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Hi there, my name is Matz and I started my audio journey from the first time I’ve heard my dad’s home sound system as a kid and boy oh boy did I discover my love for BASS. (It was a Sony set at the time I believe lol but apparently my grandpa’s AKAI system was even better with his old records) [Speaking of Love for BASS it apparently runs in the family for 3 generations from my Grandpa who was actually an upright bass player, to my dad‘s love for the groovier Jazz to finally me]. And ever since then I really wanted to hear the best quality out the music I listen to.

I’m currently working as a Fine-Art Portrait Photographer based in Toronto. (You can see my work at matzrios.com #hiremeplease)
And also working at a DC as a day job. (So I’m no doctor, lawyer, or dentist lol it’s hard to get into this hobby without selling my organs LMAO #someonesponsormeplease)

Website: https://matzrios.com

Location: Toronto, ON

Interests: Anime, Manga, Photography, Dance, Tech, Badminton, Tennis, Basketball, Darts

Headphone Inventory: Current IEMs:

Vision Ears Elysian EXT (Didn’t enjoy it as much as the first time I heard it but gave it another chance and I never looked back) [07/2023]
Final A5000 (Just blind buy one to try, it’s crazy what this little IEM could do) [02/2023]
Shure SE846 (I thought this would be my end game. boy was I wrong lol) [01/2015]
Sony XBA-H3 (Gave me a taste of what the future of IEMs would be) [06/2014]
Shure SE215 (This started it all for me lol) [09/2011]

Current Headphones:

Final Audio D8000 Pro LE (Well… seems like both the AB1266 TC and Sus had a beatdown lol) [09/2023]
Sony MDR-1000XM2 [04/2018]
Sennheiser HD8 DJ [11/2016]
Audio-Technica ATH-PRO700M2 50th ANV Ver. [03/2011]
Pioneer HDJ-2000 [02/2011]
AKG Q701 [12/2011]

Previously Owned:

HiFiMAN Susvara (Still one of the best TOTL headphones out there but the D8k LE is just that much better for my taste) [02/2023] T[09/2023]
Abyss AB1266 PHI TC (My first TOTL Headphones) [04/2022] S[06/2023]
UM MEST JP (Still by far my favourite UM IEM) [03/2023] S[06/2023]
Shure KSE1500 (It only took me 7 years to finally add it to the arsenal haha) [12/2023] S[05/2023]
Final x DITA SHICHIKU.KANGEN (My favourite Single DD tuning to date) [08/2021] T[03/2023]
Noble Audio Viking Ragnar (Crazy detailed, crazy price..., gorgeous faceplates) [11/2022] T[12/2022]
Empire Ears Wraith (The purple bae is back lol) [05/2022] (and it's gone again... lol) S[10/2022]
Audio-Technica ATH-M50XBT [02/2019] S[07/2022]
JH Audio LAYLA Carbon (My first true taste of what a TOTL IEM should be) [05/2015] T[06/2022]
FitEar MH335DW SR (My very first customs) [05/2021] T[06/2022]
Empire Ears Phantom Jade SE B[10/2021] *Traded back for the Wraith [05/2022]
64 Audio Fourté (Tia BA best BA) B[09/2021] S[04/2022]
Sony IER-Z1R (Was the IEM that lead me back to my journey. Still the current BAE) [12/2019]*Will Buy Again
Empire Ears Zeus XR-A (Last addition of 2020) B[11/2020] S[02/2022]
QDC Anole V14 Traded from Balmung[10/2021] *Traded for Eletech Iliad combo [12/2021]
Metal Magic Research Balmung (Quite a unique sounding 12BA IEM) B[08/2021] *Traded for the Anole V14 [10/2021]
FitEar Monet17 (First IEM for 2020 lol) B[03/2020] S[09/2021]
Empire Ears Wraith (The first addition to 2021) [02/2021] *Traded for the Fourté [09/21]
Campfire Audio Andromeda MW10 (My first ever CFA experience) B[07/2021] S[08/2021]
FitEar To Go! 334 (Was my reference for female vocals until the Wraith & Zeus arrived) B[10/2020] S[07/2021]
Audio-Technica ATH-PRO700 (I had the most fun with these, I used to listen to more electronic music back then.) [12/2011]
Audio-Technica ATH-M50 (My first actually foray into better sounding cans) [10/2011]
Beats by Dr. Dre Beats Pro DETOX ver. (It was honestly not bad as a DJ Headphone it was their best at the time.) [12/2011]
Beats by Dr. Dre Studio ver 1. (I was in High School okay? Lol) [07/2010]
Sony MDR-V150 (I remember just really liking the sound of these, my uncle actually bought them for me.) [02/2009]
Philips SHP1900 (The very first headphones I’ve ever bought and the last one while I was still in the Philippines. Quite proud of them at the time, but I actually forgot how they sound like.) [09/2008]

Auditioned IEMs:

64 Audio A3
64 Audio A12t
64 Audio Duo
64 Audio Fourté Blanc
64 Audio Fourté Noir
64 Audio Trio
64 Audio U12t
64 Audio U18s
64 Audio U18t
AKG K3003i
AKG N5005
Aroma Audio Jewel
Aroma Audio Thunder
Astell&Kern AK ZERO1
Astell&Kern x Campfire Audio Pathfinder
Astell&Kern x Empire Ears Odyssey
Audeze LCD-i4
AudioFly AF1120mkII
Campfire Audio Andromeda 2020
Campfire Audio Andromeda Emerald Sea
Campfire Audio Ara
Campfire Audio Equinox
Campfire Audio Solaris
Campfire Audio Solaris Mercury
Campfire Audio Solaris Stellar Horizon
Campfire Audio Solstice
Campfire Audio Supermoon
Campfire Audio Trifecta
DUNU LUNA (First IEM I've ever reviewed)
DUNU ZEN
DUNU ZEN PRO
EarSonics Grace
EarSonics Onyx
EarSonics S-EM6
EarSonics S-EM9
Elysian Labs DIVA
Elysian Labs x Effect Audio Gaea
Empire Ears ESR MKII
Empire Ears Hero
Empire Ears Legend EVO
Empire Ears Legend X
Empire Ears Odin
Empire Ears Valkyrie
Etymotic EVO
Final Audio A3000
Final Audio A4000
Final Audio A8000
Final Audio B1
FiR Audio Krypton 5
FiR Audio M4
FiR Audio M5
FiR Audio Neon 4
FiR Audio Xenon 6
FlipEars AIDEN
Hyla CE-5
JH Audio Jolene
JH Audio Lola
JH Audio Roxanne (Ver. 1)
Lime Ears Aether R
Lime Ears Anima
Lime Ears Pneuma
Meze ADVAR
Meze Rai Penta
Moondrop Blessing2
Noble Audio Kaiser Encore
Noble Audio Khan
Noble Audio Ronin
Noble Audio Sultan
Oriolus Isabellae
Oriolus Traillii
Penon Impact
Sennheiser IE600
Sennheiser IE80
Sennheiser IE800
Sennheiser IE900
Shozy Blackhole
Shuoer S12
Shure KSE1500
Shure SE535
SoftEars RSV
Sony IER-M7
Sony IER-M9
Sony MDR-EX1000
Sony XBA-Z5
Unique Melody Mason FS
Unique Melody MEST
Unique Melody MEST Indigo
Unique Melody MEST JP
Unique Melody Multiverse Mentor
Vision Ears Elysium
Vision Ears EXT
Vision Ears PHoNIX
Vision Ears VE8
Westone 4R

Auditioned Headphones:

Abyss Diana Phi
AIAIAI TMA-2
AKG K141
AKG K240
AKG K550
AKG K702
AKG K712
Audeze CRBN
Audeze LCD-5
Audeze MM-500
Audio-Technica ATH-MSR7
Dan Clark Audio Expanse
Dan Clark Audio Stealth
Denon D9200
Final D8000 Pro
Focal Clear
Focal Utopia
Focal Utopia 2022
HiFiMAN HE-6 (6 screw)
HiFiMAN Sundara
Meze 109 Pro
Meze Elite
Meze Empyrean
Meze Liric
PSB M4U1
Sennherser HD 560 S
Sennheiser HD 660 S
Sennheiser HD 800
Sennheiser HD 800 S
Sennheiser HD 820
Sennheiser HE 1 Orpheus
Shure SRH750DJ
Shure SRH940
Sony MDR-Z1R
Sony MDR-Z7
Ultrasone Signature PRO
ZMF Verite Closed

Auditioned Sources:

Astell&Kern AK100
Astell&Kern AK120 Mk II
Astell&Kern AK240
Astell&Kern AK380
Astell&Kern KANN
Astell&Kern KANN Cube
Astell&Kern SA700 Onyx
Astell&Kern SP1000SS
Astell&Kern SP2000C
Astell&Kern SP3000 Onyx
AudioQuest DragonFly Black
AudioQuest DragonFly Cobalt
AudioQuest DragonFly Red
Cayin N3 Pro
Cayin N8
Cayin RU6
Cayin W2
Chord Hugo2
Chord Mojo
FiiO M11
FiiO M11 Pro
FiiO M15
ifi Gryphon
ifi Go Bar
ifi iDSD Diablo
Moon 230HAD
Moon 240i
Naim Unity Atom
Qudelix 5000
Questyle CMA 800R
RME ADI-2-DAC FS V2 (AKM)
Shanling UP5
SPL Phonitor XE
Sony DMP-Z1
Sony NW-WM1Z
Sony TA-ZH1ES
Stax SRM-D10
Woo Audio WA11

Auditioned Amps:

Cayin C9
ViVa Audio Egoista 2A3

Headphone Amp Inventory: DROP + THX AAA 789

Source Inventory: Current:

FiiO BTR7 (Replaced my BTR5)
Cayin N8 (Surprisingly clinical 4.4 out and super analogue through SE Tubes)
Sony WM1A (My go-to DAP and battery KING)
Onkyo DP-X1 (Still going strong with this one, still has one of the lowest noise floors around in balanced output. A.C.G. Mode on Balanced is quite something.)

Previously Owned:

Sony WM1Z (ProjK) (Absolute heavyweight but still a beauty)
Sony TA-ZH1ES (I'm honestly surprised I was able to type that one out of memory... lol the yokozuna of DAC/AMPs)
Fiio BTR5 (Honestly the best 150CAD I’ve ever spent on an audio source ever. Just go and get one already. Like seriously, why are you still reading go on and buy one...)
Astell&Kern SP1000SS
Astell&Kern SP2000SS
Topping E30
Astell&Kern AK100 Mk II (My first foray into a high-end DAP, I actually miss this little guy.)
iPod Touch 1st Gen. (That touchscreen was really revolutionary at the time. 8GB of space was pretty small compared to my 80GB iPod below.)
iPod Classic 5th Gen. (My first ever digital audio player with a screen lol)
iPod Shuffle 1st Gen. (This was a fun lil guy. Tho it was really hard to find songs I wanted to listen to LMAO)

Cable Inventory: Current:

Astral Acoustics White
DHC Clone Copper
DHC Clone Silver
Effect Audio Ares II w/ ConX
Effect Audio Cadmus
Effect Audio Code 23
Eletech Aeneid
Hfs Clearly Silver 4 wire FitEar
Hfs Just Copper 2 wire JH 4-pin
Hfs Just Copper 2 wire MMCX
Hfs Just Copper 4 wire dual mono 3.5
PW Audio Orpheus Shielding

Previously Owned:

DHC Complement C
Effect Audio Cleopatra
Effect Audio Janus B
Effect Audio Janus D
Eletech Iliad w/ Iliad 2.5 to 4.4 Pigtail adapter
Eletech Plato w/ Plato 2.5 to 4.4 Pigtail adapter
Empire Ears x PW Audio Stormbreaker (1960s 2 Wire)
FitEar 006
FitEar 007
Sony x Kimber MUC-M12SB1 w/ ConX

Other Audio Equipment: KRK Rokit 6 Gen 2, Focusrite Scarlett 2i2, Blue Baby Bottle SL, Focal Solo6 Be, KEF Q750

Music Preferences: J-Pop, K-Pop, Vocal, Classical, Anime Music (Anisong), Metal, Jazz, Classical, R&B, Video game music, Math rock, Japanese Indie bands, J-Rock (Visual Kei), Rap, Hip-Hop

Gender: Male

Gear-Fi: Hasselblad H series cameras, Leica M cameras (The SL series are quite the beauty too), Hasselblad X1D II, mostly photography related gear lol

Occupation: Photographer, Photo-Retoucher, Forklift Operator

Contact

Facebook: Riverground

Twitter: Matzrios

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