-Introduction- At this point, I’ve reviewed three other Accutone IEMs, each of which had their strengths and weaknesses. The Pisces BA is Accutone’s new flagship hybrid IEM, and has fixed a lot of what was wrong with their previous products. However, it seems that for every issue fixed, another has been left alone. Coming in hot at $389, is the Pisces BA worth adding to your collection? The Pisces BA is now for sale on Accutone’s official website. Find the link here. Disclaimer: This review is based upon a sample unit provided to me by a...

  -Introduction- It’s not often that I get to review active-noise-canceling tech. However, after hearing about the Mixcder ANC-G5, an earphone with noise canceling technology, I needed to check it out to see what all the hype is about. You can purchase the Mixcder ANC-G5 for $60 from Amazon here. Disclaimer: This review is based upon a sample unit provided to me by a manufacturer in exchange for my honest opinion and un-edited words. I do not profit in any way from the writing of the review. I would like to thank Grace for providing me with this...

-Introduction- This isn't going to be my typical review. Since the Penon IEMs are "gifts" included with purchases $100 or more on Penon Audio (it still costs $10), I don't feel it necessary to do an in-depth analysis of their sound. I will primary focus on general impressions and comparisons.   Find the Penon IEM here on Penon Audio's official website.   -Impressions- The Penon IEM is a warm IEM with some spikes in the mids to assist vocals, and a small peak up in the mid-treble. The result is an IEM that, at first, can sound a little...

  -Introduction- When I’d first heard of Echobox, I was intrigued — A startup, bright-eyed with many big promises, especially regarding their new titanium IEM and their upcoming flask-shaped DAP. I was lucky enough to get a chance to try out the IEM, the Finder X1. It has tuning filters, and is powered by German-made PEEK drivers. Looks good on paper, but how does it sound? The Finder X1 can be bought from Echobox’s official website here for $200. Disclaimer: This review is based upon a sample unit provided to me by a manufacturer in exchange for...

  -Introduction- Brainwavz has been making some really well-priced earphones recently. As a new edition to their lineup, the BLU-200 is no exception. Aimed squarely at active folk, the BLU-200 brings a decent sounding pair of Bluetooth earphones to the table, with a durable aluminum body, all for $54. However, is it a worthwhile addition to the active audiophile’s collection? I think so. You can find the BLU-200 for sale here on Brainwavz’s official website. Disclaimer: This review is based upon a sample unit provided to me by a manufacturer in...

  -Introduction- I’m on a roll. This will be the third consecutive Chinese IEM I review. Up until this point, I’ve not really been disappointing by these smaller brands, and thankfully, the Simgot EN700 continues the trend. Despite it’s lack of glaring flaws, can it stand out in an already crowded price segment of high-quality IEMs? The Simgot EN700 is available from Penon Audio here for $99. Simgot’s official website can be found here. Disclaimer: This review is based upon a sample unit provided to me by a manufacturer in exchange for...

  -Introduction- There’s a lot of companies out there that westerners like myself haven’t heard of. It’s not that they aren’t worthy of the attention, but more that they are drowned out by the aggressive marketing tactics of companies that have home-court advantage. Hidizs is one such company. Based in China and founded in 2009 , Hidizs has been in the mobile-audio game for a while. However, they went silent a little while back. Then, one day, emerging from the dark came the Hidizs EX-01, and the Hidizs AP100, a mobile audio player. However, this...

  -Introduction-   Ever heard of Advanced Sound? Until this week, me neither. They are a relatively new company, with a fresh lineup of audio products, albeit a small one. Advanced Sound’s roots lie in the soil of crowd funding. Based in New York, the fledgling company chose a distribution model that would bring the best value to its customers, getting their initial funding from sites like Kickstarter and Indiegogo. This is a review of the only IEM they currently sell, the M4. While not for the treble-shy, the M4 is a compelling offer for $40. The...

                                            -Introduction-   There are some small IEMs, such as the First Harmonic IEB6. Then there are tiny IEMs like the Final Audio F7200. Then there is the Q. It’s so small that it literally is almost impossible to see from most angles when in the ear. While I can’t say I’ve tested every single micro-driver IEM out there, I am very confident that the Q, a very tough stainless steel IEM, is the most well-rounded package out there, and may even the IEM with the smallest footprint around...

    I’ve worked with Accutone IEMs before. However, I’ve never been so thoroughly satisfied a product of theirs. Almost every build-quality complaint I’ve had before lies dead at the feet of the Pavo, and the sound quality is a head above even their flagship IEM, the Gemini HD. I must ask myself: was is smart for Accutone to release such a good earphone for just $51? As of writing, the Pavo is not yet for sale. However, fret not! The Pavo will go on sale on the official Accutone website on August 1st. Find the official Pavo announcement here...

  I first heard about XTZ two weeks back. A Head-Fi’er was asking for suggestions on a home-audio system, and someone mentioned stylish, yet minimal, surround sound systems that would fit his budget — an XTZ Dolbe 5.1 system. From there, I looked into this “XTZ” company. Turns out, they also make headphones, and brought all of their sonic mastery to the table when designing them. The Headphone Divine, the product I am reviewing today, is a culmination of said expertise, and it really shows. You can buy the Headphone Divine from XTZ’s for $180 on...

  It’s not often I have the absolute pleasure of listening to headphones such as the MA750i. It’s been more than a year since I’ve gotten my Macaw GT100s, and several months since I’ve lost them. I’ve yearned for a sound similar to them, and the MA750i delivers in a spectacular way. Not only are the MA750i more comfortable and lighter than the GT100s, they also sound much, much better, while retaining a similar overall sound signature. I have a thing for British headphone makers, as the Brits have something special in store for me every time I...

  I’ll be honest. When I was offered a review unit of the Turbines, I was not really looking forward to reviewing them. The CGI render of the Turbines that Ghostek commonly uses for promotion makes it look plastic-y. However, getting to know the Turbines has been a pleasure. The build quality is much better than the pictures make it look, and even the sound quality managed to throw a left-hook here and there. Bass-heads on a budget should pay very close attention, and consider the Turbines, especially at their very low price of $35. You can find...

  Ghostek made its name in the phone accessory market. Its been building solid cases for a while now, and they’ve brought everything they’ve learned from making durable phone cases to the table when designing the SoDrop. With an understated angular black and silver design, the SoDrop brings a fresh design language to an already crowded market of neon colors and rounded “b”s. While the SoDrop isn’t perfect, I find that for $90, it’s certainly worth considering. Disclaimer: This review is based upon a sample unit provided to me by a manufacturer in...

  Rock Jaw is an audio hardware company based in Britain. Owing true to the legacy of their fore-bearers, Rock Jaw continues to engineer great audio hardware. The Alfa Genus V2 is no exception. You can find the official Rock Jaw store page here. Disclaimer: This review is based upon a sample unit provided to me by a manufacturer in exchange for my honest opinion and un-edited words. I do not profit in any way from the writing of the review. I would like to thank Joe at Rock Jaw for providing me with a review unit of the Alfa Genus V2. Preference...

If you enjoy a no-nonsense experience, then like me, you will get a long well with the marketing team up at Accutone. They don’t sugar coat it; The Gemini is never presented as a giant killer, and is never claimed to have crystal clear highs and booming lows. It is toted as having “powerful sound” and “Amazing Bass”. While I think “amazing” is an exaggeration, I find that bass response is good enough to make me want to write a whole review on it. Anyways, let’s get into it.   Sound Signature Highs were a little disappointing. It’s not that they...

  The Accutone Gemini HD is a Premium Experience With a Focus on Felixibility The Gemini HD certainly does feel like a high end pair of earphones. However, despite it’s high-end construction materials, I have some durability concerns that make me a little averse to its high price point. However, if you are prepared to baby your earphones, the detail and versatility of the sound signature may make these earphones the ones for you. Sound Signature The Gemini HD has a special feature, albeit not a unique one, that makes it a little more complex to...

  When I first discovered Thinksound, it was on my quest to find a good, full sounding replacement for my Macaw GT100s. However, given the high quality sound that I was already used to, I couldn’t get just any pair of IEMs. After doing some investigating, I found that not only does the Rain2 provide the level of sound quality I need, it also does so in a eco-friendly way. For $99 dollars, these were a steal. You can also often find them on sale on Amazon for $89. Thinksound makes all of its headphones out of wood. This serves two purposes: one, to...