CanJam SoCal 2018 Show Report
Hi-Tech Hi-Fi: CanJam SoCal offers a sneak peek into the industry's future with loads of cool technology.
CanJam SoCal Show Report By Dave Hanson

Schiit
Once upon a time, I purchased the original Lyr as my first "good" headphone amp. I enjoyed it for a bit, but ultimately found it was leaving a bit of sound on the table. Now, two generations later, Lyr 3 is a much different beast. Eschewing the pair of 6922 tubes used in the first two generations, Lyr 3 now substitutes in a single 6SN7 – a nice move from both sonic and budgetary standpoints.

Secondly, Lyr 3 introduces two new technologies: Coherence and Continuity, eliminating the need for inter-stage coupling capacitors and providing constant transconductance in the output stage. Finally, the new Lyr adds modular cards ala Schiit's Jotunheim, allowing for an onboard multi-bit DAC, AKM 4490 DAC or phono stage.

I gave the Lyr 3 a listen with the MrSpeakers Ether Flow and was very pleased with what I heard. The amp and multi-bit DAC had an easy sound and a nice sense of warmth to it. The Lyr 3 had a nice dose of wetness and liquidity without smoothing over the dynamics like the Lyr 1 or veering a little too dry like Lyr 2. I guess the third time's a charm. Nicely done Schiit!

Shanling
Shanling has been pumping out some very nice bang-for-the-buck DAPs, but the new M0 might be their most impressive feat yet. This tiny player is not much bigger than an Apple watch and offers a slew of features like aptX Bluetooth and LDAC, DSD playback, digital input or output and an impressive 15 hours of battery life.

The sound from the M0 was nice and clean with a quiet background. It was able to drive the ultra sensitive Campfire Andromeda cleanly and quietly, and the more difficult MrSpeakers AEON with solid dynamics and balance. Quite the versatile little device.

Shozy
Perhaps the biggest disappointment of the show for me was the Shozy and AAW collaboration: Pola. This IEM was a hybrid electret design, and whenever there is electrostatic technology involved, I'm all ears. Unfortunately, the sound of this IEM came across to me as very artificial, with a plasticky timbre. There was certainly a lot of potential here, and a lot of hype coming off of CanJam Singapore, but this one didn't live up to it for me.

64 Audio
While 64's flagship Tia Fuerte ($3,599) always draws the lion's share of attention, the other models in the T-Series are quite excellent as well, so I spent some time exploring the lineup. One model that really struck a chord with me was the Tia Trio ($2,299). This three-driver model combines a dynamic driver with the tubeless Tia system to provide a punchy and dynamic sound. I found the midrange to be smooth and full and the treble frequencies to be ultra clear.

I also really enjoyed the A12t 12-diver model quite a bit ($1,999). I found it offered a pretty similar sound to the Trio, but exchanged some of the smoothness in the midrange for sparkle and sizzle. I really find this type of tuning to be very emotionally engaging, and it is a sound that's especially well suited for female vocals and rock music.

SonarWorks
Sonarworks had one of the more interesting demos at the show with their True-Fi software ($79.99). True-Fi comes with pre-loaded EQ curves for over 150 different headphones, and trying it with cheap budget headphones is almost more impressive than hearing it on a good pair.

I tried the software first while using some awful sounding entry-level Sennheisers, and I was absolutely astonished at the difference it made. After listening for a little bit I disengaged the software and just began laughing hysterically at how bad the headphones were with their stock tuning. If you have a headphone that you like, but have some quibbles with the tuning, check out the Sonarworks website to see if there is a preset for it. The software comes with a 10-day free trial, so you can feel free to give it a test drive and see if it does the trick.

Ultrasone
I'll be honest, I'm not a big Ultrasone fan. Once, long ago, I owned a Pro 900 and, while the bass and soundscape were quite pleasing, I found the treble to be absolutely unbearable. But I've been hearing a lot of very good things about the new Ultrasone Edition 15 ($2,999), so I decided to give it a try. I can safely say this is easily my favorite Ultrasone headphone, because I was pretty floored by what I heard.

The treble was well managed for a change, which is probably helped out by the fact that the Edition 15 is an open back design. The soundstage is lively, three dimensional and incredibly holographic sounding with killer imaging and depth layering. Bass is big and punchy, as one would expect from an Ultrasone, but this one also had one more trick up its sleeve: the midrange sounds awesome and isn't oddly colored or recessed. I was disappointed to hear this is only a limited run because this headphone is absolutely legit. If you have the means to try this one out, make sure and give it a demo before they are all gone.

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Previous CanJam Show Reports
CanJam SoCal 2018 Show Report, CanJam NYC 2018, CanJam Denver 2017, CanJam SoCal 2017 Show Report, CanJam NYC 2017 Show Report, CanJam London 2016, CanJam Denver 2016, CanJam Denver 2015, and CanJam Denver 2014 during the RMAF.