Reviews by Army-Firedawg

                                                                                       
 
 
    I have to start this by giving a huge shoutout and thanks to @edifier for supplying me with their newest product in exchange for an honest review.
 
 
                                                                                                          
 
 
 
The Opening Experience
 
    From first glancing at the box I can definitely see people getting the impression that these cost a good sum of money for the box is very professionally printed and isn’t cluttered with useless jargon. When you open them you’re greeted with a pleasant smell of faux leather (reminded me of the new car smell almost) and a very simple process to extricate the headphones. Once inside you have the H850’s presented in notably cheap plastic (which is to be expected at this price point) but yet still presented like a very proud product. Overall I must say the unboxing experience was rather respectable for this price range and would say I was given a firm handshake during the greeting.
 
 
 
 
                                                                                                      
 
 
 
 
Construction
 
    The main issue I was worried about when receiving these. From personal experience most product sub $100 are given hardly any care for the build quality. They either feel unnecessarily cheap in your hands, flimsy, or break rather quickly. With the H850 I was pleasantly surprised that these are built almost exactly like the Bose SoundTrue (which says a lot to both parties) and can somewhat rival that of my personal Sony MDR-10RNCip’s.
The padding though I will say I know will break apart within a year's time. I of course haven’t been able to test this but the material it’s made out of isn’t built to last. The headband however I believe is made of either real leather or very high quality faux leather and feel it should last for a good while.
An issue I did have but it’s still a positive overall for the construction, but the cord has a locking mechanism into the headphones which prevent them from being pulled out of the chamber. My unit however, I had to push rather hard for it to go into the socket (yes I aligned the grooves).  And lastly for a mobile set-up I find the cord to be a little bit too long. For it seems to get caught on almost everything and stuck in between my chair & let me tell ya sometimes it’s hard enough getting out of it let alone with the headphones pushing me back in it.
 
 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Comfort
 
    So how long can one wear these? Do they stay comfortable on one's head for extended listening durations or will one have to occasionally adjust them? Well, for me personally I find them to be very comfortable and respectable isolating. The pressure is just where I like it to be and the cushion had the right amount of padding as to not be a marshmallow but yet not be a rock either. I have worn these in excess of a couple hours at a time without any fatigue at all and feel others experience would be very similar.
 
Sound
 
    Ah, the most important aspect the milk and cookies. Will it be oreos and fresh milk or oatmeal cookies and goat milk? In terms of the Edifier H850’s I wouldn’t say they’re oreos and fresh milk but they’re worlds beyond oatmeal cookies and goat milk. Bizarre analogy aside these are actually pretty good headphones for $60 especially if you’re just wanting a pair to hear music as you study. They’re not the most analytical correct headphone and I can instantly tell that they’re geared towards the mainstream audience but still for the H850 to only be $60 I am rather impressed.
    The soundstage to these are pretty up close and personal but yes respectably detailed. I can comfortably identify individual aspects of a musical piece rather it be from a small group or a median sized orchestra.
    So how do the individual aspects stack up? Well let me explain.
 
Treble
 
    Similar to the bass response, the treble was certainly emphasized in the exchange or the sacrificed mids. The highs reached impressive feats but did tend to taper or towards the upper range. In addition they tended to not sound as natural as I've heard even at this price range. Now negatives aside, I still believe the highs in the H850 is something to behold. Even just for a demo period, Edifier did a darned good job in providing this much musicality in an inexpensive product. I especially found artists such as Lindsey Stirling wonderfully entertaining.

Mids
 
    My personal favorite aspect of an audio piece for to me the mids are the soul of a headphones or speaker. It’s what delivers the vocals and the emotion. The H850 unfortunately doesn’t deliver this well at all. The mids I found to be incredibly recessed and instantly reminded me of the Bose Soundtrue. Now this does actually say a lot for the H850 because these two products sounded incredibly similar. But for me personally I find them both to be very hollow and unsatisfying.
 
Bass
 
         The “thump” on the H850 is pretty darn good. It won't rattle your teeth or anything like that but I was personally pretty impressed with the bass response. It hit pretty hard and backed away in a reasonable manner.  I really found these to be enjoyable in action movies I.e. The Expendables. I wasn't as immersed in the movie as I'm used to but I did rather like those explosions.
 
 
                                                                                                   
 
 
 
Conclusion
 
         Over the years I'll be the first to state that I've become quite spoiled in the field of audio quality. I've heard dozens of different brands and hundreds (not speaking figuratively at all) of different products. Quite often I am unable to even listen to products sub $100 because I've learned what to listen for and what to avoid and more often than not sub $100 products are atrocious. But I have to tip my hat because I was quite impressed with the presentation of the H850.         
         Does it have its drawbacks? Absolutely. Is it the type of sound signature I prefer? Quite the opposite in fact. But putting personal bias aside (which I do for every review & product), Edifier did a splendid job and produced a product that would give anyone who doesn't have a very large budget a very respectable, high fidelity headphone that will give them enjoyment without the pressure of of feeling like they have to spend $200 to get decent sound.
 
 
Till next time my friends, also make sure to check out my unboxing & review videos!

 
 
 
 
 I must first start this by giving a large thank you to @TorqueAudio for selecting me to be a participant in their reviewer tour for their brand new T402v pre-production model.  I greatly appreciate the opportunity to demo and review your new headphones, so again thank you.
    Before I begin the review on the T402v one must understand the group that these are geared for, which is the main stream media/consumer crowd. This quite often I had to remind myself of for it’s a realm I rarely go in depth with but it was a great experience nonetheless.
 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The Opening Experience
 
    The initial handshake presented with meeting someone the first time. Will it be a firm handshake that demands respect, or will it be a limp one that will be forgotten about once you part ways? In the case of Torque Audio’s T402v I was given a great firm and proud handshake.
The product was presented very nicely but did have a little too much activity on the box for my taste. Upon opening it you have a wonderfully presentation in front of you that begins with a greeting card (that’s also the warranty and product info.) from Torque which is presented proudly on top of the headphones that are placed inside precision cut foam to protect it. Beneath the headphones you open up the bottom half which contains the traveler's pouch that’s holding the two pads that come with the T402v’s; circumaural (over-ear) and supra-aural (on-ear). As well as another pouch that holds the very nicely built mic cable.
I must say that the way these were packaged and presented to me really left me excited to put them on my head and begin listening to them.
 
                                                                                                 
 
 
Construction
 
    So how is the build quality on these? Not to be dishonest I was a little worried about the build for I’ve learned most mainstream geared equipment isn’t exactly made to last. The T402v’s however absolutely do not fall into that stereotype.
These are built very solidly using a very little plastic and being gracious with aluminum. The headband is built to take copious amounts of abuse, in fact on the website there’s even a picture of a person “wringing” out the headband to show its durability, I did not administer this test. The ear cups swivel very smoothly to one side but they “taughted” up when rotated to the other as well as the cups came off, so I don’t believe they are designed to rotate a full 180 degrees.
The cable is very well built and put together. Despite it not being a tangle free cable they never tangled up on me or even kinked up for that matter, however I just had them for 5 short days and I can honestly see them gaining memory over time. The microphone I didn’t like at all; the people I was talking to said I sounded very distant and almost as if in a well. In addition to that the volume buttons weren’t the easiest to press.
 
                                                                                                    
 
 
Comfort
 
    Something I don’t think is given a lot of thoughts about when sound and then looks is the focal points. And with the T402v’s I think this was somewhat apparent. Initially they’re respectably comfortable with a slightly above normal clamping force. With the circumaural pads my glasses were pushed forward and pushing them back was difficult so I often had to remove my them. The supra-aural pads I could only wear for about 1 ½ hours before they became to uncomfortable for me to wear at all, which doesn’t sound like much but I personally can’t wear on-ear because they usually become too painful after only 30 min to I tip my hat to these pads.
    Though overall I still find these to be respectably comfortable and wouldn’t unrecommend them to anyone based on comfort.
 
                                                                                                    
 
 
Sound
 
    The most important aspect of an audio piece is the representation of the audio. Per the Torque master himself these are “intentionally tuned for ‘consumers’ or the ‘masses’” which did give me some worry for my mind immediately went to the Beats and Bose sound. But worry and personal bias aside I gave these a true unbiased listen for the entirety of my 5 days with them.
    Though I found these to have a rather small soundstage overall as well as the instrument separation could use some work, the positional cues were awesome. Quite often I felt nicely enveloped in the performance I was listening to especially if I was using it as background music or just relaxing. Now when I was critically listening to it is where I I couldn’t enjoy it as much. Being designed specifically for the mainstream audience I can’t count off too much for this because more often than not the general listener just wants to hear and enjoy the beat of the music instead of nitpicking every minute detail.
    Critical listening aside these are absolutely a fun headphone to listen to and no matter if I’m listening to “The Pride” by Five Finger Death Punch or “Wayfaring Stranger” by Trace Adkins, I always felt the “get up and dance” vib. Which is awesome to have in any headphone but certainly one for the masses.
    So onto the more individual aspects and I think you’ll learn more about these by dissecting each frequency range. ALSO the most indistinguishable high point that are present in the T402v is the fact that these have different filters inside the ear cups and are changed as easily as rotating them. The summary given below is the general synopsis I gathered from the 4 filters though each one will alter your personal experience. The 4 filters are as follows from least filtration to most (bass):
 

1. Black (No filter): The one I used the vast majority of the time and provides the least bias towards the bass punch
2. Red: The only other filter I would utilize, this one provides a nice touch of bass punch when you’re wanting a little more “umph” in your music without going to out of control.
3. Blue: Where I feel the bass lovers will start, this filter definitely tones up the feels. I sometimes used this but I’m not a fan of too much bass
4. Yellow: Super bass mode activate, I didn’t use this filter but to test it for this one greatly increased the bass hit to Beats levels. I’m confident bass heads will be more or less tied to this filter for they’ll definitely get their fix.

 
Treble
 
    The highs of the T402v is very predominately recessed. Across the board the highs didn’t impress me much at all. While listening to the song “Diva Dance” from the movie The Fifth Element as I’m sure you know she gets way up there into the almost piercing levels. While listening to her with these the most I got was a ‘umm is that it”? So I wasn’t that impressed with the treble at all on these.
 
Mids
 
    The saving grace of the T402v from an audiophile perspective. The vocals are very clean very intimate. They’re also very forward so you can easily pick out the artist away from the surrounding and often overwhelming instruments. The male vocals especially shine due to the prominent bass bias the exist on these so artists like Trace Adkins, ZZ Top etc… really shine. However female artists usually don’t get the same love because of the very recessed treble.
 
Bass
 
    The immediate focal point of the T402v. One cannot listen to these and not instantly realize that, so bass heads definitely take note for these play wonderful with hard rock and rap (especially rap) and have a very nice hit to it. Now, on that not the bass does also have its quirks. The sub bass when one actually feels the bass I found to be quite lacking, especially on songs I greatly enjoy getting that. Also the decay is very drawn out and extended which I believe is what hurts the separation of other notes.
    Something to keep in mind though, and something I’ve learned personally, is that the mainstream consumer actually enjoys this sound and isn’t necessarily something to defer from. For again these are specifically designed to appeal towards the mainstream crowd, and I believe they hit that nail on the head.
 
                                                                                                 
                 
 
Conclusion
 
    The Torque Audio T402v is absolutely a front runner in the mainstream consumer market and one that goes against the current in terms of design and build. Toque definitely but a great focus on the build quality and design over pure profit margin and from personally talking with them my opinion on this is solidified. Are these a top notch audiophile headphone? No, but these do however make a great pair to just enjoy and jam to the beat to without having to worry about breaking it or wishing you brought a different pair.due to the tank like build and interchangeable filters.
    Also a quick final note is to restate that this was a pre-production model that Torque Audio sent me so your experience may be somewhat different, primarily I was told in the aesthetics.
 
Till next time my friends, also make sure to check out my Unboxing and Review videos!
 
 

    I must first start this review by giving a huge thank you to @Auneaudio for selecting me to be one of the participants in their selection of reviewers for the X1s. This. believe it or not, is my very first experience with a designated D.A.C. other than what comes in my phone & computer so I was flabbergasted when I was selected from all who applied so again Aune, thank you for the opportunity.
 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The Opening Experience
 
    For those who are familiar with my reviews know that I’m quite critical of the opening experience of a product, why? Because to me, it represents a company introducing itself to a new or returning customer. Will they reach out a firm handshake showing they truly care about the product and the consumer whose business they wish to earn? Or do they just cheaply and quickly wrap up a product so they can get your money and that’s all they’re concerned about?
    In the case with the Aune X1s, there was a very firm and appreciative handshake given. The packaging before you even open it is striking, but also very professional looking and gave me complete confidence that what I was about to experience is meant for true audio enthusiasts and not a gimmick. The wording is very simplified and doesn’t present any unnecessary clutter, which is something I’ve grown to respect; for to me this says “we’ll let the product speak for itself, we’ve no need to clutter the box with useless graphs and misrepresented numbers . Just experience what we’ve created yourself.”
    Upon opening the package you’re then greeted with a perfect presentation of the Aune X1s placed in precisely cut out foam to protect the all aluminum dac/amp. Next to it lies the ridiculously large converter box (I think it’s called) that’s about half the size of the dac itself. Finally under that lies the really cool looking usb thumbstick, which is the instruction manual and drivers (for us windows users [seriously Microsoft, my PHONE doesn’t require drivers, come on!]),
    To the fullest degree I am extremely satisfied with my handshake that Aune presented me with. Not only is this my first experience with an Aune product, as I mentioned earlier, this is my first experience with a designated amp/dac as well. So a first experience that leaves me craving more, and definitely a memorable one.
 

      
 
Construction
 
        Finally there’s the product itself. The Aune X1s is an all aluminum frame that’s lusciously smooth with the only sharp spots being the corners and where the faceplate connect. There also exists a nice weight to it as well as I list it up and examine. Not overly heavy but enough to feel confidence in its construction. The volume button is smooth and very responsive as is the single button on the front that toggles the input selection. On the back you have  plethora input and output nodes to allow one to connect the X1s to virtually anything with ease.
    The only downside I can think of with the X1s (other than the massive converter box) is the rounded shape at the top. Absolutely not a large downside, in fact it’s very circumstantial too. But an issue I’ve found with its rounded top is if you like to stack your amp on top of your dac. This of course poses little to no problem if you’ve a solid state, but if you’re like myself with a tube amp this impractical. However when I placed my Project Horizon 3 on top it sat rather nicely because the feet on my amp compensated for the bow of the X1s so in my case there was no issue but still those should take note of the possibility.

 
Specifications
 
    It wouldn’t let me copy & paste from the website so please follow the link below if you would like exact specifications.
 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Sound
 
    This is the aspect I was most nervous about for every one of my good friends on here talk about a new dac they have and how the difference is absolutely amazing. I never doubted this but haven’t been presented with the ability to try a dac myself until now so in terms of both audio improvement and coloration, how did the Aune X1s effect the sound of my headphones?
The answer to this is, awe striking. Now I’m not going to lie I was thinking the increase would be similar to that of buying an aftermarket cable. Definitely a notable gain but nothing to rant and shout about especially since this goes for ¾ of what my Bowers & Wilkins P7 and ⅗ what my Sennheiser HD650 goes for (which were my headphones used for review). So I was thinking that there’s no way that this would make that large of a difference in my experience but oh how I was completely and unanimously mistaken.
I got actual chill bumps when I listened to my first track, which believe it or not was a YouTube video, “[FLASHMOB] Pirates of the Caribbean” by Rhapsody Philharmonic. This song by itself is beautiful on my P7’s and the Cello’s sound magnificent as are the string reverbs easily audible. But once I listened to it immediately again with the Aune X1s it was so life like I was actually somewhat confused and disoriented as to where sounds are coming from. I was LOVING it! The level of surrealism and transparency was amazing, everything just increased in quality and refinement. The notes were so silky smooth in their changing from highs to mids to lows, and what more is that the X1s didn’t alter the sound signature I love so much on the P7’s.
One can blame it on my inexperience with designated DACs, but I honestly haven’t been able to find a single negative at all with the audio quality bestowed by the X1s. I can happily justify the $249 MSRP to any audio enthusiast regardless of their budget. It may take some saving up to for some but I’m amazed by the immediate and drastic increase the X1s presented. Now, again to disclaimed I’m not completely sure all dacs at this price point will give the same experience, but I can at least say with sternness that the Aune X1s darn sure does.
 
                                                                       
 
 
 
Conclusion
 
    To sum up the Aune X1s, it’s freaking amazing. From craftsmanship, to style, to functionality, to audio gain. It performs well above and beyond what I expected to for this price range and I highly recommend it to anyone wanting to either upgrade their current setup or are looking for their first one. It looks beautiful and is built just as elegantly while presenting a voice that softly sings you into an auditory bliss without you even realising what’s come over you.
 
Till next time my friends, make sure you check out my Unboxing video here, and my review video here!
 

 

    I’d first like to thank @Havit for choosing me to be a reviewer for them and also for sending me the Bluetooth Sport Earbuds for me to keep free in exchange for an honest review.
 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The Opening Experience
 
    Considering the price of these is only $28 AND they’re bluetooth, I honestly wasn’t expecting much on an experience. Upon opening the package you’re greeted with very basic cutouts that have the instructions and a pretty decent amount of tips behind the monitors packing.
 
                                                                                                 
 
 
Construction
 
    Pretty impressive actually. Though this is made of very cheap plastic, I don’t feel any worries when wearing them or then I toss them on the couch or floor after I finish my 2 mile run. Which on that note, these (as the long amazon title says) really are sweatproof. When I do my  PT I’m a super sweater, as in I’m asked if I jumped in a pool quite frequently when I finish working out., and such expose these to a great deal of sweat and they haven’t so much as sputtered. So despite the inexpensive cost to these, they’re built very well.
    Also, they possess a tangle free flat cord which is respectably thick and too feels sturdy in my hands. Lastly a small negative to its build and it’s that they stick out of my ear a little too far. So from the end of the wing there is still a good ¼” of arm before the frame starts and that’s all sticking out in air, I understand why there’s a need for an arm but not one that long.
 
                                                                                                
 
 
Comfort
 
    Also something that I haven’t had any issues with, despite them protruding a little parther from the ear than what I’d like I’ve found no discomfort in these whatsoever regardless if I’m wearing them for enjoyment or using them to boost my workout. The pleasant supply of ear tips and various wing sizes allowed even me (who almost exclusively uses comply memory foam) to find a size that fits competently.
 
Sound
 
    So how well do the Havit Sport Earbuds perform their job at reproducing audio? Very respectably is my answer to that. For these are both wireless AND sweat proof which both in their own regards raise the price of a product so to be this relatively inexpensive the audio quality is quite respectable and even gains points with me when I’m doing the job they're designed for, which is to be used when working out.
    For regular musical enjoyment however they were sometimes difficult to listen to because since they’re geared for working out (and perhaps this price point doesn’t really give you much either) the soundstage is very close and very very narrow. So the notes quite often blend themselves together.
    For the average consumer, especially those who’re budget conscious and are just looking for an inexpensive workout earbud this won’t be a problem whatsoever as well will these complement lower tier audio files very nicely. But let me describe how I feel the individual aspects sound.
 
Treble
 
    The highs on these are very recessed and peak extremely early in comparison to the heavy bass punch. But I will give these their due credit for the treble is nicely clean overall. I find female vocals to come through nicely as well as the recessed highs blend very well into the mids.
 
Mids
 
    My personal favorite aspect of audio for this is the area of the frequency graph that the vocals lie and what gives the audio piece it’s “soul”. Though I understand the field these are focused on I just couldn’t ever grow to like the mids. They’re not only greatly subdued but they’re also overtaken by the bass hit, and for me who’s absolutely not a bass head, it was never something I could grow to enjoy. BUT these are awesome for techno/electronic.
 
Bass
 
    Immediately and without a guess needed the absolute focal point of the Havit’s. This is actually quite preferred in a workout geared earbud for, at least for me, it allows one to really get into the groove of the music and pushes one to work harder.
    The surprisingly heavy punch these possess help with that a good bit. So if you’re a bass head and are on a budget seriously look into getting these.
 
                                                                   
 
 
Conclusion
 
    Though these by no means could be considered an “audiophile” earphone, they bring a very nice niche to the audio world and excel in what they are engineered for AT a very comfortable price point. During my review time with them (and much longer still to come) I never had any issues with them during my workout nor did they ever let me down.
The battery life lasts a consistent 5 ½ hours and gives an audible vocal warning when it’s pairing, has been paired and is close to dying.
If you’re one who’s looking for a budget wireless earphone to use when working out I will absolutely recommend the Havit Wireless Sports Earbud to you. Also on an ending not the microphone for phone calls, is quite good with respect to its other features.
 
Till next time my friends, also make sure you check out my unboxing video here, my full review video here, and by request of Havit, I also posted this review to their Amazon page which you can view here!
 
 

    
 
 
Firstly, I have to give a major shout out and thanks to @Jiffy Squid for accepting me into the reviewers program for @Oppo. I’ve had the honor of listening to all three planar magnetic models offered by Oppo and firmly believe their competence in audio is truly something to behold.
    As an avid fan of the PM-1 I had to try the PM-2 because from what I gathered, the only difference other than being $400 cheaper, is you don’t get the mega extravagant box and complete set of pads. Sonically the PM-1 and PM-2 are the same sharing the exact same driver,  but let’s dive in to this and find out for ourselves shall we? Also as mentioned above, this is a loaner/review unit so your experience may vary some.
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The Opening Experience
 
    I can’t give a full unboxing experience of the PM-2’s being that these were a review unit but like the PM-1’s these came with 2 sets of leather pads (small and large) and my oh so favorite and loved velour pads (if you can equip your cans with velour pads, do it, thank me later). A quick note however is these DO NOT come with all 3 pads, only the review unit did. You will have to purchase your desired pad (if not already equipped) separately.
    Also received is the outstandingly well made 10 foot cable that is not just well made but awesome looking as well. As for the portable cable, it’s still the very cheap looking and feeling one.
 
       
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Construction
 
    Just like their bigger brothers, these are stunningly made. Rather you’re more interested in aesthetics or a super durable build these are absolutely world class and do not disappoint me in any sense of the word (except for the mobile cable).
    The frame is made of very nice *lamb skin I believe* leather and just feels sturdy in my hand. The framework that holds the drive units are also very well put together but unlike the PM-1’s shiny and well polished aluminum, these are made of a matted very hard plastic instead.
    The cushions are easily detachable which allows one to easily replace and equip the desired pads of their choosing.
The 10ft. amp. cable is wonderfully well done and well shielded from outside interference, the jacks feel sturdy on both ends and I feel no worries about having them for years on end.
    The mobile cable however is like Harry Potter. This thing was given absolutely no love and feels as if it was thrown together with whatever was laying around like Harry was thrown under the stair case. It kinks up all the time and *at least the review unit I receiver* the jacks that connect to the headphone protective plastic comes off if I don’t death pinch them. So please do yourself a favor and buy a competent 3rd party cable mobile for these or get the @MoonAudio Silver Dragon cable if you really want to extract every single note of detail. Quick note: yes these are a review unit that’s been heavily used but I expect this to happen to anyones mobile cable.
 
                                                                                              
 
 
 
 
Comfort
 
    Have you ever wondered what a cloud would be like if it gave you a firm hug? Put on a pair on PM-2/1’s and you’ll know. The headband sits perfectly still on my head and doesn’t irritate my hair whatsoever (and I keep it ⅛” buzz cut). It has the right amount of give and support that never once during my longest (i.e. 5+ hours) sessions was I ever uncomfortable or required adjustment. The earpads, especially the velour ones, have the perfect amount of clamping force and are the best example of the goldilocks effect. What more is despite the bulk of these, they don’t hardly weigh anything, so that’s yet another box you can mark off the checklist.
 
Sound
 
    Just like the PM-1’s, after listening to these I’m left awe struck and satisfied. The PM-2’s are oh so full sounding and, to me, leave nothing to be desired. These also carry a potential downside (depending on how you look at it), and that’s they don’t scale well. These sound relatively the same regardless if I’m playing from my phone or my Project Horizon 3 tube amp., henceforth I don’t feel the need to individualize the sound before and after external amplification.
    I found the PM-2’s to overall be very neutral but with a warm inviting hint of warmth. They were wonderfully transparent and provided great imaging to whatever I was listening to from “The Pride” from Five Finger Death Punch to “For All Seasons” by Yanni. I truly felt at the performance.
    Like the PM-1 the only downside I could find with these only exist if you consider them a full open back design over a semi-open, and it’s that they’re not as open or airy sounding as open backs are traditionally known for.
 
Treble
 
    Excellently clean and accurate. The treble extends very high and the energy transfer from the notes to your emotions are terrific and will definitely give you chills.
    The only downside with these which sonically that I’ve found and it’s not even that large is that at the upper treble range, it tends to roll off instead of extending further.
 
Mids
 
    Just like with the PM-1’s, I’m in heaven with these. The mids are strikingly neutral and very precise. I honestly have zero complaints with the mids, they’re perfect.
 
Bass
 
    Out freaking standing is what comes to mind when thinking about the bass response. As I’ve grown to expect from planar magnetic headphones, the bass is incredibly tight and controlled. The warmth presented is exactly what I like in audio and can produce the bass hit when the music demands without layering over the other tones.
 
 
                                                                                     
 
 
Conclusion
 
    To sum up the younger brother of the masterpiece that is the PM-1’s, these are truly a defining headphone and a new standard for what I prefer in audio. The quality, craftsmanship and presentation are above and beyond almost anything regardless of price range. The PM-2’s can also play well with lower tier audio files but I’d definitely recommend no less that FLAC if applicable.
Finally, for those of you who are like myself and have fallen in love with the PM-1’s but the intimidating $1,100 price point deters you then you can absolutely make yourself at home with the PM-2’s. At $700, sonically there are the exact same and aesthetically you’re only missing out on a shiny finish, the extra pads and the very extravagant box. So like flagship bigger brothers, if you’re looking for a wonderful, sub elite class tier headphone that performs exactly like an elite class,  that’s extremely well built, very accurate and neutral, and benchmark setting comfort, or in other words a very close to perfect headphone. Then the Oppo Planar Magnetic (PM) 2’s are definitely for you.
 
Till next time my friends, also make sure you check out my unboxing video here, and my full video review here!

                                                                   
 
 
 
 
    I must first start this by giving a huge thanks to @Joe Bloggs and @FiiO for allowing me to take part in their very FIRST world tour. It’s a huge honor and privilege for me and one I’m tremendously thankful for.
    But what drew me into applying for the EX1 is that I’ve been extremely familiar with Fiio for a few years now in their portable amp. category and have always been impressed per the price. I’ve also heard wonderful things about their DAPs for their price,  so when I heard them making their first IEM I had to give it a shot, so how does it stack up?
 
      
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The Opening Experience
 
    The initial handshake of the EX1 was alright. Nothing to write home about but nothing to be offput by either. The box is very basic as is the presentation of the product, however a great high note that Fiio did was supply an impressive assortment of ear tips so one shouldn’t have any difficulty finding their perfect size (I however used my personal Comply memory foam for personal & sanitary reasons, these are very early in the rotation and are going to other people). Also I was quite impressed in the quality of the hard carrying case provided, doesn’t feel cheap at all.
 
                                                                                          
 
 
Construction
 
    The build quality, the longevity of a product's life. Being made of an aluminum construction it impressed me, to be sub $100 it floored me. These are very lightweight and despite being aluminum I found no rough or sharp edges but rather found them to be rather smooth. The horn is angled which does wonders for the comfort (to be discussed in the next section) and is sized so most any 3rd party tips will fit.
The cable reminds me a lot of the Sennheiser IE800’s, being very thin yet confidently strong as well as attractive. A downside however is that this cable loves to tangle up on itself regardless of how well I try and package it. Another downside to the cable. and it’s one I find in every IEM. is the feedback is pretty decent. When I turn my head and the cable brushes something I hear a pretty good bit of noise, but very acceptable in retrospect.
 
 
 
Comfort
 
    An aspect I feel is slowly going by the wayside to fashion, colors, features and other nonsense. I mostly care about how long can I comfortably enjoy the music being presented to me more than rather or not they look good. So how are the EX1’s? Wonderful. They stay in the ear firmly without any fear of falling out. They’re so light I forget they’re in my ears and are so smooth I barely feel them either. When paired with Comply memory foam the horn fits perfectly in my ear so my longer listening durations of roughly 2 hours went by without any fatigue whatsoever.


                                                                                           
 
 
Sound
 
    The most important part of an audio component (for most people). How does Fiio’s first IEM sound; especially in the sub $100 range which I firmly believe is the most competitive? Well, pretty darned good I do have to say.
    My first and most prominent view of these is that they’re definitely a “fun” IEM to listen to. I can quickly tell they’re not that sonically accurate (regardless of its price point) as it holds a very distinct “V-shape” sound curve with an emphasis on the bass. I don’t find this uncommon for the “fun” sound is what sells in the mainstream market. But what exactly makes me feel this way about the EX1?
 
Treble
 
    The highs on the EX1 sound nice and clean overall. I feel they portray the artist's voice (namely female) respectably accurate, but, and I’ll use the song “Diva Dance” from the fifth element as an example, when the treble greatly extends to the upper range these peak quite early and don’t recreate the entire experience. This only applies to the upper treble range.
 
Mids
 
    My personal favorite aspect of audio is the mid range, or vocals for another way to look at it.  Up front I’ll admit I’m not personally a big fan of the “V-shape” sound curve for most often the company will greatly recess the mid range in order to better increase the treble and bass. This to me leaves the audio piece sounding hollow and lacking of a “soul” as I put it.
    Though the EX1 does have some slight recession in the mid range, it wasn’t enough for me to push them away. All in all the the only complaint I had with the mids is the somewhat dullness to them.
 
Bass
 
    Very quickly found to be the focal point of the EX1, which again ties into the mainstream craze. The bottom end is very punchy and hits hard, even to the sub bass levels. For the price, I can’t really complain at all by the bass response.
The only downside I will say and it is from an “audiophile's” perspective, but since the bass is working harder to reach the lower notes and forcing them to hit them harder, I find it to be somewhat bloated and artificial.  Nothing huge or major but a note that exists nonetheless.



                                                                                          
 

 
Conclusion
 
    To sum up the Fiio EX1’s, they’re a very fun sounding headphone that I believe is a great way of introducing the mainstream audience into a new product line. The build quality, comfort and even the sound out classes most any other product I’m familiar with in this price range and should absolutely be a frontrunner to someone looking for either a great gift for a friend who’s interested in the field or even for yourself as a casual pair to tap your feet to. Fiio’s price/quality ratio has always made them a front runner in my mind throughout any of their products and their newest offering maintains that consistency.
 
Till next time my friends, also check out my unboxing video here, and my full video review here. 
 

   
 
 
 I must first and foremost give a massive thank you to both Sennheiser and Bill Poteet for giving me the opportunity to review such an amazing product. Despite this being a flagship product it’s one I don’t see onto many lists of head-fi meets, so the likelihood of me having the ability of hearing this product let alone to such an extent would’ve likely been null and void. So again thank you for this humbling opportunity.
 
     
 
The Opening Experience
 
    The initial handshake is something I talk about in everyone of my reviews and will continue to do so for I firmly believe it’s one of the most important thing aside from sound quality. How does a company represent itself when it presents its product to the consumer? Will it be a memorable or will it be just another pair of headphones that don’t really mean anything?
    In the case with the IE800’s there’s absolutely no question I was delivered a firm handshake when I opened this product. The box feels premium and the graphics present this monitor as one worn by a professional.
    Upon opening you're greeted by that lovely new headphone smell and a presentation that screams excellence. The buds and custom, serialized, carrying case are gently placed within precision cut out foam grooves which leaves you giddier than a kid on Christmas to insert them in your ears and listen.
    
                                                                                                 
 
 
Construction
 
The build quality of the IE800 is top notch. Made of a ceramic body, these show no sign of weakness. It’s immaculate and high class sheen, beautiful and elegantly designed frame and notable vent ports on the back present a very close resemblance to a high end tower speaker.
The horn however gives me a decent amount of anguish. Not because it’s overly large which is my usual complaint but it’s almost proprietary. The tips provided with them, despite being various in size, don’t do much for my ears. I’ve grown accustomed to this ever since being spoiled with comply memory foam and their comfort, isolation and security in the ear. When I try and equip them to the IE800’s horn they barely stay on and always come off in my ear when pulling the earphones out which is vastly irritating, so I must use the tips provided which takes away from the musical enjoyment because I don’t get half the sense of security for they feel like they’re always falling out, even if they’re not. Also no matter which tip I used I could never get a great seal.
Moving down to the cable, I find it to be very well made, sturdy and fairly tangle resistant. Sennheiser went a step further and made these detachable in case one were to accidentally snag them, they can either break away preventing damage or easily be replaced. I’ve two downsides with this cable however. First is, I wish the interconnect would’ve been placed on the actual frame itself as opposed to a quarter of the way down. It’s more a personal thing but a negative for me nonetheless. Lastly, the cable is about 4-6” to small. I usually keep my phone in my back pocket and this cable just barely accomodates this.
  
                                                                                            
 
 
Comfort
 
    Arguably the second most important thing about a piece of audio gear is how long can it comfortably be worn? The IE800’s for the most part fair very well in this category. The frame is very light weight and the ceramic keeps them nice and cool in your ear. When I’m leaning back in my chair relaxing with these I completely forget where I am or that I even have these in my ear for that matter.
The horn is angles to put minimum strain on your tragus which is always a plus. But as said earlier the major takeaway from the comfort for me is the fact that you’re almost solely able to listen to these with the supplied silicone tips.
Finally is the cable, I do notice a small amount of feedback anytime the cable brushes against something. It’s not a huge distraction like other IEM’s I own but it is present nonetheless.
                                                                                                     
 
 
Sound
 
Finally there’s (at least in my opinion) the most important aspect in a piece of audio equipment and that’s how they perform musically. And I have to say these perform majestically. The IE800 could definitely perform admirably in the elite class but at only $800 these are definitely a pack leader in its respective price range.
The soundstage is wonderful, and quite vast considering it to be an IEM. To add onto the soundstage the separation presented is breathtaking. You can very easily discern different sections and almost individual instruments within a giant orchestra to such a wonderful degree I frequently forget I’m not sitting center isle.
The tonal balance is very neutral with a small hint of warmth which makes them ideal for what I look for in audio. Which is not entirely about sonic accuracy but more a warm, enjoyable, experience that swift's me away and relaxes me into the performance being delivered.
Once these were burned in and got rid of the veil on them they did this sublimely.
On the note of burn in, these absolutely need at least 10hrs. before they even start sounding like $800 earphones. The veil I just mentioned is very prominent in these and the expression “like taking off a dust shroud” couldn’t be any truer than with these. Unfortunately I didn’t have these long enough to fully burn them in but I guarantee they’ll continuously sound better with proper burn in. As for the individual aspects of the IE800’s sound,  I’ll divulge a small spoiler, amazing.
 
Treble
 
    The highs on the IE800 are awesome. They’re competent, energetic and full of life. I don’t find them tiring to listen to, even during extra long listening sessions. The only “thing” I could find, and I really searched for this, is these seem to wanna draw a little more juice to bring out the higher pitches. In comparison to the other notes the treble isn’t as, forward is the only word that comes to mind. Again not really notable at all but ever so slightly present nonetheless.


 
Mids
    
    The vocals, oh how I’ve come to love Sennheiser for their mids (most of their products anyways) and these are absolutely no exception. The vocals are stunningly accurate and intimate. I feel like I’m having a private concert performed with the accuracy and soulfulness that breaths realism. I have fell in love with the mids these produce. The only bias I can tell is a slight increase in the lower mid, upper bass which give a sensual warmth to it.
 
Bass
 
    Here I suspect will lose some people. The bass on these are not that heavy, in fact while playing some heavier bass songs these let me down a some. The upper bass range was great and meshed seamlessly into the mids but the mid bass is quite recessed, not absent but definitely recessed so bass heads will need to be aware. As for the sub bass feels, they’re there but very little.
 
                                                                                            
 
 
Conclusion
 
    To sum up the IE800’s, these are truly a work of art; both auditorily and aesthetically. When you’ve these in your ear you’ll not only feel like an audio professional, you’ll look like one. The sound is so silky smooth that I can about guarantee you’ll lose track of your surroundings while being drifted away into the performance being presented in front of you.
    I would recommend this without any restrictions to anyone who’s looking for not just a very accurate and neutral pair of IEMs but one gives a very relaxing experience as well. If you’re a bass head however these are most likely not going to be for you. As for the vast majority, it’ll be a purchase well spent.
 
Till next time my friends, also check out my unboxing video here, and my full video review here.

  
 
 
I must start this by giving a major shout out and thank you to Monster for giving me these headphones over 2 years ago. They were my first ever headphone in the $300 price range and probably played a role into getting me into this very rewarding yet very expensive lifestyle.
     As stated above I've had these headphone for a couple years now but honestly haven't put that many hours on them in respect to my others. So I've taken them out of their box and have been listening to them again this past week so I may finally write my way past due review.
 
 
                                                                                  
 
The Opening Experience
 
    The handshake into Monster's former flagship headphone was enjoyable and memorable, the box is well made and doesn't feel cheap. When opened you're greeted with a nice smell of faux leather from both the case and spare headband. Under the accessories section is the warranty and how to guide but inside the case you're greeted with very nice looking headphones that I must say are exceptionally well built,  you're also provided with 3 tangle free (flat) monster cables; 1 universal mic, 1 Apple mic, and 1 straight cable.
    A very nice handshake I must give due credit, for it's been over 2 years and I still remember the excitement I had opening these for the first time, which sadly is something I feel other “mainstream” brands let fall to the way side.
 
                                                                                             
 
 
Construction
 
These are built extremely well, better in fact than a lot of $500-$1,000 headphones I know of. The frame is almost entirely aluminum, and thick aluminum at that, which continues down to the driver casings themselves, which are your standard headphone quality plastic.
The cables are nothing special minus being tangle free flat cables, but they provide you with 3 options as mentioned above. Both the head bands and pads are replaceable which adds a good bit of longevity to the life of these for that’s usually the first thing to go bad. Overall I’m very satisfied with the construction on these and feel confident they’ll last for many years with respect to the treatment shown towards them.
 
 
Comfort
 
    One of the most important things under sound quality is how do they feel on one's head? The Inspirations use a foamy material in their ear cushions that I find a bit thin and could really use more of. I find that the foam pads almost immediately give way which leads to my ears brushing the cloth covering the drive units,  this in addition to these using a smaller square style cup makes them at times feel like supra aural headphones. This quickly leads to ear fatigue and then pain within a matter of only an hour or so which forces me adjust them or take them off altogether.
  The headband uses the same kind of  foam but is just thick enough as to not be uncomfortable. The clamping force however is where I believe these have the largest downfall. It’s not that it’s overly tight on my head as opposed to the angle at which these are restricted to moving; there’s just no mercy with them in regards to the up and down movement.
 
                                                                                             
 
    Sound
    
    For those who don’t know, the Inspirations were originally designed to be the Beats Executive headphones before they split into their own entities. So one can reasonably expect these to be very bass biased but the big question is, does the bass flow well or is it overpowering enough to bleed into the rest of the sound?
  A big thing these have going for them is the NC function with an integrated amplifier which allegedly increases the overall sound quality in addition to just eliminating annoying background noise, so from here I will split the review into two section, with and without the noise cancelling feature.
 
        Treble
 
    I’ve been listening to quite a few tracks that focus on the treble and I really want to say that the highs are pretty neutral BUT with the exception (or addition whichever way you look at it) not sounding lively at all. I don’t want to call the treble on these dead but they just do nothing for me. While listening to “Lindsey Stirling: Elements” this song usually really gets me going but with these all I got was a meh. Another characteristic is that the highs peek fairly early and then quickly recess. This can be an issue but for those sensitive to treble spikes, they may appreciate that aspect. Lastly, I notice the lower treble right above the upper mid range really doesn’t separate well, which I blame the powerful bass for dragging the response curve down.
 
        Treble w/ NC
 
     When the amp is kicked in I do notice the highs extend a little further but the meshing of the lower treble upper mids actually worsen for the bass gains a big step up and bleeds its bias even further.
 
        Mids
    I’m actually quite surprised on how clean the mids are. I do notice a slur towards the lower end due to the powerful bass but still find them quite enjoyable. The vocals come through cleanly and if you’re a fan of the sax these play very kindly with them. The only drawback I’ve ran into is when I’m listening to a female vocals who has a really high pitched voice, she gets toned down a slight amount.
  
   Mids w/ NC
 
    Pretty simply put, the mids get louder. I can’t tell any audible difference in quality other than dB.
 
        Bass
 
    The main focal point of the Inspiration’s. When these are placed upon your head and the play button is hit you’ll feel an immediate hit with somewhat exaggerated decay. The bass response is very heavy, punchy and overstated. Do keep in mind that like the Beats, the bass does overlap everything so bass lovers, eyes front.
 
        Bass w/ NC
 
    With NC turned on the bass gains a notable dB increase along with a stronger punch to it, but I feel it’s mainly due to volume gain.  A down side I noticed is the bass also sounds slightly muddier.
 
        General audio impressions
 
    The soundstage is very close but I won’t call them intimate; that term I like to use for audio that is sensual and relaxing. I found these pretty good gaming headphones, the positional cues are quite accurate and transmute channels very well,  however determining how far away things are were somewhat difficult. As previously stated the transitional abilities from left to right channel is amazing, easily competing with some of my higher dollar open cans.
  I don’t get a real good sense of transparency or realism when listening to these, my personal preference is to relax and enjoy the music being presented before me but these just play music. On a different note the energy transfer is awesome. When I’ve some upbeat music playing I can’t help but snap my fingers and tap my feet (or maybe even dance if I’m feeling froggy enough).
    
 
                                                                                     
 
    Conclusion
 
    I wish I could say I’ve enjoyed my years of owning these but it wasn’t until recently that I brushed the dust off the box to give them another listen. Though I did regain some appreciation for them I still found them to be too bass heavy for my personal tastes.
    The noise cancelling feature on these works pretty well and can very efficiently drown out (or drastically lower) the loud noises of the airport overhead announcements and peoples ambient murmuring. Truthfully I rarely ever use the NC function because the built in amp makes things too loud and extends the bass way more than I care for.
    The built quality is top notch and should be able to withstand even the busiest of people and the sound will definitely appeal to both bass heads and treble sensitive people with it’s strong and upfront sound signature.
 
Till next time my friends, also make sure to check out my unboxing video here, and my full video review here!

                                                                         
 
 
 
The process behind buying this little guy was honestly a lot more complicated then what I'm sure most people go through. Why, you ask? Because this was and still is my very first tube amp. and home amp. as well so I didn't know at all what I was looking for, what would complement my Sennheiser HD650's well (yes my friends I bought the 650's before I had an amp. [to my credit it was only like a week] haha), what would look good, and most importantly what would give me the best performance for what small budget I had, which was $100 which begrudgingly against what I was hoping for, was increased to $300 for I was unanimously told if I wanted to have any sort of furture proofing that was the minimum I needed to go. So I had my price and so the search began, first brand in my head for the longest time was Schiit and I was right on the point of purchasing the Asgard 2 but yet again a whole lot of “no no no no”'s came in saying tube was the way I really should go but the Valhalla 2 was just to much for what I could afford, so the search continues, that was until my good friend @evshrug told be to look into a DIY company Garage 1217.
 
                                                                                        
 
The Opening Experience
 
     Before I begin this section I must disclose that I chose the pre-built option (I've no idea how build an amp. honestly) but one can opt in for the unassembled version which firstly will be I think $20 cheaper and the opening experience will differ from mine.
     I'm actually going to split this into two paragraphs for I believe it warrants it. The initial “opening” I had with this company is when I sent an email to them on the website asking a few general question because I was ,and honestly still am, a complete amp. novice so I wanted to get a good understanding of what it was I was putting my money into because, just putting my foot in the door of the higher side of audio spending $300 on an amp. just to power my slightly more expensive $500 headphones made me a bit squeamish. But Jeremy (the main guy of Garage1217) quickly answered my questions in a very individualized NONE UNIVERSAL email that really put me at ease and gave me enough confidence in them that he earned my business.
     The initial experience into what a company has to offer, the handshake if you will that says “Pleasure to meet your acquaintance my friend to the future of many hours of enjoying each others company”. So how did Garage 1217 do? Pretty boring and forgettable unfortunately (I actually had to go bad and watch my YouTube unboxing video of it because I forgot), the amp. comes in a USPS Priority Mail box(which is good they get it to the buyer very quickly) and inside that is just simple boxes holding the power cords and bubble wrap surrounding the amp itself with the tube already socketed. Is the opening experience an end all be all for a product? Goodness no but I mean come on, it's the initial greeting or handshake you do when ya meet someone, put some effort into it, in other words make it a firm one!
      
       
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Construction
 
     The build quality of this is very misleading, because at an initial glance it appears to be very badly put together with super cheap plastic and a couple screws, I mean you can see the complete inner workings of the thing! But when you pick it up and actually analyze it you'll quickly realize that this is impressively well put together and doesn't even so much as sway if you were to hold it on one of the corner bars.
     As said earlier it's a completely open design which enables the user to see write into the inner workings, and I'm not just referring to the tube and blah blah blah, oh no I mean everything. From the chips, to the cables, the the big black block looking things that get pretty darn hot (not super insightful on this stuff yet if you couldn't tell), to the actual connection when you plug in your inputs and headphone jack. This is a very cool aspect that I've never seen before and have grown very fond of it.
     From the manufacture you can choose either a see through lid (which I obviously chose) or an aluminum black top. You can choose from the silver or black volume knob, and finally a pretty nice selection of led colors that add a really nice appeal to the amp that the tube already had, I chose red for I figured it'd complement the existing tube color the best, but I've seen others and they've all looked very nice so pick freely my friends.
 
Specifications (ripped straight from the manufactures website)
 
Actual Project Horizon Measurements

1. Single ended OTL class-A output stage.
2. Power consumption: 13W continuous, 19W peak.
3. Power supply: 48VDC (0.55A cont, 0,8A peak)
4. Input Resistance: 11k / 31kOhm gain module dependent
5. Input Sensitivity (6N23): 270mV (dependent on tube)
6. Gain: 20dB (dependent on tube) Changed from the original higher 26dB specification
7. Max Output voltage (no load): 14.1Vrms at 300ohm
8. Output Resistance: Selectable 1.5, 35 or 120ohm
9. Frequency Response: 10Hz – 160 KHz (-0.5dB) with 32ohm load
10. Frequency Response: 4Hz – 400 KHz (-3dB) with 32ohm load
11. Signal to Noise ratio: 91dBA (dependent on tube)
12. Crosstalk: -88dB (dependent on tube)
13. THD: > 0.013% (dependent on tube)
14. Suitable for: 120-600ohm Headphones

Dimensions:

1. 6.5L X 5W X 2.75H in inches

Weight:

1. Acrylic Chassis 1lb (without power supply)

 
                                                                                               
 
 
 
Sound (W/ stock JJ ECC 82 tube)
 
     The thing about a tube amp is, is that there's no way for me to determine how the amp. itself sound for it must always have a tube inside of its chamber. So my review of the sound quality will most solely reflect the tube which came with it which is the JJ ECC 82.The main headphone I was using was of course my Sennheiser HD650's so some of my reference will inevitably reflect its own principles as well.
     Upon listening to this for the first time, oh my gosh, it was like the curtain had been raised and sound just poured into my ears like it never has before. The depth, the immersion, the warmth was so wonderful it rivals that of my benchmark Bowers and Wilkins P7. In fact when I hooked my P7 up to this (switching the gain switch to low) it even opened up the sound on these a very small amount as well. These are certainly not a match for this 120-600ohm amp. but it did bring a nice, change if you will, to the P7 signature. I wouldn't classify it as better or worse but it was something new and refreshing I haven't gotten from these in a while. If you've a pair of planars I found that these complemented the PM-3 I reviewed extremely well. It added a very nice sense of warmth to it that the PM-3's were missing. I found it added a nice forwardness to the midsection but didn't really touch the treble all that much if anything.
     Lastly these give a very subtle addition to the soundstage but I feel it unnatural. Again this being my first tube I don't have any other experience to go on but tubes in their design add harmonic distortion and for the most part I find it to be rather enjoying but during my time truly listening to the PH3 for the sake of critiquing I noticed they added actually a good amount of distortion that sometimes made the music I'm listening to not a pleasurable experience.
     Going back to the soundstage, if you've a setting on your audio app. (mostly android users) that says something like “Stereo X”. It's an artificial attempt to increase the size of the soundstage but though it does this sure for those of us who truly listen to our music it immediately becomes notable that it makes the music sound stretched and fake. Now don't get me wrong, though the PH3 does have this (with this tube) it's nowhere near to that degree, as to a reference to understand what I was trying to say; even so, for all the strengths I've found in this, this small take away I can definitely live with.
A final note on the audio quality, and this one only happens when you initially plug it into your source, and that is that these receive a massive crack, a bang almost it what comes to mind. What I mean by this is when I plug the aux jack say into my computer (or any other device, it consistently happens) there's this extremely loud pop that really sets me back for it is painfully as in physically painfully loud.
 
                                                                                      
 
 
Conclusion
 
     In summary, I am truly happy that I finally pulled the trigger on this outstanding quality amp. Though yes it has some draw backs with it's distortion so a critical listening experience isn't necessarily good for this but if you're someone like myself who just likes to sit back, unwind, and enjoy the music as it washes over you, then this amp. is definitely for you. The welcoming warmth it adds to headphones is almost always appreciated and never once have I had an issue with volume levels. I'm excited with this tube to have the ability to easily roll tubes and discover new sound characteristics and differences amongst different tubes.
     I was very finicky about picking my first (tube) amp. but after having it for roughly 3 months I've no complaints and would definitely recommend this company to anyone. The customer service you receive from Jeremy goes so far above and beyond in getting you the answer to your questions you'll, like me, feel like you're actually an important customer verses another sale number that I most always feel when buying products from larger brand names.
 
Till next time my friends, also make sure to check out my unboxing video here, and my full review video here!

                                                                               
 
 
 Firstly I've got to give a massive thank you to  @Jiffy Squid for accepting me into the Loaner Program for @OPPO , for if it wasn't for him it's very unlikely I'd have had the honor and pleasure of listening and reviewing these quite wonderful works of art and also my new standard for audio. Also as mentioned above this was a loaner/review unit so my experience will differ slightly from a newly purchased unit, namely in the unboxing experience.
 
You'll notice my comparing them to the Bowers & Wilkins; The reasons for such is that those were previously my standard on what I expect from a headphone and audio company. This is probably going to be one of my shortest reviews because these are truly a new standard for what to expect from an audio company, and only having the ability to rate it a 5 is rather shortcoming in my opinion.
 
                                                                                           
 
                                                                                                  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The Opening Experience
 
The opening experience on these I can't give any sort of impressions on because as a loaner/review unit I didn't receive any of the box/packaging other than the headphones, cables, case and extra pads. Now amongst those I was incredibly impressed by the sheer quality of everything minus the 3.5mm cable, I felt it was the last thing they worked on so for a lack of better terms, threw something together.
 
                                                                                           
 
 
Construction
 
The only pair of headphones I've ever come across that are even close to being as well built as these (other than their own model line) are the Bowers & Wilkins. The frame is completely aluminum with lambskin leather being used as padding. This theme continues all the way down to the drive housing which is the only plastic I find on these and even such is very high quality.
The pads are not only made using the finest of materials, you actually get 3 different ones to choose from. A large lambskin leather set, a small lambskin leather set, and finally my personal favorite, the microfiber/velour set. These are easily interchangeable by a simple magnetic lock mechanism so no worries about being unable to find one to your liking.
 
The 1/4" cable is what I expect from an elite class product such as this. It's beautifully braided from the jack up to about 8" from the headphone connectors which does an amazing job at shielding the sound from outside interference including brushes against clothes etc... The other cable is not as well built however. The mobile 3.5mm cable to me feels like it was just something thrown together at the end of the production line for in kinks, has minimal, if any, shielding and does receive some feedback when brushed against something.
 
                                                                                             
 
 
Comfort
 
The comfort on these is something that yet again, I've no complaints on. They fit oh so snuggly on ones head just tight enough to feel like a nice welcoming hug. The lambskin leather headband sits softly on your head and doesn't bush ones hair back which quickly leads to discomfort, in fact I've not had to even so much as adjust them even after several hours of listening to them.
 
These take comfort a step that no other brand I've tried does and includes 3 pairs of ear pads (rather this was a loaner program exclusive or actually does come with a purchased unit I'm unsure) so no matter your cup of tea, they have you covered. The one that worked by far best for my was the microfiber/velour pads that are very similar to what's found on the Beyerdynamic DT880's whereas the other 2 are a small and large lambskin leather which is nice but nowhere near what the fiber pad does.
 
The pads also do a great job at keeping the ears away from the padding which was a big downfall for me on the PM-3 because that agitated the fart outta me. But these have no such issue. Super long 4+ hour listening sprees needn't fear for these beauties all but massage your ears.
 
                                                                                             
 
 
Sound
 
 
The sound on these, oh how I can preach about the sound. The first thing you'll notice is that if you plug from your amp. to your phone you wont notice any loss of quality of if such minimal. This I'm honestly unsure of rather it's a good thing or not that it didn't scale, for better or worse, at all when I went from my phone to my tube amp. or visa versa. So unlike my PM-3 review I will refrain from separating a before and after amplification section and simply talk about its sound. Which before I get into the individuality of it, was extremely neutral, yet still very inviting. The only downside I've found and honestly I really had to look hard to find it so I could put something in the con space, but these don't sound as spacious or "airy" as most open back headphones I've tried have. But if you see them as a semi open back, which is what I personally believe they should be, that issue goes away because they sound similar to other semi opens.
 
Treble
 
The highs on these are extremely clean and very accurate with what I'm hearing vs what I know is real. The only thing I sometimes notice is when it goes from treble to the upper treble range, I guess the "audiophile" term is rolls. It just sounds ever so slightly off, not better or worse, just off.
 
Mids
 
The vocals on these a point blank neutral, they're detailed, unbiased, and wondrously clean. I'm trying to think of more to say but I can't really babble on about what's already darned near perfect.
 
Bass
 
The bass on these are stunning, throughout the range, stunning. I was afraid when I got these they'd be rather bass light like the PM-3 but oh no, they're wonderful. They have the speed I've come to expect from a planar but retain the bass resonance or hit of a dynamic driver. The upper bass seamlessly flown into the mid section but yet oh how you'll get that sub bass feels when a hard rock song comes up in rotation.
 
                                                                                            
 
Conclusion
 
To sum these masterpieces up, they're so darned amazing I never would've thought that my Bowers & Wilkins would ever be blown away. Yes there's a big price difference but I've heard others that are yes better sure, but don't blow them away for what it is that I personally look for in audio. These are also a pair of cans that can somewhat play nicely with lower quality audio files. Now they shine with top tier but if you're watching YouTube music video, unless it's very poorly encoded, your experience should still be quite enjoyable.So for those of you looking for a wonderful elite class tier of headphone that's extremely well built, very neutral and accurate, and benchmark setting comfort, or in other words a very close to perfect headphone, then these are definitely for you, if you can afford them.
 
Till next time my friends, also check out my unboxing video here, and my video review here!

                                                                       
 
 
 
 
 
 A company whose products give me endless enjoyment, they fulfill every need I personally look for in audio and also have a really awesome history to read, what other company's founder do you who who was good friends with the President of the United States? I'm talking about none other than the American based company out of New York, Harman/Kardon and their lushly warm and gratifyingly relaxing AE's.
 
 
                                                                                     
 
 
The Opening Experience
 
These come in a very nice, small box that opens from the back similar to that of a clam shell, the contents are very up front and easy to maneuver around without any annoying plastic or ties. In the main front you're greeted with the really nice cardboard case that magnetically latches and the buds which are nicely positioned in between foam cut outs with the rest of the cable coiled up under it. Behind that you've the warranty and information paperwork, and extra ear tips. A simple and quick experience that gets right to the point, an expression that describes these very well.
 
 
                                                                                    
 
 
Construction
 
The durability of the buds themselves I find to not have an issue with at all whatsoever, they're made out of nice aluminum as is the horn with the back being a soft plastic which I believe was chosen for its resonance qualities, which I'll touch on later. The microphone is made of the standard plastic you'd expect at this price point as is the casing around aux jack itself. Now as for the cable definitely the first big negative, the cable is a standard plastic cased cable that is well insulated to feedback from being brushed against something really isn't all that bad, BUT oh my goodness golly gee does it have memory. If it's coiled up in its case for an extended period of time, it will remember that shape and will bind, kink and tangle so darned much you'd feel it might as well be a birds nest. So if you're like me and have a pretty large selection this may come up an issue, but if you're looking for a wonderful dailyish use product, then this'll be unnoticed.
Going back to the microphone, the quality is very nice and people I'm talking to have no problem hearing me and can distinguish me quite well from the airport environment in which I work in (course seeing as it's placed right on your mouth almost I find it hard to be otherwise). The buttons are all flush with the rest of the mic minus a small bump in the middle of the play/pause button, this is a “to each their own” thing but I personally am never a fan of this setup for I like individual, easily distinguishable buttons that you quickly know which one you're selecting.
Lastly on the note of its construction is the horn. The horn is a normal, maybe slightly larger diameter, straight stick style so it will rely on your tragus to stay in your ear so those with small ones also may be weary, but for me I've absolutely no issues with them staying in my ear or even discomfort despite it being a straight style. The tips that came with them are the standard semi-circle style and absolutely so for the almost 2 years I've owned these I've almost solely used Comply (memory foam).
 
 
                                                                                              
 
 
 
 
 
Comfort
 
Despite the horn on these being slightly on the larger side I find them to be very comfortable, even for sleeping in. The square body does quite well in keeping itself slim against your head so sleeping on your side shouldn't pose any issue for most people. For everyday listening they're just fine the only complaint I have is, and even it's simply because I can't give them the consistent listening time to prevent it, but the twirling of the cable makes them prone to getting entwined and snagged on air it seems lol.
The tips that came with them are the standard semi-circle style tips which work for the majority of people but I for one am not keen on them so I've spoiled myself on the Comply (memory foam) because of their form fit, and incredible isolation abilities. Actually on the matter of isolation, I find these to be pretty good. If I've music playing then they're as good as noise canceling but just as is I can still pretty clearly make out conversations happening around me.
An issue I can see come up is 2 fold; firstly if you're like me and listen to music for an extended period of time them the larger straight stick horn can get to be fatiguing on the ear (usually only after 1.5hrs or so though). Secondly is that those with a smaller ear canal or ear in general may not be able to comfortably put these in their ear at all. Which is where the second big drawback comes into play and that is (if you haven't guessed it) the slightly large straight stick horn.
 
 
 
 
Sound
 
Now onto the most important aspect of an audio product, the sound quality. If you're on the market for a wonderfully relaxing pair of buds that you want to be able to effortlessly pop into your ears and just unwind to at the end of the day and not really care as much about sonic accuracy, then these are definitely going to be for you. So spoiler alert, to be in this price point and perform like they do, they're awesome.
As well the soundstage is really good, especially in the depth department. I can tell that instruments are sitting further back in the orchestra/performance without having to try much at all. The surround ques on these are also very impressive, I remember one time in fact I was listening to a track and there was a snare drum slightly tapping but it felt so real I had to look up from my phone and look for it (prob. looked kinda silly like I was chasing a fly with my eyes if I had to imagine it haha)
 
-Treble
 
The highs on these are subtle and refined yet slowed down. Normally I'd say that was a bad thing but for these I believe it complements the overall balance very well, which you'll grow to understand as I progress.
In addition to being a little slow I also find the highs peek and fatigue very quickly, now unlike the speed I will give this one a slight negative note because it peeks so quick it leaves me longing to hear the rest of the note (a perfect example is Allan Taylor- Colour of the Moon [easily found on YouTube] the whole song is amazing but my example is literally in the first 5 seconds).
Lastly on the highs I note they're notably recessed, but like it's speed it falls nicely into play with the rest of the tonality of the sound (though on a personal note I wish it coulda been just a little better). A bit of negatives on the treble of these it seems but really the treble is still quite nice, I can't stress this enough, if you listen to these as a whole unit and not just for one particular frequency range. That is, until you reach the lower treble/upper mids and then oh how these awaken from their slumber.
 
-Mids
 
The mids, oh how I can preach about the sublimity of the mids on these (want an example check out Chris Jones- No Sanctuary Here). The vocals of whoever you're listening to just flow with such grace and calming presence, you'd think you're back to being 5 being tucked to sleep by you mother. The way the lower treble, mids, and upper bass mesh together presents such an amazing warm tone that I've grown to expect from Harman/Kardon. I can honestly go on and on about how wonderful the entire mid section of these are (they're darned near perfect) but I'm pretty sure you get the picture so, moving on.
 
-Bass
 
The bass on these I find to be full and carry a nice warmth to it. I find it to be, like the treble, on the slower side and have a little more decay in its falloff BUT it blends really well with the rest of these if you're using it as a specialty pair of buds.
The sub bass levels on these are honestly surprisingly really impactful. Not to the degree it takes away from the rest of its tonality but when the bass it kickin' I'm definitely feelin', which shows these can be used as a fun bud as well.
To sum the bass up, I don't really have any complaints. I believe it meshes well with the rest of the sound and hits quite nicely. I don't immediately notice any spotlight or recession on any particular bass range excluding the upper and can find I'm able to listen to these with really any music.
 
                                                            
 
 
 
 
 
 
Conclusion
 
To sum up these buds, these are by far one of the best earphone around (especially in the $150 price range) to sit back, relax (actually let me rewrite that word so you get the picture I'm trying to express) relax, and unwind with. These will absolutely just transport you into the performance you're listening to if it's a midrange focused song (almost everything from Yanni [YouTube his live performances, you're welcome]). They're built very well so fret not if someone else listens to them they don't need to be babied.
Obviously higher bitrate music is always better but for those without the space to download lossless audio or perhaps even FLAC need not fret because these wont at all tear apart lower quality music files.
Despite having easily kinky cables and a slightly larger horn, I really had no complaints at all for these. Are they sonically accurate? No, not that much. But that's not what I believe the engineer was going for in these, for if you've a chance to experience these for yourself I have full confidence you'll know exactly what I'm talking about.
 
Till next time my friends, also make sure you check out my unboxing video here, and my review video here!

                                                                                  
 
 
 
 The inspiration behind my purchase of these was very simple for they were a gift for my much better half. What I was looking for when I was searching was a pair of earphones that firstly had a very small yet comfortable tips, then from there I wanted something that reflected her. So I looked for something very sleek, classy and professional looking yet stood out from the social norm. I wanted something that was amazingly tough, strong and durable while looking seemingly fragile and lastly I wanted something that was agile yet never tangled up on itself, something that was not afraid to be used and durable to take everyday use without fraying. As for the sound I've learned from letting her listen to all mine that she likes very clean music that was accurate to the recording but yet not bland as some reference can be. She liked listening to the violin to hear what she will someday sound like so I new the higher frequencies would be a focus with the mids being clean, as for the bass well she likes it to be there but not at all a focal point. Taking all of these factors into consideration I new almost instantly that the Klipsch X7i was her to a “T”.
 
 
                                                                                            
 
The Opening Experience
 
What I thought the experience of opening this was going to be like is that of opening a piece of art that was encased in a museum for the presentation of these is still some of the best and most classy packaging I've ever seen. The actual experience, well drove me absolutely bonkers. First you must pull a piece of plastic off on the bottom nothing hard about that at all, from there the case the buds are in very easily slide out, but from here oh how you will be frustrated (unless you're NOT like me and simply tear apart the packaging, for then opening this isn't anything to you). But every fold of plastic I opened it seemed I had to open another piece of plastic to get to it and then I had to maneuver everything outta the slits given to hold them in position.
Once you finally get the 'phones free at the bottom of the cardboard box you get a nice array of difference ear tips (which are my favorite non-memory foam tips I've ever used), the warranty and info. paperwork and lastly the faux leather carrying case which is very sleek and low profile perfect for the space conscious traveler.
 
 
                                                                                                  
 
 
Construction
 
The construction of these are wonderful, very well made yet with not a single loss of style and class. The tips (which are patented to Klipsch) are oval shaped and fit just perfectly in the ear canal, so well in fact they're the only other tips I ever use besides Comply (memory foam). The frame is made of hand polished ceramic and if you've read any of my other reviews you'd know that anything that someone put time into instantly gets a better rating from me; but on that note the fact that they're ceramic means that they stay cool and not just in looks either (see the joke I slid in there? No? *le sigh* Well hmph I thought it was a good one). These buds don't get warm in your ear unlike most every nonmetal bud I've listened to these always stay a nice cool temperature.
The horns are slightly angled to allow optimum comfort and doesn't rest at all on the tragus. This is something I look for almost first when I'm looking for earphones because my goodness does it do wonders for comfort, isolation, and in my honest opinion even helps the sound a good bit.
Next is the microphone, in which is super low profile, despite it being pretty large it blends into the 'phones low profile design. The buttons are very responsive and require little effort to press. The quality itself is very very nice. Not once did someone I was talking to say they had an issue listening to me when I was stationary. This mic. is very sensitive and can pick up surrounding noise which includes over head announcements (I work at Charlotte airport, so I can test the extremes) as well as the brushing of your clothes when commuting. That sensitivity is the only fault I see in the microphone.
Finally there's the cable which is, as you can guess, sleek and low profile. But it's also flat and very tangle resistant and quite abrasive resistant as well, so in terms of durability of the cable I've no complaints. However one I do have and it's actually a pretty large one and that is the cable itself is very prone to feedback when it brushes against your clothes. Even the slightest of brush from the microphone higher will create a very audible, don't know the technical word for it but racket.
 
                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
 
Comfort
 
These I must say are one of the most comfortable pair of earphones I've ever listened to. They feel like air almost in your ear they're so lightweight. I can honestly say I've warn these for in excess of 3 hours without any discomfort, the most I had to do was push them further in the ear (which I don't even have to that when I've the Comply memory foam equipped). The ceramic body keeps both them and my ear nice a cool (my I.E.M.s tend to make my ear hot) which allows me to enjoy my music more without having to worry about discomfort.
The patented oval ear tips that come with them, as said earlier, are awesome and by far the most comfortable silicone tips I've ever used bar none. They ease their way into my canal as opposed to forcing its way in as the standard semi circle style which is something I always dread when demoing new earphones for most stores only carry those for their demo tips.
In terms of how well they isolate outside sound I'd say their quite decent but not great. Again working in the airport allows me to try them in some of the loudest places (that people would still be listening to music in) so I can get a pretty good feel. When I've music playing I can still somewhat hear the outside announcements and ambient murmuring but nowhere near to the degree that I'd be annoyed, but they nowhere near isolate to the level of my I.E.M.s which are my benchmark for isolation (I even take these to the gun range they do so well).
                     
                                                                                                         
 
Sound
 
The sound of these are extremely nice and silky smooth but are quite bright, I definitely notice this when listening to Five Finger Death Punch's lead singer; for the pitch of his voice with these is notable a little higher than actuality. Whenever someone says they like detail, bright, or a very clean overall sound that's not bass dependent, these are one of my go-to brands because 1.) they fall perfectly into that category and 2.) they never let me down. The sound quality these possess makes just about everyone from probies getting into the hobby or experts that know exactly what to listen for completely satisfied. These also have some of the best binural abilities of most any other earphone, heck even headphone, that I've ever listened, to the surround ques are absolutely something to behold.
 
-Treble
 
Klipsch's are known for their highs. The treble in these are so beautiful and precise that I get chills when listening to energetic music. You feel it in your soul and have no choice but to embrace the chill bumps. Want an example of this? Listen to the live version of Yanni “All Season” (easily found on YouTube) and prepare to be blown away. I have absolutely zero complaints about the treble in these 'phones and also have nothing I'd like to be changed, their perfect as is.
 
-Mids
 
The midrange on these are very nice and detailed but do give bias towards the upper frequencies. As said above they will slightly heighten the pitch of the artists voice, not to the point of being drastically inaccurate but still notable. Something I did note on these as well is that these have a defining dip in the lower midrange and upper bass. Despite the upper mid bias I still wouldn't change the mids on these that much because the mids seamlessly flow into the treble and just complement this phone too well.
 
-Bass
 
And finally we have the bass. As you can expect from a notable bright headphone the bass on these are not heavy (which is what makes them bright haha) but yet you can still get a full sense and feeling even when listening to heavy metal. The bass it tight and controlled but I do notice when that these will start to sound tired if the bass is a continuous hit so those who listen to a lot of rap may not want to consider these for I feel you may not get(my personal bias towards rap aside) the full experience. But if the bass is sparingly given throughout the music and hits when appropriate the accuracy of this bass is close to that of even the Planar Magnetic PM-3.
 
                                                                                      
 
 
 
Conclusion
 
To sum these beautiful art pieces up, they're a no worries earphone that is not only one of the most comfortable pair you'll ever wear but a work horse at that. These retail for $199.99 from their website and have become one of my go to brands anytime I'm looking for in-ear phones. They're an amazing American based company that though is better known for their tower speakers, produces some of the best earphones I've ever listened to. And though these are not their flagships I honestly still prefer these over their X11i models for their beautiful treble and silky smooth tonality. As for Christina, even after almost a year she loves them more than anything else we have at the house (maybe because they describe her so well ;-P)
 
Till next time my friends, also check out my unboxing video here, and my video review here!

Firstly I've got to give a massive thank you to Jiffy Squid from Head-Fi for accepting me into the Loaner Program for Oppo for if it wasn't for him it's very unlikely I'd have had the honor and pleasure of listening and reviewing these quite wonderful works of art.

The Opening Experience

Getting these cans was like waiting for Christmas with Christmas being delayed because a previous beholder wouldn't follow the rules, so needless to say when I came home from work and seen these I was quite ecstatic (hence the forgetting to remove the case from the GoPro in the unboxing video). The Oppo PM-3's retail for $399.99 from their website which for what you get is an amazing investment worth the money. Upon opening the packaging you're greeted with a very nice denim headphone hard case and 3 sets of individually packaged cables (one with the Apple mic [which wasn't operating in this loaner unit], one with the universal mic, and finally one straight cable [all of which were 3.5mm]), and a letter style package that included the user manual and warranty paperwork.



When you open the case you're immediately greeted with a new leather smell (which is quite impressive seeing this is a loaner unit) and a very nicely laid set of headphone with a silk pouch between the headband and cans that hold the 10ft. cable (also 3.5mm). Something that did not come with these, which I'm quite surprised about, is a headphone 3.5mm to 1/4in. adapter so it can be paired with an amp. though I'm pretty sure the new retail version will. Very quick in terms of the microphone quality I was a bit disappointing because when I was playing with my friends in PS4 party chat they all said I sounded very distant from the mic almost as if in a well even though in actuality I was in my same “gaming position” as I'm always using.



 

 

 

 

 

 

Construction

Onto the V.I.P. of this review and that's the Oppo Planar Magnetic 3 (PM-3) headphones themselves. As mentioned earlier you're greeted with a very pleasant leathery smell which screams class and luxury which is very befitting of these. Upon picking them up you'll instantaneously notice just how uncharacteristically light these are which if I remember correctly is just under 10oz. Further looking over the Pm-3's you'll get a very nice sense of luxury and craftsmanship for these are made of very high quality and lightweight aluminum and very minimal plastic, even the back are covered with a nice piece of brushed aluminum. The ear cups rotate a full 180 degrees nice a buttery without any crinkling or popping sounds which is mimicked by the cups 30ish degree swivel which should accommodate most any adult head size. The ear cups are very soft and comfortable and is padded not with memory foam as I would've thought but instead a very soft foam that feels really nice (reminds me of the Sennheiser Momentum 2 ear cups). On a side note with the ear cups I noticed they both have 2 rubber stops so to keep them quiet when the cup hits the frame, a very small addition but a much appreciated detail that not only keeps them subtle but in better condition as well.



 

 

 

 

 

 

Comfort

Moving onto the comfort, I noticed they had a moderate amount of clamping force which for me was perfect but I will note that it may be too much for some. The fact that they're so light I'm easily able to wear them for upwards of 5hours (average 3.5hrs. consistent) without to much fatigue to my ears, which on that note is the first negative I found in these, the padding that covers the drivers. After even an hour or so the padding quickly starts to agitate my ears because it's constantly rubbing on them, now that could be because I've slightly larger than average ears but seeing the ear cups have a good amount of give, I don't believe that's the case. The isolation factor on these is great, during my shifts at the airport I could very happily put these on with music and be content. Background noise will still come through some but not enough to be a nuisance, in terms of noise bleed on your end there was none, even at higher volumes I couldn't hear anything unless I literally put my ear to the pad.



 

Sound

A quick disclaimer before I begin this next segment, these are the first planar magnetic headphones I've ever listened to so the behavior and characteristics are solely based on my demonstration of this unit. Now onto what is arguably the most important aspect of a headphone is and that's the sound. My sources are my phone (LG G3 running Power Amp Pro.) and computer (HP[something cheap model]), my amp. is a Garage1217 Project Horizon 3 with a JJ E88CC tube and Fiio E11K Kilamanjaro 2; I have no aftermarket D.A.C.s. I listened to these for roughly 20-22hours during my time with the unit and tested it via intentional testing and through general life usage (i.e. playing video games, streaming, and of course musical enjoyment).

Upon first listening to these I was quite intrigued because the sound signature is obviously something I've never heard before, perhaps I hyped myself up too much and am taking the wrong outlook on it. But when I started playing the music, though it sounded super clean and precise, they didn't move me or make me fill satisfied like my favorite and benchmark headphone the Bowers & Wilkins P7. After about 30min. or so listening to these from my computer I kept getting the feeling that these are hungry, that they needed fuel to ignite the potential fire in them. All I had on me at the time was my high impedance tube amp. that I wasn't sure would be a good fit for these seeing they're resistance is quite low then I remember being told that planers take high impedance amps very well and actually usually prefer them for their higher power output. So I tried it and the results were quite impressive, also keep in mind when listening to these that, like most headphones of this price and caliber, they'll chew up and spit out lower quality audio files.

From this point I'm splitting the review into two parts, before amplification and after because these can operate very comfortably and efficiently by just your phone.

Treble

1. Before

The highs I feel are very neutral in terms of being unbiased but I feel like the headphones somewhat struggle to really push the higher energy sounds to what is potentially there. Is this the fault of the headphone or the less amount of energy given from my phone I'm unsure.

1. After

The missing potential is instantly apparent for now that the cans have an ample supply of power they produce the most stunning treble I can remember. These can handle Samvel Yervinyan's (the violinist from Yanni's orchestra) most energetic pieces with ease and without flinching.

Mids

1. Before

The mids in these are very nice and neutral. Also they're very detail ridden, for when listening to Chris Jones' “Long After You're Gone” the guitar just resonated beautifully and each pluck of the string was audibly clean and precise. I'm unsure what the audiophile term is but these really portrayed the artists feelings wonderously

1. After

No drastic changes other than they sounded slightly more refined and less, stressed, if you will.

Bass

1. Before

This is where, in my opinion, lies the second downside to these are. For though the bass if BY FAR the most accurate, tight, and fastest bass I've heard, it just doesn't give you a nice sense of warmth. Now don't get confused I'm not a bass head by any means but I do prefer a warm and relaxing sound Going back to Chris Jones' “Long After You're Gone” that entire piece is a beautiful track for the mid upper bass and bass range, and these don't give you a great bass presence. Now also I have to add my third downside to these, and that these are inconsistent. What I mean by this is most songs that I know have a nice bass response these just don't provide it then on other songs that hardly have notable bass to them these put a giant spot light on them. The song “Let It Go” was playing and provided a off putting amount of respectably deep bass that I've never heard before (though I've only heard this song intentionally 3 times so my knowledge is somewhat low).

1. After

Once the power from the tube amp. was applied (which in and of itself provides a nice bass resonance) these really opened up what they can do. The bass just sung, I mean it was stunning. I got the warmth I felt was missing, though still not what I would like but what I feel this headphone should have seeing it's a rather neutral set of cans.

Soundstage and Depth

1. Before

The soundstage in is definitely accurate as far as positional ques and identifying individual instruments go but it's not that vast and spacious. I wouldn't say that it was right in your face, but it most certainly wasn't a concert hall either.

1. After

After an amp. was brought in there still wasn't a huge difference.



Conclusion

In summary, these headphones are truly a work of art both athletically and musically; They're very neutral with clean and accurate sound throughout the frequency spectrum. These headphones, though are very good by themselves, really open up their true potential once external amplification has been added. I'd recommend these to anyone wanting an accurate, super lightweight and neutral headphone but if you're like myself and enjoy a warm, relaxing and welcoming sound then unless your amp. is a warm tube then these might not be for you.

Till next time my friends, also check out my unboxing video here, and my full video review here!