Author: Paul Cash
-
PAMU Z1 True Wireless Earbuds Review: These Affordable Earphones Have Alluring Sound And Brilliant Noise Cancelling!
—
by
TL;DR If you can get with the youth-oriented design, then the PAMU Z1 has a lot going for it, like a comfortable fit, decent ANC, and nice sound quality for the price. Feature and soundwise it matches up well with some of the best TWS buds at the price point, like the EarFun Free Pro…
-
Sendy Audio Peacock Review: This Ain’t No Ordinary Planar Magnetic Headphone!
TL;DR While the Sendy Audio Peacock’s build quality and comfort are top-notch, its tuning and overall resolution are just a step behind the competition. Nevertheless, some may find its natural, easygoing sound and wide soundstage appealing. Intro Earlier this year, I reviewed a couple of headphones from SIVGA, a China-based company known for its affordable…
-
EarFun Air Pro 2 Review: These True Wireless Earbuds Aren’t Perfect, But There’s Still A Lot To Love!
—
by
TL;DR The EarFun Air Pro 2 offers several improvements over the original, like better ANC and wireless charging, but unfortunately, it also has minor fit issues along with some harshness in the mids. Intro Ever since I was introduced to EarFun via a company representative back in 2020, I’ve been very impressed by their offerings.…
-
Audeze Penrose X Planar Magnetic Headset Review: This Is The Best Sounding Wireless Gaming Headset for Xbox and PC!
—
by
TL;DR The Penrose X is an excellent gaming headset for Xbox and PC with top-notch separation, detail, and spatiality. It also does a decent job with music once you get it dialed in with EQ. The tight clamp and firm earpads may take some getting used to. Intro If you visit an online audio group…
-
iFi Audio hip-dac2 Portable USB DAC/Headphone Amp Combo Review: The Sequel Adds Tremendous Refinement!
—
by
in Budget, DACs, Headphone Amps, Headphones, Hi-Fi, Hi-Res Music, Home Audio, MQA, Music, Portable Audio, Reviews, Videos, WirelessTL;DR With improvements in its detail and separation, the iFi hip dac2 is a worthy upgrade to the original. Intro Back in January of 2020, iFi dropped a new battery-powered portable amp that was slimmer and lighter than anything they had released to date. It was called the hip-dac, named as such because the design…
-
KLH Albany II 2-Way Bookshelf Speakers Review: Captivating Clarity And Stunning Soundstage!
TL;DR Overall, the handsome and compact KLH Albany II is capable of an extremely musical performance. But like many speakers its size, the rhythmic drive and engagement are sometimes constrained by the lack of deep bass. You’ll probably need a sub. Intro Budget Bookshelf Speakers seem to get better year after year, giving you more…
-
GoldPlanar GL2000 (Double Magnetic Circuit) Review: These Stunning Planars Are An Engaging Listen!
TL;DR The $ 639 GoldPlanar GL2000 Planar Magnetic Headphone (Double Magnetic Circuit) isn’t the most refined headphone at its price point, but it’s good-looking, super comfortable, and quite exhilarating to listen to. It’s no wonder why many feel it’s the best headphone they’ve ever heard. Intro There’s not a lot of full-sized Audiophile headphones between…
-
Hidizs S9 PRO Balanced & Single-Ended DAC AMP Combo Review: Epic Power & Tantalizing Detail!
—
by
TL;DR The Hidizs S9 PRO USB Dac/Amp Combo is well-built and has everything you need to turn your smartphone into a Hi-Res digital audio player. The sound is clean and crisp, plus it has the power to drive most of the headphones out there. The only thing to watch out for is a little bit…
-
S.M.S.L AO200 Digital Amplifier Review: This Scaled-Down Integrated Amp Has Jaw-Dropping Power!
—
by
in Best Buys, Bluetooth, Budget, DACs, Deals, Hi-Fi, Hi-Res Music, Home Audio, Integrated Amps, Music, News, Power Amps, Preamps, Reviews, Speakers, Streaming, Videos, WirelessTL;DR As long as you measure your expectations, the eminently affordable S.M.S.L AO200 is an enjoyable Class-D amplifier that gives you just enough detail and imaging to bring life to your music. Pick up a pair of decent bookshelf speakers, and you will have an enchanting system for a small apartment or bedroom. Overview If…
-
Audeze Euclid Closed-Back Planar IEM Review: Astonishing Planar Magnetic Headphones That Fit In Your Pocket!
—
by
TL;DR Audeze’s first closed-back planar magnetic earphones aren’t cheap, but they do an excellent job of distilling the exciting performance from their full-sized headphones into a much smaller and lighter form factor. Overview Back in 2016, Audeze released the iSine 10 and 20, the first planar magnetic in-ear headphones, and while they were exciting, no…
-
OneOdio a70 Bluetooth Over-Ear Headphones Review: Wonderful Comfort And Captivating Bass!
TL;DR The OneOdio a70 is a cheap and comfortable pair of wireless/wired headphones with crisp highs, deep bass, and good battery life for the money. They also look pretty good. Disclaimer: The OneOdio a70 was sent to us by OneOdio in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to them for the opportunity! Specs: Play Time…
-
EarMen TR-Amp Review: This MQA DAC Amp Combo Has Superb Detail With Massive Power!
—
by
in Best Buys, Budget, DACs, Headphone Amps, Headphones, Hi-Fi, Hi-Res Music, Home Audio, MQA, Music, Portable Audio, Power Amps, Preamps, Reviews, VideosTL;DR The big brother of the venerated EarMen Sparrow and Eagle has a sound that is just as smooth, detailed, and expansive as its smaller brethren but with a little more juice. Great pick if you want a refined sounding MQA DAC/Amp that’s compact but still has the grunt to drive all your power-hungry headphones.…
-
SMSL HO200 Headphone Amplifier Review: The Best For Astonishing Power And Detail!
—
by
in Best Buys, Budget, Headphone Amps, Headphones, Hi-Fi, Hi-Res Music, Home Audio, News, Preamps, ReviewsFor the last year or so, if you were looking for a powerful, yet affordable headphone amp for your desktop, the $499 Topping A90 is the one most people would recommend. The A90 is fully balanced with XLR input/output, a 4.4mm jack, a pre-out, a 3 step gain setting, plus a smooth volume control knob…
-
Denafrips ARES II R2R DAC Review: You Need To Hear This Digital To Analog Converter!
The Low Down: The Denafrips ARES II R2R DAC may use older technology, but when done right, resistor ladder Digital To Analog Converters can provide a natural, engaging sound. Many feel it’s a sound that more recent chip-based Delta-Sigma DAC designs can’t match. That’s exactly why the ARES II (1098 SGD, about 800 USD) has…
-
Ifi Audio ZEN Stream Review: THIS Is The Audiophile Music Streamer To Beat Under $500!
—
by
in Best Buys, Budget, DACs, Deals, Downloads, Headphones, Hi-Fi, Hi-Res Music, Home Audio, MQA, Music, News, Streaming, Videos, WirelessThe Low Down If you already have a nice DAC and you want a high-quality, no-fuss digital “transport” to stream music into it, then the $399 ZEN Stream is a no-brainer. It gives you a gazillion ways to get music into your hi-fi, including Spotify & TIDAL connect, DLNA, and Roon, but most importantly, it…
-
FIIL CC2 True Wireless Earbuds Review: A Stunning Apple Airpods Alternative In Titanium And Black!
The Low Down: If you like the fit of Apple’s original AirPods, but don’t like the whole “bright-white” aesthetic, then maybe you’ll like the sleek, aluminum-clad design of FIIL’s CC2 True Wireless Earbuds ($59 w/extra 30% off at the time of this writing). They look really cool and I feel like they will hold up…
-
Buchardt Audio Upgrades A Classic With The S400 MKII Bookshelf Speaker
Today, Buchardt Audio announced a new version of their highly-touted S400 Bookshelf Speaker called the S400 MKII. The first S400 was a big hit with audio reviewers and it was the “it” speaker for some time despite only being sold directly from the manufacturer in Denmark. While this new speaker looks a lot like the…
-
Sivga SV021 (Robin) Headphone Review: These $149 Cans Are the Best Closed-Back Headphones For Audiophiles On A Budget!
—
by
The Low Down While the good looks, quality build, and reasonable price may get them in the door, the Sivga SV021’s ($149) sensational comfort plus detailed and expansive presentation keep them hanging around. These nice closed-back dynamic headphones have a naturally open sound that makes them a joy to listen to, and the plush earpads…
-
Audirect Atom2 Lightning MQA Dac Amp Combo Review: Don’t Listen To Apple Music Lossless Without It!
—
by
in Best Buys, Budget, DACs, Deals, Headphone Amps, Headphones, Hi-Fi, Hi-Res Music, Home Audio, MQA, Music, Portable Audio, Reviews, Streaming, VideosThe Low Down The Audirect Atom2 Lightning is a lightweight DAC/Amp combo with a lightning connector for iPhones. It connects directly to the bottom of the phone so you can avoid floppy dongles, and it has decent power for driving full-sized headphones. For a $79 DAC/Amp the sound is extraordinarily smooth, detailed and expansive. If…
-
Wharfedale EVO4.2 Review: (Was) The Best Bookshelf Speaker Under $1000!
—
by
The Low Down: (Ed. Note: The price of this speaker has gone up–now $1,199.00– since we wrote this review…thank the pandemic and inflation for that…by the way, it’s still an excellent value at the current price.) For listeners who value sharp imaging and immersive depth, you probably can’t do better than the Wharfedale EVO4.2 at…