[Keithpgdrb]

Thank you everyone for coming.  Impressions/pics/witty banter welcome here.

 

[WitzyZed]

Impression I heard from someone about my headphones: "it's a fashion statement" followed by declining to listen to them.
Nice.

Everybody else was cool, though.
I feel like we're all unanimous on the Ether's?
Was anybody not impressed?

Also heard my first STAX today.
Surprised how lightweight they were.

New "budget-fi" goal: modded HE400i.
if only I had had $320 lying around...

 

[ThePianoMan]

Had a great time! Zach's new stuff sounded awesome! Had great conversation with everyone. Liked both the Ether and HEK, though for different music.
I was really amazed at how many positive impressions and comments/questions I got in my magni/modi 2 uber stack (and Beyer 880's)

Will post more extensive impressions after I've had a chance to unpack and relax. Thanks for a stellar meet everyone!

 

[Keithpgdrb]

Impression I heard from someone about my headphones: "it's a fashion statement" followed by declining to listen to them.
Nice.
 

woah.  thats pretty uncool.  surprised that came from a local head-fi'er.  We're known for being pretty chummy.  
 
Hope I wasn't the one who said it.  I don't remember the day, it flew by pretty quickly.

 

[jibzilla]

Just made it back to the Lou. Keith thanks for putting together an awesome meet. Got to hear lots of new headphones. Th-900's, original lambda's, Ethers, kh-1000, zmf lineup. Weather was perfect and traffic very minimal. Super easy directions as well.
 
Ehter's I found a bit dry and sterile but they were running off a totally different dac/amp than my he1k's and there was a decent amount of background noise while I was listening as well. I think that they are great given their price point, just that the he1k's have that 20% extra. They really make the he1k a great deal at $2k rather than $3k but if you want the best I'd go for he1k.
 
My fav. had to be the hd800 + stratus + queststyle dac. I have heard this before with a hex dac instead and this was once again stellar. If I had the space on my salamander stand and some extra loot laying around I would trade in my wheatfield for the stratus but the wheatfield is still preety good, especially with a b65 tube, and fits. I think this was just as jaw dropping as my he1k + peak + ark mx+ just different flavors with the he1k being more polite and hd800 more aggressive.
 
Nice to meet you guys finally.

 

[Stereocilia]

The time just flew by before I could sample all of the gear. Next time I'll be there when the door opens.  

 

[buson160man]

 Thanks for all your effort the show was great and got to hear some great stuff all in one place. Kudos to you keith .

 

[Audio Addict]

Thanks Keith for making this happen especially at such short notice.  
 
I would also like to thank HIFIMAN for send me the HE1K and HM901S for the meet.  Hard to believe but there were 3 HE1K at the meet today.
 
Also would like to thank Urban HIFI for the send me the new microZOTL for the group to hear.  It was a great pairing with the HE1K.
 
The DNA Stratus is a cool amp especially with those tubes.  Steve always seems to have some new toys for the group to hear.

 

[Kojaku]

OK jkjk.I'm putting my "Kojakuisms" in here with my pics and impressions. Stay tuned.

Kojaku

 

[Keithpgdrb]

A shout out as well to Darin from Darin Fong audio for letting us borrow the Koss 950 to Stax adaptor, and for donating 2 license for his "out of your head" software.  If you didnt get a chance to watch the demo, be sure to stop by his website and download the trial version of the software.  It gives you the opportunity to experiment on your own gear and with your own music.
 
Quick impressions:
 
the Koss 950 - Finally got to hear these out of a stax amp.  While they did sound good, they were not at the level of the other stax lambdas that were in the house today.  and there were many!!!!  Also, the build quality of the Koss just turns me off.  they just feel so much like plastic.  This has nothing to do with the sound of course, but its an esthetic turn off just the same.
 
Hifiman 1K.  A great word used to describe these is Balanced.  everything I listen to on these always sounds bigger, both in depth of sound and fullness.  This has nothing to do with volume.  Its just a nice Full sound that is clear throughout the range.  (as heard under meet conditions).  We should have taken one of the 1000 setups and put it into a room by itself so we could really hear it well.  Next Time!  Hopefully these will show up again.  I love them, just not sure if I love them for that amount of dough.
 
Ether - meh for me.  They are very good cans, but they carry the same issues that I have with something like the HE 500.  There is a dullness in part of the frequency that just makes vocals sound boxy to me.  Others love these cans, but they just are not for me.
 
Stax Airbow sc11.  Yes, I liked these a lot.  they bested my sc1, especially in the bass.  But not by much.  ironically the original sr-lambda from the 70's kept up quite well.  bass just as full, but a bit less tight.
 
HD800 - still, a technical marvel.  but a bit consistenty bright for me.  Must be matched with the right amp.  the DNA did a nice job for sure, but I can never make a final decision on these.  don't know why.  I often am impressed by what I hear, but something holds me back.
 
HE6 - I love these.  I always do.  I may buy a pair.  But I also may wait to see if hifiman does something new to them.
 
hd650 - I always try to like these more then my 600's, but it doesn't happen for me.  They are just so much darker, no matter what I play them on, they always lack clarity in the upper frequency.  They do so much of everything right, but that top end is a deal breaker.  I won't say they are veiled, but I know what people mean when they say that.
 
One thing I can say about myself is that I am not as bothered by high frequencies as many are.  I really like that "airy" sound.  It gives me more sense of space around the music.  especially acoustic/jazz.  This would explain a lot of my impressions.  most obvious is the 600/650 preference.  But it also accounts for a lot of my opinions of the early orthodynamic offerings.  Only now are the ortho models starting to open up IMHO.  there are exceptions to this though.  

 

[Keithpgdrb]

OK jkjk.I'm putting my "Kojakuisms" in here with my pics and impressions. Stay tuned.

Kojaku

can I still steal the one for my signature?  LOL..  I'll credit you.

 

[Kojaku]

can I still steal the one for my signature?  LOL..  I'll credit you.

Hehe, just don't mention what I was *specifically* talking about xD

Kojaku

 

[Hisoundfi]

My favorite pair of cans from the show was Zach's Omni. I'm not just saying that because he's my "buddy"
 
I really enjoyed the bass on them, and they had just the right amount of treble for my preference.
 
There really was a nice collection of things to listen to. HE1000 build is ridiculously cool in a Battlestar Galactica kind of way. Sound is out of this world as well.
 
Stax were really nice sounding. I'm glad to have finally had a chance to experience an electrostatic headphone.
 
I'm just the opposite of Keith. I'm kicking myself for getting the HD600 after spending some time with the HD650 today. 
 
@Kojaku thanks for bringing the Oppo HA-1. That is something on my list of things I want. Thanks for all the hilarious one liners, you cracked me up quite a few times.
 
Most of all, the best part of the show was how cool everyone was. I'm not going to lie, I was nervous and not sure what to expect showing up with my budget stuff, but everyone made me feel very welcome. The opportunity to try so many elite pieces of gear was awesome. 
 
Thanks to all of you guys, It was a lot of fun.

 

[Keithpgdrb]

  I'm just the opposite of Keith. I'm kicking myself for getting the HD600 after spending some time with the HD650 today. 

Dont Kick yourself.  The 600 is excellent.  You only feel this way because you spent too much time with the 650 today.  Its like having a girlfriend with a dislocated.. shoulder.. its great till its not.  When you get the 600 home, you to will realize that the 600 is superior!!!!!!!  Everyone knows it    I suppose it depends on what your listening to though.  I did not consider that till now.  
 
Never mind.  its all so relative.

 

[Kojaku]

  My favorite pair of cans from the show was Zach's Omni. I'm not just saying that because he's my "buddy"
 
I really enjoyed the bass on them, and they had just the right amount of treble for my preference.
 
There really was a nice collection of things to listen to. HE1000 build is ridiculously cool in a Battlestar Galactica kind of way. Sound is out of this world as well.
 
Stax were really nice sounding. I'm glad to have finally had a chance to experience an electrostatic headphone.
 
I'm just the opposite of Keith. I'm kicking myself for getting the HD600 after spending some time with the HD650 today. 
 
@Kojaku thanks for bringing the Oppo HA-1. That is something on my list of things I want. Thanks for all the hilarious one liners, you cracked me up quite a few times.
 
Most of all, the best part of the show was how cool everyone was. I'm not going to lie, I was nervous and not sure what to expect showing up with my budget stuff, but everyone made me feel very welcome. The opportunity to try so many elite pieces of gear was awesome. 
 
Thanks to all of you guys, It was a lot of fun.

It's OK man, some people just have ****ty ears.
 
-Kojaku, June 27, 2015