PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT   FYI,   Audio Consultants - Chicago is hosting a demonstration of the Sennheiser HE-1 electrostatic headphone system. This is the successor to the famous "Orpheus" system. I believe the MSRP is north of $50,000. The event is on Tuesday September 27, 2016. I...

Today I had the pleasure of hearing the new Ayre QX-5 Twenty "digital hub". First let's talk about the associated equipment. The digital front end was a unit called the "Melco" and athough I am not sure precisely which model was used, it was a very well made purpose built device for the storage...

Google this thing! This is going to be a high end DAC, headphone amplifier, AND digital pre-amplifier so I believe it can be connected directly to a power amplifier. It has inputs for network attached storage, async USB, SPDIF, optical, you name it. You can even connect a thumb drive directly to...

Check this thing out! Based on how good Pono sounds, this thing is going to be a giant killer! It actually has better paper specs than my $3,000+ Ayre QB-9 DSD DAC. 128 DSD and 32/384 playback. The product is expected to be under $2,000. I wonder if will actually sound better than my DAC.  ...

Has anyone ever tried one of these? Results?

I am getting married in March and am planning on giving my best man and groomsman upgraded aftermarket earbuds as gifts. All three are using Apple/iOS devices as sources (no amps or anything like that) and they all use the standard apple earbuds.   I am willing to spend up to $200 per pair but...

They're back! Out of production for a while but now apparently being relaunched. They work wonders if you use like four or five of em. The trick is to add more until they no longer blink. I borrowed a few from someone I know and had a total of nine installed in different outlets in my...

I just upgraded from version 17 to 18. I think I am hearing some sonic improvements across the board. That is not, however, a touted new feature of the upgrade. I use WASAPI. Food for thought.

So I use a few gadgets known as the PS Audio Noise Harvester. These devices fit into a wall AC socket and "convert noise into light." There is a little LED light that sometimes blinks like crazy and sometimes once a minute. Sometimes it blinks not at all.    The idea is that it pulls noise...

I may have posted this already, but is there a cheap and easy way to fix slippage on the PS1000? I like to configure the earcups in the smallest possible configuration with rodblocks flush against the earcups. However, the left block keeps sliding up as I listen and as a result the driver sits...

Has anyone tried to use the Jriver graphic equalizer and if so, anyone have any opinions on how transparent it is when engaged. In other words, if I engage it and tweak one frequency a tiny bit to remedy something I dislike about my phones, does having it engaged impact the sound quality of the...

Anyone try one of these?

I am thinking about slapping high performance powerlinks on my source (Ayre QB-9) and headphone amp (Bryston BHA-1). The phones are Grado PS1000s, very very revealing.   Have any of you guys tried the high performance power link?

How do you optimize BF3 for stereo headphones? What in game settings do you use? I'd like better positional audio.

I have a very, very nice preamplifier. It has two main pre-amp outputs and remote volume control. Right now I run the spare pre-amplifier output into my headphone amplifier with the headphone amp's volume maxed out. I control volume with the preamp. However, I have noticed that to get a decent...

Could someone post a photo of the inside components of a Pro-Ject Headbox SEII (the larger one). I'd like to see what is in there but I can't seem to get mine open as I don't have the right tool to get the face plate off.   Thanks!

This is a theoretical question.   Two versions of the same amp. I can't name the amp. The new revised version features:   "1. Newly designed power supply unit. 2. Larger PCB and less power wiring. 3. Thicker case."   Is there any way this might actually be a cost cutting measure...

The Lehmann Black Cube Linear sells for about $1,100. Could anyone recommend any alternative full size headphone amps of equal or better quality ANYWHERE under $1,000? (not including the Matrix M-Stage Lehmann clone as I am interested in what other DESIGNS are available.)   What should I be...

My question is whether the Matrix M-Stage clone actually sounds like a Black Cube Linear in a real high-end situation. Alternatively, would anyone with some experience in electronics care to comment on the similarities of the circuit "topology". I have posted pictures of both units below.  ...

Does anyone have any first hand experience with this amp? I am wondering if this amp would be good with my HD600s and possibly a pair of HD800 headphones. My source is an Ayre QB-9 USB DAC.

Can anyone recommend a good headphone amp for use with an Ayre-QB9 USB DAC? It will drive HD600 headphones and possibly eventually HD800 headphones. I was considering the Lehmann Black Cube Linear since my dealer carries it and recommends it but I haven't auditioned it yet. A comparable...

I recently purchased an Ayre QB-9 USB DAC. My speaker setup is superb with no real glaring flaws (Threshold T2 Preamp, Bryston 3BST amp, B&W N804 speakers) but my headphone setup leaves something to be desired. I use a Pro-Ject Headbox SEII amp to drive a pair of HD600 headphones. Volume...

I have an Ayre QB-9 DAC, Bryston Amp, Threshold Preamp, and B&W Speakers. My question is, does the USB cable I use matter. I am considering a Transparent Audio Performance USB Cable, but I don't want to spend the extra coin unless someone can confirm there is a difference.

I just wanted to make a brief post and say that after personally comparing the Pro-Ject Headbox SE and the new Pro-Ject Headbox SEII, I think the SEII is a much better sounding amp. Those who did not like the original SE or Project Headbox might want to listen to this new line of amps and...

My setup is a soundblaster x-fi xtreme music card into a dedicated headphone amplifier and then into Sennheiser 600 series headphones. I am wondering what settings will produce the best results in Team Fortress2 and other first person games? Positional audio is important but so is fidelity...