Brainwavz S3 Review

First I’d like to thank Pandora from Brainwavz for sending me a review sample of the S3. By now, I’m sure that members of the Head-Fi community will be quite familiar with Brainwavz. They have really established themselves and are on the way to becoming one of the major brands that people look to when considering headphones. Their products have become increasingly popular and I was curious as to see what they had to offer with their latest IEM, the S3.
 
The S3 is a budget IEM by all means and the price it comes in at is a mere $80 and at the price, the main question is whether they are able to compete with the RE-400 and other top budget IEMs. This end of the market is perhaps the most competitive, with many companies coming out with good sounding IEMs at reasonable prices.
 
 **Disclaimer** These were given to me by Brainwavz in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
 
 

Unboxing & Accessories

The S3 doesn’t some with a whole lot, and given the price, it would be unrealistic to ask for more. The packaging is rather protective and did a fine job of getting the IEMs to me unharmed. The S3 comes with a few sets of tips and this includes a pair of complys. It also comes with a shirt clip, which I found to be very useful to reduce microphonics. There is also the clamshell case, which is rather protective and very practical.
 
 

Design

The S3 housing is made primarily of metal and they feel very solid, much more than the price would suggest. It is very well finished and looks great. Personally I’m not a fan of flat cables, because cable noise is terrible in every IEM with a flat cable I’ve tried. The S3 is no different. However, the flat design makes them “tangle free”. The strain reliefs work very well with just enough bend on them. The remote seems to work like intended, I had no issues with it whatsoever. A good product from Brainwavz.
 
 

Sound

For my sonic tests, I ran them out of an iPhone 6. While it did improve a little with amplification, the target audience of these will likely be using these with their phones, iPods and the like. I wasn’t sure what to expect from the S3 as far as sound went, not having really enjoyed the S5 a lot, but the S3 really surprised me and is one of my favourite Brainwavz releases to date.
 
 

Bass

The bass is just right on the S3, and the mainstream target audience will appreciate the slightly boosted, yet punchy bass. The bass sounds rather neutral, there certainly isn’t a whole lot of colouration there, but to me, it does sounds just a little boosted. There is no bloat and the bass remains relatively quick however. Detail is quite good and the bass extends well. There is some bass roll off towards the sub-bass, but there is still an adequate amount of rumble. I did not detect any bass bleed into the midrange and the bass was quite clean on a whole. Overall, the bass is very impressive on the S3 and it has one of the best lower ends of any budget IEM I have tried.
 
 

Midrange

I thought that the S3 would be sound somewhat similar to the BLU-100 in the midrange and it kind of does, but not entirely. The midrange is definitely warm, but not in a way that it sounds veiled. The thing I hate most in headphones is an overly warm midrange that masks details, but the S3’s tuning isn’t that. While it is warm, it isn’t overly so, and it is still quite detailed. While it isn’t exactly a detailed IEM, the midrange stays smooth and retains more detail than I expected. Vocals sound clear with no sibilance whatsoever. The midrange will appeal to those who prefer a more relaxed and laid back presentation.
 
 

Treble

The treble is the area where I feel the S3 could improve the most. The midrange and treble are all slightly warm, but the treble seems a little too rolled off. While the pulled back treble doesn’t make the S3 dull sounding, it certainly takes away a bit of the treble sparkle. It was, however, very smooth and people who prefer a warmer sound will like this. There was no sibilance at all. However, personally I’m not a fan of the treble, it’s just too rolled off for me. Cymbals lack sparkle and the upper end detail just isn’t as good as other offerings in the same price range.
 
 

Soundstage & Imaging

The dynamic drivers were better than I expected and the soundstage was rather expansive, with good width. With budget IEMs, the soundstage is usually the area where they fall short, but this is not the case with the S3. It does lack depth, but it would be unrealistic to expect a 3d soundstage from an IEM of this price range. The imaging is also rather strong. It is on par with the RE-400 and it is generally quite accurate, but in congested tracks it struggles a little.
 
 

Separation & Detail

The tuning of the S3 is smooth and not detail oriented, but it does reasonably well as far as detail goes. It is more detailed than your average budget IEM but it doesn’t come close to the RE-400. The separation is quite impressive, for the price it really does sound very good.
 
 

Conclusion

The Brainwavz S3 is a solid choice for someone who favours a warmer sound over a more analytical sound. The microphone and controls for iPhone are good and they make a very nice replacement for the stock earpods.  

Brainwavz HM2 Review

 
Brainwavz is a brand that I have had quite a lot of experience with, having reviewed quite a few of their products. When they came out with the HM2, I was rather intrigued and curious as to what they could do with a budget headphone for just a mere $50. With many excellent choices in the $50 range, the HM2 would have to be a great product to stand out from the crowd. A quick visit to the Brainwavz page for the HM2 reveals a nice looking headphone which looks rather well, but let’s get on to see just how well the HM2 really did. Since the target audience for the HM2 is likely the average person, I will refrain from using fancy terms and make this quite a simple review. 
 
**Disclaimer** The Brainwavz S2 was provided to me free of charge by Brainwavz in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
 

 

Packaging & Accessories

The HM2 comes in a rather plain and standard Brainwavz box that their HM5 came in as well. Inside the box is a case and a warranty card. Upon opening the case, you will be greeted with the HM2 and 2 cables, one with an inline remote and one without. Both are 1.2m long and one is flat and tangle resistant while the other (the one with the remote) is your standard round cable. Both are rather high in quality. The one with the remote comes with a sliding volume control, which means that you can control the volume on whatever device you use, not just Apple. The case is one of the better ones that I have used, very sturdy, but easy to use.
 

 

Specifications & Design

Here are the specifications, I personally don’t pay much attention to this, but you can use it as a point of reference if you want.
 
Specifications:
·         Drivers: Dynamic, 40 mm
·         Rated Impedance: 32 Ω
·         Frequency Range: 10 Hz ~ 20 kHz
·         Sensitivity: 104 dB at 1 mW
·         Maximum Input Power: 100 mW
·         Plug: 3.5 mm, gold-plated
Contents:
·         HM2 Headphones
·         Hard Carrying Case
·         1.2 m Flat Cable
·         1.2 m Cable with In-Line Microphone
 
As you can see, the drivers on each side of the HM2 are 40mm dynamic ones. The HM2 is rather light and feels relatively well built. The plastic didn’t feel cheap and tacky but actually quite sturdy. The headband has quite a bit of flexibility and overall, the headphone should be able to take a few knocks and still survive. The headphone is foldable and able to fit into the case, which makes it a lot easier to take to places.
 

 
Comfort is just ok, not great but not too bad either. They get a little stiff on the ears after a little while. Despite the earpads looking relatively large, they are not big enough to go over my smaller than average ears. The headband also has no pad, so that feels a little uncomfortable as well. They sit a little on my ears and as a result, they start to hurt after around an hour.
 
Isolation is decent, they block out some exterior noise, but not enough for you to take them on a plane or busy public transport. I’m wearing these while typing this review on a mechanical keyboard and the sound from the keyboard is very easily audible even though the HM2 is on at volumes slightly above my normal listening volume.  
 

 

Sound Quality

I will split the sound quality section into a couple of sections, the bass, midrange and treble.
 
 

Bass

The bass is probably what most people will be interested in given that its target audience is the general public. It is definitely bass heavy, if you like Beats headphones, this is quite a good Beats Solo replacement at a much lower price point. They may not be as blingy as Beats, but the bass from these sound just as good. The bass is very strong, both the mid bass and sub bass. It does sound a little bit muffled however. The bass is a little bloated and bleeds a little into the midrange.
 

 

Midrange

The midrange is undeniably warm, but not overly so to many people. Those who come from Apple Earpods will find these slightly warmer and that it has a better mower end performance. Vocals sound quite warm, but the clarity is still acceptable. Instruments sound a little too warm. There was no vocal sibilance at all, which is good to see. The main issue I found was that on bass heavy music the midrange tended to be a little bit overpowered by the somewhat boomy bass.
 

 

Treble

The treble is smooth and very relaxed, it will be excellent for people who are sensitive to treble or just prefer a more relaxed sound signature. The treble extension is ok, it rolls off a little earlier than I would have liked, but it is not too bad. Those who like to blast music at high volumes will enjoy the complete lack of sibilance in this headphone. Even when I pushed it to very high volumes, I did not detect any harshness in the top end.
 

 

Sou[size=24.57px]ndstage & Imaging[/size]

The soundstage and imaging on the HM2 is nothing special, probably just around the level of the standard Earpods that you get with an Apple device. Stage is quite small and imaging is decent, but not that great.
 

 

Detail & Clarity

In case you haven’t grasped it yet, the HM2 is not a detail or clarity oriented headphone, it sounds very warm and loses quite a lot of detail and is quite boomy. The clarity is not very good, both instrumental and vocal.
 

 

Conclusion

After reading this review you may be lead to believe that the HM2 is not a good choice, but this is not true at all. Despite it being behind other choices that are good in this price range, it is a fun and bass heavy headphone that will appeal to many people who just want a stylish, decent sounding headphone for a reasonable price. I would recommend the HM2 if your price range can’t be stretched to over $50 and you are looking for something that is simply fun and looks nice. 

Echobox Finder X1 Review

Echobox is not a brand that I am familiar with and this is because they are a very new entry into the portable audio market. According to Echobox, they are “a company founded and run by music-lovers and audio geeks. We’ve been watching the personal audio industry for years, researching and analyzing everything from the types of music people listen to, how and where we listen, and, most importantly, the quality of audio that we’ve become accustomed to. What we’ve seen has excited, confused, and disappointed us, all at once.”
 

 
Being such a new company, I was curious as to how well the Finder X1 would sit in the pretty crowded $200 range. There are many great options that pop up when it comes to mid-range IEMs and I wanted to see how the X1 stacked up against the best in the same price range. When I first received them, I was instantly impressed by the professional packaging and the finish of the X1 and it certainly boasts an impressive sound as well, we’ll go more in depth into that later on.
 
**Disclaimer** These were provided to me by Echobox in return for an unbiased review.
 

Unboxing & Accessories

My first impression of the Echobox X1 was extremely pleasant, as I opened the superbly packaged X1. The box is very clean and well laid out, including all of the information that you need to know. Upon opening the box, I was met with the X1 and the tips as well as the filters. On the side are the specs and they are:
 
Build: titanium housing
Transducers: Dynamic
Frequency Range: 15 Hz – 32 kHz
Sensitivity (SPL): 96 dB/mW
Impedance: 22 Ω
THD: <1%
Cable: 1.2 metres, silver plated
Plug: 3.5 mm stereo
 
There are several accessories that some with the X1, and these include 5 pairs of tips and 3 sets of sound adjusting rings. There is also a manual and a warranty card along with a clamshell case. The case is one of the best cases that I have seen included with IEMs – they are sturdy and spacious, but not too big. The tips were fine, but I found myself preferring spinfit tips on these. The filters are definitely a welcome addition, but I’ll expand on that a little later. I would have liked to see a cable clip for the people who like to wear their IEMs straight down, but I don’t plan to do that, so its not s problem for me.
 

 

Design & Isolation

This is where Echobox really hits it out of the park for me, the Finder X1 is among some of the most well finished IEMs that I have ever used. The casings are meticulously created and they look like they cost much more than a mere $200. The design is very aesthetically appealing and feels very solid. I’m no expert when it comes to the merits of titanium vs ordinary stainless steel, but from my watches, I gather that titanium is essentially a less corrosive and lighter alternative to stainless steel. This is certainly welcome, as it means that they sit better in my ears and don’t fall out as easily. The X1 certainly sat very well in my ears and was very comfortable.
 
The cable is SPC as opposed to the standard copper cables in most IEMs. Of course, there is no solid evidence to back up the idea that silver is superior to copper in audio, but for those who believe that cables make a difference (this includes me), here you go. The cable is also shielded, making is very strong and pretty much tangle free in my experience.
 
Now onto the negatives in the design. The first one I can think of is the strain relief where the cable enters the housing, or more accurately, the lack of it. I can’t determine whether this will make any difference in the X1’s durability, but it’s always more reassuring to see some kind of support there. The other thing is that it is rather hard to tell the left from the right and vice versa. There are L and R indicators, but they are very light and easy to miss. It would be nice if there was a red and blue ring around the IEMs to make it easier to distinguish.
 
The isolation of the X1 is just average, perhaps a little under average even. As with the case of other dynamic driver IEMs, they don’t seem to isolate particularly well. They are ok for use in quieter areas, but they tend to not do so well in noisy outdoor areas.
 
 

Testing Gear

I ran the Finder X1 with many sources and I settled on the D14 + P5 with PS combo. This, I felt, paired very well with the X1. Obviously it’s not portable, maybe its transportable at best, but I thought they brought out the best of the X1. With that combo, I felt like the somewhat hot treble was tamed a little. With DAPs such as the DX80 and DX90, they also did very well. I found that they needed a bit of juice to sound at their best, so if you are planning to use them with just a phone or an iPod, you might want to consider buying a cheap amp along with these.
 

 

Sound Quality

Given that this was the first IEM that Echobox has released, I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect from them. One thing I feel I should mention is that the X1 needs burning in, to me at least. I felt like the sound changed appreciably after a hundred hours or so of burn in. I was quite impressed by how the X1 sounded, especially considering that it was the first product that Echobox has ever released.
 
 

Filters

I preferred the white filters over the black and red ones. The white one is the reference one so it didn’t come as much of a surprise. The other filters do what they say – the black is bassy and the red is bright. Personally, I find that the white filter is already V shaped, I would have liked to see a midrange boosted filter, one can wish right? The black was quite nice as well, it took the edge off the treble, but this came at the expense of looser bass.
 

 

Bass

The bass will likely be a little bit of a love hate area depending on what type of sound signature you like. The bass is distinctly heavy and undoubtedly boosted, but I like it, quite a lot. It’s the type of bass that I really enjoy, not overly heavy, but with a nice edge to it. If you come from a more neutral IEM or perhaps a slightly bass light one like the ER4S, the X1 would likely take some time to get used to. Having spent a lot of time with the Titan 5 recently, the X1’s bass was wonderfully balanced to me. The speed and detail is impressive, the bass never lingered around for too long, but had a very solid impact to it. If I had to describe it in one word, it would be fun. It may not be the more accurate or the most detailed bass in this price range, but it is one of the most entertaining and satisfying bass responses I have heard. Extension is also very good, sub-bass is string and also a little boosted, it has a very nice rumble to it.
 
 

Midrange

As with all bass heavy headphones, there is always danger of the bass bleeding into the midrange and there was none of that here. The transition is very smooth and the midrange stays very clear and devoid of any bass bleed. The sound signature of the X1 is definitely V shaped and the midrange is recessed. It is pulled back quite a little and it shows, at times I felt perhaps just a little too much. This made the treble and bass sound a little bit overly forward. The midrange itself is perhaps a little bright up the top, but quite flat throughout. Vocals sounded crisp and clear with little colouration, but I did notice some light hissing and sibilance. Clarity is excellent and the timbre of instruments is very good. Detail is also up these among some of the best, it is very upfront with the small details. Detail in vocals is especially evident, the clarity mixed with the slightly bright midrange means that the small details are really flushed out.
 
 

Treble

The treble is bright and this can be slightly tamed with the black filters, but even then, the treble is still bright. This, however, is not a deal breaker, at least for me, but I prefer my headphones slightly bright, and your preferences might be different. Despite it being bright, it is not overly bright to me, and there is a little bit of sibilance up the top, but this is very minor and I didn’t feel like it made the X1 any less enjoyable to listen to. Extension is very good, and there is no audible roll off at the highest registers. Cymbals have a slightly sharp edge to them, but it isn’t too bad. They sound quite natural and I found the brightness very easy to handle, especially at normal listening volumes. Treble detail is excellent, it does almost as well as the TWFK driver IEMs. The X1 has a hot treble, but this is far from a problem and I actually didn’t mind it at all, and felt it was quite nice.
 

 

Soundstage & Imaging

Whilst the soundstage of the X1 isn’t the largest that I have heard in this price range, it does hold its own against the Titan 5 very well. The soundstage is not particularly wide, but I did find that it was quite tall and deep. The soundstage is more of an intimate one rather than an expansive one. It sounds rather different compared to other IEMs which attempt to create a concert hall soundstage, it’s a little Grado like.
 
The imaging is quite impressive; it is certainly very good for the price range. Something I have found with cheaper IEMs is that they don’t do particularly well here, but the X1 does superbly. Its single dynamic driver presents a very clear and accurate stage, making it easy to distinguish between instruments. Overall, the Echobox Finder X1 does pretty well in this area. While it doesn’t really stand out, it performs very respectably.
 
 

Separation, Detail & Clarity

Something I have found with dynamic driver IEMs is that they tend to not do quite as well as BA IEMs in this area. However, the X1 sounds more like a hybrid than a single driver dynamic. The separation is excellent, it doesn’t quite reach the heights of the DN-2000, but you wouldn’t expect it to at this price point. Everything sounds clear and coherent even in very busy passages. It’s put it around the level of TWFK IEMs.
 
The X1 isn’t an overly detailed IEM, but that is not to say that it is poor when it comes to detail retention. It does do quite well, but as with many other dynamic driver IEMs, I find that they aren’t detailed as some other IEMs in the same price range which use multiple BAs. It’s nice to see that the heavy bass doesn’t really affect the detail. Some micro details were evident, but it isn’t really on the level of TWFKs.
 
Clarity is very good due to the very clean tuning of the X1. Once again, the bass doesn’t really seem to affect the clarity much. Overall, the clarity is up there with the best in this price range. The overall sound signature of the X1 is quite cool except for the boosted bass and the clarity is excellent in the midrange and treble. It probably could be a little better in the bass area if the bass wasn’t as heavy, but it is still very impressive.
 

 

Summary

My first introduction to Echobox as a brand has been a very pleasant one. The Echobox Finder X1 isn’t really the king of anything, but is rather the jack of all trades. It is a very entertaining and engaging IEM which really makes the listener want to tap along to the music. I would say that for anyone who is looking for an IEM under $200 who prefers an elevated bass to take a serious look at the Echobox X1, it is really an excellent choice if you are a fan of a V shaped sound signature. 
 
As always, thanks for reading this review and I hoped it helped. And just a note, the photos are taken from Google, if you own any of them and want me to take them down send me a message.

Dunu Titan 5 Review

First of all, I’d like to thank Dunu for sending me a sample of the Titan 5 to review. I’m quite familiar with Dunu as a brand and I’ve heard many of their higher end offerings including the DN-1000 and DN-2000. A while ago, I reviewed the Titan 1, which I found to be an IEM which punched well above its price bracket and truly outshone other IEMs in the same price range. The Titan 5 is a higher end model in the same line and the two IEMs share numerous similarities.
 

 
Given the fact that I enjoyed the Titan 5 so much, I really looked forward to trying out the Titan 5. The 5, like the 1, utilises a single dynamic driver in a style which is rather reminiscent of an earbud. Given the fact that they look almost identical to the Titan 5, I expected a similar Dunu house sound and that is just about what I got.
 
The pricing of the Dunu Titan 5 is $195SGD from LendMeUrEars or around $140USD at the time of writing and is priced just a little bit above the Titan 1. It is, however, cheaper than the DN-1000 and under half the price of the DN-2000.
 
**Disclaimer** These were provided to me for free in exchange for a fair and unbiased review.
 
 

Unboxing & Accessories

The Titan 5 comes with a very similar package to the Titan 1, it does a very good job with protecting the earphones, and provides you with all the relevant information and details. Overall, the packaging looks excellent.
 
There aren’t that many things that come with the Titan 5, but it comes with most of the necessary accessories. There are 6 sets of tips, a standard 3.5mm to ¼ inch adapter, a pair of stabilisers, a cable clip and a case. The case is the same one that the Titan 1 uses, which is a relief. I did not enjoy the DN-900 and DN-2000 cases at all. It does its job and protects the IEMs well. The tips were a bit of a letdown, they felt a little flimsy and none of them really sealed very well. I used some aftermarket “Heir” tips (grey and red). The wings or stabilisers worked very well, maybe a tad big for my small ears, but they did their job and the IEMs didn’t even come close to falling off.
 

 

Design, Isolation & Cable

The Titan 5 is based very heavily on the Titan 1 design and both are built very well. With the housing constructed primarily of steel, the IEMs feel very solid and looks great too. One of the best upgrades the Titan 5 has is the addition of a removable cable. This way you are able to simply buy another cable if the cable breaks rather than sending it in for repair. Comfort is good, without the wings I wore them for hours with minimal discomfort. With the wings, however, they became significantly less comfortable, but they were much more stable in my ear. They can be worn both straight down and over the ear, though it is a little bit hard to keep them over the ears. The Titan 5 feels like a truly high end a very well built product.
 
The isolation is a little better than the almost non-existent isolation on the Titan 1, but it is nowhere near impressive. These look like earbuds and hardly isolate any better than regular earbuds. The vents and very shallow seal means that it is very easy for sound to get in. I’d say that it is only a good idea to use them inside where there is not a lot of noise.
 
The cable is good, and pretty much the same as every other Dunu cable I have used. The strain reliefs are rather well built and do their job. The cable is perhaps a little thin, but this also means that it is very flexible. The cable is around 1.2m long and come with a slider above the y-split, which is a relief. This makes wearing the IEM over the ear much easier. The plug feels pretty solid and I didn’t experience any cuts outs at all, something that happens sometimes with IEMs which have a removable cable. Microphonics is also very good, both worn up and down.
 
 

Testing Gear

Most of my testing was done on the D14-P5 with PS, but I also gave it a run with DX80 and an iPhone 6. All of the devices and combinations drove the IEM sufficiently, it isn’t an overly demanding IEM, but I did feel like the performance improved appreciably when the IEM was amped very simply on the IP6. The best combination was expectedly the iBasso stack, but they sounded almost as good on the DX80. With amping, the bass seems to be punchier and hits harder. The overall sound is more controlled and smooth. I would recommend pairing the Titan 5 with a DAP or with a cheap amp.
 
 

Sound Quality

Given how impressed I have been with every single one of Dunu’s IEMs that I have tried, I had no reason to suspect otherwise with the Titan 1. The Titan 1 took the spot of my favourite budget IEM and given the low pricing of the Titan 5, it replaces the Titan 1 in that spot for me. The Titan 5 is a truly impressive IEM when it comes to sound quality and is perhaps the best performer when it comes to price/performance that I have heard.
 

 

Bass

Generally, I have found Dunu IEMs to be somewhat V shaped with an emphasised bass and the Titan 5 is no different. The bass is definitely the highlight for me, it is perfectly balanced, not too much and not too light. The bass is punchy and energetic; it manages to have very good impact while staying very fast. There is no bloat whatsoever. The detail of the bass is extremely impressive, not just for an IEM of this price range, but for higher end IEMs as well. The bass is controlled well and at no time did I feel like it got too much. The mid-bass was emphasised more than the sub-bass, which I actually found to be rather neutral. Bass extension was very good and I didn’t feel like the bass rolled off at the lower registers. The sub-bass was quite flat – not emphasised, but no early roll off either. Rumble is good, but it isn’t for bassheads who like to hear an emphasised sub-bass, you won’t find it here. The tone of the bass is one of the most well balanced without sacrificing overall clarity that I have heard in an IEM.
 
 

Midrange

The midrange is undoubtedly pulled back a little but I wouldn’t exactly call it recessed. It has the same tone that I love from the Titan 1, but it improves on it in terms of clarity. There is a sense of realism while still being somewhat analytical. Yes, they were definitely pulled back a little, but I didn’t feel like this bothered me at all. It really shines on female vocals, where it sounds very sweet and extremely clear. There is a little bit of an upper midrange boost and this means that vocals sound crystal clear. Male vocals sound a little sharper than I would usually like, but it wasn’t too bad. Instruments sounded clear and generally had a natural timbre to them, but with pianos I found the Titan 5 to be a little thinner than I usually like. Stringed instruments sounded very natural and realistic while being very detailed, more so than the Titan 1. A small issue I had was minor vocal sibilance on higher volumes. Despite the midrange being a little pulled back, I found them to be very impressive, which excellent detail and realism.
 
 

Treble

The treble feels more upfront than the Titan 1, which I find to be a good thing. Gone in the mid treble dip and this is instead replaced by an upper treble boost. Extension is better on the Titan 5 and I felt like the treble was quite smooth with no significant peaks, but it is definitely on the brighter side of neutral. Something I realised was that it is more refined than the slightly grainy treble of the Titan 1. Treble detail is excellent and it really shines with cymbals. They have just the right amount of sparkle and a good decay. The treble was not harsh at all, and I didn’t feel like there was any sibilance at all, even at high volumes. Something I have to pick on is how they present the micro details. They presented some minute details in the treble that I really wasn’t expecting to here, from a soft bell to a guitar string. The treble is wonderfully balanced and extends beautifully. While I wouldn’t exactly call his bright, it is very clean and detailed without being harsh.
 

 

Soundstage & Imaging

The Titan 1 really surprised me with just how large the soundstage was and for the price, I had never heard anything like it before. The Titan 5 has a similar soundstage to the Titan 1. Together, they are two of the best IEMs in regards to soundstage under $200 by quite a margin. The vents and earbud design probably has something to do with this. The large soundstage does come with a horrendous isolation though. It is perhaps even larger than the DN-2000. The width and height is impressive, but what is even more so is the depth, or more specifically, how the Titan 5 presents the depth of the stage. The stage has a very 3D feel to it and is something nothing I have heard (other than the Titan 1) does in this price range.
 
The imaging is equally as impressive and here is it even better than the Titan 1. It is very precise and it presents a sense of space very well. Instruments and where they were was very sharp and the layering is all awesome. I think that the Titan 5 is maybe even better than the DN-2000 in this area.
 
 

Separation, Detail & Clarity

The separation improves on the Titan 1, but it still falls a little short of multi BA IEMs in this price range. The single dynamic driver of the Titan 5 isn’t as good in this area as multiple BA drivers. It handles most tracks with ease, but on some busier passages, the music starts to be a little more congested. It isn’t too bad at any time, but it is worth mentioning that it doesn’t do quite as well as other top contenders here.
 
The Titan 5 is the most detailed IEM under $200 that I have personally tried. I think that this is pretty clear to me, not much comes close. It is much more detailed than the Titan 1 because of the more open treble. It isn’t one of those analytical IEMs however; it’s far from that actually. I’d actually say that the Titan 5 is one of the more fun IEMs that I have heard, it combines energy with detail for a very convincing package.
 
The Titan 5 excels in clarity due to the slightly accentuated upper midrange and upper treble. Instruments sound very clear as do voices. This is mostly a positive, but in some instances, this can mean that the sound is not quite as realistic as I would have liked.
 

 

Summary

I wrote that the Titan 1 was the most perfect sounding IEM at its price and now the Titan 5 is, IMO, superior at a slightly higher price. Nothing comes close to it at its price point. However, this does not mean that this will necessarily be the choice for everyone. With an IEM, noise isolation is important to many people and unfortunately, the superior sound of the Titan 5 is met with a terrible isolation. When choosing an IEM in this price range, the Titan 5 is my first recommendation by far purely based on sound quality, but of course, you have to consider how important isolation is to you because this trade-off means that you will be limited as to where you can actually use this. 
 
As always, thanks for reading this review and I hoped it helped. And just a note, the photos are taken from Google, if you own any of them and want me to take them down send me a message. 

iBasso DX80 Review

iBasso is a brand that I am now very familiar with, having reviewed quite a number of their products. They have now established themselves as one of the leading brands for more budget minded portable audio devices and it is clear to see why. The DX80 is iBasso’s latest foray into the portable DAP market, and it is the successor to the now discontinued DX50 and DX90. Both the DX50 and DX90 were huge successes due to their attractive appearance and reasonable pricing.
 

 
To be perfectly honest, I was a little disappointed to see that the DX90 and DX50 had been discontinued by iBasso, the two music players are some of the favourites within the Head-Fi community. However, I was curious as to just how iBasso would fill the gap and they have done this with the DX80. The name and pricing suggests that it should be between the 50 and 90 sonically, but let’s see just how well it performs and whether it does a good job at replacing the venerable previous DX series.
 
As many will know, instead of the dual ES9018K2M chips in the DX90, the DX80 instead employs dual CS4398 chips from Cirrus Logic, which I’m pretty sure is the company’s flagship chip right now. I’ve seen many people draw comparisons between the two daps based on this information alone, arguing that the Sabre chips are “better” than the Cirrus Logic ones used in the DX80, however, the reality is that how the chips are implemented is far more important than which chips are used. The DX80 is a product that I have been looking forward to for a long time, let’s go on to see how it performed.
 
**Disclaimer** I am not affiliated with iBasso in any way and I will do my best to give my unbiased opinion of the DX80.
 
 

Specifications

Personally, I don’t pay too much attention to the specifications, but here they are for anyone who is interested. IMO it’s much better to analyse how good a product is by listening to it rather than to look at fact sheets.
 

 

 
The main things you need to see here is the fact that it has an impedance of under 0.1 ohms, meaning it will work fine with even the most sensitive IEMs and that the battery lasts “up to 13 hours” according to iBasso. It’s also nice to see that it supports native DSD.
 
 

Unboxing & Accessories

The packaging of the DX80 is very different to the identical packaging of the DX50 and 90 and it certainly looks much better. The overall packaging looks much more elegant and classier, giving the product a sense of quality. Upon opening up the box, there is the DX80 and under it is a compartment with all the accessories. It is also worth mentioning that the box is rather protective so it should have no issues with shipping. If you are buying direct from iBasso, they package the DX80 remarkably well, and communicating with them is a breeze.
 
The DX80 comes with all the accessories that you will need, but nothing more. There is a silicone case, which is very nice, a burn in cable, a USB cable, and a coaxial cable. The case fits very well and isn’t too thick, but it is a little bit of a dust magnet. The burn in cable is also a nice addition, as it means that you will not need to use one of your earphones or headphones to burn the player in.
 

 

Design & UI

The DX80’s physical design is reminiscent of the previous gen DX50 and 90 (which pretty much look identical). The buttons remain the same as do the button placement, but the largest difference is the fact that the screen is significantly larger, making scrolling and searching much easier. I was a little disappointed not to see a physical gain switch, but there is a choice between high and low gain in the settings. On the bottom are the headphone out and the line out ports. The power switch is on the left and the volume buttons on the right while the SD card and USB slots are up the top. The coaxial port is just beside it. The dual micro SD card slots on the DX80 means that the memory can be expendable to 400GB right now with dual 200GB micro SD cards, but this is likely to rise in the future are larger capacity cards come out.
 
When I first received the DX80, there were a ton of flaws in the UI, but it’s nice to see that iBasso ironed them out rather quickly and now the experience is better than I expected (1.1.4). To get the negatives out of the way first, scrolling left and right still has quite a bit of lag, which is a little annoying, Scrolling is also not quite there yet, the animation looks a little weird, but these things can be fixed with future software update, which I have no doubt iBasso will continue rolling out. Everything else is very smooth and it significantly better than what the DX50 or 90 ever was.
 

 

Testing Gear

I tried the DX80 on a few IEMs, some of which included the 1plus2, Roxanne, Echobox Finder, DN-2000, Titan 5 and a short go with the SE846. Most of my sonic tests were carried out with the 1plus2, I felt the two paired quite well together. It’s not the best pairing with the 1plus2 I have heard, but it still sounded great. I also ran it with the P5 with the PS quite a bit to test the DAC section of the DX80 as well as running it straight through the D14. I gave it a brief run with the ATH-M50, but other than that, pretty much all my testing was carried out on IEMs and not headphones. One thing I found was that the DX80 tended to pair well with everything I threw at it that wasn’t overly bright. The upper end sparkle from the iBasso worked great with neutral to warm headphones, but this wasn’t the case for bright IEMs.
 
 

Sound Quality

Given the success of the DX50 and DX90 in their respective price ranges, I had high expectation for the DX80 and it certainly delivered. Obviously, the question that many people will ask is whether this is on the same level as the DX90 and this is a hard question to answer. Simply put, which one is “better” will depend on your personal preference. While the DX90 is more detailed, the DX80 is more analogue sounding, it has a more realistic tone to it. The DX90 is more analytical. It exceeded my expectations as a gap filler between the 50 and 90, and instead, it appears like it is a DX90 replacement with a different flavour at a cheaper price.
 

 

Bass

The DX80 retains the flat bass that the DX90 has and it does this with an almost identical tone. Whilst I felt like the sub bass was perhaps just a little emphasized on the DX90, the DX80’s bass is perhaps even more ruler flat. There is no roll off at the lower registers, but there is no accentuation either. The bass is very neutral and really does stay true to the recording. The sub-bass was still very much prominent, but it did not have as much presence as the DX90, whether that is a pro or con depends on your personal preference, but as a rule, I prefer my sources to be as neutral as possible, so I prefer the DX80 tonality to the DX90. The detail of the bass is excellent, perhaps not better than the DX90, but definitely a huge step up from the DX50. The mid bass is punchy and exciting and stays very fast, it is probably slightly on the faster side of things, but it had a very solid and satisfying impact. The bass on the DX80 is excellent and stays very neutral with minimal colouration.
 
 

Midrange

Something I have realised in all iBasso devices is that they tend to slightly boost the upper midrange/lower treble and I find this to be the case with the DX80 as well, but perhaps less so than other iBasso DAPs I have tried. This is sometimes referred to as the iBasso house sound and is the reasons why their devices are some of my favourite in the price range. The lower midrange is very flat and sounds great, but it becomes awesome when it gets to the upper midrange. Vocals especially sound very realistic with a subtle sweet tinge to them. This worked very well with neutral to warmer IEMs or headphones especially, I felt like it really added another layer of clarity and reality to vocals. Instruments sound very natural and have a more realistic timbre to them compared to the DX90, which sounds a little “digital” in comparison.
 
 

Treble

As mentioned above, the lower treble is a little bit forward, but as no time did I feel like this was an issue. I actually enjoy this as it adds a little bit of a sparkle to the music, which seems to lift everything and make the music more entertaining. I was a little worried that there might be some sibilance and hiss that sound creep in, but that wasn’t an issue with any of the IEMs at normal listening volumes. I did hear a little hiss with the SE846 when I cranked the volume up, but that was at a much high volume than I usually listen to music at. Cymbals are very detailed and again, there is no sibilance there either. The treble extends very well, and remains very clean. Detail is very good on a DAP of this price, but it isn’t quite as good as the DX90, but it makes up for that by being more entertaining and involving.
 

 

Separation, Detail & Clarity

Instrument separation on this is on par with the DX90, which is very impressive considering the cost of this. The DX80’s dual Cirrus Logic chips are just as good as the Sabre ones in the DX90 and with the 1plus2, they really impressed me. They are a huge step up from the DX50, and when paired with a good IEM, I didn’t feel like it became congested even in busy tracks. Everything remained crystal clear. With vocals, the DX80 is equally as good, and is perhaps a little bit better than even the DX90. The tone of the DX80’s midrange makes vocals really pop and each singer’s voice is easily distinguishable. The Dx80 is excellent in separation for the price range it sits in.
 
I wouldn’t exactly say that the DX80 is weak in this area, but it is slightly behind the very detailed DX90. The clarity is excellent, both with instruments and vocals. Whilst it is just about on par with clarity – everything is very crisp and well defined, it can’t quite match the DX90’s detail retention. This is nothing to be ashamed of, however, consider the DX80 is considerably cheaper than what the DX90 retailed for and it beats it in other regards. The DX80 is still very detailed and still remains one of the best in its price range.
 
 

Soundstage & Imaging

The DX80 is very competent in this area as well, and it does well with its soundstage for the price. It is definitely not the best soundstage that I have heard (that would have to go to the HM-901), but it is excellent in its price range. It is important to keep in mind that this is a mid-range priced DAP and the fact that I’m comparing it to high ends DAPs is a tribute to how good it is. The soundstage is rather wide and well defined. Depth is also very good and realistic, but the height could perhaps be a little taller, but it’s not crammed at all. It is perhaps not quite as good as the DX90, but it does hold its own very well.
 
The imaging is similar to the DX80. I’ve heard many DAPs which are priced under $400 and most of them fall short when it comes to soundstage and imaging especially. The DX50 did well for the price, but the DX80 is significantly better. It is not quite at the level of the DX90, but it does do very well for the price. Everything is well laid out and very clear, I didn’t find it to be blurry at all. It gets very close to the DX90 which I feel does remarkably well in this regard and competes with high ends DAPs. The constant comparisons to the DX90 make the DX80 seem not as impressive as it really is, but the reality is that it is an amazing DAP for the price it is being offered for.
 

 

Accuracy

This is kind of a summary of how the DX80 sounds. Is it perfectly flat? To me, no it’s not, it has iBasso’s distinct house sound and I am personally a big fan of it. The bass is very flat and the midrange has a small boost in the upper midrange/lower treble region. The treble is quite flat, I didn’t detect any peaks and extends very well. It presents music very accurately with a little bit of iBasso’s own flavour. Whether you like it or not if for you to decide.
 

 

Summary

When I first heard iBasso’s decision to drop the DX50 and DX90 from their line up, I was quite surprised, but after getting the Dx80 to use and review, I totally understand why – the DX80 is a more than worthy replacement for both the DX50 and DX90. Even though the numbering and pricing suggests that it lies in between the two in terms of sound quality, I wouldn’t really say that is totally true. The DX80 and DX90 are two completely different beasts and while the DX90 is a detail monster, the DX80 is a more realistic and engaging player.
 
Taking into account the superior UI and larger screen allowing for more features in future updates, the DX80 is a Dap that I expect to stay as my top recommendation for some time. I find it to be a more than worthy replacement for both the DX50 and DX90. I do feel like I prefer the DX80 because it brings me more musical enjoyment than the DX90, but that’s just me. A question that many DX90 owners are probably wondering is whether it is a good idea to sell the DX90 and buy the DX80 or whether they should buy the DX80 to accompany the DX80. I do feel like the DX80 is different enough to the DX90 to justify owning both, but if I could only own one, it would be the DX80. If you have a DX50 and think it’s a step up, the DX80 is a no brainer.
 
As always, thanks for reading this review and I hoped it helped. And just a note, the photos are taken from Google, if you own any of them and want me to take them down send me a message. 

First of all I’d like to thank RHA for sending out a unit of the T20 for us to do an Australasian tour. RHA is a company that I am quite familiar with now, having tried their other two previous flagship IEMs. The MA750 was the first RHA product I tried and I was very impressed by the build and the sound that it put out. However, their last entry into the mid-range market, the T10 left me wanting a lot more as far as sound went. It was overly bass heavy and I noted that they needed a more “reference” reference filter.  
 

 
The T20 is the successor and the new RHA flagship and is supposed to incorporate the suggestions that came from the T10 and pick up from its mistakes. I had very high hopes for the T20, and I loved the design aspect of the T10, so was happy when I discovered that the T20 would have the same design as the T10. RHA is known for the build and meticulous attention to detail of their IEMs and the T20 certainly continues that trend.
 
The T20 is priced at $240 in the US and this slots perfectly into the mid-range of IEMs. This is a price bracket which I feel has the best money to sound ratio and going into the high end market will cost considerably more with little return. The competition over here is very stiff and I was curious as to see whether it would knock off the DN-2000.
 
**Disclaimer** These were provided by RHA for a tour in return for an unbiased review.
 
 

Unboxing & Accessories

The packaging is classic RHA again and it certainly looks very well presented. The box shows off the many features that it has and it showcases the red dot design award that it received. It tells you on the front of the box that it comes with a three year warranty, compared to the one or two that most other competitors offer. Opening the flap will reveal a graph with all three of the tuning filters and there is a clear plastic window where you can see the T20 along with the tips and filters. Good presentation and the packaging survived the tour rather well, so it seems unlikely that it would get damaged in transit.
 
The T20 certainly comes with a ton of accessories. It has a lot of tips including foam ones so everybody should be able to find a comfortable fit easily. The tips are all on a metal plate, just like the other RHA IEMs and this is a really nice design IMO. There are 3 tuning filters, which is one of the selling points. The change is not all that large between each of them, but it’s not exactly subtle either. The case is also the standard RHA leather case and it serves its job very well, but it would maybe be nice to see something that it more protective. There is also a cable clip and a manual. Overall, this area is good just like all of their other IEMs.
 

 

Design & Isolation

The physical presentation of the T20 is amazing, it is the same as the T10 except it has a vent on the face. The brushed metal looks excellent and it is very well built. The build is also very impressive, all the seams are very tight and the earpieces just feel very well built. They do scratch quite easily though, so be careful with them. The entire housing is made of brushed stainless steel and is very well finished. The left and right side are colour coordinated, which is a nice touch. The shape also fits very well in my ear and it is shaped like Shure or Westone IEMs. Seal was a little hard to get with these with the stock tips, but I think that might just be my ears and not the T20.
 
The cable is awesome just like the T10. There is no remote on the T20, but I’ve heard that RHA are going to come out with a T20i, which is the version of the T20 with a remote and mic. The memory wire, just like the T10, is ever so slightly too long and it goes a little past my ears. The cable feels very solid and is just the right thickness and still remains flexible. The jack has a good strain relief, but it’s is really long and it is probably just a little too intrusive. It would be nice to see a more low profile strain relief.
 
Isolation is probably a little under average for these, the vent really doesn’t help isolation too much. In relatively quiet areas, the T20 has no issues, but in noisier public places the T20 may not do a sufficient job at blocking out sound. It’s not bad, it’s just not that great. Listening to this while I am typing this review, I can hear my mechanical keyboard quite clearly.
 

 

Testing Gear

I tried the T20 with a range of sources and I discovered that it actually scales quite a lot, more than the price would suggest. The best pairing I found was the iBasso stack that I have been pairing with the 1plus2. I used it with the D14 as a DAC and the P5 as the amp. I felt like this really brought out the dynamic sound of the T20, and made it sound more alive than from other sources I tried. The DX90 was quite a good pairing, but it didn’t drive the dynamic driver with the same authority that the P5 had. I tried with the iPhone 6 and the Xperia Z2 and they sounded really poor, lifeless and quite dull, I would really recommend pairing these with a high end source, because they really need something good to shine. I also decided to use the treble filter for the review, because I found that it was the more natural sounding filter out of all the three options.  
 

 

Sound

Just a word of warning, these require burning. RHA sent them to me first and out of the box I was really disappointed. Upon hearing them, I felt like RHA still hadn’t addressed the issues that plagued the T10 – bloated bass, overly warm sound that lacked clarity. However, after it did the rounds around Australia and New Zealand, I was actually really impressed with the sound and was shocked just how much it had changed. So when you just get them, don’t judge them straight away. I’m not sure how many hours the T20 had gone on the tour, but I’d say to burin them in for around 200 hours before judging them.
 
 

Filters

Like I mentioned before, I used the treble filter to assess the T20 and I’ll give a short comparison of what the other filters sound like. The reference wound is bass heavy and is a little less treble happy compared to the treble filter. However, with the treble filters, the bass also seemed to decrease. I’m not sure if this was actually the case, or whether the increase in treble gave the impression of reduced bass. The bass filter was not great IMO, it increased the bass from the reference filter, which was already a little too heavy to start off with, so unless you are a basshead, I wouldn’t recommend going anywhere near the bass filter.
 

 

Bass

The bass was pretty much what I expected TBH. I knew that RHA are a somewhat bass heavy company and all of their IEMs that I have tried are all somewhat bass heavy. The T10 was overly so, but the T20 certainly takes a good step back and it is nowhere near as bass heavy as the T10. The bass is strong, but feels rather controlled and is not bloated whatsoever. There is a little bit of boominess, but it is not to the point where it bleeds into the midrange and it is actually rather pleasant. I find myself reaching for the T20 over my other IEMs when I am looking for a bit more of a bass response. Detail is quite good, speed is obviously not great, but this is the trade-off for a bass heavy IEM. Extension is quite good, but not the best I have heard in the price range. There seems to be a bit of sub-bass roll off and the bass hump sounds like it is in the mid-bass. Bassheads will love this.
 
 

Midrange

The midrange was probably the area that came as the largest shock of all. It is very clean and crisp, not warm or tinny at all like the T10. The midrange actually sounds like it some from a BA driver and not a dynamic driver. The clarity that is has is excellent, on par with the DN-2000, and I’m very surprised that it manages to do all of this with a single dynamic driver. It is probably one of the cleanest sounding midranges from a single dynamic driver IEM. I felt like the tonality of these with the treble filter were perhaps just a tad bright, but they are by no means cold at all. With the treble filter, it is a little recessed, but not overly so, they are just a little laid back. Instruments have a natural timbre to them. Vocals are excellent, they sound very natural and they sound very clear due to the tuning.
 
 

Treble

With the treble filter, obviously the treble is more boosted than the reference filter, but it sits right in my sweet spot – it is almost perfect for my preference. I like treble to be slightly elevated and the T20 with the treble filter is exactly that. With the reference filter the treble was quite neutral. The upper registers have slight roll off, even with the treble filters, but it doesn’t really affect the sound much. Cymbals are excellent and they have a very natural tone and sparkle to them. There wasn’t any sibilance, but I’m not very treble sensitive so I guess this can change from person to person. Detail is excellent, not quite as good as the dual TWFK of the DN-200, but it holds its own well. The treble sounds excellent with the treble filter, it really showcases the ability of the T20.
 

 

Soundstage & Imaging

The soundstage on these is rather large, both wide and tall. It certainly challenges the DN-2000 and perhaps even betters it in this regard. The soundstage seems much more expansive than the T10, which is nice. The width especially was impressive, it was considerably wider than the DN-2000, but obviously doesn’t reach the levels of the 1plus2. Height is good too, it gives the entire presentation a concert hall sound. However, something that could perhaps be improved on is the depth, it wasn’t quite able to keep up with the DN-2000 and as a result, the DN-2000 had a more 3D soundstage. The T20 is very impressive in this areas.
 
The imaging is on par with the soundstage, they are both very impressive. While it isn’t as pinpoint as the TWFK hybrids that I have heard, it does superbly for its price point and its single dynamic driver produces a very accurate and clear stage. It doesn’t do layering quite as good as the DN-2000, but it is still very good. It is very easy to tell where instruments are even when the stage gets quite crowded. Overall, the T20 is very proficient in this area and passes with flying colours.
 

 

Separation, Detail & Clarity

The T20 is also very goods in separation despite its single dynamic driver. It fares well on congested tracks and background instruments are not masked by the main ones even in complex passages. It doesn’t quite do as well as the dual TWFK in the DN-2000, but it holds its own well. It is certainly a huge upgrade over the T10. The T20 is up there with the best in this area, but it doesn’t quite match the DN-2000.
 
With the treble filters, the T20 is actually a really detailed IEM. I wasn’t expecting the T20 to be as detailed as it was, having heard their past 2 flagships. They were both warm and that blurred out details. However, this is not the case with the T20, and it is a very detailed IEM, but falls short of the best of the BA IEMs. TWFKs simply are more detailed, but for a dynamic in this price bracket, the T20 is excellent.
 
While the T20 isn’t as cool as the DN-2000, it is about as clear as the Dunu. The bass response is boosted, but this doesn’t really affect the clarity. Everything sounds sharp and clear without seeming artificial. The decay is very realistic and natural, the timbre is just right. Both vocals and instruments are all very well balanced. The T20 is superb here, it manages to have great clarity while still sounding natural.
 

 

Conclusion

The T20 with the reference is the perfect IEM for a moderate basshead, who likes their bass, but also looks for clean mids and treble. The reference filter is great for people who just was a more V shaped sound. The T20 is a very versatile and the filters allow people to select the tuning which they prefer the most. It is an excellent choice and stands alongside the DN-2000 as an IEM between $200 and $300 that I would happily recommend to others. The T20 really does stand out from the crowd with its design and energetic sound signature.

First of all, I’d like to thank Brainwavz for sending me a pair of the Kidwavz for me to try out. The KV100 is Brainwavz new Bluetooth headphone and it oriented towards children and not the mainstream market. The KV100 is also called “Kidwavz”, which I suppose makes it pretty clear who the target audience is. I got one of these to review because I was curious as to what Brainwavz were capable of making at such a low price point, and I was pleasantly surprised. While the BLU-100 was good, the KV100 impressed me much more. Because people who are considering these will not be the typical Head-Fi member, I’ll write a different review to accommodate. No fancy terms.
 
**Disclaimer** I received these from Brainwavz in return for an unbiased review.
 

 

Packaging & Accessories

The KV100 is a budget product and the packaging is not amazing, but it arrived at my door from HK undamaged, so it certainly does the job. It comes with a manual, 3.5mm cable and a standard micro USB charging cable. I guess that’s all you need and for $40, you can’t really ask for any more.
 

 

Design

The main selling point of the KV100 is that the Bluetooth functionality is limited to 85db, which makes them safe for kids. It is worth mentioning, however, that these go significantly louder than 85db when you use the 3.5mm cable with them. However, when it is on Bluetooth, the 85db specification appears to be quite accurate and I never felt like they went over that, but I didn’t measure it. I usually listen at slightly under 80db, so the volume levels were more than enough for me.
 
The permissible listening time for 85db is 8 hours in one day, so if you are a parent considering this for your child, unless he/she listens literally all day, they should be fine. If you are worried about the 3.5mm cable, maybe just confiscate it or something lol. The Bluetooth is very easy to setup, and after the initial setup, the headphones connect automatically every time you turn them on. They get around 6 hours of play time on each charge and they have an included mic as well for taking calls.
 
The overall build is decent, it feels very plastic, but not too flimsy. I have dropped it a few time off my desk and they seemed to take the hits pretty well. It is really flexible and can take a beating if stuffed into a backpack or something like that. The build is almost completely plastic, and everything is pretty self-explanatory. It is worth mentioning that if they run out of battery, you can still use them wired.
 
They are rather small headphones and they sit on your ear, as opposed to over them. They remain relatively comfortable, but they are don’t isolate much, maybe only a little more than the standard apple earpods. The adjustors are very easy to us, just slide them up and down. The headband padding is nice and soft. Overall, the design is rather practical and kids should have no problems using these.
 

 

Sound

The sound is actually surprisingly god, especially for a Bluetooth headphone in this price range. I won’t split it up into all of the sections that I usually do, but this headphone sounds very good. What Brwainwavz did with these is boost the midrange, where most of the things are, including vocals, to make the KV100 sound better at lower volumes. They give the impression of being louder than they actually are because the signing is louder than the instruments. These are not like Beats headphones that you see all over the place, the complete opposite, because Beats headphones pull back the midrange and you need to listen at a louder volume to have clear vocals.
 
They are quite detailed and kids will probably think that the Bluetooth functionality is quite cool. Everything sounds clear and they are actually one of the best sounding headphones I have heard in the price range. I’m sure that many kids will love these.
 

 

Conclusion

The KV100 is an excellent choice for parents out there who have their kids’ birthdays or something like that coming up. I would recommend these for children under 10 or so years old, children who are older than that are generally more responsible and if they really wanted to listen to music at a loud volume, I’m sure they would be able to find a workaround anyway. Right now, there are not many headphones out on the market that have a volume limiting function and the KV100 is a very good and safe alternative to stock earphones than come with your children’s phones or iPods. 

The P5 is iBasso’s latest release, and coming in at the price of $529, it is iBasso’s current flagship portable amp. With their DX50 and 90 models, they really managed to gain a lot of fans with their clean and detailed signature and they have grown into one of the established names in portable audio. Having tried their recently released D14, I was looking forward to see how their flagship amplifier would fare.
 
We haven’t seen a dedicated amp from iBasso for a while now, and the P5 is the successor to the old P4. Though I have reviewed numerous iBasso products in the past, this is the first iBasso amp that I have reviewed, and given my experience with their other products, I certainly had high expectations for this unit. Let’s go on with the review and see how the P5 performed, and hopefully this will give those who are considering it a bigger picture of what to expect.
 

 

Specifications

I don’t really feel like specifications really matter, but here they are for anyone who is interested. The output impedance is low enough for very sensitive IEMs, I did not detect any bass roll off. I am pretty sure the output is under 1 ohm, which is the case for every iBasso device I have tried so far.
 
Specifications:
Power Source：Dual 9V batteries or P5 PS
Frequency Response: 16Hz~80KHz /-0.2dB
Signal to Noise Ratio：-121dB (A-wt.)
Crosstalk: -72dB@32Ohm
Total Harmonic Distortion: 0.0018% (with 32Ohm loading)
Output power: 660mW+660mW into 32Ohm when powered by 9V batteries, or 1000mW+1000mW into 32Ohm when powered by the P5 PS
Bass: 0dB/+6dB at 100Hz
Gain: 0dB/+4dB/+9dB
Battery Life: depends on the OPAMP and BUF combination
Battery Charge Time:  8~16 hours with the P5 PS
External Power supply:  +/-15V
Recommended Headphone Impedance: 8~300Ohm
Case dimension: 2.87W x 4.84L x 0.94H (inch)
             73W x 123L x 24H (mm)
Weight: 201g or 7.1oz (without batteries)
 

 

Packaging & Accessories

The P5 and the power supply both come in similar packaging to the DX DAP series. They do not come in one package, the P5 and PS are separate. The packaging is my no means extravagant, but it still manages to look attractive. The foam in the box protects both the P5 and the Ps very well, they arrived with no scratches or dings. Under the P5 are all the accessories that are included with the unit.
 
To be honest, I felt like the P5 was missing a few things that probably should have been there. Surprisingly there were no rubber bands, which I suspect quite a few people would like if they want to tie their P5 to a source to use as a portable solution. There were feet included, but they were the foam ones, and slid very easily, it would be much better if iBasso included rubber feet for their devices in the future. There are some OP amps and buffers included as well as an extra screw for the P5. Also included was a 3.5mm interconnect cable, it’s just a generic one and if you are going to shell out over $500 for the P5, you should probably invest in a nicer cable. The PS comes with a power cable and a wall power cable. The power cable connecting the P5 to the PS feels very solid. Overall, the P5 includes everything that is necessary, but misses a few things.
 

 

Features

The P5 comes with 3 gain options – low, mid and high. It’s pretty self-explanatory, adjust the gain depending on what headphones you are using with them. There is also a bass boost, which I think is the first that I have seen on an iBasso device, and that’s about it.
 
The bass boost is one of the best I have come across though. It is probably also one of the most subtle increases that I have used, the boost is small, but noticeable. It doesn’t really darken the sound and it doesn’t induce and bass bleed whatsoever. I found that the greatest area it affected was sub-bass rumble, it was much more satisfying when used with more neutral BA IEMs than already bass heavy IEMs like the 1plus2. It’s nice to see iBasso implement a very useable and effective bass boost.
 

 

Design

Let’s start with the negatives first. Size. This thing is damn huge for a portable am and when stacked with a DAP, don’t expect it to fit into your jeans pocket. The footprint is very big for a portable amp and the thickness is bulky as well. There is no other way to put it, the P5 is simply a large amp that’s more transportable than portable. The only other con I can think of is that if you want to use the P5 with batteries, there is no way to charge them other than to use the included power supply or to take them out, it is rather inconvenient, would have been nice for there to be a more portable charging option. The stock configuration with dual 500mah batteries will last you approximately 6.5 hours. However, there are some 9V batteries which are larger, and you could potentially use the P5 for around 10 hours off a single charge.
 
The P5 is the nicest looking amp I have seen in a while. The finish is simply impeccable and it really looks like a high end product. Both the P5 and the Ps are CNC finished and the brushed metal looks awesome. The amp looks sleek and all the edges are well finished, it feels as much as it costs. It feels very solid ad sturdy, and was actually a little lighter than I would have expected. The PS is quite heavy though. Not sure how easily this scratches, but I’d be very careful with it to keep it looking the way it does out of the box.
 

 
I only used the P5 with the PS because I wasn’t keen on using it outside due to the size anyway. The jacks feel very good, I think they might be the same ones as the D14, which are rated for 10000 cycles. They are a little bit recessed, but not by much. Most plugs, even right angled ones should have no issues. The volume knob also feels very solid, and it doesn’t turn very easily so if you do happen to have this in your pocket, the accidental bump shouldn’t change the volume dramatically.
 
On low gain, there was very slight channel imbalance at very low volumes but none past 7 or 8 O’clock. There was very slight noise on low gain, it’s not completely silent, but it was completely unnoticeable when music was on. With headphones like the ATH-R70X, you won’t be able to hear any noise, even on high gain. There was no EMI when I took calls, Bluetooth and used a lot of electronic devices around it.
 

 

Testing Gear

Most of my testing was performed on a Tralucent 1plus2 using the D14 as a source. The interconnect I used was a Toxic Cables copper cable. I felt there paired very well together, the detailed DAC of the D14 and the P5 really brought out the best in the 1plus2. I did, however, use several different headphones such as the ATH-R70X, DN-2000, MH40 and the rockets. As a source I also tried the DX90, but I felt that the D14 was better overall, so I mainly just used the D14 to feed the P5. I also gave it a short try with the SE846 and the Roxanne. I used the stock OP amp and buffer combination that came with the P5, didn’t change anything.
 
 

Sound

The P5 is simply the best portable amp that I have ever tried, overtaking even the 627X that I compared it with. I held very high expectations for the P5 and I was not let down whatsoever, but instead, I was pleasantly surprised by just how much control and authority the P5 had. It somehow manages to sound effortless yet incredibly detailed at the same time. The P5 really sets a new standard for me. This has been burnt in for over 100 hours.
 

 

Bass

Perhaps the area that the P5 impressed me the most in was the bass. I have never heard another amp be so controlled and clean in this area before. The P5 manages to produce both visceral and extremely fast bass. This is not to say that it is bass heavy, because it definitely isn’t, it’s one of the most neutral amps that I have heard. The impact is very satisfying and the sub-bass has significant, but not excessive rumble to it. Bass extension is excellent, there is not bass roll off at all for those who are looking for some extra oomph in the lower end, the bass boost is a very good solution without compromising the midrange and treble. Detail is exceptional, every little kick and string are very well rendered and the decay is always just right, not too long or too short. The bass response is simply flawless for me, it manages to conservative, yet remain exciting.
 

Midrange

The midrange has a sweet tone to it, but that is not to say that it is cold in tonality, because it is not at all. It is the typical iBasso midrange really, with emphasis on detail and clarity. While the midrange does sound quite flat, I don’t think that it is completely more neutral, to me it is very slightly on the brighter side of things. Vocals are the most natural that I have ever heard from a portable amp, the P5 manages to remain very clear without boosting the upper midrange. Pianos have a solid weight to then, they sound very natural and have a very realistic timbre to them. Instruments all sounded very euphoric and the P5 is very good at retaining detail from instruments and vocals. The P5 manages to sound natural, have excellent clarity without sounding sterile or cold at all. You’d be hard pressed to find something out there right now that tops this.
 

Treble

iBasso devices traditionally have a slight accentuation in the treble, but I didn’t really detect this with the P5. It is the first iBasso DAC or amp that I feel has a ruler flat treble. The extension is great, no roll off at all, and the detail is equally good. There was no sibilance in the upper regions at all. Initially, I actually felt like the treble was perhaps a little dark, even bordering on veiled, but after running it in for a while, it did open up. The P5’s treble really needs some burn in to sound the way that it should. Cymbals have adequate sparkle without sounding overly sharp. It excels in detail, just like the D14, it is one of the most detailed amps that I have heard and it really brings forwards the micro details in the background of the music. The P5 may not spear to be overly detailed at the beginning, but after burn in it is extremely good in the treble.
 

 

Separation, Detail & Clarity

The P5 is truly excellent in this area and completely trumps the already impressive D14. Separation is one of the main points I look for in an amp and the P5 does superbly here. Not once did I feel like instruments got muddled and with the SE846, it sounded amazing. Instrumental separation is its strongest area, with everything sounding remarkably coherent. Vocal separation is only slightly behind, but also very good. Nothing to pick out here, as good as it gets.
 
The detail is also immensely impressive. Compared to the HM-901’s internal amp, adding the P5 results in a significant and appreciable increase in detail which is very easily detectable. The microdetails are really revealed with a high end IEM like the 1plus2. Little rings and taps in the background that I didn’t notice before seem to pop up and it is certainly very impressive.
 
Clarity is great, partly due to the slightly elevated upper midrange and treble are that appears to be on most of the iBasso devices I have tried. It is because of this that I generally like their products, I prefer the slight upper midrange boost to improve clarity. Clarity on the P5 is second to none and it is truly impressive.
 

 

Soundstage & Imaging

With the Roxanne and 1plus2, the P5 pairing sounds like a full sized setup. The soundstage that the P5 presents is very wide and tall, but it is also somewhat three-dimensional. This makes the entire stage seem much more realistic and this is the main area where it is different to other devices. The HM-901’s soundstage was similarly expansive, but there was no depth like the P5. It is somewhat similar to the DX90, but it does it much more convincingly and you feel like you are in a concert hall and not listening to a pair of IEMs.
 
For imaging, the main IEM I used for testing was the Tralucent 1plus2 and it really highlighted the ability of the P5. The pairing is excellent and they sound awesome together, the imaging remained coherent even on the most demanding of tracks. The imaging was very accurate, and the best that I have heard from a portable setup.
 

 

Conclusion

This seems like it is going to be yet another successful offering from iBasso. It is brilliantly finished, feels like a true quality product and looks amazing. Then there is the sound, which is almost flawless for me. Yes, it could be slightly more neutral, and have a better battery life, but then it would sacrifice other areas. The P5 is by no means a perfect amp – nothing is perfect. It is one of the more expensive options out there, and its size restricts where you can use it. However, if you are looking for the best of the best, and money is not an issue, then the P5 is the amp for you. 

Before I start this review, I would like to thank Creative for sending out a Roar 2 unit to me. I’m quite surprised myself that prior to this, I had never heard a Creative product before, despite them having some interesting products. I chose the Roar 2 to review because I wanted to take a break from the usual IEM and headphone reviews that I do, I thought that speakers would be a nice change. This is my first speaker review, so take this with a grain of salt, the only thing I can really compare them to is the Audioengine A2s that I have with me, but even then, that is a not a great reference point considering they are 2 separate speakers.
 

 
What intrigued me about the Roar 2 was the appearance and the abundance of features. It looked like a lot packed into a relatively small package, and I was curious as to how they would stack up against headphones of a similar price point. The Roar 2 is Creative’s updated version of the original Roar, which seems to be quite highly regarded by some. I’ve heard that the drivers in the Roar 2 are the same as the original Roar, but as I have not heard the Roar before, I can’t comment on whether they actually sound different.
 
Coming in at a price of around $200, the Roar 2 is priced in the mid-range of portable speaker market and will appeal who are looking a versatile all-in-one solution. It employs a 5 speakers in the enclosure, with a bi-amplified design. It really does look like a complete portable audio solution if you want to travel down the speaker route, let’s get on with how they fared.
 
**Disclaimer** These were provided to me by Creative in return for an unbiased, honest review.
 
 

Unboxing & Accessories

The packaging of the Roar 2 was simple, but also very nice. Mine came with a carry case in a separate box, not sure if that is for everyone who purchases a Roar 2, but it will certainly come in handy when I take it out. The front of the box says “smaller, lighter, sexier”, which sums up the Roar 2. The back of the pox provides all of the features and specifications of the speakers. Upon taking the cover off, the roar 2 is safely wrapped in some foam and there is a section with all the accessories that it comes with just beside. The packaging is not extravagant, but it does feel like an expensive product.
 

 
The Roar 2 doesn’t come with a lot of accessories, but it comes with all the necessary ones. There is a micro USB cable, which I’m sure everyone is familiar with, a charging wall adapter with different adapters for whatever region you are in. There is also a user manual, and in that package there are 2 rubber feet which you can put onto one of the sides to make sure that you don’t scratch the speakers. The case that was included to me fits the Roar 2 very snugly, but once again, I’m not sure if this comes alongside the Roar 2 or is a separate accessory that you can purchase.
 
 

Design & Features

To me, the Roar 2 is a very well designed speakers with all the features that one could possibly ask for in a portable speaker of this price. The aesthetic design is very appealing and I really like the way that it looks, especially the black model. I found the fact that it has a serial number on the back quite odd, but a nice touch nevertheless. The black and grey colour theme works very well together and the sides are emblazoned with the Creative logo. Altogether, this thing looks awesome and there is nothing to complain about as far as the physical design goes.
 
I wasn’t expecting the Roar 2 to be so feature packed. It has Bluetooth functionality and you can make calls on the speaker as well, it comes equipped with a microphone. It is a sound recorder as well as a music player, you can simply stick an SD card in and it will play music off it. There is a switch which allows you to change between using it as a music player or for streaming music straight from the computer using the internal DAC. There is, of course, also an option for the good old 3.5mm input. The USB slot lets you use the Roar 2 as a power bank. On the face, there is the power button, the volume up/down buttons and the Bluetooth/call button. Creative really seem to have thought of everything and jammed all of it into the small body of the Roar 2.
 
The battery lasts 8 hours, which is quite decent. On to the Tera Bass setting – it is certainly a nice bass boost, but sometimes I felt like it was a little much. The bass becomes considerably stronger and there is very slight bleeding into the midrange. Surprisingly, it did not become boomy or bloated at all, which is the case with many devices with a boost feature. The boost is definitely not subtle, but it remains very controlled and still very nice to listen to.
 

 

Testing Gear

I considered running the Roar 2 with some of the sources that I have on hand, but I felt that a fair assessment would require me utilising the internal DAC of the unit, so for the review, I linked it up to my PC and streamed music from foobar2000 with a regular micro USB cable through to the Roar 2. I did feel like with better sources, the Roar 2 sounded better, the results varied with different sources. Most of the time when I was using it, I used my Z2 as a source and fed the Roar 2 through Bluetooth, which is what I suspect most people will do because it is the most convenient option, but the sound was not as good as when it was wired. For most of my testing, I was using the speaker lying flat and facing upwards instead of facing directly towards me. I felt like it provided a bit more of a natural presentation, but it sacrificed just a little bit of detail. When it was facing me, I also thought that the sound was a little bit nasally on the vocals, but this was not the case whatsoever when the Roar 2 was flat.
 
 

Sound Quality

I feel like I have to reiterate again that I am not very familiar with speakers and therefore probably cannot give an accurate judgement as to how they match up against other similarly priced units. Comparing them to the similarly priced A2 was also a little odd considering there are 2 speakers for the A2 compared to the single unit of the Roar. The A2s are also by no means portable at all. I was very impressed with how well the Roar performed after I fiddled with the positioning and feel like it provides rather exceptional sound for the price that it comes in at.
 

 

Bass

For some reason I was expecting a bassy sound from the normal setting, but I was wrong. The bass is visceral and punchy, but not at all overly heavy as I initially suspected it might be. The positioning made a very big impact on the bass, when it was closer to me, the bass was stronger, but when it was further away, the bass tended to be a little on the thin side. Personally, I found the optimum distance to be around 1 metre away facing upwards. At no time did I find them to bleed into the midrange or lacking in impact, they felt very balanced. Detail is quite good, it captured the bass lines well. Those who may be seeking a more Bose or Beats type of sound, the Tera Bass is excellent for strong bass without sacrificing much from the midrange and treble. I enjoyed the Roar with the bass boost off much more than with it on however, but the boost is definitely very well implemented and isn’t too strong.
 
 

Midrange

Vocals on the Roar 2 are in-between what I would consider to be neutral and warm. While it isn’t really what I would classify as warm, it has a somewhat warm tinge to it. Turning it up resulted in zero sibilance, which was nice, and the vocals did not sound veiled at all. Remember, however, that these findings are with me using the Roar facing upwards, not towards me. In the other configuration, I found that the midrange was considerably brighter, but as a result, there was a little bit of glare on the upper midrange. The 2 configurations both lie slightly north and south of neutral and I prefer the midrange when the Roar is facing upwards, it just sounds more natural to me. Instruments sound sharp and clear, they have very good clarity. Pianos especially are very well presented with a natural timbre to it. Overall, the midrange of the Roar is one of the best I have heard in the price range, regardless of IEMs, headphones or speakers. It manages to be slightly laid back yet exciting.
 
 

Treble

If I was let down in one area, then it would have to be the treble. While it isn’t bad by any means, it isn’t quite on the same level as the bass and midrange. My personal preference is to have a slightly elevated treble region, but the Roar 2 is slightly rolled off on the top end. I do, however, understand Creative’s reasons for doing so, it makes for a much more consumer friendly sound and reduces sibilance. I did not detect any sibilance or glare whatsoever from the Roar and it was a very solid performer in the treble region. Detail was crisp, but decay was a little quick for my taste. Cymbals had a nice rig to them and they did not sound harsh at all, even at high volumes. The result is a detailed treble which does not come at the expense of sibilance at high volumes. While I would have liked the treble to be a hair brighter, I’m sure others will appreciate Creative’s decision to tone it down a notch.
 

 

Soundstage & Imaging

Being a single speaker unit, I expected the soundstage to be rather restricted and this was the case. This doesn’t have anything to do with the Roar itself, but is more about the portable speaker itself. It cannot really create a stereo image because of the small size and the fact that the sound comes from one area, unlike headphones or the A2s. I did find that the stage presented was very close up , and when the speaker was pointed upwards, the height was quite good. Don’t expect great soundstage from the Roar or any portable speaker, because you just won’t get it.
The imaging is quite good, but also not on the same level as other headphones that are in the same price bracket. Because of the limited soundstage, it is kind of hard to tell where instruments are placed. It is just not as clear as “stereo” headphones or speakers. However, it does work rather well with the small amount of space that it does have and all things considered, the Roar 2 is actually quite adequate in this department. The shortcomings in the soundstage and imaging are because of the size of portable speakers and is not a problem limited to the Roar 2.
 
 

Separation, Detail & Clarity

The clean, unobtrusive sound signature of the Roar 2 makes it a rather detailed speaker. The separation is very good, on par with some of the best headphones in its price range. They sound very coherent at all times and I did not feel like details were masked in the background. Obviously they aren’t as good as high end headphones, but I am definitely very impressed with the Roar 2’s separation, it really did surprise me.
 
While the Roar 2 isn’t the most detailed unit I have heard by quite a length, it is quite a detailed speaker. The detail is a little better when the unit is facing towards you, but the difference is not very large. Personally, I found that the slightly reduced detail was a trade-off I could deal with, I still prefer listening to the Roar 2 pointing upwards. Microdetails that you can hear in IEMs such as the B2 are not quite there, but the roar 2 manages to retain quite a lot of detail and presents it in a polite manner. It doesn’t shove it to you like the B2 does, but instead lets it sink in gradually.
 
Once again, the clarity is somewhat dependent on speaker placement; facing upwards will result in slightly worse clarity compared to it facing towards you. Instrument clarity is very good on the Roar 2, while vocal clarity lags a little behind. The slightly warm signature of the Roar 2 means that the clarity isn’t as good as other headphones with a colder sound signature. However, whether you prefer a warm or cold sound signature is up to you – kind of like whether you prefer the HD800 or LCD-3.
 

 

Summary

Creative have really impressed me with the Roar 2. It is feature packed, sounds great through all the connections and Creative seem to have crammed everything they can think of into it. You’d be hard pressed to find someone who genuinely dislikes the sound that comes from the Roar 2s, they seem to cater for everyone, even bassheads with their Tera Bass option. Even though I have never heard the original Roar before, I feel like the $200 price tag is very easily justified, and if you are looking for a portable speaker in this price range, the Roar 2 is worth at least a consideration. 

First of all, I’d like to thank iBasso for sending me a review sample of the D14. iBasso have really established themselves as a big name in portable audio devices and after reviewing both their DX50 and DX90 models as well as the budget minded D-Zero MKII, I was really looking forward to having what they had in store for us now. iBasso are primarily a brand for portable DAC/amps and DAPs and recently have grown significantly, gaining many new fans with their exceptional DX DAPs.
 

 
Anyway, the D14 “Bushmaster” is their latest foray into the DAC/amp world and seems to be the next generation of the well-established D12. Coming in at a price of $229, it appears to be a shot into high end but at a more affordable price point. Obviously, this review is going to draw a lot of comparisons to the DX90, which it is rather similar to, at least on paper. What really interested me was that it is compatible with both Android and Apple, so if you want, you can use it as a DAC/amp on the go.
 
Given that it employs the renowned ES9018K2M chip, I had high expectations for the D14. I had a very positive experience with the DAC of the DX90, which used two of the 9018 chips instead of the one in the D14. Let’s go on to see how the D14 fared, hopefully this will help some of you guys to decide whether the D14 is for you.
**Disclaimer** I was given the D14 in return for an honest, unbiased review. I am not affiliated with iBasso in any way.
 

 
Specifications
Here are the specifications for the D14 if anyone is interested. Personally I don’t pay too much attention to the specs and listen with my ears, but it is nice to see the output impedance is 0.1 ohms. iBasso also recommends that you use it with headphones with an impedance of 8-300 ohms, which covers pretty much everything except for a few IEMs and very inefficient headphones.
 
Power Source: Built-in 4.2V Li-polymer Battery or external power supply.
Frequency Response: 17Hz~20 KHz +/-1dB (DAC)
                                   17Hz~100 KHz +/-0.2dB (AMP).
Signal to Noise Ratio: 115dB (DAC), 116dB (Amp).
Crosstalk: 106dB (DAC).
Total Harmonic Distortion: 0.0018%@1kHz/-10dBF (DAC)
                                          0.0012%@1kHz/max volume (AMP).
Output power: Up to 400mW+400mW into 32ohm.
Gain: +3dB and +9dB (AMP).
Battery Life: 13 hours AMP+DAC or 25 hours if amp only.
Battery Charge Time: 5 hours.
External Power supply: 5V DC.
Recommended Headphone Impedance: 8~300.
Output impedance: 0.1ohm.
Case dimension: 2.4W x 4.1L x 0.8H (inch)
60W x 104L x 20H (mm)
Weight: 149g or 5.26oz
 

 
Packaging & Accessories
iBasso has never been the brand for extravagant packaging and the D14 follows the trend of their basic packaging. It is pretty much identical to the D-Zero MKII from memory. On the front it shows that it uses the ES9018K2M chip, and on the back it includes the main features. Inside the D14 is under the accessories and well protected by the foam. Nice to see that the box protects the D14 and if it means keeping the price lower, then that’s all the better.
 
The D14 comes with plenty of accessories, pretty much everything that you will need. There is a 3.5mm interconnect, coaxial cable, USB OTG cable and a standard mini USB cable. It would have been nice if the coaxial cable could have been right angled so it could be used more easily on the go with devices such as the DX90, but I’ve heard that a standard 3.5mm cable works as well, not sure if this would damage either device though. There is also a pouch, 2 rubber bands, some felt “feet” and a warranty card – very useful if you happen to lose your receipt. The USB OTG cable is very nice, rights angled and fits perfectly if you stack a phone on top of the D14.
 

 
Features
While the D14 is not the most feature packed device by any means, it does have all of the necessary things. At the front is a line out/in, phone out, gain switch and a volume knob, which doubles as an on/off switch. The back has a mini USB port, input switcher (USB, AUX, SPDIF) a charge switch and an SPDIF in jack. The charge switch is particularly useful if you use this primarily with your PC and don’t disconnect it. Constant charging isn’t great for the battery.
 
 
Design
First, let’s get the negatives out of the way first – the D14 is not a small device at all and not all that portable. The footprint is quite small, but it is 2cm thick, so it would be quite hard for most to carry it in their pocket, especially with another device stacked on top. I also found that when I did put it in my pocket, the volume knob would sometimes get knocked, but this happens to every portable amp with a volume knob, not just the D14. 
 
The build quality on this is impressive, a large improvement over its younger brother, the D-Zero MKII. Although both are made out of metal, the D14 feels sturdier and the brushed look seems a lot nicer, to me at least. The chassis is very solid and looks like it could take a drop or two, not that I’m going to test that lol. It does, however, seem to scratch quite easily, so I would highly recommend putting the felt pads on, or strapping the provided rubber bands on. The two faces are brushed metal as well and the entire presentation looks very polished. The D14 looks like a true high quality product, more so than the price tag might suggest.
 
The jacks all feel great as well. I’ve read that they are the same as the ones implemented in the DX90, which are supposed to last 10000 cycles. So if you plug in and unplug your headphones 10 times a day on the D14, it should theoretically last 3 years or so. They do feel very sturdy and remain some of the nicest jacks I have come across. Surprisingly, they weren’t overly tight in the beginning, I find with some jacks they tend to gradually loosen out over time. They are also flush, so you won’t have a problem with any plugs. The USB and SPDIF plugs feel quite heavy duty as well.
 
I’ll elaborate a bit more on the D14 OTG features. Pretty much it is supposed to work with android devices with 4.1 or above. It did work with the SGS3 and Z2 I tried it with, but not a 4.1 SGS2, but I think that might have more to do with the S2 itself. It supposedly works with some Apple devices as well, but I did not get a chance to test that. For use with Apple devices, you will need a camera kit cable and connect it via the USB cable. Oh, and you will need to download a driver for your PC, no plug and play this time.
 

 
Touching on the battery, it boasts 25 hours on either DAC or amp mode and 13 hours on both. The battery life of the DX90 is around 8 hours, which is around where most DAC/amps of the same calibre sit. The D14 is certainly very good in this regard and 13 hours should last almost all people an entire day even if you are listening all day. I find I charge the D14 around once a week. It does take 5 hours to fully charge from empty, so not very fast. I’ll be taking this on a trip to China soon, I’ll keep you guys posted how it holds up during then.
 
In terms of noise, I did notice a tiny bit of sound when nothing was playing, but that all disappeared when the music came on. Even when it was there, I had to really listen for it for it to even become noticeable, so I doubt you will have any issues with the noise floor of the D14. This was non-existent with headphones such as the HD600.
 
There was a bit of channel imbalance when the knob was quite low, but when I use it, I tend to make the volume on my source lower and turn the knob on the 14 up to around 11 O’clock. Not really a problem, most amps have a bit of channel imbalance at low volumes.
 
Whereas I did have a little problem with EMI with the D-Zero MKII, there was none on the D14 with any of the devices I tried it on. I was using the D14 around computers, in cars and with people calling around me, no issues whatsoever.
 

 
Testing Gear
I tried the D14 with a range of sources and each one had a little bit of difference in sound. In the end, I just settled on the SGS3 for most of the review; I was using Poweramp for anyone interested. The IEMs I tried with these was the FAD Lab 1, Dunu DN-2000, TF-10, Earsonics SM3 v2, SE846 and a little audition with the Roxanne. For the most part I was using the Lab 1, I really enjoyed the way that they paired. I did test the high gain of the D14 with some headphones, which included the HD25, HD600, K7XX and HD800. Obviously the D14 wasn’t excellent with these harder to drive headphones, but it was sublime with the HD25. I was actually quite surprised with how well it drove the HD800s, I wasn’t expecting much at all, but it actually did quite well. I also used it with the DX90 with the coaxial out and line out to test the DAC and amp.
 
 
Sound Quality
For those that are unfamiliar with iBasso’s products, their house sound is generally known to be rather neutral with a little bit f top end sparkle and personally, I have found this to be the case in the iBasso devices I have used. I’m unsure as to what the D14 is supposed to lie on iBasso’s lineup – is it a DX90 rival or its successor? The fact that the DX90 is soon about to be discontinued suggests that iBasso feels like the D14 is perhaps superior and (hopefully) will bring out a DAP based around the same materials as the D14. One thing stands – the D14 is a remarkable DAC/amp, it is one of the most refined devices I have heard for the price and (spoiler alert) I even rate it higher than the DX90.
 

 
Amp Section
The amp was surprisingly powerful and obviously had no issues with any of the IEMs I threw at it. If there was anything “wrong” with the DX50 and 90, it was that the amp did not have that power to it to drive some headphones with authority. The D14 certainly does not suffer from this shortcoming and control especially is remarkable. It is the most refined amp for IEMs that I have tried. Not sure how it measures, but as I mentioned before, the output impedance is very low and had no bass issues with IEMs. Compared to the O2, the D14’s amp section is not as sterile and has a little more bass down low.
 
 
DAC Section
I had rather high hopes for the DAC of the D14 and I am a big fan of both the ES9018 desktop chip and the portable ES9018K2M DAC chips. The DAC on the DX90 was a huge highlight for me, it was detailed and very clean, not to mention neutral. Neutrality and detail is what I look for in a DAC and the D14 does rather well. I could not detect any colouration in the sound and it sounded just as detailed as the DX90, if not more despite having just one sabre chip compared to the two in the DX90.
 

 
Bass
Nothing much to say about the bass as far as coloration goes – it is one of the most neutral devices I have used. The bass extension is exceptional, it goes down very deep and the bass response is incredible with my Lab 1. There was definitely sufficient rumble, but it felt in balance with the mid-bass and did not linger any longer than it should. The mid bass is punchy, fast and very well controlled. The bass detail is also very good, drum kicks are very clear and you can hear the soft vibrations afterwards. What struck me about the bass was how it managed to have a solid impact, but still remained very fast. Though it’s been a while since I last heard a DX100, it reminded me of that. At no time did I feel like the bass was boomy and overpowered the midrange. An excellent flat bass response.
 
 
Midrange
The midrange sounds somewhat similar to the DX90’s mids. There is a sweet tone to the vocals, but it didn’t come out and sound cold at all. I seem to hear the D14 a little different to Cotnijoe, who states that the D14 is a little on the warm side. Personally, I felt like the D14 was very neutral, and if anything, slightly bright, but this might be because of different IEM pairings that we used. To elaborate more on the tone of the midrange, I heard it as slightly accentuated in the upper midrange region, but there was no glare and it wasn’t sterile sounding at all. However, it did a good job at retaining detail in both instruments and especially vocals. Despite the slight colouration, everything sounded very natural. The main thing I noticed was that vocals had a nice crisp edge to them, similar to the DX90.
 
 
Treble
I wasn’t sure what to expect from the treble, I initially thought that it might have been a little bright, but after 50 hours or so it settled down. For those who get the D14 and think it is overly bright at the box, just leave it running for a while and come back to it. After 50 hours or so I didn’t detect any further change, no need for a 400 hour burn in like the DX90. The treble is definitely not bright any longer, but it is far from warm. I would put it at just a smidge brighter than neutral, it seems to have more of a sparkle compared to the D-Zero MKII, but a little less than the DX90 by itself. It is well extended and there is only a slight roll off at the higher treble region. Detail is where it really excels. It doesn’t push the details in front of you like the DX90, but instead presents them effortlessly. Cymbals had the perfect decay and tone.
 

 
Separation, Detail & Clarity
As with many previous iBasso devices I have reviewed, the D14 excels in this category, which is one of the main things I look for in a DAP or DAC/amp. Due to the beefier amp on the D14, the separation seemed better than even the excellent DX90. It made the Lab 1 sound like a full sized headphone in a high end rig. The Lab 1 itself is very good with vocals and paired with the D14, vocal separation and detail was the best I have heard from a portable rig. I like Fun.’s tracks and use them to test vocals much of the time and the D14 sounded superb. Along with the FAD, it captured the detail and emotion in the vocals. With instrument separation it was also very impressive, never getting congested or muddy. The D14 is one of the best I have heard in this regard.
 
Like I mentioned briefly in the treble section, the D14 presents detail very effortlessly. It doesn’t seem to be overly detailed in the beginning, but it weaves even the most subtle of details into the music. It definitely matches the DX90 as far as detail goes, but it may not seem so initially. It allows for a less fatiguing listen. Clarity is also excellent because of the tuning. I felt like it was neural with a hint of brightness, which made the overall sound have a crisp edge to it without sounding artificial. Vocals, especially female vocals have very nice tone and clarity. Tiny clicks and bells in the background that I never realised were there with other DAPs were presented nicely by the D14. One of, if not the most detailed device for a little over $200.
 

 
Soundstage & Imaging
For the soundstage I actually used the DN-2000 for my tests. Though the Lab 1 has a large soundstage, I felt like it centrals a lot of instruments and is not spaced out quite as well as the DN-2000. Width wise, the D14 is very good. The entire soundstage is actually very similar to that of the DX90, but a little larger. It had a surprising height to it, sometimes I would hear instruments quite high up, which I really didn’t expect. However, what impressed me most was the depth of the D14. Like the DX90, it really feels like it creates a 3D stage. The space that it creates was really unique, I haven’t really heard anything quite like it before. The soundstage in this little brick is really awesome, it really fills the stage.
 
For the imaging, I went back to the Lab 1 and was immediately reminded how good the pairing was. The imaging was quite simply not like anything I have heard from a portable rig before. The D14 was awesome, it had a pinpoint accuracy that reminded me of a good HD800 rig. It put everything into the right places and combined with the large soundstage it makes it very easy to identify where everything is. It is easily better than the DX90 in this regard and is just in another league to the $250 devices like the DX50, X3, ODAC/O2. I really could not have asked for iBasso to do a better job here.
 

 
Presentation
In terms of headphones, the presentation of the D14 reminds me most of the HD800. Accurate and expansive. I wouldn’t describe the D14 as laid back, but it is not upfront either – it distances the listener a little from the music. The stage seems like a concert hall and you can really hear the layering of the music.
 
 
iBasso D14 vs D-Zero MK2
Given that there have been numerous comparisons with the DX90 all throughout the review, I’m not going to compare it here. Something I think many people would be interested in is a comparison between the D14 and D-Zero MKII, given that the MKII is much cheaper and smaller. Coming in at half the price and half the size of the D14, the MKII may be an interesting option for many. The best description of the comparison of these is that it is essentially the DX50 vs DX90 all over again. The D14 is more detailed and overall more refined in all areas. Personally, I would go for the D14, but obviously it depends on your budget restrictions and what you are planning on using it for. For portable use I would go with the MKII, the D14 is too thick for that. But if you are going to use it primarily at home or in an office, the D14 is a much better choice IMO.
 
 
Conclusion
 


I guess I should probably stop ranting on already, this review has stretched on for longer than I expected already. The D14 is another impressive DAC/amp from iBasso and a worthy successor to the DX90. Coming in at $239, it beats one of the best DAPs under $500 for me and that is an extraordinary achievement. Combined with its neutral sound signature and detail, the D14 is an excellent choice for anybody looking for a DAC/amp and at least worth a consideration. As far as I know, nothing is as good as the D14 for the same price, it truly punches well above its price point. Hope this helped some of you guys  

First of all I’d like to thank Audrey from Brainwavz for sending me a pair of the BLU-100 for me to review. To be honest, before I was notified of the BLU I hadn’t even heard of it before. It is indeed a new addition to the Brainwavz lineup and it is very much in an entry level price point, being priced at an attractive $50 ($40 on Amazon), making it more affordable and accessible to people who may be looking for a new IEM. Brainwavz have always been a brand which I have associated with bringing good sound quality at a reasonable price and I hoped that their newest venture would impress me like some of their other models did.
 
What sets this model apart from all the other previous Brainwavz models is that it is wireless, and is a Bluetooth device. Through I am by no means a wireless fan, there have been a few instances where I have indeed been impressed by Bluetooth headphones. However, general, I find that wireless headphones do lose some detail through the transmission. The BLU-100 is priced at a very low price, and I wasn’t entirely what to expect from it, having had mixed feelings about other Brainwavz products.
 
**Disclaimer** These were provided to me in return for an unbiased review. 
 

 
Packaging & Accessories
There is nothing flashy in this regard, the BLU-100 comes in a very basic box, with a standard Brainwavz case and manual inside. Inside the case lie the assortment of tips, including a set of Complys, a micro USB cable and 2 ear guides. I found those ear guides really helped keep them in my ears, and were very comfortable, I didn’t find them uncomfortable even after long periods of time. The tips were nice and fitted well, especially if you enjoy Complys. I however, found that my favourite tips were the good old Sony Hybrids after some tip rolling and these were what I used in the review. The hybrids accentuated the bass a tad bit, but not much.
 
 
Design, Isolation & Cable
I must commend Brainwavz for creating a very impressive product for such a low price. The BLU-100 does not feel flimsy or cheap at all, actually they feel like they are very sturdy. The design is well thought out, the fit is very good. However, the one downside to this was that I found it would sometimes cut out for no apparent reason. They cut out completely around 15m away from my phone, but it would cut out temporarily sometimes when I put my phone in my pocket or moved it. The buttons are easy to use and everything works as it should. The charging post is on the right, and it is micro USB, which is nice for easy compatibility. Inside there is a 60mah battery, which apparently lasts 4 hours. I’m not sure how accurate this is, but I didn’t test it out so I’ll take Brainwavz’s word; I did try use them continuously for around 3 hours with no problem though. .  Microphonics are not great, but also not too annoying. Overall, Brainwavz has done an excellent job here.
 
The isolation is not fantastic, but it will get the job done in most places. They are quite average in this regards, perhaps scoring a 3.5 on Joker’s IEM scale.
 
The cable is something I have a bit of a gripe with. As mentioned previously, it is a tad microphonic, but also it is too long. IMO it should be a good 8-10cm shorter.
 

 
Sound Quality
The sound that these little things put out was actually pleasantly surprisingly for me. Though it is that typical Brainwavz house sound and somewhat predictable, it is safe to say that the BLU definitely exceeded my expectations. Even though it is not the best sounding $50 headset, it does extremely well considering it is wireless. Even if it wasn’t wireless I’d still say that is sounds about average for a wired IEM of this price.
 
 
Bass
The bass is undoubtedly accentuated, and not by a little either. This thing is very much on the bass heavy side and this can either appeal to you or kill the BLU. Personally, I’m not a fan of overly bass heavy headphones, but the BLU-100 did no strike me as an IEM which was overly bass heavy set. Although the mid-bass is quite solid and lingers quite long, I would not say that it really sounds bloated or muddy. Don’t get me wrong though, this is very much warm and the bass is on the slow side of things, but I actually really enjoyed it. It was lively and the detail wasn’t bad either. Overall the bass on this thing was awesome, at least for me.
 
 
Midrange
Initially, I expected the midrange to be veiled because of the heavy bass, but once again, I was surprised by how nice it sounded. As I have stated before in previously reviews, the one thing that I simply cannot stand is a veiled midrange, I hate it more than a piercing treble or muddy bass. Though the bass does somewhat overshadow the midrange, I did not find that the mids were recessed. The upper midrange actually sounds just a little boosted relative to the lower mids. Clarity was decent, nothing special, similar case with detail. There was no sibilance in my experience with the BLU-100.
 
 
Treble
Honestly, the treble was the area that I was perhaps a little let down on. It just didn’t have that kick that makes the music feel energetic and alive. Not to say that the BLU is dull, because it is not, but the treble is a tad to rolled off for my liking. However, this will suit many people as there is no sibilance whatsoever and people who are more sensitive to treble will surely appreciate this. Detail wasn’t great, a little under average for an IEM of this price I would say. Decay is a bit on the faster side and cymbals don’t have that sharp clap to them. The treble will appeal to those who want an unfatiguing and smooth upper end, but not to those who favour a neutral all round sound.

 
Soundstage & Imaging
The soundstage and imaging are both quite decent, not bad at all for a wireless headset for $50. The soundstage is actually quite wide and has a bit of depth to it, definitely better than most $50 wired IEMs. The imaging is also quite strong, it didn’t get overly congested and sounded fine for most tracks, with no issues whatsoever.
 
 
Separation & Detail
Obviously with its tuning and the fact that it is a wireless IEM, the BLU-100 is not going to excel in these areas and it doesn’t. It is by no means a detail monster, but it does have some detail, just nothing that will blow you away. I’d say it is more detailed than the Earpods for sure though. The separation is also just OK, not great, but you won’t exactly feel let down by it.
 
 
Summary
 

 
I actually had a lot of fun with the Brainwavz BLU-100, it is truly an impressive IEM. So who would I recommend this to? Well if you are fine with a wired headset, especially if you are not looking fr an IEM with a mic, there are numerous better sounding options out there. However, the BLU-100 is an excellent choice for people who are looking for a decent entry level wireless IEM. It has a very solid performance and while you won’t be blown away, it has most certainly impressed me. It is getting a 4 star, but it would have been a 4.5 had the few aesthetic issues been resolved. 
 
All the images are from a quick Google Image search, and if you own any one of them and want me t take them down, shoot me a PM. 

First of all I would like to thank H20Fidelity for including me on the Cozoy tour, very much appreciated. When I first saw this, I thought that it looked very impressive indeed – small and slick looking. Smaller than many USBs and something that you can easily just clip onto your pocket. Very appealing indeed. I won’t pretend to know anything, or even have heard of Cozoy before this tour, it’s not a brand that is often discussed on Head-Fi. The Astrapi certainly is near perfect in terms of appearance!
 

 
Moving onto the packaging, it comes in an Apple style box and while minimal, looks very nice. I comes with an Android cable, an Apple cable and a charging cable. Maybe a small case would have been nice, the metal seems like it would scratch quite easily. Cozoy have got the design spot on in every aspect of the design though, like I mentioned before, this looks phenomenal and is one of the most practical devices around with the clip. And it is one of the rare DAC/amps for Apple.
 
This worked seamlessly with my Z2 and also with an IP6. Supposedly it supports the iPhone 6S as well… Guess they must have a time travelling device too lol. My sonic tests were done on my Z2, not sure if different sources will affect the sound. Connectivity was awesome, plug and play. No setup required. Volume is controlled on your device and not the Astrapi itself. Unfortunately I cannot comment on the battery life, I never ran it until it was flat. Oh, and I do wish that the cables were maybe right angled so that they would sit better in my pocket, but it was no big deal and I didn’t find it annoying.
 

 
Sound Quality
Let’s jump into it – do I personally like the sound? Unfortunately I am not the greatest fan and I know that many love this device and how it sounds, but the warm signature is really just not for me. Once again, maybe this will change with different phones or a newer firmware. To me, it seemed like it was lacking detail and while I felt like overall it added more depth and realism to my Z2, I just wasn’t overly impressed by its sound.
 
The bass is not as impactful as I would have liked but it isn’t bass light by any means. Its bass is textured, more so than my Z2 by itself, but it also felt slower. It wasn’t muddy, but the speed was just a bit too slow for me, however, don’t simply assume this is a negative aspect of the Astrapi, depending on what IEM/headphone you are using, this could actually be good. If you are using a bass light IEM, this could add some more rumble and quantity.
 
Midrange was similarly warm and made vocals sound a tad veiled at times. I should include that most of my testing was done with a Dunu DN-2000, which is a mildly V-shaped IEM. To me,
they lacked detail and I actually liked the Z2 better. Sorry if this comes off as very negative, but they are just not for me, I do wish that the midrange especially was tuned to be more neutral.
 
The treble gets better. It is smooth, with no sign of sibilance at all, taking the slight edge of the DN2K, something I actually liked. The top end was reasonably detailed and while not a detail king, they did improve on the already quite decent Z2. Everything sound quite crisp with no harshness, and this is one thing that you can take away from this review – this is a warm and relaxing device, not a detail oriented one.
 

 
Soundstage and imaging are god, better than I expected. It expanded significantly on the small stage of the Z2 and it was a lot easier to distinguish between different instruments. This was especially evident on busy tracks. The soundstage is quite wide, but surprisingly deep. This is an area where the Astrapi really punches above its price point.
 
 
Summary
 

 
I have to stress that the Astrapi is actually a very appealing player and this is especially the case if you are using an Apply device. There are not a lot of Apple DAC/amps around this price and none to my knowledge which look as good as this. However, if you do not need the functionalities or the aesthetics of the Cozoy, I would not recommend this, especially if you are using an Android. The D-Zero is much better sounding for $10 cheaper IMO, but you could argue that I am comparing apples to oranges. While the Astrapi is tiny and beautifully crafted, the same cannot be said for the D-Zero. If you are an Apple user and you find the Astrapi a great fit for you in terms of functionality, then by all means go for it, it is a good choice. For me, it just doesn’t do quite enough to gain my overall recommendation, but it does get a 4 star because overall it is a very solid DAC/amp, considering all factors.

Meelectronics A151P MKII & M6 Pro Review

Let me start off by saying a huge thanks to Mike from Meelectronics for sending me the M6 Pro and A151P 2^nd Gen to review. From now on, I will simply them as the M6 and A151P respectively, but please don’t confuse them for the original M6 and A151. The A151P is an earphone that I have reviewed a while ago and I remember that I really enjoyed it after a brief transition period where I got used to the sound. The M6 on the other hand, is something that I have never heard before so I cannot give any comparisons to the normal M6 unfortunately.
 
With the original A151P being one of the most impressive $50 IEMs I had heard at the time, I was very interested to see how Meelectronics changed it up and made improvements. There were a few areas that I felt could be a bit better on the original and I am pleased to say that the main issues have been resolved, the two not only sound very different, but are a little different aesthetically as well. More on that later though.
 
I usually don’t do dual reviews like these, but considering that I had both the M6 Pro and the A151P on hand at the same time and with them being priced so similarly, I felt like people would be interested in how the two compared. Both have a street price of around $50, their MSRPs are $60 and $80 respectively, but currently on the Meelectronics website they are $50. However, the target audience of these two IEMs are very different despite their similar prices. Whereas the A151P is made for the general Head-Fi and your average consumer, I get the impression from Mike that the M6 Pro, as the name might suggest, is something of a professional stage monitor.
 
Anyway, let’s get on with the review now.

**Disclaimer** These were provided to me by Meelectronics in return for an honest, unbiased review.
 

 
Packaging & Accessories
he A151P’s box is about as basic as it gets, serving as ample protection for the earphones, but don’t expect it to be pretty. Standard cardboard box with a plastic drawer that slide out. It actually came to me a little beat up and somewhat crushed, but the earphones themselves were not damaged. The M6 Pro’s box is fancier, with a lot more information on the box, including a see through window which allows you see the IEMs. When you open the box, there is a cardboard insert which comes out and there is the box with all the accessories except for the tips, which are in a separate compartment. Quite a different design, never really seen it before, but it looks pretty cool, so it is definitely welcome.
 
Both the IEMs are not showered with accessories, especially the A151P, so let’s start there. It comes with a manual, some tips and a nice small clamshell case. Quite basic, but it serves its purpose very well. The M6 Pro comes with a few more bits and pieces, such as 2 interchangeable cables, one with a mic and one without. There is also a cable clip on each of them as well as an adapter, a few tips including a set of Complys and finally, a clamshell case. The case is a little bit annoying for me, I’m not sure why it is so big. Personally, I prefer if I can fit a case into a jeans pocket relatively easily and the M6 Pro’s clunky case definitely isn’t the best for portability. Maybe it is larger to accommodate for the different things that professionals have to use with their gear, but I’m not a fan. Other than that, everything is very good.
 

 
Design
There have been a few very minor changes made to the A151P’s exterior that are quite obvious, the most major being the right angle jack. Though this may not seem like a large change, I can see less people having problems with the plug with long term use. Running music off your phone or music player when it is in your pocket can really damage a straight plug in the long run. The strain reliefs on the A151P are very good and effective, very flexible and not rigid whatsoever. The earpieces are made out of plastic, and feel like they are well made. These should be able to last a good while, I don’t see any issues with its durability. The cable is awesome, it is very similar to the Westone cables, but is softer and not microphonic whatsoever. The isolation is not great, but it isn’t too bad either. On Joker’s scale the isolation would probably be 3-3.5, acceptable, but these wouldn’t be my first choice on a plane ride.
 
The M6 Pro is a very unique IEM in a number of ways. As far as I know, the M6 is one of two IEMs from reputable companies that have a detachable cable under $50, the other being the VSD3. Unfortunately I have not heard the VSD3 so I can’t compare them, but the M6 is very well thought out and even includes 2 cables! Replacement cables for Shure cost $30 or so each and the M6 which costs $50 includes 2. The build is very good, plastic, but again, it feels very well made and more durable than the A151P. The detachable cables are not MMCX or 2 pin unfortunately, so you will not be able to use these cables with other IEMs. The cables themselves are rubber coated and a little bit microphonic without a cable clip, but silent with one and they have memory wire. In terms of isolation, they are not quite Shure level just yet, but they are definitely more isolating than the A151P, perhaps between a 3.5 and 4. Should be fine for everyday use as well as use in louder areas. Oh, and also do not that these have an interesting “Lifetime Replacement Program” where if you lose these or break these you can buy another one for half price.
 

 
Testing Gear
The A151P is not something that scales a lot, or at all with more upstream gear. I found this to be the case with the original and also with the revised version. They do not need a lot of juice to sound good and here was minimal difference between my Z2 and DX90. Off an IP6 they sounded very good as well. The M6 Pro on the other hand, did scale quite a little. I found that with the DX90, the soundstage and overall sound was much more refined, which was interesting for such a budget priced IEM. Separation got better especially and everything sounded clearer and much cleaner. The treble was also less sharp, but still quite bright. I wouldn’t recommend going and buying a DX90 for your M6, but if you have an amp or dedicated source, try it out before you judge it, it really does change!
 
 
Sound Quality
I’ll go on the record and state that personally I prefer the A151P’s sound over the M6, but it isn’t better by a lot and some people may actually prefer the M6 depending on what type of sound they are after. Whereas both are technically V shaped, the A51P sounds very neutral despite the slight midrange recession, which in reality is hardly noticeable. The M6, however, is significantly more V shaped and warmer sounding compared to the A151P, but it has a rather emphasized treble as well for that exciting and fun sound. So before I go more in depth to the review, I would suggest that people who want a more neutral sound signature look towards the A151P whereas those who are seeking a more energetic earphone to pay more attention to the M6. There will be some comparisons later on with the RE-400 and A151P 1^st Gen as well as the TF-10.

 
Bass
Though I wouldn’t classify myself as a basshead, I do enjoy my bass and prefer a slightly emphasized bass section. Luckily, both are not lacking bass in any way, the M6 is much more bass heavy compared to the A151P. To be honest, I was actually expecting more bass from the M6 than what I got. From what other people said, I thought the M6 was a very bass heavy IEM which sounded warm and veiled, but that was not what I got at all. Initially the M6 was too bass heavy for my taste, being a little flabby and bloated, but with a few days of burn in the bass seems to have settled down, not sure whether this is brain burn in or actual burn in, but I didn’t listen to them during that period. Detail is decent, but I feel like the cleaner A151P’s bass just edges it out. In the sub-bass department, the M6 was ridiculous linear for the price, I did not detect any low frequency roll off at all. They actually reminded me a little of the Audeze range of headphones in the way they presented bass, of course they aren’t as good, but for $50 you wouldn’t expect they to be. It is quite fast, but not the quickest. The A151P’s sub-bass is quicker and also very linear, but I did enjoy the extra kick that the dynamic driver of the M6 gave me. Both earphones are very competent in the bass department and they produced much more than one would expect for the budget price.
 

 
Midrange
Looking at Meelectronic’s frequency graph for the M6, I feel like it very accurately reflects what the IEM actually sounds like. The midrange is undoubtedly recessed and I found myself having to turn the M6s up a little more than I usually do to enjoy them. But keep in mind I listen to music at a quite a soft volume. At times I found myself wishing that the midrange was just pulled forward a little, but for most songs I did not have any issues with the midrange. Whereas some earphones may sound veiled because of their recessed midrange, the colder tonality of the M6 means that I never felt like they sounded veiled. Vocals sounded very crisp, but instruments sounded a little bit thin due to the brighter midrange. As I have found with many headphones, midrange clarity usually means a slightly off tone. However, I don’t find this to be a major issue with the sound and whether you will like it depends on your preferences. The A151P is a totally different story. While the frequency graph shows a little bit of a dip in the midrange, I did not hear any midrange recession and it was very smooth overall. Detail was as good as the M6 and on a whole I found the midrange to be mostly flat with maybe a hint of brightness. Both earphones don’t have an issue in vocal sibilance. Overall they are both solid here as well.

 
Treble
The only thing that annoyed me with the M6 was the lower treble peak, which could make the earphones a little fatiguing during long listening periods. This unfortunately also introduced a bit of sibilance. It wasn’t bad compared to some other IEMs I have heard, but some people who are more sensitive to treble may want to stay away from these. Cymbals have a nice tone to them, if not a bit sharp, but to me they were relatively accurate and I had no major problems with the treble. Despite the M6 being a budget dynamic driver IEM, the treble extends quite far and didn’t roll off early on. The treble energy is great, they inject that excitement into the M6s that make them a very enjoyable IEM to listen to. Detail is excellent for the price, I think the M6 might be better in terms of treble detail than the A151P. The A151P has a much flatter treble response though, without the peak that the M6 has. This is the area that it has improved the most from the 1^st Gen and the treble is much more extended and detailed. It has no sibilance at all and was very detailed as well, just falling short of the M6. There is still a little bit of roll off though, but this is likely to make these more polite and inoffensive to cater for everyone.
 

 
Soundstage & Imaging
I wasn’t really sure what to expect with the M6, with it being a budget dynamic driver. I have had some experiences with cheap IEMs that have a very large soundstage, but the M6 isn’t one of them. That is not to say that the soundstage is small, because it isn’t at all, but I simply would not classify the soundstage as large. It is quite wide, but lacks a little bit in depth and height. At this price point, this is to be expected though, and very few budget IEMs have an impressive soundstage. The M6 is good, but not great. The same story goes for the A151P, the soundstage is OK, but not that good. Smaller than the M6, but that is understandable given it is a BA IEM. Not bad, but it doesn’t stand out here.
 
The imaging is a bit better on both, the A151P edging out the M6 this time. Whereas both do not have large soundstages, they actually have surprisingly good imaging. The A151P is more accurate and I found it easier to judge where instruments were during complicated pieces of music. The M6 does come very close though, and puts up a very god fight indeed. Both are excellent in this area, the new A151P is even better than the old version which was already very competent here.
 
Separation & Detail
Both earphones do superbly in this field, being both detailed and clear. The separation was very good on the A151P, but only with the Sony Hybrid tips for some reason. They seemed to add that little something that made the A151Ps sound a lot better than any of the stock tips. They were very strong with vocal separation especially, they sounded as good here as the RE-400s, which I will do a full comparison with later on in the review. The M6 was excellent as well, but this time they were stronger with instrument separation due to that recessed midrange which let the vocals down a bit. Both pass with flying colours here, no complaints at all.
 
Once again, the tuning of both these earphones means that the detail really shine though. The A151P is particularly improved from the original because of the updated drivers with the better upper frequency response. Detail on these are comparable to many $100 IEMs and it falls just short of the RE-400, quite a feat for something that costs just half of what the RE-400 does. The M6 is about equally detailed, but the stronger bass response does mask some of the detail. The prominent treble allows a lot of the upper end details some through though. Both are very god in terms of detail and it is very impressive what these achieve considering their $50 price point.
 
Comparisons
In this section I will be comparing the two IEMs to other choices that are somewhat similar in one way or another. Starting off with the original A151P vs the A151P 2nd Gen, I found the 2^nd version to be significantly better. The bass seemed to be a little bit stronger, the midrange was better balanced and lost that slightly nasal tone and the treble is much more extended. It is also more detailed and had a slightly bigger soundstage. In short, it improved on every area of the original, and while it do not sound like a totally different earphone, it does sound significantly better. Now let’s move on to the other comparisons.
 

Meelectronics A151P vs HiFiMAN RE-400
I was looking forward to this comparison and very interested to see how the underdog in the A151P would do matched up against an earphone many recognise as the best $100 IEM. In short, it does very well, even beating it in a few areas – in terms of bang for your buck, these are likely to be the better choice, you may even like these more. I feel like the A151P is better-rounded than the RE-400, mainly down to the better bass and treble extension. The RE-400 is a little A (?) shaped where the midrange is emphasized. Though this may appeal to some people, I personally fund them to be lacking in the bass department, which was quite light. The midrange is awesome on the RE-400 and it hands down beats the A151P, but the Meelectronics IEM takes the bass just as easily for me. The treble is a bit more of a toss-up, I’m not entirely sure which one is better, they all sound very good, but the A151P is a little brighter, I’ll let you decide what you prefer yourself. The RE-400 is a bit better with separation and detail, but this is marginal and the RE-400 isn’t a very detailed IEM on a whole. Soundstage is about the same, both are on the intimate side of things. The imaging is a bit better on the RE-400. Again, this is marginal. So you might be thinking that the RE-400 wind comfortably right? Not quite, not for me at least. I prefer the sound signature of the A151P more than the RE-400 and despite the RE-400 being more technically proficient, I get more enjoyment listening to the A151P so I’m going to have to say that the A151P is “better” than the RE-400. Obviously YMMV, but the fact that the A151P comes so close to the RE-400 is no mean feat.
 

 
Meelectronics M6 Pro vs Logitech TF-10
Ah, the good old TF-10, nothing can ever replace it in my heart, It is the earphone that started it all, the reason why I began to love music. After a while, I finally chased down a pair and when I first heard the M6, I straight away felt like it was like a mini TF-10. You might think it is pointless comparing the M6 to something that is long discontinued now, but many people have had some sort of experience with the TF-10, and also I want to J. The bass is not quite as good as the TF-10, but it does have more sub-bass rumble. The midrange is a tad more recessed than the Logitech and has a similar metallic tone to the TF-10, which I actually happen to like, but again, the TF-10 is a bit cleaner and takes this as well. Treble is once again, quite similar, except the treble spike on the M6 is sharper, which introduces a bit of sibilance the TF-10 does not have. Soundstage is something the M6 seems to be a bit better in, it is wider, but imaging is better on the triple driver TF-10. Separation and detail is the same story, the TF-10 is a bit better. Overall, the TF-10 is a better IEM without a doubt, but the point that I am highlighting I that the M6 has a similar tonality and you can experience the now extinct TF-10 for just $50. It is probably the closest IEM I have heard to the TF-10.
 

 
Summary
This review is finally drawing to an end and to sum it up, both the A151P and M6 Pro are very impressive IEMs from Meelectronics. Both punch above their price range and the A151P really hits my sweet spot. The cheapest IEM I have heard that bests it is the Dunu Titan 1, which costs over twice its cost. It is truly the jack of all trades. The M6 on the other hand, is a very unique IEM that was possibly never meant for the Head-Fi market, but found its way in anyway. Designed as a professional monitor, it does a remarkable job at simply allowing you to enjoy he music. If I had to choose one, it would be the A151P, but luckily I don’t. The cost of both is the only a mere $100 and I feel like they would bring you much more enjoyment than any $100 IEM would. The A151P gains a perfect 5 stars from me whereas the M6 Pro is awarded an excellent 4.5 stars. 

Meelectronics A151P MKII & M6 Pro Review

Let me start off by saying a huge thanks to Mike from Meelectronics for sending me the M6 Pro and A151P 2^nd Gen to review. From now on, I will simply them as the M6 and A151P respectively, but please don’t confuse them for the original M6 and A151. The A151P is an earphone that I have reviewed a while ago and I remember that I really enjoyed it after a brief transition period where I got used to the sound. The M6 on the other hand, is something that I have never heard before so I cannot give any comparisons to the normal M6 unfortunately.
 
With the original A151P being one of the most impressive $50 IEMs I had heard at the time, I was very interested to see how Meelectronics changed it up and made improvements. There were a few areas that I felt could be a bit better on the original and I am pleased to say that the main issues have been resolved, the two not only sound very different, but are a little different aesthetically as well. More on that later though.
 
I usually don’t do dual reviews like these, but considering that I had both the M6 Pro and the A151P on hand at the same time and with them being priced so similarly, I felt like people would be interested in how the two compared. Both have a street price of around $50, their MSRPs are $60 and $80 respectively, but currently on the Meelectronics website they are $50. However, the target audience of these two IEMs are very different despite their similar prices. Whereas the A151P is made for the general Head-Fi and your average consumer, I get the impression from Mike that the M6 Pro, as the name might suggest, is something of a professional stage monitor.
 
Anyway, let’s get on with the review now.

**Disclaimer** These were provided to me by Meelectronics in return for an honest, unbiased review.
 

 
Packaging & Accessories
he A151P’s box is about as basic as it gets, serving as ample protection for the earphones, but don’t expect it to be pretty. Standard cardboard box with a plastic drawer that slide out. It actually came to me a little beat up and somewhat crushed, but the earphones themselves were not damaged. The M6 Pro’s box is fancier, with a lot more information on the box, including a see through window which allows you see the IEMs. When you open the box, there is a cardboard insert which comes out and there is the box with all the accessories except for the tips, which are in a separate compartment. Quite a different design, never really seen it before, but it looks pretty cool, so it is definitely welcome.
 
Both the IEMs are not showered with accessories, especially the A151P, so let’s start there. It comes with a manual, some tips and a nice small clamshell case. Quite basic, but it serves its purpose very well. The M6 Pro comes with a few more bits and pieces, such as 2 interchangeable cables, one with a mic and one without. There is also a cable clip on each of them as well as an adapter, a few tips including a set of Complys and finally, a clamshell case. The case is a little bit annoying for me, I’m not sure why it is so big. Personally, I prefer if I can fit a case into a jeans pocket relatively easily and the M6 Pro’s clunky case definitely isn’t the best for portability. Maybe it is larger to accommodate for the different things that professionals have to use with their gear, but I’m not a fan. Other than that, everything is very good.
 

 
Design
There have been a few very minor changes made to the A151P’s exterior that are quite obvious, the most major being the right angle jack. Though this may not seem like a large change, I can see less people having problems with the plug with long term use. Running music off your phone or music player when it is in your pocket can really damage a straight plug in the long run. The strain reliefs on the A151P are very good and effective, very flexible and not rigid whatsoever. The earpieces are made out of plastic, and feel like they are well made. These should be able to last a good while, I don’t see any issues with its durability. The cable is awesome, it is very similar to the Westone cables, but is softer and not microphonic whatsoever. The isolation is not great, but it isn’t too bad either. On Joker’s scale the isolation would probably be 3-3.5, acceptable, but these wouldn’t be my first choice on a plane ride.
 
The M6 Pro is a very unique IEM in a number of ways. As far as I know, the M6 is one of two IEMs from reputable companies that have a detachable cable under $50, the other being the VSD3. Unfortunately I have not heard the VSD3 so I can’t compare them, but the M6 is very well thought out and even includes 2 cables! Replacement cables for Shure cost $30 or so each and the M6 which costs $50 includes 2. The build is very good, plastic, but again, it feels very well made and more durable than the A151P. The detachable cables are not MMCX or 2 pin unfortunately, so you will not be able to use these cables with other IEMs. The cables themselves are rubber coated and a little bit microphonic without a cable clip, but silent with one and they have memory wire. In terms of isolation, they are not quite Shure level just yet, but they are definitely more isolating than the A151P, perhaps between a 3.5 and 4. Should be fine for everyday use as well as use in louder areas. Oh, and also do not that these have an interesting “Lifetime Replacement Program” where if you lose these or break these you can buy another one for half price.
 

 
Testing Gear
The A151P is not something that scales a lot, or at all with more upstream gear. I found this to be the case with the original and also with the revised version. They do not need a lot of juice to sound good and here was minimal difference between my Z2 and DX90. Off an IP6 they sounded very good as well. The M6 Pro on the other hand, did scale quite a little. I found that with the DX90, the soundstage and overall sound was much more refined, which was interesting for such a budget priced IEM. Separation got better especially and everything sounded clearer and much cleaner. The treble was also less sharp, but still quite bright. I wouldn’t recommend going and buying a DX90 for your M6, but if you have an amp or dedicated source, try it out before you judge it, it really does change!
 
 
Sound Quality
I’ll go on the record and state that personally I prefer the A151P’s sound over the M6, but it isn’t better by a lot and some people may actually prefer the M6 depending on what type of sound they are after. Whereas both are technically V shaped, the A51P sounds very neutral despite the slight midrange recession, which in reality is hardly noticeable. The M6, however, is significantly more V shaped and warmer sounding compared to the A151P, but it has a rather emphasized treble as well for that exciting and fun sound. So before I go more in depth to the review, I would suggest that people who want a more neutral sound signature look towards the A151P whereas those who are seeking a more energetic earphone to pay more attention to the M6. There will be some comparisons later on with the RE-400 and A151P 1^st Gen as well as the TF-10.

 
Bass
Though I wouldn’t classify myself as a basshead, I do enjoy my bass and prefer a slightly emphasized bass section. Luckily, both are not lacking bass in any way, the M6 is much more bass heavy compared to the A151P. To be honest, I was actually expecting more bass from the M6 than what I got. From what other people said, I thought the M6 was a very bass heavy IEM which sounded warm and veiled, but that was not what I got at all. Initially the M6 was too bass heavy for my taste, being a little flabby and bloated, but with a few days of burn in the bass seems to have settled down, not sure whether this is brain burn in or actual burn in, but I didn’t listen to them during that period. Detail is decent, but I feel like the cleaner A151P’s bass just edges it out. In the sub-bass department, the M6 was ridiculous linear for the price, I did not detect any low frequency roll off at all. They actually reminded me a little of the Audeze range of headphones in the way they presented bass, of course they aren’t as good, but for $50 you wouldn’t expect they to be. It is quite fast, but not the quickest. The A151P’s sub-bass is quicker and also very linear, but I did enjoy the extra kick that the dynamic driver of the M6 gave me. Both earphones are very competent in the bass department and they produced much more than one would expect for the budget price.
 

 
Midrange
Looking at Meelectronic’s frequency graph for the M6, I feel like it very accurately reflects what the IEM actually sounds like. The midrange is undoubtedly recessed and I found myself having to turn the M6s up a little more than I usually do to enjoy them. But keep in mind I listen to music at a quite a soft volume. At times I found myself wishing that the midrange was just pulled forward a little, but for most songs I did not have any issues with the midrange. Whereas some earphones may sound veiled because of their recessed midrange, the colder tonality of the M6 means that I never felt like they sounded veiled. Vocals sounded very crisp, but instruments sounded a little bit thin due to the brighter midrange. As I have found with many headphones, midrange clarity usually means a slightly off tone. However, I don’t find this to be a major issue with the sound and whether you will like it depends on your preferences. The A151P is a totally different story. While the frequency graph shows a little bit of a dip in the midrange, I did not hear any midrange recession and it was very smooth overall. Detail was as good as the M6 and on a whole I found the midrange to be mostly flat with maybe a hint of brightness. Both earphones don’t have an issue in vocal sibilance. Overall they are both solid here as well.

 
Treble
The only thing that annoyed me with the M6 was the lower treble peak, which could make the earphones a little fatiguing during long listening periods. This unfortunately also introduced a bit of sibilance. It wasn’t bad compared to some other IEMs I have heard, but some people who are more sensitive to treble may want to stay away from these. Cymbals have a nice tone to them, if not a bit sharp, but to me they were relatively accurate and I had no major problems with the treble. Despite the M6 being a budget dynamic driver IEM, the treble extends quite far and didn’t roll off early on. The treble energy is great, they inject that excitement into the M6s that make them a very enjoyable IEM to listen to. Detail is excellent for the price, I think the M6 might be better in terms of treble detail than the A151P. The A151P has a much flatter treble response though, without the peak that the M6 has. This is the area that it has improved the most from the 1^st Gen and the treble is much more extended and detailed. It has no sibilance at all and was very detailed as well, just falling short of the M6. There is still a little bit of roll off though, but this is likely to make these more polite and inoffensive to cater for everyone.
 

 
Soundstage & Imaging
I wasn’t really sure what to expect with the M6, with it being a budget dynamic driver. I have had some experiences with cheap IEMs that have a very large soundstage, but the M6 isn’t one of them. That is not to say that the soundstage is small, because it isn’t at all, but I simply would not classify the soundstage as large. It is quite wide, but lacks a little bit in depth and height. At this price point, this is to be expected though, and very few budget IEMs have an impressive soundstage. The M6 is good, but not great. The same story goes for the A151P, the soundstage is OK, but not that good. Smaller than the M6, but that is understandable given it is a BA IEM. Not bad, but it doesn’t stand out here.
 
The imaging is a bit better on both, the A151P edging out the M6 this time. Whereas both do not have large soundstages, they actually have surprisingly good imaging. The A151P is more accurate and I found it easier to judge where instruments were during complicated pieces of music. The M6 does come very close though, and puts up a very god fight indeed. Both are excellent in this area, the new A151P is even better than the old version which was already very competent here.
 
Separation & Detail
Both earphones do superbly in this field, being both detailed and clear. The separation was very good on the A151P, but only with the Sony Hybrid tips for some reason. They seemed to add that little something that made the A151Ps sound a lot better than any of the stock tips. They were very strong with vocal separation especially, they sounded as good here as the RE-400s, which I will do a full comparison with later on in the review. The M6 was excellent as well, but this time they were stronger with instrument separation due to that recessed midrange which let the vocals down a bit. Both pass with flying colours here, no complaints at all.
 
Once again, the tuning of both these earphones means that the detail really shine though. The A151P is particularly improved from the original because of the updated drivers with the better upper frequency response. Detail on these are comparable to many $100 IEMs and it falls just short of the RE-400, quite a feat for something that costs just half of what the RE-400 does. The M6 is about equally detailed, but the stronger bass response does mask some of the detail. The prominent treble allows a lot of the upper end details some through though. Both are very god in terms of detail and it is very impressive what these achieve considering their $50 price point.
 
Comparisons
In this section I will be comparing the two IEMs to other choices that are somewhat similar in one way or another. Starting off with the original A151P vs the A151P 2nd Gen, I found the 2^nd version to be significantly better. The bass seemed to be a little bit stronger, the midrange was better balanced and lost that slightly nasal tone and the treble is much more extended. It is also more detailed and had a slightly bigger soundstage. In short, it improved on every area of the original, and while it do not sound like a totally different earphone, it does sound significantly better. Now let’s move on to the other comparisons.
 

Meelectronics A151P vs HiFiMAN RE-400
I was looking forward to this comparison and very interested to see how the underdog in the A151P would do matched up against an earphone many recognise as the best $100 IEM. In short, it does very well, even beating it in a few areas – in terms of bang for your buck, these are likely to be the better choice, you may even like these more. I feel like the A151P is better-rounded than the RE-400, mainly down to the better bass and treble extension. The RE-400 is a little A (?) shaped where the midrange is emphasized. Though this may appeal to some people, I personally fund them to be lacking in the bass department, which was quite light. The midrange is awesome on the RE-400 and it hands down beats the A151P, but the Meelectronics IEM takes the bass just as easily for me. The treble is a bit more of a toss-up, I’m not entirely sure which one is better, they all sound very good, but the A151P is a little brighter, I’ll let you decide what you prefer yourself. The RE-400 is a bit better with separation and detail, but this is marginal and the RE-400 isn’t a very detailed IEM on a whole. Soundstage is about the same, both are on the intimate side of things. The imaging is a bit better on the RE-400. Again, this is marginal. So you might be thinking that the RE-400 wind comfortably right? Not quite, not for me at least. I prefer the sound signature of the A151P more than the RE-400 and despite the RE-400 being more technically proficient, I get more enjoyment listening to the A151P so I’m going to have to say that the A151P is “better” than the RE-400. Obviously YMMV, but the fact that the A151P comes so close to the RE-400 is no mean feat.
 

 
Meelectronics M6 Pro vs Logitech TF-10
Ah, the good old TF-10, nothing can ever replace it in my heart, It is the earphone that started it all, the reason why I began to love music. After a while, I finally chased down a pair and when I first heard the M6, I straight away felt like it was like a mini TF-10. You might think it is pointless comparing the M6 to something that is long discontinued now, but many people have had some sort of experience with the TF-10, and also I want to J. The bass is not quite as good as the TF-10, but it does have more sub-bass rumble. The midrange is a tad more recessed than the Logitech and has a similar metallic tone to the TF-10, which I actually happen to like, but again, the TF-10 is a bit cleaner and takes this as well. Treble is once again, quite similar, except the treble spike on the M6 is sharper, which introduces a bit of sibilance the TF-10 does not have. Soundstage is something the M6 seems to be a bit better in, it is wider, but imaging is better on the triple driver TF-10. Separation and detail is the same story, the TF-10 is a bit better. Overall, the TF-10 is a better IEM without a doubt, but the point that I am highlighting I that the M6 has a similar tonality and you can experience the now extinct TF-10 for just $50. It is probably the closest IEM I have heard to the TF-10.
 

 
Summary
This review is finally drawing to an end and to sum it up, both the A151P and M6 Pro are very impressive IEMs from Meelectronics. Both punch above their price range and the A151P really hits my sweet spot. The cheapest IEM I have heard that bests it is the Dunu Titan 1, which costs over twice its cost. It is truly the jack of all trades. The M6 on the other hand, is a very unique IEM that was possibly never meant for the Head-Fi market, but found its way in anyway. Designed as a professional monitor, it does a remarkable job at simply allowing you to enjoy he music. If I had to choose one, it would be the A151P, but luckily I don’t. The cost of both is the only a mere $100 and I feel like they would bring you much more enjoyment than any $100 IEM would. The A151P gains a perfect 5 stars from me whereas the M6 Pro is awarded an excellent 4.5 stars. 

I must admit, until recently, I was not aware of the Master and Dynamic brand. I had heard about them on the forums, but never really read anything about them. Their recent model MH40 is their current flagship and retails for $400 in the US. Master & Dynamic themselves are a New York based audio company which offers a range of premium headphones targeted towards both the masses and audiophile world.
 

 
From what I gather, the MH40 is a model that was put out very recently, a little over half a year ago. With technology moving forward rapidly, it was certainly very interesting to see just what a company that is relatively new to the audio scene can bring to the table. Every now and then, a new, innovative company pops up and puts out a terrific and exciting product; to my mind, the MH40 is certainly a premium example of this. Maybe this remarkably original headphone will spark a trend of similar portable headphones.
 
The philosophy of the company is one that is very hard to criticise. They want to bring us, consumers, premium products that will last and sound great. As I mentioned briefly, the MH40 seems to be not only geared towards the Head-Fi community, but also meets the general public’s appeal. Could this headphone possibly be the one that changes the portable headphone market? We will have to wait and see, but there is simply no denying its unprecedented style and design.
 
**Disclaimer** These headphones were given to me free of charge by Master & Dynamic in exchange for an unbiased, honest review.
 
 
Unboxing & Accessories
 

 
The first way that many judge a product is via their box and outward appearance. Luckily, Master & Dynamic’s MH40 has one of the most impressive presentations that I have come across on a piece of audio gear regardless of price. The headphone is certainly not cheap and the company makes you aware of that. The only way to describe the MH40 is that it is gorgeous, and it comes with the packaging to match. Upon sliding the slick black box out of the outer sleave, we are greeted with the headphones under a flap. The foam is perfectly cut out, providing ample protection during shipping and there is the round, leather cable case just under the headband. Under the foam section, there is a folded velvet soft case that feels very well made as well as a manual in multiple languages. It is easy to see the painstaking planning that went into the presentation of these headphones and it really shows.
 
The quality of everything that accompanies the MH40 is impressive to say the least. The cable case is made very well, but just a little big. It comes with 2 cables, a standard 1.2m cable with the remote/mic and another plain cable that is 2m long, which is much more convenient to use at home. The case has a small pouch inside it and it soft and seamless, locked with magnets. If I was going to carry the headphones around in my bag full of other stuff, I would probably not use this case – it doesn’t really protect the MH40s much, if at all, but is great if you just wanted to store them at home to avoid them getting scratched or dusty. There is also a pretty standard ¼ adapter that is recessed to fit the plugs of the cables. Fantastic from M&D here, no complaints from me whatsoever.
 

 
Design, Cable & Isolation
Boy, is the MH40 unique… I don’t think I have ever seen another headphone that looks remotely similar and it looks fantastic. The gunmetal grey option is one of the most beautiful headphones I have ever seen. It is made mainly of metal and leather, making is very sturdy, but surprisingly light and comfortable. I had no issues with the comfort or fit of these at all. The M&D symbol is all over the headphone, on the cup screws, the inside of the headband, and on the grills. There is also a mute button on the right side of the headphone, which I found to be somewhat odd, but is a welcome addition. Build is impeccable, although I can’t comment on the durability of these yet, I have no doubt that if you treat them well they will last a long time. The leather feels really nice on your head, feels much better than pleather. The adjusters are very well thought out as well, smooth and marked. It has inputs/outputs on both sides of the headphone, allowing for the more conventional left sided input or the sight sided input if you prefer that. Another cool feature is its ability to “daisy chain” to another headphone via the port that is not being used. Would be very helpful if you were stuck somewhere with only 1 music source lol. To me, the MH40 is one of the most well thought out headphone designs and it has no flaws for me, as close to perfection as anything else I have used.
 

 
The cables are have a cloth lining that makes them very quiet and there were no microphonics issues at all. Apparently they are made out of pure copper for a “pure” sound, take what you want for that. If you are a cable believer, than great news for you; if you are not, then let’s move on. The remote works perfectly with the iPhone 6, but only the pause/play works with my android devices, which was predictable. The strain relief is very good on both cables and even the plugs have small M&D symbols on them. Some of the nicest cables I have used.
 
Being semi-open, I was expecting these to have atrocious isolation, but I actually found these to be quite good. A way I test isolation is to listen to my normal music at normal (75-80dB) volumes and play music in the background at around the same volume and if it doesn’t get in the way, then it is good enough for me. The MH40 was quite good, obviously not as good as the average IEM, but over the ears portable headphones rarely are. They should be acceptable for normal use, but just don’t expect them to work wonders on a plane or something. Definitely better than some IEMs I have experienced. Oh, and these do leak a little bit of sound, so perhaps don’t blast these in the library…
 

 
Testing Gear
This is the area that was a bit weird for me. Usually I don’t experience large change between pieces of gear, but the MH40 changed drastically when I switched between an amped sources and my phone. When I first received them, I put some music on through my Xperia Z2 and they sounded very nice, clear and slightly warm with nice, punchy bass. Changing to my iBasso DX90 bore unexpected results. The headphone became significantly bassier, which goes to show that they need some juice to bring the bass out. Does this make it better though? Not really, it just makes it different. I know that many people would like these unamped more, whereas others will prefer the extra bass from an amp. The thing I found was that the DX90 seemed to be a more controlled than the Z2 and had better soundstage/imaging as well as details. TBH, I think I preferred the so9und signature of them from my phone more, but there is no doubt that the overall performance of the MH40 improves with a better source. I would recommend that you invest in a small, cheap budget amp for the MH40 if you don’t already have a DAP.
 

 
Sound
On the whole, I have not been impressed with portable headphones, but there have been a few exceptions, one of which is definitely the MH40. If you have read a few of my previous reviews, you may know that my sound preference lean towards a neutral headphone, but of course, I still enjoy my warmth and bass once in a while. The issue I have found is that many warm headphones tend to sound a little veiled and lifeless, lacking the excitement that I crave. Well, the MH40 is certainly a warm headphone and it gains a big recommendation from me.
 

 
Bass
The bass is sublime, weighty, but not overpowering to say that least. At no point was I left asking for more quantity or feeling like the midrange was being overshadowed. The MH40 has this particular way of presenting bass notes that makes it so appealing to me. The bass is never intruding when it is not needed, and actually seems like a neutral headphone at times, but it slams hard when it is called upon. This is not something that many headphones achieve, not even flagships like the Audeze headphones can do this like the MH40 does. The mid bass is not overly prominent, but always there and is very detailed. What was impressive was the linearity of the bass, I sensed no roll of towards the sub-bass – if anything, it was a bit boosted. There is a very satisfying rumble to it, but it has a fast decay and I must stress again that despite the bass being heavy, it does not interfere with other frequencies. It is because of the various bass qualities that I can confidently say the bass of the MH40 is simply the best I have heard on any portable headphone regardless of price.
 
 
Midrange
From my experience, a warm midrange is often associated with veiled vocals, which is something that I simply cannot deal with. Very few headphones and IEMs do I recommend that are warm and this is the reason for it. I was really hoping that the MH40 would be different and it is. The midrange is liquid, rich and very smooth, but that is not to say that it is not detailed because it most definitely is. I feel like the midrange is centred and not recessed whatsoever, but not forward either. It strikes a nice balance between cold/warmth and also the positioning. There seems to be a lower midrange boost that makes male vocals seem a little accentuated and mellow, but that is not a bad thing. In fact, I quite enjoy the different presentation to the HD800, my main headphone, which the MH40 produces. They actually sound very natural despite the lack of neutrality in the midrange, providing authentic scope into the music. To put it simply, if you want to use these to analyse music or as studio monitors, than these may not be great, but they bring a remarkable level of music enjoyment.
 
 
Treble
I’ll state before I go into this section by saying that I like my treble, I’m a little bit of a treblehead at times, but I appreciate warmer headphones which perhaps don’t have as much of a sparkle as well. The MH40, as you might have guessed by this stage is not a bright headphone and has a slightly rolled of treble. I must stress the slightly, but it is not very rolled off by any means. The treble is actually quite flat and there is a seamless transition from the midrange. I did not experience any spikes at all and it was a smooth and trouble-free experience. To boost the treble would mean that the entire tonality of the headphone changes, and I and I am content with the quantity. Cymbals have a bit of a shorter decay than neutral headphones, but they were actually really detailed. I found that these were not in the least dull, they are reminiscent of the Momentum’s treble, but better in every way. It is not the most detailed treble I have heard, but it is definitely not bad at all. I wouldn’t go to say that it is one of its strengths, but it is not a con.
 

 
Soundstage & Imaging
Being a semi open headphone gives it a little bit of an advantage over fully closed headphones in the soundstage department and the MH40 is actually pretty good. Portable headphones have never really had a large soundstage, I have always found similarly priced IEMs to be better, but the MH40 does quite well. It presents a sense of depth and height very well, but the height is not spectacular. I don’t have the Momentum side by side to compare, but from memory, these are significantly better with the soundstage and it beats the Beats Studios 2.0 by quite a margin as well. Not bad at all from M&D. A very solid soundstage from a portable headphone.
 
The imaging was actually much better than I expected. It was generally quite accurate and handles most tracks with ease. Compared to the Beats Studio 2.0 (which are much better than the original version), these were much clearer and partly due to the larger soundstage, it was significantly easier to tell the instruments apart and where they were accurately. There is a nice sense of air between the instruments that is quite rare to see on a portable headphone, but maybe this is due, once again, to the semi-open nature of the MH40. It does very well in these categories.
 

 
Separation, Detail & Clarity
The potential of these drivers continues to impress me. Although it may not be evident at the start, the MH40 has actually got very good separation. This is especially the case with vocals, I found them to excel in that areas. A way I test for vocal separation is by running several of Fun.’s songs from the album Some Nights. These passed with flying colours – they sound excellent with male vocals, no complaints here whatsoever. With instruments, the MH40 is also very strong, being particularly good with midrange instruments. Rarely did I feel like some instruments were lost in the background, but it did happen on a few tracks. However, this is really the tuning rather than the drivers, and changing the tuning or EQing them would result in the MH40s losing their magic.
 
The MH40 is not the most detailed headphone I have heard for $400, but that is not to say that it is weak. It is not bad at all, actually quite strong compared to other portable headphones, but I feel like portable headphones simply do not have the detail that full sized headphones and IEMs do. If you are desperate to get those microdetails that are missed by the MH40, then I suppose you could EQ them to be a bit brighter, but personally, I love the MH40 the way it is and would rather not touch the tuning.
Despite the warm tone, the clarity does not really take much of a hit. Sure, brighter headphones will sound sharper and may have that artificial clarity, but they do not possess the organic tone that these do. If I were to really nit-pick though, I suppose the detail and clarity are negatives, but nothing is perfect and the MH40’s “weakness” lies here.
 

 
Summary
To me, it is very clear that I have enjoyed the M&D MH40 immensely and it is the best portable headphone I have ever heard regardless of price. It simply ticks all the boxes – fun to listen to, beautifully built, some isolation, comfortable. Obvious, YMMV, but I do feel like most people will be blown away with the overall product that Master & Dynamic have put out. The MH40 will undoubtedly become my daily portable driver for a long time, perhaps until M&D introduce something new in the horizon.
 
I’d like to give a huge thanks again to Scott & Micah for sending me the MH40 to review and experience this wonderful headphone that I simply cannot put down. BTW none of the photos are mine, so if you own one and want me to take it down, just tell me. 

Final Audio Design is a relatively new company to the IEM scene, with them releasing their first models in 2009. They are a Japanese company, with their roots extending back to 1974 where they first made high-end MC cartridges and booster transformers. The model that I will be reviewing today is their Heaven IV, which is the second cheapest model in their Heaven IEM series, the most basic one being the Heaven II.
 
 
 

 
 
FAD has always been a brand that has constantly caught my eye, but I have not had many experiences with them. I have auditioned their FI-BA-SS model several times and always been impressed in the way that it presents the midrange. I was hoping its lower end counterpart could also reproduce some of the magic that I heard with their flagship. The Heaven IV is priced at around $200, which puts it in a region of very sharp and stiff competition.
 
What intrigued me was the fact that all of Final’s models except for their new flagship the LAB 1 utilises a single balanced armature driver instead of multi BAs like many other companies. There seems to be a consensus that more drivers means better sound quality and this is what I have generally found to be true, but FAD is certainly the exception. Now let’s move on to see how the Heaven IV does against other competitors.
 
**Disclaimer** This was provided to be in return for an honest, unbiased review.
 

 
 
Unboxing & Accessories
The box is simple, but very nice. The outer sleeve has some information about the Heavens at the back, but unfortunately it is in Japanese so I can’t read it, but it mentions something about the BAM (Balanced Air Movement) technology that goes into their earphones. Upon opening the outer sleeve, you are greeted a solid black cardboard box with Final written over it. Inside there is a lot of padding to ensure that it won’t be damaged in shipping and there is the silver case that I’m sure you have all seen somewhere. Under that there is a manual and warranty card as well as some tips. Inside the case is the earphones, nicely shielded with foam on either side of the case.
 
I’m not sure if I got the Japanese version or whether that is just the version worldwide, but everything was written in Japanese. The case is excellent, somewhat ostentatious, but very nice nevertheless. It certainly does a very good job a protecting the IEMs, but I’m more concerned about scratching it lol. To open it you press a button on the side, which is quite nice for a change, you don’t see that very often. The foam inside is very protective but the case is a little bit on the bigger side. The tips are pretty standard, not a lot to choose from, but the ones that were already on the earphones fitted me very well. There is no cable clip unfortunately. Overall the accessories department is not filled with bells and whistles, but it has all the necessary ones.
 

 
 
Design, Cable & Isolation
The FAD Heaven IV is definitely one that catches the eye, from the case to the meticulous build of the earphones themselves. The housing is made out of metal, which probably affects the sound and has Final printed over it as well as L and R. It is very easy to tell the left from the right because of the cable entry placement. The plug is a gold plated right angle plug that is very small and should easily fit into any phone case that you might have. The strain reliefs are very good and effective, serving their purpose extremely well. Supposedly the BAM technology that goes into this is supposed to improve realism while reducing unwanted sibilance as well as create a live atmosphere.
 
The cable is something that I am not a fan of. On their website it says something about minimal cable noise, but I was very sceptical before I put these in my ears. Flat cable and minimal micrphonics are simply 2 things that do not go together in my experience. This case is no different. When worn down, the cable noise is very annoying and just like any other flat cable earphone. This is made worse by the fact that there is no cable clip. When worn over the ear though, most of the problems disappear and this is how I use them. There is a cable cinch. The cable itself is very flexible and one of the nicest I have used if not for the microphonics. Seems quite long as well, but the website says it is 1.2m so maybe it’s just me.
 
Well if you are expecting Etymotic isolation because of the barrel build of the Heaven IV, you may be a bit let down. The isolation is not bad by any means, but it just isn’t terrific. It is around average, a bit more than 3.5 perhaps on Joker’s scale. These do not reach Shure isolation yet, but is better than IEMs like the DN-2000. Overall it is pretty good and should serve you pretty well in day to day use as long as you don’t use them in very noisy areas.
 

 
 
Testing Gear
This was a bit odd, I found them to not scale a lot, but I particularly liked them with my D-Zero MKII, even more so than my DX90. On a Sansa Clip+, they sounded a little bit on the warm side, which I didn’t really like. On my Xperia Z2, it is rather good and flat, maybe a little bit colder than with the flatter D-Zero. The DX90 was also very good, but I don’t think that the match was quite as good as the D-Zero, but it was close. Adding an amp to these will result in slightly better soundstage, imaging and detail. The difference is not night and day, I would not recommend you going out to buy another source just for the Heaven IV. My point is that they sound very good with average sources, which is a huge plus but if you want that little bit extra from them, then hook them up to a more upstream source.
 

 
 
Sound Quality
Ultimately we only get something if it sounds good and does this? Well not to spoil anything major, but definitely, it sounds very good. Up to this point, I have a lot of mixed thoughts about the Heaven IV. It looks great, but the cable and lack of a cable clip is a bit of a downside. Can the Heaven make up for it? It is also my understanding that FAD uses their own drivers instead of getting them from the main companies like Knowles or Sonion, so this was going to be very interesting.
 
 
Bass
This was certainly the biggest surprise to me. I was expecting a somewhat small bass impact, but this certainly isn’t an anaemic bass BA IEM. Anything but that actually. The bass is on the heavier side of things, but not nearly heavy enough to be classified as a basshead IEM. The impact is solid and visceral, very tight and punchy. Speed is extremely good and there is no bass bleed into the midrange whatsoever. The sub-bass is good, perhaps very slightly rolled off, but that doesn’t bother me at all. For a single BA in this price range, the bass is very well textured and detailed. Actually, it is not only detailed for a single BA, but any IEM in this price range. The sub-bass has sufficient and controlled rumble to it and doesn’t muddy the bass. Coming from the SE846 as my daily IEM, the tone was actually very similar with the while filters. If anything the bass is slightly faster on the Heaven. Very impressive in this aspect and FAD goes to show that single BAs can have great bass extension and impact as well.
 

 
 
Midrange
So now we get to the interesting part, the magical midrange that FAD lovers keep raving on about. Having heard the FI-BA-SS, I certainly understood what they were talking about, the mids on that were extremely realistic and had a very nice background which seemed completely blank. It was really like no other IEM that I have heard before. The Heaven IV, luckily is actually quite similar in the sense that it does what the previous flagship from FAD does, but obviously not as well. The mids can be described as slightly warm, but not veiled to my ears, which is not something a lot of IEMs pull off. I am fine with warm IEMs, but I hate veiled mids. A very dark background and realistic vocals are the highlights for me, everything sounds very unique, in a good way. Detail is good, not the best, but still sufficient. There is zero sibilance, which is great, maybe it is what the BAM technology is there for, not really sure, but the midrange sounds fantastic.
 

 
 
Treble
The treble is pulled back compared to the rest of the frequencies and is definitely not as prominent. This does not mean that it is rolled off, because it definitely isn’t, it is actually quite well extended. It is just a little bit warmer than what I would personally classify as neutral, but my perception of neutrality, especially with regards to treble may be different to yours. If you love the HE-500 or HD650/600, the odds are you will have no issues with the treble at all. Clarity is quite good and sounds very solid, but the treble is not the most detailed. Cymbals have a nice tone to them, but the tone is a little bit on the dull side, but it has enough sparkle to stop the treble from being classified as dark. The tone of the treble is a little like the RE-400s, but it is more detailed and has better clarity. The treble is well defined, but polite as the same time without being boring. For those that are a bit sensitive to treble, this is an excellent choice.
 

 
 
Soundstage & Imaging
Now it is time to see if Final Audio Design does indeed deliver on their BAM technology creating a realistic live atmosphere. Traditionally, I have been a little let down by BAs in terms of soundstage in general, they don’t seem to quite reach the standard of dynamic driver IEMs. The Heaven IV really did catch me off guard here. I’ll admit that I didn’t think much of the BAM technology at first, but the soundstage that this single BA IEM produces is awesome. The stage is wide and expansive, as well as being rather 3D. It reminds me of the Titan 1 that I just reviewed. Width is perhaps a bit better than the height, but depth is what surprised me the most, it is rather deep and it sounds more realistic than the DN-2000’s soundstage, which is a very big call for me to make.
 
The imaging was also very strong, it allowed more space between instruments which aided the imaging. It is not quite as pinpoint as the SE846, but that is to be expected given the huge price difference. It is very good and absolutely trumps the RE-400, and is in the league of the DN-2000, which is quite impressive. Overall, in the soundstage and imaging department you really cannot expect anything more from these $200 gems.
 

 
 
Separation, Detail & Clarity
I must admit, I really underestimated these simply because of the fact that they were a single BA IEM and the separation is actually very good for the price range. If I just listened to these without knowing the technical specifications of this, I would not have been able to come to the conclusion that these were a single BA IEM at all. The separation is almost as good as the triple hybrid DN-2000 and much better than the Brainwavz R3, a dual dynamic driver IEM. This goes to show once again, that more drivers does not necessarily mean that it sounds better.
 
The detail is one area that the Heaven IV does not really do that well in. When I EQed them I actually got a lot of detail out of these, but I lost that tone that I love the Heaven IV for. Because it is a slightly warm IEM, the detail is not great, not because the drivers are not capable of delivering the detail, but simply because sometimes the microdetails in the higher frequencies get overshadowed by the mids and bass. It’s not that the FAD isn’t detailed though, because it most definitely is, but it is just not the best in its price range.
 

 
Clarity is like the detail section as well. I had no problems with the organic and sweet tone of the Heaven IV, the clarity was fine, especially good with vocals, but I just didn’t feel like with instruments they has that edge that the best in the price range do. Those tend to have a colder and brighter tone though and do not sound as realistic and relaxing as the Heaven do. Unfortunately, in my experience, one can’t really have both.
 
 
Summary
 

 
So is the Heaven IV the most technically proficient IEM in the $200 price range? No, but for a long time, it is the only IEM I have been able to use for long periods of time and simply relax and enjoy to the music. It is incredibly realistic and the price is very reasonable. It may not be the most detailed or have the best clarity, but listening to it just puts a smile on my face. As a whole package, the FAD Heaven IV is one of the best around $200 and it sounds remarkable. It easily gains my recommendation. 

First I would like to thank Vivian for sending me a Titan 1 to review. Dunu is a brand that has crept into the IEM market with their multiple budget IEMs and their DN-1000 and 2000, both of which I have reviewed. Both of the models I have tried were on the bass heavy side with a crisp and sweet midrange and well balanced treble. The Titan 1 is a model that they have released recently and is a very unique design.
 

 
 
Dunu’s TWFK hybrids have been praised extensively by many members and they have grown on me tremendously. I had no reason to suspect that the Titan 1 was going to be any different, but keep in mind that those were hybrids whereas the Titan 1 has a single dynamic driver. Just from looking at them you can easily tell that they are very different looking IEMs. Whereas most IEMs adopt a more traditional barrel style or “Shure” style, the shape of the Titan 1 is reminiscent of an earbud.
 
I am typically not really a fan of single driver IEMs, but there have been some exceptions and I approached the Titan 1 (will be referred to as T1 from now on) with few expectations. These are a fair bit cheaper than both the DN-1000 and 2000, being priced at $115 suggesting that it will be closer in performance to the cheaper $130 DN-900 and will be a direct competitor to the popular RE-400. So let’s go ahead and see how it did.
 
**Disclaimer** These were provided to me for free in exchange for a fair and unbiased review.
 
 
Unboxing & Accessories
The T1 box is nothing short of impressive for the price. It is one of the nicest presented IEMs I have seen regardless of price. The box feels very sturdy and hard, should be able to protect your IEMs in shipping. It looks fantastic, with the specifications on the side and details about the earphone and driver as well as the accessories on the back. Upon opening the magnetic flap, you are greeted with some more information about the features of the T1 and a picture of the frequency graph. It is very thoughtful how they have multiple languages on the box. Through the transparent film, you can see the T1s and after opening another flap, you are greeted with the T1, a few sets of tips and a very nice black case. Underneath that section there are more tips and a warranty sheet should you need it in the future. There is an adapter inside the case if you plan to use it with a device that has a ¼ output. There is a cable clip too, oops.
 

 
 
The T1 doesn’t shower you with a plethora of accessories like the DN-900, but it certainly has all the necessary ones. I loved the TF-10 style case that the DN-1000 had, but I did not like the DN-900 or DN-2000 cases at all. Don’t get me wrong, they were great, but just unnecessarily large and your IEMs would just flop around in them. The T1 case is much nicer, not the sturdiest, but nice looking and very practical. It is the perfect size and holds the T1s with no extra room. You can fit an extra adapter or cable clip if you want to. I really like the press to unlock feature; Dunu should use this sort of case for all their future IEMs. The cable clip is very useful and I found the tips to be quite good. I am using them with the medium size black and red tips. Overall Dunu does very well here as they have done in every other product I have tried from them.
 
 
Design, Isolation & Cable
This is where things start to get interesting. I have never come across another IEM that is quite like the Titan 1. They are “half in ear earphones” and I couldn’t really describe them any better. A single 13mm “nano class T-diaphragm driver” is in each ear. They do seal, but you don’t really feel like other IEMs I’ve tried. The round body kind of just sits in your ear like those old gen apple earbuds. They are certainly very comfortable and I can wear them for hours without any issues. The body is made entirely of metal and feels very sturdy, once again that typical Dunu build quality. There is a red band and blue band on the right and left sides respectively to indicate which is left and right more easily. They are have R and L on them. Overall this feels like it is a product of very high quality and is very impressive for the price.
 
The isolation is obviously not going to be good. They are almost classified as earbuds and they do not sit deep in your ear at all. There are multiple vents that let sound in, which doesn’t help the isolation either. I would say that for an IEM they are probably the least isolating that I have heard, but they are definitely a little better than earbuds. I would recommend you use them indoors and not in any sort of noisy environment.
 

 
 
The cable is one of my favourite, the cable up to the Y- split is clothed and very flexible. Above that, the cable is rubber coated. This feels very different to the DN-2000’s cable. Pretty sure that the cable is 1.2m. The plug is gold plated and has a serial number on it and feels very solid. The Y-splitter is awesome as well, made out of alloy and with a matching cable cinch. The strain reliefs on the plug, Y-split and the earphones all feel tough enough to last, but flexible enough to take the pressure off the cable. Overall, the Titan 1 is a very well designed IEM considering its shape.
 
 
Testing Gear
Although the Titan 1 is a budget earphone, don’t let that price tag fool you into thinking that it doesn’t scale well with better equipment because it definitely does. Despite this, they certainly do not need a great source to sound good though. When I got them, I first tried them off my Xperia Z2 and immediately they sounded great, but I found that they improved quite a bit with better gear such as the iBasso D-Zero MKII and DX90. A good budget player is the Clip+, you really can’t go wrong with that little thing. On the Sansa is sounds more punchy and energetic than with the 2 more neutral sounding iBassos. I’ve had that Clip+ for almost 3 years and it is still going strong lol. Anyway, back on topic I preferred the DX90 the most, I felt like the Clip+ was a bit too bass heavy so these sonic impressions are based on the DX90/Titan 1 combo.
 

 
 
Sound Quality
One area Dunu has never let me down in is sound quality I have tried all the higher end models in their DN series (900, 1000 and 2000) and all have impressed me with their sound/price ratio. So you are probably thinking that the T1 is a little worse than the DN-900 considering its price right? Well, let me assure you that this is not the case all. The T1 is one of the best IEMs in its price range and is more than a worthy competitor to the DN series.
 
 
Bass
I admit I was expecting a rather bass heavy sound before I heard the T1, but once I heard it I knew that this wasn’t going to be the case. Dunu usually have an emphasized lower end and I thought that this might be the case as well because of the single dynamic driver, but I actually found the bass to be rather neutral but a little bit heavy. Bassheads who love the DN-1000 because of the bass will likely not enjoy this as much as the 1K. The bass is very punchy, lively and very fast. I felt like the detail and control of the T1 is something that not many IEMs in this price range can match. There is a nice weight to bass notes, but zero bleeding into the midrange. I found there to be very good bass extension and I didn’t detect any sub-bass roll off; actually, I thought that sub-bass might have been more emphasized than the mid-bass which was interesting. You can really feel the rumble from some tracks. Overall the bass packs a solid punch, but not near the basshead levels that some may expect.
 

 
 
Midrange
This is where I fell in love with the Titan 1, it is simply much better than its competition. Its analytical yet highly realistic tone means that mids are exciting and detailed without becoming boring. Vocals sound remarkably alive and detailed, very realistic indeed. I feel like they might be a little pulled back, but it was never an issue for me. Back to vocals, where I feel like this really shines, female vocals are especially nice with a slightly sweet tone to them which is due to the slight upper midrange/lower treble “spike”. Despite the accentuation in that area, I did not feel troubled by it and found it to be a pro rather than a con. The amazing midrange extends to instruments as well, especially string instruments. I felt like the T1s captured a lot of detail that I really wasn’t expecting it to. However, I felt like it could have reproduced pianos a little better, they felt a little too thin for me, but I am really nit-picking here. The midrange may be a little pulled back, but it really steals the show.
 

 
 
Treble
The treble is not as upfront as common TWFK driver IEMs. Don’t get me wrong, it has nice extension, but I feel like there is a slight dip in the mid-treble region and as a result, the treble feels a little darker than it really is. I feel like the overall treble is quite neutral, leaning towards the warmer side of things and is quite detailed. I know that it might sound like I am putting this out negatively, but it is going to be a nice feature for many people. Keep in mind that I am a little bit of a treblehead and come from a HD800. Cymbals have a nice amount of sparkle to them and are very controlled. At no point did I feel like it was harsh, even at higher volumes. I know that many people are not as tolerant of treble as I am and will appreciate this greatly. Bottom line, the treble is very safe and non-offensive. It won’t really blow you away with its detail, but it certainly did not leave me wanting more. It is a very solid sounding IEM at this price point.
 

 
 
Soundstage & Imaging
This is another area that I was really surprised by. I I’ll go out and say that the soundstage on this little gem is the best I have heard on any IEM under $200 and not by a small margin. It really is expansive and even better than the DN-1000 from memory. It definitely destroys the DN-900 and RE-400, but more on that in comparisons later. The width is impressive and so is the height, but what I was really blown away by was how well the T1 captures the depth of the stage. This is something very little IEMs of any price range can do and maybe the Titan 1 does it because it is not like typical IEMs. Whereas most IEMs portray the music in a more 2D way especially at this price point, the T1 steps out of its norm and manages to show that unique depth into the music.
 
The imaging is also awesome and perhaps this is aided by the multiple vents. Maybe this is a trade-off between isolation and soundstage/imaging. I found the imaging to be very precise and sharper than what I am used to and you can really see what I am talking about it you really listen to them closely. Everything is layered like the DN-2000 and it leaves many other more expensive earphones in the dust. Top marks in this category.
 

 
 
Separation, Detail & Clarity
The separation is good, but just short of some multi BA IEMS around this price range. It handles most tracks with no issues and even on congested tracks it doesn’t do too badly, but sometimes I feel like some instruments can be overshadowed by others. If you listen closely you can still hear them in the background, but they are not as clear as they are on some other models. It does quite well here, but not really a standout.
 
The Titan 1 manages to pull off the feat of being fun yet very detailed. Despite the separation not being great, the detail is actually really good. Small microdetails manage to shine through, though obviously not as clear as some higher end IEMs. I tried out some Maroon 5 tracks on these which surprisingly actually has quite a bit of small details here and there and the Titan 1 handled them very well. The felt like something that costed around $200 and honestly they were much better than anything under $100. I think the detail on these is superb and definitely very impressive.
 
Clarity is something else that the T1 is good at. Due to the upper midrange/lower treble bump that we discussed previously, vocals are a lot more clear than normal and instruments sound sharp and maybe even a little thin. I wouldn’t classify these as cold sounding by any means, but they are not what you might find as warm at all. Clarity is great on these and it is one of the long list of great things about the Titan 1.
 

 
 
Dunu Titan 1 vs Dunu DN-900
Naturally it makes sense to compare the DN-900 to the Titan 1. After all, they are from the same company, it’s like a little bit of sibling rivalry. Priced at $130, the 900 is a mere $15 more than the T1, which makes it interesting to see which one comes out on top. Starting at the lower end, the bass is much more prominent on the 900 and it will likely satisfy bassheads which may find the T1 disappointing. I feel like both are of very good quality, the T1 edging the DN-900 out to my ears and it really comes down to which sound signature you prefer. The midrange is a clear win to the Titan 1 IMO. The DN-900 is warmer and less detailed and doesn’t quite capture the energy the T1 does. Vocals especially are much better on the T1. The treble is quite similar, the 900 sound a bit more flat to me, the T1 still has that lower treble peak that gives it its trademark sound. The T1 is a bit more detailed and more energetic, I prefer the T1 treble. Soundstage and imaging is simply no competition and the T1 is miles ahead of the DN-900. The T1 is also more detailed by a fair margin and better with clarity and separation. To me, the Titan 1 is the clear winner in terms of sound, but if you need that isolation, the DN-900 or RE-400 might be better for you.
 
Dunu Titan 1 vs HiFiMAN RE-400
I’m sure that if you are reading this review you have almost definitely heard of the RE-400, it is perhaps the most widely recommended sub $100 IEM out there and after hearing it the reason why is very clear. It is incredibly versatile and seems to sound good with almost everything. So how does the Titan 1 challenge the RE-400? Once again, let’s start at the lower end. The bass is one thing that I just felt like the RE-400 is lacking in quantity and a little bit in quality. Mid-bass has very little punch to it and sub-bass has almost no rumble. The Titan 1 completely trumps it here and there is simply no competition. The midrange is a much closer battle. The RE-400’s midrange is very liquid and flat, leaning towards the warm side. The Titan 1 is similarly neutral, but its tonality leans the other way. It really comes down to a matter of preference between these, both are great in their own right. The treble of both are slightly towards the warm side, the RE-400 more so than the T1. Both aren’t spectacular in this area and once again it will come down to a matter of preference. Soundstage and imaging of the RE-400 isn’t anything special and the Titan 1 is much better and this is the case with clarity and detail as well. Both are awesome IEMs, I just feel like the Titan 1 is in another league in terms of overall sound, but once again, that isolation may prevent some people from getting it.
 
 
Summary
 

 
The Titan 1 is a perfect sounding IEM for the price point and it is unrealistic to ask for anything better. It is the most complete in the sound department in the price range by a wide margin and as far as I know, there is nothing that can challenge it. So is it the undisputed budget IEM king? Well not quite. The isolation is simply terrible so there will be no chance that you can use this outside where it is noisy, but if you primarily use your IEMs in a quiet environment and you have $115 burning a hole in your pocket, there is nothing that gains a higher recommendation from me. It eats the RE-400 for breakfast and is a solid step up from the DN-900. TBH, I actually feel like (from memory) that the performance of the T1 is closer to the DN-1000 than 900; that is really how good it is. No onto the rating. I considered giving these a 4.5 because of the isolation, but if I don’t give this a 5, than what deserves a 5; nothing is perfect right? It is an amazing IEM that is worth more than a look if you are in the market for an IEM. 

RHA is a relatively new company to audio and one that I am somewhat familiar with, having reviewed their previous flagship, the MA750 a while ago. They are an audio company in the UK and I have always been a fan of their IEM designs for the admittedly short period that I have been aware of them. Truth is that I hadn’t heard of RHA before the MA750, but they have certainly grown quite a bit in the Head-Fi community and have been getting much more notice than previously.
 

 
 
Just to bring up the previous RHA product that I have reviewed, I found the MA750 to be a very competent IEM, offering deliciously bassy yet controlled sound at a very reasonable price. The build was also impeccable, the cable was thick and sturdy, but flexible, the housings beautifully smooth, but the MA750s weren’t those all-rounders that I could easily recommend to someone who listens to all genres. I was really hoping that the RHA T10i would be able to fill that gap and I was very hopeful with a few very cool accessories namely the changeable filters.
 
The RHA T10i is priced at $200 in the US and around $300 or maybe a little cheaper in Australia, so it is by no means a budget IEM, but doesn’t really reach that high end price tag yet. Would this be a giant killer that takes down the likes of the W40 or blend into the ever growing pool of IEMs in its price bracket? I must admit, the sound was not quite what I was accustomed to, but let’s go on to see how the T10i performed.
 
**Disclaimer** These were given to me in exchange for an unbiased and honest review.
 
 
Unboxing & Accessories
From the get go, the packaging of the RHA T10i screams class and looks absolutely awesome. I remember that the MA750 was presented in a similar way and RHA really let buyers know and appreciate what they paid for. I particularly liked the back of the box, where they highlight all of the parts of the earphone, was quite interesting. On the side are the specifications, And the front of the box shows off that amazing three year warranty, nice to see that RHA really stand behind their products. Upon opening the magnetic flaps, the first thing that I saw was the frequency graph with the filter changes included. I wouldn’t really go by what the frequency graph shows though, I don’t think it sounds anything like the graph on the box. It gives you more info about the housing, filters and the driver. Sliding it out, the filters, tips and earphones are there, under which is the case, manual and cable clip. Overall, this is great.
 

 
It certainly does not come with a shortage of tips, there are a tone of tips to choose from, nicely put on a plate which can be slipped into the RHA case. The cable clip is a nice inclusion, but not really necessary with over the ear wear. The case is very fancy, leather, but perhaps not the most practical: it is not the most protective and a little bulky, but it looks very good and screams class along with the rest of the package. Oh, and comply tips are included as well if you use complys. Oh, and I forgot the most impressive thing lol, the filters. There is a bass filter, a reference filter and a treble filter.
 
 
Design & Cable & Isolation
It is very hard to fault the T10i on design, whoever thought up of the physical design certainly did a superb job, it looks very well built and sturdy, but also sleek and looks wonderful. I would have no issues wearing these anywhere. The housing is made entirely of moulded stainless steel and there are no blemishes anywhere on mine, it is one of the best looking IEMS I have come across IMO. The right and left side also have red and blue highlights which is always a welcome addition. The shape of the earphones are also very ergonomically friendly and I had no comfort issue with them. One thing I did realise was that they don’t feel like they seal like normal earphones, but you should be able to tell from the sound whether you have a proper seal. Top marks for RHA here.
 
Zero issues with the RHA cable, it is one of the nicest stock cables I have used, but the one slight gripe I have with these is the fact that I find the memory wire to be just slightly too long and it is not as snug over my ears as I like, but that is just me and I don’t think anyone else has complained about this to take this with a grain of salt. The remote is also very sleek and metal with a  rubber coating on one side, with the pause button in the middle and volume up/down keys on the side. Strain relief is very effective, maybe a bit overkill, but at least it works lol. The jack feels very sturdy as well.
 
Isolation is nothing special, don’t be fooled into thinking they are isolation monsters just because of that Shure shaped housing because they are definitely not. They aren’t bad at all, but just not good either. Pretty average as far as IEMs go from my experience. These didn’t go nearly as far into my ears as my SE846 does.
 
 
Testing Gear
Scalability is always something I look for in any piece of gear and I make sure that I test the stuff I review on several sources because some pairings can sound quite bad. The RHA didn’t sound particularly bad with anything, but it did do a bit better with some amplification, but I was unfortunately not really able to squeeze any more detail out of these even with amping and a very detailed source. Amping these will result in a large soundstage and better imaging, but not really much else, these are quite versatile as far as sources go. I liked them the best with the DX90, but it wasn’t really much better than my phone or even the Clip+. Granted it is a bit flatter, but it wasn’t a huge improvement and if you have already got a RHA T10i and you are pondering whether to get a DAP, I would recommend that you just get a cheap player with a  decent amp, or a cheap portable amp like the NX1 or SAP-5.
 

 
 
Sound Quality
I guess it is the previous models of the RHA lineup, but I had already strongly suspected that the T10i was going to be a bass heavy IEM not unlike the MA750. To say the least, this was definitely right! Not to spoil the rest of the review, I must warn you that this review may seem just a tad harsh because I am not a huge fan of the sound signature and the tuning, but I also know many people who enjoy this, so make sure to read impressions from other reviewers as well to gain a broader picture of how these sound and whether these are for you.
 

 
 
Bass
You could say that RHA is a basshead oriented company and from what I have read and the two RHA models I have demoed extensively, you’d be right, but the bass on the T10i was really not what I expected at all. With the MA750, the bass was hard, but relatively quick and wasn’t bloated and while I would love to say this is true for the RHA T10i as well, I just can’t. The bass is very boosted, to the point where it seems quite boomy and somewhat bloated. These impressions are with the “reference” filters, and the bass filters are definitely not any better. Detail is not great, bass lacks definition and depth. While sub-bass rumble is very strong and “satisfying”, I found it to often be over the top. The mid-bass would also often bleed into the midrange, which I found to be a real nuisance. Maybe if you are a complete basshead, or want something extremely bass heavy, these could be for you, but unfortunately I simply did not enjoy the bass.
 

 
 
Midrange
As mentioned before, the bass bleeds into the midrange, which sometimes muffles it a little bit, but generally the midrange wasn’t too bad. It’s strengths shine through on tracks with little to no bass, when the bass doesn’t totally overpower the midrange. The mids are definitely warm, not dark, but warm and liquid. I did not experience any vocal sibilance on these, which is nice, but something I noticed was that I was turning the volume up more than I normally do to make the vocals clearer, but keep in mind that I am usually quite a soft listener and I listen nowhere near the levels I know some head-fiers at meets do. Instruments sound similarly warm and doesn’t have that natural timbre that I hear with other IEMs. TBH, I thought that they sounded perhaps just a bit muffled, like I was listening from behind a blanket. Although the midrange is not too bad, it is far from the best and does not stand out in its price range.
 

 
 
Treble
I’m glad to say that the treble is the most pleasant part in this earphone and a section where I don’t really mind. It is not bad, and the treble doesn’t seem overly dark, but it is by no means emphasized whatsoever. Upon first listening to it, I thought that the treble was dark, but after a longer period, I felt like it was really just the midrange and powerful bass that was causing this, the treble is polite, but not dark IMO. Cymbals don’t quite have that sparkle that I like, but it doesn’t sound dull, but detail in the treble is really overshadowed by the significantly more prominent bass, which really annoyed me during my listening sessions. The resonation of the bass makes it one of the slowest bass responses I have heard and as a result, even impacts the treble. What is quite interesting is that the T10i responds quite well to EQ and sounds nice when EQed, so it has potential, it is just the tuning that is keeping it down.
 

 
 
Soundstage & Imaging
Despite its shortcomings, I was expecting an expansive and large soundstage, but instead the stage is small and intimate. Obviously IEMs in general aren’t known for their huge soundstages, but the T10i does not have a large soundstage at all. Whether this is good or bad is for you to decide, many people prefer a larger soundstage, but many others like that intimate Grado presentation. Personally I’m more of a HD800 presentation guy, so the RHA wasn’t hugely impressive for me, but I know that some of you reading this will like the closed in presentation.
 
Imaging is just OK, not great, not bad. The small stage means that everything seems more packed together, which I found to have an adverse effect on the imaging. It is also quite hard to judge the imaging, because there is a lack of detail and coherence which is what I usually use as a template for imaging. When Eqed, the imaging got a bit better, so once again, it is the tuning which is limiting these.
 

 
 
Separation, Detail & Clarity
I can say once again, that these are quite good when EQed in the separation area. I know that it is extremely repetitive, but the point that I am trying to get across is that these are really not bad at all with some EQ. In the stock form, the separation is not good to say the least. It sounds muffled, instruments are very blurry and it is hard to make out the nuances in the background that most $200 IEMs are capable of revealing. Disappointing, but there is an easy fix and by now I’m sure you know what it is .
 
Detail is basically the same thing as the separation, but worse. It is terrible, it is hands down one of the least detailed earphones in the price bracket that I have heard. Decent detail is expected in a relatively expensive IEM such as this, but unfortunately it is not detailed whatsoever and IEMs such as the Titan 1 and Heaven IV easily beat it. Put on some EQ and they are good, not great, but better than most.
 
Clarity is perhaps the worst out of the three. I see clarity as how clear the music is, and the RHA T10i is simply not. I’m sorry if this is harsh, but the music sounds muffled and is not a pleasant experience, which is really what we are after when we purchase a premium product right? EQ them and…..
 

 
 
Filters
The bass filter is worse, more muddy and darker than the reference.
 
The treble filter is not bad, a little better but still very dark. Filters will not be able to solve the tuning issues.
 
 
Customer Service
It is worth mentioning that RHA are one of the best companies out there when it comes to customer service. They are quick to answer questions and are always around on the forums responding to questions and helping others. Their warranty service is also unmatched by any company I have seen and the 3 year warranty is certainly very impressive and is certainly not a gimmick. I’ve even see people without a receipt get their IEMs serviced. Hats off to RHA here, every company should offer the professionalism that they do.
 

 
 
Summary
So is the RHA T10i a terrible IEM? Definitely not, but is it tuned terribly? Certainly. While it’s not the worst tuned IEM I have heard, it does get into that area. However, they do have quite a bit of potential with EQ, and if you plan to use them with a phone, it will be very easy and there are many apps including most stock players that can do this. I personally recommend using Poweramp to reduce the bass by a lot and push up the upper mids and the treble. This way they sound quite nice and are worth the $200 price tag IMO, especially with the build and service.
 
Some advice for RHA, make sure that you guys tune your future IEMs to be more neutral, especially with something that has a “reference” filter. The bass and treble filters would be nice to change the sound to the users’ preference. Other than this, the RHA T10i is a good IEM, just tuned badly. 

Brainwavz HM5 Review
 

 
The Brainwavz HM5 is a headphone that I have been very intrigued about for quite a long time. I have heard the FA-003 and some other headphones that use the same driver many times and always felt like it had something that really made it stand out. There was always something special and particularly appealing to me when I listened to it and I was curious whether Brainwavz’s version would be any different and hopefully better with their HM5 pads that come in both velour and pleather.
 
Founded in 2008, Brainwavz has had quite a bit of experience in audio and they have come out with many new products recently, all of which have been rather unique. The HM5, however, is an older model that has been around for quite a few years and I was quite eager to see how they would stack up to the competition today. Despite their somewhat flashy looks, they are by no means tuned for a consumer friendly sound, but one that is aimed at the Head-Fi community.
 
The HM9 that I reviewed a while back was not quite what I expected. It was really warm and wasn’t really my cup of tea, but I could see many people enjoying that type of sound outside of the audio circles. It was very inoffensive but lacked the excitement that I like so much and was overly warm. From my past experiences, the HM5 was the complete opposite of its brother and has a sound signature that I appreciate much more.
 
**Disclaimer** These were given to me in return for an honest, unbiased review.
 
 
Packaging & Accessories
The packaging is almost identical to the HM9 packaging. It is very simple and has box which contains the case, in which is the headphones and accessories. If I recall correctly, the old packaging for these was a large foam soft case that was similar to the Beyerdynamic cases. I think Brainwavz have changed it to the hard case they are using now. Upon opening the zippered case, there is a pouch with all the accessories. Standard Brainwavz packaging here.
 
I was quite impressed with the amount of accessories that Brainwavz includes considering the relatively low price of the HM5s. It comes with a 1.3m as well as a 3m cable for portable and home use respectively. They also come with a ¼ adapter as well as an airplane adapter. A strap is also included, but I’m not really sure what exactly that is used for. There is the instructional manual too, of course. There are also extra pads that I forgot to mention before, which is very nice for when the pads wear out. The case is very practical, being a lot smaller than the old case that was huge and probably not as effective. The clamshell style case is very hard and durable.
 

 
Design, Isolation & Cable
I find the HM5 a very attractive looking headphone. It looks traditional but still somewhat flashy. The design is a little understated but it is still one of the nicest looking headphones IMO. It is almost completely plastic, but the cups are metal but by no means heavy. In fact, the headphone is actually one of the lightest headphones I have owned. The cable has red and blue on each of the sides that enters the headphone, which is nice for telling which side is which. The headband is indented with Brainwavz and feels very soft and comfortable.
 
For an over the ear close headphone, the isolation is pretty good, but by no means impressive. They block out some sound, but I would not recommend using them outdoors where it is noisy. They are also quite bulky so it isn’t a great choice for a portable headphone anyway. There are also some other drawbacks from portable use in regards to sound, but that will be covered later.
 
The cable is just a standard cable that looks very ordinary. The plug has the Brainwavz logo which is a nice touch and as mentioned before, the left and right sides are colour coded. The strain relief on the 3.5mm plug is quite nice and it feels quite durable. The 3m cable is probably a little long for these headphones IMO, maybe 2m or so would have been better. I do appreciate the fact that these are removable and the cable uses 3.5mm mono plugs as connectors so they should be very easy to replace or to build a custom cable for them.
 

 
Testing Gear
Now I will elaborate on the point of why these may not be the best portable solution. These headphones benefit greatly from amping. When I first received them, I plugged them into my phone and was disappointed by how lifeless and lacking they sounded. The bass seems to be affected the most by the lack of amping and it is not as strong as they are when you amp them. The HM5s are already not bass heavy whatsoever so it may be problematic if you like bass. Adding even a cheap am solves these issues, however. The Brainwavz AP-001 is actually a good choice if you are on a tight budget. For most of this review, I ran them through my iBasso DX90 and D-Zero MKII. I liked the D-Zero MKII pairing more because I found that the D-Zero had a bit more bass. I also put on the velour pads for the review, which are my favourite. Thy must be purchased separately and are thicker than the stock pads as well as being more comfortable. I prefer the velour pads over the stock and the pleather Brainwavz pads. Sonic change is very minimal though.
 

 
Sound Quality
The HM5 is a headphone that I am very familiar with despite never owning it previously. There are many headphones that are basically the same and use the same drivers. The Fischer FA-003 is one of them but at a much higher price. From what I remember, these two sound essentially identical and you will probably not be able to tell the difference between this and the Fischer. I was a fan of the FA-003 and I was quite certain that I was going to enjoy these as well.
 
 
Bass
I often hear these being called neutral and whilst I don’t completely agree, I can definitely see why. The bass is very flat, but also lighter than what I perceive as neutral. The impact just isn’t strong or visceral as other headphones I consider to have truly “neutral” bass. Comparing impact with the HD800, which people often claim is somewhat bass-light as well (although I don’t agree) was quite interesting. I was thinking the HM5 was going to have more impact, but surprisingly it had less and I was a bit let down. Moving on from the slightly hollow sounding bass, the speed is very fast and there is no bass bloat whatsoever. Drums are nicely presented and I do enjoy the way that when the track calls for bass it is usually there, but never really affects any of the other frequencies. The detail is quite nice for the price and other than the lacklustre bass tuning, the overall bass on the HM5 is one that is quite attractive. Although I am not a huge fan of the bass-light tuning of the HM5, I suspect many other will enjoy the clean and very fast bass.
 

 
Midrange
Once again, I don’t really hear the HM5s as being completely flat in the midrange. Despite reading what other people hear, I cannot really fathom how the midrange is warm. To my ears, it is slightly on the colder and brighter side, accentuating those higher midrange frequencies. It is nothing like the warm and liquid midrange of the HM9, but bright in a very positive way. I really did enjoy the midrange, despite the fact that it isn’t the flattest. I did find female vocals a bit too bright, however and didn’t enjoy them as much as some other headphones I have heard in the price range. Male vocals seem to have that extra bit of clarity to them due to the lifted upper mids which I found to be appealing. The midrange is presented in a way that is very slightly laid back but by no means recessed at all. Pianos weren’t bad, but had a little bit of an unnatural and artificial coldness to them. I like the midrange of the HM5 very much and feel like it does indeed outshine other headphones in this price range.
 

 
Treble
The treble is, not unlike the bass and midrange, close to being neutral, but just a little bit off. I do feel like this is closest to neutral out of all the three main frequencies, however. To my ears, it is just a little pulled back, but not at all dark or warm. While the upper midrange can make the treble sound like it is bright too, I felt like cymbals just didn’t sound as neutral as some other headphones I have heard that I consider neutral. From memory, these are brighter than HD600s, which is a very popular headphone, so if you have tried it and are fine with it, then the HM5 treble should give you no problems. Cymbals not as pronounced as I would have liked, but it didn’t really bother me that much and I didn’t find them to detract from the HM5 at all. Keep in mind that I am a bit of a treblehead and I do like my treble to be a bit bright like the HD800. There is definitely sufficient detail in these to make it a fun and enjoyable listen, but don’t be expecting SRH940 detail. The HM5 does very well here.
 

 
Soundstage & Imaging
Obviously you can’t expect the HM5 to have incredible imaging considering the cost and the fact that it is a close headphone, but I feel like it is a very solid performer here. The width and depth especially were actually quite good and I didn’t feel like I was missing anything, I did not feel like I was bothered or that the music was being restricted by the HM5’s soundstage at all. The height could be a bit better, but for a little over $100, I am not going to complain about that.
 
Imaging is likewise quite impressive. With the Brainwavz pads, I felt like this was affected the most. The imaging became a little better and more precise, maybe because of more space in the cups? At times it did feel like the stage was a little crowded, but I have a feeling that that has got more to do with the soundstage than the imaging. The imaging was very precise and reminded me a little of the Hd800 actually; a real feat for the HM5.
 

 
Separation, Detail & Clarity
I found that the separation was good, but didn’t really stand out from the wide range of headphones in the sub-$200 range. It is good and handles simpler tracks very well, but when it comes to more complicated tracks, it does struggle and this does become apparent. Instruments are like this more so than vocals. The vocal separation is much better and I feel like the vocals on the HM5 are really a standout. Not bad, but could be improved a little in a few areas.
 
The HM5 is not a detail oriented headphone, but that is not to say that it is not detailed because it definitely is. The upper mids really brings out the details there, but I feel like the treble could be a bit more detailed. The detail in the bass is actually quite good despite the let down in the tuning. For casual listening or editing, these should be fine, but they won’t really show the small details or flaws in the music if that is what you are looking for.
 
Although the clarity is indeed very good, I do feel like there is a sense of artificialness about it. Vocal clarity, as mentioned before, is very good, but with female vocals I find it a little bit too much. Instrument clarity is good, but I am left with the feeling that there is a slight edge to it that I notice occasionally with some tracks. Other than that, the clarity is one of the best in that price range.
 

 
Brainwavz Earpads
To clear up any confusion that might be surrounding this, by Brainwavz earpads, I mean the earpads that can be purchased separately and not the ones that the HM5 come with. These come in a variety of colours and in either pleather or leather and at a very reasonable price. They are very thick pads, but also extremely soft and comfortable. My ears have no issues fitting inside the pads completely, but they aren’t the largest pads in terms of space inside the pads. Compared to the similar stock HM5 pads, they are thicker and also softer. I find the velour ones much more comfortable than the stock pleather and the Brainwavz pleather ones. I also found the stock pads to occasionally make the drivers touch my ears and with the other pads, this does not happen.
 
It terms of sonic change, not much can be reported here. I’m not entirely sure I perceive a difference, but feel like with the Brainwavz velour pads the soundstage was a little bit bigger and imaging was improved a little but the bass was also reduced just a bit. The pleather one was similar to the velour pads, but had a little more bass. To be honest though, the pleather ones don’t really make a large, or any difference to the sound of the HM5, but are an excellent choice if you are looking to replace the pads on your headphone with some plush and comfortable earpads. It is also worth mentioning that there are many different colours available, which is not very common. Usually there are only black aftermarket ear pads available, but Brainwavz offers them in many colours, which is nice.
 

 
Summary
I realise that I have been somewhat critical in the review so let me begin the summary by saying that I like the HM5 a lot and find it to be a steal at its price. The only real section I can really complain about is the bass impact, which could be a bit stronger, but it is not too bad. The HM5 is a very solid closed headphone that I will happily recommend over other headphones such as the M-50. It gives you a true insight into what high end sound is like, but understandably is a few steps short of reaching it.

iBasso D-Zero MKII Review
 
iBasso is a very common name out there on the forums now, with their DX50 and DX90 gaining a rather large user base. I have reviewed both the DX50 and DX90 and I found both of them to be very good for their price. The DX50 and DX90 were better than their competitors to me and I still feel like the DX90 is the overall best DAP I have used despite the Astell and Kerns, HiFiMANs and Fiios.
 

 
The D-Zero is a DAC/amp that has been out there for a long time now and has always been something that I have been intrigued in. Being an android user, I found it quite cool that I could use the digital out of my phone into the D-Zero. Despite this, I never actually got to try the original D-Zero so I can’t comment on how it sounds. Even so, I have waited for iBasso to come out with another portable DAC/amp that was similar to the D-Zero and what better than the D-Zero MKII?
 
The original D-Zero had a single WM8740 chip for the DAC and a nice amp section. The D-Zero MKII now implements dual WM8740 chips, one for each channel. I was a huge fan of their dual ES9018K2M DX90 so I was expecting quite a lot from this little box. I am quite a fan of the WM8740 DAC chip, I find it a little warm most of the time, however, which was a bit annoying, but iBasso’s house sound leans slightly to the bright side, so I was quite confident that the D-Zero MKII would sound somewhat like the DX50.
 
**Disclaimer** I am not affiliated with iBasso in any way, these are my honest impressions.
 
 
Features
The D-Zero MKII is certainly a feature packed portable DAC/ amp. It can be used as a pure DAC and the line in doubles as a line out as well. The phone out is just beside it to the left and on the right is a power switch and the volume slider. At the back, there is a gain switch to switch between high and low gain and another switch to turn USB charging on or off. This rather useful if you intend to use the D-Zero as a USB DAC for your computer to stop the battery from being damaged from leaving it charging the whole time. The light at the back indicates when the unit is fully charged.
 
 
Specifications
I tend to not judge something by their frequency graph or specifications, but here are the specs for the D-Zero MKII for anyone interested. They look pretty standard to me.
 

1. Height 101 mm
2. Width 55 mm
3. Depth 11 mm
4. Weight 95 g
5. Headphone out Phone / Line out
6. No Coaxial input
7. No Coaxial output 
8. Frequency Response 20Hz - 20kHz
9. THD 0.002%
10. Output impedance less than 1 ohm
11. SNR: 108db for the DAC, 102db for the amp
12. 1500mAh built in 4.2V battery
13. 5 hours charge time
14. Up to 120 hours of play time (amp only)
15. Around 10 hours of play time as a DAC/amp

 
 
It goes up to 24/96 so no 24/192. Personally I cannot tell any difference between 16 and 24 bit formats, so I don’t think it is an issue at all.
 
The battery life is exceptional as just an amp and is one of the best I have seen. The battery as a DAC/amp is pretty good at 10 hours, but could be better. It is not a huge issue though, because if you are using it with your computer you can charge it when you are using it.
 

 
Unboxing & Accessories
This has typical iBasso packaging, as in it is very simple, but still very nice. I do like fancy boxes, but I would rather the packaging be simple if it means that the price is lower. The front of the box has a picture with “Dual WM8740” on the bottom left, which is its biggest selling point. The back has some specs, and the 120 hours of battery life as it states is very impressive, but I wonder if they put an extra 0 in there lol. Upon taking the inner box out, a compartment with all the accessories comes out and the D-Zero and warranty card is just below.
 
The D-Zero comes with all the accessories that you would need, iBasso certainly did not skimp on accessories. It has a soft felt case, 2 rubber bands for attaching the D-Zero to another device such as your phone, a USB OTG cable, felt pads and of course, a USB cable. The USB OTG cable is very nice indeed, being right angled on both side. This will be much more pocket friendly compared to the original D-Zero model. It also feels very well made, not a cheap feeling cable. The Felt pads are also a nice addition to make sure that the D-Zero’s matte surface does not get scratched as easily when putting them on a table or something like that.
 

 
Design
The biggest factor of the D-Zero that makes it so appealing to me is its size. It is very small, only a bit longer than a credit card and just a centimetre thick. This will be much more portable that something like a Fiio E17 and will fit into pockets much better. It feels very well built, and the matte black finish of the D-Zero gives it good grip and it does slip easily from your hand. The jacks feel very solid and the USB port does as well, I get a feeling that the D-Zero is a very well built device indeed. The gain option is very useful, and the low gain is very clean and quiet. The high gain has quite a bit of noise with the SE846 which was predictable. The low gain has no issues at all and channel imbalance is not an issue either. The volume wheel is also nicely designed, it will much less likely be moved if it is in a pocket compared to one that sticks out. The USB charging switch as I mentioned above is also very important and thoughtful addition. There is just one quirk with the design, and that is it is prone to EMI when around a lot of electronics. When using it in a car, there was occasionally static which wasn’t there when I was using it at home around my computer. That was my only slight problem with the D-Zero MKII, but I think that it is a very trivial issue, at least to me anyway, since putting it in my pocket or simply moving it away from some electronics solves this issue; the case that iBasso included shields it very well. Overall the D-Zero truly feels like a quality product that is extremely portable.
 
 
Testing Gear
To test the amp section separately, I ran them off the DX90’s line out, which I am familiar with. It is detailed and clean and a nice pairing with the D-Zero. I didn’t do too much DAC testing, but I did compare just the D-Zero to the DX90/D-Zero combination. I used a SPC mini to mini if anyone believes in cables. For the D-Zero, I didn’t really test them with full sized headphones. I did briefly run them with the HD800, but realistically nobody is going to use the D-Zero to drive the HD800s with the D-Zero. I did use the V-Moda M80 with them and they were quite a nice pairing, but I am not a fan of the M80s sound and the D-Zero obviously doesn’t change that. I did test them with the Dunu DN-2000, but most of my testing was done on a Shure SE846 with the white filters. I felt like out of all the things I tested it on, the SE846 paired the best, but the DN-2000 was very good too.
 
 
Sound Quality
On to the most important part of this review – the sound. I am a huge fan of the way that iBasso products sound, very neutral with a hint of brightness. The D-Zero, being a WM8740 device, should sound somewhat like the DX50, at least that was what I thought. Usually Wolfson chips sound a little warm from my experience but the DX50 wasn’t warm at all, so I wasn’t really sure exactly what to expect. However, I certainly had high expectations for this offering from iBasso.
 

 
DAC Section
As I have mentioned several times, the D-Zero MKII uses dual WM8740 chips, which is also the chip used in the original D-Zero, except now there are two instead of one. I was a big fan of the DX50 and I feel like the implementation of the dual WM8740 chips in the D-Zero actually sounds rather similar to the DX50. The DAC is truly something outstanding for the price of $119 – it is detailed, very clean and has very little colouration. Although iBasso usually makes their devices slightly bright or dead neutral, I could hear a hint of warmth from the DAC of the D-Zero. It sounds quite well rounded and is a little slower than the dual ES9018K2M in the DX90. The DX90’s DAC section essentially sounds like an upgraded D-Zero, being faster, more detailed and quite a bit faster. Do keep in mind that the DX90 costs over 3 times more though. iBasso have implemented the dual WM8740 extremely well and the D-Zero’s DAC is the best I have heard in this price range.
 
 
Amp Section
The amp section was actually quite surprising too. It was suite powerful for its tiny size and drove all my IEMs and the M80 with no issues at all. It is quite noisy on high gain and I would not recommend using any IEMs on high gain. Switching to low gain was much better and absolutely silent. Do keep in mind that I was testing them with the SE846, which is a very sensitive IEM. With the HD800 in high gain it actually didn’t sound crap, which was admittedly what I expected it would be. Dynamics, soundstage and imaging were quite weak though, but that was to be expected. With the M80, it had no problems at all and it is actually quite a good pairing. If you like the M80, then these would be a good choice. No disappointments here, it performs very well and sounds just like what I expected.
 
 
Bass
If there is one thing that the D-Zero is missing, it is a bass boost, which I can see some people using, but personally I wouldn’t use it anyway so it is no problem. The bass is not heavy if that is what you are looking for. I would say that it is just about neutral, but it does not have as much punch as the DX90. The bass is not slow, but is liquid and fast. It still has sufficient impact, but it will not be as strong as other offerings. The bass texture is something that I was really impressed by considering the price. Although the impact is a bit short of the DX90, the texture of the bass is very good from the mid-bass through to the sub-bass. I also did not hear any bass roll off at all and to my ears it stayed linear all the way throughout. With the SE846, the bass is still very tight and sub-bass has the perfect amount of rumble, but not getting in the way at all. Considering that it is so cheap, only just losing out to the DX90 is a remarkable feat.
 
 
Midrange
The midrange is very linear and flat, I don’t hear much, if any colouration at all. Before receiving it, I was hoping that the midrange would not have that warm midrange sound that the E17 and other WM8740 devices do and luckily it doesn’t. I particularly enjoy vocals with these, they sound so clear and realistic. If anything, the midrange has very slightly accentuated upper mids which increases vocal clarity. This made the M80s sound better than they did in the slightly more neutral DX90. Something that you perceive as having an overly bright midrange may not be a great pairing with the D-Zero. The detail in the midrange is very impressive, instruments sound very realistic and I really like pianos with the D-Zero, the timbre is very nice. Do note that the D-Zero is only very very slightly bright and will not really affect your headphones much.
 
 
Treble
Just like other iBasso devices I have used, the D-Zero shines in the treble area. The amp seems to be a little bright to counter the slight warmth of the DAC. The treble as a result is extremely neutral but having just the right amount of sparkle and never sounds dull at all. Sibilance is also not an issue and I never felt like it was too bright with the DN-2000 and SE846. Cymbals are very well defined and have a nice zing to them, extending very well and being extremely clear. Its tonality reminds me quite a bit of the DX90, but a little bit brighter. It is a little less bright than the DX50 though, so it strikes a very nice balance between the two. The clarity of the treble if you are coming from a Clip+ or something like that will be a very big step up and a solid upgrade. There is no roll off at all and it beautifully extended. This is the reason why I love iBasso gear, their treble is simply awesome.
 

 
Separation, Detail & Clarity
This is the area that the D-Zero excels especially in. The separation is phenomenal on this, not too far off the DX90 and actually beats the Geek Out 1000 that costs 2.5x more. Don’t forget that while the Geek Out 1000 is only a USB DAC/amp, the D-Zero works with android too. It handled most of the tracks I threw at it superbly and then SE846 helped too, being very good here was well. Never did I feel like it was really troubled or lacking. The DX90 is obviously better in this regard but not that much better. The instrument separation was incredible, switching from The Clip+/SAP to this was very noticeable, everything immediately became much less congested and cleaner. The vocal separation was also very good, pairing superbly with the SE846’s neutral but smooth mids. It made for a very neutral and detailed vocals and was not fatiguing at all.
I’ll go out and say that the D-Zero is a very detailed device and from memory it beats the DX50 and X3 as well as the GO1000. Because of the ever so slightly bright sound signature, details shine through and are very evident. Instead of slowly letting them sink in, the D-Zero really hits you in the face with them. This is not a bad thing at all and I actually like this very much, but I love detailed audio gear. Do make sure that the recordings are of a pretty decent standard with the D-Zero because the D-Zero paired with a good IEM will not hide any details.
Once again, the tuning gives the impression that the clarity is very good and it is. Instruments are very fast and don’t linger any longer than they should. Cymbals especially are very well rendered and have a very nice timbre to it. Instruments have a neutral tone and are not bright if you are worried about that. Vocal clarity is also excellent because of the extremely slight upper midrange boost that makes female vocals sound a bit cool and crystal clear.
 

 
Soundstage & Imaging
Well you can’t expect a $119 DAC/amp to do everything and the D-Zero almost does, but the soundstage isn’t the widest that I have heard. It is decent, quite good actually but wasn’t nearly up to the standard of the DX90. Maybe I am setting my expectations too high however, since the D-Zero is actually still very good, but it has stayed close to the DX90 for everything else, but it lets the DX90 slip away a little here. The soundstage is rather wide, and sufficient in width and depth, but doesn’t blow me away here. Just to clarify, the soundstage is definitely not bad, but just not that great.
The imaging doesn’t follow the soundstage and is highly impressive once again. The thing about budget devices is that it seems to have the wrong proportion for instruments, vocals etc. For example, a singer may seem to take up the majority of the stage instead of just a small area. Fortunately the D-Zero does not do this and everything sounds superb with the SE846. Instruments are easily picked out and while it has still got a bit of way to go before it matches the DX90, it holds its own very well. For the price, it does exceptionally.
 
 
Summary
 

 
Finally we have reached the end of this review and in case you haven’t grasped my tone from the rest of the review, I like this. A Lot. I do realise that I have made many DX90 comparisons, and that is because those two are very tonally similar. If you read my other reviews, you will know that I generally do not give 5 star reviews because  feel like not many products deserve this. The D-Zero MK2, however, is simply incredible in my book and gets as close to perfection as I have heard for a mere $119. The fact that it is not too far off the DX90 is a huge compliment for the D-Zero, you have to keep in mind that this is not a $300 DAC/amp, but one that costs just $119. That’s only $20 more than the X1…. For the price, I really don’t see it getting beaten soon, the value of this is just crazy; it is the best price/performance portable device I have ever heard. The D-Zero MKII gains my highest recommendation.