Exploring the Unique Headphones Showcased at CanJam 2026
I’ve been diving into the world of headphones for quite some time, exploring everything from mediocre models to high-end open-back designs that cost a fortune. Lately, though, I’ve felt a bit uninspired by the mainstream offerings. While many are solid choices, they often lack that unique flair that initially drew me into this audio adventure. I craved something fresh, something exciting, and a chance to connect with fellow enthusiasts who share that passion. That’s why I decided to attend CanJam.
CanJam is an intimate audio event organized by a prominent online audio community, featuring multiple gatherings throughout the year in various cities worldwide, including London, Shanghai, New York City, Dubai, and Southern California. It’s primarily a showcase for boutique manufacturers to present their latest headphones and gear to audiophiles on the hunt for the most immersive audio experiences. You won’t find mainstream brands like Bose or Apple here, although Sony’s Pro division made an appearance alongside well-known names like Sennheiser and Audeze.
Despite my years of covering audio and visual gear, I had never attended a CanJam before. Either it didn’t align with the interests of the platforms I was writing for, or personal commitments held me back. However, this year felt like the perfect opportunity, especially as it was my first at a new outlet. So, on August 29th, I navigated the 405 from Los Angeles to Irvine, California.
CanJam SoCal 2026 took place in a convention space at the Irvine Marriott. The main exhibition hall featured booths from both major audio brands like Sennheiser, Focal, and HiFiMan, as well as niche players like Astell&Kern and Noble Audio. Many exhibitors set up listening stations equipped with tablets running Qobuz, the go-to streaming service for audiophiles due to its high-resolution lossless audio. Others opted for quieter rooms off the main hallway, perfect for focused listening. The atmosphere buzzed with a couple thousand audio enthusiasts eager to explore.
My first stop was the Campfire Audio booth. Based in Portland, Oregon, Campfire Audio is known for its high-quality earbuds, and I had previously tried their $1,500 Solaris and $300 IO in-ear monitors. This time, I was eager to check out the Campfire Audio Chimera, which debuted at CanJam Singapore in May. Unlike most mainstream earbuds that typically feature a single driver per ear, the Chimera boasts an impressive nine drivers. This “quad-brid” design incorporates a dynamic driver for bass, a dual-diaphragm balanced armature for midrange clarity, two additional BA drivers for highs, four electrostatic tweeters for added airiness, and bone conduction for enhanced bass.
Due to the number of drivers, the Chimera are quite substantial, roughly the size of a piece of bubble gum. It took a bit of adjusting to get them seated comfortably, but once I did, I was blown away. The low end was rich and full without overwhelming the other frequencies. The highs were open and airy, allowing cymbals to shimmer and fade gracefully without harshness. The midrange truly shone, bringing the subtlety of Tracy Chapman’s soft vocals and the passionate wails of Janis Joplin to life as if they were performing right in front of me. Even amidst the conference hall’s noise, the Chimera provided one of the most detailed and enjoyable listening experiences I’ve had in ages. However, they come with a hefty price tag of $7,500.
While that price is not unusual in the audiophile realm—where boutique, handcrafted gear tends to be pricier—the Chimera stands out even among Campfire’s offerings. The cost reflects the intricate design and engineering required to create a compact in-ear monitor with nine drivers, as well as the premium materials used in their construction. With a carbon fiber and brass Damascus finish that features unique topographical patterns, each Chimera is one-of-a-kind. They also come with a six-conductor cable that costs more than many standard earbuds, along with a microfiber cloth, an IEM cleaning tool, and nine different ear tip options.
Not every product at CanJam is priced out of reach, though. Fosi Audio showcased wired in-ears for under $150 that delivered solid sound for the price, along with an intriguing portable CD player. The Dan Clark Audio Aeon Core planar magnetic headphones, priced at $900, offered a wide soundstage where background vocals in the Black Crowes’ “Remedy” enveloped me, with Chris Robinson’s voice front and center. The snare hits were crisp, and while the snare on Tracy Chapman’s “Fast Car” bordered on overwhelming, I could easily see myself unwinding on the couch with the Aeon Core.
As closed-back headphones, the Aeon Core allowed me to focus on the music despite the surrounding hustle and bustle. However, many audiophile headphones are open-back, which can make it challenging to form a solid opinion in a busy environment. I tried a pair of $1,449 HiFiMan Arya headphones featuring an onboard Wi-Fi receiver. Wi-Fi is still a rarity in headphones, but it excels at streaming lossless audio over longer distances compared to Bluetooth. They sounded great, but the open-back design made it tough to draw a definitive conclusion.
On my final lap around the show floor, a glowing ear cup caught my attention—it was a vacuum tube in a pair of headphones! The Écoute TH2, funded on Kickstarter last March, aims to replicate a high-end two-channel audio system within the headphones themselves. They feature a built-in vacuum tube preamp with a 6P1 tube and dual-mono amplification, driving each channel independently from the DAC to each driver. They also offer solid active noise cancellation, which was perfect for the show floor, and an 8-band EQ. Comfort was a highlight, and during a live recording of “A Pirate Looks at Forty” featuring Dave Matthews, Jack Johnson, and Tim Reynolds, I felt immersed in the audience as if I were at the concert. While the high-end detail was impressive, the upper frequencies were a bit too pronounced for my liking, and I didn’t have the chance to adjust the EQ. Nonetheless, the TH2 are a fascinating addition to the headphone landscape.
This is what makes events like CanJam so special. I might never have discovered the Écoute otherwise; there’s an overwhelming number of headphones out there, and only so much time to explore them all. While CES has shifted its focus away from audio over the years, events like CanJam are essential for keeping the passion for high-quality sound alive.
