Author Topic: Charlotte 'Can-Fest' 2010  (Read 13057 times)

Offline stereofool

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Charlotte 'Can-Fest' 2010
« on: July 07, 2010, 10:24:54 AM »
The next 'Can-Fest' is coming to Charlotte 8/14/2010...info link is below. I attended last year and had a great time. The room was really too small, but well worth it to see and hear the legendary Joe Grado  :thumb:!

This year they have reserved a much larger room...so let us join in and help make this a GREAT event.

I'm attending...who else is IN???

http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/449203/the-carolina-canfest-8-14-10
« Last Edit: July 07, 2010, 10:29:32 AM by stereofool »
Steve
Have you ever noticed.... Anyone going slower than you is an idiot...and anyone going faster than you is a maniac?

Offline richidoo

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Re: Charlotte 'Can-Fest' 2010
« Reply #1 on: July 07, 2010, 11:10:38 AM »
Ooooooooo!  I'd like to go to that. I'll see if I can break away.  I'm thinking about getting one of those schiitty headphone amps. It would be nice to hear what's state of the art to know what I can't afford.

Offline stereofool

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Re: Charlotte 'Can-Fest' 2010
« Reply #2 on: July 07, 2010, 01:03:55 PM »
Maybe we could hook-up  :thumb:!
Steve
Have you ever noticed.... Anyone going slower than you is an idiot...and anyone going faster than you is a maniac?

Offline richidoo

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Re: Charlotte 'Can-Fest' 2010
« Reply #3 on: July 07, 2010, 03:29:52 PM »
That would be cool...    Is your house kind of on the way to Charlotte from my place?

manaox2

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Re: Charlotte 'Can-Fest' 2010
« Reply #4 on: July 07, 2010, 03:49:59 PM »
I'm new to the forum. But I'll be there.  :D

Offline richidoo

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Re: Charlotte 'Can-Fest' 2010
« Reply #5 on: July 11, 2010, 07:29:05 AM »
Welcome to AN manaox2!   I missed your post, sorry for the delayed response.

I read on headfi that you are in Cary? Me too! We'll have to get together sometime.

Offline mdconnelly

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Re: Charlotte 'Can-Fest' 2010
« Reply #6 on: July 11, 2010, 05:29:10 PM »
Rich,  are you going to order one of the Shiit headphone amps?   Which one?   Let me know what you think - I've been toying with the idea ever since that first post.   I've got some nice cans - HD600s - but my headphone amp is an old Headroom amp that just doesn't do the headphones justice.

Offline richidoo

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Re: Charlotte 'Can-Fest' 2010
« Reply #7 on: July 11, 2010, 07:07:22 PM »
Hi Mike... I've been thinking about it too. Only the SS Asgard model is available so far. I'm worried it won't sound that great, most cheap SS amps don't. But I think they offer a home trial period. Shipping should cost ~$20 round trip?   

From what I've read about the tube model it's not for me. I don't want to own 6N1P tubes again, and I don't want output coupling caps. I think I'd rather have nice quiet reliable solid state if it sounds good enough. Sol has one that some locals have raved about, but so far I've only heard it with SB3 as source.

Another thing I have thought about is putting a headphone output stage or output transformers right inside my DAC. It has a nice 32bit digital volume control. Maybe the DAC would drive it directly, gotta check into that.

I might also like a portable battery powered amp like SR71 so I can use it at kids' sporting events.  So I'm a little up in the air now, I'm hoping that the meet will help me decide. Thanks for the nudge  :lol:

Offline stereofool

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Re: Charlotte 'Can-Fest' 2010
« Reply #8 on: July 12, 2010, 08:26:16 AM »
I'm new to the forum. But I'll be there.  :D

WELCOME!!! I'm looking forward to meeting you  :D.
Steve
Have you ever noticed.... Anyone going slower than you is an idiot...and anyone going faster than you is a maniac?

manaox2

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Re: Charlotte 'Can-Fest' 2010
« Reply #9 on: July 13, 2010, 05:22:58 PM »
Welcome to AN manaox2!   I missed your post, sorry for the delayed response.

I read on headfi that you are in Cary? Me too! We'll have to get together sometime.

Oh definitely. :)

Offline richidoo

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Re: Charlotte 'Can-Fest' 2010
« Reply #10 on: July 13, 2010, 05:43:58 PM »
Oh definitely. :)
    :thumb:

Maybe someone will have a Schitt Asgard at the meet.

The canfest motivated me to finally send in my e500s for repair, after almost a year broken.  :duh

Offline stereofool

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Re: Charlotte 'Can-Fest' 2010
« Reply #11 on: July 22, 2010, 03:14:10 PM »
Check out these two 'attendees'...especially the first one  :thumb:!

Joe Grado (as an attendee to smooze with everyone)

Pierre Sprey (Mapleshade President)
Steve
Have you ever noticed.... Anyone going slower than you is an idiot...and anyone going faster than you is a maniac?

Offline richidoo

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Re: Charlotte 'Can-Fest' 2010
« Reply #12 on: July 22, 2010, 03:27:09 PM »
Awesome!!!! I lamented missing Joe last year's canfest, so I'm really glad he's coming back again. Pierre Sprey must be a character. I look forward to chatting with him about his recordings and his Gallo mods.

Thanks Steve!
Rich

Offline richidoo

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Re: Charlotte 'Can-Fest' 2010
« Reply #13 on: August 14, 2010, 03:38:43 PM »
Just got back from Charlotte. It was a fun trip.  I went down yesterday afternoon stayed with stereofool. Spun some vinyl, really enjoyed his system. It has changed a lot since last time I was there 2 years ago, big improvements.

Headed out this morning at 8:30, arrived at 10. It was more than enough time to sample the demos and talk to a lot of people. There were hooter girls drawing raffle tickets for prizes. I was sitting next to Ray Samuels who was hot for a Muddy Waters LP, so he yelled out "I want that!" Then when she drew the ticket he yelled out his ticket number before she did, just being a wise ass... Then literally one second later she called his number! The room burst out in surprise and laughter. He thought she was joking, but he won the record!  I'll have what he's having!

One thing I learned from the meet was that I like the sound of some other (more expensive) cans better than mine. On the way home, I was thinking whether or not I want to case that cat at this time. While some of the can/amp combos were really, really good, they were still in my head, which is just not as satisfying as speakers. So I will continue to focus the energy in that direction for now.

I heard a couple electrostatic cans and they were very good, but I think it can get a lot better. My favorite sound of the show was Cambridge Audio DAC MAgic > WooAudio WT2 tube amp > Grado RS1. I really liked that. The grado has that "certain something," musical, alive, friendly, sweet thing hapening, that none of the other cans I tried could do. It wiped the floor musically with my AKGs. Speaking to Alex who just not a commercial vendor, just hosting a table full of his own gear and talking and answering questions. He and I hit is off and shared similar taste in music and values regarding headphones. I learned a lot from him.

I was able to listen to the new Antelope DAC that I have been mentioning for 18 months. It was DAC into headroom balanced amp. I liked the Antelope headphone output a little better for the clarity and presence, but the headroom amp smoothed things and added balls. But the Antelope sound is awesome, something I'd like to hear in my system with speakers.

I spent some time with Brian Lowe, owner of Belleson Audio and a very talented circuit designer. He sells voltage regulators for DIY mods. He had an old HK chassis hollowed out and filled up with regulators and his own analog amp stages. I can recommend his work highly. He really knows his stuff and has some cool new DIY products and whole goods coming soon. His website is http://belleson.com

I enjoyed seeing our new friend and AN member manaox2 (Scott) at the meet. We talked a few times and he was able to help me put my new perspective on amps and my own AKG heapdhones in perspective. He showed me his own eletrostatic HPs. I look forward to hearing them, as we live about 2 miles apart. We talked about having a little headphone meet sometime, whether alone or as part of a regular speaker meet. Thanks for the advice Scott!

Finally, just before we left, Scott and Steve told me how much they enjoyed hearing Joe Grado's recordings made with his new invention microphones. They record sound without phase distortion. It doesn't matter where you place them, there is never any phase distortion. I know it sounds like angels dancing on the head of a pin, but I was able to sit down and list for myself. Awesome! I told Joe that I have tried to make acoustic piano recordings (like his I was listening to) but had problems with echos and harshness that surface absorbtion could not fix. He seemed to light up that I was asking about that specifically, and he took a half hour to explain his mics and play some of his high res research recordings for me and Steve. It was an awesome time, by far the highlight of the trip to speak with him, and for him to spend so much time with us was a thrill and honor. I was glad to hear that he lives in NC now so I hope to be able to see him again sometime. He said there are some commercial recordings coming soon made with his mics. Peter McGrath and Bob Ludwig are raving about them so it is catching on like wildfire. I wish I could grab a pair for myself. I'll be watching this one.

Rich

Offline stereofool

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Re: Charlotte 'Can-Fest' 2010
« Reply #14 on: August 14, 2010, 04:30:18 PM »
Had a great couple of days with Rich  :thumb:. We listened to a variety of music Friday night, and I feel like things are sounding pretty good, here at the 'ranch'.

Saturday morning, we were off to Charlotte...with the top down and perhaps not observing the posted SL's in some places  8). I enjoyed listening to a number of different headphone amps, and I thought that they all sounded great. Obviously, much better than the cheap headphone circuits in most main stream equipment.

I do want a decent headphone amp, but I can't bring myself to drop $700 + on one, at this time.

I had the pleasure of hearing Joe Grado talk at the CanFest I. So, I was really looking forward to seeing him again...and he did not dissapoint. Rich and I listened to some examples recorded with his updated Grado HMP-1 Recording Instrument . To say they were simply amazing is a tremendous understatement. Whenever we have to opportunity to obtain a performance 'captured' with these units...it is simply not to be missed. It may well ruin you for all other recordings  :shock:.

http://www.joegradosig.com/
http://www.proaudioreview.com/article/26704
Steve
Have you ever noticed.... Anyone going slower than you is an idiot...and anyone going faster than you is a maniac?