[verycoolalan]

 
Thanks for this badass pic of me VRacer!
 
Anyways forgot to post my impressions!
 
Totally a surreal experience, this was my first meet and it was awesome meeting everyone! Thanks for organizing it Paul.
 
I was very impressed with everyone's setups, my favorite portable were the Oppo PM headphones they sounded very good for the type of headphone they are.
Romano's JVC headphones killed it! It was awesome feeling the bass shaking my head it was like a giant car subwoofer something I've never experienced in my life.
Sam's 007A and Carbon amp with the Yggy was just a totally almost perfect setup, really excited for my next setup now that I got to hear it. 
 
Now some things I will do different for the next meet:
-Use a tablet (like VRacer did)  as it will be a cleaner, slimmer experience and it will be easier to play music with a Music App rather than the confusing file folders I had (sorry about that!)
-Will have the setup ready for anyone to point and play any song, this time around I forgot to keep the laptop on and every few moments I looked over at it the computer was off and that was my fault I apologize.
-Definitely will have some more versatile music of any genre at the highest quality I can find so anyone can find a song they love and have heard a million times, instead of listening to something they don't like.
 
My 4040 system has served me well but after listening to Sam's 007 and Carbon I decided to upgrade again for one last time until I can actually afford Orpheus 2 in the coming years (crossing fingers?)
     So in the coming weeks I am ordering a Stax 009 to start off, it is one of my most desired headphones and I think I'm ready to make the jump either this month or the next.
     By the end of this year I also want to upgrade to the WOO Audio WES and I love the look of Woo Products and prefer it over the BHSE in terms of looks. 
     Also just ordered a Woo headphone stand, after seeing Sam's I fell in love with in. 
 
Hoping for another big meet like this hopefully next year, this was very fun and was great talking to a lot of you and learning some new things! (tube rolling means switching tubes LOL never would've guessed) 

 

[snellemin]

Hey, I'm sorry if I disturbed some people when I was sampling open back headphones at loud levels.  I like to listen to new stuff at front row concert levels.  
 
First time for me listening to electrostatic headphones.  Was easy to hear the difference in acoustics over planars.  
 
Next time I'm just bringing in my whole setup.  My dinky little amps are not able to showcase what the Hifiman can do.  I'll be saving up to replace my NAD speaker amp for a Bryston speaker amp for my headphones.  The Bryston at the meet had something extra I liked when jamming on headphones.  Sounded like my setup in my living room.
 
This is my headphone station.  A bit different then the one I showed up with.  I believe some of you guys might of had fun pushing buttons over my software eq.
 

 

[pbui44]

Speaking of amps and DACs, I noticed that a few people were setting up their own amps and DACs on other setups. Anyone find any amp, DAC, or source interesting?

 

[Jimbob Andrews]

I want a dac to replace my DX80. Probably my next buy followed by the ether c

 

[sunneebear]

  I want a dac to replace my DX80. Probably my next buy followed by the ether c

The Mojo is a terrific DAC and it comes with a free amp the puts most amps to shame.

 

[pbui44]

Just to let all attendees know that all of the stuff I had for demo is all for sale, except my laptop, so PM me for prices. This was the setup next to Alan's (VeryCoolAlan) Woo Audio WDS-1 DAC, Stax SRM-006t Amp, and macbook with Stax SR-404 headphones. Our table was the one in the left side of the room, next to the single-locked-door and exiting door.

I thought about using the extra chip-in money you guys gave me to buy a couple of portable tables as places to eat and use those 2 library tables we used for eating as extra table-top equipment places or have a vendor(s) take those tables. If you guys have suggestions on when you would prefer the next meet to be, which is possibly next year, or what vendors you would like to see, post them. Some suggestions would be Headamp, Moon Audio in NC, and The Source AV in CA.

Edit: For vendor idea inspiration, last year's CanJam@RMAF impressions thread:

http://www.head-fi.org/t/782818/2015-canjam-rmaf-impressions-thread-october-2-4-2015

and CanJam@SoCal impressions thread from earlier this year:

http://www.head-fi.org/t/802161/canjam-socal-2016-impressions-thread-march-19-20-2016

Remember that vendors do not necessarily need to have their own table-top space to have their products for demo, but they will need to verify your info or someone else's info to send their stuff. As a reminder, we had mrspeakers and Vibro Labs send their stuff to me and Mumbles06 for demo.

 

[sunneebear]

Here is my 2 cents on the Stax 007A and Ether E.
 
I had a quick listen early on in the meet for about a minute on each headphone.  I can't recall the song but it was one I did not know.  I found the Stax to be more musical and warmer but it also had a tad less treble presence than the Ether.  I walked away thinking about all the things that I've read about the Ether E and now that I actually listened to it it sounded so.. "bland" was the word that came to mind.  I actually thought that my Ether C sounded more impressive than the E.
 
Near the end of the day I came back for a longer listen.  Sam (HemiSam) showed me how to use the music search on his ipad.  I listened to what was playing for a few seconds and heard pretty much the same thing I heard earlier.  I then tried two Norah Jones and Katie Melua songs, two artist that I listened to all the time.  What I heard now was totally different.  The Stax was Stax, great sounding all around slightly warm and thick but not LCD2 thick.  Treble lacked the vibrant energy and presence that stats are known for.  The Ether E sounded neutral, flat but natural and easy to listen to.  Switching back and forth I heard that even though the 007A had less treble energy, it had a peak somewhere that stood out. It wasn't standing up and slapping you across the face but when going back and forth between headphones, the E was more treble forward but was flatter.  So in a nut shell, 007A fun, warm sounding.  Ether, Flat neutral.
 
I still walked away thinking that I was more impressed with my Ether C and home rig (QP1R and Gustard H10) than these two top tier electrostatics played from a Yggy and KGSShv Carbon.  Why?  To me the spaciousness and headroom that I remember from listening to older Stax was not there.  E stats without that magical airy staging, imaging and space, something is not right.  Even the other two lower Stax setups and the Koss ESP950 sounded more "electrostatic".  I now think it is the source.  I am not a user so I don't know anything about the ipad or the type of files being steamed to it but could it be that this was the reason for the whole chain of top tier equipment to sound so underwhelming?  Then again could be just me and my ears.  And two cents worth of my thoughts.

 

[pbui44]

Here is my 2 cents on the Stax 007A and Ether E.

I had a quick listen early on in the meet for about a minute on each headphone.  I can't recall the song but it was one I did not know.  I found the Stax to be more musical and warmer but it also had a tad less treble presence than the Ether.  I walked away thinking about all the things that I've read about the Ether E and now that I actually listened to it it sounded so.. "bland" was the word that came to mind.  I actually thought that my Ether C sounded more impressive than the E.

Near the end of the day I came back for a longer listen.  Sam (HemiSam) showed me how to use the music search on his ipad.  I listened to what was playing for a few seconds and heard pretty much the same thing I heard earlier.  I then tried two Norah Jones and Katie Melua songs, two artist that I listened to all the time.  What I heard now was totally different.  The Stax was Stax, great sounding all around slightly warm and thick but not LCD2 thick.  Treble lacked the vibrant energy and presence that stats are known for.  The Ether E sounded neutral, flat but natural and easy to listen to.  Switching back and forth I heard that even though the 007A had less treble energy, it had a peak somewhere that stood out. It wasn't standing up and slapping you across the face but when going back and forth between headphones, the E was more treble forward but was flatter.  So in a nut shell, 007A fun, warm sounding.  Ether, Flat neutral.

I still walked away thinking that I was more impressed with my Ether C and home rig (QP1R and Gustard H10) than these two top tier electrostatics played from a Yggy and KGSShv Carbon.  Why?  To me the spaciousness and headroom that I remember from listening to older Stax was not there.  E stats without that magical airy staging, imaging and space, something is not right.  Even the other two lower Stax setups and the Koss ESP950 sounded more "electrostatic".  I now think it is the source.  I am not a user so I don't know anything about the ipad or the type of files being steamed to it but could it be that this was the reason for the whole chain of top tier equipment to sound so underwhelming?  Then again could be just me and my ears.  And two cents worth of my thoughts.

From listening the Ether E Prototypes at the mrspeakers demo table with the Yggy and Cavalli LL (According to my picture, I think it was the tube model) to hearing it at our meet with the Yggy and KGSSHV Carbon, that the Ether E Prototypes are the same as the SR009 and HD800 stock in needing tubes to sound their best. Granted, I do still like the Ether E Prototypes better than the SR009 and HD800, but they are still very power-hungry beasts and need very good equipment to power them.

Oh, and a few more vendors to point out for the next meet: Todd the Vinyl Junkie, Questyle, iFi Audio, Hifiman, Woo Audio, Oppo, Stax (I can reserve the smaller meeting room with 12 max. occupants on the same day as the larger meeting room), and the list goes on and on. I do have to ask the vendors, but you are still free to give suggestions on who you would like to see.

 

[HemiSam]

I think it's great that you're expressing your thoughts and recollections.  That's the beauty of a meet...gathering with different options and people.
 
The rig was fed from a Mac Air via USB, not an iPad.  I also think you would have enjoyed the Stax L300 and Stax 404 Signatures out of that same rig.  They were far more "sparkly", bright...forward in the treble and mids.  That's not my preferred sound signature and exactly why I like the 007A's and my HD650's.  My TH900's are much more like that and one of the reasons I prefer them out of my tube amp instead of my Headamp GS-1 Dynalo+.  What I have come to learn, for me personally, is that if I switch headphones back and forth I have the same reaction although I have different preferences.  If I live with the HD 650's or the 007A's a night, then they are absolutely where I want them to be.  It's a head burn-in thing for me.  The only electrical burn-in I've experienced is with the Ygg.
 
Happy listening and it was good to meet you, sunneebear.
 
HS

 

[sunneebear]

Hey Sam, could be the cheapskate in me saying your rig doesn't sound three time better than mine.  With this hobby we all know that in the end the wallet always loses.

 

[HemiSam]

LOL...we all wish the return for money were linear, but that's not how it works in this hobby or any other I've participated in.  What I have learned (in a lot more than just audio) is that it's best to go for what you think you truly want and that you can afford to avoid upgraditis.  Incrementalism is far more costly than buying what you really want and can afford in the end.  That's certainly the case for me when it comes to hobbies I have passion for.
 
Best of luck in your audio journey, sunneebear.
 
HS 

 

[verycoolalan]

Would it be a better idea to not make the next meet near a holiday?
That way more people are in town?

 

[Jimbob Andrews]

I definitely found the Ether E's bright. I do not know what I was listening to either. The Stax 007a sounded incredible to me. I made a point of not listening again as they will never be an option( too much space taken, too much money, and too noisy for people around me. I loved the L300, but not an option either. My favorite was the Ether C. (I can use them at work making them an option.) 

 

[VRacer-111]

I learned that out of all the setups and headphones I heard, what I liked most was the lower end Stax (I believe it was Alan's SR-404 I heard on Sam's rig) followed by the Koss ESP 950 on Paul's rig. Really looking to get a Stax SR-L300 setup eventually and end it there, they have they sound I'm looking for.

 

[ToroFiestaSol]

One thing, just out of curiosity, did the 007A have the port mod or were stock?