[HiFiHawaii808]

My first NY canjam (of many) was a ton of fun - perhaps I made a mistake by starting with the Warwick Aperio - will post our photos soon!

Eyal and I felt the exact same thing about the Audio Technica Narukami. We heard it at 10 am on Saturday. After that experience, everything was going to be downhill.

That is not what CanJam is for the majority of people who attend. Your group of friends who travel to all the shows is not representative. No one invited most of us to any private rooms, other the Sennheiser's limited HE-1 demos. Most people who attend CanJam NYC are from the tri-state area. They come into town, go to the show, and go home.

I want to be clear that I don't mean that as a slam. It is great that you have built this little IRL community that revolves around Head-Fi. Absolutely nothing against that, although it would not be for me.

Anybody could have showed up to Audio 46 either with the group or at a different time. If nobody told you about it, you wouldn't know. We had several people we never met before come with us last year and this year. Invites were posted in the NYC announcement thread and in the watercooler.

The after party at The Source AV in Torrance was made available to everyone at the show. It was just like an extra day of CanJam.

Headamp, a perennial exhibitor, often times has additional gear in a private suite that anyone can get an invite for a listen especially after show hours.

All I am saying is that if you know what is going on that you can look for things that you wouldn't otherwise even know about and join. Just ask. A CanJam goes well beyond what is posted in the formal agenda. People can and do participate in these activities. In my very first CanJam, I was invited into a private room and enjoyed it immensely.

It is also fine if you don't have time, nor desire to participate. It's entirely up to you. Just signing up for a CanJam and enjoying listening to the products in the exhibits is a fine experience. Several vendors also have private rooms where you can get a decent listen with Bloom, Headamp, Viva, ZMF, Woo Audio, Dan Clark although those rooms tended to also have a lot of people.

 

[bunnygal23]

Hello there! Just wanted to pop in and give some of my impressions from the show. This was my 2nd Canjam but my first one in NYC and the difference between this and Dallas was crazy, soo many people and vendors. While I do miss the quiet of Dallas, I got to try out a lot more gear in which was fun, esp since I'm local, will definitely be going again next year. I tried to take pics but they are not be the best so pls excuse my shoddy photography. If anyone is curious, I was the girl walking around taking notes with an orange notebook and the Avatar backpack, got into some great conversations with fellow audiophiles and vendors . These are all my impressions in what has been established as a noisy show floor so...

Impressions/ Highlights/Surprises in no particular order:

Abyss 1266 Phi TC: The Abyss/Woo room was really nice, I really wanted to try the 1266 but I unfortunately could not even get it on my head, to be fair my hair was extra poofy that day, oh well..... The reel to reel that had there was pretty cool though, never seen one before.

Abyss Diana MR: This one I could wear, it wasn't the most comfortable on my head though, however I really enjoyed the sound especially the bass performance, if I had a better fit I'd seriously consider buying it since it has a much smaller profile compared to my other HPs. I'd feel less self conscious wearing this in public lol.

Woo WA23: Okay this thing looked absolutely gorgeous, I thought I would find the gold a little gaudy but in person it has a very classy refined look. I brought my ZMF Atriums and Meze Elites with me and I soon as I plugged them in, I was incredibly impressed, especially with the sound coming from my Atriums. The sound opened up considerably and vocals had a very sweet tone. The Suvara on it was also very impressive but I was more wowed by the Atruims. Sadly it's way out of my budget but I'm glad I got to try it!

Abyss Diana TC: The fit was the same as the MR so not great but the sound was incredibly detailed and vocals were very textured. It was paired with the Woo Wa33 and again, if the fit was better and I could actually afford that amp, it'd be under serious consideration. The MR on the Woo Fireflies was an excellent paring as well.

Austrian Audio The Composer: I don't remember what this was hooked up to but I think because I had just come off the Atriums on tubes I found the sound to be a little thin and it had a bit too much treble emphasis for me. The build and comfort were fantastic though, very lightweight, definitely all day sort of headphones.


Modhouse Tungsten DS: This was driven off one of the big Viva Tube amps, what stood out to me was the sub bass performance, I put on Mountains by Hans Zimmer and in the part with that decending bass line, I could follow it all the way down. The comfort could be a bit better but I liked the purple face plate. Didn't get a chance to demo the SS or try it on other amp unfortunately, will definitely plan for another demo if I can.

Raal Magna and Imannis: I was super excited to try these out as I am always curious to check out newer driver technologies. Didn't get a chance to try the SR1A/B or the CA1A unfortunately. Out of the two I definitely preferred the Immnais, the sound was very detailed and resolving yet rich, they also seemed to have a widder sound stage. The Magnas were great in their own right and more comfortable due to the lighter weight but I found them a little brighter and I tend to like darker tuned headphones. Unfortunately since they were hooked up to an iPad with preselected songs I didn't get a chance to try out my music, definitely looking forward to them showing up at stores so I can do a proper demo, the driver tech sounds very promising.

Final D7000: This one was interesting, I had never tried any other headphone from Final before, the headphones themselves were very lightweight but I could not seem to get a good seal on my head and I think this most likely affected the bass and I found the sound to be a bit lacking, this was directly after the Raals so maybe that's why I didn't find them to be very resolving or detailed, overall it sounded a bit mushy to my ears, wish I got a better fit.

Violectric V550 Pro: I am expecting a Limited Edition V281 in a few weeks but wanted to check out the other Vio offering. I plugged both my Atriums and Elites in and they sounded great, even in the noisy room I could tell it had a very clean background. I preferred the Elites on it more than the Atriums though.

Warwick Aperio/ Ferrum Wandla GoldenSound Edition: This was the system set up at the headphones.com booth and it definitely stood out, the aperio amp literally glimmered. The headphones themselves were very nicely built but I found the clamp force a touch too much on the sides of my head, that being said it probably helped the bass because the sound from that thing was unreal. It sounded so effortless, rich yet detailed, I could hear so many nuances in the track even in the noisy show floor, can't even imagine the sound in a quiet room. It was hooked up to the new Wandla golden sound dac and the spacial enhance feature was really impressive! I definitely heard a difference as I toggled back and forth, didn't get the try the other features but I came away incredibly impressed. I unfortunately didn't get to check out the Bravura and I wish I did cause that system price wise is more attainable and if it's at least 90% of the Aperio, I'd get it in a heartbeat.

Focal Utopia/Focal Stelia: I went straight for the top dogs cause I have heard pretty much all of focals other offerings, briefly had the Clear MG but couldn't get on with the fit, focals do this weird clamp thing around my lower jaw that gets uncomfortable after a while. As you can see, fit and comfort are VERY important to me so shows like this are a great opportunity to check that. Right of the bat, I found the Focal Utopia to be simply superior. The Utopias were powered off the Naim Unity amp I think and they sounded impeccable, I had previously heard the old Utopia and I found them a bit harsh up top, the Utopia 2022 was so smooth yet so detailed, the instrument separation was fantastic and vocals were so clear and textured. Only knock was it's definitely a more intimate soundstage and I prefer bigger sounding headphones. Coming off of them directly to the Stelia I noticed some boxiness, voices sounded hollow and things were not as well defined. Sounded okay but compared to the Utopia, it wasn't even close. If I ever figure out the fit on Focals, Utopia will be my next purchase.

Audeze LCD-5: I have a love/hate relationship with Audeze, the LCD-4 is still one of the best headphones I have ever heard, the bass performance is still unmatched for me and I absolutely love the tuning. Unfortunately given its weight and clamp, I could never wear it for more than 10 minutes hence why I do not own one. The LCD-5 on the other hand was way more comfortable and lighter, still clampy, but manageable. The bass performance on this was excellent, I could hear every nuance of the drum recording I played, but I wasn't as impressed with vocals. If I only listened to drum based tracked the LCD-5 would be a serious contender. Drove it off the DCS stack, too rich for my blood but the sound was great.

ZMF: I tried pretty much all the ZMF's on display. I just love the energy in that room and seeing all those amazing headphones an amps when I walk in. While I loved the Caldera and Auteur classic, the Atrium still holds a special place in my heart, hence why I have one. It was fun plugging my Atriums into all the amps they had, the Decaware was quite good. Unfortunately I didn't get to try the Caldera closed or Bokeh open as there was such a long line behind those newer models, hoping to try them out more in Dallas.

Senheiser HE-1: I was one of the lucky people who got to try this system. First of all just the start up sequence with the tubes rising and the headphones being displayed is quite the site to behold. Everything oozed quality and luxury, even the volume wheel was sublime to interact with, I went up first and got to listen to two tracks and I don't know if the tubes were not fully warmed up yet but the sound was a lot more neutral than I expected. Don't get me wrong the instrument separation and imaging were absolutely fantastic, definitely on par with the Aperio but when the vocals came in, I expected more richness and body and I didn't get that. My brain saw those tubes rise and expected a particular presentation I guess. I was however immensely impressed when I put on Time by Hans Zimmer, it was an amazing experience and I am glad I got to opportunity to listen to it, wish I had more time with it, those 10 minutes flew by so fast.

CFA Trifecta/ Fathom/ Andromeda etc..: I didn't really get to try a lot of IEM's as I am primarily a Headphone user but I am in the market for one so I did check out a few booths. Spent a lot of time at the Campfire booth since they had such a large selection. The Andromeda and the Fathom I liked because they had the best fit for me, I tried the cascara and while I especially loved the bass, I found the shell a little to big for my smaller ears. However the stand out for me was the Trifecta, it is one of the few times I have heard a large soundstage in and IEM. The fit was also fantastic, the only thing holding me back is the price as I set a sub $1500 budget for myself. I'm hoping to get more iem demos at Audio46 later this week so hopefully I find something great. Glad to see how big the IEM market has grown, I'm not a huge fan of closed backs so I'm leaning towards IEMs for travel and work.

Speaking of closed backs:

Meze Liric 2/ DCA E3: I know I just said I'm not a fan of closed backs but if I had to get one it'd be one of these two. The Liric looked fantastic and was very comfortable, I absolutely love Meze's design philosophy and their focus on comfort, it's why I love my Elites so much, the pad swapping system is also a plus. The sound was very pleasant, but not as resolving as the E3, however I could see myself wearing that all day and never getting fatigued. Driven off my Chord Mojo 2, it was very enjoyable. The E3 is definitely more technically capable and equally comfortable and while I found the sound exciting at first, I can sense that I might get fatigued quicker on this vs the Liric, for shorter bursts though the E3 is solid.

Stax/Hifiman Shangri-la: Estats have always been impressive to me and this was no exception. I really enjoyed the L700Mk2, 007mk2, the X9000 and the Shangri-la. I'm still on the fence about getting fully into Estats beacuse I still prefer a warmer tuning but I can definitely see why people love them so much. The 007Mk2 and X9000 stood out to me cause I really enjoyed the bass performance, esp compared to the other phones there. The L300 on display was hooked up to the little stax SRMD10 and idk of it was just loud in the room but I could barely hear anything even on the highest setting. Overall still an enjoyable experience

SJY Horizon: This to me was a stand out. Not only beacuse of the design but the sound. I heard it at the headphones.com booth and was incredibly impressed so much so I asked the price, when I heard it was less than a thousand dollars I was even more impressed, it easily sounded like a $2000 headphone. Build was great and comfort was fantastic. It was driven off the Chord Hugo so I'm not sure how much heavy lifting the Hugo was doing but it sounded amazing esp for the price. I'm definitely going to check out some of their other offerings, would make awesome birthday/ Christmas presents.

Felix Audio Envy/ Zahl HM1: Finally, I want to highlight a standout from the show for me and that was the Felix Audio Envy Amp. I was always of those people who never really liked the Suvara. I know technically it's still one of the best planars out there but I always found the sound to be a little thin and slightly bright. As soon as I plugged it into the Envy, I was blown away. It sounded just like how I have always wanted it to sound. Everything sounded perfect. I plugged both my Elites and Atriums in and they also sounded amazing. Plugged in some Utopias, DCA Stealth, Abyss Diana MR...amazing. That amp could seemingly do no wrong. This was in the stock configuration too so I can't even imagine the performance Edition or with upgrade tubes. The amp made me seriously reconsider my stance on avoiding tube amps. If I ever did decide to bite the bullet on tubes, that would be the amp I would get, not only for its sound but its versatility. If I were to go Solid State end game it'd be the HM1, everything sounded fantastic on it but I would lean more towards the Envy as the better all rounder. I went with my BF and some standouts for my him were the Susvara on the Viva Egoista 845, the HE-1, LCD 5 and the SJY Horizon. He also loved the Elites and is currently borrowing mine.

This was way longer than intended but hopefully you had fun reading. Tried a lot more gear but wanted to focus on the main ones I took notes on. Once again I had a blast both days, the Headfi guys really did a great job, it was nice bumping into Warren again, and seeing a lot of reviewers I enjoy watching on YouTube. Even my boyfriend who's not really into this stuff said he had a great time and is looking into buying some gear for himself. I am looking forward to Dallas and next year!

 

[msing539]

Me: Remember those iems I loved at CanJam?

Wife: Yeah...

Me: I bought them.

Wife: I knew it... how much?

Me: Under $2000?

Wife: That's not so bad.

WE WON, GUYS!!!

 

[VandyMan]

Anybody could have showed up to Audio 46 either with the group or at a different time. If nobody told you about it, you wouldn't know. We had several people we never met before come with us last year and this year. Invites were posted in the NYC announcement thread and in the watercooler.

The after party at The Source AV in Torrance was made available to everyone at the show. It was just like an extra day of CanJam.

Headamp, a perennial exhibitor, often times has additional gear in a private suite that anyone can get an invite for a listen especially after show hours.

All I am saying is that if you know what is going on that you can look for things that you wouldn't otherwise even know about and join. Just ask. A CanJam goes well beyond what is posted in the formal agenda. People can and do participate in these activities. In my very first CanJam, I was invited into a private room and enjoyed it immensely.

It is also fine if you don't have time, nor desire to participate. It's entirely up to you. Just signing up for a CanJam and enjoying listening to the products in the exhibits is a fine experience. Several vendors also have private rooms where you can get a decent listen with Bloom, Headamp, Viva, ZMF, Woo Audio, Dan Clark although those rooms tended to also have a lot of people.

You posted that CanJam is about more than CanJam in response to noise complaints. We don't want the same things from the event.

I go to hear some new headphones and then I take the subway home in time for dinner. If I can't actually hear the headphones, the event is kind of pointless for me. Luckily, it was not quite that bad, so I'll be back next year hoping it is not yet again still louder.

(Edited by me to remove personal comments that might be misunderstood, sorry.)

 

[Sebastien Chiu]

You posted that CanJam is about more than CanJam in response to noise complaints. For a small group of insiders like yourself, that is true. For the thousands who attended, it is not. Do you see hundreds of people posting photos of their crew at the event? No, just your group. Your experience is not representative. We don't want the same things from the event.

We love CanJam! MUAH!

 

[VandyMan]

We love CanJam! MUAH!

I enjoy CanJam a lot. I've been many times. But I'm there to listen to headphones and talk to vendors, not for my social life. No offense to anyone who is. I'm just reacting to the post that basically said that the noise issues are irrelevant because the actual event is only a small part of it. I believe I'm correct when I say that the actual event is ALL of it for most attendees.

 

[TheRunningIr0n]

...This was way longer than intended but hopefully you had fun reading.

Thanks for the report! Your candid thoughts and photos were refreshing.

Secondly: Considering the unjustifiable anti-competitive brigading against SJY by an established headphone manufacturer and their fanbase, I was worried that there was going to be a total lack of coverage on the Horizon. I really appreciate that you took the time to comment on them for the people who are interested in smaller brands. I think you're the first to do so in a 28 page thread.

 

[bunnygal23]

Thanks for the report! Your candid thoughts and photos were refreshing.

Secondly: Considering the unjustifiable anti-competitive brigading against SJY by an established headphone manufacturer and their fanbase, I was worried that there was going to be a total lack of coverage on the Horizon. I really appreciate that you took the time to comment on them for the people who are interested in smaller brands. I think you're the first to do so in a 28 page thread.

Of course! The unique design drew me to them and like I said the sound was incredible especially at that price. My BF was very interested in getting those as his first planar and I got Jeffrey's (the owner's) number from Blaine at headphones.com. He called right as we were leaving, he was on his way to the airport. We had a nice chat about him and his headphones, sounded like a swell guy, crazy that he's only 21. Genuinely refreshing to see that in the industry. Hopefully more people got to try them!

 

[betula]

I enjoy CanJam a lot. I've been many times. But I'm there to listen to headphones and talk to vendors, not for my social life. No offence to anyone who is. I'm just reacting to the post that basically said that the noise issues are irrelevant because the actual event is only a small part of it. I believe I'm correct when I say that the actual event is ALL of it for most attendees.

Both aims are valid: social catch up and auditioning. Most attendees are probably there for both, but to very different degrees scaling from 100% auditioning to 100% socialising and everything in between. CanJam is different for someone who is there the first time and for someone who has been 10 times. I went with the intention of 100% auditioning, as there is always enough new gear to spend all day with auditioning, but I ended up spending 10% of my time socialising; some random and pleasant encounters with strangers and chatting with a couple of vendors/manufacturers I know. Despite being an introvert, sharing a rare passion like the love of quality audio with people who actually understand what it is about, is a pleasurable experience. Also, while my main goal is still auditioning, ear fatigue plays a role too, which can set in strongly after 5-6 hours even with short breaks. It is simply impossible to gain trustworthy impressions after 5-6 hours of listening, jumping from one setup to the next one.
My point is that CanJam is about both socialising (building, strengthening the community) and auditioning (that is the core of the hobby after all). I am sure, Head-Fi team is taking this feedback onboard and they will try to come up with some ideas to keep everyone happy for many, many future CanJams to come.

 

[Click]

I enjoy CanJam a lot. I've been many times. But I'm there to listen to headphones and talk to vendors, not for my social life. No offense to anyone who is. I'm just reacting to the post that basically said that the noise issues are irrelevant because the actual event is only a small part of it. I believe I'm correct when I say that the actual event is ALL of it for most attendees.

Sadly, I don't think head-fi staff and CanJam organizers give a crap about the majority of us who are there to audition gear, and don't care that CanJam NYC was a noisy mess this year, especially in the afternoon.

So next year is only going to get worse, not better, because there will be even more attendees and nobody to tell people to keep their voices down and respect people trying to demo gear.

Just get there at 10AM and walk quickly to the table you want to demo $50,000/$80,000+ products first. Or get into private demo rooms with your friends and their TOTL gear. Problem solved! Then enjoy CanJam the way it was meant to be enjoyed: talking, laughing, shouting loudly for hours! /s

 

[HiFiHawaii808]

Sadly, I don't think head-fi staff and CanJam organizers give a crap about the majority of us who are there to audition gear, and don't care that CanJam NYC was a noisy mess this year, especially in the afternoon.

So next year is only going to get worse, not better, because there will be even more attendees and nobody to tell people to keep their voices down and respect people trying to demo gear.

Just get there at 10AM and walk quickly to the table you want to demo $50,000/$80,000+ products first. Or get into private demo rooms with your friends and their TOTL gear. Problem solved! Then enjoy CanJam the way it was meant to be enjoyed: talking, laughing, shouting loudly for hours! /s

What do you suggest they do? If you were in charge, what would you do?

Both aims are valid: social catch up and auditioning. Most attendees are probably there for both, but to very different degrees scaling from 100% auditioning to 100% socialising and everything in between. CanJam is different for someone who is there the first time and for someone who has been 10 times. I went with the intention of 100% auditioning, as there is always enough new gear to spend all day with auditioning, but I ended up spending 10% of my time socialising; some random and pleasant encounters with strangers and chatting with a couple of vendors/manufacturers I know. Despite being an introvert, sharing a rare passion like the love of quality audio with people who actually understand what it is about, is a pleasurable experience. Also, while my main goal is still auditioning, ear fatigue plays a role too, which can set in strongly after 5-6 hours even with short breaks. It is simply impossible to gain trustworthy impressions after 5-6 hours of listening, jumping from one setup to the next one.
My point is that CanJam is about both socialising (building, strengthening the community) and auditioning (that is the core of the hobby after all). I am sure, Head-Fi team is taking this feedback onboard and they will try to come up with some ideas to keep everyone happy for many, many future CanJams to come.

Exactly.

 

[Click]

What do you suggest they do? If you were in charge, what would you do?

I already suggested it in here before: tell attendees to keep their voices down and respect people inside who are trying to demo products. Put up signs all over the event to remind them. Ask loud people not demoing and just standing around near/next to booths for hours in a big circlejerk to take it outside of the main/side rooms. Plenty of places to talk and socialize outside of the event rooms.

Sadly, none of this will be done and it'll be ignored, so the problem will only persist and be exacerbated.

 

[HiFiHawaii808]

You posted that CanJam is about more than CanJam in response to noise complaints. We don't want the same things from the event.

I go to hear some new headphones and then I take the subway home in time for dinner. If I can't actually hear the headphones, the event is kind of pointless for me. Luckily, it was not quite that bad, so I'll be back next year hoping it is not yet again still louder.

(Edited by me to remove personal comments that might be misunderstood, sorry.)

Strange take. I wasn't trying to invalidate your noise complaint. I was trying to explain other opportunities that are available to supplement your or anyone else's experience to get quieter or more intimate listening experiences. You can choose to take advantage of those options or not. Entirely up to you.

 

[djentbat]

I already suggested it in here before: tell attendees to keep their voices down and respect people inside who are trying to demo products. Put up signs all over the event to remind them. Ask loud people not demoing and just standing around near/next to booths for hours in a big circlejerk to take it outside of the main/side rooms. Plenty of places to talk and socialize outside of the event rooms.

Sadly, none of this will be done and it'll be ignored, so the problem will only persist and be exacerbated.

I think they could easily implement a quiet room that isn’t as large as the mainhall. Maybe just have some of the respective flagships from a few vendors. Maybe day 1 has some of them and day 2 has other vendors.

 

[betula]

Sadly, I don't think head-fi staff and CanJam organizers give a crap about the majority of us who are there to audition gear, and don't care that CanJam NYC was a noisy mess this year, especially in the afternoon.

I think, they care for two reasons. 1, They are nice people. 2, Vendors and manufacturers sponsor Head-Fi. If potential buyers are unable to properly audition new gear, they won't buy. If there are not enough sales, vendors won't attend CanJams and will withdraw from sponsoring Head-Fi or reduce their contributions. Simple as that.