Introduction   Why am I here? Am I seeking an endgame all-in-one audio device? Am I seeking an amplifier for every conceivable, non-electrostatic headphone? Am I seeking a sound that will draw me in, wisp me away on a magic carpet ride of sonic bliss, while enveloping my auditory senses in a cloud of ecstasy? The short answer to these questions is no. And please, just a moment of your time for an explanation below.   I am an audiophile - there, I said it. I admit it. I am enthusiastic beyond the norm regarding audio playback - with particular...

Intro   JDS Labs The Element is a DAC and AMP enclosed in an attractive small black box, intended for desktop use. It is 5.8 by 5.8 inches square and 1 inch tall. On top of the main enclosure is a large knob, 2.8 inches in diameter, and adding another 0.6 inches of height. When powered on, there is a ring of light that glows, beautifully illuminating the knob. The box has four rubber feet, which sit flush against the bottom, giving it a sturdy footing. It weighs just over a pound. It has a modern look and a solid feel. It is a sharp contrast from...

Intro   HRT microStreamer is a small silver box, powered by and fed audio via USB input, with separate 3.5mm outputs - one output to feed headphones directly using an internal amplifier and a second output for exclusive line-level to feed an external amplifier. It uses USB Audio Class 1.0, meaning the microStreamer has no drivers for Windows, yet is capable of audio playback up to 24-bit at 96kHz.   But none of this is what I want to write about - this thing is musical man  And what does that mean    It holds onto a fine edge:   Engaging...

Why are there no reviews for this?   The Schiit Fulla was released in December of 2014. It is a made in the USA integrated DAC and headphone amplifier. Though Schiit would always say buy your DAC and amp separately to save upgrade money later, in this part of the market convenience is king - joining the components into a single box is pretty much mandatory for the sake of simplicity. And this product could not be simpler:   Plug one end of the provided USB cable into the Fulla, the other end into your computer. The computer provides both the...

There is certainly a design intent for these headphones. An engineer at some point sat down to create these phones, and I believe she walked away from the experience and effort with a certain satisfaction in the results. Why do I say this? It is because I am listening to these phones as I write this review. And I am enjoying what I hear.   In the simplest review possible, I could call the Beyerdynamic DT-831 an anti-bass headphone in a sealed form. But that would almost completely miss the point. These phones are intended to be musical, detailed...