Backstory and Disclaimer: I reviewed the Shanling M3S back in 2017 and wasn't a fan of its wheel based UI. So when Shanling released the M2X, which had a touch screen based UI, it got me interested and I personally got in touch with them, expressing my interest regarding the M2X. Shanling was kind enough to provide me an M2X free of charge in exchange for a review on Twister6.com and Head-Fi. Review: M2X is an entry-level to mid-range DAP from Shanling that retails for $220. For full specifications, please visit Shanling's M2X page. The device comes...

Acknowledgement: I would like to thank Simgot for providing me with a pair of the Simgot EM2 free of charge in exchange for my review. Introduction: I reviewed the Simgot's EN700PRO, which was a single DD IEM with a very nice balanced tuning. When I learnt Simgot was coming out with a hybrid line-up, I was looking forward to it. After reading reviews on EM3 and EM5 which appear to be brightly tuned IEMs, I knew they were not my cup of tea. So when Simgot reached out to me if I was interested in reviewing either the EM3 or the EM5, I turned down the...

Acknowledgement: I would like to thank Ruizu for providing the X18 free of charge in exchange for a review Introduction: Ruizu is a brand based in China that manufactures compact MP3 players. While they have been on the market for a few years now, their product line up seems to have matured in terms of features. For example the X18 and other current generation players have bluetooth while the previous generations players do not. Its important to note that X18 is not a high-resolution player targeted at discerning audiophiles. Its more of a...

Acknowledgement: I would like to thank FLC Technologies and MusicTeck for providing the FLC 8N IEM for the review. This review was originally posted on Twister6.com back in August. Introduction: Tuning Systems on IEMs have existed for many years (AKG K3003, RHA T20, Dunu IEMs, Sennheiser IE80, ES Velvet etc) and is implemented in many ways. But not a single IEM came even close to FLC 8S’ 36 possible tuning options when it was released in 2015. Although, I would argue that some of the combinations wouldn’t be practical or applicable for real time...

Acknowledgement: I would like to thank Sennheiser for providing the IE80S for review. This review was originally posted on Twister6's review blog and now I would like to share it on Head-Fi. Introduction: Sennheiser hardly needs an introduction in the headphone community. Although, they may be best known for their over-ear headphones, their portfolio is not limited to just headphones. Sennheiser has a line-up of IEMs and earbuds in various price ranges, suitable for different use cases and budget. Among the IEM collection, the models from the IE...

Acknowledgement: I would like to thank Andrew from www.MusicTeck.com for sending me the Simgot EN700 PRO for review. Introduction: Simgot is an IEM manufacturer from China that caught the attention of many audiophiles due to their IEM's faceplate design resembling the HiFiMan's HE1000 headphone. Their first IEM from Simgot to hit the market was EN700, followed by a Bass version called the EN700 BASS. But it wasn't until Simgot came out with the PRO version, that the community stopped and looked as they had come with a pretty nicely tuned IEM that...

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: I would once again like to thank @Barra for letting me take part in the Dream tour and, giving me the opportunity to try the IEM. INTRODUCTION: Dita Audio has always had a fan base for its DD bass and the importance they give to the build, aesthetics and cable. While the company did release a couple of limited edition Truth versions for a higher mark-up, the IEMs that made the primary line-up were still a mid-tier category, at least in terms of the pricing. And from what I have heard, their IEMs punch above their pricepoint and was...

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: I’d like to thank Calvin at Music Sanctuary for a discount on the purchase of the cable, in exchange for my honest review on the cable. INTRODUCTION: In the cable market, what I have noticed is, the cables that get the most attention are either the expensive hi-fi cables or the entry-level upgrade cables. So it is essential for a cable manufacturer to have a compelling contender as the entry level cable. The No.5 is PW Audio’s entry level upgrade cable made of OCC Copper Litz wires. BUILD & COMFORT: The build quality of the No.5 is...

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: I would like to thank Andrew from MusicTeck for sending me the M3S for review. I would also like to thank Frankie from Shanling for reaching out to me and helping me with some of the questions I had on the device. INTRODUCTION: M3S is Shanling's entry level DAP in the $300 tier. Unlike the first generation M3 which was on the bulky side, M3S is a complete overhaul in terms of design and functionality. The M3S comes in a sleek streamlined body packed with plenty of features. HARDWARE: (10/10) The all-black design of the Black...

INTRODUCTION: Following the success of their entry into the portable in-ear market, with the introduction of iSine 10 and 20, Audeze has added a flagship IEM to its line-up called the LCD i4. The i4 follows the same form factor as the iSine series, but borrows some of the technology gone into Audeze’s full-size flagship, the LCD-4. This has allowed Audeze to achieve a higher level of performance on the i4 than the iSine series. BUILD, STOCK CABLE & CASE: i4’s build feels very solid as its housing is made of metal. The front and back metal casings...

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: I would like to thank @Barra and @x_RELIC_x for giving me this opportunity to be part of the Hugo2 review tour. I truly enjoyed my time with the Hugo 2. INTRODUCTION: Chord and their products need very little introduction. Hugo and Mojo revolutionized the portable audio realm with their sound quality and driving power in a small portable package. Hugo 2 is an update to the original Hugo DAC. While the original Hugo was already great in terms of sound quality and power, Chord wanted to push the envelope further by incorporating...

INTRODUCTION: Paw Gold is a high resolution music player from the brand Lotoo, owned by, Beijing Infomedia Electronic Technology Co. Ltd.. The device sports an industrial looking design, with a focus on functionality. The gold accents suggest the premium stature of the product. Given the fact that, the device has been around for 2 years, and quite a lot of information on the device can be found on the internet (LPG Thread, Head-Fi Reviews, Manufacturer’s Website), let me take the liberty, to jump straight into the sound impressions of the device.  ...

INTRODUCTION: I would like to thank @Jack Vang of Empire Ears, for the discount on my purchase of the Zeus-XIV-ADEL Custom IEM and for giving me the opportunity to review the IEM. I would also like to thank Steve Keeley aka @Canyon Runner of Asius Technologies, for providing me with MAM and B1 ADEL modules for the review. Empire Ears launched the Zeus, the first 14 driver production model IEM, around the end of 2015. Halfway into 2016, they launched a retuned Zeus, called the Zeus-R. In September, 2016, EE announced they will be partnering with...

INTRODUCTION: A couple of months back, I had a chance to compare a few IEM upgrade cables and, I realized a good upgrade cable could unlock the real potential of an IEM. Even before I ordered my Empire Ears Zeus Custom IEM, I was sure I wanted an upgrade cable to go with it. After all, I had read that Zeus scales higher with a good cable.   After some research I decided to buy a cable from Effect Audio. Jack helped me get in touch with Suyang and Eric of Effect Audio, who assisted me with my purchase. Eric was very responsive to my emails and was...

INTRODUCTION: I received the Soundaware M1 Pro as part of the US Review Tour:    http://www.head-fi.org/t/816896/review-tour-for-soundaware-2016m1-m1pro-femto-dual-clocks-digital-player-with-proprietary-fpga-architecture   Many thanks to Soundaware, for offering this wonderful opportunity to review their product. What follows is my honest review of the product.   HARDWARE: The unit had a solid build with excellent finishes. UI interface itself was Ok. The responsiveness of the firmware is not great. It takes one to few seconds on certain...

INTRODUCTION:   Vibro Labs announced a review tour for their IEM, Aria in the US and I did not want to miss the chance. The first time I heard the name Vibro was when someone mentioned their IEM measuring equipment Vibro Veritas, which is an affordable equipment that anyone (with some learning definitely) can use to measure their IEM's characteristics such as Frequency Response etc. (I am sure it can measure many more aspects but my knowledge on the subject is limited). And then when I googled for Vibro, what showed up in the video results, piqued...

PRODUCT INFO: Following their success with the Hugo DAC, Chord Electronics released a much more portable solution, targeted at mobile users, called the Mojo. MoJo stands for Mobile Joy. It retails for $599.     INTRODUCTION: Just within a few months, after I bought a set of Sennheiser IE80 and a Fiio X3ii, I wanted to upgrade to a High-End setup. I demoed and bought the 64-Audio A-10. When I demoed the A-10, I felt the A-10 was not performing to the best of its capabilities. Twister6 who owns a 64 Audio U-12 (Universal form of the A-12 which is...

DISCLAIMER:  I purchased the A-10 Custom IEM from 64-Audio directly, as a part of the ‘Audio Enthusiast Program’, that was run by 64-Audio in March 2016. The terms of this promotion were: ‘the buyer will be offered a 15% discount off the price of any ADEL IEM at the time of purchase, under the agreement that, the buyer promises to write an honest, unbiased review’. PRODUCT INFO & SPECIFICATIONS: A-10 is a 10 Driver Custom fitted IEM from 64-Audio, featuring the ADEL Technology. Per 64-Audio's website, this is a reference monitor, suitable for...