Greetings! Today we're checking out the heavily refreshed Dorado 2020 from Campfire Audio. Hailing from Portland, Oregon where their products are designed and hand-assembled, Campfire Audio has been bringing high end in-ear-monitors to the public since 2015. It all started with the Jupiter, Orion, and Lyra. Since then their lineup has been expanded and refined with popular releases like the Andromeda and Atlas. The Andromeda in particular has become a staple recommendation to audiophiles looking to step up into the realm of TOTL (top-of-the-line)...

Greetings! Today we're checking out one of Campfire Audio's final releases of 2020, the Vega. Hailing from Portland, Oregon where their products are designed and hand-assembled, Campfire Audio has been bringing high end in-ear-monitors to the public since 2015. It all started with the Jupiter, Orion, and Lyra. Since then their lineup has been expanded and refined with popular releases like the Andromeda and Atlas. The Andromeda in particular has become a staple recommendation to audiophiles looking to step up into the realm of TOTL...

Greetings! Today we're checking out a pair headphones that are old, irrelevant, and well out of production; the JBL Reference Series 420. Released in 2007, the 420 was the base model in JBL's Reference Series of headphones. Released at the same time was the 610, a Bluetooth model sharing more-or-less the same design. When in university, I was looking to get a quality set of headphones. In the running were the Bose Triport, some budget Grados, and the JBL Reference 420. The Triports won out and the 420 became a distant memory. I don't recall how...

Greetings! Today we're checking out the reworked 12 Classics from Meze Audio. The original 12 Classics released in 2016 brought a more affordable product to Meze's lineup alongside yet another timeless design. While it was a very competent earphone there were some areas that could have used attention; the cable and an overly safe tune that was somewhat lacking micro detail. Meze must agree that they hit the nail on the head with the look and ergonomics of the original 12 Classics as the V2 shares it's predecessors shell, save for a new colourway...

Greetings! Today we're checking out Meze's midrange earphone offering, the Rai Solo. In the realm of earphones Meze had some budget options in the 12 Classics and Neo and a premium offering in the Rai Penta, but were lacking presence with no products priced in between. Enter the Rai Solo. Released in late 2019 at 249 USD, it showed itself to be a competitive product thanks to a well-sized 9.2mm driver, ergonomic stainless steel housings, and a premium accessory kit which included a bespoke carrying case and a high quality, silver-plated cable. Now...

Greetings! Today we're checking out a unique product from the 'Masters of Audio Accessories' over at DDHiFi, the Janus. DDHiFi has been making a name for themselves thanks to a wide variety of high quality portable audio accessories, be they compact DACS, cases for various FiiO products, cables, adapters, and whatever else the audio enthusiast needs. With the Janus, ambitiously named after the Roman 'God of Beginnings', they finally step into the extremely competitive world of in ear monitors. Unlike most brands that are comfortable releasing a...

Greetings! Today we're checking out the all-new Sennheiser IE 300. Sennheiser is a brand that needs no introduction. They've been around since 1945 and have created some of the most memorable and respected products in the industry, many of which have become staple recommendations for sound engineers, budding and seasoned audiophiles, and general music lovers around the world. The new IE 300 is a replacement for the venerable IE 80s eschewing that model's classic shell design and bass tuning feature for a single signature and newly designed, highly...

Greetings! Today we're checking out a new tri-hybrid earphone, this time from LZ. The A7 builds on the rampant success of it's predecessors. With a 7 driver setup (one dynamic for the lows, two Knowles BAs for the mids, two Knowles BA's for the highs, and dual Piezoelectric ceramic tweeters for ultra-highs), removable cables, and a tuning system replete with interchangeable nozzles and a single tuning switch, the A7 is quite a feature packed product and at under 350 USD, is a comparative bargain when looking at similarly equipped products...

Greetings! Today we're checking out the newly revamped version of DDHiFi's excellent USB Type C OTG cable, the TC05. The original TC05 has been my go-to Type C cable for mobile use for the last 6+ months thanks to the application of a durable, coiled stainless steel sheath. While it had some downsides, such as limited flexibility and the potential for permanent kinks or dents, they were worth the durability of the steel sheath. Mobile cables tend to be fragile and have a short life span, things I wasn't worried about with the original TC05. As...

Greetings! Today we're checking out the Moondrop Super Spaceship Pulse (SSP), a companion product to the Super Spaceship Reference (SSR) which was my top earphone of 2020. Looking at the SSP you'd be forgiven for feeling a sense of deja vu. Along with the shell, the packaging and accessories are carried over from the SSR, though with a new coat of paint and lovely new mascot. The tuning is quite similar too, though with a bumped low end that increases the SSP's widespread appeal in the way the SSR sadly failed to achieve. Given the SSP shares all...

Greetings! Today we're checking out a modern update to a classic KZ. The original ZST was a landmark product and KZ's first foray into hybrid earphones. It inspired an entire segment of equally budget-friendly hybrid competitors, a market that today is alive and well, teeming with new models. Prior to the release of the ZST, fans of the brand had been relentlessly asking KZ to dip their toes into the hybrid market. The consensus seemed to be that KZ had no intention of doing so. Balanced armatures (BAs) were still too pricey, meaning their...

Greetings! Today we're going to drool over the DQ6, one of KZ's most recent and most interesting (imo) releases in a while. The DQ6 is a triple dynamic earphone with one 10mm and two 6mm drivers working in tandem thanks to a tiny crossover. The clear acrylic inner body is composed of two parts neatly glued together with a lovely zinc-alloy faceplate rounding things out. Along with KZ's snazzy new(ish) logo brandishing the face plate is a slender 4mm long vent. It's not just for show either since you can see clear through it and into the shell...

Greetings! Today we're checking out another release from Shozy, the Rouge. While 2020 has been a nightmare for many, Shozy has been a shining beacon of hope thanks to a slew of outstanding releases. The Form 1.1 and Form 1.4 are some of my favourite products of the year, especially the latter, so when I saw the Rouge was on the horizon I knew I had to give it a go. Priced similarly to the 1.4 with a three driver hybrid setup utilizing Knowles drivers and a similar design motif, there was no way this one was going to pass under my radar. I'm glad I...

Greetings! Today we're checking out the Cat Ear's first release, the Mia. A few months back I was approached by a peer about his new earphone brand and upcoming release, asking if I'd be interested in giving it a listen and writing a review. After being provided with some additional product details that looked promising, I agreed to give it a whirl. The Mia is a single dynamic earphone with 8mm drivers. The traditional barrel-shaped housing is CNC'd metal with removable cables via MMCX connectors. There is also a simple tuning system in place via...

Greetings! Today we're checking out the Sparrow from EarMen, a new USB dongle-DAC. EarMen clearly has a sense of humour, and it shows in the clever naming of their products. With models like the Donald Dac and TR-Amp in their lineup drawing a chuckle, it is no surprise that the Sparrow is a jab at a popular series of DragonFly DACs from AudioQuest. Sparrows are known to snack on the occasional dragonfly which for most avian species is notoriously wily and difficult to catch thanks to their speed and uncanny agility. The attention of consumers is...

Greetings! Today we're checking out one of the more impressive products to have crossed my plate this year, the Spring II from BQEYZ. My first experience with the brand was through the KC2, a very well-tuned quad-driver hybrid that recently saw a resurgence in popularity. I quite enjoy it and still pull it out for the occasional listen and comparison to more current gear. Why? Well, because it is still relevant. I suspect the same thing will happen with the Spring II years down the road because this earphone is the complete package. It sounds...

Greetings! Today we're checking out a neat little accessory from DDHiFi, the TC35B. As we all know by now, smartphone manufacturers are slowly weeding out the 3.5mm jack in their more premium offerings, forcing users to either go wireless or carry around a cumbersome dongle to add that feature back. Not ideal. DDHiFi is well known for their various adapters that solve a wide variety of problems. One of them, the TC35B, brings back the headphone jack to those devices the utilize USB type-C and have dropped the venerable 3.5mm port. It also provides...

Greetings! Today we're checking out the newest version of Campfire Audio's legendary Andromeda. My first experience with this well-known model was the 2019 update. I was expecting something fantastic given years and years of glowing commendations from various forums. They certainly didn't disappoint. The Andromeda is a modern classic for a reason. It looks awesome and the sound quality is just that damn good. When the 2020 Andromeda was revealed to have received a slight re-tune, I was intrigued. The 2019 model was already near perfect. What could...

Greetings! Today we're checking out Campfire Audio's new top of the top of the line model, the revised Solaris 2020. The original Solaris was a stunner in all aspects. The large, gold-plated housings drew in the eye while a bold tune pleased the ear. However, the black and gold colour scheme and fairly massive housings earned it some critics. The new Solaris addresses those complaints quite competently with a 20% size reduction and stealthy, all-black look. Along with the visual and ergonomic updates, internally the Solaris has seen some changes...

Greetings! Today we're checking out one of KZ's newest releases, the ZAX. Knowledge Zenith, the mother of all budget brands, has been slowly but steadily moving themselves upscale ever since the release of their first hybrid, the ZST. The ZAX is part of their newest crop of X-branded releases and has some pretty eye-watering specs that we could never have imagined being present in a sub-100 earphone just a few short years ago. Silver-plated, braided, removable 2-pin cable, 8 driver hybrid setup with a dual-magnet dynamic, open back, and a high...