Author: Paul Cash
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How To Build A Brilliant Budget Audiophile System In 5 Steps!
Analog, Best Buys, Bluetooth, Budget, DACs, Deals, Hi-Fi, Hi-Res Music, Home Audio, Integrated Amps, Music, Power Amps, Preamps, Reviews, Software, Speakers, VideosYou CAN build a wonderful budget audiophile setup! If you’re reading this, then that means you most likely care about music. Not just music, but high-quality reproduction of music. That’s basically what Hi-fi (short for high fidelity) is all about. It’s about putting together a group of audio components to make a recorded piece of…
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Andover Audio SpinDeck MAX Review: This User-Friendly, Fully Automatic Belt-Drive Turntable Delivers!
TL;DR If you’re planning to buy Andover’s excellent SpinBase turntable speaker system, and you’re looking for a capable, fun, user-friendly turntable to match, the SpinDeck MAX is precisely what you’re looking for. Intro If you’re a regular reader of Hifitrends, then you know we’re big fans of the gear coming out of Andover Audio. They…
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iFi Audio xDSD Gryphon Portable DAC Amp Review: This May Be The Last Digital To Analog Converter You Need To Buy!
Best Buys, Bluetooth, Budget, DACs, Headphone Amps, Headphones, Hi-Fi, Hi-Res Music, Home Audio, MQA, Music, News, Portable Audio, Reviews, Streaming, WirelessIntro Back in 2018, when iFi Audio introduced the xDSD, the first model in its x-series line of portable DAC/Amps, it was groundbreaking, both in terms of design and feature set. The xDSD DAC/amp was shortly followed by the second model in the line, the xCAN, which was equally innovative with its powerful amp section…
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Linsoul Audio/HarmonicDyne Poseidon Review: These Handsome Headphones Know How To Get Down!
Intro The Linsoul Audio/HarmonicDyne Poseidon ($439.00) is third in the line of wood cup HarmonicDyne headphones, each named after a Greek god. The first one was Helios, followed by Zeus. The Zeus headphones featured drivers with a Beryllium coating, which reduced distortion and added clarity. The Poseidon picks up where Zeus left off, including the…
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Dilvpoetry DT-1 Tube Headphone AMP DAC Review: Lavish Your Headphones With Warm Tubey Goodness!
Bluetooth, Budget, DACs, Deals, Headphone Amps, Headphones, Hi-Fi, Hi-Res Music, Home Audio, Reviews, Streaming, WirelessTL;DR The Dilvpoetry DT-1 combines a decent DAC, powerful headphone amp section, and effective tube input stage in a single box for convenience plus musicality. Intro Tube-based headphone amps can offer listeners a different sound profile to solid-state models. Fans of tube amps crave their tendency towards an “organic” sound that is both warm and…
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Cambridge Audio AXR100 Stereo Receiver/AXC35 CD Player Review: This Affordable Hifi System Is Sensational!
Best Buys, Bluetooth, Budget, DACs, Hi-Fi, Home Audio, Integrated Amps, Power Amps, Preamps, Reviews, Speakers, Streaming, Videos, WirelessWondering what a hi-fi system is? Here’s your answer! Cambridge Audio has been making affordable yet robust amps and receivers for a long time now. My first proper high-end component, a modestly priced Azur 540A V2 integrated, was from them, and it held a special place in my hi-fi rack for a long time. That’s…
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Tin HiFi P1 Plus Planar-Magnetic IEM Review: These Attractive Earphones Are Impressive!
Best Buys, Budget, Deals, Headphones, Hi-Fi, Hi-Res Music, Home Audio, Portable Audio, Reviews, VideosI’m a big fan of planar magnetic headphones. They give you presence and detail not possible with most dynamic driver models. Usually, this does come at the expense of some bottom-end punch, but for someone like me, who puts more value into overall balance than visceral thump, this suits me fine. Because of this, I’ve…
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Technics EAH-AZ60 Review: These Brilliant Wireless Earbuds With LDAC Bluetooth Are The Real Deal!
Best Buys, Bluetooth, Budget, Headphones, Hi-Res Music, Music, Noise Cancelling, Portable Audio, Reviews, Software, Videos, WirelessTL;DR The Technics’ EAH-AZ60’s strong ANC, call clarity, and detailed yet easy-going sound signature put them amongst the best True Wireless Earbuds on the market. The Bass can come on a little strong at times, but for the most part, it adds a nice weight to the music. Intro Technics is mainly known for its…
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SMSL DO200 Review: This $489 MQA DAC Will Help You Build A Killer DAC Amp Stack!
Best Buys, Bluetooth, Budget, DACs, Headphone Amps, Headphones, Hi-Fi, Hi-Res Music, Home Audio, MQA, Music, Power Amps, Preamps, Reviews, Streaming, Videos, WirelessTL;DR This attractive and full-featured MQA DAC gives you a truly musical and immersive performance. You will have to spend several hundred more to get significantly more definition and layering. Intro At one point in time, desktop DAC and headphone amp separates were only available to those with deep pockets. But over the last couple…
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iFi Audio GO blu Review: This Elegant $200 Bluetooth Headphone Amplifier Is Powerful & Compact!
Best Buys, Bluetooth, Budget, DACs, Headphone Amps, Headphones, Hi-Fi, Hi-Res Music, Music, Portable Audio, Reviews, VideosIntro Ifi Audio is known for making remarkable yet affordable DAC/Headphone Amps, but today we’re looking at their first Portable Bluetooth DAC/Amp, the $199 iFi GO blu. Unlike many portable Bluetooth DACs, the GO blu has separate Amp, DAC, and Bluetooth circuits which enable it to provide double the output power of competitors. iFi also…
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Holiday Gift Guide For Music Lovers And Audiophiles 2021: 5 Best Christmas Stocking Stuffer Ideas
Analog, Best Buys, Bluetooth, Budget, DACs, Deals, Headphone Amps, Headphones, Hi-Fi, Hi-Res Music, Music, News, Portable Audio, Streaming, Videos, WirelessIn this installment of the Holiday Gift Guide For Music Lovers And Audiophiles, we’re here to help you pick the perfect Christmas stocking stuffer gift! This time around, we have five inexpensive gifts you can tuck in a stocking and make someone very happy! Check out our list of the 5 Best Christmas Stocking Stuffer Ideas!…
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OneOdio Monitor 60 Review: Are These The Best Budget Audiophile Headphones?
Intro The $79 OneOdio Monitor 60 is the third Studio/DJ headphone I’ve reviewed from this relatively new Hong Kong company, and it’s also by far the most ambitious design I’ve seen from them. The first two I looked at were satisfactory for the price, but ultimately just ok in terms of build and sound quality.…
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Bluesound NODE Gen 3 Review: This Wireless WiFi Music Streamer (Still) Does It All!
Best Buys, Bluetooth, Budget, DACs, Hi-Fi, Hi-Res Music, Home Audio, MQA, Music, Reviews, Software, Streaming, Videos, WirelessTL;DR While there may be some streamers out there that are a little more transparent, none at its price point offers the impressive blend of features and quality sound provided by the latest Bluesound NODE. Intro For many years, the Bluesound NODE has arguably been the best value in mid to entry-level music streamers. It…
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Cambridge Audio EVO 150 Review: THIS Is The Best Streaming Integrated Amplifier Under $5000!
Best Buys, Bluetooth, DACs, Headphone Amps, Headphones, Hi-Fi, Hi-Res Music, Home Audio, Integrated Amps, MQA, Music, Noise Cancelling, Power Amps, Preamps, Reviews, Software, Speakers, Streaming, Videos, WirelessTL;DR The Cambridge Audio EVO 150 Integrated Amp is a vibrant musical performer that is easy to use, can play music any way you want, with just about any speaker you want. Intro Streaming integrated amplifiers with built-in networking facilities are all the rage right now, with the newest models bringing a level of sophistication…
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PAMU Z1 True Wireless Earbuds Review: These Affordable Earphones Have Alluring Sound And Brilliant Noise Cancelling!
Best Buys, Bluetooth, Budget, Deals, Headphones, Noise Cancelling, Portable Audio, Reviews, Software, Videos, WirelessTL;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…
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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…
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EarFun Air Pro 2 Review: These True Wireless Earbuds Aren’t Perfect, But There’s Still A Lot To Love!
Bluetooth, Budget, Headphones, Hi-Fi, Hi-Res Music, Portable Audio, Reviews, Streaming, Videos, WirelessTL;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.…
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Audeze Penrose X Planar Magnetic Headset Review: This Is The Best Sounding Wireless Gaming Headset for Xbox and PC!
Best Buys, Bluetooth, Downloads, Headphones, Hi-Fi, Hi-Res Music, Home Audio, Portable Audio, Reviews, Software, Streaming, Uncategorized, Videos, WirelessTL;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…
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iFi Audio hip-dac2 Portable USB DAC/Headphone Amp Combo Review: The Sequel Adds Tremendous Refinement!
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…
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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…
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