[ldj325]

I want to thank Tyll for the great job he did with the Orange County Audiophile Society. Rather than being simply a Headroom infomercial, this really was a very nice presentation by Tyll that featured headphones in general and Head-fi specifically. After Tyll's talk the listening stations were packed with a lot of the Audiophile Society members. So a good number of folks got exposed to some very good headphones, as well as being exposed to us folks from Head-fi. Personally, I found it to be a lot of fun to talk headphones with a bunch of new people wioth a lot of audiophile but little headphone experience. So when one of these comes to your area (Tyll says he's going on a "barnstorming tour" (my term) next year, I encourage local folks to turn out and have some fun. After the crowds thinned out this turned into a much too short Head-fi mini-meet.

I want to personally thank 909 for repeatedly encouraging me to attend. And my thanks to DigiPete for helping me to see the light on the 701. I've always described the 701 as a good headphone, but not one that appeals to me. It has always seemed lifeless to me, even though I've heard a balanced 701 that I thought was OK. All it took was a Mogami balanced rewire of the 701 and a very nice balanced Dynamite with a good source CD through an Apogee MiniDAC to totally change my impression of the 701. Between the Apogee and the Dynamite the 701 came alive and shook the "chill" that I've always pereceived before. The 701 didn't really become warm, but it was putting out a neutral sound that was more full-bodied and alive sounding that made it a much more enjoyable listen for me than ever before.

And the after event dinner with some Head-fiers was great--all except for the fortune cookies from hell--but you have to have been there to understand.

 

[velogreg]

OK here is a mini impression. I spent some time with DigiPete's Dynamite and AKG semi-balanced 701s and the music was quite impressive. I cannot wait to hear (DigiPete are you reading this?) this gear with his SACD modded Denon 3930. I am sure it will be something to be hold. The Dynamite has so much power and clarity it just brings everything in the music to the forefront without making it in your face. Very nice DP!

Edwood is right though, I was kind of expecting some home gear, perhaps not speakers but a high end CDP or cables vinyl rig or something. I guess maybe it was the HeadFiers turn for show and tell this month. Next month though it is their turn at a very high end audio store. Shoul be fun.

From the look of things the Audio Society guys and gals really were interested to hear what the other side of the audio world had to offer. I had a very tough time getting to hear any of the gear that was brought and there was a lot of very gear present.

All and all the Audio Society folks were a very friendly and a cordial group. They all seemed to have a very genuine interest in this headphone thing and I look forward to being educated on this home system audiophile thing.

 

[Edwood]

-Ed

 

[santacore]

It was a low key but fun event. I enjoyed meeting some of the local head-fi'ers and hanging out with Tyll. He put on a good show and gave everyone a dose of headphone goodness. Lots of ear and eye candy for everyone. The IEM really surprised me. I had never considered them before but now I feel like I have to get some. A very different but good experience.

Good times. I look forward to the next one when I can actually talk more to people.

 

[909]

Had a really great time

Awesome photos, Ed!

I'll post my extremely limited impression tomorrow.

 

[Jon L]

Great meet! I posted some pics and impressions in Meet Impressions forum.
http://www.head-fi.org/forums/showthread.php?t=256234

 

[choomanchoo]

Nice aloha shirt Tyll, is that a Reyn's

thanks for the pics Ed,
looking at those pictures made me wanna buy a Headroom coffee cup, sure would look nice on my desk.
Does anyone know where I can get one? I just checked their site, but failed to find anything remotely resembling a coffee cup.

 

[velogreg]

Just wanted to thank Tyll again for putting on such a great meet. It was an experience to meet and mix with non HeadFiers who enjoy good music, what a concept! The HeadFi gear present was really impressive and collectively was the equivalent of any HeadFi Full Monty meet. I came away from this meet with a new found appreciation for K701s and balanced HD650s when mated with the proper amp. Should be a natural, but surprising to see how many times I have gotten off track matching amps to phones.

Oh and lastly, Tyll, you are the MAN! HeadRoom has an awesome comprehensive line of products.

 

[stevodotorg]

Sweet shot of my hand

EDIT: my back as well

 

[stevodotorg]

Quote:

Originally Posted by santacore /img/forum/go_quote.gif It was a low key but fun event. I enjoyed meeting some of the local head-fi'ers and hanging out with Tyll. He put on a good show and gave everyone a dose of headphone goodness. Lots of ear and eye candy for everyone. The IEM really surprised me. I had never considered them before but now I feel like I have to get some. A very different but good experience. Good times. I look forward to the next one when I can actually talk more to people.

Yeah, I most definitely agree, Really liking UE's low end IEM's.. and for the price ($59) they are quite a steal, except the guy representing UE seemed a bit.. I don't know, he was a bit rude to me, maybe he was just hard of hearing.

Also something to note, I was listening to those IEM's with a Total Bithead amp.. I gotta tell ya, that little amp has quite some power to it, of course I was listening to IEM's but really enjoyed that amp a lot.

 

[ldj325]

Quote:

Originally Posted by stevodotorg /img/forum/go_quote.gif Yeah, I most definitely agree, Really liking UE's low end IEM's.. and for the price ($59) they are quite a steal, except the guy representing UE seemed a bit.. I don't know, he was a bit rude to me, maybe he was just hard of hearing. Also something to note, I was listening to those IEM's with a Total Bithead amp.. I gotta tell ya, that little amp has quite some power to it, of course I was listening to IEM's but really enjoyed that amp a lot.

Man, I thought the UE guy was great. He had a lot on his hands, and maybe he was trying to find where I had run off to with his UE11s.

 

[TreAdidas]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ldj325 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Man, I thought the UE guy was great. He had a lot on his hands, and maybe he was trying to find where I had run off to with his UE11s.

+1

I thought he was awesome. I kind of hit him when he was busy, but he still answered my questions. I think he was just having a tough time keeping up with helping everyone who wanted to try his stuff.

 

[Edwood]

I put up some videos.

http://www.head-fi.org/forums/showpo...8&postcount=36

-Ed

 

[909]

neat vids, i also liked the background music you edited in on the first one, cool.

 

[Tyll Hertsens]

Whew! What a whirlwind. Bozman to Ceadar City UT Friday; Ceadar to the Holiday Inn in LA on Saturday; Sunday is the meet and drive to Santa Cruz afterward; Pick up my daughter and drive to Reno Monday; Reno to Boz Tuesday. Four nights and 2650 miles later I realize I have no pix! Argh! So a huge thanks to Edwood and JonL for their pix.

Big thanks also to 909 for rounding up guys before the meet. It's been a very busy summer for me and David did a marvelous job rounding up some guys with sweet rigs for the meet. Thanks, man.

The day started out very nicely for me, Iron Dreamer and I had exchanged a few PMs the day before and he met me for breakfast at the hotel. We had a nice relaxing breakfast, and then proceeded unpack the pile of stuff in the van and set up gear. Santacore, who had also PMed me with an offer to help set-up, came in shortly and we were putting up gear like crazy. Shortly before the meet proper, I went back to my room for a quick shower and donned my Hawaiian shirt, and I was ready to go.

I did a little talk, answered some questions, and then it was audiophiles off to the races listening to gear. I sold stuff at the meet this time---first time ever selling gear at a meet. That worked out pretty well---sold about $2000 worth of gear---but, I dunno, seems like I was missing the opportunity to help people out with headphone questions because I was taking credit card info and such.

By the time things had calmed down a bit and I was fielding a variety of questions, it was time for the raffle. We gave away a Millett, some 650s, a couple of BitHeads, and UE tossed in a couple of Triple-Fi's---quite a nice stash of gear. Yadda, yadda, a half hour more of talk and it was over.

Then it was time to get folks out of there and break down the gear---a mad rush for me and much appreciated helpers, but over in about 40 minutes.

I then had about ten minutes of the sweetest time of the whole meet, just standing in a circle with all the Head-Fi guys talking casually, and Edwood holding little Phoebe. Nice job dad and mom, she's cute as a button.

I think the whole thing worked pretty well. The society members seemed quite interested and invigorated by what they heard. Bob Levi invited me back for next years August meeting to do it all over again, so that's a good sign. I'll be happy to, of course. The fact that it all went off so smoothly and was so comfortably recieved is evidence, IMHO, that audiophiles and headphone-philes are cut from the same cloth. I'm looking forward to replicating this meeting across the country next year as I work to more intimately merge headphone enthusiasm into audiophiledom proper.

Thanks again, LA, it was a great first-time event, I'm looking forward to more.