Executive Summary The Burson Funk is a highly versatile combined headphone/speaker amp that particularly impresses by its midrange reproduction and power. This review was originally published at www.audioreviews.org Introduction Burson Audio was established in 2001 out of Melbourne aiming to push the boundaries of innovation. They started with audio parts (“opamps”) before moving into complete amplifiers. The company prides itself of not advertising and not visiting trade shows (we don’t do that either…no ads here) – and they don’t buy reviews (I...

More graphs, photos, and some comparisons at https://www.audioreviews.org/moondrop-kato-1/

Executive Summary The ddHifi Janus2 (model 2020B) is a moderately warm and technically very capable single DD earphone with a bright tilt in the midrange. It is sonically completely different from the Janus1 (2020A). This reviews was previously published at www.audioreviews.org Introduction In the previous article we had a look at ddHifi’s first earphone, the Janus (2020A or Janus1). This is my analysis of the Janus2 (2020B) which replaces it. As it appears, some early adopters of the 2020A may have decried a lack of sub-bass extension so that...

Executive Summary The ???$ Hidizs S9 Pro Red Copper Limited Edition is a very powerful, linear, and good sounding portable headphone DAC & amp that features single-ended and balanced circuits. It is technically and sonically identical to the S9 Pro however heavier. The differences are strictly cosmetic. This note is based on my review of the original Hidzs S9 Pro at www.audioreviews.org This Copper Edition is limited to 500 units. Introduction Ever since Gordon Rankin introduced the 2016 versions of the AudioQuest DragonFly Black/Red that could...

Executive Summary The Helm Bolt is a very small and light MQA certified portable DAC/amp that excels in terms of its organic/natural reproduction. This review was originally posted at www.audioreviews.org Introduction The source-operated dongle dac-amp has experienced a huge upsurge recently. Originally designed in 2012 to convert your phone into a high-quality digital analog player (dap) and first able to do so in 2016, the market is currently flooded with tens to hundreds of such devices – which makes it is essentially impossible for a single...

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The EarMen Sparrow is a $200 battery-less warm-neutral sounding dac/amp with dual output: single ended 3.5mm and the more powerful 2.5 mm balanced. It is class leading in terms of both power and sound quality. The EarMen Sparrow supports playback from iPhones, Android smartphones, MacOS and Windows computers. It also plays all 32bit/384kHz formats: PCM, DoP, DSD64, DSD128 and MQA. It is the best dongle I have come across (in the $200 category) and was on my personal favourite gear list of 2020. The EarMen Sparrow review was...

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The EarMen TR-Amp is a powerful neutral but not sterile of generic sounding integrated headphone amp (dac/pre-amp) that drives headphones up to 300 Ω) with ease. Made in Europe. The EarMen TR-amp review was previously published at www.audioreviews.org You also find it on the blog's Wall of Excellence: https://www.audioreviews.org/wall-of-excellence/ INTRODUCTION EarMen recently appeared big on our radar out of nowhere, with their two models the TR-Amp (“transportable amp”) and the Sparrow dongle. The company is a subdivision of...

Executive Summary The NiceHCK Lofty earphone is as middle of the road U-shaped sounding as it gets, with a thick bass, lean, sharp midrange, and lack of lower treble. But it offers excellent haptic and build. This article was original published at www.audioreviews.org Introduction Iems with Beryllium drivers have been a novelty for some time. Beryllium is a rather stiff material that should deliver a tighter, faster and cleaner bass response compared to conventional dynamic drivers. We expect a natural-sounding midrange, fuller with exceptional...

Executive Summary The $129 EarMen Eagle is a rather refined sounding dac & amp that beats it immediate peers in terms of sound quality. It is the lowest priced dongle offering premium sound quality (of all the ones I have tested) imo. This review was originally published at www.audioreviews.org Introduction EarMen may be a rather young company that released their first products in 2020, but they have the very experienced premium manufacturer Auris Audio behind them. They are registered in Chicago but produce in Serbia, so you get an...

Executive Summary The TRI I3 Pro remains a unique sounding planar-magnetic earphone that now features more bass and upper midrange which results in improved transparency, clarity, liveliness, and dynamics, at the expense of richness and note weight. This review was originally published at www.audioreviews.org Introduction KBEAR released their original $169 TRI I3 in late 2019. It was the cheapest planar magnetic earphone on the market and received lots of attention. We analyzed it to death – here the takes by KopiOkaya, Baskingshark, and myself –...

Executive Summary The Ikko Gems OH1S are slightly warm, organic sounding 1+1 earphones with good midrange resolution and note definition that, in the opinion of some, deserve a bit more slam and sub-bass extension. This review was originally posted at www.audioreviews.org Introduction First was the $139 IKKO OH1, which I analyzed. It had premium build, a healthy bass, but also an upper midrange glare that made me give it away to a Head-Fier over a coffee. Next came the $199 OH10 with a V-shaped signature so well done that it pushed the model onto...

Executive Summary The $700 Dunu Zen is a natural sounding single-dynamic driver earphone with immersive depth and fantastic macro- and microdynamics and resolution that falls short of perfect only by its upper midrange glare. Introduction Dunu does not need an introduction, they have been providing the community with quality audio products since 1994. And they had been on my radar for the last five years, recommended by my German colleague “Chris, the Headphone Collector“. But whereas my co-authors have filled our blog with Dunu reviews, I have...

Snake Oil Sound is a 2-men startup out of a garage in San Jose, CA. 2 guys? Garage? California? Sounds familiar? That’s how he world’s most valuable company started. But whereas Apple have never had any self irony, Snake Oil have. The company specializes in after-market accessories for Schiit products (cables, connectors, even a streamer), and they certainly have come up with some good ideas. Check out their catalogue. I came across Snake Oil when looking for RCA interconnects for the Khadas Tone2 Pro/Topping L30. There are tons of quality cables...

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Khadas Tone2 Pro is an innovative miniature desktop dac with integrated headphone amplifier that offers a ton of functionality qualifying it as a competent “Jack of All Trades”. I formulated my opinion in this video - and come from a practical angle: DISCLAIMER The Khadas Tone2 Pro was kindly provided by hifigo for my review. Thank you very much. You can get the Khadas Tone2 Pro from hifigo or amazon.

TC28i Lightning to USB Type C Adapter: is simply a connector for dongles. It essentially serves the purpose of the Apple lightning camera adapter. When connecting your iPhone to a dongle via the Apple adapter, you create a rather long chain. The TC28i shortens this “snake” and makes it more portable. There is a big difference, however, between Apple and ddHifi in that the former has the traditional USB-A connector whereas the ddHifi TC28i features the smaller USB-C connector. This is no problem as most dongles come with either connectivity. And if...

TC25i Lightning to 2.5mm Headphone Adapter: is essentially the equivalent to the Apple lightning audio adapter (which I reviewed in great detail), but with a 2.5 mm output. Although all 2.5 mm cables are “balanced”, the TCi25 is not. Its sister adapter TC35i features a 3.5 mm adapter and serves the same purpose as the Apple lightning adapter. The TCi25i/TC35i have a lot of technology packed into that small enclosure: a microscopic stereo digital-to-analog converter (DAC), a stereo headphone amplifier, a microphone preamplifier, and monophonic...

The EarMen Sparrow is a $200 battery-less warm-neutral sounding dac/amp with dual output: single ended 3.5mm and the more powerful 2.5 mm balanced. It is class leading in terms of both power and sound quality. The Earmen Sparrow supports playback from iPhones, Android smartphones, MacOS and Windows computers. It also plays all 32bit/384kHz formats: PCM, DoP, DSD64, DSD128 and MQA. It is the best dongle I have come across and was on my personal favourite gear list of 2020. I express my opinion in this video: DISCLAIMER The EarMen Sparrow was...

The Whizzer Kylin HE01 is a well designed, well accessorized, warm and fluid sounding single DD earphone with a fast driver that provides hard beats, and excellent midrange and treble articulation and definition. I personally treasure the Whizzer Kylin HE01’s fluid, cohesive presentation. A personal favourite. I express my thoughts in this video:

Don't take my four stars for granted, but I had to select a rating. This earphone is 5 stars for some and 3 stars for others depending on their ability to tolerate boosted upper midrange. The NF Audio NM2+ is a well-built and accessorized neutrally tuned single-dynamic-driver earphone with excellent analytical and technical capabilities that compares to much more expensive earphones. It falls, however, short on its very aggressive midrange that needs modification for many ears. The review unit was provided by Shenzhenaudio and I think them for...

The KBEAR Believe is a warm sounding earphone with a thick low end and a good resolution from the midrange into the well extended treble. It relies strongly on (neutral) amplification. Resolution in midrange and treble is excellent, but the bass is a bit strong for me in the mix...which can be fixed with the right amping. I formulated my thoughts on the KBEAR Believe in this video: