CanJam Europe 2015 Visitors Vote for Best of Show

The 2015 edition of CanJam Europe, in Germany, strengthened the show’s position as Europe’s largest dedicated headphones and personal audio event. Record visitor and exhibitor numbers as well as additional exhibition floor attest the ongoing interest in the market segment. This year, for the first time, CanJam Europe 2015 had visitors vote for their favorite products of the show.
 

CanJam Europe (no connection to Head-Fi or the CanJam@RMAF events) combines the variety of a trade show and the spirit of a community event. 2015 was the third year of the show, which is aimed at consumers, pro audio users and trade visitors interested in high-quality headphones and accessories. The CanJam Europe is hosted at Congress Center West of Messe Essen, Germany.
 

From September 26-27, approximately 1,400 visitors attended CanJam Europe 2015, a 27% growth compared to 2014. A total of 112 brands exhibited at CanJam Europe 2015, up from exactly 80 in 2014. To meet growing demand, the exhibition floor grew to 2,000 sqm. “Visitors’ and exhibitors’ feedback to the show is downright positive,” stressed Juliane Thümmel, Kommunikation mit Strategie, the promoters of the show. “The constant growth is proof that even such a special-interest topic deserves its own event.”

CanJam Europe is also expanding its international appeal, as proven by the fact that visitors came from the UK and Romania, Sweden or Italy. “We’re looking forward each year to CanJam Europe, because there’s no other show where manufacturers, retailers, competitors and enthusiasts meet on such a level playing field to experience personal audio gear, exchange news and ideas and make new contacts,” says Marco Rämisch of earphone manufacturer “InEar”.
 

CanJam Europe also gathered a selection of products and brands like never before. A total of 112 brands, from established names like Sennheiser, Grado and Beyerdynamic to new exhibitors like Gibson, Oppo or Headphone Gallery, offered visitors the opportunity to try and compare literally hundreds of headphones, amplifiers, mobile players and music services, many presenting and premiering new products at the show.

Dutch company Audioquest had their brand-new headphone Nighthawk available for testing, as well as Hifiman’s new flagship model HE-1000 and its portable sibling HE-400s. Asian brands like Aune and Lotoo from China or Phonon, and radius from Japan also had their first-ever appearance in Europe.

World or European premieres at the show included Eternal Arts presenting its new headphone amp Twin Type Professional, while beyerdynamic introduced its new T1 Tesla headphones which had premiered at IFA 2015. Audio-Technica was showing Hi-Res Audio products, including its new new MSR7 headphone and portable DAC PHA100. Grado also presented its limited-edition GH1 headphone and hd-klassik showed its Class-A Headphone Optimizer, which is tuned individually to the user’s headphone. Musica Acoustics from Japan also introduced its fully-balanced portable headphone amp Mass Kobo model404.
 

There was also a variety of seminars and workshops with German scientific organizations, like German university Hochschule Niederrhein, promoting new engineering ideas for headphones using 3D printers, while Hearsafe raised awareness for safe hearing.


CanJam Europe Awards
This year, for the first time, CanJam Europe promoted the “Best of Show” awards where visitors could vote for their favorite gear at the show. Categories like “best headphone”, “best amplifier” or “best accessories” invited visitors to choose their CanJam Europe highlights to automatically enter a raffle with valuable prizes

The planar magnetic Oppo PM-3 was voted best portable headphone of the show, and the open-back AKG K812

won best home headphone. The brand-new Lehmann Audio Linear D, which had its premiere at CanJam Europe, was awarded best headphone amplifier. Mobile DACs Chord Hugo and Oppo HA-2 share laurels for best source.

AudioQuest’s new JitterBug USB noise filter dominated the category “best accessories” while Shure impressed visitors of CanJam Europe 2015 as best exhibitor overall.

Overview of CanJam Europe 2015 awards:
Best headphone portable: Oppo PM-3
Best headphone home: AKG K812
Best amplifier: Lehmann Audio Linear D
Best source: Oppo HA-2 and Chord Hugo (tied)
Best accessories: AudioQuest JitterBug
Best of show: Shure

Planning for the 2016 event is already under way and the organizers already expect further growth.
www.canjam.de