Acknowledgment   

Thanks, @Andykong at Cayin, and @Takeanidea for organizing the UK wing of the worldwide extravaganza of i5 tour. It is always an honour to work with great companies and dear friends.
 

Introduction

I’d been trying to get my hands on a review unit of the i5 for a while through various contacts with Andy and I’d been following the i5 thread when @Takeanidea asked me if I’d been interested in joining the UK wing of the i5 worldwide tour he’d be organizing. Of course I said yes.
 
The i5 was has a customised Android 4.4.0 interface developed with HiBy (a Chinese audio company out of Donguan), and loads of features all built by a company that has repeatedly shown they really care what their consumers want by regularly interacting with the community on HeadFi. Andy regularly patrols the threads, is open to suggestions, and is honest about the limitations of devices offered by Cayin. Not only that, the i5 has full-on Google Play store implementation from the moment the unit is first powered on, which is something that is not common enough in Android DAPs—they all should do this! Other companies need to bite the damn bullet and get Google Play approval, don’t be dullards and laggards.
 

About the company

Cayin is a brand of Zhuhai Spark Electronic Equipment Co., Ltd., a company founded in 1993. Most folks outside of East Asia wouldn’t guess that Cayin has been in the audio biz for nearly 25 years, I know I didn’t. That’s because even though Cayin has been making amplifiers for decades, they’ve only recently in the grand scheme of audio dipped into portable audio. It took them 20 years to jump into our market (2013), but they’ve been kickin’ butt since they jumped in. Cayin products tend to have unique styling: the retro plastic cap of the C5 portable amp/[dac] (dac was added later), the flagship N6 DAP with its circular screen and image that makes me reminisce on UFO sightings and watching X-Files, the N5 with it’s screen that looks like it is running away from the left side of the player, racing off with the tire on the right (scroll wheel), and they haven’t disappointed with unique styling on the i5.
 

 
 
The first I ever heard of Cayin was the Cayin C5 portable headphone amplifier, which later got an upgrade to have a DAC in it too. The reputation of the amp at the time was that it was warm, musical, and powerful. I knew I was into the last couple, but I wasn’t sure if warm was the thing for me at the time coming from analytical scrappy RE0 iems. I’ve since discovered that whilst warm isn’t my preferred signature, it’s a nice vacation home for my ears—i.e. a good place to go to relax.
 
 

 
Needless to say, I’m excited to lay back and take this in. Does this i5 come with Shiatsu massage?
 
 

Vital Statistics (specs from manufacturers and distributors)

Cayin doesn’t throw down a bunch of marketing bovine excrement on their website, which is refreshing. There is a little bit of mangled English telling us that the player is precision crafted from a block of CNC machined aerospace aluminum; has versatile outputs; has fine sandblasted buttons that are nice to touch and easy to use; decodes SACD ISO, even with DST; and that the interface eloquently marries the sound output to an appealing playback interface.
 
These Chinese companies really need to have some native English speakers work on their marketing blurbs. I’ve seen way too many companies fumble when they try to output embellished descriptives of their gear. None of the words above were exactly what Cayin said. I thought I’d help out here. We all toss up a word salad from time to time—or review to review as is my condition.
 

 
 
 

Form & Function

DAPs are funny little things. Most sound good. It is my belief that a properly implemented DAP shouldn’t add anything to music or take anything away. It should be neutral by default. For those who don’t want neutral, headphones can adjust the sound, or EQ. As stated in my bio, I’m not really into EQ, so much so that I haven’t spent the time to learn its nuances and empower it as a deductive tool in analysing headphones like some other reviewers.
 

Build quality (physical characteristics)

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The i5 is a beautiful gunmetal grey brick of CNCed aluminum. It has etchings in the side that remind of old school Tron light lines.
 

 

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It is rectangular, as are most DAPs, but it has a curved top edge designed to highlight the rather unique and rather delightful volume pot. Some have previously noted that the volume pot is not entirely flush with the rest of the body. This has the unfortunate effect of making the pot rub against surfaces that the i5 is sitting on when it is not enrobed in its case. Luckily for me, this review unit came with with a leather protection case. Lucky for everyone else, volume control works digitally, and the smallest of movements of the knob will call up volume control on the screen. I love the feel of the volume knob. It feels natural and ergonomic to this right handed fellow. It has a nice smooth glide to the rotation while having a firm grip when you engage. I love the feel of the volume knob—yes, I know I just said that, it’s really really nice. For left handers, I imagine it isn’t so ergonomic. The volume has a large number of steps, and the two gain settings should allow fine tuning of volume level that will satisfy almost all users. I found that volume control was smooth and without distortion.
 

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In a pleasant surprise, the i5 comes with protectors installed on both the back and front, and spares for both sides. Every manufacturer should be doing this and it is totally awesome--try watching the clip below with sound off, it's hilarious.
 

 
 
The tests of the physical parameters of the player generally are above specifications. It is really refreshing to see a manufacturer report conservative numbers, unlike my experience with HiFiMAN DAPs that way underperformed their specifications. The battery life is especially impressive, but there is one caveat. All my tests were done on low gain, which should be good for basically any IEM. I found it interesting that the digital only transmissions (transport and Bluetooth) appear to bypass the amplifier circuit completely, resulting in much longer use. For those who are into Bluetooth, or want to use this as a slick transport, this is a nice surprise. That amp circuit must be consuming lots of juice even on low gain!
 

Operating system

The operating system was developed in partnership with HiBy, but is much more refined than the HiBy app I have had on my Android phone off and on. HiBy on my phone has always looked great, but suffered from stability issues on Android 4.4.2, so I keep trying it to see if they get it quite right and keep being disappointed. The HiBy implementation on the i5 is a different beast entirely.
 
I like the OS implementation, for the most part, but have some recommendations that I’ve shared with @Andykong. I have a firm dislike of the implementation of the Genre tab. Most folks looking into Genre will expect to see an album view, not an alphabetical list of tracks by Genre. Maybe I’m wrong, and people do like seeing tracks listed; if so then there should be a view switch to allow people to decide between album and track view. I also don’t like that there are forced categories. I’ve got a bunch of empty categories taking up the top of my screen. This is not useful and needs to go. The Genre view as currently organised does make setting up a Genre shuffle easy, which is one benefit. I’ve also suggested that album stacks be used as the view, similar to what you see in JRiver. The Artist view also needs a facelift. Currently it doesn’t show album art to represent artists, the JRiver stack approach, or just showing the album art for the first album from the artist would be a big improvement over showing silhouettes of nothingmen.
 
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I also found that I couldn’t effectively use the A..B..C… listing on the right side of the screen to navigate through my large library. I’ve suggested that the A..B..C… listing should be across the top of the menu. In addition to this right column being difficult to use, I’ve found that the edges of the screen are difficult to use with a case on. I find myself posting my finger against the leather to press screen buttons and struggling. A millimetre of difference on location of icons would settle the problem.
 
On positives, the Play store is fully and correctly integrated, unlike the upcoming Echobox Explorer or current Astell & Kern players. However, when using Google Play store, app downloads stalled if I tried to do more than one at a time. So take it nice and slow installing apps. Standard Android options are accessed how you would expect to access them, through a pull-down screen at the top. This pull down menu is also where you change the USB mode—this is how you use the USB DAC function, and is a place to quickly change gain settings. Additional settings, including: third-party applications (Play store), music scan, equalizer (10 band graphic) with cool curve display, sleep time (think old-school music playing alarm clocks), music settings (wealth of settings here), and an ‘about’ section; are found by swiping to from left to right. Most of these little tabs are pretty straightforward. Music settings has lots of options in it. You can change gain, digital filters (I pretty much always just use slow roll off), DSD gain compensation (+6dB is industry default), change SPDIF out from DoP to conversion, and a number of other settings that are pretty self-explanatory.
 
Something I really miss on the OS implementation, a back button and an active app display button. These are standard Android features and I found it baffling to be reduced to iOS-esque single button operation. There were no hardware or software buttons for these, and software buttons should really be implemented. The DAP doesn’t quite feel like Android due to these being missing and other skinning that has been done.
 

Other Features

The i5 features Bluetooth. I conferred with Andy about this and he indicated that it is Bluetooth 2.1, a quite out of date Bluetooth. In practice, I found that the Bluetooth was generally stable, and sounded decent, but did experience some drop-outs and judders. Whilst the Bluetooth version can’t be changed on this player, Andy told me that future DAPs from Cayin will have more up to date Bluetooth. One of my best Bluetooth dongles is 2.1 and non-aptX, so I people shouldn't expect a downgrade in sound quality because of the difference between aptX, Bluetooth 4.0, etc... I've written a bunch of Bluetooth headphone reviews, so I'd have a look at my review index, if you want more information.
 
When using WiFi, I found that the antenna was very weak. At the same distance from the router, my Note 2 gets five bars whilst the i5 only gets two bars. This weakness on WiFi was evident in interruptions in playback. Additionally, when using Tidal the controls were reversed for going forward and backward between tracks in a playlist. I also had some times when playback just stopped for no reason. With the Bandcamp app, I had some similar problems. Sometimes playback would stop, and I’d have to restart playback or restart the app entirely.
 
The i5 has my most loved feature in a DAP, the ability to act as a stand-alone DAC. I think that this should become a standard feature of all DAPs, but I can imagine that implementation is difficult, especially with an Android based DAP. The implementation on the i5 was pretty seamless. No problems with driver signing, just go to their webpage and install the driver on the computer (for Windows, didn’t try on Mac or Linux). To use the i5 as a USB DAC, you then need to slide down the top menu (standard placement of Android menu) and change the USB mode to DAC. In order for this to work the DAP needs to have firmware 2.0 or later. I really like that Cayin responded to customer requests and added this feature.
 
In addition to having the USB DAC function, the i5 also lists USB OTG as a feature and have included a small adapter to allow use of standard OTG cables. In the OS, the files view breaks down storage locations and shows USB OTG drives separately. I really like having the ability to expand storage beyond the players capabilities. Unfortunately, the OTG doesn’t just work when you plug in a drive. I tried a 128GB drive that works on my DX50, and it didn’t immediately add the tracks to the external storage. When just plugging it in gave me no joy I tried rescanning my library with it plugged in—no joy. I also did the same attempt with a  microSD card reader plugged into my USB OTG cable (this also works on DX50), and I still got no joy. So, on paper, this has USB OTG, which I like. In practice, I couldn’t get it to work.
 
As soon as I got the player, I was struck by the features, but also keenly aware that this player is not meant to be their flagship. It’s missing big internal storage. The Bluetooth is out of date. Unlike their other players, there is no balanced output. The OS isn’t perfected yet. I think that they’ll have another player out this or next year that will be an under $1000 flagship. We’ll see what the future holds for Cayin.
 

Audio quality

The i5 has excellent audio quality, but it takes a bit of time to get there. When I got the i5 it sounded too warm for me, like woollen blanket worn as a cape/cocoon round the house warm. The warmth inhibited detail and didn’t get the most out of the always impressive AK4490 DAC chip. I was disappointed and expressed this to @AndyKong. Andy told me to be patient, that the analogue circuit takes a while to settle and this is why he generally gives the first person on the tour two weeks time to audition—it needs 200 hours of burn in, he said. I don’t know about 200 hours, but I can certainly say that it opened up after 100 hours or so—I didn’t time the change as I generally don’t expect DAPs to need burn-in. After this approximate point the warmth subsided to a pleasant light touch, like a cozy pair of slippers rather than a full body enrobement. The treble also opened up and the soundstage expanded (these are correlated, as soundstage is basically all in the treble). Whereas before the details were veiled by a woollen blanket, they are now readily apparent. I really like the sound now. The sound is a softly warmed neutral, which means that there really isn’t much to talk about tonally.
When I plugged in the UERR with the Cayin i5 for the first time after it opened up, it was probably the best I’ve heard them sound in single ended operation since I got them. It really exposes how limited the DX50 is in comparison. One thing that I noted with the i5 is it hasn’t hissed on me. The Noble Kaiser 10 Encore (K10E) hisses on a lot of sources, but not on the i5. The UERR rarely hisses, but it does sometimes—not on the i5. I’ve spent a lot of time with both the UERR and the K10E on the i5 and I find myself having difficulty taking the headphones out of my ears when I have it on. The Trinity Audio Phantom Master 4 plays very nice with the i5 also.
 
The soundstage on these is large and well-defined after the burn in phase. Instruments operate well in space with good detail. The width is especially impressive.
 

Comparisons

Comparisons were done using the UERR for reference volume matched at 72dB. I find that the UERR is louder in ear than universals, which I usually match at 78dB. I made comparisons to the Aune M1S, HiFiMan SuperMini and iBasso DX50 in single ended mode. White noise is random, so there isn’t a set dB level, which means that my dB measurements are objectively monitored but subjectively averaged over a period of observation. I also compared the balanced operation of the Aune M1S and HiFiMAN SuperMini to the single ended operation of the i5 using a 2.5mm  TRRS to 3.5mm TRS adapter from Venture Electronics and a DIY 2.5mm TRRS to 3.5mm TRRS adaptor made by my friendly local wire and amp wizard. I have the UERR official Ultimate Ears balanced cable. I also made comparisons using the Noble K10E with the Effect Audio Ares II+ balanced cable using the same adaptors. Comparisons using the K10E were done with volume matching at 78dB, my standard listening level. The table below gives my settings information.
 
 

iBasso DX50

The DX50 soundstage has generally performed well in my tests, but comparing to the i5 the soundstage doesn’t have the depth or width that the i5 has. The i5 is also more neutral. The DX50 pushes mids a bit forward, the i5 doesn’t do that. Colouration on the i5 is more neutral. The i5 wins this audio duel with more natural presentation and impressive synergy with the UERR. With the Noble K10E, I have already determined that the iBasso DX50 doesn’t do excellent. Nothing makes the K10E sound bad, but it also doesn’t sound its best. On the DX50 I get hiss and don’t get the excellent soundstage that the Noble K10E is capable of outputting.
 
The DX50 is no longer in production, but its successors are reputed to be very good (haven’t heard them yet). The DX50, as mentioned earlier, has functional USB OTG. It also has a good OS with excellent physical buttons. The overall fit and finish of the i5 are easily better than the DX50. The DX50 does have that lovely removable battery. That is a feature that will be missed going forward. My wife's S3 just died, so now I have four DX50 batteries.
 

Aune M1S

The M1S has a similar tonality. On Pink Floyd – On the Run, the two players are very similar in presentation of stage, but the i5 has a bit better definition on the train announcement near the beginning of the track and in general. Stage height is a little better on the M1S. On Pink Floyd – Time, the clocks are more in your face and instrument separation is greater, the stage is also wider and deeper. The drums are bigger and bolder through the i5, there may be a little lift in this frequency range as the drums are further back in the stage on the M1S compared to the i5. Both have good full sounds to the drums, but the i5 is fuller in single-ended. When switched to balanced mode, the M1S pulls ahead with bigger stage and better definition.
 
The Aune M1S, like the i5 doesn’t hiss with the Noble K10E. With the Noble K10E and some good old Surfer Rosa highlights, Where is My Mind, the Aune M1S has a touch more subtlety with the restrained almost hiding male almost echo muttering backing vocals, but it doesn’t have quite the same amplitude on the ethereal female vocals. It climbs, but not quite to the height of the i5. The stage is significantly wider and a bit deeper on the M1S. Both sound amazing. The Aune M1S is about to get promoted to daily driver for a bit, both for the sound, and because I have to push this i5 on to @Ithilstone so he can get his review on.
 
The Aune M1S has a similar library scan speed, but doesn’t have any frills in the OS. It is black on white text with folder based browsing and rudimentary playlist making (limited to favourites). It is easily the least featured. It has the excellent volume control with three gain settings and clear distortionless micro-adjustments. The Aune also suffers from a bit of bugginess right now as the firmware is a work in process. Aune is working very  quickly, but there is still work to do. I think this will dance a bit more when the firmware is all sorted, it already sings beautifully. I narrowly prefer the sound of the M1S and like that it has a 2.5mm balanced jack, but every other comparison goes to the i5.
 

HiFiMAN SuperMini

The soundstage on the SuperMini isn’t the match of the M1S or the i5 in size, but it is just as well defined as either. The OS on the SuperMini doesn’t compete with the i5, but easily bests the M1S. The SuperMini doesn’t have adjustable gain and has one of the worst volume controls I’ve ever seen on a DAP, 32 steps is bad—it’s iPhone volume levels bad. It does drive the HD600 well, which, to my surprise, the i5 does pretty well too. I am getting a little bit more noise on the i5 and a little smaller sound stage and less dynamic sound.  The SuperMini drives the HD600 more cleanly and with a bit fuller sound. The i5 will do in a pinch for a 300 ohm headphone, but the SuperMini does it better. I also tested the HD800 on the SuperMini last weekend, it did an impressive job—a dedicated amp is necessary to really make the HD800 shine to its full solar flare brightness potential (I mean that in a good way). Unfortunately, I didn’t also test the HD800 on the i5. In my experience the HD800 is easier to drive but needs an amp that matches well to sound its best.
 
With the Noble K10E, the SuperMini hisses, like many DAPs. It also has a more muted sound and a smaller stage than its two primary competitors in the i5 and the M1S. Because of a little bit of veiling the dude-quiet vocals don’t pop out from hiding as much. The amplitude of the female vocal doesn’t reach the aeries of the i5 or the M1S. Again, you can’t make the Noble K10E sound bad in my experience, but the SuperMini wasn’t competitive versus the i5 or M1S here.
 

Conclusions

The i5 is deserving of all the laurels thrown at it this year. It projects a big stage with an inviting subtle warmth to its neutral tonality. It isn’t a detail king, but it surely won’t disappoint. The caveat is that all these laudible audibles require patience. The first 100 or more hours may sound warm and a bit closed in. If that is the sound you are looking for, you will be disappointed when the sound butterflies with a vengeance. Why do you like that caterpillar so much anyway?
 

 
When it comes to all the bells and whistles that come with an excellent DAP these days, the i5 has a USB DAC function, it has multiple gain settings and lots of play and power in the volume adjustments, it has Android with access to the Play Store, it has WiFi and Bluetooth, it has excellent battery life and an extremely clean and silent output. It is one of the best all around players under $500, and people need to check it out. It does have some fierce competition going forward this year, though, so we all should stay tuned.

Acknowledgment   

Thanks, Jomas’s Travel for supplying this review unit as a sample in exchange for my honest opinion.
 

 

Introduction

I’ve reviewed a lot of Bluetooth headphones, with my total now at six before this review is completed. Four out of six have been inexpensive units that have failed to be anywhere near giant killers, all in the below £25 price range. Most of these have sounded like average consumer headphones with inoffensive signatures that don’t move me in any way. This is not a recipe for audio pleasure. So far, my experience has been that you can get good to excellent sound from Bluetooth, but not under $50 (~$65). Ironically, I think that many of the people searching for a Bluetooth option are also the people who don’t want to spend $50 on any headphone. So these folks, those that could be wading into the shallow end of the steadily improving sound quality pool, will not partake of any auditory feast of wireless delectibles. They may not hear the 1MORE iBFree ($60 or £80), or the 1MORE MK802 ($150 or £150). They may take a look at these Syllable D700-2017 IEMs.
 
My first review of a Syllable headphone was not a successful one, and I have a feeling that the Syllable D900S was discontinued as I can’t find it anywhere and after ryanjsoo and I reviewed it at two stars or under all you can find is the out of date super low battery life D900 review by mark2410. So when I was contacted on Twitter by a Jomas’s Travel about reviewing a headphone and it turned out to be a Syllable product, I was surprised. I believe in second chances, so I said yes to reviewing the D700-2017.
 

A little bit of musing on bluetooth

Bluetooth is weird. There are a good many people who have stood on the position that all we need to hear is 320kbps MP3s. If this is so, than nobody needs the headphone jack and Apple has it right in getting rid of the archaic technology. I’ve had the privilege to hear a great variety of Bluetooth headphones, and I can say with confidence that the quality is improving, and that the quality is getting ever closer to rivalling the quality found in wired headphones. For those who listen exclusively to Redbook CD rips or can’t tell the difference between MP3 and 24/192, cables may already be obsolete—assuming sufficient battery life.
 
I have generally found that wired performance is better than Bluetooth performance, but it isn’t night and day. On the go, in loud environments, at the gym, Bluetooth may be preferable—you won’t hear the full fidelity of your music anyway.
 
Many Bluetooth headphones tout their use of aptX, but these Syllable D700-2017s don’t have it. I think we need to define what aptX does and doesn’t do a bit better. According to a 2016 What HiFi? article, AptX HD Bluetooth: What is it? How can you get it?, aptX is a coding algorithm created in the 80s that was popular with film studios and radio broadcasters. AptX claims to be able to play ‘CD-like’ audio quality, but when we examine what this means. ‘CD-like’ is 352kbps lossy music. It isn’t much better than the best quality MP3s. AptX HD boasts a bitrate of 576kbps, and has the ability to play 24-bit/48kHz audio—it’s still compressed and lossy, but higher quality lossy. Qualcomm also claims lower distortion in the mids and treble regions—that would be spiffy.
 
If you don’t have aptX you have a codec called SBC (subband coding). The Headphone List has an article that should be required reading for anyone thinking about their upcoming Bluetooth purchase. According to the linked article, SBC plays at a bitrate of 328kbps at a 44.1kHz sampling rate (at maximum quality), but with worse audio quality than a top quality 320kbps MP3. If you have an Apple device you may get AAC, which is designed to sound better than MP3 at similar bitrates.
 
The catch in all of this is that your ears will only get to hear the best codec that your transmitter and your receiver (the headphone) are capable of producing. If you are wielding an iPhone, aptX is just marketing, you don’t have it. If your phone doesn’t use it like the ZTE Axon 7 (as far as I know, not listed aptX anywhere), your aptX headphones will default to whatever quality SBC the phone is programmed to play—it might not be that 328kpbs high quality bitrate. Beyond this, headphones and transmitters with aptX aren’t necessarily better. I have an Aukey Bluetooth USB dongle that has aptX low latency, but my older Avantree SBC only BTTC-200 is better sounding with less noise. My new Avantree Priva II transmitter is better than the Aukey also. Both Avantree transmitters sound better than my Samsung Galaxy Note 2, which has aptX.
 
Another factor plays into whether your Bluetooth set-up sounds any good. Unlike your wired headphones, your Bluetooth headphones have the Bluetooth receiver, a DAC and an amplifier (as well as batteries) in the earpiece(s) or attached to the earpiece(s). The quality of those components may mitigate the quality of your source. If the amplification isn’t clean to the drivers, your source isn’t really going to matter too much.
 
Wireless headphones are just a lot more complicated than wired headphones. With wired headphones you know exactly what you are getting in the signal chain much of the time. This isn’t the case with Bluetooth headphones most of the time. I think that Bluetooth tech needs to fully disclose what chips are used inside the enclosure so consumers can know what to expect a bit more. It would be similar to being able to know that your favourite delta-sigma chip is inside your DAC. Personally, I always know a device will sound pretty good when it has an AK4490 chip inside.
 
I think that the improvements in sound quality between most Bluetooth headphones aren’t down to the differences in codec, but in the differences in DACs, amps and drivers that are in the headphones. Additionally, as others have pointed out, much of the difference in sound quality between HiRes and CD/MP3 is due to better mastering on the HiRes tracks, so if you down-convert from a high quality master, you are getting most, if not all of the sound quality of that master. Theoretically, this means that Bluetooth headphones may very well replace most wired headphones in the not too distant future and we won’t be any worse off for it.
 
 

Vital Statistics (specs from manufacturers and distributors)

What follows is what the box and sellers on the interwebs had to say about the D700-2017—too many numbers! I couldn’t find a website for Syllable, and had to rely on Amazon descriptions. The descriptions on the USA website appeared to be innacurate, as they claimed specifications and features that were not claimed in the manual (waterproof), and were not claimed by Syllable’s official listing on Amazon.co.uk. It isn’t clear whether the headphones are certified as sweatproof. Unfortunately, testing that kind of claim requires a lot of testing, which I don’t have time to do. I’ll leave that to a more fit user. Additionally, there is some inconsistency between the manual and the amazon.co.uk listing. Where there is inconsistency, I’ve cited more conservative statistics.
 

1. ✔ [ Stable and comfortable] With ergonomical design, ear hooks and rotatable earbuds makes the headsets fit your ear perfectly.Along with their rubber coating, these headsets hardly cause forign body sensation when wearing.Friction been reduced to minimum on condition that the earbuds can fit in ears firmly when doing sports
2. ✔ [ Light in Weight & Sweat Proof ] As light as 18 grams. Never a burden to the ears. Rubber coating, soft and skin friendly
3. ✔ [ Last Call Redialing Function ] In standby mode, double-click the MF button, can redial your last call
4. ✔ [ Bluetooth 4.0 A2DP Stereo ] Perfectly transfer HD lossless music. Bluetooth 4.1 Chip: The latest Bluetooth chip, which can transmit data at a high speed and bring you smooth music experience without bothering from a mess of cables
5. ✔ [ Strong Compatibility ] Compatible with Bluetooth enabled music players & A2DP enabled devices such as iPad, iPhone, iPod touch, Android Smart Phones, tablets, etc. Fit for iPhone 6 6Plus 5S 5C 5 4S,Galaxy Note 3 2 S4 S3 and Google，Blackberry，LG other Smartphones

Click to expand...

 
 
 

Form & Function

The Syllable D700-2017 come in simple packaging, just a small box with a plastic tray with a USB cable, a manual and some eartips rammed underneath. Nothing fancy here, just a budget retail box. The look of the headphone is also understated, with simple lines and a matte black rubberised plastic finish.
 

 

 

 
 
The Syllable is not unattractive in appearance, but it is immediately recognizable as being inexpensive. The type of plastic used, whilst having a soft feel, is also generally used primarily on inexpensive headphones. The cord is routed from each earbud through a plastic tube. This makes it look like the headphones will have good adjustability. Then you try them on and realise these things are sized like they are made for Keebler Elves or other fey creatures, not for humans who have reached full maturity. In order to wear these I had to put the earloops on first, and then rotate the bud into my canal. I was unable to get a full seal, but I think that this actually improved the sound for me.
 

 
 
The Bluetooth on these is not aptX, so those looking for that may not be happy. I’ve found that aptX doesn’t necessarily matter. What does matter for me on these is that sometimes I get some cutouts and timing errors. I’ve had blips and blops where signal drops from less than 1 meter from the transmitter. I’ve also had playback speed up. Neither of these are acceptable. It isn’t constant, but it shouldn’t happen at all.
 

Audio quality

The Syllable D700-2017 has a very fit dependent sound. If you can insert the tips fully—pretty hard with the abnormally small earhooks—then you may get a warm quite bassy sound. I can’t insert fully, and that is probably for the better. I get a signature with relatively neutral bass. The bass is a touch woolly, the mids are a little veiled and the treble doesn’t extend hugely, but for the price and the fact that these are Bluetooth headphones, the sound is quite good. In fact, I’d say the sound is the best among under $25 Bluetooth headphones that I’ve reviewed. Overall the tone is pretty accurate, the signature is balanced. The soundstage is intimate, but you don’t expect a big soundstage for under $25. There are no harsh aspects to the sound. It’s a cozy sound; it’s soft, a bit warm and pillowy.
 

Comparisons

For comparative listening I volume matched every headphone using my trusty SPL meter with big foam ball or with my toilet roll and Poundland packing tape coupler—extra special reviewing gear here. Volume was matched to 78dB using white noise from Ayre Acoustics – Irrational but Efficacious System Enhancement Disc.
 
Below is the rest of the signal chain:
 
Dell Vostro—LH Labs Lightspeed 2 USB—iFi Micro iUSB3.0—LH Labs Lightspeed 2 USB—LH Labs GO2A ∞—
—Avantree Priva II AptX transmitter—1MORE iBFree Bluetooth IEM (Comply tips)
—Avantree Priva II AptX transmitter—Syllable D700-2017 Bluetooth IEM
 
I maxed transmission volume on the GO2A and then adjusted volume on the headphones to closest match. The Avantree Priva II sounds better than the Cayin i5 Bluetooth out, and better than my phone’s Bluetooth, I wouldn’t be surprised if this little white disc of flexibility bests a lot of Bluetooth setups. Something to note with Bluetooth dongles is their black box nature; inside the Avantree Priva II there is an ADC, and a DAC and Bluetooth transmitter (maybe part of same chip, I don’t have a clue) but I don’t know what they are. One advantage of the Avantree Priva II is that it can pair two Bluetooth headphones at the same time, which is hugely useful for reviewing. I should have bought this little white beauty a long time ago.
 

Syllable D700-2017

Why – Strawberries has a bit of a veiled sound, but for £20.99, these are doing pretty well. Bass sound is very fit dependent due to the wonky shape of the earhooks and capsules. If I press these in firmly I get a more intimate soundstage, bigger bass and more muffled mids. I prefer the loose fit that is more natural on these, which is good, because I’d have to hold my fingers on top of the capsules to make these seal more—that would be a pain in the butt. There is some sparkle in the treble, but overall it is smoothed with muted extension. The sound is cosy rather than expansive. Perla Batalla’s voice has a pleasant warmth and richness on her rendition of Bird on a Wire (RIP Leonard Cohen—2016 was like a class field trip to the sewage processing plant, at least it’s over). The sound is pleasant, with some air in it. Quite nice for the price. Kicking to something a bit harder, I throw on Rage Against the Machine – Killing In The Name. Some of the transients lag a bit with a bit slow sustain on lower guitar notes. The vocals are pushed to the forefront a bit. On Where Is My Mind, the stage is a bit more intimate, details pop less and the overall sound is much more crude and thick, simple but not sludgy. Wait a second—I slipped into a more inserted fit! Dang these things are fit dependent! The extension on the backing vocal isn’t so out of my mind. Drums are more slappy instead of having a nice full round character. The timbre just isn’t quite right if the fit is off. Mmmm Rebecca Pidgeon sounds nice on these. I little bit of extra weight, on her voice, but not too thick. Amber Rubarth – Tundra gets a more spacious presentation than expected good height and width, but not huge depth in the stage.
 

1MORE iBFree

On Killing In The Name, the iBFree has more splash on cymbals, more round drum impact, less forward vocals and a much more precise sound, especially in the guitars on just about everything. The iBFree has a faster more capable driver. The sharpness in Rage Against the Machine’s sound is not softened. The Syllable D700-2017 are pleasant warm and mid-forward whereas the iBFree are more nuanced. Even with volume matching, the iBFree sound quieter do to the more balanced presentation of the mids. The more forward mids on the D700-2017 will be to liking of many listeners who like a mid-forward sound, but I prefer the more neutral approach of 1MORE. Listening to the Pixies – Where Is My Mind, I always listen for how big the stage is on the soaring backing vocals that make the song so bloody famous—that and Ed Norton watching the world crash down with a mouth full of blood, a heart full of hope, and a hand full of bewildered Helena Bonham Carter.
 
 

 
On Tundra, the stage is still good sized but with a bit more precise instrument separation and detail. More dimension to all sides. Rebecca Pidgeon is still the real rose in Spanish Harlem but the presentation is leaner, less affected.
 

Conclusions

I didn’t expect very much of the Syllable, but it gave a good performance, especially when you get the fit right. With the fit right is a neutral warm smooth mid forward headphone without any hint of harshness or overemphasis in annoying frequencies. It is imminently listenable, in fact. With the fit wrong, it becomes a too intimate sound with thick cloudy bass, off timbre and rolled off treble. It isn’t as good as the iBFree, sonically or functionally, but it is good sounding at less than half the price.
 
If Syllable takes the sound they’ve gotten here, and improves the fit, they may have a pretty successful headphone. I think these are 3.75ish on my scale, but I’m feeling generous today and rounding up. Four stars, Syllable. Nice recovery.

 

Acknowledgment   

Thanks, Syed, at 1MORE UK for providing this review sample in return for my honest opinion. The MK802 is available from POCKET ROCKET UK (1MORE's official UK retailer) for £115.99 ($140).
 

 

Introduction

I find myself in a strange position. I love wired headphones. I like the plugs, I like the feel of aftermarket cables and sexy looks. I like that I can be confident that my music won’t be interrupted.
I’ve reviewed a lot of Bluetooth headphones, with my total now at six before this review is completed. Four out of six have been inexpensive units that have failed to be anywhere near giant killers, all in the below £25 price range. Most of these have sounded like average consumer headphones with inoffensive signatures that don’t move me in any way. This is not a recipe for audio pleasure. So far, my experience has been that you can get good to excellent sound from Bluetooth, but not under $50 (~$65). Ironically, I think that many of the people searching for a Bluetooth option are also the people who don’t want to spend $50 on any headphone. So these folks, those that could be wading into the shallow end of the steadily improving sound quality pool, will not partake of any auditory feast of wireless delectibles. They may not hear the 1MORE iBFree ($60 or £80), or the 1MORE MK802 ($150 or £150).
 
I think the audience that this headphone is serving is so called audiophiles such as myself, and aesthetes and fashionistas currently donning Beats and other fashion headphones like members of some me-too cult. Don’t drink the Kool-Aid, it doesn’t matter if it’s in the room and bursting through the wall. Don’t drink the Kool-Aid.
 

 
I first heard the 1MORE MK802 at CanJam London 2016. I was in the middle of reviewing the MK801 and had finished reviewing the EO323 Double Driver in-ear. I stopped by the 1MORE booth and Jude had just checked out the iBFree. Having a brief listen to the MK802 and the E1001 while seeing how impressed Jude was with the iBFree, I just had to review all of them. In hindsight, that was a big plate of food I served up, and I’m now just finishing it, with the maitre d’ signalling closing time. It’s a bit bittersweet to finish this three course meal. There’s no time for coffee and the other guests have left. The meal has been delicious, though, so there is that.
 

 

A little bit of musing on bluetooth

Bluetooth is weird. There are a good many people who have stood on the position that all we need to hear is 320kbps MP3s. If this is so, than nobody needs the headphone jack and Apple has it right in getting rid of the archaic technology. I’ve had the privilege to hear a great variety of Bluetooth headphones, and I can say with confidence that the quality is improving, and that the quality is getting ever closer to rivalling the quality found in wired headphones. For those who listen exclusively to Redbook CD rips or can’t tell the difference between MP3 and 24/192, cables may already be obsolete—assuming sufficient battery life.
 
I have generally found that wired performance is better than Bluetooth performance, but it isn’t night and day. On the go, in loud environments, at the gym, Bluetooth may be preferable—you won’t hear the full fidelity of your music anyway.
 
Many Bluetooth headphones tout their use of aptX. I think we need to define what aptX does and doesn’t do a bit better. The 1MORE MK802 is one of only a few headphones that have aptX HD (or my pair say that on the box, but it doesn't say that on the website), the green mushroom of aptX technology. According to a 2016 What HiFi? article, AptX HD Bluetooth: What is it? How can you get it?, aptX is a coding algorithm created in the 80s that was popular with film studios and radio broadcasters. AptX claims to be able to play ‘CD-like’ audio quality, but when we examine what this means. ‘CD-like’ is 352kbps lossy music. It isn’t much better than the best quality MP3s. AptX HD boasts a bitrate of 576kbps, and has the ability to play 24-bit/48kHz audio—it’s still compressed and lossy, but higher quality lossy. Qualcomm also claims lower distortion in the mids and treble regions—that would be spiffy. I’m not sure I get the point of aptX HD yet. The problem with aptX HD is that there are next to no transmitters and only a few audio output devices (headphones, speakers) that support it. The most notable sources that support aptX HD are the LG G5 and the LG V20. If you aren’t rocking one of those, you probably will be listening in just regular aptX—I’m in that boat.
 

 
If you don’t have aptX you have a codec called SBC (subband coding). The Headphone List has an article that should be required reading for anyone thinking about their upcoming Bluetooth purchase. According to the linked article, SBC plays at a bitrate of 328kbps at a 44.1kHz sampling rate (at maximum quality), but with worse audio quality than a top quality 320kbps MP3. If you have an Apple device you may get AAC, which is designed to sound better than MP3 at similar bitrates.
 
The catch in all of this is that your ears will only get to hear the best codec that your transmitter and your receiver (the headphone) are capable of producing. If you are wielding an iPhone, aptX is just marketing, you don’t have it. If your phone doesn’t use it like the ZTE Axon 7 (as far as I know, not listed aptX anywhere), your aptX headphones will default to whatever quality SBC the phone is programmed to play—it might not be that 328kbps high quality bitrate. Beyond this, headphones and transmitters with aptX aren’t necessarily better. I have an Aukey Bluetooth USB dongle that has aptX low latency, but my older Avantree SBC only BTTC-200 is better sounding with less noise. My new Avantree Priva II transmitter is better than the Aukey also. Both Avantree transmitters sound better than my Samsung Galaxy Note 2, which has aptX.
 
Another factor plays into whether your Bluetooth set-up sounds any good. Unlike your wired headphones, your Bluetooth headphones have the Bluetooth receiver, a DAC and an amplifier (as well as batteries) in the earpiece(s) or attached to the earpiece(s). The quality of those components may mitigate the quality of your source. If the amplification isn’t clean to the drivers, your source isn’t really going to matter too much.
 
Wireless headphones are just a lot more complicated than wired headphones. With wired headphones you know exactly what you are getting in the signal chain much of the time. This isn’t the case with Bluetooth headphones most of the time. I think that Bluetooth tech needs to fully disclose what chips are used inside the enclosure so consumers can know what to expect a bit more. It would be similar to being able to know that your favourite delta-sigma chip is inside your DAC. I happen to like the AK4490 almost all the time.
 
I think that the improvements in sound quality between most Bluetooth headphones aren’t down to the differences in codec, but in the differences in DACs, amps and drivers that are in the headphones. Additionally, as others have pointed out, much of the difference in sound quality between HiRes and CD/MP3 is due to better mastering on the HiRes tracks, so if you down-convert from a high quality master, you are getting most, if not all of the sound quality of that master. Theoretically, this means that Bluetooth headphones may very well replace most wired headphones in the not too distant future and we won’t be any worse off for it.
 

About the company

I’ve described 1MORE’s ascent in all of my 1MORE reviews—that’s four other products, so in this one, it’s below a spoiler.
 
 
Back to back spoilers, that’s no good. This sentence serves no purpose but to make it clear there are two spoiler boxes, maybe you’ll open one or both up just to not look at this puke green sentence any longer than you have to.
 
 

Vital Statistics (specs from manufacturers and distributors)

This is where the marketing speak gets voice. Most of what’s in this section of my reviews isn’t my words. I generally use standard block quote methods to let you know what I’m not saying. Keep at attention to avoid confusion. The typos are original, I take no credit for them. As is standard, brackets means that the text is mine.

 

1. Superb Sound with Bluetooth® 4.1, aptX® Coding, and Beryllium Driver- Experience meticulous wireless sound quality without signal loss. The sound quality is further improved with a large beryllium driver that delivers sizzling highs, present mids, and powerful bass. The bass level can be boosted or limited with a convenient switch on the ear cup.
2. Exceptional Comfort and Style- The headband and ear cup housings are constructed with TR-90 synthetic titanium for extreme durability, flexibility, lightweight comfort, and modern appeal. The ear cups rotate in four directions to customize your comfort level and ensure noise isolation.
3. Tuned by a Grammy Winning Sound Engineer- 1MORE collaborated with internationally acclaimed producer and sound engineer Luca Bignardi to perfect the final tuning to deliver a precise representation of your favorite artist’s intended sound.
4. Intelligent Control Technology and Microphone- Convenient ear cup controls are compatible with Apple iOS and Android, allowing you to control Bluetooth, 1MORE app, volume, select songs, take calls, and activate voice control. Superior MEMS microphone eliminates echo, cross-talk, and background static for crystal clear phone calls.

 
…
 
BONUS FEATURES
 
Our MK802s come with an optional Kevlar® core cable enhanced with TPE for comfort with additional in-line microphone and remote (useful if your battery is low). In addition, the MK802s work in conjunction with our optional downloadable 1MORE Assistant app. Current features include: Optional Hearing Protection for monitoring kid’s volume levels and for adults concerned with hearing health; Smart Burn-In for optimizing your MK802’s sound quality within a shortened time period; 1MORE button for controlling assignable apps right from your ear cup.
 

Click to expand...

 

Form & Function

The MK802s come in the same box as the MK801s and even have the same cloth pouch, and same cable (in a new colour in my case). That cloth pouch is still about as protective as a paper bag—I’ve definitely seen tougher paper bags. The foam inner box has grown on me a bit since I reviewed the MK801. It still isn’t as fancy-pants as the 1MORE E1001 or the 1MORE EO323 box innards, but the box has a solid feeling foam insert, a useful accessory box and one can never forget the all important desiccant package—do not eat, that’s for keeping out the salty sea air, not for causing poisoning down in there.
 
The headband is made of the same material as that of the MK801 and took a little bit to break in, much like the MK801 headband. I find the headbands on both headphones to be most comfortable tilted slightly forward. The earcups are more plush than those on the MK801 and slightly larger in width (75mm vs. 70mm), so they have a bit less concentrated pressure on the ears. The depth is the same, but the MK802 have softer pads with a nicer feeling protein leather. These are still not circumaural, but they are more comfortable than their forebearer. Like the MK801 the cups have good adjustability via vertical movement, and are adjustable on two additional axes, both front to back and side to side on the head.
 
There are five buttons on the right earcup. From top to bottom, they are: the power on/pair button, volume up button, play/pause/answer call button, volume down button, and the dedicated 1MORE Assistant App button. Pairing and volume control were mostly straight forward, with the exception of pairing with my Samsung Galaxy Note 2 (I know, why do I still have such an ancient outdated phone, right?). Pairing with computers and dongles was easy with all devices identifying the 1MORE MK802.
 
The Note 2 had to be put into developer mode. I didn’t answer any calls while using my Note 2, but I did try to make one. On that occasion the microphone didn’t turn on, so I could hear the person on the other end, but they couldn’t hear me. It may just be that I’m a newbie to making calls with Bluetooth, but there were no instructions in the manual for making calls, only for answering them.
The included manual was clear with good definition of all functions. There was also a manual included for the 1MORE Assistant app. Personally, I found the app to be absolutely useless. It didn’t help me pair the headphone when my phone wasn’t allowing pairing, it didn’t have any really interesting features or modes for the headphones, and the included smart burn-in feature was stupid. The principle behind burn-in is to exercise a dynamic driver so that it has longer excursions, increasing its capabilities. The app sets the volume of the phone at 20%, which is not sufficient to exercise a driver. It’s like doing the right exercise but with a weight that won’t challenge the driver. Most burn-in recommendations I’ve read have said to play between slightly lower than normal listening volume to slightly above. All advise against blasting the volume. I normally play at normal listening volume for burn-in. I didn’t use the app for burn-in as the audio signal was just way way way too quiet. It was school library when all the students have left quiet.
 

 
In addition to the controls on the right earcup there is also a headphone cable out. The cable used for the MK802 is exactly the same as that used for the MK801—noticing a theme here? I burned in the headphones using the cable. Burn-in did help the sound, making it open up a bit and making the sound more defined. It was a bit murky to start. I found that the sound is better without the headphone cable, with better overall clarity. There is something to be said for the amplifier having almost no distance to the diaphragm.
 
My favourite feature, by far, is on the left earcup: the bass switch. The bass switch has a boosted setting and a reduced setting. The boosted setting does a nice job boosting sub-bass and lower midbass. To my ears it accomplished this without colouring the mids. The boost is bigger than on the iFi iDSD BL and more broadband.
 
 
 
The Bluetooth is strong with this one—I’ve been watching way too much Star Wars. I was able to travel about 10 meters with solid signal. With regards to longevity, the battery life is absolutely exceptional. The specs say that the battery will last for 15 hours listening time, I got 23 hours. Well done, 1MORE.
 
 

Audio quality

The 1MORE MK802 is a larger, more refined version of the MK801 with long-life Bluetooth added.
 

Comparisons

For comparative listening I volume matched every headphone using my trusty SPL meter with big foam ball or with my toilet roll and Poundland packing tape coupler—extra special reviewing gear here. Volume was matched to 78dB using white noise from Ayre Acoustics – Irrational but Efficacious System Enhancement Disc.
 
 
Below is the rest of the signal chain:
Dell Vostro—LH Labs Lightspeed 2 USB—iFi Micro iUSB3.0—LH Labs Lightspeed 2 USB—LH Labs GO2A ∞—
            —Avantree Priva II AptX transmitter—1MORE MK802 Bluetooth headphone
—Avantree Priva II AptX transmitter—1MORE iBFree Bluetooth IEM (Comply tips)
—Avantree Priva II AptX transmitter—Syllable D700-2017 Bluetooth IEM
—1MORE MK801
—Ultimate Ears Reference Remastered (got to have a neutral reference in there!)
 
For Bluetooth headphones I maxed transmission volume on the GO2A and then adjusted volume on the headphones to closest match. All volume adjustment was done via the GO2A volume controls for wired headphones. The Avantree Priva II sounds better than the Cayin i5 Bluetooth out, and better than my phone’s Bluetooth, I wouldn’t be surprised if this little white disc of flexibility bests a lot of Bluetooth setups. Something to note with Bluetooth dongles is their black box nature; inside the Avantree Priva II there is an ADC, and a DAC and Bluetooth transmitter (maybe part of same chip, I don’t have a clue) but I don’t know what they are. One advantage of the Avantree Priva II is that it can pair two Bluetooth headphones at the same time, which is hugely useful for reviewing. I should have bought this little white beauty a long time ago. The table below presents the volume levels and recorded SPL readings for each of the headphones.
 
 

Syllable D700-2017

Why – Strawberries has a bit of a veiled sound, but for £20.99, these are doing pretty well. Bass sound is very fit dependent and these things are sized like they are made for Keebler Elves or other fey creatures, not for humans who have reached full maturity. If I press these in firmly I get a more intimate soundstage, bigger bass and more muffled mids. I prefer the loose fit that is more natural on these, which is good, because I’d have to hold my fingers on top of the capsules to make these seal more—that would be a pain in the butt. There is nice sparkle on the bells. Perla Batalla’s rendition of Bird on a Wire (RIP Leonard Cohen—2016 was like a class field trip to the sewage processing plant, at least it’s over). Overall the detail is pretty excellent for this price range.
 

1MORE MK802

Bigger than D700-2017 in every dimension on soundstage. Fit much more comfortable. Both headphones have a neutral-ish sound to their base signature. I can flip a switch for more bass on the MK802, though, which is awesome like a Secret Aardvark hot sauce. That’s some hot action there when listening to Yoni Wolf drop some twisted and demented rhymes on Mumps, Etc…. I far prefer the MK802 with the bass switch pumped up on many tracks. Pushing the bass a bit forward also gives the impression of greater depth in the signature. It’s a nice improvement much of the time.
 

 
There is really nice air between instruments in the MK802 presentation. Perla’s vocals should always enchant, and the MK802 don’t fudge with that—children force you to learn prudent self-censorship. I prefer this trackThe soundstage on the MK802 is not as big as that on the Ausdom M05. Some of this could be due to the MK802 sealing better. The MK802 does have better detail and separation than the Ausdom M05. For rock tracks and hip-hop tracks I found that I basically always flip the bass switch as it is much more satisfying.
 
To test out speed, I tried to do some metal music, but volume levelling doesn’t work right for metal, it removes all the dynamics and makes the music sound muted. Metal shouldn’t be muted. However, when I turn off the levelling the result is distortion. These headphones can’t handle being punched in the face by some aggressive metal music.
, 

Ausdom M05

Warmer than the MK802. Big midbass, with a little bleed into the mids. Still love the fantastic airiness in the signature, good 3-dimensional soundstage. More comfortable than the MK802. Leak sound like a sieve, though, so not suitable for out and about or in a quiet office. The bass is on these is like a less controlled version of the MK802 with the bass switch engaged. These sound louder and more energetic than the MK802 due to a more forward signature and the big bass enhancement. However, instrument definition on the M05 is not nearly on par with the MK802. The soundstage has greater dimensions in all ways, but instrument separation isn’t as refined and mids and midbass are forward, a sound that many will prefer.
 

1MORE iBFree

Listening to Michael Jackson – Billie Jean, the house sound is readily apparent. Similarly, both of these headphones use single dynamic drivers to provide their sound. The soundstage is smaller than the MK802 and notes don’t have quite the same precision, but the sound signature is very similar. The mids on the iBFree are a bit more forward than the MK802, which is helpful in picking out the details of the train station announcements on Pink Floyd – On the Run. Similarly, the drums are closer on Pink Floyd – Time, which compresses the soundstage depth a bit but gives more immediacy to the sound. There will be folks that prefer the more forward mids of the iBFree. I think that both presentations are good. In my opinion, the MK802 definitely has the edge in overall presentation.
 

1MORE MK801

Similar to the iBFree, the 1MORE MK801 is a bit more mid-forward in the signature. Listening to Dragonforce – The Fire Still Burns reveals that the amplifiers in the MK802 earpieces just aren’t up to snuff for loudly mastered tracks. They twist and distort when exposed to more heavy tracks. Something I’ve found is that if a track is mastered loud, listening to it quiet will never sound right. I try to have a live feel to music when listening. Because I wanted to listen to some metal, I did a corded comparison for the MK801 and MK802 with volume matched as follows with white noise: MK802 = GO2A Infinity 450mW, volume = 41; MK801 = GO2A Infinity 450mW,  volume = 37). I used the cable from the MK801 for both, but it is likely that the cable is identical between the two headphones, just a different colour.
 
Listening to Animals as Leaders – Ka$cade, the background is a tiny bit noisier on the MK801, and the notes a little less precise. The MK802 is also a bit faster. Some detail is lost in both. The MK801 has more forward mids, which will be inviting to many. I experienced no distortion with either headphone in cabled operation.
 

UERR

Since I was already corded, and still wanted to judge some speed, I ran some more volume matching for the UERR without volume levelling (GO2A Infinity 450mw, volume 29). Mids are more like the MK801 on the UERR than like the MK802, which inclines me to conclude that the mids are a bit recessed on the MK802. The soundstage of the MK802 is more intimate and has less well-defined elements, but we are talking about a nearly £900 price difference. The UERR is a bit denser in the mids too, which isn’t always welcome, depending on the track and sonic preferences.
 
Throwing on San Francisco Symphony Orchestra – Harrison: Concerto for Organ with Percussion Orchestra (off American Mavericks), the UERR sorts instruments in space much better with a greater soundstage in all dimensions.
 
Whilst the MK802 is not as technically accomplished as the UERR, it’s performance is by no means embarrassing. It is still a great sounding headphone. I’m finishing off with some SACD ripped Pixies – Where Is My Mind. The mids are further back on the MK802 and it doesn’t give the same level of performance in soundstage or instrument definition, but it is still very satisfying.
 

Conclusions

I set out with three new 1MORE headphones to review in August. Of the 1MORE headphones, these MK802s have the greatest range of functionality. I love love love the bass boost on the MK802 and find myself engaging it much of the time for the increase in body and small increase in perceived stage depth. These are fast enough to keep up with the technical metal of Animals as Leaders and reach high enough to showcase the airy twinkling percussion of the Welsh folk of 9Bach. If you are looking for a Bluetooth headphone that will give you copious playback time, good range, corded operation for when that mega-battery runs out, and a neutral signature with extra bass on demand, these 1MORE MK802s should be on your list of headphones to check out.
Thanks again, 1MORE UK, for providing this review sample, these were a nice cap to a delicious three course audio meal, though I feel like I did this in the wrong order. These are definitely more of a main, with the iBFree being an appetiser and the E1001 Triple Driver a dessert. It’s time to turn the lights out and go home.

 

Acknowledgment   

It’s always a privilege to check out new gear in exchange for your honest opinion. Thanks, iFi, for letting me in on this particular party. I’ve been borrowing this unit as part of the worldwide iFi tour.
 

Introduction

This is my fifth review of a piece of iFi gear. I’ve previously reviewed the Micro iUSB3.0 (own it), the Micro iDAC2, and the iPurifier2 (extreme value for money and good performance)(links are to the reviews), and have a pending review of the Micro iCAN SE (link to the iCAN SE thread). I’ve also had brief listens to the Micro iDSD and the Micro iCAN, so I feel like I’ve got a good idea of what iFi has to offer now, and it’s generally good, though few products have reached anywhere near the wow factor of the first product I reviewed, the Micro iUSB3.0. The iDSD BL just may reach for that summit.
 
I’ve experienced a good working relationship with iFi and every item I’ve reviewed for them has been worth at least four stars. They make excellent products with extreme capabilities, and the newly upgraded and optimized version of the the Micro iDSD is no different. It packs a lot of power in a portable package, has a big battery, was developed with the community, and has an extremely capable DAC that plays every format worth delving into and some that are probably just wastes of space—I can’t tell the difference between DSD128 and DSD256 and PCM352, I’m pretty sure that I won’t hear anything different with DSD512—but good on iFi for being ironclad ‘buzzword’ proof. It’s a philosophy that I think Jason Stoddard of Schiit would probably smirk a little at. I won’t smirk. I actually do have a lot of respect for letting people play whatever music they want and doing your best to make it sound as good as you can even if you know that they are fools hearing placebo effects or just anything they think they want to hear. I think iFi’s dedication to serving their customers desires, within reason, is very enviable. I appreciate the amazing Schiit—the Yggdrasil is still one of my favourite DACs and I am eager to hear the Jotunheim—being turned out by that California powerhouse of affordable audio, but I’d really like to be able to play my DSD without using the sub-optimal Loki. A DAC named after the trickster god shouldn’t do one trick and only in limited fashion—it didn’t even play DSD128.
 
The iFi Micro iDSD Black Label isn’t trying to do one thing and do it well. It is trying to be a veritable Swiss army knife of audio goodness that is small enough to carry in similar fashion to perhaps the world’s most famous multi-tool—I got my whittling badge in Cub Scouts with a Victorinox knife. I doubt the iDSD BE will ever reach that level of fame, but I imagine I’ll have a lot more uses for it now that I’m not living in the deep woodlands of Alaska and not earning any further whittling honoraria.
 
Let’s see what this baby has going for us. But first, here is a mea culpa and description of my predilections. It takes a confident person, or maybe a fool—I resemble both—to buy shoes from a brand that they’ve never tried on. Reading a review without knowing anything about the reviewer is a similar thing, so there’s some pertinent information about me below the fold.
 

 
My brother used to have a Mohawk but not like Mr. T’s awesome Mohican. It was actually a Mo-mullet. It was probably the worst haircut I’ve ever seen. Shaved on the sides, short on top, long in back. Totally unique, in totally the wrong way. My brother the unicorn.
 

 

Vital Statistics (specs from manufacturers and distributors)

Of all the manufacturers I’ve dealt with, and there are a few, iFi is the only one that makes what they are doing sound like witchcraft. Stealth technology, tube state, noise cancelling power USB coax etc… I don’t know how they do it, and don’t pretend to, but my lack of understanding won’t make me turn all Luddite and start bashing gears. I don’t need to understand it to enjoy it.
 

 
 
Here’s the brief version of everything that iFi had to say in the iDSD thread about the newest member of the iFi family:
 

In short, iFi Audio Micro iDSD Black Label has:
 

1. re-designed output stabilisation
2. OV2627 op-amps upgraded analogue section
3. Panasonic OSCON capacitors loaded power supply
4. OV2028 op-amps loaded DAC power supply
5. DAC voltage decoupling based on audio-grade ECPU film capacitors
6. GMT® Femto precision clock system power supply upgraded

 
In short, iFi Audio Micro iDSD Black Label is:
 

1. a tweaked to the roof original Micro iDSD
2. a satin black version (with silk orange writings) of original Micro iDSD
3. sonically much better version of original Micro iDSD
4. loaded with latest 3D+® and XBass+® tech, superior over ones in original Micro iDSD
5. 10% higher price of $549 (ex-tax) / Euro599 (incl VAT)
6. superior to original Micro iDSD

Click to expand...

 
 
It also has special Operationsverstärker, which is Operational Amplifier auf Deutsch. They use the cool copper-lead frames pictured below.
 

 
 
It is also worth noting some of the features passed on through its iDSD lineage:

1. Dual Burr-Brown DAC chips developed by Burr-Brown Japan before the TI acquisition, custom tweaked to play all the way up to unicorn formats: OctaDSD (512DSD—there aren’t even any recordings that I know of) to PCM768 (I don’t know if recordings exist for this standard)
2. 3 output modes: eco, normal and turbo and the iEMatch feature allowing headphones from ultra-sensitive custom in-ear flagships to insensitive masses of metallic HiFiMan HE-6 glory
3. Intelligent In/Out SPDIF Digital Optical/coax allows using the iDSD BL to feed your Sonos, or plugging in your DAP when you feel the need to make up for it’s inadequacies
4. Battery power for loads of time, with smart charging for your devices when you aren’t blasting your aural cavities with wonders, delights, and delectable morsels of audio fayre (iFi advertise 6-12 hours battery playback, depending on how hungry your headphones are)

 
If you want more text about this new-fangled contraption, check out the iFi website.
 
 

Form & Function

 
Those who’ve seen any iFi gear from the Nano or Micro series will know that they all come in the same size box. Whilst this is true, the iFi iDSD BL comes with more in its box than any of the other’s I’ve opened. Here are the full contents:

1. Micro iDSD BL
2. 1 metre USB 3.0A female to USB3.0A male cable
3. USB 2.0A female to USB 2.0B female cable (for using whatever USB cable you like without straining the USB jack)
4. USB 2.0A female to USB 2.0B female short adaptor (for using whatever USB cable you like)
5. iFi’s standard purple RCA cables
6. Heavy duty rubber bands for stacking your source on top of the iDSD BL
7. 6.3mm to 3.5mm convertor
8. Short 3.5mm to 3.5mm cable
9. Mini Toslink to Toslink adaptor
10. 4 iFi branded silicone feet (that’s a step up from my Micro iUSB3.0)
11. A silicone sheet—is this for putting under or on top? I couldn’t tell, but it should provide some cushion
12. A velvet bag for transport

 
That’s a lot of stuff in the box. Strangely, they didn’t include a standard USB OTG cable. That seemed really strange to me. For a device that is going to be used with a lot of people’s cell phones, that should be included. We get two USB2.0A female to USB2.0B female adapters.
 
absolutely bass
head round bashing
up down vertical
crack guitar--sparkle
 
Those who like Ace will understand. Must not sleep, must tell others. Those poor lines above are mine, not Aesop Rock, so direct your hate mail at me for the bad attempt at rap. Ace rocks the lyrics better below.
 

 
I can also confirm that if you are going to connect your phone in this way as your primary way of using your Micro iDSD Black Label, you’ll want to flash the Limoncello 5.2B firmware. Twenty minutes hooked up to the iDSD BL took my Samsung Galaxy Note 2 from 100% to 81% battery.
 
 
The Micro iDSD BL has the same form factor as the whole micro series, but has traded out the straight aluminum (aluminium for some folks) sheath for a stark matte black scabbard with orange accent lettering. I was a bit worried that the orange lettering would look garish and never allow me to escape the conquest of Jack-o-lantern images in my head. Luckily for me, and all those thinking of buying this little beast, the orange is very well executed and the black looks amazing. It looks like I’ve got a miniature panther sitting atop my other audio gear, but there are no eyes to see on this in the dark, nothing to let you know that your ears aren’t about to be bombarded with bliss. It’s a stealthy joy cannon.
 
The switches are well labelled, as is the headphone jack, 3.5mm input, and all inputs and outputs, but lordy the volume knob could use an orange dot to know not to blast my ears too badly. This thing can throw out a lot of wattage, so a little warning would be good. As is, there is just a barely visible black line to let you know what volume you are at. The line is cut into the knob, so you can feel the volume before you hear it at least.
 
Similarly, if you want to read anything on the bottom of the iDSD BL, good luck with that. The writing is dark grey on a black background. Not the most clear choice of text. The good news is once you know what you are doing, and through using the user manual, the text on the bottom is made irrelevant.
There are lots of features on the iDSD BL. I’ll take these features one by one.
 

1. Power mode: the iDSD BL, like it’s predecessor has three power modes, it’s like gain but each step doubles the wattage to the headphones. Turbo delivers 4W, while normal delivers 1w, and Eco delivers 250mW into 16 Ohms. My personal preferences with the HD600 were was normal at about 2 o’clock. With the Noble Kaiser 10 Encore (K10E), I liked Eco mode at about noon. I liked the Ultimate Ears Reference Remastered (UERR) best in Normal with volume at about 11 o’clock.
2. iEMatch: the Noble K10E is pretty sensitive and has pretty much never needed much of anything to drive it on anything that I’ve drove it out of, but it didn’t need iEMatch. I don’t have any more sensitive IEMs on hand. One advantage of IEM match with the Noble K10E was more sensitive volume control. When I turned to high sensitivity my volume adjustment became finer. I tried the UERR in High Sensitivity, but had to put the power level into Turbo, which comes with some noise floor consequences, so negates some of the benefit. I preferred the UERR with iEMatch Off and power set to Normal. With the Noble K10E, I tried Eco and High Sensitivity, but found that I preferred Eco with Normal, as I perceived a slightly larger soundstage.
3. XBass: gives a small dB boost to lower frequencies without touching the mids. It’s a really nicely executed effect that worked well with the HD600 and the UERR (especially with the UERR).
4. 3D: I was previously a fan of this on the iCAN SE, but the iCAN SE amp was not as good sounding as the iDSD BL, from memory, and I find the change on this iDSD BL is not as subtle as the XBass effect. It does give a bit more air, but it also pushes some instruments forward (cymbals particularly), which will be pleasing to some but sounded a bit unnatural to me. I like an organic neutral signature most of the time, without any particular sections of the frequency range sounding too far forward. The 3D switch goes a little too forward and v-shaped for my tastes. That’s OK, though, as it is designed for variation, the standard is soooooo good, I generally don’t even touch the switches (maybe the XBass from time to time, depending on my mood and my material). 3D is awesome with the Meze 99 Classics.
5. Filter: there are three filter settings—standard (not for DSD or DXD), Minumum Phase, and Bit Perfect. I tested these out with the Rebecca Pigeon – Spanish Harlem, and noted that the sound got warmer and less sharp as I dropped down the ladder from Bit Perfect to Standard. The differences were very subtle. With DSD256 (Trondheim Solistene – Frank Bridge Variations 4. Romance, from 2L recordings), I noticed increased volume as I went down the ladder. With DXD (Hoff Ensemble - Bøhren/Åserud: Blågutten) I didn’t notice differences—it all sounds wonderful.
6. Native everything. Cookie Marenco over at Blue Coast has previously emphasized that the less conversion that happens, the better; this is why they say recordings that they receive in PCM192 sound best in PCM192, not DSD. This plays native DSD to OctaDSD (512) and DXD to double DXD (768mHz), and all the other PCM you can eat. If you need DoP it’s there, but trust me, you don’t need it.

 
In other good news, I powered the HD600 for at least 13 hours on battery power, so the battery has plenty of guts. The reason I say at least 13 hours is I fell asleep and it was off when I woke up. I was doing the battery test passively, as 13 hours is a long time to be in one place. I fell asleep after watching the Seahawks dismantle the Panthers—that game ended at 5 AM here, I was le tired.
 

Audio quality

With no switches engaged the iFi iDSD Black Label is dead to rights neutral. It lets the headphone do the singing. This is very similar to the LH Labs GO2A Infinity I just recently picked up. These two DAC/Amps share quite a bit in common, actually. Both are made out of aluminum, both have multiple gain settings, both output 4V_RMS at 16 Ohms, both are freaking excellent neutral DACs. The GO2A Infinity, for all its qualities, can’t play DSD256 or higher, uses DoP exclusively, doesn’t have a battery up in it (GO V2+ for that), doesn’t have the sheer headphone matchability, and doesn’t have digital or analogue outputs outside of headphone outs—of which it has a 3.5mm TRRS balanced and a standard 3.5mm jack. Also, the GO2A doesn’t have the magic switches found on the front of the Micro iDSD Black Label.
 
Let’s talk about those switches. I first threw the iDSD on with another item I’m reviewing, the 1MORE MK802 using the optional 3.5mm cable (it’s a Bluetooth headphone). I tossed some white noise on to see if I could hear the shaping effects of the switches. When I flipped the 3D switch the pitch of the white noise became higher. It was a very noticeable change. I then flipped off the 3D switch and flipped on the XBass switch expecting a similar lowering of pitch. I couldn’t hear the difference with white noise. However, when I threw on the new Chesky 30^th Anniversary Collection, the bass switch was subtle, but noticeable, and more so when I switched to the HD600. From what I can tell the XBass gives a subtle subbass boost that is just big enough to make bass notes more full and drum strikes have more palpable impact and air in the strike. XBass can lend bass guitar and stand-up bass some really nice grunt, too. The 3D effect is accomplished through a treble boost. Neither boost messes with the midrange frequencies, which is really nice. The boosts are subtle modifications that allow you to give more fulfilling bass on a slightly bass light headphone like the HD600 or give a little more perceived soundstage on a treble limited headphone. Also, if you have a neutral phone and want it to sound more vibrant you can flip the switches. If you want to paint in technicolour shades in a landscape in your audio dreams without losing the central image and symbolic language, these switches let you do that.
 

 
In several words the iDSD Black Label is: clear, neutral, powerful, and flexible. I tried the iDSD Black Label with the HD600 (Normal, iEMatch Off), the Noble Kaiser 10 Encore (Eco, iEMatch Off, soft hiss on Normal), the UERR (Normal, iEMatch Off), and the Meze 99 Classics (Eco, iEMatch Off, hiss on Normal) it delivered all courses deliciously. When I craved a bit more bass from the HD600, the XBass took care of that; and when I wanted to balance out the signature of the Meze 99 Classics to make them clearer, I switched on 3D effect; but generally I found I liked the iDSD BL vanilla. It delivers such perfect neutrality. I think that the Meze 99 Classics really benefit from the 3D switch. The sound of them improves so much more to my liking—after listening to them with 3D on, I don’t think they’ll ever sound quite as good on other sources. The 3D switch balances out the extra bass groove that the Meze’s have. They don’t tighten that bass, but they put it into relief by sharpening the upper-mids and treble registers. I found that the 99 Classics don’t have sharp treble—I don’t get where that has been coming from; but do have boosted bass and mids. The signature is much more balanced with 3D engaged. One thing I did like with 3D was boosting the treble helped make some muddier tracks sound a bit more crisp, which to me was better than boosting soundstage. I totally dug the increase in perceived resolution. Duller tracks had their camping spork audio tranformed into restored functional blades, but not into Japanese steak knives.
 
 
 
My primary listening for the review was Bob Dylan – Highway 61 Revisited in 24/96. The album is excellent and excellent sounding. You really understand why Bob Dylan just recently won the Nobel Prize for literature—his words are poetry that moved the world and shaped music in his heyday and will continue shaping music long into the future. I used this to generate my initial impressions above and gauge the capabilities of the device.
 

Comparisons

For comparative listening I expanded out a bit:

1. Dragonforce – The Fire Still Burns; Heartbreak Armageddon (speed, air)
2. Damien Rice – Animals Were Gone (just for the heartbreak)
3. Animals as Leaders – Ka$cade (speed, resolution)
4. Marvin Gaye – What’s Going On (resolution, male vocals)
5. Why – Strawberries (bass, stage)
6. Michael Jackson – Billie Jean [vinyl rip] (stage, imaging, resolution)
7. Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra – Sibelius: 5^th Symphony, Allegro molto [DSD64] (scale, imaging)
8. Mariinsky Orchestra, Valery Gergiev  – Tchaikovsky: 1812 Festival Overture
9. Amber Rubarth – Sessions from the 17^th Ward
10. And others…

 
Before I do some comparisons, here is the relevant info about my set-up(s).
 
Dell Vostro → LH Labs Lightspeed 2 (split power and data) USB cable → iFi Micro iUSB3.0 →

1. Stock iDSD BL USB3.0 cable → iDSD BL
2. Stock iDSD BL USB3.0 cable → iDSD BL → Airist Audio Heron 5
3. LH Labs Lightspeed 2 (split power and data) USB cable → LH Labs GO2A Infinity

 
iBasso DX50 → stock 3.5mm to coaxial cable → iDSD BL
 
 
 
 
When comparing the iDSD to the Airist Audio Heron 5, the Heron 5 has more grunt and soar across the whole spectrum, clearer holographic mids, and a bit bigger stage (all dimensions), but both are truly excellent sounding. The Heron 5 costs $750 (on Massdrop when it comes up, $1000 direct from Airist Audio). The Micro iDSD BL costs $550. The caveat here is that when I reviewed the iCAN SE, I didn’t find the iCAN SE to do as well with power hungry cans as the Heron 5. For this review, I don’t have any of those top-tier cans on hand. With the HD600 the Heron 5 is better, but it isn’t as decisive a victory as the comparison with the iCAN SE. There are a lot of ways that the iDSD BL is better: you can use it with high sensitivity low resistance IEMs, it has an excellent DAC implementation, you can throw it in your backpack, the iDSD BL has excellent distribution networks, and the customer service of iFi is absolutely stellar. Overall the Micro iDSD BL is a way better value than the Heron 5. In this comparison the Airist Audio Heron 5 was also being fed by the Micro iDSD BL, so the incremental cost of the improved performance is really $750 or more, because the iDSD BL is responsible for some of the sound quality I’m hearing out of the Heron 5.
 
When comparing to the Light Harmonic Labs GO2A Infinity in balanced, with volume matching, the two amps were nearly indistinguishable when playing at the same power output. The GO2A (1000 mW) setting is exactly the same 4V_RMS into 16 Ohm output as the Micro iDSD BL. The GO2A was a little smoother, with the iDSD having a bit tighter contours and more well defined edges. The GO2A Infinity and the iDSD BL both have good power and good matchability. The GO2A Infinity has three levels, 100mW, 450mW, and 1000mW into 16 Ohms. Potentially, the iDSD BL has more matchability than this with the various iEMatch settings. Both amps have about the same soundstage. The GO2A Infinity is tiny, but won’t have a chance in Hades of driving an HE-6 or AKG-K1000. The GO2A Infinity will do fine on most headphones on the market, and performs very well with my HD600 and the Noble Kaiser 10 Encore. For value, the GO2A Infinity is currently $349 (not including shipping/taxes/etc…, distributor network is poor), and the iDSD BL is available all over the place for $549 (£455, €599—dang, what happened to the Euro?). Another place that iFi wins is customer service. iFi are just better staffed and more responsive. They also have had a better business plan to date and a lot better relationship with the community—needless to say.
 
As expected the iDSD BL sounds great when fed by the coaxial source. Amber Rubarth covering Tom Waits’ ‘Hold On’ is still one of my favourite acoustic tracks. Sessions From the 17^th Ward should be in everybody’s collection. I don’t care if all you listen to is mainstream pop, metal and EDM, if you can’t feel this music and can’t get into the stellar musicianship, I just don’t know what to say.
 

Conclusions

Go get one. What the heck are you waiting for? There isn’t a so easily transportable DAC/Amp combo out there with the technical capabilities of the iDSD Black Label. It has a crisp, transparent, neutral presentation. It can power headphones from the most delicate flower sensitive custom IEMs all the way up to the man eating Bengal tigers of audiophilia: the HE-6 and other rare beasts. Beyond having power and finesse, it also plays any kind of music you throw at it natively—no signal degrading conversion. If you needed some dessert with this 15 course dinner, the XBass and 3D effect switches give it to you. Have all the pudding you like, I promise the enhanced treble and bass won’t screw up your appetite. It's a worthy $549 contender for your audio money.

 

Acknowledgment   

Thanks 1MORE UK for providing this review sample in return for my honest opinion.
 

Introduction

Bluetooth is weird. There are a good many people who have stood on the position that all we need to hear is 320kbps MP3s. If this is so, than nobody needs the headphone jack and Apple has it right in getting rid of the archaic technology. Surely we should get rid of all technology that is more than 100 years old. My doorknob needs to be retired, as does my toilet. I don’t know what I’ll replace them with, but they are old technology, so they need to go—or so the marketing would have us believe. The billion dollar question is whether we need the wires.
I’ve reviewed 4 Bluetooth headphones now, not including the iBFree or the two further Bluetooth reviews I have on hand, and I’ve used 4 different transmitters during these reviews. I have generally found that wired performance is better than Bluetooth performance, but it isn’t night and day. On the go, in loud environments, Bluetooth may be preferable—you won’t hear the full fidelity of your music anyway.
 
The 1MORE iBFree is one of many Bluetooth headphones out there that use the aptX codec. For the purpose of this review, I think it is important that we understand what this means. According to a 2016 What HiFi? article, AptX HD Bluetooth: What is it? How can you get it?, aptX is a coding algorithm created in the 80s that was popular with film studios and radio broadcasters. AptX claims to be able to play ‘CD-like’ audio quality, but when we examine what this means. ‘CD-like’ is 352kbps lossy music. It isn’t much better than the best quality MP3s. AptX HD, the new poorly supported standard (only a couple headphones, not many transmitters), boasts a bitrate of 576kbps, and has the ability to play 24-bit/48kHz audio—it’s still compressed and lossy, but higher quality lossy. Qualcomm also claims lower distortion in the mids and treble regions—that would be spiffy. I’m not sure I get the point of aptX HD yet, but I’ll find out in the near future.
 
If you don’t have aptX you have a codec called SBC (subband coding). The Headphone List has an article that should be required reading for anyone thinking about their upcoming Bluetooth purchase. According to the linked article, SBC plays at a bitrate of 328kbps at a 44.1kHz sampling rate (at maximum quality), but with worse audio quality than a top quality 320kbps MP3. If you have an Apple device you may get AAC, which is designed to sound better than MP3 at similar bitrates.
 
The catch in all of this is that your ears will only get to hear the best codec that your transmitter and your receiver (the headphone) are capable of producing. If you are wielding an iPhone, aptX is just marketing, you don’t have it. If your phone doesn’t use it like the ZTE Axon 7, your aptX headphones will default to whatever quality SBC the phone is programmed to play—it might not be that 328kpbs high quality bitrate. Beyond this, headphones with aptX aren’t necessarily better. I have an Aukey Bluetooth USB dongle that has aptX low latency, but my older Avantree SBC only BTTC-200 is better sounding with less noise. My new Avantree Priva II transmitter is better than the Aukey also. Both Avantree transmitters sound better than my Samsung Galaxy Note 2, which has aptX.
Another factor plays into whether your Bluetooth set-up sounds any good. Unlike your wired headphones, your Bluetooth headphones have the Bluetooth receiver, a DAC and an amplifier (as well as batteries) in the earpiece(s) or attached to the earpiece(s). The quality of those components may mitigate the quality of your source. If the amplification isn’t clean to the drivers, your source isn’t really going to matter too much.
 
Wireless is just a lot more complicated than wired headphones. With wired headphones you know exactly what you are getting in the signal chain much of the time. This isn’t the case with Bluetooth headphones most of the time.
 

About the company

According to the Wall Street Journal, 1MORE was founded in 2013 by three former Foxconn executives with an in investment from Xiaomi, one of the largest mobile gear manufacturers in China among other venture capital investments. The company is based out of Shenzen, but has roots in the USA in San Diego—a really nice place to have roots with all the great beer, great food, great culture, great weather and endless beaches—and a distributorship in the UK. 1MORE aims to have a global brand to match Apple’s big bangin’ gorilla, Beats. Unlike Beats, 1MORE wants to make premium quality headphones at midrange prices, instead of making mediocre quality headphones at premium prices. As of the Wall Street Journal blog entry in 2015, achievements included 10 million in earphone sales in China, and I imagine since their triple driver won a couple of awards, that those sales numbers are way up.
 
 

Vital Statistics (specs from manufacturers and distributors)

This is where the marketing speak gets voice. Most of what’s in this section of my reviews isn’t my words. I generally use standard block quote methods to let you know what I’m not saying. Keep at attention to avoid confusion. The typos are original, I take no credit for them. As is standard, brackets means that the text is mine.
 
Quote

Lightweight Ergonomic Sport Design
Be free to enjoy your music while staying active. Oblique angled ear fittings naturally match your ear canals while 3 sets of included ear tip and sport grip sizes ensure a comfortable secure fit. Extended battery life let’s you play longer.
Superb Sound With Bluetooth®4.1 and aptX®Coding
Experience meticulous wireless sound quality without signal loss. Sound quality is further improved with a titanium driver for enhanced response time, sizzling highs, present mids, and powerful bass.
Water Resistant Aluminum Alloy Body
Attractive textured aluminum body ensures durability and lasting colors while eliminating fingerprints. IPX4 water resistance protects the earpieces and controls from rain, splashing, and sweat for outdoor use and exercise.
Tuned by a Grammy Award Winning Sound Engineer
1MORE collaborated with internationally acclaimed [multiple Grammy winning] producer, mixer, and sound engineer Luca Bignardi to perfect the final tuning to deliver a precise representation of your favourite artist’s intended sound.

Click to expand...

 
 
 
The 1MORE iBFree can be purchased at uk.1more.com (£79.99). These particular headphones are $59.99 on usa.1more.com. I have no idea why they have a 40% price discrepancy on the UK 1MORE site. Right hand, meet left hand; please do a little dance and get the whole body is in step.
 

 

Form & Function

The packaging is simple and functional for the iBFree, a simple white box with perfectly tailored compartments. I found the accessories underwhelming, though, for several reasons. First, there was no pouch for the headphones. I like to keep my headphones protected. Luckily I bought a couple spare case/pouches so I’ve had something to keep these from getting mucked about too much when I toss them in my bag. Second, I couldn’t get a good fit with the included tips.
 
The iBFree is very large right behind the nozzle, and the nozzle is not very long. For me this means that the body of the headphone was competing for space with the structure of my ear. In order to have proper fit, and in order to pass what I call the doggy shake test, I had to use either Comply Isolate tips (I think the 500 variety), or Spinfit’s new double flange tip (CS220, methinks). I don’t think most people buying a sport Bluetooth headphone will expect to need aftermarket tips. Also, the Comply tips were the best fit, but they would be a bad idea for sports use. Mmm, nothing like foamies dripping oversaturated salty sweat down your ear canal.
 
[size=inherit][/size][size=inherit][/size]
 
With the stock tips, shaking my head from side to side like a shaggy dog drying off dislodges the tips easily—this is with the sport grips perfectly in place. Switching to the CP220, side to side movement loosens the headphone, but it doesn’t fly out. With the Comply Isolates, the IEM stays firmly in place.
 
I’m also not a fan of the inside vent on these headphones. If you twist the headphone wrong, your sport grip will cover over the vent. The manual even has a diagram telling you not to do this. I was able to avoid occluding this tiny little dot on the inner part of the headphone, but I think this design can be improved.
 
With regards to range, I was able to get about 20 feet away, with some office walls—real world testing—getting in the way before signal broke down badly. At about 15 feet there was some instability. Bluetooth performance depends heavily on the transmitter, so some may find that they get better than what I’ve gotten with these, some may do worse.
 
I got the full advertised 8 hours of playback and charging was quick, only an hour or so. Pairing is easy and they have a good manual to walk you through all the controls. I didn’t test the water resistance of these, but I can confirm that the USB cover firmly plugs into place. I think these will do just fine in your sweaty workout, assuming that they stay in when you go all shaggy sheep dog shake on them. For running or other up and down activities, I think fit will be less problematic. These probably won’t be great for dance or gymnastic parties, but exhibitionist park joggers will be fine.
 

Audio quality

For a single driver Bluetooth IEM at the price on offer, these sound exceptional. I hooked these up with a number of DAPs using the Avantree Priva II as my transmitter (it’s aptX low latency and excellent sounding). It sounded good with the Priva II, but the Note 2 is a lousy audio source, it’s muddy and awful in wired configuration and muddy and awful in Bluetooth, relative to real dedicated DAP and DACs at least. The Note 2 is probably better than a bucket of mud—I haven’t tested this scientifically.
 
 
I tested this with the LH Labs GO2A Infinity, the iBasso DX50, the Cyberdrive Clarity Feather DAC and the HiFiMAN SuperMini. Now I’m aware that the final DAC and amplifier are in the headphones, but it has been my experience that if you are using a USB dongle, the power of the amplifier and the quality of the DAC/Amp feeding the dongle do affect sound quality and useable volume range. If you put good stuff in, you are far more likely to get good stuff out.
 
The iBFree has a clean balanced sound. The sound reminds me quite a lot of the 1MORE E1001 Triple Driver I just reviewed, but without the bass lift, which is quite an accomplishment with two less drivers to work with. The iBFree is not as airy and has a smaller soundstage, but it accomplishes some of what the advertising speak on the UK 1MORE site claims. The sound has present bass with good quality, if not a ton of quantity. The mids are clear, precise and tonally balanced. Treble has good extension, but sometimes cymbals can sound a bit thin. Overall the treble is pleasing with no harshness. Violins are sharp when called for, but not piercing. These are really very capable dynamic drivers.
 
When listening to Sibelius’s 5^th symphony from the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra in DSD, the strings soar, but don’t have tons of separation. Musicality is preserved and the presentation is excellent, but it lacks the huge soundstage necessary to really knock Sibelius’s 5^th symphony out of the park.
 
These are really natural sounding. I think that Luca Bignardi might be a magician or a renaissance man. A renaissance magician? I think pointy hats are all the rave with both of them. He’s good, whatever way you think about him. You don’t win four Grammys if you suck. All the 1MORE gear has his signature imprinted on it, and now I find myself wanting to go get albums he’s been associated with because his sound is clear and natural, for the most part, with the EO323 being a little bit of a departure.
 
When listening to the new Chesky 30^th Anniversary Collection—go get it, it’s the good stuff, real black tar kind of stuff—every track sounds beautifully open and natural. Some of that is the recording, but the iBFree do a good job keeping pace too. You’ll need rehab after listening to this pentuple length album.
 

 
When putting on my speed test track: Animals as Leaders – Ka$cade, it mostly keeps up, but does smooth out some details. Also, the cymbals still sound thin.
 
One difference between wired and Bluetooth headphones is noise floor. You can take a wired headphone down to basically no noise floor with the right equipment in hand. You can’t change out the amplifier on Bluetooth headphones, so the noise floor that is in them is what you are stuck with. These have an audible noise floor. It isn’t offensive, but you will hear snakes hissing in the grass that aren’t really there from time to time.
 

Comparisons

Compared to the Ausdom M05 full size aptX capable Bluetooth headphone, the 1MORE iBFree have a smaller soundstage in all dimensions, but have far more precise bass with none of the somewhat woolly midbass bloat that can afflict the Ausdom M05. The M05 is more airy with a bigger sound. The iBFree is more focused and precise.
 
The Syllable D700-2017 have a more closed in mid-centric signature that is soft and smooth like an ermine throw, and probably just as ethically produced. The sound of the Syllable is very fit dependent, and the fit on these makes it difficult for the bass to show up loud and proud. The drivers on the Syllables aren’t fast enough to handle Ka$cade’s busier parts well. The mids get really muggy and woolly with all the finer details just collapsing out of the mix. These need calmer music.
 
Overall the 1MORE iBFree held up very favourably to the competition I threw at it. The sound is more precise than the Ausdom and more technically capable than the Syllable by a long distance.
 

Conclusions

The 1MORE iBFree is good value with a clear, coherent sound that did well with all the music I threw at it. It has neutral bass and mids performance with a little bit of treble roll off. Details are generally presented well. The iBFree isn’t flawless. It doesn’t have a large soundstage, has a little bit of tin smack going on with some cymbals, and can smooth over some details in particularly fast musical passages. Beyond audible limitations, the headphone may have fit issues for some, as it did for me. I was able to correct fit issues by using aftermarket tips, but the market this product is targeted at may not find that an acceptable solution. These headphones are excellent value and should be quite popular among folks wielding jackless iPhone 7’s, it is likely to be better than Apple or Beats’ in-house sound.
 
Overall, I think the positives of these headphones outweigh the negatives by a significant margin. I highly recommend the iBFree and that’s why I give it 4.25 stars. If it had a bit better fit with the stock options, this would be a solid 4.5. I think these are better than a 4 on sound, so I’ll round up to 4.5, after all.
 
Thanks again, 1MORE UK, for providing this review sample, they were definitely worthy of spending some quality time with. Then again, everything that 1MORE and Luca Bignardi have touched has sounded excellent. Just 1MORE to review.

 

 

Acknowledgment   

Thanks 1MORE UK for providing this review sample in return for my honest opinion.
 

Introduction

I heard about 1MORE from a fellow HeadFier, who told me I should check out the triple driver, so I went searching. The triple driver is in such high demand that there are none available for review as I write this. According to the 1MORE rep I’ve chatted with, the 1MORE MK801 and 1MORE EO323 are great introductions to their sound, so they sent me them to review. After reviewing these offerings, I decided I wanted to hear 1MORE, and then two more and a third more. So now I have upcoming reviews of the 1MORE iBFree Bluetooth IEM, the 1MORE MK802 Bluetooth headphone (one of a few AptX HD headphones on the market), and these growingly famous 1MORE Triple Drivers.
 

About the company

1MORE is a design powerhouse brought into play by a few Foxconn executives and a shedload of venture capital from giants like Xiaomi. 1MORE makes their own goodies and are also the brains behind a few Xiaomi offerings. The company is based out of Shenzen, but this dragon barrels through the UK, and twists through the USA in San Diego—a really nice place to shuffle and soar through with all the great beer, rockin’ tacos, cultural hotspots, welcoming weather, and romantically fading honey blond sands extending out into the infinite.
Outside of being in some pretty cool places, 1MORE keeps winning design awards from obscure award ceremonies. My field’s accolades aren’t really different; most folks wouldn’t recognize a really decorated academic if their thesis smacked them in the face.
 
 
1MORE aims to have a global brand to match Apple’s big money monkey, Beats, I say monkey because a monkey could have tuned the ones I’ve heard. Unlike Beats, 1MORE wants to make premium quality headphones at midrange prices, instead of making low quality headphones at premium prices.
 
 

Vital Statistics (specs from manufacturers and distributors)

 
 
 
The 1MORE website is fluent in market-speak, so I'll spare you that suffering. They say it's good, and talk about the materials that it is made of like they are some kind of totally unique concoction from a Shakespearean witch's cauldron. Double double toil and... treble?
 

Form & Function

A journey through giftly delights

Two headphones have really astounded me with their packaging this year: the MEE P1 Pinnacle and the 1MORE E1001 Triple Driver—their EO323 dual driver is no slouch either. The Pinnacle had set the bar extremely high on packaging, but the 1MORE E1001 may have outdone it. Instead of the a gullwing enclosure, 1MORE presents an antique book filled with sketches reminiscent of a middle aged Da’Vinci, or, more likely, Luca Bignardi, the Italian multiple Grammy winner who lends his production ear to tuning these bijou ear candy. There is a palpable air of discovery as each carefully arranged compartment is opened. The 8 extra sets of eartips (8 varieties in 5 sizes) have their own compartment stashed tightly behind the headphones. The luxuriously textured carry case receives it’s own case, as do the rose gold clad airline adapter and tie clip. Hidden in the bottom corner are a 1MORE bear sticker and some promotional materials. This is a gift box that is just made to be opened slowly and enjoyed. Make sure whomever you are giving this to isn’t an impatient little git and if it’s for you, take your time—slow down, you move too fast.
 

 
 
 

 
 
After you get through all the unwrapping gifs on giphy, it’s time to actually get some personal time with these. Full undressing below.
 
 

Matchmaker, matchmaker

Do you have weird shaped ears that fight viciously with tips on IEMs? Sorry ‘bout that. Well, maybe not. 1MORE has got you covered. There is a tip to match everybody in this thing. The tip sizes range from extra small to large with two sizes of medium in the middle. It was a good thing there were two medium sizes, because, in a departure from my normal, I wasn’t the size that was already fitted to the big honking nozzles. If you have miniscule canals, fit may be an issue on these. The included tip sizes are described by their measurement, which is great, because now I can bring my tiny tape-measure whenever I’m trying new tips and see how likely they are to fit. 13mm, that’s the ticket.
 
When I first tried on the tips fitted to the nozzle, they fit, but were slowly falling out of my ears and I couldn’t wear them cable up. It’s amazing how much a 1mm increase in size matters. I tried all the tips included and some other tips I’ve got laying around (Spinfit and Comply)—I like the stock silicones and Spinfit best. This is two out of three 1MORE in-ears that have had fabulous included tips. The 1MORE EO323 dual driver also had a good tip selection, but the iBFree is a bit of a disappointment.
 

 
The case that is included looks like it is supposed to sit in a shirt pocket with a cigarette popping out in some sort of Kool era James Dean imagery. Oh! to be back when death sticks could be advertised during family hour! Now you just get financial death pharmaceutical ads. What can you do—even youtube is loaded up with ads. Back to the case—as I said in my E0323 review, the vertical loading of the case actually makes it easier to tangle the cable. A cable wrap, or a horizontal loading would relieve some of that tangle danger.
 
A shirt clip is included, but it’s just a blingier version of the one that came with EO323 and still just as useless in practice.
 

I love gold… and tactile elements, sort-of

 
I’m a big fan of rose gold and gold coloured IEMs and DAPs. I don’t know when I got so much into bling. I don’t remember really caring much in the past. When it came to headphones before, everything was black and/or silver. The capsules are all metal, with part being a lovely dark purple colour (my pair are not black) and the rest being gold—purple and gold were my High School and College colours (colors where I’m from).
 
 
Anybody whose read some of my front page reviews has probably noted that I really like tactile elements that allow you to find which earpiece is left and right in the dark. 1MORE accomplishes this in two ways: first, the remote is on the right; second, there is a little rubber lip on the edge of the metal downtube on the right side. I approve.
 
The cable is also textured on the top section, which, while feeling nice in the hand and giving a more premium ambiance, is actually a negative. The cable has vertical corrugations that I found rubbed on my jacket a bit with the textured surface causing more friction and therefore more microphonic noise than a smooth cable generally does.
 
I found the triple drivers easy to wear for extended periods of time both in the up and down positions. Isolation was pretty average.
 

Audio quality

All audio comparisons were done with matched volume at 78dB using white noise and an SPL meter. I gave the 1MORE E1001 a bit of run-in to let the drivers settle. I think these have about 40 hours of neopolitan noise—like the ice cream, pink, brown, white—and about 60-70 or so hours of music playback. These phones have been my companions for the better part of two weeks with a some interludes to listen to more exotic fayre.
 
The 1MORE E1001 is a nice lively sounding IEM with a little bit of extra bass emphasis. It does a good job portraying delicate mids and adds a touch of creamy sweetness. The soundstage has nice development in layers, especially in the mids. Guitar plucks are carried with force on acoustic tracks with good natural decay. The details in the mids are very nicely rendered. Like bacon grease, they just make everything cooking around them taste good. Bass, on the other hand has a tendency towards a bit of bloom and boom with some chunkiness to the overall presentation. Soundstage width and depth are fairly average, with a bit of above average height on top.
 
Listening to Regina Spektor – Fidelity I get the big bass at the beginning, but the rough edges and distortion have been smoothed over a bit in the bass. The bass lacks the detail and texture to convey the oversteps in the recording. The bass is a little bloomy, and decidedly not HiFi on this track. Mids are nicely forward. Cymbals have some shimmer, but sound a touch thin. Some of this is the recording, but I would also describe the E1001 as having a bit of a bass and mid-forward signature, with slightly recessed treble. Sometimes this will make mids sound a bit thin and treble not as sparkly when things get busy.
 
Switching to the UERR gives a bit more defined bass, though the bass character remains similar on the track. A bit boomy/bloomy. UERR gives a better composure of the treble with longer decay on cymbals and guitar plucks that are more natural.
 
Damien Rice has a haunting and enchanting voice and solid instrumentation on everything he does. So it is understandable that when I saw 9 for £0.34 in a charity shop (3 CDs for £1), I grabbed it and some random Pavarotti and BBC orchestral stuff. Damien is the star, no doubt. If I want to feel emotionally vulnerable and conflicted, all I need to do is listen to The Animals Were Gone and Elephant. The 1MORE E1001 does a beautiful job displaying these two songs. Damien’s voice is warm, but not woolly. The bass is still a bit unfocused, but the mids are silky, nicely defined, imminently romantic and heartbreaking. “Waking up without you, is like drinking from an empty cup.” When I look at my daughter doing this for fun, it isn’t heartbreaking, but Damien Rice isn’t drinking from an empty cup in some sort of toddler fantasy land with dreams of milky joy dazzling in the remaining shiny places of his poet mind—he’s waking up to an empty life, the animals are gone and so is she. Is the cup empty because it has all been drank up—served it’s purpose—or is it empty because there is nothing in the house to drink. Maybe it’s both. The UERR has more warmth in the vocals but less in the bass. The 1MORE EO323 dual driver is more delicate in the mids, but the bass strums get a bit more woolly.
 
The Noble Kaiser Encore is more delicately textured than the UERR, with finer vocals wielding sharper defined edges, but less warmth. It’s almost like the classic vinyl/digital comparison, but here’s the thing: most vocalists don’t sound warm in person at least not the kind of warm that is usually associated with vinyl characteristics, so the Noble Encore is probably more realistic in the mids. I haven’t seen Damien live, so can’t completely tell you.
 
On David Bowie – Tis a Pity She Was a Whore there is good definition of the high notes for the 1MORE and good speed in dealing with all the percussive elements that Bowie sprinkles all over the stage. There is nice shimmer on cymbals and the sound, whilst busy, never seems overwhelmed. On Lazarus, the intro drums have good depth to their strikes and the bass comes off funky, but still a bit loose. Mids are still the star of the show here, and are thrown a bit forward. When you got a nice face, you should let it show, 1MORE knows these things have a pretty mug.
 
Switching on the Meze 12 Classics with Lazarus, the sound is smoother. The bass is a bit more focused and the overall sound is warmer. Saxophone has a more vinyl kind of sound to it, what I’ve commonly heard referred to as an analogue sound (which is BS because all sound is analogue). The sound on the Meze 12 is comfortable, a bit pillowy. The soundstage is smaller and more focused than the E1001. Percussion on Tis a Pity She Was a Whore is softer, less dynamic. The Meze 12’s retain the lovely layered mids that is a staple of the Meze sound.
 
With the UERR depth and instrument placement is much more precise. The vocals are less euphonic and more analytical, while still retaining some subtle warmth. There is way more air and space in the stage with the UERR. The mids are more restrained on the UERR than the E1001, but the E1001 doesn’t go overboard, it just pushes it’s star forward—that pretty face. The body on the bottom end is still a bit more Sir Mix Alot than Victoria’s Secret.
 

 
I also did some comparison with the EO323. The EO323 has bigger bass, but it lacks the mids clarity that the E1001 has. It is a bit slower sounding when listening to some Dragonforce. Compared to the the E1001, the EO323 is dark and cloudy, like a thunderstorm without any lightning strikes to illuminate the centre of the camera frame. The build quality of the EO323 is also a full level below. While the E1001 has a fully metal shell and black silicone on the right earphone to let you know which is right, the EO323 has cheap feeling plastic where the copper/golden metal is on the E1001. The plastic on the EO323 has discoloured slightly since I got them, as has the cable. It isn’t on the level of old Super Nintendos, but it is noticeable. For $30 more, the E1001 is a no brainer.
 

 
 
Compared to the RHA ma750 the bass is a bit tighter, the mids less lush, and soundstages are comparable. The sound is more focused on the E1001, but both options are excellent sounding for the under $100 crowd. In the Fidue A65, 1MORE E1001, and the RHA ma750, I’m absolutely spoiled for choice under $100. The A65 is a little bit smoother and more balanced than either the 1MORE E1001 and RHA ma750, but it doesn’t have the depth that either of the other offerings give in sound stage. The 1MORE is the sharpest and most precise sounding with the clearest midrange and treble, but it may be more crispy than some like. The RHA ma750 is lush and inviting, but can lack focus in the bass. Only a fool expects a perfect headphone for under $100, and each of these headphones is absolutely excellent for the money, warts and all.
 

Conclusions

The E1001 is bangin’ like an 808, selling lots of real-estate for your buck.
 

 
People now are so darn lucky. There are just so many excellent headphones for not much dough now. The 1MORE E1001 is one such excellent value proposition. The 1MORE E1001 has a clear, well balanced sound with a touch more bass than neutral—which is what most folks prefer anyway. This triple driver from China easily makes it into my top headphones under $100, and most of the time, I prefer the crisp sound of these to other offerings I’ve got in the running; for that reason, these elevate to a 5. This is just too much value for under $100 (£100 on uk.1MORE.com and amazon.co.uk)--I think a cybermonday deal may still be running on 1MORE's UK site (CYBERMONDAY20). You should have one of these in your collection, if only to show neophytes what they are missing when they buy 5 sets of cheap headphones in a year instead of learning to take care of their stuff and buying one set of 1MORE E1001 Triple Drivers.

 

Acknowledgment

Thank you HiFiMAN for providing this review sample in exchange for my honest opinion.
 

Introduction       

HiFiMAN has been around a long time now. They’ve gone from bargain OEM to one of the best and brightest headphone manufacturers in the world. Personally, I have a long history with HiFiMan.
In 2009, I had gotten tired of my $70ish Sony IEMs (can’t remember which ones they were and tossed them long ago) and was looking for a new pair of budget headphones to play out of my PSP—dated. Through |joker|’s thread, I discovered the RE0, and through the extinct Head-direct website, I got my first pair of audiophile headphones for $80. It was a really good deal, and the start of something beautiful and terrible, a love and lust for new audiophile gear. In a way, HiFiMAN provided me with my gateway drug, and all of you on HeadFi are now regretting it.
 
My first post on HeadFi after years of lurking was a 3 way review comparing the RE0 to two closed circumaural headphones: the Shure SRH-440 and the KRK-KNS 8400. It did pretty well.
I’ve listened to a lot of HiFiMAN gear, and still have my RE0. The HE-6 is probably my favourite headphone of all time when properly driven, and the HE-1000 is among my current favourites in production headphones—I haven’t been able to do side by side with the Focal Utopia or Mr. Speakers Ether (C) Flow, so can’t state that the HE-1000 are my favourite outright. With all the listening I’ve done, I hadn’t yet had the opportunity to do a true review of some HiFiMAN gear, so when they called for reviewers, I jumped, in spite of a busy review schedule that won’t resolve itself before the new year.
 
 

Vital Statistics (specs from manufacturers and distributors)

So what does the manufacturer have to say about this piece of kit? Sometimes it’s enlightening, sometimes not. First, here are some measurements. HiFiMAN didn’t provide the output impedance value, which is pretty ridiculous as it significantly affects sound and purchasing decisions for those in the know about impedance mismatches. Correct that, HiFiMAN.
 
 
HiFiMAN founder, Fang Bian provides some information about the SuperMini and MegaMini in a letter:
 

Within the past two to three days, there has been some discussion online about the HIFIMAN SuperMini and MegaMini that I feel contains misinformation about the technology we use. So in the interest of clearing up any confusion and to make everyone comfortable in their consideration of our players, I offer the following clarifications.
 
HIFIMAN new player SuperMini and MegaMini: Single thread mode
 
A portable music player (PMP) is actually a mobile computer. There are a lot of portable music players that use an Android or Linux operating system. These systems are in multi-thread mode: CPU executes multiple processes or threads concurrently. Multiple threads can interfere with each other when sharing hardware resources, which creates jitter when playing music.
 
In computer programming, single threading is the processing of one command at a time. Instead of developing the music player software on existing Android or Linux operation system, the HIFIMAN team has developed its own embedded operating system. Specifically, HIFIMAN SuperMini and MegaMini are portable music players working in “single thread mode” most of the time; only some very small tasks such as displaying and button responses are running on multi-thread mode sometimes. More than 95% working time, they work as single threading so that their jitter level is much less than that of an Android or Linux PMP.
 
Reference:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thread_(computing)
 
About Gapless
 
When a PMP is playing music as gapless, current technology has to play music and read the next track simultaneously. That way it will play the next track as soon as it finishes playing the first track. Therefore, it is a multi-threading process.
 
The current beta version firmware of SuperMini and MegaMini cannot support Gapless. However, the HIFIMAN team has figured out a way to support gapless playback in single thread processing. In other words, there is no more jitter generated when a HIFIMAN SuperMini or MegaMini player is working as gapless. We plan to launch it in the official version firmware before the end of the year.
 
Supporting Exfat SD card
The current SuperMini and MegaMini cannot directly run an Exfat format SD card however you can format it in the player and support 64, 128 and 256G SD card without any problems. We are currently working on supporting Exfat and will support it in the official version firmware later this year.
 
If anyone has any questions, or would like further information, please contact customerservice@HIFIMAN.com. Thank you for your support.
 
Best Regards,
Fang
 

Click to expand...

 
I think that the threading argument is voodoo audiophilia. I think that most DAPs use multi-threading, as Fang Bian says: gapless has not been possible without it. I’ve heard plenty of players that sound excellent that have gapless, so this claim requires evidence. Either Fang needs to show some quantitative or qualitative data, or he needs to wait till he has it to make this claim. Until then, I’m going to disregard it as a bit of marketing parading as science.
 
In addition to the update about gapless, firmware and threading. The SuperMini product page gives some information about what makes the SuperMini, super, where it’s copious power comes from. The SuperMini has 8 op-amps and can output 4.2V peak voltage. The site provides a grid of headphones that normal people and crazy people might try to power using the SuperMini. I’ve recreated that grid in Table form below.
 
 
From the list I judge two things, the judgments on difficulty to drive were done subjectively, and the SuperMini should be able to drive anything a reasonable person throws at it. Only a crazy person would try to drive the Beyerdynamic T1, HiFiMAN HE1000 or the AKG K1000. I’ve spent a bit of time with the K1000, and it takes about 4W minimum into 32Ω to make it sing a little tune, which is more than 10 times the power output of the SuperMini. The K1000 will never be confused for a portable headphone. You can get sound out of any of these headphones with the SuperMini and the right cable, but to say that the headphones are being fully driven would be insanity—I’d have to think you are more barmy than my home country’s politics right now (I’m an American in the UK). I can power the HD600 off my laptop, but that isn’t how I’d prefer to listen to them.
 
Returning to the first judgment I made from the grid, I’ve listened to the HD700 for a little bit, and found it was driven just fine out of my iBasso DX50, whilst the HD600 I found more difficult. The resistance on the HD700 is only 150Ω, which is half the resistance of the HD600 and it has higher sensitivity. Similarly, I found the HD800 sounded better out of the Chord Mojo than the HD600, as while they have the same resistance, the HD800 is much more sensitive. I still, somewhat controversially among my peers, hold that the HD600 demands more than the Mojo has to offer for peak or near peak performance. Whomever was making this table has a different opinion than me, and that’s okay. Just don’t be surprised if you disagree with them on certain headphones when you try it out.
 

Form & Function

 
 

Form

The SuperMini is sveldt yet powerful. It is light and firm in the hand with clean, solid lines machined from a single block of aluminum. There are no visible screws—stylish! The screen glass is thick and looks like it will hold up to some beating from the thickness—I didn’t test it, but it would be pretty cool to see a durability test on this one. I think it might perform really well. It would perform even better if the screen protector was functional. I had two SuperMinis sent to me due to problems with microSD card compatibility and formatting—you’ll see more below—and I wasn’t able to apply the screen protector on either without it being completely covered in dust. Another reviewer, thatonenoob (whose written a great review), found that the screen protector had dust on it before he even attempted to apply it—it was dusty out of the factory. This isn’t good enough for a screen protector. Ideally, the unit should come with a screen protector applied, and a spare screen protector. HiFiMAN needs to step up their screen protection game. It wouldn’t take the Golden State Warriors, not even the Orlando Magic, to be scoring all over this flaccid screen protection.
 
The screen is a simple black and white OLED with good viewing angles that does alright in the sun. I think that is just fine for this type of machine. This thing isn’t designed for fancy displays, it’s supposed to be designed for power and efficiency. If this thing output some colour on that display, I’d expect that a sacrifice would have to be made in power output to maintain battery life performance. If you want a fancy schmancy display, there are lots of players that can do that, but how many of them advertise 22 hours battery life (more on this later)?
 
The SuperMini uses a three button layout on the front. None of the buttons have labels, instead the screen tells you what the buttons do. Other buttons for power, a back button and volume controls are on the right side of the player. Personally, I much prefer the button layout of the MegaMini, it’s more intuitive and I can access all the buttons that I use regularly with my thumb. The back button is a pain in the butt to use on the SuperMini. I imagine the buttons are distributed in the way they are because of that chain of 8 op amps that must be running on the left side of the player down to the balanced and single-ended headphone jacks at the bottom of the player.
 
The headphone jacks are right next to each other. In fact, they are so close to one another that you can’t have two headphones plugged in at a time. I wanted to use two 2.5mm balanced adapters to test what the difference between balanced and single-ended is on the player, but I can’t plug both adapters in at the same time for the cable, which means that my time lag between switches is longer. This isn’t a good thing. Like others have said, a bit more distance between the two headphone outs would be good, and not just to prevent plugging the wrong stuff into the wrong jack. Unfortunately, I’d bet that there wasn’t any room on the board layout for having greater separation between the headphone outs. This is one of the sacrifices of being small.
 
Also on the bottom of the player are the microSD slot, and the micro USB slot. The microSD slot has a deep actuation point and doesn’t have a dip like the MegaMini to make it easier to insert the card. I had some difficulty having cards stick and really had to get my finger nail up in there. Like on the MegaMini, the micro USB slot isn’t deep enough. I found the micro USB plug hangs half-way out of the slot. This is a recipe for a damaged slot, damaged cables, and intermittent charging. When the SuperMini is connected, I don’t feel confident about moving it.
 
 

Function

The operating system on the SuperMini is much the same as the MegaMini, so you can head over to my MegaMini review for more about that. The only differences are that the Playing Now screen doesn’t have any art, it instead gives a bit more information, and it’s all in black and white.
 
Another difference I found is that the MegaMini had no problems with any microSD cards I used whilst this SuperMini unit told me to format my cards every time I put them in. This led me to sending one review unit back to HiFiMAN as I thought that maybe the reader was broken. The second unit had the same problem. To get the machine to work I had to format the card in the machine, and then plug it into a computer to load music, as every time I took out the microSD I was told to reformat again. I’m glad it worked, as otherwise all I would have been able to say about the unit was that it was defective, instead of being able to comment on sound. HiFiMAN needs to fix this immediately. The two cards I used were the Sandisk Ultra 128GB and 200GB cards, two of the most common and most popular memory cards for audiophiles. A production unit shouldn’t have these problems and HiFiMAN risks alienating those who purchase the SuperMini if they have problems. Christmas is too far away for a fix on this problem. The solution should be there, as the MegaMini has no problems with microSD cards.
 
The battery life of the SuperMini is listed by HiFiMAN as up to 22 hours. I have a feeling that test was done with 128kb/s MP3s at next to no volume, as when playing mixed redbook FLAC and HiRes content, I only got 11 hours and 42 minutes with a combination of the Vibro Labs Maya and UERR as load. When I tested again using the included nameless headphones in balanced mode I got about 10 hours, and similar results using the HD600—that’s impressive. I don’t think they need to advertise 22 hours of utterly fabricated or completely unrealistic playtime. Getting 10 – 12 hours playing a mix of HiRes and redbook is good enough for such a tiny device with so much power, driving the HD600 for 10 hours is downright impressive.
 

Those nameless included headphones

 
The headphones included are pretty dang good. They’ve got an open sound that edges a bit towards the bright end in the treble and is smooth in the bass. Mids are presented at a slightly forward depth. It’s a pretty common and pretty popular tuning. The soundstage on them is good.
 
The headphones are too good to be given the disrespect that HiFiMAN gives them in the box. They come with two sizes of double flange tips, medium and large, and neither of them fit my ears at all, and these things need a perfect seal or they sound very thin. HiFiMAN put these in the box and treated them like hot garbage. These should come with standard accessories that IEMs come with: a little pouch, three sizes of silicone single flange tips, one pair of medium foamies (preferably a medium and a large), an actual presentation spot in the bottom of the box instead of tossed in like an afterthought in plastic coated wire wrapping in the empty space below the SuperMini presentation area.
 

Audio quality

The SuperMini in single-ended is better than the MegaMini, but not better than the DX50. The MegaMini has a bit less dynamism and stage depth compared to the SuperMini, but the SuperMini in single-ended doesn’t sound as musically thrilling as the DX50, it’s still kind of flat sounding (not in the good way) and it doesn’t impress that much. But when you switch to balanced mode…
 
 
The background is blacker in balanced mode, which allows the sound to be more dynamic. The stage is bigger. Notes are fuller and dynamic range is extended. It is just better.
 
The other benefit of balanced is sheer driving power. This driving power allows the HD600 to be driven comfortably. I hooked up my HD600 to the balanced output using a WyWires Red and a DIY Neotech OCC copper XLR to 3.5mm TRRS adapter made for me by my local wire wizard. The HD600 sounds how it is supposed to sound. While it can be driven even harder and made to sing in an even richer character with amps like my Airist Audio Heron 5, the SuperMini does an amazingly good job and it’s smaller than a Snickers bar. That is friggin’ impressive. The DX50 can’t drive the HD600 with any authority, and that is a significant coup for this miniature marvel.
 

Comparisons

For comparisons using the Maya I volume matched using a dB meter and white noise to 78dB, for the Maya, and 72dB for the UERR. I found that because the insertion is deeper on the UERR, I don’t need as much volume. All tests were done with single-ended outputs as I had no way to keep cables consistent across single-ended and balanced mode operation. My general approach to comparisons is to control for the variables that I can so that my comparisons are as fair as they can be.
 

MegaMini

The sound signature of these two is nearly or completely indiscernible to me at matched volumes. I tested with the Vibro Labs Maya, and couldn’t consistently tell a difference between the two players’ signatures, which is a good thing, they are both fairly neutral players. Both players have some low level hiss with the Maya, but I think this is going to the case for the Maya on many rigs—I got some soft hiss at low volumes with the Maya on the iBasso DX50 also. I thought I heard a bit more depth and body in the SuperMini, but that may be expectation bias, as I’ve already read @Brooko’s excellent review of the SuperMini and the measurements show lower distortion, which in my experience has usually improved depth. Short story shorter: I can’t confirm any differences between the Minis whilst using the Maya.
 
Switching to the UERR, the SuperMini sounds like it has a little bit bigger soundstage when listening to Amber Rubarth doin’ some Tom Waits on Hold On. Differences are small and still subject to all the biases that come with non-blinded testing. It might all just be in my head, and not just because the UERR are several mm closer to my brain than the Maya.
I like the simple black and white screen on the SuperMini better. Navigation is basically the same between them, but the playback screen tells me more on the SuperMini. I found the CD picture in the middle of the MegaMini screen pointless—it didn’t display album art for me.
 

iBasso DX50

In single-ended mode, the DX50 still slays the SuperMini. When you switch over to balanced mode, though, the background is cleaner, the stage is more open and it can drive a pair of HD600 headphones like Burt Reynolds in a Trans Am. Watch ol’ Bandit run! Did you know that Smokey in the Bandit was second only to Star Wars in 1977 for theatre sales? I didn’t.
 

Conclusions

The HiFiMAN SuperMini is explosively powerful in balanced mode in a package smaller than a pair of Twix bars. The SuperMini plays HD600 like a child with a mallet and an old yoghurt tub, loud and enthusiastically. Most players fall over under the weight of the HD600, the SuperMini stands at attention awaiting more orders. It is one of the only balanced DAPs under $500. I can think of two others: the Lotoo PAW 5000 ($200) and the Cayin N5 ($300). Whilst the SuperMini doesn’t offer all the features of those other players, it also bodyslams them from the top of the cage in terms of power, they are lucky to survive the comparison. My little brother is a big WWE fan.
 
 

 
The comparisons also don’t have the build quality or power of the SuperMini and they don’t come with a pair of good balanced headphones. Also, in spite of the patently false or grossly misleading 22 hour battery claim by HiFiMAN, 10 to 14 hours battery life with playback consisting of mixed lossless FLAC and HiRes content is really good. It gets about 10 hours in balanced mode while driving the HD600—this thing gives out more energy than Brawndo (democracy works 115% of the time). This player is good value for money.
 
 

 
On value, there isn’t another package like the SuperMini. For under $399 you won’t find a player with power enough for an HD600, and a miniature size that comes with a very good set of balanced headphones. The package is compelling and worthy of consideration, but it is not without it’s limitations. For value, I'd give this 5 stars due to the balanced output, total package and ease of use. On sound quality, I would give it a 4.5 as it loses a little due to the lower performance standard of the single-ended output. For user experience, the problems with microSDs bring the rating down further. If the formatting issues are fixed in later firmware, this player is a 4.5 player, instead of a 4.0 player.
 
The player is limited on features: no gapless, no USB DAC, no USB OTG, no line out, no equaliser, no gain adjustment. Some of these could be added via firmware update, and I know that gapless is already in the works. They can’t add a line out to the player, and I highly doubt that two of my favourite DAP features: USB DAC capability, and USB OTG are in the cards. The player also currently has compatibility issues with popular memory cards and doesn’t recognize cards when they are removed from the player. This problem is supposed to be fixed in the next firmware, and I really hope it is. Because of the problems with memory cards, I had to deduct half a star.Pink Floyd really just isn’t right without gapless. If the next firmware fixes the issue, and adds gapless playback that half star returns.

 

Acknowledgment   

Thanks Alex Sventitsky, founder of WyWires, for providing this sample in return for my honest opinion.
 

Introduction

This is a first for me. I’ve never reviewed a cable. It feels a little daunting. With a cable there are no specs to look at, no scientific reports to prove that one material works better than another for audio production. There are some consensuses about constructing to physically counter electro-magnetic interferences, and general agreement that better wire should be used. The world of cables is rife with potential for bias. There are no measurements marketed with cables, for the most part, and what we hear is so indecipherable even by people in the know, that we can’t be sure that what we are hearing isn’t some sort of marketing magic. Sometimes it feels like we are hunting for the last unicorn—only the ‘audiophile’ hero and others sensitive enough can see its magnificent horn, but Mommy Fortuna can make anybody think that a scraggly old lion is a dangerous Chimera through her guile. Hopefully the cable isn’t an old snake, like the wyrm Ourobouros in The Last Unicorn.
 

 
Cable reviews are very prone to bias. When we buy a cable, usually all we have is the company’s description. This means that we have the potential to impart the sound that the company says will be produced on the cable. Additionally, if differences in sound are due to amplitude, we may interpret a cable as being more dynamic, when really it just turns the volume up.
 
My approach to this review will be to compare all cables with the same headphone playing out of the same source with the same tracks picked for different purposes, all volume matched. By the end we’ll see if I could tell the difference, and whether I believe the cable deserves the premium price and hype.
 
I’ve previously did a comparison of cables from Toxic Cables for the HD600, I’ve described it in my spoiler below. It is important to note that the comparison made there was in an uncontrolled environment without volume matching, so my conviction to hearing a difference between cables may be biased. I also own a balanced cable for my HD600 made with OFC copper and low capacitance in a flat litz braid. I haven’t heard any differences except volume differences on that cable from the HD650 cable my used HD600 came with. That said, I do believe that cables can make a difference.
 
 

Vital Statistics (specs from manufacturers and distributors)

When we look at cables generally all we have to go on before purchase is what the manufacturer tells us. From WyWires website:
 

WHAT PERFORMANCE ATTRIBUTES DO YOUR CABLES OFFER?
Actual performance is system-dependent. This is why we require a consultation prior to purchase. We strive to provide our customers with the following improvements over their existing cables:
– Totally silent background between notes
– State of the art realism, especially vocals
– Greatly expanded soundstage in all dimensions including the vertical
– Take the edge off sibilance (SSS’s) while enhancing inner detail
– Present instruments in their lifelike scales
– The most natural rendering of tone, timbre, attack and decay
– State of the art definition and resolution of complex passages
– Excellent low-frequency performance that belies the size of your woofers
– Virtual elimination of irritation or listening fatigue

Click to expand...

 

HOW DO YOU PERFORM LISTENING TESTS OF DIFFERENT CABLES?
In performing blind A-B tests of different cables, we first install cable A and hand each listener two schematics of the part of the listening room where the speakers are located. One drawing is the horizontal view from the seating position and the other is a top down view of the area around and behind the speakers with the back wall omitted.
 
Each time we play a selection of music, we ask the listeners to draw the soundstage in three dimensions on the two schematics while the selection is playing. They are asked to indicate the height and perceived location of the various performers. We ask them to also include specific performers such as background singers and less obvious percussion sounds.
 
We do the same exercise for cable B and compare the results. We always get different drawings for cable A versus cable B. Even though the obvious sounds of instruments and voices may be identical with both cables, the differences in soundstage presentation are always strikingly different. Many times, the harder to discern subtle sounds are missing from one drawing and appear on the other

Click to expand...

.
I’d like a bit more detail about this method, as described I think this could be done two ways: The piece of music is described and the players to identify are identified before the music sample is played, or the music sample is played and then questions are asked about the performers. If the method is the first, I find this an acceptable method. In the second method, there is a lot of potential for introducing bias. The interviewer can lead the interviewee to the conclusions they wish.
 
One thing that is necessary for this method to be valid is repeat observations. Even with the same track, there can be variance from observation to observation, especially after you’ve noted something different in the recording. I’ve repeatedly had the experience that there is something revealed in a track I love by a better headphone than I’ve been using. However, now that I know it is there, I’ll better hear it on future listens with inferior headphones. Training your brain matters.
 

AREN’T MACHINE-MADE CABLES BETTER THAN HAND-MADE CABLES?
Automated cable-making equipment offers consistency but severely limits the choice of materials and geometries – thereby reducing the effectiveness of the design. The outcome is a cable that sounds like every other cable mass-produced anywhere on the planet.
 
Because WyWires are hand-made, we’re not limited by the constraints of automation technology, or by the materials we use.
Machine made cables are limited in two areas where WyWires are not:

1. The automated process for drawing insulation over the conductors requires high temperatures; for Teflon, the drawing temperature is over 1000 degrees F. These high temps dictate the use of heat-resistant conductors, rather than the best material for conducting sound.
2. In an automated process, the dielectric is extruded directly onto the conductor material – eliminating the possibility of using the best dielectric there is – air. The best machine-made cables have Teflon as the dielectric; Teflon is third or fourth in effectiveness as a dielectric.

 
At WyWires, we’ve chosen a more thoughtful, slower manufacturing process to get the best results:

1. We manufacture by hand at room temperature. We can choose the best conductor material without fear of damage due to excessive heat. We use ultra-pure copper due to its strength so that our product can withstand prolonged use, and the wear and tear of changing components and owners.
2. We are thus able to use the best insulator – air. Our conductor bundles are wrapped in organic cotton (which is mostly air) and then encased in a larger diameter PTFE tube. So the insulator contains the best dielectric and the Teflon tube protecting the cables is 3 layers away from the conductor.

Click to expand...

 
The WyWires FAQ has some more information for your perusal. I recommend browsing with an open mind. Of note, the warranty on personal audio products is one year. Multichannel products have five years of warranty coverage. WyWires also has an PDF that kind of says why many cable claims are a load of malarkey, also. You can check that out here.
 

Form & Function

The WyWires Red HD600 balanced cable came in a length of 1.52m (5ft), which is the standard length for their headphone cables. You can get longer lengths made for more money. It’s a handmade cable, so of course longer lengths are possible.
 
Most custom cables are visibly braided. The argument for this is that it cancels out various noise that might infect your audio chain—I have no idea if this is true, but braiding sure does look pretty. The appearance of the WyWires red, by comparison, is much more utilitarian. If there is braiding, it's concealed.
 
 
The shape of the nylon outer layer is interesting, and very thoughtful. Most cables use round or flat flexible arrangements, which I find do next to nothing to prevent tangles. The WyWires Red cable prevents tangling in two ways: the shape of the cable is a pointed oval, this means that there is an edge along the centre plane not unlike a double edged sword; second the cable, while flexible, is not so flexible that it easily folds in on itself. The effect of the first factor is to make it so when one part of the cable touches another part, it maintains separation—the outer part is too firm to allow tangling. The stiffness of the cable prevents loops from forming. There is one negative to this design, the cable does not wrap up small. Even though the cable is short, it will need some space for transport, no standard figure 8 loops for this cable.
 
The connectors used on the cable are all good quality, and the fit and finish is to a high standard. It is definitely better than my two other cables I own on appearance.

Audio quality

 
I have three cables for my HD600: the cable that comes stock with the HD650, a cable I bought from Custom Cans UK, and the WyWires Red.
 
I started my comparisons comparing the stock HD650 cable and the WyWires Red. The with both hooked up to my Airist Audio Heron 5 headphone amplifier and my DX50 as the source (not a good source for the Heron). After several tracks, it was apparent that the Red had a bit more dimension and depth to the presentation, with noticeably more height to the sound stage. With the stock cable vanquished, I moved on to the Custom Cans balanced cable.
 
For this comparison I used the balanced headphone out of the HiFiMAN SuperMini, which does a spectacular job in balanced—not worth the price for single-ended playback. The SuperMini has plenty of power on tap for the HD600. To my surprise, the SPL meter showed me that the cheaper Custom Cans cable had a higher SPL measurement at the same volume. The reason that this is surprising is that in all the tracks that I listened to, the Red sounded louder, clearer, and with bigger dimensions to the stage. The background is totally silent on the Red and I found myself picking out vinyl noise on my Tori Amos – Silent All These Years rip that I wasn’t picking out on the Custom Cans cable. The sound was more dynamic and engaging without being edgy or coloured sounding. The bass from the Red had more texture and body. The mids had a more live feel to them, vocals just pop in your face like candy and coke, which coke is up to you. Note edges are more natural, and drum hits are more snappy and precise.
 
 

Conclusions

To my surprise and delight, the WyWires Red made a noticeable difference over the stock cable and my Custom Cans cable. The WyWires red expands the dimensions of the sound stage in all directions, with the most impressive gains in stage height. The background is totally silent on the Red, which allows notes to snap, crackle, and pop into childlike euphoric crescendos of excess amygdala activity deep in the primitive folds of the brain—that’s where bliss lives. It’s good. It’s really good.
 
I highly recommend it. Whether it’s worth $299 for American-made natural musical enhancement, is up to you, but this thing works. Rock hard. I’m going to go have some children’s cereal now, because…
 
 

 
 

Acknowledgment   

Thanks @Luke Pighetti of Vibro labs and @ejong7 for setting up this tour. I was loaned the Maya for two weeks in exchange for my honest opinion.
 

Introduction

The Mayan’s were an incredibly advanced civilisation, in art, literature, mathematics, engineering, and in astronomy. Their calendar was incredibly accurate, and extended hundreds of years past the demise of their civilisation, a source of many doomsday predictions . My Dad did his college studies in cultural anthropology and was absolutely fascinated with Central American and South American civilisations, so I grew up with big hardback anthropology books with pictures of Mayan pyramids, Aztec artwork, and Toltec heads—maybe these will be future IEMs from Vibro Labs. So if I’m thinking of what Maya, might mean before I listen, I can go two ways: the previously described allusions to dead civilisations, or I can think of Maya Angelou, brilliant poet, dramatist, and civil rights activist. I’m guessing that since poetry and music share some genes, that this is the way that Luke Pighetti, the one man band behind Vibro Labs was thinking of it.
 
 
Vibro Labs is basically a one man operation out of Maine. Luke Pighetti, founder and engineer of the the aesthetic and sonic characteristics of the company’s two IEMs, the Aria and the Maya, has some history with ZMF on designing their wood enclosures. He has affinity and talent with wood and his products look lovely. I’m hoping that the Maya is as lyrical as Ms. Angelou and it’s sonic images as compelling as the Ancient Americas.
 
 

Vital Statistics (specs from manufacturers and distributors)

Every company that makes a product has a story to tell about their product. These stories are told in charts, graphs and superlatives of varying levels of believability. In my experience chatting with Luke Pighetti, he seems to be a straight shooting kind of guy. My Maine man seems as honest as his beard is long—may his Samson mane never fray.
 

 
Here’s what he had to say about the Maya on the Vibro Labs website:
 

MAYA is our new flagship earphone with an ideal-neutral signature.
 
It is as close to neutral as possible while still maintaining a touch of musicality. Maya builds upon the legendary extension of Aria while providing midrange neutrality and improved room acoustics. The result is a neutral, musical earphone that accurately portrays vocals, preserves microdetails, and presents lightning fast sub-bass extension.

Click to expand...

 
 
Good on ya for offering a two year warranty. It's a very nice statement, Vibro Labs.
 

Form & Function

The Maya has a tiny footprint and feels light and comfortable in the ear. The shape of the IEM means that it doesn’t have much contact area with the ear surface. Whilst this ensures comfortable fit for a wide variety of ears, it also means that beyond the tip, there is little to block out ambient noise, so I found isolation on these below average with Spinfits equipped. When equipped with the included Comply Isolate tips, the world outside was just a maze of moving lips and silent cars unaware of your existence—like that moment in the movie where the lead is realising the gravity of their predicament—aw crap, what were you saying? “Lips move but I can’t hear what you’re saying,” without the nastiness of feeling totally alien to your own humanity.
 

 
The Maya, as you may have noticed above does not come with any silicone tips. Personally, I’m not a fan of the Comply sound on most IEMs. I find that it makes the bass warmer and less detailed and reduces treble. I’m not a fan of warm bass, and not a fan of muted treble (even if only slight), so my tip of choice is the Spinfit medium (red). The Maya is poorly designed for using with other tips than the supplied T600 Comply tips, as it has a very large nozzle. I believe that the size of the nozzle, and the lack of ridge or texturing on the nozzle are responsible for one of my Spinfit tips falling off. It was an uncomfortable moment, as you want to have your sound impressions be consistent throughout on a review. Luckily, I found some spares that I forgot I had. I think that the nozzle on the Maya is needlessly large, as there are only two not terribly large sound bores. The nozzle could also be improved by having a lip or ridges, as this would make it more difficult for tips to fall off. Noble IEMs also have large nozzles, but they have designs that mitigate tip slippage.
 
The case that the Maya comes with is an authentic Pelican case and feels pretty bombproof. This is the first IEM Pelican case I’ve handled, and I like it. The foam insert doesn’t seem that useful though. I’d say an insert that secures the IEMs and has a compartment for the cable and tools and tips would be more useful, but not as sexy on presentation.
 
 
On the tour, we didn’t get standard packaging, so I can’t comment on what that looks like. I imagine mostly the same, but with tips in packs instead of in big Comply T600 series demo kits. @Luke Pighetti gave us a comprehensive treatment, tons of tips, and alcohol wipes to clean up. Well done. Every tour should do so well with regard to foamies. It would have been nice to be able to rate the retail packaging, though.
 
The cable is a really good stock cable. It slides nicely over the ear, is light weight, flexible, relatively tangle resistant, and non-microphonic. The y-split could look nicer—I’ve seen the same split on cheap Chinese IEMs, and the slider could be something other than a piece of clear tubing, but those are minor niggles that don’t really matter. The clear tubing actually works better than most sliders I’ve used, it moves smoothly and I didn’t have problems with twists and tangles due to it. If you want a swish looking cable, you were probably already getting an aftermarket cable anyway. This cable does the job well. The right side is marked with a red dot, and the left is marked with a blue dot. Given how secure the 2 pin fit is, you won’t be changing cables in the dark, so no need for elevated bumps or anything like that to tactically tell you which side is which. I really like those tactical clues and wish more manufacturers would do them, but they aren’t always necessary.
 
 

Audio quality

The way that Vibro Labs describes the Maya is accurate, it’s mostly neutral with a little bit of lift in the midbass and a little bit of lift in the lower mids that gives vocals a bit more weight and makes things rock a little more. Extension is good on both ends of the spectrum, listening to Why?’s Mumps Etc… album really highlights how deep the bass extends. Timbre throughout is spot on. The little boost in the mids gives vocals more weight without changing the tone, it is subtly done and very well executed.
 
I tested the Vibro with all kinds of music. It has the speed to keep up with Dragonforce and Animals as Leaders. It has excellent detail rendition. Everything is loaded with texture. Acoustic music from Amber Rubarth sounds poignant. Led Zeppelin rocked. The Maya is musical, poetic, and good looking to boot.
 
What the Maya doesn’t have is a deep soundstage. It has above average width and excellent height, but the depth and width are compressed a little compared to the Ultimate Ears Reference Remastered (UERR). The UERR had less height than the Maya. Within that limited depth, the imaging is very good. You can pick out individual instruments’ relative positioning with ease, but they won’t have as much air around them as some other offerings in the same price range. On this journey, I only had the UERR to compare to among high-end offerings, but I remember other headphones I’ve listened to along the way.
 
To test out the ability of the Maya to render complex passages, I threw on Dragonforce – Heartbreak Armageddon. Around the 6 minute mark there is a really complex passage filled with guitar, airy backing ambient synth, vocals and bass. The Maya isn’t quite as resolving as the UERR on this portion. It gets a little smooshed with all that content coming at it, and it smooths out some detail (just a little). It still performs very well, the UERR is just a bit faster, edgier, and has more depth, aiding instrument separation and detail resolution.
 
The Maya didn’t have problems matching with any of my sources, though when music isn’t playing, that moment when you’ve plugged the headphone in and haven’t pressed play yet, I did get some low hiss on all the DAPs I had on hand (HiFiMAN SuperMini, HiFiMAN MegaMini, iBasso DX50). Those DAPs range between 0.5Ω and ~2Ω output impedance. When music was playing I didn’t generally hear anything at all outside of the most silent of passages, i.e. 99.99% of the time I didn’t hear any hiss. In other words, no problemo.
 

 
 
When compared to one of my favourites that I have on hand, the 64 Audio X2, the X2 has a more forward mids presentation, which gives some truly impressive drum impact, and is lacking in detail compared to the Maya. The Maya just has more resolution. The Maya manages to have a smooth tonality without being rich and without losing detail. The imaging on the Maya is more precise than the X2 due to that detail advantage. I’m very happy with it.
 
I tried the Maya with well recorded music and poorly recorded music. It showed the positives of well-recorded music, but didn’t outright expose some of my poorer recorded tracks like Wolf Parade’s Apologies to the Queen Mary album (excellent album, really terribly mastered). I would class the Maya as being forgiving of poor quality content, which will be welcome to most folks. We’ve all got shamefully mastered music that we like, for the most part. You’ll still like that music with the Maya.
 

Conclusions

The Maya is dynamic natural IEM with a nice musical neutral signature that plays really beautifully with just about any genre. The Maya accomplishes this organic musical signature through subtle, tasteful boosts in the mids and bass that give the music a bit more presence and grip. There are no parts of the frequency range that are excessively boosted.
It isn’t a perfect headphone, as it isn’t a total detail master and is a bit lacking in soundstage depth, but at $699 perfection isn’t expected. It will also hiss on some sources in near silent passages (less than 1% of listening time).
 
The performance of the Maya was as delightful as the UERR, but more musical and more forgiving of poorly mastered content. While the UERR is pinpoint accurate, it doesn’t play nice with all source material.
 
I think the Maya is going to be a rousing success. It looks beautiful, sounds amazing with whatever you throw at it and is competitively priced. This is an excellent, well-rounded IEM, I hope that this is a big hit for Vibro Labs.

Acknowledgment 

Thank you HiFiMAN for providing this review unit on loan in exchange for my honest opinion.

Introduction       

HiFiMAN has been around a long time now. They’ve gone from bargain OEM to one of the best and brightest headphone manufacturers in the world. Personally, I have a long history with HiFiMan.
In 2009, I had gotten tired of my $70ish Sony IEMs (can’t remember which ones they were and tossed them long ago) and was looking for a new pair of budget headphones to play out of my PSP—dated. Through |joker|’s thread, I discovered the RE0, and through the extinct Head-direct website, I got my first pair of audiophile headphones for $80. It was a really good deal, and the start of something beautiful and terrible, a love and lust for new audiophile gear. In a way, HiFiMAN provided me with my gateway drug, and all of you on HeadFi are now regretting it.
 
My first post on HeadFi after years of lurking was a 3 way review comparing the RE0 to two closed circumaural headphones: the Shure SRH-440 and the KRK-KNS 8400. It did pretty well.
I’ve listened to a lot of HiFiMAN gear, and still have my RE0. The HE-6 is probably my favourite headphone of all time when properly driven, and the HE-1000 is among my current favourites in production headphones—I haven’t been able to do side by side with the Focal Utopia or Mr. Speakers Ether (C) Flow, so can’t state that the HE-1000 are my favourite outright. With all the listening I’ve done, I hadn’t yet had the opportunity to do a true review of some HiFiMAN gear, so when they called for reviewers, I jumped, in spite of a busy review queue that will keep me occupied till Christmas.
 
The MegaMini is currently in the midst of a crowdfunding campaign on IndieGoGo. Get it a little cheaper, if you like. The lowest price available at time of writing is $229, the campaign lists MSRP as a startling $300.
 
What follows next is some lyrical prose about my audiofoolery, audiophilery, perspective and preferences. Everyone is biased and I believe that our biases should be transparent. Read below the spoiler if you want to get cosy with me and my biases before you read my reviewing.
 
 

Vital Statistics (specs from manufacturers and distributors)

So what does the manufacturer have to say about this piece of kit? Sometimes it’s enlightening, sometimes not. First, here are some measurements. HiFiMAN didn’t provide the output impedance value, which is pretty ridiculous as it significantly affects sound and purchasing decisions for those in the know about impedance mismatches.
 
 
HiFiMAN founder, Fang Bian provides some information about the SuperMini and MegaMini in a letter:
 

Within the past two to three days, there has been some discussion online about the HIFIMAN SuperMini and MegaMini that I feel contains misinformation about the technology we use. So in the interest of clearing up any confusion and to make everyone comfortable in their consideration of our players, I offer the following clarifications.
 
HIFIMAN new player SuperMini and MegaMini: Single thread mode
 
A portable music player (PMP) is actually a mobile computer. There are a lot of portable music players that use an Android or Linux operating system. These systems are in multi-thread mode: CPU executes multiple processes or threads concurrently. Multiple threads can interfere with each other when sharing hardware resources, which creates jitter when playing music.
 
In computer programming, single threading is the processing of one command at a time. Instead of developing the music player software on existing Android or Linux operation system, the HIFIMAN team has developed its own embedded operating system. Specifically, HIFIMAN SuperMini and MegaMini are portable music players working in “single thread mode” most of the time; only some very small tasks such as displaying and button responses are running on multi-thread mode sometimes. More than 95% working time, they work as single threading so that their jitter level is much less than that of an Android or Linux PMP.
 
Reference:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thread_(computing)
 
About Gapless
 
When a PMP is playing music as gapless, current technology has to play music and read the next track simultaneously. That way it will play the next track as soon as it finishes playing the first track. Therefore, it is a multi-threading process.
 
The current beta version firmware of SuperMini and MegaMini cannot support Gapless. However, the HIFIMAN team has figured out a way to support gapless playback in single thread processing. In other words, there is no more jitter generated when a HIFIMAN SuperMini or MegaMini player is working as gapless. We plan to launch it in the official version firmware before the end of the year.
 
Supporting Exfat SD card
The current SuperMini and MegaMini cannot directly run an Exfat format SD card however you can format it in the player and support 64, 128 and 256G SD card without any problems. We are currently working on supporting Exfat and will support it in the official version firmware later this year.
 
If anyone has any questions, or would like further information, please contact customerservice@HIFIMAN.com. Thank you for your support.
 
Best Regards,
Fang
 

Click to expand...

 
I’m not sure I buy the threading argument being made. I highly doubt any differences would be audible. Unfortunately, I don’t have player handy that I know uses multi-threading—but the DX50 does do gapless. If I had this thing permanently, I could wait till I get delivered the Cyberdrive Seiun Pro X next month and see what it has to say about all this threading stuff. I certainly remember the Android based Opus Audio Opus #1 sounding epically transparent and I’d bet that used multi-threading.

Form & Function

Form

 
The MegaMini lives up to its name. It’s tiny and light in the hand. It melts into your pocket like nothing is even there. The MegaMini has bevelled edges that look quite classy and give a feeling of grip and control in the hand. In a neat touch, the side buttons light up with a faint glow, like a will-o’-the-wisp leading you to dreams or death, depending on whether you subscribe to Disney or folklore—it’s quite pleasing to hold. I like the sharp edges.
 
 
 
The button layout is easy to figure out with good labels on the front buttons—take note SuperMini—but no labels on the side buttons. In contrast, the SuperMini has no labels on the front buttons and full labels on the side. The MegaMini I’m holding is a pre-production version, so hopefully it will have complete labels when it goes into production. The front buttons are for navigating the menus and for play, pause, skip track, last track, forward and backward seeking, selecting shuffle/repeat modes and adding tracks to favourites.
 
The headphone out, microSD slot, and microUSB charging point are on the bottom. The microSD slot helpfully has a little indent to make it easier to get the card to the somewhat deep point where it locks into place. The screen on this is colour, but looks like a shrunken version of the GameBoy Color circa 1998.
 
 

Function

 
 
 
The operating system on the MegaMini is rudimentary, but functional. Menus are easily navigated using the keys. Holding down the < and > keys allows quick scrolling of menus, and also can be used in playback (Now playing screen) to scroll forward or backward through the current song. In both modes, tapping either button causes the corresponding forward or backward movement. Holding the back button (far left) takes you back to the main menu. Tapping the power button turns the screen on and off. Hold the power button to power off completely. There is no sleep mode, so inactivity will drain your battery fully if you forget about it.
 
 
Holding the play button, O, during playback calls up a menu that allows you to choose shuffle and repeat options, which is nice. These options can also be found in the settings menu. Shuffle is either on or off. After checking, it shuffles whatever organisation level you are at in a random or pseudo-random with replacement order. For example, if I go into my Genre menu and select Indie, the artist Architecture in Helsinki, and the album In Case We Die with shuffle on it will shuffle just that album; if I select All Albums instead of a specific album, all albums will shuffle. If you want to shuffle all songs on the player, this can be done by selecting All Songs on the main menu with shuffle on. However, there is no option to just shuffle all artists in the Indie genre, or to shuffle an upper level folder. It would be nice if both options worked. If you want all songs to be shuffled, you can do that by having shuffle on and then choosing the menu option, All Songs. Repeat works in a similar fashion, you can repeat all albums of an artist or one, but you can’t repeat everything in a genre or everything in a folder. Holding the play button outside of playback allows you to add tracks to your favourites when in a menu area with tracks. This favourites list is the only semblance of a playlist option on the player.
 
The playback screen is functional, but I question why it needed to be colour. The colour looks very 8 bit, and doesn’t have any cover art. Why is there a CD square in the middle of the playback screen with no cover art? It makes no sense to me. A black and white screen, like that on the SuperMini, likely would have saved some battery life and been just as functional. This isn’t a froo froo screen or a froo froo player, we shouldn’t pretend like either are true. Stick to the no frills presentation, I say. [Edit: after looking at Brooko's review there appears to be some way to get images in, but it doesn't work for me--this probably can be fixed with a firmware update]
 
I formatted two cards using the MegaMini player and it was fast at formatting. It was not fast at importing the library and didn’t give me a status bar to tell me how long it would take. I didn’t want to sit watching it, but I know it took well over ten minutes to do 200GB. Hitting update databases in the settings menu reads the whole card again, not just the files that have changed. I tried 128GB and 200GB cards from Sandisk in the MegaMini and had no problems. One thing that threw me, is the player didn’t catch all my tags, leading to some of my favourite tracks falling in the “unknown” category.
 
I charged the player a several times and it took 1 hour 30 minutes when I timed it, and seemed consistent on charging time on other charges. The battery life on the MegaMini is dismal. When listening exclusively to 24/96 it only got 5 hours and 45 minutes; when playing mostly 16/44 FLAC it only got 7 hours 50 minutes (there was a little under an hour of 24/96-192). That just won’t do for a DAP, I draw the line at 8 hours, and this DAP didn’t come close to that under a moderate load. The 15 hour time posted on the Kickstarter is dubious. There is no way they were playing the MegaMini at a reasonable listening volume with any high bitrate music—which is one of the reasons for buying a dedicated DAP and not just using your iPhone. The numbers are a distortion.

Audio quality

Much like Brooko, I’d contend that a good DAC is neutral, but not passionless. A properly tuned DAC won’t have much in the way of bass/mids/treble differences to deal with, it’ll let the headphone speak, for the most part. Where I find differences in DAC/DAPs, the differences are often subtle, but not always. I find that where a DAC/Amp implementation can make a difference is noise levels, blackness of background, soundstage, and impedance matching. Outside of impedance matching, I think these primarily relate to distortion and treble performance, but I’m no audio engineer, nor do I play one on TV. Damn it Jim, I’m an audio-reviewer not a…
 
 
The MegaMini has good sound quality, but for those who have sensitive IEMs or sensitive ears, it will hiss. When I used the Vibro Labs Maya with the MegaMini, hiss was very audible. The Maya has 114 dB/mw sensitivity and 12Ω impedance. When using the UERR, I didn’t perceive any hiss issues. At low volumes there was a tiny bit of hiss, but nothing too objectionable.

Comparisons

For comparisons using the Maya I volume matched using a dB meter and white noise to 78dB, for the Maya, and 72dB for the UERR. I found that because the insertion is deeper on the UERR, I don’t need as much volume. All tests were done with single-ended outputs as I had no way to keep cables consistent across single-ended and balanced mode operation. My general approach to comparisons is to control for the variables that I can so that my comparisons are as fair as they can be.
 

SuperMini

The sound signature of these two is nearly or completely indiscernible to me at matched volumes. I tested with the Vibro Labs Maya, and couldn’t consistently tell a difference between the two players’ signatures, which is a good thing, they are both fairly neutral players. Both players have some low level hiss with the Maya, but I think this is going to the case for the Maya on many rigs—I got some soft hiss at low volumes with the Maya on the iBasso DX50 also. I thought I heard a bit more depth and body in the SuperMini, but that may be expectation bias, as I’ve already read @Brooko’s excellent review of the SuperMini and the measurements show lower distortion, which in my experience has usually improved depth. Short story shorter: I can’t confirm any differences between the Minis whilst using the Maya.
 
Switching to the UERR, the SuperMini sounds like it has a little bit bigger soundstage when listening to Amber Rubarth doin’ some Tom Waits on Hold On. Differences are small and still subject to all the biases that come with non-blinded testing. It might all just be in my head, and not just because the UERR are several mm closer to my brain than the Maya.
I like the simple black and white screen on the SuperMini better. Navigation is basically the same between them, but the playback screen tells me more on the SuperMini. I found the CD picture in the middle of the MegaMini screen pointless given that I didn’t see cover art for any album in my library and I’m not sure the resolution of the little screen on the MegaMini would do cover art any favours anyway.
 

iBasso DX50

Up to the point of this comparison, I had been listening to everything on the two Minis. I had settled into the sound like an old recliner and let the cushions envelope me. When reviewing I think it is really important to give yourself time to get used to the sound of a player or headphone before you step into comparisons. I think that this eliminates potential bias against the review item and lets you enter comparisons comfortable to the sound, like that old easy chair. This getting accustomed period also has its benefits in comparisons: it makes differences between comparators more stark, which allows better clarity in defining the characteristics of the review item. There are lots of differences between the MegaMini and the DX50.
 
The DX50 absolutely destroys the MegaMini on sound. In comparison, the MegaMini soundstage is small, and the sound is thin and muted sounding. The DX50 has more body and a more engaging organic dynamic sound. Highs are more extended, lows have more texture and body, and overall the sonic portraiture is more refined with a more tightly woven tapestry of notes. The MegaMini is smooth and easy going. The MegaMini sounds good, buti It isn’t a close comparison to the DX50, sonically.
 
Playing Pink Floyd – Dark Side of the Moon on both players makes me distinctly aware of how much not having implemented gapless sucks for the MegaMini. Floyd just doesn’t work well in gapped playback—the staccato breaks between songs are obnoxious and take you out of the extended enveloping moment that is Dark Side of the Moon.
 
The iBasso DX50 kicks the MegaMini around the block on features. It has more power. It has adjustable gain, it has a removable battery, it has standalone DAC functionality, it has gapless (HiFiMAN says they will add gapless to the MegaMini later), it has a touchscreen that is pretty easy to use alongside great physical buttons, it has a removable battery, and it supports USB OTG. There is no question that the iBasso DX50 is the better player on features.
 

Conclusions

The main selling features of the MegaMini are tiny size, excellent build quality, a variety of formats played, a good UI, decent sound, and advertised 15 hour battery life. In my two battery drain tests, I didn’t get anywhere near 15 hours and I really question the methods that they generated that estimate with, so we can strike that last one.
 
The player is limited on features: no gapless, no USB DAC, no USB OTG, no line out, no equaliser, no gain adjustment. Some of these could be added via firmware update, and I know that gapless is already in the works. They can’t add a line out to the player, and I highly doubt that two of my favourite DAP features: USB DAC capability, and USB OTG are in the cards.
 
Before comparing this to the DX50, I was prepared to give it 4 stars, after the comparison, the sonic deficiencies of the player were laid bare. I can’t give this 4 stars. This player is a 3 to 3.5 star player. I’m rounding down in this case. Price is a looming reason why the rating declines for me.
 
I think that the main selling point for this is its diminutive size. For those looking for an ultraportable DAP, there are other options out there that are less expensive with comparable feature sets. I suggest auditioning players like the Lotoo PAW 5000 and the XDUOO X3. Both will now cost you less, and offer some features that are lacking on the MegaMini, but both will also lose you tagged browsing. The X3ii is also an objectively better player with a lower price, if you are okay with a little bit larger form factor. If HiFiMan sold this for $150 instead of $250 ($300 MSRP according to IndieGoGo campaign), I think they would compete better with other offerings that are out there.

Acknowledgment   

Thanks 1MORE UK for providing this review sample in return for my honest opinion.

Introduction

I heard about 1MORE from a fellow HeadFier, @canali, who told me I should check out the triple driver, so I went searching. The triple driver is in such high demand that there were none available when I asked. According to the 1MORE rep I’ve chatted with, the 1MORE MK801 and 1MORE EO323 are great introductions to their sound, so I’ve be reviewing both of these offerings. In the future I'll be reviewing even more 1MORE. As of this writing I have 3 more headphones to review.
 
According to the Wall Street Journal, 1MORE was founded in 2013 by three former Foxconn executives with an in investment from Xiaomi, one of the largest mobile gear manufacturers in China among other venture capital investments. The company is based out of Shenzen, but has roots in the USA in San Diego—a really nice place to have roots with all the great beer, great food, great culture, great weather and endless beaches—and a distributorship in the UK. 1MORE aims to have a global brand to match Apple’s big money monkey, Beats, I say monkey because a monkey could have tuned the ones I’ve heard. Unlike Beats, 1MORE wants to make premium quality headphones at midrange prices, instead of making low quality headphones at premium prices. As of the Wall Street Journal blog entry in 2015, achievements included 10 million in earphone sales in China, and I imagine since their triple driver won a couple of awards, that those sales numbers are way up.
 
The 1MORE MK801 is currently available for $79.99 from the us.1more.com, and £79.99 from uk.1more.com. That just goes to show how shoddy the Brexit vote has made the exchange rate over here. Given that the USA price doesn’t have 20% VAT added to it, the price in the UK is fair. Let’s see what this little black mamba has to offer.
 
 

Vital Statistics (specs from manufacturers and distributors)

In this section of my reviews I try to let the manufacturer’s story about their product be told. Manufacturers and retailers always have something to say about their products, some of the time it’s accurate. The review sections will tell whether that is the case here.
 
The technical details given on uk.1More.com are really sparse, most of the detail below is from the box. I’d personally like to see every manufacturer list the full specifications of their headphone on their site. Also, for the love of Pete can we please get some frequency response charts? We all know you guys measure these. Share the information! Rant over, I think.
 
 
The uk.1MORE.com site doesn’t have a huge amount of salesmanese on their website, except for that repeating video when you enter the site. 1MORE time through the video is too much. It might not be as bad if the voiceover muted on the second time through and beyond. At least it won’t cause seizures like the USA 1MORE website. Holy crap that is a lot of rapid flashing lights—it needs a warning for people with epilepsy!
 
The people in the video are cool and definitely sell the image that if you buy just 1MORE, you’ll be cool as cucumbers in an Arctic Circle icebox in January.
 
 
Here is what you get with a couple clicks to the MK801 page:
 

·         Superb Sound - the diaphragms use PEEK, a highly flexible polymer, for enriched bass. They are plated with aerospace grade metal for faster response time to produce sizzling highs and precise midrange
·         Expertly Tuned - by Grammy Award Winning Sound Engineer, Luca Bignardi, to deliver a precise representation of your favorite music
·         Comfort and Style - the headband and ear cup housings are constructed with TR-90 steel for exceptional durability, flexibility, lightweight comfort, and modern appeal. The ear cups rotate in four directions to customize your comfort level and insure noise isolation
·         Intelligent Control Technology - in-line controls are compatible with Apple iOS and Android, allowing you to conveniently control volume, select songs, and take calls
…
CONTENTS
·         Over-Ear Headphones 

·         TPE enhanced detachable audio cable with 3.5 mm plug

·         Durable soft carrying case 

·         Attractive storage case

Click to expand...

 
Like I said, not too much bluster. Though I must admit there is a little bit in there. One bluster element is the clear suggestion that the 1MORE MK801 will make you more fit, sexy and confident. Like Meze Headphones, 1MORE puts some serious sex-appeal on their website. Look at how casual that dude is, that pouty I’m emotionally available but strong look. Look at the girl, she’s gorgeous and confident enough to dispel inappropriately limiting mainstream female body concepts. That little touch of pit hair makes me happy. You go, girl!
 
 

Form & Function

For the most part the MK801 are comfortable. Like all on ears I’ve ever used—probably due to how my ears stick out on my head—the 1MORE MK801 causes pressure on my ears after an hour or two that grows in noticeability the longer I wear them and results in a lingering ache after removal. I had similar complaints with the Meze 99 Classic’s original pads, but at least the 1MORE MK801 doesn’t claim to be circumaural. This isn’t 1MORE’s fault, it’s just I have lots of problems with on-ears.
 
The MK801 felt a little bit hard on the headband when I first put them on, but by rotating the band to be angled toward the front of my head this comfort issue was resolved. The sliders allow good adjustment for the headphones and the grip is sufficient to keep the headphones on your head. The headband is rubberised, which means it should be pretty easy to clean. This will be pretty good on sweaty muggy humid redundant weather like the UK has been having lately.
 
When walking about town with the 1MORE, I can hear a fair bit of wind noise, as the pads are a bit firm for making a perfect seal on top of the ears. These don’t isolate very well for me. Folks with different ears may have a different experience. On ears are very finicky on fit, and isolation is entirely dependent on fit.
 
There are a couple myths I’d like to dispel from the minimal bluster of the website blurb.The 1MORE MK801 does not come with a durable soft carrying case. It comes with a thin fabric pouch that inspires absolutely no confidence in its ability to protect the headphones from anything but minor scratches that might occur when you throw the headphones into your backpack. I’ve put the headphones in my backpack a lot over the last month, and they haven’t been scratched yet, but when I think durable soft carrying case I imagine padding and the ability to take a drop—this case won’t do that. The MK801 also doesn’t come with an attractive storage case, unless they are counting coming in a presentation box, which these do come in, but nothing near the quality of unboxing experience that the 1MORE EO323 double driver or 1MORE E1001 triple driver IEMs provide. The outside of the 1MORE box is attractive, and there is a foam insert that is uncommon for this price range, so some points should be given for that. It also has a nice designated box for the cable. The presentation is good, but not spectacular like other 1MORE offerings.
 
My pictures aren’t as sextacular as 1MORE’s, but I’m obligated to provide them. Sorry for the letdown after what you’ve previously seen. The first picture in this review is from uk.1MORE.com, and does a better job of highlighting the refractory glitter speckling on the black MK801. It is quite a handsome effect. I like it.
 
I gave a brief phone test. It sounded fine and I didn’t have a complaint about my voice. I don’t really spend much time on the inline control features or mic and headset features of headphones because that isn’t what they are about for me—they are about telling the world to shove it. I’m busy, leave a message, I’ll call back later. Also, my phone is a crappy source, so no winning on that level either. Not gonna do it, wouldn’t be prudent.
 
 
 
 
 
 

Audio quality

I’ve had these as my primary headphones for a bit over a month, and I think I’m getting a pretty good idea of how these sound. They have good texture throughout the spectrum. Their Grammy winner knows how to tune. Good on you Luca Bignardi.

Comparisons

The setup for comparisons was the Geek Out V2, fed by my iUSB3.0 using a LH Labs Lightspeed 2 split power and data USB cable (yes it makes a difference). I played tunes in JRiver Media player with volume levelling on, for the most part. There are some times with compressed metal music where it turns the volume down too damn much. I used an SPL meter to casually match volumes using white noise to ~78 SPL. Volume on the computer was as follows:

1. 1MORE MK801 = 48
2. SoundMAGIC Vento = 52
3. Ausdom M05 (using Vento’s cable) = 45

 
The tracklist was as follows:

1. Be’lakor – Abeyance/Remnants (off Vinyl Remaster 2016) (guitar attack, speed, presence—I turn off volume levelling for this one because metal needs to be loud)
2. Massive Attack – Teardrop (bass, female vocals)
3. Amber Rubarth – Tundra (thanks Brooko and Chesky Records) (soundstage, instrumental mids)
4. Kraftwerk – Komettenmelodie2 (treble torture test)

 

 
 

Be’lakor – Abeyance/Remnants

On Be’lakor – Abeyance/Remnants, the MK801 really rocks out. It has clear transients and a detailed presentation. I feel a touch of fatigue, which makes me wonder if there is a little bit of a treble spike. This would have the effect of boosting detail, whilst also causing some fatique
 
Compared to the Ausdom M05 the soundstage on the 1MORE MK801 has a more intimate presentation. The Ausdom M05 has less crisp bass with a bit of bleed into the mids. It’s slightly veiled in presentation compared to the MK801. The sound of the M05 is smoother, with less detail. The soundstage is good, but mids are a bit forward.
 
The Soundmagic Vento has recessed mids, and good clarity and detail. Comparatively, the 1MORE MK801 has a more natural timbre. The mids are better placed in the stage on the MK801. Soundstage is about equal across the two.
 

Massive Attack – Teardrop

I start this one out with the Vento. This track is a bass showcase. The bass drops low, with lots of texture. If a headphone doesn’t do bass right, this track will show it. The Vento lack the presence and rumble that I’m looking for on this track. The soundstage feels a bit closed in. I feel no treble fatigue with the Vento.
 
With the MK801 the bass has more thump than the Vento gives me, but the sound is less rounded. I’m still missing that firm rumble that I look for on this track. The upper mids and treble have more weight, and the mids are airier. I far prefer the mids on the 1MORE MK801 to the Vento.
 
Moving on to the M05, the thump at the beginning of the track less present than the MK801. Bass on the M05 is less defined. The overall tonality is much smoother. The soundstage is much more three-dimensional on the M05.
 

Amber Rubarth – Tundra

Starting with the M05, the soundstage was as good as expected. The stage has good height, and above average width and depth.
 
The Vento really excels with the violin and strings in general. Violin has a beautiful presentation with clearly defined bow swipes rasping across the strings. The detail is wonderfully done. This is easily the Vento’s best showing on a track.
 
The MK801 has more forward mids than the M05 and a more intimate stage. However, within that stage instruments have better placement and more natural timbre. Compared to the Vento, the detail is still there but the MK801 has better impact on drums, more speed, and a more aggressive feel. I’m known to like aggressive. I definitely like it here.
 

Kraftwerk – Komettenmelodie2

The MK801 has good treble extension, which is what this song is really about. This song is about harsh treble, so if this song doesn’t sound the slightest bit cacophonous, then your headphones aren’t accurate—they might sound nice, but they aren’t accurate. The MK801 lets the treble be it’s naturally cacophonous self.
 
The Vento shows a bit more grain from the recording—this is a vinyl rip. The mids are less present and the treble is smoothed out a bit. Smooth treble on this track is wrong.
 
The Ausdom M05 is the smoothest of all, but has the best depth as the sound advances from the back of the stage in the intro. The treble sounds a bit thin.
 

Conclusions

Overall, I’m very happy with the MK801. The MK801 has an overall balanced signature with a little bit of upper mids/treble emphasis. It has good detail and a natural presentation of instruments. I used these for well over a month and found the signature very satisfying and the price a bargain. When comparing these to the new Soundmagic Vento ($price, £price), I found them to have a superior soundstage, more accurate treble, better defined and more groovy bass, and a more natural timbre for less than half the money.
 
These are a great bargain, especially for people who have no comfort issues with on ear headphones. If you or someone you know is thinking about getting a Beats Solo, smack them across the face with these puppies. They are stylish, well packaged, and sound excellent at a very reasonable price.
 

Acknowledgment   

Thanks Arcam of Cambridge for including me in the UK tour in exchange for my honest opinion.

Introduction

The more I look at the audio industry, the more amazed I am at the number of enterprising and innovative folks getting into the market. Arcam isn’t one of those companies. It doesn’t mean that they can’t be innovative, but they’ve been around too long to be called a new firm. Over 40 years in operation out of Cambridge, England puts Arcam in pretty rarefied company.
 
 

Vital Statistics (specs from manufacturers and distributors)

The story of audio is told in specs and stat-sheets as well as marketing lingo, reviewer critiques and homages. Sometimes a manufacturer’s description is a superfluous ball of superlatives. If they’re doing a good job the information they provide won’t just be a flash-zip-bang advertisement to go with your morning cereal and internet browse—I do this every day before I go to work, alas the newspaper is dead in my generation. In this section of my reviews, I try to provide the manufacturers tale and leave the critique to my own review.
 
Beware, there be superlative icebergs and spec charts ahead.
 

Key Features
- Class A design delivers zero crossover distortion for the purest sound.
- Extensively optimised 2 layer fibreglass PCB for cleanest sound and lowest crosstalk
- Multiple low noise power supplies eliminate cross-interference between sections
- Fully direct coupled signal path from the volume control for cleanest bass
- Ultra-linear resistive-ladder analogue volume control, eliminates L/R volume tracking errors
  (taken from Arcam’s $6000+ flagship A49 amplifier)
- Precision metal film resistors in the signal path for lowest distortion
- Phono socket and balanced XLR inputs
- 3.5mm and 6.25mm headphone outputs
- Output impedance <0.5Ω eliminates frequency response errors
- Enough power to drive the least-efficient headphones
 
Other Bullet Points
- Very high build-quality with die cast metal case for mechanically stable structure
- World-class analogue circuitry
- Vibration damped non-slip rubber base
  
TECH POINTS
Class-A Amplification
The amplifiers operate in class-A for all normal headphones use (up to deafening levels) and seamlessly switch to class AB if called upon to drive really low impedances at higher levels (e.g. desktop loudspeakers). They are nevertheless short circuit proof and will shut down automatically in this case. Simply turn back the volume control to zero (“mute”) to reset.
 
Digitally-Controlled Analogue Volume Control
The expensive PGA2311A Texas Instruments part is the same as is used in our $6000+ high-end 49 series ampliers. It is a digitally controlled, very high-performance analogue stereo audio volume control, designed for professional and high-end consumer audio systems. The two fully independent audio channels eliminate crosstalk and deliver effectively perfect L/R tracking at all volume levels. We use the premium (lowest distortion) A-grade part.
 
Power
Would a 3rd party linear power supply improve the sound? We don’t think an external supply will help much due to extensive internal filtering. Many will convince themselves an expensive linear supply sounds better, but the unit will measure much the same whatever is used, provided it is man enough (+12V regulated, at least 1 amp continuous) and user does not introduce an inadvertent ground loop. Do NOT exceed +14V.
 
Listening Notes
The rHead is ultra-low-distortion and ultra-low-noise. Timing is fast and precise, with well-controlled bass and although the output is very wide-band the extended treble is smooth and flat with no artificial exaggerations. Dynamic headroom is massive and all headphones we know of are handled with ease. Please compare with competitors at twice the price.
 
Some reviewers, used to quick blasts of distorted noisy signals, find Arcam sound lacking in 'excitement & bite’ when what they are listening to is distortion and often deliberately tweaked FR to enhance ‘detail’. Arcam’s musical natural sound is made for long-term non-fatiguing listening.
 
MUSICAL above all. A VERY important point - Arcam don't build equipment to impress on one quick listen. Arcam gear is designed to be musical and enjoyable over years and years of listening. Many competing products are very 'Hi-Fi' but don't play music in an enjoyable fashion. The Arcam sound gets more involving and musical the longer you listen.

Click to expand...

 

ABOUT: Arcam of Cambridge - 40th Anniversary Year 2016
One of the pioneers of the Hi-Fi industry, Arcam have been building world-class products for over 40 years. Noted as one of the world’s most prestigious AV engineering companies and an authority on Digital Audio, Hi-Fi and Home Cinema, Arcam is headquartered in Cambridge UK.

Click to expand...

 

[size=24.57px]Form & Function[/size]

The Arcam rHead comes in a briefcase size box, which was unexpected to me. For some reason I pictured the rHead being a big beefy amplifier. It isn’t, but it is a little beefy amplifier. The rHead can be held in hand, and has the heft of a brick at a riot. I’m not suggesting lobbing it through a Starbucks window, but anarchists with less wits than arm action could easily mistake it for a brick. The amp feels solid and made to last. I have no doubt that the rHead is not made to break, or designed for built-in obsolescence like most of the electronic gear of this our disposable age. I believe them when they say it will last for 20 years.
 
 
The rHead has a couple single-ended inputs front and left on the fascia, one for 3.5mm headphone jacks and one for 6.3mm jacks. The sockets have a nice solid snap to them when putting headphones in. On the rear of the unit we find one set of balanced XLR inputs and one set of RCA inputs. There are no outputs here, so we won’t be using this as a pre-amp, like some other headphone amplifiers. Also on the back we find a switch to select which input we are using, a power switch and the jack for the worldwide wall wart that comes included. The wall wart has interchangeable plugs and comes with UK, EU, USA, and Australia plugs—very useful. There is also a cheap set of RCA cables, which means you can hook this up just about instantly, so long as you’ve got your source ready to go.
 
The manufacturer blurb makes some points about construction materials, but I’m not buying that metal film resistors magically produce the lowest distortion. The lingo seems to just be telling me what they put in it and then throwing superlative spaghetti at my ears and hoping some of it will stick. I don’t much dig spaghetti in my ears.
 
The rHead box is so small that I was able to fit it in my backpack and take it to CanJam London—thanks @moedawg140 for keeping an eye on it. I hope some folks at your table had a listen. Arcam did miss a trick on their box design, though. Given the size of the box, and the portability of the amplifier, having a box with a handle would be incredibly sensible. Also, the box is sealed by a round sticker, instead of a central fold/insert flap. If a handle and fold insert flap for closing the box were included, the amp would be much easier to use portably. It would be much better than what I usually carry in a briefcase form factor—breathmints and scribbled interview prep notes.
 

 
The volume knob feels solid, but nothing to make a youtube channel about.
 

 
 
 

Audio quality

The Arcam rHead has a smooth musical presentation. It is fairly clear, with good, but not great detail. The amp is neutral, with no frequencies emphasized over others, which is how it should be. Good on ya, Arcam. Soundstage is good, but not tops among the competitors today. The sound signature is overall, a bit forward.
 
When listening with the HD600, there is plenty of power to drive it, but the HD600 likes even more to get the bass to come up a bit. I found myself with the volume at about 65%  to 75% on the volume knob at most times.
 
With regards to the claims made about the sound signature from Arcam’s UK distributor, I did compare the rHead against amplifiers at twice the price, and it wasn’t as good, but it did fairly well. I don’t buy the claim that people listening to other amps are used to more bite because of more distortion. When listening to the LH Labs X-Infinity and the Airist Audio Heron 5, it was the clarity that made them both place ahead of the rHead. It isn’t an insult to not beat the X-Infinity amp, as the DAC/Amp combo that is the X-Infinity supposedly retails for $3000—I paid nowhere near that. Similarly, the rHead competes with Airist Audio Heron 5. The claim that it gets more musical as you listen to it is simply not true. I believe that what Arcam was describing was brain burn-in. The amp isn’t changing, your perception of the amp is changing, you are getting used to the sound.
 
Before doing any comparisons, I did my best to volume match the different amplifiers using the HD600, a cheap SPL meter, and a pen to record the volume level necessary on my X-Infinity. Volume was matched at 78 dB. The signal chain always had my computer feeding my LH Labs X-Infinity ( via LH Labs Lightspeed 2G double-ended USB cable), which then fed the Airist Audio Heron 5, using singled ended outputs and a pair of Atlas Integra interconnects, and the Arcam rHead, which was fed with Van Damme XKE Quad XLR pro audio cables. I recognize that this is not an identical setup, but my observance has been that the sound from XLRs on the X-Infinity is slightly better than the sound from RCA, and having both amps hooked up simultaneously allowed rapid, but not instant switching, between all three headphone amplifiers thus minimising audio memory loss and maximising the speed of comparisons. The X-Infinity includes a pre-amplifier, and both headphone amps have their own volume controls, so whilst listening to the headphone amps I maxed the volume on the X-Infinity. The X-Infinity was set on high gain. Both the rHead and the Heron 5 were set once and left. When switching in between any amp and the X-Infinity, the X-Infinity volume had to be reset to the correct level. The HD600 was played single ended from both the rHead and Heron 5, but played balanced from the X-Infinity—I’ve never found the X-Infinity’s single ended headphone amplification to really satisfy me.
 
 
My playlist for comparisons today included the following:

1. Michael Jackson – Billie Jean (24-96 Vinyl Rip)
2. Roger Waters – Late Home Tonight, Part 1
3. Marvin Gaye – What’s Going On
4. Hoff Ensemble – Blagutten (DXD)
5. 2Pac – God Bless the Dead
6. Massive Attack – Teardrop
7. Eagles – Hotel California (DCC Gold, Steve Hoffman master)
8. Animals as Leaders – Kascade
9. Bjork – Black Lake

 
On Michael Jackson – Billie Jean the rHead had a smooth treble presentation, good impact on drums and a more lively feel compared to the X-Infinity. Stage width was a smidge wider on the rHead, but with less depth and detail than the X-Infinity. On violins, the X-Infinity had a bit more natural timbre. After one track it was hard to tell the difference between the amps. Differences were subtle and may not be evident to all listeners.
 
Late Home Tonight, part 1 puts a bit more differentiation in play  between the rHead and X-Infinity. The rHead is smoother, but less detailed and with less depth in the stage. The X-Infinity has more subtle instrument placement than the rHead.
 
Marvin Gaye sounds wonderful on both amps, but the track has impressive depth on the X-Infinity and good depth on the rHead. I think the narrower depth enhances drum impact on the rHead, but at the cost of more accurate instrument placement.
 
When listening to the DXD track, Hoff Ensemble – Blagutten on the X-Infinity, the superiority of the X-Infinity is most clear. Brass and piano have more natural ambience and timbre with more emotional content. Decay is more natural on the X-Infinity. The smoothness of the rHead masks some of the expressiveness of the track, with subtle details falling out of the mix. The natural timbre of the piano heard on the X-Infinity is lost on the rHead. Notes don’t sound as full and real on the rHead. This loss of detail, instrument placement and depth in the stage is also apparent when listening to 2Pac – God Bless the Dead on the rHead. The layers of rappers meld together a bit on the rHead losing the subtle layering that I look for when listening to the track.
 
Adding the Heron 5 to the mix of comparators allows firmer comparison of the X-Infinity and the rHead. On Massive Attack – Teardrop the rHead gives a nice snappy drum presentation, good treble on the strings, a bit of forwardness on the mids, and good bass grip. The X-Infinity has the best imaging, but the least bass grip. The Airist Audio Heron 5 has excellent grip and texture, and a bigger soundstage than either the rHead and X-Infinity (especially on depth). The Airist Audio Heron 5 is like getting the best of all worlds, but with a very slightly smoother sound than the X-Infinity. When listening to Eagles – Hotel California (DCC Gold), I only have one more observation: the emotional content on the Heron 5 surpasses the rHead.
 
Further listening only confirmed the findings of the previous tracks. It is much like in qualitative research, often a few interviews with patients gives you most of what you will find, the rest of the patients serve as confirmation. The rHead is the smoothest, with the least detail and stage depth. It has good sub-bass rumble, but both the X-Infinity and the Heron 5 can get the sub rolling, too. The X-Infinity is the most detailed but doesn’t have the full texture, emotional notions, good vibrations or satisfaction of the Heron 5. The Heron 5 lets the DAC speak, clearly, intelligently, dripping with appeal.
 

 
I tried the Arcam rHead with other headphones ranging from 16 ohm IEMs to 32 ohm headphones and it did wonderfully with all comers. These play nice with whatever you throw at them.
 

Conclusions

The Arcam rHead is a powerful amp with a clear neutral sound. Compared to other amps I have on hand it is smoother, with less detail and less stage depth. It is, true to Arcam’s claims, an amp that is always musical, and built to last. The build quality of the amp is the most substantial of any amplifier I’ve played with among it’s competitors.
 
When I got the amp on loan, a HeadFi friend asked me if he should get one for his nephew who is heading off to college. I told him his nephew is a lucky so and so and that he’d be pretty chuffed to get this amp, no matter what part of the world he is headed to. This amp is perfect for a college student looking for an audiophile headphone amp to impress all their friends, take up next to no space, and last through a dozen crazy hectic moves from house to house like nothing happened. At £399 ($600) the amp is also a good value. This amplifier is absolutely built like a tank and should last your college student until they are sending their child off to whatever type of education kids will be sent off to in 25 years.
 
 

 
 
 

Acknowledgment   

Thanks 1MORE UK for providing this review sample in return for my honest opinion.
 
1MORE UK has provided a coupon code for the readers of this review to use that entitles them to 20% off all 1MORE headphones on uk.1MORE.com:  MRAUG20.

 

Introduction

I heard about 1MORE from a fellow HeadFier, @canali, who told me I should check out the 1MORE triple driver, so I went searching. The auguries from the interwebs seemed to indicate that it was something worth having a listen to in the sub-$100 bracket. Alas, when I contacted 1MORE to propose a review, the triple driver was in such high demand that there were none available for review.
 
When I searched for 1MORE, I was led to the USA website, who thought a review was a good idea, but redirected me to the UK distributor when I put in my address. I didn’t even know there was a UK website, as it didn’t show up on the top of my Google search, hopefully 1MORE UK will do some search engine optimisation in the near future, as it’s a shame for them if people don’t know that their sales avenue exists. According to the 1MORE representative I’ve chatted with, the 1MORE MK801 and 1MORE EO323 are great introductions to their sound, so I’ll be reviewing both of these offerings.
 
The 1MORE EO323 is currently available for $69.99 from the USA 1MORE web store, and £79.99 from the UK store at uk.1more.com. Web searches will find it for you in other places. You know how to use Google. The prices on the USA and UK website show how shoddy the Brexit vote has made the exchange rate over here, but I’m not understanding the extra £10 on the UK price. Usually you end up with the same price), just with a different currency (i.e. £69.99. There’s VAT over here and exchange rate differences, so that is usually pretty fair. Right now the coupon code below mitigates this price discrepancy, but I think that the price should be lowered on this particular headphone just so they aren’t competing with their USA store.
 
If you are in the UK, 1MORE will be at CanJam London with their full line-up available for listen. The IEM in this review is also in the SHaG draw, so there are lots of opportunities coming up to check out this IEM. 
 
Use your discounts in good health! Hope to see some of you at CanJam. Say ‘hi’ if you see me.
 
There are so many great headphones under $100. I just don’t understand why people listen to garbage now.

 

About 1MORE

According to the Wall Street Journal, 1MORE was founded in 2013 by a handful of former Foxconn executives with an in investment from Xiaomi, one of the largest mobile gear manufacturers in China, among other venture capitalist investments. The company is based out of Shenzen, but has roots in the USA in San Diego—a really nice place to have roots with all the great beer, great food, great culture, great weather and endless beaches—and a distributorship in the UK. The team of folks contributing to 1MORE stretches across the globe. They have got an Italian 4 time Grammy winner contributing to sound tuning in Luca Bignardi, and other folks contributing to business operations in Canada, China, the USA, and Denmark. To say that 1MORE has global reach is a bit of an understatement.
 
1MORE aims to have a global brand to match Apple’s big money monkey, Beats, I say monkey because a monkey could have tuned the ones I’ve heard.
 

 
Unlike my experience with Beats—though word is they’ve improved a bit, 1MORE wants to make premium quality headphones at midrange prices, instead of making low quality headphones at premium prices. They have a desire for a premium brand and all that entails, but also want to provide premium quality. Like a good potential mate seen across the room at the party, they want to catch you with their style and keep you with their substance—try not to stop for a beer on your way over to her. They’ve piled up some design accolades over the last few years, but I’m not sure what that means about sound. They have a cabinet full of iF design awards, a couple Reddot awards, a Computex award and a couple other awards for headphones they’ve designed under their 1MORE brand and for Xiaomi (or Mi in some models).
 

 

Vital Statistics (specs from manufacturers and distributors)

In this section of my reviews I try to let the manufacturer’s story about their product be told. Manufacturers and retailers always have something to say about their products, some of the time it’s accurate. The review sections will tell whether that is the case here.
 
Here’s what usa.1more.com had to say about the EO323:

1. Dual Drivers - A balanced armature and separate dynamic driver deliver an extremely accurate listening experience with unsurpassed clarity
2. Expertly Tuned - by Grammy Award Winning Sound Engineer, Luca Bignardi, to deliver a precise representation of your favorite music
3. Comfortable Ergonomic Design - the oblique angled ear fittings naturally match your ear canals. 4 sets of included ear tip sizes ensure a proper fit for all
4. Intelligent Control Technology - in-line controls are compatible with Apple iOS and Android, allowing you to conveniently control volume, select songs, and take calls

 
 
 

 

Form & Function

Unboxing experience

The 1MORE EO323 is a very pleasurable unbox. It has a black linen finish box with a tasteful aged handmade paper look center band. It looked so good that I couldn’t bring myself to use the tear strip. The tasteful arrangement doesn’t end with the exterior of the box. Inside we find an equally beautiful presentation. The box is divided into two layers of carefully arranged foam compartments. In the top layer reveals the headphone tastefully winding through a layer of foam like a new minted stream flowing down alpine switchbacks. The magnetic clasp pack-of-cards style case forms the basin at the the lower trailhead. Slide off this layer and we find hidden below in carefully designated compartments the eartips in their own matt black box, the metallic branded shirt clip, adaptors, and the manual and promotional materials. Apparently they’ve won some awards for design. All in all very satisfying—cigarette or gum?
 
 

Accessories

The 1MORE EO323 comes with an above average set of accessories portrayed in far more than above average manner. I like the feel of the magnetic clasp box and it looks like something the cool kids behind the endzone when it isn’t a football night (American football) would be sporting in their James Dean button up—I’ll cut you! In use, though I think an letter envelope style opening would be more useful as it would resist cable tangling more. I found that when I put my headphones in the headphone box that extricating them involved whipping out my handy dandy pocket SAS (Special Air Service) survival guide for the knots section. After I got used to it, I got better at not tangling the cable. The case looks and feels impressive, but could use a little better functionality. A cable wrap could prevent this issue of tangling just as easily and maintain the cool kid image of the top opening box.
 
 
Similarly, the shirt clip isn’t really useful for any type of shirt other than the aforementioned James Dean button up. If I want to clip it to the outside of my waterproof jacket, it will be pretty hard, and might be damaging to the jacket. The clip is made of metal and might loosen up over time, but I decided to not put that time in—I rarely use shirt clips anyway. Using the shirt clip till it was flexible steel would probably mean that I’ve started to care about my physical health again. Wake me when the nightmare is over.
 
I didn’t ride any planes while conducting this review, so didn’t test the plane adaptor. It looks pretty standard.
 
Something I really liked about these is the small but good array of eartips they come with and the general quality of the tips. I found the tips sounded very similar to my Spinfit tips, which is a nice feat for stock tips, were comfortable, and I was impressed with the assortment of sizes. Many IEMs come with only three sizes and if they contain more than three sets of tips it’s because they have foamies or a different style silicone tip, not because they carry extra small tips. I don’t need the extra smalls, but I have a friend who can’t use most IEMs due having a very small ear canal. Next time I see him, I’ll see if he can use the tips—won’t be long as CanJam London is coming right up.

Build Quality

These are light weight headphones, which enhances comfort, but makes me scared to drop them on cement. They look like jewelry in the ear when you wear them. It’s all that rose gold bling—I like it, it makes me feel like Barry Bonds back when people still idolised him. Let that be a lesson in never letting your head outgrow your massive ego. The plastic is white, but doesn’t appear to be of the staining variety. I’ve been wearing them for three or so weeks and there is no evidence of old Super Nintendo yellowing or disintegration of the outside like on my Soundmagic PL30 IEM. Wax from my ears left no stain so I think this white plastic is going to be just fine. The cable is white and rubberised above the y-split and cloth below with a microphone module in the normal location. The buttons for the microphone/music control worked just fine, but I found the call quality to sound a bit muffled. I don’t use headphones for calls generally, so the sample size was one call—take it with a grain of salt and look for other observations as it easily could have just been a bad connection. The rubberised cable makes fitting over ear easier and feels like it will be resist the griminess that can come with that wearing style.

 

Comfort & Isolation

I found that worn up I got deeper insertion than worn down. Walking along heavy traffic with them worn up I was able to almost completely drown out the sound of cars rushing up and down the main thoroughfare. The oblique angles of the headphones had a nice ergonomic fit that aided comfort and isolation. The cable has a little bit of grip to it that helps it stay firmly on my ear and the extended rose gold metallic strain reliefs help put the cable in the right position to stay in place. The cables aren’t very microphonic, but I did have some microphonics from time to time worn down, nothing major. Worn up or down, these were comfortable and light weight.
 
My isolation was pretty good, but I did have one complaint from a co-worker of some sound leakage. I must have been blasting the crap out of these things. I think it comes down to a bit of veiling that can happen on the lower mids, my reaction I think was to turn up the volume to pierce the veil with the added effect of piercing the silence in the office.

 

Audio quality

I’ve done most of my listening out of my DX50 and my LH Labs Geek Out V2. The V2 is pretty neutral with a nice tonal weight, and was probably my best pairing, though the DX50 is no slouch either. Right now I’m listening out of the Arcam rHEAD fed by the GO V2. Tori Amos sounds pretty good, but a little thick out of the rHEAD, she sounds better straight out of the GO V2. Back to the GO V2.
The bass on these drops really low and has gobs of texture and slam. Decay is generally good with a little bit of tendency towards long bass guitar decay, which isn’t actually inaccurate. Bass guitar notes like to hang on the air. When listening to Massive Attack’s Mezzanine on the long walk home from work (long enough to listen twice) I found myself repeatedly exclaiming how deep and textured the bass drops. Bass on City of the Sun – To The Sun And All The Cities In Between was also really good. Many IEMs that have some bass presence to them do this at the cost of losing bass control. The bass on the EO323 is well controlled for the most part. I tend to like a lean taut bass, but I find myself liking the fullness of the bass presentation here. These aren’t basshead IEMs by any means, but the bass quality is good and quantity is a bit north of neutral, but very satisfying. It’s a moreish bass, very tasty. The bass isn’t without faults, as from time to time a gauzy veil falls over the lower mids depending on proximity in the stage to other instruments of the infringing bass.
 
Drum impact is very good with excellent slam and nice decay. Guitars have nice crispy edges. Vocals do well in general, but some male vocals are affected by the intermittent veil in the lower mids. Testing with Josh Tillman’s lovely voice, I find the EO323 maintain a nice round timbre through Father John Misty – Nancy From Now On. The EO323 has a slightly warm mids presentation, and my preferred tips with it for long-term listening boost this warmth a little. It’s a trade-off but not a Faustian bargain, the soul of the sound is still intact.
 
The treble is not extremely extended and has no audible harshness. On treble, I found myself getting a bit of fatigue, but not due to anything I could hear. There is a frequency in treble that makes pressure build in my ears if it spikes too high. When I switched tips from the stock tips to Sony Isolation tips this little bit of treble fatigue was tamed. I experienced the same fatigue with Spinfits, and Comply foamies made the bass too rich and cuddly for my liking—like a cup of cocoa and a teddy bear. I’ll take my crystal clear water thank you very much. The treble is generally clear and there is enough air in the signature but there is a little bit of treble smoothing and roll-off.
 
Soundstage is about average, but well defined. The headphones keep up fairly well on speed. Dragonforce – Heroes of our time has good definition and speed throughout. Overall it is very good performance. There is excellent separation between treble and mids elements in the stage.

 

Comparisons

All the comparators in this section are roughly in the same price bracket as the 1MORE EO323, so I think the comparisons are fair. I used my GO V2 as the source and listened to the following three tracks, all through Tidal HiFi:

1. Bjork – Black Lake
2. Pink Floyd – Money
3. Massive Attack – Teardrop
4. Kraftwerk – Kometenmelodie2
5.  

Fidue A65 (low gain: 80)(£50)

The Fidue A65 is a bit more vibrant than the EO323 with less weight in the lower vocal registers and strings. On Bjork – Black Lake the strings are sharper with a less smooth feel. There is more treble present on the A65. Instrumentation is more airy, with a lighter touch. The EO323 is richer, and with a little thicker sound, making depth less apparent. The A65 has a little bit more noise than the EO323, but I’m not sure this isn’t a subtle detail of the music, as at the intro the noise has shape to it, almost like a subtle whooshing sound. This sound is less present in the EO323. On Money, the A65 is much more forward. The bass is further up in the stage than the EO323 but the EO323 has a more focused, more satisfying bass. Mids have more air on the A65. The sound of the A65 is forward in general. I like the saxophone best on the EO323. On Massive Attack – Teardrop, the A65 is too aggressive. Even after turning volume down I felt like the bass and mids were being shoved down my throat. On Kraftwerk – Kometenmelodie2, the A65 lets the razors flow at your ears. That is what the song does, so it’s normal. The EO323 smooths out some of the sharpy sharpy shivs in the treble, which on this track, I think most people would prefer.

 

RHA s500i (low gain: 80)(£40)

After listening to the A65 and now the s500i, I’m convinced that the whooshing at the beginning of Black Lake was intentional. It has almost a biological rhythm, like breathing. The stage height on the s500i is stronger than the EO323 and the A65. Vocals are less emphasized than either of the two previous IEMs. These have the lowest bass quantity, and the sharpest treble. These are definitely on the bright side, but they don’t feel harsh to me. On Pink Floyd – Money the s500i doesn’t sound quite natural in the intro. The registers and coin drops sound a bit thin. Like ma750, the sax has a bit of edginess in Money. The drums  around four minutes lack a bit of body and impact with the s500i, they also smear a little on details, whereas the EO323 does a better job with drums maintaining fast focus and visceral impact.

 

RHA ma750(low gain: 80)(£80)

Less bass quantity than EO323, with more mids focus. The bass of the EO323 is the best in this class so far. It is just immensely satisfying with impressive impact and timbre—just beautifully done. The ma750 sounds lean on bass in comparison. Bjork’s vocals feel more focused and forward on the ma750. The treble is more emphasized which may be what leads pre-sages the increased soundstage width when listening to Pink Floyd – Money (2011 remaster) on the ma750. Sax on money was a little more edgy and aggressive on the ma750 in comparison to the smoothness of the EO323. The upper registers are more articulate on the ma750 than on the EO323 as demonstrated on Kraftwerk – Kometenmelodie2. Like the A65, the shivs are out but not quite as forcefully as the A65 on Kraftwerk – Kometenmelodie2.

 

Conclusions

These are absolutely beautiful for bass. The bass is deep and textured with plenty of impact without being too forward and aggressive. Mids sometimes have a veil over some vocalists and instruments. Treble delivers enough detail, but you really have to listen for some subtle elements as there is a bit of roll-off and smoothing. I found myself enjoying the presentation of bass guitar, drums, and saxophone most with the EO323 in my comparisons to the Fidue A65, RHA s500i and RHA ma750.
 
Across the IEMs I compared it to, I found it keeping pace for the most part. The IEM isn’t my normal signature, as it has a lot more bass power than I generally go for, but I found myself really craving it. The signature is also smoother in most ways than my standard signature. Those looking for a warm IEM with smooth treble and tightly controlled, well textured, big bodied bass accompanied by sexy smooth saxophone and big drum hits will love the sound of the 1MORE EO323.
 
For the money, you get a very good headphone with good accessories and elite packaging quality. Due to limitations in sound stage and lower detail than I generally prefer, I give these a 4 star rating, but the quality of the bass makes it not far off a 4.5. Others may prefer the smoother sound with less treble more than I do, so what is a minor negative for me may be a positive for others. I have really enjoyed listening to these for the past few weeks.
 
For the finish, Avi Kaplan, Mario Jose, and Naomi Samilton can close this out. It's all about that bass—best Meghan Trainor cover.
 

 

Acknowledgment   

Thanks @Tony-HiFi for loaning me the Fidue Sirius A91 for the purpose of providing an honest review.
 

 

Introduction

Sirius is the brightest star in Earth’s night sky, so bright that under ideal conditions it can even be viewed in daylight. Sirius, an illuminated compass for dividing up the night sky to Polynesians and Ptolemaics. In early Catholicism, the position of Sirius in the firmament was used to guide the timing of nightly prayers. Will this new flagship release from Fidue scorch the inner universe of the ear leaving a glowing ember in the night sky of memory (from Ancient Greek Seirios, glowing or scorcher), or will it be the ‘dog star,’ a cause of cacophony and fevers in the waxing hot ‘dog days’ of summer?
 
 
The Sirius A91 is Fidue’s entry into the flagship headphone market. Fidue has been casting its light into ever more ambitious markets while also improving on the fit and finish of their lower end releases. Earlier this year I had the pleasure of participating in a tour of the Fidue A65, a beautiful, under $75 headphone released in 2015. The Sirius isn’t in the same constellation, nor should it be. Fidue’s offerings on the high end have long been moving into more complex hybrids IEMs. Last year they released the A73 (2 driver, 1 dynamic driver, 1 balanced armature); and in 2014 they released the A83 (triple hybrid, 1 dynamic driver, 2 balanced armature). I think they’ve been scaling up their capabilities for this release for a long while. The Sirius seeks to establish Fidue as the brightest star in the night sky, with five drivers (1 dynamic driver and 4 balanced armatures) striving to push the IEM to a distant zenith. Will it succeed? Will its bright light be white hot stellar light, or a more localised Martian glow?
 
For all my reviews, I include a section that describes what I like. If you’ve read it before, or aren’t interest in my particular set of biases, let the music play on and scroll your eyes to the next section.
 

 

Vital Statistics (specs from manufacturers and distributors)

Not all stories are written in constellations, poured over by astrologers and other augurs of signs and portents, most stories now are written on the internet. Banal stories on youtube, twitter rants, and journalistic endeavours from talented writers spinning stories of bat and ball, pads and impact on my favourite Seattle sports sites. Producers of high end audio gear tell their stories on the internet, too. I feel compelled to give voice to these stories of industry told through statistics, sensitivity, driver counts, frequency response and small or large doses of marketing stimulants and bromides.
 
Fidue’s website is difficult to navigate, and insufficiently populated with data on the Sirius A91 for my liking—it’s your flagship, put it on the front page and have good links to information on it—so I have relied on HiFi Headphones for this section of our tale.
 

Equipped with a 5-way hybrid driver combination, including four custom-made premium armature drivers plus one exclusive dynamic driver, the FIDUE SIRIUS A91 IEM offers reference-class sound with outstandingly accurate and detailed imaging.
 
As the Flagship model of the FIDUE range, the SIRIUS A91 uses four custom made balanced armature drivers along with a custom built super bass dynamic driver unit. This unique design results in a superbly detailed, accurate and neutral repodruction with clear and enhanced trebles while the custom made dynamic driver adds great warmth in the low frequency spectrum without any distortion. The detachable cable is an 8 core, silver plated, ultra-low internal resistance audiophile balanced cable, with FIDUE's 4th generation MMCX locking design.
With beautifully sculpted full metal shells with a striking, finned design. A selection of single, dual-flanged silicone and foam eartips provide a snug fit and excellent noise isolation for unparalleled comfort even in long listening sessions.

Click to expand...

 
 
 
 

Form & Function

Packaging and accessories

The Fidue Sirius A91 comes in a small square box. The box is wrapped tightly in a paper branding band that I struggled to get off without ripping. I had to be slow and patient, characteristics I’m gaining much more experience with from baby mealtimes. After the wrapper is safely removed and set aside, the box is a leather box with foam inserts to aid in safe transport of all the sexy audio innards. The top of the package has really nice foam tray for holding the shells, with a classy blue ribbon used for pulling out the adaptors on the underside. The IEM tip storage is another story, it’s a cheap blown plastic number that the IEM tips don’t want to go back on once you’ve taken them off—a bit of a pain for a review unit that you want to return in pristine condition. Below the tray the aluminum case ornamented in laser etched edges and lettering, with a dimpled waist can be found. Pulling up on the lid reveals the headphone cable. Along with all the other gubbins you’ll find your warranty card, an airline adaptor, a 3.5mm to 6.3mm adaptor, and a guitar pick tool and some desiccant—do not eat—for keeping everything dry and bug free on the long journey from China. The guitar pick tool is used for releasing the MMCX connectors, trust me, you want to use the tool, and not to channel Jimi, but I bet you could play some Little Wing, if you like.
 
 
I was both really impressed with the accessories and a bit disappointed. I think that every headphone manufacturer should make their headphones balanced, and include adaptor cables. That Fidue has included adaptor cables for standard 3.5mm TRS and for 3.5mm TRRS (HiFiMan balanced) is impressive to me and is a big point in their favour. I wish I could just buy the cable, and adaptors like on the A83. Maybe that will be an option in the future. The selection of tips was limited, but I found the Fidue tips to be of very high quality. I tried the comply foams, but they made the sound too warm for me. My favourite tips with the Sirius were not the ones that came with the IEM.
 
 

Build quality

The headphones are very solid feeling with a nice curvature to the back of the IEM. I didn’t like the case, but it does have excellent build quality worthy of flagship status. The case looks pretty, but if I throw it in my bag I don’t think it will look pretty for very long. The case is good as a showcase for at home, but it contains no padding to protect the headphones and no compartments to store alternative tips or cleaning tools. Form isn’t enough for me, which is why this section is called form & function. Fidue’s intended function for the case is clearly to look prestigious—mission accomplished.
 

Fit & Function

The Sirius has large earpieces, so fit may be an issue for some people, but it was not for my medium sized ears. The earpieces have a shallow fit with a relatively short nozzle. Another thing to note is that the ports on these are inward facing, so if the port is blocked, you’ll effectively turn the bass up on these. The headphones are comfortable over the ear, and the cables help with this. I found that rotating the MMCX connector towards my head gave a nice tight fit of the cable above my ears.
 
At first blush, I was not a fan of the cloth cable. I managed to quickly tangle it, and it took me a while to figure out how to use it and not have it become a Rapunzel nest of fibre. Once I figured it out, I was happy.
 
Jewellers say that Rhodium is an excellent and beautiful conductor, but soft compared to gold, which means that Rhodium plating will wear down more quickly than gold plating. Edit: From Victor Halgaard Madsen, on HeadPie, gold is softer, with a hardness of 2.5 mohs compared to 6 mohs for rhodium. The jewellers might just be trying to get people to re-plate their rings frequently. The plugs scream quality, a no expense spared ambiance, and allude to the bright radiance of the IEM’s Sirius namesake. Edit: audio sites say that Rhodium is better wearing than gold, whilst jewellers say that Rhodium plating wears off a ring in 6-24 months. I know that my white gold wedding band (often rhodium) has the yellow gold shining through quite a bit. I don't know who to believe, but I'd say if you have had the experience of your gold jacks wearing out, giving Rhodium a try isn't a bad idea, but don't be surprised if your results aren't any better. Also, buy your Rhodium plated gear from reputable sources, as a layer of Rhodium plating that is too thin will come off in no time at all. Don't go hunting from random east-asia source number five on aliexpress.
 
 
 
 

Audio quality

For my listening time I tried the Sirius on a few sources. I played the Sirius out of my Note 2 (I really should consider upgrading sometime soon) long enough to know that I only needed to turn the volume up to 50%. The Sirius is plenty sensitive. I played the Sirius out of the Questyle CMA600i and I played the Sirius out of the LH Labs Geek Out V2 (low gain) in both balanced mode and single ended. I compared the Sirius to my two favourite headphones in my collection: the 64 Audio X2 and the Echobox Finder X1. I tried to volume match comparison using volumes between 78 and 82 dB using white noise and my cheapo SPL meter. I tried using a coupler, but couldn’t get a matched insertion depth across the IEMs, so I pressed the headphones with tips on to approximately the same location and same depth on the foam ball on top of my SPL meter and measured. I had to do a bit of tuning by ear on the 64 Audio X2, as the sound wasn’t quite right (I think it is the ADEL technology).
 
The Sirius claims some serious frequency response, reaching a Cold War era nuclear weapons cache depth on bass and an ‘oh crap supersonic explosions’ level at the top (4Hz to 45kHz). Specs like that paint the picture of having even extension to unfathomable levels at both extremes, and I was pretty sure that I wasn’t going to hear any of that, so I ran some test tones from Audiocheck.net and Binkster Test CD. I could not hear anything at 10Hz, but could feel the driver moving. At 16kHz the sound started to roll off. I’m not sure if aspects of this insane proclaimed frequency response show up in the sound. One thing that proponents of HiRes will often say is that people hear timing differences to 192kHz (pretty arbitrary frequency to choose), so anything beyond audibility on frequency, may still show up as audible on timing signals, which is really what gives a soundstage its feel. On another make of IEMs that report having frequency response up to 45kHz, the oBravo ERIB and EAMT series, I found that the soundstage was the best of any in ear I’ve heard and comparable to many high end full-size headphones. The Sirius has a good soundstage, with good depth and width, but it isn’t anywhere near the oBravo level of stage.
 
As folks who have owned more than a couple sets of headphones know, tips can make a big difference on the sound of an IEM. I tested the Sirius with the stock tips, the included Comply foamies, and Spinfits. I used Paul Simon – The Werewolf and Daft Punk – Giorgio by Maroder to do my tip rolling. I found that the stock tips had a nice balanced sound. Comply added a little bass body and warmed the signature up a little more—too much for my liking, and as usual for me, Spinfit was in the Goldilocks Zone (keeping with the stellar theme, the link is to NASA). Spinfit tips tightened the bass a bit, giving it nice diction, whereas before the bass was a bit smoothed, with a little bit of missing detail. The Spinfit also lends a bit more starch to the treble’s collar—I like it crispy, Zankou chicken.
 

 
The Sirius has a rich tonality with a deep rich bass, warm rich mids, and clear treble—but with some sound surprises slicing in. It’s a sound signature dripping with a Julia Child size dollop of butter, but every once in a while the matron of French cooking grabs the knife.
 
 
With the Sirius I sometimes heard a bit of harshness in vocals. With Keith Greeninger – The Harder That We Love the vocals were pushed forward more, introducing some harshness and making Keith sound shouty at times. On Smoke & Mirrors Percussion Ensemble – Udakrep Akubrad, I had some harshness in the treble and some percussion instruments that sounded unpleasant. I’m a big fan of percussion music, so having glockenspiel sound harsh isn’t good.
 
Listening to Bright Eyes through the Sirius was like listening to his albums completely anew. If the Brakeman Turns My Way had excellent clarity, instrument separation, and soundstage without feeling like any frequencies were given too much weight. Bass had great texture. Hot Knives threw down well defined characterful guitar strums. On Lime Tree, echoes in the soundstage haunted while violins emoted with bow and strings suspended in a deep and wide stage. The sound of the Sirius on Bright Eyes was organic and emotionally moving.
 
Djenting through Animals as Leaders – Kascade I was impressed with the speed and articulation of the Sirius. On 2Pac – God Bless the Dead, stage depth and instrument separation peel back delicious layers of rappers. The Sirius really showcases the rapper multiplicity and depth. I’m nodding my head along in my beat up office chair, wishing I had hydraulics on my work desk.
 
Todays playlist included the following:

1. Bright Eyes – If the Brakeman Turns My Way, Hot Knives, Make a Plan to Love Me, Lime Tree
2. Animals as Leaders – Kascade (Tidal HiFi)
3. Pink Floyd – Wish You Were Here (DSD64 SACD Rip)
4. Smoke & Mirrors Percussion Ensemble – Udakrep Akubrad, Juego de Relojes (DSD256)
5. Roger Waters – Late Home Tonight, Part 1
6. Daft Punk – Giorgio by Maroder (24/88)
7. Paul Simon – The Werewolf (Tidal HiFi)
8. Keith Greeninger – Harder That We Love (DSD128)
9. 2Pac – God Bless the Dead
10. Michael Jackson – Billie Jean (24/96 USA Vinyl Rip, 18DR)

 

Comparisons

Echobox Finder X1(Comply)

The Echobox Finder X1 has a smooth natural sound, with good speed, as does the Sirius (Spinfit) on most tracks. Both have good detail retrieval, but given the v-shape sound of the X1, the mids are more satisfying on the Sirius. The soundstage is significantly bigger on the Sirius with more detail and better instrument separation. On Pink Floyd – Wish You Were Here, vocals were more delicate on the Sirius with a touch of sweetness. Vocals and guitar didn’t sound quite as natural on the Sirius. The Sirius had a bad time of it on Smoke & Mirrors Percussion Ensemble – Udakrep Akubrad, though, with some fogginess in the bass and some harshness in the treble.
 
On Roger Waters – Late Home Tonight, Part One, soundstage is the name of the game, and the Sirius kicks the Finder X1 around the block on this dimension. Again, I find the vocal and string tone a bit sweet, with some hints of harshness in the violins. The sound is really coherent on the Sirius. The Echobox Finder X1’s v-shape doesn’t do it any favours on the mids. Something I’m noticing the more I listen to v-shape signatures, is that they don’t hold up to volume matching. Mids will basically always sound recessed and a bit unnatural. I think v-shaped headphones are made for when you are wandering the street with ambient noise messing up your frequency response. A v-shaped headphone in that situation sounds more balanced. With the comply foams the isolation on the X1 is stellar.
 
On most tracks, the Sirius was significantly sonically superior, but it didn’t play well with everything I threw at it.
 

64 Audio X2 (Spinfit)

On 2Pac – God Bless the Dead, the Sirius has a thick, present bassline with excellent kick. The multiple levels of rappers are suspended beautifully, but the X2 just about matches it. The X2 has a touch less resolution on the layered rappers and slightly less depth on the soundstage. I felt like it matched the Sirius on width and height for this track. Something I noted on this track, the Sirius sounded thin and mechanical when the volume was turned down, so I’m not sure that the Sirius will play well with quiet listeners.
 
On Michael Jackson – Billie Jean, it is apparent that the mids on the 64 Audio X2 are more forward, giving a nice presence to Michael’s voice. The soundstage is great. Drum impact really rocks on these phones. Violins are perfect weapons of emotion rather than being pointy instruments of sonic doom. Switching to the Sirius, snares slam like M80 firecrackers, Michael is a bit further back in the stage and the stage has more width.

 

Conclusions

The Sirius is a stunning package with some special capabilities in soundstage and resolution that make it worthy of flagship status. However, this dog star for me had too many howling dogs in July and not enough beacons in the night. On some vocalists and instruments there was harshness. The bass could be temperamental and I’m not convinced that I didn’t have some times where my ear partially occluded ports and changed the signature slightly.
 
If you like a warm rich sound, the Sirius might be right up your alley. For those looking for a more neutral/bright signature, which is more my style, it probably isn’t the flagship for you. It looks, feels and sounds premium. It has an excellent soundstage and great clarity and detail while having a rich tonality in a very coherent presentation.
 
That said, it wasn’t really my flavour. The rich sound was a bit too rich for my blood, and compared to the Echobox Finder X1 and 64 Audio X2, I found the sound quality to only be about a 5% improvement in ideal conditions, and on songs that faired poorly with the Sirius, less than that. I understand that when we get into flagship territory, diminishing returns have already ravaged your wallet, flipped it over and ravished it again, but this year, there are other headphones I would put on my buy list at lower prices than this one for my leaner sound preferences.

Acknowledgment   

Thanks to @Tony-Hifi  of HiFi headphones for making me review this desktop DAC/Amp as a favour. I love reviewing loaners, but it’s always sad to package and send them off afterward. It’s definitely a carpe diem kind of experience, for you know the end is nigh. Thanks, Tony, for feeding my manic/depressive cycle of celebrating audio beauty just to watch it leave me to other hands and ears. Parting is such sweet sorrow.
 
 

 

Introduction

Schnikies! I only had 9 days to review this beauteous Questyle CMA600i AND the Fidue Sirius A91—delicious masochism. Thank you, sir, may I have another! When Tony of HiFi Headphones said I could review the Sirius, I was super psyched, but he did it on a condition, I had to review the Questyle CMA 600i and I had a short window to borrow them. I felt so put out that I nearly stamped off in disgust. Not really, but reviewing two units at the same time is challenging, especially when one is a large desktop amp.
 
Whilst that type of situation may make one review feel like a ‘me too’ review, that was not at all the case with these two reviews. Both pieces of kit were brilliant, but one star from the East shone brighter.
 
I first encountered Questyle at CanJam London 2015, where they were rolling out the Questyle QP1R—a fine player deserving of all the laurels and lauds flung at it. I didn’t have a go with an HE1000 like @moedawg140. If you want to know everything there is to know about the QP1R, Moe has an Encyclopedia Questylica going up here on HeadFi. Before I arrived tired and excited after a 3 hour bus-ride from Southampton at CanJam London 2015, I had already seen pictures of Moe parading the QP1R and the HE1000 around with Gordon Ramsay and looked like an avatar of audio walking around Heathrow airport. The QP1R looks classy. Questyle makes classy stuff with current mode amplification. I don’t pretend to be a tech expert so I’ll tell you more about that from the mouths of the creators in the next section of the review.
 
Questyle, like many innovative companies, has an interesting origin story. I’ll give a taste of the origins here, but the story is worth reading on their website. I always find it inspiring to hold in my hands what is the realisation of someone’s dream, evidence of finding a calling, not a just a job, but a pathway by which they can feel fully enriched and change the world in a way best suited to their talents. From what I can tell, Wang Fengshuo, founder of Questyle audio found his calling. He started building current mode amplification while at university after an accidental discovery of current mode amplification. Whilst other students went home for the summer, he remained on campus playing and working in the lab, sifting through piles of components in search of perfect matches for his innovative prototype he was building. He finished that amplifier in the Summer of 2004, and went off to work for a big design firm after graduation. At that firm he met some like-minded folks and they built the CMA800, birthing it into the world in 2007 and revising it an astounding 22 times over the next four years before they finally realised that people really liked it and they needed to be able to sell and produce on a larger scale. In 2012, Questyle was born to bring current mode amplification to the world. Since then they’ve been rolling out products, but not getting a lot of official reviews here on HeadFi, just lots of positive impressions.
 
After making a series of purported world-beaters like the CMA800i DAC/AMP, CMA800R monoblocks, and CAS192 DAC, the CMA600i is more modest, what could be considered Questyle’s entry level desktop DAC/Amp. If this is entry level, I can’t wait to hear the top tier.
 
Whilst I set the Sirius burning in, I got some heavy pet… listening in on this gunmetal (space grey, they say) glory. I listened to the Sirius quite a bit on this after burn-in, but found that I liked it better in balanced mode out of the Geek Out V2. If I had a balanced adapter from Norne Audio on hand, I would have gone all Questyle all the time, I think. During this review a Heron swoops in, the real value of balanced output is tested, and the hard scrabble streets of Lewisham (South London) are challenged.
 
Here’s the obligatory about me. How can you trust someone’s ears if you don’t know a thing about what they like and how they hear? Hopefully my little blurb is helpful for you.
 

 

Vital Statistics (specs from manufacturers and distributors)

In this section of my reviews I try to let the manufacturer’s story about their product be told. Statistics about their product’s performance are part of this story and this data is important for consumers to know. Beyond measurements, manufacturers and retailers always have something to say about their products, some of the time it’s accurate. The review sections will tell whether that is the case here.
 
As the CMA600i has a lot of components, it has a lot of stats, so prepare yourself for lots of graphs and tables. First I’ll throw down what Questyle has to say about the unit on their English website:
 

CMA600i inherits Questyle Audio flagship headphone amplifier patent Current Mode Amplification technology, adopts all discrete circuit design, working in pure class A status. Thus it can provide best sound required ultra-low distortion (0.00042%) and DC-600kHz (+0,-3dB) ultra-wide frequency. Plus the high quality sound performance, CMA600i is capable to challenge world class Hi-end headphone amplifiers.
…
 
CMA600i inherits Questyle patented True DSD converting technology. CMA600i drives [the] program directly and processes DSD source code of PC, and CMA600i hardware provides special DSD channel to process the signal strictly under SACD standard.
 
CMA600i is designed with an independent Pre-amp, following Current Mode Amplification patent technology. The Pre-amp uses independent circuit, output with RCA and XLR cable, max amplitude with 4Vrms and 8Vrms separately.
 
…
 
On manufacturing, CMA600i is made in Foxconn factory under world top standard. Chassis is made of aviation aviation aluminum, assembled in CNC “mutual bit” structure, 10mm in thickness to reduce resonance. Spikers are pure aluminum as well, specially tooled by Foxconn CNC machines. CMA600i provides space grey finishing, fashionable and also full of technology.

Click to expand...

 

 
 
 
According to Questyle, it only took three months to design (prototype?) the CMA600i, but over a year to tune it. With “5 changes to the main circuit design, over 50 different components, 10 different headphones, 5 pairs of world famous active speakers and more than 500 times sound alignment.” I hope that other manufacturers do similar things, but without being an insider I can’t know. What Questyle says sounds impressive, but it could be routine and just a normal part of the design process. Many devices take years to develop, one year and three months doesn’t sound like that long a cycle.
 
I left out some information, because Questyle likes to talk a bit. Like I said, you can tell that they are passionate about their devices and their vocation.
 
 
 
As can be seen, the Questyle CMA600i has ruler flat frequency response. That drop at the end is normal.
 
From what I know, that is about as good a THD+N graph as you are going to get out of your Audio Precision machine.
 
 
 
 

 

Form & Function

The Questyle CMA600i comes packaged with a driver disc—at the time I had this I couldn’t identify drivers online, a remote—I didn’t use it, warranty information and the unit itself. It is a sleek looking unit with excellent CNC machining. The colour is a neutral color that will go with most decors. It is solid feeling and solid looking. The ALPS potentiometer has a very solid feel and has beautiful adjustment due to being entirely in the analog range. I didn’t use the remote, but I have a similar motorized potentiometer on my Cambridge Audio azur 540A integrated amp, and it is wonderful. It’s magical watching the knob move from across the room. I didn’t put this beauty out in the living room, as my toddler is real grabby and would have smacked the crap out of it—she has no respect for other people’s expensive property. I put it in my office on top of my desk for safekeeping. She’ll have to grow another foot before she can mess with my reviewing area now. Mwa ha ha, no fun for you, baby!
 
I’ve got one quibble about the volume knob. It has an incredibly tiny black indentation for showing the volume level. I was sitting right in front of it and had trouble seeing it. I’ve got better than 20/20 vision. A little bit bigger volume indicator would be really helpful. For me it was a nuisance when volume matching components, but I got used to it over time.
 
Overall, the unit is attractive, and the build looks reassuringly bombproof. I never noted the Questyle to heat up like a bomb, so that is a point in it’s Class A amplification favour.
 
 

 

Audio quality

First, lets start out with equipment I used in this review.

1. Questyle CMA600i
2. Airist Audio Heron 5
3. iFi Micro iUSB3.0
4. LH Labs Geek Out V2
5. Custom made 4-pin XLR to 6.3mm adaptor (uber adapter with quad core litz-braided Au/Ag wire and gold plated pins on the Neutrik XLR jack with a Neutrik 6.3mm jack)
6. Supra USB 2.0 cable to iFi Micro iUSB3.0
7. 2 LH Labs 2g USB cables from the iFi iUSB3.0 to the DACs
8. Van Damme XLR cables (XKE quad microphone cable, SPOFC, £25 for a set on eBay)
9. Atlas Element Integra RCA interconnects
10. Wensa SPL meter

 
I compared the Questyle CMA600i amp to the Airist Audio Heron 5 amp, both with the Questyle CMA600i as the DAC. I tried the Airist Audio Heron 5 fed in balanced mode and in single ended mode. I compared the CMA600i with the iUSB3.0 and without it in single-ended and balanced mode. I did a volume matching experiment between single-ended and balanced headphone outputs. I volume matched my HD600 using white noise when comparing the Questyle CMA600i and Airist Audio Heron 5. I listened with the following headphones: Fidue A91 Sirius, 64 Audio X2, Echobox Audio Finder X1, oBravo EAMT-3a, Sennheiser HD600, Audeze LCD4, Ether, and Ether C. In other words, I put the CMA600i through it’s paces.
For volume matching I didn’t use a rigorous method—my setup is modest and my time is limited. I stuck headphones onto the same location on my SPL meter best I could and set white noise playing to my desired volume level on each device. The headphone used was the same for each device, so I recorded volume level locations on the volume dials so that I could quickly switch back and forth. Volume levels used during the review ranged between 78dB and 82dB. I listen a bit loud.

1. Spoiler: Here is my music list

   1. Keith Greeninger – Harder that we love (DSD128)
   2. 2Pac – God Bless the Dead
   3. Daft Punk – Giorgio by Maroder
   4. Jan Kraybill – Allegro from Symphony #6 in G Minor (24/96)
   5. Horrendous – Anareta [Album], thanks @Trogdor (@MetalFi on twitter)
   6. Pink Floyd – Wish You Were Here (DSD64 SACD Rip)
   7. Smoke & Mirrors Percussion Ensemble – Udakrep Akubrad (DSD256)
   8. Michael Jackson – Billie Jean (24/96 Original USA Vinyl Rip, best sounding version of Thriller)
   9. Regina Spektor – On the Radio
   10. Pixies – Wave of Mutilation (24-88)
   11. Paul Simon - Werewolf
   12. London Symphony Orchestra – Mahler – 6^th Symphony
   13. Eagles – Hotel California (DVD-A)
   14. Pink Floyd – Time (24-96 Immersion)
    

Straight outta the box, I hooked up the Questyle CMA600i with everything plugged in on the equipment list above. The Heron 5 was hooked up using the balanced cables. After doing my volume matching I found that the Heron 5 was a touch smoother, but not quite as detailed sounding as the CMA600i.
 
The CMA has a nice soundstage, with good depth, and average to slightly above average width. It is extremely clear, with no lack of bass and no frequencies emphasized. That ruler flat frequency response isn’t lying. I found that the CMA600i had great stage definition. When listening to the live recording, Keith Greeninger – Harder That We Love, sound reflections off the edges of the room are clear and natural with a detailed presentation. When I went to reach for bass hungry tracks like 2Pac – God Bless the Dead, I left satisfied.
 
When checking differences between the balanced and single ended headphone outputs, I initially didn’t volume match. This is a big mistake. I wrote down some crap about the bass being better defined on the balanced output and the treble being smoother on single-ended. When I volume matched, these differences disappeared whilst listening to Michael Jackson – Billie Jean (18DR, woot!). I also listened to an obviously flawed but lovely track in Regina Spektor – On the Radio, and a hi-res good dynamic range version of Pixies – Wave of Mutilation. I didn’t hear a difference on either of them with volume matched playing through the HD600. Questyle lists that the SNR is the same on both the single-ended and balanced headphone outputs, which means that the primary difference will be power. The evidence from this little experiment seems to support that if everything else is the same, the difference people hear between single-ended and balanced outputs may just be a difference in listening volume.
 
The SNR is not the same between the pre-amp outputs. When I volume matched single-ended and balanced pre-amp outputs playing through the Airist Audio Heron 5, I did notice a difference, but it was subtle. Bass definition was a little tighter and body was a little fuller in balanced mode. There was a touch more air. Admittedly, not everything was controlled as I didn’t have identical XLR and RCA cables. So there are several possible explanations: cable difference is responsible for subtle difference in sound, the SNR difference was responsible, I’m just imagining things, or a combination of these. I hope I’m not just imagining things, as I really try to stay objective.
 
I tested the Questyle CMA600i with a variety of headphones IEMs on the single ended outputs. I didn’t experience hiss with any of the four IEMs I tested: Fidue A91 Sirius, 64 Audio X2, Echobox Audio Finder X1, oBravo EAMT-3a. All the headphones sounded lovely out of the CMA600i.
 
After I finished my time with the CMA600i, I had to ship it back from at the end of a train journey from London due to a mix-up at my local DPD drop-off point. I can tell you that you don’t want to carry the CMA600i around the London Underground. It’s heavy on to carry that far. After finally getting it shipped back, I ended up listening to it again. I was in London for a Statistics course, but had time afterwards to pay a visit by Custom Cable in New Malden (London’s version of Korean Town). It turns out that Custom Cable is who sells the CMA600i in England. I listened to the CMA600i with the Ether, Ether C, EAMT-3A, and Audeze LCD-4 out of the CMA600i. They all sounded beautiful except the Audeze LCD-4. I thought it sounded terrible. Maybe the Audeze has some specific amping requirements, but it sounded extremely dark with a slow, muddy bass signature, and recessed treble. It sounded like what you find in the hole in the ground behind Door #2. Wearing that behemoth was about as comfortable as sitting on the throne of #2. I should know, our outhouse in Alaska was so cold that we took off the toilet seat in winter, too much risk of frostbite.
 
 
I’ll have to try the LCD-4 again in the future, but it didn’t play well with the CMA600i, and my observance with the CMA600i is that it was neutral to a fault and mostly just got out of the way of headphones allowing them to reveal their own personality. That is exactly what I want in a headphone amplifier. It is possible that the LCD-4 needs more power than what the CMA600i provides, so I’ll be giving the LCD-4 another listen at CanJam London 2016. I've got no firm conclusions on it now, but I wasn't impressed with this pairing.
 
 
I did some comparisons between the CMA600i and the Airist Audio Heron 5 using the balanced out and single ended output from the CMA600i. I found that the differences between the two sounds was small. The Heron 5 had a bit firmer bass, and overall presentation was a bit smoother, with a little bit less detailed sound. I think both headphone amps allow the music and attached headphones to do speak for themselves rather than imposing a signature on the sound, which is a very good thing.
 

 

Conclusions

The Questyle CMA600i is a excellent unit at an excellent price. For the price of admission you get an incredibly transparent amp that had no trouble driving headphones to loud volumes, you get an extremely clean pre-amp with both balanced and single ended outputs. If you have a pair of active speakers with balanced inputs, the balanced outputs on these will have them absolutely singing and make for a very affordable set-up. I found that the headphone amp within the CMA600i was about as amazeballs sounding as my Airist Audio Heron 5 with the HD600, with maybe a slight edge going to the Heron 5. The difference could potentially be explained by the cleaner SNR of the balanced output in comparison to the balanced headphone out on the CMA600i.
 
I have absolutely no problems recommending this DAC/headphone amp/pre-amp. Any audiophile looking for a desktop DAC/Amp for around £900 ($1200) should put the CMA600i on top of their listening list. It is an extremely good value proposition.

Acknowledgment   

Thank you Shozy for the review sample in exchange for my honest opinion.

 

Introduction

Shozy is a manufacturer out of Hong Kong known for their interesting portable DAC/Amps and price to performance ratio. The company responsible for the brand has also manufactured under the name Cozoy. I think Shozy sounds nicer. The Zero continues in the same price to performance vein where the esoteric Alien and Alien Gold DACs have tread before, but the Zero is a lot more approachable.
 
Shozy sells the Zero on their website for $60 and notes that there are only a limited list of authorized distributors, check that your local (or not so local) shop is associated with the right distributor.
 

 

Vital Statistics (specs from manufacturers and distributors)

In this section of my reviews I try to let the manufacturer’s story about their product be told. Manufacturers and retailers always have something to say about their products, some of the time it’s accurate. The review sections will tell whether that is the case here.
 
Shozy doesn’t provide very informative information on their website, and has it formatted in a way that makes copy/paste onerous, the whole page is a jpeg. Shozy should definitely improve on making their website not just pretty, but functional. You can put lipstick on a pig, but you probably won't want to take that pig to the village dance--I don't presume to know what your community does. I’ve chopped the relevant bits up for you here.
 
Try googling pig with lipstick, you'll get racism, misogyny, judgemental religious blogs, and other fantastic things besides this great image. She's so stylish, she even knows how to wear pearls. Better trot out your best Sunday suit.
 

 
 

 
 
 
Conspicuously missing from the specs were driver size and impedance. Whilst the driver size isn't listed, it's a pretty safe bet to say between 8 and 10mm. The website says of low impedance. I have no idea what this means, but I'm guessing it means somewhere around 16Ω.
 

 
As can be seen, Shozy kind of sucks at drawing graphs. The scale here is obviously not linear, which makes it difficult to discern where that heavy roll-off really starts happening. That dip that drops down to 0 doesn't look so good to me. Luckily, it sounds better than that graph makes me feel. Maybe I just suck at reading graphs. After all, I've used the XKCD cartoon below for teaching economic modelling.
 
 

 

 

Form & Function

The units I received were one of many beta units sent out into the wild by Shozy, and I was very happy to be approached. My unit came in a simple padded mailer with no case or retail packaging, so I can’t comment on the packaging first hand. These are the accessories listed by Shozy as coming with the IEM:

1. Carrying pouch
2. Single flange eartips (S/M/L)
3. User manual

 
The stock tips have a very wide bore, which I found to increase stage width but decrease bass definition. I preferred the slightly smaller stage and improved overall definition and clarity of the spinfits. One interesting thing on the nozzle is there is a little notch on the bottom. Shozy indicates that this is for tuning, but I found that it also makes it easier to get tips on. The Shozy Zero has quite a large bore and loading the tips over the notch makes fitting tips much easier.
 
Overall the accessories are pretty bare, but are acceptable for the price range. There are headphones at lower prices with much nicer accessories, like the Brainwavz Jive. This is an area where Shozy could improve here, but from what is listed on Penonaudio.com, the cost of the wood might necessitate the price, and further accessories may cut into margins too much. According to Penonaudio:
 
SHOZY Zero in-ear earphones use simple in-ear design, wearing comfortable. Earphone front shell is  precisely processed by lathe and CNC,it has a remarkable acoustic structure designed to allow normal speaker releasing excellent sound; the rear shell, splitting and the plug shell, and are using good quality red sandalwood, precision lathe processed, carefully selected (1500 sets of wooden shell can pick out only about 300 sets). Imported speaker driver, high-sensitivity low impedance, mobile phone can drive it easily, if play with the high-end players and decoding amp, sound quality increase significantly and clearly.
 
The description on Penonaudio using ‘red sandalwood’ is not an error, as rosewood and red sandalwood are varieties of the same family. Rosewood is known for its excellent density, which makes it desirable in audio and woodcarving applications. Suffice to say that rosewood, a less expensive variety of red sandalwood, is still an expensive component.
 
Something to note ahead of getting into all this. I was advised by Shozy’s representative to burn the headphones in using classical music for at least 100 hours, preferably 200 hours. I think that this is a completely unreasonable amount of burn-in for a $60 headphone. If it requires this much burn in, most of this should be done at the factory. I’m also of the opinion that music doesn’t give drivers the same exercise as noise. I would usually burn-in headphones using what I’ve coined ‘Neapolitan noise.’ Neapolitan noise is white noise, pink noise, and brown noise; it’s like vanilla, strawberry and chocolate ice cream combo bricks you find in your grocery freezer section. Noise gives a more full frequency workout that reduces time to burn in drivers completely, and I’ve found that most headphones after 20 hours of noise exhibit no further changes. I have run into headphones that change around 50 hours, but there aren’t many. For the Zeros, I followed the manufacturer instructions, mostly. I tested them at zero, 20, 50, and 100 hours and noted that there were changes along the way. After 100 hours I gave them some Neapolitan noise to firm them up. The zero is more strident at first blush and mellows out over time. Give it due time.
 
 
 
 
 
 

Audio quality

The Shozy Zero has a warm mid/upper bass emphasis with smooth and pleasant sounding treble that does very nice with violins. I found that with the stock tips the bass could be a little fuzzy. A bit more control would be an improvement. The sound stage has good width but depth is superficial. You can hear the relative weight in the stage of instruments at different depths, but you can’t feel the air moving through and around instruments. It is like a painting done with broad brush strokes versus a painting using finer strokes. Both are pleasing, but the details are far superior when the more delicate brush is used. Instrument placement could be more palpable, with better separation in the depth dimension. Soundstage height is excellent on the Shozy Zero. I think the stock tips trade off some detail in order to blast out an impressively wide soundstage.
 
Switching to Spinfits, which give the bass more control and crispy up the treble a bit, I tried the Shozy Zero with a few DAC/DAPs. The Cyberdrive Feather DAC (a crazy bargain at current prices, $30 on IndieGoGo for DSD256 native DAC) is a nice pairing. The Feather DAC is a bit bass shy, so it controls some of the excesses on the Zero. I prefer a bit less emphasis on bass quantity, and more emphasis on bass quality most of the time, and the Feather tones down quantity nicely with the Zero. Soundstage height is still exceptional at this price. The LH Labs Geek Out 1000 is also a good pairing. The GO 1000 is fairly neutral with a bit of treble emphasis giving it a sharp sound that can be a touch metallic. This works well with the Shozy Zero. The iBasso DX50 has a bit of emphasis in the midbass to lower mids, which is where the emphasis is on the Zero also, so it didn’t make as good a pairing. The Opus Audio Opus #1 is a great pairing for anything I threw at it as it is sublimely neutral and was no different with the Shozy Zero.
 
When compared to the MEE Audio Pinnacle P1 (link to review), listening to Father John Misty – The Night Josh Tillman Came to Our Apartment, the Shozy Zero has more soundstage width and height, but lacks the definition and depth. The Shozy Zero has a romantic quality to it that many will find inviting. It has more forward mids and bass, and smooth treble that doesn’t extend as well as the Pinnacle, which makes it a less detailed sounding IEM, in comparison. Detail is still good with the Zero. I use Josh Tillman’s voice to check whether the midbass is bleeding into the lower mids and colouring the sound. Whilst there is emphasis in the midbass and upper bass, the Zero didn’t colour Josh Tillman’s voice, which made me very happy.
 
Listening to San Francisco Symphony Orchestra – Concerto for Organ with Percussion Orchestra - I. Allegro (off American Mavericks), with the LH Labs Geek Out V2 as the DAC (low gain, 100mW) the Zero keeps pace well and has good impact, but the 64 Audio X2 is a bit more composed with a greater sense of depth and a bit more impact on drums and percussion. Downloads now has a slew of fantastic recordings, and I particularly enjoy San Francisco Symphony Orchestra recordings. Concerto for Organ with Percussion… is a fantastically lively 5 and ½ minute track. I love me some percussion, and own four or five hi-res percussion albums from 24/96 PCM to DSD256. About the 64 Audio X2, which is relatively unknown, it was a Kickstarter exclusive fixed cable version of the 64 Audio U2, which retails at $399, so it is very impressive that the Shozy Zero is performing on similar level. I much prefer the 64 Audio X2, but it isn’t an open-shut case, and others may have different views. Both are excellent sounding. On Rage Against the Machine – Killing in the Name, the 64 Audio X2 is a bit cleaner and sharper with a slightly more balanced sound, which is more to my sound preference. On Be’Lakor – Abeyance/Remnants of the dynamic range laden metal purity Vinyl remaster of Of Breath and Bone, thanks @Trogdor (follow him on twitter @MetalFi), the 64 Audio X2 has much better bass texture, clarity, instrument separation and depth. The 64 Audio X2 is just better than the Zero, in my opinion.
 
Versus the Fidue A65 (link to review), the Shozy is a touch warmer and a little bit less crunchy.The signature of the Shozy is more restrained, with a bit more depth and width to the stage. The Fidue A65 has a more forward energetic signature with more brightness. Both are stellar performers in the price range. The Fidue A65 can be had from Hi Fi Headphones, locally in the UK for under £50. In a strange note, I’m pretty sure the rose gold Fidue A65 have the exact same cable as the Shozy Zero. The less sexy silver ones I have on hand have a black cable, so I can’t confirm if it is the same.
 
The Zero is really easy to drive. The Feather DAC doesn’t have much power, but it drives the Shozy Zero plenty. I like the Zero best with the Opus #1 and the Geek Out V2, two very neutral dacs with good strength in detail resolution.

 

Conclusions

The Shozy Zero is an excellent under $75 IEM. In fact, it is an excellent under $200 IEM. I don’t know if the joke on HeadFi is apocryphal or true regarding the Zero being designed to compare to headphones with an extra ‘0’ on the price, but I found it competed very well with all my sub $200 offerings.
 
This is a beautiful headphone made with premium wood with a warm and pleasurable sound. The soundstage is impressive for the price. It has smooth treble with a warm inviting sound that many will enjoy. I like a little less emphasis on the upper bass/lower mids, but this is a small quibble. Even with this emphasis, details are still good but do not beat the MEE Audio Pinnacle or the 64 Audio X2.
 
The Shozy Zero is well worth picking up for the low price of admission and competes very well with more expensive offerings.

Acknowledgment   

Thanks @Tony-Hifi at HiFi Headphones for letting me participate in the UK tour. It was fun as always. The Pinnacle is available from HiFi Headphones for £179 (no guess what that is in dollars, Brexit, after all).

 

Introduction

I’ve been hearing about MEE products for years! I don’t know why it has taken me so long to hear one in these ears of mine. I’ve recommended them to neophytes based on @ljokerl’s IEM thread—the place where my audio journey kicked off on HeadFi—and in other recommendations. In the past I’ve recommended some MEE headphones to friends who’ve been buying crappy $10 fashion headphones found next to dental rot sugar bombs from abusive multinational corporations, and then replacing them with similarly devoid of value offerings from other grocery and corner store counters. I’ve made these recommendations without hearing them, which is stupid, and the people I’ve advised haven’t listened, which is fitting given that they must have an unmitigated wax disaster in their ears if they think ‘fashion’ buds sound OK. Friends don’t let friends buy their headphones at a Tesco-Express counter.
 
Now I’ve gotten to finally hear a MEE product, and boy am I glad. I feel like slapping high-fives round the neighbourhood. I didn’t expect this Chinese company I’d never heard before to metaphorically palm the basketball that is my little melon head and ears, much less put up a Nate Robinson-esque 360 windmill slam-dunk of a pair of headphones—from Seattle to Shenzen, high fives all around. I came into this review expecting competence. What I got was a set of IEMs that ended up being my favourite among IEMs that I have on hand and view very favourably, and among my favourites that I've listened to this year. I’m stunned and overjoyed.
 

 

 

Vital Statistics (specs from manufacturers and distributors)

In this section of my reviews I try to let the manufacturer’s story about their product be told. For the MEE Pinnacle, I’ve taken the information from HiFi Headphones and MEE Audio’s site. HiFi Headphones often does as well or better than the manufacturer in telling the story of a product. HiFi Headphones has this to say about the Pinnacle:
 
Pinnacle is more than a name - it is a statement that identifies the P1 in-ear earphones as the result of two years of design, engineering, and refinement. With its proprietary acoustic design and innovative zinc-alloy construction, the MEE Audio Pinnacle P1 delivers a timeless combination of beauty and performance.
 
To improve performance at the extremes of the frequency range the Pinnacle P1 utilises a proprietary 10mm moving coil driver with 50Ω impedance. The dynamic driver delivers a full-bodied bass note and slightly warm tonal character while retaining high levels of resolution and refinement. Using a dedicated audio source or amplifier designed for higher-impedance headphones can further improve the listening experience of the Pinnacle P1 heapdhones.
 
Built to last, the Pinnacle P1 is made of a zinc alloy that is stronger than aluminium and lighter than stainless steel and features interchangeable, replaceable cables with MMCX connectors. The unique ergonomic design can be worn one of two different ways and fits all ears comfortably.
The snug in ear fit blocks outside noise, preventing interruptions and protecting your hearing by allowing lower-volume listening. Comply T-Series memory foam eartips are included to further increase noise isolation for a superior audio experience.
 
On Mee Audio’s website they also note that the Pinnacle will sound best with CD quality or better audio and that they designed the driver to reduce moving mass. If you’ve watched Jude’s video on the new Focal line-up (well worth a watch), you know that lower moving mass allows for faster full frequency range response. Further, Mee Audio had this to say about the shell:
 
ACOUSTIC DIFFUSER
A proprietary sound chamber and damping scheme provide the best balance of treble extension and smooth-in-the-ear response. The P1’s patented acoustic diffuser takes advantage of the directional nature of treble (high frequency) sound waves, forcing select frequencies to resonate before reaching the ear to ensure coherency and smoothness. This effectively improves the detailing and high-frequency extension of the P1 without adding harshness, resulting in treble that is extended and energetic, but also smooth for a more realistic sound with improved detail resolution and handling of spatial cues.
 
 

 
 
 

 

Form & Function

First, I’d like to say that the Pinnacle came with serious presentation quality packaging. If you want to impress someone with a gift and are flush enough to just give away $200 pairs of headphones, MEE will make you look like a savant of gift-giving. Chris Kringle ain’t got nothing on you—he better put that red two-piece away. The box has a white outer sleeve with photos, text, specs and all that jazz. Lift the wrapper off and inside is illicit unboxing video porn, NSFW.  You are greeted by a high quality heavy linen finish card box that opens like a DeLorean that’s upside down, but meant to be that way. Like it’s barrel rolling in James Bond stunt at the apex, freeze-framed on the silver screen. Suffice to say I was impressed. I’ve opened up cases to much more expensive IEMs that weren’t as impressive.
 

 
Inside the box, there are two further boxes, each labelled with their contents and some thoughtfully organised compartments, with the obligatory IEM showcase insertion points. The leather magnetic clasp case looks up at you, announcing with a shiny metal placard your Pinnacle’s serial number and crying “hear ye, hear ye, here there quality be.” The two labelled boxes contain the MMCX cables in one, including one with microphone; and eartips in the other. A good assortment of eartips was included, including three sizes of comply foamies. I didn’t use the microphone cable as I don’t listen on my phone and hate interruptions in my music. Music time is me time, or MEE time in this case. The selection of tips was good, but I found that I liked the Pinnacle best with Spinfits—I’m finding that I like almost all of my headphones best with Spinfits, my second favourite tips were the stock single flange silicone tips. Can someone send me a bucket of medium Spinfits? It would be much appreciated. So little time to review, and switching tips is such a hassle—I need to satisfy my inner Garfield while growing into my outer Garfield. The Spinfits firm up the low end a little bit and make the treble crisper, which I like. I took observations with various tips, I’ll try to reference which tips are being used along the way.
 

 
The Pinnacle is lightweight with an easy nozzle angle for wearing the cable up. The product info advertises that it can be worn down, but this felt really awkward when I tried it. The cable has a premium feel and good weight. The braiding effectively prevents tangles, and the weight of the cable helped stop it from bouncing around too much. I didn’t notice microphonics when walking, but I also didn’t do any vigourous action with the Pinnacle in my ears—inner and outer Garfield intact. While the fit is good, it is no match for my best fitting IEM, the Trinity Audio Atlas. It is no shame to be second to the Atlas in fit as the Atlas fit like a pair of handmade sheepskin moccasins fit your December feet when the cabin fire has long since died out and the slate floor might as well be an ice-hockey rink. The Trinity Atlas are that friggin' comfortable—you just want to snuggle up with them in the cold winter night.
 
When inspecting the IEMs, the screens covering the bores appear to be glued on and are a fine mesh with a small lip. I’d be careful when doing tip switches and cleaning the screens.
 
Now the moment you've been waiting for, illicit unbox photos!
 
 

Audio quality

I had nothing but impressive experiences with these, the packaging was prophesy of my listening experience. For this review I used the following gear: iBasso DX50, LH Labs Geek Out V2, Spinfit tips, Comply foamies, stock tips. I listened to a lot of music, staying up till 3am with these beauties on one night. My wife asked me if I was coming to bed at about 1AM and I told her I’d sleep in the office—I should note there is a bed in the office. That is how much I was liking these.
 
First things first, I tried these with several tips, and found that Spinfits worked the best. Comply was a bit soft and not as well defined as the stock tips or Spinfits. The stock tips were a little bright in the treble and not as good on the bass as the Spinfits. I love Spinfits, and they had the clearest crispiest treble and best bass definition of the tips I tried, so most of my impressions will be with Spinfits mated to the pinnacle nozzle.
 
Second things second—has anyone ever said that? I think I’ll claim it; these demand a lot of power. When I played them through the DX50, they needed high gain and high volume to reach full performance capabilities. On the Geek Out V2, I was driving the Pinnacle at 50% volume in the 1000mW setting. For reference, I listen to the HD600 at about 65%, and most IEMs I listen on the 100mW (low gain) setting. Don’t try to drive these out of your cellular or a weak-sauce amplifier, it’s a waste of a good audio meal. It’s like asking for ketchup with your bistecca alla fiorentina (best darn steak in the world, sorry Brazil, Argentina, New York)—don’t be a heathen.
 
For my listening tracks I whipped out old review catalogue favourites and a couple tracks I love but haven’t been review tracks. On the beaten path, so to speak, were:

1. Eagles – Hotel California (DCC Gold),
2. Father John Misty – The Night Josh Tillman Came to Our Apartment,
3. Keith Greeninger – The Harder That We Love (DSD128, off Live at the Fenix),
4. Unleash the Archers – General of the Dark Army
5. Dragonforce – Heroes of Our Time
6. Charles Mingus – Eat that Chicken

 
On the other road in a yellow wood:

1. Beck – Satan Gave Me a Taco
2. Boys Age – I am a Jester (album can be downloaded for free here – why have you not downloaded this yet!?)

 
The list of tracks above were what I used for comparative listening, but I also listened to many more, including: Belle & Sebastian’s Dear Catastrophe Waitress album; some ELO, Tool, Tori Amos, Norah Jones, City of the Sun, Daft Punk; my treble torture test: Kraftwerk – Kometenmelodie 2; and Roger Waters – Late Home Tonight, Part One whilst calibrating which tips I should be using. Initial listens for tips were done on medium gain on the DX50 and it wasn’t enough power for the Pinnacle. On the DX50 with medium gain I felt a little bit of treble fatigue and a lack of bass emphasis with the stock tips. Switching to the Comply foamies tamed the little bit of extra treble and warmed up the bass a bit, but didn’t do anything for impact. A few of my albums were vinyl rips, and on each one the Pinnacle was very revealing of vinyl noise. Very clear headphones often expose the limitations of vinyl, and the Pinnacle are very clear headphones, indeed.
 
Throughout the listen on medium gain out of the DX50 there was excellent clarity with great detail in the mids and treble. On Step Into My Office Baby, there was a very airy quality to the vocals. On Roy Roger there was great reverb and sparkle on the xylophone. Telephone Line gave me some great drum response. I switched to high gain, and chucked the volume up to 237 (out of 255) on the DX50 for listening to Aenima, and it didn’t have enough oomph for me. Vocals sounded a little recessed and drum sounded a touch distant. Bass texture was excellent, though. I’m also happy to note that the Pinnacle passed the treble torture test with flying colours. It never went too bright on Kometenmelodie.
 
On Tori Amos – Hey Jupiter, the instrumentation has excellent depth. With Norah Jones I was hearing tiny details like a miniscule guitar pluck deep on the right of the stage in Cold Cold Heart. Whilst many IEMs will give you clues and markers to where instruments are located in the soundstage, like a set of ‘X’s on a alpine map denoting the route, not every IEM lets you fully sense and feel the way of the ski trail. The Pinnacle doesn’t just have you see the trail pencilled on a map, your skis are in the grooves left by alpinists before you, your eyes are watching for fluorescent tags on white birch bark denoting your path. I feel the sound stage with the Pinnacle, I don’t just hear cues to locations—there is crystalline mountain air around the instruments. With that said, the soundstage is only a bit above average in size—it just maximises the impact it gives in the space it has with excellent separation, detail and tactility.
 
Strolling through City of the Sun and Daft Punk, I noted excellent kick in drums and percussion with real air moving through the bass drum kicks, great tone on plucked instruments, and excellent imaging, but I also noted that bass quantity may not satisfy everyone. On Giorgio by Moroder, the Pinnacle’s imaging definitely stood out.
 
Now that I’ve established a baseline, I’ll proceed to the comparative listens. For each headphone, I attempted to do a crude volume matching by writing down volume levels and gain settings for each IEM at 78dB using an SPL meter. My methods weren’t perfect, but they were definitely better than not volume matching at all. I initially had the Pinnacle (with Spinfits), the Echobox Finder X1 (Black Filter, Spinfits), 64 Audio X2 (Comply, Spinfits), Shozy Zero (Spinfits), and Trinity Audio Atlas (Sony Isolation Tips). I’ll present comparisons on a song by song basis.
 
Eagles – Hotel California (played through iBasso DX50)
The Pinnacle has excellent clarity and imaging, and drums have good impact. The best in the group for the thump thump bass drum at the end of the intro are the 64 Audio X2. Mids were most recessed on the Finder X1. The 64 Audio X2 is the smoothest, but is sometimes soft and doesn’t have the treble extension and detail that the Pinnacle has. The Shozy Zero is bassier than the Pinnacle and has a larger soundstage.
 
Father John Misty – The Night Josh Tillman Came to Our Apartment (iBasso DX50)
The production on the album tends towards warmth, such that headphones that add warmth often make the album sound musty and congested. The Pinnacle doesn’t add any warmth, and to my ear lets the album sound natural and inviting. The Shozy Zero has a taller and wider soundstage with a romantic quality to the sound, detail is still there, but in less quantity due to smoothed treble on the Zero. Luckily for the Zero, the warmth in the sound doesn’t impact Josh Tillman’s voice. The Trinity Audio Atlas has slower bass but a nicer presentation of the glockenspiel on the track. The Echobox Finder X1 is bassy, and not as tight bass as it’s competitors, and has recessed vocals.
 
At this point I switched to the Geek Out V2 and popped the gain up to high, and proceeded to listen till three in the morning. The instrument separation when listening to Smoke & Mirrors Percussion Ensemble is fantastic with details just popping all over. The Pinnacle definitely likes the power to soar.
 
The Geek Out V2’s amplification is also more revealing of the other IEMs. On Keith Greeninger – Harder That We Love, the presentation is a little artificial sounding with the Trinity Audio Atlas, with bass colouring the vocals. It sounds wrong after the Pinnacle. The 64 Audio X2 is warmer, but less detailed, with a sleight veil, and more forward mids. The Pinnacle doesn’t over-emphasize any frequency, it is just beautifully balanced.
 
Brittney Slayes and Co. really rock it on General of the Dark Army, and the Pinnacle does not disappoint, the attack is crisp, with sharp well defined edges. It is metal and feels metal, with sharp guitars and machine gun drums. I just want to crank it up with the Pinnacle hooked into the GO V2. The 64 Audio X2 is smoother with a more immediate presentation (those forward mids at play).
At this point the Pinnacle has won me over compared to my other headphones on hand. Through the rest of the night it keeps up with Dragonforce, gives Charles Mingus – Eat That Chicken a fun live feel with horns dancing round the stage and hoots of ‘Oh yeah’ grounding the atmosphere. On Boys Age – I am a Jester a soft bassline under lying the tune is clearly heard and guitar is well defined. Beck – Satan Gave Me a Taco has an organic sound. The Pinnacle reveals the tape noise of the recording, but doesn’t make it sound as gnarly as some other headphones can. It also holds onto tiny details, like faint tapping and scratching on the guitar body. After listening to the Pinnacle on this track, the Trinity Atlas makes me feel yucky, it just sounds stale and muddy in comparison.

 

Conclusions

The Pinnacle is an absolute joy. It sings quality from the moment you meet it's unique packaging contours and continues in dulcet tones when the visual experience moves to your ears. It is sheer aural pleasure, the best sounding single dynamic driver embedded strongly in my memory (I have poor recall of IE800 listens). It is expertly tuned with great detail, an articulate soundstage with real air imported from the path less travelled by, and a balanced overall signature that is immensely pleasurable. At $199, the Pinnacle is a strong competitor for best price to performance ratio of the year.
 
The Pinnacle won’t be for everyone. It needs loads of power for the bass to be fully realised and the mids can sound recessed when they aren’t driven hard enough. If you drive them well, you’ll enjoy them. On the DX50 the Pinnacle needed high gain, and high volume. On the GO V2 it took high gain and 50% volume. Most IEMs are fine on low gain, and ones that like more power tend to be at about 20% on high gain. This is a stellar effort from MEE Audio and fully deserving of 5 enthusiastic thumbs-ups, but since I don’t have a strange form of polydactyly granting me five thumbs, I’ll give it 5 stars instead.

Acknowledgment   

Thanks @George-gearbest of Gearbest, for the opportunity to participate in this review tour.  The Syllable D900S was provided to me as a review sample in exchange for my honest opinion. Thanks also for the understanding when I let you know that my review would not be positive.

 

Introduction

I’ve reviewed a few Bluetooth headphones with mixed results, but none of those headphones was completely wireless, with a charging case—shiny shiny. The Syllable D900S represents what seems to be a growing consumer demand for a totally wireless Bluetooth solution. There are a couple totally wireless headphones out there, like the Bragi Dash ($300), and there are more to come like the Trinity Phantom Air—I have great hopes for the Phantom Air. Preceding this model was the Syllable D900, which didn’t have aptX codec capabilities could only be used for 1-2 hours and had a meagre standby time of 2-4 hours. It appears that the D900S gives something more usable. The purpose of the headset is advertised as being for sport or mobile phone use, so coming into this I was expecting a bassy, non-audiophile signature. The product is the only one of it’s kind in it’s price range, so my views will be couched in what the product is trying to do at it’s price point.
 

 

Vital Statistics (specs from manufacturers and distributors)

In this section of my reviews I try to let the manufacturer’s story about their product be told. Manufacturers and retailers always have something to say about their products, some of the time it’s accurate. The review sections will tell whether that is the case here.
This is what Gearbest had to say:
 
D900S wireless earbuds adopts the exclusive Multiplex Link composite connection technology of Syllable for absolutely wireless connection. Without limit of cable, just enjoy the music freely while doing sports.

Main Features:
Syllable D900S Bluetooth wireless earbuds for music and calls
The updated version of D900, provides more stable signal and longer standby time
Supports apt-x sound effect, offer the Hi-Fi tone quality
IPX4 waterproof, impervious to sweat and rain
Come with intelligent charging box for continuous use
Compact size, easy to carry
 
Not really a whole load of bull there. I appreciate a straight to the facts statement about what the product does. That means I don’t have any fabulous claims to repudiate, which removes a little of the fun of conscientious reviewing—also known as being a disillusioned skeptic.
For those who find themselves dying to try this at this point or after this review, Gearbest have provided a coupon code for your convenience. Get $40 off with the code LHSY.
 
 

Form & Function

The packaging was functional with a sexy man bun model on the front. My wife commented that the man-bun is really in right now, she’s seeing it everywhere. Apparently Asia’s love of foreign looking models extends to Swiss-looking dudes with stubble beards and man-buns. The picture on the box is real, at least. Online there are obviously photoshopped pictures with athletic people in tight fitting athletic gear smiling with their luminescent bright bleached pearl chompers.
 
 
In addition to the IEMs, inside the box you get a micro USB cable, a silicone lanyard for connecting the earbuds, a cloth bag for carting ‘em off to the gym—go to the GYM commandeth the D900S, and the charging case. The specs don’t tell you how long the charging case takes to charge, but it seemed longer than two hours for me. The headphones gave less than 4 hours of playtime for me. I would guess this was due to the weakness of the signal. It’s like what happens when you take your phone into a low reception area: the constant searching for signal drains the battery. Bluetooth pairing isn’t terribly difficult. First pair the right earphone using standard hold the button till you get some rapid flashing methodology, then press the same button on the left earphone by holding it till you hear sound. All this pairing only takes a few seconds. I’ve tried pairing these with 6 transmitter/DAC combinations, some with aptX and some without, here are the results:

• GO V2 with Avantree BTTC-200 (not aptX, Bluetooth 2.1, but was my best sounding Bluetooth transmitter on previous pairings): it’s plagued with dropouts of the left channel. I think the latency may be too high for the processing capability on the Bluetooth receiver and transmitter in the right earphone.
• Dell Vostro laptop (not aptX): dropouts were less frequent, sound a bit thin.
• GO V2 with Avantree BTTC-200 (not aptX, Bluetooth 2.1): unlistenable, inconsistent signal with dropouts with any movement of the head. Sound lacked body, sounding like a crushed tin box and not in a good Radiohead kind of way.
• GO V2 with Aukey BTTC transmitter (aptX low latency): connection strength varies greatly, one day whilst listening to Adele on Tidal I had good sound and infrequent dropouts, another day whilst listening to Bandcamp it was constantly dropping out and near unlistenable
• Samsung Galaxy Note 2 (not aptX, Bluetooth 3.0, haven’t previously liked how it sounds in Bluetooth): constant connection dropouts, unlistenable
• Samsung Galaxy Note 2 with Aukey BTTC (aptX low latency): constant connection dropouts, unlistenable

 
There is an interesting article by LJokerL up on his blog “the headphone list.” I think I would put this article in required reading for anyone considering getting a Bluetooth headphone. The following sentences provide a summary. A2DP is the profile that is used to play music. Without aptX, the maximum quality will be similar to a 320kbps mp3 using the SBC codec that is included in all Bluetooth devices. There are also headset and hands-free profiles, but these default to low quality mono. After Bluetooth 2.1, audio quality on SBC is exactly the same, so some older transmitters and receivers may sound better than newer ones, it is all down to SBC implementation. This is why my Avantree Bluetooth device usually sounds better than my Aukey even when the Aukey is using aptX and the Avantree is using SBC. AptX streams in near CD quality sound, and has versions that improve latency, which can lead to better lipsyncing in movie and game functions.
 
I found that the better the amplification my source had, the less chance of dropouts I had. The GO V2 consistently had the most stable stream, and also had the highest power headphone out. The worst connection I had was with my Galaxy Note 2 (with or without aptX dongle) which has a weak headphone out, and generally poor Bluetooth performance. When I took the Note 2 out for a walk with the Syllable D900S, it was unlistenable. I had constant signal dropouts, especially on the left earphone. The signal was so poor the wind blowing in anything more than the gentlest of breezes was causing dropouts. After 15 minutes of this on two separate walks running errands for my daughter’s 1^st birthday party I gave up and put the headphones back in my bag. The sound of the high street traffic was more pleasant than the constant cut-outs I was getting. When I switched to using the aptX dongle from the Note 2 headphone out on my second walk, there was no improvement.
 
The Syllable D900S only comes with two sets of floppy weird shaped silicone triple flange tips. The nozzle on the headphones is oval, but I found that using other tips did work, so make sure you have some other tips on hand that fit your ears well. I couldn’t get a perfect fit for the gym-rat purpose of these headphones with the stock tips. The smaller set of tips don’t give me a good seal, so the sound is thin, with hollowed out mids and a lack of impact, but I can jump up and down and shake my head from side to side pretending that I’m in Flashdance—What a FEELING! When I switch over to the bigger tips, the seal improves, but the fit is less secure. If I move full on Footloose, my left earbud will be flying out this joint. No Kenny Loggins for me. Everyone will have different shaped ear canals, but given the limited number of options on these, fit may be a problem for many users. If you just want to take these for a walk, you may be fine, given a very good Bluetooth source, but going for a vigorous up and downhill run, or playing a game of tennis and you’ll be picking up the plastic shells off the ground in no time. I think lateral movement will be more of a problem with the stock tips.
 
Speaking of those shells, they are ginormous! They are very light, but because of their size simple leverage makes the tips prone to loosening in my ears—this ascribes to the fit issues I’ve been experiencing. The size of the IEMs is understandable, as within the right shell there has to be a battery a Bluetooth receiver, a Bluetooth transmitter, and some form of signal amplification, which is one more component than most Bluetooth headphones require in that they use a cable to connect the individual earphones. Many Bluetooth in-ear headphones are large, but these are larger than large. They are robotic suits in a boy band music video large. They are Bill Murray with an elephant buddy large.
 
 
One thing that is sadly lacking on these is volume controls. Not all tracks are at the same volume, and if you are running on a treadmill you really don’t want to have to change settings on your phone or Bluetooth enabled DAP. Depending on where you have your audio player, this might not even be possible. I'm not convinced of the benefits of completely doing away with wires, if you do away with all the advantages they present.
 
I would say that the 10m range listed on these is an utter fabrication or just a repetition of what CSR says on their chip specification. I had problems with drop-outs at less than 1 metre away from my source, walking a five meters away with the door open from my office gave me consistent drop-outs. The 10m range is likely ideal and not real world performance.
 
Overall, the headphone gives the impression of a headphone that had some testing in ideal circumstances, and insufficient beta testing out on the street. How can a sports headphone be unable to take movement or a gust of wind without drop-outs with the included tips?
 
After reading @B9Scramblers's review, I tried using different tips. I took the tips off of the 1MORE EO323 and to my surprise they fit fine, and the oval nozzle wasn't a problem. In fact, different tips appeared to increase stability of the headphone. Version three of these needs to use standard tips and a more ear shaped earpiece, as @B9Scrambler says in his review. I think that these headphones are incredibly sensitive to movement of the headphone. If the headphone shakes around much, like when they weren't very secure outside in the wind, they drop signal. When the headphone is secure, it doesn't vibrate much in the ear, and is less likely to drop. Better fit improves the sound a little bit too, the mids are more present, but the signature is still lacking in detail. Watch out when you remove them from your ears, though, as using non-stock tips, the tip is more likely to come off. I found that the 1MORE tips loosened and pulled to the end of the nozzle. In the next version of this, the nozzle needs to be round to allow easier use of tips.
 
An improvement that I would make to the design is to distribute some of the internal machinery into a pair of built-in ear-hooks. Move the Bluetooth receiver for each headphone into a robust earhook. The wires of the earhook could have data transmission functions as well as form functions. This would reduce the bulk of the IEM that is in the ear, and would enhance stability. These changes would change how the charging port would need to be arranged and force redesign of the charging case. I think the benefits would outweigh the costs, though. Another option would be to just shrink the shell. I think some of the size is to make manufacturing easier. I'd rather have a little bit harder manufacturing and a lot more stable product.
 
 

Audio quality

The audio quality is hard to define. It ranges from pretty good to bag of dead cats. I would think that a bag of dead cats would be considered universally bad. The problem is that I can’t keep a constant enough signal in most usage to get to hear the sound well.
 
When I have strong signal, the sound is a bit thin in the mids, and lacking emphasis in the bass. There are rare bits of treble harshness on some sharper violins, but it is minor. In general, these sound pretty balanced, but they probably would have benefitted from better amplification at the IEM. Overall, these sound good, with an average soundstage and fairly neutral presentation. Many folks will want more bass for a sport IEM, so the tuning might not fit the market these are aiming for. As I had difficulty establishing signal much of the time, I didn’t give these as much listening time as I do for most of my reviews.
 
When compared to the Ausdom M05, these are worse in every way. The Ausdom sounds engaging and full-bodied. The Syllable D900S is thin. The Ausdom fits me comfortably, the Syllable is hard to get a secure fit with stock tips and inflexible. The Ausdom has excellent Bluetooth range and had no problems with dropouts on the same transmitters. Sound out of the Ausdom sounds CD quality, sound out of the Syllable does not. The Ausdom M05 are very lively with a 3-dimensional soundstage, more bass, and more treble. I prefer the sound of the Ausdom M05 and it has rock solid Bluetooth performance, and controls on the headphone. If choosing between the two, I’d buy the M05 every time. The M05 is also more stable on the head, so you might actually be able to go for a run with it. In fact, I know a reviewer who did.

 

Conclusions

If the signal and fit issues weren’t so terrible for me, I would still be a bit torn on recommending these on sound quality. They have a mostly neutral presentation. Mids sound a bit thin, and bass and drums could use a more impact, but for $50 with the coupon code LHSY on Gearbest, these would be considered, if the signal wasn’t terrible. These are a decent sounding Bluetooth in-ear.
 
However, I struggled to get a good signal on these headphones, and the shells are so huge that they had to design custom tips that only come in two sizes and will likely not fit many people. I had trouble keeping these stable in ear and constantly felt like they were going to come out. My ear canal size is likely in between the two tip sizes provided, as I didn’t get enough bass and the mids sounded hollowed out with the small tips, but the headphones weren’t secure with the larger tips. I’m not going to be alone on this.
 
Overall, I found these very disappointing, which is why I’ve given them such a low rating. Most of the time I rate about 70% sound and 30% everything else, but in the case of these the everything else was bad enough that I couldn’t enjoy the audio quality from these. This problem has made the rating flip for me. I feel like I might be rating a bit generous at 2 stars. Other folks may not have the fit or signal issues that I did. I imagine that it will vary by your ear canal size and by the capabilities of your Bluetooth transmitter, but I will say this is the first time that I’ve experienced problems with my transmitters in 4 reviews of Bluetooth headphones. Maybe your fruit laden or confectionary themed cellular device will have better luck than my dongles and DAPs, but I wouldn’t bet heavily on that outcome.

Acknowledgment   

Thanks @Tony-Hifi at HiFi Headphones for letting me participate in the UK tour. It was fun as always.

 

Introduction

Like many of you, I had no idea who Audio-Opus were before reviews of the Opus #1 started showing up on Head-Fi. They are a new industry entrant out of South Korea. Audio-Opus are still getting their feet wet in the audiophile industry. The Opus #1 is their first player, but more are planned. In this player they’ve kept it simple, no big bells and whistles on this Android based player.
 
Before I put forward my opinions in review form, I like to warn people: I may hold different opinions and preferences to you. I advise reading behind the spoiler tag, to get an idea of where are commonalities and differences may lie.
 

 

Vital Statistics (specs from manufacturers and distributors)

In this section of my reviews I try to let the manufacturers story about their product be told. In the case of the Opus #1, I’ve taken the information from HiFi Headphones. HiFi Headphones often does as well or better than the manufacturer in telling the story of a product. Here is the description that HiFi Headphones gives for the Opus #1:
 
OPUS #1 is able to play all popular lossless audio formats including DSD with up to 24bit/192kHz resolution and conveys the sound exactly as it should with the built in DAC. With the inclusion of optical output it is possible to feed audio data to an external DAC for use with a full-size Hi-Fi system or a dedicated headphone amp to bring out even further details in sound.
 
Slots for two MicroSD cards (currently up to a capacity of 200Gb each) together with the on-board storage of 32Gb make the Opus #1 a heavyweight in terms of capacity, and the clear screen and intuitive navigation make it a breeze to find what we wish to listen to.
Enjoy superior sound anywhere.
 
  
High Resolution Audio
OPUS #1 has created the most optimized solution for all music lovers to really feel high resolution audio formats. The Opus #1 will allow you to enjoy your favourite music in best sound quality up to 24bit/192kHz, providing unforgettable experience and unique sensations from the original sound.
 
Advanced Operating System
Opus#1 is based on Android operation systems compatible with the ARM Cortex-A9, up to 1.4GHz with Quad-Core CPU to express the best possible sound, providing bit to bit decoding and supporting a wide variety of audio formats.
 
Abundant Storage
High resolution audio require large storage space in order to play uncompressed audio files. Opus#1 is equipped with a 32GB internal memory which can be additionally extended up to 432GB by adding two 200GB microSD cards to its slots.
 
Portable Design
Opus #1 is designed to fit in your pocket, allowing you to enjoy the clearest portable sound. Logical, simple and user friendly interface guarantees fast and intuitive control of device. You also can reap the best benefits within this compact body with the control buttons ideally located for easy and quick navigation.
 
 

 

Form & Function

The Opus #1 comes in simple black paper packaging with premium paper. The player is on the top surrounded by high quality foam, with an envelope containing a screen protector and quick start-up operating instructions below. The quick startup guide is basic. For further direction the full user manual can be acquired at audio-opus.com. Below this is a compartment containing the USB charging cable. The review Opus #1 came with a Dignis leather case, and it is a beauty. I recommend it.
 

 
 
The Opus #1 is made of high quality plastic and feels reassuringly weighty in hand. No screws could be identified on the body, and the construction looks and feels fairly bombproof as plastics go. It has hardware buttons for power, volume control and skipping backwards and forwards along with software related buttons on the touch screen. I found the buttons to be a bit small, though well responsive. I would double their size to make it easier to press them in pocket. The Opus #1 review unit came with the super sexy grey Dignis leather case. The case has sturdy padding and grip so that the Opus #1 is very hard to remove once it is in, which doesn’t help put in newly filled memory cards. Be careful when pulling the player out of the case, as it would be easy to shoot the player across the room with the force required. The hardware buttons work well through the side panels of the case and it looks very nice with it on. Right now HiFi Headphones is including the case for free with the player for a short time, but it is worth the £49 admission price.
 
 
I would normally do a battery drain test on new DAPs that I review, but I was unable to do that this time. I can say that I got over the 10 hours of time that were stated in the specifications. The Opus #1 also has a ridiculously effective sleep mode. I kept forgetting to turn it off, and it instantly woke up having used next to no battery. I was very impressed with this function. However, the battery life meter did not appear to be linear, when it gets down to one bar, it appears to decline more rapidly than the previous three bars of power. Charging the Opus #1 was very slow, and while charging you cannot play music, you cannot do anything on the player [Edit: @ostewart graciously informed me in the comments that you can use the player whilst charging with a wall wart, but not whilst charging with a computer. I was using my computer]. I did not like that feature at all. It was frustrating and robbed me of several hours of listening whilst reviewing the unit.
 
I didn’t get an opportunity to test the optical line-out capability of the player, as I didn’t have any optical pieces of equipment on hand. My one unit is being repaired.
 

The operating system

The operating system is Android in name only. It won’t remind you of any Android system you’ve used. There is no WiFi, no Bluetooth, no apps, no back or menu buttons. Currently there is no USB OTG or external DAC. There is just the music player app and a settings menu accessed by pressing an on screen button twice. When scanning content, I found that on multiple attempts the Opus #1 missed tags. I ended up with many albums listed as having unknown artists. Populating the library and scanning the new tracks was fast and had a little animation showing that the library was being analysed. In settings, re-scanning the library is under Initialize. I think that the library scanning probably goes too fast, which may explain why some tags are missed, it may also be that the Opus #1 is very particular about how you tag. When I inserted the same card into the DX50, there were no issues with identifying tags.
 
The operating system works, but it lacks any way to in one button press go from track view to a view where I could see all albums, artists or genres. If I am listening to an album that I’ve pulled up using the Albums menu icon, I should be able to hit that Albums menu icon again to get back to the full list of albums, instead, I am treated to the same album. It takes several on screen back button presses to get back to selecting a different album. I also found the use of the Initialize menu confusing. To rescan your library you initialize it. For me, initialize means erase and reformat, so I had to look up the full user manual online to make sure that wasn’t what I was doing.
 
I was disappointed that there was no option out of the box to use USB OTG or to use the DAP as an external DAC. I mentioned this to Tony at HiFi Headphones, and he informed me that Audio-Opus is working on bringing both these options to the player through further firmware updates. I’m glad to hear that they are responding to customer expectations.
 
Here are some pretty pretty pictures:
 

Audio quality

The Audio-Opus Opus #1 has an effortless transparency, revealing like a pane of Macy’s glass peering in on the joy and appeal of an Alberto Vargas pin-up.
 

 
What lies beyond this voyeuristic pane is not always perfect; take, for example, vinyl rips. I listened to several vinyl rips on the Opus #1. Vinyl rips have a tendency towards a bit of low broadband noise, even with all the pops and hiss artfully removed by skilled and patient ears. This soft noise can be heard as static, but on most systems and most well recorded vinyl rips this soft noise is muted when the music begins to play or is muted by the self-noise of the player, with the exception of the well-worn first track on side A—this track often exhibits more noise than most. The Opus #1 does not have this self-noise. The background is black as a sea of moonless midnight. I observed similar transparency on the Airist Audio Heron 5 ($1000 5W headphone amp). The Airist Audio Heron 5 has one of the purest, cleanest noise floors of any amplification I’ve heard, so the Opus #1 has pulled off quite a feat in having the amplification so clean and articulate that it is reminiscent of the Airist Audio Heron 5. I don’t have any 2.5mm balanced headphones at this time, so the Opus #1’s transparency was even more impressive at this level.
 
This clean articulate sound made me do something that I rarely do when listening to my music, I turned it down. At low volumes, all of the articulation is still present, none of the dynamics are muted, no attack edges blunted. I took the Opus #1 on a business trip and let Nick Drake and Iron & Wine serenade me on the planes, trains and automobiles connecting me to my destination.
 
I did most of my listening with two headphones, the Echobox Finder X1 (black filter) and the Trinity Audio Atlas (orange filter). Both headphones have a bright tonality. I found that bright headphones had the best synergy with the Opus #1, allowing its detail retrieval capabilities to really shine.
 
When I decided to do some comparisons, I whipped out my trusty DX50. I didn’t do technical volume matching, so any comparisons should be taken with a grain of salt. I did my best to match volume on both players by ear, but there are no guarantees that I achieved equal volumes. When listening with the Opus #1 to Dire Straits – Brothers in Arms I was awestruck by the instrument placement in the soundscape. The presentation was almost orchestral, especially the precisely delineated string sections. On the Opus #1 there was no noise at zero volume, not so for the DX50. The DX50 had heavier sounding vocals, which is likely due to the little emphasis that the DX50 has in the upper bass/lower mids. The Opus #1 sounds clearer and more tonally neutral.
 
On 2Pac – God Bless the Dead I found myself surprised that I didn’t hear the distortion I normally hear in the bass at the beginning of the track on the Opus #1, it may be that the Opus #1 has a little bit of a dip in the lower registers that also lowers that distortion. The bass sounded beautiful on the Opus #1. Vocals were very clean on the Opus #1 with a more layered representation of the multiple rappers on the track than I am accustomed to hearing—transparency in action, methinks. Vocal separation was very good on the Opus #1. On the DX50, vocals were less layered and thicker due to the DX50’s emphasis.
 
Why – Strawberries had beautiful decay on piano notes with the Opus #1. The sound is very natural with good spacing in the soundstage. Instrument placement is strong in this one. When listening to Why – Sod in the Seed the stage is smaller on the DX50, with just a little less width.
 
I really enjoyed my time with the Opus #1. I put in about 30 hours of listening over a week. It has an effortless transparent sound with good soundstage, and nice texture and timbre all around. It doesn’t mess with sound, it gets out of the way and lets the music and your headphones do the talking. The Opus #1 is a well-executed neutral DAP.  I didn’t test it out with my HD600, or any hard to drive cans, so my impressions are limited to IEMs, and it did fantastic with them. My volume depended on track, as my tracks aren’t all recorded at the same level, especially looking back at 80s CDs—those things are quiet.

 

Conclusions

The Audio-Opus Opus #1 is an excellent first effort from Audio-Opus. It has a neutral transparent sound with excellent resolution. It includes a balanced headphone out, which is not something you generally see in this price range. Whilst the DAC is currently missing two of my favourite features: external DAC mode, and USB OTG; these features are currently in development. I'm glad to see that the company listens to their customers and adapts. If you have the opportunity to hear the Audio-Opus Opus #1, I recommend doing so.
 
The optional case for the Opus #1 is of stunningly good quality. I highly recommend getting it.
 
The DAC has an Android-based operating system, but it doesn't have apps in the way that consumers have come to expect on Android DAPs. If I were Audio-Opus, I would be advertising a custom user interface and not even mentioning Android. If I can't use the internet, it just doesn't feel like an Android device to me. I hope that their DAPs in the pipeline will include a fully featured Android implementation. I want to listen to Tidal, Soundcloud, and Bandcamp. I look forward to future offerings from Audio-Opus. Great job on this first one out the gate!

Acknowledgment   

Thanks @PhilW for loaning me these headphones for a week. I know how much you missed them.

 

Introduction   

After being so impressed with the ERIB-2a (link to review), @PhilW told me that they were child’s play compared to the EAMT-3w that had been his main IEMs for a bit. He surprised me and sent them to me whilst I was visiting @Takeanidea in Cornwall. We put them through the paces. Four DAP/DACs, one beast of an amplifier, the Echobox Finder X1, the HD800, and the ERIB-2a were on hand for the weekend (it was a very nice surprise for my birthday). I started a thread to talk about these, so some of what is adapted from there. The thread asks whether the EAMT-3w is an apex IEM, and for its price of £1800 ($2700), I really think it should be. A very well-respected HeadFier is on the record saying that they aren’t.
 
Given that these headphones use a technology that I’d never heard of before checking out oBravo, I think it is important to discuss the Heil Air Motion Transducer (AMT) technology at the heart of this IEM. This is what Alan Sircom of HiFi+ had to say about the AMT:
 
Alan Sircom, HiFi+:

Heil’s clever Air Motion Transducer is a folded ribbon tweeter held in an array of high-performance magnets. The AMT is difficult to make (it’s inherently hand-made, takes time to construct, and requires highly-skilled workers to manufacture), which means it’s expensive, but the linearity of high-frequency sound it produces makes it worth the effort.

Click to expand...

 

 
The handmade nature of the driver, and the difficulty that must go into making such a driver that is only 8mm is likely why these headphones cost so much. Whether these require highly skilled labour to construct or not is somewhat irrelevant to how they sound, but if you believe in rewarding innovative hand-crafted technology, than the price may be more palatable. The proof of course in whether the artisanal construction of these IEMs is worth it is in how they sound, these have to sound pretty amazing to justify their price, as for the same price as the EAMT-3w, I could get an Ether C and an ERIB-2a. I think I’d be pretty happy with that combo. I imagine also that people of my means aren’t the target audience for this IEM.
 
Before any review, I think it is important to lay out the preferences and biases of the reviewer. Below the fold you’ll learn about me. I’d rather tell you now than owe you a mea culpa later.
 

 

Vital Statistics (specs from manufacturers and distributors)

Funny enough, there isn’t a whole lot of information provided about the EAMT-3w on oBravo’s website. Here is what oBravo has to say about them (the description is for the 3a):
 
Features:

• The world first Coaxial two-way IEM design by an implementation of AMT tweeter and NDD to deliver a rich sound stage listen experience in earphone market.
• World class Comply ear tips implementation for balanced sound stage.
• A Wooden ear cup designed model, eamt-3w, and a Precision Ceramic ear cup designed model, eamt-3c to provide a choice for different sound styles.
• Easy way to enjoy a ultimate sound from a balanced output by an optional 2.5mm Balanced cable.

 

 
Nowhere on oBravo’s website are there any frequency response graphs, or even charts showing what frequencies are emphasized or their relative weights. I have a sinking suspicion that these IEMs, while sounding good, won’t measure well. Tyll Herstens measurements of the HAMT-1 (oBravo full size dynamic/AMT hybrid) look poor. The Hifi+ review above indicated that the HAMT-1 required quite a lot of burn in before they sounded right, so this leads me to wonder whether the measurements that are out there are representative of a fully burned-in headphone, whilst at the same time having little confidence that the EAMT series will measure well. My advice with the whole oBravo series is to listen for yourself, absolutely do not buy any of the oBravo headphones blind. My current favourite headphone, the ERIB-2a has incredibly polarized reviews, and the 3w may evoke similar responses. These need a good audition in a quiet space with proper insertion (preferably with foamies).

 

Form & Function

The form and function of the EAMT-3w are identical to the ERIB-2a, there are only two differences, the supremely non-functional over-sized case is green instead of grey and the aluminum shell is gold on these instead of silver. These come with the same variety of tips, same silicone wings, same case with its same overwrought foam and ear-tip nails, same excellent stubby 6.3mm to 3.5mm adaptor, and the same cable as the £549 ERIB-2a. I was willing to give the ERIB-2a a pass on its accessories because the value proposition was excellent. I liked the performance of the ERIB-2a out of my iBasso DX50 better than the performance of the £599 full size Audeze EL8 Open, so the case wasn’t that important. When I get up to £1800 (the cost of the EAMT-3w locally), the accessories are no longer acceptable. For this cost there should be a balanced cable included and there should be a nice Pelican hard case or something comparable. At Custom Cable in the UK, these now come with a balanced cable, but this needs to be done worldwide. The cases included on low end models in the oBravo range also need dramatic improvement.
 
Here are some pretty pretty pictures:
 
 
Like the ERIB-2a, the EAMT-3w is best worn down, using foamies and the silicone wings. The way to wear them is to use the wing to stabilize insertion depth. You don’t want to fully insert the foamies into your ear canal. The headphones look a bit silly coming out of your ears in the cantilever fashion these fit, but the sound is worth the silly. I have been advised that the silicone tips included are not recommended, and after doing several hours with them and doing back and forth comparisons, I wholeheartedly recommend sticking with the foamies.
 
For comparing the foamies and the included silicone tips I used Massive Attack's Mezzanine album, listening from Teardrop through Exchange with both sets of tips and then just continuing on with the Comply foamies because it sounds freaking great. Direct back and forth between the silicone and the foamies produced the following observations: the sound is smoother with the foamies, less fatiguing sound (it isn't just the treble, too much force coming in with depth of insertion required for silicone), bass was roughly equal, but a bit less mid impact than with the silicone. The soundstage is also slightly less impressive (less width) with the silicone, partly because the silicone doesn't have a long enough bore to be secure in a partially inserted position. The included silicone wings didn’t work with the silicone tips, as they pop the tips right out of your ear canal. I think that there could be silicone tips that could match the foamies with these, if the length of the nozzle were comparable but I don’t have any that I can make this comparison with. I think the distance to the driver is the main negative with the silicones. The provided silicone tips also don't hold onto the nozzle terribly well, I found them sliding up with short usage. The nozzle is quite large on the EAMT-3w.
 
The silicone doesn't sound much worse. The main detriments are that the sound is way more fatiguing with the silicone and the soundstage is slightly reduced in width. I got a little headache after just a couple songs, even with adjusting down the volume—the silicone tips are louder because they position the nozzle closer to your eardrum. The tiny bit of difference in distance really does affect the comfort. The silicones do have a bit crisper sound and bit better impact and edge in the mids, but I think the cost is too high given the discomfort I experienced.

 

Audio quality

My first listens through the EAMT-3w were primarily using the Chord Mojo, a lovely DAC that I don’t own but have spent at least 10 hours with. Fed from the Mojo, the EAMT-3w have an exceptional soundstage that bests the ERIB-2a, which is saying something. I compared the soundstage on the ERIB-2a to a concert hall, for the comparison between the two to be valid, the EAMT-3w are more akin to an ampitheater, like the Hollywood Bowl. The EAMT-3w sound beautiful, and more natural in presentation and stage than any IEM I've yet heard. Instruments just sound like they are where they should be in a wide, deep and tall soundstage (not HD800 spacious, but damn impressive--I did compare directly to HD800). Most good IEMs allow you to hear instrument placement in good 3-dimensionality, but the EAMT-3w do something that I haven’t had an IEM do effectively until now: they allow you to feel the soundstage. There is tactile movement of air between instruments, definition not just by relative auditory volume but by the palpable fluid volume of the stage.
 

 
I think one thing that hurts any of these oBravo IEMs in comparisons is that they really shouldn't be compared to IEMs on sound or isolation. They isolate poorly and sound like full size open cans. The EAMTs have sounded like mid to top-tier open planar magnetics. The ERIB-2a sounded like lower to mid-tier full size open cans (I include the EL8 in mid-tier). These are the equivalent of having full-size open cans that fit inside your ears, and can be carried in your jacket pocket alongside your DAP. When I strolled alongside afternoon commuters in their staccato rhythm, the EAMTs were like walking down the street with a boombox, but instead of daggers from granny eyes the only looks you get are vacant stares and bored ambivalence.
 

 
 
They have the bass that the ERIB-2a were missing a bit. The bass quality on both is superb, but the bass volume isn't jacked in any way. The bass has plenty of grip and extension and is well controlled on both oBravo offerings I've heard. Compared to the ERIB-2a, these EAMT-3w have some funk—Bootsy Collins and Old Gregg would drink this black milk and Bailey’s concoction. These aren’t full on Parliament, but they are a satisfying shake. If you don’t know the true story of The Funk, The Mighty Boosh will set you straight below. I saw Noel Fielding in London around Christmas. He was dressed in a red feather coat and tight denim, as you’d expect.
 

 
However, on many tracks I found myself preferring the ERIB-2a during my listening sessions with the Chord Mojo. The mids on the EAMT-3w are slightly recessed, with a touch of saccharine. They just don't sound natural on rocking tracks like Rage Against the Machine - Killing in the Name or AC/DC - Highway to hell. The drum impacts are pushed down, and guitars don't sound as visceral. With the Mojo, attack was a little soft for me. It is a warm smooth signature that isn't my cup of tea for my more aggressive musical tastes. ERIB-2a wasn’t just less polite it felt more forward and visceral with more natural edges on vocals and drums, which matched my rock tastes more.
 
When I listened to the straight-up live acoustic set of Keith Greeninger on Live at the Fenix, his vocals don’t sound quite right. Keith sounds a bit distant on some tracks due to a notch in the frequency response that makes some mids sound recessed. The ERIB-2a sounds less spacious, but the tone and overall presentation are more natural to me on these tracks.
 
I gave a second run through some more aggressive music both to see if brain burn-in and a different source, the DX-50 made a difference. The DX-50 has a little boost in the upper bass/lower mids, so it compensates a little bit for the notch in the mids that I’ve noticed on some tracks. That mids notch doesn’t always show up. “Lady Stardust sang his songs of darkness and dismay… and it was alright.” Tool’s Maynard goes shoulder deep without a problem, and Kurt Kobain has Seattle sun shining on him (that is to say he is a pleasantly warm, not hot or cool). However, Zach de la Rocca and Brian Johnson might as well have been the Fugees as their voices and their band-mates axes were killing a bit too softly.
 

 
When I shifted to Nirvana – Smells Like Teen Spirit (original full glory CD master), the soundstage was like being at a show. I was too young to see Kurt before he joined the 27 club, so it’s a posthumous vicarious treat. However, Smells Like Teen Spirit is famous not only for angst and the launch of a couple music-world-shaking careers, but also for the razor-edged production of Butch Vig. The EAMT-3w takes the razor edge and folds it into a spoon (maybe more of a sporf). This is not nearly as funny a spoon trick as spoon bending by a magician friend, or an Alan Rickman spoon in Robin Hood Prince of Thieves. The speed and detail on Nirvana’s generational album was excellent. Instruments were well resolved, though slightly smoothed. Cymbals sounded very natural on the title track. On In Bloom, the bass drum kicks air like an angry government mule. The EAMT-3w do a fantastic job of showing the air from and around instruments. Overall, I liked the EAMT-3w on hard rock/grunge, but was not a fan of the added warmth and anger management properties of the wood cups
 

 
These are special with classical music and jazz. They did a fantastic job defining the orchestral space and details were floating vectors in a coherent matrix of time and space. The smoothness was a benefit for classical music. The EAMT-3w do an amazing job with complex passages such as Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture. These were also absolutely spectacular listening to Charles Mingus’s Ah Um album. Brass instruments sound natural and smooth with an alluring warmth. Cymbal brushwork rides lightly over the surface of the music. Stand up bass plucks smoothly. Lovely.
 
I started to do comparisons with non-oBravo IEMs, but after listening to the Echobox Finder X1 ($199 vs. $2700), an IEM I really love—I promise I’ll review mine in the future—but just wasn’t a fair comparison. The EAMT-3w are in a completely different class, and while the Echobox had better bass quantity, the detail and texture in the bass just couldn’t compete. The Echobox Finder X1 had a more aggressive sound, but it was never as refined. I’d happily listen to the Echobox with any genre—I found it's tone preferable on some rock tracks to the EAMT-3w—but the EAMT-3w generally outclasses the Echobox Finder X1in all technical performance aspects.

 

Conclusions

Whether these are worth £1800 for you will depend on how much copper resides in your coffers and your musical tastes. I’m not a big fan of the warm smooth sound. I like strong attack with natural decay, and these felt a bit blunted and smoothed over. When I want a knife I’m getting a pat of butter instead. For me, these lack the attack and raw power on guitars and drums that I'm into.
 
The sound stage on these is like listening to an upper-mid to top tier set of open planar magnetic headphones, and they isolate like one too. I don’t understand the physics of how something with a shell so small sounds so massive. It is a special technical achievement. These have great technical speed and are intricately detailed. Microdetails effortlessly surface in the transparent tropical waters of the sound signature. Complex passages are resolved beautifully. Jazz sounds spectacular.
 
Whilst the headphones have great technical capability, I’m primarily a classic rock, hard rock, and indie rock listener, so the tonal character of these headphones didn’t perfectly match me. These lack aggression. When I’m looking for Chuck Norris, these give me Mr. Rogers—and not the sniper rifle wielding war hero, but the sweater wearing conflict resolution specialist.
 
 
 
£1800 will buy a lot of great kit. I love the ERIB-2a, and preferred it on some genres to the EAMT-3w; it’s only £549 new. A new HD800 costs £1099. With my current equipment, I’d find that set preferable to the EAMT-3w.