Fiio has been around for quite some time, starting with a low cost, entry level amp, the E3.  It became a hot seller, especially with the limited digital audio player (DAP) choices available at the time, and followed-up by the vastly superior E5.  The next several years marked significant growth for Fiio, which has since released many amp and DAC/amps, and finally their first DAPs, the X3.  Recently Fiio released a higher-end DAP, the X5.   SUMMARY The X3 is a high-end full-feature player done right, with the ability to play high-res files from...

The AK120 is a portable player that is truly an ideal player for a traveler or those that prefer simplicity over complexity and the small annoyances that often come with top performing portable audio devices.  Sound quality is very good with more refinement than the lower end players, but lags behind other high-end players such as the DX100 and 901, but those players do have a disadvantage in battery life, UI, and size.     The AK120 may be for you if: - Portability and usability are two of the top qualities you are looking for in a DAP. - You...

OVERVIEW The Effect Studio Thor Silver IEM Upgrade cable is the new flagship made from quad-braided pure UPOCC silver that has been cryo treated and put together with Cardas silver solder.  The cable has a high-end look and feel, with a good thickness that has a relatively loose braid that won’t unravel below the hard plastic Y-Split and twisted above.  A custom-made cable slider with holes for right and left is a nice touch compared with the typical use of heat shrink.  The shell connectors are pre-formed from hard plastic and have a body that is...

From my multi-custom IEM cable review thread.   Effect Studio [Apollo] Advanced upgrade Cable for UE/Shure ($88)         Effect Studio packaging; Y-split, plug, and shell connectors; free form; with old Effect Studio Crystal cable   I reviewed two Effect Studio cables previously, and while they looked amazing in photos and great in person, they didn’t score high primarily due to ergonomics.  Effect Studio revamped their lineup and contacted me to see if I was interested in trying their new cables.  The Apollo cable I received has...

Remember those essays you had to write in grade school? Well I do even if you don't. In honor of that memory, I am going to write: What does the EarSonics SM3 mean to me? Back in March I was going to order the EarSonics SM3 based off the few things I have read about them, even though it wasn't much. But then something stopped me. Could they really be that good, and the shipping cost was as expensive as my gateway IEM! I was not sure what exactly to expect, but did have some insider info from shigzeo, which was all positive. But were they going to...