This is my second attempt at using a portable amp (I returned my Fiio E12A for this).   That was a good decision. The Cayin C5 is an absolute powerhouse. It can power IEM's and earbuds (what I use it for), but also large size over-ear headphones. I am very pleased by the sound. It is slightly warm with a really expansive 3D soundstage. But by far the best feature is the bass boost; the sub-bass really slams. The amp can also charge your other devices (like your phone etc.) which is an added plus. I got the black edition which aesthetically...

  The Fiio E12A Mont Blanc portable headphone amplifier is a great amp for IEM's and earbuds. The sound signature is slightly on the warm side, and presents a much fuller sound and wider soundstage than normal when using it with my AK Jr player. I particularly love the bass boost as it adds extremely clean sub-bass which doesn't bleed into mids, and is still acceptable in quantity (I believe it's +5 dB or so). The sound differences are not drastic, but they are noticeable if you A-B test the AK Jr and the E12A. I love the sensation that the sound...

The VE Monk is a $5 earbud that produces high-end quality sound. This type of value is pretty unfathomable.  Pros: Surprisingly good bass for $5 headphones, the foams included with them (and not sold anywhere else) are probably the most comfortable foams I've ever tried, vocals are not recessed, soundstage is mid-level   Cons: bass could be better quality, soundstage could be wider, could have more details   Sound signature: warm-ish, "sparkly" sound, very energetic; perfect for hip-hop   Overall ten times better than Apple Earpods because...

This is it. I have found sonic nirvana. The Rose Mojito's - 3D printed earbuds from a small startup company in China, offering a dual dynamic driver (one driver for bass and one for treble) - which is in most high-end speakers and over-ear headphones but never in earbuds - are an audiophile's dream.   After listening to the Rose Mojito earbuds with the AK Jr high-resolution audio player, I have to say that it is a masterpiece of an earbud. A work of art even. I can't explain it. It's beyond the class of other earbuds. It's in a god-class of its...

I have to say...I'm really enjoying the Ostry KC08 high-fidelity earbuds.   Pros: The reason I like them is the unique way the bass and sub-bass sounds. They sound almost like good car speakers with the bass turned all the way up. And yet the bass is not overpowering. It's just the right amount. Ostry KC08 are quality headphones for people who like bass, and perfect for certain genres like hip-hop. Soundstage is medium sized (not as thin as Shozy Cygnus but not as wide as Rose Mojito). Also, I really like how they look aesthetically; they are very...