Category: Headphone Amps
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AXPONA 2022 Saturday Recap: The Best (Our Favorite) Hifi Systems From America’s Biggest Audio Show!
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The coolest stuff from Hifiman, Polk Audio, Kef, Cambridge Audio and more! This past Saturday was my last day at Axpona 2022, and while there were fewer attendees (and exhibitors, for that matter), it still seemed like a successful show, with plenty to see and do. It was terrific to get out again and hear…
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AXPONA 2022 Friday Recap: Highlights From The Big Rooms! Focal, ATC, Luxman
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in DACs, Headphone Amps, Headphones, Hi-Fi, Hi-Res Music, Home Audio, Integrated Amps, MQA, News, Power Amps, Preamps, Shows, Speakers, StreamingOne of my favorite parts of going to an audio show are the big rooms or ballroom/meeting rooms. Big rooms usually mean large systems, with six-foot-tall speakers and mini fridge-sized power amps. Sometimes they don’t sound as good as the smaller rooms because it’s hard to dial in a system in the middle of a…
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1MORE Launches EVO, An Audiophile Wireless Earbud With Hybrid Drivers And LDAC Hi-Res Bluetooth
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Today, lMORE launched the EVO, a sleek new true wireless earbud with dual hybrid drivers (1 Balanced Armature, 1 Dynamic) and support for the LDAC hi-res wireless codec. As a result, the company promises “incredible clarity, punchy bass, crispy vocals, unrivaled details, and a wide soundstage.” In addition, these earphones have Bluetooth 5.2 for multiple…
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AXPONA 2022: Coolest Stuff From Day One At The Biggest Hi-Fi Show!
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One of the best things about going to an audio show like AXPONA is coming across extraordinary or unconventional stuff. A big part of designing hi-fi is coming up with new ways of doing things, and as a result, you often see some cool stuff. Here’s a list of the coolest stuff I saw on…
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The Ultimate Guide To Affordable Home Stereo Systems
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in Best Buys, Bluetooth, Budget, DACs, Headphone Amps, Headphones, Hi-Fi, Hi-Res Music, Home Audio, Integrated Amps, MQA, Music, News, Reviews, Software, Speakers, Streaming, Videos, WirelessWhen you talk about Home Stereo or Hi-Fi systems, they can come in many different forms. It can range from a single powered speaker with a pair of drivers set in a stereo configuration (like the Andover Audio Spinbase), all the way to pre-power separates (like the PS Audio Stellar line) with a massive set…
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Get Groovin’ Right Away With This Budget Audiophile Vinyl Turntable Setup!
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After years of decline, playing records has become a fun and interactive way to enjoy old musical favorites and discover new music. I especially love the new colored vinyl pressings, which add interest to your collection. You may think putting together a Budget Audiophile Turntable Setup is difficult. However, the wide variety of powered speaker…
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Audiophile Headphones Buyers Guide (2023)
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Here’s what you need to know about Audiophile Headphones: Looking to purchase a new pair of audiophile headphones? Get the latest scoop on choosing the right ones with this comprehensive buyer’s guide! There’s a lot to think about when purchasing headphones, including the style of headphone you wish to buy, the driver type, whether it’s…
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The Best (Our Favorite) Budget Audiophile Gear Right Now: Headphones, Speakers, Amps, DACs, Etc.
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We’re fortunate to have a lot of affordable high-end audio or budget audiophile gear pass through our doors regularly. Out of that group, there are some components that we fall in love with instantly. Usually, this is because they sound extraordinarily musical or they’re remarkably practical. Or both. We call these items our “Favorites.” Here’s…
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Hidizs S3 PRO Ultra-Portable Hi-Res DAC/Amp Combo Review: The Best MQA Dac Under $100!
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in Best Buys, Budget, DACs, Headphone Amps, Headphones, Hi-Fi, Hi-Res Music, MQA, Portable Audio, Reviews, VideosTL;DR The Hidizs S3 PRO doesn’t have the most power, but what it lacks in power, it makes up in features and refinement. If you like MQA, this is the dongle to buy for less than 100 bucks. Intro Since Apple initiated the move away from smartphone headphone jacks, dongle DAC development has exploded. These…
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The Best Budget Audiophile Headphones (2022)
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Not too long ago, people laughed at the idea of Budget Audiophile Headphones. To be fair, up until the last few years, headphones retailing for less than $500 were mediocre at best. But now, there are quite a few entry-level hi-fi headphones and critical listening headphones at this price point. If you really want to…
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Create Your Own Personal Nirvana With This Budget Audiophile Headphone Setup!
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Here at HI-FI Trends, we believe that high-end audio doesn’t necessarily mean high-priced audio. We say the designation “high-end audio” is an indication of design intent not price. Today, you can find a lot of capable budget components that are designed to satisfy audiophile sensibilities. Also with the current global economies of scale, you can…
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TINHIFI T3 Plus In-Ear Monitor Review: Great Price, But Are They Worth It?
TL;DR The TINHIFI T3 Plus may be a little edgy in the upper mids, but they’re comfortable, and they sound amazing with certain genres. Intro A couple of years ago, I reviewed the T3 IEMs from TINHIFI, and we liked them for the most part. They had a significant hump in the upper mids, which…
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Moondrop Releases Their First Portable DAC/AMP, The $189 Moonriver 2
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Today, Moondrop unveiled their first portable USB DAC/Amp combo, the Moondrop Moonriver 2. On paper, it looks well-equipped, with top-notch audio components like dual Cirrus Logic CS43198 premium DAC chips (supports high-resolution 32-Bit/384kHz PCM and native DSD256 decoding) and fully balanced four-channel amp circuitry. This compact device also has dual Headphone ports (3.5mm SE+4.4mm Bal),…
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Digital-To-Analog Converter (DAC) Buying Guide (2023)
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in Best Buys, Bluetooth, Budget, DACs, Headphone Amps, Headphones, Hi-Fi, Hi-Res Music, Home Audio, MQA, Music, Portable Audio, Reviews, Streaming, Videos, WirelessWhat to know when buying a Digital-to-Analog Converter or DAC/Amp Combo: In today’s digital audio world, you need a good digital to analog converter or DAC if you want to get the best out of your hi-fi setup. The DAC takes the digital audio signal produced by your source (most likely a laptop or smartphone)…
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HIFIMAN Deva Pro Review: These Wireless Planar Magnetic Headphones Are Wondrous!
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TL;DR If you’re looking for wireless audiophile headphones for less than $500, you won’t do better than these. Intro Back in 2020, when Hifiman released the $299 DEVA, a set of planar headphones with a BT dongle, I must admit I found them to be an inelegant wireless headphone option. I’ve never been a fan…
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iFi Audio’s New ZEN Air Series Offers Enchanting High-Fidelity Audio For Only $99!
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in Analog, Best Buys, Bluetooth, Budget, DACs, First Impressions, Headphone Amps, Headphones, Hi-Fi, Hi-Res Music, Home Audio, MQA, Music, News, Videos, WirelessWe’ve been fans of iFi Audio’s products for a long time now. They always offer an excellent mix of innovation, value, and, most important, sound quality. Given this, iFi is introducing the ZEN Air Series, a new line of four products that promise quality and performance close to their award-winning ZEN series but at an…
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OneOdio Monitor 80 Open Back Headphones Review: These $99 Budget Audiophile Headphones Are Worth A Listen!
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At this point, I’ve reviewed three headphones from Oneodio, a Hong Kong-based company known for its inexpensive studio-style headphones. At this point, I haven’t been overly impressed by any of them, as their sound and build quality always just bordered on acceptable. The last Oneodio headphone I looked at, the Monitor 60, represented a definite…
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KZ X Crinacle CRN (ZEX Pro) Review: These $36 Earphones Set A New Standard For Budget IEMs
(Ed. Note 3/5/22): There seems to be some question as to the functionality of the Electrostat and BA drivers in these and some other KZ IEMs. A user on one of the audio forums did a teardown of a single CRN unit and provided some evidence that points to only the Dynamic Driver being in…
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HIFIMAN Electronics To Debut Two Brand New R2R Dac/Amplifiers At CanJam NYC 2022
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in Budget, DACs, Headphone Amps, Headphones, Hi-Fi, Hi-Res Music, Home Audio, News, Streaming, VideosIf you’re heading out to CanJam NYC 2022 this weekend (Feb. 26-27), HIFIMAN Electronics will be demoing two new DAC/Amplifiers, both with the company’s low energy, high sampling HIMALAYA R2R DAC module which supports PCM (max 24Bit resolution). The new models include: HM800 (SRP: $299): A portable, fully balanced DAC/Amp that is approximately the size…
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Meze Audio To Showcase Their Enchanting Flagship Headphones At CanJam NYC 2022
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in DACs, Headphone Amps, Headphones, Hi-Fi, Hi-Res Music, Home Audio, News, Portable Audio, Shows, VideosThis upcoming Saturday and Sunday (Feb. 26th and 27th), Meze Audio will be displaying their latest Flagship headphones, the Meze Elite and Meze Liric, at Head-Fi’s CanJam NYC 2022. CanJam is the largest multi-city audio show dedicated to Headphones in the world. If you’ve wanted to hear Meze’s latest top-of-the-line home and portable headphones, then…