Head Gear Reviews by ClieOS

FiiO has been quite successful with their X series of high resolution digital audio player. So much so that perhaps even they themselves didn’t anticipate that the company will have to shift its focus away from their portable amp business in order to keep up with the DAP demand. But with Apple fading grip on the pure DAP market, a new niche of higher end DAP is born from music lovers seeking a better device to replace their aging iPod. Well, maybe ‘new’ isn’t the right word here - the higher end DAP niche has been around since Hifiman HM801’s...

Comply foam tip should need no introduction at this point, as it has become a norm for many brand name IEM to include a pair of them. But what we are talking here is something new – or should I say something old that has been put to new use - Comply has been selling a special foam wraps called the ‘Soft Wraps’ for custom hearing aid for a while now. The idea is that, by sticking a piece of soft foam strip to wrap around / near the nozzle of the custom hearing aid, it will ensure a tighter fit. This is especially useful since custom mold – as much as...

[Impression] iFi nano iDSD and iCAN with a splash of iPurifer iFi Audio has gained a great success over its Micro line of small sized desktop gears, and now it is pushing into the portable world with the Nano series. The nano iDSD is USB DAC that not only works with PC, but also has OTG support for the iDevice with OS7 (via camera connection kit / CCK) and Android that have USB Audio Class driver built-in (*for older Android that doesn’t have the driver, there is still a chance that USB Audio Player PRO will work). The nano iCAN on the other hand is...

[Impression] iFi nano iDSD and iCAN with a splash of iPurifer iFi Audio has gained a great success over its Micro line of small sized desktop gears, and now it is pushing into the portable world with the Nano series. The nano iDSD is USB DAC that not only works with PC, but also has OTG support for the iDevice with OS7 (via camera connection kit / CCK) and Android that have USB Audio Class driver built-in (*for older Android that doesn’t have the driver, there is still a chance that USB Audio Player PRO will work). The nano iCAN on the other hand is...

With desktop PC sale declining and mobile devices on the rise, thumb drive sized USB DAC has become the quick fix for poor sound quality that is all too common in portable computer and smart devices. Creative’s answer to that demand is the new Sound Blaster E1 – a multipurpose USB DAC + headphone amp + mic that boosted with quite a few impressive features.     Spec SBX Pro Studio: Supported CrystalVoice: Supported Scout Mode: Supported Max. Playback Quality: 24-bit / 44.1kHz (Stereo) Max. Recording Quality: 16-bit / 44.1kHz Output: Stereo...

The Korean company really needs no introduction at this point. They have proven themselves as a capable IEM maker with a series of top of the line hybrid as well as some good sound yet budget friendly dynamic IEM. The new Altone 200 is the continuation of the company’s hybrid line of IEM, with a never-heard-of price point nonetheless. The best part? You are not getting lesser of SQ just because you are paying a cheap price.     Spec Driver Units: Knowles' TWFK Double Balanced Armature + 8.0mm Single Dynamic Unit Impedance: 22 ohm @ 1 kHz...

Almost a year ago, I reviewed the XP series (XP1, XP2 and XP3) from beyerdynamic, which is sold only in Asia. The company has since introduced a few higher end models, including the DX 160 iE that is going to be reviewed here. Priced at about US$120, is it going to sound double as good as the half-priced XP series?     Spec Driver: Closed Dynamic Impedance: 47ohms Frequency Response: 10Hz ~ 25kHz SPL: 107dB/mW @ 500Hz Cable: 0.9m + 0.3m, 3.5mm stereo plug Weight: 32g       Packaging, Accessories and Build Quality   Packaging is...

The Korea based T-PEOS surprised the IEM world with their hybrid IEM a few years ago and still continues to push for more innovative design. The RICH200 is meant to be a step up from the company’s first dynamic model D-200, but keeping the same high value-for-money factor. Spec Transducer: 8mm Dynamic Power: 3mW / 30mW (normal / max) Impedance: 32 ohm @ 1kHz Sensitivity: 102dB @ 1kHz Frequency Response: 20Hz ~ 15kHz Cable: 1.2m Half-Flat with single button + mic Connector: 3.5mm L-shaped TRRS 24K Gold Plated Plug MSRP: US$28...

The Korea based T-PEOS surprised the IEM world with their hybrid IEM a few years ago and still continues to push for more innovative design. As the name suggested, the H-100J is related to T-PEOS’s original flagship hybrid, the T-100. However, the T-100J isn’t meant to be a continuance but rather a rebalance, in order to appeal to those who do not like the V-shaped sound of the original T-100. Spec Transducer: 1 BA + 1 Dynamic Dual Driver Hybrid Power: 3mW / 20mW (normal / max) Impedance: 30 ohm @ 1kHz Sensitivity: 102dB @ 1kHz...

[Impression] miniwatt n4 The Hong Kong based company miniwatt has quite an interesting history as they have the tendency to focus on one product at a time. I actually won their first product a few years ago in a contest, and it was the tiny tube based speaker amp called S1. The n4 under review here however has nothing to do with tube anymore, but a DAC + headphone-amp aiming toward the PC audiophiles.     Spec USB 2.0 Async Mode (driver required) supports up to 32bits/192k (upsampling) DAC: PCM1795 DAC Filter and Headphone Driver: LM4562...

When it comes to Edifier, they are best known for their desktop PC speaker range and acquiring the prestigious electrostatic headphone company Stax. But just because they now own Stax doesn’t mean they are going to negate their own headphone production line. The current top-of-the-line H850 can be found online for just under US$60. Okay, maybe not quite the Stax level of headphone solely judging by the price, it still swings out quite a heavy punch in the feather weight class. Spec Rated Power: 50mW Frequency Response: 20Hz~20kHz SPL...

Early in the year, I reviewed the Lear LCM-5. Though it is excellent sounding, the stock cable does look a little dull. At the time, Lear already announced they will release an upgrade cable for those who want to complete the whole package of sound and look. It has been released a few months ago and it is called the C2. Oh, it is actually quite affordable too. The wire inside the new cable is actually similar to the stock wire, made out of high purity silver plated OFC. However, there is where the similarity ends. First of all, the new cable...

I have reviewed the Fireye Mini from FireStone Audio a while ago and now an updated version has come out. The Mini+ keeps to the ultra-portable size while adding in a few more very useful features and mending some of its predecessor’s shortcomings. Spec Amplifier Structure: Class-AB, coupling capacitor-less. Power Structure: Built in battery power supply Headphone Impedance: 32 ohm to 600 ohm Bass Boost: Switchable, +3dB @ 130Hz Circuit Protect: Output short circuit / temperature protect Usage Time: With 100% full battery around 12hrs...

It seems there is a sudden surge of volume-control-less, fixed boost type of ultra-portable amps being released to the market in the recent months, likely targeting the smartphone users market which has seen enormous growth globally in the last few years. NuForce is following the trend and comes out with a small amp called the Mobile Music Pump, or MMP for short. Spec Audio Input: 1 x 3.5 mm Headphone Output: 2 x 3.5 mm Gain: 3X or 5X, selectable by user THD+N: 0.09% @ 1 mW / 0.45% @ 32 mW S/N Ratio: over 100 dB, 20 – 20 kHz A-Weighted...

Last time when we take a look at Spider, they were mainly a cable and IEM company. Now however, their product range covers everything from full sized headphone and small portable amps, including the Surround Pro that will be reviewed here.     Spec DSP: Dolby Pro Logic II Input/Output: 3.5mm Audio Jacks ADC Audio Performance: 93dB SNR 81dB THD Sampling Frequency: 8Hz-96kHz DAC Audio Performance: 100dB SNR 90dB THD Sampling Frequency: 8Hz-96kHz MSRP: US$90       Accessories and Build Quality The amp itself comes fairly well...

The headphone amp market in China, like its headphone market, is full of competition. Besides the bigger brands that have already made a name for themselves in the international market, there are still quite a few small companies and workshops that are highly regarded in the local market, yet remain relatively unknown to the outside world due to language barrier. Panda Audio is one such company – found in 2006 as more or less a DIY workshop, the company has earned respect among the Chinese audiophiles for producing some of the best sounding portable...

Elekit, or EK Japan, is a Japanese company that specializes in making educational electronic DIY kit and DIY tube power amplifier. I have a recent chance to hear their latest ‘22’ hybrid tube power amp driving a pair of CEntrance’s MasterClass 2504 desktop speakers quite beautifully on the Mook’s Headphone Festival in Singapore. The TU-HP01 under review, which also appears on the show, is the company first portable tube hybrid headphone amplifier.     Spec Vacuum tube: 2 x Raytheon 6418 Frequency response: 10Hz - 65kHz Recommended Headphone...

Signature Acoustics is a brand created by the India based audio retailer Pristine Note. Their first offering is the Elements C-12 - an IEM that took them 18 months of R&D, completed with a full wooden housing and aims to deliver the best bang for the bucks with an estimated price of US$50~60 with international release.     Spec Driver: 8 mm (CCAW) Dynamic Impedance: 18 Ohms @ 1Khz Frequency: 17 Hz to 20 Khz          Sensitivity: 102 dB Cable length: 1.2m (split length 28 cms) Channel Imbalance: Less than 2.5% dB @ 1 Khz     Packaging...

I reviewed the BL-2 from Tube Amp a while ago. It is a portable tube amp that is on the cleaner side of the presentation, which is quite different from the warmish, mellow sound that you would have expected from tube gear. Nevertheless, it is still an excellent sounding amp on its own. Now the company has released another portable amp to the market, the TA-1. What is unique about the TA-1 is that it is a full discrete amp - meaning instead of using fully integrated opamp, the circuit is composed mainly of individual transistors, resistors and caps...

Heir Audio has its root in Canada, but with its production line in China. The company started its life more or less right after one of its founding audiologist showing off his own custom IEM with beautifully finished wooden face plate in Head-fi.org (and starts a trend of wooden face plate worldwide). The company quickly gains fame not just on CIEM, but also on their universal custom models that have the same kind of wooden face plate. The 3.Ai and 4.Ai reviewed here are the universal adaptation of the company custom models, the 3.A and 4.A...