The CanJam New York City headphone show, which took place February 22 and 23 at its customary outpost in the Theater District’s Marriott Marquis Hotel, attracted an overflow of audiophiles eager to experience a wide variety of cutting-edge headphone and personal audio tech concentrated in one venue. Here’s a look at some of what was shown:
At the Audio-Technica stand, the company’s Narukami ultra high-end tube headphone amplifier/preamplifier ($108,000) held center stage. A product 10 years in development, it’s an aesthetic standout, with front and side panels fashioned from Japanese persimmon Kurosaki wood harvested from century-old trees; the metal mesh covering that shields the device’s vacuum tubes is said by the company to evoke the pattern of the flat needles of the Ayasugi tree. Besides being a headphone amp, it does dual duty as a preamp and offers balanced and single-ended inputs and outputs. Audio-Technica’s ATH-AWKG closed-back hand-lacquered headphones were also on demo, providing a fulfilling audiophile experience for listeners.
HIFIMAN’s president and CEO, Dr. Fang Bian, was on hand to help showcase several of the company’s offerings. They included the Isvarna hybrid headphones ($2,899), held by Dr. Bian in the photo. The company says that the headphones offer an integration of planar and dynamic drivers, and through their custom-designed crossover circuit, they couple the respective frequency response of the two drivers. They also feature the company’s patented Stealth Magnet technology; the stealth magnets’ cross-sectional shape is said to optimize and reduce air turbulence and diffraction between the magnets, enabling sound pass-through without disruption. They also use HIFIMAN’s ultra-light Nanometer Thickness Diaphragm; its light weight is said to ensure the Isvarna’s fast response and to optimize its dynamic range and frequency characteristics.
Also on demo at HIFIMAN’s table was the Arya UNVEILED ($1,449), the latest headphone in the company’s Arya series of high-end planar magnetic headphones. The headphones feature a removable back panel – called a Magnetic Veil – that fits over the earcups and that helps sidestep damage caused by the absorption of magnetic objects when the headphone isn’t in use, says the company. Stealth Magnet technology is also a feature of the Arya UNVEILED.
The Romanian audio manufacturer Meze Audio used the occasion of CanJam to release its POET planar-magnetic headphones ($2,000), which use a compact, open-back form factor to full effect. They feature a planar-magnetic technology developed exclusively for Meze Audio by Rinaro Isodynamics. This innovation is combined with design elements including a steel grill, magnesium chassis, and suede leather headrest that the company says contribute to the headphones’ durability and acoustic performance. Meze Audio adds that the model is fully serviceable, with each component being easy to disassemble and replace.
Technics, in honor of the brand’s 60th anniversary, exhibited and demoed its all-new reference-class EAH-AZ100 true wireless earbuds ($299.99). The Adaptive Noise Cancelling (ANC) earbuds are powered by a newly developed, proprietary Magnetic Fluid Driver that Technics says creates clean, high-resolution, low-vibration and low-distortion sounds. Seamless connectivity is possible with up to three devices, and the earbuds are even optimized for Dolby Atmos and Dolby Head Tracking; the latter responds to head movements, creating a realistic, shifting sound field by continually recalibrating for an immersive spatial audio experience.
On exhibit at the Sennheiser booth were its fourth-generation Momentum True Wireless 4 earbuds ($199.95). Their hybrid Adaptive Noise Cancellation (ANC) feature automatically calibrates noise cancellation to the listener’s surroundings. They also feature the company’s TrueResponse transducer system, which Sennheiser says delivers impactful bass along with refined treble. Transparency Mode, when activated by the listener, allows for hearing outside sounds without having to remove the headphones. Further, they are IP54-certified against dust and water incursion. Color choices include black graphite, black copper and white silver (shown).
On view in the Stax display area was its SR-L700 MK II ($1,649) earspeaker. Stax maintains that its earspeakers’ playback sound is so accurate because it is not affected by the acoustic characteristics of the listening room, standing waves or unwanted sound reflection. This open-back electrostatic model is designed to accommodate flat, ribbon-style detachable cables, with the earpad design a combination of genuine sheep leather and artificial leather. Frequency response is stated as 7 – 41,000Hz, and the weight of the earspeakers, including cable, is a comfortably light 508g (just over a pound).
See also: Cleer ARC 3: Redefining The Open-Ear Listening Experience
