[KR...]

I have to gather my thoughts and post them here, but overall great Meet!

 

[dannyandelyse]

Well that was Fun! My first meet....what a friendly group. Thank you to those who worked so hard to make it happen

Will post latter.
Dan

 

[Jahn]

dead tired, time flew by REALLY quick, time out at T-bell was a good sidestep just to chat, just finished unpacking everything and setting it all back up, as far as i can see i have everything and dont have anybody's stuff lol. Awesome meet, i'd like to thank everyone who helped, came, shared, etc, especially the folks like Ray and Mikhail who came from far away to share their wares with us!

 

[MrSlacker]

hey guys! i just got home. GREAT MEET! Jahn i want ur SOLO!!!!!!! lol yeah T Bell was fun too.

I FOUND Fela Kuti 1 CD, if you lost it, tell me

 

[BlindTiger]

Thanks to all involved in planning this great meet. Meech, erikzen and all the people that helped in getting this together, thanks.
Another thank you to the vendors that were present and the others that sent their equipment for the meet.
I tried to listen to all the portables there and there were a lot. Along the way I got a chance to listen to the equipment from the two vendors that were present. I'm glad I got to listen to them.
Now, time for a night of Heavyweight championship boxing otherwise known as let's get rrrready to rrrrrummmmble (tm)

 

[sleepkyng]

just to start it off:

I briefly listened to Peter's setup with the various portable amps (among them, superdual, sr71, and i think a maxi moy.

the sr71 was far and away the best. faster, tighter and louder. i was simply amazed at the sr71. It handled the 501s, 600s and ps1s with very little problems.

unfortunately i wasn't able to hear the supermacro (women...

) but with that said, i think i would buy a superdual if, one they were still in production, and two, if the supermacro isn't priced at $200.

for a portable, the superdual does an solid job and is insanely tiny.

the sr71 is fantastic, but the price point leaves something to be desired.
i can't really justify spending 400 bucks on an amp that will drive an ipod.

i tested out the 501s and i think they are great. they seem to do everything that my 600's do in terms of midrange and high up, only much better. keep in mind, this was one pair of akg501s that were extensively burned in. the bass is still not the taste that i'm lookin for.

i was really impressed with the emmeline hr2 - it was similair in every way to the sr71, except much tighter on the bass, and overall seemed like a beefed up version of the 71. i would attribute that to the ps but what do i know?

those are my thoughts for now, thanks all for the great meet and thanks jahn for the cds!

 

[Dimitri]

Wow. had a great time a my first meet. Some newbie impressions:

1. k1000s are dramatically different from anything i had ever strapped to my head! Very speaker-like--a refreshing heaphone experience.

2. The PS-1 on Ray's Stealth had too much bass, regardless of music choice. I loved my Senns with the Stealth.

3. I simply couldn't distinguish between battery-powered XP-7 and the XP-7 with power supply. Impressive.

4. Singlepower amps are HUGE (like suitcases) and sound fantastic. I liked the Sony 555es to Maestro the best.

5. Everyone at the meet was very nice. Fun group of people! I enjoyed meeting Ray--it was satisfying to meet the guy who designed and built the amp I love!

6. I never realized the importance of headphone comfort until I spent time with the R10s. They just disappear--an invaluable attribute in a quest to escape the room and find yourself at the live performance.

7. It was cool to meet the other Dimitri (sp?) (Meech) there.

8. The view from the 30th floor was fantastic!

9. Finally, I was happiest to discover that I still like the sound of my humble rig when compared to several other ~$10,000 systems.

Thanks to those who put this whole thing together,

Dimitri

 

[KR...]

Everyone was very friendly, even more so than normally, maybe because we were not all cramped in a small space this time

It was great to meet you all.

Instead of commenting everything I heard, I will just write about the stuff that really stood out for me. What follows is only therefore only a small sample of what was there and what I heard. Please understand that I didn't take notes, so please if you have more information on anything I am writing about here then please chime in!

For me the best amps in the show were the Gilmore SS Stax amp by he who cannot be named and the Singlepower Supra amp. The Singlepower Maestro ZR was also there but I got to hear it only with a Sony Player so the other set-ups sounded better IMHO this time around.

I heard the Singlepower Supra with the Wadia 301 player and a really nice Meridian whose Model type I do not know. The headphones that I used were the Sony R10, Grado PS-1, RS-1, MSP, SR60 and cable modded Sony CD3000.

Mikhail also shown me his new ultra neat high end circuit boards, if you are into that sort of thing

The best headphones at the meet for me were the Stax Omega2 followed by the Sony R10. I spent quite a long time with these cans since they were both hooked up to the Meridian. The Stax were just a bit faster, with a bigger sound stage and better separation of musical elements, in other words everything was cleaner and easier to understand. It also sounded effortless with the Gilmore and with great bass on the Cd's that had great bass anyway

Please note however that these differences are not huge or anything, but it's noticeable enough to me. Both Headphones are to me the best of the best that I ever heard (along with the Big O headphones) and I can live with any one of these combos forever without ever upgrading

Other notable amps were:

The Singlepower MPX3 which sounded great with the Sony R10, RS-1 and even the infamous monster floats from Planet X aka Darth Vader Street styles

Also of note was that sweet looking wooden power amp that was hooked up with the AKG K1000. I must say it made the K1000 sound a lot better than I remember them ever sounding.

Also of note was Ray's Portable amp. This little amp sounded great, if you have a portable player, lab top or anything like that and are serious about portable audio, then this is the amp to buy. I compared it to all the other portable amps on that table, while some were smaller and cuter, Ray's amp impressed me the most, but they all sound pretty damn good for what they are. I used the SR60 for these tests.

The Headroom Max is still one of the finest amps that money can buy. It sounded great with every headphone I plugged into it.

Speaking of which, the Grado SR60's are hands down the very best deal in audiophiledom, me and Bootman hooked up the little guys to every big megabuck set up there and they held their own and sounded better with each set up! So all you SR60's owners should just upgrade your systems before you upgrado

In the Grado 3 way, the MSpro vs RS-1 vs PS-1. All three headphones show off the best that grado can offer today. The MSpro sounds like a color free version of the RS-1, but you know what, they sound better with a little color in this case and I preferred the Grado RS-1 to the MS pro. The PS-1 sounds like a MS-2 with a bigger sound stage and more bass and highs and more laid back presentation. They sound great to me, but they don't sound like they should cost more than the MS pro or the RS-1. So get them if you live in Europe where the price is almost the same anyway, but in the United States they seem very overpriced to me. All that said all three sound pretty great.

The HD650 was also there with very nice upgraded cables. The infamous clamp of death kept me from enjoying them too much, but sound wise they are in the same league as the three top Grados, totally different sound of course. It's just a matter of taste really.

Now a word about the modded Sony CD3000, which I believe had Sliver Dragon Cables, the red ones. This upgrade made a HUGE difference! The headphones sounded a 100 times better! Anyone who dare state that cables make no difference need to listen to a stock CD3000 and this one, it will make a believer out of anyone. To me they sounded like a beefier and much more refined version of the CD1700 after it's own upgrade. Anyone who owns the Sony CD3000 needs to look into this upgrade. A legit night and day difference!

I would like to thank any and all who help make this meet what it was!



P.S. I notice that most of the people there listen to their headphones and amps at insane volumes and I kept having to lower the volume quite a bit, (and that is a huge understatement!) everytime I got to a new amp and for that matter I notice most people cranking way, way, way up after I was done. Be careful guys or you will all go deaf.

 

[NKT]

Thanks for all those who organized the meet, and the vendors that were there as well! It was really awe-inspiring to see the HUGE assortment of ultra-high end headphone gear there, and topped off with a 30-story unobstructed view of the Empire State AND Chrysler building! Sweet.

I have to agree with KR about what I thought were the best sounding cans there--the Omega II. It was partnered with a Gilmore electrostatic amp and a Meridian G08...very effortless, musical presentation with ZERO! fatigue. I really think I could sit there for hours listening to that thing. R10's, though they did everything well, left me a little bit *too* relaxed.

The Ray Samuels amps and Singlepower amps were all very impressive s well. If I did not already own a Cary, it would be very hard for me to choose one brand over the other.

Surprisingly underrepresented: Audio Technica's in any shape or form. I don't think I even saw one pair there! I'll have to remember to bring my w2002's next time.

I'm sure that many will agree with me on this, and that's the more systems we listen to, the more we can appreciate our own systems at home--goes to show that we each indeed have very different perceptions of how music should sound.

Pleasure to meet all of you, and hope to see all you guys again soon!

 

[immtbiker]

I haven't had that much fun with my clothes on, in a long time. Gunna eat now. Will provide impressions soon. L8TR.

 

[bootman]

What a great time!
As always, these NYC meet are above words.
I have yet to meet a nicer bunch of friendly and dedicated audio nuts.

I agree with KR with the two best sounding setups were the O2/KGSS and the R10/Supra.
Which one did I like best?
While I really liked the O2 and thought that they sounded absolutely perfect,
The R10 combo, to my ears, sounded just as good and would be the one I would own.
Plus, they were by far the most comfortable phones there.
To me comfort plays a big part in enjoying the music. The R10 just disappear.
(which is surprising considering their size)

The Supra is a monster of an amp in both size and musical ability. They seem to be a perfect match with the R10.
Truly a state of the art system.
I got a chance to listen to all of Mikhail's amps and he had on display his new circuit board layout which looked very well made.
They all made great music.

KR mentioned that we tried the SR-60 on systems that most people in their right minds would never thing of trying.
I'm talking systems that were almost (and some more) 100 times their price!
I'm glad to report that the 60's held their own. (surprisingly so.)
They made all those threads about 60s vs 80s vs 125 vs whatever, kind of silly.
Upgrade your sources and amps first. Maximize what you have.
In the long run you will enjoy your cans, no matter how modest, for a long, long time.

Ray's new phono setup, while unfortunately not hooked up to any turntables, looked stunning. His build quality is truly something to admire.
I also tried his portable amp. That thing sounded good. Actually I thought it sounded too good.
I doubt any portable source will ever get the most out of that amp.

Again, thanks to all who helped put this together.
A first class meet.

 

[MrSlacker]

Quote:

Originally Posted by NKT Surprisingly underrepresented: Audio Technica's in any shape or form.

i had AT FC7! I was at the table with Jahn
where are the pics? c'mon people, post them!

 

[bootman]

I just remembered some more impressions.
The Beyer 770 pro at 600ohms are one hard can to drive!
The only amp that I felt drove them properly was the Max,
which had, hands down, the best bass at the meet.
(I didn't see a blockhead)

The Senns 650 sounded great, but it again did not fit my head well.
It was this discomfort which drove me to sell off my 580s.
I guess I have too large of a head for Senns.

Also, who do I have to kill to get my hands on a Meridian player?

Even the older models were killer sources.

I need a raise.

 

[erikzen]

I'd like to thank all the Head-Fi members for coming out for this one. Without everyone's participation these meets simply wouldn't happen so hat's off to all who attended. It was nice to see some familiar faces and meet some new folks, as well. There are always regrets about what equipment you didn't get to hear, but for me, I regret more that there just wasn't enough time to talk to everyone and get to know them a little better. There are still quite a few "online personalities" who I haven't managed to put together the screen name with the real name and the face.

Special thanks go out to meech for finding us such a great venue. We had plenty of room, power and fantasic views of the city.

Also, Mikhail and Ray for coming and bringing their equipment. These guys traveled a great distance to let us hear their stuff. Everyone really appreciated it. Mikhail showing up was a big surprise. I spoke to him twice prior to the meet and he was so busy, he wasn't sure he'd make it. Apparently, two days ago he told meech he'd be there. Thanks guys, for making the effort.

Thanks to the vendors who sent along equipment:

HeadRoom
Xin
Shellbrook Audio Lab
Moon Audio

All of your equipment made for some interesting listening...

...and even though there was some miscommunication and the Gilmore Lite didn't show up until a half hour after I left for the meet, thanks to Justin at HeadAmp for making an effort. We'll be sure to get some of his wares for the next meet. I'll be doing some extensive listening to the Gilmore Lite this week before sending it back.

Thanks to Guzzler who sent along his DIY DAC from the UK. This compared quite favorably with the Total Bithead. More on that later...

Off to sleep now boys and girls. It's been an exhilirating but exhausting day.

 

[Canman]

I'm back in Philly thanks to Stevieo and Hirsch. Great meet. The room had one of the best views of the city I have ever seen, with the water, empire state, flat iron building, chrysler building, all in view. Put the Brooklyn venue to shame. Meech, you did a fantastic job putting this all together.

Hirsch, Steve, and I had a mini meet at my place on Friday night where I got to spend some quality time with some R10s and good beer. After a quality meal at the corner diner Sat morning, we got an early start up to NY. It was a smooth ride, apart from the fact that Steve doesn't pay attention to the road signs and we had to drive over a median to get to the exit we missed

I spent most of my headphone listening time reevaluating the Sony R10 and Hirsch's new Supra. Hirsch has a killer amp that sounds incredible with every headphone. The R10 has a delicate sound that is fantastic with acoustic music and vocals. The R10 is the best headphone at accurately portraying ambient spatial queues for a solid and realistic sound stage. It's a bit light on the midbass dynamics so its not a perfect headphone for me, but it does so much right.

Steve's recabled CD-3000s made me think twice about this headphone. This headphone is really hard to get right because it can easily sound harsh but I appreciated the soundstage that was inherited from the R10. It sounded great with the Supra and the Earmax Pro (what a great little amp).

The Grados all sounded off to me today. The PS-1 was overly bassy to the point of sounding unbalanced on everything I tried it on. The HP-1000 bass sounded boomy (I had heard this before when I owned HP-2s but it never bothered me that much). RS-1's actually sounded OK but not quite my bag.

On listening to the Sennheiser HD-650 it made me miss owning them. They are the best deal in high end headphones. They are almost to the level of the Omega 2 and R10 when hooked up to a solid amp like Mikhail's Supra and a silver dragon aftermarket cable.

I always have a great time with Ray and his Stealth was sounding really solid. This amp has a lot of potential, and some NOS 6SN7s would be really nice on this one. On a sidenote, I heard the R10s on the Stealth with selected NOS 6SN7s at the last DC meet and it was exceptional. I am not a huge fan of Ray's solid state amps, though the SR-71 is a cool little piece of gear.

There was a boatload of Singlepower amps including the new circuit board based PPX3. Mikhail had the circuit board on display and it looked very neatly laid out. I got great sound out of all the Singlepower amps I heard.

Meech's Dared 300B monoblocks sounded really sweet with the K-1000. They drove the K-1000 with a fullness I haven't heard before. The sound was huge.

I'll agree that the Omega II was the best sounding setup at the meet

It is at least the best all - arounder for me. It doesn't have quite the delicate lushness that the R10 has but it does have a luxurious effortless sound in addition to a powerful bass response. I am going to continue to tweak this setup a little bit by testing some different interconnect cables.

The best part was seeing everyone again and meeting some new folks. Hope everyone had a great time.