Tag: bluetooth headphones
-
Audirect Atom2 Lightning MQA Dac Amp Combo Review: Don’t Listen To Apple Music Lossless Without It!
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…
Written by
-
Campfire Audio Drops Two Tantalizing Reference IEMs, The $649 Holocene And $549 Mammoth
This week, Campfire Audio continued the sustained growth of its burgeoning product line with two new models, the Holocene and Mammoth IEMs. Both are constructed of Campfire’s iconic aluminum housings and stainless steel spouts accented with glow in the dark elements for more visual appeal. The glow in the dark motif is also carried over…
Written by
-
Kinera Unveils Imperial Skuld, Their Latest Handpainted IEM Masterpiece!
First Impressions, Headphones, Hi-Fi, Hi-Res Music, Music, News, Portable Audio, Uncategorized, VideosKinera has been on a roll. Over the last couple of years, the company has put out a constant stream of beautifully handpainted earphones, and each one has an interesting theme based on Norse mythology. Their latest creation is called the Kinera Imperial Skuld. It’s named after Skuld, one of the mythological “Sisters of Fate,”…
Written by
-
Lightning DACs and Camera Adapters: How To Get The Best Sound From Apple Music Lossless
Budget, DACs, Headphone Amps, Headphones, Hi-Fi, Hi-Res Music, Home Audio, Music, Portable Audio, Streaming, VideosLast week Apple rolled out thousands of Lossless Audio and Hi-Res Lossless audio tracks on their Apple Music platform, bringing with them the promise of Audiophile-Quality playback. Here’s how Apple explains it: Apple has developed its own lossless audio compression technology called Apple Lossless Audio Codec (ALAC). In addition to AAC, the entire Apple Music…
Written by
-
Dali Updates Their Thrilling Over-Ear Wireless Headphones
Dali is giving their impressive IO-4 ($399) and IO-6 ($499) over-ear wireless headphones a refresh. Be on the lookout for new versions of these models next month, as the distributor has announced they will be available in two new colors, Army Green and Chalk White. These join the existing Iron Black and Caramel White options and provide consumers…
Written by
-
iFi iDSD Diablo Review: The Best Portable Dac/Amp Combo?
DACs, Headphone Amps, Headphones, Hi-Fi, Hi-Res Music, Home Audio, MQA, Music, Portable Audio, Power Amps, Preamps, Reviews, VideosIFi’s Latest Portable Dac/Amp Combo Has Unrivaled Power And Refinement At Its Price! It’s no secret that I have a bit of a soft spot for iFi products. Their combination of innovative design, thoughtful features, and build quality is unmatched at their price points. They always seem to give you more for your money. The…
Written by
-
Meet the HE400SE! Hifiman’s New $149 Planar Magnetic Headphone (Officially) Hits The U.S.!
Best Buys, Budget, Deals, First Impressions, Headphone Amps, Headphones, Hi-Fi, Hi-Res Music, Home Audio, MQA, Music, News, Portable AudioIs This An Even Better Value Than The Hifiman HE4xx and HE400i? If you’re looking to try planar magnetic cans on the cheap, Hifiman may have just the headphone for you. It’s called the HE400SE, and at $149, it offers one of the cheapest entry points to planar magnetic sound. According to Hifiman, this new…
Written by
-
Now That’s A Good Question…What’s A Good DAC/Amp For The Hifiman Sundara?
Budget, DACs, Deals, Headphone Amps, Headphones, Hi-Fi, Hi-Res Music, Home Audio, MQA, Music, Portable Audio, Power Amps, Reviews, Streaming, Videos, WirelessChoosing a DAC Amp for the Best Value Headphone under $500! A Reader Writes: I’m wondering if you can give me your recommendation for pairing up a DAC for the Hifiman Sundara headphones. I have not purchased either item but I’d like to do so as soon as today. I’ve been unable to confirm what…
Written by
-
Khadas Tone 2 Pro Review: This Revolutionary DAC Amp Will Make Your Headphones Sing!
Bluetooth, Budget, DACs, Headphone Amps, Headphones, Hi-Fi, Hi-Res Music, MQA, Music, Portable Audio, Preamps, Reviews, Videos, WirelessI’ve reviewed quite a few dongle style DAC/Headphone Amps over the last year or so, and I must say I dig them. Their compact size coupled with their affordability makes them an ideal way to upgrade a smartphone or laptop’s sound while on the go. Recently, I was really wowed by the $99 HELM Audio…
Written by
-
Now That’s A Good Question…Bluetooth vs. Wi-Fi Music Streaming?
Best Buys, Bluetooth, Budget, DACs, Headphones, Hi-Fi, Hi-Res Music, Home Audio, Integrated Amps, Music, News, Power Amps, Preamps, Software, Streaming, Videos, WirelessA reader writes: Would a music streamer, like Andover’s Audio Songbird Music Streamer, be necessary for a system with a PS Audio Sprout since the Sprout has Bluetooth? Thanks M.B. Hello M.B, Not necessarily. If you’re happy with the sound from Bluetooth, then you may not need a Wi-Fi streamer like the Songbird. However,…
Written by
-
Wow! Check Out The Euclid, Audeze’s Extraordinary New In-Ear Planar Magnetic Headphone
Today, Audeze revealed the $1299 Euclid, their first closed-back in-ear Planar Magnetic earphone. It’s a beautiful design composed of aluminum and carbon fiber. Inside the housings are 18mm ultra-thin planar magnetic drivers which utilize scaled-down versions of Audeze patented technologies like Fluxor magnets for efficiency and Fazor waveguides for a cleaner sound. They also come with…
Written by
-
Beyerdynamic T5 (3rd Generation) Review: These Headphones Are A Thrilling Listen!
The Beyerdynamic T5 is a legendary closed-back model in the headphones world, well known for its musicality and wide soundstage. It sits at the top of their wired hi-fi headphone range and contains the best technology Beyerdynamic has to offer, including their special Tesla dynamic transducer. Today I’m looking at the newest version of the…
Written by
-
Watch: Focal Shows Off Their Stunning New Celestee Headphones!
First Impressions, Headphone Amps, Headphones, Hi-Fi, Home Audio, Music, News, Portable Audio, VideosFocal Turns Heads With Their Latest Closed-Back Headphone! Today, Focal unveiled their latest luxury headphone model. The new $990 Celestee is a closed-back headphone that shares many design cues with their flagship closed-back model, the $2990 Stellia. It has the same premium lightweight stainless steel/leather build, but Unlike the Stellia, which sports a Cognac/Mocha colorway, the…
Written by
-
Shanling BA1 Desktop Hi-Fi Bluetooth Receiver Review: Exquisite Bluetooth DAC For Headphones And Speakers!
Best Buys, Bluetooth, Budget, DACs, Headphone Amps, Headphones, Hi-Fi, Hi-Res Music, Home Audio, Music, Preamps, Reviews, Software, Speakers, Streaming, Uncategorized, Videos, WirelessRemarkable Wireless Sound For The Money! It wasn’t long ago, the phrase “Hi-Fi Bluetooth Receiver” would’ve been considered something of an oxymoron. Even a couple of years back, the sound quality of Bluetooth was pretty poor, and most audiophiles would’ve scoffed at the idea of “Hi-Fi Bluetooth.” But in the last year or so, new…
Written by
-
Check Out Cambridge Audio’s First MQA DAC/Headphone Amp, The Remarkable DacMagic 200M!
Best Buys, Bluetooth, DACs, Deals, First Impressions, Headphone Amps, Headphones, Hi-Fi, Hi-Res Music, Home Audio, Integrated Amps, MQA, Music, News, Streaming, Uncategorized, WirelessCambridge Audio’s First MQA DAC Amp Has Some Serious Specs! Today, venerated British hi-fi brand Cambridge Audio announced their first MQA compatible product, the top of the line DacMagic 200M DAC/Headphone Amp. This will be their new flagship standalone DAC (a step above the current DacMagic Plus), boasting dual ESS Sabre DACs (one per channel…
Written by
-
Red Hot! Take A Look At iFi’s Dazzling New iDSD Diablo DAC/Amp!
DACs, First Impressions, Headphone Amps, Headphones, Hi-Fi, Hi-Res Music, Home Audio, MQA, Music, News, Portable Audio, VideosThis Pocket-Sized DAC/AMP Promises Reference-Quality Sound! iFi Audio is starting the new year off right with an impressive-looking new DAC/Headphone Amp. Called the iDSD Diablo, it’s positioned at the top of iFi’s considerable transportable DAC lineup and designed to provide reference quality sound for headphones and stereo systems. This new battery-powered product comes in a sexy…
Written by
-
HELM Audio BOLT DAC/Amp Review: A Brilliant Headphone Amp/Accessory For Your Phone or Laptop!
Best Buys, Budget, DACs, Headphone Amps, Headphones, Hi-Fi, Hi-Res Music, Home Audio, MQA, Music, Portable Audio, Reviews, Uncategorized, VideosHelm Audio has been on a tear lately, producing an uninterrupted run of innovative portable audio gear for the last two years. They constantly seem to get the features/performance/price mix of their products right, making them attractive. A couple of months back, I took a look at their $199 HELM Audio DB12 AAAMP Mobile Headphone…
Written by
-
Dan Clark Audio’s New ÆON 2 Noire Tweaks An Award-Winning Formula
First Impressions, Headphone Amps, Headphones, Hi-Fi, Hi-Res Music, Home Audio, MQA, Music, News, Portable AudioDan Clark Audio Gives Their Entry-Level Planar Magnetic Cans An Upgrade! Today, Dan Clark Audio, purveyors of fine Planar Magnetic Headphones, unveiled the latest version of their fan-favorite ÆON 2 headphones. Dubbed the ÆON 2 Noire, this new headphone is based on the ÆON 2 Closed, utilizing the same lightweight folding frame (carbon fiber, aluminum)…
Written by
-
ICYMI: The Khadas Tone Pro 2 Is The Stunning Ultra-Slim Desktop Headphone DAC Amp You Need To See!
Best Buys, Bluetooth, Budget, DACs, Deals, First Impressions, Headphone Amps, Headphones, Hi-Fi, Hi-Res Music, MQA, Music, News, Portable Audio, Power Amps, Preamps, Reviews, Streaming, Videos, WirelessThis Week Hifigo.com announced pre-order availability of the Tone 2 Pro from Khadas, a super-slim desktop DAC/Headphone Amp that packs a lot into a small package. Made from Aircraft-Grade Aluminum, the Tone 2 Pro incorporates a high-end 32-bit ES9038Q2M DAC chip which allows processing of PCM audio files up to 32/384, DSD files up to…
Written by
-
iFi NEO iDSD Review: A Headphone Amp/DAC Combo With Captivating Sound!
Bluetooth, DACs, Headphone Amps, Headphones, Hi-Fi, Hi-Res Music, Home Audio, MQA, Music, Preamps, Reviews, Software, Streaming, Videos, WirelessThe NEO iDSD is iFi’s latest DAC/Amp Combo, and as usual, they have come up with a well-built, well-designed piece of gear. It combines a fully-balanced headphone amp section with a USB and S/PDIF DAC that handles all the hi-res formats (PCM768, DSD512, Full MQA Unfold). BTW, it also acts as a high-quality Bluetooth receiver,…
Written by
