Here is my review of the Ifi iDAC - originally posted on my Blog - http://noblehifi.blogspot.co.uk/    Disclaimer: A big thank you to Ifi for loaning me the iDAC for this review! The iDAC is a combined DAC and headphone amplifier. The ESS 9023 Sabre DAC and class 2 Asynchronous USB is capable of decoding audio up to 24bit 192khz. Being over the magic 96khz it requires a driver to function on a Windows PC, but it will work out of the box on an OS-X Mac or Linux system. It shares the same aluminium chassis, shape and styling as the rest of...

 Here is the original review that I posted on my blog: http://noblehifi.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/ifi-itube-review.html   Disclaimer: A big thank you to Ifi for loaning me the iTube for this review! After hearing the iCan I was eager to get my hands on more Ifi gear. Now I've even been lucky enough to get almost their entire catalog, as well as an exclusive. The iTube is launched today - 16th August (£275). This is a fascinating little audio gadget - a buffer stage with a pure analogue circuit that includes an active tube (GE5670). The...

I just posted this review on my blog, which also has a review of the TH-900s   Disclaimer: A big thank you to SCV London for loaning me the TH600 for this review. When I reviewed the high-end Fostex TH-900 last December I compared it to the discontinued Denon flagship because it came from the same 'Foster Electronics' design (despite being about half the price). The TH600 also borrows the same design, but brings a sleek and modern looking matte black metal look to the cups. This matches the rest of the frame nicely and this new model is...

This review was originally posted on my blog [ http://noblehifi.blogspot.co.uk/ ].   Disclaimer: A big thank you to Electromod for loaning me the HE-400. For those of you who don't already know - Hifiman are a Chinese company, although technically founded in New York (2006), their R&D department is in China. In just a few years they've made quite a name for themselves making high end portable audio players, amplifiers and headphones. For the latter their focus has been with 'planar magnetic' (commonly and less correctly referred to as...

This review is reposted from my blog: http://noblehifi.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/soundmagic-hp200-review.html   Disclaimer: The HP200 was given to me by SoundMAGIC for this review. This is my first headphone review in a while and I must say it's really good to be back! The HP200 is the first full-size open-back headphone from SoundMAGIC. Back in October I reviewed the companies first full-size closed-back headphone - the HP100 and this has been one of my favourite all-round performers (for the money) ever since. The HP200's design...

This review was pasted from my blog: http://noblehifi.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/ifi-ican-review.html     Disclaimer: A big thank you to Ifi for loaning me the iCan for this review! Before I talk a little bit about the iCan, let me first address the company behind it. iFi-audio have a small, yet intriguing line of stylish electronics, aimed at computer audio and using technology licensed from Abbingdon Music Research. They make a point of environmentally friendly materials and packaging (which is always nice). Their tag line: "Small in size...

  Here are my thoughts on the TH900, posted on my blog Disclaimer: A big thank you to SCV London for loaning me the TH900 for this review!  This flagship model is the first high-end headphone from Fostex and retails for £1499. The first thing to wow you about this headphone is the pretty pretty red paint job. This is Urushi lacquer and this photo simply doesn't do it justice! Finishing off the bold looks is the Fostex logo - in platinum. This sample has a few marks, but even the wear looks sexy on these things - like a used leather jacket...

I pre-ordered the M-100 after falling madly in love with the M-80 less than a year ago. I wanted a bigger sound and larger ear cups for an over-ear fit. Unfortunately I got bass that is crazy and kills the mid-range. I find the highs a little splashy too and I don't want to turn them up too loud as they hurt at both ends of the scale pretty quickly! The comfort is funky too, not much better than the M-80 because they don't sit away from the ears. I've had on-ears that cause less pain than these so that's another reason that they just don't improve on...

I just finished writing this for my blog, but here is the full review...     It's been a while since I reviewed some headphones - to long in fact. If you followed the 'USB DAC/amp' project - I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I did writing it, but for now that's on pause while I return to headphones. Bring on the DT880 Premium - 600ohm, Beyerdynamic's UK distributor (POLARaudio) are providing me with some of their new catalogue to play with soon, but for now here is a little gem that I recently purchased.  Rewind fourteen years and...

I just wrote this for my blog so I thought I would post it here too.     A&R Cambridge Ltd. (or Arcam to the rest of us) are well established in the field of hifi audio, but it could be said that the rPAC represents a departure from their usual products. It's true that they've made DACs before, but not combined with headphone amplifiers, not USB powered portables and not this reasonably priced.  Data is transferred to an asynchronous USB for the Texas Instruments PCM5102 DAC chip to convert - up to 24bit / 96khz - audio into glorious...

I just finished writing about the HUD-Mini for my blog, I will paste it in here for easier viewing. Enjoy :)     The HUD-Mini is Audinst's second ever combined DAC & headphone amplifier. The relatively new Korean company may be unheard of in traditional hifi circles but for afordable USB audio their first ever DAC/amp (the HUD-MX1) has made quite an impression.  As the name suggests this new model is smaller than their first. Apart from the size the main external change is the lack of a mains power connection. Internally the DAC chip has...

  I wrote this review for my blog yesterday and wanted to post it here to shout about this really great device. Yulong makes three models of DAC. Their flagship model (D18 Sabre) seems stunning but its difficult to compare to other models that I've reviewed because it's not exactly the most elegant solution for desktop headphones. Not only is the Sabre DAC sporting beast a lot more expensive but it's not combined with an internal headphone amplifier and perhaps more crucially has no USB input. For all of these reasons most desktop users will...

I originally posted this one on my blog here: http://noblehifi.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/epiphany-acoustics-ehp-02d-review.html . The comparisons will make more sense when read over there.     A big thank you to Oliver at Epiphany Acoustics for giving me the opportunity to test an EHP-O2D from their first batch. This great little chassis is made in the UK and features two devices designed by blogger NwAvGuy (a headphone amplifier and a DAC). Epiphany are not pulling any punches with this model, featuring the ES9023 Sabre DAC and a high quality...

I've was going to get the D100 from all the great reviews that it got around here but as I was about to buy I found out about the mkII so waited and got it as soon as it was released. I don't regret it for a second! It wiped the floor with the CEntrance DACport I had previously and disliked because of the terrible bass but this thing has a really weighty low end without sacrificing detail. I have heard a better sound from one machine but it was a slight improvement and it was twice the price! (M-DAC)

I have just started writing reviews for headphones, this is my third. Originally posted on my blog: http://noblehifi.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/vmoda-m-80-review.html        INTRODUCTION VModa started making headphones a couple of years ago and their M-80 model was launched in August 2011. The company strategy has been to fuse fashionable design with high quality audio. There certainly are other companies out there pushing the fashion angle, it's just that none of them sound any good so I forgive your initial scepticism. VModa's aim is to...

Just wrote a review for these here: http://noblehifi.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/akg-q701-review.html      PRESENTATION The Q701 is AKGs top circumaural headphone model - an open back, reference headphone endorsed by Quincy Jones. The box design and materials are rather uninspiring for a flagship model, there's not much more I can say about that so lets get it open..        DESIGN Once passed the flimsy container things get more interesting. The coloured parts are plastic (white in this case) but they look pretty solid and nicely...

Here is my original blog post: http://noblehifi.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/denon-ah-d7000-review.html      DESIGN & PRESENTATION   After a layer of solid plastic is removed, which sole purpose is to protect the leather topped box, it's clear every detail of this product has been carefully considered. The silky bronze coloured cloth wrapped around the headphone's display mount, the metal logo plate and the way the cable is neatly hidden while still displaying the large plug - it exudes luxury from every angle. This feeling continues as you...