Head-Fi and its merry band of CanJammers continue to play an ever-growing role in the activities at RMAF. Now more than ever, the CanJam segment of RMAF decisively demonstrates why high-performance headphones, earphones, and custom-fit in-ear monitors must now be considered a legitimate part of the broader high-end audio pantheon – not just on the basis of convenience, price, or popularity (although headphones/earphones enjoy all three of those advantages), but also on the basis of sheer sonic performance. This year, CanJam ably represented what was arguably the single most energetic and vibrant product segment in all of RMAF.
About this report: Discoveries
It perhaps goes without saying that at any show audio journalists will see and hear more than they can write about, and that they may well miss more than a few worthy manufacturers and demonstrations along the way. Or at least that’s the way it usually works out for me. When asked during an event how the show is going my standard response is to say, “Great, but there’s too much show and not enough me to cover it all…”
Still, in retrospect, we remember shows by the discoveries we make – the new (or new to us) products that stick in our minds long after the event is over. This report is an attempt to give you a taste of some of my favourite discoveries from this years RMAF/CanJam event.
CanJam Discoveries
Alclair
From Osseo, Minnesota (from the greater Minneapolis area) come Alclair – a firm specialising in building comparatively affordable custom-fit in-ear monitors and a distinctive universal-fit earphone called the Curve ($249), as shown here. Based on a brief cursory inspection, we think the firm’s three-driver Reference Custom CIEM ($399) and four-driver RSM Quad CIEM ($649) are the models most likely to find favour among audiophiles and critical listeners.
Audeze
Audeze introduced a new flagship: the LCD-4 planar magnetic headphone, which follows the industrial design motif of the original LCD-3, but features an all-new driver and delivers a more neutrally-voiced and transparent sonic presentation than the LCD-3. At the same time, Audeze showed a prototype of an upcoming Bascom H. King-designed headphone amplifier, which fittingly was shown with the working title of “The King”. Both units are projected to sell for $3,995.
Atomic Floyd
The British firm Atomic Floyd was demonstrating a working prototype of its significantly updated Hi Def Drum universal-fit earphone (£150 or $199), which offered more neutral tonal balance and a more taut and revealing sound than some earlier Atomic Floyd earphones have done.
AudioQuest
AudioQuest showed its adorable, palm-sized Beetle DAC ($199) with optical, Bluetooth, and USB audio inputs, and that comes with a small linear power supply said yield better sound quality that typical switching-type wall-wart supplies might do.
Cavalli Audio
Dr. Alex Cavalli, long known for his premium-priced top-class desktop type headphone amps, recently has been on a campaign to make his famous ‘Cavalli sound’ available in more compact and affordably priced components. Next up will be Cavalli’s surprisingly powerful Liquid Silicon portable headphone amplifier (to be priced somewhere under $700, though how far under that figure remains to be seen). The Liquid Silicon is based entirely upon discrete components (meaning no ICs or OpAmps) and is slated to be renamed shortly before launch through a yet-to-be-announced ‘Name That Amp’ contest. Watch for it.
Darin Fong Audio
Darin Fong’s impressive ‘Out of Your Head’ digital audio processing software is said to create a near loudspeaker-like presentation from headphones, and also to provide convincing high-end home-theatre-grade surround-sound from headphones. Packages range from about $149 to $600, depending on the number of room/loudspeaker modelling modules you may require. Based on a brief listen, the system does work reasonably well in the here and now, but may get even better over time (Fong has made a lot of progress with the system over the past few years). In a brief listening session, I found the system worked reasonably well to model stereo systems, but worked even better in modelling surround-sound systems.
ENIGMAcoustics
Al long last, ENIGMAcoustic’s long-awaited Dharma hybrid dynamic/self-energised electrostatic-driver equipped headphone ($1,190) has been released to production and as near as we can tell the production version is the best-sounding iteration yet. This fascinating headphone generated no small amount of buzz at CanJam/RMAF and is very likely to become a Hi-Fi+ review subject in the future.
Final
Final’s flagship Sonorous X ($5,000) and Sonorous VIII ($2,999) headphones were previewed at Munich 2015, then introduced in Europe a few weeks ago at CanJam London, and now have come to the US. Together, the Sonorous X and VIII reflect everything company president Mitsuru Hosoo knows about building fine headphones, and they certainly sound the part. Two words that come up early and often in describing these headphones are ‘engaging’ and ‘evocative’.
HiFiMAN
Not content to rest on the critical acclaim heaped upon his flagship HE 1000 planar magnetic headphone, HiFiMAN founder Dr. Fang Bian took CanJam as his opportunity to introduce two more new headphones: the Edition X very high efficiency planar magnet model (price TBD, but perhaps in the $1,700 – $1,800 range) and the on-ear Edition M headphone (price TBD, but perhaps in the $249 – $299 range). The Edition X can be viewed as cost-reduced, efficiency-enhanced, and somewhat re-voiced version of the HE 1000 (the two headphones look very similar, but with the Edition X feature a ‘black on black’ design motif). Sonically, the Edition X offers a very slightly warmer voicing curve to the HE 1000, with a modest degree of bass lift added. How efficient is the Edition X? I was able to drive it to usable levels with (no joke) my Galaxy S5 mobile phone, though for best results I would certainly recommend using something better than that.
iFi Audio
Following upon the heels of its critically acclaimed iFi Retro Stereo 50 integrated/headphone amp/DAC, the British firm iFi Audio launched an entire new upscale range of iFi Pro series components with its iFi iCAN Pro fully discrete, fully balanced headphone amp/line stage preamp ($1,699). The iCAN Pro is extremely powerful (>8,000 mW @ 16 Ohms), offers three gain levels, provides user-selectable tube or J-FET input sections, and a MOSFET-buffered Class A output stage. Interesting, the amp offers three user selectable voicing personae: Standard (solid-state), Tube (tube using low negative feedback), or Tube+ (tube with near zero negative feedback). We look forward to reviewing this new amp in the future.
Kimber Kable
Kimber has entered the high-performance headphone cable sweepstakes in a major way with its new Axios family of hand-braided headphone signal cables. Kimber can terminate these cables with plugs to fit most any headphone, and Kimber has even made an effort to match termination housings in woods or finishes that complement the intended headphones. For example, the cable shown here is intended to match the finish of a Zebrano wood Audeze headphone. Prices start at about $700 per cable set.
Lyrus Audio
There’s a new planar magnetic headphone make on the scene name Lyrus, whose first offerings will be the Model 6 ($1,290) and the Model 9 ($1,890). The Model 6 uses silver conductive traces on its diaphragm while the Model 9 uses gold traces. Based on a brief listen, I felt both models had merits, but my personal favourite was the Model 6, which struck me as offering the more neutral tonal balance overall (the Model 9 sounded exceedingly detail, but at the expense of being perhaps a bit bright).
MIT
In an unexpected turn of events, the cable make MIT has decided to enter the headphone electronics marketplace with a new high current, class A/B headphone amplifier called the Vero HC-AB-29. Co-developed by MIT founder Bruce Brisson and former Capitol Studios/Lucasfilm audio engineer Aaron Reiff, the Vero HC-AB-29 also incorporates the firms signature ‘Multipole Technology’ for “29 Poles of Articulation”. The final price of Vero HC-AB-29, which was shown at RMAF in pre-production prototype form, is projected to be $1,999.
Moon Audio
Moon Audio honcho Drew Baird has teamed with the famous designer Dennis Had (recently retired from Cary Audio) to create Moon Audio Inspire Dragon IHA-1 valve powered headphone amplifier ($1,695). Every effort has been made to give the Inspire the simplest, most direct circuit path possible.
Moon by Simaudio
Moon introduced its new 230HAD half-width, solid-state headphone amplifier/DAC, which is basically a scaled down and cost-reduced version of the award winning 430HAD. Though the two units are very different in appearance, the signature sound of the big 430HAD is very much alive and well in the compact 230HAD, which is slated to sell for $1,500.
MrSpeakers
As was the case at the CanJam London show just a few weeks ago, MrSpeaker was showing both of its new planar magnetic headphones: the open-back Ether and the closed-back Ether C, both of which are priced at $1,499. Candidly, a number of companies have attempted to build ‘equivalent’ open and closed-back versions of their top headphone models, but in virtually every case the open-back models wind up sounding decidedly better than their closed-back counterparts. However, the Ethers are different. Because the Ether C uses a substantially different driver to the one used in the Ether, it would be fair to say that the two models are able to compete on a level footing and that, in practice, they offer subtly different yet complementary strengths so that—if you are at all like me—you may find you prefer whichever one you happen to be listening to at the moment. Finally, somebody has made a closed back headphone that sacrifices nothing in the way of performance vs. its open-back counterpart.
NAD
NAD showed two lovely and affordably priced headphones at RMAF: the HP30 on-ear headphone ($249) and HP50 over-the-ear headphone ($299). Both models sound similar, but not identical, to equivalent models offered in sister company PSB’s headphone range. The NADs, though, have a sleek, elegant look all their own.
Noble Audio
Noble has long been famous for its flagship Kaiser 10, which has been offered either in a CIEM version or as a moulded acrylic universal fit earphone. For RMAF, however, the universal-fit version of the Kaiser 10 got a big, big upgrade in the form of a new, absolutely gem-like version called the Kaiser 10U, which features CNC-machined, aluminium earpiece bodies that will be priced the same as their acrylic counterparts ($999).
oBravo
Not content to rest upon his laurels for the HAMT-1 hybrid dynamic/AMT-driver-equipped headphone as reviewed by Hi-Fi+ Editor Alan Sircom, David Teng of oBravo has now created his eRIB-2 hybrid dynamic/ribbon-driver universal-fit earphone ($900) and his eAMT-3 hybrid dynamic/AMT-driver universal-fit earphone ($2,400). The latter features the world’s smallest AMT-type driver, which is a square-shaped unit measuring just 8mm per side. In a brief listening session, I felt both models showed promise, but that the flagship eAMT-3 was perhaps one of the very finest in-ear listening devices I have yet heard. Further listening is indicated (and eagerly awaited).
Peachtree Audio
Peachtree has previewed its versatile and nicely finished Shift portable headphone amp/DAC at several recent shows, but now the unit is in full production release and is now shipping. The Shift ($349), like most Peachtree components, offers excellent value for money.
Pendulumic
Pendulumic chief of design Chunbeng Quek has been hard at work on a more compact and somewhat lower-priced sibling to the firm’s favourably reviewed Stance S1+ Bluetooth headphone. The new ‘junior’ model is called the Tach T1 and it channels much of the sonic goodness of its bigger sibling, along with notable improvements in ergonomics, and will sell for $249.
Questyle
Questyle VP Bruce Ball demonstrates his firm’s recently released QP1R high-res portable digital audio player ($899), which will be review in the next issue of Hi-Fi+.
RHA Audio
The Scottish firm RHA offered a sneak preview of its new, portable, balanced output DAC/Amp M1, which is still a number of months away from production release. Interestingly, the amp will provide both iOS and Android device charging features. Judging by the prototype on demonstration at RMAF, this will be a beautifully designed product, both in terms of appearance and sound quality. Pricing has not been set, but an educated guess is that the price may fall in the $500-$600 range.
Schiit Audio
Schiit Audio’s flagship Yggdrasil DAC was one of the first so-called ‘multibit DACs’ – a 4x NOS DAC that uses a closed-form digital filter that retains all original digital audio data. Lately, though, Schiit has been migrating its multibit technologies to ever more affordable products. First came the Gungnir Multibit DAC (introduced at the Schitt Show earlier this year) and then first shown to the public at CanJam London. Now, for RMAF, Schiit has rolled out the Bifrost Multibit DAC, priced at $599 (a price point that would have seemed unthinkable for such advanced technology just a few years ago).
Stax
Stax previewed its new SR-L700 Lambda-series electrostatic headphone whose driver is directly derived from that of the flagship SR-009. The final price of the SR-L700 has not yet been set, but should fall between $1,200-$1,500, which is less than a third of the price of the SR-009. Given that the sound of the SR-L700 strongly resembles that of its bigger brother, it may be position to become the electrostatic bargain of the year.
Torque
Listeners who appreciate variety will enjoy Torque’s upcoming 402V user-adaptable on-ear/over-ear headphones ($400). The concept is this: when you buy the 402V, you receive ear pads that allow you to convert the 402Vs to serve as on-ear or over-the-ear headphones, as you prefer. But the flexibility doesn’t end there, because each set of ear pads include four colour-coded voicing filters (red, yellow, blue, and black) that interact with ductwork inside the headphone ear cups. Users can select their preferred voicing filters by rotating the ear pads 90 degrees at a time, with ear rotation bringing a different voicing filter into play. In a sense, then, when you buy a 402V you are effectively getting eight different headphones (two set of ear pads x four voicing filters/each = eight options in all). A very clever idea.
Ultimate Ears
Let me be forthright: the Ultimate Ears folds showed me and let me listen to a handful of (secret) upcoming new products that I’m not at liberty to discuss until UE give the word. However, what I can talk about is the firm’s use of the United Sciences ear scanning system, which is a non-invasive way of gathering precise data on the exact size and shape of a client’s ears, yet without requiring an ear mould impressions (something some listeners find a scary proposition at best). The idea is to scan the wearer’s ear with a special optical probe and probe positioning system, and then to use the data gathered to create a highly accurate 3D model of both the ear canal and pinna.
Also new from UE is a powerful new demo tool that allows users to listen through a calibrated set of earphones and then, using a touchscreen interface, to compare the voicing of respective US models in real-time, so as to help customers decide which CIEM models best suit their listening tastes and preferences.
Westone
Recognising that there can sometimes be a gulf between the traditional 2-channel audio world and the high-end earphone/CIEM world, Westone set out to help the parties meet on neutral ground to compare and contrast what both worlds have to offer, through a series of events collectively termed the “Westone Experience”. At these event listeners were invited to hear a series of tracks as played on a well dialled-in speaker based system configured by the Danish firm GamuT and then to hear the same tracks played through top-tier Westone earphones or (in some cases) custom-fit in-ear monitors as driven by top-tier Astell & Kern AK380 portable players. Groups of ‘blue ribbon’ panellists were invited to attend the sessions and to offer commentary. I’m pleased to say I was the chosen representative from Hi-Fi+ and that I was (I hope) able to offer useful comments given my own and the magazine’s long history of covering and reviewing both speaker and headphone/earphone/CIEM-based systems. It was an eye-opening event for all involved, I believe.
1964 Ears
1964 Ears build fine CIEMs and universal fit earphones, but what really sets the company’s products apart is their use of ADEL (Ambrose Diaphonic Ear Lens) technologies. I spent some time with Stephen Ambrose to learn about ADEL and it is fascinating, to say the least. Ambrose’s claim is that, in the name of achieving proper tonal balance and desirable loudness levels, most CIEMs and universal-fit earphones create pneumatic overpressure conditions that are potential harmful to our hear. To combat this problem, Ambrose has developed ADEL, which is effectively a highly compliant secondary eardrum-like membrane that absorbs overpressure waves, yet without inhibiting sound pressure levels or adversely affecting tonal balance. In fact, in a brief listening test it seemed to me that ADEL actually enhanced perceived clarity, transparency, and dynamics, yet a volume settings lower than would be used without the ADEL system in play (and yes, bass response is left intact, too). We are planning a review of an ADEL-equipped 1964 Ears CIEM in the not too distant future.
Tags: FEATURED
