70mm drivers, fully open design, premium materials, and simply the best comfort of any headphone at any price. The MA900 has many things going for it. The sound signature is a little laid back, but ever polite. One would think that a 70mm driver could provide a hearty slam. This isn't the case -- sub-bass is almost nonexistent, and midbass is inferior to that of a Grado. Decay is slow on the MA900, so the midbass isn't super-crisp. Treble, on the other hand, is quite smooth on this headphone. It's not a bright headphone, so even the...

Having owned the $100 NuForce uDAC1 for over two years, I felt it was about time to upgrade. It had been acceptable, but I could still notice a bit of a veil in the midrange. The itch was also caused by going to a Head-Fi meet. When I plugged the uDAC1 into some high-end amplifiers, I realized how limiting it actually was. What does the HDP get you? Not much.   I had a good review on the HDP before, but I can no longer recommend it. The HDP, being a $500 product, has worse gain than their $100 uDAC1. It can barely amplify a Grado. I have posted on...

Got this for a friend off the FS forum, but decided to use it myself for a few days. This was supposed to be the uDAC killer? Really?   My unit (first edition) is presented well and looks to be built all right, though there have already been three revisions and reports of numerous problems with the jack on the forums. So it gets 3 stars there from me.   Clarity is the main issue for the Fiio E10. The upper bass is boosted a little, and the mids around 2500hz are recessed a little. This is enough to create a veil on most of my non-bright...

This is a timeless classic, although lately it's been outclassed by others at the same price point. But the main advantage is that the PortaPros are readily available at a local shop for less than the MSRP. However, if the price is too good to be true, it probably is! Be aware that there are counterfeits being sold: http://loveray.blogspot.com/2010/12/how-to-identify-fake-koss-porta-pro.html   As for the sound, expect an above-average amount of loose bass, which smears the other frequencies a bit. Of the KSC35, the KSC75, and the PortaPro, the...

Paid $52 CAD (incl. shipping) at koss.com.   Looking to buy the PortaPro but are willing to pay extra for something special? The KSC35 not only has the PortaPro drivers, but trumps them in virtually every way. It's lighter, the bass is less overpowering because the pads don't clamp down on your ears, and it actually fits in its carrying bag quickly, whereas the PortaPro needs a bit of shoving in. You are literally paying a premium for two hard plastic earclips, but it's these earclips that set the KSC35 apart from the PortaPro and the KSC35's...

Paid $30 CAD at ncix.com.   This is a 6-year old model that has been made obsolete by the MDR-XB series, but it's still produced for the value segment. Or maybe they were overproduced and stock needs to go.   Anyway, these headphones aren't good. There's a distinct hollowness in the sound, and it feels very flimsy, though this flimsiness does make the headphone rather light on the head. The music/movie switch is useless.   Don't get these. If you want Sony, look at the MDR-XB series and spend the extra cash. The MDR-XB500 and MDR-XB700...

      Paid MSRP at baybloorradio.com, which has a high markup. Picked these over the SR325is because they were significantly lighter. Reviewed with a Nuforce uDac.   Audio: What can be said about the Grado house sound? It's a love-or-hate intimate style. Electric and acoustic guitars simply rock on this headphone, as do instrumental pieces with few key instruments. However, the bass is rather anemic at stock.   Design: Being lightweight is good. However, free rotation of the cups is an issue, and there is crimping on the cable near the...