[vpivinylspinner]

Well Jahn asked me to get the ball rolling as I left a bit early while the meet was still going full swing. I want to first thank Jahn for the location as it was great, as was all the food and drinks provided by members. I got to hear some equipment that I had never heard before and thought most of what I heard was great.

I'll start out with one of my favorites. Philodox had told me that the Headroom Balanced Max was great with the Headphiled AKG K-340s and he was not kidding. This setup with the Meridian source was fantastic.

Another surprise for me was the Singlepower PPX3 Balanced headphone amp. While one of the tubes was a bit wonky the sound was great. I tried these with my AKG K340s, some balanced Sennheiser HD-650 and HD-595s, Balanced DT-880s and my AKG K1000s. This amp has some serious balls. Drove the K340s at minimal volume settings to great sound. The K1000s were also driven pretty convincingly. It had fans on the bottom as another sign of its serious nature. If you look closely you will see that there is a K1000 output on the front of the amp for easy hook up. Very nice!

Bozebutton, once again, had a brilliant set up. He started with the Emm Labs setup going into the Grado Balanced amp driving balanced GS-1000s. Very nice sound. When Mikhail showed up Tom hooked up an ES-1 and the Senn HE-90s. This setup sounded outstanding. We also tried the Stax SR-404s, Sennheiser HE60s and the Stax Omega IIs through this setup.

Aaron's (immtbiker) Original CDP with a Singlepower MPX3 and the Grado Balanced prototypes.

ralphp@optonline's Headroom setup

My Stax SRS-4040 system, Sony DVP-s9000es/Stan Warren Modded Theta DAC, Melos SHA-Gold, Pass Labs Aleph 30

Jahn's Tower of Power

Nikongod's balanced FrankenGrado

Part of Romanee's setup and Gloco's Wooden Millet

Gloco's setup

and some Headroom party favors

 

[1911]

damn..awesome impressions.....more..i need more...pics! and yes pics of the carafes of water and dr.pepper please!

 

[Nomad]

Any impressions on all those electrostatic cans out of the ES-1, please? How they compared against each other?

It seems like I'm in a electrostatic kind of mood lately.

 

[Mercuttio]

Raararrrhhg, I missed my morning bus! I was supposed to be able to get back for the second half of this one!

Ah well, the things we do for love...

 

[vpivinylspinner]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nomad Any impressions on all those electrostatic cans out of the ES-1, please? How they compared against each other? It seems like I'm in a electrostatic kind of mood lately.

The HE90s were excellent, as usual. I listened to my SR-404 through the amp but Mikhail told me the wrong tubes were in it for the 404s. We were going to switch tubes but I had to leave to early. I don't really like my 404s through any of the amps I have listened to them with. They sounded fine with the ES-1 but nothing spectacular. Jaybar, Gloco and Nikongod listened to the amp more than I did so they can probably give you a better review.

 

[Nomad]

Quote:

Originally Posted by vpivinylspinner The HE90s were excellent, as usual. I listened to my SR-404 through the amp but Mikhail told me the wrong tubes were in it for the 404s. We were going to switch tubes but I had to leave to early. I don't really like my 404s through any of the amps I have listened to them with. They sounded fine with the ES-1 but nothing spectacular. Jaybar, Gloco and Nikongod listened to the amp more than I did so they can probably give you a better review.

Tx a lot. Let's see what they say. I'm specially interested on the Omegas2 (although every single one will be interesting) because some people put the blame on the Stax amplification when head-fiers say that the HE90 are better. I wonder if it is true that with a high-end amp tuned for the O2 the Stax cans can reach the level the HE90 have for most people. Akwok was saying that through the ES-1 the O2s are not dark anymore. It would be interesting to know all your opinions after this meeting. Cheers!

Next time I have an offer for a job in NYC it will be harder to refuse

 

[1911]

what bouts the he90 out of hev/90 vs es-1?

 

[vpivinylspinner]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1911 damn..awesome impressions.....more..i need more...pics! and yes pics of the carafes of water and dr.pepper please!

I didn't take a whole lot of pictures and none of them were of Dr. Pepper, but here is a few more to get you by until the other guys get to their computers.

I happen to think that anything you hook to this source will sound excellent.

Headroom Desktop/Power Supply and Millet

Some more Stax action

Warrior05's stash, Goldring, Grado and AKG

 

[MrSlacker]

Just got home.

Thanks Jahn for a great meet, the view was amazing. It was also great to see old friends, and make new ones. Below you can find my pics

 

[akwok]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nomad Tx a lot. Let's see what they say. I'm specially interested on the Omegas2 (although every single one will be interesting) because some people put the blame on the Stax amplification when head-fiers say that the HE90 are better. I wonder if it is true that with a high-end amp tuned for the O2 the Stax cans can reach the level the HE90 have for most people. Akwok was saying that through the ES-1 the O2s are not dark anymore. It would be interesting to know all your opinions after this meeting. Cheers! Next time I have an offer for a job in NYC it will be harder to refuse

EDIT: My bad. Again, I did not read the quote Nomad quoted. Oops!

 

[Tyll Hertsens]

Hi Guys! I had a great time at the meet. Hope you enjoy the coffee cups---I know Jahn proabaly has a seating for 6 since I didn't want to repack them. And, crap! I was going to come back and grab my broken dolly but space it, sorry Jahn to leave you with the mess.

I got some good schwag. I didn't buy any raffle tix but Danny didn't want the tuner and asked me if I needed one, and I do! I been listening to a crappy portable at me desk at home and now I'll have an hones to goodness tuner for my desk rig. Maybe I'll even heave my fat butt up onto the roof and put up an antenna. Oh no, I see where this is going, i've been lusting after one of those Fanfare Tuners, once the antenna is up there will be no stopping! Aaron and I did a shady deal and I got a pair of HF-1s to play around with. Hmmm, maybe I'll take some measurements.

The view from the room was absolutely unbelievable, thanks Jahn for the great spot. (Parking a 15 passenger van at the tip of Manhatten was a bit of a trick though.) And the pizza and brownies was scrumptious, as it can only be at a NY meet. Pizza was evidently invented by the place, and Teleca brownys are one of a kind. (No Teleca is not a place near Soho, she's Immtbikers wife, and the Godess of Chocolate.)

Can't say I'm going to miss the humidity once I get back to Montana. (Just 2200 miles to go.) See ya next time guys!

 

[jaybar]

I listened to the HE-90 and the Stax O2's via the ES-1 and the Meitnet sources.

Very much better than I have ever heard either pair of phones.

The Os's did not sound dark and the bass was moer conbtrolled than I have heard it do date. However, I did not find the bass altra controlled and I just think that is a craracteristic of the phones. It was better than I have ever heard, but not a statement of bass control by any means. The phoens were far less dark than I have heard them before.

Conversely, the HE-90's were far less bright and midrane prominant than I had heard that the National meet, through the McCalister (Spelling). Prior to this, I could not understand what all the fuss was about with the HE-90's. They sounded very neutral and even slightly laid back through the Single power amp. Just the music, just the facts--very little of their own color. No midrange prominance. The polar opposite of what I heard before.

Interestingly, I also heard the O2's through the SRM 717 fed by what I think was an MP3 player. Not the untimate in bass control and slightly recessed, but better than I heard the O's before today. Not as good as the Singlepower amp, but not that much of a gap either. Go figure.

I am concerned about fit issues of the O2's. I have tried 3 pairs and each felt somewhat different. These more than the other pairs, touched the other ends of my ears (Is this common) and felt different than the other pairs, but sounded the best.

I am beginning to thinbk that the 404's need very long break in (read 500+ hours).

The Single power ES-1 amps were awesoem, but alas I need a one box solution.

What are my Stax alternatives?

The ES-1's were a stunning achievement.

Jay

 

[upstateguy]

Hot off the press, here are some pics from the meet:

Jahn picked a beautiful location

looking the other way

Tyll setting up

Jahn setting up

The Tower of Power

We had a hearty lunch

Regards

USG

 

[J-Pak]

Wow a balanced PPX3, thats awesome

 

[JaGWiRE]

Is that Mrslacker in the last picture?

Glad to see Tyll is wearing the Canada shirt the guys at the Hamilton meet (including I) bought him

.