Bay Area Meet February 8, 2025

Hi everybody! We are at it again in the Bay (see the impressions from the last meet: https://www.superbestaudiofriends.org/index.php?threads/bay-area-meet-july-28-2024.14494/. If you are interested in bringing your gear and getting a table spot, please join the discord (link below) and fill out the sign up sheet. I will follow up with you in the coming weeks to give you details on the event, etc. That being said, if you have headphones or IEMs (or even DAPs) that are portable, feel free to bring those with you and carry those around to test out all the cool stuff that will be there. So here are the details:

Important notes:

1. If you are selected to bring your own setup, please arrive 1 hour before the event to set up. There will also be 1 hour after the event is over to break down and pack up.
2. Gear list to come.

We are sponsored by Schiit Audio!!! Please thank them for helping us put together this meet and be able to enjoy this bigger venue and the space needed to bring more of us together! Also for sending us awesome gear.

Note: Please be conscious of your manners and hygiene. If there’s a line growing behind you or for the table, limit your listening time and come back when the table isn’t as packed. Let’s let everyone listen. Also keep in mind you will be demoing other people’s gear. Please be clean, wash up, don’t put products in your hair, clean your ears, etc. Be respectful. There’s a lot of cool gear here.

List of contributing manufacturers/companies (gear to be announced and potentially more to come):

1. Schitt Audio: Sponsor and sending SchiitKit
2. HIFI FOR ALL
3. ETA Headphones
4. NITSCH
5. STAX
6. ZMF (Zach and Bevin will be here!)
7. Linsoul
8. MIRPH Designs
9. Donald North Audio
10. Apos Audio
11. Wells Audio
12. DUNU
13. Meze
14. Orchard Audio
15. Auribus Acoustics
16. Enleum
17. HEDD
18. rhythmdevils audio

Location and Date/Time:
Saturday Feb 8, 2025
10:00 AM – 3:00 PM PST
Guildhouse
420 S 1st St
San Jose, CA 95113

Discord link for our Bay Area community:
https://discord.gg/CzuXVkE2Rx

Eventbrite/Tickets (Free) Link:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/hificon-february-8-2025-tickets-1114996206669?aff=oddtdtcreator

Gear List (TBD):
Manufacturers/Companies:
STAX:

• SR-X9000 / SR-L700MKII + SRM-T8000,
• SRS-X1000
• SR-X1 with SRM-D10

ETA Headphones:

• ETA - Ultra Low Impedance Headphone
• NITSCH - Pietus Maximus
• Mid Winter Design Works - stand
• DACs:
  • Chord TT2
  • Weiss 204

HIFI FOR ALL:

• Headphones:
  • HFA Dahlia
• DAC's:
  • Chord Hugo TT2
  • Holo Audio Spring 3 KTE
• Amps:
  • DIY Aegis
  • Headamp CFA3
  • Flux Labs Mentor

ZMF:

• Headphones:
  • Bokeh Open
  • Caldera Closed
  • Caldera Open
  • Atrium Open
  • Atrium Closed
• Amps:
  • Aegis
  • NITSCH x ecp Audio DSHA-3FN
• DACs:
  • Chord Hugo 2
  • Cayin DAC (unspecified)
• Some DAPs as sources
• IEMs:
  • Dark Matter Audio IEMs

Schiit: (Going to list these as the stacks I plan to put them in)

• Gungnir 2 and Kara F (forkbeard will be available to test)
• Modius and Midgard
• Bifrost 2/64 and Lyr+
• Bifrost 2/64 and Valhalla 3
• Various headphones to accompany the above

Linsoul:

• IEMs:
  • Thieaudio Valhalla
  • Thieaudio Divinity V16
  • Thieaudio Prestige LTD
  • Thieaudio Monarch MKIII
  • Thieaudio Oracle's II and III
  • Thieaudio Hype 2,4,and 10
  • Kiwi Ears Division
  • Kiwi Ears Punch
  • Kiwi Ears Orchestra Lite
  • Kiwi Ears Canta
  • Kiwi Ears Cadenza
  • Kiwi Ears Forteza
  • Kiwi Ears Quintet
  • Ziigaat Odyssey
  • Ziigaat x HBB Punch
  • Ziigaat Doscinco
  • Ziigaat Cincotres
  • Ziigaat Estrella
  • Ziigaat Arete
  • 7hz Timeless II
  • Mangird Tea Pro
• Headphones:
  • Kiwi Ears Division
  • Kiwi Ears Ellipse

MIRPH Designs:

• 2x MIRPH-1

NITSCH:

• Amps:
  • NITSCH x ecp Audio DSHA-3FN
  • NITSCH x Schiit Pietus Maximus
  • NITSCH x Schiit Magni Piety
• DACs:
  • Schiit Yggdrasil LiM
  • Schiit Bifrost 2 OG (MODDED)
  • Neko Audio D100 Mk I
• Headphones:
  • ZMF Atrium Open (TBD)
  • Focal Elex
  • Focal Clear OG
  • Focal Utopia OG
  • HD600 Stock (Marble)
  • HD600 Stock New Production
  • JAR600 v1 New Production
  • HD6XX Stock
  • JAR6XX v1
  • HD800 modded to JAR800 v3

Donald North Audio:

• Amps:
  • DNA Stellaris
  • DNA Supernaut

Apos Audio:

• Headphones:
  • SJY Horizon Closed Carbon
  • Apos x Audio-Technica ATH-R70x Refine
• IEMs:
  • Apos $75 IEM prototype
  • Meze Alba
  • Open Audio multiple IEMs
• DACs/Amps:
  • xDuoo TA-32
  • Apos x Community Gremlin x 2
    • Tubes for Gremlin: Ray CORE, Ray SELECT, Mullard, Gold Lion
  • TOPPING DX9
  • TOPPING CENTAURUS R2R
  • FiiO K11 R2R
  • FiiO R7
• DAPs:
  • FiiO M11
  • FiiO M17
• Sources (other than DAPs):
  • Salad SA-XC turntable prototype
• Other:
  • Magia cables
  • Salad Halo Headphone Stands x2

Wells Audio:

• Amps:
  • V8 OTL
  • V8 Level III
  • Milo

DUNU:

• Headphones:
  • Arashi
• IEMs:
  • Glacier
  • Zen Pro
  • SA6EST
  • DK3001BD "Brain Dance"
  • Kima 2
  • TItan S2
• Portable DACs:
  • DTC 480
  • DTC 800

Meze:

• Headphones:
  • 105 AER
  • Empyrean II
• IEMs:
  • Alba

Orchard Audio:

• Amp:
  • Prototype Valencia

Auribus Acoustics:

• Headphones:
  • Sierra Open

Enleum:

• Amp:
  • HPA-23RM

HEDD: (headphones are tentative, they're trying to make it here in time)

• Headphones:
  • HEDDphone TWO
  • HEDDphone TWO GT

rhythmdevils audio:

• Headphones:
  • RD-6

From the community (TBD):
Pud: Various pud headphones from: https://pud.com

GiveYouFire: IEMs:
LETSHUOER Cadenza 12 2024, Softears Cerberus, 64 Audio U12t, QDC 8SE, Kiwi Ears Orchestra,
Prisma Audio Azul, LETSHUOER S15, Moondrop Dusk, Moondrop Blessing 2, Moondrop Kato, Tangzu Heyday,
DUNU SA6, SeeAudio Neko JP, SeeAudio Yume and Yume Midnight. Will also have DUNU gear (from above) at table.

Edition: DAC: Monarchy M24, Head amps: Pietus Max, Piety, Headphones: DCA Aeon Open X, ZMF Eikon

Thunder240: Headphones: Quad ERA-1, amp/DAC: Grace m9xx

MakeItWain:
IEMs: FiR Radon6, FatFreq x HBB Deuce, ZiiGaat x HBB Arcadia, Kiwi Ears x HBB Punch, Letshuoer S15,
Pula Anvil 114, Apevoix Grit, ZEMPIRE ZE51B.
Headphones: TBD
Source: Muse Hifi M5 Ultra. Can bring JDS Element IV if there's a desire

Questhate:
Vinyl: Technics 1200 --> Darlington MP7 --> Vali 3 --> ZMF Bokeh / Aeolus
Digital: Yggdrasil OG --> Mjolnir 3 --> Audeze LCD-X / Empyrean OG
Portable: Hiby R6 III --> Mega5est / Moondrop Dusk / Senn IE600

Xgatt86:
Headphones: Rosson Audio RAD-0, ZMF Verite Closed (Ironwood) -- undecided on ZMF
DAC: Schiit Bifrost 2
Amps: SPL Phonitor XE, Glenn OTL (4 tube)
Source: TBD, maybe laptop?

Yury Z.:
Isolation transformer, Activator and solid copper power cables.

Rice Spice:
Heaphones: Abyss Diana TC, ZMF Verite, Meze Classic 99
DAC: Topping D90 Discrete
Amps: Xi Broadway, custom Krell KSA 5 clone, Dynaco ST35, Syphonic Line RG3 clone
Source: Laptop most likely

S2kphile:
Headphones: Fiio FT1, FT1 Pro
Earbuds: VENTURE ELECTRONICS Zen SL, Zen 2.0, Zen 3.0, Zen 3.0FE, Zen LL, Zen Lite, Asura 3.0FE, Asura Pure White Shining, Monk 7th Plus, Monk Metapod Standard, Monk A1, Monk Studio, Monk Lite, Slim Metal Ti, Slim Metal Gold, \FRANQL Blue Moon, Panther, Caleum. LREY Hera, Raijin, ROSESELSA Distant Mountain, KOSS Porta Pro 2.0 Wireless
DAC/USB: VENTURE ELECTRONICS Devastator Dongle, Prime Copper DAC
Amps: APOS Gremlin with WE396A 5670 Tubes, RAY SAMUELS AUDIO Emmeline "The Hornet", MEIER AUDIO/Head-fi Corda Headsix, VENTURE ELECTRONICS RA2B-FE
Source: Sony NW-ZX707 DAP

sirhitsalot:
DACs: Ferrum Wandla GSE, SMSL RAW MDA-1
Amps: Ferrum Oor + Hypsos, SMSL RAW MDA-1, Woo Audio WA6

Photos from the prior events:
Jan 2023: https://photos.app.goo.gl/3vWJe6tNMhfXryaP8
Jan 2024: https://photos.app.goo.gl/dp7tyiqckBgheN41A

Giveaway:

We will be having a giveaway! HIFI FOR ALL (HFA) is donating t-shirts and we will be giving it away! The give away will be at 2:15 PM. Everyone who has a ticket for the event and comes in will have a chance to win but make sure you're around for the give away as only those still there will win. Also, if you are a volunteer or have a community table, you'll get double the chance! Don't forget to sign up!

 

Updated the gear list. Still working on more!

 

Updated info!

 

Updated some info above. Also Zach and Bevin from ZMF will be in person!

 

Included some updated information and community gear!

 

Updated again. Some items still pending but I wanted to list them now for awareness. Going to be a great time!

 

Just landed, this is going to be a great event.
18 contributors and special community tables.

 

Definitely is shaping up to be the biggest.

 

Bay Area HiFiCon 2025 – My Impressions

This year’s Bay Area HiFiCon was extra special for me—I had the chance to volunteer for the first time, and it was such a rewarding experience. I’ve been an audiophile for, officially, a little over a year now, and HiFiCon was actually one of the first things I did when I got into the hobby. But last year, I was just starting out. I didn’t know anyone, and I was still figuring out what I even liked, let alone how to navigate the community.

Fast forward to this year, and the experience was completely different. Getting involved as a volunteer made me appreciate not just the gear, but the people who make this hobby what it is. I got to meet folks who were more than happy to share their expertise, whether it was advice on setups or just geeking out over sound. Plus, I was able to pick up some secondhand tools that I’ve already started enjoying, and I walked away with a much clearer idea of what my endgame might look like.

Speaking of endgame... I have to talk about the standout moment for me: ETA’s purple headphone prototype. I cannot emphasize this enough—this was the best-sounding headphone I have ever heard in my life. I’ve tried a lot of great headphones, but this one completely floored me. Absolute perfection.

On the amp side, I got to spend some time with the team at Wells Audio and listen to their delicious tube amps. Those were absolutely fascinating—I loved every second with them and can’t wait to explore more. Over at NITSCH, I got to try out the Pietus Maximus DAC/Amp, and it was so good. If you're looking for a practical but high-performance all-in-one, it’s definitely worth checking out. I was also really glad I brought my HiFiMan Edition XS with me because it helped me realize I wasn’t actually giving them the power they needed to shine. Getting to experiment and compare setups in real-time was invaluable.

And of course, no HiFiCon would be complete without Pud and his creations—it felt like having our own headphone Willy Wonka in the house. Everyone was having a blast, and it was just awesome to see that level of creativity and craftsmanship up close.

Beyond the gear, one of the best parts of the event was bringing some friends along and getting them into the community. Seeing them bounce ideas off people, ask questions, and get excited about audio was really cool.

All in all, HiFiCon was an amazing experience. I walked away with new ideas, new tools, and even more appreciation for the vendors and enthusiasts who make this hobby so great. Huge thanks to Vince for organizing everything—it really is a magical event. There’s so much you don’t even think to consider until you get to try things firsthand and talk to the people behind them.

Already looking forward to the next one. You won’t regret going.

 

WUT. DA. FAHRVERGNUGEN?!?



edit: who here has been around long enough to remember the head-fi Andy meme?

 

https://www.pud.com/

 

BAY IS BACK!!

Saturday was BUZZING…

There was something about the happiness and the energy. @vzamayoa has rebuilt and reinvigorated the Bay Area with a whole new crew mixed with some of the best OG peeps and even some of the SF Audiophile group.



It reminded me of 2011-2014 meets.

Welcoming of newcomers, awesome small passionate community members making stuff, incredible community synergistic rigs, a total range of SS to tube and estat/planar/dynamics/IEMs…to PUD!!!

PEAK HOBBY?


https://www.reddit.com/user/pudjam667/submitted/

 

OR PEAK HOBBY: Zach & Bevin flying out and handing me a choice of two very custom Atrium Opens!



Man, these are so lush with a sense of 3D. Such sweet tone. Beautiful mids, rich bass. Effortless dynamics. I’ve been so looking forward to these and they are the total experience. Aesthetics, feel, comfort, sound. I’m in a cabin with wood, leather, wool rugs, and a fireplace.

Back in the ZMF gang and so thankful to have a piece of art and passion from Zach, one of the nicest people in our hobby.


HAPPY RANT:

There are so many ways to get and find <your> great sound today- at all price points!

Trust yourself and if you are enjoying your music for hours on end, you have a great rig. You’re one of us.

If you enjoy your music so much, have gotten a ton of value out of your gear and want to expand or check out what other gear can do…great.
But I simultaneously feel like I could enjoy music with just a good pair of $150 open backs AND I keep finding new combos that knock my socks off.
So go as nuts as you want or don’t want. It’s all good.

In order to keep having these experiences and try to share them, I have made it my life’s work. I just hope I can keep playing and doing more fun stuff.

A few of us were having dinner after the meet and some were saying that is why they keep coming out. To hang. We have made lifelong friends and found others to talk to about music, gear, coffee, photography, whatever we’re into.

We’re still finding and making our crew. It’s been great. My life wouldn’t be as rich without all of you.

MORE THANKS: To the people who come and spend time at the NITSCH table…
-I get such a buzz from seeing and talking to you!
-Thank you for letting me know you got a Piety or a Pietus Maximus and you like it. Makes me very happy.
-Okay, I was a little shocked when you wanted me to sign the TOP of the amp! @s2kphile
-I can’t possibly try all combinations of DAC/Amp/Headphone to craft magic, so thanks for letting me know what you have and what you like (or don’t like)!



And at community tables!


PUD about to give our fearless organizer the bass of his childhood in cars with massive woofers:


Two last shout-outs (I promise):
1. @vzamayoa 's significant other is a key ingredient to our meets and super-kind to support us in our uber-enabling sessions. Please let her know we thank her too!
2. Thanks to @schiit for sending a box 'o Schiit (sometimes with unreleased products) + helping with the venue to support the community!

Listening to my Atrium Opens until next time...cheers!!
CEE TEE

 

Great orgy!

 

This was the biggest Hifi Con by far.
Always great to chat up @loadexfa @Bill-P @Vansen

I didn't get to listen to everything I wanted to.

Vinh V. refurbished Dynamo ST-35 Diana TC was awesome, an exceptionally tailored smooth experience.

Puds vibrating dongle was really something else, really odd but unique experience it had me anticipating the bass notes.

@Questhate Technics 1200 & Vali3 was really enjoyable, analog always reminds me that I should pursue vinyl again.

Special thanks to @vzamayoa for organizing and all the volunteers, and to @schiit for sponsoring.

 

Here's a link to the photos I've been sent so far: https://photos.app.goo.gl/bitAZHtxVJYJCefo7


I'm still getting to write my impressions. Though I didn't get to try as much as I wanted. XD.

 

I saw the Valhalla 3 in that picture dump, anyone have listening impressions?

 

I don’t know if you have been given a kudos for your work getting this organized. Even though I was not able to make the event, I wanted to thank you for organizing a great meet! I know many people appreciate your hard work!!! THANK YOU!!!

 

In my opinion, it’s just a slightly improved Valhalla 2. The dynamics are just slightly better. The bass control is just slightly better. The soundstage didn’t seem to change. The chassis is sexy and the metal is smooth and nice. I don’t think it’s really a big upgrade personally. The three gain stages are nice though.