TLDR - Ergonomics and build perform at the highest level and its sound is engaging yet tasteful, retaining overall balance. It is my pleasure to recommend the ONYX for those wanting an engaging midrange IEM. Introduction – Earsonics is a French audio brand that has achieved a solid international presence with their high-end IEMs. The company initially made waves with their all-BA reference monitors and have since tried their hand at hybrid designs that came alongside new metal shells. The ONYX is their latest project which finally sees the...

TLDR - This is a headphone with superb all-day comfort and an attractive design suitable for lovers of a rich, V-shaped sound with zero midrange intensity. Introduction – Sendy Audio is a sub-brand of Sivga, yet ironically may be better known in the international market. This is for their highly successful Aiva planar magnetic headphone, which quickly won over the hearts of critics and consumers alike, cementing a solid reputation for the relatively new company. The brand has since released a good selection of headphones with varying tunings and...

Introduction – ikko is definitely a company I’ve been meaning to work with for some time. They have an alluring range of hybrid IEMs and some snazzy portable DAC/AMPs too. In particular, the company is known to offer innovative form factors with regards to both of these, and their IEMs too offer a striking abstract aesthetic. A few years back, the company released the original OH1 that originally put the company on the map. This was a dual-magnet structure Ti DD + Knowles 33518 BA hybrid monitor that many lauded for its bass performance. The OH10...

TLDR – Through its unique combination of qualities and thoughtful execution, the Phoenix is able to carve out a reasonably uncontested niche in the audio market for bass lovers who still value clear vocals and a spacious soundstage. Introduction – SIVGA are a Chinese audio company founded in 2016 who focus on stunning wooden designs and competitive pricing. They work hand-in-hand with Sendy Audio, their premium division, who recently achieved renown for their well-received Aiva planar magnetic headphone. The Phoenix is their latest creation, an...

The Pitch – The Black Hole is Shozy’s current flagship IEM. It utilises a single DD combined with an intriguing open-back design – hence, the name. The Black Hole retails for $799 USD at the time of writing. Verdict - The Black Hole is essentially uncontested if you dislike the wearing pressure of conventional in-ears but still want a focused sound with spotlight on vocals and huge, expansive soundstage presentation. Introduction – Over the last year, it’s definitely been the sub $1000 price range that’s really piqued my interest. Where...

TLDR – If you’re looking for a neutral, accurate sound without a fatiguing top-end and value build and ergonomics, the Nair is certainly a strong investment. Introduction – GAudio is a new kid on the block from Switzerland who definitely deserves your while. The company is hugely ambitious, their first product release already aiming sites on market leaders. The company design and build all of their products from the ground up. I had a wonderful time getting to know the brains behind GAudio, Nicola, who was very open with their process and...

TLDR – The Cupid makes for a highly engaging listen and a truly unique package that’s easily worth more than oBravo’s RRP. Introduction – Most will surely be familiar with oBravo, a Taiwanese audio manufacturer who specialises in air-motion transformer (AMT) and planar magnetic drivers (PMD) and whose earphones have been known to stretch into the 5-digit price range. There’s a reason for this, these driver types are immensely difficult to miniaturise and oBravo design and build their driver’s in-house using a patented process. It’s been almost a...

TLDR – The Phoenix provides a hyper-attractive visual and auditory experience with a tuning that showcases its profuse technical ability first and foremost. Introduction – Astrotec was founded almost 2 decades ago in Shenzhen with the pursuit of innovation and excellence. Since then, they’ve created some of the finest and most exclusive earbuds on the market alongside a line of more value-orientated IEMs. The designers at Astrotec couldn’t stop there, however. Enter the Phoenix, the company’s first flagship IEM. Here, Astrotec pairs cutting-edge...

TLDR – The Craft Six competes in kilo-buck turf in both tonality and technicality at a substantial discount (pre-order). Introduction – Craft Ears is a newcomer from Poland with big aspirations. The company’s first two models the Craft Two and Four were very well-received by enthusiasts and critics. Despite this, there was one main aspect that drew me to the company; and that was their transparency about their acoustic designs. The staff are responsive, confident and proficient, happy to lay out all of the science to back their lofty promises...

TLDR – The BL-05 isn’t a bad buy when taken holistically, but does receive a limited recommendation from me for its polarising tonality. Introduction – Blon really took the audiophile world by storm with the BL-03. Though not especially impressive from a technical point of view, the $40 teardrop-shaped earphone carried a highly natural tonality, something not frequently found at such a low price point. As such, it quickly became the darling of numerous audio forums and for many, served as a gateway drug into the world of the empty wallet. The...

TLDR – The Silversonic sports a tonally transparent, full-bodied and vocal-forward presentation that cleans up warm, laid-back earphones without breaking their smooth character. Introduction – Beat Audio was formed by the passion of a handful of dedicated audiophiles over a decade ago with the intention of developing premium cables with emotive sounds. They build cables through a painstaking listening process ensuring that their cables sound great both in person and on paper. Their extensive experience shows; I recall hearing splendid thoughts...

TLDR – The Takt-C is a winning combination of great sound and unobtrusive form factor, now priced for all to enjoy. Introduction – Cozoy is a Hong Kong-based company with a vision for ultimate sonic performance and leading design. Though you’ll see very similar sentiments on just about every other company’s website, here, there is a lot of truth to be found. Cozoy has pursued some of the most unique and stunning designs in the industry. And yet, the Takt Pro defied this, while also representing everything the company stands for. This was a...

Introduction – NXEars is a new audio manufacturer from the USA that was spearheaded by former Knowles employee Casey Ng whose notable work includes the NuForce NE, HEM and Primo line-ups in addition to the new Erato TWS earphones. NuForce is most fond to me for their Primo 8 quad driver earphone which made a lot of noise for its phase-coherent crossover that ensured all drivers were time-aligned; you can read more about it in RinChoi’s excellent analysis here. NXEars takes this design to the next level, aiming for a sound more akin to an over-ear...

TLDR - The Opera’s magic lies in its ability to bring every element together into a highly coherent, composed and effortless whole. Introduction – If you’re reading this article, chances are you’re familiar with Knowles, NuForce or Erato. If that’s the case, then you would be well acquainted with Casey Ng whose expertise was invaluable to all. NXEars is his latest venture, uniting the core principles of each brand. These earphones feature strong value per driver from his relationship to Knowles, a phase-coherent crossover ala NuForce and have...

TLDR – The UBOOM is a versatile speaker suiting mixed-use cases, especially with its tough, waterproof build and excellent battery life. Introduction – Earfun is a new audio manufacturer from China with a focus on the ultra-budget market. Their team comprises of industrial and acoustic engineers in addition to music enthusiasts that enable them to bring some surprisingly refined products to life at reasonable prices affordable to all. The UBOOM is one of their lesser discussed models on the net, but to my ears strikes as one of their most...

TLDR - The Hi-mDAC isn’t perfectly neutral but provides an open, tonally transparent and surprisingly expansive listen at a compact price and size. Introduction – The Taiwanese company NuPrime is a fairly new name to the audio industry and certainly reminiscent of NuForce with which many will be familiar with. The name change occurred when the company was re-acquired by its co-founder Jason Lim who bought back the high-end division and formed the new company. NuPrime focus on in-house research and development, with their own engineering and design...

Introduction – Though BQEYZ doesn’t quite roll off the tongue, the company is another ChiFi hit who I somewhat remiss not involving myself with sooner. The company is new, but not at all inexperienced and similar to other now prominent players such as Kinera, they’ve been working as an earphone and headphone OEM for over 20-years. The Spring 1 showcases their experience and prowess, possessing a peculiar tribrid driver setup not dissimilar to much more expensive IEMs. Alongside a custom 13mm dynamic driver, the BQEYZ has a custom-tuned balanced...

Introduction – I was first introduced to the China-based company by my friend and fellow reviewer Klaus, who is certainly very knowledgeable about audio and whose opinion I hold in high regard. He was enthusiastic about a new company, Moondrop, and their first in-ear, the Kansas Pro. Though I never had the opportunity to demo this earphone, the company’s name stuck in my mind and seemingly, many others, as they’ve now climbed to international notoriety and are currently inundated with review requests. For the company has come far, delicately...

Introduction – Astrotec is one of the oldest companies putting the HiFi in ChiFi. Their portfolio spans myriad offerings ranging from entry-level single dynamic earphones to a cutting edge electro-static flagship. Somewhere in between lies the S80, a TWS in-ear featuring a single Beryllium dynamic driver with ultra-thin diaphragm enabling a powerful yet controlled sound. It comes well-equipped from factory and offers the latest Bluetooth standard, all at just $70 USD. With specification parity with market leaders and a rich audiophile heritage, the...

Pros – Perfect ergonomics with tiny, low-profile housings, Universal MMCX, Excellent balance, Outstanding midrange timbre and resolution Cons – Smooth treble can lack detail presence, Modest end to end extension Verdict – The AF1120 rewards those valuing accuracy, balance and a natural tone with perfect ergonomics and a newly upgradeable cable on top Introduction – Forged in the passionate flames of local music lovers, Australian audio company Audiofly seeks to provide sounds that suit both professionals and enthusiasts at flexible price...