NITSCH x Schiit Pietus Maximus Review: Today I’ll be sharing my experiences with the NITSCH x Schiit Pietus Maximus paired with my headphone and DAC stable. I was fortunate enough to be able to purchase this DAC slightly before release and am choosing to share my impressions of my own decision. I’m not being compensated in any way for this review and as always, my viewpoint will be unfiltered. My preferences may be different from yours and I welcome this. My review chain is as follows: Schiit Modi Multibit 1, Modi Multibit 2, Bifrost 2 OG...

First off I'd like to thank my wife, for allowing me to buy more audio crap I probably don't need. This review will be more of a quick rundown of how I feel about the MMB2 as opposed to a full on review. With that out of the way let's talk about the Modi Multibit 2, which I'll be referring to as the MMB2. This is a refresh of the very long running Modi Multibit which really brought a lot of attention to Schiit when introduced. It offered a similar sound to the Bifrost MB at a fraction of the price and size. Those with hopes this...

Questyle M15 - This review is going to be a stream of thoughts and impressions. I hope you enjoy. Today on my desk I've got the Questyle M15. The M15 at this point has a strong following and I've been determined to see if that following would stand up past the initial release hype. Questyle has promised a full CMA implementation in this tiny dongle with power consumption and running temps that are in check - we'll see if they have held up to that goal in this review. Before receiving the device I did what any sane person would do - research...

Aune X1s GT The original Aune X1 was introduced over 11 years ago. Think about that, 11 years! Upon it’s release the X1 quickly became a fan favorite. It provided a strong Dac/Amp combination performance and to this day there are a huge amount of these in circulation. They’ve proven reliable, they sound great and Aune is still selling them well. With the Aune X1s GT we’re entering the 8th generation of this product. While from a glance each generation has shared the same shape internally there have been massive upgrades and complete redesigns...

CMA Fifteen Review: Today I bring you a glimpse into experiencing the new Questyle CMA Fifteen current mode amplifier and ES9038Pro DAC/Pre. While this new unit from Questyle at glance is strikingly similar to the previous flagship model, the Twelve, similarities stop there. There are some stark differences under the immaculately crafted hood that we’re going to be going over today. Before we start however let’s get some disclaimers and information out of the way. Questyle as a company has undergone some major changes at a...

Earlier in the Gryphon thread I had posted some early impressions and comparisons of the xDSD Gryphon compared to some other units. While those impressions still stand after a good number of weeks I've become more familiar with the device and would be happy to share my full review. The xDSD Gryphon to me strikes a fantastic balance between neutrality and musicality. The device is linear with a wide sound stage yet doesn't let the analytical nature of modern devices take over. Going forward let's cover my thoughts on the features and sound quality of...

Focal Elegia Review: I want to start off giving thanks to Todd of TTVJ for putting these up for tour. He has offered all types of different equipment for us to experience and this definitely doesn’t go unnoticed in the community. My first experience with Todd was when on a tour for a quite pricey Audioquest power conditioner. I tried for the life of me but couldn’t rationally put a review on something in which I couldn’t tell a difference in my chain. Still, thanks to Todd I learned that in my situation I wouldn’t benefit from...

It's that time folks! I've got a new offering from Aune in the form of a powerful portable amplifier resting in my hands. Before I start with the juicy details I'll start with a little info about myself. I listen to a wide variety of music however my test tracks vary from EDM, classic rock, classical, alternative and everything in between.. alright alright.. no country :) I'm an over ear kind of guy as IEMs don't get me where I need to go when it comes to musical enjoyment. On a side note, I'm not being compensated in any way for this review. My...

    Today is my long overdue review of the Cayin i5. I had trouble getting this review complete due to a holiday emergency and a slow recovery however, better late than never.  *disclaimer* I've received this unit on a tour for a week in exchange for my honest opinion. I am not affiliated with Cayin nor am I being compensated in any way so the following will be unbiased, honest and true to my experience with the i5.            Looking at the build quality both impresses and also leaves things to be desired. Here we've got a great metal feel...

 I've been given a chance to review the soon to be released Burson Conductor Air, which I'm quite thrilled to do given the form factor and specs of this unit. I'll be comparing it to a few other DAC/Amp combos I own and have heard extensively. This includes a Burson V5 OpAmp equipped Asus Essence STX, the legendary Galaxy S Voodoo Mod + FiiO E11 Combo and Schiit's Bifrost 4490+Asgard 2. The headphones I'll be using will be the Hifiman HE-400i, Beyerdynamics DT770, and Ultrasone Pro 900's.          I like keep my thoughts fairly brief and highlight...

 So I've gone ahead and upgraded my STX using the Burson V5 Dual Opamps (x3), I've seen quite a few in this thread ask if upgrading opamps in general is really worth it so here are my impressions, YMMV of course.        Before I start it should be known that I've owned my Essence STX since 2009.. yeah, I had to look up how long. I only know this because I purchased it at the same time Windows 7 was released. This card has lasted through MANY computers and headphones, I don't think it'll ever stop working. It has sat above hot running GPUs (fermi)...