Quote:
Originally Posted by Canman
Sounds like you guys had a great time...I'm looking forward to jefemeister's comments when he hears a properly set up Omega 2 later this week. I have a "Pro" jack for my Omegas
BTW, do I have to work for Wadia to change my name to canmeister?
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Yes, canmeister and all variants of *meister are trademarked, so don't think about it.
Where to begin? This was my second meet, the first was at the old Wadia facility in Ann Arbor, and this was infinitely more fun. Maybe it was because elrod-tom completely sacrificed his home (what was his wife thinking?) to make everyone comfortable, watered, and fed. I will not forget the look on his wife's face when she walked through the front door and looked at the extension cords that snaked through two levels of her home, with every horizontal surface covered with equipment or a Head-Fier -- she smiled. Elrod-tom, you are truly blessed.
It was a delight to meet the people who make up Head-Fi. At the high end of audio, there is a belief that our customer base is shrinking, due to age. MP3, portable devices, and headphone systems are very important to young people who are mobile and less affluent. I believe the headphone community is creating the next generation of audiophiles who will lust after the high end when they own the companies for which they now slave.
Once married and no longer as mobile, they will want and be able to afford high end systems, so I see Head-Fi as the future of audio.
I have a lot of impressions after the meet. Of course, listening is very limited at a meet, but it is the only way to try a wide range of products, some which are one-off or limited availability. However, there were several products that stood out and made me pay attention.
I wish I had been able to directly compare the Blockhead with Ray Samuels Stealth. Using different CD players and different headphones makes a meaningful comparison impossible, but each promised wonderful things. I found that Ray's Stealth kept bringing me back for more, and the vinyl rig with the Stealth and Ray's phono stage is absolutely addictive. I should have moved Ray's rig over to the Blockhead, but it was never free. Maybe next time.
A comment about Ray Samuels Audio is in order. Others have commented on Ray's personality, but I will say passionate pretty much defines it. More importantly, Ray is an engineer's engineer. I loved the thought that went into his designs. From the silk-screening of instructions on his PCBs, just in case you lose the manual, to the use of a PCB to eliminate wires on the back panel, to the perfectly formed leads on each resistor with each label perfectly aligned, there is much for an engineer to love. Even the execution of his enclosures, made from custom extrusions, straight line sanding, consistent anodizing, and perfect silk-screening, is impressive. In fact, I gave Ray my highest compliment, that it was Wadia-like in its execution. I have only used Wadia-like once before, for Pass Labs amplifiers.
I found myself wishing that we had Mikhail Rotenberg of Single Power with his products for a direct A-B comparison. Mikhail is another passionate engineer.
I also brought a Voodoochile PPA, but I was not able to directly compare it to Chosen1's PPA. The most noticeable build difference was the attenuator Chosen1 built -- very sweet, and the silver wiring. I will be making some mods to my PPA as soon as the parts arrive.
Having Tuberoller at the meets is a real pleasure and I realize how long a drive it is for him, with Ray. Between Ray and Tuberoller, my jaws hurt from laughing all afternoon. I did not realize that Fred was Tuberoller until this meet, but after seeing his Avatar, I may understand, even the need for speed. Semper-Fi Tuberoller (Marines and Navy 1968 to 1981).
I am looking forward to the next meet and hope that we can soon hold it at the new Wadia facility.
