[MakeItWain]

Great write up! And so nice to meet you in person. I hope to see you at the next CanJam!!



Unless it’s the wrong photo(?), these are the ATH-AWKG that are made from the rare black persimmon wood, aka Kurogaki. I wonder which pads the Audio-Technica team had on them at the show. These headphones come with two sets of pads:

1. Audio-Technical stock pads — these sound bright and are bass light (to me)
2. ZMF Solid Universe Hybrid pads — these dramatically transform the tuning to warm and bassy (I briefly mentioned the story of how this combination came about in my CanJam NYC write up; TLDR, it came about at SoCal exactly a year ago when I asked Zach to borrow those pads and tried fitting them on the AWKG to shift their tuning; they are now shipped with these headphones as alternate pads)

+1. AWAS has red cups and its sound signature is warmish. Certainly not V-shaped.

You both are right, I forgot they had me try the AWKG after I tried out the AWAS and messed up my notes.

Sorry!

I didn't take a photo of the AWAS and forgot. My bad! Yeah, I think they are stock pads; I didn't ask unfortunately but that would have been a great idea to ask about that. I'm remembering the AWAS as being more chill than the AWKG but less memorable.

Which is a shame because of how beautiful their flagship headphones are (like the W2022 - if they released a W2022 Jr, I'd be down)

 

[thaslaya]

Hi all!

Going to share some of my pictures and some impressions. But, I wanted to preface this by first saying that this was one of the highlights of year for me. Last year, SoCal CanJam was fun because I got to try so many awesome headphones but I felt like I didn't embrace the best part of CanJam: meeting people and the social aspect. It's really probably the best part. Making some connections that will hopefully be lifelong and meeting so many passionate people into this hobby are the things that I'll remember the most. That and trying stuff like Fugaku.

But, I digress. This year's CanJam was the exact polar opposite of last years. Last years, I only tried out headphones (except for the Z1R but I didn't get a great seal, used some small tips and I moved on without getting it). This year, I've been way bigger into IEMs and being social so there's that! I'm also not planning on doing more than a few sentences per (as this isn't a review, this is only show-room impressions) so I may have missed a few things in my notes. I didn't want to hog anything specifically nor put things through it's paces, I wanted to experience as much as I could as a whole. I also will absolutely admit that I was getting fatigue here and there (especially end of Day 1) so, my takes may also reflect it. Tell me I'm a derp if you disagreed, haha.

Spoiler: Day 1 Impressions

Pre-CanJam:
I actually arrived on Friday so I got to meet some people for dinner that night which was great. Thank you for the wonderful conversations from the kid's table! @Jaytiss @AudioDuck @buke9 - and @goldwerger

But, I bring up Pre-CanJam for a reason. Freaking @Dellwolf - what a gentleman - went downstairs and offered to let people listen to some Empire Ears in the lobby. I debated for all of 10 seconds.

Empire Ears Raven:
I've heard of Empire Ears as I've gotten further into the hobby and the Raven are absolutely amazing. What an impressive bass performance here. Mids were super clean, lively, full of character. Treble wasn't harsh to my ears and felt sparkly. V-shaped monster. It's not for everyone but this is right up my alley. Underrated is how good the separation and technicalities are while being toe-tapping fun.

Empire Ears Triton:
Triton is special. Just under $2k, Triton stuck out as the better all-rounder than the Raven. When a track called for bass, the Triton brought the huge slam. The tracks that I threw on it were insanely fun. But, as I went through the quick hits on my playlist, the Triton also responded to even acoustic/vocal tracks well. Plus, look at that pretty shell. This is a great all-rounder for a basshead where you're going to get great mids, smooth treble and all the bass you need when your next up on your playlist is like some heavy EDM.

Day 1:
CanJam morning.

Went down a few minutes early, signed in, and got to meet @warrenpchi - Warren, you are so freaking nice. Thank you, sir. I actually managed to sneak through (detected) to the show floor for a quick browse before going back out there to wait in line.

But, before I did, I got to meet some amazing people.

Fatfreq! I got to meet Yeo & Des (and Ivan later), before the CanJam Chaos, who are the nicest people, ever. From there, Yeo actually let me get my first taste of the Deuce.

FatFreq Deuce:
At $250, this is it. Sub-bass is pristine, mid-bass bleed is extremely low, mids could be a bit fuller for my tastes but they're detailed. Adding the bass adapter, you're covering all your bases easily. The Deuce is probably the best all-rounder that they have under that $1k mark and probably one of my favorite sub-$500 sets I've heard. But, I'll reserve further thoughts for when my unit gets in. I made sure to rec them, though, because I think they just do a lot of things well and uniquely at $250.

FatFreq Grand Maestro Anniversary:
I did myself a huge disservice by not trying the Grand Maestro in the resin shell. This is my own fault. Instead, I went straight to the GMA. What a beautiful shell. GMA is so good, y'all. Bass is deep, punchy, detailed, textured, warm - all the adjectives. But most of all, controlled. Coupled that with the full, warm mids and smooth treble response, that's a winner. It also comes with their modules so you can further tune it (vs using a screwdriver or whatever else to dial something in). The GMA is also a metal shell vs resin so the GMA fit super well in my ear. Anyone need a kidney?

Empire Ears - Jack Vang. @Jack Vang - it was so awesome to meet you, brother. This man oozes charisma but was so chill and cool to talk to. Already listened to the Triton/Raven so I didn't want to take up too much time at their booth listening.

Next up was going to the Eletech/Forte Ears booth and checking out the new Forte Ears MacBeth.

Forte Ears Macbeth:
Riding the high of the GMA, the Forte Ears MacBeth is a balanced, punchy, detailed set. There's a lot to like. I think the biggest thing for me was how gorgeous the shell was. I don't know if it was the best thing I heard based on my preferred tuning but I came away very impressed and I'm looking forward to seeing more of it and anything else that Forte Ears comes up with. I get why people like it and there's a certain quality to the music replay that's engaging and draws your attention. This wouldn't be a chill/laid back set at all.

Since it was right next door, I went over to the Letshuoer table to reset myself. I meant to come back the following day to listen to some of the prototypes but I completely dropped the ball. I also forgot to take a picture of the S08 but I did listen to both (albeit briefly). I don't have much impressions beyond really digging the S12 2024 but loving the S08 more for the warmer tonality and being much cheaper while fitting my sound preference. I think the hype on those two planar sets is real. But, I won't say much more than that as I used it as a stopover to reset.

I actually walked around under I was at the Viking Weave table and Zeos was there. I meant to listen to the new headphones right next door but curiosity got the best of me and I tried the new Eris headphones.

HarmonicDyne Eris:
Bass violence? Yeah, this is fun. This is not a good headphone for anything beyond bass fun. It's aggressive V-shaped but I would buy this (over the new Fostex releases, honestly) any day of the week. They were comfortable, they had a lot of character. They're probably terrible for a lot of people but, variety is the spice of life for me and I would consider these as a fun beach house getaway set if only because the bass is pretty nice. Play some deadmau5 on these, don't listen to "Hotel California" on them.

Hiby R4 Evangelion:
If I was in the market for a DAP (which I kind of am? But not really? I have my new Raspberry Pi streamer and that's been good for 95% of my listening), I would have R4 Evangelion or the regular R4 in my top 2 (next to the Cayin N3Ultra). It's a fun DAP. Very nice.

Walked over to the Elysian table where @Sebastien Chiu was. What a jerk, taking awesome photos of everyone. I've already heard the Diva 2023 and Annihilator 2023 (which are both phenomenal) so I went straight for the new kid.

Elysian Apostle:
Baby Annihilator indeed! I think the Apostle is going to be a hit at the price point vs performance that it's going to bring. It keeps that Elysian 'House Sound' of sweet, elevated treble coupled with extremely pleasant mids. I think the Apostle may have some better bass quantity/quality vs the Annihilator 23 but this is just off initial impressions.

After signing up for the giveaway for the Diva 2023 (I demand a recount) - I made way way over to the MusicTeck booth. That booth is ridiculous. You could spend both days of CanJam there and basically be done. The entire time the @MusicTeck was extremely friendly and so accommodating.

So, first things first, I saw SJY Audio/Jeffrey there and wanted to get a listen to his new closed back.

Horizon Closed:
As someone who enjoys his Horizon open-back, I have to say that the Closed is just a more satisfying listen. Not that the open isn't great in it's own way. But the Closed just has a bit more warmth to it while giving full bassy impact, attack and detail that a planar set just usually does. I know Jeffrey followed the over-ear Harman target and I think he nailed it completely here. It's just very nicely tuned without any issues I could detect with my short time listening to them. And, they seem much easier to drive than his open back version. Looking forward to hearing more of it.

And then, the IEM floodgates opened. As this is just general impressions, and I didn't want to hog too much time, I'll try to keep things more short/concise.

Nostalgia Audio Durandal:
Durandal has extremely nice vocals and instrument detail. I think the overall imaging, sound stage, technical performance are very good. Plus they're extremely pretty. Not for me, though. I did not get enough bass balance especially in that mid-bass range. Sub-bass was adequate and sounded very pleasant but it lacked a lot of impact for me. Not for me.

QDC Empress:
These looked gorgeous. Sound was not for me. Neutral/balanced? It has a lot of good detail, very good technical performance but I couldn't listen for more than a track. It felt flat and boring. Almost like it didn't have a soul. I would pass. Unless you really, really like the shell.

Brise Fugaku:
It was hard for me to initially wrap my head around this at $16-17k. It sounds great. It's clean and almost effortless in the presentation. The bass is very fun and engaging. The mids are detailed yet full of life. Treble is extended well. It's almost like rolling up with a Rolex to show off your new toy. Or having a dac/amp that can double as a weapon in case you're commuting.

Penon Fan 3:
I got to try out this personal unit from @EnigmaFotos because I've always kind of been a bit of a skeptic. Yeah, I hate myself because it's really, really good. It doesn't have the best bass (or what I would typically enjoy), it's not the most engaging or energetic, but there's a certain engaging presentation to music that's very, very different and especially at the price point. Consider me got. More on this one in the future with more critical listening.

Oriolus Trailii:
Flat yet pleasant. Amazing mids, airy treble. Absolutely smooth sound delivery. But, it was almost too smooth? Like, not necessarily as engaging as I would like. It didn't have enough bass for me to enjoy but listening to it really felt like it was resetting my brain after listening to so many different sets. Was great to try it and it's got a gorgeous shell but it's not necessarily for me.

Took a small break from IEMs and a small walk around/socialized. Came to the Audio-Technica booth. I was secretly hoping for the W2022 to be there because those are absolutely gorgeous and one of my favorite closed back headphones I've heard but, alas, they were not there.

Audio-Technica AWAS:
Tried out the AWAS to see if I would like them. A bit too sharp in the treble extension for me. The V-shape signature didn't seem like it had enough bass for my tastes to balance out the treble extension. I don't think I would pick up a set. But it was nice to try out to know.

I was wrong, the picture below was the AWKG. I did try the AWAS before the AWKG. AWAS was okay but didn't stick in my head to write notes, AWKG was a bit sharp for my ears.

Went over to the Sony booth because I was curious about whether they would have the MDR-Z1R or the IER-Z1R. They had both. Fantastic.

Sony IER-Z1R:
Wow. Bass quality is not a game with these. These are absolutely a great V-shape with kind of a weird mids performance on female vocals. Sounded great on a few tracks but could kind of hear a slight uneven balance at times. Treble is very nice as well. I'm glad I got to fully appreciate them more vs last year to know.

Sony MDR-Z1R:
Absolutely great bassy headphones. I've always heard great things and I'm definitely on the side of loving them. It's a very musical, warm set that embraces the bass quantity/quality side with good elevation on the mids/treble. I wish I could have had more time with them but I was coming up to end of the day and needed to stop trying to stuff so much audio into my brain.

Back over to the MusicTeck booth! Of course.

AME Mousa:
I -love- the Mousa. Some of the best bass performance I heard all weekend. The bass sounded almost thunderous. It's likely the decay that was just a bit slower than a lot of the other things I heard and I really enjoyed my time with it. A great W-ish shaped warm sound with great mids/treble extension without being harsh on either or sounding uneven. Maybe a bit darker than some people would like but I loved them.

Jomo Nautilus:
How are these only $800? These were comfortable, gorgeous, and surprisingly engaging. These are an aggressively fun V-shape. The bass was deep and properly punchy. The treble extension was probably a bit more hotter than my typical preference but they were never sibilant or harsh; in fact, I think they helped balance it out very well. I would pick up a set in a heartbeat. I only had a few minutes of time with them but I wish I had gone back and listened to them longer. Absolutely a hit in my eyes (or ears? or both, design is fun AF)

Alpha Omega Omega:
Alright. I didn't give the Omega a fair shot. I put them in right after the Nautilus and on the tail end of my day. I will admit my first impressions were: Meh. But maybe the switches were on something funky? I will admit I did not play around nor did I try anything else that first day. It felt very neutral/balanced but boring.

Second day impressions were much better. Very balanced, good bass quality/quantity, very smooth mid-range (could use a tad more note weight but it was solid) and very natural sounding treble. I don't think they stood out more than a lot of other IEMs (to my sound preference) but they were definitely good. Maybe with more time, I could have played around with them more but "c'est la vie".

I'll end Day 1 Impressions by repeating myself. The best part of CanJam was meeting everyone. I got to meet up with some people I've met previously before (@XERO1 - @theveterans ), some of the awesome vendors (especially Fatfreq, Eletech, MusicTeck, Empire Ears - basically everyone there was awesome), and someone who takes a lot of photos (Sebastien). And met some awesome new people including the man, himself, who is approachable and kind (even if I was slightly intimidated to talk to initially).

Sorry for the word vomit, y'all!

Awesome write up my dude! So glad we got to meet up this year. Definitely won't be the last.

 

[Alenotta]

CanJam SoCal 2024 was another great one. I put some more faces to online ear friends which is always fun.

Disclosures:
- I'm a ZMF guy who enjoys more soulful tunings over the pursuit of purity. My favorite headphone for the past couple years has been the Caldera Open.
- I really don't like putting stuff down or saying something is better. It's all subjective and kind of silly.
- I can't fit IEMs into my weird ear canals. I tried for a while again at the Noble booth. They were patient with me. I really liked the Sultan and Ronin when I held them exactly in the right spot. I skipped most IEM stuff, but one day I'll figure it out.


When I got in I went straight for the ZMF room where they always have a really well curated collection of amps and beautiful ZMF rarities. It's always a treat to chat with @zach915m, Bevin, and the ZMF team. This year @L0rdGwyn himself of Aegis design fame was hanging out with his fan club. I've been rocking the ZMF Aegis since launch and it is a constantly evolving and rewarding journey into NOS tube chaos. It is definitely one of my favorite amps ever at this point. I'm listening to it while I write this with a smile on my face.

I quickly grabbed a seat at the Cayin Soul 170HA to see how it stacked up to my HA-300mkii. It wasn't going for the big lushness of 300b. It was clean, dynamic and had very nice separation and staging. Impressive micro detail for tubes. On my listening sessions in the loud show environment I preferred the Ultralinear mode toggled to Dynamic. I listened with various ZMFs and my personal Calderas I had slung around my neck all weekend. It felt natural / neutral / got out of the way - one of the best amps I heard at the show.



Scooted down to the Ray Samuels B-21 @reeltime has been gushing over in the garage. Yep, it's good. BIG sound with lots of detail on Calderas, but the top end was warmer than I had expected on that pairing. It was nice as someone who cringes when treble is dramatically emphasized for the sake of pulling out detail. I hate to repeat myself with this over and over, but it just felt natural. I think that is my highest praise. The power of this thing is FUN. Luckily the director stole it back to his garage.



Having already tested out and written about most of the ZMF library, I jumped over to the new Bokeh Open. I absolutely loved this headphone. I wrote a rave review of the Boke Closed and my opinion of the Bokeh Open is perhaps even more positive. Most everything I thought about the Closed applies here. It is warm and cozy, but definitely not leaving you missing detail. It moves air in a tactile way that tethers you to the notes. The BO shares a lot of DNA with the Atrium Open, but the LCP driver has a unique flavor. Clearly this is going to be another big hit and super competitive with anything in this price bracket. I think ZMF collectors are going to jump on it. Again, one of my favorite listens at the show.

The Susvara Unveiled - was fantastic. I actually think I much prefer the top end of this to the OG although I admittedly did not A/B. It retained the ethereal quality of the original, but the treble felt more realistic to me / less enhanced or intense. The MSRP is way too expensive for me, but I totally get it. It didn't melt my mind like the HE-1 did years back, but this is certainly at the top of the summit.

HE1000 Unveiled - was a really interesting one. It had more of what I’d consider the HIFIMAN sound to it than the Susvara. Very detailed treble tuning, but lots of beefy low end. More hifi v-shape. The upper mids seemed more forward on whatever combo I was hearing it on. Curious to see what else will be unveiled over time. The era of HIFIMAN timeline known as the GREAT UNVEILING. HE-400 unveiled. Then the inevitable re-veiling in the modesty series.

Empyrean 2 - As an OG Empy owner I wanted to hear this new tuning. It was cleaner and tighter for sure. I wasn’t missing much of the mid-bass when I was listening. I didn’t back to back, but I still love the OG for its enveloping warmth with a sprinkle of twinkle. Sometimes I use Elite pads on the original Empyrean to clean up the mid bass bloom. I liked these new hybrid pads and the overall tuning of Empyrean Strikes Back.

105 AER - At like half the price of the 109 this seems like a great deal for people who really dug that tuning. Another fun and amazingly comfortable headphone in the Meze lineup.

Dunu Arashi and V Model 53 - This combo really surprised and delighted me. I haven't seen a whole lot of chatter about this one, but don't sleep on it. The fit and finish really stood out on both the headphone and amp, but they weren't just about looks. Very nice extension, tasteful midrange, and nice detail and dimension. Great tuning overall. I sensed a hint of planar flavor up top, but it wasn't distracting. I think at $1500 for the headphone these are going to be well received by reviewers.



Zeos Eris - I was steeled against the incoming bass violence. The tuning wasn't shockingly weird. This is a headphone that unabashedly embraces extremes for the fun of it. If you wear it for long enough you'll start cursing at things performing animated hand gestures in first person POV. I think the people saying they are fun for gaming and movies are probably spot on.

Viking Weave Draupnir - I heard this right after Zeo’s Eris in the tasting flight of bass violence. Two drivers per side on this thing! Very visceral and fun headphone. Having those two drivers angled at your ears creates an interesting sense of space inside the cup. The top end was smooth, the upper mids were a bit darker, gobs of mid bass. A fun combo of syrupy and explosive. Love seeing new ideas like this.



Fostex TH1000RP and 11000RP - were very pretty, but they weren't satisfying my TH-X00 itch. These were much less about bass impact. The upper mids into the treble seemed a bit emphasized, but they weren't troublesome. The tuning was unique and not what I had anticipated.

Airbus Acoustics Sierra - This headphone brings me to my thesis statement about the future of the audiophile hobby. We are going to see so many more interesting 3d printed headphones. I was very impressed with what this headphone was doing with soundstage using a 50mm dynamic driver. I talked the founder and designer Juan and his team/fam who created the headphone locally here in Long Beach. They explained that, among other cool things, the 3d printed baffle is pointing the driver at the ear to hit the sweet spot of the pinna. This trick isn't new, but the implementation was impressive. The bass extension was noticeable, but the top end detail balanced it out creating a tuning that felt a bit enhanced in a way that wasn't unrealistic. This was a headphone I had to come back and listen to several times. Hard to argue with it at 900 dollars. I think these are going to impress people.



This bridges into Hifi For All Dahlia - another amazing 50mm dynamic driver utilizing 3d printed parts. I absolutely loved the tuning of this one. I heard the Dahlia on the amazing NITSCH DSHA-3FN. Very natural vocal midrange, fun punchy low end and great detail on top. Similar to DMS’s Project Omega, you can tell the creator has an affinity to the 600 series style of sound. Another startup sitting at 900 dollars with a price to quality ratio that is something to talk about. The cool factor here is that each headphone comes with two tuning rings called “Earpad Resonators” that go inside standard ZMF pads. I mostly preferred the dynamic resonator over the balanced, but both were great. This 3d printing revolution is letting creators quickly iterate on their tuning ideas and we are getting some very cool products as a result.

A distant 50mm dynamic cousin was nearby in the DMS Omega - I wrote about this one last CanJam. Love this headphone. I’ve almost bought it a couple times. I think he’s created exactly what he set out to create. It is all the best parts of a 600 series, but more dynamic and more everything. It is an incredibly fun headphone that I’ve enjoyed on all the chains I’ve heard it on at the two CanJams. I would love to listen to Sierra, Dahlia and Omega back to back on the same chain. All unique and wonderfully tuned 50mm dynamics from creators thinking outside the box. Good job everyone!

If you want to hear the heights that the 600 series can scale to, you have to check out NITSCH's JAR600. Christian let me check them out on the new WOO Audio WA24 and that is some of the best scaling I've heard. I love my 660s2, but the JAR600s are special. The new anniversary WA24 amp sounds fantastic. I don't have a strong enough background knowledge of the WA23 to go into differences, but with the beefier transformers the WA24 was damn good. I plugged my Calderas into it and Christian said it was one of the best pairings he'd heard with them. If I had 11-15k to spend on a headphone amp I'd be sweating with these new unobtanium choices.

In that same room I found the new Abyss Dianna DZ. I haven't loved every Dianna tuning, but the DZ was one of the non-ZMF flagship highlights for me. It was doing everything right and put the warmth in all the right places. The bass is obviously super fun, but the treble was an equal standout for me. It was perfectly non-fatiguing and highly resolving. I moved between the WA23 and the fancy Abyss DCS Lina stack and was thoroughly impressed. Great job Abyss team.



Scaling up 8mm from all the innovative 50mm drivers to a 58mm dynamic is the Audio Technica ATH-ADX3000. I checked this out back to back with the 5000 and came out thinking I may slightly prefer the tuning of the 3000. I heard this on a ZMF Aegis and the tubes did some nice things on M impedance. It seemed like both the 3000 and 5000 have a bit of a treble focus. Bass weight was nice, but more focused and nimble.

Moving over to the very pricey ATH-AWKG I can report that I enjoyed this year’s inclusion of ZMF hybrid pads. I think the new pads helped smooth out some of the treble and upper mids. This headphone sounds very wooden to me. I was aware of the material resonance in a Fostex closed type of way. I think I’d really need to experience this headphone for an extended session to let the brain burn-in happen.

Moondrop Cosmo - This is another super competitvely priced planar option. Cosmo seems to be expanding on the Venus lineage with its tuning. The treble came across as being pretty laid back and even a touch warm which surprised me since I had read it was bright leaning. Maybe by day 2 my ears had no more treble left in them? I like the sci-fi look of these heavy metal headphones.



HEDDPHONE 2 GT - Wow, they really fixed a lot of what people had issues with last time. This was warmer than my memory of the original. Great impact on the Burson Voyager with those AMT drivers drop kicking your brain. Nice instrument separation. There was a lot of dynamic range between the two poles of the spectrum. Very unique treble presentation which felt both smooth yet capable of crisp details at the tippy top.

Final D8000 Pro DC - I haven’t spent a lot of time with the original of this. The DC seemed a little intense in the presence region. I heard it right after the HEDDPHONE 2 which comparatively felt more natural in the midrange in the moment. The bass on the voyager pairing was a little light on the tracks I heard. I wonder if this would be nicer paired with tubes that chill it out a little.



Metaxas & Sins Ethereal Reel to Reel - Almost as crazy conceptually as a Pud’s Small Batch creation. The reel to reel on headphones is something special. Loved the novelty of hearing the tape come up to speed. The system was very detailed and full of strata of sound to discover. The Metropolis inspired manakin amp may have provoked the unveiling arms race we find ourselves in. If you've ever wanted your attenuators at attention or desired dialing channel volume via purple nurple this is probably what you need to save up for.

Dan Clark E3 - I'm late to this, but I had to check it out in person. I used to own the Aeon Closed RT and this is probably the closest of the Flagship DCA tunings to that. I definitely prefer it to the Stealth. It seemed more about the mid bass than the sub. It did indeed feel pretty spacious for a closed back. Needs a lot of juice as compared to something like the Bokeh Closed. I’m hoping this is the direction DCA things are moving. On the shortlist of best closed backs.

Audeze CRBN2 - I think they've increased the punch with the new SLAM system, but it didn't feel quite up to Caldera level on first listen. Luckily CRBN avoids the treble forward tuning some electrostatic headphones adopt in pursuit of maximum speed and detail. I was sensing some elevation in the upper midrange in the horn zone on some tracks. Sometimes the vocals felt a little deep in the mix giving it a darker overall sound. Soundstage had nice width and there was tons of micro detail to get lost in. I didn't notice the STAX flatulence.



Headamp CFA3 - I absolutely love this amp. Probably top 3 solid state amps I’ve heard my Caldera on. I don’t have a ton written down on specifics because I was just loving it. Feels very accurate, but with much welcomed tonal richness. If I could just keep buying amps this would be a quick purchase. Lots of power and authority.

SCHIIT STUFF - I listened to the upcoming Gungnir 2 DAC, the size companion to the MJOLNIR, paired with that amp. It sounded great and authoritative with the Caldera. I didn't take any notes, but it was a very positive reaction.

LTA (Linear Tube Audio) - Checked out the Aero DAC with a tube stage feeding their amps. I really like the sound of the LTA stuff. The chain at their booth had a lot of soul. I also heard their amp at a couple other booths and always enjoyed it.

RAAL IMMANIS and MAGNA - My gosh these are fantastic. Like previous RAAL headphones they present themselves in a unique speaker-y way that maybe only ribbon drivers can achieve. They have the speed of estats, but with the right amount of low end power. I loved both of these. The Immanis was technically superior and had a huge grandiose sound, but the Magna was not far behind. Magna actually had some things about the treble tuning that were a little easier on my ears on first listen. I’d love to hear these in a quiet environment and just get lost in the music.

PUD's Small Batch Headphones - Got to try out some of these wild creations and present praise to Pud in-person. A lot of these sound as interesting as they look.



I had to go check out the ZMF talk about starting up a headphone company. Key takeaways: The ADS system is really a Smucker's Uncrustable. ZMF is the Pringles of headphones.

I've left out a bunch of other cool stuff, but I know these are some of the hot ticket items people want impressions on. The biggest 2024 takeaway for me is that 3d printing is offering enthusiasts a lane to jump into the fold and start making interesting things. The Bokeh Open is probably the headphone I'm most excited about, but these creative 50mm dynamic headphones are very cool and should be watched / listened to.

Thank you to the Headfi team and all the amazing sponsors that make this event come together and set records each year.

Also shoutout to my dad who has been coming out every year to make SoCal CanJam a father son tradition.

 

[Lacas]

CanJam SoCal 2024 was another great one. I put some more faces to online ear friends which is always fun.



Disclosures:
- I'm a ZMF guy who enjoys more soulful tunings over the pursuit of purity. My favorite headphone for the past couple years has been the Caldera Open.
- I really don't like putting stuff down or saying something is better. It's all subjective and kind of silly.
- I can't fit IEMs into my weird ear canals. I tried for a while again at the Noble booth. They were patient with me. I really liked the Sultan and Ronin when I held them exactly in the right spot. I skipped most IEM stuff, but one day I'll figure it out.


When I got in I went straight for the ZMF room where they always have a really well curated collection of amps and beautiful ZMF rarities. It's always a treat to chat with @zach915m, Bevin, and the ZMF team. This year @L0rdGwyn himself of Aegis design fame was hanging out with his fan club. I've been rocking the ZMF Aegis since launch and it is a constantly evolving and rewarding journey into NOS tube chaos. It is definitely one of my favorite amps ever at this point. I'm listening to it while I write this with a smile on my face.

I quickly grabbed a seat at the Cayin Soul 170HA to see how it stacked up to my HA-300mkii. It wasn't going for the big lushness of 300b. It was clean, dynamic and had very nice separation and staging. Impressive micro detail for tubes. On my listening sessions in the loud show environment I preferred the Ultralinear mode toggled to Dynamic. I listened with various ZMFs and my personal Calderas I had slung around my neck all weekend. It felt natural / neutral / got out of the way - one of the best amps I heard at the show.



Scooted down to the Ray Samuels B-21 @reeltime has been gushing over in the garage. Yep, it's good. BIG sound with lots of detail on Calderas, but the top end was warmer than I had expected on that pairing. It was nice as someone who cringes when treble dramatically emphasized for the sake of pulling out detail. I hate to repeat myself with this over and over, but it just felt natural. I think that is my highest praise. The power of this thing is FUN. Luckily the director stole it back to his garage.



Having already tested out and written about most of the ZMF library I jumped over to the new Bokeh Open. I absolutely loved this headphone. I wrote a gushing Bokeh Closed review and my opinion of the Bokeh Open is perhaps even more positive. Most everything I thought about the Closed applies here. It is warm and cozy, but definitely not leaving you missing detail. It moves air in a tactile way that tethers you to the notes. The BO shares a lot of DNA with the Atrium Open, but the LCP driver has a unique flavor. Clearly this is going to be another big hit and super competitive with anything in this price bracket. I think ZMF collectors are going to jump on it. Again, one of my favorite listens at the show.



The Susvara Unveiled - was fantastic. I actually think I much prefer the top end of this to the OG although I admittedly did not A/B. It retained the ethereal quality of the original, but the treble felt more realistic to me / less enhanced or intense. The MSRP is way too expensive for me, but I totally get it. It didn't melt my mind like the HE-1 did years back, but this is certainly at the top of the summit.

HE1000 Unveiled - was a really interesting one. It had more of what I’d consider the HIFIMAN sound to it than the Susvara. Very detailed treble tuning, but lots of beefy low end. More hifi v-shape. The upper mids seemed more forward on whatever combo I was hearing it on. Curious to see what else will be unveiled over time. The era of HIFIMAN timeline known as the GREAT UNVEILING. HE-400 unveiled. Then the inevitable re-veiling in the modesty series.

Empyrean 2 - As an OG Empy owner I wanted to hear this new tuning. It was cleaner and tighter for sure. I wasn’t missing much of the mid-bass when I was listening. I didn’t back to back, but I still love the OG for its enveloping warmth with a sprinkle of twinkle. Sometimes I use Elite pads on the original Empyrean to clean up the mid bass bloom. I liked these new hybrid pads and the overall tuning of Empyrean Strikes Back.

105 AER - At like half the price of the 109 this seems like a great deal for people who really dug that tuning. Another fun and amazingly comfortable headphone in the Meze lineup.

Dunu Arashi and V Model 53 - This combo really surprised and delighted me. I haven't seen a whole lot about this one, but don't sleep on it. The fit and finish really stood out on both the headphone and amp, but they weren't just about looks. Very nice extension, tasteful midrange, and nice detail and dimension. Great tuning overall. I sensed a hint of planar flavor up top, but it wasn't distracting. I think at $1500 for the headphone these are going to be well received by reviewers.



Zeos Eris - I was steeled against the incoming bass violence. The tuning wasn't shockingly weird. This is a headphone that unabashedly embraces extremes for the fun of it. If you wear it for long enough you'll start cursing at things with animated hand gestures in first person POV. I think the people saying they are fun for gaming and movies are probably spot on.

Viking Weave Draupnir - I heard this right after Zeo’s Eris in the tasting flight of bass violence. Two drivers per side on this thing! Very visceral and fun headphone. Having those two drivers angled at your ears creates an interesting sense of space inside the cup. The top end was smooth, the upper mids were a bit darker, gobs of mid bass. A fun combo of syrupy and explosive. Love seeing new ideas like this.



Fostex TH1000RP and 11000RP - were very pretty, but they weren't satisfying my TH-X00 itch. These were much less about bass impact. The upper mids into the treble seemed a bit emphasized, but they weren't troublesome. The tuning was unique and not what I had anticipated.

Airbus Acoustics Sierra - This headphone brings me to my thesis statement about the future of the audiophile hobby. We are going to see so many more interesting 3d printed headphones. I was so impressed with what this headphone was doing with soundstage using a 50mm dynamic driver. I talked the founder and designer Juan and his team/fam who created the headphone locally here in Long Beach. They explained that, among other cool things, the 3d printed baffle is pointing the driver at the ear to hit the sweet spot of the pinna. This trick isn't new, but the implementation was impressive. The bass extension was noticeable, but the top end detail balanced it out creating a tuning that felt a bit enhanced in a way that wasn't unrealistic. This was a headphone I had to come back and listen to several times. Hard to argue with it at 900 dollars. I think these are going to impress people.



This bridges into Hifi For All Dahlia - another amazing 50mm dynamic driver utilizing 3d printed parts. I absolutely loved the tuning of this one. I heard the Dahlia on the amazing NITSCH DSHA-3FN. Very natural vocal midrange, fun punchy low end and great detail on top. Similar to DMS’s Omega project you can tell the creator has an affinity to the 600 series style of sound. Another startup sitting at 900 dollars with a price to quality ratio that is something to talk about. The cool factor here is that each headphone comes with two tuning rings called “Earpad Resonators” that go inside standard ZMF pads. I mostly preferred the dynamic resonator over the balanced, but both were great. This 3d printing revolution is letting creators iterate on their tuning ideas and we are getting some very cool products as a result.



A distant 50mm dynamic cousin was nearby in the DMS Omega - I wrote about this one last CanJam. Love this headphone. I’ve almost bought it a couple times. I think he’s created exactly what he set out to create. It is all the best parts of a 600 series, but more dynamic and more everything. It is an incredibly fun headphone that I’ve enjoyed on all the chains I’ve heard it on at CanJams. I would love to listen to Sierra, Dahlia and Omega back to back on the same chain. All unique and wonderfully tuned 50mm dynamics from creators thinking outside the box. Good job everyone!

If you want to hear the heights that the 600 series can scale to you have to check out NITSCH's JAR600. Christian let me check them out on the new WOO Audio WA24 and that is some of the best scaling I've heard. I love my 660s2, but the JAR600s are special. The WA24 sounds fantastic. I don't have a strong enough background knowledge of the WA23 to go into differences, but the WA24 was damn good. I plugged my Calderas into it and Christian said it was one of the best pairings he'd heard with them. If I had 11-15k to spend on a headphone amp I'd be sweating with these new unobtanium choices.



In that same room I found the new Abyss Dianna DZ. I haven't loved every Dianna tuning, but this was one of the non-ZMF flagship highlights for me. It was doing everything right with warmth in all the right places. The bass is obviously super fun, but the treble really was a star for me. It was perfectly non-fatiguing and highly resolving. I moved from the WA24 to the custom Abyss DCS Lina stack and I also had no notes there. Great job Abyss team.



Scaling up 8mm from all the innovative 50mm drivers to a 58mm dynamic is the Audio Technica ATH-ADX3000. I checked this out back to back with the 5000 and came out thinking I may slightly prefer the tuning of the 3000. I heard this on a ZMF Aegis and the tubes did some nice things on M impedance. It seemed like they have a bit of a treble focus. Bass weight was nice, but more focused and nimble.

Moving over to the very pricey ATH-AWKG I can report that I enjoyed this year’s inclusion of ZMF hybrid pads. I think the pads helped smooth out some of the treble and upper mids. This headphone sounds very wooden to me. I was aware of the material resonance in a Fostex closed type of way. I think I’d really need to experience this headphone for an extended session to let the brain burn-in happen.



Moondrop Cosmo - This is another super competitvely priced planar option. Cosmo seems to be expanding on the Venus lineage with it’s tuning. The treble came across as being pretty laid back and even a touch warm which surprised me since I had read it was bright leaning. I like the sci-fi look of these heavy metal headphones.



HEDDPHONE 2 GT - Wow, they really fixed a lot of what people had issues with last time. This was warmer than my memory of the original. Great impact on the Burson Voyager with those AMT drivers kicking your brain. Nice instrument separation. There was a lot of dynamic range between the two poles of the spectrum. Very unique treble presentation which felt both smooth yet capable of crisp details at the tippy top.

Final D8000 Pro DC - I haven’t spent a lot of time with the original of this. The DC seemed a little intense in the presence region. I heard it right after the HEDDPHONE 2 which comparatively felt more natural in the midrange back to back. The bass on the voyager pairing was a little light on the tracks I heard.



Metaxas & Sins Ethereal Reel to Reel - Almost as crazy conceptually as a Pud’s Small Batch creation. The reel to reel on headphones is something special. Loved the novelty of hearing the tape come up to speed. The system was very detailed and full of strata of sound to discover. The Metropolis inspired manakin amp may have provoked the unveiling arms race we find ourselves in. If you've ever wanted your attenuators at attention or desired dialing channel volume via purple nurple this is probably what you need to save up for.

Dan Clark E3 - I'm late to this, but I had to check it out in person. I used to own the Aeon Closed RT and this is probably the closest of the Flagship DCA tunings to that. I definitely prefer it to the Stealth. It seemed more about the mid bass than the sub. It did indeed feel pretty spacious for a closed back. Needs a lot of juice as compared to something like the Bokeh Closed. I’m hoping this is the direction DCA things are moving. On the shortlist of best closed backs.

Audeze CRBN2 - I think they've increased the punch with the new SLAM system, but it didn't feel quite up to Caldera level on first listen. Luckily CRBN avoids the treble forward tuning some electrostatic headphones adopt in pursuit of maximum speed and detail. I was sensing some elevation in the upper midrange in the horn zone on some tracks. Sometimes the vocals felt a little deep in the mix giving it a darker overall sound. Soundstage had nice width and there was tons of micro detail to get lost in. I didn't notice the STAX flatulence.



Headamp CFA3 - I absolutely love this amp. Probably top 3 solid state amps I’ve heard my Caldera on. I don’t have a ton written down on specifics because I was just loving it. Feels very accurate, but with much welcomed tonal richness. If I could just keep buying amps this would be a quick purchase. Lots of power and authority.

SCHIIT STUFF - I listened to the upcoming DAC companion to the MJOLNIR on that stack. It sounded great and authoritative with the Caldera. I didn't take any notes, but it was a very positive reaction.

LTA (Linear Tube Audio) - Checked out the Aero DAC with a tube stage feeding their amps. I really like the sound of the LTA stuff. The chain at their booth had a lot of soul. I also heard their amp at a couple other booths and always enjoyed it.

RAAL IMMANIS and MAGNA - My gosh these are fantastic. Like previous RAAL headphones they present themselves in a unique speaker-y way that maybe only ribbon drivers can achieve. They have the speed of estats, but with the right amount of low end power. I loved both of these. The Immanis was technically superior and had a huge grandiose sound, but the Magna was not far behind. Magna actually had some things about the treble tuning that were a little easier on my ears on first listen. I’d love to hear these in a quiet environment and just get lost in the music.



PUD's Small Batch Headphones - Got to try out some of these wild creations and give present praise to Pud in-person. A lot of these sound as interesting as they look.



I had to go check out the ZMF talk about starting up a headphone company. Key takeaways: The ADS system is really a Smucker's Uncrustable. ZMF is the Pringles of headphones.

I've left out a bunch of other cool stuff, but I know these are some of the hot ticket items people want impressions on. The biggest 2024 takeaway for me is that 3d printing is offering enthusiasts a lane to jump into the fold and start making interesting things. The Bokeh Open is probably the headphone I'm most excited about, but these creative 50mm dynamic headphones are very cool and should be watched / listened to.

Thank you to the Headfi team and all the amazing sponsors that make this event come together and set records each year.

Also shoutout to my dad who has been coming out every year to make SoCal CanJam a father son tradition.

What is the name of the Schiit dac? thx

 

[Blindranger]

What is the name of the Schiit dac? thx

Gungnir 2

 

[TheHipsterCow]

Annual report from the Director's Garage (IYKYK. If ya don't, well, maybe next year! LOL.) Warning: Disaster lies ahead! It will make sense, just follow along or look at the pretty pictures.

I had specific targets in mind for this year's CanJam-- and boy was it packed! My first stop was the Audeze table. I'd been inundated with emails from everyone playing up the new Audeze CRBN 2. What is SLAM? And how do I get it?!!



SLAM (a reverse-engineered acronym if ever there was one) is some voodoo that allows pressure to permeate or maybe enter the nanotube structure of the diaphragm giving the electrostatic a slam-like experience. Whatever. What's it sound like? Not exactly slam in practice, more like slam-light (SLIGHT?) but it was a thrill to feel bass on an e-stat, all the same. Two notes here: There is an UPGRADE path for original CRBN owners like me-- Just $1000 will make it happen. Genius. Rep says not until December. But I suspect OG CRBNs just got a bit more valuable on the Head-Fi classifieds! The other note I'm saving for my coming video (It's called a tease, folks.)

ONWARD! There's a new Susvara in town and it's NAKED.



Who does this insanity? Hifiman. No one should do this! This is an accident waiting to happen-- but not today, thankfully. I was ready to bash this headphone on principle. I thought-- even if it's a little bit better than the OG nothing can justify...

Oh my these are good.

I hated myself immediately for loving this headphone. It just gets everything right-- and it's easy to drive? So what if you're basically signing up for an $8000 train-wreck-in-waiting! Until you put a hole in the side of this thing, you're golden. I hate myself for loving these.

With a heavy dose of self-loathing flowing through my veins, I cheered my spirits by declaring: THIS IS THE YEAR! I'm finally going to do it-- I'm getting into that damn cone of silence and check out the Warwick Acoustics Aperio-- there's some new GoldenSound thing and surely this early it can't be busy...



FFFFUUUUuuuudddge. (OK maybe I said something a bit more colorful).

Yeah this line was an hour long all day long. Better luck next year!

So I tucked my tail between my legs and scurried off to Fostex. Now I love me a Fostex. I've owned a bunch and still have a couple of TH-X00 Massdrop editions in my stable. They have 2 new headphones-- the TH1100RP open back and the TH1000RP closed. Typical of Fostex-- these things are gorgeous-- but they're... planars?




The pictures don't do these justice. I was hoping for a TH-900-like bass response-- ready for impact!

They fell a little short. Still a nice sounding headphone with out-of-this-world looks.

Circling around, I spotted an opening for the Focal Utopia 2022. Now I've missed this headphone in the past, and I owned the OG. Brilliantly detailed with a bit too much brightness for my taste-- and a bit lean down low. I had no idea what to expect.



The bass was a complete surprise to me. Wonderfully detailed with more presence than I remembered. The top end is a bit too bright still-- at least for my preference. But this is a step forward in sound for the Focal flagship. I appreciate that they kept the red center, but I think the OG looks better-- am I nuts? (Don't answer that.)

Now the entire Focal setup was driven by an army of these NAIM Uniti Atoms. I fell in love with this thing.



The volume knob on top is massive and inspired. Unfortunately, the WiFi gave up the ghost and performance was hampered. But this thing is seriously cool, and a blast to operate.

Time to step out of the big room and head over to Zach and Bevin at ZMF. I can talk to these folks for hours-- wonderful people and I'm sure I made an annoyance out of myself (when don't I?) but all eyes were on ZMF's big new release-- the Bokeh open back.



ZMF can't seem to make a bad product lately. I've said this before-- they're on a streak that we will one day look back on with awe. Think about this run of products: Atrium, Caldera, Atrium open, Bokeh, Homage, Caldera closed, Aegis, and now the Bokeh open. Any one of these products would be a sensation. To do this many great products back-to-back? I mean even Shohei Otani strikes out once in a while. I can't remember a better string of successes. Kudos.

The Bokeh open sounds like a brother to the Atrium. Phenomenal bass response, clear and stunning treble, lush mids. I wouldn't even call this a baby brother to the Atrium, these things stand on their own as a marvelous headphone. I paired it with the Homage amp and I left thinking for around 2K, you'd have a righteous end-game-worthy system. Simply brilliant.

Side Note: If you're heading there-- make certain you check out the Aegis tube amp and... AND do not miss the Ray Samuels B-21 Raider. It's the best solid state amp I've heard for the OG Susvara-- oh and it also happens to be a top-tier e-stat amp, too-- for about 2/3rds the cost of the Mass Kobo 465. It is unapologetic pure power-- and there's fewer than 10 of these things on the planet right now-- give it a listen!

One of my prime targets of this CanJam was the RAAL 1995 Immanis. I stopped at the VIVA room where one of the two at the show were set up. Now the VIVA amps look impressive as hell-- I'd auditioned a red one last year, which was paired with a reel-to-reel deck. No spinning reels this year.



But lots of tube-y goodness-- for the price of a decent Honda. Paired with the RAAL-- I'm not sure my marriage would survive if I brought this setup home.



I heard the original RAAL many years ago. These things have evolved significantly! The tonality and response of this headphone-- simply breathtaking. Massive stage-- even in show surroundings. Quite impressive! The strange thing about the ribbons-- there are 3 of them inside this blingy structure-- they present to me like sound emitters. I can't get used to the lack of air movement inside the cups. Like-- shouldn't I be feeling impact from the bass or something? I don't-- I guess it takes some getting used to. You experience this dome of delicious sound around your head. Not that I can afford them-- but I wonder if I might get a little bored of these over time? I will likely never know! Terrific stuff.

This was not an IEM trip for me, but I did make time to check out the MacBeth from Forte Ears at the insistence of a friend. Never heard of them before, but I suspect everyone will know about these in short order.



To be? Or not to be? (OK, wrong play. There goes my career in the arts...) $4000 will get you a hand made, blinged out IEM with bass for days. Supreme sparkle through the treble. 5 B/A, 2 Bone Conduction Drivers, 4 E-Stat Tweeters, and a Sonion Bass Driver-- all inside this tiny little shell. I don't know how these IEM makers are doing it-- but they keep topping themselves and this is one of the best I've heard.

But then... disaster struck.

My camera fell off the table and hit the floor, breaking the lens mount. To be? Or not to be? Definitely NOT TO BE! Severe shame and depression followed.

Left with a complete disaster on my hands, I did make time for the Empyrean II. This is something of a departure from the original Empy and the Elite. I had to swap to a macro lens to get this one:



The technicals might be better on this headphone, but there's a bit of bloom down low-- along with a ton of bass. I don't think these would replace my Elites. I'd need more time with them-- and I was still hurting from the death of my beloved lens.

Dinner at night with some friends and the long-ass drive back to LA. CanJam SoCal '24? It's a wrap!

Fantastic report as always Mr. Director, it was great getting to chat with you at these shows.

 

[goldwerger]

The era of HIFIMAN timeline known as the GREAT UNVEILING. HE-400 unveiled. Then the inevitable re-veiling in the modesty series.

Good one

Also shoutout to my dad who has been coming out every year to make SoCal CanJam a father son tradition.

Love it!

 

[EnigmaFotos]

Hi all!

Going to share some of my pictures and some impressions. But, I wanted to preface this by first saying that this was one of the highlights of year for me. Last year, SoCal CanJam was fun because I got to try so many awesome headphones but I felt like I didn't embrace the best part of CanJam: meeting people and the social aspect. It's really probably the best part. Making some connections that will hopefully be lifelong and meeting so many passionate people into this hobby are the things that I'll remember the most. That and trying stuff like Fugaku.

But, I digress. This year's CanJam was the exact polar opposite of last years. Last years, I only tried out headphones (except for the Z1R but I didn't get a great seal, used some small tips and I moved on without getting it). This year, I've been way bigger into IEMs and being social so there's that! I'm also not planning on doing more than a few sentences per (as this isn't a review, this is only show-room impressions) so I may have missed a few things in my notes. I didn't want to hog anything specifically nor put things through it's paces, I wanted to experience as much as I could as a whole. I also will absolutely admit that I was getting fatigue here and there (especially end of Day 1) so, my takes may also reflect it. Tell me I'm a derp if you disagreed, haha.

Spoiler: Day 1 Impressions

Pre-CanJam:
I actually arrived on Friday so I got to meet some people for dinner that night which was great. Thank you for the wonderful conversations from the kid's table! @Jaytiss @AudioDuck @buke9 - and @goldwerger

But, I bring up Pre-CanJam for a reason. Freaking @Dellwolf - what a gentleman - went downstairs and offered to let people listen to some Empire Ears in the lobby. I debated for all of 10 seconds.

Empire Ears Raven:
I've heard of Empire Ears as I've gotten further into the hobby and the Raven are absolutely amazing. What an impressive bass performance here. Mids were super clean, lively, full of character. Treble wasn't harsh to my ears and felt sparkly. V-shaped monster. It's not for everyone but this is right up my alley. Underrated is how good the separation and technicalities are while being toe-tapping fun.

Empire Ears Triton:
Triton is special. Just under $2k, Triton stuck out as the better all-rounder than the Raven. When a track called for bass, the Triton brought the huge slam. The tracks that I threw on it were insanely fun. But, as I went through the quick hits on my playlist, the Triton also responded to even acoustic/vocal tracks well. Plus, look at that pretty shell. This is a great all-rounder for a basshead where you're going to get great mids, smooth treble and all the bass you need when your next up on your playlist is like some heavy EDM.

Day 1:
CanJam morning.

Went down a few minutes early, signed in, and got to meet @warrenpchi - Warren, you are so freaking nice. Thank you, sir. I actually managed to sneak through (detected) to the show floor for a quick browse before going back out there to wait in line.

But, before I did, I got to meet some amazing people.

Fatfreq! I got to meet Yeo & Des (and Ivan later), before the CanJam Chaos, who are the nicest people, ever. From there, Yeo actually let me get my first taste of the Deuce.

FatFreq Deuce:
At $250, this is it. Sub-bass is pristine, mid-bass bleed is extremely low, mids could be a bit fuller for my tastes but they're detailed. Adding the bass adapter, you're covering all your bases easily. The Deuce is probably the best all-rounder that they have under that $1k mark and probably one of my favorite sub-$500 sets I've heard. But, I'll reserve further thoughts for when my unit gets in. I made sure to rec them, though, because I think they just do a lot of things well and uniquely at $250.

FatFreq Grand Maestro Anniversary:
I did myself a huge disservice by not trying the Grand Maestro in the resin shell. This is my own fault. Instead, I went straight to the GMA. What a beautiful shell. GMA is so good, y'all. Bass is deep, punchy, detailed, textured, warm - all the adjectives. But most of all, controlled. Coupled that with the full, warm mids and smooth treble response, that's a winner. It also comes with their modules so you can further tune it (vs using a screwdriver or whatever else to dial something in). The GMA is also a metal shell vs resin so the GMA fit super well in my ear. Anyone need a kidney?

Empire Ears - Jack Vang. @Jack Vang - it was so awesome to meet you, brother. This man oozes charisma but was so chill and cool to talk to. Already listened to the Triton/Raven so I didn't want to take up too much time at their booth listening.

Next up was going to the Eletech/Forte Ears booth and checking out the new Forte Ears MacBeth.

Forte Ears Macbeth:
Riding the high of the GMA, the Forte Ears MacBeth is a balanced, punchy, detailed set. There's a lot to like. I think the biggest thing for me was how gorgeous the shell was. I don't know if it was the best thing I heard based on my preferred tuning but I came away very impressed and I'm looking forward to seeing more of it and anything else that Forte Ears comes up with. I get why people like it and there's a certain quality to the music replay that's engaging and draws your attention. This wouldn't be a chill/laid back set at all.

Since it was right next door, I went over to the Letshuoer table to reset myself. I meant to come back the following day to listen to some of the prototypes but I completely dropped the ball. I also forgot to take a picture of the S08 but I did listen to both (albeit briefly). I don't have much impressions beyond really digging the S12 2024 but loving the S08 more for the warmer tonality and being much cheaper while fitting my sound preference. I think the hype on those two planar sets is real. But, I won't say much more than that as I used it as a stopover to reset.

I actually walked around under I was at the Viking Weave table and Zeos was there. I meant to listen to the new headphones right next door but curiosity got the best of me and I tried the new Eris headphones.

HarmonicDyne Eris:
Bass violence? Yeah, this is fun. This is not a good headphone for anything beyond bass fun. It's aggressive V-shaped but I would buy this (over the new Fostex releases, honestly) any day of the week. They were comfortable, they had a lot of character. They're probably terrible for a lot of people but, variety is the spice of life for me and I would consider these as a fun beach house getaway set if only because the bass is pretty nice. Play some deadmau5 on these, don't listen to "Hotel California" on them.

Hiby R4 Evangelion:
If I was in the market for a DAP (which I kind of am? But not really? I have my new Raspberry Pi streamer and that's been good for 95% of my listening), I would have R4 Evangelion or the regular R4 in my top 2 (next to the Cayin N3Ultra). It's a fun DAP. Very nice.

Walked over to the Elysian table where @Sebastien Chiu was. What a jerk, taking awesome photos of everyone. I've already heard the Diva 2023 and Annihilator 2023 (which are both phenomenal) so I went straight for the new kid.

Elysian Apostle:
Baby Annihilator indeed! I think the Apostle is going to be a hit at the price point vs performance that it's going to bring. It keeps that Elysian 'House Sound' of sweet, elevated treble coupled with extremely pleasant mids. I think the Apostle may have some better bass quantity/quality vs the Annihilator 23 but this is just off initial impressions.

After signing up for the giveaway for the Diva 2023 (I demand a recount) - I made way way over to the MusicTeck booth. That booth is ridiculous. You could spend both days of CanJam there and basically be done. The entire time the @MusicTeck was extremely friendly and so accommodating.

So, first things first, I saw SJY Audio/Jeffrey there and wanted to get a listen to his new closed back.

Horizon Closed:
As someone who enjoys his Horizon open-back, I have to say that the Closed is just a more satisfying listen. Not that the open isn't great in it's own way. But the Closed just has a bit more warmth to it while giving full bassy impact, attack and detail that a planar set just usually does. I know Jeffrey followed the over-ear Harman target and I think he nailed it completely here. It's just very nicely tuned without any issues I could detect with my short time listening to them. And, they seem much easier to drive than his open back version. Looking forward to hearing more of it.

And then, the IEM floodgates opened. As this is just general impressions, and I didn't want to hog too much time, I'll try to keep things more short/concise.

Nostalgia Audio Durandal:
Durandal has extremely nice vocals and instrument detail. I think the overall imaging, sound stage, technical performance are very good. Plus they're extremely pretty. Not for me, though. I did not get enough bass balance especially in that mid-bass range. Sub-bass was adequate and sounded very pleasant but it lacked a lot of impact for me. Not for me.

QDC Empress:
These looked gorgeous. Sound was not for me. Neutral/balanced? It has a lot of good detail, very good technical performance but I couldn't listen for more than a track. It felt flat and boring. Almost like it didn't have a soul. I would pass. Unless you really, really like the shell.

Brise Fugaku:
It was hard for me to initially wrap my head around this at $16-17k. It sounds great. It's clean and almost effortless in the presentation. The bass is very fun and engaging. The mids are detailed yet full of life. Treble is extended well. It's almost like rolling up with a Rolex to show off your new toy. Or having a dac/amp that can double as a weapon in case you're commuting.

Penon Fan 3:
I got to try out this personal unit from @EnigmaFotos because I've always kind of been a bit of a skeptic. Yeah, I hate myself because it's really, really good. It doesn't have the best bass (or what I would typically enjoy), it's not the most engaging or energetic, but there's a certain engaging presentation to music that's very, very different and especially at the price point. Consider me got. More on this one in the future with more critical listening.

Oriolus Trailii:
Flat yet pleasant. Amazing mids, airy treble. Absolutely smooth sound delivery. But, it was almost too smooth? Like, not necessarily as engaging as I would like. It didn't have enough bass for me to enjoy but listening to it really felt like it was resetting my brain after listening to so many different sets. Was great to try it and it's got a gorgeous shell but it's not necessarily for me.

Took a small break from IEMs and a small walk around/socialized. Came to the Audio-Technica booth. I was secretly hoping for the W2022 to be there because those are absolutely gorgeous and one of my favorite closed back headphones I've heard but, alas, they were not there.

Audio-Technica AWAS:
Tried out the AWAS to see if I would like them. A bit too sharp in the treble extension for me. The V-shape signature didn't seem like it had enough bass for my tastes to balance out the treble extension. I don't think I would pick up a set. But it was nice to try out to know.

I was wrong, the picture below was the AWKG. I did try the AWAS before the AWKG. AWAS was okay but didn't stick in my head to write notes, AWKG was a bit sharp for my ears.

Went over to the Sony booth because I was curious about whether they would have the MDR-Z1R or the IER-Z1R. They had both. Fantastic.

Sony IER-Z1R:
Wow. Bass quality is not a game with these. These are absolutely a great V-shape with kind of a weird mids performance on female vocals. Sounded great on a few tracks but could kind of hear a slight uneven balance at times. Treble is very nice as well. I'm glad I got to fully appreciate them more vs last year to know.

Sony MDR-Z1R:
Absolutely great bassy headphones. I've always heard great things and I'm definitely on the side of loving them. It's a very musical, warm set that embraces the bass quantity/quality side with good elevation on the mids/treble. I wish I could have had more time with them but I was coming up to end of the day and needed to stop trying to stuff so much audio into my brain.

Back over to the MusicTeck booth! Of course.

AME Mousa:
I -love- the Mousa. Some of the best bass performance I heard all weekend. The bass sounded almost thunderous. It's likely the decay that was just a bit slower than a lot of the other things I heard and I really enjoyed my time with it. A great W-ish shaped warm sound with great mids/treble extension without being harsh on either or sounding uneven. Maybe a bit darker than some people would like but I loved them.

Jomo Nautilus:
How are these only $800? These were comfortable, gorgeous, and surprisingly engaging. These are an aggressively fun V-shape. The bass was deep and properly punchy. The treble extension was probably a bit more hotter than my typical preference but they were never sibilant or harsh; in fact, I think they helped balance it out very well. I would pick up a set in a heartbeat. I only had a few minutes of time with them but I wish I had gone back and listened to them longer. Absolutely a hit in my eyes (or ears? or both, design is fun AF)

Alpha Omega Omega:
Alright. I didn't give the Omega a fair shot. I put them in right after the Nautilus and on the tail end of my day. I will admit my first impressions were: Meh. But maybe the switches were on something funky? I will admit I did not play around nor did I try anything else that first day. It felt very neutral/balanced but boring.

Second day impressions were much better. Very balanced, good bass quality/quantity, very smooth mid-range (could use a tad more note weight but it was solid) and very natural sounding treble. I don't think they stood out more than a lot of other IEMs (to my sound preference) but they were definitely good. Maybe with more time, I could have played around with them more but "c'est la vie".

I'll end Day 1 Impressions by repeating myself. The best part of CanJam was meeting everyone. I got to meet up with some people I've met previously before (@XERO1 - @theveterans ), some of the awesome vendors (especially Fatfreq, Eletech, MusicTeck, Empire Ears - basically everyone there was awesome), and someone who takes a lot of photos (Sebastien). And met some awesome new people including the man, himself, who is approachable and kind (even if I was slightly intimidated to talk to initially).

Sorry for the word vomit, y'all!

Awesome. Great to finally meet my brotha from another mother.

 

[Cinder]

Hey all, my FatFreq impressions are up:

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/cin...ions-thread-a-compendium.974333/post-18360033

Unfortunately I only had time to test three of their IEMs:

- Maestro Mini
- Scarlet Mini
- Grand Maestro

 

[Jam14]

Thanks to everyone who posted pics and impressions from the show.

Very interesting and helpful stuff!

 

[Delitia]

Hi everyone, wanted to come and leave my impressions from the show as well. But first, it was great seeing so many familiar faces and friends again at my very first So-Cal Canjam, 3rd ever, as well as many new faces that have recently come into the hobby and the watercooler. It was great to be able to interact with all of you, new and old, and discuss our insane hobby (re: addiction).

At the show I primarily focused on 3 booths, Musicteck, Noble and Eletech. While at Musicteck I went through a rather large gamut of what they had for show, including the AME Mousa, Vision Ears EXT MKII, Cayin C9 II, Luxury&Precision EA4 (standard edition), Macbeth, Rhapsodio Supreme V3, Brise Fugaku, and Fokus Triumph. Also sorry ahead of time for the lack of pictures/wall of text....got lost in the event and realized I forgot to take photos as I went. Big shout outs though to the vendors and manufacturers who took the time to really speak and go in depth on their products and history/share some special items with me including (in no particular order) Jim Moulton, and his family, of @Noble Audio , @Eric Chong of Eletech and closely in hand with Riccardo of Forte Ears, SuYang of @EffectAudio, @Chang and all the other Subtonic/Symphonium/Nightjar boys and of course Andrew of @MusicTeck but also A MASSIVE THANKS to our very own @warrenpchi for not only organizing this massive event but also taking the time to really connect with a lot of us on the floor before and after the show despite being absolutely exhausted.

The stars of the show for me were the Vision Ears EXT MK II, LP EA4, Eletech Fifth Ode and Macbeth, so I'll cover these in a bit more detail than the rest! Including a brief compare of MKI vs MKII for EXT.

AME Mousa: The build is gorgeous, sturdy and not too heavy metal shell that is actually very well formed and comfortable to my ears, I didn't find it to be overly bulky or so weighty that it had issues staying in ear. Sound wise, it leans into a sub bass with enough mid-bass to rumble well but never overpowering. I think the star of the Mousa for me would be the lower mids and how well it does with male vocals, upper mids and female vocals still sounded great but they were lighter and airier, which for a lot of the female vocals I listen to doesn't work too well. In the treble, the Mousa retains a decent bit of sparkle and clarity but is never too treble forward, which may be part of my own issues with the female vocals, everything sounds very good and coherent/clear and detailed but I'd personally want a little more upper mids. Technically, the stage of the mousa is wide and fairly tall but I didn't find depth or height to be particularly noteworthy, I'd say on par with most other ToTLs in the space of 2-3k.

Rhapsodio Supreme V3: This was my second listen to the Rhapsodio Supreme V3, with my first being at CanJam New York earlier this year, my first impressions of it were not good, I felt it was lacking staging, required a nuclear reactor to run and then had some severe treble timbre issues but this time at So-Cal it sounded drastically different, more akin to some of the descriptions i had read coming out of the Eastern crowd as well as from others at New York. It has a punchy bass that also retains a fair bit of rumble and gutteral-ness but is still able to prevent any bleeding into the mid range, which is instant death for me in an IEM. Alongside that, I felt like the vocals, both male and female, were very clear, detailed and extended, there was enough room for them to breathe and have their own reverb not be covered up by either bass or excessive treble. The first listen, as i stated, was near instantly a turn off due to the treble timbre sounding very metallic and tonally off-putting but this time it was much closer to that of a traditional EST sound, being light, airy while keeping good extension and details throughout. Staging being the primary tech that is above others but overall technicalities not QUITE up to par with others priced similarly to the V3 (Mason FS ST, primarily) but still a strong contender (nitpick would be imaging could be better). Now, to note, there were 3 big differences between this trial and my first. The first being the (presumably) stock cable was replaced by an Orpheus Lite (i'm no PWA fan but PWA typical treble death might've worked to calm the wonkiness), my source was an AK SE300 TI vs HiBy RS8 and the last being the most "controversial", burn in, maybe it had time to burn in more from my first listen when the demo unit was still fresh but who knows all I know is it sounded great this time and could be a one and done type IEM purchase for many.

Forte Ears Macbeth: I spent a LARGE portion of this So-Cal getting to know a lot of the vendors and Riccardo of Forte Ears was an absolute pleasure to discuss the process and growth behind Macbeth with him and Eric. When speaking with him you get nothing but his absolute and utter dedication to wanting to create something that not only he, but the audiophile community at large, would love and connect with not only emotionally but on a technical level. The best way I can describe Macbeth is a neutral but lightly bass boosted clarity driven IEM. The Diablo drivers created in collaboration with Sonion by Riccardo and team are able to slam and most of all, rumble, to great effect, bringing out the most of your bass without losing speed or accuracy that some dynamic drivers may when trying to keep up with ultra complex music. This unique driver in combination with special resonance plates, Forte Ears was able to create a truly unique balanced armature bass that is able to mimic a DD very closely, the only notable difference is the movement of air (or lack of, since it's a BA) but other than that this little driver is something special that bass lovers will connect with. The mid range is probably my only real gripe with the Macbeth, for me, there is a bit of a lower mid scoop which due to the elevation of the bass can come off a little recessed and lacking compared to how I prefer, but this is purely a preference thing as I do not typically enjoy IEMs with a bass shelf into a non elevated lower mid to match/offset. Male vocals can come off a little less forceful/powerful than I want but female vocal presentation is excellent, while I had this issue with the male vocals I do want to note that neither are lacking for detail or air/resonance. The lower treble lift creates a nice amount of sparkle without being overdone (personally I want for a tad more, but it is tastefully done for the masses to enjoy rather than a treble head like myself). Thanks to the moderate lift, bass, mids and vocals are able to remain detail driven with great clarity and resolution. The staging on macbeth is wide and very tall with moderate depth with the only real technical aspect lacking to me, being that depth of sound. The macbeth also boasts impressive imaging throughout the FR, being able to separate the notes well throughout creating a nice holographic presentation. I tried the Macbeth with both the stock cable as well as their Eletech collaboration cable, the Ambition. It's worth noting that I do NOT believe the ambition is essential to get the most out of the macbeth, the differences between stock and the ambition will come down to personal preference. The ambition is a warmer, more intimate sound with fuller note weight and slightly darker treble while the stock cable is a bit brighter with better separation and a more clarity driven sound. The Macbeth is an excellent IEM with an even better head behind the company driving them toward the future and I personally think any audiophile would be happy to invest in the macbeth as well as Forte Ears future.

Vision Ears EXT MK II: I've wanted to own a Vision Ears IEM for a long time but sadly have never really connected with any of their tunings and having missed out on the original EXT I was excited to get my ears on this iem coming to CanJam. The first thing I noticed with the EXT2 is it is a fairly difficult to drive iem, needing quite a bit more volume and/or gain from both my SE300 TI or RS8 (High Gain and 70ish volume on SE300 vs low gain 50 volume for most iems and Medium gain, turbo, 50 volume vs low gain, turbo, 40 volume for RS8 - the EXT1 shared similar results from testing. The EXT2 has an incredible bass depth and speed despite being only 1 DD in the lows, it has great tactility and rumble but a bit light on slam compared to other iems currently on the market. The mids are where the special sauce really comes in, thanks to being presented by a DD, there is a ton of air and detail as well as resonance throughout the mid range and they are given tons of room in the stage to do so. Bass and Treble are neatly to the sides/top/bottom while the vocals take absolute center stage and push out from that with near never ending feeling reverb and decay into the blackness of the background. I found this was only improved on R2R sources, bringing out the organic nature of the DD, preferring it most other sources with the RS8 or SE300 TI (leaning RS8 since slightly brighter and more power to drive the EXT2). The treble is well extended and lightly sparkly without being dark or bright, it's largely neutral feeling toward me. This is an IEM which i'd consider largely uncolored and neutral. The soundstage is INCREDIBLY deep, with average height and good width but my only issue with the EXT2 is it could have better imaging. I believe due to the large amount of the FR being presented by DDs and not having any BA to assist in the crossover with accuracy, it can have a little fuzziness to the image, but this isn't a deal breaker to me due to how amazing it sounds. I only got to try the golden special edition, which comes with a specially tuned Effect Audio collaboration cable, which I personally found, through exhaustive cable rolling, to be the best fit for the it. Thanks to Andrew of MusicTeck I was able to borrow an EXT1 to compare to the EXT2, these are two VERY different IEMs sonically. Firstly, the changes VE said they made to the shell are apparent, the EXT2 has a less angled nozzle, the nozzle is also circular that tips connect onto vs the EXT1's oval shape but the width of the IEM is slightly larger and the overall shape of the iem is slightly wider. Tonally, the EXT1 is much more colored, with greater mid bass rumble than the EXT2, much more treble elevation and a more aggressive vocal presentation (more in your face/closer) compared to the very smooth and inoffensive presentation of the EXT2. The EXT2 is ahead of the OG in every technical aspect, having a much larger stage, better separation and resolution and reverb to the sound, so clearly the adjustments to both the DD and HALC design are doing something great. My personal star of the show, IEM wise.


Cayin C9 II: A great next step after the orignal C9 which I loved, any lover of the original C9 will surely want to pick this up as it's basically the amp of the n30le put into external form with some additional tweaks. Unfortunately the demo unit brought to So-Cal did have some malfunctions so to those that listened to it and heard a large amount of hiss, this is just due to some issues with that individual unit and not present on others, confirmed by @MusicTeck after the show on Tuesday. This is the typical Cayin sound, mid bassy with a warm gloss over the vocals but retaining a nice sparkle and airiness throughout the treble with good extension. The c9ii is not the most sub bass oriented sound, with all the various sound shaping settings at hand though it can go from either a VERY warm and intimate sound to a much airier and lighter technical sound while retaining enough of that mid range warmth to keep things sounding natural and full. Compared to the original C9, there feels to be a bit more power to drive either hard to drive iems or headphones but also a bit warmer leaning, being a bit less airy and sparkly than the OG with mirrored settings. Tonally I believe these different enough that someone may prefer one over the other but technically the c9 ii is a pretty hefty step up, with a wider stage and better resolution despite feeling warmer sounding, which is generally a trade off for other amps.

Brise Fugaku: I want to start this by saying while I believe the Fugaku is good, it is in no way for me, tonally it deviates way outside what I am looking for. The Fugaku is focused heavily on bass and a very aggressive presentation. There is a heavy amount of mid bass and sub bass with an aggressively boosted upper mids to compensate, while the upper mids are emphasized, I did not detect any shoutiness or sibilance present in my listening time, which mirrors many others I spoke to on the floor, so I think even sensitive folks are safe here. There is a large lower mid scoop which instantly took the Fugaku out of consideration for me, male vocals are recessed but still relatively natural sounding without too much loss in fidelity due to the mid bass shelf over them. Treble is large inoffensive and decently extended with not any brightness but just a shy amount of sparkle to keep it present. The reason I disliked this set is the same reason many who have already purchased it as a direct result of their demo, which is, the music does not seem to "flow" toward you but is rather "pushed" at you, which with an already aggressive set of music, is far too much for my listening tastes. I can't speak too much into the techs as I personally did not spend much time with this set as soon as I heard the overall tonality would not be one that worked for my heavily metal/rock library.

Luxury & Precision EA4 (standard): Sadly, there was no 10th Anniversary Edition present at So-Cal but I found the EA4 to be one of, if not the best portable amps to date. I've owned the iBasso PB5, MK475, C9, demo'd C9II and owned/demo'd several of the amps from SoundTiger. The EA4 is leaner in the mid bass than the c9ii and c9i, with more of an emphasis on the sub bass. With the various sound shaping settings, the EA4 was able to go from very warm/intimate to open, airy and detailed, similar to the c9ii but I personally felt to a much greater degree. Technically, I think the EA4 is far beyond the rest of the current portable amps with the PB5 behind it, then the c9ii. I'd love to give a bit more here but my time with it was limited as I did not want to hog it from other show goers and also already have an EA4 10AE on pre-order. But my demo/time with it at So-Cal cemented my purchased of this amp and am looking forward to enjoying it in 2 weeks or less.

Noble Fokus Triumph: An absolutely excellent little TWS. These tws have all your standard functions and after testing outside the show environment (in the airport on the way home, since I bought a set at Nobles booth lol) all work to a very strong level, with ANC able to block out NEARLY all of the background noise in a very very busy Los Angles airport, to include screaming children. They are fairly bass heavy sound sig wise but the xMems drivers have a really special sauce to the treble which I personally haven't heard any other TWS come close to and has piqued my interest in both the Fokus Prestige and other xMems products, seeing what noble was able to do in such a small form factor. Super happy with this purchase and will be using these daily at work for calls and probably on short commutes on any public transit through the city.

Eletech Fifth Ode: The successor to the Ode to Laura and Eletech's seemingly super flagship, the Fifth Ode takes everything the OtL did well, elevates it and then takes all of my issues with that cable and resolves them, wholly. The fifth ode is still a warmer, bassier cable with a lot of coloration/sub bass addition to add slam and tons of depth but then it no longer has any recession on vocals, bringing vocals closer to you but also gaining some sweetness without losing that "ethereal" feel the OtL had. The fifth ode also takes Eletechs signature treble and takes it to 11, it is brighter than the Ode to Laura and is able to present a much clearer and resolute image than its predecessor. These are the biggest and immediate changes along side a DRASTIC increase in stage width while retaining all of the height the OtL had and 90% of the depth. To me the slight loss in depth is 1000% worth the gains in staging width while gaining a more clear/forward vocal presentation. If you loved the Ode to Laura I would immediately purchase this cable, as there are only 150 of them and bound to go to fast.

Thank you for reading and again MASSIVE thank you to all those, watercoolers, vendors and others who took the time to speak/hang out/share ideas and stories. Looking forward to seeing you all again at NYC.

 

[skeeb23]

I'm going Live over at my YT channel here soon to give me impressions from SoCal. If any of you care to join, that would be great! Join me in the chat for anything I may have missed or just to give other opinions on things I checked out.

 

[MakeItWain]

Gonna have to tune in to you, sir! @skeeb23

Cross posting/Sharing over here, too:

Hi everybody!

I'm not done writing up day 2 quite yet but wanted to drop this video in.




@EnigmaFotos (brother from another mother™) and I had a great weekend at SoCal CanJam and we literally parked right outside at the end on Sunday to talk about our live impressions and thoughts. It's an hour long but hopefully we kept it entertaining!

 

[bithalver]

...

Sorry for the word vomit, y'all!

Do NOT be sorry: I enjoyed it really. As somebody who most probably will not go to any of those shows, this is my chance to at least feel it a bit.

So: BIG thank you ! I wait for the 2nd part patiently.

 

[audioguru1]

Here are a few of my pictures from the show. It was a great event! Over at the ZMF booth it was great to catch up with @reeltime and check out the new ZMF Bokeh Open. I thought the Bokeh open was a real stand out for its price/performance. It was great to hear the Aegis again (awesome amp with Bokeh) and talk with @L0rdGwyn the designer. Conversely at HiFiMan doing an A/B with the Susvara Unveiled vs OG led me to the conclusion that they are different, not better (when properly driven) at least to my ears. I'm also curious to compare both with the same aftermarket pads. I was impressed with the Noble Fokus, though I did encounter one blown unit (likely over driven). I checked out another pair, and was very impressed with the sound, I like these better than the Bathys I think (they are close but different sound profiles).