I would like to thank @Andykong for providing a review sample of the RU7 and additional technical information as required. This review is an extract from the The Superdongles feature in The Headphone List. I have a real soft spot for Cayin, even though I haven’t owned a Cayin music player since my very first DAP, the Cayin N3, several years ago now. I briefly flirted with Cayin’s RU6, given my preference for ‘analogue’ R2R DACs, but found it redundant alongside the more powerful R2R DAPs I used at the time (and still do), nor the most resolving...

I’d like to thank Vlad and @bogdan belonozhko for sending us a sample Radon 6 for this review, without any guidance or influence into how we’ll write it. Their enthusiasm for the community is infectious, and a big factor in FiR’s thriving popularity. Introduction FiR Audio’s Frontier series has been making headlines for all the right reasons for the past two years or so. With so much new technology and innovation crammed into the three founding Foundation members: Neon 4 (Ne4), Krypton 5 (Kr5) and Xenon 6 (Xe6 – reviewed here), the series is a...

Introduction Aside from a few notable exceptions, it’s rare for a new IEM to come along and completely change the game. FiR Audio’s Xenon 6 (Xe6), flag bearer of the Washington-based company’s Frontier Series that debuted in late 2021/early 2022, is one such IEM. The entire Frontier series can be said to be pushing the boundaries with FiR’s Kinetic Bass technology in particular, but Xe6 is radically different over and above all the new technology crammed inside its small, shiny shells. From the very first listen, it’s obvious that this is an IEM...

Introduction When I heard the first rumours about a new flagship IEM from HiBy it took me by surprise, not because I didn’t know HiBy was in the IEM business, but because, until now, their efforts were mostly lower-priced companion IEMs for their outstanding range of DAPs. Zeta is far more than that. It’s a premium tribrid flagship IEM that combines nine drivers in each titanium-steel earpiece, including four of Sonion’s newly-released third-generation electrostats. It also features a five-way crossover and five independent tubes that connect and...

Introduction Custom Art is the brainchild of Piotr Granicki, a hobbyist like so many of us that, in pursuit of his ideal sound, decided to make his own IEMs to get what he couldn’t find elsewhere. The result is a company now going 10-years strong, with an impressive and growing collection of IEMs that have found favour from as many performing artists as they have audiophile enthusiasts. FIBAE 5 is the company’s first attempt at a tri-brid IEM, and in true Custom Art fashion, goes against the ‘norm’ with an unusual combination of dynamic driver...

Introduction It’s always interesting when a cable company ventures into IEM design, but unlike Effect Audio’s previous homegrown effort, Axiom, they’ve partnered with a specialist IEM maker in Elysian Acoustic Labs for their new collab, Gaea. QM Lee, the mastermind behind Elysian’s now-famous Annihilator and X flagship IEMs, is renowned for his tuning prowess. Going against the grain of bass-fronted designs, his IEMs are in essence perfect contradictions, often featuring strident, elevated midrange or treble that somehow still presents as silky...

Introduction I’ve been getting to know Effect Audio’s range of bespoke cables over the past year or so, including the original Cleopatra, and I consider the company quite bold in how it makes and markets its entry-level and midrange cables. To me, EA is synonymous with value for performance, and as you move up through the tiers, elegance as well. While new Signature Series cables – specifically the Ares S I was fortunate enough to test earlier this year – set a new benchmark for entry-level upgrade cable quality, Cleopatra II represents quite a...

Note: this is a condensed version of the regional review which is published on The Headphone List. Introduction Campfire Audio is a name that needs no introduction, but here’s one anyway. In 2009, Ken Ball started a small boutique audio cable company in the green city of Portland, Oregon, called Audio Line Out, better known today as ALO Audio. From those humble beginnings the company evolved, and then split in two, with Ken’s sister company, Campfire Audio, introducing handcrafted in-ear monitors to the product line. Fast-forward six years and 45...

Preface: I was sent a review sample of the Meze Advar as part of the global Tour (thank you @Andykong). Prior to reviewing, I spent two days burning in the drivers, though didn’t make any notes on burn-in changes. I was also sent Meze’s 4.4mm balanced cable for Advar as part of the tour package, which is available separately for $149 direct from Meze. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own, based on my music library and preferences. Introduction Meze is a company that has always impressed me, first and foremost, with...

Full disclosure: HiBy kindly sent me a sample of the HiBy R5 Gen 2 in exchange for my honest review, without any expectations. Due to shipping delays and other unforeseen circumstances, publishing this review has taken me longer than anticipated. Introduction They say the best stories are the ones with a twist you weren’t expecting. In the case of the HiBy R5, now in its second generation, there are not one but two exciting twists that make this midrange digital audio player a standout: class-leading battery life, and Class A amplification...

I received a review unit of the VE Elysium EXTended (EXT) as part of the official VE South African Tour, which also included the new all-BA Phönix flagship. The tour was made possible by Marcel and Jonas at @Vision Ears, and I’d like to once again EXTend my thanks to the VE team for their generosity of spirit and enthusiastic support of our far-flung community. Introduction While I haven’t been fortunate enough to hear the original Elysium for myself, that IEM’s reputation preceded it. Famed for its ‘peerless’ midrange, I was less enthused with...

I received a review unit of the VE Phönix as part of the official VE South African Tour, which also included the new VE Elysium EXTended (review to follow soon). The tour was made possible by Marcel and Jonas at @Vision Ears, and I am humbled and grateful that they saw it fit to send their new flagships to my part of the world, asking for nothing but my honest opinion in return. These guys know a thing or two about impeccable service, so thank you, sincerely. Preface Believe it or not, Phönix is my very first experience of a Vision Ears IEM. For...

Full disclosure: @EffectAudio sent me an Axiom review sample on loan, without any expectations other than my honest opinion and write-up. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own, based on my personal preferences, music selection, and mood swings. Singapore-based boutique cable maker Effect Audio has been a very active company of late. Between new Roman-themed gold-infused cables (that literally cost their weight in gold) and interesting takes on modular connectors (at both ends of the cable), it seems Effect Audio is looking to...

Once in a while, I come across a product in this hobby that doesn’t quite fit into the normal boxes. iFi’s xDSD Gryphon (or just Gryphon if you’ll allow me) is a good example. Combining elements from two previous products – xCan and xDSD – and adding some interesting new tech of its own, Gryphon is a new portable DAC and headphone amp platform that combines many different technologies introduced and perfected in other iFi products into a compact, advanced, and very accomplished performer. In doing so, it ambitiously aims to cover multiple bases for...

Full disclosure: @iFi audio sent me a sample GO blu in exchange for my honest review, and the opinions expressed herein are entirely my own. My review unit was supplied by AudioExchange, South Africa's official iFi reseller. Introduction iFi is no stranger to the head-fi community, having established itself over the past few years with a range of well-received source gear for almost any use case and budget. The UK-based company is actually a subsidiary of Abbingdon Music Research (AMR), one of the UK’s largest manufacturers of high-end audio...

Full disclosure: HiBy sent me a review sample of the RS6 in exchange for my honest feedback and a comprehensive review. No other expectation was made of me, nor any deadlines set to deliver. They were also fast on the draw to sort out some technical issues that befell my particular unit, and I’d like to extend a special mention and thank you to @Joe Bloggs who was instrumental in making it happen. That said, the opinions expressed in this review – for better or worse – are entirely my own. If you haven’t read my first impressions overview of the...

Full disclosure: Empire Ears sent me an EVO sample in exchange for a full and honest review. It’s not mine to keep, and if I want it, I need to buy it, like everyone else. The views and opinions expressed herein are entirely my own. Also: The review features an exclusive Q&A with @Jack Vang about the motivation, challenges, and design of EVO, so you can enjoy some insights direct from the source. I’ve included Jack’s comments as ‘spoilers’ throughout the review, so you can choose to read it with or without his input. First, some context...

Effect Audio needs no introduction in the world of bespoke IEM cables. Founded by Sy (Zou Su Yang) in 2009, EA quickly became one of Singapore’s go-to companies for custom cables, and remains so to this day. I’ve personally had limited experience of EA’s products to date, the Ares II – which I received as the stock cable with the Empire Ears Legend X – was technically my introduction to the brand, but Cleopatra is my first exposure to the type of cable that put Sy on the map as an innovator and groundbreaker. The pitch Cleopatra forms part of...

Full disclosure: Sennheiser sent me a sample IE 300 for review in exchange for my honest opinion, without any deadlines or expectations. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own, so feel free to PM me should you have any questions or comments about your own preferences or experiences. Introduction When Sennheiser launched the IE 300 as part of its new line of ‘audiophile’ IEMs earlier this year, it literally flew under my radar. Only recently, following the release of the IE 900 and my subsequent review of that incredible IEM...

Introduction It’s been quite a while since I last listened to a planar magnetic headphone, so when the great guys at Lumous Audio suggested I take the new entry-level Hifiman HE400se planar for a spin, I jumped at the chance. My previous experience with Hifiman is admittedly brief. I’ve sampled quite a few of the company’s headphones, from the early HE400 models, to the highly-respected HE1000, and most recently, the bar-setting flagship, Susvara, but haven’t spent serious time with any of them. Mostly though, I was intrigued that a name-brand...