OSCAR REPORTS FROM CANJAM LONDON 2024

HiFi PiG’s Oscar Stewart brings you all the latest from the world of Headfi, portable and desktop audio in the first part of his CanJam London 2024 Report.

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CANJAM LONDON 2024 REPORT

It’s CanJam London time again, held at the Park Plaza Hotel in central London, it is, in my opinion, the best headphone show in the UK, and HiFi PiG is a show sponsor/media partner of the event. CanJam London is showcase of IEMs, headphones, DAPs, DACs, headphone amplifiers and all the latest and greatest tech in the headphone world.

Compared to regular HiFi shows, CanJam gives you the opportunity to have a good listen to a huge amount of Headfi kit under one roof, from established brands to new names, it’s all there. They also run seminars from some of the most knowledgeable people in the industry, there really is a lot to see and hear.

FERRUM

Getting stuck right in and walking counter-clockwise around the show my first stop was Ferrum – represented by Signature Audio Systems in the UK. They had three setups, the first containing the OOR, Wandla and Hypsos power supply with the Fostex TH909, the second was the same but with the Wandla GoldenSound Edition DAC with Fostex TH909 again, and the third had the Hypsos along with the ERCO 2 DAC/Amp combo paired with the Fostex TH900 MK2. The Ferrum kit sounds great, it’s got plenty of output power along with a refined and resolving sound; this pairs well with the punchy sound of the Fostex headphones.

VIKING WEAVE CABLES

Next up is Viking Weave Cables, headed up by Sebastian Kendra, he started off making custom cables and slowly grew the business into Viking Weave Cables. They make a range of high-quality cables for IEMs and headphones and he is now taking it a step further by developing a full-size headphone. There were 3 prototypes at the show, I had a listen to one which has a type of glass diaphragm driver, and they sounded very good indeed. They use dual drivers per side with a custom waveguide, the sound is energetic and well-balanced, mixing neutrality and technicalities with musicality and dynamics, creating a fun yet well-balanced overall sound.

HARMONICDYNE

Zeos from Z-Reviews has partnered up with HarmonicDyne to create the Eris, a full size semi-closed back headphone with 50mm dynamic drivers. I had a listen to them with an Aune Flamingo tube DAC/amp and they came across as a full and fun headphone that were very comfortable to wear. The low end has a bit of emphasis without masking the midrange and treble. This is undoubtedly a fun and engaging tuning, which is enjoyable for everyday listening – the price of $249 makes them very good value for money too.

ELECTROMOD

Mark at Electromod had a lot on show, Dekoni had their new Audeze earpads including their ever-popular vegan pads for the LCD series (back by popular demand). They also had new earpads for the Focal range which also fit the new Azurys and Haydenys, Meze 109 Pro compatible earpads and a product that’s still in development – a headband strap for the long discontinued Audioquest Nighthawk.

There was a prototype of a new Violectric headphone amp, the DHA V101 which is quite small and would fit perfectly in a smaller desktop setup. This was paired with the Dan Clark Audio Aeon Noire and powered them with ease, it has that signature Violectric sound signature that is clean, smooth and resolving. They also had the Nimbus and a couple of other models to listen to.

They also had a range of Topping products including the new A50 III / D50 III stack which provides very neutral and uncoloured sound within a small footprint, they also had the DX9 on demo which is a beautiful DAC/Amp.

The usual range of Dan Clark Audio headphones were being used with the Topping and Violectric setups including the E3, Aeon 2 Noire, Stealth and more.

Mark’s son Oliver is now selling a range of Moondrop and Truthear items here in the UK, I had a listen to the Truthear Nova model and for the price of £160 they offer up excellent sound for the price, snappy transients, spacious soundstage and a controlled, balanced sound signature.

LINSOUL

Linsoul are a well-known retailer/distributor for quite a few eastern brands, they are often the only seller of certain brands and always bring something interesting to CanJam. This year they had a range of ThieAudio, Kiwi Ears, 7Hz and Zigaart.

I had a listen to 4 different models here, first up was a new Kiwi Ears prototype, I don’t know the driver configuration however they did sound very promising with dynamic bass response, slightly forward midrange and crisp treble.

Next up was the ThieAudio V16 Divinity, this one was right up my street with quite a linear and balanced sound, excellent technicalities, snappy transients, and great extension both up top and down low.

I was then given a ThieAudio prototype to listen to, this one had a noticeable lift in the sub-bass giving them a warm tilt and a smooth easy to listen to signature. Despite this sub-bass boost, the midrange and treble were still clean and open with good clarity.

Lastly, another Kiwi Ears model that also didn’t have a name yet, although I do know that this one has 10BA drivers inside each side. This is another one that I instantly enjoyed, it had a crispness to the sound that allowed it to cut through complex mixes with ease whilst still having good impact and body down low. This was a model that came across as relatively neutral, with a slightly fun side and great dynamics.

SENNHEISER

Sennheiser had an array of their IEMs and headphones on demo, the main model I wanted to revisit was the HD620 unveiled at Munich earlier on this year. This is a full size, closed back headphone that has a similar tuning to the HD600 with a tiny bit more body down low. They have done a great job at creating a linear and well-balanced closed back headphone that has an open and spacious sound too.

KINERA

It was a pleasure to visit the Kinera table as always, with a plethora of models on demo from budget to high end. I got to listen to two prototypes here, the first being the Thor which has a pure silver housing along with a smooth and relaxing sound signature. This is a mildly warm sounding IEM with great bass extension and slightly relaxed treble, very easy to listen to.

The second model is unnamed as yet, and uses 1 micro-planar driver alongside a single dynamic driver. This model had quite a unique tuning with a big sub-bass presence, good midrange with only a little overemphasis in the upper-mid section and smooth treble. It will be interesting to hear where they take this, for my tastes it could use a tiny bit more punch and a little bit more body in the upper midrange.

LETSHUOER

Letshuoer are known for their S12 budget planar IEM however, they had their full range of IEMs on demo at CanJam London 2024. Starting off with the Cadenza 4, a very enjoyable listen with a natural and spacious presentation with great detail overall.

Next up I tried the S08, this model has a warm and full low end, smooth vocal performance, and well extended treble – it stood out with great dynamics and a slightly more fun sound signature.

The EJ07 is a tri-brid design with 7 drivers per side, this model has a more reference tuning without coming across as boring. Very good separation and staging with a dynamic and punchy low end that is well controlled.

Lastly, I had a chance to hear their flagship Cadenza 12, this stands out as one of my personal favourites of the show this year. It has a linear yet euphoric sound, very well balanced with a presentation that lures you into an immersive soundscape that is mesmerising. It was an experience listening to this model, there is a ton of detail and resolution should you wish to listen but, it’s the natural, effortless presentation and 3D sound staging that really captivate. This is one of those models that allows you to truly get lost in the music.

MEZE

It was great to catch up with Meze after they launched their Alba IEM recently, I have a pair of these in and for the €160 price they are a steal. They are simply easy to listen to, and easy to enjoy with a smooth, balanced sound signature and that wonderful single dynamic driver coherency. They’re designed for enjoyment and have an incredibly comfortable design too, perfect for everyday listening.

They also had their new 105 AER prototype with them that I saw in Munich, this is due to be released in September and bridges the gap between the 99 Classics and 109 Pro. An open back design with good bass punch and depth, along with smooth mids and treble, these are going to be a popular model.

I also spent a little bit of time with the Liric II, this is what high end audio is all about, a natural sound that just oozes quality and refinement. All the detail you could want without presenting it in an aggressive manner, these do have a slightly relaxed sound without coming across as dark. For a closed back model, you don’t get that closed-in sound either, these are a very well-tuned and engineered headphone.

Alexandra also hinted at a new accessory coming imminently, that will please gamers like myself, more on this soon!

HIFIMAN

It wouldn’t be CanJam without HiFiMAN, especially since they have just released 2 new models, the Susvara Unveiled and Mini Shangri-La. I had a sneak peek of the Susvara Unveiled in Munich and was keen to give them another listen, my thoughts remain the same, these are a fast, snappy, unrelenting headphone that also has good tonality and deep controlled bass. I am a big fan of the original Susvara and they are my reference headphones, the Susvara Unveiled take it up a notch in terms of transparency and dynamics, and I’m really hoping to spend more time with them soon.

The Mini Shangri-La is a great electrostatic headphone, they have that typical electrostatic presentation whilst retaining good body. I’m not the biggest fan of electrostats as many may know however, these at least manage to have a convincing and natural sound – definitely worth checking out.

ELISE AUDIO

Elise Audio are a retailer/distributor which carries a mad number of brands and kit, they couldn’t even fit it all out over their many, many tables. It would take a whole day to cover just this section, so I had to be selective with what I tested. Of note in terms of items on demo, they had the Raal 1995 Immanis, Feliks Audio Envy (performance edition), SAEQ desktop headphone amplifiers, Rockna DAC, full range of Canpur IEMs, FIR Audio, Auris Headonia 300B headphone amp, ModHouse Tungsten headphones, MASS Kobo headphone amps, Nightjar Acoustics, Subtonic and Symphonium Audio.

The MASS Kobo 465 is a beautiful amp, handcrafted in Japan and costing £14,000, it effortlessly drives pretty much any headphone with a smooth and resolving character. With a true dual-mono design it is simply a lovely amp to listen to, many people commented on the fact that they were using a relatively inexpensive Topping DAC with a high-end amplifier – showing that even budget DACs don’t hold back the sound of a high-end setup.

There was a new model from 7th Acoustics, the Asteria, this was in high demand at the show but I managed to fit in a listen to this new flagship model. These came across as balanced and nuanced with a smooth and enjoyable tuning. These were refined and spacious, a fitting sound for a flagship IEM.

I had a listen to the Symphonium Titan and their newly released Europa models, the Titan is a bit of a bass monster, perfect for those who want a big “fun” sounding IEM. The Europa is very similar to their Crimson model that was released last year, they have changed the treble tuning though and toned down the top end a little – making them a really enjoyable earphone with plenty of punch, dynamics and detail.

I did get to demo the Canpur CP74E as I was impressed by their IEMs last year, these are the new flagship model and boast detail and resolution with a slight warm tilt to the sound to make them quite easy to enjoy.

PMG are the sister company of Custom Art; Elise Audio had the Apx SE model to try at the show – this is not a cheap IEM coming in at €5,500. This was quite an engaging earphone with punchy and dynamic lows, well extended yet controlled treble and a wide and spacious soundstage.

On to some full-size headphones and I managed to demo the ModHouse Tungsten paired with the Auris Hedonia 300B amp, what a brilliant setup, plenty of body with a controlled and composed bass response, open and detailed with excellent separation. This was a very popular setup and its easy to tell why, it is well balanced yet still engaging with great technicalities.

AUDEZE

Audeze are a familiar name in the headphone world, they had pretty much every model they do on demo, CRBN, LCD-2, MM-100, LCD-5, Maxwell, LCD-X and more. They also had a good range of amps too including the iFi Pro iDSD with the iCAN Phantom, Weiss DAC502, Violectric DHA-V590 2, RME ADI-2, Holo Audio Bliss + Spring 3 and LTA Z10e.

The CRBN paired with the LTA Z10e was the best I’ve heard them in any setup, retaining that snappy electrostatic sound with a little helping of extra body – a great pairing.

EMINENT EARS

Eminent Ears are a new brand on the block, the brainchild of a couple of friends making DIY earphones from components harvested from other IEMs. They are now trying to break into this scene, their first model the Ruby had a bit of a w shaped tuning with good detail and big bass when called for along with excellent instrument positioning within the soundstage.

From feedback on this model, they have made a new prototype which comes across a little smoother, less aggressive in the treble region (as the Ruby can be a bit spicy up top), and a bit of a fuller sound overall. I really enjoyed listening to their story and the way they took feedback from listeners and implemented it into their new model, I wish them success.

ORFF CABLE

Sharing a table with Eminent Ears was Orff Cable, they are linked with a company who specialise in speaker and other analogue cables and they wanted to bring their knowledge into the earphone world. The cables on demo felt very well built and once again it’s always good to see new brands at shows like this.

ULTIMATE EARS

Ultimate Ears were represented by Phil at ESS and he had a full range of their lineup, of which I listened to a few last year. New this year though was the new range of universal models, these are more budget oriented and are great backup IEMs for liver performers, or just as a comfortable everyday IEM. I had a listen to the UE 350 model which houses 3BA drivers inside and has a rather inoffensive tuning, smooth and slightly dark sounding they were very easy to listen to and comfortable – priced at £369 these are very good value for money and will give Westone and Shure a run for their money.

CREATIVE

Creative are known for their PC accessories and at CanJam they had a pair of headphones, a couple of TWS earphones and their SoundBlaster DAC/Amp. I had a listen to their SXFI true wireless earphones which have spatial sound built into the standard audio profile, this is going to come down to personal taste as it does make music sound a little weird but, for movies and gaming, I can see a lot of people enjoying the spatial sound these offer. The out-of-the-box tuning is also geared more towards consumers with a v-shaped signature however, the accompanying app will allow you to easily tune the sound to your own personal preference.

SOUNDZ

Soundz make custom and universal IEMs, they are based in Greece and their offerings represent great value for money. I recently reviewed the Avant in custom form and at CanJam I decided to listen to a couple of their other models. The Flame sits just below the Avant in the lineup and has a slightly smoother and fuller presentation, you lose a tiny bit of air and finer detail however, they are still incredibly resolving with a wide and deep soundstage. The Tiger Edition faceplates also look rather fancy in person.

The Muse is their entry level 3-driver model, these have a more linear sound and come across incredibly well balanced, what impressed me the most though was the extension and detail from only 3-drivers.

Blade on the other hand is a bit bombastic, especially if you turn on immersive mode, another model for those who enjoy an elevated low-end response. The great thing about the boosted bass on this model is that the mids and highs still cut through well, this model is great for bassists and drummers.

One thing that was mentioned is how the shells for the universal fit models are all the exact same size, this means a consistent fit across the range, no matter the driver count.

For the pro market they have their own belt packs along with IEMs that feature and active microphone on the faceplate – this allows the musician to remain connected to the audience and band as well as being directional and the sound moves with the head movements rather than a feed from microphones at the front of the stage. This is something I feel could be beneficial to a lot of live musicians.

HEDD

HEDD were represented by Elise Audio too, paired with a T&A DAC alongside a Mass Kobo amp plus another setup with the Zähl HM1 reference amp. I had a listen through the T&A + Mass Kobo setup which tames the HEDDphone TWO a bit and adds a little warmth and smoothness. Don’t worry, all that AMT speed and resolution is still there, there is just a little more oomph to the sound compared to some more linear amp setups, a great pairing.

QOBUZ

I have a lot of love for Qobuz, they are my streaming service of choice for sound quality reasons and it was great to see them as a show sponsor, along with HiFi PiG. Also, it’s not a proper show without seeing David Soloman; on their table they had a Chord Electronics DAVE alongside some ZMF Auteur headphones and a pair of Focal Celestee, they also had a DCS Lina setup to use.

HIFONIX

Hifonix had a few tables downstairs as well as their Statement room upstairs (more on that later), Tony was on hand downstairs to help with demo items and what to listen to. He recommended I take a listen to the UM Mason FS Nuit étoilée – this 13-driver monster has a lovely sound, everything just sounded right with these in. Every instrument was in the right place within the soundstage, the tonality was incredibly real and natural, the soundstage itself was open and spacious and there is a huge amount of detail from these.

Next up I moved onto one of the bigger systems, Innuous Statement server, Lampizator Poseidon DAC, Feliks Audio Envy 25th Anniversary edition amp and the HifiMAN Susvara Unveiled – damn this is one hell of a headphone setup, for those with deep pockets. Lukasz Feliks was at the show on Saturday, it was great to see him as I am a big fan of the Feliks Audio amps, the Envy 25th Anniversary amp driving the Susvara Unveiled brilliantly. This is a setup where every component complemented the next contributing to a snappy and clean sound with a hint of tube warmth throughout, it doesn’t rob the headphones of their technicalities and the end sound was just a pleasure to listen to.

They had a huge array of other kit too including a Cayin stack, Camerton Binom-ER, Kallyste Amethyste headphone amp, Lotoo Mjolnir, Spirit Torino headphones and much, much more.

WARWICK ACOUSTICS

Warwick acoustics had their isolation booth, with both the Aperio and Bravura systems. I spent some time with these in Munich earlier on this year, both setups were very busy at CanJam, and they have an effortless, airy, and natural presentation with a lot of detail.

Now read our CanJam London 2024 Report Part 2 here...

Oscar Stewart

Additional photography by Kelly Bowden