CanJam SoCal 2024 – Coverage Sponsored by Noble Audio Pt 2

I would like to extend special thanks to Noble Audio for making this coverage possible, not only do they make incredible IEMs and now Headphones, they have always been a great supporter of the Personal Audio community in general often sponsoring our coverage of these events.

FOCAL

Focal while still taking one of the larger booth spaces, had an all new open-plan layout with four unit kiosks employing the NAIM Audio Uniti Atom Headphone Edition Streaming Amplifier ($3,799) to drive their full line of headphones, making it much easier to accommodate the swarm of fans come to listen. At the show, they were debuting two new budget headphones, the Focal Azurys Closed-Back Dynamic Headphone ($549) essentially a wired version of the popular Focal Bathys Bluetooth Wireless Closed-Back Dynamic Headphone ($699), and the Focal Hadenys Open-Back Dynamic Headphone ($699).

AUDEZE

Aside from their usual stellar line of groundbreaking planar magnetic headphones Audeze was presenting one of the most exciting launches of the show with their newly updated Audeze CRBN² Electrostatic Headphone ($5,995). Since it is almost impossible to judge an open-backed electrostatic headphone in a noisy ballroom, Audeze was inviting select listeners up to a private room for a sealed room audition. With a more linear tonal balance more similar to the Audeze MM-500 ($1,699) the CRBN² is a major step up from the original and a total game changer, retaining the greater dynamic range and impressive bass response of the CRBN while presenting the musicality of traditional electrostatics. As an owner of the original CRBN, I hope to be able to do a comparison review in the near future to give the CRBN² a full workout. Audeze are offering a Loyalty Update Program ($995) for those wishing to upgrade their existing CRBNs.

audio-technica

audio-technica were excited to announce two new headphones to complement their world-class audio-technica NARUKAMI ATH-AWKG ($4,200) which we recently reviewed Here, the audio-technica ATH-ADX3000 Open-Air Dynamic Headphone (TBA), and the audio-technica APOS ATH-R70x Refine ($299)

DEKONI Audio

DEKONI Audio had some wonderful surprises at their booth this year, one was a unique four driver per side experimental headphone that they custom-made earpads for (the large square block pictured below which required earpads larger than most headphones, the designer was on hand for people with the headphone for people to sample), and more to the point, DEKONI Audio’s new Headphone Cable line ENSEMBLE CABLES ($59.99 – $84.99) which employ MCS (DEKONI Modular Cable System) making it easy to switch between connectors without having to duplicate everything for each headphone and each amplifier.

WARWICK ACOUSTICS

WARWICK ACOUSTICS was showing off their new APERIO GoldenSound SIGNATURE Electrostatic Headphone System ($38,000) voiced by Cameron Oatley (GoldenSound). WARWICK were quick to point out that this is a variant and not a replacement for the standard APERIO. Giving the system a quick listen I noted that they had what I think of as a pop sound with a generous bump in the bottom end, not quite to my taste, but definitely interesting.

ABYSS/Woo Audio/STAX

Once again ABYSS, Woo Audio, and STAX teamed up to share a room to display their products, of special note were the ABYSS Diana TC Premium Audiophile Headphone ($4,495) and the ABYSS Diana DZ Luxury Audiophile Headphone ($3,995) as well as the brand new Woo Audio WA24 20th Anniversary Edition Headphone Amplifier ($12,999) and my favorite Woo Audio amplifier the Woo Audio WA7e Fireflies Electrostatic Headphone Amplifier / DAC ($1,399).

EMPIRE EARS

Empire Ears were showing their unique line of IEMs and happy to introduce their new Empire Ears Triton Limited Launch Edition IEM ($1,799) a tribrid design featuring a W9+ Subwoofer, an EMP75 Precision Balanced Armature, and Dual High Mass Bone Conductors and a Monarch quinbrid Silver, Gold, & Palladium 4.4mm cable.

So that wraps up part 2 of my coverage of CanJam SoCal 2024 thanks to Noble Audio for providing sponsorship. Stay tuned for part 3.