In talking with the designer of the V226, it's clear Lake People (parent company of Violectric) intends the V226 to be used as an all-in-one unit. Unfortunately, it falls down in that regard due to lackluster DAC performance, IMO. However, the amplifier section continues Vio's tradition of making absolutely stellar headphone amps that handle a wide variety of headphones and headphone types very well. If you have a DAC with excellent single-ended output (I think Chords are great matches signature-wise), have limited space, and need a preamp out, this...

I picked this up recently and drove a TON of different headphones with it. I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know this amp. It has a lot of strengths. The amplifier in it has arguably fallen behind more recent competition, but the preamp performance is still excellent. It's a tinkerer's dream: support for a almost every 9-pin 6V and 12V tube type out there; jumpers to toggle 3 output impedance settings (for adjustable damping factor); jumpers to bypass input capacitor or input resistor or both; 2 gain settings. It can be bought as a kit if you're...

INTRODUCTION A few months ago, iFi launched their Zen Stream, a low-cost (399USD) music streamer in the form factor of their popular Zen series of audio products. I asked iFi if I could take a look. They agreed and sent me a review unit. While iFi sent me the unit, they have made no attempt to influence my opinion of it and have asked for nothing in return. They even helped me work through some technical issues. Alright, let’s go… TL;DR The Zen Stream, at 399USD is one of the lowest cost music streamers on the market right now and it comes in...

A special thanks to user @sa11297 for loaning me this RAAL gear! INTRODUCTION The RAAL Requisite SR1a “True Ribbon Earfield Monitor” is a truly interesting product. It is a pair of ribbon speakers strapped to a headband system that creates a near-field – so near it’s ear-field – listening experience, essentially putting a speaker listening experience in a form factor worn like a headphone. If you wish to own access to such an experience it will set you back a minimum of $3500US new, but there are plenty of accessories that have impact on the...

INTRODUCTION The Focal Clear MG was another generous loan from Mr. @sa11297 – thanks for keeping my efforts going! – and was fortuitously timed as I had it in-house at the same time as it’s big sibling the Stellia. I should add the caveat that I have unfortunately never spent any meaningful time with the original Clear. So, this review will not be a comparison to the OG Clear, rather a report on the Clear MG as I see it on its own merits. Let’s do it… TL;DR The Clear MG is a good headphone that does several things well but doesn’t deliver any...

INTRODUCTION The Focal Stellia – a closed-back, dynamic-driver, over-the-ear, $3000US headphone – is the latest headphone loan to come across my desk. Thanks, @sa11297 for the loan! I’ve given it a good listen, and it’s time to dive in. TL;DR The Stellia is one of the best sounding closed-back headphones on the market with excellent resolution, impressive spatial presentation for closed-back, fantastic macrodynamics and physicality, and well-textured bass in a well-built, easy-to-drive, comfortable package. Its carrying case might be a bit too big...

INTRODUCTION The Empyrean Elite, the new, open-back, top-of-the-line, “Isodynamic” planar-magnetic -driver headphone from Meze. It’s $4000 US and stirring up lots of conversation and buzz. It’s indeed intriguing. It has some strengths. It has some weaknesses – as all audio components do. What are they? Read on to find out… Get comfy, though. We again have a lot of ground to cover… I should also get out of the way that I have not heard the original Empyrean. Therefore. the thoughts that follow will not be any sort of comparison to the original...

I recently launched a YouTube review channel and used this oldie-but-goodie to establish a baseline with a new YouTube audience. Please check it out. Enjoy the music, everyone!

An oldie but goodie. I reviewed this on my brand new YouTube channel to hopefully establish common points between my listening and a new audience's listening. Enjoy: Enjoy the music, everyone!

EDIT - 10 Sept. 2021: I've launched a YouTube review channel. The LCD-R was my first ever video review. Here it is: INTRODUCTION A fellow audiophile very generously extended me the opportunity to give the new limited edition Audeze LCD-R “ribbon” headphone with the Schiit Jotunheim A headphone amp a thorough spin. I was on the fence on how fully to go into this review given that there were something like 67 total units on sale with no immediate plans to make more, plus they have already sold out by the time I write this. But, I decided to give it...

INTRODUCTION The Focal Radiance, or more technically the Focal + Bentley Radiance, is a closed-back, dynamic-driver, around the ear headphone designed and built by Focal but with Bentley styling and name plastered on the headband. I’ve been sitting on this one for awhile because I’ve been loaded up on review material. To let the cat out of the bag a little, this one was loaned to me and I bought it…I liked it that much and found a space for it in my already crowded headphone collection. Read on to find out why… TL;DR In this reviewer’s humble...

NOTE: This review was originally published on HiFiGuides forum on 19 Jul 2021. INTRODUCTION I was loaned another piece of Schiit for review, this time the IEMagni. The IEMagni is one of three models in Schiit’s latest generation of Magni headphone amps. The Magnis represent Schiit’s entry point in headphone amps with the 3+ and Heresy being $99 each and the IEMagni being $119. The IEMagni is more closely related to the Heresy and includes a negative gain stage that is designed to make it the go-to entry-level amp for IEMs, yet maintain the guts of...

NOTE: This review was originally published on HiFiGuides forum on 15 Jul 2021. INTRODUCTION There’s just something about tubes, right? By my count I either currently own or have owned 7 vacuum tubed audio products; a Douk branded tube buffer, Loxjie P20, Darkvoice 336SE, Monolith Liquid Platinum, Eddie Current ZDT Jr., Cayin HA-1AMK2, and Schiit Saga. Those second order harmonics can be oh-so-sweet at times. So, when a HiFiGuides Forum member messaged me and said – and I’m paraphrasing here – “Hey, you wanna hear the sounds that come out of my...

NOTE: This review was originally published on HiFiGuides forum on 2 Jul 2021. INTRODUCTION I’ve had the opportunity to take the Drop Panda Bluetooth wireless headphone for a test run these past few weeks. I moved recently and they got some listening time in as I was packing and unpacking boxes or just sitting down to rest with all my main gear packed away. Now that I’m more settled, I have some time to sit down and write up some thoughts. So let’s get to it… I’m going to focus a lot on the sound in this review. I’m not going to go into detail...

NOTE: This review was originally published on HiFiGuides forum on 30 Jun 2021. INTRODUCTION It’s been some time since I was able to do a review. I moved! And moving is exhausting. But, the HiFiGuides community had my back as always and had plenty of gear stacked up for me to check out once I got settled. One piece of that gear is the Hedd Heddphone. The Heddphone is an exciting product because it brings a new driver technology to the headphone market, namely AMT drivers. Before Heddphone, AMT drivers had been mostly relegated to high-frequency...

INTRODUCTION It’s time to come back down to reality after a brief (but fun!) foray into high-end headphone systems. The Sennheiser HD660S headphone crossed my desk recently and I had a good listen. Let’s see what I found… TL;DR The Senn HD660S is a very good ~$200-250 headphone that unfortunately sells for $500 from most retailers. It has its strengths and offers a slightly different signature than its popular sibling model the HD6XX from Massdrop. It’s more forgiving than its 6XX sibling of entry-level DACs and amps. But, in this reviewer’s...

INTRODUCTION The Chord Hugo 2 is a transportable DAC/amp built around an FPGA DAC using digital filters designed by Rob Watts. At the time of this writing, most US retailers were listing it for $2495. One landed in my possession a couple of months ago and now it’s time to give it a rundown. A word of warning, though: this review is LONG. The Hugo 2 is loaded with features and thing to talk about, so get comfortable. TL;DR The Hugo 2 is loaded with handy features that make it useful as a transportable unit, even though its size prevents it from...

NOTE: This review was originally posted on HiFiGuides Forum on 15 April, 2021. https://forum.hifiguides.com/t/goldplanar-gl2000/19864/1962 INTRODUCTION A generous forum member sent me a pair of GoldPlanar GL2000 headphones for review. The GL2000 is an open-back, around the ear, planar magnetic headphone that lists for 639USD. The model loaned to me was the double-sided magnet version (aka double-magnet version), which Linsoul (the distributor for GoldPlanar) refers to as their flagship planar. It’s exciting because there is A LOT of hype...

NOTE: This review was originally posted on HiFiGuides Forum on 19 April, 2021. https://forum.hifiguides.com/t/hifiman-he1000v2/17440/25 INTRODUCTION If you’ve followed my writing on this forum, you know it’s no secret that I adored the HiFiMan Edition X V2 (HexV2). It was my go-to headphone for most of the Fall of 2020 and early 2021. Then, I heard the HiFiMan Arya. While I didn’t love the Ayra’s signature, its spatial abilities and detail retrieval were another step up from the HexV2 and got me longing for a headphone that could combine the warmth...

NOTE: This review was originally published on HiFiGuides Forum on 1 April, 2021 - No Foolin'! https://forum.hifiguides.com/t/abyss-diana-series/3959/136 INTRODUCTION Fellow audiophiles, there’s a lot of ground to cover here. Get yourself a tasty beverage and get comfortable. We may be here awhile… It’s been quite a stretch for yours truly. A very generous forum member loaded me up with high-end gear to play with and review. One such piece was the JPS Labs Abyss Diana Phi (https://abyss-headphones.com/products/abyss-diana-phi) planar magnetic...