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J

jamejfio

New Head-Fier
For Koss PortaPro - Headphones ( semi-open ) in On-Ear
Pros: Macrodynamics
Imaging
Price
Cons: Flimsy build
Recessed treble
kiling92

kiling92

100+ Head-Fier
For Sony MDR-R10 in Over-Ear
Pros: Clarity at TOTL level
Most natural sound you can find in this hobby
Mids to die for
Bass meaty,textured and lush (if paired with the new foams by es-labs)
Great highs,extended and not fatiguing
Great presence of details
Incredibly comfortable and light
Non fatigue sound
Mammoth and uniquely three-dimensional soundstage
Built like rock with premium materials
you feel like you’re holding a mausoleum
Great punch
Pinpoint images
The best dynamic headphones In the world
Cons: Really sensitive and sound quality can highly depend from the source
Bass can sound thin if not drive properly
Cannot be repaired in case of failure
Astronomic price
This headphone has demonstrated the great potential of Sony, and has shown just as its decline towards in the hifi world
“The absolute never needs to be explained. It speaks for itself, and people can understand what it
He says, they place him out of time.”


Since I entered in this world I’ve been alsways...
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kiling92
kiling92
@Jacobal The caldera is totally a different headphone.
Caldera sound like a headphone;R10 sound quite similar to a speaker,and while caldera is better technically (bass region),the R10 have a unique timbre,natural as no other nothing here and very euphonic.
However imo caldera is the best headphone from ZMF hands down
Jacobal
Jacobal
Have you tried the Qualia?
kiling92
kiling92
Unfortunately still no..but I would like
Nirvana Woman

Nirvana Woman

100+ Head-Fier
For Sennheiser HD 558 in Over-Ear
Pros: - Great tonal balance
- Among the most comfortable headphones I've ever used
- Forgiving of poor recordings
Cons: - Bass not as deep as competitors
- Minor issues in the high frequencies
The HD558 is one of those headphones that even when you're not specifically listening to music, some soundtrack might randomly come up in a show or whatever and you catch yourself thinking gosh...
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Lifted Andreas
Lifted Andreas
I agree with all of the points in this review, as well as the 4 star rating.
gargani
gargani
Agree with your review. I've owned them since 2016. A month after I got them I got a used pair of the original ivory hd598. Still own them as well. To me they sound very, very similar, although the hd598 seemed a bit more open or spacious, but not a lot.. In other words the hd558 is still an overall enjoyable headphone.
Nice to see your review in 2023.
Nirvana Woman
Nirvana Woman
Agree with your review. I've owned them since 2016. A month after I got them I got a used pair of the original ivory hd598. Still own them as well. To me they sound very, very similar, although the hd598 seemed a bit more open or spacious, but not a lot.. In other words the hd558 is still an overall enjoyable headphone.
Nice to see your review in 2023.
Click to expand...
Thanks! Yeah the 598 are very fun headphones.
jeromeoflaherty

jeromeoflaherty

New Head-Fier
For AKG K 702 Black in Headphones
Pros: Amazing soundstage
Great midrange
Very comfortable
Nice detachable 3m cable
Easy to customise and repair
Cons: Bass needs EQ
Treble will be too bright for most
The AKG K702 is a classic studio reference headphone with a legendary soundstage which can be picked up at a very pragmatic price especially compared to competition. I purchased my K702 a few...
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Brandfuchs

Brandfuchs

100+ Head-Fier
For Stax SR-Lambda Professional in Over-Ear
Pros: Amazing vocal; neutral as natural tuning
Cons: Would be better if bass go deeper than mid-bass; earcups too shallow

4070?​


So, here's the story: I was exchanging headphones with a friend when he suddenly popped the question, ‘are you interested in the 4070?’ Without much thought, I replied...
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SomeWhatUniqueUsername

SomeWhatUniqueUsername

New Head-Fier
For Sony MDR EX1000 in Universal Fit
Pros: Excellent bass
Detail retrieval
Imaging
Comfort
Build quality
Exceptionally capable driver
Cons: Isolation
Fitment
Cable
Wear
Treble
Non-sound related aspects

Fitment:
Fit is perhaps the most interesting part about the EX1K. When in the ears, the driver is almost in line with the ear canal. What this...
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J

Jarlaxle

100+ Head-Fier
For HiFiMAN RE-400 in Universal Fit
Pros: Good build for the price
Abundace of the tips included
Clean neutral tuning
Good timbre
Very good staging
Cons: Cable isn't replaceable
Bass might be lacking for most people
Treble could have been smoother and extended more
Hifiman is mostly known for their open-back planar magnetic headphones and I myself own 3 pairs. As you may already know, almost all of their headphone offerings have become benchmarks in their...
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Yeeterkeeter

Yeeterkeeter

New Head-Fier
For AKG K712 Pro in Over-Ear
Pros: - lightweight with low clamping force
- sounds bright and musical
- controlled, somewhat punchy bass
- somewhat flat frequency response
- Fairly easy to drive
Cons: - Hard to transport
- build quality seems cheap
- cable is low quality and tends to coil in on itself
This is my first review on this site, so if I make any errors please let me know

Physical
Build: Eh... it's cheap feeling, with plastics everywhere, making it feel flimsy. The...
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J

jamejfio

New Head-Fier
For Audio-Technica ATH-R70x | R Series Professional Open Back Dynamic Reference Headphone in Over-Ear
Pros: Superb imaging
A completely inoffensive sound signature
Lightweight
Cons: Polarising headband design
Proprietary cable
theodyofil

theodyofil

New Head-Fier
For Meze Audio 99 Classics in Over-Ear
Pros: Beautiful Design
Material Quality
Very comfortable
2 cable included (1 with mic attached)
Highly efficient
Musical, emotional, fun
Cons: Rivals have more resolution & detail retreival
Upper mids can be hot
Hi, below you can find my detailed video review of the Meze 99 Classics

Overall, I think it is a beautiful headphone to have in the collection especially for rock & metal music...
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lepermessiah

lepermessiah

New Head-Fier
For Ultimate Ears Pro 18+ in Custom
Pros: Pleasing neutral/ reference style sound signature, build quality, comfort, high end and practical cable, good technical performance
Cons: Can sound boring and nondescript at the first listen until one starts listening to the details
​

I had the opportunity to listen to this lovely pair of IEMs courtesy of a dear friend of mine for an extended period. The UE TF10 was one of the first recommendations...
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MetehanMinatozaki

MetehanMinatozaki

New Head-Fier
For FiiO F5 in Universal Fit
Pros: -Good soundstage
-ok-ish imaging
-Good resolution
Cons: -Harsh and peaky treble
-sibilance
-Hot upper mid
-Bad note weight
-Soft mid bass
Disclaimers

I bought this iem with my own money. This review is completely subjective.

Sound-Tonality and Technicalities

Fiio f5 comes with a hard V shaped sound signature...
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Enther

Enther

Head-Fier
For Focal Clear in Over-Ear
Pros: Spectacular dynamics (better at medium-high volumes)
Good instrumental separation despite having an intermediate soundstage
Creates a very pleasant room effect.
Body in the sound
Versatile tonality for many genres
Comfortable
Energy efficient
Nice look
Cons: Good resolution but not spectacular
Scene somewhat smaller than I would like for a product of this price
It is somewhat aggressive because it has a sharp note "edge"
In 2024 for more than €1000 it is a bad purchase
Welcome to critica actual writen review!
Today it's time to do a special review. One of those reviews that makes me excited because I think it is a really good product. We are going to analyze the...
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Hark01

Hark01

Head-Fier
For Magaosi K5 in Universal Fit
Pros: -fit (5.6mm lip; outstanding!)
-isolation
-relaxed tuning
-mid bass
-technicalities
-price for a 5BA set (now maybe not so competitive)
Cons: -QC (phase issues)/QA (died in less than a year)
-relaxed tuning
-treble extension could be better
-no venting (not an issue for me, but be aware)
Tips: Small silicon tips
Build: Colored resin.
Comfort: Perfection. 5.6mm at the lip.
Isolation: Fantastic.

Bass: Low sub bass, solid mid bass, BA bass, missing DD tactility and dynamics. 6/10...
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Et Sona

Et Sona

New Head-Fier
For Audio-Technica ATH-ADX5000 in Over-Ear
Pros: Clarity, soundstage, detail, comfort, materials, finish, packaging.
Cons: Proprietary connectors on headphones, no balanced cable included for the price.
Disclaimers:
  1. This is an english translation of a Spanish review I've written about the headphones...
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lepermessiah

lepermessiah

New Head-Fier
For Empire Ears Empire Studio Reference (E.S.R) in Universal Fit
Pros: Fun V-shaped sound signature, build quality, comfort, accessories, great cable, sparks of technical proficiency
Cons: Slightly bigger shells for a 3 driver IEM, polarizing sound signature, the hotter treble section can make the ESR fatiguing to listen to (rectified with foam tips), slight metallic tonality in some songs
The ESR Mk 1 was the first Empire Ears IEM that I tried extensively courtesy of a dear friend of mine. Empire Ears is an American family owned establishment that has been around for...
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pradiptacr7

pradiptacr7

100+ Head-Fier
For INEAR SD5 in Universal Fit
Pros: Amazing Build quality, Very Natural and Accurate Timbre and Tone, Sublime Bass Texture, One of the Best Midrange, Huge Soundstage, Easy to Drive
Cons: Not for Bassheads, Fit Issue can be Observed for Some, Average Stock Cable

INEAR SD5: UNVEILING SONIC EXCELLENCE​



Introduction: -

In the ever-evolving world of IEMs and headphones, finding the perfect balance between impeccable sound...
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AlekhyaD666
AlekhyaD666
Beautiful writeup and beautiful picture. The SD5 looks very interesting.
pradiptacr7
pradiptacr7
Ben86

Ben86

500+ Head-Fier
For Burson Audio Supreme Sound Opamp V6 Vivid and Classic in Headphone Amplifiers
Pros: • Very musical, natural, immersive and refined presentation.
• Sounds very natural and engaging with Instrumental-Vocal music genres like Jazz, Blues, Classical and some Old Rock.
• Great Bass.
• Sweet and Natural Vocals.
• Very natural instrument timbres and great positioning in space.
Cons: • A bit high in price.
• Need an op-amp extender to fit in some audio devices.
In my honest opinion V6 will be really great addition to any audio system, it uplifts sound quality in every aspect compared to other cheaper Op-Amps. In my case compared to OPA1656, OPA1612...
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Brandfuchs

Brandfuchs

100+ Head-Fier
For Fostex TH909 Premium Stereo Headphones in Headphones
Pros: Work of art design; well tamed treble and bass; upfront vocals
Cons: Bass that doesn't sounds 'Fostex'

Prelude​

20240418162745.jpg

When it comes to the TH909, most discussions revolve around two main points:
1: whether the 909 is an...
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Enther

Enther

Head-Fier
For Focal Elegia in Over-Ear
Pros: Spectacular for relax sessions, some classicals musics, vocals genres....
Good resolution.
Very good dynamics.
It has good spatial technicalities (although there are few ones already here for similar prices equal or better)
The midrange seems to be the best I have heard on a closed back.
I think it's very pretty.
Cons: It does not have a pure or natural tone.
It is not the most versatile headset on the market. I wouldn't consider it an "all-rounder."
It needs a little more dB to be more complete on bass department.
In 2024 there are MANY options, like the Hifiman R9 (better tonality, scene and bass impact).
INTRO​
Welcome to the written review of the Focal Elegia.
In previous reviews we have analyzed in-ears. Today it's time to talk about an over-ear headphone, from the Focal...
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InvisibleInk
InvisibleInk
Owners will typically want to replace the cable, experiment with different ear pads, and use a headband cover during the course of their long ownership of this headphone. I say long ownership because they are built to last and they will. I'd start with the headband cover, because the underside of the headphone tends to get soiled in an unsightly way the more it is used.
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Enther
Enther
The cable I can use is the "new" version from Focal. Before, they had a thicker and more rigid cable by default.
Regarding the pads, I'm not a fan of that. And even less at these prices. Spending €500 or the €1000 it was worth to have to change the pads and experiment, I don't think it's fair. There will be those of us who will gladly do it but I don't see it well. The changes are very subtle.
Yes Yes. In the Focal Clear the top of the headband also gets stained.

Thanks for comment.
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