If anybody is in North Carolina in December, people are discussing a Charlotte, NC Meet! I might try to bring my main gear depending on work.
Any North Carolinian or non North Carolinian are welcome! Just make sure to reply in the Headfi forum if you are interested in the meet!
Headfi Charlotte North Carolina Meet:
Capital Audio Fest, CAF 2024, Rockville Md just outside Washington DC.
Hotel room booked, I’ll be there. Would love to say hello to anyone else going!
I’m going, but I’m just window shopping. I swear.
Get there Sat morning, leave Sunday afternoon. Sunday, around mid day is the absolute best day to lounge about, no crowds, the vendors are looking to get rid of anything they can and they have all the time in the world to talk to you.
I would also gladly car pool someone down to DC if they were willing to drive into Philly. @Souldriver Your Stang would even have free indoor private parking.
Anyone going to Canjam Socal? I’ll be there on both days of the show.
It only took me 26 days, during which time all the official CAF hotels sold out, but I just booked my “unofficial” hotel room, which is still close by. Looking forward to seeing you again.
I will be heading up on Friday and staying till Sunday so we best make sure we see each other and have a meal together, i know all you fat heads are making your way so don’t even think of trying to hide from me 
I’ll get there Sat mid-morning, will probably leave Sunday afternoonish. I can’t get away Friday so I’ll have to pack it all into 32 hours or so.
First day of Can Jam
Second audio show I’ve ever went to.
I have a lot to say, but mainly what I will say is… Listening to open back headphones in a crowded room with a lot of talking sucks LOL
In other news, wow i narrowed down my search allot!
So I heard the:
HE-1s
Audeze LCD-4z
LCD-5
ModHouse Tungston
Stax 007 MKii
009s
Among quite a few others…
Man where do i even begin.
The Stax are LUDICROUSLY fun.
Granted…the DAC/streamer and amp are $10k+ EACH…but i didn’t think Electrostatics would be as good as that.
It’s so fast and precise and enjoyable.
There’s more bass than I thought there would be.
At first I liked the 007s and then I put the 009s back on and I realized exactly what the 009s were doing. Both VERY fun.
Now here’s the crappy part. I don’t think I can give every other headphone an honest opinion, because when I tried the Stax… It so happened to be in a quiet room for once.
I brought my buddy with me, who isn’t even an audiophile btw… The very first place I got him into was to listen to the HE-1.
I had to literally let everyone else go ahead of us in that room because I was trying to get him to listen to the HD600s, then the 660v2s, and then the HD820s, just so he has a beginner’s reference LELEL.
The HE-1s almost made him cry… Guess what other headphone actually got close to him crying…The Modhouse Tungstons.
Me and him were listening to both Stax Headphones at the same time. Just JAMMING. Switching headphones. Had a blast!
For sure, though, I will say… This event has made me appreciate my setup a lot more. Cause its really not that far off from the uber high end im hearing. And that is enough for me
EDIT:
Also the LCD-5s compared to the 4z… For fun listening? I would definitely pick the 4z. For the unflattering, honest truth, the LCD-5s. And I do mean unflattering.
I’m so used to the T60RP argons which are basically an exaggerated caricature of what I like. So the first thing I think to myself is “Why do the LCD-5s sound small?”
I wish ZMF and Final Audio were there though. Somehow I feel like they would show up in the New York Can Jam
EDIT2:
Another thing I forgot to mention: They had a non electrostatic version of that viva tube amp. That’s what I used to listen to the Abyss Phi TC and the Modhouse Tungsten. The guy at that booth told me it’s only 4 watts. What?!
Anyone doing Can Jam NYC this year? Feb 22-23?
I dont think i am that interested in any new gear but i want to see if Dana / Eletech has anything discounted, and if Yamaha has representation added there.
I’ll be there and @Christof too probably
Yep I’ll be there. Taking a train down on Thursday, 2/20, and leaving on Monday, 2/24. Should be bringing my jar800 with me if anyone wants to give that a try.
Is there a more chill and laid back day to go? I am figuring Sunday would be more calm with less people? Maybe reps there are more likely to make deals or good sales?
As with any show Sunday early morning is more quiet and end of the show that evening too. Deals can be had all the time but you might not be able to pick up the gear until the wrap up
Ticket bought. Ill see a few of you Sunday
First Can Jam in the books. I only had a limited time but listened to a few interesting things.
The big thing was trying the new Dana Symphony. It is basically a Nirvana but split from the connector like some of the high-end Double Helix cables. But it was so heads and shoulders above their other cables even when listening in a very loud part of the room. For the OF Utopia i would put it above their more expensive voiced cables, though admittedly those were meant for the 2022 model. I liked it so much i snagged one with a pretty heft show discount and some add-ons and extra length tacked on.
Also a big thanks and hello to the SA members i met there. Maybe next time i will have more time and get to know you all more.
Anyone else going to the Munich High End? I managed to get a press ticket so I’ll be staying in Munich from the 15th to the 17th.
If you get a chance and pass by, I’d love to hear Yamaha impressions of their new models.
I’m not going, but if you get a chance and you’re interested, there should be a demo of the new Violectric V324.
Any idea if it sounds like the warm vios v222 v281 or the v550? or is it a mix of both?
