At the time of the review, the Sidy DM4 was was on sale at Penon Audio’s website for $85.00 USD. Here is a link to their listing of the product:     http://penonaudio.com/BGVP-SIDY-DM4   Introduction My first Head-Fi inspired purchase was the Xiaomi Piston 2.0. I loved it, so much so I think I ended up purchasing four pairs of them within a few months (just in case one broke or to be gifted). At the time they seemed to be to good to be true. I think when anyone is early in their Head-Fi days, the first thing that often appeals to someone...

At the time of the review, the RHA S500i was on sale on their website. Here is a link to their listing of the product at the time of the review. http://www.rha-audio.com/us/headphones/s500.html   Introduction RHA is a premier maker of in-ear monitors from the United Kingdom. Ever since joining Head-Fi, I’ve heard lots of good things about them. They are known for their sturdy built earphones with  forward bass response. While many enjoy their bass forward tuning, some have taken a negative stance on them.   I have only sampled and reviewed...

At the time of the review, the Brainwavs S3 was was on sale at Amazon.com for $79.50 USD. Here is a link to their listing of the product: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0162C1P9O?keywords=brainwavz%20s3&qid=1445842977&ref_=sr_1_1&sr=8-1   Introduction It seems like every few months Brainwavz has an exciting new product coming to the market. While many will feel that releasing new products this frequently is overkill, I will object to that philosophy in Brainwavz’s case. I say that because there is definitely diversity in the tunings of just...

At the time of the review, the Venture Electronics Duke was was on sale on their Aliexpress online store for $198.00 USD. Here is a link to their listing of the product:   http://www.aliexpress.com/store/product/Venture-Electronic-VE-DUKE-In-Ear-Earphone/1924356_32417283204.html   Introduction I had a chance to demo and review the Venture Electronics Zen earbud. This is the product that I feel really put VE on the map in terms of high fidelity earphones. After experiencing the sound quality of the Zen, I have kept my eyes on Venture Electronics...

At the time this review was written, The Torque Audio t402v was on a pre-order sale for $399.99 with a twenty percent pre-order discount code on their website. Here is a link to the listing of their product: http://torque.audio/product/t402v/   Introduction I am very excited about all the new releases of audio products recently. The technology is rapidly advancing, and the science of mastering headphones and IEMs is improving on a regular basis. Feedback on products and advancements in the science of sound reproduction over the years has given...

At the time this review was written, the Soundmagic HP150 and HP200 were on sale on Amazon.com. Here is the listing to the product at the time of this review:   http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00LV8TR54?keywords=soundmagic%20hp&qid=1444352048&ref_=sr_1_2&sr=8-2   http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DJ61FHY?keywords=soundmagic%20hp&qid=1444352048&ref_=sr_1_1&sr=8-1   Introduction If you’re reading this you probably already know about Soundmagic. If not I will round it up in a nutshell. There are a select number of companies I hope to...

At the time of the review, the DUNU DN200J was was on sale at CTC Audio’s website for $349 USD. Here is a link to their listing of the product: http://www.ctcaudio.com/products/dunu-dn-2000j-triple-driver-hybrid-earphones   Introduction DUNU is at it again…and again… and again…   What I’m referring to is their relentless pursuit of perfection. DUNU is on a roll. I think it started with the DN900, their first hybrid in ear monitor. It was decent but not perfect from the short time I had to listen to them and reading impressions. Then along...

At the time of the review, the Axgio Sprint Bluetooth Headset was was on sale at Amazon’s website for $39.99 USD. Here is a link to their listing of the product: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0123KN5TC   Introduction Let’s face it guys, bluetooth technology is getting better and better. In the last six months Aptx Bluetooth technology has become more relevant in portable audio as well as audiophile set ups. I currently have sampled and purchased a few Bluetooth products that I use quite often now days. I think we are at that point where bluetooth...

At the time this review was written the Shanling M3 digital audio player could be purchased on several websites. Here is Shenzhenaudio’s listing of the product on Amazon:   http://www.amazon.com/SHANLING-M3-Portable-Headphone-Amplifier/dp/B00W4PMV0G/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1442769442&sr=8-1&keywords=shanling+m3   Before I start this review I want to make my biases clear so you can understand how I rank this device. When it comes to DAPs, what I look for is something that accomplishes more than just being a fancy MP3 player. User interface...

Trinity Atlas Beta Sample Initial Impressions and Review   At the time this review was written the Trinity Atlas was part of a Kickstarter project. The item can be purchased for around $140 USD or higher, depending on what options you select. Here is a link to their Kickstarter web page:   https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/157887895/high-end-in-ear-headphones-and-wireless-in-ear-hea   First things first, I’ve been spoiled with lots and lots of phenomenal gear in the last year. Reviewing has opened doors that I otherwise wouldn’t be able...

When my good friend Tamal contacted me about trying the Venture Electronics Zen earbud, I didn’t take him seriously at first. Not being a fan of earbuds I wasn’t sure what to expect. What I discovered is that not only is the Zen is the real deal, I also discovered that Venture Electronics is a company that is set out to become one of the next manufacturers of high quality audiophile products. Venture Electronics needs to be taken seriously, and I’m fairly confident their vision will become a reality as they release new products. Today I will be...

At the time of the review, the iclever IC-BTH01 was on sale at Amazon’s website. Here is a link to the listing of the product: http://www.amazon.com/iClever-IC-BTH01-Lightweight-Headphones-Transmitter/dp/B00RF27R9I/ref=sr_1_21?ie=UTF8&qid=1441638076&sr=8-21&keywords=iclever   Introduction There are two markets for earphones. One is a market for the normal everyday consumer who is looking for an earphone that works for their everyday needs. The other are for Head-Fiers who are looking for a high fidelity earphone that will maximize their...

At the time of the review, the Brainwavz Jive earphone was was on sale at Amazon’s website for $25.00 USD. Here is a link to Their listing of the product: http://www.amazon.com/Brainwavz-Isolating-Earphones-Android-Blue-Android/dp/B013OKX8II/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1441323708&sr=8-1&keywords=brainwavz+jive   Introduction I like Brainwavz because they offer a diverse range of IEMs and headphones that offer great price to performance ratio. When I was contacted to try their new earphone titled the “Jive”, I was told that this was their earphone...

At the time this review was written the Cayin C5DAC was on sale at Penon Audio for $215.00 USD. Here is a link to their listing:   http://penonaudio.com/Cayin-C5DAC?search=cayin%20c5dac   Here is a link to Cayin's web page which displays all that the C5DAC has to offer:   http://en.cayin.cn/product_view.asp?id=791   I have several portable rigs, but there is one that is special to me. It is my combination of Sony F806 Walkman and Cayin C5 amplifier. Simply put, it’s the best sounding portable source I have. A large part of this has to do...

At the time of the review, the Fidue A65 was on sale at Penon Audio’s website. Here is a link to their listing of the product: http://penonaudio.com/FIDUE-A65?search=fidue   Introduction I will be the first to admit that I have become a Fidue “fan boy." I own both the A83 and A73. Both earphones are ranked at the top of my list of most favorite in-ear monitors. Fidue has managed to utilize hybrid technology (combination of dynamic and armature drivers in one housing) to render a listening experience that is truly remarkable. While their current...

At the time of the review, the Audioquest Nighthawk headphone was on sale at TTJV Audio’s website. Here is a link to Todd’s listing of the product:   http://www.ttvjaudio.com/SearchResults.asp?Search=nighthawk   When Todd at TTVJ made an announcement that he would be touring the nighthawk, I jumped at the chance. This is a release I had been anticipating for a long time. One look at their sexy build combined with a company putting their name on it that is known for quality products like Audioquest, I knew I had to try them.   The Audioquest...

At the time of the review, the Venture Electronics Zen was on sale on the company’s Aliexpress store. Here is a link to their listing of the product: ​     http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Venture-Electronic-VE-Zen-high-impedance-320-ohms-earbud/32302987270.html   Introduction This was the hardest review I’ve had to do thus far. For starters I don’t like earbuds, well actually, not until I got my hands on a pair of these. It took a lot of time and effort finding the right fit and source, but in the end it was a rewarding experience. The VE Zen...

At the time of the review, the RHA T20 has not yet been released in the United States. This review was done as part of a demo tour done with the Head-Fi community. The MSRP at launch is expected to be $239 UDS. Here is a link to the RHA site   http://www.rha-audio.com/us/   Introduction RHA has developed a following on Head-Fi with successful releases like the MA-750 and T10. They are known for their solid build quality and dynamic tuning. If there have been any knocks against them in the past it is usually by audiophiles who prefer a more...

When I attended the Axpona Audiocon in April, I walked away with a huge smile on my face. This was the first time being able to listen to the world's best headphones and DAC/Amplifiers all in one place. It was a "kid in the candy store" type of moment going from station to station, popping on the likes of the HD800, HE-1000, Oppo HA-1, Astell & Kern AK240 and on and on... The list of goodies is literally too long to put up, but with the few I named you should get the idea. It was awesomesauce!   Walking away from the event left me with a few...

This mini review is actually a small part of a larger review/thread covering all of the T-Peos Altone series. Here is a link to the review:   http://www.head-fi.org/t/774084/t-peos-altone-series-thread#post_11751591   T-Peos Altone 350 ($379 on CTC Audio’s website) http://www.ctcaudio.com/collections/t-peos/products/t-peos-altone-350-3-way-hybrid-earphones   The 350 carries a similar package to the 250, with titanium housings and the same cable options. You get two cables (one with a single button microphone in black and a red cable with not...