[santacore]

My pleasure Lee, I had a great time hanging out with you, shooting the breeze, and enjoying your gear. By the way, the Axis cable is dynamite and will be staying with me. The imaging and detail from this cable killer, it's a nice step up from the Polestar. I'm looking forward to hearing more from your new series. The Sonic Weld USB converter looked great and sounded even better. Cant wait to see what the future holds.

[cryoparts]

My pleasure Lee, I had a great time hanging out with you, shooting the breeze, and enjoying your gear. By the way, the Axis cable is dynamite and will be staying with me. The imaging and detail from this cable killer, it's a nice step up from the Polestar. I'm looking forward to hearing more from your new series. The Sonic Weld USB converter looked great and sounded even better. Cant wait to see what the future holds.

Thank you!  I know that you personally will be hearing a lot about the new stuff coming soon!   

Peace,

Lee

[santacore]

Can't wait!! Nothing like spontaneous purchases while drinking Scotch at a trade show.

[mbakes]

Jon L, great pics!

Having organized CJ '08, I know how much work goes into putting on a show like this and these guys did a great job.  I believe next year will be in Chicago and if any of you guys can make it, you won't regret it.  It is a blast.

I spent a lot of time in Todd the Vinyl Junkie's room which was shared with Woo Audio.  I bought my HF2, HD 800 and Luxman P-1 from Todd and owned a Woo Audio WA5 amp (the silver one in Jon L's pics was mine).  The HD 800 is the real deal.  It is one of the better dynamic headphones I've heard.  I didn't listen to an R10 this year so I can't compare the two but at $1400 compared to $4000, I'll take the HD 800.  It pairs up well with the P-1 and I also loved it out of the WA5 (300b amp).  The HF2 maybe my favorite Grado.  I prefer it to the RS-1, GS-1000 and the PS-1000 (didn't like it much at all).

The new Woo Audio electrostatic amp was excellent with the HEAudio Jade.  It would be hard for me to choose between it and the Headamp Blue Hawaii SE.  These are the top electrostatic amps today, imo.

The HD 800 also sounds great out of the Headroom Ultra Desktop Amp using the Ultra DAC.  This could easily have been my choice for the HD 800 had I not bought the P-1.  The HR Audiophile Desktop with the Harbeth speakers is a great desktop speaker rig. 

Headamp's soon to be newest addition to the portable amp lineup, the Pico Slim was about as good as a truly portable amp can get.  The digital volume control is a definite jump in sq.  It goes from blackness to even sound on both channels with sensitive IEM's, which I have not heard in any other portable amp.  This brings me to the surprise of CanJam.  The JH Audio 13 Pro custom IEM.  I had not intention of ever buying an expensive custom IEM until I heard these.  Jerry Harvey has come up with a 6 driver custom that is as good as it gets.  I'm afraid that I will end up using it more than my HD 800's. 

Got a chance to check out the planar headphones from Audeze and Head-Direct (HifiMan).  One of these may make it into my collection in the future.  It's like listening to electrostatic headphones with a standard headphone amp.  The HifiMan portable DAP, the HM-801 produced some of the best sq from a portable player that I've heard.

I had a chance to spend a little time with Lee and it was great to meet you.  Sorry I didn't listen to anything but by the time I got over to you, I was done.  I hope to see you at future Head-Fi events.

Now the best of show this year, which happens to have been the best of show last year, Smyth Research.  If you were at CanJam and didn't check this out, you messed up big time.  They have come up with a surround sound headphone system that will blow your mind, it is that good.  They are in the LA area so if you are local, you need to get in touch with them for a demo. I will hopefully own one of these rigs by the end of the year. 

[cryoparts]

Great to meet you too. 

I had a great time, everyone I met was really friendly and passionate.  I had a blast with this younger kid and his girlfriend who visited my room about 10 times--he would put on a dance show every time he listened, it was great!

I didn't know what to expect, and was a little worried that I was going to waste a bunch of money by exhibiting at the show, however, now that I've attended/exhibited, I'll definitely support the upcoming Jams.

I missed Smyth research, I wish I could have gotten out more, really only got to listen to a couple of systems at length that I was curious/interested in, both which used the Sony R10's.

The big S-power rig with the balanced R10's was scary good.  I am now on a quest to find a set of R10's...

Peace,

Lee

I had a chance to spend a little time with Lee and it was great to meet you.  Sorry I didn't listen to anything but by the time I got over to you, I was done.  I hope to see you at future Head-Fi events.

Now the best of show this year, which happens to have been the best of show last year, Smyth Research.  If you were at CanJam and didn't check this out, you messed up big time.  They have come up with a surround sound headphone system that will blow your mind, it is that good.  They are in the LA area so if you are local, you need to get in touch with them for a demo. I will hopefully own one of these rigs by the end of the year.

[cryoparts]

oops.

[Wayne1]

Jon L,

Who makes these amps?

I like the styling of the cases.

Thanks,

Wayne

[mbakes]

Jon L,

Who makes these amps?

I like the styling of the cases.

Thanks,

Wayne

I'm don't recall the guy who owns those amps but I am pretty certain they were designed and possibly built by Frank Cooter.  He is a diy guy in SoCal that has built some amazing gear, including an electrostatic amp that was at CanJam.




[/quote]

[Wayne1]

Thanks for the information, mbakes.

I believe you are correct that Frank Cooter built those.

While the electrostatic amp using GM-70s may sound better, there is just something about the looks of the entirely wood cased amps that attracts me.

Wayne

[mbakes]

Frank makes some of the coolest amps out there.  He had one at a Head-Fi Meet in NorCal about 1 1/2 years ago to drive the K1000 that was outstanding.  It was a 3 box amp similar in look to the 'stat amp in the pic.