CanJam SoCal 2019 – The Highlights

HifiMAN

I’ve been on a true wireless craze lately. Sometimes when I travel to these shows, or for a vacation overseas – I don’t want to deal with a giant DAC or cables. I just want to pop in some earbuds in, have it connect automatically, and enjoy some music or YouTube content. And this is coming from a die-hard audiophile. My belief: if the inconvenience causes stress – it takes away from the enjoyment.

Enter the HiFiMAN TWS 600 ($199)

• 5.5 hours of playtime and an additional 33 hours from the case.
• 150 meters range
• IPX4-rated for resistance to sweat and dirt.

The HiFiMAN TWS 600 comes in a sleek charging capsule. It feels pretty good on the fingertips. Some true wireless buds I’ve tried have actually fallen out of my ear from normal use. On the other hand, the TWS 600 was a very nice fit. Tilting and shaking my head back and forth and it was completely stable. I also like the techie, spacey glow and look. 

The TWS 600 requires about 15 hours of break-in. After a quick listen with my Pixel 3, I found these earphones to be clear, focused, and snappy. It’s laid back and very quiet with no distortion. Overall, very clean with a touch of sub-bass twang. I believe transparency and resolution are its greatest strength. At the same time, it never comes off brittle, fatiguing, or harsh. It’s an incredibly insightful true wireless bud.

HiFiMAN HE-1000SE

I didn’t get much time with the HiFiMAN HE-1000SE ($3,500) but my impressions were that it was more V-shaped. It could rumble but still provide clarity from the midrange upward. Bassy with sparkle – and a lot of fun.