First, the bad part of the meet
There were so many rigs to try that I actually managed to miss a few.
OK, that's not really a downside. Just eagerly waiting for the next meet to catch-up!
Highlights:
Alvin's setup (Darkvoice amp and Tranquility DAC): just the right balance to keep listening to music for a very long time. Immersive and non-fatiguing to say the least.
Simon's rig (Onkyo preamp and Audeze LCD-2): the Audeze have a good blend of bass punch, lush mids, and clear highs. Just wish soundstage was bigger.
Even though these combos were mightily impressive, I was actually looking for more economical solutions.
In my opinion, producing good music at an affordable price is a much greater engineering feat.
On that note, the best bang for the buck I can think of is a Sansa Clip+ with Sennheiser PX100-II.
For less than $100, you get a very fun sonic experience (not high-end but enjoyable).
Along the same line, I spent a long time learning and comparing three things:
1) Schiit Audio amps line-up
2) IEMs and portable amps
3) Full-size cans
Schiit audio amps:
Asgard: decent but dry. For the price, the Matrix M-Stage is a better option with a little more bloom on the bass and more extension with treble.
Valhalla: sweet mids but rolled off at both ends. Again for a similar price, I was more satisfied with the output of the Audiotailor Jade that the Ampcity boys were showing.
Lyr: That's the one that really impressed me. I heard more bass rumble from the AKG Q/K701/2 than I ever heard before and it was still properly layered. I also heard better mids and treble than all the other economical amps I just mentioned before. And there's is also the option of improve the tubes used without breaking the bank.
I spent a fair amount of time with the Lyr to compare the AKG K702 and the Q701 with both with stock and the improved cable brought by Mark from High-End Workshop.
My ears couldn't detect any differences between both AKG models. Same story between the stock and "expensive" cables. So go cheap and be happy.
IEMs and portable amps:
I am rather new to IEMs so I was really happy to see and try so many models at the meet.
The best bang for the buck that I tried was the Sunrise Xcape V3 beta model (assuming the pricing stays in line with the V1 and V2 models).
I also really like the RE262 for its balance, detail and overall sound presentation.
However, after having tried about twenty different models, I came away with one major lesson: IEMs = little soundstage (let's put my flame suit on).
Let me explain, I am coming from speakers and AKG K702 so an expansive soundstage is very important to me. I like to feel music around me as opposed to in my head.
Now there are IEM that have a wide soundstage. The Unique Melody models from Ampcity were quite good for that but you get into the $1000 price range when you can do better with full-size cans for a fraction of the price. Granted IEMs are much more discrete when you go grocery shopping.
Anyway, I was having more fun with the PX100-II than with any of the affordable IEMs that I tried even though the sound reproduction was technically inferior.
As far as portable amps go, I really liked the Headstage Arrow with its impressive combination of sound, features and reasonable price.
In terms of quality and power, I came away impressed by the Corda Stepdance although it was powered by a big battery pack so I can't say how it would fare on its own battery.
Full-size cans:
A while back I had the opportunity to try both the HD600 and HD650. I felt there was a veil on the music which really spoiled the experience for me.
However, reading reviews, there are so many people that like these models that I decided to spend some serious time with the high-end Senn models at the meet.
I am glad I did because it reconciled me with the HD650. It's not as detailed as the AKG K702, the soundstage is not as wide but the overall presentation is very pleasing.
I especially like the way the bass sounds on the HD650: it's not the fastest but there is decent definition and much more energy than with the AKGs.
I still dicerned a slight veil but I think the amps I was using this time around were much more suited to the Senn than the ones I previously tested.
All in all, I now understand better why people like the HD 650 so much. It's not perfect but paired with the AKG K702, it's a combo that'll allow you to enjoy any kind of music.
I also discovered the Stax sound and no it wasn't the revelation some folks make it to be but if I could describe what I heard in one word I would say "clear" but not bright like say a grado.
So what about all the HE models that were there. I know there are a lot of praises about them but they didn't do it for me (and that's not for a lag of beafy amplifiers - we had plenty of those).
All in all, I really enjoyed meeting all the attendees. Thanks for the organizing comittee and sponsor(s) for putting up such a great event. Thanks Theo for the banana cake
Eddie, I missed your E16 combo with the moded orthos so next meet, you're on!