[leesure]

Posting the rest of my photos .

 
 
I come all the way to DC and you don't even stop by the booth I was helping out in (Cavalli)? 
 
DANG...that's cold!
 
Wish I'd had the opportunity to meet you!
 
-Lee

 

[Aerocraft67]

I made the trip on Sunday, figuring it would be slower and easier to navigate. My impression was favorable. Excellent selection of gear to try, and nice people demonstrating them. Really worth getting out of the internet rut for this kind of thing in person. I hope the event was successful enough to remain an annual event. Clearly the demographics are favorable in the area. Time of year might not be ideal, but I'm sure the trade-off is in securing cost-effective space in other seasons. The exhibitors seemed happy with the traffic, particularly on Saturday.
 
Dan Clark and the Alpha Dog made the biggest impression on me. I like the sound of the headphones and I like the sound of the upgraded closed-back headphone proposition as a viable alternative to open-back, which I hadn't really considered before. Could have been a variety of factors, but it was the most engaging listen I had. Now that I've made my big investment in HE-500, I'm not sure where Alpha Dogs would fit in for me, but I could certainly stand to have them for a while.
 
Next most impressive was the comfort of the HE-560, compared with my HE-500. Most everything seems comfortable relative to that baseline I suppose. As with many of the headphones I tried in this environment, I couldn't get a reliable and precise impression of the sound. If anything they sounded more laid back than my HE-500, but they were run out HiFiMan's portable player, so maybe could have used some more juice.
 
I really liked my time at the HeadAmp booth, where I started. I didn't catch his name, but there was a real stand-up guy demonstrating the wares, and they were fine wares indeed. Tried the Stax SR-009 run out of the Blue Hawaii. It sounded effortless and natural. What can you say. I'm still thinking about that brief listen that went unmatched by anything else I heard, but might have been more of a star-eyed brush with greatness thing than a genuine sonic thing. Also sampled the usual suspects in non-electrostatic high end 'phones on hand with the GS-1 amp. Yeah, they all sounded great. I was able to discern a difference straightaway between the HD 800 and the LCD-3, more or less in line with expectations, tough to choose a favorite on a traditional jazz track. The powerful amp made a good case for elevating the standing of the somewhat underdog HE-6 in this group. Without such a nice amp, the others become more favorable propositions I suppose. 
 
On a second run through the room at the end of the trip, I tried the Abyss at the Cavalli booth. I was underwhelmed, but was pretty well fatigued by then. Also tried both the PM-1 and PM-2 in the Oppo booth. I didn't discern much of a difference between them in either sound or even fit and finish, so I suspect the PM-2 will come out a winner. Couldn't garner a critical sonic evaluation, but they sounded good, and they were quite comfortable. 
 
I stopped at iFi for a tutorial of all their kit, some of which seems redundant to me. The explanation was helpful in sorting it all out. The upcoming iDSD micro sounds almost too good to be true. The design was crowdsourced here at Head-Fi, so no doubt a demanding combination of requirements and constraints to meet. I asked why sub-$500 DACs nearly always come with an integrated headamp, and the response was essentially that you don't lose anything by putting one in, and you do gain some flexibility, even if the primary use is with a dedicated amp. I walked through the USB power conditioning proposition (for which there are at least three products iFi dedicates to this). Sounded perfectly logical, but hard to come away convinced that it's worth the $100s, especially in the context of the prices for the main components on offer which top out at about $300. Loved the mini equipment rack. 
 
I spoke with the cable manufacturers, too, tentatively looking for a replacement for my OEM HE-500 cable, which has terrible microphonics. Both the cables from Moon Audio and WyWires seemed a bit rich for the problem I was trying to solve. I know there's a lot of cable skepticism out there, but it does seem a lot more plausible when you're there talking with the purveyor. The price proportion is really tough to justify for all but the highest end stuff, seems to me.
 
I did spend a good bit of time visiting the "big boy" traditional audio rooms. Several of them played modern "jazz" that sounded sterile, so hard to come away impressed at those price points. I was intrigued by the "The Clue" speaker from Sjöfn HiFi, but they were just driving them too hard in that little room, and trying too hard in general with the bourbon on offer, much as I hate to sound ungrateful for the hospitality. I liked what I heard in the Salk room much better. In the lobby level, I had a nice chat with the fellow that makes Aperture room treatment products at Stillpoints. You can have custom images integrated into the fabric. Pretty clever, and seems a genuinely more useful accessory for a listening room before so much of the other exotica on offer. 
 
The quintessential experience though was in a room with a $4,000 mono phono cartridge on offer, among other things. The exhibitor was earnestly (and credibly) making the case that the mono version of Kind of Blue sounds better, with an attendee acknowledging that sure he hears the difference. He moved on to another recording, regaling the attendees with all manner of recording provenance (the microphones used, etc.), and did another demo. I must say the violin performance sounded magnificent, perhaps the best audio demo I'd ever heard in my limited experience, but the "B" version in the comparison (I think it was the mono) had a big 'ol pop on the record. Pop...pop...pop...pop. Hard not to feel ridiculous sitting there overlooking such an obvious flaw in an otherwise supremely nuanced listening comparison of an exotic recording on $10,000s of kit.  
 
One of the first things I heard was the Hartsfield replicas from Classic Audio Reproduction, based on apparently quite legendary speakers from times of yore. Show special: $32k! They sounded as big and old-timey as they looked, replete with His Master's Voice statues on top. Bigger than life, which kind of misses the point somehow. Almost certainly a perception bias driving that impression. Still, an impressive experience that I enjoyed. Someday it'll be fun to say, "Hartsfield? Yeah, I heard those. They were O.K."
 
Definitely a nice outing, worth the admission and commute. 

 

[Byrnie]

   
 
I come all the way to DC and you don't even stop by the booth I was helping out in (Cavalli)? 
 
DANG...that's cold!
 
Wish I'd had the opportunity to meet you!
 
-Lee

I came by with my dad but he was enamored with the Alpha Dogs and kept coming back to listen more on them.  I was the one who didn't like the Abyss and had to use a penny to adjust it (that I later gave to you hah)  *waves*

 

[Byrnie]

Here are a few pics I took.

 

[Barry S]

   
 
I come all the way to DC and you don't even stop by the booth I was helping out in (Cavalli)? 
 
DANG...that's cold!
 
Wish I'd had the opportunity to meet you!
 
-Lee

Damn--I had no idea you were coming down. I spent a good bit of time at the Cavalli booth on Saturday.  If I'd known you were around, I'd have dragged you to my little studio and made some tintypes.

 

[kawaivpc1]

When is the next meeting? I wish I can join you guys! 

 

[markm1]

In addition to headphones, I spent a fair amount of time listening to speakers. I've got a small (10 X 12) spare bedroom we use as computer room/home office that's my dedicated listening room. Thinking about upgrading my Monitor Audio shelf speakers.
 
I spent some time yesterday listening to some small speakers that put out a good bit of sound-Neat Momentum 3i and "The Clue" very reasonably priced. I may be ready to pull the trigger....
 
Anyone else listen to The Clue? For $1,000 I thought they were pretty nice.

 

[Barry S]

  In addition to headphones, I spent a fair amount of time listening to speakers. I've got a small (10 X 12) spare bedroom we use as computer room/home office that's my dedicated listening room. Thinking about upgrading my Monitor Audio shelf speakers.
 
I spent some time yesterday listening to some small speakers that put out a good bit of sound-Neat Momentum 3i and "The Clue" very reasonably priced. I may be ready to pull the trigger....
 
Anyone else listen to The Clue? For $1,000 I thought they were pretty nice.

I heard the Neat speakers and thought they sounded fantastic--huge sound for small speakers, very transparent, and no weird artifacts from the room. Were the 3i's the really small ones for $995/pair?

 

[leesure]

  I came by with my dad but he was enamored with the Alpha Dogs and kept coming back to listen more on them.  I was the one who didn't like the Abyss and had to use a penny to adjust it (that I later gave to you hah)  *waves*

It was great meeting you and your dad!  Did he end up getting Alphas?
 
FWIW, the Abyss are not my favorites either.

 

[leesure]

 
Damn--I had no idea you were coming down. I spent a good bit of time at the Cavalli booth on Saturday.  If I'd known you were around, I'd have dragged you to my little studio and made some tintypes.

That would have been great!  Next time.

 

[leesure]

  In addition to headphones, I spent a fair amount of time listening to speakers. I've got a small (10 X 12) spare bedroom we use as computer room/home office that's my dedicated listening room. Thinking about upgrading my Monitor Audio shelf speakers.
 
I spent some time yesterday listening to some small speakers that put out a good bit of sound-Neat Momentum 3i and "The Clue" very reasonably priced. I may be ready to pull the trigger....
 
Anyone else listen to The Clue? For $1,000 I thought they were pretty nice.

I think the Clue room sounded terrific too!

 

[markm1]

 
I heard the Neat speakers and thought they sounded fantastic--huge sound for small speakers, very transparent, and no weird artifacts from the room. Were the 3i's the really small ones for $995/pair?

Yep. There were two small Neat speakers that both sounded pretty good IMO-very good really. I took a price sheet, so I can be pretty specific. The Neat IOTA Mini Monitors were the very small ones $1,095 and they talked about adding a sub that matched. But the full range speakers were the Neat Momentim 3i-also small, but not as tiny-book shelf sized. They were awesome-but cost $3,495. This was in the Command Performance room. They are opening a new store in Falls Church I believe.
 
And, the others I mentioned were from a small Seattle outfit Sjöfn. The speakers are named"The clue"-odd name, but I was quite impressed with their full, warm sound. I heard some classical and then when I asked for something more hard hitting-Rage Against the Machine.  $1,000 for the pair-pretty good price I thought. Looked them up and found several glowing reviews from Cnet, Stereophile, etc.
 
I was pretty impressed given the price. They require some very specific placement but looked ideal for my arrangement-small dedicated listening room. I'm thinking about getting them. They've got a distributor in Springfield.

 

[leesure]

Ready for Picture overload??
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Byrnie]

  It was great meeting you and your dad!  Did he end up getting Alphas?
 
FWIW, the Abyss are not my favorites either.

Yea it was greeting meeting you as well.  He's currently borrowing my Shure SRH1540s to see which one he enjoys more, I think he might make a purchase after that.

 

[Billheiser]

  In addition to headphones, I spent a fair amount of time listening to speakers. I've got a small (10 X 12) spare bedroom we use as computer room/home office that's my dedicated listening room. Thinking about upgrading my Monitor Audio shelf speakers.
 
I spent some time yesterday listening to some small speakers that put out a good bit of sound-Neat Momentum 3i and "The Clue" very reasonably priced. I may be ready to pull the trigger....
 
Anyone else listen to The Clue? For $1,000 I thought they were pretty nice.

I heard the Clue and enjoyed them, except when they were played too loud.  I like loud, but not when it makes the speakers worse.
The cube shaped small speaker (Roby & Fern? not sure I have the name right) sounded real fine, i think that was $1000 also.  Cabinet is reclaimed solid heartwood pine.
 
For $165, in the Philharmonic/Salk room, Dennis Murphy's modified version of the little Pioneer speaker sounded incredibly good.