Aune B1   If you’ve ever wondered how a Class A, discrete amp would sound with your portable music rig, Aune has given you the chance with the B1. While I’m not going to go into the details of Class A nor comparisons to other amp types (Class AB, Class D), Class A is considered the best by many. I’ve found amps in all topologies that are so good that you’d never consider or care what type they are, so I don’t necessarily prefer one type over another. The design and components are what matters most.   Specifications: Frequency range: 10 Hz – 20...

Dunu Titan 1   Dunu may not be a recognizable name in audio amongst the mainstream masses in the United States, but they absolutely should be. Based in Taiwan and China, Dunu has been making exceptionally good In Ear Monitors for some time now. The powerhouse DN-1000 along with the more refined DN-2000 have blown away and satisfied many who have tried them. Dunu’s combination of high quality materials, a plethora of accessories, and top notch sound quality have solidified them as a major player for audio enthusiasts. The Titan 1 is a bit of a...

SYUN ME-1   SYUN is a relatively new brand out of China with an apparently well known (in China) acoustic tuning staff behind it. The ME-1 is the current flagship, and it is an impressive debut.   Specifications:  Driver unit: 9.8 mm dynamic driver  Rated Impedance: 30 Ohm  Sensitivity: 120 dB/mW  Frequency response: 15Hz- 22KHz  Plug: 3.5mm gold plated plug Cable: 1.20 mm TPU cable   Build Quality:  Attractive, flashy design  Sturdy, light   With its shiny gold metallic coated housing, a quick visual of the ME-1 is striking. A large...

HZSound EP-001   HZSound is a new IEM company out of China which recently launched their first IEM, the EP-001. There has been an explosion of excellent new audio gear coming out of China in the past year or so, and HZSound makes a strong introduction with the affordable yet nicely tuned EP-001. For ~$25, you get an above average selection of accessories, and a clear balanced sound that tilts towards some bass enhancement.   Build Quality: The ringed alloy exterior shell gives a nice appearance to the design. The cable isn’t groundbreaking in...

Fiio's new X1 is an excellent low cost entry for those looking for better audio quality than what their current smartphones are capable of.   I must admit, I am not a fan of DAPs. Even the nicest, most expensive DAPs still don't have the capabilities of most mid range smartphones (touch screen, downloadable programs/album art, wifi transfers, etc). I would be very hesitant to spend $300+ to have none of those features available to me in a separate audio player. This is where the $100 X1 comes in. The DAC and amp inside the player ends up...

My first quality IEM purchase was the Hifiman RE-400 when they first came out. I was used to low end Skullcandy sets at the time, and I really wanted to see what "reference sound" sounded like for a reasonable price of under $100. At the time, I felt anything above that price was absurd for me to purchase.   From the first listen, the RE-400 showed me what quality sounded like. I was hooked. It started my headphone/earphone addiction that continues to this day, and I have Hifiman and Head-Fi to thank for that. I didn't think there would be a higher...

The LH Labs Geek Out had a lot to live up to. A good 7+ months ago, the Geek Out started as a concept. This concept was to bring a high quality audio experience into a small and affordable device. Light Harmonic already created and sold the Da Vinci DAC, an award winning $20,000+ DAC, but they wanted to take a chance and bring a more affordable device to the masses.   Kickstarter crowdfunding was used to successfully fund into the project. As an "investor" into the Geek Out, I felt connected with the project. I and the other backers wanted it to...