[DeadEars]

Quote:

Quote:

Not sure if people knew it, but lunch cost Vinnie $1600, yes, that's $1600 ($25 per head). In the old days I wouldn't have minded paying $25 for head but I got married, which cost me a hell of a lot more. The hotel charged as if each sandwich was "room service". Vinnie's the type of philanthropic person that would never speak of the cost, but I feel that people need to know what he did for us.

 
Is that how much he paid?!  That was more than generous of him.
 
 
Quote:

Thanks to all those who shared their electrons with everyone and Erik, Vinnie and Yikes for all of the reasons previously stated. This is a wonderful group of people who know how to have a good time.
It might not have been as much fun as the "Cat Writing Expo" going on next store, but it came pretty darn close 

Is that what was next door?  I kept seeing author or writer on their badges and was curious what it was about.  I know the other group were a group of Japanese tourists visiting NYC to watch some shows and were staying at the hotel to save on costs.

Yes, I talked briefly to Bill, who bought several items at our auction, including the game controllers I donated (which he bought for grandkids).  He said he was a technical writer and had been a speaker at the meeting next door.  He said our gathering was a LOT more fun than theirs, so he stayed!

 

[Towert7]

Quote:

that's $1600 ($25 per head).

Wow, I'm in the wrong business.  Must be nice to have that kind of money.

 

[dj nellie]

Although I showed up way too late (around 3:00), I had a good time at the meet.  Thanks to the organizers and everyone who donated money or auction goodies.
 
I really wish I had shown up earlier, since I wanted the chance to meet Brittany and talk about the fit problems I have with my JH16s.  I would have also liked to meet Ray and hear the new balanced amp he's working on. 
 
But I ended up getting to meet Fang and hear his new HM-801 amp, and offer some of my input.  I told him that my HifiMAN power charger had broken, and he gave me one of his with no questions asked.  If anyone wants to read my impressions of the new amp module, I posted it here: http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/447836/hifiman-801-appreciation-thread/255#post_7071352
 
Doug was also cool enough to let me try out his Lavry DA-11 with my Ed. 8 and modded D2000s.  I liked how they sounded straight out of their headphone amp, using his SACD transport.  The DA-11 seems like a solid all-in-one solution until I can afford a good desktop amp.
 
This was my first meet, and it definitely made me hungry for the next one.  Hopefully I'll be able to make it to Can Jam, as there were so many sick setups that I didn't get to hear!

 

[daveDerek]

Quote:

Quote:

that's $1600 ($25 per head).

Wow, I'm in the wrong business.  Must be nice to have that kind of money.

had that kind of money.....
i'm not sure he realized how bad that was going to be.  it sure was generous of him.  hopefully he can afford it!

 

[vcoheda]

that's way too much for some deli and pasta salad. from what i heard we took in a good deal at the meet. the people who collected should consider defraying some of vinnie's costs, imo.
 
vcoheda

 

[daveDerek]

Quote:

that's way too much for some deli and pasta salad. from what i heard we took in a good deal at the meet. the people who collected should consider defraying some of vinnie's costs, imo.
 
vcoheda

that's a nice suggestion. i don't know what the finances of the meet were, though i do understand that this place cost something on the order of twice as much as the space we've used for the last couple of meets.  i think this call is up to the those who were managing the finances. 

 

[Yikes]

Quote:

that's way too much for some deli and pasta salad. from what i heard we took in a good deal at the meet. the people who collected should consider defraying some of vinnie's costs, imo.
 
vcoheda

They're way ahead of you.

 

[strid3r]

Thanks to Erikzen for organizing another great meet, Vinnie for lunch, and Yikes for a great auction.  My impressions are a bit scattered, but I really liked:
- Cfcubed's Buffalo32 + Beta22 (2-channel) rig.  Makes me want a Beta22 that I could call my own. 
- Nikongod's SEX + HD800 rig, this was the first time I really, really enjoyed the HD800s.  I'm pretty sure this was due to the audiophile masking tape on his amp.
- Someone's LCD-2/Avenson Audio setup was quite enjoyable.  I also listened to his ESW10 and thought it sounded decent until I learned what the price tag was.

  I'm sorry I didn't get your name, but I think you recommended the ES7's?

 

[decur]

yes,this is thoughtful to help vinnie re-coup some costs!
if it was me,i would have fainted from the $1600.00 lunch bill

 
Quote:

Quote:

that's way too much for some deli and pasta salad. from what i heard we took in a good deal at the meet. the people who collected should consider defraying some of vinnie's costs, imo.
 
vcoheda

They're way ahead of you.

 

[ak622]

Wow, thank you again Vinnie for your generosity!   That's great that the organizing crew helped Vinnie recoup some of the costs.  Big thanks again for the lunch Vinnie and organizing crew for taking care of everyone! 

 

[dvr]

Speaking of Vinnie, I sat down next to him without knowing of him or Red Wine audio and was blown away by the Isabellina. Using Etys, it was hands down the best sound I heard that day.
 
I came to the show primarily to hear the JH-16s, and those were pretty good, but I wasn't as impressed as I had hoped I'd be. It seemed to lack coherence. Maybe this is because I'm used to listening to single-driver headphones and the JH16 had 8, and I was just hearing the effect of the crossover and multiple drivers. While the Etys lack body and can be a bit sterile, the clarity and intimacy can't be beat. I came away from the meet with much less desire to upgrade my phones (and far more desire to upgrade my amp).
 
* And it's a sign that I'm a Head-fi old-timer than far too many people looked at my Etys and said "What are those?" 

 

[immtbiker]

Maybe it was because they were a universal 16. I have the JH-13's and they are 10X's better than my ER-4P's.

 

[Towert7]

Quote:

Drew, the venue worked out very well.  There seemed to be plenty of room and it was very comfortable throughout.  Not much more quiet, though.

That's great to hear.  Sounds like another big success.  Great job.

 

[erikzen]

Quote:

Maybe it was because they were a universal 16. I have the JH-13's and they are 10X's better than my ER-4P's.

I thought JH Audio didn't have the JH-16 at the meet.  I listened to the JH-13 and thought they sounded excellent right out of Brittany's iPod.  They sounded much more full than any IEMs I've experienced.  I can't say it was the most detailed, but that may be a function of the source.
 
Quote:

Quote:

Drew, the venue worked out very well.  There seemed to be plenty of room and it was very comfortable throughout.  Not much more quiet, though.

That's great to hear.  Sounds like another big success.  Great job.

 
Thanks Drew, I think we all had a great time, but your absence kept it from being all it could be.  I'll judge the next meet a success when I see your cheerful countenance.

 

 

[wavoman]

All I can do is echo what everyone else has been saying:  Erikzen -- great meet, superb venue.  Yikes -- fantastic auction as usual.  Vinnie -- OMG.  You buy us lunch?  We all should buy YOU lunch every day for the rest of your life, given all you have done for this community.  Wonderful seeing everyone old and new.  Jude should come to every meet.  And no meet's a real meet without Aaron and family.
 
beyer, JH, Fang, RSA, Red Wine ... we'd be nowhere without the MOTs. 
 
As another poster suggested, maybe taking it to the next level is to plan lunch and dinner, with tickets in advance ... we'd get more leverage with the venue, and with the chosen dinner spot that way.  A private room at Outback -- we could have sold that out I bet.  Just a thought.
 
I amuse myself with my own gear at these meets (oops, bad mental picture -- let's just ignore that and keep going) so I took the opportunity to continue the Woo WEE shoot-out, this time head-to-head with an SRD-7 Pro (stock) -- using MoFi CD's, Sony vintage CDP with optical out, moodlab DAC, B&O SS Class AB (not ICE) amp that Yikes hates but that's just Ethan, and two pairs of 404s, one on each transfo box (wired with anti-cables) for quick switch.  The WEE was preferred strongly by all but one tester.  This was not blind, but the differences were pretty clear.  The SRD-7 is clearly rolled off both low and high.  Not unpleasant, but not accurate.  Think high-end Bose, like you heard at the mall (you DID listen at the mall to Bose, I saw you, don't lie!).  Anyway the WEE is a keeper with 404s (not for use with O2's, I'm afraid) and I gave the SRD-7 to an up-and-coming HeadFi'er DIY-type at the meet who will do something with it (as opposed to it rotting in my closet).
 
A great Saturday.  And talking both headphones and politics over drinks late in to the night with Ethan, Dave, Kerry et al ... the best.
 
Thanks to everyone who contributed so much and worked so hard ... making it so much fun for the rest of us!