[LFF]

Wow...nice pictures! That Dark Star looks like a killer amp. I'm sure it will sound great and I am sure I will not be able to afford it.

 

[james93]

Definitely looked like a great time was had by everyone that attended.
 
Thanks for all the pictures and the write up of the Dark Star.
 
Still wish I was able to go, well I still have November come on November.  I will be on the look out if one happens to come up before then.
 
James

 

[Todd R]

Glad I found the meet impression thread, I really got to learn how to use the search feature

 
Ray, Grace & Carmen, thanks so much for your hospitality once again.
Coming to Chicago meets is always something I look forward to in spite of the traffic & toll booths!
 
Got to find out what kind of tea was served, it was probably the best I ever had.
 

 

[Hadrien]

I feel awful that I am replying so late, but things here got really interesting for me just hours after the meet.
 
A massive thank you Ray and his family for being so inviting and making the meet very comfortable.  The amount and quality of the gear was second only to the food that Ray and his family provided!  It was phenomenal!  My waistline is still recovering I think.
 
This was my first Head-Fi meet, I went to Can-Jam in Chicago but feel that I got so much more out of this meet than I did out of CanJam.  Everyone was very friendly and more than happy to allow me to ask questions about their setups and gear.  I got to listen to many new sets of headphones, amps, DACs, and music that I have never heard before.  For that I thank everyone else that was at the meet.  I look forward to the next meet if there is one, as well as saving up some cash to hopefully own one of Ray's amps some day.  The DarkStar and B-52 were simply amazing to listen to.  They provided a whole new dimension to the tracks I brought with me that I had never heard before, even though my lowly Grado 325's!  
 
Here are a few crappy cell pics, but pics are always fun!
 
Todd R has this awesome little USB dac/amp Calyx.  It was a really impressive little box, I liked it MUCH more than my uDAC:

 
 
This was WMoran's Millet Max (I cannot remember if it was the Mini Max) setup.  The sound through his Grado's and my 325's was very forward and dynamic.  It really improved on that signature Grado sound.  This combo worked really well with rock and female vocals.

 

 

 
Ray's amazing Boulder transport.  You really have to see and hear it to believe it.  I think the remote for it weighed about 6 pounds!

 
Ray's Esoteric DAC

 
A few shots of Ray's Cary Tube monoblocks ( I did not catch the model number )

 

 
The DarkStar in all of its glory.  I did not get a huge amount of time to listen to it, but the time I did spend with it impressed me quite a bit.  My favorite phones to listen to through it that were at the meet were the HE-500's.  Full lush mid's really brought out the Dead Can Dance tracks that were playing at the time.  
 

 

 

 
This next pic was the highlight of the meet.  The food was out of this world.  I wanted a second plate but could not find the room for it.  I must warn everyone though, if you get over to Ray's and he offers you the "white sauce", you MUST have some, but be careful as it does bite back  Ray if you are reading this please send the recipe for the "white sauce", I miss it already.
 

 
-Hadrien