Darn, I'm out of town that weekend. I'd like to join one of these times! I'll keep an eye on this thread in the off chance the date changes.

'Confection' has arrived! These will primarily be used for my gaming PC. I wanted a closed back because the HD800s let in way too much fan noise / mechanical keyboard noise. Some isolation will be appreciated. Paired with the Aegis / Qutest. I thought the color of this set fit a gaming PC vibe...

I spent some time today investigating the slight noise I was getting at above 75% volume. It was not audible at normal listening volumes, but I knew it could be improved since most others reported zero noise even at 100% volume. Turned out it was my DAC, the D90. I thought it was my PC / cable...

I completed the Aegis today. I only had time for a short test session, but so far I am impressed. I'll have more time tomorrow. Running new production tubes as test tubes, and to get a baseline, before I swap in some other options. My compatible tube list is short but I do have Mullard GZ34 'fat...

Wow, the ACs look amazing. Glad I waited. Hopefully I am quick enough to get Confection, Kroker, or Altin. There are so many killer looking designs, amazing work!

I'm excited to start this project! I first heard the Aegis (prototype?) at CanJam SoCal 2022 in the ZMF room. I loved listening to it at the show and it really stood out compared to conventional commercial options. I am blown away that this project is shared openly. I'm very appreciative of...

I've been watching this for a little bit now, but haven't pre-ordered. Is this going to be a regular production unit or limited? I'm wondering if a pre-order is necessary or if it's safe to wait to hear more listening impressions. So far there's only a few comments from CanJam.

Can you clarify if this supports aptX LL? It's not mentioned anywhere in the text, but one image shows that it might. I am looking for an upgraded BT DAC/AMP for the PS5, which I am using a BT5.0 dongle that works well enough on aptX LL. Or even better, does this support USB1.0 like the Zen DAC...

Yes, I am. I am using a Norne S4 cable. I am going to try it with a few other cables to see if they help at all.

This quoted post is a bit dated, but I wanted to chime in and say I have the exact same thing going on. I'm also in CO so static is a problem. It has happened twice now when removing my headphones / getting up from the desk chair. Are you still using the OOR and have you seen any long term...

There are still some available, at least as of Thursday when I checked.

Ha, very valid point. The HM1 is silly expensive for SS, but I do like some of the unique features of it and I appreciate what Zahl does. The logic in me says it's not worth it, but logic gets thrown out the door pretty quickly in this hobby.

Good stuff here, thanks! Any chance that we will see some early comparisons to the HM1? I'm one foot off the ledge for a HM1 preorder, but wondering if the Bliss is 'good enough' for SS endgame. This would be with a May KTE.

Some more of my quick notes.... - CRBN was more enjoyable than I expected. Not sure I would buy an amp just to have them though. - Susvara is good. No surprise there, but you never know until you try I suppose. I would have never purchased these without hearing them first, but now I will likely...

I'm not very good at writing about how things sound, but I figured I would chime in. The D3 was paired with the Enleum 23R. I spent a good amount of time with this setup over two separate sessions. I was using the LCD-5, which I own so I am familiar with the sound profile. The amp clearly had...

I'm really excited for this show. So much on my list to try. This might be a silly question, but are backpacks allowed? I'm thinking it might be worth it to actually bring my LCD-5s with when looking for a new amp for them, but I don't really want to haul around the hard case they came with...

Did you ever find a better adapter? My iPower Elite does not fit snug either. The iPower connector is longer than the stock M17 power adapter which means it bottoms out inside the plug and not on the outer housing of the plug. This makes it 'loose' even though it's connecting power just fine...

Thanks for the tip! That's exactly where they are making the noise. I'll go get some coconut or walnut oil and give it a shot.

Does anyone else have a squeaky ear cup? I just received my LCD-5 and the left cup makes a squeak/creak with the slightest movement. The right cup is silent. It seems like it's the two joints that connect to the headband. I've had this on other headphones before and it usually goes away with...

Got mine hooked up today. All good so far. I'm only using it with Tidal Connect for now. I replaced my ancient Airport Express that used optical out/Airplay to my DAC so this is a step up in usability and performance for sure.

Desert Ironwood

I recently received my S4 that I am using with my ZMF VO. This is my second Norne cable. My other is a Draug 3 that I use for the LCD-X and also previously the ZMFs. As always, the construction is top notch. I am not skilled in describing sound with words so take this FWIW, but spending some...

Nice! This is just what I was looking for. A small, simple WiFi streamer with Tidal Connect and USB out. Nice and simple without having to go the Pi route. I'll wait for some reviews and then pick one up for my modest 2-channel system to replace an ancient Airport Express with optical out / Airplay.

Has anyone heard any rumors on an update to the HPA4? I have decided to get one, but I am not familiar with Benchmark's product cycles. I think it has been out for 3 years so I would guess it's in the middle, or towards the end, of it's lifecycle but I'm looking for opinions. I just want to make...

I would either stretch your budget by $20-$30 or find a pair of used Beyerdynamic DT770-Pro 80.   Features: Comfort: Insane comfort levels. I used them for gaming for a few years and used them on 30+ hour plane rides. Closed: You block some outside noise, and people don't hear your...