iFi Pro iCAN Signature meets the TOTLs​

In this review, I will try to draw a picture of how the @iFi audio Pro iCAN Signature (how-many-barreled-name is that?) performs under pressure i.e., when driving very difficult loads such as the Susvara, Abyss AB1266 TC, HE-560, HD800s. This is where the Pro iCAN Signature meets the TOTLs. For the uninitiated, this is the latest flagship headphone amplifier/preamp from iFi's Pro line.

In the olden days they asked about PCs, “… but can it play Crysis?” and in headphone amps, it translates to, “… but can it drive the Susvara?”​

If you want a device tour and feature discussion, there are quite a few on Youtube but I will recommend the review right below mine or the one on Bloom Audio’s website as they are extremely well written and give very vivid descriptions of the features and describe the sound variations of different modes. So, I will not repeat what have already been said just for the sake of it, rather I will discuss how it plays with TOTLs of today (at least the ones I have been privileged to have). To bring the point home, I will compare/contrast it with the Benchmark AHB2 power/speaker amp – my “benchmark” amp to drive the Susvara. I have written a dedicated review on the AHB2, which you can check out at your leisure. So, I believe, this will be a good comparison to answer if the Pro iCAN Signature is really up to the task to drive the Susvara – and the rest can be extrapolated.

Some of the reviews have termed this as an expensive unit, which in isolation is true, but in this review, it will be pitted against a family of amps that trumps it in price. But I should say that I do not have many of the amps like the Bakoon 13r or Enleum 23r or the OOR+H on hand but going by my Benchmark AHB2 ($3000), I will share what might be expected. Enough disclaimers, yo, get to the point. I have one bit of it left.

I bought this unit from Bloom Audio and as a returning customer, I did receive a small discount. I was never asked to write a review on their behalf. So, this is being written of my own volition. There’s a reason I am a “returning” customer of theirs, and that is the friendly-neighborhood-brick-and-mortar store vibe they give out even as an online retailer. I cannot say enough good things about gestures like hand-written “thank you”-notes they put in for their customers. Personally, I really appreciate these gestures. To top it off, the Pro ICAN Signature came with a candy bar. Thank you, @Andrew DiMarcangelo ! Okay, on the business end, what differentiates good stores from great ones is their attitude when things go wrong. In this regard, they have been in the top two in the US in my experience. So, if you want to get one of these, you may consider buying from them.

An interview with me (aka the TL;DR of the review)​

Can it drive the Susvara? Yes!

Can it drive it well? What does that even mean? What’s the point of reference?

Is it as dynamic as in the speaker amps? Do you get controlled bass? My ears say yes. I would have a very hard time telling the performance of it and the AHB2 apart (when it comes to driving prowess).

Does it sound similar to the AHB2? No. Please read on for elaboration.

So, are you saying you cannot tell it apart from a speaker amp? No, that’s not what I am saying. I can totally tell them apart with a blindfold on because of the very different sound signatures between the iCAN Signature and the AHB2.

The Sound​

Now that sound signature has come up, let’s tackle that. As described by the review right below mine, this amp is a monster when it comes to power (14 WPC) but it’s not a reference-sounding amp. If it were, I wouldn’t have bought it. It has character – in fact, it has several as you can see in other reviews (the classic iFi bass boost - XBass, the crossfeed feature they named X-space these days, a rather yummy "tube" stage, and “tube+” – which is “tube” but on steroids). But even in the vanilla solid-state stage mode, which I will use as the point of comparison, I echo everything the review below described. It is a more meaty and has a somewhat gutsy-feeling sound compared to amps like Burson Soloist 3X (which it replaced in my chain) or the venerable AHB2, which I keep bringing up when Susvara is in the equation as that is the best I have heard Hifiman's flagship on. And of course, you can choose to play with the XBass to push the bass level up (I loved two notches), or the tubes to put a layer of warmth under your music (both of which are welcome embellishments for the Susvara; you probably will know if you have one). A detailed description of what each mode does has been comprehensively done by other reviewers on this page. Let me break down what I heard with the headphones I tried it with.

w/ Hifiman Susvara: By no means, did I find it underpowered, but your mileage may vary. Again, I cannot stress enough that I have a power amp right beside it to compare. The sound was dynamic and full-bodied. On the solid-state, no-frills mode, it was clean but not as clean as the recent Burson amps or the AHB2, which is exactly what I wanted. It put more flesh on the bones in the midrange, which was a boon for hard rock, grunge, and heavy metal (three of my favorite genres). That’s basically the crux of it. The bass was well controlled and authoritative (which is the litmus test for Susvara amps). If you have a Susvara, and if you are a bass head, you know that Susvara is not exactly the champ when it comes to upper-bass quantity. The Pro iCAN Signature, while being mendacious (without DSP), will fix that, should you want that extra punch. That was one of the reasons I bought it in the first place. Secondly, if you find your Susvara to be somewhat dry (which it can come across in some chains), the tube stage can be that extra mayonnaise you were looking for. So there, I said it: if I had just one amp for the Susvara, would I keep it then, then the answer would be a resounding yes. I feel it doesn’t get enough credit for this (and it may stir up some debate in the comments) but I simply described what I heard in the past few weeks. On the volume pot, on high gain, I didn’t have to go beyond 4 O'clock (and it starts at 1 O'clock) at high gain, leaving plenty (more than half) of headroom. I give it an A+ for driving and shaping the Susvara without any reservation.

w/ Abyss AB1266 TC: Ideally, if it can drive the Susvara well, it should play the 1266 TC even better, right? Wrong! While I cannot describe objectively why this is, I preferred the TC on the AHB2 or even my beloved Schiit Mjolnir 2 more. That does not mean it was not a pleasant listen. It sure was but that “flesh on the bone” synergy is just not something the TC wants for dinner is what it seems. I really enjoyed the tube stage on the 1266TC and its bass kicks like a mule even without any kind of bass boost. Also, I feel you can literally shake the drivers off of your TC if you put the bass boost to its fullest degree, and believe me, these have been done in the past. So, be judicious. I’d give it a B+ for synergy with the TC whereas an A+ with the Susvara.

w/ Sennheiser HD800s: Moving from low sensitivity to high impedance territory, it is just as good or maybe better. The sound was sublime on the 800s with this amp (I am tired of writing “iFi Pro iCAN Signature” at this point). No, you do not lose the stage that makes the HD 800s so special; in fact on the tube stages, you can rein in the upper mids and have a more pleasurable experience in that amazingly precise and wide stage without losing any of the detail. On tube+ mode, however, you do trade some of the precision or leading edge of tones for the tubey-ness, which is quite magical if you are into that kind of thing. I’d say it drives the HD800s like a champ and fixes many of its weaknesses like the sharp upper mid and somewhat weak bass response. So, all the bells-n-whistles features of the Pro iCAN Signature really shines when it tackles something like the HD 800s to tailor the sound to your preference. Power, in this case, is a non-issue as it has more on reserve to blow the drivers of the 800s.

w/ Hifiman HE-560 v1 (OG): I have had this headphone for over six years, and I love it for rock/metal music. It warrants a beefy amp to shine. The Pro iCAN Signature is as beefy as they come. For busy music, I am yet to hear any amp that performed as well as this. The grunt of the guitar riffs, the linear bass lines, the smooth treble, everything came through like it should, with that extra body one would miss out on THX amps. So, I surmise, it would do well with HE500, HE-6, and other cousins in this family.

Where I would place it in my chain​

I made some bold statements praising this amp in this review for sure. I even alluded to the fact that I can live on this over the AHB2 but that’s not the end of the story. While I surely love it for the sound signature, the power, the feature set it packs, I will place it as a preamp in my chain to the AHB2 (for the Susvara and TC specifically) so I know that I get the best of both worlds. But even while that is an honest statement, would I be perfectly happy with it as the sole headphone amp? Yes, absolutely!

Rooms for Improvement (my expectations)​

The first thing to ask is, “does it do its job … as a headphone amp (forget about the novelty features)?" Ohh, yes, like a champ! What I would want from iFi in later iterations is to swap the tubes to a more accessible 6922 family, that are easy to roll. While on that topic, to tube roll, it needs to be fully opened up, which I prefer not to do, albeit the provided tubes do an excellent job. But since there is potential, why not take full advantage of that? That’s pretty much it except one more thing: it comes with a one-year warranty. These tubes are rated for way more than 4-5 years on heavy usage but still, those who are into tubes, know that tubes do have a lifespan. Given that, the Pro line of gears would make more sense to have a 3-years warranty on them.

Final Thoughts​

The iFi Pro iCAN Signature is a formidable amp that packs gobs of power with very fun features to shape the sound without any DSP. This might sound like a caveat, but it really is not. If you know what you want out of your chain, this is probably the only choice in getting some things done. One example is, I always wished for some more midbass punch on my Susvara but I did not want to use EQ (which the Susvara doesn’t like anyway), and this is the “only” amp that accomplished it like a champ. So yeah, I would wholeheartedly recommend this amp. It warrants much more attention in the upper echelon of gears, and for its price, it competes with much higher priced specialized amps. This is a clear win for iFi. Good job, color me impressed, and boy, can it do some analog “coloring”!

The Benchmark AHB2 is a power amp meant to power speakers. There seems to be an interest in it for hard to power headphone enthusiasts on the forum even though Benchmark makes the HPA4 which is a headphone amp. That said, folks trying to drive the Hifiman HE-6 and Susvara gravitates towards this piece of gear. If you have frequented the Susvara thread, you’ll see the growing pains of finding a good/sufficiently powerful amp spanning over 200 pages last time I checked. Finally, I pulled the trigger on the AHB2 and couldn’t be happier.

This review and walkthrough/guide will focus on the AHB as a tool to drive headphones. For 2-channel systems, maybe Google other reviews. Also, as disclaimer, none of these have been provided to me. I bought everything pictured.





The Tech: I will keep the boring part short and simple because you will find all the numbers and parameters on their website; hence no point parroting them here.

It uses the THX tech, so it has two-way feedback resulting in ultra clean output. As @GoldenOne put it, it is the objectively best measuring power amp and it shows. The THD+N numbers are off the charts (technically reverse of that as in they are so low that they won’t show up in a plot; think obscene numbers of zeros before a digit shows up).

Inputs/outputs: It is a simple balanced power amp – nothing too fancy except for one thing which I’ll mention in about three sentences. As inputs, it takes balanced XLR and RCA inputs that are pretty standard. For output, they have the standard Banana and spade binding posts. Now for the cool part, namely, the SpeakON connectors. I didn’t know about these before buying the AHB2. Instead of binding posts, the SpeakOn are more robust XLR-like jacks that can accept two 2-poles outputs or a single 4-poles. The latter is a Godsend if you are want an elegant cable run. Details on that later in the writeup when I tackle how to connect your headphones. Apart from this, you can use a bridge mode to use two AHB2s in a monoblock configuration should you be so inclined but for headphones, that would be overkill if you ask me. Well, using a power amp for headphones is overkill to begin with. Yet, here we are, trying to power the Susvara with all our might.

How do you connect headphones to the AHB2 (which is a speaker amp): This is likely the most asked question and one I struggled when I was starting out. Before starting to talk about it step by step, we need to get the fact out of the way that the AHB2 does not have a volume control – it will just push with all its might. Which is basically recipe for disaster i.e., blowing up your headphones. But fear not! That will not happen. Even if you are careless, it still won’t happen – as much as naysayers will warn you. So, this necessitates the need for a preamp to control the volume. The process is as follows and it’s not just how I do it but this is the standard regardless of what gear you have.

• First, let’s start with the DAC. Let’s assume you have a DAC with no volume control. This is where the music starts (after the source/streamer/computer). I have a Holo Spring 3 and let’s consider it as a standalone DAC with no volume control. If you have a DAC/Amp combo, ignore the next point.
• Then in the chain, the DAC gets connected to a preamp. Preamps come in many flavors. If you just want a volume control to attenuate the AHB2’s signal then you want a passive one. Goldpoint makes one of the best ones out there for this. However, I use a Burson Soloist 3xp or Schiit Mjolnir 2 that are both headphone amps with preamp functionality. To keep it simple, let’s consider preamps just as volume controls so that the AHB doesn’t push at all its glory, hence the preamp is a volume control in this discussion. If this sounds too alien to you, @GoldenOne Holo Serene review video has a very good explanation on what this is. But for simplicity, to reiterate, let’s take preamp to be a volume control in this case.

• Now that your DAC is connected to a preamp, the preamp needs to be connected to the AHB2. If you have balanced gear, use XLR interconnects, or you can use RCA cables. If you want to go from single ended to XLR, Benchmark has their own ones and you have to use those (they are inexpensive). Okay, so you are all connected in your chain at this point. To recap, this is what the chain looks like: DAC->preamp->AHB2 (->headphones) [the last part in parenthesis is the last piece of the puzzle, and puzzle it is!].
• Speaker amp to headphones: This is probably why you are reading this. The AHB2 has banana binding posts and alternatively SpeakON connectors as outputs, so let’s pick one of the two options. I’ll explain both as I have gone through both choices and found the latter to be more elegant.
  
  Banana approach: Okay, what you need is a Bananas to 4-pin XLR female cable to plug in your headphone. They can be had from Moon Audio, LQI cables and probably other places too. You can see a picture below. Now it’s making sense I hope. What you do is plug in the Banana plugs in the AHB2’s binding posts and connect your headphones to the XLR female plug. And you’re done! Or are you? Make sure to always put your preamp volume down before you start playing because at full power the headphones will be so loud, you might lose your hearing. But people fret too much on this, just don’t. Even at normal listening volumes on the pre while urning on, hard to drive headphones act just fine powering up.
  
  
  
  
  (Picture source: LQI cables)
  
  SpeakON approach: This is a novel and more elegant option offered by Benchmark. Think of SspeakON as the modern Banana alternative. They are more robust and not unwieldy like bananas. This accomplishes what the Banana part does but in a nicer way. For this you want a SpeakON to female XLR cable. Unfortunately, these are made to order unlike Bananas but I highly recommend this route. You have two options for this too. You can use two 2-pole SpeakON connectors (they call this NL2) or a single 4-pole (called NL4) connector to 4-pin XLR female connector. The amazing @skedra (vikingweavecables@gmail.com) from Viking Weave made me a very nice single run adapter to go from 4 pole SpeakON connector of the AHB2 to 4 pin female XLR. He is based in the UK and he is the greatest cable maker I have met in the hobby. Slightly pricey but no one makes cables better – so I feel it is justified. Now just plug in the SpeakON end behind AHB2, plug in your headphones, turn up your preamp, and wallah!
  
  
  
  
  (The 4-pole SpeakON to 4-pin female XLR cable @skedra made for me)
  
  
• Gain Setting: The AHB2 has three gain settings on the back: low, med, and high. Specifically for the Susvara, I personally use the "med" setting and the vast majority of the users whom I have talked to reported that they prefer either medium or high for best dynamics. So, a tip would be to avoid the low gain setting. I feel that the medium setting is the sweet spot. But to take a line from Schiit's website, "for gain, whatever sounds best to you is the right option!"

But wait, people say I need a resistor box/attenuator so that I don’t blow up my headphone: Naah! As long as you are driving hard to drive, low sensitivity headphones like the Susvara or HE-6, you really do not need a resistor box. If this is the first time you are hearing about this and makes you worried, this is exactly what is already being achieved up there in point 3. So, you’re good. As long as you will not be using IEMs on a speaker amp, you’ll be fine. If you do, you have more serious things to worry about like re-evaluating life choices.



Sound: Alright, now that we are all set up, let’s play some tunes. This needs some context as well. Before getting the AHB2, I had the Burson Soloist 3xp, which is a great amp in its own right. It played the Susvara really well. It was loud and musical and I was happy … until I was not. I won’t lie, with the hundreds of pages of the Susvara thread reading up on Bakoon 13r (and not being able to afford it), Pass Labs amps – only to name a few, I wanted the cleanest chain and AHB2 trumps all that. If you do not agree, it’s okay. If I want to color my sound, I will do that in the preamp level and inject the “color” onto the AHB2 because it is clean as a whistle and outputs the cleanest most transparent sound. Well, there, that’s the sound signature in one word – `transparent’. If you are in this tier yet want to be practical like me (I’m a student with limited money), the best bet is to color your sound at the preamp level. There are two advantages to this. First, you get the cleanest, most transparent power, and the flexibility to use preamps like tubes when you want not-so-objective a sound. I strongly suggest you watch @GoldenOne 's WA22 review where he talks about this aspect of the AHB2.



Why the AHB2 when you can buy $10,000 amps: Okay, I feel I should say a bit more about the sound besides just calling it clean and transparent. Assuming you have a Susvara or He-6, until you have run it through the AHB2, you are premuably very happy already but the dynamic swings you will uncover with this power amp is something you probably have not experienced until you actually hear it. For the naysayers who will be like, “Ohh but I already use something like a PrimaLuna and 10 grand+ power amps” – I say that’s fair but the AHB2, owing to its cleanliness makes it the most versatile player for it to become a chameleon. You can tube it, you can make it pure solid state, go all objectively sound or go nuts with distortion given what you put before it in the chain. That is exactly why you buy an amp as clean as this! Furthermore, the AHB2 is a sheer king when it comes to pinpoint imaging and staging. The air between instruments is provided like a champ - beating out amps that cost twice or three times more.



Parting thoughts: To conclude, if you want to drive the Susvara or HE-6, I cannot recommend anything better. To add, I run the HD800s along with my trusty HE-560 v1 on it as well, and they sound glorious. Also, as a parting note, if you judge THX as the tech that dictates the sound signature of the 789 – think again. The AHB2 is not at all sterile as that amp. Also, Benchmark is an excellent company. They have a 30-days no-gimmick return policy, if I hadn’t liked it, I’d have returned it; but boy do I love it.

Acknowledgements: @skedra , @Danmellinger , @GoldenOne

The TL;DR: This is the most feature-rich DAP I have used till date (and I have used quite a few). The best screen among all – yes ALL DAPs in my view. Should you buy it? If you are into clean reproduction of music and the smoothest UI experience (and watch Netflix on a DAP)? Then yes – this is the only one in the market right now that does all that.



Intro

Let’s start with the typical disclaimer – I bought the iBasso DX300 w/ Amp 11 mk2 from @MoonAudio at full retail price, hence I have no incentive in saying anything good or bad about it. The evaluations here are presented based on Amp 11 mk2 only. If you want to know the differences in the different amp modules – of which only one came out after the mk2, which is the Amp 12, you should check out the DX300 thread here. There are lots of good discussions there. Another point to note is that I have thrown money at iBasso the most among all DAP makers because I had bought the DX160, DX220 w/ all the amps available In the past. So, I will try to draw some comparisons among those here as well.

In this review, I will talk about my “subjective impressions” on DX300 with Amp 11 mk 2, share overall tonality, pairing sound impressions using Sony QDC Anole VX, IER-M9, Campfire Andromeda S, Empire Ears Legend X, and UM MEST. As for comparisons, I will compare it with Shanling M8 (I have a full review on that where there is a comparison with the DX300 as well), Fiio M11 pro, and Chord Hugo2 since those are the ones I have in hand simultaneously but for other comparisons (like the iBasso DX160, DX220 w/ amps 1 and 8), I will have to dig down in memory lane and can portray some picture which would be hard to defend but I specifically can speak to the similarities with the DX228 (which is street term for DX220 with Amp 8 – which was a champ of a DAP for a year for me). Finally, when listening to DAPs,I do not use full sized headphones. I think that defeats the purpose of a portable DAP. If you want to drive demanding planars, it’s best to get a strong desktop gear, and at these prices, you will get a pretty good one.


If you want to see great photography of the device, scroll to the other reviews (they are great) or head over to Youtube because this ain’t it bro. I write reviews under the assumption that you are either considering buying something or have already bought it and looking to reinforce your love for the gear and expecting to hear praises. If you are in either of the camps, there's something for you here about the DX300.

Unboxing and Accessories

It’s very similar to the iBasso DX220 except I can say the DX220’s packaging was a bit more flamboyant with a bigger box and slightly better material. Maybe iBasso went with a “greener” route this time but I cannot tell for sure. That said, the goodies are unlike any other in my experience. You get a nice blue case (unlike the gawdy tallow one from DX220) which really compliments the device. The best of all they give you this 2.5mm balanced burn-in cable which is a regular small cable with a load at the end to mimic an IEM so you can burn it in for like a week as prescribed. I don’t know how it helps though but I did it nonetheless. I am not here to debate burn in (and cables). I am a person of science and see small validity in this in solid state devices but I have seen in 1 in 30 devices (including IEMs) where things did have an audible difference. Did it work for the DX300? No idea. Maybe. I just did it to rule out the argument about, “hey, you need to burn that stuff in.” Last point to make here is that they give you two flimsy screen protectors that are quite useless in my view. But the saving grace is that one tempered glass screen protector – and boy is it useful. I put it on the very first day and it was all nice and dandy. I love it when companies don’t cheap out on accessories, not something I can say for some premium players (you should know which one).

What’s the schtick?

In the marketing jargons, it looks like iBasso clearly marked it as a successor of the DX220 which was very slow and boy did they deliver on the performance, and I mean user-performance. Will come to sound later. Already, the DX160 (the original one, not the 2020 one where they supposedly put an inferior screen) was my favorite screen among all DAPs. They sure topped that screen with this edge to edge large display. You should be asking, why is this guy talking about a screen on a DAP of all things. It’s because it is THAT good. If you go through the discussion threads, you will see many Netflix users there who have used this for streaming visual content. So yeah, it is a digital “media” player – something not many DAPs can boast. The colors are vivid and you need no external app to make it landscape. Thus, Netflix and Youtube are built right in.

Next is the array of quat Cirrus Logic DAC chips. I was quite skeptical of this initially because these chips are not exactly up there with the AKM 4499 or the ESS 9038 families – until you hear them. In an A/B test I would not be able to tell a well implemented ESS 9038 or ESS 9028 (which the DX220 had) and this array of CS chips. They really did good on this. I was further skeptical because the last DAP iBasso did with Cirrus Logic chips was the DX160 which was one of the mid-tier or even budget segment DAPs and to use something similar in their flagship “portable” DAP (discounting the MAX line with is not portable) was questionable. But once I heard it, I could easily tell it was the bigger brother of the DX220 and not the DX160. What a relief.

And as alluded above, the Android version is Android 9 – so you’re all set for future proofing if that matters to you. The UI/UX is as smooth as you could imagine. Yes, even Netflix movies have great framerates considering the powerful SoC it sports.

Then there is of course replaceable amp modules. Although I am reviewing it on Amp 11 mk2, the Amp 12 has only 4.4mm balanced output but has a true line out which is great to bypass the amp and feed to external amps.

Ergonomics



This is big. It is 6.5” edge to edge and some might be intimated by its size – until you pick it up. It is surprisingly light at only 300g. This is at least 15% lighter than the Shanling M8 (which is my go-to nowadays) which has a smaller and more prehistoric screen.

One might call to question if it is pocketable. Well, that depends on your pocket size. Frankly it is more for a jacket pocket than a jeans pocket. Did I put it in my pant’s pocket though? Yet, because you’ll feel that it is very well built. I have seen some taking issues with the volume wheel but I found it to be awesome and sturdy. Never did I think it can come off in any way. The control was precise as well.


“Seven … Seven .. Seven” – Monica Geller (Sound Signature and Pairing)

Enough foreplay, now the climax. How does this thing sound?

It sounds clean, airy, and very reminiscent of the iBasso DX220 with Amp 8.

Tonality

In tonality, I’d a highly resolving, transparent sounding, airy DAP with a touch of bump on the low end (which keeps things interesting and not as sterile as the original DX200 with stock amp). Now don’t confuse this with uber resolving like that of a Chord Dave or something because it is not. It is “almost” at the level of the Chord Hugo2 but maybe 5% less but more enjoyable because of the airy presentation. The treble is well extended and has amazing sparkle without being sibilant (although that means different things to different people). If you like the Audeze treble, this is not for you. Also, the last say in resolution is dictated by the earphone/headphone you pair it with. So, it is indeed up there with the big boys with something like the Anole VX but if you are using your freebie AKGs you got with your Samsung phone, don’t expect miracles.

Now let’s talk about note weight. IBasso’s house sound was never really into note weight like that of Sony and Shanling. iBasso goes for more of that light, delicate macaroon than your chunky cookies. If that’s your thing (which it was for me for a long time), look no further, get this. But if you want a dense midrange and warmth like that of the Chord Mojo – this ain’t it. I will use an analogy I use quite a bit. It leans further from something that has the warmth of the Chord Mojo but closer to the technical prowess of the Hugo2. That’s exactly where I’d put it in the spectrum.

Speaking of bass, mids and treble is sort of pointless when talking about playback gear (to some degree) in my humble opinion because most of that would be dictated by the transducer/driver (which is fancy talk for IEMs and headphones). That said, I would say the bass presentation is accurate (with a minor shelf), and given somewhat transparent and flat sounding DAP, some might call it reference; and I’d agree. Both Shanling and Fiio markets their (more expensive and now discontinued M8 and M15 respectively) as reference players but that is far from what they are in my view. If there is one truly sterile reference sounding DAP, it is the iBasso DX200 which is not much fun. However, the DX300 can be called a reference DAP without any reservation because it inherits all the reference-ness of the DX200/220 line and adds more air and instrument separation to it. The mids are extremely detailed but for the discerning ears, one could call it out to be on the thinnish side (compared to the likes of WM1Z or M8). This isn’t a knock, rather this character brings a lot of cleanliness to the reference quality of the sound. The treble is neither laid back nor in your face. It is just right. I feel this is something iBasso should be very proud of. This reminds me of some of the earlier Astell & Kern like the AK70 mk2, that had a similar top end and I loved it.

That said if you want the source to have in-your-face detail, just plug in an IEM that does that and the player will happily oblige. This is one of the most versatile players I have ever owned. The soundstage is very wide (but most DAPs are these days). I’d call the depth good but not exceptional. The airiness is one of the most defining characteristics of the DAP.

To summarize, it is a neutral sounding DAP with a tiny bass shelf to keep it interesting (but no added warmth). The reason why one would buy it is for the cleanliness and versatility (user experience – and I mentioned Netflix right, like 3 times in the review?). If you don’t an airy presentation with honest true to life representation of music, this is an excellent DAP. If you want a DAP to last for years, yes, this checks that box too. But if you want tubelike character or dense note weight to your music, then maybe it would serve you better to look elsewhere like the M8 or WM1Z.

Pairings with different IEMs

I believe this section gives the best illustration of the sonic characteristics of a DAP.

w/ UM MEST: The MEST is a chameleon of a beast and to me it transforms quite a bit with sources. A longtime favorite of mine, the MEST has exceptional imaging capabilities and extreme clarity. The imaging is better on the DX300 than it was on other DAPs I will present later. The bass is just right and not overpronounced. One gripe is that, the mids might sometimes come off as thin in some recordings and the upper mids can exhibit some peaky characteristics. I prefer the MEST with warmer sources to be perfectly frank. The DX300 is honest. It will not tame the upper registers of thee MEST.

w/ Campfire Andromeda S: This is one of those amazingly pairings. Everything is so crystal clear. Those who roll their eyes on BA bass, the DX300 does some very nice voodoo with the Andro (of which I have the S version) and makes a tastefully layered bass region. The mids are detailed and fun. If you ever owned an Andro, then you know the highlight of the show is the upper mid/lower treble and the DX300 augments that with more air and cleanliness – giving a rather “wow” factor. I just love this pairing.

w/ Empire Ears Legend X: This bass monster played really well with the DX300 and trust me, it is hard to satiate the LX when it comes to sources. LX does not like warm sources because of its already warm presentation. This adds to the marriage in synergy of the two gadgets. If you have the LX and looking for a DAP to get push it to its full potential with great control, DX300 should be on your shortlist and you should simply steer away from warmer sources.

w/ Sony IER-M9: This is similar to that of what I wrote about the Andromeda S pairing except it was a bit duller and less exciting in the upper registers. But if you are listening to heavy metal/hard rock exclusively, this is the pairing to go with. However, it does not have the wow-factor of the Andromeda but this is usually the case. The Andro, while being more exciting has its own place whereas with the M9, paired with the DX300, you can have hours and hours of non-fatiguing listen. I fare that to be one of the best compliments I can give.

w/ QDC Anole VX: This is my favorite IEM. Crinacle scores its technicalities in the S+ tier. I have the same idea but I thought it was because of the extreme detail retrieval capabilities of it from its treble presentation. Some call it bright of sorts and fatiguing but even with all the switches turned up, I find this to be the most enjoyable IEM to date. The DX300 keeps it true to its attributes without adding any warmth or taking away any of the details. I refer to Ian Anderson’s flute playing quite a bit for discussion of detail, and this won’t be any different. Every breath of Ian Anderson was retrieved from Jethro Tull’s Aqualung and Live in Montreux (2003) with huge amount of air and separation. This could only be rivaled by the Hugo2 among the gears I have – which is saying a lot. Unlike some very good colored sources, this one kept things true to the sources yet rolled nothing off. Excellent synergy if you ask me.

Comparisons



w/ Shanling M8: A reverse comparison of this is present in my M8 review but I’ll still present it in brief here. I love the DX300 and I plan to keep both. However, if I had to choose one over the other, the decision would not hard but I’d take the M8. Why? The “colored” sound signature. Yes, I know the ‘color’ is lying to me, but I love that lie. If you want the truth, the DX300 excels. The DX300 has a massive soundstage but the width is not as deep as the M8. However, I would not disqualify the DX300 for staging at all, rather, the DX300 has a larger stage (albeit marginally), but DX300 is more neutral. These days, I love a bit of ‘character’ in my music, and the M8 brings that in copious amounts. The weight of the guitar riffs and the warm tinge – takes the cake for me to pick up the M8 seven out of ten times. That said, the DX300 has a better chipset, a larger screen, Android 9 and an SoC that has the capability for Android 10 even, which the M8 does not (and never will because the SoC will not support it). If you want the best screen on a DAP, watch Netflix/Youtube, DX300 is the one to get. It’s cheaper too. Moreover, the Amp12 has true line-out to bypass the amp. So, if you plan to use it with uber powerful portable/transportable amps like the Cayin c9, the DX300 wins.
If I were to keep one, which one?
The DX300 can run circles around the M8 in terms of functionality, software stability, and neutrality. Yet, I would pick the M8. Why? The ‘character’, the ‘color’ – which is ohh so addictive. So, the M8.

w/ Fiio M11 pro: Easy, the DX300 is better. This is no contest because not only does it sound better but it has a better UI, faster Android, larger screen and a stellar sound signature. I don’t want to downplay how good the M11 pro was but still, thee DX300 is just better on all fronts. For that price point the M11 pro is possibly the best DAP Fiio has ever made – a neutral sounding player with dead silent amp stage (THX – in case you are into that kind of stuff) with a slight midrange bump. If there’s a bump/dip (which I term as ‘character’), I prefer them on the lower mids and lower treble respectively; hence, subjectively it was not exactly in the places where I like them – whereas the DX300 is neutral and airy. That airy quality would have me reach for the DX300 over the M11 pro every time.
If I were to keep one, which one?
Sold the m11pro – but still a fantastic DAP.




w/ Chord Hugo2: Although this is not exactly a DAP but I find it an outstanding device for IEM listening. Thus, I find it fair to put it in the comparison.

To me, the Hugo2 is the most transparent and resolving transportable I have and I wish to hold on to it just for the sheer transparency. That said, it is quite unforgiving, which is problematic for metalheads like me. Still, the redeeming character that outshines the overly sharp picture the Hugo2 portrays is the sheer resolution, which pairs amazingly with relaxing sets like the IER-M9.

On first listen, one would be wowed by the amount of detail it pushes through the IEMs. But after living with it for over a year, one can spot how it can be sometimes a bit too much. To this end, the DX300 is not so different. The Hugo2 and DX300 are very close in their transparency and airy qualities (when used with IEEMs). The Hugo2 outresolves the DX300 slightly but hey, you can’t watch Netflix on the Hugo2, nor does it have a screen since it is not a full-fledged player. So, if you want a DAP that sounds a lot like Hugo2 at half the price, DX300 is the one. I cannot emphasize thie enough when I say that even though it is half the price, the sound is not at all half of what the Hugo2 does. The DX300 is 90% of what the Hugo2 does, has replaceable amp module options, and a stellar screen; now beat that.
If I were to keep one, which one?
Only one? The DX300. Why? That last sentence in the previous section sums it all up

Would I sell it (and if I do, why?):

Unfortunately, I sold it recently. Now this is a point of contention. You should be asking, with all the good things you wrote, why did you sell this? Well, I wish I could keep it but I already have a colored DAP that is the M8 and the Hugo2 (which is close to what the DX300 offers). Since I realized, I don’t watch movies or Youtube on my DAP, I realized even though it has all those potentials, I was not reaching for the gear as much as I wished I did. Hence, it had to go. Furthermore, I am trying to build a desktop setup, so needed some funds towards that.

Final thoughts

One thing I have missed in the whole writeup is the factor of value. Coming in at around $1250, the DX300 is an absolute winner. Whereas the other flagships are starting at no less than $1500, iBasso has my respect because it plays ball with all of them and wins in most departments. If I you had the option of picking up the DAPs I have discussed, like that you can with phones at a Verizon store or Best Buy, I am over 80% confident, you would be walking out of the store with the DX300.

The Fearless S8F was my first serious purchase in the chifi several years ago. It was my maiden foray into the detailed segment of the IEMs in general and boy, was I hooked. It was one of my most cherished IEMs until I knew better - more on that later.



Unboxing/Packaging
I won't dwell on this one very long because, back when I bought the S8F, it was a "new" IEM and Fearless did not have the fancy box - rather it came in a plain cardboard box. Inside the box there was a black plastic hard case, which housed the IEMs, some tips, a 3.5mm terminated cable, a cleaning tool, a plaque with Fearless certification.

Sound Impressions
Firstly, if you are a detail junkie and if you love highly resolving IEMs, this (was/is) it! However, the caveat is, if you are extremely treble sensitive, I guess this won't be your cup of tea. Now, I will discuss briefly on the separate elements of the SQ.

Treble: This is the highlight of the IEM. The treble is where it truly shines, and really hits the standards (and often outshines some $1000-$1500 IEMs, I'm looking at you EE Zeus). Very detailed with great separation of instruments. However, as pointed out, seldom it could be a bit tad too much (for me). So, if you are looking for a lush, laid-back sound - these are not it. If you want all the micro-details, then this top end does it and in a grand style.

Mids: The midrange has an overall clear presentation. Vocals come out with great clarity and guitar riffs really has the proper bite one would expect from rock tracks. I did not find any sort of veiling which several renown BA IEMs suffer from.

Bass: Okay, this I feel is the where I really wished the IEM could have a bit more bass shelf. Although I truly love the IEM, some more midbass presence would really serve well on heavy metal and rock tracks - which predominantly encompasses my library. Don't be misled though. It has great extension. The lows go really low, but it would shine most in well recorded jazz tracks in my finding. But if only a bit more bass could have been thrown in, it would become more of what it already is - an extremely detailed monitor.



Resolution, Soundstage and Imaging: The imaging is stellar. It rivals the likes of the IER-M9 which is known for its great instrument placements. I could point out every instrument in David Chesky's Rock Re-imagined album - which btw. I feel everyone should listen to. While the separation and detail was stellar, there was not as much air between instruments that one might find in Campfire Andromeda or Sony IER-M9. Lastly, and most importantly, in the resolution front, this specific IEM really cemented Fearless as a serious player up there with Campfire, Empire Ears, JH Audio - only to name a few.



Why I sold it: Well, let's face it, IEMs have come a long way since the S8F in a very short time. Hence, it was inevitable. Moreover, because of the fatiguing treble, longer sessions were getting painful. So, it had to go. Moreover, the Blessing2 exists now for a more modest price-tag. I hope it served as an inspiration to the next home, as it did for me in the audio journey.

Concluding Thoughts
I believe this is the landmark IEM that made me take notice of what is happening in the east. If there was not a successful S8F, I believe the Clairvoyances, Monarchs and SA6's of today would not have come to fruition. One thing to take notice is, I mentioned the likes of Sony, Empire Ears, Campfire Audio in this short review; which essentially is big praise in my book. If you would ask me to describe the S8F in one sentence, I'd say "It is close to to the Empire Ears Zeus XIV - for better or worse."

The TL;DR: This is the best-sounding audio device I have heard among all that were released between January 2020 till the time of writing this (July 2021) for IEM listening. Should you buy it? Yes.



Intro

Let’s start with the typical disclaimer – I bought the @Shanling M8 from @MusicTeck at full retail price, hence my wallet has spoken. Even so, I cannot thank Andrew from Musicteck enough for being one of the most supportive people in the hobby. Appreciate all your hard work.

I know the TL;DR part above reads more like an ad, but I stand by it. In this review, I will elaborate on the TL;DR, share overall tonality, pairing sound impressions using Sony IER-M9, Campfire Andromeda S, QDC Anole VX, Empire Ears Legend X, and UM MEST. As for comparisons, I will compare it with iBasso DX300 (with Amp11 mk2), Fiio M11 pro, and Chord Hugo2 since those were the ones, I have in hand simultaneously but for other comparisons, I would have to dig down in memory lane and can portray some picture which would be hard to defend. Also, when listening to DAPs,

I do not use full sized headphones. I think that defeats the purpose of a portable DAP. If you want to drive demanding planars, it’s best to get a strong desktop gear, and at these prices, you will get a pretty good one.


If you want to see great photography of the device, scroll to the other reviews (they are great) or head over to Youtube because this ain’t it bro. I write reviews under the assumption that you are either considering buying something or have already bought it and looking to reinforce your love for the gear and expecting to hear praises. If you are in either of the camps, rejoice – it will be a positive one for the M8.

Unboxing and Accessories

It’s very similar to the Fiio M15 and Astell & Kern’s Ultima line of DAPs i.e., a wooden box containing goodies. Again, for unboxing, I feel video is a better medium. @Whitigir has a great one and a written one I believe (and I love his stuff). So, no point in talking about something someone has already done – that too, a very credible headfier whom I truly admire.

One point of comparison I want to pull up lest you don’t scroll till the end (and have fallen asleep already) is, the iBasso DX300 gives you a burn-in cable in the box, which is essentially a 2.5mm balanced cable with a small load on the other end mimicking an IEM. I found it to be very handy because both the players have a recommended burn-in period (yes, I did it on both). No other company to my knowledge has provided such a thing prior to iBasso. So, score one for DX300 because Shanling does not give you this. Shanling does, however, give you a great leather case, which takes away nothing from its naked good looks – which is amazing.

What’s the schtick?

From their marketing material it looks to me like Shanling marketed it from two major angles. The first and most tangible one is the interchangeable sockets. I found it to be too gimmicky. I’d rather have preferred to have regular 3.5mm, 2.5mm and 4.4mm all at the same time. If this was done for practical reasons like putting in extra JFETs and better capacitors, then kudos. But it was a bit more of a flamboyant ‘feature’ that I am not too much of a fan of.

The second is (now) more relevant than it was before the AKM factory fire – dual AK4499 DAC chips – the TOTL DAC chips from AKM. Frankly, this is nothing new. It had been done before by A&K and recently by the Fiio M15. Hence, the selling point was supposed to be tuning that would somehow set them apart from the competitors. Did Shanling succeed? Ohh heck yeah!

Ergonomics

I have seen reviewers on Youtube calling it the “chonky boy” as in on the larger side. Some even took to the extreme calling it too heavy to carry around. At 342g, I found it to be very easily pocketable and very ergonomic. It looks like a larger M6 (or a Sony WM1A). Is it a one-handed device? Not likely, but I can comfortably work it with one hand (don’t get ideas, but yes – eargasm section incoming).

For me, a DAP albeit standing for “Digital Audio Player” needs to be pocketable and portable. So, I don’t consider the M30 or DX220Max as a DAPs (which they technically are though). So, as a device to listen to music while moving around, this passes the litmus test. Sure, it’s on the heavier side, but so is the sound, and boy, does that impress! I carry around the weight happily because it carries the weight of the notes as well.

Sound Signature and Pairing

Okay, enough foreplay, let’s get to the climax and get to what you are here for (Monica Geller’s erogenous “SEVEN”).

Yes, it sounds fabulous.

Tonality

If asked about tonality, I’d call it a warm sounding DAP with exactly the right amount of top end. If I were reading a review that said, “right amount of top end” I would take it as a criticism, but it couldn’t be farther from it. In my book, the “right amount of top end” means retaining all the detail without being harsh and sterile in the treble (I’m looking at you DX200 with Amp1). So, the best analogy I can bring in would be something that has the warmth of the Chord Mojo but the technical prowess of the Hugo2. There, that’s exactly where I’d put it in the spectrum.

Speaking of bass, mids and treble is sort of pointless when talking about playback gear (to some degree) in my humble opinion because most of that would be dictated by the transducer/driver (which is fancy talk for IEMs and headphones). That said, I would say the bass presentation is accurate, and given it is a warm sounding DAP, some might call it elevated; but I found it very ‘analogue-sounding’ (this was my failed attempt of using that adjective without fully understanding it). The mids are natural and squeezes every bit of detail (subject to how good your IEM/headphone is). The treble is laid back and relaxing (not relaxed – so, not rolled off at all).

If you want a source to scream detail in your face, this is not the one for you. I used to love that signature of all microdetails in my face at once upon a time, but I now want all my detail to be present “in the right places” – and this device images all of that with pinpoint accuracy. The soundstage is quite wide (but most DAPs are these days). The standout part in this department is the depth. The sound is deep, real deep, deeper than all the devices in the comparison section.

In short, it is an extremely natural sounding DAP with a tinge of warmth sprinkled to avoid sterility, a smattering of detailed mids and sparkly yet inoffensive treble. The reason why one would buy it is for the natural-ness of it and the note weight. If you don’t want to listen to music coming off as lean in the mid region, without sacrificing any detail, this is the one. The sound is full bodied and that’s the best compliment I can give to its sonic characteristics. I have seen other reviewers place it right in between the WM1A and WM1Z, and I concur.



Pairings with different IEMs

If the aforementioned bit made any sense to you – kudos to you because if it were me, I would wave it off as generic review-talk. Now let me be precise with pairings. This speaks much more to the SQ of the M8.

w/ Campfire Andromeda S: I always feel one of the lucky ones to have a pair of the best tuned Andros out there (Crin agrees I believe) and with it, the sound came off full bodied and extremely transparent. If you know Andros then you’d know that what I wrote contradicts the upper mid suck-out on the OG pre-2020 Andros – and you read right. The mids came off neutral, bass hit hard, and the treble was dominant. There were no impedance issues with the M8 when dealing with the Andros and no hiss even from the balanced 4.4mm port. This made a completely different beast out of the Andros. But I believe this is more of a statement on the IEM’s part because the warmth I wrote about from the M8 was almost thrown away altogether by the Andros. So, no, the M8 will not make your Andromedas warmer.

w/ UM MEST: A longtime favorite of mine, the MEST has exceptional imaging capabilities and extreme clarity. The ‘wow’-ness was even more elevated with the M8. With the M8, it warmed up the midbass region without any bleed, what originally was on the brighter side of IEMs (to me). Rage Against the Machine’s album Evil Empire was outstanding with every nuanced detail presented correctly without making it fatiguing. It was a great pairing for those who found the MEST to be slightly bright. M8 fixed that.

w/ Empire Ears Legend X: Another veteran in my arsenal, the bass monster played .... well, okay. Given the LX has elevated bass across the board (actually half-across the board), the warmth was a double whammy which might not be preferable for all genres/libraries/listeners. If you want to have a headbanging time outside with $4000 worth of gear on you, it's great as a "fun listen". Frankly, I did not enjoy this pairing as much as I did for others. This is not the fault of either, rather it just wasn't the right match to my ears.

w/ Sony IER-M9: Everything I wrote about the Andromeda and MEST but with more warmth. If you are into metal/grunge or heavier/busier genres like I am, this pairing is the one you are looking for. Inoffensive, warmed up, relaxed (sometimes a bit too relaxed – read Audeze-relaxed) but the best pairing I have heard in any gear for metal music.

w/ QDC Anole VX: This is my favorite IEM. Crinacle scores its technicalities in the S+ tier. I have the same idea but I thought it was because of the extreme detail retrieval capabilities of it from its treble presentation. The M8 came in and changed all that. The M8 is like the tender partner of a gung-ho technical beast that is the VX. It was like as if the M8 said, “I see your S+ and let me raise you to become a valedictorian.” The VX carries a baggage of fatigue for some and the M8 remedied all that. I just cannot emphasize how beautifully the treble was shaped by the M8, while making it sound full bodied with a warm tonality. Every breath of Ian Anderson was retrieved from Jethro Tull’s Aqualung and Live in Montreux (2003). The air and detail of his breathing in Bourée was breath-taking (even for the listener). I could hear all the trouble he was having with the switching between the flute and harmonica. This is something one has to experience to fully appreciate. Yes, the VX can do the same thing on the Hugo2 but the M8 puts a warm chef’s kiss on it, which is exactly why this DAP demands the price it boasts.

Comparisons

w/ iBasso DX300: I love the DX300 and I plan to keep both. However, if I had to choose one over the other, the decision would not be hard – I’d take the M8. Why? The sound signature. The DX300 I have has Amp11 mk2 and has a massive soundstage but the width is not as deep as the M8. However, I would not disqualify the DX300 for staging at all, rather, the DX300 has a larger stage (albeit marginally), but DX300 is more neutral. These days, I love a bit of ‘character’ in my music, and the M8 brings that in copious amounts. The weight of the guitar riffs and the warm tinge – takes the cake for me to pick up the M8 seven out of ten times. That said, the DX300 has a better chipset, a larger screen, Android 9 and an SoC that has the capability for Android 10 even, which the M8 does not (and never will because the SoC will not support it). If you want the best screen on a DAP, watch Netflix/Youtube, DX300 is the one to get. It’s cheaper too. Moreover, the Amp12 has true line-out to bypass the amp. So, if you plan to use it with uber powerful portable/transportable amps like the Cayin c9, the DX300 wins.
If I were to keep one, which one?
The DX300 can run circles around the M8 in terms of functionality, software stability, and neutrality. Yet, I would pick the M8. Why? The ‘character’, the ‘color’ – which is ohh so addictive. So, the M8.

w/ Fiio M11 pro: I had the good fortune of owning the limited-edition SS version of this DAP which I recently sold off. The Fiio was a smarter looking device; it was quite the eye-candy, but not without its shortcomings. It had everything that was wrong with the software side of the M8 but did not have the spectacularly redeeming sound signature of the M8. Although for half the price, it is no slouch. For that price point the M11 pro is possibly the best DAP Fiio has ever made – a neutral sounding player with dead silent amp stage (THX – in case you are into that kind of stuff) with a slight midrange bump. If there’s a bump/dip (which I term as ‘character’), I prefer them on the lower mids and lower treble respectively; hence, subjectively it was not exactly in the places where I like them – whereas the M8 checked all those boxes. I would still characterize the M11pro as a winner but just not on the same tier with the M8. The M8 plays ball with the A&K Ultima line, the WM1Z, you get the picture.
If I were to keep one, which one?
Sold the m11pro – but still a fantastic DAP.



w/ Chord Hugo2: Now this is interesting. Although full sized headphone guys don’t like the amp stage on the Hugo2, but as @Currawong pointed out, this is an outstanding device for IEM listening. Thus, I find it fair to put it in the mix.

To me, the Hugo2 is the most transparent and resolving transportable I have and I wish to hold on to it just for the sheer transparency. That said, it is quite unforgiving, which is problematic for metalheads like me. Still, the redeeming character that outshines the overly sharp picture the Hugo2 portrays is the sheer resolution, which pairs amazingly with relaxing sets like the IER-M9.

On first listen, one would be wowed by the amount of detail it pushes through the IEMs. But after living with it for over a year, one can spot how it can be painted more tastefully. Enter the M8. The M8 does not have the wow-factor of the Hugo2 on the first listen but after prolonged usage, I realized that the M8 retrieves equal (it would be unfair to say ‘more’ but ‘maybe more sometimes’) helpings of resolution; that too with a denser body and heavier note weight. For someone like me who is a sucker for percussion and busier music – it is just perfect. Like I mentioned at the top, I would say that the M8 would be the offspring of the Mojo and the Hugo2 if it got the brains of the Hugo2 and the nature of the Mojo.
If I were to keep one, which one?
This would be very difficult. I am over my honeymoon phase with both the devices, but I am inclined to say the M8.

Would I sell it (and if I do, why?):

No (as of July 2021). If I ever do, it would be for one thing – ‘software’. The software frankly is not terrible, it’s just that it seems a bit dated with an SoC that will never outgrow Android 7. There’s nothing wrong with that because both Tidal and Qobuz work seamlessly on the M8 but God forbid, if streaming services decide to ditch older Android, it would be a massive blow to the M8. Even acknowledging this, I do not foresee selling it anytime soon.

Final thoughts

If you read the whole review – firstly, thanks and secondly, spend more time outside – it’s good for you (please forgive my unsolicited advice). Okay, so final thoughts are simple – Shanling made something really special here. If you can afford it, and you are looking for an amazing sounding DAP, just buy it. It plays ball with DAPs on the $3K tier. The M8 has single-handedly made me a believer in ‘slightly’ colored signatures. It is the best thing I heard in the last two years. I would crown it the DAP of the year without any reservation.

Hakone is from the premium line of IEM cables from the Singapore based company Null Audio under their sub-brand “Symphonym”. I bought the Hakone in its 8 braid (Herringbone braid) upgraded variant four months ago and I cannot be more impressed. Previously, I had used some high-end cables from Effect Audio and Satin audio but these have served me way more than any of the others.

Build: One of the most beautiful cables you can come across in this hobby is the Hakone. The braids are more prominent than regular Litz. You can see 4 cores of golden copper cables and 4 cores of whitish silver ones and can readily tell you got what was advertised. The cable that I have is the 8 braid one, hence, it’s natural that it is a bit thicker than your usual IEM cable. However, it is not at all difficult to manage as they coil so easily, something I cannot say about my EA Thor II. Given the extremely premium wood plug and cable, you can tell that it would be extremely difficult for you to break this. They are extremely durable from what I can gather.




(Only this image was taken from the website - to show it right below my own one)

Unboxing/Presentation: I think the pictures will do a better job in this department because I believe more in, “show not tell.” At any rate, you will feel a firm appreciation from the Null Audio team when you receive the VIP treatment with the premium leather coated box inside which there will be a round “real wood” round IEM box where you will be presented with the cable. This is the exactly the same packaging any top tier AAW IEM comes in. The personalized metal plaque will deliver an even more gushy feeling with your name on it.




Sonics: Okay, now for the controversial aspect. Cable non-believers should look away right about now.


(This image was taken from their web page)

This section is applicable for select IEMs that really scale with a better cable. For instance, my Empire Ears Legend X, Campfire Audio Solaris really shines with a cable upgrade, whereas the Sony IER-Z1R would not scale upwards that drastically over its already great stock cable. So, I will keep this part in the context of my Legend X.

The LX’s soundstage expanded at least by 30%. I have A/Bed this with multiple cables including the Ares II cable that comes in stock. LX owners already know what an incredibly addictive sound the IEM has albeit everyone would agree it is not the most expansive IEM. The cable really shines compounding on this deficiency (if someone wants to call it that).

Of course, given its dark signature, it would serve you well to have a cable that would focus more on the top end and the Hakone does that excellently. The high frequencies come forward more with the Hakone while using with the LX. For instance, in Porcupine Tree’s album “In Absentia”, the piano comes forward to take the same stage as the bass department, which I feel is an excellent feat in itself when we are talking about the signature of the Legend X. So, in short, the upper mids and the lower treble gets a bump.

Now now, before yelling at me, this is only the story for the Legend X and also my pair of IMR Acoustics Rah. This is not the case with Sony IER-Z1R or the Andromeda.

Customer Service: The support from the Null Audio team (particularly Su) is splendid. He checked up on my order even when I didn’t contact support. Later, whenever I asked for anything, they were super fast in responding. I, once did not use a discount code that I had, and mentioned it, and they upgraded my Lune cable (a cheaper cable) with the plugs that comes with the more premium ones for free. They are not in the business to make quick bucks, rather they are intent in keeping their customers. That deserves an applause from my end. Also, shipping from Singapore is super fast. It took them less that a week to deliver once the custom cable(s) were made.

Bottom line: If you are torn between high end cables and want a cable that you can tell that it will last 10 years easily, while providing superb performance, this is it. Does it break the bank? Well, somewhat. But with the support from the friendly folks over there, to me, with a meager student income, I feel it is a worthy investment if you have high end IEMs.

Details here: https://www.null-audio.com/products/symphony-tiburon-upocc-cryo-copper-headphone-iem-cable

[This was NOT a review sample. I just bought it like the regular folk]

I bought the Tiburon couple of weeks ago and was extremely impressed. I got the Herringbone 8 braid upgrade so that upped the cost quite a bit. But it was worth it. I am pairing it with my Andromeda now. It's copper in its all goodness.

Sound: I don't believe a cable can drastically change the sound of an IEM but it does clear out imperfections, noises, micro-phonics etc. And believe me, this cable is a winner in all those areas. Andros being a super sensitive IEM in its own right is susceptible to hiss a lot. The cable minimizes a lot of that. This of course will vary on your source but I feel the Andros are now more balanced and the upper end (strange that someone would praise the high frequencies when talking about a copper cable) are very detailed even over the fact that it is already super detailed in the Andromeda.


Build and Craftsmanship: Most importantly, the build and craftsmanship. These are the best braids I have ever encountered (rivaling the Effect Audio Thor). It is a pure work of art. Hand made, strands that follow the Litz philosophy but goes beyond in the top end. No memory wire, no heatshrink. You can wear it straight down or over ear (which I do) and being super comfortable at it. The weaves and cores are visible (see the pictures) and I can just look at them and praise them without my IEM on. Also, you will never feel that it may break or fray cause the build is that strong. I confidently lug it around my jacket pocket crashing with chains etc. but I am never scared of the cable being broken, rather my jacket's chain might - so strong is the Herringbone 8 braid upgrade.

Presentation: Another very important thing is, Null Audio's Symphonym series is like a 5-star experience with valet, caviar etc. when it comes to presentation. I would justify the price even if the box came in empty really. There is a beautify leatherlike hard box which houses a rounded metallic case holding the cable. Below that there is a certification of the people who handmade it. Finally, you get a card that says, "This high quality hand crafted premium cable was customized and built for ... <your name>" That's like the red carpet treatment. Null Audio really has a way of feeling the customers special and I truly respect that.

It's a 10/10 for me. When someone like me dish out $273 on an IEM cable and still says "it was worth it," I think it's the biggest compliment I can give.

This is not an advertisement but it is definitely a recommendation. Nothing was handed to me for free. I bought these cables with my money and on top of that, I don't even know the guy who makes these cables but I know that he is probably the best IEM cable maker I have tried - and believe me, I have tried a lot including stuff from Moon Audio.

Okay, so it was a giveaway right there that this has to do with IEM cables. I came across one (just a single review) of this Asian guy Gu who makes good cables. Thought I might give it a try. Went for his cheapest one and ordered a balanced one to use with my UE 900s. And oh boy was I in for a surprise! I was overwhelmed. Here's why:

The Presentation (pictures at the end)

Would you look at that? That's a velvetty cardboard little box and inside there is a cloth cover. Below that, lied the cable. There was a 2.5 to 3.5mm converter for the convenience and which is not even mentioned in his Aliexpress store. Just see the pictures, guys. This is too much - I mean, what more can you ask for? I paid like $59 or something and seems like something more premium than any Audioquest box I have ever seen. A real plyester bag, for a cable! Wow! That too inside a real box that you are gonna keep. Trust me.

The Material

According to the difference price ranges you will get your high priced pure silver coated to .5N OCC copper cables from this guy. It may range from as low as $35 and as high as ten times that. The best thing is, this guy is no BS. He will show you a certification and you can just go take it to your local jewellery store to see if you want to see how much silver purity and your local tech shop to test the purity of copper. I think this transparency is what sets him apart from other "independent" cable makers. There are hundreds of other stores on Aliexpress that would rip you off. But not this guy! You get what you read/see.

The Braid(s) and Strands

Like the other review on Headfi about Gu's craftsmanship, his braids are different from others. He uses a sort of his own design of a crysallish shape of braids. See the pictures besides my "very think and awesome" Fearless Audio S8F stock cables side by side. His braids can be picked out by anyone acquainted to him just by eeing the braids. No other cable maker has the same design. And ohh the strands. They speak for themselves. Again, what you see is what you get. More like, what you are promised is what you will get.

Sound

Okay okay! I don;t want to go on a war about the debate between cables making sonic difference. Let's just say I DO believe in balanced vs. unbalanced and also a crappy vs. a great cable. As the ladder clims - you reach the point of diminishing returns of course. But, yes cables do play a role in the sound if it's an analog cable that you will probably run from your DAP to your ear. It IS a big deal! And yes, it makes a difference!

With Gu's cable with the UE900s I can totally hear a staging improvement along with tighter bass, punchier mid-bass and the best part - a much clearer presentation all across the place with supreme instrument separation. But it is very neutral sound - nothing over emphasized (but of course it's job is to retain the character of your IEM without making any noise - at it does it better than any that I have heard before). Still, you may be surprized what an ipgraded IEM cable can do. Again, note that this was my first try with Gu's cables and so it was the cheapest too. But I believe it made the most upgrade in my sound.

Then after he earned my respect (and money), I ordered a pricier cable for my recently acquired Fearless Audio s8 Freedom which I absolutely love - and also can go as far to say that it will give the Andromeda a run for her money. I particulatly ordered the "GuCraftsman 6n OCC Silver 2 pin IEM Cable meant for 64 audio U12t, Tia Fourte" for $128 (https://www.aliexpress.com/item/GUC...urte-Oriolus-re2000-Legend-X/32982536849.html).

And holy macaroni! The surprize factor was less this time because, hey, now I know what to expect. Now, I have the IEMs with the cables in my ear running from my X5 MK3. The sound is full bodied (than stock), cleaner. I wouldn't say that it has made a different IEM out of an already amazing IEM. That's not its job. But I can hear every instrument separately with a pitch black background even from a DAP that is known for some noise! On top of that, I am listening to Rage Against the Machine and I can pick out the so-rare-to-find cowbell noise from "Killing in the name of" So go figure!

Price (and "keyword" Craftsmanship)

Yes, Gu is pricier than his competition. Oter stores will offer you something of the same specs for cheaper but Gu will give you the real thing, as promised. On top of that, there's a reason for the Craftsmanship.

Gu's craftsmanship is what you are paying for - cosmetic and sonic. More on the sonic side of course but also for the hand made "honest yet premium" (honest and premium - tangibly and also sonically) cables!

Thank you Gu. You are an artist of IEM cables. Hats off to your craftsmanship.

Link to Gu's Store: https://www.aliexpress.com/store/3879013