Disclaimer : I am reviewing the Burson Playmate 2 as part of the Burson review tour. The opinions expressed are completely mine, and there was no gift/cash in exchange for the review.

Packaging and Build
The amp arrived in a corrugated box, with the retail box inside. It was in immaculate condition, so full marks for the packing and shipping straight from Burson.
The kit consisted of amp, the power brick and a 2 pin power cable, a USB-c to USB-c cable and a Mic / speaker splitter adapter.

The amp itself is a very sturdy metal enclosure with hex screws on the front and back panels. On removing the screws, the case opens from the top, allowing for access to the opamps. Very sensible design!

Source and pairings

In order to be consistent with the review, I usedmy trusty HP EliteBook with B&O tuning as the source with the USB-C port acting as the source of data. On windows, I could set the sampling rate to 32/384 Khz from the control panel, without the need for additional drivers.

I used the following headphones and iems to test the setup.

1. AKG K240M 600 ohms (I use this as one of my torture tests for gear as it is quite hard to drive)
2. Yamaha YH1 (Again a torture test)
3. HD600 / HD599
4. HE560 v1
5. Fiio FD5

The first 2 headphones allow for testing the driving capability of the amp for gain and distortion. The HD599 is a sensitive can and checks for hisses and noises due to its low impedance

The HD600 is used to test for the mids and the HE560 for stage and details. I tried the FD5 (great pairing) as a test of FD5's ability to scale more than a test of the Burson.

The Sound/Amping

With both the k240 and the yh1,I had to increase gain to about 90, in order to sound full. Which is about 10 less than the highest value. So this is a scrape through of the amp, with the stock NE 5532/34 opamps.

With the stock opamps though, the amp sounded a bit bright, with a slightly elevated bass. Vocals sounded thick as well as thick drum notes. The mids were slightly recessed, but with a warm tinge to both male and female voices.

On the other hps, the details were nicely retrieved, while being on the V curve quite a bit. The notes were decently fast and the stage wide.

On the Danish Orchestra's rendition of Good, Bad and Ugly, it was a warm ride through and through. There was good stage reproduction, but depth was a bit shallow. The instruments were spread out evenly and sounded alright.

Next on was a favorite bass test Kerala Dust- Untitled/Late Sun. The sound was warm and engaging. The subbass was quite light with the amp.

Bubbles by Horikawa was a bit brighter than usual. Some amount of sibilance was felt on the track right through.

Since the stock opamp was used, and I didnt have replacement options (V5 or V6), I finished the tests with the stock options only.

Nitpicks

• The dac and amp sections come together. There is no option to supply in analog input to the amp, and has to be in via toslink or usb.
• Gain is alright for headphone amping, but without rolling of opamps, it is not the best sounding dac amp out there. At this pricepoint, it is fair to expect a set of opamps to be accompanying the amp.

Summary
Overall, well built amp which can help reduce the number of devices on the desktop by combining the dac and amp in one device, with built in intent and support for opamp rolling.

Disclaimer : This review is part of the Hifigo Review Tour (https://hifigo.com/)https://hifigo.com/ of the Kinera BD005 Pro. The opinions provided are mine only and have not been influenced in any way

Kinera is a fairly well known brand with good iems (Odin, Norn etc). The BD005 Pro is a budget hybrid iem with 1 DD (Berylium) and a Knowles BA driver.

Package and Build : The Review unit came in a iem case with a set of 3 sized wide bore tips. The shell is acrylic, with a medium-large nozzle. It feels well built and fairly light. So comfort is very good with it. The cable is a stock 3.5 terminated twisted cable with a 2 pin termination into the iem. It can be switched with other aftermarket cables comfortably.

I switched to sony tips for getting the fit right, as well as to tame a little bit of the mid-treble brightness. The iems have excellent sound isolation, helped by a good fit

Sound

While the standard approach to the sound review is through separation of components, I will take a different approach while describing ceratain reference tracks that I use.

Out of the box, the sound stage is wide. Excellent instrument imaging and separation at this pricepoint is a very good positive about the iem. Orchestral pieces sound full. My reference track here is the Danish Orchestra's rendition of the Good Bad and Ugly title track. The instruments felt real and could be identified and layered very well with the iem.

The vocals department has a bit of nitpicks. For the most cases, vocals are nicely forward. However, for certain male vocals, the upper mids do get a bit shouty and harsh. This is also consistent with trumpets getting ahead of others in terms of energy. This is a potential tuning point.

Stringed instruments felt real, very fast decay and impact. The sound does feel cohesive and real, and are not just a bunch of instruments.

Comfortably Numb, Live in Pompei, felt like listening from the stadium. Very nice presence of space. Gilmour's rasping can be heard slightly left of centre, while the instruments and the chorus is in the background. When the electric main guitar rolls in, it is present and slight harsh. Rest of the track is enjoyable, nonetheless.

Closer - Kerala Dust is a track I use to review bass, bass extension and low end speed. The maracas in the start of the track feel real. The background flare is nice. Once the bass section starts off, the beats come on very nicely, without bleeding. The subbass is light, surprising for a 9mm Be driver. The decay feels more like BA. The vocals are clear and well present. There is a slight treble brighness coming through.
However, when I run it through the Corda Quickstep, this is something else altogether. The subbass is more present. The harshness is mostly gone, as I suspected. Amp it folks!

For speed test, I use the Janine Jansen's Vivaldi : Four Seasons as the test album, with 1. Primavera Allegro and L'estate Presto as the test tracks. The instrument attack and decay is very coherent and feels real. The speed is excellent with even the busy sections of both tracks well separated. They are able to present through the details without muddying the instruments. These do justice to well recorded orchestral peices. Some of the high sections do have a little bit of a harshness, especially at the ending of the Presto. Overall, well done indeed.

Conclusion : These are very nice for the pricepoint. I would like to tune the mids and treble a bit to take out some of the harshness. Otherwise, this is an easy buy recommendation. If the harshness is tuned out by the way of amping, this can be 4 or 4.25 rating.

Thanks to Amin Karimpour for organising the VE8 tour.

Disclaimer : The VE7 is part of the Vision Ears review tour. The opinions expressed are solely mine. There are no exchange of gifts or cash in lieu of the reviews.

As a part of the Vision Ears review tour, I received the VE7. And it was instant love with the sound. More on that in a short while.

I thought I will start with the easiest and shortest of the review sections, mostly nitpicks and then get to the good parts very soon.

Source I used them with the Hiby R5 mk2, LG V30+, iPhone 5s, Korg dac/amp and xduoo xd05 with LM4562
These drive easily with all gear and dont require amping. Sensitivity is very good

Fit: I do have relatively small ears. The VE7 follows the same shell design of the VE6XC, VE8 et al. And I did have issues with respect to pain in the ears on longer term listen. As the nozzles are quite short, in order to get a good fit, I need to push the IEMs into the concha, and that causes pain over a little while. This is the only nitpick i have with the iem, and while it is serious enough, I was looking for all opportunities to use it to listen to music, as it was that good! - 3.5/5

Build & Looks: All acrylic shell (filled) made the iems very lightweight, but strong in build. The colors dazzled in the sun and any other kind of light that was around in the environment. Even when not listening to the iems, I was tempted to just keep looking at its beautiful build. The blue shell was iridescent and had beautiful hues in different angles. One of them is highlighted in one of the pics. 4.5/5

The cables are standard across the range, and built well. They are very reminiscent of the Westone 3 cables and look sturdy enough for the job.

Sound: Now coming to the best part of the iem. Among all the VE iems that I have auditioned (EVE20, VE6XC, VE8, VE7), this has been the most complete package, well worthy of its drool worthy pricetag. And deservedly so.

Bass is fast, with good detail and control. While the quantity of bass is slightly short of a basshead demand, it is very pleasing in quality and is very well controlled. I could not sense bleed into the mids, while incorporating the rumble from the subbass.

The mids are very well represented, both male and female vocals. Clapton sounds lifelike and in front of you in the Layla (Mtv Unplugged) track, with all details and background audience sounds.

The Wall has some outstanding test tracks. One of my favourite test track here is "In the flesh" - there is a heartbeat through most of the track. On the VE7, this can be felt. There is a secondary/tertiary rumble and dissipation after the second heartbeat, and this can be felt. Similarly, the bomber aircraft noises towards the end has you looking for cover. Simply outstanding.

The treble is excellent. Cymbals sound realistic with good decay. Feels real. I havent heard sibilance with this iem, even on poor tracks. Guitars sound very real, string plucks are very well represented.

Speed is excellent. I use the Janine Jenson's Vivaldi - Adagio Presto as the test track where there are super fast sections. The VE7 did not get muddy (all the other VE iems did lose out the detail), and each draw of the violin bow was clear and detailed. Lady Labryinth by Einaudi had all the strings equally identified.

The stage depth is shallow. There is 3d space, but is not a stadium like feel. It is more like a slightly large room, however with excellent imaging and separation.
4.5/5

Fun factor While most iems are measured on the basis of reference audio tracks, there is definite merit in considering how well the iems are usable in real-world usage including games, movies etc. Aside from the fit considerations, these are fantastic for both gaming as well as movies, making them a true allrounder.

Conclusion I am keeping the review short, as there isnt much to write about and compare. These are absolutely fantastic iems, that I will recommend over many other TOTLs, considering how much of an allrounder these are. Vision Ears, take a bow! If money is not a concern, and the fit works, I will whole-heartedly recommend these over a lot of other iems (I dont recommend many iems, btw!). VE.. Well Done!

Thanks to Amin Karimpour for organising the VE8 tour.

Disclaimer : The VE8 is part of the Vision Ears review tour. The opinions expressed are solely mine. There are no exchange of gifts or cash in lieu of the reviews.

Since Vision Ears is well known, I will cut right to the chase.

When I approached the iem, I was expecting a detail monster, with a very analytical sound. I expected a top of the line iem to be near reference tuning.

And then I put the VE8 in the ear.

And it hurt a bit (A little about it later).

I started off listening to my standard list of reference tracks, bubbles, lady labyrith, vivaldi etc, I found that the tuning was not reference at all. I was ready to give up on the iem. And then I switched to pop. Specifically, the King of Pop. And behold, VE8 came out in all its glory. This is an iem that will have purists say "All I wanna say is that they dont really care about us!". The VE8 is a definite Thriller. With Pop, this is Dangerous.

And then I recalibrated my brains to look at what Vision Ears have done with the VE8. They have taken the route of going full on Pop. R&B and Hip Hop sound so much fun on these. Oh and then I used it to watch a re-run of Thor:Ragnarok! An the VE8 delivered in spades.

Having been through this roller coaster of experience, I think it will be pointless to go through the standard reference approach. I understand why other reviews have been short about the iem.

Sound
These are mildy V shaped. There is definite bass presence, and you can make out the BA timbre on these. However, they are present in excellent quantity. There is a resonance of the bassy sound in the background, makling them very fun when listening to pop, hip hop and R&B genre very much. This exact quality provides the rumble of Thor or the rage of Hulk come through to the fore. Thanos sounds so much more menacing now.

I listened to vocal tracks and they dont dissapoint either. The male and female vocals are well presented, and are very nicely enjoyable. MJ grooves and grooves on, on these.

On the treble front is where there is a little bit of a nitpick. Considering the overall SQ tuning of the iem, the treble is quite nice. However, on some tracks there is a hint of sibilance. On fast tracks especially with a lot of instruments, the VE8 is defeated on the faster sections. The instruments become a little blurry, separation takes a backseat.

The soundstage is wide, with excellent imaging. However, the trademark issue that I encountered in other VE iems (EVE20 and VE6XC) is continued here, with respect to stage depth. While the depth is better than either EVE20 or VE6XC, it is still shallow. I have some theories about this, based on the full acrylic shell based construction, but will ignore it for now.

On movies, explosions, background scores, vehicles, gunfire etc are excellently represented. I will recommend users to try this with movies. This adds so much to the fun factor.

Fit
This is one area that VE8 does fall short for me. The stock tips shipped were the Spin Fits. Those tips cause a vaccum to build up on insert and gets painful. I quickly switched over to Final audio tips and things were significantly helped.
The iem is clearly not ideal for small ears. They caused physical pain when used for more than 30 mins for me. (I have small ears). It might fit larger ears better. Please try the fit before splurging on the iem.

Cable and build
The cable initially looked frail. However,it proved to be quite strong. It reminded me very much of the old Westone 3 cables. No microphonics or tangling with the stock cable. The 2 pin arrangement allows for plenty of experimentation with aftermarket cables (as expected).

The iem itself is very light, with a full acrylic build. It looks beautiful with multiple color options available.

Verdict
Fun iem, that lets you indulge in your guilty pleasures and have you dancing along! If only it was not as expensive!

Disclaimer: The VE6 XC was received as a part of the Vision Ears review tour. There is no compensation in cash or kind for the review. The views expressed are solely mine. YMMV

The Vision Ears 6 XC was one half of the Vision Ears tour (EVE20 was the other IEM). It came in a simple oversized zipper case with a pair of stock tips. This review shall focus on the sound (no fluff, yay).

Technicals
. 6 BA drivers on each side doing duties
. 2 pin SE ended cables. Stock cable is very thin and light, and remids me of the old Westone 3 cables. Very robust and not prone to tangles, with memory wires/sleeve for around the ear wear.
- Tone switch on the faceplate is an interesting addition to switch the tonality from a warm sounding iem to a neutral sounding iem.
Markings on the shell includes a possible manufacturing date (16-09/20) in this case.

Beauty shots - These look gorgeous. There is a nice marbled reflective faceplate with gold, pink, purpleand blue highlights that is mesmerising in good light. This along can keep people entertained for a while.
The shells are similar to the EVE20, filled in near completely The shells are translucent and the drivers and the connections are clearly visible from the outside.



Another view of the colors


Overview
The VE 6XC is a 6 BA IEM from Vision Ears. The shells are filled acrylic, and this makes the IEM to be lightweight, both during carry as well as listening.

The tone control switch is placed on the faceplate, as opposed to the side in case of other iems. This allows for changing the tone while the IEM is in use. Very utilitarian, imho. The tone switch can switch the iem into 2 different sounding modes. The warm mode (which I prefer with this iem) and the neutral mode.

Fit
The fit is a little of an issue without the right tips. The stock tips creates a vaccuum pressure that can get painful very quickly. I rolled tips and found the Tennmak Whirlwind work well for me.

I have a relatively small concha and the IEM is on the slightly larger size for long term comfort.

The Sound

The Warm mode - This mode makes the IEM very fun sounding and forgiving. It is very enjoyable on almost all genres of music, except ones requiring very fast response. They are perfect for vocals, jazz, R&B, hip-hop, classic rock, EDM etc. The sound is very smooth, decent stage, with excellent imaging. The stage is 2D and that of a medium sized room. There is a lack of depth though. The texture is very good across the board, be it bass, mids or treble. Both male and female vocals sound great.

The bass is very reminiscent of the focal clear, in terms of quality (not quantity). It is very full sounding, inspite of being all BA.

Micro detail retrieval is excellent, often hearing brushing of the hand against the guitar strings or the bow of a violin touching the strings before play

However, at the end of the day, when you settle in after a tiring day, these are perfect to put on and listen in. Very soothing.

The Neutral mode - This mode makes the sound a little less bassy, and keeps the rest of the spectrum as is. All details are present and the same stage, detail and imaging persists. This could be a useful mode for analytical listening for all but the busiest of tracks.

Song impressions
Source - Hiby R5, Laptop -> Dragonfly Red, FxAudio Dac X6, Saphire amp, Xduoo XD05 with Burson V5, LG V30+ on Tidal master, Hifi and Spotify premium, Youtube premium

Being a sensitive IEM, these could run out of any device without much trouble. Infact I had to drop the volume to single digits on the DFR on tidal. These dont need amping and using an amp does not change things much.


Iron Maiden - Wicker Man - This is a fairy fast metal track that I use to test for sibilance or tonal imbalance. Bruce's vocal range tests any headphone or iem very well. Good microdetail pickup, strange metallic clanking in the background can be made out clearly (Tidal 2015- Remaster) - this is probably an issue with the remaster. Well spotted by the iem

Janine Jansen - Vivaldi: The Four Seasons - La Primavera - 1. Allegro - Excellent sounding with the the bass mode. Cello/double bass has authority. Great microdetail pickup (violin bow noise starting 0:33 - 1:05). Cellos are beautifully rendered. Fast violin sections from 1:44 overlap, and the note separation is lost in the fast sections.

Janine Jansen - Vivaldi: The Four Seasons - Léstate : Presto - Outdone by the speed of instruments. The soundscape is mostly mushy in this fast track. Cellos/double bass again sound great. Very Focal Clear like bass in terms of quality.

Lady Labyrinth - Eniaudi Live - 2D imaging. There is no depth to the space. Detail retrieval is good, with width and height is above average. Some strings sound excessively loud

November Rain - GNR - Vocals sound distant. Good stage width and height.

The Lonely Shepherd - Zamfir - Pan pipes sound realistic. Wide stage.

James Blunt - You're Beautiful - Good stage. A guitar plays only on the right side, for most of the song.

Yosi Horikawa - Bubbles - excellent stage and positioning. Faster background into the track gets a little fuzziness.

Comparisons
vs EVE20 - EVE20 is at a lower price range than the VE6XC. The detail retrieval is very similar between the two. The EVE20 has very quick transitions and is able to stay focussed on fast tracks. The VE6XC does get a little fuzzy on the fast pieces, but without distortion. The stage of the EVE20 is massively wide, while it is an adequately large room with the VE6XC. The bass is a lot more fun with the VE6XC.

vs UM Martian - The Martian is a hybrid iem from Unique Melody (2DD and 2 BA), but in the same tonal ball park. Hence I selected it for comparison. Inspite of the DD on the Martian, the bass on the VE6XC was more engaging and fun. I had a lot of fun with 80s pop and classic rock track alike. The Martian does not however suffer with fast music and is able to reproduce the tracks accurately. The soundstage is 3D with good depth too. Hence I would place them on equal levels with each having their strength areas.

Conclusion
The VE6XC is a fun sounding IEM that is well built and is capable of reproducing micro details in a stellar fashion. While there is a proliferation of multi-driver iems, the VE6XC is an easy recommend for the sound signature alone.

P.S: I would like to thank Amin Karimpour and VE for the tour, and shoutout to Suman for arranging the tour

Disclaimer: I auditioned the Austrian Audion Hi-X55 as a part of the review tour. There was no compensation in cash or kind as part of the tour. The opinions are solely mine.

As a part of a review tour, I auditioned the Austrian Audio Hi-X55. Austrian Audio, as most will know, were a bunch of engineers that quit AKG when Harman took over the company.

Box and Accessories

The unit arrived in a slightly lesser than new condition during the review. However,a new box looks very good. Interesting use of Velcro bands to hold the box together.This is a nice idea, as the velcro strips could be repurposed as cable ties and other uses (lower wastage).

On opening the box, there is the standard instruction booklet along with the headphones in a foam cutout. The foam helped keep the headphones in pristine condition during storage and transport.

The headphones themselves look premium, with good weight and quality plastic. There are no creaks or loose hinges and feels solid in the hand and when worn.

Sound and Isolation
In terms of isolation, the hps do a great job. Very little noise escapes outside and vice versa. The pads are soft leather (leatherette?) and feels premium.

Bass : There is a good amount of bass, which sometimes does bleed into the mids. The notes are thick and satisfying. Not basshead level, but holds its ground well

Mids: The mids and vocals are a highlight of this hp and reminds me of the ATH MSR7 in terms of presentation

Treble: The treble is sparkly on some tracks, but can get a bit sibilant on some tracks. (some tracks impressions below)

Soundstage: Very spacious sounding for a closed back. The instruments are spread out wide and the positioning is excellent. This sometimes also works against the hp with the left and right drivers sounding like 2 different speakers playing different tracks (lack of coherence). It is a very unusual presentation, that sometimes prevents you from enjoying the music.

Song impressions:

Lady labryinth (Einaudi) - congested. backing strings are missing separation. Overlap in the bass sections.

November Rain (GNR) - strings are in the background. Slightly unatural presentation; bass/ drums in front; guitars are grating/fatiguing

Dark Night of the Soul (Van morrison )- warm presentation, vocal is good

Flower of Carnage - (Kill Bill OST) - Sounds good. Wide stage. Vocals are good, instrument detail is good. Sometimes the stage is incoherent. The left and right sides dont sound like it is playing the same song.

Zamfir - (The Lonely Shepherd) - background strings are more forward than the pan pipe/whistle. Slow music plays well.

Source : Tidal via Xaudio XD05 with Buson v5, Hiby R5

Disclaimer : I auditioned the EVE 20 as part of the VE review tour. The opinions are solely mine and is not in exchage for compensation in monetary value or kind.

A soothing balm over the madness that is the pandemic!

I was fortunate to be part of Vision Ears' review tour featuring the EVE20 and the VX6C (in another post later). I will talk about my impressions of the EVE20. There is much that has already been said about the iem, and I will add another to the list.

TLDR : VE EVE 20 is a multi-BA IEM that is still relevant in the realm of 10+ driver iems and holds out on its own well.

Packaging and accessories : The iem came as part of the review tour and was not in the retail packaging, in order to not attract too much custom duties and to keep the shipping package small.

The iem came with a set of spin fits tips and cable ties, in a nice purple metal case, similar to the UM, JH Audio. Very sturdy that protects the iem from any impact whatsoever.

Form and Fit : (4.5/5)

The IEM is all acrylic shell that is very lightweight and does an excellent job in terms of fit. The nozzle is medium sized with decent length. It allows for a decent insert depth, which allows for very good filtering of outside noise. The spin-fits do a great job at providing a comfortable fit. This will easily stay in place for even the most rigorous of activities, indoors or outdoors.

With clear acrylic being filled near completely in the shell, a drop or 2 will not crack the shell. So this will be a sturdy companion for a long time. While it may be outlasted by all metal housing, the acrylic decision allows for very high amount of comfort when worn. +1 for acrylic!

The cable feels a little slim, but is of excellent quality. There is very little microphonics and does not pull the iems from the ears when worn! Job well done.

Sound: (4.3/5)

As with all iems, the fit defines the sound profile of the iem. There can be a significant difference in how it sounds, based on the fit. Some prefer to wear the iems loose, which allows for bigger stage, lesser bass impact and richer treble. A close fit brings in the bass that is tight and detailed, with the stage getting a little more intimate.

Bass : (4/5) - I tip rolled an used a inverse starline. This provided for an excellent fit and brought body into the bass. The bass was tight and detailed. Not much of subbass, but you could feel the impact on a lot of tracks. Laterelus (Tool) had its subbass rumble felt beginning around the 0:30 mark, going into the 1:00. Lovely, tight bass.

Mids : (4/5) - Vocals and cello sounded wonderful with the EVE. With a presentation that is intimate, you could share the stage with the singer. Wonderful evening with Van Morrison sharing stage here.

Treble (4.3/5) - The string instruments were very detailed and present, with a lot of micro details coming forth, including guitar string slides feeling real.

Stage : The sound stage is wide. The instrument placing was excellent. What the EVE missed was the depth and layering. The stage was flat and intimate wth the positioing very accurate. I did miss the depth of the instruments, with a few of them playing in the face (guitars, violins). This does not take away the detail and presentation of the sound. Very accurate and enjoyable. I would have preferred a little more depth in the stage though.

Comparisons
AK & JH Roxanne 2 - The closest that the EVE20 compares to is the JH Roxanne 2. TheEVE20 was able to match the tonality of the 12BA very well. The stringed instruments sounded excellent and was a joy to listen to. Where the Roxanne beat the EVE was in the soundstage depth and layering. The Roxanne was able to place the instruments at a depth in Einaudi's Live version of Lady Labyrinth, with slightly better micro detail retrieval. The compromise with the roxanne is the size and weight of the iem, so it is a fair draw in this case.

Summary : An excellent iem with a very fair asking price for an excellent level of performance! While it is a limited production iem, the engineers have produced an iem that matches well with competition having higher number of drivers!

Disclaimer:
a. I am in no way affiliated with Fiio
b. The X1 audition was a part of a world tour audition.
c. There is no monetary or in kind gain due to the audition.
 
With the disclaimer out of the way, I will focus on the device performance with 2 considerations:
1. Look and feel, functionality
2. Device performance with various earphones/headphones
 
1. Look and feel, functionality
I have not owned a Fiio DAP in the past. I do own a couple of Fiio headphone amps and can easily summarize that all of Fiio products are build very well. They feel solid and provide trouble free performance for a long time.
 
Build
The X1 is lightweight but is very sturdy. It can sit very comfortably in your pocket without troubling you or itself!
The silicone case provided along with the player provides a skeptic of additional protection to the device in the event of a fall. I didnt want to test a fall as the device is in the process of multiple auditions by others.
 
Functionality
A DAP merits evaluation of its usability along with the quality of playback equally. One will spend a long time with the user interface and functionality, building muscle memory of the various functions, in order to reduce interaction with the device as much as possible (I know this sounds contradictory, but one wants to mainly listen to music from a DAP rather than play with the UI).
 
The center wheel reminds you of the old iPod Classic that a lot of us have loved in the past. This one has a very tactile feedback with tiny and reassuring click when rotated. There is a little bit of a gap between the wheel and backing, which can be a comfortable nesting place for lint/dust etc.
In the iPod classic, the wheel played the role of the main selector when not playing music, and doubled as the volume control when playing music. The wheel on the Fiio X1 acts as a selector when playing music as well. For someone who is familiar with the navigation of the iPod Classic, this will take a bit of getting used to. Personally, I prefer the wheel to be more useful with additional functionality, as it feels very well built.
 
I do have a bit of a nitpick in this section and then we can get to the parts where the X1 shines. When playing music, if I want to skip a track, or pause/hold, I need to use the power button to switch on the display (power save) and then perform the necessary action. I think this will need to be managed better, as I would like to make those choices without having to start up the display. 
 
Which then takes me to the display review. User interface can be switched to 2 different skins - Vertical strips or semi circular sections. The wheel controls navigation across the various menu items. The Forward and Reverse buttons can also be used for the same. Volume control is on the side of the device, like in a mobile phone, below the power button. The power button does the usual display sleep when pressed once, and power down with a long press.
 
Battery performance 
The battery performed decently during playback, with a drain dependent on the headphone/earphone being driven. Standby seemed to drain the battery, a little more than my standby expectation. I am not sure if it because of a beta firmware; I believe this could be a software problem, rather than a weak battery.
 
Now onto the best part.
 
2. Device performance with various earphones/headphones
I tried the DAP with various headphones - ATH A900, Fostex T50rp, AKG k240 Sextett, Panasonic HTF-600s and ATH M50. The device comfortably drove almost all the headphones well.
 
The AKG is a little power hungry due to the higher impedence - the DAP was able to drive it with a high volume setting. A headphone amp was required to power it sufficiently, but the DAP was able to do a much better job compared to my other sources.
 
The X1 has an intimate sound and is not as airy and has an intimate sound stage, but with good separation. The sound from most devices was a little bright on bass, but with very good fidelity.
 
Then I tried the device with multiple earphones- Shure SE530, Sony XBA 3, JVC FXD80, MEElectronics A151, A161p, Astrotec AX35, Apple Earpod earphones to name a few. And I had a revelation. 
While the player was very good with the dynamics and nanotube coated micro drivers, it had a special effect on the BA earphones - specifically XBA 3 and the A151; the player complemented the characteristics of the BA earphones so well that I was in heaven. Below is some of my observations and analysis (I could be wrong and YMMV).
 
 
 
Paired with Sony XBA 3
The Sony XBA 3 has a bit of a love hate relationship. As well understood at Head-fi, the XBA 3 is a phenomenal performer with a jarring defect - Metallic treble grating. On certain tracks which are hot on treble, there is a resonant grating feel to the treble which is a very uncomfortable experience. Especially at high volumes. I tried the XBA 3 on the device after trying some of the larger headphones. As a result, the volume level was a little high. 
 
When I hit play on the Metallica - Black album, I was in for a great surprise! Instead of the grating treble, I heard a very velvety, involved sound that straight put a smile on my face.
The X1 + XBA 3 felt like a match made in heaven. The harsh treble was subdued and the bass felt right. Very right. I then played a mixed playlist of hip hop, prog rock, game music. Everything sounded so wonderful. The sound was very slightly outside the head, intimate and velvetty. Very clear, like the way music ought to be listened to. I have very rarely felt this with the XBA 3. I have felt this before on a Beosound 3 + SE530 before. Never on the XBA 3. The X1 made want to listen to the XBA 3 all the time. So those who are stuck with the XBA 3, do get the X1 in order to fall in love with the XBA 3!
 
Paired with A151
The A151 has been a favorite of mine ever since I got them. While I dont listen to them regularly, I often return to them for a clean sound (although slightly dark). With the X1, the A151 felt like home, and I had a fabulous time with this combination. The X1 seemed to provide the much missed bass emphasis while not muddling the overall sound signature of the A151. Another combination made in heaven!
 
Analysis
I then sat down and tried to understand what could be the reason the X1 matched so well with the XBA 3 and the A151. Here is my theory.
 
With the XBA 3, the harsh upper treble was slightly subdued, providing for a very rich listening experience, sans the harshness. 
With the A151, the slight bass emphasis gave the A151 a refreshing punch to the bass frequencies, adding to its rich treble and mids.
 
Recommendation
If you have a tight budget, need to start loving your XBA 3 again, or get more out of your BAs, and quality of sound is a definite must, then go ahead and buy the X1 when it becomes available. For all others, go ahead and buy the X1. The quality and sound really gives you a very compelling price point.
 
Highly Recommended!