Having previously only covered the Summer Headphone Festivals, the Fujiya Avic Autumn Headphone Festival 2024 was a bit of a novelty for me – and I couldn’t help but wonder if there would be more new products on display there. As it turned out, I got to spend time with several products that had only been announced a couple of weeks earlier.

With all sorts of audio equipment ranging from in-ear monitors and ear tips to headphones and even retro cassette players on display, it was an incredible experience walking around and taking in all the sights and sounds of the event. With over 80 booths and products from over 100 brands on display, a single day isn’t enough to comprehensively experience everything. However, here are some of the highlights…

Audeze

The Audeze booth wasn’t the biggest around, but no matter as the show-stopper for the brand was the company’s new CRBN 2 electrostatic headphones. An A-B demo was available with the older CRBN headphones as well, and the queue to try the CRBN 2 was so long that I had to leave the line halfway to make it for another demo that I had requested an appointment for. It was well-worth the effort to come back after and queue again, however. It turned out that the CRBN 2 has fantastic bass response, an expansive soundstage and accurate imaging, while handling rhythms well.

Audio-Technica

Imagine my surprise when I saw that the new ATH-ADX3000 headphones from Audio-Technica were on demonstration at this event, since they had just been announced barely six days before the show. There were four booths set up for listening, and it was certainly a popular spot. Inside the booth, show-goers were treated to a magnificent set-up with the new Audio-Technica ATH-LP8X turntable linked to the Accuphase Stereo Phono Amplifer C-37 and the Luxman P-750u headphone amplifier. The ATH-ADX5000 big brother was also available for comparison. While the ATH-ADX3000 has a pleasing colour to the sound that makes it exciting to listen to, I still found its treble to be a little too bright and sparkly for my tastes.

Austrian Audio

It was a blast trying The Composer at last year’s Fujiya Avic Summer Headphone Festival, so I duly made my way to the Viennese brand’s booth again to take a look at the new Hi-X20 headphones. The tuning has definitely changed between the Hi-X15 and the Hi-X20, and it feels like the midband is more prominent, along with a slightly wider and more open soundstage. Vocals are forward and crisp, and there is good detail and resolution. Although these headphones are billed as being suitable for the studio, the RRP of US$149 means they’re definitely a durable addition to any listener’s arsenal.

beyerdynamic

The beyerdynamic booth was also popular this year, with the new DT 1770 Pro MK II and DT 1990 Pro MK II headphones available for testing. Again, these were announced only days before the show, so it was a surprise to see them on the show floor. Right off the bat, you’ll notice that the DT 1990 Pro MK II have been re-voiced to reduce treble brightness – this was an issue with the previous model. It’s still brighter than the DT 1770 Pro MK II’s top end, but it has been tapered down from before. Vocals feel better with more air and space to breathe, and there’s no excess warmth or colouration, which fits in with the intended purpose of these as a studio or mixing headphones.

Dita

Dita debuted new earphones called Mecha, a design that is technically still under development. That said, the sample I tried was basically finished in terms of looks and sound. Mecha should be launching globally through the brand’s website in December, with a price tag around US$899. Housed in a CNC-ed titanium shell, it is a single dynamic driver in-ear-monitor design using a 10mm lithium-magnesium dynamic driver with dual magnets. With slightly warm voicing, there’s a thicker, lusher midrange and a slight V-shape to the sound signature. Bass response is great, with an impactful bottom end complementing crisp treble up top.

FiiO

The FiiO booth was a smorgasbord of new products, with the newly announced FP3 planar IEMs available for demo alongside the fully automatic TT13 turntable, other headphones and even the retro CP13 portable cassette player. Coming in at under US$100, the FP3 earphones are a fantastic entry point into the world of planar IEMs, while not breaking the bank. While these earphones do require a bit of power to drive, you are rewarded with gutsy bass and sweet mids, plus great separation. There’s a beautiful lushness in vocals and the sound signature is very pleasant overall.

Final Audio

Final Audio has always been a major exhibitor at Fujiya Avic shows, not least because it is a Japanese brand. This time around, I was looking forward to seeing if there was any update on the X8000 headphones that I had the pleasure of seeing the initial prototype back in 2023. Unfortunately it wasn’t displayed, but I did get to view and try the upcoming D8000 DC Pro and D8000 DC headphones that will be shipped in mid-December. The former has a good bass response with a satisfying thump, plus a strong and detailed midband. Stereo separation is good, with plenty of air and space in the soundstage, plus good layering and accurate imaging.

Final Audio’s planar magnetic driver has interesting ‘Air Film Dumping System’ technology that uses air viscosity to control the movement of the vibrating plate – this is said to give better bass reproduction. In addition, the earpads are made with a special type of Japanese paper fabric and foam for better durability, as well as an expanded soundstage.

iBasso

To celebrate the brand’s 18th anniversary, iBasso announced the DX340 flagship digital audio player in September, although the product is still not available. Expected to be released soon, this is a seriously hefty bit of kit – so you can forget about carrying it in your pocket. It reminds me of the flagship Astell & Kern machines, thanks to the use of the stainless steel body and sharp edges. If you don’t want to injure yourself with accidental scratches and scrapes, a case is a must.

When it comes to audio however, it definitely lives up to expectations. The player offers great resolution with fantastic detail retrieval, while not adding warmth or colour to the sound. Vocals are beautiful with plenty of sparkle and texture, with a wide soundstage. With swappable amp cards, dual system controllers, dual batteries and a self-developed discrete DAC, this upcoming flagship player is a beast.

Kotori Audio

Singaporean brand Kotori Audio didn’t have a booth at the show, but I was still lucky enough to give its upcoming Zephyr earphones a try. Priced at US$150, it is an affordable offering that looks like a decent first step into wired earphones. Equipped with a single titanium dynamic driver and a Knowles balanced armature driver inside a resin shell with aluminium faceplate, it has a neutral sound with accurate imaging and decent separation. The mids feel a little recessed, but still retain good detail and texture. As for the treble, I would like a little more extension and energy – but this is my own personal preference. It’s certainly an impressive product at the price, then. The Zephyr is available through Kotori Audio’s website.

Shanling

Planar headphones are relatively common these days, but Shanling claims that its new HW600 headphones will provide “the ultimate audiophile experience”, so how could we not give these a try? With an oversized planar driver sitting inside aircraft-grade aluminium earcups and a dual-sided magnet assembly, these headphones look incredibly slick. There is a surprising amount of bass response for a planar design – it is textured and impactful. Midband has plenty of air and there’s a nice sparkle in the treble, with delicate vocals handled beautifully. The layering is distinct and the headphones are quite forensic, making them great for more analytical listening. Despite the considerable 480g weight, the load is well distributed so the HW600 feels less heavy when worn for long periods.

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