[Audio Addict]

Anybody recommend a good tt in the $1500-2500 range that has push button speed change that is not U.K.?

I would suggest contacting Arnold Martinez at Tweak Studio. Arnold supports ChiUniFi and he carried the SOTA and Clearaudio lines. Sota is a US line while Clearaudio is a German company.

 

[Keithpgdrb]

I would suggest contacting Arnold Martinez at Tweak Studio. Arnold supports ChiUniFi and he carried the SOTA and Clearaudio lines. Sota is a US line while Clearaudio is a German company.

Agree here. Arnold will do you right.

 

[jibzilla]

.

 

[Audio Addict]

Thank you. I have come across the website but have not contacted them yet.

Arnold loves turntables

 

[jibzilla]

Arnold loves turntables

 

[Kojaku]

Does anybody know if headfiers have to request table space? I don't think I'll need more than a single 5 foot table for all my stuff...Will there be table space for us in the hall?
 
Kojaku

 

[Keithpgdrb]

There's usually plenty of room for everyone and ray Samuals. Lol. If you need a whole table, get there early to set up.

 

[Kojaku]

There's usually plenty of room for everyone and ray Samuals. Lol. If you need a whole table, get there early to set up.

I'll just come early, then. I'm really hoping I can find some affordable RCA 6AS7Gs so I can give people the opportunity to tube roll my LCD-3 LD MK VI+ Setup.
 
Kojaku

 

[ogodei]

  Any chance you could bring your RE-400 IEMs? I've been thinking of getting a pair of IEMs and these are on my list of things to consider.

 
Yes, will do on that.

 

[Audio Addict]

There's usually plenty of room for everyone and ray Samuals. Lol. If you need a whole table, get there early to set up.

 
Ray probably will be traveling light in June.  I am sure he will have his latest portable, but I wouldn't expect the big spread like in prior years. 

 

[roflcopter159]

   
Yes, will do on that.

Awesome, thanks.

 

[Audio Addict]

Any comments from the Ear Gear Expo at last weekend's Axpona?  I like the new finish on the Alpha Dogs from Mr. Speaker as they are in a Black Pearl finish and closely match my Black Pearl speakers.  While most are familar with Dan and Mr. Speaker, ZMF Headphones starts with the same basic Fostex and goes a totally different direction and the headphones have a totally sonic signature.  So many choices these days. 
 
The new Allnic headphone amplifier had a very nice sound.  I look forward to more time with it at our event.  They are converting it to a fully balance unit with balance in and balanced outs.  They are also incorporating separate low and high impedance dedicated outputs for both the single and balanced output. 
 
I had not listened to the Noble IEMs before.  Of course I liked the Kaiser 10 at a$1599.  A very well balanced IEM compared to the $1299 Noble 8C, which seemed more lively on the top end.  What was interesting is they were demonstrating their IEMs using the AK240 but using a toslink out into the Chord Hugo.  The Hugo is a nice product but on the larger size and price for a portable. 
 
I attended the Pono CEO seminar discussing their Kickstarter campaign's success.  Neal Young was the big reason for the success.  They raised $6.2 million and pre-sold 18,000 units for October and December delivery.  Also as a follow up they will be introducing a new Hi-Rez music store.  They have already worked with Sony, Universal and Warner Brothers to get access to their catalogs back to the earliest uncompressed analog masters.  No pricing discussed.  I hope they are significantly lower than current versions since $12, $18 and $25 seem high at least to me.  If they don't get the music more affordable, I am not sure of their long term success.

 

[Todd R]

The Allnic sounded better than ever. 
The one that really blew me away was the Hugo mobile DAC/headphone amp​. One of those products that you know is right just after you hear the 1st note, but the price.......OMG! 

 

[ScuderiaHeadFi]

At the Noble/Chord table, I only tried Noble's 4C.  The rep. presented (as representatives do) the 4C as "neutral" but I thought it was so treble-focused as to be unbearable.  And it wasn't just all the energy up top (or lack of energy down low) but the strong sibilance.  I actually unplugged and replugged the phones thinking the connection must be wrong.  I was done with listening to anything Noble had to offer that day (assuming that extreme brightness and hollowness might be their house sound), and it seems I may have made a mistake, based on others' experiences with the higher end models.
 
I still needed to test the Chord Hugo separately (well, and test to see if it wasn't the Hugo the was the problem).  I had my Phonak PFE 122s on hand (a phone usually noted as "cool," especially with the gray filters as I always equip mine) and found all the music was back, from top to bottom, with all the sibilance gone as well.  I also tried out my Audio-Technica W1000Xs and heard nothing but bliss.  I was head-over-heels impressed with the quality of sound (as well as beauty and I/O functionality) of the Hugo - at this point I could definitely say the Chord was not to blame for the earlier sound with the 4Cs - and even thought it compared well to a very good desktop rig that would have you chained to your outlets in the wall.  "Reference portable" for sure, just as surely as it's out of my price range.
 
I was glad to try out Brian's table for The Audio Head, with either the Vega DSD DAC playing into a KingSound (3? not 2?) electrostatic amp and cans, or a WA7 Fireflies DAC and amp powering LCD-XCs.
 
The KingSound headphones sounded better with the bass boost off, I doubt many people would object - though it would be a tremendous benefit to have that switch to flip any time you did want a fun, dance-y bass to undergird your jams.  The WA7/LCD-XC pairing seemed the better pairing overall.  I guess the quality of the Vega DAC only got the KingSound rig so far, although it did seem a little unrealistic to pair the Vega only to the KingSound amp and phones (but not unrealistic to attach the KingSounds to a more complicated rig that had other amps/headphones, or a full stereo attached).  The WA7 and LCD-XC was more evenly extended, better extended, and more dimensional.  A satisfying desktop rig for sure.

 

[Keithpgdrb]

Was Hifiman there? Anyone try the 560?