Today, the muscular, V-Moda breaking heafier, Anak Chan, reminded me that Tube Festival is going down next Monday. That would be 14 October, or Health and Sports Day, here in Japan. Woohoo! Holiday!
The closest station to the atsumari no basho is: Ochanomizu station
The Tube Festival is all about the application of tubes/valves in both living room and portable audio, from DAC to power amp.
Its organisers tag it with 「このデジタル時代に、なぜ真空管なのか！」which I roughly translate: "We is digital, baby! WTF is with tubes?!"
But I'm a crap translator. However, Anak puffing up his balls to head to the big boys has shitcanned a number of stereotypes which I've held dear for years.
Basically, I reckoned it is rare day for a headfier to show not only the balls, but the desire to hit up a big rig event. Why? Because headphone users:
a. can't afford speakers
b. can't fit speakers in their flats
c. are introverts by nature
But Sean is no ordinary headfier. He's a geek throughout. He owns a Leica M9 and a gaggle of its best lenses. He drives FitEear earphones from one of a dozen powerful amps. At home, he uses a respectable B&W N804 / McIntosh combo. The Mc is a new item; prior to it, he used an Accuphase amp.
For Sean, headphones are not a gateway upper; they are a gateway downer. He swears to me that he loves his speakers, but I swear when I see his 24 'Lux.
*&$#!!!
In Japan, trend is for headphones. Why? A massive population stuck in tiny flats with no sound or weather insulation head banging to anime songs from 12AM till 6AM is one reason. Really, there isn't the space to put large audio systems. Not without pitching the sofa. Or the spouse.
So, while many European and American headfiers hope maybe, someday, possibly, if their mum allows it, to work up to speakers - but of course just meagre ones -, Japanese audiophiles (who squabble over which colourful squiggle and jingle really would win when faced off in Gundam suits) trends towards headphone sets. God bless 'em.
Venturecraft will be there and so will Ω. And Anak. And that fantastic 24 Lux.