Category: Portable Audio
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Mother’s Day Gift Ideas: 5 Best Audio Gifts For Mom (2022)
Best Buys, Bluetooth, Budget, Headphone Amps, Headphones, Hi-Fi, Hi-Res Music, Home Audio, News, Portable Audio, Speakers, Streaming, Videos, WirelessHey Folks, Mother’s Day is fast approaching (Sunday, May 8th), but there’s still time to get a nice gift for Mom! We’ve picked out five exceptional gifts between $50 and $250 that will make Mom very happy, including the Philips Fidelio L3 Flagship Over-Ear Wireless Headphones with Active Noise Cancellation Pro+ which is currently on…
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Moondrop CHU Dynamic Driver IEM Review
This $20 wired earphone plays music with surprising naturalness and refinement! When you talk about IEMs nowadays, you have to talk about Moondrop. They know how to crank out reasonably priced earphones with impeccable tonal balance, and the headphone enthusiasts are eating them up. Today we have their latest IEM, the $20 CHU Dynamic Driver…
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AXPONA 2022 Saturday Recap: The Best (Our Favorite) Hifi Systems From America’s Biggest Audio Show!
Analog, Bluetooth, Budget, DACs, Headphone Amps, Headphones, Hi-Fi, Hi-Res Music, Home Audio, Integrated Amps, MQA, News, Noise Cancelling, Portable Audio, Power Amps, Preamps, Shows, Software, Speakers, Streaming, Videos, WirelessThe 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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1MORE Launches EVO, An Audiophile Wireless Earbud With Hybrid Drivers And LDAC Hi-Res Bluetooth
Bluetooth, Budget, Headphone Amps, Headphones, Hi-Fi, Hi-Res Music, News, Noise Cancelling, Portable Audio, WirelessToday, 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!
DACs, First Impressions, Headphone Amps, Headphones, Hi-Fi, Home Audio, Integrated Amps, News, Portable Audio, Power Amps, Preamps, Shows, Speakers, VideosOne 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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Technics EAH-A800 Review: These Are Lowkey The Best ANC Headphones On The Market!
Best Buys, Bluetooth, Headphones, Hi-Fi, Hi-Res Music, Home Audio, News, Noise Cancelling, Portable Audio, Reviews, Videos, WirelessThese amazingly comfortable Wireless ANC Headphones go toe to toe with the best from Sony and Bose! In January, Technics unveiled the $349 EAH-A800 Wireless Noise Cancelling Over-Ear Headphones, a premium set of Bluetooth earphones that promise industry-leading battery life (up to 50 hours), top-notch active noise canceling, and LDAC Hi-Res wireless audio. Price-wise, they’re in…
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The Best Home Audio Sales This Easter Weekend: Speakers, Headphones, Electronics!
Best Buys, Bluetooth, Budget, Deals, Headphones, Hi-Fi, Home Audio, News, Portable Audio, Reviews, Software, Streaming, Videos, WirelessAre you looking for discounts on new audiophile gear this Easter weekend? Look no further; we’ve done the research so you don’t have to! Leading the deals this weekend are the excellent Kanto TUK Powered Bookshelf Speakers (we use them in the office) at $200 off and the Audiolab 6000N Play Wireless Streaming Player (Silver)…
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Audiophile Headphones Buyers Guide (2023)
Best Buys, Bluetooth, Budget, Headphone Amps, Headphones, Hi-Fi, Hi-Res Music, Noise Cancelling, Portable Audio, Videos, WirelessHere’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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Meze Audio’s New $699 Dynamic Earphones Are A Sight To Behold!
Inspired by nature, the new $699 ADVAR IEM from Meze Audio is a beauty, boasting a curvy stainless steel housing meant to be regarded as artwork. Utilizing a 10.2 mm single dynamic driver, it’s also designed to be easy to drive and easy to listen to with a warm, laid-back sound. The name ADVAR comes…
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The Best (Our Favorite) Budget Audiophile Gear Right Now: Headphones, Speakers, Amps, DACs, Etc.
Analog, Best Buys, Bluetooth, Budget, DACs, Headphone Amps, Headphones, Hi-Fi, Hi-Res Music, Home Audio, Integrated Amps, MQA, News, Noise Cancelling, Portable Audio, Power Amps, Reviews, Speakers, Streaming, Videos, WirelessWe’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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Stereo Integrated Amplifier Buyers Guide (2023)
Best Buys, Bluetooth, Budget, Hi-Fi, Hi-Res Music, Home Audio, Integrated Amps, MQA, Music, News, Noise Cancelling, Portable Audio, Power Amps, Speakers, Streaming, Videos, WirelessWhen building an affordable hi-fi system, we usually recommend putting a quality integrated stereo amp at its heart. They typically provide the best mix of power and fidelity for the money. The Integrated Amplifier, a combination of pre-amp and amplifier, will play traffic cop for your sources (Streamer, CD Player, Turntable, etc.), boost the signal…
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Cambridge Audio Grabs Two Red Dot Design Awards 2022 For The Evo Integrated Amp And Melomania 1+ TWS Earbuds
Best Buys, Bluetooth, Budget, DACs, Hi-Fi, Hi-Res Music, Home Audio, Integrated Amps, MQA, News, Portable Audio, Reviews, Streaming, VideosToday, Cambridge Audio announced the receipt of two Red Dot Awards for Product Design 2022, picking up one each for their Evo all-in-one system (Evo 75 and Evo 150) and Melomania 1+ true wireless headphones. The Red Dot Design Award is a huge worldwide design competition that evaluates the best design concepts in a particular…
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Hidizs S3 PRO Ultra-Portable Hi-Res DAC/Amp Combo Review: The Best MQA Dac Under $100!
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)
Best Buys, Bluetooth, Budget, Deals, Headphone Amps, Headphones, Hi-Fi, Hi-Res Music, Portable Audio, WirelessNot 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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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
Budget, DACs, First Impressions, Headphone Amps, Headphones, Hi-Fi, Hi-Res Music, News, Portable AudioToday, 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)
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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The Best Wireless Earbuds (2022): Affordable And Noise Cancelling Options!
Bluetooth, Budget, Headphones, Hi-Res Music, Home Audio, News, Noise Cancelling, Portable Audio, Reviews, Videos, WirelessIf you’re looking for a great set of True Wireless Earbuds that have audiophile-approved sound, then look no further; here you go! We’ve picked a bunch of products at many different price points and a wide variety of feature sets. So there’s something here for everyone! We have over 20 years of experience evaluating and…
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HIFIMAN Deva Pro Review: These Wireless Planar Magnetic Headphones Are Wondrous!
Best Buys, Bluetooth, Budget, DACs, Headphone Amps, Headphones, Portable Audio, Streaming, Uncategorized, Videos, WirelessTL;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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7HZ Eternal Dynamic Driver IEM Review: Ace Of Bass
TD;LR If you believe that neutral=boring, then the 7Hz Eternal may be right up your alley… Intro 7HZ took the portable hi-fi world by storm with their Timeless Planar Magnetic IEM, as it was one of the first affordable large-format Planar IEMs to hit the market. Many reviewers loved them for their detail and balance.…
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