Deals and Giveaways

First, let’s take a peek at some of the giveaways being offered. Final Audio never disappoints when it comes to freebies. And this year is no exception. The company will be giving away free special edition Piano Forte IEMs (with plastic shells) with every purchase of one of their products.  They will also include a special Balanced cable 4.4mm or 2.5mm with purchase of A8000, and quantity is limited.

Our buddies at Audio46 also have some treats up their sleeves. Here are some of the highlights you’ll be able to find at their booth:

• 64 Audio: 15% off all universal-fit IEMs and their custom counterparts
• Audio-Technica: 15% off all headphones (products already on sale are not included)
• Audeze: 15% off
• Grado: 10% off
• Chord: 10% off
• Dali: 15% off
• Dunu: Check booth for show specials
• Fostex: 15% off show special
• Empire Ears: 15% off CIEMs, 20% off UIEMs
• Etymotic: ER2 SE and ER2 XR for $120; ER3 SE and ER3 XR for $150
• Final Audio: 15% off on B1, B2, B3, SON 3m SON 6 (ask about other models too)
• iFi Audio: Check booth for details
• Klipsch: Check booth for details
• Sennheiser: $400 off HD820, HDV820 (check booth for other sale items)
• Noble Audio: 20% off universal IEMs
• Hifiman: Check booth for details
• SIVGA: 10% off
• Strauss and Wagner: 10% off all items not already on sale
• Westone: 15 % off
• Woo Audio: 10 % off
• Ultrasone: 15% off all products not on sale

New Products

Astell&Kern

The past meets the future with the SA700. A throwback to past AK designs, the new DAP marries current technologies with a time-honored appearance. Astell&Kern has taken the original design of the 2012 AK120 and redesigned it into a more refined form. SA700 is the first DAP to use a AK4492ECB. It has a lower power consumption and similar audio performance compared to AK4497EQ, making it the best DAC for a portable DAP. In short, it’s a stainless steel beast in a cute little package. In fact, I just bought it. No regrets. I’ll live out of my car. #worthit. Anyway, it’s much less than the SP2000. 1299 bucks should cover it.

Audeze

Audeze recently released it’s most affordable LCD to date, the LCD-1. Sporting a super lightweight, foldable design and reference sound signature, these cans are ideal for musicians on the run from collections agents. 

Gamers can get their Cheetos covered fingers on the LCD-GX. These babies sport LCD Planar Magnetic drivers, which are at least twice the size of those found in other gaming headphones. Expect better bass, superior soundstage, and outstanding resolution suitable not just for gaming, but for monitoring, mixing, and editing audio.

Audio-Technica

If you’re an audio perv, feast your eyes on Audio-Technica’s WP900. It’s probably going to be the best looking headphone at the show. I’ve also reviewed these cans on MajorHiFi. And though I’m not usually an Audio-Technica fan, I was kinda drooling over these things. Clean and tight with glittering highs and a trippy soundstage, they would be my number one pick this year for the best on-the-go headphones. All you have to do is shell out $650.

And let’s not forget their new flagship IEMs, the IEX1. They sport a hybrid 4 driver design with shiny titanium shells. Selling at $1299, you’ll be able to take these earbuds for a test drive before you dish out the big bucks. 

CHORD Electronics

How’s your buddy Hugo? Do you miss him when you’re away from home? Well, now you can take him with you. Chord is releasing the 2Go, a wireless streaming device for your Hugo DAC/amp.

Dan Clark Audio

If you’ve spent all day at CanJam looking for the MrSpeakers booth, get with the damn program. MrSpeakers is now Dann Clarke Audio. And the company has released open and close-back Aeon 2, which is getting tons of accolades. Personally, I think both Aeon 2 models sound infinitely better than the Aeon Flow. Priced at $899, be sure to give them a listen. 

DALI

What do you call a piece of ham sitting in between two hot new headphones? A Dali sandwich. The IO-6 and IO-4 are designed and engineered in Denmark, these noise-cancelling cans are made of paper. Well, they have a paper fibre cone. The IO’s custom 50 mm paper fibre cone apparently “creates the most natural, transparent and authentic DALI sound with low distortion and colouration, reproducing music exactly as the artist intended. MajorHiFi is currently reviewing the Dali iO-6 and iO-4, and the feedback from our reviewers is pretty good. So, give them a try.

Dunu

Dunu is also riding the beryllium driver wave with its release of the LUNA. In addition, Dunu has employed grade 5 titanium for the housing of this model. The company states that the LUNA produces reference tuning and promises “deep and natural imaging, even and smooth from top to bottom, and maximized for extension at both ends.” The Luna is apparently the most detailed, transparent and “sumptuous” sounding earbuds ever designed by Dunu. We, at MajorHiFi have yet to test these puppies out. So, you may be fighting us for them at CanJam. 

More announcements to come leading up to CanJam. So, stay tuned for updates.

Final Audio

Now, let’s talk Beryllium. CanJam is Beryllium city this year, as Final Audio is showcasing it’s much anticipated A8000 IEM. Retailing at $1999, the A8000 is one of the first IEMs sporting a pure beryllium diaphragm. That’s right, beryllium is no longer just used in speakers and spaceships. I tested these babies in our MajorHiFi review, and I have to say, it’s one of the most unique sounding IEM’s I’ve ever listened to. So, give it a try.

iFi

Two words for you hip-dac. And here are some more words. The hip-dac is iFi’s latest DAC/amp release. The cutest, hippest DAC with a 4.4mm balanced output that will unfold MQA all for 149 bucks.

See you there!

Note to manufacturers: If you have a product showcasing at CanJam that you think deserves some attention, shoot us an e-mail.

The post CanJam New York 2020 Announcements (Updated 2/13/20) appeared first on Major HiFi.

So, what can we expect this year? The usual heavy-hitters, like Campfire Audio, Astell&Kern, Focal, Chord, MrSpeakers, FiiO, Beyerdynamic, Shmeyerdynamic….I could go on, but we have lives to live. For a full list of exhibitors, click here.

Before I do the rest of my spiel, let me mention Sennheiser. They’re doing massive price drops on their best selling models. I can’t give you details, but let’s just say, you’ll probably poop your pants with joy.

There will also be some hot newcomers, as well as a few brands that MajorHiFi has yet to test out. Be sure to stay tuned for updates to this article….

Sendy Audio will be presenting its Black Beauty Series, which was successfully introduced at the 5th China Guangzhou International Headphone Expo last year. It will feature the Aiva, a planar magnetic headphone designed with zebra wood and a unique dustproof grill system that protects the driver. Sendy Audio will also be featuring their in-ear model, the Aiya. With ebony housing, these buds boast realistic timbre expression and a 21mm diaphragm with a top steel dustproof grill system. Sendy Audio seems to hate dust, and I’m allergic. So, I’m excited to meet the makers of these hypoallergenic cans. Sendy is only releasing 99 sets worldwide. And we at MajorHiFi are hoping to be one of the honored few who get to test them out.

We’re also excited to try out the products form ABYSS Headphones. So much has been written about these cans that MajorHiFi has been experiencing serious FOMO. The Diana  Phi has been getting a lot of attention. Designed with an extremely thin yet rigid shell that begins at over 1000 grams of aircraft aluminum then ends with an less than a 100 gram frame structure, these open-back, planar magnetic headphones are built for longevity. They’re also made to look damn fine.  A hard polymer ceramic finish gives the metallic parts customizable color, while the fancy, breathable Italian leather earpads make for a luxurious listening experience. But what has especially caught our eye is the AB-1266, a headphone that has been 5 years in the making and is designed to create a near perfect miniature acoustic space, as if you were listening to your favorite band in an open room.

Nothing makes me happier than a well designed DAC/Amp. Radsone EarStudio will be featuring their ES100 High Resolution Bluetooth Receiver. With a Bluetooth and USB DAC, this cutie offers 14 hours of use. It supports all the fancy codecs, and employs a proprietary algorithm that eliminates noises in digital sound sources. It also enhances 16 bit to higher resolution 24 bit. With analogue volume control and balanced input to boot, this device will be sure to please audiophiles who expect high fidelity on the go.

The French company, Ear Sonics will also be on the scene. And one thing the French do well besides baguettes avec jambon et fromage, is headphones. I’m particularly excited to test out their line of IEMs, including the 10 driver EM10, as well as the BIRDY, their 2-pin wireless cable with DAC. A lot of wireless modules have been created with MMCX connectors, but 2-pin is still relatively hard to find. So, hopefully this will be a game changer for audiophiles with 2-pin IEMs.

I don’t know about you, but I’ve had a hankering for some new cables. And that’s why I’m excited to get my sticky fingers on Effect Audio’s gorgeous line-up. Pick your connector type and termination, and these guys will make you a heart-stopping customized cable, like the Thor Silver II and the Leonidas II.

At the start of this article I mentioned Beyerdynamic, and the German audio company will arrive at Canjam in style to debut their newest headphone, the Lagoon ANC.  A first for the storied manufacturer, the Lagoon ANC constitutes the very first Beyerdynamic headphone with active noise cancellation.  Offering wireless connectivity, selectable ANC modes, and MOSAYC sound personalization, this promising headphone has me reelin’ from the feelin’.

Additionally, Beyerdynamic will be displaying the Xelento Wireless – a Bluetooth version of the company’s flagship Xelento IEM.  Muscling up to the current offerings from Shure and Westone, this Bluetooth-bundled earphone will go toe-to-toe with other wireless IEMs at the $1000 price point.

I don’t know about you, but all this talk about snazzy cables has made me hungry for some electrostatic gear. STAX is coming to the rescue with some brand new stuff, like the electrostatic SR-009S new flagship. And how about the electrostatic SRM-D50 amp/DAC to go with it?

Now, let’s talk about my first love, Westone. The W40 changed my life, and it  introduced me to the audiophile world. Sadly, the W series is on its way out. But don’t go jumping off any bridges just yet because Westone is releasing some new goodies. They’re being all hush-hush about it. So, we’ll just have to hold our breaths.

FiiO will be featuring its new FA7 in-ear headphones. Made with quad Knowles balanced armature drivers, these red and blue kittens will be selling for $299.99.

And let’s not forget HifiMan. Just when you thought Grado was the only company with the chutzpah to make an open-back Bluetooth headphone, enter the Ananda BT. Also, hot off the press, will be their new Bluetooth Receiver Cable with 8 hours of battery life. Also showcased will be the Hifiman BA1000 is a new Bluetooth speaker, with a whopping 72 hours of battery life.

If you’re interested in geeking out at some seminars, Chord will be there to give us a rundown on their Hugo TT 2 and M-Scaler. 

Campfire Audio wants you to meet some cloth earpads for the always sold-out Cascade. It should make your sound signature a little more civilized. Of course, they will also be demoing the, now famous, Solaris.

MajorHifi is also super-excited to get its sticky fingers on qdc’s new flagship, the Anole.  With 10 balanced armature drivers and a customizeable sound signature, they guys aren’t frequen’ around.

Focal will also be on the scene with its brand new Stellia. Supposedly the best closed-back headphones on the market right now, the rose gold babies feature Focal’s signature beryllium driver. It’s supposed to be very easy to drive. But if you’re not satisfied, hook it up to Focal’s Arche DAC/Amp.

I haven’t forgotten about my little Audio-Technica fans. These kids will be featuring their new AP2000Ti closed-back headphones, as well as the CK2000Ti in-ear headphones. With pure titanium housings to reduce resonance and a Double Air Damping system for deep bass reproduction, AP2000Ti should only sound primo, but it look damns fine too. MSRP $1250.

MajorHiFi is also excited to get its nosy ears on some of Jomo Audio‘s stuff. We’ve only heard good things about these guys, specifically, the Trinity, with miniature electrostatic drivers as super tweeters, quad balanced armatures for the mids and highs and one dynamic driver for the lows. At a cool $3799, these hybrid buds might blow some minds.

Woo Audio will also be there with bells on. Usually, they’re showing off their tube amps. But they will also be showcasing the WA11, a fully balanced headphone amplifier and DAC. At 24mm thick, this baby is said to be able to juice almost any impedance headphones.

CanJam NYC 2019 GIVEAWAYS

Audio46, the headphone Vatican, located just a few blocks away, will be joining for the event. They will be partnering with Final Audio and featuring new products from Grado and Ultrasone. And word is that Ultrasone will be giving huge discounts on models like the ULT-ED15 and the ULT-ED5. Audio46 will also be joined by Astell&Kern to feature new products, like the SP1000M.

But let’s talk turkey. Will there be giveaways? You bet your Tia Fourtes there will be. Audio46 is giving away 10 amazing goodies, including Grado’s new baby, the GW100 Wireless.

There will be some sweet Final Audio gifts as well, including:

Final Audio Sonorous III Over-Ear Headphones

Final Audio F4100 In-Ear Headphones

Final Audio F7200 In-Ear Headphones

And puppies!

To get tickets to the most important event in your life, click here.

MajorHiFi may receive commission from retail offers.

The post CanJam NYC 2019 GIVEAWAYS (Updated) appeared first on Major HiFi.