A quick background on my purchase: I have been looking to get a decent pair of earphones for on the go. Since I have some decent full-sized cans at home, I can't exactly deal with crappy-sounding earbuds.   I did not have a budget in mind, and was willing to spend upward to $200 for a nice pair of in-ears. However, I do not believe expensive = good sound, and was willing to try out a bunch of well-reviewed earphones in different price tiers. After reading an extensive number of reviews, I narrowed down my choices to the following: Xiaomi Piston 3...

I've been looking for a good pair of portables to complement my ATH-EM9d (which are nice, but they provide no isolation and they lack bass, which meant they aren't suitable for many genres or movie-watching). Ideally I wanted something I can travel with that would isolate the cabin noise on trains and airplanes. I already own several full-sized cans and have never enjoyed dragging those around when I travel, so I started looking into IEMs.   After reading an extensive number of reviews, I narrowed down my choices to the Xiaomi Piston 3, Yamaha...

Update: Tyll Hertsens at InnerFidelity has expressed interest in doing a review of the K553. I was told to contact him in mid-October. I will be shipping him my K553 for lab measurements; look forward to seeing the results.   The Famed K550 Just Got Better - For Cheaper   I've owned a pair of K550 for over two years now, and while I have grown quite fond of them, I was never fully happy with the way they sound. The treble does sound a bit unnatural - as noted by many professional reviewers - and both the bass and the mid-range could use a bit...

Comparison Review: ATH-A900X, AKG K550   Two years ago, when I was looking to upgrade my aging ATH-A9X, I came across the AKG K550 and the ATH-A900X, both then newly-released, with several head-fiers reporting that they are tonally-similar headphones. Unable to decide which one to get, I bought both to do a comparison. I ended up keeping the K550 for myself and giving the A900X to my wife (who still uses it and loves it).   Below are my thoughts regarding how these two cans compare.   ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Craftsmanship & Comfort   Audio-Technica...

Comparison Review: ATH-A900X, AKG K550   Two years ago, when I was looking to upgrade my aging ATH-A9X, I came across the AKG K550 and the ATH-A900X, both then newly-released, with several head-fiers reporting that they are tonally-similar headphones. Unable to decide which one to get, I bought both to do a comparison. I ended up keeping the K550 for myself and giving the A900X to my wife (who still uses it and loves it).   Below are my thoughts regarding how these two cans compare.   ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Craftsmanship & Comfort   Audio-Technica...

The ATH-EM9d is an elusive model that was never sold in the United States - I picked these up in Taiwan during a trip to Taiwan in 2008. Production had already ceased at the time of purchase, with the new ATH-EMx00 series replacing the old line.   Comparison to ATH-EM700 Even though the ATH-EM9d was being replaced by the ATH-EM700, the older model remained more expensive than the new one (the old EM9d was $190, while the EM700 was $150 brand new). I asked the shop owner (who is a long-time audiophile himself, and participated actively on several...

I purchased these for my wife two years ago. She's always liked the warm sound of my ATH-A9X, so for portable use I got her the ATH-EW9, which reportedly has a very sweet, warm mid-range.   Materials & Craftsmanship The packaging is the same as other high-end Audio Technica clip-ons, which is to say I find them elegant and classy. The headphones themselves are simply gorgeous. The Hokkaido cherry wood housing are perfectly finished and the 35mm stereo plug is elegantly shaped and endowed with the letter "ATH-EW9 JAPAN" printed in gold.   The...

If you have been to Taiwan, you likely have seen one of these inside a CD store. It is one of the most widely-used headphones for CD listening stations there. It was in fact my first exposure to "hi-fidelity" sound - when I was a teenager, I remember being completely blown away by these phones! They can still be found for less than $30, which IMO makes them very competitive against the Superlux HD668b.   Materials & Craftsmanship: The packaging is pretty barebone, though you do get a 1/4" adapter.   Materials feel cheap, obviously, but you...

I bought these after reading all the rave reviews on Headfonia and Head-Fi... here are my impressions of them.   Materials & Craftsmanship I think any criticism concerning materials or craftsmanship of the HD668b is nitpick considering its price of $50 (easily found for less) - I personally haven't seen headphones in this price range that are this well built.   It's obvious that Superlux took elements from both AKG and Audio Technica designs. The way the earcups pivot is very nicely implemented and conforms easily to the shape of the head. As...

I am the fortunate owner of a fairly rare pair of headphone: The Audio Technica ATH-A9X. It is the precursor to the highly popular and successful ATH-A900, and I feel they deserve a proper review (since so few people own them outside of Asia).   The Audio-Technica ATH-A9X was part of the second-generation "Art Monitor" headphone series that surfaced during the late-90's (it was produced between 1997-2002), alongside its siblings the A5X and A7X. It was preceded by the first-generation ATH-A9 (introduced in 1994) and succeded by the ATH-A900.  I...