Indeed, someone else mentioned Elise. I wasn't aware of the AudioConcierge. That's a great plan, since I already have the tickets for CJL.
Thanks!
The Watercooler -- Impressions, philosophical discussion and general banter. Index on first page. All welcome.
- Thread starter Rockwell75
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Thanks!
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Am arranging a demo of the Duality next week and really looking forward to hearing it, I have been out of the IEM space for some time now and am thinking of dipping a toe or two back in. I may decide to revisit the Fei Wan also, I had a set also for demo and enjoyed them a good deal.
That’s one hell of a way to dip a toe back in the IEM space… more like a balls to the wall type approach if you’re starting back by trying Duality.
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My music preference is bass-driven music, in the past two of my favourites have been the Trifecta and XE6. What I like about the Duality is the ability to tone down the bass (in reality, how often I would do that is questionable..) for times where the music suits it. I remember hearing the Singularity as a prototype before it was launched, and I was blown away by what that offered at such a reasonable price. High hopes for the Duality.
Duality bass even in balanced mode is hard hitting. Since you’re relatively familiar with the Singularity, I imagine you’re going to love the Duality then. Duality’s timbre I think is better than even that! It does require a ton of power, though… your SAEQ Armageddon would be GREAT for it!
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The Paris dream team
Great to see everyone in this photo - raging I couldn’t make it… nothing stopping me getting to the next one!
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The DAC that stopped me from tossing Immanis to the curb in the for sale section:
https://www.hifi-advice.com/blog/re...dac-reviews/playback-designs-mpd-8-dream-dac/
https://www.hifi-advice.com/blog/re...dac-reviews/playback-designs-mpd-8-dream-dac/
Hi All. I finally got around to posting my CanJam NY 2025 report. Due to the amount of pictures I had to split it into 2 posts. Post 1 will cover all activities and auditions up to the show and Post 2 will cover the show itself. Please excuse my ranting and raving as usual. I hope I was not too harsh (this is all subjective anyway), and you all enjoy the memories made.
2025 CanJam Highlights and Preshow Activities
Can Jam 2025, for me, began on Wednesday evening this year, as opposed to when the actual show began on Saturday. Upon checking in to the Marriott Marquis hotel in NYC I met with my good friend Todd for dinner. We went for dinner at an old favorite of mine called Il Tinello on 56th st. Todd had the Dover Sole Special, and I had the Halibut Special. Both dishes were the the best Dover Sole and best Halibut both Todd and I have ever had! A great start to CanJam 2025!
The Outside of Il Tinello at 16 W 56th St.
That evening we sat down to listen to the IEMs Todd had just recently auditioned and wrote about. These early auditions are precious, and they lighten my load for Saturday and Sunday, allowing me to just wonder and get caught in the moment at the show. The surroundings are also quiet to allow for optimal listening.
Forte Ears Macbeth: Very happy to report the hype is real. An excellent IEM with a bit of an analogue character. Great bass without the use of a DD thanks to its use of bone conduction. I find with bone conduction, if you get the right fit, then you will hear the bass. With the Macbeth, this was the case for me. Let’s call it a warmish midrange and detailed treble without being harsh. As Todd noted and showed me Wednesday night, Sax’s sound terrific. I was thrilled that I liked it as Todd was purchasing one.
Forte Ears Macbeth
CFA Clara: I would say okay bass, mids and treble. Nothing wowed me and definitely a tier down from the Macbeth for me.
CFA Clara
Elysian Apostle: Again, nothing wowed me. A good IEM, but nothing special for me. I was not crazy about the vocals. Maybe not as dynamic as I would like if that makes sense.
Elysian Apostle
UM Maven II: Definitely not the UM sound I typically expect. The midrange was not of the quality I expect to hear from them (on Friday I auditioned the Amber Pearl and that was special and what I expect from UM).
UM Maven II
Softears Enigma: Where is the bass? For the price of this IEM, much better exists IMHO. The mids were not notable and it can get sibilant as Todd had pointed out
CFA Astrolith: I totally disliked this IEM. Where was the bass! If you are going to be bass light you better be a mids specialist, and it is not. Listening to Regina Speckor and Dire Straits I constantly felt like the foundation of the music was missing.
CFA Astrolith
VE EXT Mk II: I disliked the original EXT primarily because it just did not fit me well and was uncomfortable with the nozzle being too wide for my liking. Well, the nozzle is smaller, but where is the bass! A brighter tonality that just does not work IMHO. I am a VE fan, but I would much rather have the VE-10 with its beautiful midrange.
VE EXT MK II
Omega Alpha & Omega: I don’t know, maybe I am being too harsh because I also heard the Fugaku and will discuss that IEM shortly. But then I heard the Legion on Friday. So, I say, if you are interested in this IEM, please audition the Legion first for $850.00 list.
Simphonio P-Zero with Yatono 8-Wire Ultimate Cable: An unnatural sound for me. If you are a fan of the Macbeth, I highly doubt you will like the sound of this IEM. If you like jazz like Holly Cole’s “Don’t Smoke In Bed,” there are IEMs that are just better.
Simphonio P-Zero
Brise Audio Fugaku: Wow! I fear this IEM, Macbeth and my Traillii may have made me a bit harsh on all the other IEMs on this night. The Fugaku is the best IEM I have ever heard. At this point I feel only a top-quality HP can exceed it on a great system. For example, I still prefer my Susvara when connected to my Holo May and MK-465 system, however I would pick the Fugaku over ever Meze HP (as an example). It is that good. Powerful and detailed bass. Try the beginning of Dire Straits “Money For Nothing” as an example. At 1:12 in when the drum hits begin there is power and a detail within those drum hits that simply does not exist on any other IEM. Just fabulous. The midrange is the equal of my Traillii with a special clarity in the way it is presented. Try some Holly Cole or Regina Spektor as an example, or any vocals for that matter. And the treble. It is detailed, clear and yet, not harsh. Oh, when cymbals splash, they splash, but the clarity is terrific. Even Adele’s sibilance on “Hello” is toned down, yet nothing is lost. I listened to the Fugaku several times over the rest of the week, and it always astonished me. At over $17,000.00 list, someone must come up with a new product to match it for much less. This is a special IEM system. I add the word system as it is not my definition of mobile needing to be tethered to its dedicated amplifier. But for sitting down and just listening, it is the best.
Brise Audio Fugaku
After listening to this first batch of IEM’s the Fugaku sits in a tier above every other IEM available (assuming you are okay with the mobility issue), then in a lower tier there is the Macbeth. All the rest are so far below them in sound quality, that for me they do not matter. I literally felt like I was wasting my time with them as compared to the Macbeth and the Fugaku. I do realize how harsh this sounds, but believe me, there were other IEMs I also loved at the show, just not the other 8 listed here.
On Thursday we had a meeting with Audio Technica in the AM at their location in NYC. This was special as we got to spend time with the Narukami amplifier. We had it all to ourselves and used Eyal’s Susvara and my ZMF AC with it. Simply tremendous sound with both HPs. Tight powerful bass, beautiful mids and silky, detailed treble. I felt this amplifier was terrific the first time I heard it last year, and I still feel the same. However, I am not crazy about Audio Technica’s matching ATH-AWKG headphones. If you get the chance to audition the amplifier, please bring your Susvara, ZMF or other HPs with you. The Susvara on the Narukami is a perfect match.
The amplifier was displayed on a section of Kurogaki wood, the same wood used on the amplifier which is a rare mutation of the Japanese Persimmon Tree.
The Narukami Amplifier on top of the Kurogaki wood used on the amplifier.
Todd listening to my ZMF Atrium Closed in Amboyna Burl on the Narukami.
Eyal listening to his Susvara on the Narukami.
Jim and Todd discussing the finer points of amplifier engineering.
For lunch we ended up at one of the best pizza shops we never knew about in NYC, a place called Lucia Pizza of SoHo. A great surprise that was recommended to us by the good folks at Audio Technica. The Pizza shop is small with little to no seating. Luckily, they also own a café around the corner that we were able to eat in.
Nothing much to look at, but the Pizza is phenomenal!
From there we had an appointment to hear some audio systems using Viva electronics at the owner’s home in NYC. Oz (Highendbyoz.com) was kind enough to show us around and demo the systems. This was fun and as a bonus we were able to audition the Viva Belva at length which was on the 2nd floor.
Oz, all the way on the right, showing us the 1st floor Viva System.
The main Viva system (Viva Speakers and electronics) on the 1st floor featuring separate bass amps and midrange/treble amps.
A closeup of the right side of the speaker system.
The middle of the 2nd floor system. The Belva (the new HP amp) was being used to drive the mids and treble.
The right side of the 2nd floor system. The turntable all the way on the right is the Basis Inspiration, a favorite of mine. Viva builds these systems to stretch from wall to wall.
Jim, Eyal and Todd enjoying themselves. Hey, no one took a picture of me!
Following the Viva Demo we all went to the BlueNote for some live jazz and then on Friday to Eyal-Jam at Eyal’s place in the city! We talked, we drank wine, Eyal made us his special hand-crafted lattes (they were delicious!) and we even found time to listen to a few more IEMs, and HPs. A special thanks to Jim (Hifihawaii808) for bringing some nice IEMS to audition. I got to meet Jonathan, aka EnigmaFotos. It was my pleasure to finally meet him, and I enjoyed his knowledge and taste in IEMs, and he had a surprise for us with him.
Abyss Joal with Enleum Amp-23RMH: I actually heard this at Audio46 before meeting at Eyal’s place. This was a great match. The Joal was detailed, comfortable with good bass and mids. Something to consider for sure. The 23RMH is a small portable amplifier that packs lots of power. Really good
Meze Poet: I also auditioned this at Audio 46. A good HP, but I did prefer the Joal.
And at Eyal’s:
AME Mousa: This was not the surprise IEM. Another IEM most of you have already heard about. I was not nuts about the looks. For me it was an okay listen, but nothing special. Not a high-quality detailed bass or midrange.
AME Mousa
Nightjar Acoustics Duality: Now I know why they call it Duality! In bass mode you get bass baby! That said, I ended up favoring its balanced profile which still has strong bass, but now the midrange is clearer, less veiled in comparison. A more balanced presentation. A really good, fun IEM. Great looking cable.
Nightjar Acoustics Duality
UM Amber Pearl: Wow! Beautiful to look at in person, and it sounded even better. What a great IEM. Well balanced with good tight bass, great mids and treble. Detailed and resolving, yet oh so sultry and engaging. They ate up whatever I played, especially jazz and female vocals. This is one of the best IEMs IMHO. I prefer it to the Storm. I still give my Traillii the edge in the mids, this has the edge in the bass. Gorgeous sound.
UM Amber Pearl
Flipears Legion: This was the surprise Jonathan (EnigmaFotos) brought to our attention. When I auditioned it, I had no idea of the price. For me, it can duke it out with multi-thousand-dollar IEMs. Remember all those other IEMs I simply described as okay, this is better. Good bass, mids, treble. Resolving and excellent detail. Does it have a midrange and overall package to compete with Traillii and Amber Pearl, no, it is not magic, but it is excellent. Play a track with bass and you will hear it, and with some detail and power. A fitting midrange and a nice treble. Now, back to the price, $850.00 list price. This was one of the stars of the show for me. Highly recommended. And it looks cool!
Flipears Legion
Storm: I have heard this a few time now. One of the best, but I prefer my Traillii overall. There are parts of Dire Straits that my Traillii resolves better. But this is an excellent IEM. I do prefer the original silver faceplate.
And again, at night with the Fugaku. Still fabulous.
This is the end of Part 1. I will post Part 2, the actual show shortly. Thank you.
2025 CanJam Highlights and Preshow Activities
Can Jam 2025, for me, began on Wednesday evening this year, as opposed to when the actual show began on Saturday. Upon checking in to the Marriott Marquis hotel in NYC I met with my good friend Todd for dinner. We went for dinner at an old favorite of mine called Il Tinello on 56th st. Todd had the Dover Sole Special, and I had the Halibut Special. Both dishes were the the best Dover Sole and best Halibut both Todd and I have ever had! A great start to CanJam 2025!
The Outside of Il Tinello at 16 W 56th St.
That evening we sat down to listen to the IEMs Todd had just recently auditioned and wrote about. These early auditions are precious, and they lighten my load for Saturday and Sunday, allowing me to just wonder and get caught in the moment at the show. The surroundings are also quiet to allow for optimal listening.
Forte Ears Macbeth: Very happy to report the hype is real. An excellent IEM with a bit of an analogue character. Great bass without the use of a DD thanks to its use of bone conduction. I find with bone conduction, if you get the right fit, then you will hear the bass. With the Macbeth, this was the case for me. Let’s call it a warmish midrange and detailed treble without being harsh. As Todd noted and showed me Wednesday night, Sax’s sound terrific. I was thrilled that I liked it as Todd was purchasing one.
Forte Ears Macbeth
CFA Clara: I would say okay bass, mids and treble. Nothing wowed me and definitely a tier down from the Macbeth for me.
CFA Clara
Elysian Apostle: Again, nothing wowed me. A good IEM, but nothing special for me. I was not crazy about the vocals. Maybe not as dynamic as I would like if that makes sense.
Elysian Apostle
UM Maven II: Definitely not the UM sound I typically expect. The midrange was not of the quality I expect to hear from them (on Friday I auditioned the Amber Pearl and that was special and what I expect from UM).
UM Maven II
Softears Enigma: Where is the bass? For the price of this IEM, much better exists IMHO. The mids were not notable and it can get sibilant as Todd had pointed out
CFA Astrolith: I totally disliked this IEM. Where was the bass! If you are going to be bass light you better be a mids specialist, and it is not. Listening to Regina Speckor and Dire Straits I constantly felt like the foundation of the music was missing.
CFA Astrolith
VE EXT Mk II: I disliked the original EXT primarily because it just did not fit me well and was uncomfortable with the nozzle being too wide for my liking. Well, the nozzle is smaller, but where is the bass! A brighter tonality that just does not work IMHO. I am a VE fan, but I would much rather have the VE-10 with its beautiful midrange.
VE EXT MK II
Omega Alpha & Omega: I don’t know, maybe I am being too harsh because I also heard the Fugaku and will discuss that IEM shortly. But then I heard the Legion on Friday. So, I say, if you are interested in this IEM, please audition the Legion first for $850.00 list.
Simphonio P-Zero with Yatono 8-Wire Ultimate Cable: An unnatural sound for me. If you are a fan of the Macbeth, I highly doubt you will like the sound of this IEM. If you like jazz like Holly Cole’s “Don’t Smoke In Bed,” there are IEMs that are just better.
Simphonio P-Zero
Brise Audio Fugaku: Wow! I fear this IEM, Macbeth and my Traillii may have made me a bit harsh on all the other IEMs on this night. The Fugaku is the best IEM I have ever heard. At this point I feel only a top-quality HP can exceed it on a great system. For example, I still prefer my Susvara when connected to my Holo May and MK-465 system, however I would pick the Fugaku over ever Meze HP (as an example). It is that good. Powerful and detailed bass. Try the beginning of Dire Straits “Money For Nothing” as an example. At 1:12 in when the drum hits begin there is power and a detail within those drum hits that simply does not exist on any other IEM. Just fabulous. The midrange is the equal of my Traillii with a special clarity in the way it is presented. Try some Holly Cole or Regina Spektor as an example, or any vocals for that matter. And the treble. It is detailed, clear and yet, not harsh. Oh, when cymbals splash, they splash, but the clarity is terrific. Even Adele’s sibilance on “Hello” is toned down, yet nothing is lost. I listened to the Fugaku several times over the rest of the week, and it always astonished me. At over $17,000.00 list, someone must come up with a new product to match it for much less. This is a special IEM system. I add the word system as it is not my definition of mobile needing to be tethered to its dedicated amplifier. But for sitting down and just listening, it is the best.
Brise Audio Fugaku
After listening to this first batch of IEM’s the Fugaku sits in a tier above every other IEM available (assuming you are okay with the mobility issue), then in a lower tier there is the Macbeth. All the rest are so far below them in sound quality, that for me they do not matter. I literally felt like I was wasting my time with them as compared to the Macbeth and the Fugaku. I do realize how harsh this sounds, but believe me, there were other IEMs I also loved at the show, just not the other 8 listed here.
On Thursday we had a meeting with Audio Technica in the AM at their location in NYC. This was special as we got to spend time with the Narukami amplifier. We had it all to ourselves and used Eyal’s Susvara and my ZMF AC with it. Simply tremendous sound with both HPs. Tight powerful bass, beautiful mids and silky, detailed treble. I felt this amplifier was terrific the first time I heard it last year, and I still feel the same. However, I am not crazy about Audio Technica’s matching ATH-AWKG headphones. If you get the chance to audition the amplifier, please bring your Susvara, ZMF or other HPs with you. The Susvara on the Narukami is a perfect match.
The amplifier was displayed on a section of Kurogaki wood, the same wood used on the amplifier which is a rare mutation of the Japanese Persimmon Tree.
The Narukami Amplifier on top of the Kurogaki wood used on the amplifier.
Todd listening to my ZMF Atrium Closed in Amboyna Burl on the Narukami.
Eyal listening to his Susvara on the Narukami.
Jim and Todd discussing the finer points of amplifier engineering.
For lunch we ended up at one of the best pizza shops we never knew about in NYC, a place called Lucia Pizza of SoHo. A great surprise that was recommended to us by the good folks at Audio Technica. The Pizza shop is small with little to no seating. Luckily, they also own a café around the corner that we were able to eat in.
Nothing much to look at, but the Pizza is phenomenal!
From there we had an appointment to hear some audio systems using Viva electronics at the owner’s home in NYC. Oz (Highendbyoz.com) was kind enough to show us around and demo the systems. This was fun and as a bonus we were able to audition the Viva Belva at length which was on the 2nd floor.
Oz, all the way on the right, showing us the 1st floor Viva System.
The main Viva system (Viva Speakers and electronics) on the 1st floor featuring separate bass amps and midrange/treble amps.
A closeup of the right side of the speaker system.
The middle of the 2nd floor system. The Belva (the new HP amp) was being used to drive the mids and treble.
The right side of the 2nd floor system. The turntable all the way on the right is the Basis Inspiration, a favorite of mine. Viva builds these systems to stretch from wall to wall.
Jim, Eyal and Todd enjoying themselves. Hey, no one took a picture of me!
Following the Viva Demo we all went to the BlueNote for some live jazz and then on Friday to Eyal-Jam at Eyal’s place in the city! We talked, we drank wine, Eyal made us his special hand-crafted lattes (they were delicious!) and we even found time to listen to a few more IEMs, and HPs. A special thanks to Jim (Hifihawaii808) for bringing some nice IEMS to audition. I got to meet Jonathan, aka EnigmaFotos. It was my pleasure to finally meet him, and I enjoyed his knowledge and taste in IEMs, and he had a surprise for us with him.
Abyss Joal with Enleum Amp-23RMH: I actually heard this at Audio46 before meeting at Eyal’s place. This was a great match. The Joal was detailed, comfortable with good bass and mids. Something to consider for sure. The 23RMH is a small portable amplifier that packs lots of power. Really good
Meze Poet: I also auditioned this at Audio 46. A good HP, but I did prefer the Joal.
And at Eyal’s:
AME Mousa: This was not the surprise IEM. Another IEM most of you have already heard about. I was not nuts about the looks. For me it was an okay listen, but nothing special. Not a high-quality detailed bass or midrange.
AME Mousa
Nightjar Acoustics Duality: Now I know why they call it Duality! In bass mode you get bass baby! That said, I ended up favoring its balanced profile which still has strong bass, but now the midrange is clearer, less veiled in comparison. A more balanced presentation. A really good, fun IEM. Great looking cable.
Nightjar Acoustics Duality
UM Amber Pearl: Wow! Beautiful to look at in person, and it sounded even better. What a great IEM. Well balanced with good tight bass, great mids and treble. Detailed and resolving, yet oh so sultry and engaging. They ate up whatever I played, especially jazz and female vocals. This is one of the best IEMs IMHO. I prefer it to the Storm. I still give my Traillii the edge in the mids, this has the edge in the bass. Gorgeous sound.
UM Amber Pearl
Flipears Legion: This was the surprise Jonathan (EnigmaFotos) brought to our attention. When I auditioned it, I had no idea of the price. For me, it can duke it out with multi-thousand-dollar IEMs. Remember all those other IEMs I simply described as okay, this is better. Good bass, mids, treble. Resolving and excellent detail. Does it have a midrange and overall package to compete with Traillii and Amber Pearl, no, it is not magic, but it is excellent. Play a track with bass and you will hear it, and with some detail and power. A fitting midrange and a nice treble. Now, back to the price, $850.00 list price. This was one of the stars of the show for me. Highly recommended. And it looks cool!
Flipears Legion
Storm: I have heard this a few time now. One of the best, but I prefer my Traillii overall. There are parts of Dire Straits that my Traillii resolves better. But this is an excellent IEM. I do prefer the original silver faceplate.
And again, at night with the Fugaku. Still fabulous.
This is the end of Part 1. I will post Part 2, the actual show shortly. Thank you.
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Below is Part 2 of my CanJam NY 2025 Review. Please enjoy!
2025 CanJam Highlights and Preshow Activities - Post 2
Well, Saturday arrived and time for the show! I arrived early and upon entering and taking it in I immediately ran into Masuda San of Mass Kobo. Going to his table he had the dragon faceplates for the MK-465 (my favorite amplifier). They looked gorgeous, especially in silver. The 465 provides the Susvara with a deep and detailed yet fast bass. It will explode beyond the initial transient. A favorite amplifier of mine.
Handmade Dragon Faceplates for the MK-465. Gorgeous and very expensive.
Mass Kobo 465 with the champagne silver faceplate
Masuda San with his wife.
I was able to meet with Cameron (GoldenSound) and listen to the Aperio and Aperio GSE in a separate hotel room. I apologize for not taking pictures.
Warwick Aperio/Aperio GSE: This is an electrostatic headphone system and expensive at $35,000.00! I felt the original Aperio to be a bit veiled in the mids and too warm overall. The GSE had a more open sound and was more to my liking with what I will call clearer upper mids and treble. Both had good bass. While I preferred the GSE edition, I think I prefer the Sus, SUV, Immanis, and Magna on a top amp be it MK-465, Riviera or Envy AE to name a few. That is only based off one brief session, so if you can afford it, please make sure to audition it at length.
I then spent allot of time with the Viva Belva and the Susvara OG, Susvara Unveiled and the Immanis.
Viva Belva HP Amplifier with Viva Numerico DAC on the bottom left rack.
Having just heard the Belva on Thursday, the Viva Numerico DAC made a difference. A gorgeous sound. The midrange of the SUV was liquid and rich, superior to that of the OG. And good bass as well. The Immanis, terrific. With all 3 HPs, some of the best sound at the show. The biggest difference I found between the OG Sus and the SUV (Susvara Unveiled) was the midrange of the SUV. It was more lush. I would say the midrange of both the OG and the SUV were superior to the Immanis using the Belva. And the Belva sounded better to me than the Viva 845 amplifier which was in a separate room near the Belva. I liked that as well, but the Belva was better. Was it better than the Narukami (which was also at the show)? I might pick the Narukami if given the choice, but I doubt that is a decision I would need to personally make anytime soon.
Viva 845 Amplifier
Raal Immanis
Oz, Giampietro (Viva) and Danny (Raal)
Believe it or not, this was Danny’s first ever listen to the Immanis connected to the Belva.
At the end of the show on Saturday we gave out some Water Cooler Awards.
From left to right: Jeff, Eyal and Jim hosting the WC Awards Ceremony
Danny receiving the award for best HP of 2024 which went to the Immanis. I had to show this shot as Danny, who loves to talk if you never met him, took over control of the microphone! Danny was thrilled.
Our yearly shot of the Watercoolers – stylized version. We have grown in size!
And of course, we went out for our yearly steak dinner at Keens in NYC, one of my favorite steak restaurants, and known for their Mutton Chop which is what I had. However, the star of the night was their special Bloody Mary. They add Balsamic Vinegar, and it was delicious!
Bloody Mary with Balsamic Vinegar!
Keens’ Mutton Chop
And of course, our group picture. I finally made it in one of our group shots! I am in green sitting next to Jim.
After spending a little more time comparing IEMs and listening to the Fugaku yet again, it was Sunday and time for the last day of the show. I stared with some HPs.
Sennheiser HD600, HD650, HD660S2 and the new HD505: I own the HD600 and on the right amp it is an incredible HP. I felt the 650 to not be as good and I was also not overly thrilled with the 505. For me, the HD600 was better having more bass and a good overall presentation. Then I tried the 660S2. This HP had less bass than the 600 but more clarity in the mids and treble. I might still prefer the 600 on a top amplifier, but I really liked the 660S2 as well.
Sennheiser HD660S2
Sennheiser HD505
I spent some time with the Audma Maestro HPA1 Amplifier. This amplifier won a WC award for 2024 and I know several folks on Head-fi really like it and are raving about it. I auditioned it with my Susvara and I did like it. The ELISA circuit which allows you to modify the soundstage is cool. I am not sure how much I would use it over time, but it does make a noticeable change in the presentation. That said, I was not thrilled by the amplifier itself. It sounded good, but I was not wowed by it.
Audma Maestro HPA1
Austrian Audio – The Composer: This HP just did not agree with my taste. I felt the Sennheiser HD600/660S2 on my amplifiers to be superior.
DCA E3 connected to the new Shitt Valhalla 3: I loved this pairing. Overall great sound and staging as well. I had a couple of friends give it a listen that were looking for a setup that was not too expensive, and they loved it as well. I preferred this over the DCA Stealth and Expanse connected to the RO-XL. The matching DAC being used was the Schitt Bifrost. The Valhalla 3 will be priced at about $500.00 and the DCA E3 is under $2K. Highly recommended.
Red October XL: This was in the Ampsandsound room and was huge. I first listened with the DCA Stealth and Expanse and was not wowed. I really do not care for either HP, so I guess that was to be expected. I then connected my Sus and oh boy, what an amp. Powerful, dynamic, nice tone (though not as gorgeous as say a Riviera, but excellent). I liked this amplifier, but it is huge and heavy. If you have the space and the pockets, this should last forever.
Justin was also using a “Booster Box” between the DAC and the RO XL. The Booster Box is a fixed gain preamp. The rationale was that most less expensive dacs (as in less than $40K) do not have a robust output and although they might be specified at 2V, it will vary and drop. The Booster Box will keep the voltage going into the amplifier at a constant 2.2V improving dynamics and overall sound quality. The setup sounded terrific with my Susvara and the DCA Noire X. The Booster Box is only about $900.00 which is a deal considering the cost of most at the show.
Feliks Audio Envy 25th Anniversary Edition: I loved this amplifier. I almost bought it on the spot, but after discussing it Headphones.com would not sell it to me. This drove my Susvara with power and dynamics. The bass popped, lush mids and treble with detail throughout. This would be a definite battle with the RO-XL, the AE being the lusher sounding of the two. It was a fabulous match with the SUV. The Unveiled had the punch of my OG, with an even better midrange. Close, but the SUV had the better mids. Female voice especially. I might have to say the SUV has the best mids of any HP now.
Jonathan (Enigmafotos) was also kind enough to introduce me to Aries and his wife from Flipears. I already mentioned the Legend, but there was another I really liked.
Flipears Aurora: This was a good IEM, but I felt the Legend was superior overall.
Flipears Artha Argentum: This was a great sounding IEM. Another special find for me. It is made of silver and has switches to modify the sound. I ended up preferring them all at max which made the bass powerful and detailed. Its quality reminded me of the Fugaku’s bass, great mids and treble. As an example, going back to playing “Money For Nothing” by Dire Straits at 1:12 in the drums will explode. Great fun. And shockingly it is all balanced drivers, 8 per IEM set up as: 2 sub-bass, 2 low, 2 mid, 2 high with a 4-way crossover. One of my favorite sounds at the show. A very good price as well for a TOTL IEM.
Flipears Artha Argentum
Aries and his wife posing for a pic with me.
UM Mest Jet Black: A decent sounding IEM. The bass could be better and the mids were not the equal of UM’s best, but it also costs allot less. Did I hear a hint of a metallic sound in the treble? Another okay IEM for me.
QDC Emperor and King: Good bass, but not thrilled with the mids and treble. Could be the CanJam floor, but I think I prefer the Anole VX for the QDC sound.
QDC Emperor on the left and King on the right.
Elysian Dio: A great IEM that is just way too expensive. Excellent bass, vocals, and overall timbre. Jim told me this was his favorite IEM. Did I like it over the Amber Pearl? Not sure, but a fabulous IEM. I obviously prefer the Fugaku to it, but this is a regular, mobile IEM not tethered to a dedicated amplifier. When I heard the price, I was shocked at $14K list!
Hercules Audio Moses: These sound as Jude described them on the CanJam Intro Video. Powerful bass (more so than on the MacBeth), rich mids, beautiful upper registers. Detailed and enveloping sound. One of my Stars of the Show. Seductive.
Next to it was Forte Audio (Macbeth) showing off a new prototype. For me, it was no match for the Moses. Don’t think I am nuts about the name, but the Moses sounds terrific.
Hercules Moses
I had another round of listening to the Narukami amplifer at Bloom Audio. I do love this amp.
Audio Technica Narukami Amplifier
I then took a listen to the Woo Audio WA24 Amplifier and the Arya Unveiled HP.
Woo Audio WA24: A good amp. This is a more neutral sounding tube amplifier which brings it toward the MK-465 for me. As with any amplifier doing that, I will usually prefer the MK-465 as is the case here. However, it sounded great with the Arya Unveiled.
HiFiMan Arya Unveiled: A great sounding HP. A synergistic match with the WA24 and excellent at its price point. An open sound with good bass, sub-bass and nice mids. Not thick mids, but nice body to them. Great with vocals.
Woo Audio WA 24
HiFiMan Arya Unveiled
And that is about it. Great friends and a great time! This years “Best Of Show” was all of you that attended.
CanJam ended with a bunch of us at the MusicTeck tables and my friend Mark coming over after having won a Meze 105 headphone at Bloom Audio. Marks’ face says it all about CanJam 2025. Till next year!
Mark and his new Meze 105.
2025 CanJam Highlights and Preshow Activities - Post 2
Well, Saturday arrived and time for the show! I arrived early and upon entering and taking it in I immediately ran into Masuda San of Mass Kobo. Going to his table he had the dragon faceplates for the MK-465 (my favorite amplifier). They looked gorgeous, especially in silver. The 465 provides the Susvara with a deep and detailed yet fast bass. It will explode beyond the initial transient. A favorite amplifier of mine.
Handmade Dragon Faceplates for the MK-465. Gorgeous and very expensive.
Mass Kobo 465 with the champagne silver faceplate
Masuda San with his wife.
I was able to meet with Cameron (GoldenSound) and listen to the Aperio and Aperio GSE in a separate hotel room. I apologize for not taking pictures.
Warwick Aperio/Aperio GSE: This is an electrostatic headphone system and expensive at $35,000.00! I felt the original Aperio to be a bit veiled in the mids and too warm overall. The GSE had a more open sound and was more to my liking with what I will call clearer upper mids and treble. Both had good bass. While I preferred the GSE edition, I think I prefer the Sus, SUV, Immanis, and Magna on a top amp be it MK-465, Riviera or Envy AE to name a few. That is only based off one brief session, so if you can afford it, please make sure to audition it at length.
I then spent allot of time with the Viva Belva and the Susvara OG, Susvara Unveiled and the Immanis.
Viva Belva HP Amplifier with Viva Numerico DAC on the bottom left rack.
Having just heard the Belva on Thursday, the Viva Numerico DAC made a difference. A gorgeous sound. The midrange of the SUV was liquid and rich, superior to that of the OG. And good bass as well. The Immanis, terrific. With all 3 HPs, some of the best sound at the show. The biggest difference I found between the OG Sus and the SUV (Susvara Unveiled) was the midrange of the SUV. It was more lush. I would say the midrange of both the OG and the SUV were superior to the Immanis using the Belva. And the Belva sounded better to me than the Viva 845 amplifier which was in a separate room near the Belva. I liked that as well, but the Belva was better. Was it better than the Narukami (which was also at the show)? I might pick the Narukami if given the choice, but I doubt that is a decision I would need to personally make anytime soon.
Viva 845 Amplifier
Raal Immanis
Oz, Giampietro (Viva) and Danny (Raal)
Believe it or not, this was Danny’s first ever listen to the Immanis connected to the Belva.
At the end of the show on Saturday we gave out some Water Cooler Awards.
From left to right: Jeff, Eyal and Jim hosting the WC Awards Ceremony
Danny receiving the award for best HP of 2024 which went to the Immanis. I had to show this shot as Danny, who loves to talk if you never met him, took over control of the microphone! Danny was thrilled.
Our yearly shot of the Watercoolers – stylized version. We have grown in size!
And of course, we went out for our yearly steak dinner at Keens in NYC, one of my favorite steak restaurants, and known for their Mutton Chop which is what I had. However, the star of the night was their special Bloody Mary. They add Balsamic Vinegar, and it was delicious!
Bloody Mary with Balsamic Vinegar!
Keens’ Mutton Chop
And of course, our group picture. I finally made it in one of our group shots! I am in green sitting next to Jim.
After spending a little more time comparing IEMs and listening to the Fugaku yet again, it was Sunday and time for the last day of the show. I stared with some HPs.
Sennheiser HD600, HD650, HD660S2 and the new HD505: I own the HD600 and on the right amp it is an incredible HP. I felt the 650 to not be as good and I was also not overly thrilled with the 505. For me, the HD600 was better having more bass and a good overall presentation. Then I tried the 660S2. This HP had less bass than the 600 but more clarity in the mids and treble. I might still prefer the 600 on a top amplifier, but I really liked the 660S2 as well.
Sennheiser HD660S2
Sennheiser HD505
I spent some time with the Audma Maestro HPA1 Amplifier. This amplifier won a WC award for 2024 and I know several folks on Head-fi really like it and are raving about it. I auditioned it with my Susvara and I did like it. The ELISA circuit which allows you to modify the soundstage is cool. I am not sure how much I would use it over time, but it does make a noticeable change in the presentation. That said, I was not thrilled by the amplifier itself. It sounded good, but I was not wowed by it.
Audma Maestro HPA1
Austrian Audio – The Composer: This HP just did not agree with my taste. I felt the Sennheiser HD600/660S2 on my amplifiers to be superior.
DCA E3 connected to the new Shitt Valhalla 3: I loved this pairing. Overall great sound and staging as well. I had a couple of friends give it a listen that were looking for a setup that was not too expensive, and they loved it as well. I preferred this over the DCA Stealth and Expanse connected to the RO-XL. The matching DAC being used was the Schitt Bifrost. The Valhalla 3 will be priced at about $500.00 and the DCA E3 is under $2K. Highly recommended.
Red October XL: This was in the Ampsandsound room and was huge. I first listened with the DCA Stealth and Expanse and was not wowed. I really do not care for either HP, so I guess that was to be expected. I then connected my Sus and oh boy, what an amp. Powerful, dynamic, nice tone (though not as gorgeous as say a Riviera, but excellent). I liked this amplifier, but it is huge and heavy. If you have the space and the pockets, this should last forever.
Justin was also using a “Booster Box” between the DAC and the RO XL. The Booster Box is a fixed gain preamp. The rationale was that most less expensive dacs (as in less than $40K) do not have a robust output and although they might be specified at 2V, it will vary and drop. The Booster Box will keep the voltage going into the amplifier at a constant 2.2V improving dynamics and overall sound quality. The setup sounded terrific with my Susvara and the DCA Noire X. The Booster Box is only about $900.00 which is a deal considering the cost of most at the show.
Feliks Audio Envy 25th Anniversary Edition: I loved this amplifier. I almost bought it on the spot, but after discussing it Headphones.com would not sell it to me. This drove my Susvara with power and dynamics. The bass popped, lush mids and treble with detail throughout. This would be a definite battle with the RO-XL, the AE being the lusher sounding of the two. It was a fabulous match with the SUV. The Unveiled had the punch of my OG, with an even better midrange. Close, but the SUV had the better mids. Female voice especially. I might have to say the SUV has the best mids of any HP now.
Jonathan (Enigmafotos) was also kind enough to introduce me to Aries and his wife from Flipears. I already mentioned the Legend, but there was another I really liked.
Flipears Aurora: This was a good IEM, but I felt the Legend was superior overall.
Flipears Artha Argentum: This was a great sounding IEM. Another special find for me. It is made of silver and has switches to modify the sound. I ended up preferring them all at max which made the bass powerful and detailed. Its quality reminded me of the Fugaku’s bass, great mids and treble. As an example, going back to playing “Money For Nothing” by Dire Straits at 1:12 in the drums will explode. Great fun. And shockingly it is all balanced drivers, 8 per IEM set up as: 2 sub-bass, 2 low, 2 mid, 2 high with a 4-way crossover. One of my favorite sounds at the show. A very good price as well for a TOTL IEM.
Flipears Artha Argentum
Aries and his wife posing for a pic with me.
UM Mest Jet Black: A decent sounding IEM. The bass could be better and the mids were not the equal of UM’s best, but it also costs allot less. Did I hear a hint of a metallic sound in the treble? Another okay IEM for me.
QDC Emperor and King: Good bass, but not thrilled with the mids and treble. Could be the CanJam floor, but I think I prefer the Anole VX for the QDC sound.
QDC Emperor on the left and King on the right.
Elysian Dio: A great IEM that is just way too expensive. Excellent bass, vocals, and overall timbre. Jim told me this was his favorite IEM. Did I like it over the Amber Pearl? Not sure, but a fabulous IEM. I obviously prefer the Fugaku to it, but this is a regular, mobile IEM not tethered to a dedicated amplifier. When I heard the price, I was shocked at $14K list!
Hercules Audio Moses: These sound as Jude described them on the CanJam Intro Video. Powerful bass (more so than on the MacBeth), rich mids, beautiful upper registers. Detailed and enveloping sound. One of my Stars of the Show. Seductive.
Next to it was Forte Audio (Macbeth) showing off a new prototype. For me, it was no match for the Moses. Don’t think I am nuts about the name, but the Moses sounds terrific.
Hercules Moses
I had another round of listening to the Narukami amplifer at Bloom Audio. I do love this amp.
Audio Technica Narukami Amplifier
I then took a listen to the Woo Audio WA24 Amplifier and the Arya Unveiled HP.
Woo Audio WA24: A good amp. This is a more neutral sounding tube amplifier which brings it toward the MK-465 for me. As with any amplifier doing that, I will usually prefer the MK-465 as is the case here. However, it sounded great with the Arya Unveiled.
HiFiMan Arya Unveiled: A great sounding HP. A synergistic match with the WA24 and excellent at its price point. An open sound with good bass, sub-bass and nice mids. Not thick mids, but nice body to them. Great with vocals.
Woo Audio WA 24
HiFiMan Arya Unveiled
And that is about it. Great friends and a great time! This years “Best Of Show” was all of you that attended.
CanJam ended with a bunch of us at the MusicTeck tables and my friend Mark coming over after having won a Meze 105 headphone at Bloom Audio. Marks’ face says it all about CanJam 2025. Till next year!
Mark and his new Meze 105.
Awesome write up! I think it’s Flipears Legion. I really enjoyed listening to it. I’m not really an iems guy but I’m seriously tempted to get it
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Hi All. I finally got around to posting my CanJam NY 2025 report. Due to the amount of pictures I had to split it into 2 posts. Post 1 will cover all activities and auditions up to the show and Post 2 will cover the show itself. Please excuse my ranting and raving as usual. I hope I was not too harsh (this is all subjective anyway), and you all enjoy the memories made.
2025 CanJam Highlights and Preshow Activities
Can Jam 2025, for me, began on Wednesday evening this year, as opposed to when the actual show began on Saturday. Upon checking in to the Marriott Marquis hotel in NYC I met with my good friend Todd for dinner. We went for dinner at an old favorite of mine called Il Tinello on 56th st. Todd had the Dover Sole Special, and I had the Halibut Special. Both dishes were the the best Dover Sole and best Halibut both Todd and I have ever had! A great start to CanJam 2025!
The Outside of Il Tinello at 16 W 56th St.
That evening we sat down to listen to the IEMs Todd had just recently auditioned and wrote about. These early auditions are precious, and they lighten my load for Saturday and Sunday, allowing me to just wonder and get caught in the moment at the show. The surroundings are also quiet to allow for optimal listening.
Forte Ears Macbeth: Very happy to report the hype is real. An excellent IEM with a bit of an analogue character. Great bass without the use of a DD thanks to its use of bone conduction. I find with bone conduction, if you get the right fit, then you will hear the bass. With the Macbeth, this was the case for me. Let’s call it a warmish midrange and detailed treble without being harsh. As Todd noted and showed me Wednesday night, Sax’s sound terrific. I was thrilled that I liked it as Todd was purchasing one.
Forte Ears Macbeth
CFA Clara: I would say okay bass, mids and treble. Nothing wowed me and definitely a tier down from the Macbeth for me.
CFA Clara
Elysian Apostle: Again, nothing wowed me. A good IEM, but nothing special for me. I was not crazy about the vocals. Maybe not as dynamic as I would like if that makes sense.
Elysian Apostle
UM Maven II: Definitely not the UM sound I typically expect. The midrange was not of the quality I expect to hear from them (on Friday I auditioned the Amber Pearl and that was special and what I expect from UM).
UM Maven II
Softears Enigma: Where is the bass? For the price of this IEM, much better exists IMHO. The mids were not notable and it can get sibilant as Todd had pointed out
CFA Astrolith: I totally disliked this IEM. Where was the bass! If you are going to be bass light you better be a mids specialist, and it is not. Listening to Regina Speckor and Dire Straits I constantly felt like the foundation of the music was missing.
CFA Astrolith
VE EXT Mk II: I disliked the original EXT primarily because it just did not fit me well and was uncomfortable with the nozzle being too wide for my liking. Well, the nozzle is smaller, but where is the bass! A brighter tonality that just does not work IMHO. I am a VE fan, but I would much rather have the VE-10 with its beautiful midrange.
VE EXT MK II
Omega Alpha & Omega: I don’t know, maybe I am being too harsh because I also heard the Fugaku and will discuss that IEM shortly. But then I heard the Legion on Friday. So, I say, if you are interested in this IEM, please audition the Legion first for $850.00 list.
Simphonio P-Zero with Yatono 8-Wire Ultimate Cable: An unnatural sound for me. If you are a fan of the Macbeth, I highly doubt you will like the sound of this IEM. If you like jazz like Holly Cole’s “Don’t Smoke In Bed,” there are IEMs that are just better.
Simphonio P-Zero
Brise Audio Fugaku: Wow! I fear this IEM, Macbeth and my Traillii may have made me a bit harsh on all the other IEMs on this night. The Fugaku is the best IEM I have ever heard. At this point I feel only a top-quality HP can exceed it on a great system. For example, I still prefer my Susvara when connected to my Holo May and MK-465 system, however I would pick the Fugaku over ever Meze HP (as an example). It is that good. Powerful and detailed bass. Try the beginning of Dire Straits “Money For Nothing” as an example. At 1:12 in when the drum hits begin there is power and a detail within those drum hits that simply does not exist on any other IEM. Just fabulous. The midrange is the equal of my Traillii with a special clarity in the way it is presented. Try some Holly Cole or Regina Spektor as an example, or any vocals for that matter. And the treble. It is detailed, clear and yet, not harsh. Oh, when cymbals splash, they splash, but the clarity is terrific. Even Adele’s sibilance on “Hello” is toned down, yet nothing is lost. I listened to the Fugaku several times over the rest of the week, and it always astonished me. At over $17,000.00 list, someone must come up with a new product to match it for much less. This is a special IEM system. I add the word system as it is not my definition of mobile needing to be tethered to its dedicated amplifier. But for sitting down and just listening, it is the best.
Brise Audio Fugaku
After listening to this first batch of IEM’s the Fugaku sits in a tier above every other IEM available (assuming you are okay with the mobility issue), then in a lower tier there is the Macbeth. All the rest are so far below them in sound quality, that for me they do not matter. I literally felt like I was wasting my time with them as compared to the Macbeth and the Fugaku. I do realize how harsh this sounds, but believe me, there were other IEMs I also loved at the show, just not the other 8 listed here.
On Thursday we had a meeting with Audio Technica in the AM at their location in NYC. This was special as we got to spend time with the Narukami amplifier. We had it all to ourselves and used Eyal’s Susvara and my ZMF AC with it. Simply tremendous sound with both HPs. Tight powerful bass, beautiful mids and silky, detailed treble. I felt this amplifier was terrific the first time I heard it last year, and I still feel the same. However, I am not crazy about Audio Technica’s matching ATH-AWKG headphones. If you get the chance to audition the amplifier, please bring your Susvara, ZMF or other HPs with you. The Susvara on the Narukami is a perfect match.
The amplifier was displayed on a section of Kurogaki wood, the same wood used on the amplifier which is a rare mutation of the Japanese Persimmon Tree.
The Narukami Amplifier on top of the Kurogaki wood used on the amplifier.
Todd listening to my ZMF Atrium Closed in Amboyna Burl on the Narukami.
Eyal listening to his Susvara on the Narukami.
Jim and Todd discussing the finer points of amplifier engineering.
For lunch we ended up at one of the best pizza shops we never knew about in NYC, a place called Lucia Pizza of SoHo. A great surprise that was recommended to us by the good folks at Audio Technica. The Pizza shop is small with little to no seating. Luckily, they also own a café around the corner that we were able to eat in.
Nothing much to look at, but the Pizza is phenomenal!
From there we had an appointment to hear some audio systems using Viva electronics at the owner’s home in NYC. Oz (Highendbyoz.com) was kind enough to show us around and demo the systems. This was fun and as a bonus we were able to audition the Viva Belva at length which was on the 2nd floor.
Oz, all the way on the right, showing us the 1st floor Viva System.
The main Viva system (Viva Speakers and electronics) on the 1st floor featuring separate bass amps and midrange/treble amps.
A closeup of the right side of the speaker system.
The middle of the 2nd floor system. The Belva (the new HP amp) was being used to drive the mids and treble.
The right side of the 2nd floor system. The turntable all the way on the right is the Basis Inspiration, a favorite of mine. Viva builds these systems to stretch from wall to wall.
Jim, Eyal and Todd enjoying themselves. Hey, no one took a picture of me!
Following the Viva Demo we all went to the BlueNote for some live jazz and then on Friday to Eyal-Jam at Eyal’s place in the city! We talked, we drank wine, Eyal made us his special hand-crafted lattes (they were delicious!) and we even found time to listen to a few more IEMs, and HPs. A special thanks to Jim (Hifihawaii808) for bringing some nice IEMS to audition. I got to meet Jonathan, aka EnigmaFotos. It was my pleasure to finally meet him, and I enjoyed his knowledge and taste in IEMs, and he had a surprise for us with him.
Abyss Joal with Enleum Amp-23RMH: I actually heard this at Audio46 before meeting at Eyal’s place. This was a great match. The Joal was detailed, comfortable with good bass and mids. Something to consider for sure. The 23RMH is a small portable amplifier that packs lots of power. Really good
Meze Poet: I also auditioned this at Audio 46. A good HP, but I did prefer the Joal.
And at Eyal’s:
AME Mousa: This was not the surprise IEM. Another IEM most of you have already heard about. I was not nuts about the looks. For me it was an okay listen, but nothing special. Not a high-quality detailed bass or midrange.
AME Mousa
Nightjar Acoustics Duality: Now I know why they call it Duality! In bass mode you get bass baby! That said, I ended up favoring its balanced profile which still has strong bass, but now the midrange is clearer, less veiled in comparison. A more balanced presentation. A really good, fun IEM. Great looking cable.
Nightjar Acoustics Duality
UM Amber Pearl: Wow! Beautiful to look at in person, and it sounded even better. What a great IEM. Well balanced with good tight bass, great mids and treble. Detailed and resolving, yet oh so sultry and engaging. They ate up whatever I played, especially jazz and female vocals. This is one of the best IEMs IMHO. I prefer it to the Storm. I still give my Traillii the edge in the mids, this has the edge in the bass. Gorgeous sound.
UM Amber Pearl
Flipears Legend: This was the surprise Jonathan (EnigmaFotos) brought to our attention. When I auditioned it, I had no idea of the price. For me, it can duke it out with multi-thousand-dollar IEMs. Remember all those other IEMs I simply described as okay, this is better. Good bass, mids, treble. Resolving and excellent detail. Does it have a midrange and overall package to compete with Traillii and Amber Pearl, no, it is not magic, but it is excellent. Play a track with bass and you will hear it, and with some detail and power. A fitting midrange and a nice treble. Now, back to the price, $850.00 list price. This was one of the stars of the show for me. Highly recommended. And it looks cool!
Flipears Legend
Storm: I have heard this a few time now. One of the best, but I prefer my Traillii overall. There are parts of Dire Straits that my Traillii resolves better. But this is an excellent IEM. I do prefer the original silver faceplate.
And again, at night with the Fugaku. Still fabulous.
This is the end of Part 1. I will post Part 2, the actual show shortly. Thank you.
Below is Part 2 of my CanJam NY 2025 Review. Please enjoy!
2025 CanJam Highlights and Preshow Activities - Post 2
Well, Saturday arrived and time for the show! I arrived early and upon entering and taking it in I immediately ran into Masuda San of Mass Kobo. Going to his table he had the dragon faceplates for the MK-465 (my favorite amplifier). They looked gorgeous, especially in silver. The 465 provides the Susvara with a deep and detailed yet fast bass. It will explode beyond the initial transient. A favorite amplifier of mine.
Handmade Dragon Faceplates for the MK-465. Gorgeous and very expensive.
Mass Kobo 465 with the champagne silver faceplate
Masuda San with his wife.
I was able to meet with Cameron (GoldenSound) and listen to the Aperio and Aperio GSE in a separate hotel room. I apologize for not taking pictures.
Warwick Aperio/Aperio GSE: This is an electrostatic headphone system and expensive at $35,000.00! I felt the original Aperio to be a bit veiled in the mids and too warm overall. The GSE had a more open sound and was more to my liking with what I will call clearer upper mids and treble. Both had good bass. While I preferred the GSE edition, I think I prefer the Sus, SUV, Immanis, and Magna on a top amp be it MK-465, Riviera or Envy AE to name a few. That is only based off one brief session, so if you can afford it, please make sure to audition it at length.
I then spent allot of time with the Viva Belva and the Susvara OG, Susvara Unveiled and the Immanis.
Viva Belva HP Amplifier with Viva Numerico DAC on the bottom left rack.
Having just heard the Belva on Thursday, the Viva Numerico DAC made a difference. A gorgeous sound. The midrange of the SUV was liquid and rich, superior to that of the OG. And good bass as well. The Immanis, terrific. With all 3 HPs, some of the best sound at the show. The biggest difference I found between the OG Sus and the SUV (Susvara Unveiled) was the midrange of the SUV. It was more lush. I would say the midrange of both the OG and the SUV were superior to the Immanis using the Belva. And the Belva sounded better to me than the Viva 845 amplifier which was in a separate room near the Belva. I liked that as well, but the Belva was better. Was it better than the Narukami (which was also at the show)? I might pick the Narukami if given the choice, but I doubt that is a decision I would need to personally make anytime soon.
Viva 845 Amplifier
Raal Immanis
Oz, Giampietro (Viva) and Danny (Raal)
Believe it or not, this was Danny’s first ever listen to the Immanis connected to the Belva.
At the end of the show on Saturday we gave out some Water Cooler Awards.
From left to right: Jeff, Eyal and Jim hosting the WC Awards Ceremony
Danny receiving the award for best HP of 2024 which went to the Immanis. I had to show this shot as Danny, who loves to talk if you never met him, took over control of the microphone! Danny was thrilled.
Our yearly shot of the Watercoolers – stylized version. We have grown in size!
And of course, we went out for our yearly steak dinner at Keens in NYC, one of my favorite steak restaurants, and known for their Mutton Chop which is what I had. However, the star of the night was their special Bloody Mary. They add Balsamic Vinegar, and it was delicious!
Bloody Mary with Balsamic Vinegar!
Keens’ Mutton Chop
And of course, our group picture. I finally made it in one of our group shots! I am in green sitting next to Jim.
After spending a little more time comparing IEMs and listening to the Fugaku yet again, it was Sunday and time for the last day of the show. I stared with some HPs.
Sennheiser HD600, HD650, HD660S2 and the new HD505: I own the HD600 and on the right amp it is an incredible HP. I felt the 650 to not be as good and I was also not overly thrilled with the 505. For me, the HD600 was better having more bass and a good overall presentation. Then I tried the 660S2. This HP had less bass than the 600 but more clarity in the mids and treble. I might still prefer the 600 on a top amplifier, but I really liked the 660S2 as well.
Sennheiser HD660S2
Sennheiser HD505
I spent some time with the Audma Maestro HPA1 Amplifier. This amplifier won a WC award for 2024 and I know several folks on Head-fi really like it and are raving about it. I auditioned it with my Susvara and I did like it. The ELISA circuit which allows you to modify the soundstage is cool. I am not sure how much I would use it over time, but it does make a noticeable change in the presentation. That said, I was not thrilled by the amplifier itself. It sounded good, but I was not wowed by it.
Audma Maestro HPA1
Austrian Audio – The Composer: This HP just did not agree with my taste. I felt the Sennheiser HD600/660S2 on my amplifiers to be superior.
DCA E3 connected to the new Shitt Valhalla 3: I loved this pairing. Overall great sound and staging as well. I had a couple of friends give it a listen that were looking for a setup that was not too expensive, and they loved it as well. I preferred this over the DCA Stealth and Expanse connected to the RO-XL. The matching DAC being used was the Schitt Bifrost. The Valhalla 3 will be priced at about $500.00 and the DCA E3 is under $2K. Highly recommended.
Red October XL: This was in the Ampsandsound room and was huge. I first listened with the DCA Stealth and Expanse and was not wowed. I really do not care for either HP, so I guess that was to be expected. I then connected my Sus and oh boy, what an amp. Powerful, dynamic, nice tone (though not as gorgeous as say a Riviera, but excellent). I liked this amplifier, but it is huge and heavy. If you have the space and the pockets, this should last forever.
Justin was also using a “Booster Box” between the DAC and the RO XL. The Booster Box is a fixed gain preamp. The rationale was that most less expensive dacs (as in less than $40K) do not have a robust output and although they might be specified at 2V, it will vary and drop. The Booster Box will keep the voltage going into the amplifier at a constant 2.2V improving dynamics and overall sound quality. The setup sounded terrific with my Susvara and the DCA Noire X. The Booster Box is only about $900.00 which is a deal considering the cost of most at the show.
Feliks Audio Envy 25th Anniversary Edition: I loved this amplifier. I almost bought it on the spot, but after discussing it Headphones.com would not sell it to me. This drove my Susvara with power and dynamics. The bass popped, lush mids and treble with detail throughout. This would be a definite battle with the RO-XL, the AE being the lusher sounding of the two. It was a fabulous match with the SUV. The Unveiled had the punch of my OG, with an even better midrange. Close, but the SUV had the better mids. Female voice especially. I might have to say the SUV has the best mids of any HP now.
Jonathan (Enigmafotos) was also kind enough to introduce me to Aries and his wife from Flipears. I already mentioned the Legend, but there was another I really liked.
Flipears Aurora: This was a good IEM, but I felt the Legend was superior overall.
Flipears Artha Argentum: This was a great sounding IEM. Another special find for me. It is made of silver and has switches to modify the sound. I ended up preferring them all at max which made the bass powerful and detailed. Its quality reminded me of the Fugaku’s bass, great mids and treble. As an example, going back to playing “Money For Nothing” by Dire Straits at 1:12 in the drums will explode. Great fun. And shockingly it is all balanced drivers, 8 per IEM set up as: 2 sub-bass, 2 low, 2 mid, 2 high with a 4-way crossover. One of my favorite sounds at the show. A very good price as well for a TOTL IEM.
Flipears Artha Argentum
Aries and his wife posing for a pic with me.
UM Mest Jet Black: A decent sounding IEM. The bass could be better and the mids were not the equal of UM’s best, but it also costs allot less. Did I hear a hint of a metallic sound in the treble? Another okay IEM for me.
QDC Emperor and King: Good bass, but not thrilled with the mids and treble. Could be the CanJam floor, but I think I prefer the Anole VX for the QDC sound.
QDC Emperor on the left and King on the right.
Elysian Dio: A great IEM that is just way too expensive. Excellent bass, vocals, and overall timbre. Jim told me this was his favorite IEM. Did I like it over the Amber Pearl? Not sure, but a fabulous IEM. I obviously prefer the Fugaku to it, but this is a regular, mobile IEM not tethered to a dedicated amplifier. When I heard the price, I was shocked at $14K list!
Hercules Audio Moses: These sound as Jude described them on the CanJam Intro Video. Powerful bass (more so than on the MacBeth), rich mids, beautiful upper registers. Detailed and enveloping sound. One of my Stars of the Show. Seductive.
Next to it was Forte Audio (Macbeth) showing off a new prototype. For me, it was no match for the Moses. Don’t think I am nuts about the name, but the Moses sounds terrific.
Hercules Moses
I had another round of listening to the Narukami amplifer at Bloom Audio. I do love this amp.
Audio Technica Narukami Amplifier
I then took a listen to the Woo Audio WA24 Amplifier and the Arya Unveiled HP.
Woo Audio WA24: A good amp. This is a more neutral sounding tube amplifier which brings it toward the MK-465 for me. As with any amplifier doing that, I will usually prefer the MK-465 as is the case here. However, it sounded great with the Arya Unveiled.
HiFiMan Arya Unveiled: A great sounding HP. A synergistic match with the WA24 and excellent at its price point. An open sound with good bass, sub-bass and nice mids. Not thick mids, but nice body to them. Great with vocals.
Woo Audio WA 24
HiFiMan Arya Unveiled
And that is about it. Great friends and a great time! This years “Best Of Show” was all of you that attended.
CanJam ended with a bunch of us at the MusicTeck tables and my friend Mark coming over after having won a Meze 105 headphone at Bloom Audio. Marks’ face says it all about CanJam 2025. Till next year!
Mark and his new Meze 105.
Really enjoying reading your CJNY report and thanks for @aaf evo to make part 2 possible
. I have the similar taste as you in term of UM IEMs. I own Mest Mk2 once, but after I demoed Mason series, I am no longer interested in UM's other IEM line simply because there is no comparison in terms of Mids. The two IEMs that I will spend more time during this year's CJSC will be Macbeth and Hercules Moses.
Yeah, Mark told me of my mistake. I made the update. Too many damn names! I cannot keep track!
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