Shuoer Tape Pro Review

The Shuoer Tape Pro was sent to me for free for the purpose of me sharing my honest thoughts about them.

They can be purchased here:

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/100...earchweb0_0,searchweb201602_,searchweb201603_

About me:

Introduction:

The Shuoer Tape Pro uses Composite Electrostatic Dynamic Driver and retails for $129.

The Tape Pro is my first experience with Shouer sp, unfortunately, I ‘ll not be able to compare it to the original Tape. On the positive side I’ve got plenty of other IEM’s that priced roughly the same (Titan 6, NM2+, I3, MT300 and Spring 2 to mention a few) so I’ll be able to give my subjective opinion on how they perform against some of its main competitors.

The package they arrive in is pretty standard. A couple of pictures says more than a thousand words:



I’d say that the accessories are good for the price. Especially the included cable is really nice in my opinion and has a 2.5 mm termination in my case. There’s also a basic 2.5 mm to 3.5 mm adapter included which I’ve never experienced before and I really appreciate this. It has 2-pin connectors and the housings are made of high quality aluminum which makes them feel very solid without being heavy. You also get a couple of extra tuning screws, two extra filters for the nozzle, a cleaning toll, a tool to change filters, six pairs of silicone eartips and a nice carrying case. Overall build quality seem very good.



The Tape Pro are quite easy to drive. For the this review I’ve used them with the Quedelix 5K and the Radsone ES100 since they’re my preferred sources for portable listening these days but I’ve tried them with a very wide number of other sources as well. I suppose many people would prefer them with a warm source and I suggest avoiding bright or thin sounding sources with it.

The specs:
Drive unit: Composite Electrostatic Dynamic Driver Frequency response range: frequency response 20Hz-20kHz
Impedance: 16Ω
Sensitivity: 105dB/mW
Earphone pin: 2-pin interface

Length:1.2 meters
Plug: 2.5 mm (3.5 mm adapter included)

Ergonomics:
Despite its sharp edges on the housing the Tape Pro is very comfortable to me because the edges doesn’t touch my ears. The stem seems well proportioned and the included transparent tips with black stem is a great fit for me (I use the smallest size). As always with fitting a big YMMV has to be included as we all have different ear shape and size. One thing to note about the Tape Pro is that the lip that holds the tips in place is a bit oversized making it hard to fit some third parties tips on them. Overall fit and ergonomics are good for me and I don’t mind wearing the Tape Pro for a couple of hours without any break.

As for looks I enjoy the industrial all metal design on the Tape Pro and would consider it a good looking pair of IEM’s. They use a 0.78 mm 2-pin connection that I generally prefer over MMCX. As already mentioned the included cable has great quality and I see no obvious reason to change it for something else. Then again I’m one of those persons who doesn’t notice any difference in sound between different cables as long as they’re properly made. My main reason to use third party cables is looks, ergonomics or the wish for different termination but neither is valid for the stock cable in this case.

Sound:
The overall sound of the Tape Pro is actually quite hard for me to describe. The reason for this is that I find it to be a bit strange in overall balance. As the bass on the Tape Pro is tuneble I’d like to mention a couple of things about this before going any further into the description of the sound. The black and red screws on the housing are actually tuning filters for the bass. Switching position on them gives a bit more bass presence, especially sub bass (more about this in the description of the bass performance below). I typically never use tunable IEM’s in their most bass focused setting but the Tape Pro turned out to be an exception so the rest of the sound description in this review is with the bass screws in the non-stock configuration. Back to the overall sound I’d say that it’s a bit weird. The bass is quite good while there’s an overall lack of soul to the whole presentation as the overall tonallity is strange to my ears. I think the best way to describe the sound of the Tape Pro is to brake it down to the three standard parts: bass, midrange and treble.

Bass:
The Tape Pro has more subbass than midbass focus in its tuning. The subbass reaches fairly low and have good impact but even in the configuration with most bass presence I wouldn’t say they’ve got basshead level. The toned down midbass contributes even more to this conclusion and makes the Tape Pro lack a bit of drive with some electronic music. The quality of the bass is pretty good without being really great. It’s quite engaging and has an ok speed and overall quality. As already mentioned the midbass is toned downed quite a bit but still have some bloom to the higher frequencies but this is actually a welcome feature to me in this specific case as it gives some extra warmth to the lower midrange. This is a good thing as the midrange lacks a bit of soul in these IEM’s.

Midrange:
The midrange on the Tape Pro is, unfortunately, it’s biggest weakness in my opinion. Being a midrange and, especially vocal lover, this is normally the single most important part of any IEM’s for me. To start with the midrange is a bit recessed on the Tape Pro. I’m normally fine with this if the midrange quality is good but this is where the Tape Pro misses the target with quite a bit for me, especially in the vocal reproduction. Male vocals are a bit too thin and nasal sounding, using the bass enhanced tuning helps out with this to some extend but it’s still a bit off for me. Female vocals on the other hand can occasionally be a bit shouty sounding due to the lifted upper midrange. Neither of these two issues are terrible but on top of this I find the whole midrange presentation to be a bit boxy and hollow sounding. It’s really har for me not only to describe this issue in words but also to find the explanation for it. I think that it may be that depth in the presentation is severely lacking, add to this a timbre that sounds far from natural and I think this may explain why I find the midrange to be ripped from the soul of the music. Because of their poor vocal performance I think that the Tape pro perform a lot better with instrumental music than with other music. Unfortunately my main music is acoustic music with vocals and the Tape pro just don’t live up to my expectations on this point.

Just to add to the confusion on what goes on here I find them to sound quite good with some songs (Patricia Barber’s Regular Pleasure for example). Unfortunately this is quiet rare and does not seem to be because of the genre but rather the specific recording. Call me puzzled……

Treble:
The treble on the Tape Pro has more focus on the lower than the upper part of the frequencies and extension in the top is average. Despite this I don’t really hear any sibilance here, the exception being recordings that has this clearly present. In total I’d say that the overall impression of the treble is ok and a bit below average in the price range.

Stage and separation:
The Tape Pro has an average performance in soundstage in all directions, this does not need to be all bad as many IEM’s manage to deliver an intimate and seductive sound despite not being great in soundstage but I don’t find this to be the case with the Tape Pro. They come across as quite two dimensional sounding in comparison to IEM’s with more presence in the upper bass region and an overall warmer sound. Separation is also just ok and the Tape Pro loses out here compared to many other offerings in the same price range. On the positive side microdetails and resolution are quite good without sounding clinical. In all I’m sorry to say that I find the Tape Pro to be more boring sounding than correct and balanced.

Comparison:

NF Audio NM2+ ($169)
The NM2+ are my favorite single dynamics.

The NM2+ are also very comfortable for me and for people that get contact to their outer ear with the housing of the Tape Pro I’d imagine that the NM2+ will be more comfortable. For me the two are about equal in comfort. Isolation is also quite similar on both. Although the overall description of these two would be quite similar: more midbass than subbass, recessed midrang, boosted upper midrange/lower treble the NM2+ sounds a lot more natural and engaging to me. The subbass on the NM2+ do reach deeper and is drier and tighter. The midrange on the Tape Pro is more recessed. The quality of the midrange on the NM2+ better and sounds a lot more tonally correct and natural with good details and transparency. The treble on the NM2+ has better extension and air. The NM2+ has a noticeable wider presentation. They’re both easy to drive.

Tri I3 ($169)
The Tri I3 are a dynamic, planar and BA hybrid that hits way beyond its price. They’re one of my all-time favorite value for money IEM offerings.

The I3 is heavier and bulkier compared to the Tape Pro. Despite this I do actually get a similar great fit with them even with my smallish ears. They’re equally comfortable but the I3 align better with my ears and, probably because of this, isolate better. The I3 has a lot more bass impact, especially midbass. The bass quality is quite similar on both. The midrange on the I3 is thick and lush while the Tape Pro is more hollow and unnatural sounding. Both have a bit treble roll off but the I3 treble mixes in much better with the rest of its sound. Both male and female vocals are more enjoyable to me on the I3. The I3 has a wider stage and better instrument separation, it’s also considerably more 3D sounding. The I3 needs quite a bit more power.

BQEYZ Spring 2 ($169)

The Spring 2 are another pair of triple hybrid IEM’s (dynamic, BA and Piezoelectric drivers) that is next in line for me to review.

Much of what I said about the NM2+ in comparison to the Tape Pro will also be true for the Spring 2 both when it comes to ergonomics but also in sound. For me the Spring 2 and Tape Pro are about equal in comfort but the Spring 2 has a more rounded body and would probably be more comfortable for some users. Isolation is also quite similar on both. The overall sound of the Spring 2 is a bit thicker and more dense compared to the Tape Pro. The subbass on the Spring 2 do reach deeper and has slightly more impact. The bass on the spring 2 does also feel better integrated with the rest of the frequencies and midbass has more presence which helps giving them a overall more natural sound and noticeable better depth. The midrange on the Tape Pro is more recessed. The quality of the midrange on the Spring 2 is better and sounds a lot more tonally correct and natural with more weight. The treble on the Spring 2 has better extension and air but can also be a touch splashy with the wrong recording. The Spring 2 does also has a quite intimate presentation but has better depth and height making the overall sound much more enjoyable. They’re both easy to drive

Conclusion:
After having spent a month with the Shuoer Tape Pro I still can’t get into the music with them and I honestly think that I’ve tried hard to do so. I’ve used them with different tips, sources and music to get there but I still find them to be a bit weird and unnatural sounding. Although they’re not a bad pair of IEM’s per se they do lose out in being musical and engaging compared to most other IEM’s I’ve heard in the price range the last couple of years. Even more importantly they do not excel in any single area but rather come across as average as best. I’m afraid that they’ll be hard to recommend to people looking for the best value in this price range no matter of music, preferences and usage they’ve got as there’s so many other offerings that overperform around the same price. The fact that they’re the second try for Shuoer with this particular model makes me a bit sad, that being said lets hope that the third time is a charm (if it ever happens) as the build quality, cable and ergonomics offer a great base for a future success.

The NF Audio NM2+ was sent to me for free for the purpose of me sharing my honest thoughts about them. I’d like to thank Shenzhen Audio for giving me the chance to check them out.

They can be purchased here:
https://shenzhenaudio.com/products/...n-ear-monitor-earphone-with-0-78mm-2pin-cable

About me:

Introduction:
The NF Audio NM2+ are a pair of a single dynamic driver IEM’s that retails for $169.

The package they arrive in is pretty fancy. A couple of pictures says more than a thousand words:


I’d say that the accessories are ok for the price but nothing special. It's quick to sum them up with 6 pair of tips, a zippered case and a cable. On the positive side the included cable is quite nice in my opinion. It has QDC connectors and a couple of NF Audio logos making it seem well thought through and not an afterthought which can often be the case at this price point.




The NM2+ are quite easy to drive but, because of its very revealing nature, can be a bit picky about the source. For the this review I’ve used them with the Quedelix 5K and the Radsone ES100 since they’re my preferred sources for portable listening these days. I suppose many people would prefer them with a warm source and I’d suggest to avoid bright or thin sounding sources with it.

The specs:
Drive unit: Dual Cavity Dynamic Driver of unknown size
Frequency response range: frequency response 20Hz-20kHz
Impedance: 18Ω
Sensitivity: 108dB/mW
Earphone pin: 2-pin interface (QDC)
Length:1.2 meters
Plug:3.5mm standard single-ended

Ergonomics:
The NM2+ has a pretty short stem and didn’t fit me well with any of the included tips so I had to go to the big tip box to find a pair of unknown origin that gave me both a perfect seal and good comfort. It actually took a while before I realized that I wasn’t getting a good seal but once I did I was well rewarded both in ergonomics (very comfortable) and sound. I still rate their isolation to a bit less than average though. As always with this section YMMV as none of us has the exact same ear anatomy.

As for looks I really like the industrial all metal design on the NM2+ and would consider it a very beautiful pair of IEM’s. They use a 0.78 mm 2-pin connection with the QCD standard and I must say that this is a design that I tend to like more and more. It’s definitely better than MMCX in my opinion and I also like it better than a standard 2-pin as it gives a safer connection that will likely be less prove to failure in the long run.




Sound:
The overall sound of the NM2+ is perceived as well balanced but has a boost in the upper midrange that gives the perception of great detail retrieval but might not be to everyone’s liking. For those that’s comfortable with it the NM2+ offers class leading performance though. The NM2+ are described as being monitor tuned by NF Audio and this means that they’ve got a quite flat presentation, with the exception of the mentioned upper midrange peak.

Bass:
The NM2+ has more subbass than midbass focus in its tuning. The subbass reaches low and have good impact when the recording calls for it and although impact is not the greatest I never miss any bass when listening to them in quiet environments. That being said I do miss a bit extra bass impact when using them outside in busy streets which typically drowns out a bit of the bass. The quality of the bass is really great. It’s quite dry in its nature leading the thoughts more to balanced armature bass than a dynamic one. The midbass is toned downed quite a bit and does never overshadows the higher frequencies. This does also mean that the lower midrange can lack a bit of warmth but in return makes the whole presentation very clean sounding.

Midrange:
The midrange on the NM2+ are a bit split personality like in the way that the lower midrange is more toned down and, as already mentioned, it doesn’t get much help with any extra warmth from the upper bass. Because of this male vocals can lack a bit of weight in direct comparison to other IEM’s with more midbass presence. This is not anything that bothers me when listening to them exclusively. The upper midrange is quite boosted pushing both female vocals and details more forward. I’m quite tolerant to this myself but the NM2+ does really balance on a knife edge here and I’m sure that some people will not appreciate it. Every time I put them in my ears after listening to something that’s warmer sounding in general it takes some time for my brain to acclimate to the more shouty presentation they deliver. The upside is of course the perception of greater detail retrieval and despite this I don’t find them fatiguing at all. Pianos and especially string instruments come across as very natural sounding to me and this is definitely one of the strongest points on the NM2+. In total I find the midrange to have be highly transparent and enjoyable on them.

Treble:
The treble on the NM2+ is well extended and airy. Despite the lack of weight in the treble I don’t hear any sibilance here, the exception being recordings that has this clearly present. The overall nature of the NM2+ will not hide much in bad recordings but they still come across as a quite relaxed listening. This combination is quite an achievement in my opinion.

Stage and separation:
The NM2+ has a quite wide stage with a good amount of air but may come across as a bit two dimensional in comparison to IEM’s with more presence in the upper bass region and an overall warmer sound. The width and air do contribute to the very good instrument separation making it easy to pinpoint the different instruments even on more busy tracks. If there’s something the NM2+ should never be blamed for its being muddy sounding. Microdetails and resolution are also extremely good without really sounding clinical but I can’t lose the feeling that it relies quite heavily on the boosted upper midrange to achieve this.

Comparison:

Dunu Titan 6 ($140)
The Titan 6 are one of my absolute favorite single dynamics.

The Titan 6 are a lot smaller and can be worn either straight down or over the ears, they’re very comfortable for me and more so than the NM2+. Isolation is quite similar on both. The bass on the Titan 6 is more midbass focused and has some bloom making the lower midrange full and sweet but also a bit boomy. The subbass on the NM2+ does actually reach deeper than on the Titan 6 and is a lot drier and tighter. The midrange on the Titan 6 is more recessed and more boosted in the lower mids while the NM2+ is the total opposite. The quality of the midrange on the Titans is very nice with a warm, rich and intimate presentation while still remaining good details and transparency. The treble on the titan 6 has a more body but does not have the same extension and air as on the NM2+. The Titan 6 are more intimate and organic sounding while the NM2+ has a noticeable wider presentation. They’re both quite easy to drive.

Tri I3 ($169)
The Tri I3 are a dynamic, planar and BA hybrid that hits way beyond its price. They’re one of my all-time favorite value for money IEM offerings.

The I3 is heavier and bulkier compared to the NM2+. Despite this I do actually get a better fit with them even with my smallish ears. They’re equally comfortable but the I3 align better with my ears and, probably because of this, isolate quite a bit better. The I3 has a lot more bass impact, especially midbass. The bass on the I3 is a bit slower and more round compare to the quick and dry bass on the NM2+. making them more boomy in comparison. The midrange on the I3 is thick and lush while the NM2+ is more transparent and detailed, this is also true for the treble. Both male and female vocals are more enjoyable to me on the I3. The NM2+ has more air in its presentation with wider stage and better instrument separation while the I3 is more 3D sounding. The I3 needs quite a bit more power.

These two are actually a great complement to each other and I personally consider them both to be class leaders and punch well above their price. The average enthusiast could probably get both and be perfectly happy for a long time.

LZ A7 ($320)
Crazy comparison, right? One single dynamic $169 driver IEM vs a seven driver $320 pair with three different types of drivers. The fact is though that a lot of people has asked for a comparison between the two so I thought it would be nice to share it here. The reason for people asking for this (weird?) comparison is probably that they’re both class leaders and get a lot of positive remarks in here.

The housing on the NM2+ are bulkier and although I find them comfortable to wear the A7 are clearly better in both ergonomics and isolation. The A7 of course has the LZ filter system and sports several great combinations (they’ve got 10 tuning options) which the NM2+, quite naturally, can’t do.

When it comes to sound the A7 can be so much as it’s hard to do a proper comparison but I’ll try anyway and this is with the gold filter in monitor mode as it’s my favorite tuning for the time being. There’s actually not a great difference in how deep the subbass goes on the two but the impact are bigger on the A7 as is the midbass quantity. The bass on the A7 is just enough more rounded to make it more enjoyable and very engaging sounding in a way the NM2+ can’t achieve. The A7 has sweeter midrange thanks to a bit warmer presentation and I prefer their vocal presentation to the one on the NM2+ as male vocals have more weight and female vocals sounds more intimate and seductive. Despite the sweeter presentation it manages to keep at least the same lever of details and transparency. Soundstage width is a bit smaller on the A7 with the gold filters but can be at least on par with that of the NM2+ with the right tuning, the A7 does also offer better depth and overall a more organic sound. In total the A7 is a more relaxed listening without giving up any of the strong points on the NM2+. To me and with my preferred music (mostly singer/songwriter and typical top 40 music) I don’t really think the NM2+ performs better in any area. That being said they do still offer a lot for half the price and I’d say that the A7 would be a great next step from the NM2+ for many people.

Conclusion:
After reading through what I’ve written so far I’m actually a bit surprised that I enjoy the NM2+ as much as I do. Make no mistake, if you can live with the upper midrange boost they’re a tremendous sounding pair of IEM’s that sound a lot more enjoyable and less fatiguing than the sums of its parts may suggest. Their performance is truly class leading and for people appreciating its strong suits and not being willing to spend multi bucks it could very well be an end game offering, this for only $169 (or even cheaper if you’re lucky).

Great work NF Audio!

LZ A7 Review
I’ve been lucky enough to receive two pairs of the LZ A7 from LZ themselves. The first pair was a prototype where I was asked to contribute with my thoughts on tuning, filters, ergonomics etc. The second pair is the final retail version that is the subject for this review.


I’ve been a longtime fan of the LZ offerings and the company as his tuning does very often correlate with my preferences. My first encounter with LZ as a brand was the legendary A2 many years ago. Since then I’ve got most of their lineup, some bought by me and some review units from the company. The A4 is still one of my favorite offerings, the A5 was not that great for me in either sound (too v-shaped) or ergonomics, the A6 and A6 mini did definitely put them back on track for me personally so naturally I was very pleased and excited to get the chance to try out both the prototype and now see the end result with the retail version of the A7.

About me:

Introduction:
The LZ A7 are a pair of 7 driver hybrid (1 dynamic, 4 balance armature and 2 piezo) IEM’s that retails for $318.

They're now available on Aliexpress:
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005001599557650.html?spm=2114.12010615.8148356.5.4e996c5eeTNbop

The package they arrive in look pretty sleek in my opinion. In the package you’ll find a green (?) storage box, 8 pairs of silicone eartips in different design and sizes, a tool for the monitor/pop switch, a nice 8 core silver plated copper cable and of course the IEM’s themselves.




I say the accessories are ok for the price but nothing special. If anything, I kind of miss a storage pouch to put them in when out and about.

The A7 are quite easy to drive and sound pretty good even straight out of my Galaxy S10. For the this review I’ve used the A7 with the Quedelix 5K and Radsone ES100 but I’ve used it with the Opus 1 and 1S DAP’s as well as the EIDA 9038 during the last couple of weeks.

The specs:
Drive unit: dynamic+ ceramic + BA, 3 type 4-way 7 drivers hybrid earphones, dynamic for low frequency (liquid crystal molecule coating composite diaphragm) × 1, BA for medium frequency (Knowles) × 2, BA for high frequency (Knowles) × 2 , Piezoelectric ceramic ultra-high frequency (7 layers of piezoelectric parallel) × 2
Frequency response range: measurable frequency response 5Hz-40kHz, audible frequency response 20Hz-20kHz
Impedance: POP mode is 15Ω/ MONITOR mode is 13Ω
Sensitivity: 109dB/mW in POP mode / 113dB/mW in MONITOR mode, @ 1kHz
Channel error: ±0.5db
Distortion: <1%
Earphone pin: MMCX interface
Standard cable material: 8 strands of 6N single crystal copper silver-plated
Length:1.2 meters
Plug:3.5mm standard single-ended

Ergonomics:
The A7 moves away for the quite bulky design on the A6 and head more towards the A5. This makes them more comfortable and they sit pretty flush to my ears making isolation quite good. I’ve used them for several shorter domestic flights and although I usually prefer headphones with NC on airplanes the A7 worked surprisingly well. From the included tips I find the medium ones with blue stem to work best for me but at least one more pair is totally fine for me. Since tips are as individual as shoes I’ll leave it to you to find your perfect ones.


As for looks I kind of like the retro look on the A7 but I would have preferred that they kept the text on the faceplate the way it were on the prototypes instead of trying to fit as many letters as possible on them. A nice feature is also that the vents beneath the faceplates are colored red respectively blue indicating which one is the left and right earpiece. This is also marked with R/L on the MMCX connectors so it should be very clear for most people. Speaking about the MMCX connector I must say that I would have preferred a 2-pin connection since I find them to be more secure in the long run. That being said I haven’t noticed any issues with the connectors and they’ve worked well with the aftermarket cables I’ve tried with them as well.

Sound:
The overall sound of the A7 is well balanced, coherent and very natural. Although it’s difficult to review the A7 due to all the different tuning options it’s also impossible not to talk about them.

The A7 has a tuning switch on the housing named MONITOR/POP. Turning the switch to MONITOR rewards the listener with a more forward midrange. I don’t hear a big difference (if any) in bass and treble between the two settings but due to the shift in overall balance both bass and treble is perceived as less forward in MONITOR mode. During my time with the A7 I’ve com to realize that I tend to raise the volume in POP mode to get the midrange more to my liking and this results in higher lever of bass and treble. I typically use MONITOR mode at home and POP mode when being out in noisy environments.

In addition to the MONITOR/POP switch there’s also 5 different filter to choose from. From most to less v-shaped they’re silver, blue, black (stock), gold and red. I find both the silver and blue filters to be a bit quite similar and too bright for my taste but they’re still perfectly usable and I kind easily see people preferring a bright signature with high level of detail really liking them. I’m slightly more comfortable with silver than blue myself. The black filters are what come pre-installed, they’re really good sounding with most music and a great starting point to explore the many faces of the A7, personally I like them best with electronic music. The gold and red filters are my personal favorites depending on music and mode. The gold filters in MONITOR mode are the best for me with female vocals but they’re really great with all acoustic music. They offer (in MONITOR mode) a more intime presentation (especially on the vocal) than any of the other settings and give me that intimate feeling that I really love with female voices. The red filters are the most versatile ones for me as they sound great with all kind of music and I can enjoy both MONITOR and POP equally much with them. I generally prefer the A7 in MONITOR mode when listening in quite environments so MONITOR with red filters will be what I’ll be using for the impressions in the rest of this review unless something else is mentioned.

Bass:
The A7 has more subbass than midbass focus on all settings. The subbass reaches low and have good impact when the recording calls for it even in the least bassy setting. The quality of the bass is really nice and it has just enough bloom to give that yummy feeling when you’re just drawn into the music. I think that if the bass had been tighter and more dry the A7 would’ve been perceived as basslight by many people but the way bass is implemented now should make them enjoyable to most. The midbass is toned downed quite a bit and although this will probably put some bassheads off it does give a very clean and refined sound where the midbass never overshadows the higher frequencies. One thing’s for sure: I never perceive the A7 as clinical or boring, instead they’re very addicting despite having such a refined tuning. And, again, in situations that I’d like more bass it’s just two small switches away.

Midrange:
The midrange on the A7 are the best and most forward (MONITOR mode) that I’ve heard on any offering from LZ (the Big Dipper included!) to this day. Male vocals has enough weight to sound natural and female vocals are intimate and refined enough to sound just right. Even with very good offerings it’s not unusual for them to be better for male or female vocals but I must say that I find the A7 to be top notch with both. Once again the filters/witches will help to find just the right sound for every kind of music. Upper midrange is slightly boosted but despite this I don’t perceive any harshness except for in recordings where this is noticeable with pretty much every IEM’s. Both guitars and piano does also come across as very natural sounding to me. I find the midrange to have enough warmth to be very natural and highly transparent on the A7. It’s actually hard to say much more as it basically just sounds right.

Treble:
The treble on the A7 is very well extended and airy. Yeah, sure it can be a bit too much with some of the filters (silver, blue and occasionally black) but still not worse than many other offerings and still not too much to not be enjoyable by trebleheads. With black (more often than not), gold and red it’s just perfect for my preferences. It blends in perfectly with the rest of the frequencies in both amount and quality. With these filters I never find it splashy or tiresome but rather complimenting the great overall sound despite not being super weighty.

Stage and separation:
The A7 has a wide to very wide stage with a lot of air in its presentation. With POP mode the presentation is very wide with all the filters without feeling unnaturally or artificially large. Switching to MONITOR mode the midrange, as already mentioned, is pushed forward resulting in less wide stage as it usually does. Even in this configuration I’d still describe the stage as wide and definitely when the midrange presence taken into consideration. The exception to my ears is the gold filters that, in MONITOR mode, is the most intimate configuration possible with the A7 and is excellent for acoustic music with vocals (female in particular) making you feel like you’re in a small concert room with the artist singing just for you. The width and air does also contribute a extremely good instrument separation and combining all this with great depth and height gives a nice out of the head experience that not too many IEM’s are able to pull off as delicate as the A7 does. Microdetails and resolution are also extremely good without sounding clinical.

Comparison:

LZ A6 ($310)
The A6, despite being the older sibling to the A7, comes across as the younger one that loves to party and scream out its opinions instead of enjoying a good glass of wine and debating different opinions. I really love the A6 and it was my favorite IEM’s until the A7 arrived and in some ways they still are but the A7 is definitely a much better allrounder. The housing on the A6 are much bulkier and although I find them quite comfortable to wear the A7 are clearly better in both ergonomics and isolation. Both have the LZ filter system and the filters are interchangeable but the A7 has more great combinations to me and can be al lot more reference sounding than the A6 can manage.

When it comes to sound the A6 is more v-shaped with quite impactful (but great quality) bass, a more distant midrange and a more energetic top end. There’s actually not a great difference in how deep the subbass goes on the two but the impact are bigger on the A6 as is the midbass quantity but the bass is also tighter making it very enjoyable and quite unique sounding. Despite its more beefy lower region the A6 has a thinner midrange, especially the upper part which takes this thinner presentation all the way up to the treble. The A7 is definitely a more relaxed listening while the A6 can be more engaging, the A6 is also more source and recording dependent than I find the A7 to be. The A6 need slightly more power.

Tansio Mirai TSMR-3pro ($269)
The 3pro is a great all BA pair of IEM’s that’s particularly strong in its vocal presentation, especially female ones.

The 3 pro are both more comfortable and isolate better. It does also offer a tuning system which includes three dip switches but are nowhere near as flexible and versatile as the A7. The 3pro has slightly more midbass while the A7 has better subbassextension and impact. The bass on the 3pro is also dryer making it less engaging. The midrange on the 3pro is more forward but also more boosted in the higher mids making them more shouty in direct comparison. The treble on the 3pro has a bit more body but does not have the same extension as the A7. A7 has wider, deeper and higher stage and sound both more natural and 3D. The 3pro needs less power.

Tri I3 ($169)
The Tri I3 are a dynamic, planar and BA hybrid that hits way beyond its price. They’re one of my all-time favorite value for money offering and it’s also a quite popular model so I include it here despite being almost half the price of the A7.

The I3 is heavier and bulkier compared to the A7. It’s also less comfortable and isolation is about the same. The I3 has more midbass impact while the A7 has better subbass extension and slightly while quantity is quite similar on both. The bass on the I3 is a bit slower than on the A7 making them more boomy in comparison. The midrange on the I3 is thick and lush while the A7 is more transparent and detailed, this is also true for the treble. Both of these are a relaxed listening experience but the A7 has more air in its presentation with wider stage in all directions and better instrument separation. The I3 needs quite a bit more power.

Conclusion:
So here we have a pair of IEM’s that goes head to head with the best I’ve got for fun (A6), vocals (3pro), reference (MT100) and value for money all-rounder (I3) all in one IEM with great flexibility. It sounds sublime with all kind of music and can be tuned to mode or place of usage to be just right all the time. This is definitely the best implementation of a tuning system I’ve ever come across not only because it can be tuned for different kind of music but the real magic is in the switches that let me enjoy them as much when riding the train or walking in the city (with enough bass) as in my favorite chair chilling at home (without too much bass), pure brilliance. If I would have to choose just one of my IEM’s the choice would, for the first time, be easy now.

As always with LZ there’s nothing boring about this offering, just pure enjoyment!

The Tansio Mirai TSMR-3 Pro was sent to me by Penon Audio for the purpose of this review, I would like to thank them for the opportunity.

The price at the time for this review is $219 and you can purchase them here:

https://penonaudio.com/tansio-mirai-tsmr-3.html

I’m not in any way affiliated with Penon Audio.




Built and accessories:
The Tansio Mirai TSMR-3 Pro is a very well built pair of IEM’s that features three balanced armature (BA) drivers on each side. The house is made of resin and doesn’t fall short in quality from other much more expensive IEM’s in my collection that’s made from the same material such as the Aurisonics ASG-1PLUS and the LZ Big Dipper.

The TSMR-3 Pro comes in a myriad of customization options (for an extra charge depending on the option), from different face plates to a full custom version. Check out the initial purchase link for all details. The pair I received has a beautiful deep blue face plate that I like a lot.


The TSMR-3 Pro has three switches for tuning the sound located on the housings (exactly in the same way as the Big Dipper), this solution work great in my experience. More about the tuning options later in the sound section.

The accessories are also great, even for this price point, and includes the following:

9 pairs silicon tips (S,M,L)
1 pair bi-flange tips
1 cleaning tool
1 tool to change the tuning switches
1 carrying pouch
1 pair of ear hooks
1 large zippered case to store them in when not in use

Not much more to say about it really other than that I find the tips with the grren core to be fantastic and I really love the oversized case that can even hold my Opus #1(S).

What you see is what you get:



The only ting I don’t like in the package is the cable that I don’t think match the asking price for the product. It feels a bit disappointing and I don’t care much for permanent earguides on my cables but that's only my preference and others may have a different opinion. Because of this combined with the fact that I prefer to use most of my sources from their balanced output the rest of this review is made with a cheap balanced third party cable. It shouild also be noticed that the TSMR-3 Pro uses 2-pin 0,78 mm connectors.

The TSMR-3 Pro is very easy to drive and pretty much any device that put out sound will be able to drive them to loud enough volume.

Specification
Unit driver:1 Knowles BA ED29689 + 2 Knowles BA 22955

Frequency range: 15Hz-20kHz

Features: 3-way crossover 2 tubes
Impedance: 15ohm

Sensitivity:113dBL/mW

Reduce noise:26dB

Connector: 2pin 0.78mm

Fit and ergonomics:
I find the TSMR-3 Pro to be extremely comfortable and got no problem wearing them for several hours. I’d even fo as far as saying that they’re among the most comfortable IE’s I’ve ever worn. I do prefer resin housing in genereal so these are right down my alley. One thing worth mentioning though is that the nozzles are quite large. As I’ve got narrow ear canals this got me a little bit worried when I first saw them but i practical use they fit me very well as soon as I found the right pair of tips for them. I can even sleep on my side with them in my ears.

Isolation is also excellent and up there with the best I’ve experienced so far. I’ve been able to test them on a couple of flights with good result. I’m usually not crazy about using IEM’s on planes due to the cabin pressure but the isolation on these combined with the BA drivers made it a perfectly fine experience.

Sound:
I’ve used the TSMR-3 Pro back and forth in the last month or so and they’ve played for well over 100 hours. I’ve used them both around the house and when out and about and I haven’t really found any significant weaknesses in the way they’re designed.

I’ve used them mostly with my Galaxy S8, Adv. Accessport Air, Radsone ES100 and Opus #1(and #1S). They’ve worked well with all the souces with a coupl of minor exceptios. With the Accessport Air they do hiss quite a bit but then again so does every pair of BA IEM’s I’ve tried with it. It does also sound like crap from my phone but so does pretty much everything so nothing alarming there (I really hate the sound quality on the S8). My preffered pairing is with the original #1 as the airy and silky presentation from it fits perfectly with the TSMR-3 Pro for my preference.

Before I go any further in describing the sound I’d like to do a short explanation of the tuning switches. Actually it’s not really mine but a direct copy paste from the Penon Audio site as I find it to be excellent (and I’m also a bit lazy).

To sum it up real short each housing has three switches so in total the following seven combinations are available:

Tuning mode instruction
0 means push down ,1/2/3 means push up
Mode 1:
100: Bass enhancement mode
120: Mixed tuning
Mode 2:
020:All balanced mode
103: Mixed tuning
Mode 3:
003: Mid-treble enhancement mode
023: Mixed tuning
123: Mixed tuning (lowest impedance)

The diifference between the settings are subtle but audible and they should, in my opinion, be considered as fine tuning rather than representing fundamentally different sound signatures. In the end I ended up preferring the 100 setting as it brings out the most lush and rich presentation for me. The sound described in the rest of this review is with this setting as long as nothing else is mentioned.

So, lets start from the bottom. The sub-bass extension on the TSMR-3 Pro is not the best I’ve heard and impact is also quite low. The quality on the other hand is quite good. Mid bass has simialr good quality but is also a bit subdued. In genreal these are definately not basshead material. That being said the rich overall tonality still makes them feel perfectly capable with most music and they don’t come acrsoss as bass light per se but I do feel that they lack a bit of drive with electronic music occasionally. The mid- and upper bass has enough weight and presence to make male voices sound natural whithout overshadowing the midrange.

The midrange is twhat stands out on the TSMR-3 Pro. It’s quite forward and this contributes to the impression of the bass not having the gratest impact. The quality of the midrange is great though and it’s up there with the best mirange presentations String instrument is also very well presented with a great organic sound to it as well as excellent timbre and weight.

The treble is pretty well extended and does also feel rich and dense. I really don’t feel that anything is missing and the treble never ever sound harsh or fatiguing but it’s not an agressive presentation and may lack a bit of bite and airiness for some. I kind of like a bit of bite in the treble myself normally but despite that I stil find the treble quality on the TSMR-3 Pro to be extemely enjoyable.

Clarity, micro details and resolution are about average for the price point but still good for such full and relaxed sounding pair of IEM ‘s. Soundstage width and height is good while depth, and 3D feeling is excellent.

In total the TRMS-3 Pro offers a very relaxed and non-fatiguing listening experience with a very forward midrange. It works great with pretty much all music but does really shine with acoustic and vocal recordings.

Comparison:
Please note that the comments in the comparison section are not in absolute terms but in comparison between subject A and B. This means (as an example) that if subject A is found to be brighter than subject B it does not necessarily mean that subject A is bright sounding in absolute terms. I hope this makes sense.

These comparisons were done listening through the bit Opus #1 and Radsone ES100.



LZ Big Dipper ($860):
The similarities in looks alone makes this comparison a must. As already mentioned both of these two IEM’s offer identical tuning switches. They’re also both made of resin butt he Big Dipper are a bit larger (after all there’s four drivers more in each house). Both are very comfortable butt he smaller size of the TSMR-3 Pro makes them slightlu more comfortable. In many ways these two area slo similar in sound with one great exception: the midtrange of the TSMR-3 Pro is quite forward while the Big Dipper has a quite recessed midrange. Apart from that the overall percieved sound of the two are quite similar butt he difference in the midrange puts different parts of the sound in focus on them,.Both bass and treble comes across as more forward in the Big Dipper. The bass does also reach slightly deeper and overall bass impact is greater on the Big dipper, it’s also a step up in bass quality with both faster and tighter decay. The treble on the Big dipper has a bit better extension and a more airy presentation. The differences are nowhere near what the price difference shpould suggest though and when it comes to the midrange I do think that the TSMR-3 Pro are at least on par.

The Big Dipper does also have the wider stage and are a bit harder to drive while isolation is top notch on both of them.

The tuning system on both of them offer the same number of alterantive combinations and I do also find the amount the sound changes when the switches are changed to be quite similar. The changes are not very large but rather more tuning on one signature than changing between different signatures.



Tenhz P4 Pro ($150):
The P4 is actually even more relaxed than the TSMR-3 Pro. Despite both of these being mid centric the mids of the 3 Pro has even more forward vocals combined with more bass presence ginving them more attack in their presentation. Bass extension and quality is quite similar on the two. Upper midrange and treble is very polite on both of them butt he 3 Pro is more refined. Overall the Pro 3 is richer sounding with better timbre to the notes. The Pro 3 does also have a larger stage in all directions and comes across the technically better performer between the two.

The P4 Pro is slightly harder to drive while the 3 Pro feels more well made. Comfort and isolation is great on both with a slight advantae to the 3 Pro.

Brainwavz B400 ($199):
There’s a lot of similarities in the overall sound on these two with the midragne being the shining star on both with a very smooth and non intrusive presentation. There’s one very easily noted difference though, the 3 Pro has more overall weight in it’s presentation which results in a richer and fuller sound. The B400 is also more two dimensional sounding and lacks bass presence in comparison. The treble extension is also better on the 3 Pro and the better extension in bot ends of the spectrum results in both deeper and wider stage.

Comfort and isolation is better on the 3 Pro and I also find it to feel more premium in the way they’re constructed. The B400 is harder to drive.

LZ A6 ($310):
Once again two contenders that both has tuning possibilities. Both male and female vocals are more forward on the 3 Pro. The overall presentation on the A6 is more airy with a much wider stage. The A6 does also have better bass quality and quite a bit more bass impact. The bass does also reach deeper on the A6. Treble extension is also better on the A6 as is clarity, resolution, and detail retrieval. The A6 may (in some configurations) be more in your face compared to the more relaxed presentation on the 3 Pro. The A6 is the technically better performer between the two of them but the 3 Pro can be just as enjoyable with it’s more laid back approach and excellent midrange.

Comfort and isolation is better on the 3 Pro while the A6 is harder to drive. I do also prefer the resin material on the 3 Pro over the metal housing on the A6, that being saif both of them seems very well constructed.

The tuning system on the A6 offers more different combinations and I also think that the way the sound changes on the A6 in different configurations offer greater variations to the overall sound signatures.

Summary:
The TSMR-3 Pro is a very nice pair of IEM’s in many ways. First of all they’re extremely well built and although I may have come across a few other IEM’s with similar great finish and overall construction but I can’t think of any that’s actually better.

Secondly the accessories included doesn’t leave much more to wish for. The only thing I can think of would be a balanced cable as an option but that’s hardly something I’d expect and certainly not at this price point.

Thirdly, and most importantly, the sound that they put out is extremely enjoyable and easy to listen too. The may not have the best resolution, deepest bass or widest stage but what they do have is a fantastic vocal presentation on both male and female voices, excellent timbre to the notes and an very easy going but yet audiophile (if I dare say) sound. Their whole presentation is quite romantic in a way and I must admit as although this is not really my preferred signature I’ve definitely fallen for them.

This is a review of the LZ Big Dipper (BD) IEM’s.

First I’d like to thank LZ for sending me a review sample of the LZ Big Dipper.

The retail price of the LZ Big Dipper starts at $620 and ranges up to $860 depending on how many tuning switches one chose. The Big Dipper is available from Penon Audio:

https://penonaudio.com/LZ-Big-Dipper-7BA-IEM

I’m not in any way affiliated with LZ or Penon Audio.

The LZ Big Dipper was sent to me for review purpose and my pair is the same as was earlier used in the excellent Headfonia review of them:

https://www.headfonia.com/review-lz-big-dipper/

Brooko did also put up a great review of the Big Dipper that can be read here:

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/brookos-review-discussion-lz-big-dipper-iem.858561/

About me:

Build and accessories:
The LZ Big Dipper is an all balanced amateur in ear monitor featuring seven drivers per side.

It comes in four different configurations: with one, two or three switches to tune the sound or the basic version without any switch. Prices ranges from $620 for the version without switches up to $860 for the version with three switches (each switch adds $80 to the final cost). Colors are customizable so you can put in your wish when placing your order. I’ve got the version with all three switches and a wood like plate design.

The build in general seem very solid. The actual housings are made of curable resins and feel very reliable and well made and the nozzles are made of metal. The tuning switches are located on the side of the housings and can be changed with a needle or some other thin object. They do stay in place really good once you’ve put them in the configuration you like to use.

Left/Right markings are black on black on the cable but despite this they’re quite easy to spot.

The cable has a straight 3.5 mm connector, is user replaceable and connects to the housing with 0.78 mm two pin connectors. The cable is braided and very flexible. The quality of the cable is extremely good and I’d even go as far as saying that it’s the best stock cable I’ve ever seen. There is none microphonics whatsoever and the over ear wearing style does of course play a part I this as well. The chin slider is also in place the way I like it. Although the cable looks really thick at first glance it’s still pretty light and I haven’t noticed any disadvantages to the way it’s designed.

All in total the quality about everything on the Big Dipper seems to be excellent and they should have the potential to last for a long time.

My pair is a pre-production unit and came without a retail package so I can’t really comment on the quality of the included accessories.

The accessories pack on the listing at Penon Audio does however look like this and I did get the wide bore tips in the picture:

Picture from Penon Audio

The LZ Big Dipper is pretty easy to drive and worked very well with most of the sources I’ve tried it with including cellphones. I don’t find them to benefit significantly from a more powerful amplifier but they do benefit from a clean source.

.

The specs:
Housing
Curable Resin
Driver Unit
7 BA
Frequency range
15Hz-25KHz
Sensitivity
115dB
Impedance
25 Ohms
Weight
30 g
Cable length
1.2m (+/- 5cm)

Fit and ergonomics:
I find the LZ Big Dipper to be extremely comfortable and I’ve got no problem wearing them for several hours. As a matter of fact I’ve worn them 6-8 hours per day on several occasions without any discomfort whatsoever and that’s more than I’ve been able to use any other pair of IEM’s without having any comfort issues. I’d even go so far as saying that they’re the most comfortable IEM’s I’ve ever tried. The housings are very easy to insert and to get a good fit with. The design does only make it possible to wear them over the ears. The included tips are ok but I found that the Monster super gel tips to be my preferred ones to use with them. I’d also like to add that I find it very convenient to use all BA IEM’s because one can have a great seal with them without having to worry about driver flex or venting.

Isolation is very good and I’ve been able to test them on a couple of shorter flights with great result. I’m usually not crazy about using IEM’s on planes due to the cabin pressure but the all BA configuration seems to help quite a bit with this. I actually think that the isolation with the Big Dipper is the best that I’ve ever experienced with a pair of IEM’s, it’s at least one of the best.

Sound:
I’ve used them back and forward during the last six weeks and they’ve played for well over 100 hours. I’ve used them both around the house and when out and about and I haven’t really found any significant weaknesses in the way they’re designed.

I’ve used them a lot with my Samsung S8 phone as well as several other sources with a bit of mixed result (more about this later).

As already mentioned I enjoy the LZ Big Dipper the most with the Monster super gel tips.

Demo list:

Switches explained:
As already mentioned my Big Dipper comes with three different switches. Naturally the filters affect bass, midrange and treble.

Turning the bass switch “ON” add more sub-bass impact but also more mid-bas. With the switch on the mid-bass starts to borderline too much for my preference. That being said it does also give male vocals a bit of extra weight that makes them sound even more natural than with the switch off (especially when paired with brighter/thinner sources). The added sub-bass and weight to vocals would probably be enough for me to prefer the Big Dipper with the bass switch on if it wasn’t for the last change that I notice when turning it on: it does also makes the presentation quite a bit more intimate and less airy to my ears. Being a sucker for soundstage and an airy signature this change is enough for me to prefer the Big Dipper with the bass switch off. I’ve really tried many times, and over several days, to enjoy them with the bass switch on but I’ve always ended up feeling that the tradeoff is larger than the award and turned it off again.

Turning the midrange switch “ON” helps pushing the midrange more forward (big surprise) and I find myself really appreciating this change as the Big Dipper is still a bit V-shaped even with this switch turned on. The difference is not night and day but I do find myself keep pushing the volume up to get more midrange presence when the midrange switch is set to “OFF” and doing so, naturally, also increases the bass presence a bit more than what I ideally prefer. That being said having all switches set to “OFF” is probably my second favorite tuning for the Big Dipper and it does give male voices slightly more weight.

Turning the treble switch “ON” is definitely a no go for me as it makes the upper frequencies too strident for my preference. It’s really not much more to say about it.

So, my preferred tuning on the Big Dipper is with bass and treble switches off and the midrange switch on. Not only is this my preferred setting but it does really hit the sweet spot for me. The rest of this review is about how the Big Dipper perform by itself, in comparison to some other great IEM’s and with different sourcing with this tuning.

General sound description:
The sub-bass extension on the Big Dipper isn’t the most impactful I’ve ever heard but it’s the best I’ve heard from a pair of IEM’s without a dynamic driver in the configuration. I never really feel as if the bass is missing but it won’t give you that sucking deep feeling that can, in my experience, only be achieved by a larger dynamic driver. Mid- and upper bass is just perfect in both quantity and quality for my preference. It don’t think I’ve ever heard such a full sounding pair of IEM’s that never ever let the higher bass feel overblown to me. It might be worth mentioning here that I’m really sensitive to mid bass bloom and it’s the one thing that can make or break a pair of IEM’s or headphones for me but the Big Dipper is just perfect for me in its amount of upper bass. The overall bass presence is definitely enough for me that they’re enjoyable with all kind of music, bass-heads may think otherwise though.

The midrange is fairly well in line with the rest of the frequencies, only slightly recessed but far from a deal breaker even for a midrange lover like myself. The quality of the midrange is excellent though and quite easily outperform both the ASG-1PLUS and the Super Audio 6 that has some of my favorite midrange presentations. Vocals are also extremely good on the Big Dipper with enough weight on male voices for them to sound natural and life like and an even more enjoyable reproduction of female vocals. Despite this, I could wish for even a touch more weight on male vocals. This can be fixed by a different tuning though but I prefer to fix it with a warmer source instead as that works better as a whole for me. String instruments are really well reproduced with a great organic sound to them as well as excellent timbre and weight to the notes. Although I usually like my midrange more forward than neutral I really don’t feel that I’d like the midrange presence on the Big Dipper to be in any other way than it is with the midrange switch on. As a matter of fact there’s a peak somewhere in the upper midrange/lower treble that could probably be a touch strident for someone very sensitive to this but for me it just adds the perfect amount of air, energy and clarity.

The treble is airy and well extended without adding any fatigue and cymbal crashes sound as good as in real life to me. For female voices it really couldn’t be any better to me, I’ve never experienced this high amount of perfect “s” sounds without having a feeling that there’s a dip or roll off somewhere that I don’t appreciate. The treble on the Big Dipper is most definitely among the best I’ve heard.

Clarity and micro details are well above average and resolution is the best I’ve ever heard in such a full sounding pair of IEM ‘s. Actually that’s exactly what I wrote in my review of Big Dippers sibling the A4 but there’s no doubt that resolution in the Big Dipper is even better. The way the Big Dipper manage to have this amount of resolution and yet being the less fatiguing IEM’s I’ve ever used is truly both impressive and extremely enjoyable. Soundstage width and height is excellent as is depth, airiness and 3D feeling. The “out of the head” feeling on the Big Dipper is also great. Still, what stand out to me is layering, resolution and the perfectly natural sound. I just can’t stress enough how non-fatiguing they are to me.

All in all the LZ Big Dipper offers a very natural and non-fatiguing listening experience and delivers an amazing amount of details with a layering that really makes me feel that I hear a lot of my well known music in a new way.

Comparison:
Please note that the comments in the comparison section are not in absolute terms but in comparison between subject A and B. This means (as an example) that if subject A is found to be brighter than subject B it does not necessarily mean that subject A is bright sounding in absolute terms. I hope this makes sense.

These comparisons were done listening through the bit Opus #1 DAP.



Aurisonics ASG-1PLUS ($499) vs LZ Big Dipper:
The ASG-1PLUS is also a hybrid IEM featuring a 14.2mm dynamic and one balance armature driver.

Compared to the Big Dipper the 1PLUS has a more mid-centric presentation wit less mid-bass impact and punch. The sub-bass on the Aurisonics dig a bit deeper but impact is still not the best (especially considering that the dynamic driver is 14.2 mm). The Big Dipper does have better bass quality and the bass on the 1PLUS is a little bit softer in its characteristic in comparison. Overall bass presence on the Big Dipper does actually come across as more than on the 1PLUS. Both have a very good midrange quality and excellent vocal reproduction but the midrange is definitely more forward and in focus on the 1PLUS despite this the Big Dipper pulls ahead on vocal reproduction, especially female ones, and overall midrange quality. Both of them have very good treble quality but once again the Big Dipper pulls ahead.

I find them both to be very comfortable.

Build quality is equally great on both.

The Big Dipper is a bit easier to drive.

Isolation is better on the Big Dipper.

Super Audio 6 ($250) vs LZ Big Dipper:
The SA 6 is a six BA configuration that I use and enjoy a lot. These two are actually polar opposites in the way they present music. Compared to the Big Dipper the SA 6 has less sub-bass impact. Mid- and upper bass is more present on the SA6 and the bass quality isn’t up to that of the Big Dipper. The midrange on the SA 6 is more forward and thicker while the midrange in the Big Dippper has a lot more air and sounds much cleaner. The Big Dipper has a more airy as well as more detailed treble with better extension. The Big Dipper has an overall a lot more airy presentation and a wider soundstage, better clarity and layering and a much higher resolution. The SA6 sound really mid-centric and even congested in comparison.

I find them both to be very comfortable although the Big Dipper pulls slightly ahead.

Build quality is great on both but slightly more so on the Big Dipper.

The Big Dipper is easier to drive.

Isolation is great on both but the Big Dipper has even slightly better isolation.

LZ A4 ($199) vs LZ Big Dipper:
The LZ A4 is a hydrid design featuring two balanced armature drivers and one dynamic driver. Compared to the A4 the Big Dipper has less bass impact through all the lowest frequencies and its sub-bass does also roll off earlier. The bass on the Big Dipper does have better quality and mid bass presence is actually quite similar (depending on tuning of course). Both of these have excellent, and quite similar, midrange quality but the Big Dipper has better resolution and better qualities in general. They do have a similar treble texture but once again the Big Dipper is the better performer and sounds more natural. Both have amazing soundstage and 3D presentation but the layering on the Big Dipper does really set them apart. While one can clearly hear the family resemblance between these two there’s no question whatsoever that the Big Dipper is the better performer by quite some margin.

The Big Dipper is more comfortable.

Build quality is better on the Big Dipper.

They’re about equally easy to drive.

Isolation is a god deal better on the Big Dipper.

Pairing:
Samsung Galaxy S8:
The S8 has more than enough power to drive the Big Dipper properly and to my great pleasure it does also sound highly acceptable with it. This is a great plus given how great the Big Dipper isolates making these two a very nice on the go couple.

LG G5 w/Hifiplus module:
This is also a great pairing and the Big Dipper does easily show the better sound quality the G5 offers compared to the S8. Yet another great on the go couple.

Aune M1S:
Not my favorite pairing. The M1S doesn’t have enough weight for male vocals to sound natural enough to me.

The Bit Opus #1:
The Opus #1 is slightly warmer than the Aune M1S and mange to make male vocals almost perfect. Highly enjoyable (more than the S8) but not perfect.

The Bit Opus #11:
This is more like it. Thick, smooth and buttery. The #11 is warm and lush while still having great details in its presentation and it pairs very well with the big Dipper.

LH Labs Geek Out V2+:
The perfect pairing. The V2+ is one of my all-time favorite devices, and for a reason. The dynamics is excellent and both male and female vocal reproduction is sublime. This pairing is so good that it almost hurts J

Interestingly enough I find the Big Dipper to perform better from the single ended output than the balanced one on all devices I’ve tried it from both on. I really don’t have any good explanation for this but it’s what I hear.

Summary:
The LZ Big Dipper is one sublime pair of IEM’s in every possible way. They’ve the most comfortable IEM’s I’ve ever worn and I can wear them for 6-8 hours at work day after day and still enjoy using them for my evening walk as well. I can honestly say that none other IEM’s I’ve tried has even came close to this. They’re among the best isolating IEM’s I’ve ever worn and work great even on flights and trains. The build quality is up there with the best I’ve ever experienced and the cable is the best stock cable I’ve ever seen.

However, build and ergonomics are far from the only areas where the Big Dipper excels. Sound wise the LZ Big Dipper is the most natural and less fatiguing pair of IEM’s I’ve ever heard. It does a highly admirable job being full enough without ever sounding boomy as well as offering amazing resolution without ever getting fatiguing and by far presenting the best layering I’ve heard in any pair of IEM’s. No doubt does the Big Dipper fit my preferences perfect and I think that anyone that like the LZ A4 and can live with a bit less sub bass in exchange for a lot more of everything else would be very happy with the performance of the Big Dipper.

My only reason for not giving the LZ Big Dipper a five star rating would be my pretty limited experience with IEM’s in the $500-1.000 range. However the little experience I do have with more expensive offerings, combined with how big of a step up the performance from the Big Dipper is from every other pair of IEM’s that I’ve heard and the fact that that I totally enjoy them in a way that may even borderline being obsessed with them still makes it an easy decision to reward them with a solid five star rating.

This is a review of the Opus #1 DAP.
 


 
The bit Opus #1 was sent to me by the bit for the purpose of this review. I’d like to take this opportunity to thank the bit and Kiwon for sending it to me.  
 
 
Last year I bought, and reviewed the bit Opus #11 DAC/amp and was so thoroughly impressed by it that when the bit asked me if I’d be interested in reviewing their Opus #1 as well I did not hesitate for a second before I said yes.
 
It’s available from both Amazon UK and Amazon US for £430 (tax included) /$399 (tax excluded):
 
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Resolution-Portable-Digital-Audio-Player/dp/B01B90MBEW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1481030482&sr=8-1&keywords=the+bit+opus+1
 
https://www.amazon.com/OPUS-Portable-Mastering-Quality-Gunmetal/dp/B01B90MBEW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1481030573&sr=8-1&keywords=the+bit+opus
 
For more information about the bit Opus #1 you can also visit the bit website:
 
http://www.thebit.co.kr/content/pubf.action?fn=product/product3
 
http://www.audio-opus.com/
 
I’m not in any way affiliated with the bit.
 
Short introduction to the bit:
The bit is a Korea based company founded in 2004.
 
This is what they say about themselves on their website:

1. Specialized in designing and development of ICT devices, including MP3, PMP, NAVI, Digital TV etc.
2. The staff of the Bit consists of highly specilized high-tech engineers, who possess a valuable knowledge and experience in developing set top box, etc. within Samsung Electronics
3. R&D family members formed a tight teamwork for the last 15 years that conduced to the successful mass production of MP3 players for the first time in the world.
4. Stable and reliable supplier of featured products for Samsung Electronics, Best Buy and SanDisc in United States.
5. PND consumer products export to Japan for 3 years, proving the highest quality of manufactured products.
6. Possession of the wide variety of technological solutions, including the ARM, WinCE, Linux, Android OS etc.

 
About me:
I’m a 44 year old music and sound lover that changed my focus from speakers to headphones and IEM’s about five years ago. At that time I realized that it wasn’t realistic for me to have all the different setups that I wanted and still house a family of four children and a wife so my interest turned first to full sized headphones and later also IEM’s.
 
My preferences are towards full sized open headphones and I believe that also says something about what kind of sound signature I prefer (large soundstage in all directions, balanced and organic sound).
 
My music preferences are pretty much all over the place (only excluding classical music, jazz and really heavy metal). My all-time favorite band is Depeche Mode although I also listen to a lot of grunge/indie, singer/songwriter/acoustical stuff as well as the typical top 40 music.
 
I tend to value function over form within reasonable limits.
 
I do not use EQ, ever.
 
I’m a sucker for value for money on most things in life Head-Fi related stuff is no exception.
 
Please note that all impressions in this review are my personal and subjective ones. What works for me may not work for you and vice versa. Also please remember that nothing is for everyone so it’s always wise to throw in an YMMV warning when sharing ones experience with audio gear so consider that done for this review as well.
 
Please also note that the five star rating is the concept chosen by Head-Fi for reviews published in here, one may like it or not but it’s what we (as reviewers) have as a tool to work with here. I rate products according to their price point i.e. a product that cost $100 and is rewarded with five stars from me is not necessarily as good as a product costing $500 and is rewarded with the same fives star rating. So does a product have to be perfect to receive a five star rating? In my opinion no, simply because there’s no gear that‘s perfect for everyone. For me to reward a product with a five star rating it has to be best, or at least one of the best, performing ones in its segment and at its price point. Others may have a different approach to this but this is how I feel and rate the products I review.
 
Built and accessories:
The bit Opus #1 is a DAP with touchscreen.  
 
The bit Opus #1 is available in two versions. The original with plastic housing and one recently released upgraded version with metal housing. I’ve got the original version with the plastic housing.
 
The maximum output power is rated to 330mW@ 16Ohm from the balanced output and 275mW@16Ohm from the single ended output. Output impedance is rated at 1Ohm (balanced) and 2Ohm (SE) respectively.
 
The Opus #1 has a sturdy plastic housing that feels durable but still it’s “just” plastic. Although the design is pretty basic I find the beveled edges to be a very nice touch both when it comes to looks and the feel when you’re holding the unit. The physical controls available are an on/off button on the top, up/down volume buttons on the left side and skip back/forward as well as a ply/pause button on the right side. The controls seems to be situated in a way that makes it very intuitive to use and easy to reach them. The Opus #1 does also have a touch screen so everything except from turning off the unit can also be done by using it (more about this later).
 
The screen in a 4 inch TFT touch screen with a 480 X 800 resolution. Coming from phones this resolution may sound very low but as a matter of fact the screen does what it does very well and serves its purpose more than good enough.
 
The Opus #1 offers one USB micro charging input which also doubles as digital audio input and data transfer when the unit is used as a USB DAC for your laptop/computer or connected in transferring mode. There’s also one 3.5mm single ended headphones output and one 2.5mm balanced headphones output. The SE output does also double as line out when that feature is activated but also as optical output. Last but, certainly not least, there’s also the micro SD card slot or rather slots as the Opus #1 offers not only the standard single slot but two of them. The #1 is rated to accept card up to 200 GB, this combined with a 32 GB internal memory makes total possible memory a full 432 GB, not bad for a portable device.
 

 

 

 

 
 
 
Functionality:
Like I’ve already mentioned the #1 does offer both physical and touch control. This is great in my opinion as the physical controls makes navigation a lot easier in certain situation such as when you’re out and about and especially when you’d like to control it without taking it out of your pocket. The placement of the physical controls seems to be pretty ideal for my usage and they’re always quite easy to find and only on a rare occasion have I pressed the wrong one even when I have the unit in my pocket while pushing the buttons. Of course when I’m at home or have the unit in front of me the touch screen is the superior way of navigating but I really love the fact that the bit included the physical buttons as well.
 
The battery life is fairly good and is said to be about 10 hours, without having brought out my stop clock I’d say that these numbers are fairly accurate from my experience. The power required by the headphones or IEM’s your using as well as the type of files you’re playing will of course also affect the battery life. Charging time is about 4 hours and although it’s quite long it have not really bothered me since I typically charge it when I sleep. The battery life in itself is not that impressive but the Opus #1 has one feature that makes all the difference in my experience: Deep sleep mode! Putting the Opus #1 into deep sleep mode makes battery discharge neglectable and it can be in this mode for days without losing much battery. Once you wake it up it starts working as normal in no time. This means that I very rarely turn the unit off properly but rather just use deep sleep and charge it when necessary, very convenient. 
 
The Opus #1 runs on Android but it’s an extremely basic version and there’s no internet or Bluetooth connection option available. This means that you will not be able to use any third party apps on it. On the good side the scaled down Android system makes the #1 very fast and responsive in every day usage. It’s also very easy and intuitive to use.
 
The touch screen is also very responsive and works equally well as any phone I’ve ever owned. By dragging down the top you’ll get a quick menu, just like on your phone if you’re using a fairly up to date Android version, that let you choose between a lot of features such as activating line out (through the 3.5 mm headphones output), putting the player in balanced mode, EQ (10 band paragraphic) etc. but also a shortcut to the players more advanced settings.
 
There’s also, of course, possible to use the touch screen to navigate in your music library and you can choose to browse your collection by artist, album etc. like on any music player app. If you choose this way of navigation the whole of your collection will show up independent on if it’s stored on SD cars 1, 2 or the internal memory. Personally I always use folder navigation and that also works perfectly fine. 
 
Overall my experience with navigating through the touch screen is very good with great response time and very stable operation.
 
The Opus #1 support all popular file formats for audio up to DSD128 and 32bit/384kHz files.
 

 

 

 

 

 
The accessories included are:
1 USB type A to micro cable
1 Screen protector
 
There’s also an excellent leather case available for the Opus # that cost about $50 and although it may seem a bit steep I’d strongly recommend getting one as I like it a lot. Not only does it fir like a glove and adds protection but I also find the case to make it more comfortable to hold the player.
 

 

 

 

 

 
The specs:
 
I’ve used the Opus #1 a lot for the last couple of months and my unit has played for well over 100 hours.
 
Demo list:
Sound impression:
The first thing that I noticed when I started to listen to the bit Opus #1 was how smooth and relaxed it sounded while still maintaining excellent resolution and transparency.
 
Bass extension and quality is excellent with no noticeable roll off in the lowest frequencies and very good quality through the whole bass spectrum. Mid- and upper-bass is equally great and doesn’t add anything that shouldn’t be there. My all-time favorite bass presentation from a portable source would be from the LH Labs Geek Out V2+ and I’m very happy to conclude that the bass presentation on the #1 is equally impressive in every way.
 
The laidback and relaxed sound continues in the mid-range that’s very smooth and liquid while still sounding totally natural and highly enjoyable. This combined with good timbre and great feeling of space between vocals and instrument makes a great sounding signature that continues in the upper frequencies.  The transparency combined with richness makes the midrange blend in great with the bass as well.
 
The treble presentation on the #1 is also great and this is the first device I’ve used that can keep up with my (from memory) impression of the Mojo in this aspect. The slightly warm, smooth and airy presentation makes it a great pairing with IEM’s and headphones that can come across as a bit strident on many other sources but this also leads me to believe that the treble may be a bit rolled off. That being said this is nothing that my 44 years old ears have any problem with and I don’t really miss anything but rather find the treble presentation in total to be one of the best I’ve ever heard in a portable source.
 
The overall presentation has a very good soundstage in all directions and layering is also great as is the amount of air between instruments. The laidback sound gives a sense of very good separation and black background (or maybe it’s the other way around?). Overall resolution, transparency and detail retrieval is great and this combined with the otherwise relaxed sound makes for a great “expensive” sounding overall experience leading the thoughts to both the LH Labs V2+ (bass) and Chord Mojo (treble) which are both amazing devices to me.
 
The difference between single ended and balanced output is less than on some other of my devices (Geek Out A2 and V2+) but still noticeable. Through the balanced output I find the background to be even calmer, making the separation feel better, and soundstage is also slightly wider. Not a day and night difference by any means but still an improvement. Please note that this will also depend on you IEM’s/earbuds/headphones as some of them seem to respond more to be running balanced than others.
 
Comparison:
Please note that the comments in the comparison section are not in absolute terms but in comparison between subject A and B. This means (as an example) that if subject A is found to be brighter than subject B it does not necessarily mean that subject A is bright sounding in absolute terms. I hope this makes sense.
 
In these comparisons I’ve been listening through my Hifiman HE400i’s.
 
I don’t really have any DAP that’s a natural comparison to the Opus #1 so instead I’ve chosen to compare in to my favorite amp/DAC that pairs well with Android (yeah I’m a sucker for Android-Fi ). Naturally I’ve compared them on sound related features only.
 
LH Labs Geek Out V2+ Infinity ($649) vs the bit Opus #1:
The V2+ is my favorite portable device so far and I’ve been using it a lot combined with a retired LG G3 phone as source. The V2+ ($499 for the non-Infinity offering) is in the same ballpark as the Opus #1 when it comes to price and does also offer both single ended and balanced output. Paired up with a phone it’s about the same size as the #1 as well so I figure it would be a good comparison
 
Compared to the Opus #1 the V2+ is more up front and energetic in its presentation. It’s also a touch brighter through the whole frequency range while the #1 comes across as more laid back and with more air between instruments as well as a darker background. Overall tonal balance (presence of bass, midrange and treble) is very similar but the #1 is overall softer and more relaxed. As an effect of this the treble on the #1 is also a touch less strident and smoother. They both offer excellent clarity and resolution and the #1 has a slightly wider soundstage while the V2+ is more focused and distinct. Bass presentation is similar on the two both when it comes to presence and quality and to my ears they both have among the best bass presentation that I’ve heard from any portable devices.
 
Moving to the balanced output the improvement of the sound is greater on the V2+ than on the Opus #1 to my ears. From the balanced output the overall sound is even more similar as better separation and a darker background is noticeable on the V2+ from its balanced output. Because of this the V2+ is more relaxed using the balanced output which makes it more similar to the #1. There’s also less difference in soundstage width from the balanced output of the two. The most noticeable difference between the two from the balanced output is that the V2+ is still slightly brighter in comparison, although I’d not describe any of these units as bright sounding per se.
 
The V2+ Infinity has some very low background hiss when used with my most sensitive IEM’s but hiss is even less audible with the Opus #1.
 
Matching:
The output impedance of the headphone out on the  is rated to a quite low 1Ohm from the balanced output and 2Ohm from the single ended output which should be low enough for it to work well with pretty much all kind headphones and even very sensitive IEM’s. The fact that the balanced output has lower output impedance compared to the single ended one may make it a better option for multi BA’s and hybrid IEM’s. Since getting balanced cables for IEM’s is a lot cheaper than for full sized headphones this seems like a good solution to me.
 
The Opus #1 also offers three different gain settings which helps even further when using it with a wide variety of IEM’s, earphones and headphones. To make matching even easier the volume features a full 150 steps so with three gain settings and small changes within each of them flexibility is pretty much top notch to me.
 
Despite not having any monster specs on the power output the #1 has enough power to drive all my full sized headphones fairly well. This includes the AKG Sextett’s with its 600Ohm impedance, although I’d have to crank the volume all the way up to 125 out of the 150 volume steps in balanced mode to reach my preferred listening level.
 
In this section I’ve tested how some of my favorite headphones but also one earbud and one pair of IEM’s pairs up with the Opus #1.  
 
Grado SR325is ($300):
The 325’s are quite easy to drive but does certainly scale with a good source and are revealing enough to show the difference in sources. The laid back and relaxed presentation on the Opus #1 suits the up front, mid centric and highly detailed characteristic of the 325’s like a glove. Every detail is there and the wide presentation of the #1 is a welcome addition to the 325. The 325 can be quite strident in the upper frequencies with a lot of sources but the #1 does a very good job as making them sound fairly smooth while still maintaining excellent extension and details. I think this is the best I’ve ever heard my Grado’s and I’ve not enjoyed them as much in a very long time.
 
Hifiman HE400i ($449):
Listening to the HE400i with the Opus #1 is very much similar to that what I experienced with the Grado’s. The Hifiman’s are definitely harder to drive compared to the Grado’s but still well within the comfort zone for the “, especially through the balanced output. Once again the smooth, detailed and ever so slightly warm sound from the Opus #1 makes these headphones really sing. The HE400i’s has an adequate soundstage width for an open headphone and the wide stage of the #1 makes it reach its full potential. The bass hits hard and deep and the treble is airy and smooth. The HE400i can be slightly strident in the upper frequencies with some pairings but none of that shows with the #1.  In total I’s say this is a very nice combination.
 
LZ-A4 ($195):
The A4 is a 16Ohm triple hybrid IEM (1 DD + 2 BA).  The A4 isn’t really very picky to sources in my experience but at the same time it’s revealing enough to show differences between them. I’ve used the A4 with a balanced cable, taking advantage of the #1’s best output, in this listening session. Paired with the #1 the A4 get to release the full potential of its excellent wide stage and its bass is also performing the best I’ve heard it. The A4 is never harsh or fatiguing to start with and certainly not when paired with the #1 but it does never feel too laid back and relaxed either. In total this is a great combination for my preferences and most definitely one of the best pairings that I’ve tried with the A4’s.
 
VE Zen 2.0 ($138):
The Zen 2.0 is a 300Ohm earbud that I like a lot and tend to use instead of closed headphones. It’s also a reliable travel partner for me when I stay in hotels and don’t have any full size cans around. The soft and smooth signature from the Zen 2.0 fares really well with the airy but yet detailed and transparence presentation from the Opus #1. Bass presentation is also really good with this pairing and in total this is also a great combination.
 
To sum up the matching section the signature of the Opus #1 works really well with all the headphones and IEM’s I’ve tried it with. . There’s also a very low background hiss even on the lowest gain setting when paired with my most sensitive IEM’s that might be worth noticing. It does also have enough power to work very well with most full sized cans.
 
Summary:
This will probably not come as any surprise but the bit Opus #1 is a fantastic DAP in my opinion.
 
For a long time now I’ve been an Android-Fi guy since it has been my impression that pairing an old phone with an USB DAC/amp has been the best way to get as much value as possible both when it comes to sound quality but also user interference, the Opus #1 is the unit that have changed my mind about this. Fortunately the #1 runs on Android so I can still declare myself as an Android-Fi fanboy
 
I’ve had a list of features that was crucial for me if I should take the step to pay for a solid mid-tier DAP instead of a phone combined with a DAC/amp and this list included: balanced output, USB DAC functionality, large memory capacity, digital output, line out function, good enough battery and of course great sound quality, solid build quality and stable operating system. After the latest FW update I find the Opus #1 to give me all of this. The only thing I could possibly want in addition would be the ability to connect it to Wifi and Bluetooth but I would not be willing to compromise on battery life to get there.
 
The bit Opus #1 is so versatile and great to me that if I was to have only one source it would be the one I’d pick among the gear that I own, not because it’s a Jack of all trades but because it’s one excellent performing DAP!
 

 
I'm sorry for the picture quality, it's really difficult to get it right this time of the year due to the lack of daylight.

This is a review of the Moni One IEM’s.
 

 
The Moni One was sent to me from AK Audio Store for free for the purpose of me making a review of them. I’d like to grab the opportunity to say thank you to July for letting me try them out, THANK YOU!
 
The Moni One is available from AK Audio Store on Aliexpress. The price at the time for this review was $99:
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Newest-Moni-one-Hybrid-In-Ear-Earphone-2BA-with-1DD-HIFI-Bass-Metal-In-Ear-Headset/32754751166.html?spm=2114.10010108.1000013.2.nm2T16&scm=1007.13339.33317.0&pvid=9981fffb-76de-44cb-a306-8b3604517d8d&tpp=1
 
I’m not in any way affiliated with Moni or AK Audio Store.
 
About me:
 
Built and accessories:
The Moni One is a hybrid in-ear monitor featuring one dynamic driver and two balance armature drivers.
 
AFAIK it comes only in one flavor.
 
The build in general is very solid. The housings are all metal and feel really sturdy and reliable. The MMCX cable connector points on the housings seem to be very tight and once the cable is connected it takes quite a bit of power to remove it so it stays in place without any problems.
 
The L/R marking is actually not located on the housings themselves but on the connector on the included cable. I’d have preferred some kind of marking on the actual housings as well to see more easily which side is which but on the other hand the two housings are identical so it’s not a big deal.
 
The included quality is of good quality, not quite up there with the LZ cables but not too far behind either. It has good flexibility and strain reliefs are in place in all the crucial placers. The Y-split seems solid without being overly large and there’s L/R marking on the connectors, unfortunately these are black on black so they can be a bit difficult to spot. The 3.5 mm jack is a straight one and although it seems sturdy I personally prefer angled ones.
 
The retail package is quite nice and about average for the price point.
 
The accessories include the following:
3 pair of silicone tip (S/M/L)
3 pair of double flange tips (S/M/L)
1 zippered storage pouch
 
The current retail package does also include a silicone “sleeve” that one can fit over the bass port on the stem to increase bass presence. Unfortunately this piece of equipment wasn’t included with my sample so I can really say how it works out in practical usage but this is what it looks like:
 

Pictures from AK Audio Store
 
The Moni One is slightly easier than average to drive and worked very well with all the sources I’ve tried it with including cellphones. I don’t find them to benefit significantly from a more powerful amplifier and they seem to work well with all the sources that I’ve tried them with.
 

 

 

 

 
The specs:
 
Fit and ergonomics:
I find the Moni One to be very comfortable and I’ve got no problem wearing them for several hours. They are preferable over ear wearing style and they sit quite flush to the ear however the long nozzle makes them less ideal to sleep on the side with since it adds too much pressure inside the ear (at least for me). They can actually be worn straight down as well but the fit is very shallow wearing them this way and I wasn’t able getting a good enough seal this way. If one likes to wear them straight down I’d suggest using a lighter cable than the stock one as well since it’s quite heavy and will be pulling the housings out easily. I prefer over the ear wearing style anyway so for me that’s a natural way to wear the Moni One as well. Although they’re quite heavy I don’t get any “hot-spots” when wearing them for longer time.
 
The included silicone double flange tips works well for me but the Model 1200EX seems very  sensitive on tips and fit (especially for bass reproduction) and I ended up using them with JVC Spiral Dot tips for best combination of sound and comfort with my ear anatomy.
 
Isolation is very tip dependent but even with the best isolating tips they’re just average in this aspect for me. That being said the full sound does a great job drowning out low frequency external noise when music is playing.
 
Sound:
I’ve used them as my main IEM in my rotation for the last couple of weeks and they’ve played for well over 100 hours. I’ve used them both around the house and when out and about and I haven’t really found any significant weaknesses in the way they’re designed.
 
I’ve used them mostly with my LG G5 phone, the bit Opus #11 amp/DAC as well as the Opus #1 DAP but I’ve tried them with a number of other sources as well and they’ve worked very well with all of them.
 
As already mentioned I enjoy the Moni One the most with double or triple flange silicone tips.
 
Demo list:
My initial thought upon the first listen with the Moni One was that it was very clean, clear, well balanced and with excellent resolution.
 
The sub-bass extension is quite good without going really deep. The layering in the lower bass is also very good and is impact is good enough that I don’t feel much lacking but as already mention the roll off is a bit early. Mid-and upper bass has good presence with excellent quality and there’s very little bass bleed into the midrange and no mentionable bass bleed at all. The overall quality of the bass is really good and bass speed is excellent. Despite that, this is probably the area where some will fine the Moni One’s lacking, for me it’s not a problem but I would probably not suggest them to bass-heads or people listening exclusively to bass driven music. The new “sleeve” solution offered may very well be enough to cure this.
 
The midrange is very well balanced with the rest of the frequencies. The upper bass presence is a bit on the low side making them lack a bit of weight to the presentation but the whole signature is still very nice with amazing resolution and details. Male vocals and string instruments may lack some weight for my taste while female vocals are very enjoyable with a great clarity to them. Despite having a lush and full midrange per se it does blend perfectly with the overall signature contributing to the very well balanced overall sound.
 
Treble extension is good and does also feel perfectly in line with the rest of the presentation. Despite having good extension and not being very lush the treble never feels harsh or fatiguing to my ears albeit it is a bit on the thin side.
 
Clarity and micro details are seriously good as is transparency and resolution. On all these parameters the Moni One is most definitely among the top performers I’ve ever heard in the sub $100 segment. Soundstage width is good and so is separation. Height is also good and depth is surprisingly good given the overall signature. I do also feel that they’re very coherent which again helps to the overall impression of a very well balanced IEM.
 
The Moni One sounds great with all music I’ve tried it with and can easily be used as an all-round pair of IEM’s in my opinion.
 
Comparison:
Please note that the comments in the comparison section are not in absolute terms but in comparison between subject A and B. This means (as an example) that if subject A is found to be brighter than subject B it does not necessarily mean that subject A is bright sounding in absolute terms. I hope this makes sense.
 
These comparisons were done listening from my phone through the bit Opus #1 DAP.
 
AAW Nebula 1 ($99) vs Moni One:
The Nebula 1 is a hybrid using one dynamic and one balance armature driver. Compared to the Moni the Nebula 1 has a bit deeper sub bass, quite a bit more mid bass presence and are overall warmer sounding. The midrange is quite similar positioned in the mix on both but while it’s occasionally overshadowed by the upper bass on the Nebula’s this never happens with the Moni’s. Vocals are good on both but the Nebula has a bit fuller and more natural male voices. The Nebula’s has a fuller and smoother treble while the Moni has better top end extension. . The Moni has a larger soundstage and a more airy presentation. The Nebula 1 does actually sound a bit congested, but also lusher, in comparison while still maintaining an overall resolution and detail retrieval that’s similar to that of the Moni.
 
Fit is equally good for me with both of these.
 
Build quality is also good on both but I prefer the detachable cable on the Moni’s over the fixed memory wire one on the Nebula One’s.
 
The Nebula is a bit easier to drive.
 
Isolation is similar, and quite low, on both.
  
PMV-A01 MK2 ($99) vs Moni One:
The PMV’s were my top sub $100 hybrid until the Moni One showed up. They are both fairly well balanced IEM’s in my opinion. Despite this they’re also very different in their overall signature. Compared to the PMV’s the sub bass on the Moni One doesn’t reach as low and has less impact, it does also have less mid bass presence. The Moni is leaner and cleaner but also thinner and brighter in its overall signature. The Moni is actually more even in the frequency response while the PMV’s has a more forward upper bass/lower giving them a lusher overall presentation. The Moni One does have a higher resolution and a bit thinner treble while the PMV’s has better 3D presentation, timbre to the notes and more natural male vocals. The Moni One on the other hand is better with female vocals.
 
Fit is equally good for me with both of these.
 
Build quality is also good on both but the Moni One offers a detachable cable and metal housings so I’d put them on top.
 
The Moni One is slightly harder to drive.
 
Isolation is similar, and quite low, on both.
 
Trinity Audio PM4 w/gun metal filters ($160) vs Moni One:

Size comparison with PM4
 
The PM4 is also a hybrid but it has two dynamic drivers and two BA drivers. These two are a bit similar in their overall presentation, both being quite well balanced and quite lean and clean in their presentation. Compared to the Moni the PM4’s has similar sub bass impact but a bit less depth. It does also have less mid bass presence and an overall slightly thinner sound. The midrange on both is slightly recessed and it does have a similar position in the mix on both of them. The midrange on the PM4 is their biggest weakness in my opinion, it’s very two dimensional and does also lack warmth. The Moni is by no means a particularly warm offering but it still manages to not sound thin and sterile like the PM4 that sounds flat and lifeless in the midrange. Vocals on the PM4 sounds lifeless and, especially male ones, unnaturally thin in comparison. The PM4 does also tend to sound a bit shouty in the upper midrange/lower treble with quite a lot of music while the Moni sounds more natural and less fatiguing. The treble is quite similar on both with a slight advantage in extension to the Moni’s. Soundstage height and width is quite similar on both as is details, clarity and resolution. The Moni has much better depth and 3D presentation and sounds overall more natural.
 
Fit is better for me with the PM4.
 
Build quality is better on the Moni One.
 
The PM4 is harder to drive.
 
Isolation is better on the PM4.
 
Summary:
The Moni One is a great sub $100 hybrid. It has a solid built, detachable cables and are also very comfortable to wear. Although they may lack the deepest bass as well as some weight on male vocals they still perform much better than the price would suggest. The balanced, but yet non-fatiguing, presentation has a resolution and clarity that I’ve never come across at this price point before.
 
The Moni One is an easy recommendation to anyone wanting to experience the sound from a great hybrid at a price that doesn’t break the bank and it has taken the place as my favorite sub $100 hybrid so far.
 
It’s safe to say that I’m very curious about the future offerings from Moni.  
 

This is a review of the LZ A4 IEM’s.
 


First of all I’d like to thank LZ for sending me a review sample of the LZ A4.
 
The retail price of the LA A4 is $195. The LZ A4 is available from both AK Audio Store on Aliexpress and Penon Audio:
 
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/2016-Newest-LZ-A3s-3-5mm-In-Ear-Earphones-2BA-1DD-Driver-Hybrid-In-Ear-Headset/32768034802.html?spm=2114.10010108.1000014.10.K9Cxx3&scm=1007.13338.50051.0&pvid=c76ff213-ec8e-47ea-9e16-a05a37ba78b6&tpp=1
 
http://penonaudio.com/LZ-A4
 
The LZ A4 was sent to me for free for review purpose.
 
I’m not in any way affiliated with LZ, AK Audio Store or Penon Audio.
 
About me:
 
Built and accessories:
The LZ A4 is a hybrid in ear monitor featuring two Knowles balance armature drivers and one dynamic driver.
 
It comes in one flavor only.
 
The build in general seem very solid. The housings are all metal and have a very nice weight to them without being overly heavy. The filters do also feel reliable and stays well in place once screwed properly in place.
 
Left/Right markings are black on black but despite this they’re quite easy to spot and fortunately both the housings and the cable have the markings, something that’s not always the case.
 
The cable has a 45 degree angled 3.5 mm connector just the way I prefer it. The cable is round and flexible, this is the same cable as on the A2S and the prototype A4 and it’s one of the better cables I’ve ever seen.  There is some microphonics but it’s not a big problem and wearing them over the ears makes it pretty much non-existing. The chin slider is also in place the way I like it and the Y-split is minimalistic but yet sturdy.
 
The retail package is good for this price point and the best I’ve seen from LZ this far. It looks premium, is easy to open and the accessories pack is quite good.   
 
The accessories pack includes the following:
6 pairs silicon tips (S,M,L)
1 pair bi-flange tips
1 pair of foam tips
1 pair of ear hooks
1 shirt clip
1 metal box to store the earpieces and filters in
1 zippered case to store them in when not in use
 
The LZ A4’s pretty easy to drive and worked very well with all the sources I’ve tried it with including cellphones. I don’t find them to benefit significantly from a more powerful amplifier but they do benefit from a clean source.
 

 

 

 

 

 
The specs:
 
Fit and ergonomics:
I find the LZ A4 to be very comfortable and got no problem wearing them for several hours. The housings looks a little weird in their form but the shape actually makes them very easy to insert and to get a good fit with. They can be worn both over the ears or straight down without any issues. They fit fine and are very comfortable both ways but I usually prefer wearing my IEM’s over the ears if possible so that’s also how I wear the A4’s. The included tips are ok but I found that the choice of filters greatly influenced on what tips I liked them with and in the end I ended up using them with some wide bore silicone tips with my preferred filters.
 
Isolation is above average and I’ve been able to test them on a couple of shorter flights with acceptable result (I’m usually not crazy about using IEM’s on planes due to the cabin pressure).  
 
Sound:
I’ve used them back and forward in the last couple of weeks and they’ve played for well over 100 hours. I’ve used them both around the house and when out and about and I haven’t really found any significant weaknesses in the way they’re designed.
 
I’ve used them with my LG G5 phone as well as the Shanling M1 and Opus #1 DAP’s and although they’ve worked very well with all of them. I’ve tried them with a lot of other sources as well without any noticeable issues.
 
As already mentioned I enjoy the LZ A4’s the most with wide bore tips with my preferred filters.
 
Earlier this year I was one of the lucky people who received a prototype of the LZ A4. The idea was to send out/tour some units to get feedback from several users on how they liked them and what they would like to improve. The overall balance on the A4 protoype was already really nice but I found it lacking quite a bit in resolution and soundstage. In addition to this I also left feedback that I'd like detachable cables and another design to improve comfort. When I was suddenly contacted by LZ again just about a month ago with some pictues of the production unit A4 I was impressed on how the design had changed for the better so naturally I was super hyped to find out how the final unit sounded.
 

Prototype vs final design. Progress in both looks and sound
 
 
 
Demo list:
Filters explained:
First things first: The A4 comes with a variety of filters for the user to be able to fine tune the sound to his/hers preference or even to change the signature according to music and/or source used
 

 
I’m usually not that crazy about IEM’s that uses filter system due to a couple of reasons. To start with I find it to be a short cut for the designer and often ends up being a compromise instead of going for the one tuning that sounds the best to the maker and hopefully also for the customer. It’s also my impression on many IEM’s that uses filter system that pretty much all users end up preferring the same filter which makes the whole system pretty meaningless. Another reason I’m not that happy about filters is that even with IEM’s that has several filter options it’s still difficult to find a perfect match many times. Truth to be told the A4’s is the first time I feel that the filters are actually a good thing. There are a couple of reasons for this. Firstly I think the possibility to change both the back plates (bass) and front plates (midrange/treble) is a very flexible solution. Secondly there are many combinations possible with three back filters and six front filters. Thirdly the front filters (and this is very uncommon from my experience) does not only affect the frequencies above the bass region but does actually have some effect on the bass (mid- and upper bass) as well), this (in my experience) greatly enchants the possibility to find ones perfect signature. Lastly (and probably because of the reasons I’ve already stated) with the A4’s I’ve got many combinations of filters that I enjoy, not only one.
 
The A4 comes with three different back filters and six different nozzle filters, so a total of 18 possible different combinations. I don’t find it rational (or even possible) to describe the sound in detail from each combination. After trying all the possible options I’ve settled for the black back and red nozzle filters as my basic configuration for normal listening at home. I’d like to stress though that there’s certainly more combinations than this one that I enjoy in certain situations, with certain sources and music. For example I used the A4’s on a recent trip and going on trains, flights and spending a lot of time in noisy environments the red back filters (most bass) worked much better for me in this situation than the black back filters (medium bass) that I prefer when listening in more quiet environments.
 
My buddy Tamal has done a great work in making a perfect overview of the different filter combinations so instead of re-inventing the wheel I’ve decided to use it here as well (with his blessing) thanks
mate!
 

Courtesy of @RedJohn456 
 
For the rest of this review all of the impressions are with the black back filters and red front filters. Before going into details about the sound with this combination of filter I’d like to say a couple of short comments about the basic signature of the A4 because whichever combination you may end up with as your favorite the A4 will always be the A4. Very short the overall signature of the A4 is big and bold. Soundstage in all directions is excellent and I’ve never heard such a full sounding pair of IEM’s having such a high resolution. There’s nothing thin, sharp, bright or fatiguing about them at all to my ears but despite this they don’t sound thick or warm either but rather very natural. In one world the A4’s sound expensive.
 

 
The sub-bass extension on the A4 is the best I’ve ever heard and only rivaled by one other IEM in my possession. Not only does the bass reach extremely deep it does also have a good impact and excellent quality. Listening to “Creed” (OST) I can actually feel the deepest bass massaging the inner part of my ears even with the black bass filters, pretty amazing. Opposite to many other IEM’s with great sub bass presence the A4 has a very well controlled mid-bass and the sub bass impact is only there when the track calls for it. Although I’ve heard this amazing quality/quantity sub-bass a couple of other times this is probably the best overall bass presentation  for my preferences (deep and impactful sub-bass that’s there when called for combined with a tight and controlled mid-bass) I’ve come across this far in a pair of IEM’s. The mid- and upper bass has enough weight and presence to make Leonard Cohen sound like Leonard Cohen while still doing a great job in not overshadow the midrange. I’d probably describe the overall signature of the A4 with this filter combination as L-shaped just the way the highly praised original A2 was.
 
The midrange is well in line with the rest of the frequencies, maybe a touch recessed (this can be fixed with other filters). The quality of the midrange is great though keeping up with both the ASG-1PLUS and the Super Audio 6 that has some of my favorite midrange presentations. Vocals are extremely good on the A4’s with enough weight on male vocals for them to sound natural and life like and a very seductive charter on female vocals that makes them extremely enjoyable with all vocal music. String instrument is also very well presented with a great organic sound to it as well as excellent timbre and weight.  Although I usually like my midrange more forward than neutral I prefer the midrange in this filter combination (again: black back, red front) because of its total presentation across all the frequency spectrum, other can (and surely will) prefer other combinations. 
 
The treble is pretty well extended even with the red filters. Please remember that my ears are 44 years old so there’s probably not much information above the 15kHz that the red filters extend to that I’d be able to pick up anyways. I really love the treble on the A4’s that (to my ears) has a perfect combination between extension, richness and details. I really don’t feel that anything is missing and the treble never ever sound harsh or fatiguing in any way to me. It’s really not much more to say about the treble but it’s really great and among the, if not the, best treble presentations I’ve ever heard.
 
Clarity and micro details are well above average and resolution is the best I’ve ever heard in such a full sounding pair of IEM ‘s. Soundstage width and height is excellent as is depth, airiness and 3D feeling. The “out of the head” feeling on the A4’s is definitely up there with the best IEM’s I’ve heard in this aspect.
 
All in all the LZ A4 offers a very relaxed and non-fatiguing listening experience and delivers an amazing amount of good quality bass while still keeping clarity and details on an excellent level with a huge soundstage in all directions.  
 
Comparison:
Please note that the comments in the comparison section are not in absolute terms but in comparison between subject A and B. This means (as an example) that if subject A is found to be brighter than subject B it does not necessarily mean that subject A is bright sounding in absolute terms. I hope this makes sense.
 
These comparisons were done listening through the bit Opus #1 DAP.
 

From left to right: Aurisonics ASG-1PLUS, LZ A4, Super Audio 6
 
Aurisonics ASG-1PLUS ($499) vs LZ A4:
The ASG-1PLUS is also a hybrid IEM featuring a 14.2mm dynamic and one balance armature driver.
Compared to the A4 the 1PLUS has a more mid-centric presentation with way less bass (especially mid-bass) impact. The sub-bass on the A4 dig deeper and they’ve also got a good deal more mid-bass presence. The A4 does also have better bass quality and the bass on the 1PLUS is a little bit softer in its characteristic in comparison. Both have a very good midrange quality and excellent vocal reproduction but the midrange is definitely more forward and in focus on the 1PLUS while the A4 is more even across the whole spectrum. Both of them have very good treble quality.
 
I find them both to be very comfortable.
 
Build quality is equally great on both.
 
The A4 is a bit easier to drive.
 
Isolation is great on both but slightly better on the 1PLUS.
 
Super Audio 6 ($250) vs LZ A4:
The SA 6 is a six BA configuration that I use and enjoy a lot. These two are actually quite similar sounding and definitely the two most similar in this comparison section. Compared to the A4 the SA 6 has quite a bit less sub-bass impact and its bas does also roll off earlier. Mid- and upper bass is very similar on them both in quality and quantity. The midrange on these two is also very similar with great vocal performance on both male and female singers. The midrange on the SA 6 is more forward due to less bass presence. The A4 has smoother and more detailed treble while extension is pretty similar. Both of these have excellent “out of the head” 3D presentation but the A4 has wider soundstage, better clarity and slightly higher resolution.
 
I find them both to be very comfortable.
 
Build quality is equally great on both.
 
The A4 is slightly easier to drive.
 
Isolation is great on both but the SA 6 (being one of the best isolation IEM’s that I own) has even better isolation.
 
Blue Ever Blue Model 1200EX  ($130) vs LZ A4:
Compared to the A4 the 1200EX has less bass impact through all the lower frequency range and its sub-bass does also roll off earlier. Both have a similar and great bass quality, the bass on the 1200EX may actually be even tighter. Once again both of these have excellent, and quite similar, midrange quality but the 1200EX has more forward and a bit thinner and grainy vocals. The A4 has better treble texture as well as being smoother in the top end. Both have amazing soundstage and 3D presentation. Despite both being great the A4 is smoother, fuller and more refined all over while the 1200EX is more analog sounding.
 
I find them to be very comfortable but the A4 pulls slightly ahead thanks to being able wear over the ears.
 
Build quality is equally great on both but the detachable cable on the A4’s put them on top.
 
They’re about equally easy to drive.
 
Isolation is better on the A4.
 
Audio-Technica ATH-CKR10 ($180) vs LZ A4:
Compared to the A4 the CKR 10 has less sub-bass impact and its bass does also roll off earlier.  Mid- and upper bass is very similar in both quantity and quality with the A4 having a touch better control. The midrange on both has a quite similar position in the overall mix and both have great vocals for both male and female vocals but the A4 is smoother and more refined and the CKR’s actually sounds slightly grainy in comparison. Treble extension, details and overall characteristic is similar but the A4 is smoother. The A4 has a much larger soundstage width as well as being overall smoother and having better resolution.
 
I find them to be very comfortable but the A4 pulls slightly ahead thanks to being able wear over the ears.
 
Build quality is equally great on both but the detachable cable on the A4’s put them on top.
 
The CKR 10’s are easier to drive.
 
Isolation is better on the A4.
 
To sum up the comparison section the A4’s perform admirable compared to some of my absolute favorite IEM’s. As a matter of fact they’re not even outperformed by any of them in any single area. Some may rival the A4’s in midrange, some in soundstage and some in seductive vocals but none of them is as complete through the whole spectrum as I find the A4 to be.
 
Summary:
The LZ A4 is one sublime pair of IEM’s in my opinion. Those of you that usually read my reviews know that I’m often quite restrictive with making statements that I prefer item A over item B or ranking different IEM’s. In the case of the A4’s I think it may be in place to make an exception to this policy. When it comes to sound the performance of the LZ A4 is so good in so many areas in comparison to my other top tier IEM’s that I feel it is the most complete pair of IEM’s I’ve listened to so far. It keeps up in bass quantity and quality with my favorite IEM in this aspect as well as keeping up with the midrange performance of the ASG-1PLUS and SA 6, the soundstage width and “out of the head” feeling on the 1200EX and has even more seductive vocals than the CKR 10. 
 
So the LZ A4 is the best performing IEM’s I’ve reviewed this far when it comes to sound and that’s not all. They do also offer great build quality as well having very good ergonomics and isolation. On top of this they’ve got a filter system making a total of 18 different tunings possible and several of them sound great in my opinion. On top of this you get a great accessory pack. With a MSRP that’s $195 it becomes pretty obvious that the value for money rating for the A4’s is through the roof and makes it a very easy recommendation for anyone looking for a great performing pair of IEM’s in the $200 and upwards segment.
 

This is a review of the SMSL Idol+ DAC/amp combo.
 

 
The SMSL Idol+ was sent to me for free from SMSL with the help from Shenzhen Audio in exchange for my honest review of it. I’d like to say THANK YOU to Jonny at Shenzhen Audio for letting me check it out.
 
The SMSL Idol+ is available from multiple sellers on Aliexpress but this is the link to the one I got mine from:
 
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/SMSL-IDOL-USB-DAC-Sound-Card-Headphone-Amplifier-OTG-MICRO-USB-192KHZ/32729236038.html?spm=2114.01010208.3.43.vUQMGt&ws_ab_test=searchweb0_0,searchweb201602_2,searchweb201603_1&btsid=c640e074-ceb9-47be-8d57-ac699bb18444
 
I’m not in any way affiliated with SMSL or Shenzhen Audio.
 
About me:
I’m a 44 year old music and sound lover that changed my focus from speakers to headphones and IEM’s about five years ago. At that time I realized that it wasn’t realistic for me to have all the different setups that I wanted and still house a family of four children and a wife so my interest turned first to full sized headphones and later also IEM’s.
 
My preferences are towards full sized open headphones and I believe that also says something about what kind of sound signature I prefer (large soundstage in all directions, balanced and organic sound).
 
My music preferences are pretty much all over the place (only excluding classical music, jazz and really heavy metal). My all-time favorite band is Depeche Mode although I also listen to a lot of grunge/indie, singer/songwriter/acoustical stuff as well as the typical top 40 music.
 
I do not use EQ, ever.
 
I’m a sucker for value for money on most things in life Head-Fi related stuff is no exception.
 
I tend to value function over form within reasonable limits.
 
Built and accessories:
The SMSL Idol+ is a combined USB DAC and headphone amplifier designed to be used with computers, laptops and some Android devices.
 
As far as I understand it comes in two flavors: silver or black, I’ve got the black one.
 
The external build of the Idol+ seems simple but also durable. There’s usually not too much to say about these super compact devices but the Idol+  chassis is made of aluminum and it features one USB micro  female connector and  a 3.5mm headphone output. It does also has three physical buttons, which I always prefer on these kind of devices, one mute button and one separate to lowering the volume as well as one to raise it. Unfortunately the mute function doesn’t seem to be compatible with Android but it works as expected with Widows. Under the hood is the, for me, unknown VT1620A DAC chip and MAX97220A headphone amplifier.
 
My review unit came without retail package so I’m actually not sure what it would look like. The accessories included with my unit were a small micro to micro OTG cable, a regular USB to USB micro cable and a storage case to keep it in when not in use.
 

 

 
Compatibility:
The Idol+ supports Android devices and is also stated to work with Apple products using a Camera connection kit for them. It runs fine with the third party app USB Audio Player Pro (UAPP) LG G3 phone and several other Android devices I’ve tried it with. It does also work well with steaming services like Spotify and it doesn’t seem to need any external power other than from the source.
 
The Idol+ support sample rates up to 24bit/96kHz or 16bit/192hHz.  Because of this it’s plug and play with Windows as well as with IOS. When connected to Windows 7 the volume control on the Idol+ takes control over the system volume (it works the same way with Android as well) which is pretty neat and convenient.
 
Not surprisingly, given its size, the Idol+ is not the most powerful option out there and I’d say that it’s best used combined with IEM’s. It does run a bit hot when pushed hard but nothing alarming. Power drain from the source does also appear to be quite low and although I haven’t clocked it exactly it drain my Z3Compact phone with slightly less 10% per hour of usage when used as music transport only.
 
The specs:
Input: Micro USB
USB Programme: VT1620A
Output: 3.5mm headphone jack
Dynamic range: 97dB
SNR: 85dB
Channel separation:  85dB
THD+N: 0.025%
Sampling Rate: 16bit/192kHz,24bit/96kHz
Power consumption: 0.1W
Headphone amp chip: MAX97220A
AMP power: 64mW(64Ohm@1%THD+N)
Supply voltage:5V
Machine weight: 11g
Total weight: 56g
Size: 55x21x8mm
 
Sound:
I’ve used the Idol+ quite a lot during the last two months and it has played for well over 100 hours.  
 
I’ve combined it with my LG G3 phone, Sony Xperia Z3Compact and two laptops running Windows 7 and it has worked very well with all combinations.
 
Demo list:
Mark Knopfler – Sailing to Philadelphia
Røyksopp (Feat.Susanne Sundfør) – Save Me
Ane Brun – These Days
Michael Jackson – Dirty Diana
Metallica – Die Die My Darling
The Peter Malick Group – Immigrant
Eva Cassidy – Songbird
Thomas Dybdahl – A Lovestory
Norah Jones – Don’t Know Why
Celldweller – Unshakeable
Jack Johnson – Better Together
Seinabo Sey – Younger (Kygo remix)
Dire Straits- So Far Away
Bjørk - Moon
Lupe Fiasco - Deliver
Morrissey – Earth Is the Loneliest Planet
 
I’ve got to be honest and admit that I find it pretty difficult to describe the sound from DAC’s. To me the sound of headphones and IEM’s are easier to describe than that of amplifiers and DAC’s. Because of this I’ll do a brief description of the overall sound from the SMSL Idol+ and then compare it to a couple of other DAC/amp to highlight the difference and similarities to them.
 
Listening to the Idol+ without comparing it to others it has got a crisp and clear sound without causing any fatigue. Sub-bass reaches low and I’m not able to hear any significant roll off. I find it to be pretty neutral with no added bass and it doesn’t seem to highlight any certain frequencies. The highs are also crisp and clear with good extension. Dynamics are good as is soundstage width, depth and separation as well. It also delivers a fair amount of transparency and details. All of this together makes for an effortless and easily enjoyable presentation. In short the Idol+ sounds crisp, lean and clean without being super refined.
 
I find the sound signature of Idol+ to pair very well with every pair of IEM’s I’ve tried it with but its limited power output shows with most full sized headphones. I’ve used it with the Philips Fidelio X2 and it pairs up very well with them when it comes to sound quality and it has just enough power to keep things together on bass heavy complexed tracks as well. It does of course work very well with IEM’s and this would be my recommended area of usage for it.
 
Comparison:
Please note that the comments in the comparison section are not in absolute terms but in comparison between subject A and B. This means (as an example) that if subject A is found to be brighter than subject B it does not necessarily mean that subject A is bright sounding in absolute terms. I hope this makes sense.
 
I this comparison both DAC/amp combos where fed by different Android devices both running USB Audio Player Pro (UAPP) with the exact same settings and I was listening through both my Philips Fidelio X2 headphones and the LZ A4 IEM’s.
 
I used a splitter/switch box to easily switch between the two units being compared and a simple Android app to volume match them.
 
Topping NX2 ($39) vs SMSL Idol+:
Compred to the Idol+ the NX2 has a bit better less textured bass and also more overall bass presence. The Idol+ on the other hand has better clarity and more air in the presentation, the NX2 actually sound closed in and warmer but also a bit more relaxed in comparison. It’s like the NX2 has a bit of vail in the presentation. The NX2 does have more weight to vocals and instruments while the Idol+ is more energetic and spacious sounding.  
 
The NX2, while still a small unit, is still a lot bigger than the Idol+ (I’d say about ten times bigger) and is connected to the source through a female mini USB port as opposed to the micro USB port used on the Idol+.
 
Both have a single 3,5mm output but the NX2 does also have a 3,5mm analog input and can therefore be used as an amp only if desired (and it’s a very good amp). They do both have physical volume controls. The NX2 does also have an internal battery and a separate charging port.
 
None of these runs particularly hot and they both offer a quite limited (and similar) amount of power.
 
Both of these are very well suited to pair with Android devices due to their low power drain.
 
Both of them have a slight amount of background hiss that’s audible with very sensitive IEM’s.
 
The NX2 supports up to 24bit/96kHz sample rate while the Idol+ supports up to 16bit/192kHz or 24bit/96kHz.
 
In my opinion the Idol+ is the better, although not by a huge margin, performer as a DAC/amp combo between these two. The NX2 is very good used as a pure amplifier though so it’s obviously let down by a weak DAC section.
 

Size comparison betweeen the SMSL Idol+ and Topping NX2
 
LG G3 vs SMSL Idol+:
The Idol+ is made to pair with phones to improve the sound quality so I thought it would be interesting to see how it compares to an OK music phone such as the LG G3 as well. In this comparison I will just be focusing on differences in sound for obvious reasons.
 
Compared to the Idol+ the LG G3 has a warmer, more congested and dull sounding presentation. The G3 has more bass impact but the sub bass is noticeable more wooly when compared to the Idol+.  The Idol+ has better separation and clarity as well as an overall more distinct presentation. Although the differences here are not very big I do prefer the Idol+ ofer the headphone output on the G3 for long time usage.
 
Summary:
The Idol+ is really an amazing little device. It offers a sound quality that outperform most mobile phones (“Audiophile” ones excluded), has physical volume controls, drain very little battery and is extremely small. It does also work “plug and play” with laptops and computers as well as pairs up seamlessly with tablets and smart phones which makes it highly versatile and combined with great build quality and very compact size it’s a great device to use in pretty much any setting such as home, in the office or when travelling. It may not be the most refined sounding or powerful unit out there but for the price these are definitely things I can accept.
 
To anyone new to Head-Fi and/or struggling with a low quality phone or laptop sound output the SMSL Idol+ would be a great starting point for better sound. 

This is a review of the Blue Ever Blue Model 1200EX IEM’s.
 

 

 
The Blue Ever Blue Model 1200EX was sent to me from Blue Ever Blue for free for the purpose of me making a review of them. I’d like to grab the opportunity to say thank you to Bentley at Blue Ever Blue for letting me try them out, THANK YOU!
 
The Blue Ever Blue Model 1200EX is on sale at the Blue Ever Blue Model web store and the price at the time of this review was $130:
 
http://www.blueeverblue.com/product_model_1200ex.html
 
But wait, there’s more................there are a sale going on for Head-Fi members at this very moment:
There’s a $31 discount for Head-fi members that last throughout 2016. This is available to Head-Fi members that purchase the Model 1200EX between November 10th and December 31st. All you need to do is purchase the earphone from their site and send an email to info@blueeverblue.com along with your Head-Fi username. Once received, they will issue a $31 refund making the final price $99.
 
I’m not in any way affiliated with Blue Ever Blue.
 
About Blue Ever Blue:
Blue Ever Blue is a US based company and this is what they say about themselves on their homepage:
“We are a Delaware USA limited liability company. Our administrative offices are located in Washington, D.C. Our products are designed in the United States of America and contract manufactured in China. Our earphones have HDSS® technology. Our objective: Deliver quality audiophile sound at a low price.”
 
About me:
 
Built and accessories:
The Blue Ever Blue Model 1200EX is a single dynamic in-ear monitor featuring one 9.2 mm dynamic driver.
 
AFAIK it comes in two flavors: silver or dark. I've got the dark one.
 
The build and design of the Model 1200EX feels very reliable. They’re a bit heavy but that also adds to the impression of a very solid construction. The housings are all metal and do come across as very durable, of course only long time usage will prove if this is the case in real life.
 
The non-detachable cable is of high quality with good flexibility and a quite low amount of microphonics. I’ve been using them straight down but they can also be worn over the ears if one chose to remove the earhooks. Unfortunately there’s no chin slider on them so I had to make my own. The strain reliefs are in place in all the right places and the Y-split seems solid without being overly large. L/R marking is in black on black background so it’s not very easy to spot but when you look for it you’ll see it.
 
The retail package is very nice for the price point as is the accessories which includes the following:
5 pair silicon tips
4 pair of ear hooks
1 case to store them in when not in use
 
The Model 1200EX is slightly harder than average to drive but still worked very well with all the sources I’ve tried it with including cellphones. I don’t find them to benefit significantly from a more powerful amplifier and they seem to work well with all the sources that I’ve tried them with.
 

 

 

 

 

 
The specs:
 
Fit and ergonomics:
The design of the Model 1200EX is kind of industrial looking to me but I like it a lot. They’re also quite heavy, due to the metal housings, but that’s nothing that I notice when wearing them in my ears. As a matter of fact I find the Model 1200EX to be very comfortable. One thing to notice is that they don’t sit very flush to the ears so I wouldn’t recommend sleeping with them.
 
The included silicone double flange tips works well for me but the Model 1200EX seems very  sensitive on tips and fit (especially for bass reproduction) and I ended up using them with JVC Spiral Dot tips for best combination of sound and comfort with my ear anatomy.
 
Isolation is about average, maybe even slightly below. With music playing I wouldn’t say that isolation is a big issue with them though. They do also leak some sound out as my wife, who’s apparently VERY sensitive to leakage, doesn’t let me use them in the bed room.
 
Sound:
I’ve used them back and forward in the last couple of weeks and they’ve played for well over 100 hours. I’ve used them both around the house and when out and about and I haven’t really found any significant weaknesses in the way they’re designed.
 
I’ve used them mostly with my LG G5 phone, the bit Opus #11 amp/DAC as well as the Opus #1 DAP but I’ve tried them with a number of other sources as well and they’ve worked very well with all of them. I’d like to specify that’s not often, if ever, I’ve come across a pair of IEM’s that sounds this good such a variety of sources.
 
As already mentioned I enjoy the Model 1200EX the most with double flange silicone tips.
 
Demo list:
 
This is my first encounter with Blue Ever Blue and I’ve got to admit that I didn’t know much about the company or their product before getting the Model 1200EX In so naturally I was very curious about the way they’d sound. I've had the Model 1200EX for about two weeks by now and they've played fro well over 50 hours. 
 
My initial thought upon the first listen with the Model 1200EX was that it is has very playful presentation, wide soundstage, a touch of warmth and a fantastic midrange.
 
The sub-bass extension is actually quite good and the layering in the lower bass is also very good and the impact is good enough that I don’t feel much lacking but at the same time I’ve heard many IEM’s with more impact. Mid-and upper bass has good presence with excellent quality and there’s very little bass bleed into the midrange and only on some recordings. The overall quality of the bass is really good and bass speed is excellent. Still, this is probably the area where some will fine the Model 1200EX lacking, for me it’s not a problem but I would probably not suggest them to bass-heads or people listening exclusively to bass driven music. That being said I do find them to have enough bass presence for my preference to be very enjoyable with all kinds of music.
 
The midrange is definitely the star of the show on the Model 1200EX, being a midrange lover this is a very welcome thing to me. The midrange is forward and highly detailed with an excellent natural sound. The upper bass presence is enough to give weight to the presentation and make it feel very life like. I really like the way the Model 1200EX combines speed and transparency in the midrange but still manage to avoid sounding clinical and unengaging. Male vocals and string instruments has enough weight to feel natural and female vocals are very enjoyable and non-fatiguing. String instruments do also sound absolutely fantastic with good weight and amazing timbre.
 
The treble extension is good and feels perfectly in line with the rest of the presentation. Despite having good extension and not being very lush the treble never feels harsh or fatiguing to my ears but rather quite distinct.
 
Clarity and micro details are very good as is transparency and resolution. I’m very impressed by how natural the Model 1200XE sounds and a good contributor to this is the great balance between the soundstages in all direction. Soundstage width is very good while depth and height is good giving a coherent sound in total that makes the overall presentation very life like with great timbre to the notes. Like I’ve already said the soundstage width is very good (almost on par with Havi B3 Pro1) and so is separation, this combined with an airy presentation that’s very “out of your head” gives the Model 1200EX a quite unique overall presentation. Actually the whole sound signature on the Model 1200EX reminds me a lot of the kind of sound one usually gets from a pair of open headphones.
 
The Model 1200EX sounds great with all music I’ve tried it with but in my opinion it, like pretty much all mid forward IEM’s, performs its best with acoustic music like Mark Knopfler, Leonard Cohen, Melody Gardot and Ben Howard.
 
Comparison:
Please note that the comments in the comparison section are not in absolute terms but in comparison between subject A and B. This means (as an example) that if subject A is found to be brighter than subject B it does not necessarily mean that subject A is bright sounding in absolute terms. I hope this makes sense.
 
These comparisons were done listening from my phone through the bit Opus #1 DAP.
 
AAW Nebula 2 ($149) vs Blue Ever Blue Model 1200EX:
The Nebula 2 is a hybrid using one dynamic and one balance armature driver. Compared to the 1200EX the Nebula 2 has a bit deeper sub bass, more mid bass presence and are overall warmer sounding. The midrange on the 1200EX is more forward and has much more air in the presentation while the Nebula 2 is slightly V-shaped and thicker sounding. The 1200EX does also have a fuller and smoother treble. The 1200EX has a larger soundstage and better clarity. The Nebula 2 does actually sound a bit congested in comparison.
 
Fit is equally good for me with both of these.
 
Build quality is also good on both but I prefer the cable on the 1200EX.
 
The Nebula 2 is a bit harder to drive.
 
Isolation is similar, and quite low, on both.
  
Moni One ($99) vs Blue Ever Blue Model 1200EX:
The Moni One is another well balanced and fairly neutral sounding IEM that uses a driver configuration consisting of one dynamic and two balance armature drivers. Compared to the 1200EX the sub bass on the Moni One doesn’t reach as low and has less impact, it does also have less mid bass presence. The Moni is leaner and cleaner but also thinner and brighter in its overall signature. The Moni is actually more even in the frequency response while the 1200EX has a more forward midrange and especially more presence in the lower mids. The Moni One does have a slightly higher resolution and a bit thinner treble while the 1200EX has better 3D presentation, timbre to the notes and more natural vocals.
 
Fit is equally good for me with both of these.
 
Build quality is also good on both but the Moni One offers a detachable cable.
 
The Moni One  is slightly harder to drive.
 
Isolation is similar, and quite low, on both.
 
Vsonic GR07BE ($129) vs Blue Ever Blue Model 1200EX:
Compared to the 1200EX the Vsonic’s has less sub bass impact and depth. It does also have less mid bass presence and an overall thinner sound. The midrange on the Vsonic’s are more recessed and vocals on the 1200EX are more forward and fuller, richer and overall more natural sounding. The treble on the 1200EX is fuller and smother end they does also have a more 3D presentation.
 
Fit is equally good for me with both of these.
 
Build quality is better on the 1200EX.
 
The GR07BE is slightly harder to drive.
 
Isolation is similar, and quite low, on both.
 
Havi B3 Pro1 ($59) vs Blue Ever Blue Model 1200EX:
The Havi is another mid centric IEM that uses dual dynamic drivers. Compared to the 1200EX the sub bass on the Havi’s doesn’t reach as low and has less impact, it does also have less mid bass presence. Both have excellent midrange but the 1200EX is much fuller and vocals on the B3’s do actually sound a bit nasal and hollow in comparison. Overall midrange quality is actually quite similar with an effortless and liquid presentation but the 1200EX has a good deal more weight to it. The treble is fairly similar on both. Havi is a bit smoother all over but with less clarity and lower resolution. Both of these offer great soundstage width and 3D presentation with the B3’s pulling slightly ahead on the former and the 1200EX on the latter.
 
Fit is equally good for me with both of these.
 
Build quality is better on the 1200EX.
 
The Havi is a lot harder to drive.
 
Isolation is quite similar, and a bit lower than average, on both.
 
Summary:
The Blue Ever Blue Model 1200EX is an amazing, and quite unique, sounding pair of single dynamic IEM’s and I think it’s probably the best performing single dynamic's I’ve ever had the pleasure of listening to, beating other excellent performers such as the Aurisonics Rockets and VE Duke. I really enjoy how fun they are to listen too. Normally in here when people talk about a fun signature it’s a bass tilted one but, as I’m sure you’ve understood by now, this is not the case with the Model 1200EX. Its “fun” comes from being playful and lively while never crossing the point of being fatiguing. Best way I’d describe it is like a calf jumping with joy when getting let outside in the springtime, I hope you get the picture
 
In addition to have a signature that’s pretty spot on for my preferences the Model 1200EX also have great build quality and a design that I like a lot. If there’s anything missing I’d say that I could live with a bit more sub-bass impact and detachable cables are always nice, especially on offerings in this price range but both of these would be “nice to have” rather than “need to have” for me.
 
Despite all multi driver offerings popping up everywhere these days stealing the attention I can’t help feeling impressed and also a bit relived by the fact that Blue Ever Blue has managed to produce a single dynamic that keeps up with pretty much everything I’ve heard at its price point, even offerings with multiple drivers, and by doing so shows that tuning is at least as important as how many drivers one manage to put in a shell. For those of you that know me you also know that I’m a huge fan of the Havi B3 Pro1 and the Model 1200EX to me feels like a direct upgrade to my beloved B3’s. They both have an excellent midrange as well as a very wide soundstage but the Model 1200EX also has more weight to the notes and more bass slam making them an even better all-rounder. They do also manage to maintain everything that I love with the B3's. It’s taken me over 100 IEM’s to find a direct upgrade to the B3’s without breaking the bank so please forgive me for being a bit enthusiastic in this review but I really didn’t see this one coming. Once again I’d like to thank Blue Ever Blue for letting me try out the Model 1200EX and not the least for making it in the first place. 
 
For more information and discussion about the Blue Ever Blue Model 1200EX feel free to visit the dedicated thread her:
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/827410/blue-ever-blue-model-1200ex-impression-thread#post_13047941
 

This is a review of the LH Labs Geek Out 2A Infinity amp/DAC combination.
 

 
The LH Labs Geek Out 2A Infinity (GO2A) was sent to me for free by LH Labs for the purpose of me writing an unbiased review of it as well as including it in my $250+ DAC/amp comparison thread.  I’d like to send a big THANK YOU to Larry and Diana for letting me check it out.
 
The MSRP price for the LH Labs Geek Out 2A is $269 and for the Infinity version it’s $349. It’s my understanding that the product is now available for regular sale on the LH Labs website:
 
http://lhlabs.com/products/geek-out-2a-dac-family/
 
I’m not in any way affiliated with LH Labs.
 
Short introduction to LH Labs.:
LH Labs is a California based company founded by Larry Ho a couple of years ago.
 
This is what they say about themselves on their website:
“We love great sound and we love to find new ways of making music sound even better. That means we’re a lot like you.
High-end, high-performance audio gear is what we love. We were the first to show the world that if you want digital audio to sound like analog you have to start at 32 bits and 384 kHz. We were the first to offer 10GB bandwidth USB cables and the first to create digital modes for different uses on all our DACs.
We’ll never stop pushing the boundaries of sound, so if you love audio and want to be the first to experience the next generation of pure sound, come along with us – it’s going to be an amazing ride.”
As an owner of their original Geek Out 720 as well as the Geek Out V2+ Infinity I was thrilled to get the opportunity to check out the Geek Out 2A Infinity as well.
 
About me:
 
Built, accessories and functionality:
The LH Labs Geek Out 2A Infinity is a class A amplifier and DAC combo.  
 
The GO2A is available in two versions: the “regular” GO2A and the GO2A Infinity. The differences being that while the GO2A has two gain and digital filter options the Infinity version offers three settings for them each  (more about this later). I’ve got the Infinity version.
 
With the gain setting at maximum output power is rated to 125mW@ 32Ohm single ended and 500mW when using the balanced connection. Output impedance is rated at a very low 0.47Ohm.
 
The GO2A Infinity has a sturdy aluminum housing that feels durable. Not only does it feel great but the red color does also look pretty amazing in my opinion. The physical controls available on it do also feel reliable. The physical controls sums up to a gain switch and a button to switch between the different digital filters. Just like on the V2+ Infinity the different gain setting are actually different power output and you get to choose between 100mW, 450mW or 1,000mW to be able to give the best performance depending of the power needed for you IEM’s, earphones or headphones. I really like this feature on the V2+ Infinity so I’m happy to see it on the GO2A as well since the lower the output power you choose the lesser amount of hiss you’ll get. As for the digital filters the difference is quite subtle, this is also my experience with pretty much every other device offering this, but still nice for the final fine tune to suit your preference best.  The overall build feels very solid but as usual only long term usage will really show how good it is.
 
The GO2A Infinity offers one USB B male connector and there’s a 3.5mm single ended headphones output and the big added value of a 3.5mm (TRRS) balanced headphones output as well.
 
The GO2A Infinity does work quite well with Android devices when connected with an OTG cable and using USB Audio Player Pro (UAPP) as music player. For this to work an external power source is needed though due to the high power demands for the GO2A. Although Android and sound does not have a great reputation the GO2A Infinity have worked with most Android device’s I’ve tried it with not only with the help of UAPP but it also actually work great with streaming services like Spotify with some devices.
 
The GO2A Infinity uses an Xmos USB receiver that is supposed to work with Apple devices using the Camera Connection Kit (CCK) but I haven’t been able to test this myself.
 
The GO2A Infinity support all popular file formats for audio up to DSD256 and 32bit/384kHz files.
 
My unit is a review unit and came without any retail package and accessories.
 

 

 

 
The specs:
 
I’ve used the GO2A Infinity a lot for the last couple of weeks and my unit has played for well over 50 hours.
 
Demo list:
 
Sound impression:
The first thing that I noticed when I started to listen to the GO2A Infinity was that reminded me a lot of the sound form LH Labs own Geek Out V2+ Infinity which I recently reviewed with a quite similar analogue sounding presentation .
 
Bass extension and quality is really good with no noticeable roll off in the lowest frequencies and a very good quality of the whole bass spectrum. Mid- and upper-bass is equally great and doesn’t add anything that shouldn’t be there. The bass in total has a very good balance between quantity and quality making for a great dynamic presentation without ever feeling exaggerated.
 
The natural balanced sound continues in the mid-range giving it a good depth in the presentation. The midrange presentation of the GO2A Infinity feels very transparent and natural. It’s ever so slightly on the brighter side of things without sounding fatiguing in any way but rather making it have even better clarity and detail retrieval. It does also have excellent timbre and a good soundstage width which together makes a great sounding signature that continues in the upper frequencies as well. The treble does feel as natural as the rest of the frequencies and mixes in very good with the midrange. Treble extension is very good and perfectly smooth yet detailed.
 
All the impressions above is in single ended mode, switching over to balanced mode there are some clear changes that takes the sound to even a higher level.
 
When running the GO2A Infinity in balanced mode it delivers more power than when using it single ended. This, however, is not the only difference. When connecting my Hifiman HE400i’s with balanced cable to the balanced output on the GO2A there’s an improvement in separation as well as a darker background. There are other things that are more subtle like better detail retrieval and a touch better clarity but these are not as obvious to my ears as the changes separation and calmer background. In all I’d say that the balanced output on the GO2A Infinity is a step up from the single ended one but I wouldn’t describe the difference as night and day and the result will also depend on what headphones/IEM’s you’re listening to.
 
The overall presentation has good soundstage in all directions and layering is also good as is the amount of air between instruments. Transparency is also very good, especially when using the balanced output.  All together I’d describe the sound of the GO2A Infinity as very clean and realistic with amazing clarity and details.
 
Comparison:
Please note that the comments in the comparison section are not in absolute terms but in comparison between subject A and B. This means (as an example) that if subject A is found to be brighter than subject B it does not necessarily mean that subject A is bright sounding in absolute terms. I hope this makes sense.
 
In these comparisons I’ve been listening through my Hifiman HE400i’s and using the balanced output (since I find it to be the best performing) on the GO2A Infinity.
 
I’ve been using the USB input when doing these comparisons. Both units has been hooked up to two different laptops both running Windows 7 with the same settings and I use MediaMonkey as my player of choice.
 
Burson Audio Conductor V2+ (1,499) vs LH Labs Geek Out 2A Infinity:
David against Goliath, or the 7 kg Conductor V2+ against the 34 g GO2A. Bass on both are excellent with great depth, layering and details with a slight advantage to the V2+ all across the lower frequencies. To my ears the GO2A has a touch brighter vocal reproduction while the Burson is slightly smoother. The Burson unit gives the impression of a slightly more relaxed overall presentation with more air between instruments and a darker background. Micro details are great on both as is clarity and transparency.
 
The Burson of course has a lot of other advantages such as significantly higher power output (4W @32Ohms compared to the 500mW on the GO2A Infinity at the same load when running it balanced), more inputs (both coaxial and optical as well as two analog inputs in addition the USB input) and outputs. The advantage for the GO2A Infinity is the smaller size and the balanced output option.
 
Both have a small but audible (with very sensitive IEM’s) background hiss, the Burson unit slightly more so.
 
LH Labs Geek Out V2+ Infinity ($649) vs LH Labs Geek Out 2A Infinity:
So, first battle between the siblings. The V2+ Infinity and GO2A Infinity do remind a lot of each other in the way they sound, especially through the balanced output. Through the single ended output the V2+ offers a bit more air between instruments, darker background, a slightly smoother (but stil equally detailed) presentation making its overall presentation a touch more refined sounding with even tighter bass. Vocals are also a touch fuller and more natural sounding on the V2+. Switching to the balanced output the differences are even less audible and although there’s still a bit darker background and more weight to the vocals on the V2+ it’s really hard to pick out any other significant differences here. Overall the sound from these two units are so similar that it may very well be the one being driven from USB power and the other from battery that causes the differences.
 
The GO2A is quite a bit smaller than the V2+.  The V2+ does also offers a separate USB charging port, three different filters and an internal battery.
 
The V2+ Infinity run much cooler. .
 
Both have very slight amount of background hiss but it’s low enough to only be audible with my most easy to drive IEM’s.
 
LH Labs Geek Out 720 ($169, originally $249) vs LH Labs Geek Out 2A Infinity:
Here comes the second battle between siblings. The Original Geek Out 720 has been in my possession for about two years now and for the first 1.5 years I used it as my main DAC hooked up with my music laptop feeding different headphone amps. My GO720 was connected to the laptop pretty much 24/7 during this period and although it does get quite hot I’ve never had a single issue with it, hopefully the GO2A Infinity will prove to be as reliable in the long run.
 
Compared to the GO2A Infinity the GO720 has less controlled and distinct bass and an overall smoother and darker sound. The GO2A Infinity has noticeable more timbre to the notes making it sound overall more natural, fresh and engaging. The GO720, despite being a very good offering, does actually sound a bit congested and dull in comparison. All in all I’d say that the GO2A Infinity is definitely an upgrade to the original Geek Out 720.
 
They both offer digital filters but the GO2Adoes also offers the gain switch as well as a balanced 3.5 mm output. The GO720 on the other hand has two 3.5 mm outputs, one with 47Ohm resistance and one with 0.47Ohm.
 
Both have a little background hiss but the GO720 has more and it will definitely be audible with easy to drive IEM’s.
 
They can both run really hot when driving full size headphones.
 

Family photo
 
For even further comparisons feel free to visit this thread for breakdown between more $250+ amp/DAC units (this is a work in progress and several other units will follow in the near future).
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/816410/peter123s-250-amp-dac-combo-comparison-thread#post_12771442
 
Matching:
The output impedance of the headphone out on the Geek Out 2A Infinity is rated to a very low 0.47Ohm. This is low enough that it should work well with all kind headphones and even very sensitive IEM’s.
 
In this section I’ve tested how some of my favorite headphones but also a couple of IEM’s pairs up with the GO2A Infinity.  
 
AKG Q701 ($300):
This session was made using the single ended output on the GO2A Infinity.  The Q’s pairs up really nice with the GO2A. The GO2A, being ever so slightly on the bright side, doesn’t add any particular warmth to the presentation and I was afraid that it would be too much for the Q’s but that’s not the case, clean, clear and dynamic is the way I’d describe this combination. Although I’ve heard the Q’s better with some warmer source’s and I’ve also heard more bass impact from them but this pairing is still very good to my ears.
 
The GO2A has more than enough power to drive the Q’s.
 
Philips Fidelio X2 ($300):
This session was made using the single ended connection on the GO2A Infinity.  The X2’s quite warm and full by itself which makes a very good combination with the clean, clear and slightly bright presentation from the GO2A. Just like with the V2+ Infinity recently I really feel that the GO2A bring out some of the best performance I’ve ever heard from the X2’s, taking advantage of both the great quality bass of the GO2A as well as its overall smooth and detailed sound signature. This is an excellent combination in my opinion.
 
 The GO2A has more than enough power to drive the X2’s.
 
Hifiman HE400i ($449):
This session was made using the balanced output on the GO2A Infinity. The HE400i’s is also an excellent pairing with the GO2A. Although I may prefer the HE400i’s in a tube set up for a more relaxed listening the GO2A also performs very well with them. Bass is tight, details and separation are great and overall performance is very enjoyable.
 
The GO2A has more than enough power to drive the HE400i.
 
Aurisonics ASG-1PLUS ($500):
The ASG-1PLUS is an 11Ohm hybrid IEM (1 DD + 1 BA).
 
This session was made using the single ended output on the GO2A Infinity. The 1PLUS has an overall laid back and relaxed mid-centric presentation that pairs perfectly with the GO2A. The analogue and slightly bright characteristic from the GO2A bring a nice energy to the 1PLUS making it very enjoyable and great sounding. The great detail retrieval and separation does also pair great with the 1PLUS and this is one of the best performances that I’ve heard from the 1PLUS for my preference.
 
There’s no background hiss whatsoever with the 1 PLUS:
 
Super Audio 6 ($250):
The Super Audio 6 (SA6) is a six BA driver Chines DIY offering. It has a warm, smooth, intimate and mid-centric overall presentation. This session was made using the balanced output of the GO2A. The combination of the GO2A and SA 6 is a great match and the liquid, creamy and intimate character of the SA6 does really come to live with the energy, amount of details and slightly bright sound the GO2A bring to the presentation, This, combined with the lovely analog sound from the GO2A makes this combination extremely good.
 
There’s no hiss with the SA6’s when using the lowest gain setting.
 
To sum up the matching section the signature of the GO2A Infinity works really well with all the headphones and IEM’s I’ve tried it with. . There’s also a very low background hiss even on the lowest gain setting when paired with my most sensitive IEM’s that might be worth noticing. In total I’d still consider the GO2A Infinity an excellent all-rounder when it comes to pairing.
 
Summary:
LH Labs has worked their magic once again with the Geek Out 2A Infinity. It is a great offering that almost manage to keep up with one of my all-time favorite portable amp/DAC, the V2+ Infinity also from LH Labs when it comes to sound quality and it does this at about half of its asking price.
 
These USB memory stick sized amp/DAC’s often doesn’t offer much of excitement when it comes to features but at least the GO2A offer the possibility to switch between both gain settings and digital filters. The only thing that I’m missing is a physical volume control on the unit since I many times prefer this over changing the volume on my laptop or computer. Not to forget it does also offer both single ended AND balanced output. I can’t, from the top of my mind, think of any cheaper amp/DAC combo that gives you this option. Not only is this a cheap way (relatively speaking) to get a source with a balanced output but it also both sound and look amazing.
 
For anyone looking for a unit in this price range to use with a laptop or computer the LH Labs GO2A Infinity is a very easy recommendation and probably the best sub $300 solution in this size that I’ve come across so far. It’s also a great option for people looking to try out running their headphones and/or IEM’s balanced. Did I also mentioned that it looks absolutely fantastic in red?
 
Audio Quality: 4.5
Design: 5
Quality: 5
Value: 5
Features: 4.5
 

This is a review of the JDS Ojective2+ODAC Rev B amplifier and DAC combination.
 

 

The JDS Ojective2+ODAC Rev B (O2/ODAC) was sent to me for free by JDS Labs for the purpose of doing this review and including it in my recently started $250+ amp/DAC comparison thread. A big THANK YOU to JDS Labs and Jude for letting me check it out.
 
The JDS O2/ODAC is available from the JDS Labs homepage and the price at the time of this review was $279 in the default configuration (more about customized options and prices later).
 
https://www.jdslabs.com/products/48/objective2-odac-combo-revb/
 
I’m not in any way affiliated with JDS Labs.
 
Short introduction to JDS Labs:
JDS Labs makes high quality DAC’s, headphone amplifiers and cables. They are based in Collinsville, Illinois, USA.
 
This is what they say about themselves on their website:
“We go above and beyond American manufacturing. We built our in-house machine shop and production line to achieve product quality that we're proud of. JDS Labs's success comes from our obsession with brilliant audio engineering. Performance of our amplifiers and DACs pushes the market forward.
 
During product development, we utilize a PrismSound dScope Series III audio analyzer to conduct professional sound quality benchmarks. An audio analyzer is capable of generating reference quality audio signals and measuring the resulting output of an audio device under test. This allows us to perform impulse response tests, fast-Fourier transforms (FFTs), and continuous-time analysis in order to observe specifications which directly impact audio quality. In simplest terms, an audio analyzer generates exceptional audio signals and checks to see how closely a tested device compares to its own quality.”
 
About me:
 
Built, accessories and functionality:
The JDS Ojective2+ODAC Rev B are a solid state headphone amplifier, DAC and pre-amplifier (optional) combo.
 
In my opinion the O2/DAC is already a classic piece of equipment in the headphone related world in the same way as the Beyer DT 7/8/9XX, AKG K/Q7XX or Sennheiser HD6X0. They’re all known for offering excellent performance for money. The O2/ODAC is an open source design so anyone with some soldering skills could build one but there are also a number of half-baked sets and also fully finished options like the one JDS Labs are selling. I’ve read a lot about the O2, ODAC and O2+ODAC for several years now so naturally I was super happy to finally be able to hear it for myself.
 
The O2/ODAC is available in two different colors: black and silver. I’ve got the black version. It’s also customized to some extent and you can choose to power jack in the back (+3$) instead if in the front, a 6.3 mm headphone output instead of the 3.5 mm one (+$30) and/or you can chose to add a dedicated DAC output as either 3.5 mm (+$3) or 6.3 mm (+$17) jack.
 
The rated output power of the O2/ODAC is 613mW at 33Ohms.
 
The JDS Ojective2+ODAC Rev B have a metal/aluminum chassis that feels really solid. The physical controls available on it do also feel very reliable. The physical controls sums up to a volume knob, a switch to choose between how or low gain and an On/Off switch.
 
The JDS O2/ODAC offers one USB mini digital audio input and one separate AC power input.  It also offers an analog 3.5 mm audio input and, as already mentioned, for a few dollars extra you can also add a DAC output in the back. There’s also a headphone out socket.
 
Unfortunately I’ve not been able to make the O2/ODAC to work with any of my Android devices. My guess is that the USB driver is too old to be prepared for this.
 
The O2/DAC support all popular file formats for audio up to 24bit/96kHz files. The lack of support for higher sampling rates as well as the lack of support for DSD files are probably signs of the design of the O2/DAC being several years old by now.
 
The accessories included are:
1 USB cable (USB A to B Type, 1.5M)
1 User's Manual
4 rubber feets
1 Power adaptor (AC 15V)
 

 
The specs:
The O2/ODAC has been with me for alomst two months now and it has played well over 50 hours. 
 
Demolist:
 
Sound impression:
The first thing that I noticed when I started to listen to the JDS Ojective2+ODAC Rev B was that it was less analytical and fuller sounding compared to what I was expecting.  
 
This review will mostly be about the O2/ODAC as a DAC/amp combo but before I start on that I’d like to make a very short comment about the O2/ODAC as an amplifier only. As far as I know the original design for the O2 was for a headphone amplifier only and the goal for it was to have a completely transparent and neutral presentation. When I hooked up the bit Opus #1 DAP to the 3.5 mm analog input on the O2/ODAC the sound is indeed pretty much unaltered in comparison to listening straight from the #1. This is quite impressive and exactly what a well deigned amplifier should do. This leads me to believe that the “signature” I hear from the O2/ODAC is actually that of the DAC section. So let’s continue to explore how it performs as a DAC/amp combo.
 
Bass extension and impact is very good without any noticeable roll off in the lower frequencies. Sub bass and mid bass interact seamlessly with equally good quality and similar quantity making the whole lower frequencies very fluent. The combination of great bass quality and a natural quantity makes the presentation dynamic and very easy to like.
 
The midrange is liquid and smooth with plenty of details. The O2/ODAC sounds very linear through all frequencies and the midrange is no exception. Nothing really stands out and it sounds very natural and dynamic. I feel as if there’s some air missing from the sound though making the overall presentation a bit on the intimate and even closed in side. The sound is natural sounding and I do find that vocals is very well reproduced with enough wright on male ones and no fatigue with female ones.
 
The treble is well extended but does lack some air and I’m not able to detect any harshness whatsoever in it. Being slightly on the warm side it does never feel harsh or artificial to me but rather full and natural.
 
The overall presentation has good soundstage but better depth than width and height.  Layering is also good but I do sense some lack of air between the instruments. The background does feel black and calm but the overall presentation is still a bit on the intimate and closed in side. Transparency is also quite good and all together I’d describe the sound of the O2/ODAC as slightly warm with great dynamics. This is a signature that I personally find to be quite enjoyable paired with most IEM’s and headphones.
 
Comparison:
Please note that the comments in the comparison section are not in absolute terms but in comparison between subject A and B. This means (as an example) that if subject A is found to be brighter than subject B it does not necessarily mean that subject A is bright sounding in absolute terms. I hope this makes sense.
 
In these comparisons I’ve been listening through my Hifiman HE400i’s.
 
I’ve been using the USB input when doing these comparisons. Both units has been hooked up to two different laptops both running Windows 7 with the same settings and I use MediaMonkey as my player of choice.
 
Both units was connected to a simple switch box through their respectively headphone outputs. This way it’s very easy to switch between the sources in minimal time. I also use a simple Android app to volume match the amplifiers so although maybe not perfectly scientifically the result should still be pretty correct.
 
Burson Audio Conductor V2+ (1,499) vs JDS Labs Objective2+ODAC Rev B:
Compared to the V2+ the O2/ODAC is more closed in and intimate sounding while the V2+ is more much more airy and has better timbre to the notes. The O2/ODAC is overall darker and also a bit duller in its presentation.  The V2+ has a larger soundstage width and an overall more relaxed and effortless presentation.
 
The V2+ of course has some other advantages as well such as significantly higher power output (4W @32Ohms compared to ca 613mW@33Ohm on the O2/ODAC), two analogue RCA inputs and both pre-amp and DAC direct RCA outputs, in addition it also has a great quality remote control.
 
Although both these are well build the V2+ definitely has a better build quality and should also have so costing about five times the price of the O2/ODAC.
 
Cambridge Audio DacMagic Plus ($499) vs JDS Labs Objective2+ODAC Rev B:
Compared to the DacMagic Plus the O2/ODAC has an overall sligh fuller sound. The ODAC offer more energy and attack while the DacMagic Plus, albeit being a touch brighter, is more relaxed and laid back.  The ODAC is more distinct in what it does and has better clarity while the Cambridge is smoother and had noticeable more air between instruments, this is also the reason that it feels more relaxed in my opinion.
 
Feature wise the DacMagic Plus offers both coaxial and optical inputs in addition to an optical output. The ODAC has a 3.5 mm analog input while the DacMagic has both RCA and balanced outputs. The O2/ODAC is considerable smaller and both units feel very well built. 
 
iBasso D14 “Bushmaster” ($249) vs JDS Labs Objective2+ODAC Rev B:
Compared to the O2/ODAC the D14 have a lighter and less dynamic presentation. The D14 is definitely the brighter sounding of the two while the O2/ODAC is warmer and more dynamic but also more congested. The O2/ODAC does also offer more energy and attack. The treble on the D14 is more airy and has better extension. Overall the iBasso unit is cleaner and leaner with a wider soundstage while O2/ODAC is more dynamic and warmer sounding.
 
Feature wise the D14 offers both optical and coaxial inputs. They both have 3.5 mm analog inputs but and gain switch. They both have USB mini inputs and 3.5 mm headphone outputs (the O2/ODAC can be customized to 6.3 mm if wanted). The D14 can also run directly from USB power as well as on battery which makes it more flexible. The footprint of the D14 is quite a bit smaller. Build quality feels very solid while the O2/ODAC packs a bit more power.
 

 

 
For even further comparisons feel free to visit this thread for breakdown between more $250+ amp/DAC units (this is a work in progress and several other units will follow in the near future).
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/816410/peter123s-250-amp-dac-combo-comparison-thread#post_12771442
 
Matching:
The output impedance of the headphone output on the O2/ODAC is rated to a very low 0.54Ohm. This means that it should work really well with pretty much every pair of headphones and IEM’s out there.
 
In this section I’ve tested how some of my favorite headphones but also one earbud and one pair of IEM’s pairs up with the O2/ODAC.
 
Hifiman HE400i ($449):
The HE400i, when paired with the O2/ODAC, has great drive and dynamics making it sound quite engaging to me. The HE400i doesn’t have the widest stage and neither does the O2/ODAC but they still work very well together making for a non-fatiguing and toe tapping listening experience.
 
AKG Q701 ($300):
The Q’s sound good paired with the O2/ODAC in my opinion. The bass has good presence and impact, which indicates that the power is sufficient. I find the overall sound slightly on the warm side and this suit the Q’s quite good. Although this combination doesn’t sound bad I’ve heard better sources for the Q’s.
 
Philips Fidelio X2 ($300):
The X2’s has plenty of dynamics on its own and can sound a bit too bassy and boomy when paired to a warm source that have more than the natural bass presence. With the O2/ODAC it sounds full and engaging, retaining its great dynamics without getting overly boomy. This pairing is very good in my opinion.
 
VE Zen 2.0 ($138):
The Zen 2.0 is a 300Ohm earbud that I like a lot and tend to use instead of closed headphones.
 
The Zen 2.0 has a smooth and pretty laid back signature that works fine well with the O2/ODAC. There’s enough energy and dynamics to make the presentation engaging and easily enjoyable. I’d say that this is a very nice combination.
 
Aurisonics ASG-1PLUS ($500):
The ASG-1PLUS is an 11Ohm hybrid IEM (1 DD + 1 BA).
 
The 1PLUS has an excellent out of head presentation and its bass (especially mid- and upper bass) is quite a bit subdued.  I’d say that they work fine with the O2/ODAC. There’s enough dynamics to be enjoyable will all kinds of music but the overall presentation get a bit on the dull side. This is still an enjoyable combination though. Although the 1PLUS is not as easy to drive that the 11Ohm suggest I’m not able to detect any background hiss whatsoever when using them with the O2/ODAC.
 
To sum up the matching section the signature of the O2/ODAC does make pretty most of my headphones and IEM’s sound very good and I haven’t come across anything that pairs badly with it.  The O2/ODAC has a very low amount of audible hiss even when paired to my most sensitive IEM’s. The O2/ODAC does also have enough power for all my full sized headphones which makes it very versatile in practical use.
 
Summary:
The JDS Ojective2+ODAC Rev B may be a bit old in its design and not offering support for the latest and greatest high definition audio formats but in my opinion it still holds its own even in today’s crowded market.  It offers USB audio in as well as an analog input and is also partially customizable upon ordering. I’d also like to add that while the O2/ODAC is a good amp/DAC combination, although it may lose out in overall performance against more expensive offerings, it is an amazing amplifier delivering a truly neutral presentation just the way a great amplifier should. So if you’ve got a great quality source already the pure amplifier version of the O2 may be a better, and cheaper ($129), option.
 
Priced at around $300 (depending on configuration) the JDS Ojective2+ODAC Rev B may not punch way above its price point anymore but I’d still consider it a valid option within its price bracket. It doesn’t support DXD/DSD but if that’s not a big deal to you and you value a fairly neutral and very natural sound I’d still recommend looking at this classic piece of equipment if you’re on the hunt for a new partner for your computer or laptop.
 
Audio Quality: 4
Design: 4
Quality: 4
Value: 4
Features: 4
 

This is a review of the Accutone Piscesa BA IEM’s.
 

 

 
The Accutone Pisces BA was sent to me from Accutone for free for the purpose of me making a review of them. I’d like to grab the opportunity to say thank you to Angus at Accutone for letting me try them out, THANK YOU!
 
The Accutone Pisces BA is on sale at the Accutone web store and the price at the time of this review was $389:
 
http://www.audio.accutone.com/product-page/d235d1e4-d138-4329-4d0f-63ff0dca16f9
 
I’m not in any way affiliated with Accutone.
 
About Accutone Audio:
Accutone Audio has been around for over 40 years but it’s only the last couple years they’ve started to produce consumer oriented in ear monitors. Before that they were fully focused on making speakers and professional equipment for call-centers and other similar business. This is what they say about themselves on their homepage:
 
“We love music. Sometimes it feels like music is the only thing that really unites us. It is the medium which truly transcends culture, race, gender and age. Music is the most effective means to bring people closer. Although this may be good enough of a reason why we build headsets, it is definitely not the reason why we are able to build excellent headsets.
 
Accutone has been making some of the world's best headsets for decades, and our goal has always been about bringing people closer. In the past, our focus was on providing the best communication tools for businesses in the form of telecommunication headsets for call centers and corporations. We know that in order to really bring people closer, we have to build headsets with great sound quality, reliability and durability. We are able to do so, because we are passionate about what we do, and we have the knowledge and experience of how to make the best headset.
 
But we haven't forgotten why we started everything in the first place. We love music, and we want everyone to be able to enjoy music in the most accurate form as our beloved musicians intended. If we are able to do that, we will have achieved our goal of bringing the world closer.”
 
About me:
Built and accessories:
The Accutone Pisces HD is a hybrid in-ear monitor featuring one dynamic driver and one Balanced Armature driver.
 
AFAIK it comes only in one flavor: in the color white with a microphone for iPhone.
 
The build and design of the Pisces BA is identical to that of the Pisces HD that I recently reviewed as well so most things in this session will be very similar between the two reviews. The only difference I can really find between these two, except the color, is that the metal part of the housings is considerable larger on the BA’s. This leads me to believe that the BA’s packs a larger DD than the HD’s but this is just a guess.
 
The detachable cable is round and flexible but still feels a bit on the cheap side. Although they’re possible to wear over the ears this doesn’t feel very natural to me so I’ve been using them straight down. Microphonic are present when moving around but it’s not any worse than o your average pair of IEM’s so not a big deal but it’s still there. Unfortunately they’re also missing a chin slider which is a shame to me since I love my chin slider. The strain reliefs are in place but neither the housing nor the cable has any left/right markings so the location of the microphone is the only way to tell which side is which.
 
The cable uses MMCX connectors but unfortunately Accutone has opted for a proprietary version of it and this makes getting replacement cables a challenge. The location of the connectors on the side of the houses does also makes me a bit worried about long term usage. The cable includes a microphone for fruit products but the answer/end call, combined with the pause/play feature, does also work great with Android. The quality of the microphone seems to be very good. 
 
The build in general seem pretty solid despite being a bit plastic fantastic. The housings are all plastic but still feel fairly well made and very solid and the Y-split is also solid despite being quite small. I said in my review for the Pisces HD that the build quality was fine at the price ($89) but I do believe that at $300 more the Pisces BA should have offered more solid materials. To be more specific I think they should’ve metal body, a better quality cable and a more common form of connectors at this price.
 
The retail package is very nice for the price point but unfortunately the accessories are a lot less than I'd expect at this price point and include only the following:
2 pairs Comply foam tips
1 pouch to store them in when not in use
 
The Accutone Pisces BA is very easy to drive to drive and they've worked very well with all the sources I’ve tried it with including cellphones. I don’t find them to benefit significantly from a more powerful amplifier.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
The specs:
 
Fit and ergonomics:
The design of the Pisces BA is not something you see on the average IEM’s and I’ve got to admit that they look pretty slick. The “bow” on the housings makes them fit only with shallow insertion for me this may not be true for everyone though. The Pisces BA are really comfortable for me to wear and I hardly even notice that they’re there.
 
Both the included foam and silicone tips works well for me but the Pisces BA are quite sensitive on tips and fit (especially for bass reproduction) and I ended up using them with some triple flange silicone tips for best combination of sound and comfort with my ear anatomy:
 
Isolation is about average, maybe slightly over if using the included foam tips or triple flanges (not included). With music playing I wouldn’t say that isolation is a big issue with them though.
 
Sound:
I’ve used them back and forward in the last month and they’ve played for well over 100 hours. I’ve used them both around the house and when out and about and I haven’t really found any significant weaknesses in the way they’re designed.
 
I’ve used them mostly with my LG G5 phone and the bit Opus #11 but I’ve tried them with a number of other sources as well and they’ve worked very well with all of them. I’d like to specify that’s not often, if ever, I’ve come across a pair of IEM’s that sounds this good such a variety of sources.
 
As already mentioned I enjoy the Accutone Pisces BA the most with triple flange silicone tips.
 

 
Demo list:
Mark Knopfler – Sailing to Philadelphia
Røyksopp (Feat.Susanne Sundfør) – Save Me
Ane Brun – These Days
Michael Jackson – Dirty Diana
Metallica – Die Die My Darling
The Peter Malick Group – Immigrant
Eva Cassidy – Songbird
Thomas Dybdahl – A Lovestory
Norah Jones – Don’t Know Why
Celldweller – Unshakeable
Jack Johnson – Better Together
Seinabo Sey – Younger (Kygo remix)
Dire Straits- So Far Away
Passenger – Let Her Go
Lupe Fiasco - Deliver
Morrissey – Earth Is the Loneliest Planet
 
This is the third pair of Accutone IEM’s that I’ve reviewed in the last couple of weeks and I feel as if I’m starting to get a picture on the Accutone house sound by now. The overall sound signature on the Accutone Pisces BA is a bit v-shaped with amazing clarity and resolution supported by great bass drive and a huge soundstage.
 
The sub-bass extension is really good and the layering in the lower bass is also very good. Mid-and upper bass is also well present with a very low amount of bass bleed into the midrange. The quality of the bass is really good and I’d even go as far as saying that this is some of the best bass I’ve ever heard in a IEM, the bass quantity is pretty much spot on for my preference and the quality is really god throughout the whole lower frequencies.
 
The midrange is slightly recessed but apart from that i  feels very well balanced and controlled. The characteristic of the midrange is clean, natural and airy with a huge amount of details present. Male vocals and string instruments has enough weight to feel natural and female vocals are very enjoyable and non-fatiguing. In total the midrange has great clarity, transparency and resolution. Although the midrange is a bit further back in the mix than I ideally prefer its qualities are impeccable and feels very high end.  
 
The treble extension is also very good but the treble is a bit on the thin side for my preference. This combined with the great resolution and revealing nature of the Pisces BA does occasionally give me a bit more pronounced “s” and “t” than I’d prefer for a perfectly natural presentation, the same goes for cymbals. Despite this the Pisces BA’s are still a surprisingly relaxed listening given its revealing signature.
 
Clarity and micro details are extremely good as is transparency and resolution. All of these are among the best I’ve ever heard in an IEM. Soundstage width is huge while depth and height is good.  The Pisces BA is probably the most revealing IEM I’ve ever heard and the amount of details present with it have made me stop up when listening to very familiar tracks because it presented something that I haven’t heard before, or at least not this clearly. The Pisces BA’s does also offer an amazing “out of the head” presentation making them a bliss to use with music like Sting, Thomas Dybdahl  and Lil Dicky with sounds popping out all around my head.
 
The Pisces HD sounds great with all music I’ve tried it with but in my opinion it performs its best with electronic music like Røyksopp, Robyn and Gareth Emery as well as with music like Lil Dicky, Lupe Fiasco and Kayne West.
 

 
Comparison:
Please note that the comments in the comparison section are not in absolute terms but in comparison between subject A and B. This means (as an example) that if subject A is found to be brighter than subject B it does not necessarily mean that subject A is bright sounding in absolute terms. I hope this makes sense.
 
These comparisons were done listening from my phone through the LG G5 with the Hifi Pus module installed.
 

 
Aurisonics ASG-1PLUS ($499) vs Accutone Pisces BA:
Both of these are hybrids using one BA and one DD, the 1PLUS uses a 14.2 mm dynamic driver while the size for the dynamic driver in the Pisces BA’s is unknown. My guess, based on the housing size and sound, would be that the DD in the Pisces BA is about the same size. These two are a perfect example on how different IEM’s with the same driver configuration can sound, despite both being excellent they’re like Yin and Yang when it comes to the way they sound.  The Pisces BA’s definitely has more bass presence and drive in its presentation. Bass quality is also better on it to my ears. The 1PLUS are a mid-centric pair of IEM’s and hence vastly different to the V-shaped Accutone’s. The 1PLUS is also lush and overall quite soft and delicate in its characteristics while the BA’s has higher resolution and better detail retrieval. They both have quite similar treble extension but the 1PLUS has that extra amount of warmth and richness to make its treble more to my liking. While they both offer great soundstage in all directions the BA’s might actually have a bit more width while both are top notch when it comes to 3D and “out of the head” presentation.
 
I find both of these to be extremely comfortable.
 
Despite both having plastic housings I’s say that build quality is better on the 1PLUS and I also much prefer the two-pin connectors on its cable.
 
They 1PLUS are harder to drive.
 
Isolation is a good deal better on the 1PLUS.
  
Venture Electronic the Duke ($199) vs Accutone Pisces BA:
The Duke is also on the brighter side in its signature but that’s also one of few similarities between these two. Compared to the Pisces BA the Duke has quite a bit less sub-bass presence and the sub-bass also rolls-off earlier with them. The Pisces BA does also have more mid-bass giving them an overall fuller presentation. The midrange on the Duke is more forward but the BA’s has a fuller midrange with more presence o\in the lower mids while the Duke has more energy and more presence in the upper midrange. The Duke actually sounds a bit hollow and shouty in direct comparison. The BA’s does have a bit thinner treble presentation as well as slightly better extension in the top.
 
Fit is excellent for me with both of these.
 
Build quality is ok on both but the Duke pulls ahead with their metal housings and better cable.
 
The Duke is harder to drive.
 
Isolation is better on the Duke.
 
Super Audio 6 ($259) vs Accutone Pisces BA:
The Pisces BA’s, once again, has more bass presence and drive in its presentation. Especially sub-bass is better on the BA’s, reaching deeper and having more presence. Bass quality is quite similar to my ears. The SA 6’s are mid-centric with a more intimate presentation but also more natural sounding vocals, male voices does also have more weight with them. The BA’s have a bit better treble extension but the SA 6 has a fuller upper register making it more natural sounding. While they both offer great detail retrieval and clarity the Pisces BA has a lot more air in the presentation, higher resolution and also a much wider soundstage making the SA 6 sounding congested in comparison.
 
I find both of these to be extremely comfortable.
 
Despite both having plastic housings I’s say that build quality is better on the 6BA’s and I also much their standard MMCX connectors.
 
They 6BA’s are harder to drive.
 
Isolation is much better on the 6BA’s.
  
Summary:
The Accutone Pisces BA is an amazing sounding pair of IEM’s and is certainly up there among the best ones I’ve ever heard, maybe even the best. If the treble had been only slightly thicker and the midrange a bit more forward they’d been pretty much perfect for my preferences. Unfortunately they’re let down by a bad quality cable combined with the choice of a proprietary MMCX solution making third party cables a no go. While this was acceptable with the $89 Pisces HD I don’t find it acceptable at this price point.
 
Despite the choice of a proprietary MMCX solution the Pisces BA is an excellent sounding pair of IEM’s with bass quality, resolution, detail retrieval, and soundstage width all being among the best I’ve ever heard in any IEM’s. If you’re looking for a great sounding pair of IEM’s in the sub $500 bracket and plan to use them mainly at home or in the office I’d still consider the Accutone Pisces BA an excellent contender.
 

This is a review of the Zorloo ZuperDAC DAC/amp combo.
 

 

 
 
The Zorloo ZuperDAC was sendt to me for free from Zorloo in exchange for my honest review of it. I’d like to say THANK YOU to Zorloo for letting me check it out.
 
Zorloo seems to have sold a lot more than expected of the ZuperDAC since it has been out of stock for quite some time now. It’s my understanding that the retail price of the ZuperDAC is $79 but since it’s not available anywhere right now I haven’t been able to confirm it. According to the Zorloo website the ZuperDAC should soon be available from there again so if you’re looking for one there’s still hope:
 
http://www.zorloo.com/zuperdac
 
I’m not in any way affiliated with Zorloo.
 
About me:
 
Built and accessories:
The Zorloo ZuperDAC is a combined adaptive USB DAC and headphone amplifier designed to be used with computers, laptops and some Android devices.
 
As far as I understand it comes in two flavors: silver or gold colored.
 
The external build of the ZuperDAC seems simple but also durable. There’s actually not too much to say about these thumbnail sized devices but the ZuperDAC chassis is made of aluminum and it features one USB A male connector and  a 3.5mm headphone output. Under the hood is the pretty common and highly regarded ESS Sabre ES9018K2M DAC chips combined with the ES9601 headphone amplifier section also from Sabre.
 
The retail package is also plain and simple but does still give a nice presentation. There’s no accessories whatsoever included and to be completely honest that’s ok for the intended usage since pretty much everyone has plenty of USB cables lying around at home these days. Maybe Zorloo could have included an USB OTG cable but at this price point I’m not complaining.
 

 
Compatibility:
The ZuperDAC supports Mac and Windows. It also works pretty well with Android devices. It runs fine with the third party app USB Audio Player Pro (UAPP) without any external power from my LG G3 phone and several other devices I’ve tried it with. ZuperDAC draws quite a bit of power when connected to a phone or tablet and although its power drain is still less than the likes of DACport Slim and GO720 it will still be enough to make it an issue when used this way.
 
The ZuperDAC support sample rates up to 24bit/192kHz.
 
Not surprisingly, given its size, the ZuperDAC is not super powerful.  That being said it still packs enough power to push my Hifiman HE400i’s beyond what I found to be comfortable listening levels and also making them sound very good when doing so. It does run quite hot when pushed hard.
 
The specs:

1. Sabre ES9018k2m DAC chip and SABRE9601 headphone driver
2. Accepts up to 192kHz input files @24 bit.
3. Volume controlled by computer vol +/- keys
4. 115dB SNR 
5. 0.003% THD
6. Outputs 30mW @ 32Ohm load
7. Output impedance 4.7Ohm
8. Output level 1VRMS
9. Power usage: 70 mA
10. Dimensions:46 x 23 x 10 mm
11. Weight 16g

 
Sound:
I’ve used the ZuperDAC quite a lot during the last couple of weeks and it has played for well over 100 hours.  
 
I’ve combined it with my LG G3 phone, Sony Xperia Z3Compact and two laptops running Windows 7 and it has worked very well with all combinations.
 
Demo list:
Mark Knopfler – Sailing to Philadelphia
Røyksopp (Feat.Susanne Sundfør) – Save Me
Ane Brun – These Days
Michael Jackson – Dirty Diana
Metallica – Die Die My Darling
The Peter Malick Group – Immigrant
Eva Cassidy – Songbird
Thomas Dybdahl – A Lovestory
Norah Jones – Don’t Know Why
Celldweller – Unshakeable
Jack Johnson – Better Together
Seinabo Sey – Younger (Kygo remix)
Dire Straits- So Far Away
Bjørk - Moon
Lupe Fiasco - Deliver
Morrissey – Earth Is the Loneliest Planet
 
I’ve got to be honest and admit that I find it pretty difficult to describe the sound from DAC’s. To me the sound of headphones and IEM’s are easier to describe than that of amplifiers and DAC’s. Because of this I’ll do a brief description of the overall sound from the ZuperDAC and then compare it to a couple of other DAC/amp to highlight the difference and similarities to them.
 
Listening to the ZuperDAC without comparing it to others it has got a full and rich sound without feeling muddy or losing control. Sub-bass reaches low and the mid bass has a nice drive too it. I find it to be a bit on the warm side with a lush and full midrange and full, smooth highs that roll off a bit earlier than I ideally would prefer but also help to make the overall sound soft and smooth. Dynamics are very good and music has a great drive to it when listening with the ZuperDAC as source. Soundstage width is great as is depth and it has a good separation as well. It’s also delivers a fair amount of transparency. All of this together makes for an effortless presentation that’s very easy to enjoy and doesn’t bring any listening fatigue whatsoever.
 
I find the ZuperDAC to pair very well with every pair of headphones and IEM’s I’ve tried it with bur particularly good with brighter tilted ones.
 
Comparison:
Please note that the comments in the comparison section are not in absolute terms but in comparison between subject A and B. This means (as an example) that if subject A is found to be brighter than subject B it does not necessarily mean that subject A is bright sounding in absolute terms. I hope this makes sense.
 
I this comparison both DAC/amp combos where fed by different Android devices both running USB Audio Player Pro (UAPP) with the exact same settings and I was listening through my Philips Fidelio X2’s.
 
I used a splitter/switch box to easily switch between the two units being compared and a simple Android app to volume match them.
 
Spoiler alert: people expecting huge differences between the objects compared here are going to be disappointed. The differences between DAC/amps within the same price range are usually not very big in my experience. The differences described below are definitely there to my ears but I wouldn’t call them big while other with a different way to describe things could call them huge because as always in here your miles may vary and most probably will.
 

 
HiFime Sabre9018 USB DAC ($79) vs Zorloo ZuperDAC
These both use the Sabre 9018 chip but I’ve compared enough DAC’s with the same chip before to know that the chip is very a small part of the equation and despite using the same chips set two units can sound vastly different.
Compared to the ZuperDAC the HiFime has very similar bass impact and quality. It does however have better clarity and treble extension. The ZuperDAC is darker sounding and that combined with the rolled off treble gives it a more laidback and relaxed presentation.   
 
They both have one 3.5mm headphone output but the HiFime has a combined headphone out and optical out.
 
The ZuperDAC get much hotter than the HiFime while power is quite similar in both.
 
None of them have a physical volume button.
 
In my opinion both of these drain battery too fast to be ideal to pair with Android devices without the use of an external battery.
 
Both are very quiet (little background hiss).
 
The ZuperDAC supports up to 24bit/192kHz while the HiFime only support up to 24bit/96kHz.
 
SHOZY Lancea (originally $179 now $99) vs Zorloo ZuperDAC:
The SHOZY Lancea and the ZuperDAC sounds really similar. They both have a slight raise in the mid bass department and the treble rolls off a bit more early than I’d describe as natural on both, maybe even slightly earlier on the ZuperDAC but the difference is very subtle. The Lancea has ever so slightly tighter bass across the whole lower spectrum. The ZuperDAC is a touch darker while the Lancea has an equally small amount of more energy in the upper midrange presentation making it sound slightly crispier but apart from this they’re very similar. The combination of the rolled off treble and lack of energy once again makes the ZuperDAC the most relaxed of the two.
 
The Lancea is smaller that the ZuperDAC, maybe about half of its size and is connected to the source through a female micro USB port.
 
Both have a single 3,5mm output but that acts as a line out function when maxing out the volume.
 
The ZuperDAC get a good deal warmer while they both offer a similar amount of power.  
 
The Lance is very well suited to be paired with Android devices due to its lesser power demands and high compatibility with such devices while the battery drain from the ZuperDAC makes an external battery mandatory with it in my opinion.
 
Both are very quiet (little background hiss).
 
The Lancea supports up to 20bit/48kHz sample rate while the ZuperDAC supports up to 24bit/192kHz.
 
CEntrance DACport Slim ($99) vs Zorloo ZuperDAC:
Compred to the ZuperDAC the Slim has a bit better textured bass and also a touch less bass presence. The clarity is better, in comparison it’s like the Zuperdac has a bit of vail in the presentation while the Slim is crystal clear with a bit more aisr between instruments. This makes the overall sound of the ZuperDAC more laid back and relaxed, apart from this the overall tonality of both unit are quite similar.
 
The Slim, while still a small unit, is still quite a bit bigger than the ZuperDAC (I’d say about three times bigger) and is connected to the source through a female micro USB port as opposed to the USB A port used on the ZuperDAC.
 
Both have a single 3,5mm output and both offers a line out function when maxing out the volume. The Slim has a physical volume control and a gain switch while the ZuperDAC doesn’t have any physical controls.
 
The Slim runs a bit hotter than the ZuperDAC but it also offers a lot more power.
 
None of these are very well suited to pair with Android devices due to their power draw but the ZuperDAC still works better with this kind of set up.
 
Both are very quiet (little background hiss) but the Slim has some while the ZuperDAC doesn’t have any that I could detect.
 
They both supports up to 24bit/192kHz sample rate.
 
Summary:
The Zorloo ZuperDAC is a great little device. It may not have the most neutral sound but it still deliver a highly enjoyable and non-fatiguing presentation that works great with all the headphones and IEM’s I’ve tried it with.
 
It works with laptops, tablets and smart phones which makes it highly versatile and combined with the excellent build quality and very compact size it’s a great device to use in pretty much any setting such as home, in the office or when travelling.  
 
I really hope that Zorloo continues to bring us more great sounding surprises in the future.
 

This is a review of the Accutone Pisces HD IEM’s.
 

 

 

 
The Accutone Pisces HD was sent to me from Accutone for the purpose of me reviewing it. I’d like to grab the opportunity to say thank you to Angus at Accutone for letting me try them out, THANK YOU!
 
The Accutone Pisces HD is on sale at the Accutone web store and the price at the time of this review was $89:
 
http://www.audio.accutone.com/pisces-hd
 
I’m not in any way affiliated with Accutone.
 
About Accutone Audio:
Accutone Audio has been around for over 40 years but it’s only the last couple years they’ve started to produce consumer oriented in ear monitors. Before that they were fully focused on making speakers and professional equipment for call-centers and other similar business. This is what they say about themselves on their homepage:
 
“We love music. Sometimes it feels like music is the only thing that really unites us. It is the medium which truly transcends culture, race, gender and age. Music is the most effective means to bring people closer. Although this may be good enough of a reason why we build headsets, it is definitely not the reason why we are able to build excellent headsets.
 
Accutone has been making some of the world's best headsets for decades, and our goal has always been about bringing people closer. In the past, our focus was on providing the best communication tools for businesses in the form of telecommunication headsets for call centers and corporations. We know that in order to really bring people closer, we have to build headsets with great sound quality, reliability and durability. We are able to do so, because we are passionate about what we do, and we have the knowledge and experience of how to make the best headset.
 
But we haven't forgotten why we started everything in the first place. We love music, and we want everyone to be able to enjoy music in the most accurate form as our beloved musicians intended. If we are able to do that, we will have achieved our goal of bringing the world closer.”
 
About me:
Built and accessories:
The Accutone Pisces HD is an in-ear monitor featuring one 8mm beryllium coated dynamic driver.
 
AFAIK it comes only in one flavor: in the color black with a microphone for Android.
 
The detachable cable is round and flexible but still feels a bit on the cheap side. Although they’re possible to wear over the ears this doesn’t feel very natural to me so I’ve been using them straight down. Microphonic are present when moving around but it’s not any worse than on your average pair of IEM’s so not a big deal but it’s still there. Unfortunately they’re also missing a chin slider which is a shame to me since I love my chin slider, as usually I ade my own though (see picture below). The strain reliefs are in place but neither the housing nor the cable has any left/right markings so the location of the microphone is the only way to tell which side is which.
 
The cable uses MMCX connectors but unfortunately Accutone has opted for a proprietary version of it and this makes getting replacement cables a challenge. The location of the connectors on the side of the houses does also makes me a bit worried about long term usage. The cable includes a microphone for Android products. Both the answer/end call (combined with the pause/play feature) works great as does the volume control. The quality of the microphone seems to be very good and the way that the microphone unit is shaped like a old style phone is a nice detail. 
 
The build in general seem pretty solid despite being a bit plastic fantastic. The housings are all plastic but still feel fairly well made and very solid and the Y-split is also solid despite being quite small. In total I’d say that the build quality is fine for the price but nothing spectacular.
 
The retail package is very nice for the price point but unfortunately the accessories are quite spare and include the following:
2 pairs Comply foam tips
2 pairs of silicone tips (S/M, L)
1 pouch to store them in when not in use
 
The Accutone Pisces HD is slightly harder than average to drive but still worked very well with all the sources I’ve tried it with including cellphones. I don’t find them to benefit significantly from a more powerful amplifier and they seem to work well with all the sources that I’ve tried them with
 

 

 

 

 

 
The specs:
 
Fit and ergonomics:
The design of the Pisces HD is certainly unique and I’ve got to admit that they look pretty slick. Despite being quite large, especially for a single dynamic, the all plastic built makes them very lightweight. The “bow” on the housings makes them fit only with shallow insertion for me this may not be true for everyone though. The Pisces HD are really comfortable for me to wear and I hardly even notice that they’re there.
 
Both the included foam and silicone tips works well for me but the Pisces HD are quite sensitive on tips and fit (especially for bass reproduction) and I ended up using them with some RHA silicone tips for best combination of sound and comfort with my ear anatomy:
 

 
 
Isolation is about average, maybe slightly over if using the included foam tips. With music playing I wouldn’t say that isolation is a big issue with them though.
 
Sound:
I’ve used them back and forward in the last month and they’ve played for well over 100 hours. I’ve used them both around the house and when out and about and I haven’t really found any significant weaknesses in the way they’re designed.
 
I’ve used them mostly with my LG G5 phone and the bit Opus #11 but I’ve tried them with a number of other sources as well and they’ve worked very well with all of them.
 
As already mentioned I enjoy the Accutone Pisces HD the most with RHA silicone tips.
 
Demo list:
Mark Knopfler – Sailing to Philadelphia
Røyksopp (Feat.Susanne Sundfør) – Save Me
Ane Brun – These Days
Michael Jackson – Dirty Diana
Metallica – Die Die My Darling
The Peter Malick Group – Immigrant
Eva Cassidy – Songbird
Thomas Dybdahl – A Lovestory
Norah Jones – Don’t Know Why
Celldweller – Unshakeable
Jack Johnson – Better Together
Seinabo Sey – Younger (Kygo remix)
Dire Straits- So Far Away
Passenger – Let Her Go
Lupe Fiasco - Deliver
Morrissey – Earth Is the Loneliest Planet
 
The overall sound signature on the Accutone Pisces HD is a bit v-shaped with great clarity and resolution without ever getting fatiguing.
 
The sub-bass extension is quite good and although there’s some roll off on the deepest notes there’s definitely enough depth and presence to give a good fundament will all kind of music. The layering in the lower bass is also good. Mid-and upper bass is also fairly well present without being too noticeable with bass bleed happening only on occasionally tracks. The quality of the bass is really good, especially for an IEM at this price point.
 
The midrange is slightly recessed and feels very well balanced and controlled. The characteristic of the midrange is clean, natural and airy. Male vocals and string instruments has enough weight to feel natural and female vocals are very enjoyable and non-fatiguing. In total the midrange has great clarity and transparency and feels very enjoyable despite being a bit further back in the mix than I ideally prefer.  
 
The treble extension is pretty good and has it has enough richness that it manages to never get harsh or fatiguing. The charcter of the treble is neither fulla and lush nor thin and fatiguing but balance really good between the two making it very enjoyable and mixing in perfectly with the midrange. 
 
Clarity and micro details are very good for a single dynamic sub $100 offering and transparency is among the best I’ve ever heard I a single dynamic. Soundstage width is really great while depth and height is good.
 
Comparison:
Please note that the comments in the comparison section are not in absolute terms but in comparison between subject A and B. This means (as an example) that if subject A is found to be brighter than subject B it does not necessarily mean that subject A is bright sounding in absolute terms. I hope this makes sense.
 
These comparisons were done listening from my phone through the LG G5 with the Hifi Pus module installed.
 
SIMGOT EN700 ($99) vs Accutone Pisces HD:
These two are actually not too different in the overall signature. The bass on the SIMGOT EN700 reaches about as deep and has about the same impact as on the Pisces HD while bass quality is also quite similar. Mid-bass is slightly more present on the HD’s and they’re also over all a bit fuller sounding making their presentation more similar across the frequencies. The midrange on the EN700’s is more forward but the HD’s have fuller presentation and vocals sound more natural with them. The EN700 has a lift in the upper midrange making them more hollow and shouty sounding in comparison.
Treble extension is also pretty similar with a slight advantage to the Accutone’s, and once again the presentation is fuller on the HD’s. The soundstage width is a bit better on the HD’s and it also has the upper hand in height, depth, timbre to the notes and 3D presentation.
 
I find the Pisces HD more comfortable, partly due to the memory wire on the EN700.
 
I like the angled connector better on the Accutone’s but apart from that they both feel fairly well built with the cable being the worse part on both.
 
They EN700 are easier to drive.
 
Isolation is slightly better on the HD’s.
  
Dunu Titan 1 ($115) vs Accutone Pisces HD:
These two does actually also sound quite similar. Both are pretty much equally v-shaped and have about the same amount of deep bass. The Titan 1’s has more mid-bass though making bass bleed more common with them. The midrange is also quite similar in characteristic on both but male voices a bit fuller on the Accutone’s while female vocals are brighter and potentially more strident on the Titans. The treble extension is also quite similar on both bot the HD’s are fuller and does never sound sibilant to me. The Titan’s are actually even slightly more detailed and has better clarity but they’re also more peaky with their exaggerated mid bass and upper treble so the HD’s sounds more relaxed and natural in comparison. The Titan’s does also have a more airy presentation and a touch wider soundstage while depth and width are quite similar, in total the HS’s feels better balanced and natural.
 
Fit is excellent for me with both of these.
 
Build quality is good on both but the Titan’s pulls ahead with their metal housings and better cable.
 
The Titan 1 is slightly easier to drive.
 
Isolation is better on the Pisces HD.
 
Magaosi K1 ($85) vs Accutone Pisces HD:
I used the K1’s with the gun metal filters (most balanced) in this comparison. The bass on the K1’s reaches deeper and has more impact in comparison with the Pisces HD but it’s also a bit looser in its character. Mid-bass is also more present on the K1 but it’s still on the boomy side making bass blead a god deal more common with them than with the HD’s. Both have a slightly recessed midrange but the midrange on the HD’s blends more naturally with the rest of the frequencies making its overall presentation feel much more coherent. The K1 has a lift in the upper midrange making them more hollow and shouty sounding in comparison, to be honest I find the overall balance of the K1’s a bit off.
 
Treble extension is also pretty similar with a slight advantage to the Accutone’s, and once again the presentation is more natural on the HD’s, none of them are prone to sibilance for me though. The soundstage width is a bit better on the HD’s and it also has the upper hand in height, depth, timbre to the notes and 3D presentation.
 
I find the Pisces HD slightly more comfortable.
 
The K1’s is definitely better built and it also uses standard MMCX connectors, which I find preferable.
 
The K1 are easier to drive.
 
Isolation is pretty similar on both.
 
Summary:
The Accutone Pisces HD is a very good single dynamic offering, I’d even go as far as to say that it’s the best sub $100 single dynamic I’ve heard so far. I would have preferred a more forward midrange but the overall presentation is still highly enjoyable to me. It has a great amount of clarity and transparency without ever getting fatiguing.
 
So to sum things up we’ve got a combination of great sound, excellent ergonomics, acceptable isolation and a great Android remote control/mic unit combined with a design that stands out in the crowd. In total this sums up to a great IEM to use when out and about to me.
 

This is a review of the Burson Audio Cable+ RCA to RCA active cable.
 

 

 
The Burson Audio Cable+ was sent to me by Burson Audio for me as a loaner unit to test it out, thanks to Burson Audio for letting me check out the Cable+.
 
The price at the time for this review is $99 for one 1.2 m cable and $180 for two cables. The Cable+ is available for pre-order on Indiegogo right now: 
 
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/cable-plus-the-next-generation-hi-fi-audio-cable-laptop-tablet#/
 
For more information about the Cable+ you can also check out the Burson Audio website:
 
https://www.bursonaudio.com/products/cable-plus-a2r/
 
I’m not in any way affiliated with Burson Audio.
 
Short introduction to Burson Audio:
Burson Audio is an Australia based company founded in 1996.  They’ve specialized in making headphone amplifier and amp/DAC combos, stereo amplifiers and op amps using discrete circuits.
 
This is what says themselves about their philosophy:
“Our philosophy is simple; the less our components interfere with the audio signal the more complete your musical experience. This is our core design philosophy since we began in 1996. If our equipment is designed well and transparent enough — and it is — then the pace, rhythm, timing dynamics and tonality becomes a natural expression of the music. We feel this can never be achieved with standard circuit building blocks like IC chip op-amps, IC regulators, or even standard transformers. Instead we research and develop customized discrete circuits specifically to suit their applications. Only then does each and every component in the signal path perform at its peak. And only then will the end result match our expectations.”
 
About me:
 
Demo list:
 
The concept:
First of all the retail version of the cable plus will be 1.2 meters long and the box with the active components will be situated about 20 cm from one of the ends.  It will be available in the following configurations (with courtesy to the Burson Audio site):
 
3.5mm input / stereo RCA output (perfect for connection between smartphone, tablet, laptop and the stereo amplifier)
 

 

Stereo RCA input / stereo RCA output (perfect for connection between sound-card, CD player, DAC and the stereo amplifier)
 

 

3.5mm input / 3.5mm output (perfect for car audio. connect between smartphone, tablet and the car amplifier)
 

 
When I was first contacted by Burson Audio and they asked me if I could be interested in testing out and posting my thoughts on the Cable+ here on Head-Fi my answer to them was a lot of questions, I simply couldn’t wrap my head around the concept but they were patient (as always) and explained to me what the intention with the product was and how it works.  

 
The cable itself is smooth and flexible while not feeling too thin. The connectors are nothing spectacular but does still feels sturdy enough that I wouldn’t expect any long term problems to occur with them.
 
I’ll try my best to give a brief description of what the Cable+ is and how it works. According to Burson Audio there are two bottle necks stopping many of today’s audio sources to sound good. The first is the low voltage output from sources such as phones, tablets and lap tops. The second is the audio cables used that where designed in a time when most audio sources had a high voltage output and therefore the cables where made to work optimal with such sources.
 
In short the Cable+ is an active audio cable. In addition to the regular pair of RCA cables that we’re used to it also has a small box attached. In this box lies the magic. It contains a 24v low noise, high voltage power supply and one of Burson Audio’s praised SS V5i op amps. This set up needs power to work and that’s supplied through a micro USB port located on the box. The idea is that the “magic” in the box shall give the receiving unit (headphone amp, stereo receiver, HT receiver etc.) a more powerful signal making the overall not only louder but also better.
 
I’ve got to admit I was skeptical (and slightly confused) myself so let’s find out how the Cable+ works in real life usage.
 
Real life usage:
I’ve test the Cable plus with several units, all connected to my Conductor V2+ and I’ve been listening with the Hifiman HE400i which are the most revealing headphones that I own.
 
Since this is the RCA version it's not really useful with most portable gear so to start with I dug out my old Asus BDS 700 blu-ray player from storage and hooked it up with some pretty nice analog Monster cables into one of the analog inputs on my Conductor V2+.
 
The BDS 700 features the CS4398 dac chips which is pretty well liked but even in the days when I was using this player in my main surround system I wasn't very impressed with its performance with CD playback.
 
First half hour I was going through some of the tracks on my usual demo list and to cut to the chase this was not a very pleasant experience. The V2+ of course has more than enough power to drive the HE400i but I had to crank the volume up to 46 on it to get enough volume to rock. Even when doing so the sound was flat, metallic sounding and pretty unengaging. In this configuration it was also an audible background noise that I've never heard before when pairing the HE400i with the V2+.
 
After that I added some y-splits to the analog output of the Asus player and hooked up the same Monster cable to one of the analog inputs on the V2+ and the Cable+ to the other. This way I could use the remote to switch instantly between the two inputs.
 

 
The first thing I noticed was that the volume was higher when using the Cable+ connection. I had to lower the volume to 39 on the V2+ to get the same listening level (I used a sound meter app to check that the volume was similar on both, although not perfect scientifically it should still be fairly accurate) and listened to the input fed by the V2+ for about half an hour using the same tracks as before.The second thing that was very easily detected was that the background was now completely black and quiet. Furthermore the sound was fuller, richer and with better dynamics. In all this was a sound quality I could enjoy. When going back to the input fed by the Monster cables after this it sounded even worse to my ears than before and there's no doubt in my mind that the Cable+ makes a significant difference to the sound in this kind of setting.
 
The second unit I tried with the Cable+ was my Pioneer BDP-51FD Blu-ray player. The BDP-51FD is a pretty good CD player in my opinion and I use it connected to my Conductor V2+ with analog cables to get a different signature when I feel for it. It uses four discrete Wolfson wm8740 chips for digital to analog conversion and also has a built-in jitter reduction circuit. The presentation of the BDP-51FD is quite neutral, maybe even slightly on the cool side, and I'd describe its overall signature as "lean and clean".
 
The BDP-51FD offer both a stereo analog output as well as analog 7.1 outputs and since the front L/R outputs the same signal as the analog outs so no need for any splitters here. I just hooked up one pair of Monster cables to one of the analog inputs on the V2+ and the Cable+ to the other.
 

 
I listened to CD's from Sting, Paloma Faith and Robyn for just short of two hours
The first thing I noticed was that the volume was significantly louder when using the Cable+. After using a sound meter app to match the volume I ended up with 42 respectively 48 on the volume know when having my preferred listening volume with the two cables.
 

 
The second thing I noticed was that the input with the Monster cable was noticeable flatter sounding while the one with the Cable+ connected had better dynamics. I also noticed that high hats, cymbals and percussions sounded unnatural and a bit fatiguing without the Cable+ while it was sounding very natural with the Cable+ in the chain. The difference with the BDP-51FD is nowhere near as big as what I experienced with my Asus player as source but the sound is definitely more natural, dynamic and less fatiguing with the Cable+. I'd say that it takes the BDP-51FD from sounding good to sounding great.
 
Just for fun I also ripped the Robyn album to my laptop (FLAC, highest quality) and compared the two analog inputs to the USB input on the V2+. First of all the volume on the USB input is actually identical to that on the analog input without the Cable+. When comparing the internal DAC on the V2+ to the input using the Cable+ I noticed the following: the dynamics is better and the bass is deeper and more natural sounding when using the DAC on the V2+. The Cable+ input has a leaner presentation with a noticeable subdued mid bass presentation (much like the Mojo, no further similarities between the two though) making it lacking some dynamics but sounding very clean and clear on the other hand.
 
Like I said initially I sometimes use the BDP-51FD as a CD player (not only transport) connected to the V2+ and the Cable+ does make this even more interesting since it makes the BDP-51FD sounding like a very high quality source and makes it much more enjoyable than it was before. I'll definitely be using this solution more from now on.
 
The last test I did was to hook up my cable TV set-top box to my Conductor V2+ with the Cable+ today. First I used a couple of RCA splitters to connect the set-top box to both the analog inputs on the V2+, one with a short Van Den Hul cable and one with the Cable+.
 
Once again I experienced a significant rise on volume from the input with the Cable+. I had to put the volume on the input with the regular cable to volume 48 to get the same listening level as I reached with the volume 42 on the input with the Cable+ connected. Not surprisingly the RCA output on the set-top box is not very impressive and using the input with the regular cable was not a pleasant experience with thin sound and vocals sounding as if they were recorded in a metal box, very hollow. When using the input with the Cable+ the sound was fuller and the overall presentation was quite natural and easily usable.
 
I then disconnected the regular RCA cable and hooked the set-top box up with the V2+ with an optical cable as well using the internal DAC on the V2+. Listening to the internal DAC the volume was actually about the same as connected with the regular RCA cable and significantly lower than with the Cable+. Apart from that the sound from the internal DAC is quite a bit better sounding, it is more natural, has better dynamics and is less fatiguing but despite this the difference between the Cable+ and the regular RCA cable is actually bigger to my ears than the difference between the Cable+ and the internal DAC on the V2+.
 
This last set up with my cable set-top box is probably one of the most useful ways to hook up the RCA version of the Cable+. Many people will not have a DAC/amp combo available in connection to their TV and many set-top boxes may not have any more digital outputs free after being hooked up to a surround sound receiver. By using the Cable+ and connect it to a headphone amp you’ll get a more than acceptable sound quality and you can avoid using (the often poor sounding, high output impedance) headphone output on your receiver.  
 
Summary:
The Burson Audio Cable+ has impressed me more than I thought it would. Being a cable sceptic normally and don’t having any experience with similar products I didn’t really know what to expect. By now I should’ve known and trusted Burson Audio though, the Cable+ may be useful to us hard core Head-Fiers in some settings (mostly to get a higher gain in certain configurations as well as with sources lacking digital outputs or various kinds of amplifiers lacking digital inputs) but I think the really big potential lies with the consumers that doesn’t own a DAC, or maybe don’t even know what it is. The concept of just using a different cable, with the same kind of connectors that you’re already used to, instead of adding more boxes around the house, car, cabin or wherever you are located is truly revolutionary to me and hopefully many others will also come to the same conclusion. 
 
 
Looking at the other termination options with one or two 3.5mm connectors makes the potential for the Cable+ even bigger given the number of tablets, phones and laptops every household has today. To get significant better sound out of these, often poor sounding devices, in a way that’s easily understandable for most people would indeed be a blessing.
 

This is a review of the Cambridge DacMagic Plus DAC/headphone amp/pre amp. 
 

 

 
The Cambridge Audio DacMagic Plus was sent to me by Cambridge Audio in the UK as a loaner for the purpose of doing this review and including it in my recently started $250+ amp/DAC comparison thread. Since Norway is fantastic I did have to pay about $100 in taxes to get it into the country. A big THANK YOU to Cambridge Audio and Rebecca for letting me check it out.
 
The Cambridge Audio DacMagic Plus is available from numerous online and domestic resellers with prices ranging from $400 to $500 at the time of this review. This is a link to the current Amazon listing for the DacMagic Plus: 
 
https://www.amazon.com/Cambridge-Audio-DacMagic-Digital-Analogue/dp/B006GJU33I
 
For more information about the DacMagic Plus you can also visit the Cambridge Audio website:
 
https://www.cambridgeaudio.com/products/hifi-and-home-cinema/dacmagic-plus
 
I’m not in any way affiliated with Cambridge Audio.
 
I've got to admit that I've be fascintated by the DacMagic ever since the release of the first version so naturally I was thrilled to finally get the chance to test out one of its siblings. 
 
Short introduction to Cambridge Audio:
Cambridge Audio is a UK based company that was established in 1968.
 
This is what they say about themselves on their website:
“Since we released our iconic P40 amplifier in 1968 we have pursued one simple objective: to produce audio equipment that faithfully creates a pure and natural sound. Whilst our contemporaries in America like heavier bass in their playback and often in Asia brands emphasise a mid-range mix to carry vocals, we at Cambridge Audio are sold on the unfiltered, unadulterated ‘British Sound’.”
 
About me:
 
Built, accessories and functionality:
The Cambridge Audio DacMagic Plus is a solid state headphone amplifier, DAC  and pre-amplifier combo.  
 
The DacMagic Plus is available in two different colors: black and silver. I’ve got the silver version.
 
Unfortunately Cambridge Audio doesn’t state the rated output power for the DacMagic Plus along with the rest of the specifications. My search on the internet also came out with one pretty reliable option that stated about 125mW at 37.5Ohm but please take this with a grain of sand. Output impedance is rated at very high 50Ohms.
 
The DacMagic Plus has a metal/aluminum chassis that feels really solid. The physical controls available on it do feel reliable although I’d have preferred a aluminum volume knob instead of the plastic one. The rest of  the physical controls sums up to a switch to choose between the input 1 or 2 group of connections or the USB connection,  On/Off switch and a switch to choose between three different digital filters. Although it doesn’t feel very heavy the overall build still feels solid enough for a desktop unit. A nice feature is the included stand that let you use it standing on one of the short sides in case you lack space on your desktop or if you just prefer it that way. The volume knob, albeit being plastic, feels sturdy enough in usage and the volume increases quite slowly when turning it up making it easy to find exactly the right listening level for your preference but also a lot of turning when shifting for some easy to drive IEM’s to some harder to drive full sized headphones. I find the changes between the three different digital filters to be very subtle but in my experience this is the way it works in most devices offering this feature so I won’t hold it against the DacMagic Plus.
 
The DacMagic Plus offers one USB B digital audio input and one separate DC power input.  It also offers two groups of optical and coaxial input as well as optical and coaxial outputs. The two groups with SPDIF inputs work so as you can only choose to connect either one optical or one coaxial source to each of them. I still think this is a smart move from Cmbridge since it gives more flexibility in terms of sources that can be connected. There’s also one 6.3 mm headphone out socket. In addition there’s a RCA line out option as well as a set of balanced outputs.  I’d have liked an analogue input as well to be able to combine it with other, non-digital sources.
 
The DacMagic Plus works very well with Android when connected with an OTG cable and using USB Audio Player Pro (UAPP) as music player. Although Android and sound does not have a great reputation the Plus have worked with every Android device I’ve tried it with (with the help of UAPP).
 
The DacMagic Plus support all popular file formats for audio up to 24bit/192kHz files. Being released already back in 2012 it naturally lack support for DSX/DSD files.
 
The accessories included are:
1 USB cable (USB A to B Type)
1 User's Manual (including warranty card)
4 spikes for fixing (to attach the main body to the floor)
1 stand for using it standing on the short side
1 Power adaptor (DC 12V)
 

 

 

 

 
I’ve used the DacMagic Plus a lot for the last month and my unit has played for well over 100 hours. 
 
The specs:

1. Spoiler: Click to show!

   1. Digital to analogue convertersDual Wolfson WM8740 24-bit DACs
   2. Digital filterAnalog Devices ADSP21261 DSP; upsampling to 24-bit/384kHz
   3. Analogue filter2-Pole Dual Differential Bessel Double Virtual Earth Balanced
   4. Frequency response20Hz to 20kHz (±0.1dB)*
   5. THD @ 1Khz 0dBFs<0.001% 24-bit
   6. THD @ 1kHz -10dBFs<0.001%
   7. THD @ 20kHz 0dBFs<0.002%
   8. Signal to Noise Ratio-112dBr
   9. Total correlated jitter<130pS
   10. Crosstalk @ 1kHz< -130dB
   11. Crosstalk @ 20kHz< -112dB
   12. Output impedance<50 Ohms
   13. Max. output level (unbalanced)2.1V rms
   14. Max. output level (balanced)4.2V rms (2.1V per phase)
   15. Digital input word widths supported16-24bit
   16. Digital input sampling frequencies supported32kHz, 44.1kHz, 48kHz, 88.2kHz, 96kHz, 176.4kHz**, 192kHz
   17. Audio output upsamplingFixed 24-bit/384kHz
   18. Max power consumption12W
   19. ColourBlack or silver
   20. Dimensions (HxWxD)52 x 215 x 191mm; (2.0 x 8.6 x 7.6”)
   21. Weight1.2kg/2.6lbs
   22. *Steep filter disabled
   23. **Digital 1 & 2 Inputs only
   24. Headphone output
   25. THDat 1kHz 0dBFS 24-bit signal with 22kHz low pass filter = 0.001% 
       at 20khz 0dBFS 24-bit signal with 80kHz low pass filter = 0.003%
   26. S/N-111dBrA
   27. Frequency response10Hz - 100kHz
   28. Recommend headphone impedance32 Ohm to 600 Ohm.

 
Demolist:
Sound impression:
The first thing that I noticed when I started to listen to the DacMagic Plus was the lean, clean and airy presentation it offers.
 
Bass extension and impact is very good without any noticeable roll off in the lower frequencies. The quality of the bass is ever so slightly on the loose side though. I’m not sure if it’s the rated 50Ohm output impedance on the headphone output that makes this happen or if it’s the characteristic of the amp/dac though. Unfortunately I do no longer own any really high impedance headphones to test with.
 
The midrange is liquid and smooth with plenty of details. The DacMagic plus sounds very linear through all frequencies and the midrange is no exception. Nothing really stands out and it sounds very natural and airy like a fresh breeze. I feel as if there’s some richness missing from the sound though and I’ve definitely heard offerings with more dynamics in the presentation. This makes the presentation feel slightly two dimensional and thin with some headphones. Although the sound is natural sounding I do find that vocals, especially male ones, lack some weight when comparing directly to other units. .
 
The treble is very well extended and airy and I’m not able to detect any harshness in it.  Although being slightly on the bright and thin side it does never feel harsh or artificial to me but rather light and refreshing.
 
The overall presentation has good soundstage but better height and width than depth.  Layering is also good as is the amount of air between the instruments. The background does also feel black and calm. Transparency is also quite good.  All together I’d describe the sound of the DacMagic Plus as lean and clean. This is a signature that I personally find to be quite appealing when paired with warmer sounding and/or bass tilted IEM’s or headphones.
 
Comparison:
Please note that the comments in the comparison section are not in absolute terms but in comparison between subject A and B. This means (as an example) that if subject A is found to be brighter than subject B it does not necessarily mean that subject A is bright sounding in absolute terms. I hope this makes sense.
 
In these comparisons I’ve been listening through my Hifiman HE400i’s.
 
I’ve been using the USB input when doing these comparisons. Both units has been hooked up to two different laptops both running Windows 7 with the same settings and I use MediaMonkey as my player of choice.
 
Both units was connected to a simple switch box through their respectively headphone outputs. This way it’s very easy to switch between the sources in minimal time. I also use a simple Android app to volume match the amplifiers so although maybe not perfectly scientifically the result should still be pretty correct.
 

 
Burson Audio Conductor V2+ (1,499) vs Cambridge Audio DacMagic Plus:
Compared to the DacMagic Plus the V2+ has a fuller and richer overall presentation without really having more bass presence, the bass on the V2+ has quite a bit better texture though. The Plus is thinner, brighter and dryer sounding while the V2+ is more organic sounding and has better timbre to the notes making it sound more natural. The V2+ is also a bit more distinct while they both have a very nice amount of air I the presentation. The V2+ has a darker, calmer background and better dynamics through the whole frequency range. The treble on the DacMagic Plus is slightly fatiguing in comparison.
 
The V2+ of course has some other advantages as well such as significantly higher power output (4W @32Ohms compared to ca 125mW@37Ohm on the Cambridge), two analogue RCA inputs and both pre-amp and DAC direct RCA outputs, in addition it also has a great quality remote control. The DacMagic Plus on the other hand offers an optical output, and balanced pre-outputs as well in addition to its RCA pre-out. It also has the three different filters to choose from.
 
Although both these are both desktop units that offers multiple inputs and outputs the V2+ pulls ahead on both sound quality as well as build quality and should also do so costing about three times the price of the DacMagic Plus.
 
 
JDS Labs Objective2+ODAC Rev B ($279) vs Cambridge Audio DacMagic Plus:
Compared to the DacMagic Plus the ODAC has an overall slightly fuller sound. The ODAC offer more energy and attack while the DacMagic Plus, albeit being a touch brighter, is more relaxed and laid back.  The ODAC is more distinct in what it does and has better clarithy while the Cambridge is smoother and had noticeable more air between instruments, this is also the reason that it feels more relaxed in my opinion.
Feature wise the DacMagic Plus offers both coaxial and optical inputs in addition to an optical output. The ODAC has an 3.5 mm analog input while the DacMagic has both RCA and balanced outputs.   The ODAC is considerable smaller and both units feels very well built.  
 
Audinst HUD-DX1 w/Burson SSV5i op amps ($479) vs Cambridge Audio DacMagic Plus:
Compared to the DacMagic Plus the Audinst have a fuller and more bass tilted presentation. The Audinst is also definitely the warmer sounding of the two while the DacMagic Plus is brighter and dryer. Audinst offer more energy and attack while still maintaining warm and smooth. The treble on the DacMagic Plus is more airy but can also be more fatiguin. Overall the Cambridge unit is cleaner and leaner while the DX1 is more dynamic and warmer sounding.
 
Feature wise they both offer and optical inputs and outputs but the Cambridge unit has two optical inputs. They both have RCA analog outputs but the DacMagic Plus offers balanced output as well. They both have USB B inputs. The Audinst has the dual headphone outputs, one 3.5 and one 6.3mm while the Cambridge has one 6.3 mm output. The DX1 can also run directly from USB power which makes it a bit more flexible. The footprint of the DX1 is quite a bit smaller. Build quality feels very solid on both units with the Cambridge pulling slightly ahead. The Audinst unit is a good deal more powerful.
 
For even further comparisons feel free to visit this thread for breakdown between more $250+ amp/DAC units (this is a work in progress and several other units will follow in the near future).
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/816410/peter123s-250-amp-dac-combo-comparison-thread#post_12771442
 
Matching:
The output impedance of the headphone out on the DacMagic Plus is rated to 50Ohm. This means that it may not be the ideal partner with headphones and IEM’s with lower impedance than 400 Ohm. I’m still confused if this is really correct and if so why Cambridge Audio would chose such a high output in their implementation.
 
In this section I’ve tested how some of my favorite headphones but also one earbud and one pair of IEM’s pairs up with the DacMagic Plus.  
 
Hifiman HE400i ($449):
The HE400i, when paired with the DacMagic Plus, loose some drive and energy making it sound quite flat and unengaging to me. I wouldn’t say that they sound bad but I’d easily prefer a more dynamic slightly warmer source to pair with the HE400i’s for my preference.
 
Sennheiser HD598SE:
The signature of the HD598 is quite laid back and relaxed and the presentation from the DacMagic Plus is like a fresh breeze for them and really brings out the best of them. The bass and the wide soundstage is still there but the slightly bright characteristic of the DacMagic Plus gives some well needed energy to the HD58’s without ever making them feel fatiguing.
 
AKG Q701 ($300):
The Q’s sound good but not great paired with the DacMagic in my opinion. The bass has good presence and impact, which indicates that the power is sufficient, but I find the overall sound slightly on the thin side and on some recordings even borderline shouty. This combination doesn’t sound bad but I’ve heard better sources for the Q’s.
 
Philips Fidelio X2 ($300):
The X2’s has plenty of dynamics on its own and can sound a bit too bassy and boomy when paired to a warm source that have more than the natural bass presence. With the DacMagic Plus it sound well balanced while still retaining its great dynamics. This pairing sounds fantastic in my opinion.
 
VE Zen 2.0 ($138):
The Zen 2.0 is a 300Ohm earbud that I like a lot and tend to use instead of closed headphones.
 
The Zen 2.0 has a smooth and pretty laid back signature that works very well with the DacMagic plus. There’s enough energy to make the presentation engaging and I don’t find the dynamics lacking at all when these two are paired together. I’d even go as far as saying that this is one of the best sources I’ve heard so far for the Zen’s.
 
Aurisonics ASG-1PLUS ($500):
The ASG-1PLUS is an 11Ohm hybrid IEM (1 DD + 1 BA).
 
The 1PLUS has an excellent out of head presentation and its bass (especially mid- and upper bass) is quite a bit subdued.  I’d say that they work fine with the DacMagic Plus. The slightly bright presentation gives them some extra energy and transparency as well as a very nice treble. They do, however, also lack some dynamics in the lower regions that I know they can have with the right pairing to sound really great. This is still a very enjoyable combination though. Although the 1PLUS is not as easy to drive that the 11Ohm suggest I’m not able to detect any background hiss whatsoever when using them with the DacMagic Plus.
 
To sum up the matching section the signature of the Cambridge DacMagic Plus does make some of my headphones and IEM’s sound very good while some lack a bit in performing their best when paired with it.  The DacMagic Plus has a very low amount of audible hiss even when paired to my most sensitive IEM’s. The biggest drawback is certainly the rated 50Ohm output from the headphone output, that being said I still found it to work great with even lower impedance stuff. Although I’ve not been able to find the rated output power from the DacMagic Plus from any reliable source I can say that it does have enough power for all my full sized headphones which still make it very versatile in practical use.
 
Summary:
The Cambridge Audio DacMagic Plus may be a four years old release but in my opinion it still holds its own even in today’s crowded market.  It offers the possibility to connect two different sources using either optical or coaxial connection in addition to the USB input. It also has digital outputs so that it can be connected to a DAC that don’t have a USB input. It has balanced outputs (which is very rare at this price point). On top of all this it does also sound great.
Priced at $400-500 the DacMagic Plus may not punch way above its price point but I’d still consider it an interesting option within its price bracket. It doesn’t support DXD/DSD but if that’s not a big deal to you and you value a great amount of connections it may still be a worthy contender for your new rig. If you’ve got headphones or IEM’s that match the sound signature of the Cambridge Audio DacMagic Plus I’d rate it as a very solid performer at its price point.
 
Audio Quality: 4.0
Design: 4.5
Quality: 4
Value: 4
Features: 4.5
 

This is a review of the bit Opus #11 dac/amp.
 

 

 
The bit Opus #11 was purchased by me directly from the bit.
 
It’s available for purchase around the same price from HiFi Headphones UK:
 
http://www.hifiheadphones.co.uk/audio-opus-opus-11-portable-headphone-amplifier-usb-dac.html
 
For more information about the bit Opus #11 you can also visit the bit website:
 
http://www.thebit.co.kr/content/pubf.action?fn=product/product5
 
I’m not in any way affiliated with the bit or HiFi Headphones.
 
Short introduction to the bit:
The bit is a Korea based company founded in 2004.
 
This is what they say about themselves on their website:

1. Specialized in designing and development of ICT devices, including MP3, PMP, NAVI, Digital TV etc.
2. The staff of the Bit consists of highly specilized high-tech engineers, who possess a valuable knowledge and experience in developing set top box, etc. within Samsung Electronics
3. R&D family members formed a tight teamwork for the last 15 years, that conduced to the successful mass production of MP3 players for the first time in the world.
4. Stable and reliable supplier of featured products for Samsung Electronics, Best Buy and SanDisc in United States.
5. PND consumer products export to Japan for 3 years, proving the highest quality of manufactured products.
6. Possession of the wide variety of technological solutions, including the ARM, WinCE, Linux, Android OS etc.

 
About me:
 
Built, accessories and functionality:
The bit Opus #11 is an amplifier and DAC combo.  
 
The bit Opus #11 is available in only version/color as far as I know.
 
The maximum output power is rated to 125mW@ 32Ohm and output impedance is rated at 1.2 Ohm.
 
The Opus #11 has a sturdy metal housing that feels durable. There are no physical controls on the unit whatsoever so volume need to be set on your source
 
The Opus #11 offers one USB micro digital audio input and a separate 5v input charging port. Since it can also charge from the micro USB port combined with the lack of an included 5v cable I’ve not tried to use the 5v input for charging. There’s also one 3.5mm single ended headphones output. Theres’s also a couple of led lights where one indicates whether the unit is charging or not and the other indicates the battery level as well as confirming that you’ve go at working USB connection. 
 
The design is very clean and simple so it’s really not much more to say about it.
 
The Opus #11 works extremely well with Android devices when connected with an OTG cable and using USB Audio Player Pro (UAPP) as music player. A nice feature is that it disconnect automatically from the Android device when the headphones are unplugged from the headphone jack as this turns the Opus  #11 off. This means that you won’t have to disconnect it from the source every time you stop listening to save power. The internal battery on the Opus #11 does also make the battery drain on the hosting device very low. Although Android and sound does not have a great reputation the Opus #11 have worked with every Android device I’ve tried it with not only with the help of UAPP but it also actually work great with streaming services like Spotify which is certainly not always the case with these kind of devices.
 
The Opus #11 uses an Xmos USB receiver that is supposed to work with Apple devices using the Camera Connection Kit (CCK) but I haven’t been able to test this myself.
 
The battery life is fairly good and is said to be 8 hours, without having brought out my stop clock I’d say that these numbers are fairly accurate from my experience. The power required by the headphones or IEM’s your using will of course also affect the battery life. Charging time is about 4 hours and although it’s quite long it have not really bothered me since I typically charge it when I sleep.
 
The Opus #11 support all popular file formats for audio up to DSD128 and 32bit/384kHz files.
 
The accessories included are:
1 USB type A to micro cable
1 USB micro to micro OTG cable
1 USB  micro to USB A OTG cable
1 rubber mat
 

 

 

 
The specs:
 

 
I’ve used the Opus #11 a lot for the last couple of weeks and my unit has played for well over 100 hours.
 
Demo list:
 
Sound impression:
The first thing that I noticed when I started to listen to the bit Opus #11 was how smooth, creamy and relaxed it was while still maintain excellent detail retrieval.
 
Bass extension and quality is good with no noticeable roll off in the lowest frequencies and good quality through the whole bass spectrum. Mid- and upper-bass is equally great and doesn’t add anything that shouldn’t be there as a matter of fact I find the higher bass to be a tiny bit subdued. This helps giving the #11 its relaxed and laidback presentation, in some ways reminding me of the Mojo but to a lesser extent on the #11 (this is from memory since I no longer have the Mojo around for a direct comparison. The Opus #11 still manage to retain a good drive with all of my IEM’s/headphones while I found the Mojo to lack energy in some (few) pairings.
 
The laidback sound continues in the mid-range that’s very creamy and relaxed while still sounding very natural and highly enjoyable. This combined with good timbre and great feeling of space between vocals and instrument makes a great sounding signature that continues in the upper frequencies as well. The treble does also feel natural, smooth and airy (albeit not as airy as on the Mojo, again from memory).
 
The overall presentation has good soundstage in all directions and layering is also good as is the amount of air between instruments. The laidback sound gives a sense of very good separation and black background. Overall resolution and detail retrieval is good but still loses out to some of the top portable offerings I’ve heard, but these are also 2-3 times the price of the #11. That being said this is not something that I notice when listening to the Opus #11 alone but only revealed when doing direct comparison and really concentrating on it.
 
Comparison:
Please note that the comments in the comparison section are not in absolute terms but in comparison between subject A and B. This means (as an example) that if subject A is found to be brighter than subject B it does not necessarily mean that subject A is bright sounding in absolute terms. I hope this makes sense.
 
In these comparisons I’ve been listening through my Hifiman HE400i’s.
 
I’ve been using the USB input when doing these comparisons. Both units have been hooked up to two different Android phones with the same settings and I use UAPP as my player of choice.
 
Burson Audio Conductor V2+ (1,499) vs the bit Opus #11:
The Conductor V2+ is my reference unit and although it may not be the obvious thing to compare the #11 with I’m including it in all my comparisons section for the sake of consistency.
 
Compared to the Opus #11 the V2+ has a pretty similar overall presentation. The V2+ has a touch more weight in the lower regions while the #11 is more relaxed in its overall presentation. The V2+ also sounds a bit more analog and natural as well as offering an even blacker background. Furthermore the V2+ also offers slightly better micro details and a more natural and distinct treble presentation. In all theV2+ feels more effortless in everything it does.
 
The Burson of course has a lot of other advantages such as significantly higher power output (4W @32Ohms compared to the 125mW on the Opus #11, more inputs (both coaxial and optical as well as two analog inputs in addition the USB input) and outputs. The advantage for the #11 is the smaller size and internal battery making it a great portable solution.
 
Both have a little background hiss but the Burson has even more than the Opus #11.
 
Of course the area of use for these two is widely different but I still found it interesting to see how they compare in sound.
 
Burson Audio Air ($499) vs the bit Opus #11:
The Air and the #11 actually also share quite a bit I their overall tonality. Biggest difference is that the Air has slightly more dynamics, making the presentation have more drive from it. The #11 on the other hand feels a bit calmer and, once again, more relaxed with more air between instruments. The Air is also a bit more distinct in its presentation while micro details and timbre is similar on both.
 
The #11 is a good deal thinner than the Air and makes for a slimmer pairing with a phone.
 
None of the runs particularly hot but the Air can get slightly warmer in comparison but it also has significantly more power.
 
The Air has a physical volume control as well as a remote control in addition to a display showing what volume you’re using while all volume control for the Opus #11 is done on the source. The #11 has only a 3.5 mm headphone output while the Air has a dedicated 3.5mm pre-amp output in addition to the headphone output. The Air also has a separate USB micro power input while the dedicated power input on the #11 is a standard 5v input.  The #11 also offers an internal battery while the Air is dependent of power from the source or an external power supply.
 
Both have a little background hiss, the Air actually slightly more, but it’s still low enough on both to only be audible with my most easy to drive IEM’s.
 
iBasso D14 “Bushmaster” ($249) vs the bit Opus #11:
These two units are at the same price point. The D14 is an excellent unit offering great flexibility and versatility with all its connections and settings in comparison to the more minimalistic #11 but how do they compare when it comes to sound?
 
Compared to the #11 the D14 has less bas presence and sounds leaner. The #11 has a bit more air between instruments and a fuller more creamy overall presentation. Detail retrieval is quite similar on both. The #11 does also have noticeable more timbre to the notes making it sound overall a bit more natural while the D14 is slightly thinner and brighter sounding without ever being harsh.   
 
Like I’ve already mentioned the D14 offers a lot more connections and a gain setting making it more easy to use with a wider variety of sources and IEM’s/headphones while the Opus #11 is a lot more portable. The D14 also offers an analogue volume control while the volume on the #11 must be set I the digital domain.
 
Both have very slight amount of background hiss and it’s low enough to only be audible with my most easy to drive IEM’s.
 
The #11 runs slightly hotter than the D14.
 
LH Labs Geek Out V2+ Infinity ($649) vs the bit Opus #11:
Although I’ve recently compared these two in my review of the V2+ Infinity they’ve got so similar kin of real life usage that I like to repeat it here as well. For those of you who have read my review on the V2+ Infinity this will be pretty much identical. For this reason I’ve chosen to add this comparison I addition the three others that I usually do.
 
They’re both very slim and have an internal battery making them equally great when paired with a phone. When it comes to sound they both have a similar amount of bass presence but the V2+ bass is a bit more controlled. Overall impression is that the #11 is a bit more smooth and relaxed while the V2+ is more distinct in its presentation. Detail retrieval is equally excellent on both as is dynamics.  I’d say that the #11 is a bit more digital sounding while the V2+ sounds more analog.
 
The #11 is even a bit smaller than the V2+ making it even better suited for portable usage, especially if paired with a phone. Apart from this the V2+ offers a separate USB charging port, three different filters and gain settings as well as a physical on/off button. It does also offer a balanced output. The #11 on the other hand turns on/off automatically when you insert or pull out the headphones. Both offer an internal battery with about similar battery life.
 
 
None of them runs particular hot when being used.
 
Both have very slight amount of background hiss and it’s low enough to only be audible with my most easy to drive IEM’s.4
 

 
For even further comparisons feel free to visit this thread for breakdown between more $250+ amp/DAC units (this is a work in progress and several other units will follow in the near future).
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/816410/peter123s-250-amp-dac-combo-comparison-thread#post_12771442
 
Matching:
The output impedance of the headphone out on the  is rated to a quite low 1.2Ohm which should be low enough for it to work well pretty much all kind headphones and even very sensitive IEM’s.
 
In this section I’ve tested how some of my favorite headphones but also one earbud and one pair of IEM’s pairs up with the Opus #11.  
 
AKG Q701 ($300):
The Q’s pairs up really nice with the Opus #11. The overall presentation with this combo is creamy, smooth and highly detailed. I’m really not missing much from the Q’s here compared to when they’re paired with a lot more expensive sources.
 
Philips Fidelio X2 ($300):
The X2’s are quite easy to drive but does certainly scale with a good source and are revealing enough to show the difference in sources. The laid back and relaxed presentation on the Opus #11 suits the full and warm characteristic of the X2’s surprisingly well. It makes the X2 sound smooth, detailed and highly enjoyable, in total a great pairing to my ears.
 
Hifiman HE400i ($449):
Pairing the HE400i with the Opus #11 worked better than I expected. Just like with the Q701 there’s more volume available when reaching a satisfying listening level.  The relaxed, smooth and creamy sound from the #11 makes the overall sound with these two together very nice in my opinion.
 
Aurisonics ASG-1PLUS ($499):
The ASG-1PLUS is an 11Ohm hybrid IEM (1 DD + 1 BA).
 
The 1PLUS has an overall laid back and relaxed mid-centric presentation and once again I was pleasantly surprised over how good the #11 paired up. I remember when reviewing the Mojo this was a pairing that didn’t suited me at all, with the #11 though I don’t feel that the energy is lacking in the same way here. Although I’ve heard the 1PLUS even better with some more up front units like the Geek Out V2+ and Ressonecence Labs Herus+ the #11 and the 1PLUS still work very well together.
 
There’s no background whatsoever with the 1 PLUS:
 
VE Zen 2.0 ($138):
The Zen 2.0 is a 300Ohm earbud that I like a lot and tend to use instead of closed headphones. It’s also a reliable travel partner for me when I stay in hotels and don’t have any full size cans around.
 
The soft and smooth signature from the Zen 2.0 fares really well with the creamy but yet highly detailed presentation from the Opus #11. Once again I was half expecting this combination to be too laid back but although it is laid back it’s still very enjoyable and extremely non-fatiguing to listen to. The 300Ohm impedance of the Zen 2.0 doesn’t seem to bother the #11 the slightest and there’s volume to spare even at higher listening levels.
 
To sum up the matching section the signature of the Opus #11 works really well with all the headphones and IEM’s I’ve tried it with. . Background hiss is pretty much non-existing even when paired with my most sensitive IEM’s. It’s also more powerful than the size would suggest but of course there’s a natural limit for how hard to drive headphones it can power.
 
Summary:
The bit Opus #11 is a great piece of equipment in my opinion. If you. Like me, are into Android-Fi it’s certainly hard to beat. It has a great form factor (obviously designed to pair nicely with a phone), internal battery that makes battery drain from the source very low, auto on/off when detaching or connecting your headphones and most importantly a great sound.
 
While I’d still rate the LH Labs Geek Out V2+ Infinity as better for Android-fi it’s, at $649, considerably more expensive and also a good deal larger.
 
To sum up the bit Opus #11 it’s the best DAC/amp combo I’ve come across for less than $649 (the cost for the V2+ Infinity) if the main purpose is to pair it with your phone or tablet.  It’s also a great sounding device to pair with a laptop or computer which makes it highly versatile. This is an easy recommendation to anyone looking to upgrade the sound from their phone or even replacing their DAP.
 
Audio Quality: 4.5
Design: 5
Quality: 5
Value: 5
Features: 4
 

This is a review of the Accutone Gemini HD IEM’s.
 

 

 
The Accutone Gemini HD was sent to me for free from Accutone for the purpose of me reviewing it. I’d like to grab the opportunity to say thank you to Angus at Accutone for letting me try them out, THANK YOU!
 
The Accutone Gemini HD is on sale at the Accutone web store and the price at the time of this review was $129:
 
http://www.audio.accutone.com/gemini-hd
 
I’m not in any way affiliated with Accutone.
 
About Accutone Audio:
Accutone Audio has been around for over 40 years but it’s only the last couple years they’ve started to produce consumer oriented in ear monitors. Before that they were fully focused on making speakers and professional equipment for call-centers and other similar business. This is what they say about themselves on their homepage:
 
“We love music. Sometimes it feels like music is the only thing that really unites us. It is the medium which truly transcends culture, race, gender and age. Music is the most effective means to bring people closer. Although this may be good enough of a reason why we build headsets, it is definitely not the reason why we are able to build excellent headsets.
 
Accutone has been making some of the world's best headsets for decades, and our goal has always been about bringing people closer. In the past, our focus was on providing the best communication tools for businesses in the form of telecommunication headsets for call centers and corporations. We know that in order to really bring people closer, we have to build headsets with great sound quality, reliability and durability. We are able to do so, because we are passionate about what we do, and we have the knowledge and experience of how to make the best headset.
 
But we haven't forgotten why we started everything in the first place. We love music, and we want everyone to be able to enjoy music in the most accurate form as our beloved musicians intended. If we are able to do that, we will have achieved our goal of bringing the world closer.”
 
The Gemini HD is my first experience with an Accutone product so let’s find out more about them.
 
About me:
 
Built and accessories:
The Accutone Gemini HD is an in-ear monitor featuring one 8mm beryllium coated dynamic driver.
 
AFAIK it comes only in one flavor: in the color white with a microphone.
 
The cable has a compact and very nice 90 degree 3.5 mm connector that feels very reliable.
 
The cable is round and flexible but still feels a bit on the cheap side. Although they’re possible to wear over the ears this doesn’t feel natural to me with them and wearing them straight down does unfortunately mean that there are a bit of microphonics present when moving around, not a big deal but it’s still there. Unfortunately they’re also missing a chin slider which is a shame to me since I love my chin slider. The strain reliefs are in place and the one on the right side is red while the one on the left side is pale blue, very clever. However the strain reliefs on my pair was not properly fastened so they move around the cable and leave a gap between themselves and the housing meaning that there’s still some pressure on the place where the cable is fastened to the housings.
 
The build in general seem very solid. The housings are all stainless steel and feel well made and very solid and the Y-split is also solid without being overly large.
 
They also include a microphone for i-products. The answer/end call as well as pause/play feature also works with Android but the volume doesn’t. The quality of the microphone seems to be very good. 
 
As already mentioned the Left/Right markings are very easy to spot.
 
The retail package is very nice for the price point but unfortunately the accessories are quite spare and include the following:
 
2 pairs Comply foam tips
1 pouch to store them in when not in use
 
I'd really liked for Accutone to include at least some standard silicon tips since the supplied Comply's doesn't help them to reach their sonic potential in my opinion. 
 
The Accutone Gemini HD is slightly harder than average to drive but still worked very well with all the sources I’ve tried it with including cellphones. I don’t find them to benefit significantly from a more powerful amplifier but the do benefit from a good source and perform best with a clean and clear source.
 

 

 

Home made chin slider

 

 
The specs:
 
Fit and ergonomics:
Despite being made of stainless steel and naturally quite heavy the Gemini HD is very comfortable to wear and stay I my ears without any problem. I don’t get any “hot spot” from wearing them and can use them for hours without any discomfort. The fit is, due to the design, going to be quite shallow and they fit well with the included foam tips but I really don’t think they sound their best with them so I’ve ended up using them with some double flange silicone tips.
 
Isolation is about average, maybe slightly over if using the included foam tips. With music playing isolation is really not a big issue with them.
 
Filter system:
The filter system is a nozzle based one which means that you can replace the front of the nozzle and by doing so you’ll change the way they sound. You can tune them for the sound you like or even after the music you listen too. This is the same kind of system used on the Trinity Audio offerings among others.  I’m usually not crazy about these kinds of solutions since many times I’m still having a problem finding the perfect tuning for my liking and I also feel that it doesn’t push the sound engineer to make the perfect tuning. That’s just my opinion though and I know a lot of other people really like this.
 
The three different filters included are the following:
 
Blue:
The clear filters. With these the amount of bass is almost on par with the Green filters (just a tad less) but vocals are more forward and the overall sound is significantly more airy. Treble does also have the best extension with these.
 
Green:
The balance filters. With these the sound is well balanced but also noticeable more intimate with lesser amount of air than both the other options. Bass is slightly more present than with the blue filters but still quite a bit less than from the red filters.
 
Red:
The warm filters. Definitely the most bassy ones, mid-bass especially has quite strong presence and bleeds a bit into the midrange. They’re also the most v-shaped among the filters. That being said I’ve had a lot of IEM’s with both more and worse bass and the amount of air is still fairly good.
 
On contrary to my normal conclusion with filters I actually think all three of these has their merits but while the red and green ones are good I find the blue one to be my preferred ones and the rest of this review will be with the blue filters on unless anything else in mentioned. The Gemini HD will always be the Gemini HD though, no matter what filter one choose but I’m impressed with the way Accutone has mange to get three so good and yet different tunings from it.
 

 
Sound:
I’ve used them back and forward in the last month and they’ve played for well over 100 hours. I’ve used them both around the house and when out and about and I haven’t really found any significant weaknesses in the way they’re designed.
 
I’ve used them with my LG G5 phone and the bit Opus #11 as well as the Benjie S5 DAP and they’ve worked very well with all of them. That being said I like them the most with a source that doesn’t add any particular warmth to the presentation.
 
As already mentioned I enjoy the Accutone Gemini HD the most with double flange tips.
 
Demo list:
 
The overall sound signature on the Accutone Gemini HD is v-shaped (more or less depending on the filter in use), soft, smooth and easy going with a good bass presence.  
 
The sub-bass extension is quite good and although there’s some roll off on the deepest notes there’s definitely enough depth and presence to give a good fundament will all kind of music. The layering in the lower bass is also good. Mid-and upper bass is less present than sub-bass making for a very clean presentation with bass bleed happening only occasionally. The quality of the bass is quite good but its characteristic is a touch on the soft side, something that I personally find matching the rest of the frequencies and overall presentation of the Gemini HD very well.
 
The midrange is slightly recessed and feels very well balanced and controlled. Although I wouldn’t describe the midrange as full and lush I would not call it thin either, rather clean, natural and airy. Male vocals and string instruments has enough weight to feel natural and female vocals are very enjoyable and non-fatiguing.
 
The treble extension is ok and has it has enough richness that it manages to never get harsh or fatiguing. I’d wished for a bit better extension but the overall treble presentation is still very good and words as airy and seductive comes to mind.
 
Clarity and micro details are about average, maybe slightly over, for a dynamic IEM at this price point. You won’t get that amazing clarity that a good BA driver can give you but they still manage quite well. Soundstage in all directions is good and feels very well balanced making for a very natural sounding overall presentation with no obvious disturbing peaks to my ears. Sense of 3D presentation is ok without being great and only occasionally do I get that out of the head feeling with them.
 
Comparison:
Please note that the comments in the comparison section are not in absolute terms but in comparison between subject A and B. This means (as an example) that if subject A is found to be brighter than subject B it does not necessarily mean that subject A is bright sounding in absolute terms. I hope this makes sense.
 
These comparisons were done listening from my phone through the LH Labs Geek Out V2+ Infinity.
 
SIMGOT EN700 ($99) vs Accutone Gemini HD:
 

 
Compared to the Gemini the sub-bass on the SIMGOT EN700 don’t reach as deep while bass quality is a touch better. Mid-bass is quite a bit more present on the Gemini’s and they’re also over all a notch warmer sounding making their presentation fuller across the frequencies. The midrange on the EN700’s is more forward but the Gemini’s have fuller presentation and vocals sound more natural with them. Treble extension is also pretty similar with a slight advantage to the EN700, and once again the presentation is fuller on the Gemini’s. The soundstage width and height is pretty similar on both but the Gemini’s has quite a bit better depth, timbre to the notes and 3D presentation.
 
I find the Gemini HD more comfortable due to the memory wire on the EN700.
 
I like the angled connector better on the Gemini’s but apart from that they both feel fairly well built with the cable being the worse part on both.
 
They EN700 are much easier to drive.
 
Isolation is better on the Gemini’s.
  
AAW Nebula 2 ($149) vs Accutone Gemini HD:
 

 
These two does actually sound surprisingly similar despite the Nebula 2 being a single BA/single DD hybrid. Compared to the Gemini HD the Nebula 2’s has a similar amount of sub-bass and only a touch less mid-bass presence. The midrange is also quite similar in characteristic on both but vocals are more forward and male voices are ever so slightly fuller on the Nebula 2’s while the opposite is true for female vocals. The treble extension is a bit better on the Nebula 2. The Nebula 2 has a slightly thinner and more airy treble. Despite the EN700 being the brighter of the two the PMV’s has at least the same amount of clarity and detail retrieval. The Nebula 2’s has a little bit better detail retrieval and clarity as well as a bit wider soundstage while depth and amount of air is quite similar. The Nebula 2 also manage to present a better 3D feeling and a more out of the head presentation.
 
Fit is better for me with the Gemini’s since I’m not very fund of the memory wire on the Nebula 2.
 
Build quality is good on both but I prefer the cable on the Nebula 2.
 
The Nebula 2 is slightly easier to drive.
 
Isolation is a little bit better on the Gemini HD.
 
Aurisonics Rockets ($249) vs Accutone Gemini HD:
 

 
The Rockets, although discontinued, are still a very popular sigle dyniamic IEM that were often sold for $149. Compared to the Gemini HD the Rockets have less sub-bass presence and doesn’t reach as low. The Gemini’s does also have quite a bit more mid-bass presence. The Rockets have a more forward mids with an even smoother and lusher characteristic. They both have excellent vocal reproduction but the singer is more forward in the mix with the Rockets. The treble on the two are pretty similar with a bit fuller presentation on the Rockets while the Gemini’s has slightly better extension but is also thinner. Soundstage in all directions is quite similar. The overall presentation of the Rockets is more even.  
 
I find the Rockets to be the more comfortable of the two.
 
Build quality is better on the Rockets but then again they’re on of the most well built IEM’s I own.
 
The Gemini HD’s are easier to drive.
 
Isolation is much better on the Rockets.
 
Summary:
The Accutone Gemini HD is a very good single dynamic offering. To be completely honest it was surprisingly good to me which is always very pleasant. It doesn’t quite reach up to the level of performance of my $150 favorites such as the CKR9’s and Nebula 2 but those both have two drives each and cost slightly more. On the other hand I find them to be significantly better than the $100 offerings SIMGOT EN700 and the Nebula One which both also are single dynamics. As a matter of fact I cannot, from the top of my head,  come up with a cheaper single dynamic that I actually enjoy more.
 
Their stainless steel housings gives great confidence that they should last for a long time and their overall easy going, and very good, sound combined with a well implemented filter system for tuning the sound to your preference still make them a very solid offering at their price in my opinion. They also work very well with all the kinds of music that I tend to listen to. 
 

This is a review of the Advanced AcousticWerkes Nebula 2 IEM’s.
 

 
 
The Advanced AcousticWerkes (AAW) Nebula 2 was sent to me from MusicTeck who is the authorized dealer in the US for AWW. A big THANK YOU to Andrew for contacting me and offer me free review sample for the Nebula 2. The retail price for the Nebula 2 is said to be $149 and it should soon be available on Amazon US as well as on the MusicTeck website :
 
http://www.musicteck.com/aaw
 
For more information about the Nebula 2 you can also visit the product page for them on AAW website:
 
https://www.aaw.me/collections/universal-in-ear/products/aaw-nebula-two-universal-in-ear-monitor
 
I’m not in any way affiliated with AAW or Music Teck nor do I gain financially by doing this review.
 
About Advanced AcousticWerkes:
AAW is a Singapore based company that has been doing custom made IEM’s for some time now.
 
This is what they say about themselves on their website:
“Advanced AcousticWerkes (AAW) is a Singapore based electric-acoustic company specialised in in-ear monitoring technology. AAW is recognised by the audiophile and professional community for our exquisite hybrid drive technology and bespoke custom in-ear monitor products, during which course we have successfully attracted a diverse clientele consists of pro-musicians, audio engineers as well as serious audiophiles. We have accumulated vast experience and expertise in sound engineering and human ergonomics by working closely with several otolaryngologists as well as professional musicians. 
Now we have also applied our knowledge in developing the best in-ear monitors available today. Investments have been made to build a dedicated production facility for our universal range so that we have absolute control in quality assurance and engineering precision. 
We surely hope the AAW products will deliver an unforgettable experience for your listening pleasure and we shall remain committed to develop more exciting audio products for the years to come.”
 
The AAW Nebula One is their first universal IEM’s they release and it’s also my first experience with the brand so let’s find out more about them.
 
About me:
 
Built and accessories:
The AAW Nebula 2 is a hybrid IEM featuring one 10mm dynamic driver in addition to one balanced armature driver.
 
AFAIK it comes only in one flavor with a microphone.
 
I’ve recently reviewed the Nebula One as well (http://www.head-fi.org/products/aaw-nebula-one-titanium-diaphragm-in-ear-monitor/reviews/16756 ) and since their physical appearance is more or less identical those of you who’s read that review will find a lot the same between the two in the build and accessories section as well as in the fit and ergonomics section.
 
The cable has a 90 degree angled 3.5 mm connector and which I personally tend to prefer.
 
The cable is round and flexible but still feels a bit on the cheap side. The over the ears wearing style makes microphonics pretty much non-existing. The chin slider is also in place the way I like it. Unfortunately the Nebula One also has fixed memory wire for a more secure over the ear fit, I really don’t like memory wire as I never seem to get the perfect fit with IEM’s that has it. I much prefer a regular cable and a pair of included ear-hooks or even better a detachable one.
 
The build in general seem very solid. The housings are all metal and feel well made. Strain relief is in place on all the crucial points and the Y-split is also solid without being overly large.
 
Left/Right markings are black on black and not very easy to spot but the over ear wearing style makes it pretty much impossible to reverse the channels.
 
One more thing that might be worth mentioning and that I actually did forget in my review of the Nebula One is that the jack is a TRRS type. This may make it difficult to work with some sources. The only device I've run across any problem with is the iBasso D14 amp/dac where I need to make sure that the jack is not pushed all the way in since dong so result in a really weird sound. 
 
The retail package is plain and simple but still looks very nice.
 

 

 

 

 

 

The accessories pack is ok at the price and includes the following:
6 pairs silicon tips in two different deigns (S,M,L)
1 6.3mm adapter
1 Airplane adapter
1 zippered case to store them in when not in use
1 Warranty card
1 Manual
 
The AAW Nebula 2 is easy to drive and worked very well with all the sources I’ve tried it with including cellphones. I don’t find them to benefit significantly from a more powerful amplifier but they do benefit from a good quality source.
 
The specs:
 
Fit and ergonomics:
Despite some issues with the memory wire I find the AAW Nebula 2 to be very comfortable and I’ve got no problem wearing them for several hours. As a matter of fact they’re the most comfortable IEM’s with memory wire that I’ve ever tried.  After reviewing the Nebula One I started to play around with some foam tips as well as the Sony hybrid isolation tips and found these to be even more comfortable than the dual flanges I’ve been using with the One’s. In general I’m not very fond of the sound from foam tips and although it’s ok with the Nebula 2 I’ve ended up with the Sony hybrid isolation tips as my preferred tips with them.
 
Isolation is definitely below average and if blocking out external noise is of great concern other offerings might be better. That being said they’re still work pretty well with music playing.
 
Sound:
OK, so far the Nebula 2 has been very similar to the Nebula one (build, accessories etc.) so let’s see if things change when it comes to sound.
 
I’ve used them back and forward in the last couple of months and they’ve played for well over 100 hours. I’ve used them both around the house and when out and about and I haven’t really found any significant weaknesses in the way they’re designed.
 
I’ve used them with my LG G3 phone and FiiO X3 combined with the iBasso D14 as well as the bit Opus #11 and although they’ve worked very well with all of them I find their performance to be greatly influenced by the source. As already mentioned they’re quite easy to drive but they’re revealing enough to change quite a bit with different sources. They’re also very sensitive to fit and tips used so I’ve got to admit that it’s taken me a long time to figure them out and that’s also the reason that this review is the IEM review that has taken the longest time for me to finish.  
 
As already mentioned I enjoy the AAW Nebula 2 the Sony hybrid isolation tips and that’s what I’ve used on them in this review.
 
Demo list:
 
The overall sound signature on the AAW Nebula 2 is full, fairly well balanced and with a great sense of 3D presentation.
 
The sub-bass extension on the Nebula 2 is quite good and it hits hard deep down making it quite enjoyable with bass heavy music. The texture of the sub-bass is a touch on the loose side making it a bit soft but it still manage to avoid sounding boomy, this is only noticeable compared to the best though and I actually like the bass on the 2’s a lot.  Mid- and upper-bass presence is good enough to make an engaging and enjoyable listening and do only interfere with the mid-range on some recordings and/or pairings. They have enough bass presence to be enjoyable with all kind of music for me but hardcore bass heads would probably like even more.
 
The midrange is pretty much in line with the rest of the frequencies, maybe ever so slightly recessed. The good bass presence gives a nice fundament for the midrange and the Nebula 2’s full enough without feeling really lush. Male vocals have enough weight to sound natural and female voices are crystal clear without being harsh. Although I usually prefer my midrange more forward then it’s on the Nebula 2’s I still find the overall balance to be great and highly enjoyable.
 
The treble is well extended and detailed but can get slightly harsh with some bad recordings. This is pretty close to how I like my treble with a lot of details and nice sense of airiness, a touch more warmth and richness and it would have been spot on. Ironically my ideal treble would be a mix between the Nebula One and 2.
 
Clarity and micro details are above average for an IEM at this price point. Soundstage in all directions is good and I’d even go as far as saying that soundstage width is excellent. 3D feeling and out of the head experience is also very good and well above average.
 
All in all the AAW Nebula 2 offers a very entertaining listening experience and both Thomas Dybdahl and Lil Dicky is presented excellent with an “out of the head” feeling that really brings out the smile.  
 
Comparison:
Please note that the comments in the comparison section are not in absolute terms but in comparison between subject A and B. This means (as an example) that if subject A is found to be brighter than subject B it does not necessarily mean that subject A is bright sounding in absolute terms. I hope this makes sense.
 
These comparisons were done listening from my recently acquired LG G5 with the HiFi Plus module in place.
 
AAW Nebula One ($99) vs AAW Nebula 2:
Compared to the Nebula 2 the One’s has quite a bit more bass presence especially in the mid- and upper bass. The sub-bass on the two are actually quite similar with the 2’s being a bit tighter. The One’s has the upper bass bleeding into the midrange with a lot of music and this is a lot less common with the 2’s. Both have a bit of recession in the midrange but the Oe’s even more so. Apart from that the midrange presentation is quite enjoyable on both with the 2’s having a cleaner and clearer characteristic. The treble extension is better on the 2’s but it’s also a bit thinner. The 2 has a wider soundstage and more airy presentation while the as well as have better depth and 3D presentation.
 
To be honest the Nebula 2 are on a different level from the One’s when it comes to sound quality and outperforms it in everything except bass quantity.
 
Fit, build and isolation are identical on them.
  
Vsonic GR07BE ($129) vs AAW Nebula 2:
Compared to the Nebula 2 the BE’s has quite a bit less bass presence. The sub-bass on the 2’s does both reaches deeper and hit harder while the BE’s bass is a bit tighter. The Nebula 2’s fuller across the frequencies making for a more relaxed listening while the BE’s more airy sounding. They both have a bit of recession in the midrange but the mids on the 2’s are a bit fuller. The treble extension is quite similar but the BE’s a bit thinner. Soundstage with is quite similar while the 2’s has better depth and 3D presentation.
 
I find the BE’s more comfortable due to my issues with the memory wire on the Nebula’s.
 
I like the metal housings on the 2’s better but the cable is definitely better on the BE’s. I’d say that overall build quality is pretty similar.
 
They BE’s are a bit harder to drive.
 
Isolation is equally low on both.
 
PMV A01 MK2 ($89) vs AAW Nebula One:
Although being quite a bit cheaper than the Nebula 2 the PMV’s are my favorite sub $100 hybrids so I thought it would be interesting to see how they stuck up to the Nebula’s.
 
Compared to the 2’s the sub-bass on the PMV’s reach a touch deeper and has more impact but with less quality making the them sound more boomy. The mid-bass are actually quite similar in both quantity and quality on the two of them. Both have enough mid- and upper bass to makes male vocals sounding full and natural. When it comes to female vocals both continue to perform very well but the 2’s pulls ahead with its more relaxed and refined upper midrange. The midrange on the PMV’s are definitely more forward but also more shouty and the overall balance of the 2’s are much better. The PMV’s does actually sound a bit hollow in comparison to the Nebula 2. The treble on the 2’s has a bit better extension and is also more refined. Details and clarity is good on both with a slight advantage to the 2’. The Nebula’s does also have better soundstage in all directions and better timbre to the notes as well as a more 3D presentation.
 
I find the PMV’s to be the more comfortable of the two.
 
Build quality is good on both but I prefer the lack of memory wire and cable on the PMV’s.
 
The PMV’s are a much easier to drive.
 
Isolation is quite similar, and low, on both.
 
Summary:
The AAW Nebula 2 does really offer the full package in my opinion. It has great build quality, is very comfortable and delivers excellent sound quality. They also offer a very good mic/remote making them great to use with mobile phones making them a great alternative for everyday usage. Unfortunately the stiff memory wire makes them less easy to take in and out of the ears than I appreciate and a detachable cable would have been a very welcome feature, especially the price considered.  
 
If it’s not clear I enjoy the sound of the AAW Nebula 2 a lot and would rate it at least on par with other excellent offerings like the VE Duke, Audio-Technica ATH-CKR9 and the Vsonic GR07BE. This puts me in a bit of dilemma since I’ve rewarded bot the former ones with five star reviews earlier despite the fact that neither of them offers detachable cable and that’s the only reason why I wouldn’t do the same to the Nebula 2. Being older and wiser (yeah, right ) combined with my hate for memory wires I’ve still decided to drop half a star on the overall rating. Let there be no doubt that I find the sound to perform to be at a five star level and the same goes for the value.
 
The AAW Nebula 2 is an easy recommendation to anyone looking for great performance for everyday usage. The fact that it’s easy to drive, has a great mic and that one of the best sources I’ve found for it is my LG G5 phone with the HiFi Plus module just helps to prove this.