[Howlin Fester]

Yesterday I was contacted by @Mshenay to see if I was going to be around on Sunday afternoon. He wanted to know if he could stop by and check out my Ray Samuels Audio Intruder with a new DAP he is demoing.

I jumped at the chance to see my friend again. On the way over from TN, he contacted a couple of other local Head fi members and asked if they could drop by. No problem said I.

So I'm opening this mini meet impression thread while waiting for the guys to show up. Mshenay asked me to do this so we would have somewhere to post impressions and pictures.

More to come...

 

[Makiah S]

had a blast with @Zadok @Howlin Fester whose home were gathered in and our fourth whose head fi name I missed,



We listened to some great tunes & enjoyed some excellent local spirits, all in all it was real blast! I myself was most impressed with the Apex Sangaku NU Tube build

 

[Vatnos]

That Sangaku was fantastic. Quite enjoyed comparing the HEX and LCD-3s from it. The Eikon was also really good. The Cascade was a nice surprise.

I think this was a lot more helpful than the bigger meet for me. Quieter environment and longer listening sessions went a long way.

 

[Zadok]

I was pleasantly surprised to see how it all turned out. I wish I hadn't been in such a hurry to pack up and get out there, or else I'd have brought all my gear. I echo the sentiments that it was nice to have a more intimate time with the gear in a home environment and a smaller selection (But not small by any means, thanks to @Mshenay ).

From @Howlin Fester 's collection, I was excited to hear the Fostex TH900 as I hadn't heard anything from them before (Unless you consider the D7000 from Denon a Foster brand product), and they were quite enjoyable. LCD-XC was nice, but affirmed my decision that I like my LCD3 better still. Some of those little RSA portable amps really packed a punch that I didn't expect from something so lil. I'd probably pass on the Meze Neo's just because I have grown to like the V-moda sound in that price range a bit better. The real highlight for me was the RS1i grados. Those buggers just always find a way to impress me and try to convince me to get a pair. Maybe if I get a raise soon.

TY @Vatnos for letting me hear the HEX in a place that wasn't a music store because I more clearly understand their warm sound, which didn't come across in the store.

@Mshenay Could start a HiFI headphone store right out of his house if he wanted to because that collection is serious. From that collection, I spent the most time with the HD800, which as always sets a great standard for all around clear and wide sound. Out of those tubes (forgot the name sorry!), they really did sound great. I also enjoyed the Eikon, which sounded somewhere in between the HEX and the LCD series. Campfire cascades were a bit small on my ears, but handled bass well and were sufficiently clear to compete with the V-moda CFW2, which have become one of my favorites for electronic music.

Spirits brought to you by Brothers Vilgalys Spirits Co (Bros V for short).

 

[Vatnos]

Yeah, they're kind of like "anti-HD800s", where you have to pair the right kind of amps to tame the warmth, though it is very do-able, and I find them neutral--maybe even a bit clinical, running directly from the Bifrost taps.

Plenty tuning left to do still. We'll see what the amp ends up being... thanks a lot for helping!

 

[Makiah S]

Yeah, they're kind of like "anti-HD800s", where you have to pair the right kind of amps to tame the warmth, though it is very do-able, and I find them neutral--maybe even a bit clinical, running directly from the Bifrost taps.

Plenty tuning left to do still. We'll see what the amp ends up being... thanks a lot for helping!

Hifiman planars make a good compliment to the HD 800 I think! Well the HE 4, Susvara and HeK compliment the HD 800 I think. The HeX I think is more reminiscent of the HE 500 kinda of sound, warm and powerful like an LCD 2 but... still different

Either way it was good to hear a V2 even better to hear it with the Geek Out v2+! Have fun with the tuning

@Zadok happy to hear you enjoyed the RS1i! Grado's are pretty nice ^^ hopefully you'll get a chance to grab one for your self! They'd make a nice dynamic driver compliment to your LCD 3 an Stax!

 

[Howlin Fester]

I had a great time Sunday night with @Mshenay, @Zadok, and @Vatnos with the songs and Spirits mini meet. Thanks for setting this up Makiah.

I spent most of my time with the Campfire audio Cascade. I really loved those little cans. I can't wait for my 10 days alone with those little bad boys. I ran them off of my Shanliing M2s, the rsa intruder, rsa predator, Unison Research SH, and anything else I could plug them into.

Spent a little time with the HD-800. I listened to a pair about five or six years ago at one of the Denver canfests. I was really hesitant to put them on my head. Because I knew I was going to absolutely LOVE them. And I did. Problem is that I'm trying to spend less, not more... And an open back flagship isn't something I want to lust after. Oh well. Guess I'll put it on the list. Ha ha.

@Mshenay set up a mini AKG shootout. My Austrian AKG 702 and Makiah's AKGs.(I forget which ones. @Mshenay, can you please remind me. In fact, can you please state the entire string of components ) The take away I got from this session is that the AKGs respond favorably to some EQ and that I have been neglecting my AKG 702s. I spent this entire week exclusively driving the 702s with a Neco Soundlabs v3 amp. The sound is absolutely sublime. One of the issues that I've had in the past is that I always find myself inching up the volume with the 702s. I recently picked up a cheap sound pressure level meter. I found a comfortable listening level and I was sitting at about 70 dB with a few peaks at 75 dB. So I think that is a reasonable and safe listening level.

As I sit here composing on my phone and drinking coffee at our island, I'm listening to the 702/Neco amp. Tab Benoit song Night Life from "What I Live For" album just came on. The walking bass line in that is just stellar and presented well with the organ filling out nicely. Next is G'N'fn'R Patience. The Soundstage and layering is just great. I'm going to have to add these to my demo list.

Anyway, great to meet Zadok and Vatnos. My contribution to the spirits was some 15 year old single barrel Stranahans Colorado Whiskey. 2/3 Stranahans with 1/3 Bros. V spiced honey liquor over ice was just what the Dr. Ordered.

And @zadok.if you ever get a wild hair to pick up a Grado RS1i, let me know I'll see how much head time it is getting and if I'm ready to part with them. (I'm mostly a closed can or I'm guy )

Well time to wrap up today's little impression. Gotta head out to the boy's soccer game. Happy Saturday everyone.

 

[Makiah S]

@Howlin Fester I have K240 Sextetts, and I liked your k702 so much I got a chinnese new stock... apparently they are just a bit wider and have slightly less bass/low mid so I'll be curious to see how well it implements with my existing collection
An once again a big thank you to @KB for allowing me to get to tour the cascade around the states over the last month! I'm wrapping up my thoughts of it now and I'm almost sadden to let it go but non the less I know it'll be heading into good hands,

An it was no problem settin this up! I figured with the extra time on your hands plus the few people I knew it Raleigh it was worth a shot. An enjoy the soccer game, the wife and I are off to a BBQ festival today

 

[Howlin Fester]

@Howlin Fester I have K240 Sextetts, and I liked your k702 so much I got a chinnese new stock... apparently they are just a bit wider and have slightly less bass/low mid so I'll be curious to see how well it implements with my existing collectionQUOTE]

What were the components we were running the AKG through I liked that stack

 

[Makiah S]

JDS Labs El Dac with an iRiver H140 as optical, we also had the Subjective 3 EQ with a touch of bass boost and mid range withdraw and finally the iBasso pB2 amp

 

[Howlin Fester]

JDS Labs El Dac with an iRiver H140 as optical, we also had the Subjective 3 EQ with a touch of bass boost and mid range withdraw and finally the iBasso pB2 amp

Thanks a bunch.