ChiUniFi 3 - November 7th, 2009

[Aura]

This is the first meet at which I did not take a single picture, so I apologize in advance. KG and Steve should be able to suffice I think.

To start it off, let me just say that in the wake of this meet I want CanJam to get here so fucking badly it is almost painful. The gear has become such an afterthought for me that I wonder if I should feel badly about it . Hanging out with the guys is my main interest now, no doubt about it.

But... here a few gear thoughts:

1) AD2K on Jim's rig (BA, 840C, Mac Mini). Only afterwards did I find out from Jim that Craig uses the AD2K most frequently on the BA (or at least he did at CJ). I can understand why. Excellent, excellent match. The dry midrange of the AD2K takes that slight warmth of the BA that we all generally agreed it exhibits and puts out some very damn musical tonality. Imaging was a little bit better than on my GLite, which I still think is good, so that surprised me a little. Overall wonderful match.

2) Qualia on Jim's rig. I was more impressed with the AD2K tbh. I had a decent fit with the Sony, not quite perfect seal at the bottom of the cups but it was pretty close. It does remind me of the AD2K in a few general ways but with more of a metallic sound, like it's almost too treble-happy. I didn't find it too bass weak but I can certainly see why people would be bothered by the low end. It is very different from many of the current production headphones. Overall I liked it and definitely want to hear it again.

3) Shure SRH840 from Chris' rig (Rotel cdp, Gilmore V2-based DIY). I was pleasantly surprised by this headphone. I'm not quite sure I'd pay retail for it but it is a decent closed headphone that offers something different from Denon or AKG, no doubt. Good isolation, very comfortable (more so than Denon imo because it has a little grip in it which I like). Another I'd like to spend more time with.

~~~

After the meet 6 of us went to the Ram restaurant and micro-brewery for dinner. Good food and supposedly better beer (19 days away from legality goddamnit); overall solid pick Ryan . It's times like these that I really become totally satisfied with what this hobby can provide.

As always, great to spend time with everyone. Jim you are the best. I know I said thanks a lot already, but thank you once more to Jim, Ryan, Billy, Chris, KG, Mike, Steve, and everyone else for the best Saturday I've had in a while.

[kevin gilmore]

since it was deleted from over there...

http://gilmore.chem.northwestern.edu/chiunify7.jpg

[justin]

that picture did a lot of damage, enrolling 0 new members here.

[jp11801]

since it was deleted from over there...

http://gilmore.chem.northwestern.edu/chiunify7.jpg

Kevin, you knew when you posted it that it was going to get deleted. How about not playing games? We can argue about the policy but we all know it exists.

[kevin gilmore]

Well we discussed whether the picture would stay or not. There are other

pictures there of people in those t-shirts that are still there...

What?? I can't have a little fun once in a while.. Once every 4 years seems

ok... The entire CJ010 crew are active head-casers.

[nattonrice]

I'm still honestly confused... I didn't think there was a restriction on posting information about other forums ect?

[morphsci]

All that be Head-Case is verboten on Head-Fi.

[Dusty Chalk]

I'm still honestly confused... I didn't think there was a restriction on posting information about other forums ect?

The stated reason is that Jude's panties are bunched up about head-case and ipod-forums (I forget the name, think they had to drop the "ipod" due to trademark infringement) because we "steal traffic" (similar target audiences, etc.), and yet he's more than willing to take certain prominent head-casers' volunteer time to help moderate his forums and promote meets that also promote head-fi.

[morphsci]

Kevin, you knew when you posted it that it was going to get deleted. How about not playing games? We can argue about the policy but we all know it exists.

Well we discussed whether the picture would stay or not. There are other

pictures there of people in those t-shirts that are still there...

What?? I can't have a little fun once in a while.. Once every 4 years seems

ok... The entire CJ010 crew are active head-casers.

I have to agree with John, it was still unneccessarily provocative and my life just got significantly more complex.

Chiunifi is a seperate event and no CanJam funds were used for it even though we moved it to a more expensive venue to gather information during an actual event. We raffled off both head-case and head-fi apparal so I do not see that as promoting either site. It is used to fund next years Chiunifi period, end of statement. However, posting that particular picture at Head-fi was unneccessary since it could have just been posted here.

[justin]

i like the floor in that room

[kevin gilmore]

Consider my ass spanked severly. It won't happen again.

It may already be too late, in which case that is OK.

[morphsci]

i like the floor in that room

Actually it really was a useful exercise. There was some medical stuff going on in the adjacent room with a speaker and amplification. It was quite loud when the door to their room opened but was very quiet in the space outside and extremely quiet in our room. Bodes well for having a relatively quiet listening atmosphere at CanJam'10.

[kevin gilmore]

The chairs are even better. herman miller aeron's... The rooms

are sound wise completely dead. If people want, a room with speakers

could be next door, and as long as the door is closed you can't hear it

even next door. And the networking is stinkin quick. Although we were not

the ones paying for it this time. Not sure how much it is really going to cost

if we want the up and down speeds we were getting courtesy of the

physicians next door.

I will however say that the lighting is a challenge for taking pictures.

The lights flicker at some very high rate and it throws off the automatic

metering systems of most cameras. So without a flash, the pictures come

out a bit dark, and with a flash they are over-exposed. So far that

room got me twice. It won't get me a third time...

Edited November 9, 2009 by kevin gilmore

[The Monkey]

Ok, now tell us about the DACses.

[morphsci]

Ok, now tell us about the DACses.

I updated my impressions at Head-Fi. I really liked the Perfect Wave and I will have it in my system sometime early next year. That is saying a lot as it has no ability to utilize SACD/DSD and I still want to audition it. Resistance is Futile!

Edited November 9, 2009 by morphsci

[grawk]

dsd from a good dac is a pipe dream, I'm afraid.

[Asr]

Well I didn't think anyone would start a thread here on HC for this meet so I didn't take any HC-exclusive pics, otherwise I would've shot a few more for that purpose. I posted my impressions and pics over at HF on page 2 of the impressions thread here: ChiUniFi 2009 Impressions - Page 2 - Head-Fi: Covering Headphones, Earphones and Portable Audio

In any case this was a really nice meet, very laidback and at a few times it was also really quiet. It was great to meet the Chicago-area crew for the first time, definitely enjoyed it. Really cool bunch of guys, as always happens at meets. Thanks to Ryan, Billy, Bryan, Jim, and the other dude (didn't catch his name) for the post-meet dinner at Ram, that was good stuff and the beer wasn't bad either.

I have to say meeting Dr. Gilmore in person defied all preconceptions I had of him from his posts here on HC. He was really nice and even friendly which I wasn't expecting.

Very excited for CanJam 2010 now and there's a good chance I'll see you guys again at ChiUniFi 4 too, though it's a bit early to call that one for certain.

Oh and I loaned my Ayre QB-9 to Ryan and Woo WA22 to Jim, so I expect to see impressions posted of those at some point.

[morphsci]

dsd from a good dac is a pipe dream, I'm afraid.

I haven't quite reached that conclusion yet, but I am almost there.

Well I didn't think anyone would start a thread here on HC for this meet so I didn't take any HC-exclusive pics, otherwise I would've shot a few more for that purpose. I posted my impressions and pics over at HF on page 2 of the impressions thread here: ChiUniFi 2009 Impressions - Page 2 - Head-Fi: Covering Headphones, Earphones and Portable Audio

In any case this was a really nice meet, very laidback and at a few times it was also really quiet. It was great to meet the Chicago-area crew for the first time, definitely enjoyed it. Really cool bunch of guys, as always happens at meets. Thanks to Ryan, Billy, Bryan, Jim, and the other dude (didn't catch his name) for the post-meet dinner at Ram, that was good stuff and the beer wasn't bad either.

I have to say meeting Dr. Gilmore in person defied all preconceptions I had of him from his posts here on HC. He was really nice and even friendly which I wasn't expecting.

Very excited for CanJam 2010 now and there's a good chance I'll see you guys again at ChiUniFi 4 too, though it's a bit early to call that one for certain.

Nice seeing you again Steve, really glad you could make it.

[guzziguy]

I have to say meeting Dr. Gilmore in person defied all preconceptions I had of him from his posts here on HC. He was really nice and even friendly which I wasn't expecting.

You mean he didn't look or act like Shrek?

[Asr]

Nope, definitely less cranky and snarky. As for the looks, well I won't go there.

[Dusty Chalk]

i like the floor in that room

You spent a lot of time looking at it?

[justin]

You spent a lot of time looking at it?

yes, that floor is crazy

[bhd812]

the floor was thick also, i was wheeling in Jim's pelican case all fine till i got in the room..the casters just sunk in the carpet.

[dsavitsk]

Ok, now tell us about the DACses.

This one was there which I hear was very nice

[Dusty Chalk]

yes, that floor is crazy