Big ups PAR fam. Today we review the LXear Pluto, a 4BA (balanced armature) driver custom in-ear monitor. LXear custom IEMs are 3D-printed using the latest top-of-the-line 3D printing technology. LXear is located in Bucharest, Romania and was founded by an experienced musician and audio engineer, with the goal of taking the local in-ear monitor market to a higher level. The company uses premium materials made in the USA and the highest quality drivers in all their monitors. The Pluto system is much more complex than I had expected. Alan Stern...

Hi, there fam. In today’s review, I’m checking out the Custom Art FIBAE Black, a single balanced armature driver in-ear monitor. The Black utilizes not just the established FIBAE technology but also sports a new innovation: Pressure Optimizing Design (POD). According to Custom Art’s website: Pressure Optimizing Design allows for extremely precise control of frequency response, improving soundstage and separation capabilities, without issues arising from crossovers or multi-driver constructions. The Custom Art Custom Art website...

Tested at $72 For a while, I’ve been saying that the Bluetooth audio age is truly upon us and 2018 really put this into perspective for me. With advanced streaming codecs and steadily improving battery technology Bluetooth audio just keeps getting better. A perfect example of this is the iDeaPLAY V402 Bluetooth headphones with Active Noise Cancelling (ANC) which I’ll be reviewing here today. I have tested several Bluetooth headphones from iDeaUSA in the past and they have continued to impress me each time. They offer quality products that are very...

*This was originally posted on my blog over at Prime Audio Reviews here. Bluetooth is here to stay. We simply cannot avoid it any longer. Just look at how many new phones still have a headphone jack: there seem to be fewer every day. So how are you supposed to enjoy music from your smartphone now? Enter the FiiO BTR3 Bluetooth Receiver. The BTR3 is a thumb-sized Bluetooth receiver that you can plug your headphones into and enjoy Hi-Res music from your phone or streaming device. The BTR3 has a built-in microphone so it can be used for hands-free...

Purdio (Pure Audio Labs) is a subsidiary of ODOYO International Limited. Odoyo has offices in Hong Kong and California and they carry a range of products dealing mostly with lifestyle gadgets and accessories. But they also have a new line of audio products, including the Purdio Vector 8-core OCC copper cable. Pros It’s resistant to tangling Is strong yet supple and malleable More affordable than many 8-core cables Great connector housings Cons No option for a 4.4mm plug Very basic packaging and sparse accessories The Vector is currently listed...

Meet the Ampio VS-1880 headphone mini amplifier and Bluetooth receiver. This little gadget has an aluminium chassis and full Hi-Res support with LDAC and aptX HD. It doesn’t just do streaming either; you can actually connect this to a laptop, desktop PC, or smartphone via OTG and use it as an external DAC. At the time of writing the Ampio VS-1880 is listed at $189 and is available on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Ampio-Hi-Res-Headphone-Amplifier-Bluetooth/dp/B07CYVC2QC Ampio website: http://www.ampio.com.tw/ This sample was provided for the...

*This review was originally posted on my blog at Prime Audio Reviews. Y’all know the name. Beyerdynamic has been in the game for over 90 years. In fact, they’re only a stone’s throw away from making their first century. Think about that for a minute. In 1924 they developed their first loudspeakers and in the 1930’s, they developed the first dynamic headphones (Wikipedia). Fast forward to today and we’ve got the Beyerdynamic Aventho Wireless; a Bluetooth on-ear headphone with touch controls and sound personalization software. My, how times have...

"If music be the food of love, play on." William Shakespeare Meet the iDeaPLAY V207 Bluetooth headphone with Active Noise Cancelling. Not only does it cut out external noise but it also continues the brand’s tradition of high build quality and sound. iDeaUSA is a brand that has consistently surprised me with their value and build quality. So when they reached out to ask if I’d be interested in checking out their new Bluetooth headphone it was a no-brainer. The iDeaPLAY V207 sports Bluetooth 4.1 with aptX and Active Noise Cancelling (ANC). At the...

This product was provided for the purpose of an honest review. I’m not affiliated with the company and all observations and opinions here are my own. Pros Small, lightweight aptX HD and LDAC support Multiple input and output options Solid construction Cons No silicone feet/pad provided Could include straps for stacking with phone Before we get into the device, I want to share a little bit of information about the brand. Ampio is a subsidiary of Vencer Co., Ltd., who has been making Bluetooth and audio-related products as an OEM/ODM business...

I’m way late to this party but you know what? I’m glad I came. Have you been looking for a super affordable headphone but are overwhelmed by all the choices out there? Let me simplify it for you; The Superlux HD668B is exactly what you’ve been looking for. Superlux was started in an apartment building in Taiwan over 30 years ago. They have continued to grow and now have a huge facility in the industrial zone at Lan-Yuan port, China, where they make headphones, speakers, microphones and a bunch of other electronic gear. At the time of writing, the...

Audiophiles on a budget are spoiled for choices lately, with so many new brands appearing every time you turn around. While many are still going for the generic consumer-based tuning of big bass and warmth throughout, some are targeting a more refined sound. Enter the Lypertek MEVI, the first IEM from the startup Chinese brand that aims to bring HiFi to the masses. You can find more information on the Lypertek website here. At the time of writing, the Lypertek MEVI is priced at $29.90. Available at Penon Audio here. This product was provided for...

Hypersense is a new Chinese brand that has joined the IEM manufacturer market recently. They’re located in Dongguan, China and are a subsidiary of LinDo Technology CO., Ltd. Today we’re looking at their first product release; the Hypersense HEX02. Should you be getting hyped about it? Let’s take a look. At the time of writing, the Hypersense HEX02 is listed at $25 and available from Penon Audio here. This product was provided for the purpose of an honest review. I’m not affiliated with the company and all observations and opinions here are my own...

Hifi Boy is a subsidiary of Chengdu Fallante Technology Co., Ltd. and is a new name in the earphone market. Recently they released their debut IEM, the Hifi Boy OSV3, a hybrid model with 2 Balanced Armature & 1 Dynamic Driver. And it’s good. Read on to find out why. Hifi Boy website At the time of writing, the OSV3 was listed at $159. This product was provided for the purpose of an honest review. I’m not affiliated with the company and all observations and opinions here are my own. Hifi Boy OSV3 on Penon Audio...

A Digital Audio Player (DAP) with a dual-core processor, bi-directional Bluetooth with aptX HD, class A headphone amplifier and balanced Pentaconn 4.4 mm output? Meet the Acoustic Research AR-M200. Acoustic Research has been innovating high-end audio equipment for over 60 years. A few years ago they made a strong entry into the DAP market with their AR-M2 and AR-M20 models respectively. In an effort to keep up with the frantic pace of development in the segment they recently released a new DAP; the AR-M200. Let’s take a closer look. At the time of...

There has been a somewhat limited number of choices lately when it comes to high-quality portable, closed back headphones. The Campfire Audio Cascade looks to fill that gap and that is what we’ll be looking at today. Anyone who has an interest in high-end earphones surely knows the Campfire Audio name. Heck, even those who don’t own any TOTL IEMs are likely familiar with it. In almost all earphone discussions from the budget entry-level to the pinnacle products, you’ll see the brand mentioned again and again. People are always asking how X, Y, Z...

Wireless earphones are all the rage right now and we’re seeing more of them all the time. Not only that, there are also more that are offering Active Noise Cancelling (ANC). In the past, these features together were reserved for higher-end models with prices to match. But what if you want wireless and ANC but you’re on a budget? The Linner NC50 wireless earphones with Bluetooth 4.1 and ANC could be exactly what you need. Coming in at $69 these earbuds have 13 hours of music or talk time, an IPX4 sweat-proof rating and they actually sound pretty...

What is a juggernaut? According to the Oxford dictionary, it's "a huge, powerful, and overwhelming force or institution." When I think of Sennheiser, that's one word that comes to mind. So welcome folks, to my review of the Sennheiser IE 800 S. Recently Sennheiser released an upgrade to their venerable IE 800 in-ear monitor and that is what we're looking at today. For a long time, Sennheiser has indisputably been one of the top names in the audio world and that doesn't look to be changing anytime soon. From entry-level to top of the line, they have...

I like peaches. Is that relevant here? Maybe, maybe not. And what does that have to do with the Phatlab Phantom Pure Class-A Full-Balanced Tube Headphone Amplifier? Let's jump into the review and I'll tell you about it. Every now and then something turns up on my doorstep that presents a real challenge. The Phatlab Phantom is one of those things. I didn't really know what to expect from it in a sonic sense but boy oh boy, physically it was quite a first impression. It's safe to say that I have never reviewed anything like this before. When I...

If you haven't heard of iFi Audio yet, then you're probably fairly new to the world of personal audio. Either that or you've been living under a rock for the last couple of years. There's nothing wrong with that though; I'm just alluding to the large presence the company has fostered within the community over the last couple of years. In today's review, we'll be taking a look at the nano iOne DAC to see and hear what it's all about. Let dive in. iFi's products usually pack loads of features into a fairly small form factor (hence the 'micro' & 'nano'...

M-Fidelity SA-50 introduction Hi there PA fam, and welcome to another review. Today I'm looking at the M-Fidelity SA-50 custom in-ear monitor. This custom in-ear monitor has an organic, smooth sound that is still resolving and detailed. The SA-50 was released recently and is the newest flagship offering from M-Fidelity. These monitors contain 5 high-quality balanced armature drivers and a 4 way, hard-wired, passive crossover system. The SA-50 is one of the more affordable TOTL customs available but is definitely still competitive with pricier...