Enjoy it y’all and remember, what happens at canjam stays at canjam but whatever you buy at canjam comes home and you need to explain to the wife 
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Sniff,sniffle…
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The Marriott has a great little mixology bar just behind the main bar (on the way to the pool) that makes a mean cocktail.
Y’all should come for a drink 
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I’m looking forward to everyone’s impressions and experiences. Enjoy the show y’all!
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Would love to see some impressions here so I don’t have to read headfi dogma and bickering so much.
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Some brief impressions of my time at canjam yesterday. Of course, keep in mind I wasn’t in the most ideal environment. But to those who were not able to attend, here’s a taste of it…
**Ferrum Audio Hypsos/ORR - The power supply unit was cool as heck although with a small learning curve. The amp sounded pretty clean and detailed; it was pretty nice. It got drowned out amidst all the other new stuff but I don’t think this should be overlooked. They also had some nice cables from Atlas. I’m tempted to buy tbh.
Focal Celestee - Yeah this thing has almost no soundstage. Other than that, it sounded pretty good. I think I would take this over the Radiance.
Focal Stellia - Uh, yeah something “wrong” with the mids here. I don’t know what it is. Liked everything else though.
Dunu Falcon Pro - Sounded pretty decent. Couldn’t really complain for $200 but I haven’t heard much in this price range.
**Circimaural RAAL - This was one of the standouts for me. Treble was pretty outstanding. Pretty impressive treble for around 2 grand (not including the RAAL amps they had it with).
64 Audio Duo - Tbh it didn’t really impress me that much. Bass was kind of muddy but the mids and treble were fine. After this I listened to the U12T and it didn’t take me long to hear which one I liked better. Personally, I’d save up for the U12T rather than go for the Duo. Interesting design though.
**64 Audio U12T - Damn I really wanted to buy this but I don’t have a use case for them at the moment. So I’ll hold off but this’ll be the next IEM to buy for me. I liked it a lot.
Westone 80 pro (something)/Etymotic - They were in the same booth and they sounded pretty boring. I wouldn’t buy it personally but if that was the sound they were going for then that’s that.
Empire Ears Odin/EVO (I actually don’t remember the name of the new one) - The Odin had way too much in the upper mids for my taste. Much prefer the new one they came out with as it was less intense and more relaxed. The driver crinkling thing was pretty distracting to me.
Audeze CBRN - Man, I got nothing. It was waay too noisy for me to make any kind of impression, unfortunately. The only things I heard were the crowd and the dang crinkling of the driver any time I broke seal for adjustment. I seriously thought I broke it or something. lol But I know it’s because of how thin the diaphragm is.
Audeze LCD-5 - Man oh man, this was the first time hearing an over-ear open Audeze planar hp. They only gave us around 4-5 min. of play time and the line was always full–as you’d expect. Build was great and lightweight indeed. The hinges that hold the yolks had a very smooth chamfer that made it very nice to hold. As for sound, it sounded pretty warm and slightly thick while still keeping treble extension. Bass, I thought, was pretty slammy and hard-hitting. I know some people were concerned that the small driver would impact “slam” quality but since I’ve no prior experience with Audeze planars, I couldn’t tell you. I preferred the Susvara though overall…by quite a bit. lol
**1st tube amp - I was at the Cardas booth and they were demoing their latest totl hp cable. It was attached to an Elear and woo wa22. They didn’t have any tracks I listen to so I just picked one I knew (ACDC Back In Black). It didn’t take long for me to go, “Ah, now I know what people are talking about.” Yeah, tubes. I like em.
Empyrean Elite - Ahhh, sounds pleasurable. That’s pretty much all I thought. I was more distracted by its build more than anything.
**Zaehl HM1 - Oooh this one was definitely cool. Although it was paired to an RME, I was still impressed by it. Super clean in a good way. I was tempted to just yank it and run away with it but the headphones.com team had the place locked tightly! Don’t know how else to describe it other than I really liked it.
ampandsound FORGE - I was looking forward to this one since I’m amp hunting for a Utopia. It sounded nice but I think it was a bit too colored for me. I actually preferred my experience with the woo wa22. It still sounded good though; maybe a tube roll might suit me better. But the good part is that it helped me find out that I wanted something dryer in tube amps. Not the biggest fan of the build, at least when comparing it to some of the woo amps I saw. But not bad by any means.
Dan Clark Stealth - Build on this was pretty exceptional. Very solid and sturdy. I listened to this with the FORGE at first. I did not like it to be honest. I think it’s because I kept hearing the RME in the chain so I got a bit distracted by it. Gave it a second chance at the Dan Clark booth a few hours later and I definitely liked it more. It was attached to a TT2 and M-sclaler. First thing I noticed was that it sounded similar to a MrSpeakers Aeon Closed (OG) but way more technically capable and “less dead.” It is very impressive from a technology standpoint but it wasn’t my cup of tea. Out of the three (Stealth, VC, Stellia), I would take the VC over both, then the Stealth, then the Stellia.
Audeze LCD-XC - I couldn’t listen to it much as it was too fatiguing for me.
Ausounds - This is a company focused on bluetooth hps that use planar tech. I honestly didn’t expect much. Yeah, it sounded wonky and messy. Easily the worst sounding experience of the show to me. I applaud the effort though.
VZR Audio - New company that claims hps for all-use purpose (gaming, music, movies). Didn’t look into it that much since it wasn’t on my radar. But I did listen to it…meh.
**Hifiman Susvara - I haven’t been compelled to get into planars much for various reasons. But the Sus has been my only hope in an attempt to convince me, so I was happy to try it out in Dan Clark’s more quieter booth. It was connected to a GSX MKII. Didn’t pay attention to the DAC. Build is alright, the LCD-5 definitely wins here ergonomically. The Audeze has a more refined build but I can’t argue much as the Sus was pretty comfortable. So, about sound…I want it. It didn’t take long for me to find that out. I couldn’t really complain about it nor could I find any fault that it was simply bad at. I mean it’s not perfect but it just sounds so evenly balanced that I don’t have any more words to describe it. I think I might prefer my Utopia slightly more but, at this point, it just depends on what I want at the moment. Just to be clear, I DO NOT like the Sus out of the GSX MKII. Too bright and light on the impact. But it wasn’t hard to look past that and hear what the Sus was capable of. But yeah, this is definitely up on my wishlist!
GSX MKII - Too bright for me. Even if it were to be paired with a smooth DAC to compensate, the lack of impact is a turn-off for me. Now I know. Not the biggest fan of it.
**standouts from the show
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I posted this a moment ago over on Head-fi (did not feel like editing the whole thing, but hopefully not breaking any rules):
"Report from my first CanJam SoCal 2021;
I arrived by 9:30 am (event opened at 10) and I was one of the first twenty or twenty-five people to go inside. To my surprise, everyone who went in did not immediately run to the Audeze display, so I was the second person at the show to listen to the LCD-5 and I was the third person to hear the CRBN. Arriving so early allowed me to have a very different experience than people who arrived maybe 30 minutes or an hour later. I got to listen to the heavy hitters on my list before the cacophony took over. Over the next two hours I went down my celebrity checklist- LCD-5, CRBN, LCD-4, Stealth, Elite, Empyrean (the beautiful Phoenix edition), Verite closed, Shangri-la Jr, HE1000SE, HE1000V1+V2, Susvara, and Abyss TC+CC.
Before I get into my impressions , I must mention a few people or companies that I met and interacted with at CanJam who were really great. @Audeze as usual were great as a company. I had a good, though brief, discussion with Sankar about the designs of both the LCD-5 and the Carbon. In the many video interviews of him he comes across as a bit awkward and robotic. In person he is very friendly, approachable, listens intently to your inquiries and gives thoughtful, detailed replies. I could talk with him for hours. I also had the pleasure of meeting with @MadLustEnvy at the @Audeze display. Who I already enjoyed interacting with here on head-fi and he was equally likeable in person. Very knowledgeable, with appropriate and obvious enthusiasm for the company he represents.
The people at The Source AV had a TON of amazing Head-Fi gear and were very busy right away, but still took the time to answer my questions and the questions of the extreme novice who was parked next to me at there table.
So this was not a surprise after interacting with many different individuals at @Headphones.com on the forums or youtube etc. But these great enthusiasts, Taron and others, were super helpful and responsive to everyone. Additionally, they brought everything to the show, including the ‘kitchen sink’. Seriously, they had so many amazing headphones and amps etc that they could have held there own CanJam show.
A great Head-Fier I met was a guy who goes by @Speleofool on @forum.headphones.com brought a set of Susvara and a beautiful set of green and brown stabilized Verite Closed. When I walked up to the FE (Ferrum) table he was there with a jovial group sampling the HYPSOS & OOR with his Susvara. This is where I discovered that he was one of the coolest dudes at the show. He let me and my son listen to his Susvara! This was my first Susvara experience and I will always remember his kindness for that. Thank you!
Jeff Wells at the @WellsAudio table, was supremely knowledgeable and made the my listening experience delightful. I did not get the name of the gentleman at the Centrance table, but he was very helpful and made the audition process quick and painless.
Last but certainly not least. My 14yo son attended the show with me and is interested in some IEMS for school. In his words “My ‘whatever they are called’ earbuds at school are trash! And I need better audio at school”. I am not an ‘IEM guy’, but throughout my time here on Head-Fi and elsewhere I have consistently heard one name brought up when it comes to budget friendly IEMs and a company that goes above and beyond when it comes to customer care. So me and my son stopped in to discuss the latest offerings at DUNU. Turned out to be an excellent match. Tom Tsai and Kevin Sun helped my son audition the new entry level DUNU Falcon Pro. I also wanted him to hear something more top tier, so he also had a listen to the DUNU Zen Pro. While he did notice a considerable improvement from the Falcon Pro to the Zen Pro, he said the most significant differences were: The Zen Pro offered considerably better isolation, a little better soundstage and better bass quality. The Zen Pro are not within his budget anyway, but he mentioned that he could be perfectly happy with the “very, very good” sounding Falcon Pro. These are currently on pre-order. So I messaged DUNU this morning to see if they had them in stock and they had one left and offered to hold it for us! So we headed back to CanJam today to pick up a set.
Edit: My son today with our first CanJam purchase! And a pic of him listening the day before. He liked these and the guys at DUNU so much that he refused to audition additional IEMS.
Impressions from my listening experience will be limited mostly to gear that I have only heard at the show, with a couple of comparisons to gear I have already heard or owned. My playlist was: 1. Thelonious Monk, John Coltrane- Off Minor (Take 4). 2. Christian Scott- Kuro Shinobi (Interlude). 3. Blackmill- A Reach for Glory. 4. John Patitucci- Soul Of The Bass. 5. Patsy Cline- Crazy. 6. The Weekend, Daft Punk- Starboy. I listened to songs 1 through 3 on every single headphone I put on my head at the show, except where I could not use my own music. Below I have listed them in the order of MY preference. But the HE1000V2, CRBN and Verite Closed could easily be a tie depending on the genre and the use case. Please keep the pitchforks and torches in the barn where they belong. These are my opinions and impressions based on my preferences and experience.
- LCD-5 (Weiss 502 amp/DAC). First, I would like to say that I liked the way they looked in the early online pictures, but they look a lot different and better in person. The ‘Tortoise Shell’ pattern on the acetate ring is much more subtle in person. You must be pretty close to see the color pattern. Second, the weight loss over the LCD-X is shocking. And they feel even lighter in the hand than the specs suggest. Next, the fit, finish, build quality and comfort are exemplary. At least equal to the Meze Elite, which many people will agree sets the standard for build quality and comfort. Finally, the sound- Clean, tight, accurate, punchy and super detailed without being sterile or thin. Smooth without rounding off any details. Warm without being too thick or congested. Let’s get the bass question out of the way, I heard the LCD-4 (updated with 2021 ear pads on a Phonitor XE) just a few minutes after hearing the LCD-5 with the exact same tracks. Bass level was overall about the same, however, the mid bass was superior on the LCD-5 and the speed and accuracy of the bass was clearly better. LCD-5 wins the bass category over the LCD-4, it does not take a step back in any way. The midrange on the LCD-5 is waaaaay more natural and filled in, no EQ needed. LCD-5 by a mile. Treble, again, more natural, and more similar to the CRBN treble than any other Audeze. LCD-5, here again is easily better. If I owned the LCD-4 (which I like), I would sell it right now and get the LCD-5. Matter of fact you can see that I listed the LCD-5 first on my list. That is because I would choose it over any open back headphone I have heard. It is not only the best headphone for my ears, but maybe the best audio that I have heard anywhere.
- HE1000 V2 (Phonitor XE). I really like these a lot. For me these do most of what the Susvara does well, but with more weight and warmth. For me, they are better than the Susvara and about everything else. But not good enough to beat the LCD-5. Still too thin. The soundstage is bigger and better in all directions, but the LCD-5 is better in all other categories, especially build quality. HE1000V! was about as good, but heard that on the Wells Audio Dragon.
- CRBN (some un-obtainium set up). After hearing these I understand why some people warship e-stats. The CRBNs have a delicate presentation, but they don’t ever sound thin or lacking in body. The overall frequency response is very similar to the LCD-5, but the presentation is a lot different. The bass is excellent in texture and level, easily better than the Susvara. Not as punchy as the LCD-5 though. Midrange is equal to or better than anything here. More body to the vocals than the Susvara. Treble, comparing here again to the Susvara, the Susvara are pretty magical, but I like the texture of the CRBN a little better. The soundstage on these is larger, open and layered in a way where I could easily forget I was wearing headphones. The build quality and comfort here again are equal to or better than anything. As far as pure aesthetics, these are the best looking headphones I have ever seen. In person they are stunning.
- Verite Closed (Phonitor XE). I have been wanting to try these for a while now. It was definitely worth the wait. At first, I tried comparing them with my LCD-XC, but that was a little silly. Not because they are better, but because they are so much different. The better comparison is with the Stellia (which I love). In short, I like the Verite Closed better. The three reasons. One, the mid range reverb in the beautiful wood VC makes vocals sound awesome. Two the upper treble is airier and more natural. Finally, the look and feel of the VC, even without being ‘LTD’, is simply beautiful. I feel instantly comfortable and engaged when I put these on. I would still take my LCD-XC over these, but I really NEED both. I am really a ‘closed back guy’ anyway, so these will be in my collection soon.
- Susvara (FE HYPSOS/OOR and WA33). I am relieved that I don’t love these. They are just too crazy expensive and the build quality, while better than other Hifiman products, is not anywhere near any Audeze LCD series, Meze Elite, Focal or ZMF (to name a few). What did I like? Midrange and treble are so amazing, it nearly made me cry. Seriously listening to Patsy Cline ‘Crazy’ with my eyes closed was as though I was transported to the time and place of the recording. What didn’t I like? I was in the room……except for the fact that the bass was too light and lacked body or weight. And the soundstage was very good but was not as natural or even as the best in show, the LCD-5, HE1000SE and CRBN. If you want maybe the best mids and highs, these are probably worth the price. In other areas, they may not satisfy.
- Abyss TC (Wells Audio Dragon). Listening to these was pure bliss. Not accurate, not neutral, not balanced. ****ing fun! If only I could listen to them without having to look at them first or have them touch my head. The most uncomfortable headphone I have ever encountered. A very effective medieval torture device in another life perhaps? The bass is amazing, the mids are romantic, wow! My head hurts, get these off of me!
- Elite (Phonitor XE and WA33). The all arounder. These are pretty good at everything. Not great in any one metric. They are not super detailed, but they could never be fatiguing. If it was my job to wear headphones all day long and listen to every genre and never be fatigued. This is it. They are beautiful, feel like the would last a hundred years, super comfy and a little overpriced.
- Stealth (Phonitor XE and WA33). The disappointment. Out of all the headphones in the show I WANTED to love these the most. I am from San Diego, they are built in my home town. I have seen a few interviews with Dan Clark and I really like him. The good- LOVE the way they look, maybe second best looking headphone after the CRBN? The materials, the color selection, the earpads! The comfort is superb. The new elastic suspension headband is perfect. They seem to weigh almost nothing. I previously owned the Ether CX and I loved all the same things about them. These are way better in every way. The bad- I heard these minutes after hearing the LCD-5, CRBN and HE1000V2 and I switched back and forth between these and the Elite. I though these would have the leg up in the noisy show environment due to being closed back. I think the DCA sound is just not for me. The shortcomings of the Ether CX remain. The lack of dynamics, impact, slam whatever you want to call it. Also, they do not sound natural to me. I am always very aware that I am wearing headphones when listening to DCA products and not in a good way. They don’t sound bad, but sorry, my 2021 LCD-XC are just better in every way when it comes to sound quality. Not close. I would be a player for these at $1000 to $1200. Reminder- This is just my opinion and my preference, so put away the torches and pitch forks. I was very disappointed. I think most people will be too.
- Shangri-la Jr. (Same). Smooth to a fault. Uninspiring, dull, forgettable, overpriced, sleep inducing, yawn. The good- Not fatiguing…….and…………smooth. The bad- No dynamics. No weight in the sound or the actual headphones. Bass vacancy. Rounded detail, cheap feeling, plastic looking, overpriced, does everything equally well (bad) and really boring. I have to stop thinking about this headphone now because it is inducing narcolepsy. Not for me?
My sons favorite headphones at the show were in this order. (He had is own playlist and auditioned all the headphones I did and more.)
- CRBN- Thought it sounded similar to the LCD-5 but had significantly better soundstage and was less congested than anything else he heard.
- LCD-5- Just lacked the sense of space of the CRBN (he loves the soundstage and space of the HD800S), but loved the bass.
- Abyss TC. Loved the sound, hated the look and feel on his head. Mentioned if he could get past the discomfort it ‘might’ be the one he would buy.
I won’t spend much time on amplifiers as I only listened to a few.
Loved the Wells Audio Dragon. Very appealing industrial design. I will have one someday soon. Just a touch tubey goodness without the loose bass and lack of snappy dynamics. Perfect match with the HE1000V1 and Abyss TC.
Phonitor XE. This was the workhorse of CanJam, it was everywhere and I can see why. It seems like it can power anything and it has a warm and natural sound. Here again, I will have one very soon. As a bonus, I love the meters, the build and the looks. Just gotta pick a color!
The Centrance HIFI-M8 V2 and AMPERSAND. Both have desktop levels and quality of power. I slightly prefer the bass control of the less powerful M8 V2 over the more powerful AMPERSAND, but they sound really great together. When I start travelling more for work again, I will immediately order a HIFI-M8 V2 . Easily the best sounding and most versatile portable dac/amp I have heard and I love the level meters!
( I may edit or add to the equipment list later for accuracy)"
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@Precogvision and I already have our Day 1 impressions up on Headphones.com for those who haven’t seen it yet:
We’ll have our day2 impressions up in the coming days
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These are great impressions - a pleasure to read. Thank you for taking the time to write them up. It’s an exciting time with all these releases! I’m glad your son got a cool pair of IEMs, too!
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@Resolve, you’re probably one of the few that has seen and heard both the CRBN and LCD-5. How do the two compare? Both build quality and sound.
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Totally dumbfounded from the unshakeable hospitality in that event. There were SOOOOOOO MANY nice people! Had a lot of fun, learned an overwhelming amount and left feeling more wholesome than I have in a long while. My condolences go out to those who had to clean ear tips all day. Will have a lot more to say when there’s energy haha
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Day 1 impressions video up!
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It’s amazing how the tortoise shell is barely noticeable. Kind of like tortoise shell glasses. In light, you can see it. In normal lighting, they blend in as almost black.
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Thanks for sharing. Great video showing the event and entrance and what it would’ve been like as if we were there.
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Sleepy - We’ve missed you!
Glad you got to attend!
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Just a quick hit: Shout out to the organizers that did a magnificent job and were a joy to speak with. Likewise, the headphones.com crew were delightful people and somehow managed to keep things moving.
What a privilege it was to get to get our ears on so many pieces of gear that we haven’t otherwise been able to this past year and and a half. More importantly getting to meet and chat with other attendees. The biggest surprise to me, however, was definitely how tall Resolve is in real life. He’s not giant, per se, but, still, wasn’t really prepared for that.
Stand out HP’s for me were the CRBN and the star of the show, the LCD-5s, which I managed to have a listen at doors open before the line and the crowd’s noise floor grew.
For amps, I was surprised by the adorably tiny McIntosh MHA200, and the magnificent Amps&Sound Argatha, which, especially as a Pendant owner, was particularly breath taking.
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I’m more partial to the 5 so far but I’d need to hear them side by side.
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I put my impressions of my top 5 ones that stood out to me at Canjam!
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Anyone listen to the new ampsandsound revisions? Really close to pulling the trigger on the Kenzie OG Rev 2.
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Just copy/pasting my impressions I posted on Reddit here, with a small clarification made to the Meze Elite. To describe myself a little bit, I value transparency, texture/tactility, and instrument separation as intangibles in my sonic reproduction. My preferred tuning targets are the In-Ear Fidelity neutral target with a bass shelf that has a bit more midbass/body than the Harman bass shelf does for analytical listening, and something close to the Sony WF-1000XM4 stock tuning for a relaxed target.
NB/EDIT: I primarily used this playlist on the iBasso DX300 with amp11mk1 and a few songs off of this playlist to assess the transducers below. New Ten for Testing - playlist by Vector | Spotify. Notably, I occasionally sampled from this playlist: 10 For Testing - playlist by Vector | Spotify.
I spent a lot of time with some IEMs and the ifi GO Blu:
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Dunu Falcon Pro (reference nozzle): Thick Done Right. Very good sense of dynamic range. Lot of midbass but only gets a bit unclear in busy passages with female vocals. Otherwise it’s a very chill listen with excellent sense of tactility, note weight, and surprising clarity and instrument separation, on average. The transparency nozzle helps a bit with the relaxed mids. Very eargonomic fit.
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Dunu Zen Pro: IEF Neutral with Slam. As someone who owns a Prisma Audio Azul and considers the Blessing 2 mildly V-shaped, the Zen Pro sounds like neutral with excellent, detailed slam and decent extension. The bass feels like it’s always there and actually underneath yet never in the way of the mids and highs. It feels like the bass is one cake layer that goes up to my mouth, above which the vocalists and cymbals and the like exist. Excellent instrument separation, in that regard. Very good microdetail and overall resolution, along with great sense of body. Pretty eargonomic fit. Out of all the items I listed here, this one was my favorite.
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Dunu SA6: Very good example of laidback and detailed. Very good sense of heft to drums. Imaging is alright, but clean electric guitars stay clean sounding. Bass is nicely elevated and rounded but not quite as tactile as its DD cousins. Mids are a bit gritty but don’t get in the way of actual vocal grit. Extended and non-intrusive treble. Also quite eargonomic. This is def a dead ringer for a baby u12t. Speaking of which…
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64audio u12t: The step up from the SA6. Excellent example of laidback and detailed. Consonant sounds and drumkits had great body in the Zen and Falcon Pro, but here it’s on another level. It’s very close to a DD in tactility but comes up a bit short to how the Zen Pro slams, imo. m20 module seemed excellent for my live performance test track but the m15 module seemed best for it as an all-rounder. Great extension on both ends, with plenty of instrument separation, imaging and sense of staging distance to boot. A little big but fairly comfortable in the ear.
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Symphonium Helios: Fun yet lean and clean. Fun subbass and very clean vocals at the expense of some midbass body. Not as dynamic as the U12t but solid on this front, as it makes cymbals, snares, and synths only a bit more compressed/pancake-y. Images better than the SA6, with great reproduction of vocal grit. The subbass helps makes some harmonies and beats more authoritative and satisfying than on the U12t. I actually prefer the Helios with Sedna Crystals for the additional air. It is leaner and cleaner in tonality than the U12t, I think. For better or for worse. Felt slightly bigger than the u12t and a little too tall for the Weiss cable I brought with me.
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ifi GO blu: Beautiful BT DAC/amp. With the XBass and XSpace analog EQ, my copy of the Prisma Audio Azul was a perfect pairing for it. Has fewer features than my Qudelix-5k, but the knob, 4.4mm connection, and other few features it has are pretty well done, though its Bluetooth range seems to be somewhere inbetween that of the Qudelix-5k and BTR5. For sure, the Qudelix-5k easily outranges this, lasts longer, and is ultimately the better pick insofar as Bluetooth DAC/amps go imo, but that analog EQ and build is quite nice.
The following items got less ear time than the ones above. Not due to them being lower quality items, but due to fatigue, time constraints, or environmental constraints.
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Auribus Acoustics Everest: Excellent all-rounder. Very well-extended into the subbass, despite being an open-back dynamic. Mids sounded spot-on, and the treble just needs to be bumped up a bit to being a great example of neutral. Satisfying rumble and slam. Comfortable to wear. Great imaging and resolution.
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Philphone: Very good headphone. Bass is great, there’s none of the treble peakiness I felt with the E-Mu Rosewood, and mids sound less harsh or dry. Imaging and microdetail is also great. Very lightweight.
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Dunu Luna: According to Tom from Dunu, it was pretty hard to tune the beryllium driver with their patented driver design (which they have improved upon, as the Zen Pro and Falcon Pro demonstrates!) and that does seem to show. Overall, the tonality is fine but the treble is kinda sharp sounding and the mids are a bit hollow. However, the bass is tighter and punchier than on the Zen Pro, with better resolution to boot.
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Moondrop Variations: Well tuned, for sure. Mids sound overly gritty. Bass is fun though could use a bit more slam. Treble is actually detailed but could use a bit more air. But busy passages make this IEM kinda average in separation, like with the Blessing 2. I had issues with the Blessing 2 bass being too forward and I’m having them here again.
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Thieaudio Clairvoyance (so hard to visually tell this apart from the Monarch): Brighter than the Variations, kinda thin sounding actually. Vocal grit is smoothed over and kinda…wispy even. Nice bass. Very mixed bag imo. A pain to wear for my concha.
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Thieaudio Monarch: Okay this one is way better. Leaner and cleaner than the Clairvoyance, but not lacking midbass or body for fast and slow drumkit sections. Unlike the Clairvoyance, resolution and microdetail is excellent in the mids. Also a pain to wear for my concha.
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Blessing 2 Dusk: Well-tuned. My sibilance track is a bit harsh on even the HD600, so having none here at all is a job well done. However, this still sounds as smoothed over as I recall the B2 was. Nice bass.
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64audio tia Duo: Dipped mids were very distracting, I didn’t want listen to this one very much. With the intermediate amount of isolation, you can tell (with no music playing) that there are conversations happening next to you, but can’t really make out the words.
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Meze Elite: Felt as boxy and cloudy as the Focal Stellia did. Could not tolerate listening to either for more than a few seconds. I would never want to own anything with that sound signature out-of-the-box unless I got them for free.
For me, most of the fun was in getting to know other members of the community and the company staff and engineers about topics aside from headphones/IEMs, tbh. Otherwise it felt like heading to the farmer’s market to get groceries.
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