Wow... do I LOVE these headphones! OK... back up a bit. I have or have had about 70 pairs of headphones, ranging from the top-end but dated HiFiMAN HE1000 (superseded by the HE1000 v.2), the classic Sennheiser HD800 (no, not the more recent HD800s), the Fostex TH900, and every Grado known, from the new PS2000e and GS2000e through the entry-level SR60 and iGrado, and back to the historical classic Joseph Grado HP1000 (HP1). Based on the most disparaging review here, I HAD to get the Ultrasone Edition 10, as I have found on multiple occasions that...

CAVEAT! head-fi.org crashed and trashed my review when 90% in and offered no way to reconstruct. This iteration is being entered incrementally and may not be complete. Instructions give a minimum, but not a maximum, limit. ABSTRACT The black Chord Hugo 2 was received on loan as part of the Official Chord Hugo2 Canada/U.S.A. Tour, described here. In short... I'M SOLD! Chord has taken an exquisite product, the Hugo, improved its sound, and even more so, improved the quirkiness that Hugo owners had to endure for the pleasure of using the Hugo...

As proud owner of the largest collection of Grados in private captivity (26 pairs), I inquired of Grado as to what portable amp they found best.  They indicated that the Lotoo PAW Gold and PAW 5000 were better than the traditional DAP/AMP/Headphone combination, so I got this PAW 5000.   WOW!  I could IMMEDIATELY hear an improvement on my Grado RS1e and then the HF-2 and several other Grados over the iPhone 5, iPod Touch 6, FiiO X3, and FiiO X5ii that I had been using.    As the documentation was sparse, the operation of two keys labeled ATE/PQME...

INTRODUCTION   The V-MODA VAMP VERZA DAC and amplifier is only about 1/4 inch in each dimension larger than an iPhone 5, yet provides a novel and useful method to attach to the iPhone as a single unit and provides excellent sound in a shirt-pocket-sized stack with the iPhone in the V-MODA Metallo case, particularly with the V-MODA M100 headphone for which it has been tuned.     The picture shows the VERZA with its silver volume control knob underneath a matching Metallo case holding an iPhone 5.  The Metallo case slides onto the VERZA along a...

Background   In about 1990, when Joseph Grado was designing his HMP-1 Holographic Scalera Scanner (perfectly-matched pair of microphones for recording), he needed some detailed, neutral headphones to diagnose the HMP-1 performance, so he developed the Joseph Grado Signature Products HP-1000 headphone (three versions- HP-1, HP-2, and HP-3).  His headphones came with instructions for building a resistive divider to properly drive them from speaker terminals.   But he then saw the need for a true headphone amplifier.  He engaged Sidney Stockton...

This combined DAC and amp, based on the renown Wolfson DAC chip, is 2" x 2" x 3/4" deep, smaller than a roll of Scotch tape.  It includes a convenient skin-tight case that snaps it to your belt.    The A 200 p has a large disc volume control (5 revolutions from softest to loudest), best equipped with one of the rubber stick-on nubs included to give your finger purchase to turn the smooth metal surface.  It also has touch controls that stop, skip, or repeat selections played on an iPod.   Most importantly, it DIRECTLY reads the Lightening 8-pin...

Background   I had by happenstance acquired a pair of these in the mid-1970s, well before my interest in quality headphones, and then set them aside in a box of "junk" electronics, where they have remained for nearly 40 years, since they didn't fit into the headphone jack of any of my systems.  When I saw a post recently that sung the praises of these, I had to dust them off, run appropriate wires for my home system, and plug them in.   WOW!   I could not put them down and stayed up until 3:00 am trying various tracks through these headphones. ...

Sorry... headphone display stand shown in this Grado Labs photo was somehow missing from my PS500 headphone box!   Since my first revelation into "good" headphones was via my Sennheiser HD 598s, which introduced me to great soundstage, imaging, and comfort, I was looking for something that moved further in the same direction for my upgrade, the PS500s.  Detailed listening comparisons in the Overture Audio store where I bought these examined the HiFiMan HE 500, these Grado PS500s, and my Sennheiser HD 598s.   I used four "macro" tests that used...

Beats claims, "Music as the artist intended," and "You're not hearing all the music.." This leads me to expect that I will make new discoveries in familiar music when I listen through Beats headphones.   I indeed have heard new things in old music with Beats, listening to songs I have listened to DOZENS of times on my other headphones (Sennheiser HD 598, Parrot Zik, Apple In-Ear (their best), Klipsch s4i, and others). In about 25% of familiar songs I hear something new with Beats, spanning genres of classical, hip hop, electronic, and others.   I...