NYC CanJam Makes Sweet Sounds

In Gramophone Dreams #51, I flat-out raved about Feliks-Audio's made-in-Poland "Arioso" integrated amplifier ($6999). This black, stealthy looking, single-ended 300B stereo speaker amp mated extremely well with my Falcon Gold Badges. During the months I worked on my review, I tormented engineer-designer Lukasz Feliks with at least 100 questions via email, but I didn't meet him in person. So what a joy it was to see the face behind all those emails—he's on the left in the photo above—and the smiling faces of his two partner-brothers, Piotr (center), and Michal (right). I like meeting the minds behind the gear I review.

The Feliks Audio Envy

The second big surprise was seeing Feliks Audio's newest creation: an 8W 300B headphone amp called "Envy," which comes in an exquisite wood chassis that supports one Psvane CV181/6SN7 voltage amplifier/driver tube and one TJ 300B power tube per channel. The Envy costs $7999 in standard oak and $8799 in what Feliks calls "Performance Oak."

The Wi-Fi in the Marriott's auditorium was weak and intermittent, so there was no Tidal or Qobuz at the show; exhibitors were forced to use whatever local files they brought with them. My search of the Feliks Brothers' hard drive revealed no Yuja Wang or Patsy Klein, so I used HiFiMan's power-hungry Susvara headphones to listen to the Doors' "LA Woman" and "People Are Strange." What I heard using dCS's $13,650 Lima DAC-Streamer as a source and Cardas cables inspired me to ask for a review sample asap.

The Dan Clark Audio Blue Hawaii

Dan Clark Audio

I auditioned Dan Clark's original Voce electrostatic headphones when they were first introduced, using Headamp's spectacular-looking and spectacular-sounding Blue Hawaii electrostatic headphone amplifier. If memory serves me, the Hawaii's saturated, satin blue faceplate was made extra-luminous by these same violet-blue Marriot hotel lights. I remember perfectly though how the Voce added a satisfying breath of human warmth and rhythmic persuasion to a to a Stax-like experience (specifically a Stax SR-009S–like experience). At the time, I thought the Voce was probably world's best electrostatic headphone—until the supernatural-sounding Stax SR-X9000 arrived and beat it to the championship wire by a nose.

Dan Clark Corina

Now Dan Clark has a new flagship electrostatic called the Corina. It costs $4995, and, based on my brief listen in a noisy room using a green Blue Hawaii ($6999) and a silver Schiit Audio Yaggdrasil+ DAC ($2299), it may have taken the lead in the 2023 Electrostatic Derby.

In the world of headphones, competition to be best-in-class is fierce and keeps these annual CanJams exciting.

In concert with Andy Regan, President of Dan Clark Audio, and Richard Tydings of AB&T Sales Corp., I arranged for my review of Dan Clark's new Corina to include a Blue Hawaii amplifier, in any color as long as it's blue.

THE Woo Audio Meze Audio system

Meze Audio, Woo Audio

Before I show you more pricey, fancy-britches audio, you must see and grasp the sheer beauty and wonder of what I considered the #1, highest-value system at CanJam NYC. This system consisted of three pieces: Meze Audio's new $799 "109 Pro" headphone, Woo Audio's classic $1499 WA2 OTL headphone amp, and Woo Audio's brand new $399 "Phantom DAC Cable," which almost invisibly connects your laptop's USB output to the WA2's line input. Yes, you read that right.

I dragged at least five experienced-listener friends in to hear this modest system, and they all agreed: The system was delivering a major portion (maybe 80%?) of the sound quality of the best stuff at the show. In concert, these three components were my biggest discovery at CanJam 2023.

Woo Audio's cable DAC

Woo Audio's plug-n-play Phantom Cable DAC—a DAC in a cable—deserves a big chunk of the credit, because at $399 it has no right to make music that flowing, supple, colorful, and un-digital. It wasn't soft or hard sounding. Color, tone, and texture-wise I liked it better than almost any under–$2k DAC I can think of. If you think I'm exaggerating, you must listen for yourself.

The stylish, sensitive (112dB/mW) Meze 109 Pro's dual-membrane 50mm open-backed dynamic driver headphone outplayed and out-comforted any under-$2k headphone I can remember using. This much resolve and musicality at only $799 is top show news all by itself.

And then there was that tube-rectified Woo Audio WA2 6080 tube OTL amplifier. It is a perfect example of what I love about today's best headphones: They make 2A3, 300B, and OTL tube amps (my favorite kinds) a viable choice for discriminating headfi listeners. This amp could be an end-game model for headphoniacs favoring high impedance headphones.

Maybe if I had looked harder, I would have found more setups of similar value and quality; but even being at the show all day both days was not enough time for me to try every one of the scores of amp-DAC-headphone combinations available for audition. My apologies to all the other crazy-good ones I missed.

COMMENTS
rschryer's picture

...for that Woo Meze combo. It sounds like my cup of tea.

Hopefully, I'll get to hear it at the Montreal show later this month.

Anton's picture

Woo/Meze, I agree!

I had been saving up for the REL/Schitt combo, but you provide strong motivation to rethink.

Herb Reichert's picture

the RAALSR1a/b – Schiit Jotumheim

that's a whole different ballgame

I'd keep saving and buy both

h

Anton's picture

Thanks!

I have been jones-ing for those RAAL babies since I read your review.

Plus, 'slip in and slip out' replacement or future upgrade panels is such a great idea.

ok's picture

..means actually delicious.

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