Its been almost a year since iBasso DX200 released, with that comes additional support, features, firmwares, and add-ons. Today we're looking at the latest amp module for the player 'Amp3'. Its quite an unusual amp for those who aren't up to date with the latest and greatest ways of enjoying portable audio, the amp only supports 2.5mm balanced outputs without the well-known 3.5mm jack everyone is familiar with. DX200 has miles of potential, its been the player that created a true upgrade for me from my previous set-up, if you haven't had the chance...

                                            iBasso Audio are no strangers to personal audio, they've been active on the scene for 10-years now. What I admire about the Chinese company is their attention on great hardware, price to performance and genuine appreciation of music quality for themselves and consumers. They definitely aren't unfamiliar with the portable DAP market either with releases such as DX100, DX50, DX90, DX80, along with several portable amplifiers, dac/amps and most recently branching out into IEMs. DX100 was their first...

                                              iBasso have stamped their name on this evolving portable audio scene for some time, up until recently focusing on portable amplifiers, dac/amps and portable players. With units like iBasso DX50, DX90, DX80 and earlier DX100 they always came across to me as a company offering great bang for buck and they're quite openly spoken about it. While their firmwares take time to mature with digital players the sound offered is always above standards. About a year ago some IEMs surfaced carrying the iBasso...

                            Introduction:   Let me start by saying this isn't really a full fledged review but a testimonial to the brand Tralucent Audio and especially massive thanks to the owner known on Head-fi as spkrs01 or Gavin. My journey with Tralucent began several years ago in 2012, a member I know well on the forums was ranting about this new hybrid IEM he demoed after helping someone here on Head-fi. At the time you think its just hype, new toy syndrome like many products on the market, another hatched train line. Not long after...

                         Looking back on the year 2014 was the first time I heard the brand name Fidue mentioned, there was a lot of noise surrounding their first release 3-way hybrid, Fidue A83, and for good reason. It was ranked extremely highly by myself on a price to performance ratio reaching close to top tier earphones at a fraction of their price. With such forward motion It didn't take long for Fidue to stamp their name onto the vastly evolving portable audio market.   After their A83 Fidue released some middle/lower end models such...

                                       Cayin have always intrigued me, their approach to portable audio isn't about sound quality alone, far from. Their designs are some of the most unique and peculiar on the market. Not only have their designs separated themselves from competition, they detach themselves from MP3 players as we've come to understand them. Last year when we toured Cayin N6 the casing was described by my friends with some entertaining titles.   I will say Cayin N6 wasn't my preferred design for a flagship player, it was quite...

                      FLC Technology were a company I'd never heard of until they surfaced on Head-fi late last year. They’re a Chinese based company with some very interesting ideas in regards to customizing your portable audio experience. Hybrid in-ear monitors have always been popular among the Head-fi crowd, with the use of a dynamic driver and balanced armature used in unity you can produce some excellent performance, it seems everyone including Sony are giving it a go. Where FLC Technology push the game further is adding a complete...

                    A few weeks ago on Head-fi forums I was approached to home audition the new Campfire Audio line up as they circulate around Australia. I'd like to first thank d macr0 and Campfire Audio for the opportunity to hear these new (very interesting) in-ear monitors.   Campfire Audio began building hand made cables and amplifiers known as ALO Audio, they have now extended stretching out into the ever growing world of IEMs. The in-ear montior we'll be looking at today is a quad driver configuration, similar driver count to that...

                   Head-fi is a relatively active website, opening my web browser there's always new things to discover, fresh products, new companies. It seems the pace things move on a weekly basis makes it difficult to keep up. I was reading my private messages early one morning over a coffee when I discovered an invitation from a new company based in Bellevue, USA. Gilly, one of Head-fi's active members now transformed Echobox Audio inquiring whether I'd be interested in sampling their very first earphone fresh on the portable audio scene...

                     Often you will find Paul - iBasso participating on Head-fi forums, whether it be answering questions giving advice or reading threads the iBasso representative shows a solid attendance among the community. While this role certainly isn't for the faint-hearted Paul still manages to crack a joke now and then. Rewinding the clock back to 2013 we were greeted by iBasso's DX50 then not long after DX90, both players were well received despite some hiccups on earliest firmware. In July - 2015 iBasso announced DX50 and DX90 were...

                        I remember a time around a year ago I reviewed Fidue’s A83 hybrid IEM, it remains still today a great earphone I use literally every day, its earned a large amount of respect on Head-Fi and especially from me personally. Fast forward to today we’re here again with Fidue’s A73 - 2 way hybrid. A little different in driver count  being x1 dynamic driver for the bass combined with x1 balanced armature controlling the mids and treble. The price cheaper, but again I find nearly that same price to performance ratio found on...

                             Around 6 months ago on Head-fi forums I was greeted by a Cayin representative after enquiring about touring their recently popular Cayin N6 audiophile player. The guys from Cayin are some of the friendliest, helpful people active on Head-fi forums I’ve come across and agreed to send the Cayin for our Australian tour.   Cayin N6 features dual PCM1792A DAC chips, compatible with both PSM and DSD operation. It uses a Texas Instrument PGA231 volume chip to cater for all situations. When I first saw Cayin N6 on...

XDuoo are a company known for a variety of portable audio products. I've seen portable dac/amps, stand alone desktop amps and quite a wide range of audio products from them floating around the internet. The Chinese based company seem to thrive on offering value for money. It was only about 8 months ago we saw their previous MP3 player launch called XDuoo X2, the matchbox size player won many hearts and popularity on Head-fi forums. Fast forward to today we're greeted by their newer (bigger brother) XDuoo X3 audiophile player.   The newer XDuoo X3...

Before I start this review I need to mention some misfortune which happened to me.   I was part of the Australian Noble Savant tour (big thanks to Noble and @d marc0 ) however at the time was suffering an injury with my left ear drum. Despite trying to heal in time for the tour I barely heard Noble Savant before my ear flamed up with an infection. I did however, get a few hours in with the unit before I had to stop.   Noble Audio are well known for their custom in-ear monitors with remarkable designs, possibly some of the best CIEM makers on...

First of all, I'd like to thank FiiO for sending me this sample to review as part of the Australian / NZ tour.     FiiO is an ever expanding Chinese company no stranger to the portable audio world - with the likes of their early amps such as FiiO E5, E11 and other early products. Over passing months they've completely expanded busting out into the portable audio player market and doing so at great speed. Their ever increasing performance ratio doesn't seem to stop and that's exactly what you'll find today in FiiO X3II. The new player from FiiO...

It was about a year ago give or take a few months I was introduced to my first Dunu product, DN-1000 hybrid and boy was I impressed at the performance it offered for $200 USD. As anyone on Head-fi would know the Chinese company Dunu aren't strangers to the portable audio scene and recently they've developed something new for us to check out, actually, one of many new products. So today lets take a look at their "half in-ear" designed and christened Titan 1. I must thank Dunu for the sample!       Price: $115 from Penon...

It's been a pleasure taking on some of Brainwavz new products for 2014, today we're going to look at one of their new portable amps, a first for Brainwavz to my understanding and a mighty great effort. The amp is called AP001 so let's take a look. I'd like to thank Brainwavz for the sample. Website: http://www.yourbrainwavz.com/ Cost: http://www.mp4nation.net/brainwavz-ap001-portable-headphone-amplifier-with-dual-audio-out   The specs: Playback: 12+ Hours on full charge  Charging interface: Micro USB Port  Input: 1 Line in, works...

Let me start off by saying this review is a little different from others I write, mainly because this IEM has set a new level for me to call a reference towards future testing and comparisons. Floating around the forums I had seen the name Fidue mentioned a few times but completely overlooked it due to the abundance of new IEM hitting the market each month. However, thanks to a good friend of mine was offered the opportunity to sample Fidue's A83 hybrid. What was about to happen came from completely no-where. So let's take a look at what came to be...

Recently I was contacted my Brainwavz to sample one of their brand new products. This review however will be a little different from others and quite a bit shorter as we're only doing some basic design impressions and mostly what counts, the sound to give you guys out there a grasp on S0's signature. To my understanding Brainwavz S0 is a budget orientated in ear headphone that's going to be priced around $50 USD. Firstly I'd like to once again thank Brainwavz for the S0 sample!  Brainwavz Website: http://www.yourbrainwavz.com/index.php...

Firstly, I'd like to thank Rock Jaw for the Alfa Genus sample. Only a few weeks ago I hadn't heard of the company Rock Jaw, however through a friend was offered to sample one of their new products. Being more than interested in the filter adjustment tuning feature and neodymium drivers I happily took on a review sample. Let me say it's been more than interesting and delightful, especially tinkering around with the 3 different tuning filters. It's almost like having 3 earphones in one, if the intended sound of Alfa Genus sits well with you that's...