These day's there are a plethora of excellent options to help get more out of a basic Computer Audio System and for a lot of music lovers these systems are excellent! But, if your like us, then your likely curious about that next level. For this review we wanted to take a look at the iFi Audio iDSD Neo as an excellent gateway into the next level of Computer Audio playback! More than Just Sound Quality While sound quality is often first and foremost what we're looking for from an upgrade or step into that "next level," features and added convince...

In the many years I've enjoyed in this hobby I've owned a few AKG Headphones, each was special and unique in their own way. Still they always had quirks, some of which made them truly one of a kind like the magical mids of the bass light K501 others like the original K550 were truly outstanding... when you maintained perfect posture and stillness sufficient for it to actually retain it's seal. With the sale of Harmon to Samsung many in the hobby including my self worried about what would happen to AKG. I'll admit that their most recent flagship...

In a world with so many options and ever decreasing levels of distortion one has to ask what separates the many acceptable solid state amplifiers from the truly great! There's a dozen designs that all push the lower limits of measurable distortion, all of which falls far below our human threshold of hearing. To explore that concept I figured it would be worthwhile to start by having a set standard for absolute greatness, and I'm happy to say the Bricasti M3 with Headphone is exactly that for me. After years of reviewing and Hi-Fi show demo's, press...

I want to start by thanking Andy of Cayin for giving me a chance to hear the N6ii with both it's A01 and T01 modules thru a brief in home demo. I've had a chance to hear quite a few of the Cayin Digital Audio Players over the years and they've always impressed me! Some history for my self, I am a happy owner of a Hifiman HM901 that I run exclusively line out into a Custom iBasso PB2 amp. Sound quality of this system has for years been unchallenged by all of the modern Digital Audio Players I've heard. Still this old vintage player has terrible...

TR-Amp is a new portable Dac/Amp from Earmen priced at 249.99 via their website, for those who don't know Earmen is the portable division of Auris Audio. Based in Serbia Auris develops a wide array of tube amplifiers and digital audio products built around the idea that equipment should not only sound beautiful but look just as good! Now I've had a chance to hear and review a few products from Auris including the Euterpe which I also helped organize a US Tour for. As a fan of their products I'm happy to now have a chance to review their Earmen...

As a huge fan of the Topping D10 I was excited to hear about the E30, and after a few weeks of listening I'm happy to say my excitement was warranted! Priced at only $130 over at Apos Audio, E30 redefines what we should expect from DACs at this price point. Let me also give a big thank you to the Apos Team who provided me with a review sample of this DAC in exchange for my honest thoughts and opinion. Build Quality & Function Similar to D10 and Schiit's own Modi 3, E30 features a modest but functionally competent metal chassis. It's construction...

Introducing the Dan Clark Audio X Drop Aeon Flow Open X , I'd like to start by thanking Drop for giving me the chance to review headphone. This is a Dan Clark Audio Aeon Flow Open tuned by the Drop Team, so it's a collaboration! Having not heard the original tho I can't say what they've changed. Price is at $499 via Drop. I did receive this just before launch on a temporary in home demo with the understanding that I share my thoughts of my own accord without any compensation. Moving forward tho I'll be shortening the Aeon Open X by Dan Clark Audio...

The Jade II from Hifiman is their first mass production foray into an entry level electrostatic headphones. While there was an original Jade manufactured and distributed, it's difficult to find and apparently quality and frequency response varied from unit to unit. Non the less here in 2019 Jade has resurfaced and been brought back to life! The headphone itself is available for $900 via the Hifiman website with an optional amplifier for $1600. Seeing as Electrostatic headphones operate vastly different from traditional planar-magnetic or dynamic...

Featuring the THX AAA 888 linear bipolar amplifier circuit, SMSL SP 200 is the newest product from SMSL line of Audiophile Headphone amplifiers. It's available stateside for $289 via Apos Audio who were kind enough to ship me a loaner unit to listen to and review. That said my thoughts are my own and I received no compensation for them. Build Quality SMSL SP200 is built well, aside from the odd slant I found no real problems with build quality. Power, gain and input are controlled by one of three switches. Each switch has a smooth firm action and is...

Cobalt is the latest flagship from from the Audioquest Dragonfly series of portable dongle style digital audio converter with built in amplification products. Price new is currently at $299, the unit I've gotten in for review is a temporary loan from Todd of TTVJ and I was not compensated for my thoughts. Just to set the tone, I don't feel at this time the Cobalt is competitive given the iFi xDSD is on the market and even at the xDSD's full $399 asking price I feel it's overall just a better product given all factors. So that said here's what I...

I don't often hand out five star ratings but I really feel Auris has nailed this product. An given their target market and overall performance I really do think this is on of those rare products that earns and deserves it's 5 star rating! The Euterpe is their newest all in one Dac Linear Tube Amp with PreAmp all in one an it's retailing in the US for $1700. I heard it first at Axpona this year with my Mr.Speakers Aeon Flow Closed and right away I went straight to listening to it with a few other dynamics. An in those short few moments with my own...

I figured for my first ever wireless headphone review I'd start out with an Audio Technica Product! I've typically found their products usually meet my criteria in this $150 price point. That said, I did receive the ATH ANC700BT at not cost as a review sample from an indsutry assocaite. Build Quality and Function The ATH ANC700BT feels good in the hand. Plastic is light weight but not flimsy, gimbals and headphones have a smooth swivel and just enough flex to accommodate larger heads. Headphone paired easily with cell phone and seamlessly switched...

So up for review/comparison is a Modded APPJ pa1502a an stock G1217 Project Ember II and a stock Schiit Valhalla 2 My Ember II has a CNC Chassis 1940 Vintage Sylvania 6sn7 JAN CHS VT231 Bottom Getter Flash Clear Top - $455 as tested if bought New Ember II Assembled - $390 6sn7 Adapter - $26 1940 Vintage Sylvania 6sn7 JAN CHS VT231 Bottom Getter Flash Clear Top - $39 [Though it's the longest established and can be gotten second hand for closer to $350 often with upgraded Tubes or you can opt to assemble it your self and save a little there too]...

This is more of a 3 way comparison with the Valhalla 2 proving it self to be the strongest overall performer! So up for review/comparison is a Modded APPJ pa1502a an stock G1217 Project Ember II and a stock Schiit Valhalla 2 My Ember II has a CNC Chassis 1940 Vintage Sylvania 6sn7 JAN CHS VT231 Bottom Getter Flash Clear Top - $455 as tested if bought New Ember II Assembled - $390 6sn7 Adapter - $26 1940 Vintage Sylvania 6sn7 JAN CHS VT231 Bottom Getter Flash Clear Top - $39 [Though it's the longest established and can be gotten second hand for...

Every once and a while I stumble upon a product that seems to transcend whatever you plug it into, a product that just pulls out detail and presents it with a lifelike naturalness whether your listening with a cell phone, cheapo laptop or top of the line Hi-Fi system. An frankly the only thing I've heard recently that does exactly this is the Audeze MX4. Tuned with the LCD X drive but utilizing the double fluxor magnetic array found in the LCD-4 series I found that most times you can simply plug it into the most basic audio playback devices and...

Every once and a while I stumble upon a product that seems to transcend whatever you plug it into, a product that just pulls out detail and presents it with a lifelike naturalness whether your listening with a cell phone, cheapo laptop or top of the line Hi-Fi system. An frankly the only thing I've heard recently that does exactly this is the Audeze MX4. Tuned with the LCD X drive but utilizing the double fluxor magnetic array found in the LCD-4 series I found that most times you can simply plug it into the most basic audio playback devices and...

Fiio's Q5 is a portable DAC/Amp featuring a dual AK 4490EN Chipset and a focus on wireless connectivity via BluTooth. Priced at $349 via Amazon, the Q5 also has a module Amp design with a dedicated 3.5mm sigle ended line out, dedicated digital Coax/Optical input and both 3.5mm single ended and 2.5mm fully balanced output for the headphone amp section. In terms of sound quality, I found the USB Performance to be some what stuffy or hazy sounding. Overall it's performance was most impressive with Optical In and many of my subscribers and readers were...

Portable audio has always been on my radar. Back when I first assembled my desktop system my immediate next step was to replicate that level of quality in a portable system. An what I found is that I typically had to spend twice as much to get equivalent quality and often far less power. But that was almost 4 years ago. These days more and more companies are implementing high powered output via balanced amp typologies into their devices! Meaning that getting desktop reference quality audio on the go is becoming easier and easier, without needing the...

Portable audio has always been on my radar. Back when I first assembled my desktop system my immediate next step was to replicate that level of quality in a portable system. An what I found is that I typically had to spend twice as much to get equivalent quality and often far less power. But that was almost 4 years ago. These days more and more companies are implementing high powered output via balanced amp typologies into their devices! Meaning that getting desktop reference quality audio on the go is becoming easier and easier, without needing the...

Audeze's LCD 2 is a headphone that's long held a top spot in recommendations for an enjoyable but resolving listen for under $1,000 an it's certainly earned it! Though over the years it's sound signature has slowly changed just a little, leading to a lot of discussion of which revision is best and which people are referring to when they recommend it! With all this in mind I reached out to Audeze directly through a contact I met and was able to secure a listen of their two newest production models to compare alongside my older PreFazor Edition. So...