Between visitors to my own station at the meet (PS Audio Perfectwave DACII --> Auralic Taurus Pre --> Auralic Merak Monoblocks speaker taps --> HE-6), I did manage to make a couple of quick passes of the room with my camera and here are the results. You can also see some nice collections of shots and impressions here. The general timbre of the feedback is overwhelmingly positive, so I think it is safe to declare it a success - one that will be repeated annually from here on out. Keep an eye on the blog here for various news and reviews and tidbits for now, and news of next years meet in due course.
Billy from Computer Lounge brought along this awe inspiring rig - a Bryston BDA2 feeding the Alo Audio Studio 6 with the Audeze LCD-3F with Alo Audio Salty Pepper custom cable completing the chain!
It was great to see so many headphiles out together enjoying some great sounds.
The monster HE-6 rig in the room - Perfect Wave DAC MK II--> Auralic Taurus Pre-->Merak Monoblocks at 200W/channel and the HE-6 running unadulterated off those speaker taps! The Vega/Taurus was also along for the show...
The HD800, a bit drowned out amongst the sea of planar magnetics that showed up to woo the crowds, but still a fan favourite and able to induce a groove (despite what you may read about it leaning towards the 'sterile' or clinical).
The only vinyl rig to make it show attracted a steady stream of listeners - probably the busiest station of the day and with good reason. Who doesn't love throwing down a little vinyl?
The Audio-GD Reference 10.32 to the far left of the frame here, and the very impressive NAD HP50 laying on the table for a rest between near constant auditions. I liked the NAD so much from my portable rig that I purchased a pair soon after the meet!
Audeze and Auralic, despite the relatively high-end price tags these two brands were somewhat surprisingly very well represented at this years meet.
The day wasn't totally dominated by ridiculous unobtanium of course, and with Computer Lounge's great support a wide variety of cans was available for audition. For the cost the stack of Schiit pictured sounded anything but.
The Oppo PM-1, quite possibly making it's first appearance for audition in New Zealand. Not sure if I'd pay the asking price, but even from some of the most diminutive portable rigs in the house these still managed to impress.
You have to love the commitment to the clean aesthetic of the Macbook here, with the entire chain in harmony with the spartan brushed metal looks. The Fireflies in particular is very fetching.
We were fortunate enough to have the Metrum Acoustics range on show, a rare opportunity to try these out on these shores... and reports would have it that these impressed many in attendance.
Possibly my favourite shot of the day - a Led Zepellin fan enraptured by the crazy midsection of Whole Lotta Love from the HE-6 rig.
