OSCAR REPORTS FROM CANJAM LONDON 2025
It’s time for CanJam London 2025 – marking it’s 10-year anniversary, and I was there at the very first one back in 2015. The show has grown over the years, and this year promised to be the biggest yet.
Held at the Park Plaza Westminster Bridge hotel in central London, the CanJam London 2025 show was held on the ballroom level with stands filling the hall, along with a couple of select suites one floor up.
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And a big thank you to Electromod for sponsoring our show coverage of this weekend packed full of all things HeadFi.
CANJAM LONDON 2025 REPORT
ELECTROMOD
Electromod had a huge array of brands as usual, Topping, Dekoni, Violectric, Dan Clark Audio and Moondrop. I managed to have a listen to the new Topping DX5 II, a £300 DAC/headphone amp that punches above its price in terms of driving power and features. It has a full parametric EQ and was paired with the Dan Clark Audio NOIRE X headphones – delivering a crisp, clean and dynamic sound that was highly enjoyable.
Next up was the new Topping A900 / D900 stack, paired with the new Dan Clark Audio NOIRE XO – the Topping having absolutely no issues driving the NOIRE XO with excellent depth, fullness and clarity.
They also had the new Violectric HPA-V324 paired with the Dan Clark Audio E3 – this new amp is fantastic and I am really looking forward to spending some more time with it in the future.
Around the stand they had a huge array of Dekoni accessories including their latest modular cables, and a few Moondrop earphones. I personally use Dekoni earpads on a couple of headphones, and they are extremely comfortable and are also well made, meaning they last a bit longer than stock ones usually.
AUDIO TECHNICA
It was great to see Audio Technica here, they had a new-ish open back headphone, the ATH-ADX30000 in it’s own little booth along with 4 closed back models, the ATH-WP900, ATH-AWKT, ATH-AWAS and ATH-A1000Z. I spent a little time with the ATH-1000Z and for a closed back they had a surprisingly good amount of detail and openness, there was plenty of impact from the bass without them sounding overly dark. It looks like Audio Technica have some interesting things on the horizon and I’m looking forward to hearing more in the future.
DDHIFI
ddHiFi have been making a range of accessories for a long time, from balanced adapters to cables, to carry cases. They have been branching out in to earphones and I got to listen to their brand-new Memory semi-in ear planar model – these surprised me, they have a natural and smooth sound that is both detailed and full.
I also had a quick listen to their hybrid model, the Surface, these are a bit more like some other earphones out there in terms of their drivers and sound signature. Big punchy bass, excellent clarity and control throughout, a fun and engaging sound.
HERCULES AUDIO
A new brand for me, and they are quite a new company, Hercules Audio have two models in their range currently. The Moses which is their current flagship model using 9-drivers in a tri-brid configuration (1xDD, 4xEST, 4xBA). These have a well-balanced sound signature that is both controlled yet delivers punch when called for. The midrange is especially good, with a natural and effortless presentation.
They also have their new Noah, which is priced a little lower whilst still retaining a “house” sound. It is also incredibly well controlled and detailed yet a little different in its presentation. There is still excellent punch when called for however it doesn’t quite fill the sound in the same way as Moses, the midrange doesn’t quite have the same weight yet, the overall sound is still highly engaging.
This is an interesting new brand with some great sounding earphones.
VE
VE have been around for a long time and know what they are doing when it comes to IEMs, they have a new lineup of models including the VE One, VE Pro, VE Pure, VE Xcon and VE Zen – and the EXT and Phoenix as their premium line models.
I had a listen to their Xcon model which is a six-driver model, whilst not quite neutral, they are on the more balanced side of the spectrum and come across detailed and open. There was good bass response to back up the open and clear midrange and treble – a very versatile signature. It’s party trick however is the removable plug (you use a magnet tool to remove it) that allows you to choose between a more neutral sound (without plugs) or a sound with a little more body and midrange emphasis with the plugs in. The difference is subtle yet noticeable and it does give you two excellent sound signatures.
MASS KOBO
It’s always a pleasure to see Masanori, the founder of Mass Kobo, at CanJam. These are some of the finest headphone amplifiers on the market and I got to have a listen to the new Model 485 with the HEDDPhone TWO – what an experience. Effortless, detailed, natural, these are amps that truly bring out the best in your music, each unit is hand built in Japan and they are a true work of art. It’s always such a pleasure to be able to listen to one of these amps, as you don’t see them around very often.
SYMPHONIUM / SUBTONIC / NIGHTJAR ACOUSTICS
These three brands shared 4 tables between them, and I got to listen to a few of their models last year. They had a range of IEMs and cables on show, and I had a listen to the Subtonic Storm. The Storm has excellent sub-bass response with great vocal clarity and smooth yet crisp treble. They did require a bit more volume out of my Fiio M15s so they do require a fairly powerful source, they do then come alive though with an incredibly punchy and full sound signature.
MYSTICRAFT ACOUSTIC RESEARCH
Another new brand this year, they have made a world first 2xBCD, 5xBA, 2xPlanar, 2xEST, 1xPiezo and 1xDD earphone. First off, the sub-bass is huge, not in a way that is overwhelming however it is present and felt when needed due to the bone conduction drivers present. These are fun, a full and punchy sound that has excellent impact and snappy transients. An interesting first earphone from this company.
ELISE AUDIO
Elise bring so many brands to CanJam it is impossible to listen them all, from cables, to earphones, headphones, amps and DACs. Their tables are almost overwhelming yet they have some truly excellent products on display and demo. The most interesting thing on this stand though, was a new electrostat amp that Elise are working on, this could be very interesting. Anyway, enjoy the photos, as there was way too much to listen to here!
I did manage to listen to their new electrostatic amp on the Sunday morning, with a couple of different electrostatic headphones and it was brilliant, plenty of drive to the sound, with body and warmth too.
I also had a quick listen to the Craft Ears Omnium TI – as a fan of the original Omnium. These pack a bit more punch to them whilst retaining that signature clarity and detail of the original. This is a warmer sound done very well, it’s smooth and easy to listen to without the feeling that you are missing out on the intricacies of the recording.
HiFiMAN
HiFiMAN released 4 new headphones for the show, the Edition XV, HE600, Ananda Unveiled and Audivina LE. Alongside the new Feliks Audio Envy Susvara edition which we saw at Munich earlier on this year.
The Edition XV have an intimate midrange with plenty of space and great soundstaging, piano notes have good weight to them and they are overall a well-balanced and well-tuned planar – something we have come to expect from HiFiMAN.
The HE-600 on the other hand, is much more alive and energetic; the name would suggest a similar family sound as the HE-6 however – these are more of a successor to the excellent HE-500 (which I owned for a long time). Whilst these are not quite as hard hitting as the HE-6, they do have that similar presentation that is a little more impactful and engaging with great detail throughout. As a successor to the HE-500, they have nailed that baby HE-6 sound and these are very interesting headphones.
The Audivina LE are quite a spacious sounding closed back headphone, there was a little sibilance present and closed back will never quite sound as natural as open yet they do sound rather good.
The Ananda Unveiled follow the recent trend of removing the grilles, and opening up the sound in doing so. I was a big fan of the spacious and natural sound of the original Ananda, these follow that sound, which is still full and natural with a little additional air and detail overall.
FIIO
Another brand I have known for a long time, Fiio are on a roll of bringing out kit in every sector of portable audio market and more recently home HiFi too. Here at CanJam London they had a huge array of their portable players, dongle DAC/Amps, desktop DAC/amps, streamer, DAC/valve buffer and headphones. These included new models such as the QX13 dongle DAC, K15 streaming DAC/headphone amp/pre-amp, K13 R2R DAC/amp, FT7 planar magnetic headphones and their intriguing R2R/Valve warmer.
The FT7 are a brilliant sounding planar headphone and it’s great to see another company bringing out affordable planar models with great tuning (natural, spacious, and open) – the new K15 did a great job at driving these with ease too.
ECOUTE
Yet another new brand making over-ears that work via Bluetooth, USB-C or 3.5mm audio cable. They have ANC built in and the key feature of these is their inclusion of a Nutube 6P1 valve, 1 per channel. They use a valve pre-amp with dual mono amplification in a pair of Bluetooth headphones, something that is a little different and they do have a fully passive mode too.
Sound wise, they have quite a full and fun sound signature, the comfort is great and there is enough detail to satisfy most listeners. The aim is to try and recreate a 2ch system in a headphone, and they sound is convincing. There is an accompanying app which you can use to tune them to your personal preference.
TECHNICS
Technics had a SL-1200GR2 turntable paired with an iFi Audio Zen Phono 3 and xDSD Gryphon running into a pair of EAH-A800 headphones. They also had a couple of pairs of true-wireless earphones on their stand, which are always good fun to listen to. It was great to see a headphone setup with vinyl as the source, as this is actually quite common yet not often represented at these kinds of shows.
ICE LAB
Ice Lab make a range of cables and IEMs, I got to listen to their Prismatica model which has 5-drivers. These are brilliant for their price ($619) – very refined and controlled, yet still with a good sense of body and fullness without masking the detail. Very enjoyable.
I also listened to their new Spectrumica, which has 8-drivers, these are more open and with increased separation compared to the Prismatica, the treble is smoother and more refined too. Both are excellent sounding IEMs and offer great value too.
QUESTYLE
Questyle had a range of their DAC/amps on demo, including a few new models that look excellent (I’m a sucker for transparent cases that show off the internal workings).
LINSOUL
Linsoul are a big retailer, they had products from 7Hertz, Ziigaat, Thieaudio, Kiwi Ears and more.
I had a listen to the new Ziigaat Luna earphones, these have a more balanced and linear presentation that has a slight focus on detail and clarity. Don’t mistake this for a thin sound though, they have bass to back up the sound, it is just a little more reserved in its presentation.
Next up was a prototype planar from 7Hertz, the Diablo, the sound tuning was final however the housing was not – planar in-ears are getting very good, I remember when they first started appearing they were lacking a little, not anymore. These have depth, punch, detail, and great separation. They are quite an easy listen, without any nasty peaks.
Now on to the Kiwi Ears Orchestra 2 – a 10BA driver model, these are good fun with great body and punch, kick drums are well presented with both punch and depth, you can feel the kick which is sometimes rare from BA drivers. The midrange is neutral and balanced and the treble is a little on the smoother side – a very dynamic sounding BA based IEM from Kiwi Ears.
Lastly, I had a listen to the Thieaudio Monarch 4 – these had a switch on the top that adjusts the bass response, I listened in both positions and you get either a bass heavy signature, or a sound with a more moderate bass emphasis. In either position though, you get excellent dynamics and depth. These definitely have a slightly more bass forward sound yet it is done in a way that has minimal interference with the mids and treble.
MEZE AUDIO
It’s no secret I’m a big fan of Meze, and they had their usual range on demo alongside the brand new 105 SILVA which will be available for sale on the 23rd – so look out for my full review of them. Elsewhere they had their 105 AER which are brilliant, the POET which sound fantastic, the Elite and the 109 Pro. They had these headphones paired with a range of systems including a Ferrum stack and a DCS system. They are nailing the lower end models and it’s no secret their higher end models are superb too – I’m looking forward to seeing what else they bring out soon.
ORFF CABLE
Orff are quite a new cable company, last year they debuted the Project:Elizabeth and this year they had The Earl. It uses gold plated 7n OCC copper core with a mix of silver-plated copper wires, the IEM connectors are also interchangeable between 2-pin and MMCX which makes it incredibly versatile. These are lovely looking cables, unfortunately I didn’t have any IEMs to try them with at the show however, look out for a little more on these cables in the near future.
ELETECH
Eletech make a huge range of excellent cables, they also have a new IEM in collaboration with Canpur – the Mona Lisa. These are brilliantly tuned with quite a neutral yet dynamic sound signature, there is a lovely crispness to the treble that never strays into harsh territory and the bass has great body and depth. These are an engaging IEM – and very fun to listen to whilst having excellent technicalities, good fun.
QOBUZ
Qobuz were at the show, talking about their streaming service and its benefits. As a user, I find Qobuz to be excellent both from a sonic perspective, as well as the range of music on their platform.
NOBLE
Noble Audio had a new model at the show, the Van Gogh – each pair is hand painted making them all unique, and they strive to strike a balance between warmth and precision. They manage this excellently in my opinion, with articulate bass response, clear midrange and crisp treble, the bass is well presented without sounding over the top. These are an easy to listen to IEM from Noble, one that has a slightly more universal appeal in terms of its sound signature.
AUDMA
Audma had their crossfeed amplifiers on demo, these are great products and the crossfeed does do a great job at making the headphones sound more natural and it drives headphones like the Susvara very well.
WARWICK ACOUSTICS
Warwick Acoustics had their isolation booth running, with the Aperio goldensound edition alongside their Bravura Black edition. The queue to listen was a little long however, I have heard these at a few shows before and they are fantastic sounding systems.
HIFONIX
It’s always lovely to see a familiar face at shows, Tony was once again helping Aseem on the Hifonix stand and promptly recommended I take a listen to the Unique Melody Maven II – and I am glad he did. These have a dynamic and crisp sound, the holographic staging, and superb layering are real highlights of this IEM. Everything is in just the right place for me personally, they sound convincing and I think that is one of the best ways of describing these.
They also had the new Feliks Audio Bliss electrostatic amplifier on demo, paired with the HiFiMAN Shangri-La headphones, I listened to this pairing at Munich and once again I thought that it is the best I have heard these headphones. Whilst electrostats are not always my thing this manages to get close to my personal preference, with impressive bass response and a huge amount of detail and clarity.
Elsewhere they had Ideon Audio kit, Meze, HiFiMAN, Audma, Cayin, LAiV and more.
FOCAL
Focal had their wired Azurys and Hadenys on demo along with the Bathys Dune, Bathys and Bathys MG. As I’ve not had a chance to listen to the Bathys MG I thought I’d give them a go, and they are very impressive for a Bluetooth headphone. The headband (a major gripe I’ve had with previous Focal headphones) seems to be softer too which is a bonus. For a Bluetooth headphone they are very detailed and clear with clean and articulate bass, a great headphone for out and about use.
They also had their home headphones on demo including the Utopia 2022, Clear MG and Stellia, paired with the Naim Uniti Atom Headphone edition.
SIVGA / SENDY AUDIO
A brand I am quite familiar with, Sivga and Sendy Audio both make some lovely wooden headphones. They had a couple of new models including the Egret which is releasing soon. This is a Sendy Audio model priced at £899 using a planar magnetic driver, and they have an energetic sound signature. This is a planar headphone with good space and air around instruments, the bass digs deep and hits hard when required whilst the treble is relatively smooth and well extended. An enjoyable tuning, and something a little different to your usual planar models.
I also had a listen to the Sivga Peng, a closed back dynamic driver model, these do well for a closed back model and there isn’t any excessive bloat in the bass. They are quite clean overall with a slight warm tilt to their sound. The build quality and finish of Sivga and Sendy Audio headphones is excellent and they are comfortable too.
Lastly, they showed me their new planar magnetic IEM, the Nightingale, again another example of how planar IEMs have moved on to sounding great. These had quite a full yet well controlled sound, a slightly darker and easy to listen to sound whilst retaining good tonality throughout.
AUDEZE
Audeze had their new LCD-S20 along with loads more of their most popular models including one of my favourites, the LCD-X – a classic.
Here though, I decided to revisit the LCD-3, a headphone I haven’t listened to in a long time, and it was paired with the brilliant Holo Audio Bliss amp and Spring 3 DAC – what a combo. Tons of slam, great midrange and plenty of detail throughout. I was rocking out to Tool through this system and enjoyed every second of it. The Holo Audio stack did a fantastic job at bringing out the best in these headphones, which can on some systems, sound overly dark.
LETSHUOER
Another company I am quite familiar with, having enjoyed their Mystic 8 at Munich, this time around I got to listen to a new prototype, which don’t currently have a name. They have excellent resolution and transient response, easily keeping up with complex music with great control and dynamics. They have a slightly more linear presentation which lends them to being versatile and happy to play any genre. This is my kind of sound, great control, detail yet, with a good amount of punch to back it up with.
I decided to reacquaint myself with the Mystic 8 – they are a little leaner than the above prototype and definitely have a more neutral sound signature, I still highly enjoy what they do. The prototype has a little more body and impact, the Mystic 8 is a little thinner in terms of tonality yet, they have a very well executed linear sound.
PENTACONN
Pentaconn are probably most known for their development of the now commonly used 4.4mm balanced jack, they have branched out into IEMs and eartips too though. Here they had their IEMs that they showed last year, in a new colour and with a slightly different tuning – along with new Coreir mini stainless steel eartips.
I tried the IEMs with the original AL tips which are a great all-rounder with perhaps a touch of added bass and slightly reduced clarity. Next up were the Stainless-steel tips which have a little more clarity and control – and the IEMs themselves are impressive. They are due to be under £400 and have a fun and energetic sound.
HIDIZS
I haven’t heard any Hidizs kit for quite a few years now, and let’s just say they have evolved a lot. They had their new AP80 Pro digital audio player on demo which is releasing in a couple of months’ time, alongside the worlds first 12mm 91% magnesium driver MK12 IEM. I listened to this combo and it sounds great together – the player is small yet easy to navigate and pocket and packs a punch, whilst the MK12 are incredibly detailed yet with full bodied sound to back it up. There is still something very convincing about the sound of a single dynamic driver in IEMs, and these manage to capture that very well – huge soundstage, bottomless bass and a clear midrange and treble.
They also had their new MP145 Pro planar magnetic IEMs on demo, these have a new driver compared to the original and pack some punch. The bass is articulate and hits hard when called for, the midrange is detailed and treble smooth.
Hidizs are bringing out some great products, a brand I will be keeping a closer eye on in them.
FATFREQ
This is a brand with a very apt name, yet their new Quantum doesn’t quite live up to that name in quite the same was as their Deuce. The Quantum actually has quite a clean sound with excellent detail and control for its price (£585), I personally prefer this tuning to a more bass heavy one that this brand usually favour. They still have articulate bass, it’s just more in line with the rest of the frequency range – impressive.
CHORD ELECTRONICS
Chord Electronics had a few setups on their table, including the DAVE, Hugo TT2, TT Mscaler, Qutest + Alto stack, Hugo2 and Mojo2 – paired with many different headphones including the Meze 109 Pro, Meze 105 SILVA, Audeze LCD-XC, Meze Empyrean II and ZMF Bokeh.
The Alto is a brilliant headphone amp, and drives all the headphones on demo without breaking a sweat, it was a very sensible decision to bring this amp that was originally made for pro-audio, to the audiophile market.
ACTIVO
Astell & Kerns sister brand Activo were presented by HEA Distribution at the show, they had the P1 portable player which I enjoyed when I reviewed it, alongside their new Volcano IEMs and Q1 IEMs. They are soon to be releasing some show bundles of these earphones with the P1, so you can get the P1 + Volcano for £299 and the P1 + Q1 for £399 – brilliant value for what you get.
The Volcano are excellent for their £99 price tag, a great everyday IEM that has enough fun factor, with enough detail – for most users.
ASTELL & KERN
HEA Distribution also had a range of Astell & Kern kit on demo too including the SR35 and CA1000T – paired with the Meze 109 Pro. I did have a quick listen to their Luna IEMs which use a planar magnetic driver which have quite a clean and crisp sound signature, plenty of detail and clarity with enough punch to prevent them from sounding overly lean.
They also had the SP4000 on show, Kann Ultra, PA10, the A&K range of dongle DAC/amps, and XIO – their earphone in collaboration with 64 Audio.
CAMPFIRE AUDIO
Another HEA Distribution stand, they had the whole range from Campfire audio on demo, and even had Alessandro Cortini (NIN bassist) with them to talk about how he tuned the Clara – a fantastic sounding IEM.
The main new product though, is the Relay, a new dongle DAC/Amp which boasts an AKM4493SEQ DAC chip inside. It’s a powerful little thing and has excellent sound quality with plenty of power and detail, it paired well with the Astrolith and was very engaging to listen to.
FERRUM
Ferrum had their range on demo including the Erco Gen2 paired with the Hypsos power supply, this was paired with a pair of ZMF headphones – the Erco Gen2 had no issues driving these, it is a powerful DAC/amp that is easily able to drive hard to drive models like the HiFiMAN Susvara.
I’ve heard the Ferrum kit a few times, and it is impressive – their new firmware allows the Wandla to control the streaming device downstream, giving you the ability to play/pause/skip tracks from the DAC itself.
AUDIOBSESS
A new company for me however they were present at CanJam London back in 2019, this company specialises in earbuds, something that those who detest eartips will be glad to see. I personally find IEMs to fit better than earbuds however, once fitted these earbuds were very comfortable. I had a listen to their new Soloer which is yet to be released – earbuds take a bit of getting used to as their presentation is quite different to headphones and conventional IEMs. They excel at having an airy and spacious sound, due to the lack of seal the bass is a little compromised yet still had good depth and articulation on these.
I also had a listen to their flagship model, the PXTI Zircon Edition – now these we something quite special, an earbud that does bass well alongside a midrange with excellent tonality and detail, I definitely enjoyed the sound of these. The fit was also excellent, and these make a good alternative to those who don’t want bulky headphones or normal IEMs.
FINAL
It’s always a pleasure to see Final at shows, they were helped by iFi Audio in terms of sources and I had a listen to the D8000 DC and DC Pro out of the NEO iDSD 2 running into an iCAN Phantom (my reference amp).
The D8000 DC are a brilliant headphone, as a fan of the original D8000 these just bring everything up a notch – there is improved control and clarity throughout without losing that deep, impactful bass that the original was loved for.
Moving on to the Pro version you immediately notice slightly better instrument separation and midrange control, these are a slightly leaner and more neutral tuning compared to the standard model and personal preference will dictate which you will prefer.
Both D8000 DC models are fantastic though and have a more engaging and dynamic presentation compared to many planar magnetic headphones.
Moving to the DX6000, a dynamic driver model, this is quite a different headphone, the sound is a little wider and not as intimate as the planar models, and it has a bit of a darker tuning which has a nice, full bass response and plenty of energy and drive.
Their A10000 IEMs are simply sublime though; I briefly heard them at Munich and now I had a listen again – I am aware these are a pricey pair of IEMs however their sound fully justifies this price. They have such a natural and effortless sound, once again showing that a single dynamic driver when tuned can deliver on all fronts. These have deep, impactful bass, a clear and natural midrange and effortless treble that extends with ease. Due to their more balanced tuning, they also lend their hand to most genres, a truly superb IEM.
SPIRIT TORINO
Spirit Torino had a few new models they showcased at Munich, I decided to have a listen to their Centauri planar model with the new earpads ring tuning system – these sound quite a bit better now than when I listened to them a couple of years ago. They have more space now, with increased clarity, they also have good bass response and come across as dynamic and engaging.
I also listened to their Valkyria, these are quite heavy which is noticeable when you put them on, these are a dynamic driver model (with two drivers per cup) and can kick out some bass when called for. They work with electronic music due to the v-shaped sound signature, and are quite a fun headphone to listen to. This was the newest 2025 revision with new leather headband, along with new earpads with quite a radically different internal structure – which adds to the soundstaging and increased sound quality. The driver venting has also changed to align them more with the original sound of the Valkyria.
ABYSS
Abyss make a range of planar magnetic headphones, the main focus here were the Diana DZ and the JOAL. I had a listen to the JOAL which are a fun headphone to listen to, great bass dynamics and an overall warm balance that’s’ just easy to enjoy.
I did also have a listen to the Diana DZ, these were a bit different, with a nice wide soundstage and more clarity and detail overall. The sound was more controlled and balanced without any emphasis on any particular frequency range. These are a good all-rounder however, the detail will mean that they will sound better with good recordings.
VIKING WEAVE CABLES
It’s always good to catch up with Viking Weave Cables and see what they’ve been working on, I listened to their prototype headphones last year and they are still prototypes this year but a lot closer to being finished now. And you can tell, the sound is a lot more accomplished this time around, with the bass boost off they have great balance with a slight low-end emphasis that adds a little weight to the sound without sounding overblown of masking the mids and treble. Turning on the bass-boost switch under the earpads and you get an extra helping of low end allowing them to suit the more bass-head listeners amongst us – this is a well implemented bass boost though and it doesn’t rob the midrange of detail. There is some serious weight to the low end of these with the bass boost on, making them extremely fun to listen to.
Elsewhere on this table you had a range of cables which are beautifully crafted.
BQEYZ
Another company I am familiar with yet haven’t spent much time listening to, so I took some time to listen to their new Winter Ultra IEMs – which use a hybrid setup with a dynamic driver and PZT bone conducting driver. Another very good IEM here, with a warm/balanced signature that is engaging and energetic. There is a helping of added lower bass that gives these a pleasing fullness to their sound whilst the midrange is relatively balanced and the treble smooth and inoffensive. A smooth and easy listen that would be great for casual, everyday use.
I also had a quick listen to Wind, another hybrid design with a similar driver setup aside from the driver sizes. These are a bit more neutral tuned, which I preferred over the Winter Ultra. For £200 you get a detailed, controlled, and energetic IEM that lends itself to multiple genres with ease.
BQEYZ are making some great models at very affordable prices.
RHAPSODIO
Rhapsodio are a brand I have known for a long time (around 12 years) yet haven’t heard anything new from them in a long time, so it was a pleasure to see Sammy at CanJam. I listened to their new Legend model which is superb – they have fantastic detail and control with explosive energy and deep bass when called for. The treble is tuned just right for me, ever present yet without harshness – a W-shaped sound signature that is pure energy without sounding fatiguing.
Next up, the Supreme V3 – a slightly darker tuning that isn’t quite as up front and engaging yet the midrange has great tonality here. These have hugely articulate bass that drives the music, well separated from the midrange which is left to do its thing, the treble is smooth and well extended without any peaks, a smooth and easy listen.
ZMF
Last, but definitely not least – the ZMF room which is always a huge highlight of the show for me. This is the room like makes you feel like a kid in a sweet shop, headphones everywhere in all different finishes and a ton of sources to use them with. If you know ZMF already, you will know they make some gorgeous creations including unique on-offs and special editions alongside their usual production models, which often come in both an open and closed back version.
My first listen in this room was the Caldera open paired with the incredible Allnic HPA-300B valve amplifier – what a pairing, ZMF are known for their rich bass textures and this headphone definitely hits the mark however, this is a model from ZMF that is fairly well balanced. These have a spacious soundstage and loads of detail, wrapped up in a natural and effortless presentation, I loved this system.
Next up the Aeolus, out of the same amp, and these are groovy if you like a driving bass beat. Luckily, they don’t miss out on the midrange and treble, excellent separation allows each range to breathe and do its thing without being impacted by the bass – and the bass maintains composure even during more complex tracks.
I then moved on to the Atrium closed which, for a closed model, don’t sound closed. There is a distinct lack of that closed back reverb/bloat and they are incredibly punchy with a slightly more intimate presentation. These are one of the more balanced sounding headphones in the range that excel when the music has energy and drive.
I moved on to the Caldera closed out of the LordGwyn AEGIS valve amp, this is another closed model that copes very well with the fact it is closed back. Not quite as balanced as the Atrium, the Caldera has a little more kick up its sleeve when called for, the bass goes deep and has a fun presentation without dominating the sound. There is a lovely crispness to the treble that prevents the sound from becoming overly dark – a fun yet versatile headphone.
Lastly, I had a listen to the brand-new Ori 3.0 on a DCS Lina stack, look for a full review of these in the future. These are a dynamic and engaging headphone that are tuned to get your feet tapping along to the music, there is plenty of space and they don’t sound closed in at all. There is a bass port on the earcups that allows you to tune the bass response, and as with all ZMF headphones you can also tune via earpads (this gives the Ori 3.0 27 different sonic iterations if you have all the pads!). This demo model sounded excellent as it was, plenty of deep, controlled bass, wonderfully placed vocals and smooth yet crisp treble.
It would be easy to spend hours in this room – there is just so much you can listen to!
And that’s a wrap, CanJam London 2025 was a lot of fun and I’d like to thank all the organisers, exhibitors, hotel staff and visitors for making it such a brilliant show for headphone enthusiasts.
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Oscar Stewart
Additional Photography by Kelly Bowden
