[Zanth]

After a week of hell, I was lucky enough to enjoy a fun day and have the privilege of hosting the first Canadian Head-fi meet here in the nation's capital. A great bunch of guys showed up and from there the listening began. A nice suprise was hearing the Corda HA-1 with the HD600's and the Equinox. To me, this was a magnificent combo and one I could see myself with when I need a nice relaxing experience. The Equinox cables are my favourite by far (we had all four here) and they were very easy to work with, soft and well constructed.

Another great surprise came from joe dick who seems to be Canada's answer to JMT

On hand was a beautiful and super clean META42 as well as various incarnations of the CMOY (I had never heard either). All well made and looking very pretty. Small too! I am looking for a small amp for an MD player...I think Joe could hook me up with some finely crafted units. (Please Joe

Another interesting portable amp was the Supermini from Fix-up. This thing is small. It is also very well constructed although I wish it would come stock with an analog pot similar to the one found on the Porta Corda (which also made an appearance).

I am about to embark on dinner with my wife so I will comment more on the amps and my impressions later tonight or tomorrow morning. Suffice to say, I had a wonderful time and hope we can all get together again soon.

Now then...you TO boys....let's get something worked out. We need zzz and msjjr there for sure...they have some phones I am desperately interested in hearing.

Thanks to all who made it out!

 

[NotoriousBIG_PJ]

This post is just a tease. Lets see some more comments, who went and brought what, and pictures of gear.

We still have no one to host a T.O. meet unless we make it end of April. Hey wait, Zanth you can host it! Superfantasic idea Biggie. High-fives air..

Biggie.

 

[Zanth]

Well...my place is not large enough to house the TO people and the Ottawa people, although I could organize a meeting room at a local school or shop or something. How many people are willing to travel from TO to come down here? Not many. So...I say we figure out how to get one going on in Toronto. Come on people let's get to work

Pictures are coming soon btw.

 

[NotoriousBIG_PJ]

Hey it was a joke, someone from ottawa holding a t.o. meet hehe.

Biggie.

 

[elnero]

Sounds like a good time was had by all. Now to organize a meet in the maritimes, oh wait, that would be a party of one. Wish I could have been there, it sounds like it was fun.

 

[Zanth]

joe you can come back anytime =) Maybe in the spring I will have another official meet when the Melos is working.

Thanks also for the kind comments. Really my wife keeps me in line and she is the main reason I have such lovely toys

As for the gear...simply put...I was in portable heaven. Honestly I have now heard all the best portable amps out there on the best portable cans (SR60's, KSC 35's, ETY 4P's) and I have to say that the meta series does amazingly well. joe dick's meta42 smoked my cha47 for the Grados and the Koss', actually so did anearfull's fix-up super mini. People really need to see that little bugger to believe it. Sooo clean...so well manufactured. I am waiting for another type of pot before I take the plunge but overall I think something that small is exactly what I am looking for in a portable amp.

I also enjoyed the CMOY as much as I enjoyed my CHA47 for the 35's. Not much of a difference in sound for me. Both Meta's (if you can call the super mini a true meta) had better bass extension and a more laid back sound than the CHA47 used with the SR-60's and the 35's. This is really idead as these two phones lack proper bass control and are usually on the bright side. I have to admit though, my CHA47 was optimized for my ETY's and I have yet to hear a better amp with them than my JMT built CHA. Even my Melos did not best the litte CHA47. Seriously.

My biggest surprise was the Corda HA-1 appearance and the Equinox cable. I had previously heard the Clou Red, the Cardas and the stock on the HD600's paired with the Porta Corda. Truthfully, I was not impressed with the HD600's after that session. I AM IMPRESSED with them now. After another auditon of the combos, I came out floored with the Equinox/H600/Corda combo. This is a sweet laid back sound, comfy and perfect for some night time listening or some bed-time relaxing. I just may pick up the HD600's with Equinox as just that, an R&R phone.

What did the Equinox do right? First it really opened up the mid-range so that it was not 4 football fields away; however, the sound was not in my face but still half a theatre back. Listening to Horowitz In Moscow, I felt I was looking down on hiim from a balcony seat, my heart was racing as his fingers struck those i and e keys. Frequency response was nice but doens't hold a candle to the HP-1's. Highs were rolled off but in just a nice way, no stridents, no sibilance, just nice sounds. The bass was PLENTY but tight, but PLENTY. I now understand what people mean by saying the HD600's have bass galore.

The Corda really brings out that bass. Much better than the RA-1 did on first trial with the HD600's. I enjoyed the Corda a lot. It made the HD600's sound smooth and fun. The pairing of the HP-1's and the Corda was very nice as well, although I have yet to hear a combo that bests the Melos and the HP-1. Different league I know...maybe the HA-2 or the Pre will do well in that area.

One of the most surprising listening results came from some of the folks who actually enjoyed the tubed headphone out of my cd player better than the Corda. I really do enjoy the headphone out. It was NOT an after thought, the entire right side of the player is attributed to the headphone out. My problem is the digital volume control . With an analog volume and better control over the gain of the unit. When pairing with the HP-1's, power is a must and so I don't usually listen to them out of this jack and I use the RA-1 with the RS-1 but well, I have been listening all night and now all morning to the HP-1's with the Shanling and it is damn good. Nice smooth sound. I won't use this as my main amp but it is a nice change up. Very respectable. I'll let others explain their opinions on it vs. the Corda.

Indeed, with all the great gear and all the great people it was difficult to adequately audition everything. What is nice though, is we here in Ottawa have now formed a network, a small community. This was the first meet but it won't be the last meet. I was on Headwize for years and I love that site, sound knowledge good people, but since Head-fi, I feel the COMMUNITY has come together. These Head-fi meets, started by Kelly and Nick I believe, really are the be all and end all of what I love about this hobby. I can listen to my gear any time. But I want to talk about my gear, about the gear of others. I want to talk about headphones, high-end and DIY. I want to meet cool people who enjoy my passion because it is their passion as well. This happened yesterday and I believe it is safe to say, everyone there feels the same way.

 

[jude]

Quote:

Originally posted by Zanth ....These Head-fi meets, started by Kelly and Nick I believe, really are the be all and end all of what I love about this hobby....

Actually, I think these started with the Bay Area folks, first arranged at HeadWize, and then again on Head-Fi a couple of months later. The Pacific Northwest folks, if I remember correctly, were the first to arrange a meet through Head-Fi (and I think Tyll showed up for that one because he was on vacation up there or something like that). But the Dallas folks -- led by Flumpus, Kelly and Nick -- have arguably been the champeens of rolling with the concept; the Chicago and Baltimore/DC/Virginia Head-Fi'ers seem to be making moves on that.

Zanth, sounds like you cats had a great time, man!

 

[Zanth]

Ah...thanks Jude! I stand corrected. Nice to read these meets have been going on for ages. Seriously, I fully stand by my statement...this is what it is all about.

We definitely had a good time. Honestly, if we can give you enough notice, I hope you can make the trek to the Toronto meet Jude.

 

[kelly]

I would take the Melos over the Corda HA-1, too, though I never heard it with the HP-1 which is supposedly where it really kicks in.

Dallas has had two killer meets plus the World of Headphones thing and I'm told of one meet prior to my arrival that went well. We've got another one planned but the turnout may be quite a bit lower. Ah well.

 

[klavier_28]

First of all, thanks Zanth for his great great organizing.

It is me who has been seizing the Shanling CD player for almost all the time. ( Sorry guys, I just can't help hearing its truly beautiful sound all along.

I have to mention the software I used for the AB switch compare. Because it is important that HIFI records will bring everything you need and you want to hear.

Classical:
Carmen-Fantasie, Anne-Sophie Mutter, WPO, Levine, DG 437 544-2 (test string music, orchestra)
Danses Anciennes De Hongrie, Clemencic Consort, Rene Clemencic, HMF 1901003 (test music extension, space, stage and bass)

Pop/Rock:
Eagles - Desperado, 1973 Elektra (test drum, voice band)
Faye Wong - Sky, 1994 Decca (Chinese songs, test voice, stage)

Folk:
Janis Ian - Breaking Silence, 1992 Morgan Creek (test voice, bass, foot drum)

New Age:
Enya - Watermark, 1988 WEA (test electric synthesizer music)

Here is the AB switch listening configuration.

1. Shanling CD (RCA out) --> Cardas Neutral Ref --> Corda HA-1 --> Equinox --> HD-600
vs. Shanling CD (headphone out) --> HP-1
I spent the most time on this config, try to tell the distinction. One thing really made me depressed is that when I listened Eagles, the last song contains so deep drum sound, I always got cracking sound which is playing on my own potable CD player. I thought Shanling CD player will fix it but I still heard cracking drum. Now I just believe this is the recording problem, not cd player problem. This album was on award lists on both TAS and Sterophile recommandation. Now I am wondering if there has a Hi-End player which can handle this album well enough.
The sound has NO DIFFERENT between HP-1 and HD-600 when I listened Eagles and Faye Wong. Guitar, bass and mandolin, all instruments are amazingly truely . All are the same for two headphones. Vocal is same, bass is same, high range is same. HP-1 didn't come with heavy bass but a bit more than HD-600's (<2%). When I switched to classical music, listened Mutter played Sarasate (track 01) and Danses Anciennes de Hongrie (track 04 & 05), slightly different came up to my ears. HD-600 comes with a bit more details than HP-1 (2% more). I have to say this, sorry about it Zanth.
HD-600 is really made for classical music. I had a bit more confidence about my HD-600 then. I continued to listen Janis Ian (track 01), HP-1 comes with warmer voice than HD-600. That type of voice is really attractive, breaking through, HD-600's behavior is a bit cold (less than 1%). Now I am very impressed by Shanling's headphone output. I switched two headphone. I heard the different immediately. Corda HA-1 with HP-1 showed same performance as with HD-600, but Shanling headphone output with HD-600 is not as good as with HP-1. It seems that Shanling headphone amp is not power enough to drive HD-600, the sound lacks vivid, high range is not bright, bass is loose, not tight. Now I am very pleased with Corda HA-1. Maybe it is good for any headphones. Shanling's inner headphone amp maybe suit for low resistance headphone not high resistance headphone.

2. Corda HA-1 --> HD-600 vs. Grado RA-1 --> RS-1
Not much to say, RS-1 has more colored bass than HP-1, which conceal music details in mid range and high range. In my opinion, RS-1 is not as good as HP-1. It is good for pop/rock music. If you listen some HIFI records, you will tell much more differents between RS-1 and HP-1.

3. Equinox, Clue Red and Cadas cable with HD-600.
I had chance to compare with different cables. I originally don't believe the cable with bring that much different. But I am a believer now. I plugged three cable with HD-600. For classical music, mid and high range are nearly no different. When I listened Janis Ian, in the same output gain from Corda HA-1, Clue Red brought much more bass, this is making HD-600 just like RS-1, even more than HP-1's. The bass is not loose, still tight but louder.
The Equinox brought balance sound. Really balance, I have to say that.
Cadas's resistance maybe higher than other two's. So in the same output gain, the sound is less clear than Clue Red and Equinox.
If listening a lot string music, Clue Red and Equinox are par, myself doesn't like that Clue Red brights a lot bass when I listen pop/rock.
From the facture arts and crafts, Equinox is the best, so soft. Clue Red is a bit stiff, hard to bend.

All in all, I give the score as followed.
HP-1 --------------------------------- 10
HD-600 with Equinox ------------------ 10
HD-600 with Clue Red ----------------- 9.5
HD-600 with Cadas -------------------- 9
RS-1 --------------------------------- 9

The best combo is Corda HA-1 + HD-600 with Equinox cable.

Thanks Zanth for his great hosting and so nice people. Thanks all you guys. Forgive me to grab all Hi-End phones and Shanling CD player really a long time.

I missed the porable amp part. And I didn't compare them with some nice sporty earphones. Really too short for the meeting and too much stuff to listen. Next time, I can bring more HIFI CD records. And we can spend more time get together to listen some really nice music recording. I promise I will not hold Zanth's cd player all the time.

Happy listening!!

 

[chewmanji]

aaah makes me almost NEEED to get the Equinox once my Corda arrives. damn this Head-Fi!!!!!!

don't worry i still love you all.

 

[zzz]

what, there was not a single person there capable of holding a camera?

 

[anearfull]

Quote:

Originally posted by zzz what, there was not a single person there capable of holding a camera?

I had my digital camera there but am having trouble uploading any of the pictures. The file size limit on uploads is only 25600 bytes and that's way smaller than even my smallest *.jpg image.

Any tips ?

 

[elnero]

Decrease the size and quality of the .jpg, if your having problems PM me.

 

[zzz]

Quote:

Originally posted by anearfull I had my digital camera there but am having trouble uploading any of the pictures. The file size limit on uploads is only 25600 bytes and that's way smaller than even my smallest *.jpg image. Any tips ?

Don't decrease the quality, just put them somewhere else on the web. There are tons of free services around that allow one to put photos on the net.