2022 Texas Audio Roundup

There's discussion of the meet in the Schiit blog thread. I have a link to an SBAF thread I started in my Head-Fi signature.

 

CeeTee has the modded Bifrost 1 Multibit I was wanting y'all to hear if you want to include that.

 

I had a post on among others in the Schiit thread regarding it wiped earlier today, so @rhythmdevils could be reacting to that.

Along with what Beefy said, @Philimon posted the SBAF link to the Texas Meet on a post there. We'll see how long that lasts.

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sch...bable-start-up.701900/page-6451#post-17061936

 

There’s no mention of it in the head-fi meet forum and both Schiit and Emotiva are showing new products. That’s intentional. If Marv wasn’t involved it would absolutely be there no question. Probably with videos. This is just pathetically low and very sad.

 

More than anything I'm miffed at how this is kneecapping exposure of cool new stuff from the mad lads at both Schiit and ETA (I know nothing about emotiva). Calling this petty and strange would be an exercise in understatement.

 

I know the Piety is not designed to spec well. However, one spec blew me away for a headphone amp.



-90dB crosstalk. That is like preamp or DAC specs, not on the output of an amplifier.

To put this into context, here is the same specs on a few different amps:

• Magni -70dB
• Jot 2. -85dB
• Folkvanger -60dB
• Asgard 3 -82dB

Now, I know Vali 2+ is at -90, but that also has Contunity. Some like Magnius do as as well, but that is a chip amp. But even Lyr 3 is -75dB. Well done @CEE TEE

And I am not saying this spec is end all, but just an interesting observation. I know the spec is not standardized. Some post at one impedance output, some post at one frequency (1kHz), some don’t post it at all. I think most don’t.

 

Sounds like it's been a blast so far! I told myself I was done with new headamp purchases but Piety is tickling me even from afar...

If any of y'all visit or revisit the ETA booth tomorrow, @tommytakis will have something else new (a premiere!) to listen to too:




More than just a swap of cups...

 

Throw in a modded Bifrost Multibit. Would love everyone’s thoughts.

 

It’s never been more over for abbas bros, pack it up.

 

BESIDES: finally getting to travel for something fun/audio, the reunion with some peeps & finally meeting others in real life, the buzz of new products, the foooooood, (and oh yeah) launching a new company and new products again after such a LONG TIME...getting called Dragon Ball Z makes my day. Thanks @Clemmaster
And thanks to all of you who have supported me in so many ways!

 

Words and GIFs cannot express the feeling of selling your Lyr 3 on Tuesday and the new Lyr being announced on Friday. Finally won the timing lotto.

 

First off, I have to say even more than hearing all the gear was finally meeting people I'd wanted to for a long time. I guess it was fitting that Marv (@purr1n) was the first person I ran into in the lobby, because he's the ringleader of all this madness. I was little nervous beforehand because I've been often disappointed meeting people I admire (you know the old saying, never meet you heroes), but Marv was super accommodating, helping me get my badge and situated upstairs, gracious and lacking any pretentiousness... just a no bullshit guy who seems proud of what he's help create and I was glad to finally shake his hand and chat. He seemed really jazzed, like the energy of the place was infusing his spirit and it was a joy to watch.

The first room I hit was @CEE TEE's... another I was happy to finally meet and chat with. I have to say I was super impressed with his effortless charm, laid back, but engaged demeanor and knowledge of the gear and business he was finally getting a chance to birth to the world. And he may have the coolest hair outside of David Lynch and Johnny Knoxville.




Unfortunately I completely FORGOT to listen to his magnum opus, the Piety, but I may be able to at the Saturday show. I was pretty gobsmacked because I had no idea this is something he'd been cooking up with Schiit.



But I was most curious about the JAR800 and got a chance to hear it out of the 3F. And while I liked it, I think it still sounds like an HD800, albeit quite fixed of the issues that headphone is known for, but I think I'm kind of over that particular sound... with outfits like Focal and ZMF, it feels a little old hat. But it did sound completely worthy of consideration for anyone still wanting that sound... it was really balanced, quite articulate.

The @rhythmdevils modded LCD-4 was quite a different story... I noted in my @rhythmdevils modded LCD-X review that I'm probably not a planar guy. But the LCD-4 may have changed my mind... that headphone out of the 3F (with Gungnir Multibit as the DAC) is legit one of the best headphone systems I've ever heard... drop dead gorgeous timbre/tonality... it was laid back, but still slammed, reminded me of the cozy blanket feel of the HD650 but with insane technicalities... this feeling washed over me of just wanting to sit there and listen... I honestly could've sat there with that pairing the entire meet and not moved... it was that good. Like holy shit.

The Atrium out of the 3F I was not so enamored with... that headphone I don't think worked well with that amp... it was a bit peaky, a little too unrefined, and I was bummed because it was my first time hearing it (I'm on the loaner tour but not for a few weeks)... but other amp pairings later on would prove my fears unfounded.



Really excited for the @CEE TEE / DSHA matchup for the new 3F... he was really good about describing his vision for the project and I was mesmermized.



And holleeee shit did my Focal Clear sound amazeballs out of the 3F... @CEE TEE agreed with me that the pairing was rare chemistry... that amp is 100% meant for Focals... there was magic happening in that room.



In the DNA room I got a chance to finally meet and chat it up with @tommytakis! Really cool guy with good, calming zen energy... good people.





Unfortunately the Stellaris was out of commission, which really bummed me out because it was something I was most looking forward to hearing! Some folks did their best to try and fix it, but it was no go...



BUT, I did get to reunite with my old flame the Starlett... it was awkward and weird, and we barely looked at each other, but in the end I had to go up to her and reconcile... she rewarded my effort with the amazing sound I remember and it was like we were in love again... I finally got to hear the Utopia on a DNA amp, and it was a pretty great pairing... but dammit I did not like my Clear out of the same amp... it was weird, just didn't sound right... The Final Audio D8000
I'd never heard before, and it was actually a shockingly good sounding headphone... worth getting my hands on again. Noteworthy synergy with Starlett.



The Shortest Way room... it was nice getting back with the SW51, which I liked quite a bit. Got to hear it with the Atrium, which was a MUCH better pairing than the 3F I felt... I breathed a sigh of relief, because the Atrium finally sounded like something I might be interested in (and the Folkvanger pairing would confirm it later).



I actually finally got to hear my first Grado (SR325) on the SW51 and damn, really dug it... I honestly thought it was one of the better headphones I've heard... something weirdly magical about that pairing.



@famish99 brought his Wavedream and I was bummed I couldn't stay long enough to hear it again. He had just hooked it up when I was leaving the room, because I wanted to sample some more gear and meet some more folks before I had to skiddadle.




Alright... the main event was the Schiit room on the 2nd floor (there was more Schiit stuff on the 3rd floor but I didn't have time... and Folkvanger was on the 2nd, so I was fine with that, because it's one the amps I most wanted to hear). A few things to note... Jason Stoddard (@schiit) was also someone I was eager to meet, but again, a bit nervous about, but like Marv what you saw was what you got... down to earth, passionate guy who loves weaving audio illusions... a guy you'd be down to have a beer and a chat with and shoot the shit... same with Marv, hell, same with anyone there really. But Stoddard was someone I'd wanted to meet for a long time. He was gracious enough to entertain me and my questions for a few minutes and I got alot of insight into his thought process, how he navigates the needs of his company, his own vision vs the vision of Mike and others. Sounded really interesting and just like a cool gig to have in this lifetime. Second, Folkvanger is really f'ing good... really felt like the amp he's been working up to the entire time, like a statement amp even more than the Ragnarok... Folkvanger had that personal touch that made it feel special in a way I never felt with Rag, even though I liked it, and REALLY like Rag 2, which I finally got to hear with some Mr. Speakers headphone I think, which also sounded f'ing amazing. The Atrium especially sounded totally ridiculously amazeballs with Folkvanger... like what the f**k is happening good... SLAMS harder than Thor's hammer and has this weird timbre I've never heard, not weird bad, but weird perfect... like some eerilie perfect LIVE sound I've not quite heard in any headphone/amp pairing... did not hear it with 3F or SW51, only on Folkvanger/Atrium. So yeah... people need to be aware of this combo, because it's the sex. Third, Bifrost64 was... good... how good I'm not sure because I only got a brief listen (Jason showed up as I was just getting situated with, and I stopped to talk to him and someone else swooped in and took over... the Schiit room was popular!). I don't like the Bifrost 2, it's not a bad DAC at all, but it's just not for me... but the beauty of Schiit is there's gear tailored for lots of different tastes. The NOS mode immediately sounded NOS, so there is no bullshit/sortakindasomethingsomethingmaybedifferent... NOPE, it's NOS, and if you like NOS and like the Schiit house sound, it's the best of both worlds. It also sounded closer in timbre/tonality to Yggdrasil LIM, not the same, but in the ballpark. So I'm curious, but maybe not enough to buy one. But it's another potential seismic event in the DAC world that will force manufacturers to pay attention and get their shit together! Schiit is not to be trifled with.





Not to be outdone, the ETA guys and their showing kind of blew me away. I've not really liked any closed back headphone I've heard... with the possible exception of the Verite Closed, but the ETA mini closed and semi closed didn't sound like closed backs to me... like not at all... to the point where I had to take them off to make sure they were closed. Just FANTASTIC tonality, smooth as butter, engaging, lively, a nice all-day kind of listen. Really curious to check these out further. And the price was industry disrupting. I like them alot better than the Genesis one I demoed a while back. I think I had more of a preference for the closed vs semi-closed. Please please try and get your hands on a loaner or demo them at a meet, because they are worthy of everyone's attention!




And goddamn if I didn't finally get ears on a Studio B. I love Eddie Current and don't think I'd give up my Zana at this point, but the Studio B was stunning... ease, finesse, power, elegance, extreme resolving ability, low-key tubey without overdoing it... kind of amazing balance... I think I might want one!



I wanna thank @schiit , @purr1n and everyone who worked to put this awesome meet together... it put a big fat smile on my face at many points during the event. And it really showed that this hobby really needs a community like this to succeed and thrive.

 

I wish I was there. I am wondering when would be the next New England Audio Roundup. I would be so glad to be at you guy's disposal, in anyway. I remember the two Schiit Audio meets in the Boston area before the COVID. Some of the best memories in years.

 

I was really looking forward to meet some folks of this community in person (for the first time) and hear the JAR800 on the Stellaris. But my back gave in and I had to drop the plan to drive to Austin this morning.

I hope there are more Texas meets often.