listen to and I am glad I did. I can understand what the hype about this one is. However, midrange tuning, more specifically the upper midrange is not agreeable to my ears. I think the bass is fantastic and the treble, too. Articulation and speed overall are really high up there. Fit and finish are great, though I still am wanting to see the final production faceplate, instead of the launch edition faceplate (or the wonky make-shift faceplates that they have been trying). The fact that this one is so hard to drive though and the price increased (understandably so), I think there’s too much competition at or around it.
    • FatFreq Deuce - I was among the first to preorder this, probably get mine among the first batch being sent out this week. I wanted to give this a try while I was at the FatFreq booth and I am glad I did. At the $200-300 range, this is an absolute no brainer for bassheads. I tried it with the impedance adaptor and without and I think both are going to be great for specific needs. I think in general, I am going to prefer without because there is still plenty of a bass rise for my preferences. I just find for certain genres that the additional bass from the adaptor adds to much bloat to the mid bass that bleeds into the lower mids. This is not the fastest or most articulate, but the prominent V shape makes this just a fun listen. Looking forward to getting mine soon.
    • FatFreq Grand Maestro Anniversary Edition - This is a great IEM all around. It takes one of my favorite IEMs and takes everything to the next level. The titanium shell and fit work even better in my ears than the present GM. The Super Stage module is a CHONK. I don’t love the way it looks. It looks like Frankentstein’s monster’s neck bolts. They do sound good, though. It opened the sound up a good amount.
    • Aroma Audio Fei Wan - This IEM impressed me. I knew I would like it, but I liked it even more than I expected. Great bass, texture, great mids, great treble. Look even better in person than the pictures.
    • Empire Ears Raven - I quite like this one. Bassy IEM with a few treble peaks that are a bit questionable, but nothing that became an issue as I was listening. The only issue that I had with this one is simply the fit in my ears. Its shape and size were even an issue for my ears.
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  • Surprised By
    • Astell & Kern x EE Novus - I kept coming back to this one. So, biggest concern was fit and finish on this one. I liked the look of it when I first saw them online and they are even better looking in person. It looks beautilful and feel substantial and premium. Knowing these were nearly the same size as the EE Ravens and the angular shells all around, I was concerned it wouldn’t be one that I couldn’t wear, however, that was not the case. Fit great in my ears, felt great, and easily wearable for me, despite the large size. Bass is articulate and commanding. Midbass was just a liiiiiiittle bit thicker than I would look for in this kind of IEM, but really not a problem at all. Midrange was fantastic on these. Treble, it’s a tiny bit spicy in a certain area for my ears, but this is easily manageable with different sources. The funnest experience with this was the last hour of CJ on Sunday. Bloom Audio’s room was relatively light, so I had a chance to run these off of the Cayin Soul 170HA amp. Treble spice gone. I just kept turning this up and up and got to my upper limit and beyond, very briefly, but had a hell of a time trying it out. It made my ears and head rumble like I’ve never experienced before. It might have actually massaged my brain.
    • Campfire Trifecta - I wanted to try this one, fully expecting to be disappointed by it. I keep hearing that its tuning is wonky and divisive. I didn’t get any of that. Great bass, obviously, with a triple dynamic driver set up. However, I really liked the texture and PRaT of this one. One thing that I kept noting was that the bass kit sound great! Crash, ride, and hi-hats sound timbrally right to me. Still don’t love the look of them, but they are small, light, and easy to wear.
    • 64 Audio Solo - 64 Audio sound has done right by me pretty consistently. They have become pretty low on my radar with so many other IEMs coming out. However, I still use my custom A12t regularly and I still enjoy them. The Solo, being the first planar offering by 64A, really impressed me. It is tuned really, really well for my preferences. It goes great bass, mids are tuned right for me and the treble is generally inoffensive. Aesthetically, I also think this is one of my favorite of 64A’s offerings. I do have issue with the size of the 64A (and FirAudio) shells. They are too small for me in general and this one is no different.
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Headphones
  • Disappointment
    • Modhouse Tungsten DS - Kind of surprised by this. Respect Ryan for what he did with this, but this was just not my cup of tea. It don’t think it was as resolving as the Susvara OG, it’s thicker sounding, and fuller bodied sound all around, but doesn’t have the same airiness. It was being powered by the Cayin Soul 170HA and it was plenty loud.
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  • General Thoughts
    • Susvara Unveiled - Not going to comment on this much since I’ve shared my thoughts extensively on this one in the SUV thread. In short, great, great headphone and an upgrade to the OG, just come to the conclusion that it’s not worth the asking price.
    • SJY Horizon - Met Jeffrey last year at So Cal CJ. Had generally positive feelings, but slight tuning issues. Biggest complaint was just a bass roll off. Horizon is flat down low and is impressive. Not super easy to drive. A bit darker than my preference, but not too far off.
    • SJY Horizon Closed - Similar impressions to the open ones. Really like the faceplate options Jeffrey showed. Closed backs had even more bass and sounded a bit darker in presentation, too.
    • ZMF Caldera - I’ve decided, I am not a big fan of the Calera. I think it’s a good headphone, but there’s a treble peak that makes the tuning less appealing to me than the Atrium. I like the bass and the mid-bass presence. The midrange just missed the mark a bit for me.
    • ZMF Atrium Closed - I didn’t love the Atrium closed. Atrium opened is still one of my favorites.
    • RAAL 1995 Immanis - Won’t say too much here on this one. Favorite headphone to date right now and I have plenty of thoughts expressed in the various RAAL threads here. Plus, I’ve got mine coming in the latest shipment which should be any day now.
    • Audeze Crbn 2 - They done added more bass to the Crbn 2. The first one had a solid amount of bass, but they increase the bass on this one, even more so. The most bass presence from an estat to date. Crbn 2 isn’t the fastest/resolving estat on the market. I really dig the color way they chose for this one, though.
    • Abyss 1266 TC - Tried this on the Rockna Wavedream Sig Bal and the LTA. This is the first time I began to really understand the appeal of the 1266. I’ve tried it 4-5 times prior and just couldn’t get it right. This time though, got the bass slam everyone talks about. However, I am just not a fan of Abyss tuning from the various Abyss headphones I’ve tried. I also really don’t like the look of the 1266, to me it’s ugly, and I know a lot of people don’t.
    • Hifiman HE1000 Unveiled - Speaking of ugly… I don’t have anything more to add here. No sound impressions. Stopped, saw it in person, ust as awful as I saw in the pictures, continued walking. I understand people are liking how it sounds, so take that for what you will. So at least it’s not the Audivina open!
IMG_2703.jpeg

  • Surprised By
    • ZMF Caldera Closed - Caldera Closed, however I do like. Best closed back I’ve heard. Tuning seems just right and it unsurprisingly sounds more expansive due to the patented Atrium dampening. Lovely headphone. If/when there is a stabilized version of this that I love, I may just bite the bullet. Otherwise, I don’t have much use for a closed back. If I am needing sound isolation at home, which is not often, I still reach for IEMs more.
    • Meze Empyrean II - First time I heard this headphone was this weekend. Friend brought his with him and tried it at home. Loved it within the first minute of listening. Great tuning. Easy to listen to, resolving enough, wide sound stage, though not the deepest, beautiful craftsmanship, and so, so comfortable! Just sat in the back of my mind both days, so I bought a demo unit on Sunday.
IMG_2704.jpeg
Amplifiers
  • General Thoughts
    • Zahl HM-1 - Still a great, great amplifier and every time I see it in person, it’s form factor still impresses me. I really like the tone controls, still wonder how much I would use them in reality. Sonically, a very neutral, but not sterile/thin sound and I quite enjoy it. Still continue to consider it if I want a proper SS in my system.
    • Viva Egoista 2A3 - This amp was high on my list to try and I am glad I did. It is a dynamic amplifier. I don’t find it a better offering than my Woo Audio WA23, though. It loses some of the romanticism at the sacrifice of dynamics and thickness to the sound.
    • Viva Egoista 845 - unfortunately when I was there, they were having issues with their set up and didn’t get to try this one out. They fixed the issue, but I never circled back around to listen to it.
    • Enleum HPA-23RMH - this was brought by a friend of mine to try. Quite a good, good amp. Tried a number of headphones in the quiet of a hotel room, including Kennerton Heartland, Meze Empyrean II, and the RAAL Immanis. Yes, this little thing can drive the RAAL Immanis. It isn’t the best the headphone sounded, the sound is closed in a little bit, but there is a lot of punch! It’s thick and it still is quite detailed. Granted, was just using my phone as a source fed into the Enleum. For a portable-ish (I know…) solution, it actually works!
    • Feliks Envy 25th Anniversary Edition - To be frank, the OG Envy is not one of my favorite sounding amps. I think it is a good amp, but I don’t think it’s an amp for me. The AE is better all around, hands down. Expanded and holographic sound stage. Tight, punchy bass, shedding a little bit of the gooeyness that I personally don’t enjoy. Aesthetically, piano gloss black finish has always, always been one of my favorite! However, it’s still not for me and my preferences.
    • Woo Audio WA24 20th Anniversary - This was an absolute must to listen to and I am glad I did. It’s articulate, it’s fast, it’s holographic, it’s punchy. I love that the look of the flagship went towards the WA23. It’s a beautiful, beautiful amp and the WA24 is just a bit thicker in size. One of the coolest aspects of the amplifier, though, has to be the fact that it is cool to the touch when running it. You can even touch the tubes. They are warm, but not hot. That bodes extremely well for those concerned about heater amplifiers. All that being said, the more I thought about it, the more I realized, the WA24 is not an amp for me. I still prefer the WA23 Luna. Why? The WA24 is the successor to the WA33 Elite. So it sounds more analytical and Solid-State-y. Not entirely so, but it still does. Despite that, I really have to give Woo props for such a wonderful product! Those who like the WA33 and it’s signature, really, really need to consider this amp.
    • Ray Samuels B-21 Raider - Okay, I tried a couple headphones from it and I didn’t love it. I kind of expected to like it more than I did. Tried a buddy’s RAAL Immanis on it, tried the Caldera Closed, and Atrium Open. Each time I listened, I thought, it seemed dry. It wasn’t thin, quite the opposite, it was dynamic, weighty, and had a solid sound. It just seemed colorless or lifeless. That’s the best that I could describe. I did not try the Stax X9000 that was paired with it. I really don’t care for Stax in general, so I was not compelled at all to even bother.
IMG_2693.jpeg
IMG_2702.jpeg
IMG_2691.jpeg
IMG_2695.jpeg

Last, but not least…

Stars of the Show
  • Forte Ears Macbeth - Just wow. Showstopper for me. Riccardo hit the ground running with this release. Incredible IEM. This is just tuned absolutely perfectly for me. Bass is deep, impactful, lacking bloat, aggressive. Midrange is absolutely magical for my preferences. Piano, strings, vocals, absolute best I’ve experienced in an IEM. Treble is articulate, incredibly detailed, yet no fatigue whatsoever. I had to try it several times to make sure that the fit would be right because despite having bigger ears, I do have sensitive ears. ****I feel compelled to warn those considering the Macbeth though, as I was kindly (actually boldly told and emphasized)— to not listen to the Macbeth with the upgraded cable, the Eletech Ambition. It is a fantastic IEM, but the Ambition takes everything that I loved about the IEM and takes it several levels beyond. With the Macbeth it is such a sensitive IEM at 7ohms and 106db sensitivity, cable changes make a difference. Now, does the Ambition take it from effectively a $4K IEM to an $8K IEM? Only you can say for sure. For me? I am on the fence, but the fact that I am really considering it is substantial for me. That being said, don’t listen to the Macbeth with the Ambition and you’ll never need to make that decision. To me, it’s an incredible, incredible IEM and just right for the asking price. Add the ambition to the mix and to me it becomes one of the worlds best IEMs.
IMG_2692.jpeg
  • Cayin Soul 170HA - This was really high on my list to try. When Cayin announced it, the aesthetics alone drew me to it. As I heard about it, I was even further intrigued by its flexibility and power capabilities. The ability to drive IEMs, or headphones, or speakers from the same amplifier? I had to see for myself and I did. Numerous times. Had to try it at each and every booth that had one. Tried it with the Modhouse Tungsten, Atrium Open, Caldera Closed, Final D8000 Pro, Immanis, Susvara OG, Susvara Unveiled, Meze Empyrean II, and finally the A&K Novus IEM. Probably stupid grinned numerous times. Just as versatile as they claimed. Sonic signature, slightly warm, but not gooey in Ultralinear mode. However you can make it more romantic by putting it in triode mode, but it’s not gooey. Not as dynamic, but more holographic. Punchy, hard hitting, beautiful highs. I could not get enough of it. So much so I bought the demo unit and took it home:
IMG_2706.jpeg

Closing impressions - what a show. Lots and lots of new products. Made a lot of new friends. Caught up with a few old friends. Had great conversations with friends and vendors alike. Gathered a lot of insight, including gathering additional respect for those I already knew from the forums, but met for the first time. Great, great individuals, especially in the Watercooler crew. Had a lot of good food this weekend. Walked away thoroughly exhausted each day, but extremely satisfied.

Already looking forward to next year! Here are some bonus shots:

IMG_2694.jpeg
IMG_2701.jpeg

Great impressions!

Awesome pictures!! ❤️
 
Sep 30, 2024 at 6:30 PM Post #193 of 530
of course, I'm not a seasoned vet :wink: No worries if others disagrees with me, I'm only 1 set of untrained ears amongst many. Also the loud background noise at Canjam makes critical listening rather difficult to say the least!

Eh, your impressions seem great and don't let anybody else say otherwise. It's always good to have a fresh set of ears on something and you should never feel pressure to hear things the same way as others do, no matter what anybody else says.
 
Sep 30, 2024 at 7:03 PM Post #194 of 530
What a blast this weekend was. I brought my camera both days, but ended up taking so few pictures throughout the two days…

Anyway, here I am… and here are my impressions:

IMG_2707.jpeg

IEMs
  • Disappointments
    • Campfire Moonrover - Having heard others from CFA, I was kind of expecting more when I heard it. I think most of the frequency response was inoffensive, however I found the mid and upper midrange to be tonally wonky. That also goes for the lower treble area. I almost couldn’t get them off my ears fast enough and I really don’t think they are worth the $1200 asking price.
    • Unique Melody Multiverse Mentor - Hearing all about this one I thought I was really going to like it. I don’t particularly have a problem with BA timbre, but this one just left me underwhelmed. Stages quite large, but it just didn’t feel like anything special. I say that last statement with the caveat that I had listened to some real ringers prior.
IMG_2696.jpeg
  • General Thoughts
    • PMG Audio APX - this one was GREAT with a “but” attached to it. This was the IEM I was most looking forward to and in many regards it did not disappoint. Fit and finish, fantastic. One of the most comfortable IEMs for me to wear. Size-wise, it was a lot smaller than I thought it would be. Bass was incredible. Midrange was fanantastic. Treble was great, except there was a certain treble peak that made this hard to listen certain songs with. Source may help with this, but I think it is just a treble frequency sensitivity that just made this one I couldn’t listen to for very long and/or with certain tracks. Really glad I tried it, glad it wasn’t quite for me, especially since they are all sold out.
    • Cayin/UM Amber Pearl - This one generally surprised me. Tuning-wise it is different enough to make it even more impressive than the Multiverse Mentor. Stages large, bass was really good, and the treble and midrange tuning was different enough and was more to my preferences than the MM. The shell is beautiful, too. Loved the way this one looked and also felt great in my ears.
    • Elysian X - Great IEM and glad I got to listen to this. Elysian tuning is something I really like. Annihilator ‘23 is one I still really like. The Elysian X is just less bloomy in the mid-bass as the Anni ‘23. Generally an IEM I was pleased with.
    • Alpha Omega Omega - I liked this one. It was a bit thicker in the bass, but I enjoyed listening to these. I enjoyed the tuning and thought this one didn’t do anything wrong for my ears. I really like the purple color way of it, too. Great looking and sounding IEM.
    • Subtonic Storm - This was high on my list to listen to and I am glad I did. I can understand what the hype about this one is. However, midrange tuning, more specifically the upper midrange is not agreeable to my ears. I think the bass is fantastic and the treble, too. Articulation and speed overall are really high up there. Fit and finish are great, though I still am wanting to see the final production faceplate, instead of the launch edition faceplate (or the wonky make-shift faceplates that they have been trying). The fact that this one is so hard to drive though and the price increased (understandably so), I think there’s too much competition at or around it.
    • FatFreq Deuce - I was among the first to preorder this, probably get mine among the first batch being sent out this week. I wanted to give this a try while I was at the FatFreq booth and I am glad I did. At the $200-300 range, this is an absolute no brainer for bassheads. I tried it with the impedance adaptor and without and I think both are going to be great for specific needs. I think in general, I am going to prefer without because there is still plenty of a bass rise for my preferences. I just find for certain genres that the additional bass from the adaptor adds to much bloat to the mid bass that bleeds into the lower mids. This is not the fastest or most articulate, but the prominent V shape makes this just a fun listen. Looking forward to getting mine soon.
    • FatFreq Grand Maestro Anniversary Edition - This is a great IEM all around. It takes one of my favorite IEMs and takes everything to the next level. The titanium shell and fit work even better in my ears than the present GM. The Super Stage module is a CHONK. I don’t love the way it looks. It looks like Frankentstein’s monster’s neck bolts. They do sound good, though. It opened the sound up a good amount.
    • Aroma Audio Fei Wan - This IEM impressed me. I knew I would like it, but I liked it even more than I expected. Great bass, texture, great mids, great treble. Look even better in person than the pictures.
    • Empire Ears Raven - I quite like this one. Bassy IEM with a few treble peaks that are a bit questionable, but nothing that became an issue as I was listening. The only issue that I had with this one is simply the fit in my ears. Its shape and size were even an issue for my ears.
IMG_2705.jpeg
  • Surprised By
    • Astell & Kern x EE Novus - I kept coming back to this one. So, biggest concern was fit and finish on this one. I liked the look of it when I first saw them online and they are even better looking in person. It looks beautilful and feel substantial and premium. Knowing these were nearly the same size as the EE Ravens and the angular shells all around, I was concerned it wouldn’t be one that I couldn’t wear, however, that was not the case. Fit great in my ears, felt great, and easily wearable for me, despite the large size. Bass is articulate and commanding. Midbass was just a liiiiiiittle bit thicker than I would look for in this kind of IEM, but really not a problem at all. Midrange was fantastic on these. Treble, it’s a tiny bit spicy in a certain area for my ears, but this is easily manageable with different sources. The funnest experience with this was the last hour of CJ on Sunday. Bloom Audio’s room was relatively light, so I had a chance to run these off of the Cayin Soul 170HA amp. Treble spice gone. I just kept turning this up and up and got to my upper limit and beyond, very briefly, but had a hell of a time trying it out. It made my ears and head rumble like I’ve never experienced before. It might have actually massaged my brain.
    • Campfire Trifecta - I wanted to try this one, fully expecting to be disappointed by it. I keep hearing that its tuning is wonky and divisive. I didn’t get any of that. Great bass, obviously, with a triple dynamic driver set up. However, I really liked the texture and PRaT of this one. One thing that I kept noting was that the bass kit sound great! Crash, ride, and hi-hats sound timbrally right to me. Still don’t love the look of them, but they are small, light, and easy to wear.
    • 64 Audio Solo - 64 Audio sound has done right by me pretty consistently. They have become pretty low on my radar with so many other IEMs coming out. However, I still use my custom A12t regularly and I still enjoy them. The Solo, being the first planar offering by 64A, really impressed me. It is tuned really, really well for my preferences. It goes great bass, mids are tuned right for me and the treble is generally inoffensive. Aesthetically, I also think this is one of my favorite of 64A’s offerings. I do have issue with the size of the 64A (and FirAudio) shells. They are too small for me in general and this one is no different.
IMG_2697.jpeg

IMG_2700.jpeg
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Headphones
  • Disappointment
    • Modhouse Tungsten DS - Kind of surprised by this. Respect Ryan for what he did with this, but this was just not my cup of tea. It don’t think it was as resolving as the Susvara OG, it’s thicker sounding, and fuller bodied sound all around, but doesn’t have the same airiness. It was being powered by the Cayin Soul 170HA and it was plenty loud.
IMG_2698.jpeg

  • General Thoughts
    • Susvara Unveiled - Not going to comment on this much since I’ve shared my thoughts extensively on this one in the SUV thread. In short, great, great headphone and an upgrade to the OG, just come to the conclusion that it’s not worth the asking price.
    • SJY Horizon - Met Jeffrey last year at So Cal CJ. Had generally positive feelings, but slight tuning issues. Biggest complaint was just a bass roll off. Horizon is flat down low and is impressive. Not super easy to drive. A bit darker than my preference, but not too far off.
    • SJY Horizon Closed - Similar impressions to the open ones. Really like the faceplate options Jeffrey showed. Closed backs had even more bass and sounded a bit darker in presentation, too.
    • ZMF Caldera - I’ve decided, I am not a big fan of the Calera. I think it’s a good headphone, but there’s a treble peak that makes the tuning less appealing to me than the Atrium. I like the bass and the mid-bass presence. The midrange just missed the mark a bit for me.
    • ZMF Atrium Closed - I didn’t love the Atrium closed. Atrium opened is still one of my favorites.
    • RAAL 1995 Immanis - Won’t say too much here on this one. Favorite headphone to date right now and I have plenty of thoughts expressed in the various RAAL threads here. Plus, I’ve got mine coming in the latest shipment which should be any day now.
    • Audeze Crbn 2 - They done added more bass to the Crbn 2. The first one had a solid amount of bass, but they increase the bass on this one, even more so. The most bass presence from an estat to date. Crbn 2 isn’t the fastest/resolving estat on the market. I really dig the color way they chose for this one, though.
    • Abyss 1266 TC - Tried this on the Rockna Wavedream Sig Bal and the LTA. This is the first time I began to really understand the appeal of the 1266. I’ve tried it 4-5 times prior and just couldn’t get it right. This time though, got the bass slam everyone talks about. However, I am just not a fan of Abyss tuning from the various Abyss headphones I’ve tried. I also really don’t like the look of the 1266, to me it’s ugly, and I know a lot of people don’t.
    • Hifiman HE1000 Unveiled - Speaking of ugly… I don’t have anything more to add here. No sound impressions. Stopped, saw it in person, ust as awful as I saw in the pictures, continued walking. I understand people are liking how it sounds, so take that for what you will. So at least it’s not the Audivina open!
IMG_2703.jpeg

  • Surprised By
    • ZMF Caldera Closed - Caldera Closed, however I do like. Best closed back I’ve heard. Tuning seems just right and it unsurprisingly sounds more expansive due to the patented Atrium dampening. Lovely headphone. If/when there is a stabilized version of this that I love, I may just bite the bullet. Otherwise, I don’t have much use for a closed back. If I am needing sound isolation at home, which is not often, I still reach for IEMs more.
    • Meze Empyrean II - First time I heard this headphone was this weekend. Friend brought his with him and tried it at home. Loved it within the first minute of listening. Great tuning. Easy to listen to, resolving enough, wide sound stage, though not the deepest, beautiful craftsmanship, and so, so comfortable! Just sat in the back of my mind both days, so I bought a demo unit on Sunday.
IMG_2704.jpeg
Amplifiers
  • General Thoughts
    • Zahl HM-1 - Still a great, great amplifier and every time I see it in person, it’s form factor still impresses me. I really like the tone controls, still wonder how much I would use them in reality. Sonically, a very neutral, but not sterile/thin sound and I quite enjoy it. Still continue to consider it if I want a proper SS in my system.
    • Viva Egoista 2A3 - This amp was high on my list to try and I am glad I did. It is a dynamic amplifier. I don’t find it a better offering than my Woo Audio WA23, though. It loses some of the romanticism at the sacrifice of dynamics and thickness to the sound.
    • Viva Egoista 845 - unfortunately when I was there, they were having issues with their set up and didn’t get to try this one out. They fixed the issue, but I never circled back around to listen to it.
    • Enleum HPA-23RMH - this was brought by a friend of mine to try. Quite a good, good amp. Tried a number of headphones in the quiet of a hotel room, including Kennerton Heartland, Meze Empyrean II, and the RAAL Immanis. Yes, this little thing can drive the RAAL Immanis. It isn’t the best the headphone sounded, the sound is closed in a little bit, but there is a lot of punch! It’s thick and it still is quite detailed. Granted, was just using my phone as a source fed into the Enleum. For a portable-ish (I know…) solution, it actually works!
    • Feliks Envy 25th Anniversary Edition - To be frank, the OG Envy is not one of my favorite sounding amps. I think it is a good amp, but I don’t think it’s an amp for me. The AE is better all around, hands down. Expanded and holographic sound stage. Tight, punchy bass, shedding a little bit of the gooeyness that I personally don’t enjoy. Aesthetically, piano gloss black finish has always, always been one of my favorite! However, it’s still not for me and my preferences.
    • Woo Audio WA24 20th Anniversary - This was an absolute must to listen to and I am glad I did. It’s articulate, it’s fast, it’s holographic, it’s punchy. I love that the look of the flagship went towards the WA23. It’s a beautiful, beautiful amp and the WA24 is just a bit thicker in size. One of the coolest aspects of the amplifier, though, has to be the fact that it is cool to the touch when running it. You can even touch the tubes. They are warm, but not hot. That bodes extremely well for those concerned about heater amplifiers. All that being said, the more I thought about it, the more I realized, the WA24 is not an amp for me. I still prefer the WA23 Luna. Why? The WA24 is the successor to the WA33 Elite. So it sounds more analytical and Solid-State-y. Not entirely so, but it still does. Despite that, I really have to give Woo props for such a wonderful product! Those who like the WA33 and it’s signature, really, really need to consider this amp.
    • Ray Samuels B-21 Raider - Okay, I tried a couple headphones from it and I didn’t love it. I kind of expected to like it more than I did. Tried a buddy’s RAAL Immanis on it, tried the Caldera Closed, and Atrium Open. Each time I listened, I thought, it seemed dry. It wasn’t thin, quite the opposite, it was dynamic, weighty, and had a solid sound. It just seemed colorless or lifeless. That’s the best that I could describe. I did not try the Stax X9000 that was paired with it. I really don’t care for Stax in general, so I was not compelled at all to even bother.
IMG_2693.jpeg
IMG_2702.jpeg
IMG_2691.jpeg
IMG_2695.jpeg

Last, but not least…

Stars of the Show
  • Forte Ears Macbeth - Just wow. Showstopper for me. Riccardo hit the ground running with this release. Incredible IEM. This is just tuned absolutely perfectly for me. Bass is deep, impactful, lacking bloat, aggressive. Midrange is absolutely magical for my preferences. Piano, strings, vocals, absolute best I’ve experienced in an IEM. Treble is articulate, incredibly detailed, yet no fatigue whatsoever. I had to try it several times to make sure that the fit would be right because despite having bigger ears, I do have sensitive ears. ****I feel compelled to warn those considering the Macbeth though, as I was kindly (actually boldly told and emphasized)— to not listen to the Macbeth with the upgraded cable, the Eletech Ambition. It is a fantastic IEM, but the Ambition takes everything that I loved about the IEM and takes it several levels beyond. With the Macbeth it is such a sensitive IEM at 7ohms and 106db sensitivity, cable changes make a difference. Now, does the Ambition take it from effectively a $4K IEM to an $8K IEM? Only you can say for sure. For me? I am on the fence, but the fact that I am really considering it is substantial for me. That being said, don’t listen to the Macbeth with the Ambition and you’ll never need to make that decision. To me, it’s an incredible, incredible IEM and just right for the asking price. Add the ambition to the mix and to me it becomes one of the worlds best IEMs.
IMG_2692.jpeg
  • Cayin Soul 170HA - This was really high on my list to try. When Cayin announced it, the aesthetics alone drew me to it. As I heard about it, I was even further intrigued by its flexibility and power capabilities. The ability to drive IEMs, or headphones, or speakers from the same amplifier? I had to see for myself and I did. Numerous times. Had to try it at each and every booth that had one. Tried it with the Modhouse Tungsten, Atrium Open, Caldera Closed, Final D8000 Pro, Immanis, Susvara OG, Susvara Unveiled, Meze Empyrean II, and finally the A&K Novus IEM. Probably stupid grinned numerous times. Just as versatile as they claimed. Sonic signature, slightly warm, but not gooey in Ultralinear mode. However you can make it more romantic by putting it in triode mode, but it’s not gooey. Not as dynamic, but more holographic. Punchy, hard hitting, beautiful highs. I could not get enough of it. So much so I bought the demo unit and took it home:
IMG_2706.jpeg

Closing impressions - what a show. Lots and lots of new products. Made a lot of new friends. Caught up with a few old friends. Had great conversations with friends and vendors alike. Gathered a lot of insight, including gathering additional respect for those I already knew from the forums, but met for the first time. Great, great individuals, especially in the Watercooler crew. Had a lot of good food this weekend. Walked away thoroughly exhausted each day, but extremely satisfied.

Already looking forward to next year! Here are some bonus shots:

IMG_2694.jpeg
IMG_2701.jpeg
Fantastic impressions! Bested only by your fantastic photos. Especially of that handsome gent in your last pic.
 
Sep 30, 2024 at 7:11 PM Post #195 of 530
Fantastic impressions! Bested only by your fantastic photos. Especially of that handsome gent in your last pic.

Thought you’d appreciate that one there!! Such a great pose. New business photo maybe? :beyersmile:
 

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