[DimitriSF]

San Francisco Head-Fi meetup is confirmed: Saturday, March 30, 2019, 11 AM - 2 PM.

Free lunch and beverages will be provided, along with plenty of tables, chairs, outlets, free WiFi, and parking.

Bring as much gear as you're comfortable in letting others audition. But, to ensure we don't run out of outlets, please bring a power strip if you need more than one outlet.

Please RSVP now: https://www.meetup.com/Head-Fi-San-Francisco-2019/events/259664028/

The event is free, but limited to 35 Head-Fi members total. (A $5 donation, while not necessary, is certainly appreciated, to help defray expenses.)

In your RSVP, please state:

• your Head-Fi user name
  
• the gear you plan on bringing

Common sense rules apply:

• Keep an eye on your gear, and carefully supervise its use by others.
• Be super careful when auditioning other people's gear.
• No smoking on or near the premises.
  
• This event is in my home; help me remain happily married by respecting the space.

 

[Alcophone]

I'll bring

• Schiit Modi Multibit
• Gustard H20 with Sonic Imagery Labs 994Enh-Ticha
• Burson Fun with SparkoS SS3601
• MrSpeakers Ether Flow (maybe 1.1 by then)
• MrSpeakers Ether C Flow 1.1
• Focal Listen

 

[McPerk]

Want to, but SF is a PitA for us East Bay'rs.

Hate driving the Bay Bridge and don't feel like getting murdered on BART.

Maybe someone wants to carpool from the Walnut Creek or Tri-Valley area?

Bringing:

HP/IEM:

• LCD-X
  
• CA Cascade

DAC/Amps:

• SMSL SU-8v2
• Schiit Valhalla 2
  
• Schiit Modi
  
• Schiit Magni
  
• Chord Mojo
  
• Topping DX4DSD

 

[DimitriSF]

Aside from hosting, I'll bring (nothing remotely as impressive as what you guys are bringing):

IEMs:
JVC HA-FD01SP (w/ 4 sets of metal nozzles, modded and unmodded, a la James444).
JVC HA-FX1200 (modded a la James444).

For those of us who only own IEMs, what do folks suggest we bring (if anything) to audition all those great amps, DACs, and HPs? E.g., 3.5mm (female) to 6.5mm (male) adapter?

 

[McPerk]

3.5mm to 1/4” (6.5mm) will be needed for the Vahalla2 if you want to try with IEMs. I have a 1/4” to 3.5mm adapter I can bring to try full size cans with the portable DAC/amps and an ifi IEM match that I can bring as well.

 

[DimitriSF]

Folks, I'd like to update the main event page, with suggestions about peripherals attendees can bring, to ensure they can listen to all this great gear.

We've already touched upon:

• 3.5mm (male) to 6.5mm (female) adapter;
• 3.5mm (female) to 6.5mm (male) adapter;
• DAP (or USB OTG cable for your phone, if you don't own a DAP)
  • @Alcophone suggested loading a few test tracks on your phone, then using a USB OTG cable to can connect to a DAC+AMP.
    
  • I'll have WiFi available, but Tidal HiFi also allows downloading lossless tracks, in the Tidal app, and playing them back without internet.
  • I also have 4 spare Tidal HiFi subscriptions that I can share, at a last resort, if needed.

What about folks who bring their amps but DON'T bring a DAC, DAP or laptop? Can someone use their phone+OTG cable to plug directly into an amp? I assume if there's no USB input, the answer is surely no. What then? To drive such an amp (e.g., like the Valhalla), I think we can just use a basic 3.5mm to 2-Male RCA adapter cable, right?

 

[Alcophone]

Folks, I'd like to update the main event page, with suggestions about peripherals attendees can bring, to ensure they can listen to all this great gear.

We've already touched upon:

• 3.5mm (male) to 6.5mm (female) adapter;
• 3.5mm (female) to 6.5mm (male) adapter;
• DAP (or USB OTG cable for your phone, if you don't own a DAP)
  • @Alcophone suggested loading a few test tracks on your phone, then using a USB OTG cable to can connect to a DAC+AMP.
    
  • I'll have WiFi available, but Tidal HiFi also allows downloading lossless tracks, in the Tidal app, and playing them back without internet.
  • I also have 4 spare Tidal HiFi subscriptions that I can share, at a last resort, if needed.

What about folks who bring their amps but DON'T bring a DAC, DAP or laptop? Can someone use their phone+OTG cable to plug directly into an amp? I assume if there's no USB input, the answer is surely no. What then? To drive such an amp (e.g., like the Valhalla), I think we can just use a basic 3.5mm to 2-Male RCA adapter cable, right?

Also a good adapter to have: male TRS (6.35mm, maybe also 3.5mm) to male 4-pin XLR to use a balanced cable with an unbalanced amp.

Yes, for phones with a headphone jack (or an adapter), a male 3.5mm TRS to 2x RCA cable will work in most cases, of course the sound quality usually won't be great. You may also have a portable DAC/amp that can be used as just a DAC. Most laptops have headphone outs as well that could be used in a pinch.

 

[DimitriSF]

Thanks! Very useful into. I'll add to the event's RSVP page.

Yeah, using one's phone or laptop as the DAC would be the weakest link in the chain. But, if someone doesn't own a DAP, it's the next best thing to not trying an amp at all, I guess.

 

[Alcophone]

Thanks! Very useful into. I'll add to the event's RSVP page.

Yeah, using one's phone or laptop as the DAC would be the weakest link in the chain. But, if someone doesn't own a DAP, it's the next best thing to not trying an amp at all, I guess.

Definitely. I can also bring my iFi micro iDSD and a Creative Sound Blaster E5 to have some extra DACs available.
Looking forward to seeing more equipment lists.

 

[McPerk]

So I just picked up a Questyle CMA400i and am very tempted to sell a few things in my inventory that I no longer use. I'm going to wait for the meet if anyone wants to try and buy. If I do end up deciding to sell I would rather sell local than ship.

Here's what I'm thinking of selling, still not 100% sure that I'll sell any or all just yet.

Campfire Audio Cascade:
Description - https://campfireaudio.com/shop/cascade/
Comes with almost brand new Cascade Litz cable, OG box, travel case and those paper bass thingys that you can use to change the sound dynamics (which are still in the package and never used).
Bought - Purchased from another Bay Area Head-fi'er a few weeks ago.
Reason for selling - Love them, but they clamp force is a bit much for my big Asian head. Can only get about 2 hours or listening time before I get a headache. Was going to keep them because I like closed backs, but if not comfy, hard to justify
Condition - 9/10, have two small marks on the left headphone, barely noticeable, but if you're a perfectionist, probably not for you. It does not alter the sound in any way. No pictures now, wait and see at meet.

Schiit Magni 3:
Description - https://www.schiit.com/products/magni-1
Bought - 3rd Gen, just purchased direct from Schiit in Jan '19
Comes with OG box and wall wart
Reason for selling - Just picked up a JDS Atom and now the CMA400i. Just have too many amps and not enough ears or HPs to listen to them.
Condition - 10/10 Perfect condition, it's probably got about 20 hours total of music through it and has been sitting on my desk since I received it.

Schiit Modi 3:
Description - https://www.schiit.com/products/modi-1
3rd Gen, non-multibit, comes with USB cable and plug
Bought - Same as the Mangi 3, bought at the same time direct from Schiit
Reason for selling - Have too many DACs.
Condition - 10/10 Perfect condition, see Mangi 3

Schiit Valhalla 2:
Description - https://www.schiit.com/products/valhalla-1
Comes with stock tubes, not sure of how many hours on them
Bought - Used from reddit/r/avexchange a few weeks ago
Reason for selling - Just never really matched with my HP. Was thinking about Tube Rolling, but I'm lazy and decided not to spend any more money on this. Love the look of the tubes, but I think tube amps just aren't for me.
Condition - 8/10 Not perfect, but nothing super visible unless you look close. Minor scratches near the headphone jack.

I'm not listing prices or posting pictures (I'm lazy and you can see them all at the meet) since I'm not 100% sure I'm going to sell them, but I'm very tempted since I don't really need any of these anymore. I'm also NOT going to put up for sale or trade until AFTER the meet.

Also, still looking for a carpool from the East Bay. Let me know if you're interested.

Thanks!

PS, you're welcome to PM me any questions, but like I said, I'm not selling before the meet (unless someone offers me stupid money for it, which I highly doubt and will question your motives if you do so please don't ask.

Edit - Everything listed will be for sale today. See you at Dimitri's.

 

[DimitriSF]

McPerk, I'll probably have some cash on hand, in case something blows me away (without also blowing a hole in my wallet).

I've been holding back, on buying full-sized headphones though, because that's the audio gateway drug. That's how you really get hooked. Once you have a good set of cans, then, obviously, you need a decent AMP to drive them. Then, obviously, you need a halfway decent DAC. And, then, it doesn't make sense to only have one pair of cans, because... what about for when you're at work? Obviously, you'll also need a decent portable DAP for taking to work as well.

By the way, I know you're a maybe, but it helps me if folks RSVP in the event page at the start of the thread (even if it's a maybe), so I can keep track of possible attendees, gear, etc, without hunting through posts. Also helps me to plan how I will set up the rooms, to optimize the available space.

 

[McPerk]

I RSVP'd on Meetup. I'm most likely going to come with or w/o a carpool buddy, but it would be nice to find someone to ride/drive with. I did say I'm lazy, right?

You're right about getting a real set of HP. I started with Shure IEMs a long time ago, just for isolation when traveling and never really got into full size cans, but late last year I picked up a pair of Shure 1540s and it was literally the gateway "drug". Now 3 short months later, I've invested a TON into this hobby. Now time to figure out what I'm after and slim down the collection. I only have 2 ears and can't listen to everything all the time.

I'd honestly think long and hard about getting a DAP. My hearing isn't what it was 20 years ago and iPhone with portable amp/DAC is fine. I doubt I could tell enough of a difference between what I have and a DAP that it would be worth an investment into something that doesn't stream audio (unless you drop $300+) and is limited to my own collection of music, which I stopped adding onto when streaming music became mainstream. That's just my 2 cents.

I love the Topping NX4DSD and would probably say it's better, for me, then the Chord Mojo, especially for the price. I'll be bringing both for people to form their own opinions from.

By the way, if I do end up selling what I listed at the meet, I'm willing to do local deals and PayPal friends and family if people don't want to bring cash. I'm lazy, but also easy.

Cheers and have a great weekend in the sunshine!

 

[cary chin]

Anybody interested in hearing the Bottlehead SEX 2.1?

 

[elira]

Anybody interested in hearing the Bottlehead SEX 2.1?

I’m interested!

 

[cary chin]

Count me in, I will be bringing:

Bottlehead SEX 2.1 amplifier
Sennheiser HD-558 headphones
Marantz CD-5004

Looking forward to the show, only 1.5 miles from home.