[JmoonAK]

Quote:

Thanks for all who stopped by to listen and thanks Mike for the help with setting the show up for the personal audio clan. 
 
Great show! we really enjoyed talking to everyone and finally having the Studio Six all wrapped up and ready to go. We could not be more happy with the impressions we got over the last 3 days on the amps performance. Sorry we did not bring and of our portable amps! we just wanted to focus all out effort on our new flagship, the Studio Six. The Studio Six will be for sale this month June 25. We will add the product to the webpage when we get back home this week.
 
It was great to see everyone! Cant wait for the next show.
 
Ken and ALO crew.

I really cannot say this enough, but many thanks to Michael, Tyll, and the rest of T.H.E. SHOW Newport Beach 2013 team for making it a successful show. 
 
It was great meeting some of the Head-Fi'ers and introducing the AK120 at the show. We're ecstatic to hear all the comments and feedback we received from everyone who auditioned the Astell&Kern line of hi-res DAPs. Headphonium definitely was the place to be at T.H.E. SHOW!
 
Hope to see you all there next year!

 

[RyuGTX]

First and foremost, I would like to thank mikemercer for putting on a great show! This was my first audio-related event and I had a lot of fun listening to the various headphones, speakers and DACs/Amps.
 
I'm not sure where the most appropriate place to post some of my pictures, so I'm going to just post them here. If I should move them somewhere else, just let me know. 
 
    
 
    
 
    
 
    
 
    
 
    

 

[warrenpchi]

Quote:

 
ALO Audio Pan Am:  WHY WERE YOU NOT THERE?!?!
 
Originally Posted by KB /img/forum/go_quote.gif
 
Sorry we did not bring any of our portable amps!

 

  Just giving you a little bit of a hard time as the Pan Am (w/Gateway & Passport) just happens to be in my price range right now.  But you're forgiven with the Studio Six.
 
BTW Ken, there's a Los Angeles meet on July 20th.  I don't know if you guys feel like coming down for it since it's only one day.  But if you want to, I believe that there might be one or two vendor spots left open.
 
If you do wind up spending the day with us, you could totally bring the Pan Am then...

 
Quote:

I really cannot say this enough, but many thanks to Michael, Tyll, and the rest of T.H.E. SHOW Newport Beach 2013 team for making it a successful show.
 
Headphonium definitely was the place to be at T.H.E. SHOW!

 
+1! 

  I had a totally great time!  Thanks for bringing out the AK120, that was definitely a treat!
 
BTW, did Jeff come by on Sunday?  I know he couldn't make it Saturday.  Actually nevermind, I'll just email you tomorrow!
 
Quote:

Cardas EM 5813 Ear Speakers:
they do not sound like IEMs to me! - there's so much air, thus far.
Their dimensionality (sense of space between instruments/sounds) and open-ness in the midrange is something I've only heard in over or on-ear!  and I LOVE my JH Audio JH-13 Freqphase)
+
HRT microStreamer
 
Spotify Premium as source...
VERY surprising

 
Okay, now you're just flat out teasing me hardcore! 

 
Quote:

THANKS TO EVERYBODY WHO CAME OUT
and to those who just participated in the discussion!!
 
As a matter of fact - Thanks to all my fellow Head-FIers!!!!
 
I WHOLLY APPRECIATE ALL THE KIND WORDS AND SUPPORT
Seriously, it means the world to me

 
Thanks for stepping up and doing this bro!  It was actually my first time at T.H.E. Show, and it was definitely one to remember!  Now you get to kick back at the L.A. Meet and just enjoy yourself!

 

[morserotonin]

OK my impressions a bit later than I thought I would get to them....
 
RE-600 - I came to the event thinking these would be my next IEMs as I absolutely love my RE-400s. While they do sound good, the extra thickness in the mid range and only slight improvement of the bass left me with the distinct feeling that they just are not worth the extra money over the RE-400s. Of couse everyones tastes are different and they are a very good IEM just not worth it for me.
 
CARDAS EARSPEAKER - This thing is just amazing! Mike Mercer is living with it right now and will be able to word his description much better than I but I have never heard an IEM sound so large and life like. This one is worth the $425 and I most likely buy it when it becomes more readily available. Somewhat kicking myself for not grabbing a set at T.H.E. Show.
 
On the Schiit audio table was an amazing inexpensive set up worth mentioning... the magni/modi stack with the Mr Speaker's Mad Dogs whose source was a laptop running Ubuntu 12.10. I was impressed by the sound period not just for the price. I heard that these where older Mad Dogs too... thinking I should pick up a pair of those but plan on waiting till the LA Meet for a listen to the newer model.
 
ALO Studiosix - I don't have a lot of reference on amps at this price point but this thing is just musical heaven. I spent almost an hour at the table trying every headphone they had there and it was a devine experience. The amp was being sourced by a mac book pro with audirvana into a mytek DSD 192 DAC. That DAC is on my short list to buy already and the combo was insanely good. ALO is known for their synergy with Audeze headphones so I started listening with those and it was a gorgeous experience. I then listened with the Grado PS500s and it was amazing how good those headphones sounded with this amp. The bass was nicely controlled and the top end was tamed. The mid range was everything Grado should be forward and lush.  I then talked to the rep, Caleb and asked him what his favorite combination was and he said the HD-800s.  So I tried them and have to admit for the music they had on the computer it was probably the best match.  I was playing stuff from Paul Simon's Graceland which is they only stuff they had I was familiar with and the drums and vocals just came to life.  I think with the music I normally listen to the Audeze's would probably match better but having both would be really cool... especially since this amp has 4 headphone outs on the front.  There are 3 RCA inputs on the back along with an umbilical connection for a future phono preamp!!! That last part made me jump for joy!!  Yes I love this amp, but will take some advice and wait till after the LA meet before jumping for my wallet.
 
 
In conclusion I really enjoyed my time with some of the gear but meeting the people from this site was really the best part...
 
Oh and my favorite headphone listening experience at the show wasn't from a headphone vendor at all... It was at the Dynamic Sound Associates  table... the set up was VPI Classic 4 turntable with a Sound-smith and a Lyra cartridge into the DSA Phono II phono preamp into the [size=12.727272033691406px]DSA Line Stage II[/size] into Audeze LCD3's... that was just so beautiful sounding.  Of couse that phono pre is $12,0000 lol 
 

 

[morserotonin]

I also liked the AK100... I purposely didn't try the AK120... one of the things that I thought about the next morning when leaving was what the Cardas Earspeakers would sound like directly out of the AK100... I liked the sound of both so much if they pair great that would be a nice little portable rig.

 

[Spiderman]

Quote:

On the Schiit audio table was an amazing inexpensive set up worth mentioning... the magni/modi stack with the Mr Speaker's Mad Dogs whose source was a laptop running Ubuntu 12.10. I was impressed by the sound period not just for the price. I heard that these where older Mad Dogs too... thinking I should pick up a pair of those but plan on waiting till the LA Meet for a listen to the newer model.
 

Dude, I am on the same boat as you I listened to that combo as well it it definitely surprised me how great they sounded the mids sounded amazing, I was considering getting the mad dogs but I heard they are tuned differently now 3.2, since the one Jason had was the 3.0. Honestly though I liked it more than the other headphones at that table he 500, and lcd 3 included.

 

[Kamakahah]

Dude, I am on the same boat as you I listened to that combo as well it it definitely surprised me how great they sounded the mids sounded amazing, I was considering getting the mad dogs but I heard they are tuned differently now 3.2, since the one Jason had was the 3.0. Honestly though I liked it more than the other headphones at that table he 500, and lcd 3 included.

I think they were 3.1s based on the date he told me. I'm with you. Mad Dogs beat out everything for me except I did like the HE-500.

 

[santacore]

I'm really starting to regret not stopping to listen to the Cardas phones. Oh well.....
 

 

[Kamakahah]

I'm really starting to regret not stopping to listen to the Cardas phones. Oh well.....

 

You too? *sigh*

 

[mikemercer]

Quote:

You too? *sigh*

They've presented me with a wholly new IEM listening experience in terms of air and dimensionality.
 
 
I also wanted to share this video of my interview with Audio Head on The Headphonium:
LINK HERE
 
and BIG props to Frank Iacone (don't remember his handle)
 
& especially
 
shiorisekine
morserotonin 
warrenpchi 
weirdfishes

 

[Frank I]

Sonic Satori A New Journey into the Heart of the Audiophile Dream Article By Michael Mercer
 
 
Michael did a fantastic write up in Enjoy the Music on what headfi.org mean to him and the community in general regarding the Newport Beach Show.  I am proud to know Michael and really enjoy his contributions. I look foward to seeing michael at the Californi Audio show headmaster event in August. Michael a terrific article. Thanks for all you do my friend.

 

[Frank I]

Quote:

They've presented me with a wholly new IEM listening experience in terms of air and dimensionality.
 
 
I also wanted to share this video of my interview with Audio Head on The Headphonium:
LINK HERE
 
and BIG props to Frank Iacone (don't remember his handle)
 
& especially
 
shiorisekine
morserotonin 
warrenpchi 
weirdfishes

 
 
Quote:

They've presented me with a wholly new IEM listening experience in terms of air and dimensionality.
 
 
I also wanted to share this video of my interview with Audio Head on The Headphonium:
LINK HERE
 
and BIG props to Frank Iacone (don't remember his handle)
 
& especially
 
shiorisekine
morserotonin 
warrenpchi 
weirdfishes

Thanks Michael and hope we can be successful in San Francisco as well. Your event looked super and a job well done. Sorry I cold not attend.

 

[mikemercer]

Quote:

 
 
Thanks Michael and hope we can be successful in San Francisco as well. Your event looked super and a job well done. Sorry I cold not attend.

likewise Frank!!
 
Lets rally the troops for SURE!!

 

[mikemercer]

Quote:

First and foremost, I would like to thank mikemercer for putting on a great show! This was my first audio-related event and I had a lot of fun listening to the various headphones, speakers and DACs/Amps.
 
I'm not sure where the most appropriate place to post some of my pictures, so I'm going to just post them here. If I should move them somewhere else, just let me know. 
 
    
 
    
 
    
 
    
 
    
 
    

Thanks for the kind words, and GREAT shots!!
 

1. warrenpchi -

 

I have an ALO Pan Am for you to try!!

 

[morserotonin]

Quote:

Thanks for the kind words, and GREAT shots!!
 

1. warrenpchi -

 

I have an ALO Pan Am for you to try!!

I wanna try that bad boy too!  I also had the thought that the Cardas Ear Speakers and the Astrell and Kern AK100 if they match properly would be a kicking little system.  Thanks for the kind words in your Enjoy the Music article. I just know I had a blast meeting you all!!