CanJam 2017 Show Report
CanJam & Rocky Mountain International Audio Fest 2017
CanJam 2017 @ RMAF Show Report By Dave Hanson

LB-Acoustics Mysphere 3.1
The long-awaited spiritual successor to the legendary AKG K1000 finally made its debut at RMAF 2017, and it most certainly impressed. With pivoting ear speakers, the MySphere (€3500) offers an adjustable soundscape, allowing listeners to choose whether they want to hear the performance from the front row or the 25^th row.

I was prepared to be impressed by the width as I opened the earspeakers to their widest position, but what I wasn't prepared for was the wave of emotion I felt as I pushed the cups to their closest position. The gain in warmth and intimacy was downright shocking, and a clear step above its predecessor.

I also felt the comfort was a major improvement over the original K1000. The ear speakers had a soft on-ear pad on the inside, which felt quite nice against the ear and clearly aided in delivering a better bass response when the speakers were positioned closely to the ear. Preorders have begun, and MySphere will begin shipping by the end of the year.

Acoustic Research H1 & M200
After much anticipation and more beta test models than we can shake a stick at, Acoustic Research is finally launching a handful of new and stunningly impressive products. First up is their first over-ear headphone, the planar magnetic AR-H1 ($599). While I found several of the demos to be too bright, Acoustic Research has really hit it out of the park with the final version. The sound is well-balanced across the spectrum, with a slightly warm tilt and a satisfying bass response. This $599 price point has been in desperate need of a killer headphone for some time now, and it appears that the H1 might fill the bill quite well.

AR also launched a pair of new in-ears, the AR-E10 and AR-E100 at $249 and $149, respectively. The entry-level E100 uses and single beryllium dynamic driver, while the E10 pairs a beryllium dynamic drive and a single balanced armature. They come well-accessorized, with standard and Apt-X Bluetooth 2-pin cables. The E10 also adds a 4.4mm balanced cable. Both sounded quite good at their respective price points, and paired with a good cable, I thought the E10 was capable of a truly stunning level of performance.

Finally, AR added the AR-M200 ($399) to its excellent line of DAPs. In spite of occupying the entry-level spot on the roster, the M200 is an absolute beast. The sound is powerful, punchy and has detail to spare. It also features a 4.4mm Pentaconn balanced output and two-way aptX Bluetooth capability. Some may lament the lack of a larger touchscreen display, but if you're looking for a player that nails the basics and absolutely excels sonically, this is a must listen.

Audio Technica ATH-ADX5000
Often regarded as budget heroes – particularly among entry-level audiophiles with their stalwart ATH-M50 – Audio Technica stepped up to compete among the top-dollar flagships with the debut of their ATH-ADX5000 ($1999). The first thing I noticed with this headphone was the weight. The ADX5000 is among the lightest and most comfortable high-end headphones I've tried. I was pleased to see that the design forgoes those blasted hair-pulling, skull-scraping wings found on so many ATH models.

Boasting a 58mm tungsten-coated dynamic driver, the headphone was sweet and tonally inoffensive, with phenomenal mids and smooth, airy treble.  The sound is quite spacious, as one might expect from an Audio Technica open headphone, given the legacy of the 700 and 900 series. This one seemed to take it to another level, however, and I'd be interested to hear it head-to-head with the venerable Sennheiser HD800 in a quieter environment. The ADX5000 may provide a mellower, easy-to-drive alternative.

Abyss Headphones Diana
Joe Skubinski and sons were on hand with two of the show's most impressive headphones. The Abyss Phi (Deluxe Edition $5,495) is arguably the world's best headphone, adding more clarity and balance to the already excellent original AB-1266. What really interested me was the much-evolved Diana ($3000), which completely blew me away back at CanJam NYC in February.

The Diana is finally ready for prime-time and is only a month or two from hitting the streets. Joe Skubinski informed me that they are just waiting on a few final parts to arrive before they can begin assembly. The headphone has evolved a bit since New York, and a few elements of the design have changed. The headband is now molded to be much stiffer than before and there have been several iterations of the pads. The Diana will also available in three colors: white, black and brown.

In spite of physical differences, the headphone still rocks hard and hits like a truck, defying its somewhat low-profile look. This is definitely a headphone I'd like to hear more of, and we're working with Abyss to get our hands on a Diana for review in the near future.

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