CanJam SoCal 2026: From $7,500 earbuds to headphones with a vacuum tube
At the CanJam SoCal 2026 audiophile show in Irvine, California, standout products ranged from a nine-driver luxury in-ear monitor to headphones built around a glowing vacuum tube amplifier.
On August 29th, the Irvine Marriott in California hosted CanJam SoCal 2026, an audio show organized by the Head-Fi.org forum that drew a couple thousand audio enthusiasts. Unlike mainstream consumer electronics events, CanJam is dominated by boutique manufacturers, though established names like Sennheiser, Focal, HiFiMan, and Sony's professional audio division were also present.
Nine drivers per ear
One of the most talked-about products was the Campfire Audio Chimera, an in-ear monitor packing nine separate drivers per side across four different driver technologies, including a dynamic driver, balanced armatures, electrostatic tweeters, and bone conduction. The earpieces feature a carbon fiber and brass construction with a finish unique to each unit, plus a six-conductor cable. The Chimera carries a price tag of $7,500.
More accessible options
Not everything at the show was out of reach. Fosi Audio showed wired earbuds priced under $150, while Dan Clark Audio's $900 Aeon Core planar magnetic headphones impressed with a wide, immersive soundstage. Visitors could also try HiFiMan's Arya headphones, priced at $1,449, which include a rare built-in Wi-Fi receiver capable of streaming lossless audio over longer distances than Bluetooth.
A vacuum tube inside headphones
Among the show's more unusual finds was the Écoute TH2, a pair of headphones originally funded on Kickstarter last March. It includes a built-in vacuum tube preamplifier, independently driven channels for each ear, active noise cancellation, and an eight-band equalizer. Listeners noted rich detail in playback, though the upper frequencies came across as somewhat boosted.
The visit underscored the value of niche audio shows like CanJam, which continue to surface unconventional products that might otherwise go unnoticed by a broader audience.
