I was in my busiest week of the semester when I suddenly received a message from my friend in Malaysia. He was interested in building his own two-channel speaker system and asked me if I can recommend him any. We were discussing it for a while and he ended up with Marantz PM8005 because he had the chance to listen to PM6005 and love it. PM8005 is a more capable amp and he decided to go with that and send it directly to me for review with my system. I have the opportunity to use the amp for roughly 4 months before I send it to him back in May this year. He also sends me a two-channel speaker KEF Q350 for the same purpose. But, I’ll write a separate post on the Q350. Now let’s dig how good this amp is!

Disclaimer:

I received the amp from my friend for the sole purpose of review. I do not own the amp or affiliated with Marantz by any means. This is my honest review on the amp, but my personal preferences might influence the review. However, I will clearly state it when that happens.

Order and package

It came with a big box that has a dimension of 21.5 in x 18.3 in x 8.5 in. Considering the size of amps I have/had, this is probably the largest. It was ordered from Amazon that it doesn’t take too long before it arrives at my front door. Out of the box, you’ll get what you expect from most commercial products: the Marantz PM8005 amp, remote controller, manuals, warranty card and generic power cord.



Build

The amp has a solid build. The chassis is made of plastic, not metal or aluminum, but the circuitry is well thought. It has a lot of inputs as you can see from the pictures below; although, I can only see myself using the AUX input on most occasion. Still, it is a great amp for those who have CD or network player as a source and works well for music recording. It has four outputs: ¼ in headphone out, two speaker outs and one pre-amp out. In terms of functionality, it has the capability to play one or two speakers at a time. It has jumper to reduce the gain for headphone but will not shut the speaker out when headphone is plugged in. My Emotiva BasX a-100 will stop the speaker out when headphone is plugged in unless I removed the jumpers at the headphone out. This is to limit the amount of power coming out from the headphone out to a moderate level, mainly for safety purposes because you don’t want the volume to blast out of sudden you plug in your headphone. On the front panel, you have the ability to a/b between two speakers which is I found convenient. It also has a basic tone control for treble, bass, mids, and balance. Personally, I thought it helps but not as accurate as Schiit Loki mini albeit a nice feature to have. There are two knobs to change volume and source inputs. Two other things that could be the highlight of the amp is the ability to use it as a power amp direct and source direct. The source direct is just bypassing the tone control while the power amp direct requires a preamp to be connected to the amp. I don’t have any other preamp than Schiit SYS which I thought will not do justice to the power amp usage. Most of the time, I keep it in source direct mode, but one could definitely benefit the tone control.



Feature/Specifications

Color: Black
Front Panel: Aluminum/Glass-reinforced resin
Remote Control: Marantz System Remote Controller
Power Requirement: AC 120V 60Hz
Power Consumption: 220W (Standby: 0.2W)
Dimensions W x H x D (Inches): 17.3" x 5.04" x 14.92"
Weight (lbs.): 26.44 lbs.

THD: 0.02% (20Hz – 20kHz, 2 channel driven, 8 ohms load)
Input Sensitivity/Impedance: PHONO:MM:2mV/47k ohms, LINE:200mV/20k ohms
Frequency response: 5Hz – 100kHz ±3dB (CD, 1W, 8 ohms load)
S/N Ratio: PHONO:MM:87dB, LINE:106dB, DIRECT IN: 125dB
Number of Channels: 2
Output Power: 70W (8 ohms), 100W (4 ohms)
HDAM: Yes
Power Transformer: Shielded Toroidal Transformer
Current Feedback Amplifier: Yes
Speaker Terminal: Marantz SPKT-1
Tone Control: (Bass: 50Hz ±10dB, Mid: 900Hz ±6dB, Treble: 15kHz ±10dB)
Source Direct: Yes
Speaker A/B: Yes


Gear Used

Source(s): Tidal Master, Foobar2000 and Spotify
Dac(s): Holo Spring Level 3 Kitsune Edition
Amp(s): ECP DSHA-0, Marantz PM8005 and Emotiva BasX a-100
Headphone(s): Takstar Pro 82 modded, Sennheiser HD800 SDR and HD6XX (modded)
Speaker(s): KEFQ350 and Wharfedale Diamond 220

Songs
As per request from the amp owner, the first three songs were chosen to fit his preferences.

Celine Dion – Where is the love (24/96kHz)
This song has a good depth and wide presentation that works amazingly with the right setup. The amp utilizes the space and produces a great imaging throughout. From left to right, it has a good balance; engaging mids, sparkle but never fatigue vocals but the bass does sound softer.

Norah Jones – Don’t Know Why (16/44.1kHz)
The first thing that struck me was the vocal intimacy. It was engaging and keeps you listening for hours. I also find that it has a good balance between instrument play and vocal. Good separation allows for above par imaging and lets you enjoy the song both on headphones and speakers.

The Eagles – Hotel California (24/96kHz)
The guitar play has always been my favorite, but it could sound harsh when not amped properly. Marantz gives a soft treble without losing the micro details. It really benefits the Holo Spring DAC ability to dig out the details from this song. The bass does have good body and well-controlled but not punchy by any means.

Lorde – Ribs
Unique would be the perfect word to describe this song. It struck between a good balance of detail and smooth vocal with articulate sounding background sound. Marantz PM8005 provides wide presentation but less so in depth. But, I love how it really brings every detail from the song and blends everything together but not putting it right on your face.


Pink Floyd – Wish you were here
Great presentation with articulate guitar timbre. I really enjoyed this song with a warm amp mainly because I listen to the song when I lay down on my couch and just let it play. The bass, however, could do a bit better. It has a good texture but still lack in quantity. The vocals are not as good as female vocal but still lively and enjoyable.


Headphones Pairing


HD6XX modded
Balanced, spacious with mellow and lush mids. Oh! Also, no veil?! The soundstage has always been an issue with HD6XX thus the mod. PM8005 brings more width to the headphone but not so much in depth and I have more space to breathe. One thing I noticed when I compared the HD6XX back to back with BasX a-100 was a layer has been lifted when I used it with Marantz. It was actually pretty obvious although not as resolved as my DSHA-0. More balanced across the spectrum albeit the lack of bass punch. Treble is articulate and sparkle at the right amount. The mids is engaging as usual with lush and mellow sounding vocals. The strength is more on the female over male vocals but both sound stellar with this amp. The amp preferences this time for HD6XX goes to PM8005 over BasX a-100.


HD800SDR
Spacious, articulate and good tonal balance. Most of my songs were reviewed through this headphone because it gives more accurate sounding compares to my other gears. The extra width was my immediate experience the first time I had the headphone on my head. Then, I tried them with couple songs for 3 to 4 hours and came to a conclusion that it did give a more spacious presentation. My other concern was the treble, but it was up to my expectation albeit the lack of details coming from ECP DSHA-0. The mids were smooth with a good amount of details and great intimacy. My preferences again go to female vocal on these. Like I mentioned in the song review, the bass is a little soft and could potentially one of the best combos with HD800 for an amp under $1000 if the amp could add more punch and thump to the headphone.


Takstar Pro 82 modded
Clean bass with smooth neutral presentation and sweeter mids. The mod was done to sweeten the slight harsh mids but everything else about the headphones is amazing especially in its price bracket. The amp brought out the overall bass detail and produced a clean bass extension. It added a little punch without bass boost and didn’t bleed to the mids. If you found that the Pro 82 has a harsh treble before, you will not gonna complain again ever. I still find that both my other amps are the better pairs in keeping that non-fatigue sparkle, but this amp is a new contender in this regard. Above all, my main favorite was the mids. The female voice that came out from this combo was very sweet and mellow. It brought the mids a couple steps back that increases the distance between each instrument and singer. A very balanced combo with good imaging.

Speakers Pairing


KEF Q350
Stellar combo, punchy bass with good rumble and mellow sounding vocal. I would love to have a relax sounding setup when I rest on the couch but would also crave for something energetic when I am studying and working. The amp provided a balance between lively and pleasant to listen to. With aggressive songs, the bass kicked in and a good amount of rumble from the song would keep you awake and energetic. At times where jazz, blues, and acoustic songs were played, it would give a laid-back signature that produced a good amount of sparkle with mellow and lush sounding vocals. It worked well sounded about right with most genre. The Q350 was able to pick up more microdetail in comparison to BasX a-100. Also, with BasX a-100, the Q350 bass is too overpowered and less controlled. It does have more body but lack in texture with a-100. The imaging was something that worth mentioned over and over. It produced a studio band performance staging in terms of width but still lack in depth. However, it had its own intimacy that I felt, it sounds just fine without any urge to look for a wider soundstage. It’s difficult to get something this good in terms of the soundstage at the current price.


Wharfedale Diamond 220
awesome timbre, wide sound and sweet vocals. Diamond 220 is known for their price over performance ratio that scales well with the better system. With Marantz PM8005, it broadened the sound width that allows you to experience better positioning in the song. Despite being wide, the mids was never sounded shallow. It had a good body and sweet vocal sounding for both male and female. In comparison to KEF Q350, Wharfedale Diamond 220 could sound a little bright but PM8005 created a good balance between a good amount of sparks and bright. It was a fatigue-free listening for sure. The bass however not as visceral as Diamond 220 combo with BasX a-100 but it was well-controlled and tight that I find enough for the most genre. It is a definite upgrade for the sound coming from BasX a-100 and I could imagine on getting this myself in the future.


Amp Comparison


Vs Emotiva BasX a-100 ($229)
No doubt that PM8005 has more detail and resolution, but BasX a-100 has more bass and impact. Micro detail goes for PM8005 on speaker system but BasX a-100 came close with resolution through headphone out. I noticed an immediate impact on BasX while PM8005 delays the impact and dynamically brings out the energy over time. BasX provides more speed and bass thump while PM8005 provides larger space with a more accurate presentation. Both has a smooth top end that works well for hotter cans like HD800 and TH900. I enjoyed both in my system but prefer PM8005 for my speaker system and BasX a-100 for headphone system.


Vs ECP DSHA-0 ($2400)
DSHA-0 has a superb resolution, great imaging, natural mids and smooth top end. Since DSHA-0 only has a headphone out, that is the only section that I focus my reviews on. For the most part, it was no contest that I prefer DSHA-0 over PM8005. DSHA-0 has more resolution with a black background even with sensitive IEMs. The soundstage has a similar width on both but DSHA-0 has more depth and micro detail. Mids is more engaging with great vocal intimacy on DSHA-0 but PM8005 is not far in this as they are actually pretty close. The highs is more articulate and smooth with DSHA-0 because it sounds like a high-end tube amp rather than solid state. Although PM8005 has a smooth top end, DSHA-0 is a step better. Imaging and separations are what separate a good amp from a great one. While PM8005 has a good imaging and soundstage, DSHA-0 picks all those small details without a miss. In Norah Jones’ song, Come Away With Me, there are a 3 seconds long cymbal hits at 2:30 and I did not realize that when I listen to the HD800 through PM8005. With DSHA-0, the cymbal sounds were so clear and spread out through the ear cups. It was no contest that I would go for DSHA-0 99% of the time but hey, PM8005 is a speaker amp and highly suggest using it as is.


Tone Control
It has 4 knobs for tone control: bass, mids, treble, and balance. Occasionally, I used the tone control with my headphones and speakers with some songs that needed some extra tweaks to it. It has a good sensitivity with mids and trebles not as much with bass and balance. It didn’t go too far high or too far low which might not give a lot of changes to speaker sound. The case might be different with headphones due to its sensitivity. As compares to Schiit Loki mini, I think that Marantz does a respectable job with the tone control but not as good as Schiit Loki. Schiit Loki is undoubted a better tone control and more options with four tone controls of low end, midbass, lower treble and upper treble. I ended up using source direct most of the time but the tone control is a good feature to have especially if you don’t want to pay an extra $170 for Schiit Loki mini.



Last words
As much as I love the headphone out, I think the speaker out is a much better way of using this amp. If I want to summarize the sound here, it would be as follows:

Spacious sound with great width and imaging
sweet and mellow sounding vocals
neutral presentation but smooth at the top end
well-controlled bass but not punchy by any means
good tonal balance across the spectrum

In the end, it is really up to preferences but again for speakers, I would definitely go for PM8005 compare to my other amps.

In audiophile world, the price over performance ratio has always been one of a buying factor. The recent price hike in audio world ignites the concern of most audio enthusiast and audiophile globally. Headphones like HiFiman Shangri-la, Susvara, and Sennheiser HE1 are the big names in the end spectrum and it does not stop there. Custom or high-end universal IEM could even go up to $3000 to $4000 range. There will be more brands that aim for a state of art headphones in justifying their price tag. Most people in audiophile society are a mid-class level that only had the opportunity to listen to high-end setup at a convention, audio shops and meet. Well, the general rule in this hobby is a more expensive gear tends to provide a better quality; however, there are numbers of brands that punch above their price and KZ brand IEM is one of them. KZs are well-known for They have high praised IEMs lineup like KZ ZST, ED3, HDS1, ZS3, ZS5 and many others. Recently, the company release yet another great flagship IEM called KZ ZS6, a better version of the already amazing KZ ZS5.



Order and Package

It took about a month from the order date and the day it arrived in my mailbox. Unboxing experience is regular, nothing fancy; you will get three sizes of S, M and L ear tips, 2-pin cable with in-line mic (if you choose mic option upon ordering), documentation and the IEM itself. The cable has a decent quality, not the best but not the worst, and the microphone is quite good; better than my KZ HDS1 at least. I ended up getting a silver cable for aesthetic and build quality purpose. Not expecting any change in sound quality but it might bring something to the table.

Build and Comfort

The design is pretty similar to ZS5, albeit ZS6 a slight bigger. Despite a little larger than ZS5, it feels more comfortable and has a better fit than ZS5; this might differ in person, but it has a good fit with my ears. However, after an extensive number of hours on it, I realized that the tip could come off easily. I am not talking about the Starline ear tips, I am using the JVC Spiral Dot, but it happens occasionally. The housing feels solid with a gorgeous color option: black, red and green. Personally, I love the color lineup compares to ZS5 and I go for red because it is one of my favorite colors. Build quality is amazing for its price; KZ uses aluminum alloy houses instead of plastic which is a great addition to this lineup. I am using them with the wire over my earlobe and I am pretty sure that you can’t use them under ears.




Specification

Shell: Aluminum alloy

Driver unit: 2 dynamic, 2 balanced armature

Impedance: 15 ohms

Frequency response: 7 Hz–40 kHz

Sensitivity: 105 dB +/- 3 dB

Noise cancellation: active

Cable: 47.3 in (120 cm) +/- 2 in (5 cm), removable 2-pin

Connectors: 3.5 mm info from KZaudio Aliexpress page

Included

IEM: KZ ZS6

Cable: original 2-pin removal cable

Tips: S, M and L sizes



Gear used:

IEMs: KZ ZS6, KZ ZS5v2, KZ ZSR, Westone 30, AAW Nebula One and Fiio F1

DAC: Holo Spring DAC Level 3 Kitsune Edition, iDSD Nano BL

Amp: ECP DSHA-0, Emotiva BasX A-100, Marantz PM8005, Aune B1S, Aune B1

DAP: Pioneer XDP-100r, Colorfly C3


Note: Review is made after more than 100 hours of burn in but constantly tested in 100 hours period. Mainly tested on Tidal Master > Singxer SU-1 > Holo Spring Level 3 > ECP DSHA-0 Balanced > KZ ZS6.


Review Song

Daft Punk – Lose Yourself to Dance

This song is quite complex and there are a lot of things going on in the song. Everything just mixes up to but in a harmonic way. The ZS6 breathe perfectly throughout the song and I can hear every drum, guitar, the vocal that came out from multiple directions with ease. I enjoy this song with full size as it gives more impact and faster transient response. The ZS6 lacks in speed with this song but the retention time filled with a flow of rhythm. I utterly enjoy this song with ZS6.

Melody Gardot – Our Love is Easy

Female vocal is the emphasis of the song accompanied by jazz and orchestral mixed background. Layering and separation is the strongest trait on ZS6 and as you would expect, it does not disappoint and in fact, it’s doing quite well with female vocal in general. The mids is engaging and the spacious sound let you focus on the singer performance. Although the midbass is somehow lacking, the overall bass is accurate and well controlled.

L’Aupaire – Dancing in the Moonlight

The song starts with guitar strumming followed with drum kicks that provide a relaxing but impactful opening. Every instrument that comes into play were there but somewhat hazy. What I meant by that was that it doesn’t sound too natural. However, I love the vocal because it gives a good presence of the singer without excluding the background instrument.



Sound
0 – 50 hours burn in

It felt a little muffled at first. I have the same exact experience with KZ ZS5 and after 3 – 4 hours, the sound started to come to life. It has natural and lively mids but bass is subpar with overwhelming treble extension; the treble might be a little too much for some. The vocal and upper mids sound harsh coming from Westone 30. The guitar player from Hotel California sounds over emphasis to a point it doesn’t feel natural. The soundstage has a good width and depth for IEM and it is above average. I personally feel like the bass has too much quantity but not punchy and less impact. It is great for most songs but sometimes the midbass is overstated that cause the sub-bass to roll off or not pronounced especially with a song like On My Level by Wiz Khalifa. The mids is the strength on the ZS6 and it never struggles with any female or male vocal song. Every word is pronounced accurately but there is a spike around 4 to 6kHz that exaggerate any word that ends with S. For long listening, if you don’t have any warm amp, it could be fatiguing.

50 – 100 hours burn in

Not much or no improvement ever since. The sound still retains, and the nasty treble is still there. I am not too sensitive to treble as how I used too but at times, the ZS6 treble does bother me. Although I am not a fan of EQ, I find that it might help if I tone down the 4 kHz for 2 or 3 db. I decided to add Schiit Loki to the chain and it does bring more pleasant listening experience. Not by a whole lot but it is noticeable. I also bump up the low end to few dbs and I love how it adds more quantity and texture to the bass.

After 100 hours

Honestly, I can’t remember when does this starts but I felt like the spike toned down a bit and the bass are more apparent; more body and enjoyable. Then, I use the ZS6 with my portable setup again to see if there’s better synergy. The first thing I noticed was the vocals; smoother but retains clarity. The bass is more articulate but still on the soft side and less impact. The ZS6 has a good tonal balance albeit the spike in the upper midrange. It is more on the neutral side and works perfectly for acoustic and classical song. For modern songs like EDM and pop, while they sound great on ZS6, I would personally go for other IEM in this regard.



Pairing

I have it paired with a few pairings from full-size desktop amp to portable amp. I am also using a third-party silver cable and change the ear tips for better results. I found that the best pairing is as shown below:

Desktop
Tidal Master/Foobar > Holo Spring Level 3 > ECP DSHA-0 > KZ ZS6

Portable
DSD > Pioneer XDP 100r > Idsd Nano BL > Aune B1s > KZ ZS6

Both setups tones down the nasty spike but at the same time maximizing the detail retrieval. It brings more holographic sound to the setup. I found that it sounds more musical with my portable setup but more detail and neutral with my desktop setup. It also has more bass response with my desktop setup. Although, I enjoy the ZS6 with both setups and mostly use the ZS6 with my portable setup because I have more capable full-sized headphones to be used with my desktop setup.


IEM comparison


Vs KZ ZSR ($28)

More neutral, better clarity and brighter. ZS6 is more neutral and good for audio purist that wants to avoid any coloration to their IEM. ZSR has more relaxed sounds with a larger soundstage. The tonal balance in ZSR is more to my liking as I can enjoy more songs with ZSR. Although, clarity is the tradeoff as I put ZSR in my ear. ZS6 has more detail retrieval and but also can be a little congested at the same time. ZSR has more space to breathe and the bass response does surprise me because it has more body and well-controlled compares to ZS6 that I find to be lacking in this regard. ZS6 is more on the brighter side while ZSR sparkle at the right amount but never roll off by any means. In my ears, ZSR has a better fit while ZS6 easily comes off. Overall, if I had to choose only one between them, I would go for ZSR because it suits more genre and good for a long listening session.



Vs Westone 30 ($235)

Better clarity and brighter. While I love ZS6, I don’t think that it can top off my most favorite IEM all times by far. ZS6 is a clarity monster but that might also result from the increase in the upper midrange. Westone 30 has better tonal balance and more articulate highs with well-extended bass. However, the mids on W30 sound recessed when both were compared together. Soundstage goes for ZS6 but imaging has a different presence on them; ZS6 tends to have more separation and it seems like you were in a front row of a show. However, in W30, it seems like you were on the stage with the performers. W30 has a faster transient response and more speed; that’s what I like with the IEM. ZS6 can be a little slow in dynamic response and less forgiving. It stays true with any track you throw in. Overall, they are different and in fact, very different. It is a matter of preferences and mine goes to W30 but of course at almost 6 or 7 times ZS6’s price.


Conclusion
There are times that I prefer ZS6 especially when I listen to acoustic or classical songs. But, I would go for different IEMs with another genre. Earlier, I mentioned that ZSR is the more capable IEM because it goes well with most popular genre. But for its price, ZS6 is a great IEM that competes in a considerably saturated market but managed to make its way up and well received by consumers. Note that, a setup synergy will be important to bring out the best from KZ ZS6.

I have always thought that I could get something better from my portable setup without breaking the bank. In a search for an affordable Android DAP with two micro SD card slots, I end up with Pioneer XDP-100r. I love the versatility and its great sound, but I felt like something is missing. When I listen to my desktop setup, I can hear more detail, great nuance across the spectrum and more impactful but I would not mind that considering the price difference with my desktop setup and my DAP. The only thing that I am looking for with my portable rig is a fuller sound and I only get that only with Aune B1S so far.

Introduction

First and foremost, I want to thank Aune and @mshenay for organizing this tour and they did an amazing job in making sure that everyone gets their turn in a timely manner. The amp is sent to me in exchange for my honest review thus I have no affiliation with the company, but I will try my best to be as neutral as I could. Honestly, it is hard to not be biased when you love something but hopefully, I am not overhyping it too much

Disclaimer

Lately, I just started to be more serious on having a good portable setup but I don’t have any portable amp that I could compare with although I did extensively listen to iDSD Nano BL, iDSD Micro BL, and Chord Mojo; comparing with something that only exist in memory would not be fair for the sake of review. But, I’ll try to maximize every gear that I have in delivering a proper review on how the amp would sound and for whom it made.






What’s in the box?

Out from the box, you will get the amp itself, Aune B1s, a 3.5mm to 3.5mm short Aux cable and a USB cable for charging purposes. The accessories provided are nothing fancy in fact it would be amazing if Aune could throw in two or three rubber bands for stacking purpose. An inclusive case (or even sack) could be something that they can improve on the package bundle especially with the amp of this size, having something like a small bag is indeed convenient. The amp has a great build and it does feel solid in hand. However, the shape can be a little bulky for some, but it pairs nicely with my DAP. The back of the amp has a layer of leather for better grip and avoid any scratch or dent when stacking together with DAP. At one side, it has the gain, Class-A implementation and On/Off Switch slider and battery indicator on the other. At the bottom, you can it has the female micro USB port for charging and volume knob, line-in and 3.5mm headphone jack at the top. It has every feature that exists in the previous version of Aune B1 and the only difference is the addition of ‘s’ on the cover to indicate the differences. Of course, it has a slightly different circuit board implementation to lower down the output impedance to 1 ohm and has a better THD at 0.00015%. These little changes are what makes B1s a better version and a worthy upgrade from B1.






From Penon Audio

Description

· The B1s is the 2nd generation of the B1, a portable amplifier which was well received across the world. With fully discrete transistors circuit design and output transistor with class-A biasing, the B1s is an extraordinary portable amplifier.

Origin

· In 2014, to break the saying that “portable class-A amplifiers are impossible”, we strove to create the B1, which marked the beginning of a new era of portable amplifiers.

Design

· The design of the B1s presents the beauty of balance, behind which is Aune’s 12 years of design philosophy.

Honor

· The B1 was the choice of over ten thousand audiophiles from around world. It received praise not only from users, but also media.

· In 2015 & 2016, the B1 was on the annual recommendation list of Soomal twice in a row, and in 2016 the B1 received the award of Best Creative Technology at Guangzhou HiFi Headphones & Digital Audio Expo by ERJI.NET.

The heritage of the classic

· The B1s is the latest generation of the worldwide well received B1. It’s born to be extraordinary.

High-quality yet affordable

· Natural and musical tuning, vivid reproduction, now affordable to all of you

Unique class-A output, mellow sounding

· In addition to the high resolution, great dynamics and ultra low distortion, the B1s uses class-A amplification, giving the sound a bit of warmth and tenderness.

Powerful and portable

· The B1s aims to extract every bit of potential from headphones with the rarely seen internal design of high voltage ±9V. While designing the amplifier circuits and tuning, we tested various headphones including those with high impedance and low sensitivity. The switches on the left side enable you to adjust the gain and current to fit different loads. The abundant power and excellent control make driving big cans like HD650 possible.

The perfect partner your DAP has been waiting for

· DAPs have developed very fast over the years. It’s time for headphone amplifier technical specifications to better match those of today’s DAPs. The B1s, with class-leading distortion lower than 0.0002%, is the headphone amplifier your DAP has been waiting for. In fact, few DAPs have distortion that low.

Great compatibility

· We used a wide variety of headphones and IEMs for tuning and optimized the entire circuit design, so the B1s has better control for headphones with low impedance and delicateness of high & mid impedance. Its compatibility with headphones had been significantly enhanced.

Duration

· Power supply is extremely important to an amplifier. The bipolar ultra-low-ripple regulator, together with the high-efficiency power supply design that enables the duration to exceed 10 hours (with current output set to 20mA), supports the B1s with constant purified power.

Specification

· Typical line output indicators

· Frequency response (from 10 Hz to 20 kHz): ±0.02dB

· Output Impedance: 1 Ohm

· THD + n: 0.00015% @300Ω

· SNR: 124dB @300Ω

· Crosstalk: <110dB @300Ω

· Max output: 6.443Vrms 18.4dBu(10Hz to 20kHz)

· Headphone output power: @300Ω 84mW , @600Ω 42mW ,@32Ω 74mW

· Class-A: 25mW/16R 50mW/32R

· Size: 125×65×18（mm）

· Weight:230g


https://penonaudio.com/aune-b1s.html



Gear used for this review:
Headphones: Takstar Pro 82 modded, Sennheiser HD6XX modded and HD800SDR

IEMs: Westone 30, KZ ZS6 and ZSR

DAP: Pioneer XDP 100r

Amp: Aune B1S and Aune B1


Sound

Mellow sounding with tons of clarity. B1s is a kind of amp that let you immense with the music for hours without sacrificing any of those minute details. I am a fan of the modern song like EDM that sometimes needs an extra warmth for them to be more enjoyable. It doesn’t color the sound but stays transparent as Class A amplifier. Some might find that the amp is not warm enough, but not for me; it fits my taste perfectly. All of my dedicated solid-state amps are transparent and neutral but has a tube sound it. Not gooey, lush kind of warm but it gives a smoother top end without being rolled off. The highs are smooth with a great amount of detail enthrall the listener and shower them with enjoyment. The bass has a good body and articulate, but it does lack in sub-bass. I don’t have any dedicated headphone to focus on the sub-bass so take this with a grain of salt. Phenomenal vocal! Engaging vocal response with fantastic midrange is what keeps me coming back to this amp. The spacious sound makes every song sounded full and wide. The depth is above average, but the width is very noticeable especially with jazz, acoustic, classical and orchestra genre.



HD800SDR

Neutral sounding, spacious and smooth. I really love the spacious sound coming from the amp and with HD800, it did add more space, and everything seems so distant. I thought that this is the widest that I ever heard in a portable setup. Is that a good thing? Maybe but not for me because I felt like it’s not natural. The midrange lacks in body and lack in tonal density. Although, it does have a great tonal balance and I still enjoy them with a live concert and classical song but less so with modern songs. The bass could have more body and texture. HD800 is known for its clean and thumping bass but not like planar kind of bass. At times, the bass sounds a little thin and I am not basshead by all means but I do feel like the neutrality somehow sever the bass texture. When I play them with Fragile by Robert Lan (DSD), I noticed how smooth this combo is. The upper midrange is smooth and pleasing but did not sacrifice the details. Everything just sounds and flow well with the music. Oh My! I am loving what I heard. That’s for sure. I found that it does very well with DSD. I enjoy the whole show as if I am there in front of the band and not struggling to pick up every single detail in the songs.



HD6XX modded

Fuller sound, great imaging, spacious, musical and well-controlled bass. By far, this is the best synergy I have heard to date for my HD6XX for portable setup; they are so good to a point that I am buying the amp next month. The HD6XX/650 works great with my main setup and really enjoy them but with never like the headphone with a portable setup. With XDP-100r, I have tried Chord Mojo, iDSD Micro BL and iDSD Nano BL pair with HD6XX; while they are good, I am not really a fan of the synergy because I felt like something is missing. I have used line-out and USB connections with the amps and my DAP, but they never satisfied me; the case is different with B1S. I am utterly amazed at how full the sound was after a minute of listening to them. The ‘veil’ has been lifted and everything is just so detail. The great but smooth clarity, clear separations, spacious sound and well-extended treble. What can I say? I really fall in love with this. I tried them with the various genre from classical to rock and even metal (a genre that I never listen to in the past so take this with a grain of salt). The combo excels in every song that I listen to. The fuller sound and very engaging mids are what made me finds it hard to take the headphone off my head. Great tonal balance across the spectrum and the bass has more body and well-controlled. Again, I am surprised how good this combo is. If you already own Pioneer XDPX00 dap or Onkyo DP-1 and HD650/6XX, I would encourage you to try to listen to AUNE B1S. You’ll be amazed at how good they sound.



Takstar Pro 82 modded

Good tonal balance, engaging mids and spacious. Takstar Pro 82 is very transparent and really depends on your chain. After listening to the amp for at least 3 hours every day in a week, I can confidently tell that the amp has spacious sound, vivid and beautiful mids, great tonal balance, well-controlled bass and neutral overall. That is what it sounds like through Pro 82. It is more articulate, and I do find that it excels with most genre. I did not have the opportunity to listen to every genre but with most popular genre like pop, rock, alternative, punk, EDM, classical and jazz, it does quite well. However, the sounds can be a little thin and lack of sub bass. The treble is kind of rolled off with busy songs, but the bass still maintains clean with a better body. As I mentioned, the three things that really hooks me with this combo is how balanced it sounds, lively and engaging mids and its wide space albeit the lack of depth.

IEMs pair



Westone 30

Balanced, great detail, good separation, and wider soundstage. Westone 30 has the best depth compare to my other IEM albeit a quite small width. I thought it sounds similar to HD650 but lack of vivid vocal; with Aune B1S, the problem pretty much solved. I really enjoy vocals and mids with this combo. It brought the singer a few steps back that allows for more space to breathe. I used to enjoy modern genre more than classical with this IEM but enjoy them equally now; cleaner bass elevates the capability of W30 to sounds amazing with every song I listen to. The drum thumps at the right time and I can virtually point out where it came from in the song. I am a fan of W30 but I do think that it could do a little better in detail retrieval and the solution has appeared right before my eyes.



KZ ZS6

Articulate instrumental timbre, amazing detail retrieval, and clean sounding. I would expect the amp will sound amazing with KZ flagship’s lineup. The sound is surprisingly clean at any volume level with an output impedance of 1 Ohm. ZS6 can sound thin especially with classical and jazz songs but its wide soundstage and amazing separation compensate the weakness in those genres. Aune B1S adds thicker sound to most instruments plays through the ZS6 and it sounds uniquely articulate. I am genuinely amazed by the realism that it brings to the music. More energy coming from drums and guitars but never overwhelm of being harsh or fatigue. I noticed that zs6 biggest issue, the treble spike, is solved. The highs are much softer and articulate; I do enjoy more songs with the ZS6 now than how I was before. I found that male vocal is more dominant in this combo. Female vocal could be softer because the combo makes female singer to sound strong and masculine. Bass still lacking in quantity but has a better body and goes slightly low. With Aune B1 (2015 edition), the bass is punchier, but I still prefer B1s because it excels in every other part.




KZ ZSR

Smooth, airy, great clarity, spacious, musical and clean sounding. ZSR is a smoother version of ZS6 especially in the top end but also not as detail. B1s brings an awesome musicality to ZSR and provides a very balanced sound across the spectrum. Smooth sounding and very articulate treble. Every KZ ZSX flagship owner kind of had an issue with them but not anymore. The music has more space and wider soundstage. Also, it allows you to breathe throughout the song and notably helps when you play a complex song that longed to be fatigue at long listening hours. They are airier like HD650 despite being isolated as an IEM. It goes deeper and wider that gives fuller sound to ZSR. It has been forever since the last time I enjoy Pink Floyd because they could sound thin without proper headphone/IEM, but now, I enjoy them so much with ZSR. Imaging improve greatly; if you’re listening to concert and orchestra, you will feel like you’re in the front row. Instruments separation are more noticeable and let you immense with the music. Just you and the music. The overall sound is balanced, thicker and more vivid. The bass has more texture and well-controlled. It is definitely a better combo than ZS6 and does I love them? Heck yeah, I do!



VS Aune B1 (1st Gen)

I am amazed by the B1s performance then I had this thought in mind, “how does this compare to the first gen?”. Thus, I decided to look for a used Aune B1 (2015 edition) and gauge how far does the B1s evolve. Unfortunately, I received my B1 the day after I ship the B1s to other people on the tour. How unlucky. But hey, I still remembered the sound. I think. After I received the amp and stack them up together with my DAP and ZSR, my first impression was… YUCK! This amp is worse than I thought. Well, I guess it’s not fair to judge it too early since the previous owner only uses it once. I let the amp burned it for about 100 hours and give them a second try. It sounded much better but still does not meet my expectation. The 2015 edition has output impedance 10 ohm which quite high and not the best condition for a super sensitive IEM. I also noticed the treble is harsher and more on the brighter side compares to the B1s. The vocal is less engaging but still clear and detail. The bass has more quantity and body but not as articulate. I noticed a distant hiss when I pair them with ZS6; not a big of a problem but could be an issue for some. Out of all my IEMs, I only enjoy the amp with Westone 30 because with every other IEMs especially KZs, I find it too bright to my taste and fatiguing. Honestly, I am not disappointed because it is quite good; transparent, great clarity, more bass quantity and good imaging with above average separation. But, as I spoiled my ears with B1s first, I can’t move on with how good it was. Thus, I decided to sell the B1 and get myself a B1s and as I am typing this, the B1s is already on its way. At this point, I can rest assured knowing that I am good with portable setup and not needing any other gears.

Conclusion

I tried to be very honest in any of my review, but I am confident to say a lot of wonderful things about something when I love them myself. As always, take this review with a grain of salt but if you’re looking for a mellow sounding amp that has tons of detail and clarity, look no further because Aune B1s got you covered. I heard what I heard. Period.

Wait. Don’t judge me by the title statement. I don’t want to make it controversial but that’s what I heard. Whether it holds or not, it’s really up to you to decide. The question is, where do I stand by this statement? I’ll let you guys know at the end. Let see if this small black box lives up to the hype.

Disclaimer
I used to own mojo but decided to sell the unit because I am not using it as much. I am focusing on dedicated desktop setup thus the reason for selling. While I am familiar with the sound signature, I don’t have the unit for direct comparison with iDSD Nano Black Label. I might throw in some impressions comparing the Mojo with Nano BL, but it will not do justice to how they really compare. But I did used iDSD Micro BL for direct comparison. Thus, I decided to give my two cents and my own insights on these DACs.


First and Foremost
I would like to give my thanks to Lawrence from iFi Audio that manage the west USA tour well; also, to iFi Audio in general as they gave us the opportunity to try the unit in our system/setup. I have talked to some of the iFi personnel in the past CanJam and they are easy to approach. The customer service also has never been better. They are helpful in Head-Fi and every other forum I bet.

My iFi background
I never had any iFi product on my own, but I do have several friends that own them, and it happened that two of them are my housemates. I get to listen to iDSD micro Black Label extensively while had a fair of listening time in the past with iDSD micro SE. My impression of the variations of iDSD micro is that the Black Label nail it in almost every section; a worthy upgrade I would say. I keep comparing the micro Black Label with Mojo but never come to a conclusion which one of them is better. In my opinion, Mojo performs better with HD800 and TH900 while micro BL shines with warm headphones like HD650. Well, in the end, it really comes to personal preferences. Now that iDSD Nano Black Label is released, I am really intrigued to see where it falls in iFi DAC/Amp line up. Although it might sound obvious that it’s going to be a better version of iDSD Nano, will it better the iDSD micro SE or BL? Or even Chord Mojo?



What’s in the box?
Out of the box, you’ll get the DAC, a well-thought carrying case, a USB B cable female to male adapter, USB A female to a USB B female adapter, a short USB A female to USB B male adapter, rubber band for stacking, manual and warranty card. Obviously, RCA cable is not provided by iFi this time since it doesn’t have RCA like its older brother.


Build and Appearance
As usual, it has the iFi logo at the top and descriptions at the bottom. iFi is known for their product’s versatility but iDSD Nano BL by far the simplest in terms of functionality. It has two headphone outputs, both 3.5mm but one of them has the IEMatch feature. With the IEMatch, it ensures ‘hiss-free’ out from sensitive IEM or headphones. At the back, there’s a toggle button for ‘listen’ or ‘measure’. The ‘listen’ feature uses a minimum phase filter while ‘measure’ uses the linear phase filter. Personally, if I decide to do mastering tracks or get involved sound production, I might not be going to get the iDSD Nano BL despite the ‘measure’ feature; but, it is good to have and works for those who travel and work in the sound production industry. It only has digital input and 3.5mm line out if you want to connect the iDSD Nano BL with a separate amp. Overall, it got a great build quality and pretty much similar to any other iFi products.



Features/ Specifications

Input(rear):

USB2.0 type A “OTG” Socket (with iPurifier® technology built-in)

Output(rear)；

1 x Audio fixed line out L+R 3.5mm

Digital Filter:

2 positions, 2 filters

Outputs(front):

2 x Headphone Audio 3.5mm one direct and one with iFi iEMatch® integrated

DAC

DAC:

DSD, DXD, PCM DAC by Burr Brown Bit-Perfect DSD processing, Bit-Perfect DXD processing

Clock:

Low-jitter crystal clock

Audio Formats:

DSD 256/128/64/12.4/11.2/6.2/5.6/3.1/2.8

DXD 384/352.8kHz

PCM 384/352.8/192/176.4/96/88.2/48/44.1kHz

MQA 88.2/96/176.4/192kHz filters

Filter–PCM:

Listen(transient optimised minimum phase)

Measure(frequency response optimized)

–DSD:

Listen(extended bandwidth transient optimised)

Measure (narrow bandwidth, low output band noise optimized)

–DXD:

Fixed Bit-Perfect Processing

–MQA:

Fixed MQA Filter

Headphone Amplifier

Amplifier:

Dual Mono 2 x 285mW Direct Drive, coupling capacitor free circuit for highest fidelity

Volume Control:

3.5mm TRRS with Balanced compatible wiring

Dynamic Range(including DAC):

> 109dB(A) @ 3v (Direct)

> 107dB(A) @ 0.5V (iEMatch®)

THD &N (@ 125mW/30R):

< 0.005%

Max. Output (<10% THD):

> 3.5V @ 600Ω Load (Direct) (20mW/600Ω)

> 2.9V @ 30Ω Load (Direct) (285mW/30Ω)

> 1.7V @ 15Ω Load (Direct) (200mW/15Ω)

Output Impedance :

< = 1Ω (Direct)

< = 4Ω (iEMatchsup>®)

Channel Separation:

> 79dB @ 600Ω Load (Direct)

> 79dB @ 15Ω Load (Direct) (1kHz, TRRS plug Balanced wiring)

Line Output

Dynamic Range(Line):

> 109dB(A)

THD & N(0dBFS Line):

< 0.004%

Output Voltage(Line): :

2.15V (+/-0.05V)

Output Impedance:

< 240Ω

Channel Separation:

> 99dB (@ 1kHz)

Jitter(correlated):

Below test set limit

Dimensions:

96(l) x 64(w) x 25.5(h)mm

Weight:

139g (0.31 Ibs)

Warranty period:

12months

Info from ifi-audio.com


Gear used


Source(s): Tidal Master, Foobar, Pioneer XDP-100r

Dac(s): iDSD Nano Black Label, iDSD Micro Black Label

Amp(s): ECP DSHA-0

Headphone(s): Takstar Pro 82, Sennheiser HD800 SDR and HD6XX (modded)

IEM(s): Westone 30 and KZ ZS6


Songs (mostly MQA)
Sam Smith – Too Good at Goodbyes (Master)

This song focusses mostly on male vocals and out from the iDSD Nano BL, the DAC is able to bring nuance and good tonal balance across the spectrum with Sam’s magical voice and the background singer. With iDSD Micro BL, the sound is another level. Sam’s voice seems to be more engaging and every instrument sounds lively and real.


Shawn Mendes -Stitches MTV Unplugged (Master)

A live concert could be an issue to some gear and iDSD Nano BL produce a more forward sound. It is lacking in separation when compare to iDSD Micro Label is noticeable with this song. I felt like I am sitting in the front row with Nano BL and 3 or 4 rows further with Micro BL. Other than mentioned, I had a tough time to distinguish between both DACs with this song. The one thing that I can point out is it sounds more real with Micro BL but if you’re not listening to them for 2-3 hours, you might think that both produce a very similar sound signature.


Queen – Another One Bites the Dust

I always use this song for review as every instrument and singer has its own mic thus produce a good separation on its own. Nano BL with MQA rendering provides a great layering and separation that rivals Micro BL. Although its older brother has more sense of space and a tad more microdetail, it is hard to differentiate them in this song. The drum kick has less impact with Nano BL but they have more similarities than differences in my opinion.



Headphone Pair (Vs iDSD Micro BL)


Modded Sennheiser HD6XX
How does it pair with HD6XX/650? This is no doubt one of the famous questions asked in multiple forums. I personally enjoy the vocal out of these in almost every song that I listen to. This amp pairs amazingly fine with a more forgiving headphone like HD6XX/650 as it could have sounded too revealing with headphones like HD800 and Takstar Pro 82. I still enjoy the HD800 with DSD and acoustical music with this amp but favor HD6XX pair for most other tracks. Like I mentioned before, I can’t get enough with the MQA feature. It opens up the sound and shows the capability of the headphone. While I don’t seem to agree when people said that HD6XX/650 is veil, but the MQA does add a more refined detail and perceived clarity out of the headphone. I could hear a better bass, more open soundstage and better nuance across the spectrum. The Nano BL produce rich sound engaging mids but Micro BL wins in dynamic and faster transient response. The Micro BL is one of the best transportable DAC/Amp for HD650/6XX under $1000 but Nano BL do come close and with that smaller size, I am not surprised if I pick Nano BL over Micro BL.


Modded Takstar Pro 82
My first impression right off the bat was lively and full of energy. This headphone could sound dull and lifeless with bad synergy. With Nano BL, it brings everything forward but natural. Takstar Pro 82 is known for its wide soundstage but sometimes I feel that the sound is too distant and not natural. With Nano BL, everything sounds right. Articulate bass, smooth sound across the spectrum, percussion and singer’s position seems right to my ears. Imaging is above average despite the forward presentation. Even though I enjoy the combo, I still think that iDSD micro BL is a better pair with this headphone. Tonal density is lacking, and it sounds a little dry in comparison to micro BL. I used to love vocals and mids with this headphone but less so with Nano BL in the chain. However, the upper midrange and treble with this combo never cease to amaze me; pleasant to listen to but never lose energy.


HD800 SDR + Sheepskin Pad
Personally, I am not a fan of HD800 and iDSD Micro BL combo. Don’t get me wrong, they do sound great, but I felt like HD800 has a better synergy with mojo. So, what about Nano BL? As you would expect from the similarities of the Black Label brothers, I still prefer mojo over Nano BL for HD800 as they are more enjoyable to my ears. In terms of power, it got more than enough to drive the HD800 to an ear-splitting level. Since HD800 has a huge soundstage, the Nano BL provides a good imaging and more neutral soundstage to the headphone. As if you were seating in the front row of a concert while Micro BL is a further row back. The bass is profound but not as punchy as Micro BL. The Micro BL bass has more texture and quantity, especially with the XBass feature. Although, Nano BL really stands out with instruments like trumpet and saxophone. I enjoy the tonality with orchestra and instrumental song even though it still lacking in overall instrument separation as compare to Micro BL. Vocal is balanced and good but lacks rhythm. I enjoy acoustic song and vocal but less so with group singing. Well, I did find that the Nano BL has a more pleasing treble extension but also less airy at the same time.

IEM Pair


Westone 30
The best portable combo that I had so far. Westone 30 has a similar tonality to HD650: forward sounding with great instrument separation, midrange has a great body with an amazing vocal presentation, impactful bass and laid back. I am positive that the IEM could benefit the iDSD NANO BL capability considering its performance with HD6XX and it certainly did. The first thing I noticed was the vocals on these were amazing! Sweet and intimate are the words to describe them. I keep playing any tracks that emphasis on vocals and GOSH! I love them. Period. My source with this combo is Pioneer XDP-100r and if you ask me if they are better than my desktop setup? I would say no but I really enjoy these when I step out of the door. It is kind of disappointing that Tidal mobile does not have MQA because it if it does, they are going to be an amazing combo. However, across the spectrum, I did find that it’s lacking in tonal density. It sounds a bit dry with some songs. At times, it felt a little congested and too forward. I tried the ‘measure’ filter for my other gears but not a fan of the sound. With Westone 30, it made it a slightly drier but more neutral at the same time. The bass in this IEM could be too much for some and with ‘measure’ filter, the bass is more controlled. Again, I still enjoy the ‘listen’ filter with this IEM for the most part. Overall, I really enjoy this fun combo, especially with EDM, pop, and rock.


KZ ZS6
KZ ZS6 is my another go to IEM with acoustic, orchestra and classic songs. I don’t have any preferences in genre, but I love to listen to any quality recording with great mastering. If I said that Westone 30 resembles HD650, KZ ZS6 reminds me of HD800. Large soundstage, shrilling treble, great clarity, clean bass but less impact. Despite the similar tonality, the quality is different and HD800 is superior by all means. The amp produced an accurate sounding combo and it did remove the unnecessary spike on the KZs which was I thought great because it did not do that much with HD800. Great imaging and has more body in the midrange and bass. KZs by far is my most sensitive IEM and it can pick up every single noise and distortion coming from the source. The IEMatch has the S-balanced feature that provides full balanced benefits and ‘hiss free’. The result is everything sounds clean with black background. I enjoy acoustic, orchestra and classical songs out of these but still lacking with some modern songs. As of how much I love the improvements it gave to KZ ZS6, I still think that Westone 30 is the better combo.


Overall

There are couple things that I like about this new DAC/Amp from iFi Audio and one of them is MQA rendering. In fact, I love it a lot. Everything seems clear and the clarity is something that I would not expect in the sub $200 portable amp. As a fan of balanced and neutral sounding amp, this will be my top choice if I am looking for the amp without breaking the bank. If you’re an IEM user, this amp is your best friend. The S-balance feature provides black background even with super sensitive IEMs. Of course, you can get a separate iFi IEMatch for the same purpose, but having it soldered inside the amp makes a lot of different; shield it from any external interferences. However, I prefer it to have a toggle button for the IEMatch feature like iDSD Micro BL instead of two 3.5mm outputs. A ¼ in output jack would be a good addition for versatility. I am positive that what iFi had in mind was to focus on IEM than full-size cans, but it would be amazing if ¼ in output jack could replace one of the 3.5mm jack and place the toggle button for the other 3.5mm jack to activate the IEMatch feature. I used the ‘listen’ filter most of the time and that’s how I enjoyed the most when listening to music. While it is a good feature to have, for leisure listener, it might not be utilized as much. I am a huge fan of iDSD Micro BL and thought that I am expecting too much on this amp to be a clone of its older brother. The bass in Micro BL is amazing and hope that Nano BL could do slightly better in the bass. It does have quantity but lacking in quality and texture.




With MQA rendering feature, it allows for great detail retrieval that rivals Micro BL and Chord Mojo. It is a top-notch selection DAC/Amp under $200. For those who are looking for a sub $200 portable amp, I would advise you to just pull the trigger. You will never regret it.

I was thinking on getting a pair of headphone that is like TH900 but less harsh. I have always been a fan of TH900, but sibilance has been an issue since the first day I had them. The bass and the low end, yeah! the low end is AH-mah-zinggg. The clarity is detail and precise, but the highs doesn’t let me enjoy the music as much if not paired with the correct amp. Then, I decided to sell the headphone and get something that I could tolerate with. Then two weeks before the semester ended, I decided to go through the TH900 thread on Head-fi that leads me to this. Honestly, I don’t expect that it could better my other headphones that I own (or owned) especially at $80. But, I guess it is too early to judge.

Order process and the package

It took almost 3 weeks from the day I ordered and received the headphone from Aliexpress. I got them from the original seller, Takstar Audio, and they are easy to reach. Not bad at all compare to my other experiences ordering from China through different other websites. There are many options upon ordering, I get myself a metal hardcase with an extra 8 bucks. It was originally $72 but with the hard case, it added up to $80. I also find that the silver color looks more premium than the black and decided to get the silver. It arrived with the headphone in a metal hard case inside a Takstar packaging box. The case itself is pretty dope. A custom metal case that is made only for Takstar pro 82; Takstar Pro 80 might also fit the bill, but no other bigger cans can fit the case. I tried to shove my Beyerdynamic T90 and it doesn’t fit. Maybe something like ath-m40x or Sennheiser HD598 could fit the case since they have oval shape cups.







It also comes with standard accessories: 2.2m cable of 2.5mm to 3.5mm, a ¼-in adapter, a carrying case, a manual book and a warranty card. The manual does explain the bass boost functionality; it has 3 bass levels that elevates the 20-200Hz to 3 or 6 db on the second and third level. The cable comes with a standard 2.5mm to 3.5mm jack. Interesting enough, the 2.5mm out has 4 poles instead of the regular three poles. I am not sure if it’s a balanced out but there’s no different than other regular cable.




Features

• Ø40mm new NdFeB driver features high sensitivity, wide response range and large

dynamic

• Adopts high polymer coating diaphragm, pure bass, penetrating mids and exquisite

highs

• Soft and comfortable headband and ear pads for long time listening without stress

• Ergonomic design fits different head shapes

• Designed with 3 level bass adjustment function, user can adjust the bass according

to the music style to exert the best performance


Specification

Transducer Principle: Dynamic

Driver Diameter: Ø40mm

Impedance: 32Ω±15%

Frequency Response: 10Hz-20KHz

Sensitivity: 96±3dB at 1KHz

Max. Power: 50mW

Rated Power: 20mW

Cable: Ø4mmX2.2m

Adaptor Plug: Ø3.5mm+6.3mm

Net Weight: 237g (w/o cable)


Info taken from www.takstar.com



Build and Comfort

I really like the silver Pro 82 because it has a premium look to it. With a 237g headphone weight without cable, it is lighter than my HD6XX. When you wear them, I swear that it feels even lighter than its weight. Despite the glossy metal looks, it is made mostly with plastic material; it does have a metal headband covered with a leather that stretched well. The thin earpads might be an issue to some but it fits perfectly to my ear. Honestly, this is the most comfort headphone that I’ve had on my head so far. Don’t let the thin earpads fool you; the comfort of this headphone is amazing!


Gear used

Source(s): Tidal master, Foobar, Pioneer XDP-100r

Dac(s): Holo Spring Level 3 Kitsune Edition

Amp(s): ECP DSHA-0

Headphone(s): Beyerdynamic t90 Balanced recabled, Modded Sennheiser HD6XX and SDR mod HD800

Extra(s): Singxer SU1


How do they sound?

Uniquely neutral with a slight fun sound to them. They resemble my past Fostex TH900 with non-fatiguing treble and better mids but less extended bass. It has a good tonal balance that allow you to listen to any music genre without missing anything. The clarity and imaging are amazing as you can pick up every detail that lies in the song with ease. It is difficult to find a headphone with this amount of detail for below $300. Soundstage is way above average especially with a closed back headphone. There are three bass level as I mentioned above but I personally prefer the standard level as it gives cleaner bass compares to 3 and 6 db increase in the bass. The treble is tuned perfectly as if the guitar is played in front of you, not lacking in detail here. Did I said that they never fatigue? I have heard the Audioquest Nighthawk with mojo in the past and I thought that the Pro 82 is a step above them with my current setup; it is not generally fair as my current system is better compare to the last time I auditioned the Nighthawk but just want to give an idea on how good this headphone is at its price.


Songs

Princess Chelsea – Cigarette Duet

I truly enjoy the headphone with this song as most of my other headphones are less punchy I would say. The drum hits just right and not overwhelm by any means. Good separation between both male and female vocals and with the soundstage size, everything just seems right. Although, it could be grainy at times due to poor recordings.


Lorde – Ribs

This song has a good sound separation across the spectrum and The Pro 82 benefits the song with its above average separation capability. The vocal flows really well with the busy background while not losing any bass extension. Treble is well controlled, but it could sound a little messy on the top end sometimes.

Queen – Another one bites the dust

This is an interesting recording as every mic is used close to the instruments and vocals that makes everything seems too close to you. A wider soundstage is needed for a more immense experience and Takstar Pro 82 did great, better than my HD6XX and come close to my T90 but less so than HD800. Thumping bass and strong male vocal response make this headphone flourished.

Kap Slap – Harbor

Treble could be an issue with electronic songs with V-shaped headphone. The Pro 82 does have a good and clean bass extension although it does not go low like TH900. It also doesn’t have those shrilling treble that fatigue your ears like TH900, HD800 or most Beyerdynamic headphones. The treble is there but never harsh that makes it works perfectly with EDM or electronic genre like Harbor by Kap Slap.

Madeleine Peyroux – Dance me to the end of love

A typical vocal jazz song requires a great vocal singer accompanied by jazz instruments; a headphone that could excel in both aspects are crucial for an enjoyable listening experience because it could be dull if it is too analytical or missing vocal strength with bassy headphone. The Pro 82 has a good tonal balance without being too analytical or v-shaped.

Sia – Candy Cane Lane

This song has a busy background that mix with a standout female vocal. HD800SDR mod is my preferences with this song because it has a great imaging to point out every single instrument being played without disturbing the main singer. It could add sibilance to some headphones and that is the reason why I preferred the SDR mod but as I mentioned, the Pro 82 never had an issue with sibilance recording. I am surprised that the Pro 82 did it pretty good but not in HD800SDR class. The Pro 82 has lusher mids and fuller sound even though the background might be too busy for the headphone.

Senar Senja – Dialog Hujan

Guitar timbre in this song is amazing accompanied by engaging male vocal and the Pro 82 did a great job in acoustic song. Two things that I seek in every headphone with acoustic song are good separation and engaging mids. Takstar Pro 82 does have both and at this price, it does surprisingly well. All you need is a good system that could bring out more microdetail from the song. Because, the mids is a little recessed when I compare the Pro 82 with HD800.



Amped or un-amped?

To my surprise, the Pro 82 scales greatly with better system. I had it pair with my main setup

Tidal master > Singxer SU1 > Holo Audio Spring Level 3 > ECP DSHA-0 balanced out > Takstar Pro 82

and it sounds amazing, just like any mid-tier headphones Beyerdynamic T90 and Sennheiser HD650 that sounds awesome with the setup. Not lacking at all but perfectly fit in the system. I compared the setup with my two other sources, Pioneer XDP-100r and Galaxy S6 Edge, straight from the 3.5mm out and found that the bass is less clean and the mids are more veil. The drum hit is losing power and I am not enjoying the guitar timbre as much as I did with my main setup. I would say that it lacks nuance across the spectrum. It performs like a $200 headphone with XDP-100r and much lesser with S6 Edge.

How do they compare?

VS Beyerdynamic T90
Power and Clarity; two of the T90 traits that I really enjoyed even after almost two years of owning. The Pro 82 lacks in both but has a better treble extension that never harsh. I once thought that the Pro 82 has a similar sound with T90 but found that they are different headphones altogether. Bass in T90 is cleaner and more precise accompanied by amazing clarity in the mids. Whilst, Pro 82 has more quantity but not necessarily accurate and has more engaging mids despite lacks in clarity. Pro 82 has a tad wider and taller soundstage but T90 has better separations. If I only need one headphone, Pro 82 is a better choice than T90 due to its performance with any music genre. But, If I want to have more clarity, airy and focus more on reference sound, T90 is a better choice in this case. The T90 headband adjustment is kinda off, it is not really a big deal but annoys me at times while Pro 82 has a metal frame that will stick after being adjust. Both have great comfort but Pro 82 is better.



VS Sennheiser HD6XX (modded)

Laid back with engaging mids are what making me keep the HD6XX, but I always hope that it could do better in treble. Both have good tonal balance and bass quantity but Pro 82 does it better in bass section; cleaner and more precise. The stock headphone has a good mids but it improved with simple mod (the mod is shown in the Takstar Pro 82 thread). However, HD6XX has a more engaging mids especially with songs that focus on vocal, but Pro 82 seems to have more detail that makes the HD6XX sounds a little veil. The upper midrange is more concise in the Pro 82 that leads to more pronounced treble but never overdone. It is not laid back like HD6XX because it appears to have forward sounding. Yet, HD6XX is airier due to its open back feature. Kudos to Takstar on getting rid of the sibilance while maintaining a good treble amount. The clamping force on the HD6XX seems a bit too much but the Pro 82 has amazing comfort that can make you forget that you’re wearing a headphone. I enjoy both headphones and will alternate them depends on moods. Honestly, I don’t favor one over another in long term listening session.



VS Sennheiser HD800 SDR mod

Awesome clarity and huge soundstage. HD800 has advantage in these two aspects and with the right system, it will be the only headphone you need in life. The Pro 82 has a good detail but HD800 is more resolving but could also have unpleasant glaring at times. The Pro 82 sounds a little recessed compare to the HD800 but it has meaty sound to it; while HD800 can sound a little thin with songs that has bass thump. HD800 no doubt has a more accurate sound and great string timbre that I really like when listening to classical, jazz, and any busy songs. It picks up everything in the song while Pro 82 might miss some minute details in the same song. HD800 imaging and soundstage is a win hands down, in fact, only few headphones can better HD800 in this case if not none. But, I enjoy the Pro 82 more as it has a U-shape sound and works like a charm with any genre. Bass in HD800 is more accurate but Pro 82 has more quantity and bass thump. The treble in Pro 82 is pleasing with no sibilance while HD800’s treble could be annoying with stock mode. Interesting enough, both headphones scales greatly with better system. Both have amazing comfort, but I would put the Pro 82 comfort a level above HD800. If you want something that has more analytical sound and money is not an issue, I would go for HD800; but, if you want a fun headphone under $300, look no further because Takstar Pro 82 got you covered.



VS Massdrop x Fostex TH-X00 Purpleheart

Bass quantity and low-end. Fostex TH-X00 line up along with TH600, TH610 and TH900 are well-known with their great bass and low-end. TH-X00 PH has a good amount of bass but I found that Pro 82 has a cleaner and pleasing bass. The soundstage on TH-X00 PH goes wider and taller that provides more breathing space between you and the singer. To my surprise, despite the better soundstage, Pro 82 has a better imaging. The engaging mids with amazing clarity on Pro 82 makes TH-X00 slightly recessed and distant. I remember that the top end is fatiguing on Fostex headphone but less so with my system. With the smoother treble, I really enjoy TH-X00 PH and decided to listen to them for another 30 minutes before I put the Pro 82 back on. Then, I played the same playlist again but through Pro 82 this time. I realized that I missed the meaty and lush sound with TH-X00. TH-X00 PH has thinner sound but better upper midrange. It has more micro detail in the treble, albeit fatiguing in long hours of listening. The Pro 82 is more forward sounding and has a pleasing treble extension. I enjoy both headphones but no doubt that I enjoy the Pro 82 more than TH-X00 PH in most songs. Do they have the same sound signature? I would say no because Pro 82 is forward sounding with a slight U-shape sound while TH-X00 PH has a larger soundstage with V-shape sound. Pro 82 wins in both isolation and comfort but only by a small margin. Is the TH-X00 a worthy upgrade from Pro 82? If you’re looking for a better low-end and soundstage while sacrificing the clarity and mids, I would say yes. Otherwise, I would say no.



Overall

For its price at $72, it is an absolute no brainer. It is difficult to find a headphone that scale so well at this price point. While some companies out there moving towards a high-end product that could only satisfy one percent of the consumers, there are still companies like Takstar that aim to bring an excellent quality product at a more accessible price. Again, I can’t suggest this headphone enough to anyone out there that want to know what does price/performance really is. I am looking forward to listening to any future products from Takstar, maybe a Takstar Pro 84? We never know.