[analogsurviver]

   
Don't want to be a spoil-sport, but don't get fooled by the impressions from the fair. If you take your own music to a shop and listen to the stuff, it already sounds different.
 
It is important to always check, what music is played at the fair and through which systems. For my headphone amp and can tests at the fair, the CD players were less advanced than my home system. But the CDs inside were mastered for shows like this. So the music ususally contains instruments that sound good through headphones, like acoustic guitar and a singer (very close to the mike). And - no question - the mastering is the best that money can buy on this planet.
 
Get one of those test CDs, from Stereoplay or Audio or Stockfish records and play them at home. You will hear marvelous sound through your own system.
There is always a lot new stuff to discover on a fair and its fun to go and try it out. But don't get too much taken away, or I'll be really sorry for your wallet.
 
Probably I was a spoil sport now

.

Wrong.
 
I brought my own source and my own recordings - DSD128 masters on my modified Korg MR-1000 - against which any of demo CDs mentioned pale in comparison. You should have seen the faces of the exhibitors after I gave them to listen - briefly - some of the masters. 
 
I DID NOT listen for a second to anything prepared for the demo by the exhibitors. Except for the Senn Orpheus, which required procedure to change the source by a particular man ( my guess it would be the owner ), who had a meeting at the time and would come back "in about half an hour". I did listen for about one minute to the programme being played - and decided not to waste any more time, as surrounding noise was far too much to allow for any critical listening.
 
I agree fairs like Munich lack the required quiet space for any serious listening to anything but closed headphones. I have to specifically single out one "big headphone" demo - that of King' Audio electrostatic speakers, the King now its third reincarnation. They built an acoustically isolated space within the hall, and the sound WAS MARVELOUS. I am familiar with the original King, I am familiar with my recordings - and could hear, on spot, what was being improved on King III. It is perhaps one of the best speakers, out of all full range
electrostatics I know it is the one with the most satisfying bass - there is absolutely no need for subwoofers with these.
 
The gentlemen demoing King III speakers bought one of my CDs on spot - after listening and realizing how marvelous it sounds. There are very few speakers in the world capable of this level of performance - regardless of price. The only drawback is that they require $eriou$ amplification - high quality amps capable of driving ESLs at high SPL are few and far in between - and these don't come cheap.

 

[fixxxer667]

   
Don't want to be a spoil-sport, but don't get fooled by the impressions from the fair. If you take your own music to a shop and listen to the stuff, it already sounds different.
 
It is important to always check, what music is played at the fair and through which systems. For my headphone amp and can tests at the fair, the CD players were less advanced than my home system. But the CDs inside were mastered for shows like this. So the music ususally contains instruments that sound good through headphones, like acoustic guitar and a singer (very close to the mike). And - no question - the mastering is the best that money can buy on this planet.
 
Get one of those test CDs, from Stereoplay or Audio or Stockfish records and play them at home. You will hear marvelous sound through your own system.
There is always a lot new stuff to discover on a fair and its fun to go and try it out. But don't get too much taken away, or I'll be really sorry for your wallet.
 
Probably I was a spoil sport now

.

 
No worries, I picked up on this soon, seeing how most of the cans I've tried were hooked on high-end amps and sources.

To be honest, this was one of the reasons I was so surprised by the t20, as I tested it with my phone and I still felt more impressed than from the ie 800s hooked to an Astell Kern player with 24bit/96khz media (perhaps Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit" was a poor choice on their end ).

Also, I had another chance to realize how forgiving the SE215s are with some of the older/ lower bitrate tracks I have, compared to some of the other headphones tested.
 
You're making me regret not getting any of the reference records there, I'll keep it in mind for next year.
 
On another point, what were your impressions from the Devialet Phantom demo? I had read good things, but was still surprised with the power + sq / size ratio.

 

[mironathetin]

  Wrong.
 
I brought my own source and my own recordings - DSD128 masters on my modified Korg MR-1000 - against which any of demo CDs mentioned pale in comparison. You should have seen the faces of the exhibitors after I gave them to listen - briefly - some of the masters. 
 
I DID NOT listen for a second to anything prepared for the demo by the exhibitors. Except for the Senn Orpheus, which required procedure to change the source by a particular man ( my guess it would be the owner ), who had a meeting at the time and would come back "in about half an hour". I did listen for about one minute to the programme being played - and decided not to waste any more time, as surrounding noise was far too much to allow for any critical listening.
 
I agree fairs like Munich lack the required quiet space for any serious listening to anything but closed headphones. I have to specifically single out one "big headphone" demo - that of King' Audio electrostatic speakers, the King now its third reincarnation. They built an acoustically isolated space within the hall, and the sound WAS MARVELOUS. I am familiar with the original King, I am familiar with my recordings - and could hear, on spot, what was being improved on King III. It is perhaps one of the best speakers, out of all full range
electrostatics I know it is the one with the most satisfying bass - there is absolutely no need for subwoofers with these.
 
The gentlemen demoing King III speakers bought one of my CDs on spot - after listening and realizing how marvelous it sounds. There are very few speakers in the world capable of this level of performance - regardless of price. The only drawback is that they require $eriou$ amplification - high quality amps capable of driving ESLs at high SPL are few and far in between - and these don't come cheap.

Wrong? What a plain statement.
You certainly did the right thing as an experienced visitor.
Please note, that I was not answering one of YOUR posts and thus I am puzzled that you care to write that "YOU DID NOT" - even in capital letters. No one accused you of anything.
I register your implication that your mastering may be better than the one of Tacet (Stereoplay works with Tacet, according to my knowledge).
So maybe the gentleman working for King picked the wrong recording. Many others did not.

 

[analogsurviver]

 
Wrong? What a plain statement.
You certainly did the right thing as an experienced visitor.
Please note, that I was not answering one of YOUR posts and thus I am puzzled that you care to write that "YOU DID NOT" - even in capital letters. No one accused you of anything.
I register your statement that your mastering may be better than the one of Tacet (Stereoplay works with Tacet, according to my knowledge).
So maybe the gentleman working for King picked the wrong recoding. Many others did not.

Please read correctly - I wrote I DID NOT ( listen with whatever exhibitors have used as source and musical programme ) - not talking about -  you personally - or anyone else. Merely stating I concur with the opinion it is hard to reach an accurate assessment of audio gear on fairs - with unknown source and unknown material.
 
So those pieces of gear I did get to listen to properly ( aside from surrounding noise, problematic with open headphones ) I could reach a decent opinion about - given the limited time available. I am long past the stage I would buy anything without the possibility to listen first - with known other variables. Or at least it has to have a reasonable return policy - or priced low enough to be deemed "dispendable". 
 
Your warning not to get carried away by the sound using unfamiliar variables at fairs is an entirely correct one.

 

[AnakChan]

Take it offline guys.

 

[analogsurviver]

Take it offline guys.

+1.

 

[mironathetin]

Take it offline guys.

Nothing there to take offline. Please go on everybody to report about the fair and your highlights.