Hi-Fi+/TAS Can-Jam 2012 Report - Part 3

Posted by: Chris Martens at 7:07 pm, October 25th, 2012

But a major element of the Glacier’s appeal is that it offers a very ambitious features set, yet seems almost impossibly compact, thin, and gem-like. Consider this: the Glacier is roughly the size of the skinny new iPhone 5, yet it manages to contain: a 24/96-capable USB DAC based on a Cirrus Logic DAC device, a separate USB charging port, a high-output and entirely DC-coupled headphone amplifier, adjustable master gain switches, a high-performance stepped attenuator volume control, a 12-to-15-hour/charge long-life battery, and the works is fitted with a super-slim (just 9mm thick!) stainless steel case. 

Ultimate Ears

For earphone and custom-fit in-ear monitor maker Ultimate Ears, this year’s most significant new Can-Jam product was the recently released UE 900 quad-driver universal-fit earphone ($399). From previous discussions with Philippe Depallens and Chuck Reynolds at UE, I know the UE 900 has been conceived to play two roles in the marketplace. First, it serves as the long-awaited replacement for one of UE’s best-loved and most commercially successful products: the three-driver Triple.fi 10 PRO. But perhaps more importantly, the UE 900 serve as a transitional or “bridge” model that straddles the gap between UE’s universal-fit earphone product family and the firm’s extensive range of custom-fit IEMs. As Depallens and Reynolds explained in a conversation with me several months ago, the UE 900 is aimed at customers who need or want sound quality close to that offered by custom-fit IEMs, but who prefer—either for reasons of price or convenience—to stick with a universal-fit model. Watch for our upcoming review of the UE 900 over the next several months.

Unique Melody

Unique Melody is an extremely high-tech manufacturer of custom-fit in-ear monitors; the firm is based in China, has sales offices in Australia, and build its monitors using, in some cases, select components sourced from North America and Europe. But for Can-Jam Unique Melody was debuting a product bundle that transcends the concept of a custom-fit IEM, per se, and rather represents a complete, integrated custom-fit IEM playback system.

The product in question is called the Unique Melody PP6 (for “Pure Platform Six”, $2,280), which consists of the following:

• -- PP6 Custom-Fit In-Ear Monitor earpiece modules, which feature six balanced-armature-type drivers/earpiece (two tweeter, two mids, and two bass drivers) but, interestingly, contain no passive crossover components at all, plus
• -- A dedicated PP6 portable stereo tri-amplification module amplifier with both left and right-channel low, mid, and high-frequency amps; a 32-bit DSP-controlled 3-way active crossover with digitally-controlled variable bass boost; and a front end section featuring a 24/96-capable DAC with coax, optical, and USB digital inputs plus an auxiliary analog input.

According to Unique Melody the PP6 package surpasses even the performance of their previous flagship passive custom-fit in-ear monitor: the Unique Melody Miracle ($950). Benefits are said to include a cleaner, clearer, more accurate, more dynamic, and more spacious sound.

V-MODA

At Can-Jam V-MODA highlighted two key products: the brand new Crossfade M-100 headphone ($300) and the VAMP headphone amp/DAC/iPhone charger designed specifically for iPhone 4/4S ($600—a $50 drop from the price initially announced earlier this Summer).

The Crossfade M-100 is the newest of V-MODA’s accuracy minded M-series ‘phones, but one key distinction is that it may be the first headphone to benefit from a true, “crowdsourced” design approach where the firm sought input from literally hundreds of audiophiles, journalists, record producers and DJs before finalizing the M-100’s design. Not surprisingly, the effort yielded a very versatile design with unexpected features at every turn. For example, the M-100 features dual inputs that allow the headphone “to act as a virtual on-the-go mixer” and it also incorporates “V-CORK” seals that offer some measure of voicing control and that allow “the discerning listeners to perfectly balance the audio.” A SpeakEasy microphone cable enables the headphone to function as a headset, while and optional boom mic lets users adapt the M-100 for use as a gaming headphone.