Firstly I would like to thank 64 Audio for sending me this sample, they were really helpful picking the monitors they thought would suit my music tastes and have excellent customer service. These have had well over 100hrs of burn-in, no real differences were noted.

Gear Used: Audio Opus #2 DAP > U6
Dell desktop > Topping D30 > HeadnHifi O2 amp > U6



Tech Specs:
6 Balanced armature drivers (2x Low, 2x Mid, 2x High)
3-way passive crossover
apex M20 module
Impedance: 22 Ohms at 1kHz
Sensitivity: 115dB SPL @ 1mW
Freq. Response: 10Hz – 20 kHz
Noise Isolation: -20dB with apex M20 module
https://www.64audio.com/product/1964-U6-Earphone

Packaging, Build quality and Accessories:
The U6 come in the same packaging as the rest of the 64 audio range, custom and universal. It is a small rectangular white box with a big picture and the brand logo on the front, and the company’s story and a bit about the Apex technology on the back. Slide off the outer sleeve and you are presented with a red inner box that has a flap with a picture of a vocalist on it. Lift this up and you’ll find the box which has the monitors and accessories in it, on the underside of the flap is a quick start guide on how to insert them properly and also a bit about safe volume levels. There is a small white tray above the box that holds the tips. The packaging is really slim and looks great; it is simple yet eye catching.


The U6 are built like the rest of the range, and that means they are superbly made. Each side is flawless with no visible seam between the body and faceplate, the 2-pin sockets are tight the cable is the standard affair you get with most monitors but this one has 4 separate cores. The cable is nothing special with good strain relief, but this is easily swapped out too. The Apex modules are very precision pieces and look excellent, everything just feels really well put together.

Accessory wise the U6 come with a 64 Audio hard case which has separate compartments for each earpiece, along with holes for extra Apex modules, and a part for the cable clip and wax cleaner. The case is really nice, and has a pot of silica to absorb moisture and prolong the life of your monitors. Included tip wise are Comply foam tips in S, M and L, along with a pair of bi-flange tips, I personally like a wide array of tips so this could be improved upon. However the comply tips are really good and most will be able to get a great seal with them. Also included is a cable clip and wax tool, so overall a complete package just missing some extra tip sizes in my opinion.


Comfort, Isolation and Apex Technology:
Now I have tiny odd shaped ears, so the left side fits really nice and flush, with the housing fitting into my cymba as it should. The right side however gets pushed out of my cymba due to my awkward ears. This does not affect the sound or seal, and they are superbly comfortable, they just look a bit odd. They will fit the majority of people with normal ears fine, as I have had these issues with other IEM’s too. I find Comply tips to be very comfortable, but I prefer silicone with these for sound reasons, I have some XS spinfits on them and they fit securely and are not causing comfort issues at all. I personally prefer cables without memory wire, but the stock one is perfectly acceptable.


Isolation depends on the Apex module used, the stock is the M20 which offers -20dB of isolation, this is a great all rounder and offers a good deal of isolation but not on par with fully sealed IEM’s. Using the optional M15 module you get -15dB of isolation, but also slightly different sound. Different sounds and levels of isolation are just one of the benefits of the Apex technology.

Now I won’t go into detail about the Apex technology, so you can read here:https://www.64audio.com/technology

“When you seal a miniature speaker in an ear canal, the air inside becomes trapped. As the speaker produces sound it moves the air and causes the ear drum to work excessively. The pressure exerted on the ear drum causes ear fatigue, also known as listener fatigue.
By way of a pneumatically interactive vent the apexTM Technology (Air Pressure Exchange) relieves this pressure. With apex the sound is also dramatically improved across the spectrum, the soundstage is more expansive than ever before, and the technology is versatile allowing for a selection of isolation levels — all while minimizing ear fatigue.”

How much of a difference this makes, I am not sure, I did find that they never became fatiguing over long listening sessions and you can push them a little harder than normal IEM’s, however I am careful with my volume levels so haven’t tested at high volumes for longer periods of time.


Sound:
I will split this into the main stock sound with spinfit tips and M20 module, I will then write a little on the M15 module and other cables.

Lows: The power and impact the lows have on these is really impressive, what is more impressive is how controlled they are, never getting in the way of the rest of the sound. One of my first thoughts was wow, these really extend low and those thoughts have not changed, you can really hear the sub-bass rumble on tracks with these.

The bass is not overly boosted, having a slight lift with excellent dynamics and punch. They can really hit with authority, kick drums don’t sound hollow or flat carrying air with each thump. Bass guitars really cut through the mix, being easy to distinguish and follow.

I fear that I am making the lows sound like they are boosted and that these are bass heavy, but they are not, it is just the power behind the lows is very good.

Getting the lows to have the dynamic punch these have, with speed and agility yet still retaining fullness and impact is not an easy feat for dynamic drivers, let alone BA drivers.

Mids: The mids cut through with excellent texture and tone, they are not clinical and don’t ever sound thin. Guitar tones are powerful and real, with excellent imaging and separation never sounding congested. Male vocals are a treat on these, listening to Thrice, Dustin’s vocals sound pitch perfect without any additional flavour being added by the IEM’s.

Every pluck of a string and finger slide on a fret board is heard in acoustic recordings, giving an intimate performance that allows you to hear subtle details without fatigue.

The U6 can handle both male and female vocals well, but male vocals come across a slight bit better due to a slight dip in the upper midrange. The slight dip in the upper midrange means that there is no sibilance or glare and these remain completely fatigue free. The most impressive part is how the lows are full and dynamic, yet never seem to affect the lower midrange.

Highs: The dip in the upper midrange/lower treble region takes away a little bit of the initial impact of cymbal hits and thus the treble seems a little bit tamed and behind the rest of the sound. This is true; the highs do take a backseat somewhat but once you get past the initial impact there is really good detail and air with impressive extension.

The highs are not upfront and in your face, but they are very well placed in the mix when it comes to imaging, and there is still plenty of resolution up top that really shines when listening to well recorded music. Even when the music gets busy the highs are never masked or subdued, they are always there adding some sparkle without fatigue. Again I will add that the tonality of the highs is very good with them sounding very natural without a hint of grain or metallic sheen.

The separation on the U6 is excellent; they have a warmer thicker sound with the M20 module but still retain good layering. The soundstage is also a strong point of the U6 being spacious and wide, with great imaging and plenty of out of head experiences depending on the recording.


M15 Module, 64 Audio were kind enough to provide me with a pair of M15 modules to compare the sound of each. I won’t go in depth like above but I will try and describe the key differences.

First off we will start with the lows again, with the M15 module the lows lose a little bit of the thicker tone that the M20 offers, they become a little less full but gain a bit more control. The lows don’t hit with as much impact as the M20 module, but they are slightly quicker and cleaner. The mid bass is slightly more prominent over the sub-bass now.

The midrange gains a little bit more air and separation, the tonality is still spot on just they now sound a little more open. Detail is still the same, but the extra separation means they are easier to pick out.

The highs are still smooth and fatigue free, however the extension feels a bit more effortless and the is a slight bit more presence. They are still far from being bright, but sound a bit more balanced with the M15 module.

Overall the M15 module tones down the sub-bass a little without losing extension, the lows are also a little bit leaner and more in line with the rest of the frequency response. The mids gain some extra air around notes and better separation, and the highs gain a little more presence without any additional peaks. They still retain a smoother sound in general, but sound a little more linear with the M15 module over the thicker more impactful sound of the M20 module.


Cable wise, I know many people do not believe in differences; however I believe they can make a small difference and that synergy is key.

I have a homemade Toxic Cables silver plated copper cable, and also an Effect Audio Ares II on hand and personally prefer the toxic cables one. I found that using that cable with the M20 module, the lows tightened up a little with some added sparkle up top. The separation also got a little better; these are small differences but added to my overall enjoyment of the U6.

The Ares II adds some sparkle, but I found that I wanted the lows to be a little more controlled which it does not offer, it retains the full bodied sound of the stock lows. With the M15 module the Ares II works very well, the soundstage is also a little enhanced with it, but I think I still prefer the M20 module + Toxic Cables sound, it is tight, balanced and non fatiguing.


Conclusion: $899 is a lot of money to shell out on headphones, add a little more if you want the M15 modules, but you can really tweak the sound of these with cables and modules if you like. The stock sound with the M20 module is thick, smooth and yet still with plenty of detail to be heard. They offer a warm and non fatiguing sound that a lot of people will enjoy. The power that the lows have to offer and the pitch perfect midrange is stellar yet I found myself craving a little added sparkle.

By just swapping out to the M15 module, the U6 offered a more balanced listening experience without any added peaks or harshness. They still offer a smooth slightly fuller sound sound with the M15 module, but it gains better balance and control, with a bit more air at the expense of a little bass impact. I highly recommend listening to the U6 if you can, as it is an excellent IEM in its price range and the build quality and customer service is all excellent.

Sound Perfection Rating: 9/10 (Smooth, non-fatiguing, pitch perfect mids, realistic bass, layering and detail retrieval, ability to tune the sound with Apex modules)

Firstly I would like to thank iFi Audio for loaning me this device for review, I do not think it benefits from burn-in but nonetheless it has been used for well over 100hrs.

Gear Used: HP Laptop / Dell desktop > iSilencer 3.0 > JDS Labs OL DAC / Topping D30 > JDS Labs O2 / Topping A30 / S.M.S.L SA-50 > 64 Audio U6 / Noble Sage / Grado SR60e / Denon SC-M50



Tech Specs:
https://ifi-audio.com/portfolio-view/accessory-isilencer3-0/

Packaging and Build quality:
The iSilencer 3.0 comes in a very small white iFi branded box, the box has info and specs on the back. It is small, simple and attractive in the typical iFi styling. The iSilencer 3.0 is held in a foam insert inside the box.

The iSilencer 3.0 is very well made, both USB sockets are sturdy and tight, the outer plastic casing is covered in a soft rubber like material. There is a small LED light on it that shows it is on, and there is nothing on it that can really go wrong.



What it does:
The iSilencer 3.0 has a standard female USB on one end, and male USB on the other. It is designed to go before your cable as it plugs into your PC, it is slim in size so does not interfere with other USB cables that may be plugged in next to it.

According to iFi it has the following features:

1. Active Noise Cancellation® technology
2. Reduce jitter + packet errors
3. REbalance® the USB signal
4. USB3.0 technology for optimal transfer

Also iFi state that it doesn’t just work on the port you have it plugged into due to most USB boards sharing the same power BUS. Also if you have 2 iSilencer 3.0’s it will double the noise reduction.



Sound:
The iSilencer 3.0 is not designed to alter the sound, it is designed to reduce noise from USB ports which is a real issue when it comes to audio playback. Now I do not find myself having too many noise issues with my setup, but there is always room for improvement. The iSilencer 3.0 is less than £50 and fixes a very real issue, the sound becomes better separated with a quieter background, and I found that it almost made it sound like there was better dynamic range.

Details became a tiny bit more apparent and there was a more focussed image and soundstage. Now these differences are not night and day, they are very subtle in my system. Your mileage may vary as it all depends on how noisy your USB ports are, but even with fairly clean ones this little device can bring a slight improvement.



Conclusion: I’m not going to say the iSilencer 3.0 is a magical device that will solve all your USB issues, but to reduce jitter and noise in a small form factor for a great price, the iSilencer 3.0 is well worth looking in to. It is well built, backed up by excellent support and customer service from a company that knows what they are doing. For £49 it is less than some audiophile USB cables, and will likely bring more improvement.

Sound Perfection Rating: 10/10 (helps reduce USB noise for a very reasonable price)

Firstly I would like to thank ATC HiFi for sending me this sample, this player has had well over 100hrs of burn-in.

Gear Used: DP10 > Grado SR60e / 64 Audio U6 / Noble Sage / Inearz P350



Tech Specs:
An extensive list can be found on their website: http://www.atc-hifi.com/products/hda-dp10/
MSRP: £199.99

Packaging, Build quality and Accessories:
The DP10 comes in a little black and orange box, the signature colours of ATC. It is a rectangular box that separates into 2 parts, on the outside of the box is plenty of info about the DAP. Inside you will find the DP10 neatly held in a card inlay, underneath this is another thinner box with holds the accessories. The packaging is easy to open and attractive.

Build quality is really good; the device feels very solid with a full metal body and good tactile buttons. The scroll wheel has defined steps, and all the inputs and outputs have no play in them. It is a well put together device, which should easily stand up to some abuse.



Accessory wise you get a user manual, optical cable, 3.5mm to 3.5mm aux cable and a USB cable, you also get a little soft pouch to store it in.

Features and Ease of use:
The DP10 has quite a few features I will try and list the key ones:

It has a dedicated line-out on the bottom that doubles up as an optical output. The power button is on the top along with the micro USB port, on the left side you have a lock/unlock switch, on the right you have the volume up and down buttons. On the front you have the skip track buttons, with a back button and settings button just below the screen. In the middle you have a scroll wheel which is used to navigate the menus, and a middle button which acts as a select button, but also as the play/pause button.
On the bottom you have the headphone out, line-out/optical socket and a gain switch for high and low gain.



The screen is perfectly acceptable for a device like this, no touch screen or retina display, but that really isn’t needed. The now playing screen shows album artwork if it is in the folder of the music, the artist, track, play mode, and bit depth. If you press the settings button you can change the play mode or add the track to your favourites.

Below the volume buttons are the 2 micro SD slots, apparently it only supports 128GB per slot though.

The DP10 is quite easy to use once you learn your way around the menus; it has the standard browsing options (Artist, Album, Song, Genre etc…) along with folder view. The one thing I find could be an issue is if you have 2 card slots, you have to pick a memory card when you select All Songs, instead of it combining the list from both cards.



The battery life is rated at 9hrs depending on usage, and I would say this estimate is quite accurate. In the settings you can adjust all the screen brightness settings along with auto shutdown etc….

The DP10 has a selectable DAC filter, it only offers Sharp or Slow roll off, but this is a nice little extra. You can also change the boot volume, maximum volume setting and DSD gain.

This player supports .cue files, but has a built in favourites list, unfortunately it only has 1 favourites list so you cannot use it to make playlists as such.

Overall it is easy to navigate though the menus and also use when it is in your pocket to change volume, play/pause and skip tracks.

Bugs:

There are a couple of things that do need to be improved, firstly gapless playback does not fully work, and secondly the first 1s of tracks seems to be cut off. These are things that could be fixed with firmware updates I am hoping.



Sound:

What I like about the DP10 is it’s relative neutrality, it will play well with most headphones out there and also has a lot of surplus power. I am using around 38 volume on low gain with my Grados, and much less with some more sensitive IEM’s, around 25 max. This means it plays really well with a lot of different headphones, and I have not experienced any hiss with any of the headphones I have tested it with.

The bass has no noticeable roll off, it is punchy and articulate yet also full when called for. It stays true to the recording, not adding any warmth or bloom, the definition and layering is very good.
The midrange is very precise and detailed, nothing wrong here either. The highs are well extended and possibly have a little bit of added sparkle, but this does not make this player sound bright sounding.
The highs are well controlled and refined, they don’t quite have the refinement of my Opus #2 but for the price I cannot really complain.

This DAP has excellent separation and the soundstage is really good too, never sounding congested or closed in.



Conclusion: ATC have a solid player on their hands, again in this market there is so much competition. The DP10 does not have the features that the Shanling M2s has on offer for the price, but what the DP10 has is excellent sound and build quality. The sound is open, airy and detailed, it does not try to sugar coat or add its own signature and that in my opinion makes it really good. The fact you can use it as a transport with a coax cable, or use the line-out into an external amp adds flexibility and I do think this is a great player and at just under £200 represents good value too.

Sound Perfection Rating: 7/10 (Good value in terms of sound quality, interface is simple and easy to get around, just lacking some features that other DAPs have in this price range)

Firstly I would like to thank Mixcder for selecting me to review their HD601 bluetooth headphones. These have had over 100hrs of burn-in, no differences were noted.

Gear Used: Audio Opus #2 > HD601 in wired and wireless mode



Tech Specs:
https://www.mixcder.com/Product/Qua...ep-Bass-Over-Ear-Wireless-Headphone-g068.html

Packaging, Build quality and Accessories:
The Mixcder HD601 come in a simple card box, the box has a picture of the headphones on the front, and info with specs on the back. Once you open this box you can slide out a plastic insert which has the headphones in. It is a simple box that looks fine for the price.

Build quality is actually quite good, they are mainly made out of plastic but they feel well put together. The extender arms are reinforced with metal, and all the buttons feel of good quality. The jack input to the headphones wiggles a little, but I have not had any connection issues. The earpads are fairly plush and are easily replaceable.

Accessory wise all you get is a USB charging cable, jack to jack cable for wired use, that is it but also for the price you cannot really complain. A small soft carry pouch would have been nice though.



Comfort, Isolation and Ease of use:
The HD601 are an over-ear headphone but the cups are relatively small and compact, this means that some people will have slight comfort issues. For me they fit quite snugly but are not uncomfortable, the clamping force is fairly tight but this allows them to stay in place during daily activities. I wouldn’t want to wear these for periods of more than a couple of hours, but they are not uncomfortable, the headband is well padded and distributes the weight quite well.

Isolation is good on these, they block out a lot of background noise which is good for daily commutes. I would even think these would be fine on the London underground.

I had no issues pairing the HD601 with my Opus #2, these support pairing via NFC but unfortunately I have no devices that support this. The HD601 are intuitive to use, standard volume up and down, however holding them skips tracks instead of double or triple tapping the main button. The main button is for powering them on/off, play/pause and if you tap it twice it changes from balanced to bass heavy sound and vice versa. These modes are easy to distinguish in use.



Sound:

First off let’s start with them being played over Bluetooth, as this is their main use, these impressions are with them in balanced mode:

Lows: The lows are very full but slightly one-toned; they really fill out the sound but do have a bit of boom to them. They are not the most controlled or tight, so they work better with slightly bass heavy genres, not being able to quite keep up with faster rock tracks. The extension is good however digging fairly deep, but they do warm up the lower mids a little.

Mids: The midrange is slightly recessed compared to the upfront lows, and as stated previously the lows do bleed into the midrange slightly making them sound a little fuller than a fully neutral pair of headphones. Saying this though the midrange does have fairly good detail and linearity without harshness or sibilance.

Highs: The highs are lacking in presence and sparkle taking a back seat in the mix, there is no real shimmer or sparkle up top. They really lack energy in the treble and end up sounding like quite a dull and dark sounding headphone. There is a bit of a peak somewhere that gives you a glimmer of hope, hearing the initial tap of cymbal crashes, but ultimately they do not have the air and openness needed to really excite.

Separation and soundstage are fairly average, nothing too special here.
Bass boost mode: This is something I do not advise turning on, the sub-bass becomes more present but muddies up the overall balanced making them sound like a bloated mess.

Wired mode:
In wired mode they still retain a warmer sound, the lows are slightly tighter and more controlled, the mids a little less warm and there is some shimmer up top, they become a little better balanced overall. In wired mode they actually come off as a fairly good budget over-ear headphone.



Conclusion: For their current price on Amazon of £45.99 they are not actually bad value for money, yes you can get better wired only headphones for the price, but as a whole package the HD601 actually offers fairly good sound quality for non-critical on the go use. They offer a full and fun sound, that is lacking in treble presence but ultimately is very easy to listen to and non fatiguing.


Sound Perfection Rating: 6.5/10 (Fairly good value as a whole package, but the sound is not for everyone)

Firstly I would like to thank ATC HiFi for this sample, it has had well over 100hrs of burn-in before reviewing.

Gear Used: HDA-DP20 > Grado SR60e / Inearz P350 / 64 Audio U6 / HiFiMan RE2000 and more



Tech Specs:
http://www.atc-hifi.com/products/hda-dp20/

Packaging, Build quality and Accessories:
The DP20 comes in a neat little matte black and orange box, with specs and info on the back and the model number on the front. It is a two piece box that slides apart, inside you will find the DAP neatly held in place in a card tray. Underneath this is a small box with all the accessories in. It is a really nice looking and not overly bulky box and a pleasure to open.

The build quality is very solid, the DAP is all metal and feels very well built with no flaws to be seen. The outputs are all solid with no play; the volume pot is stepped and feels great. The scroll wheel and buttons are all easy to use and feel great; there are no issues with the build quality in my opinion. The edges of the metal surrounding the volume pot are a little sharp but nothing that I have personally had issues with.



Accessory wise you get a nice little fabric carry pouch, a cable to use the coaxial output on the bottom, a micro USB cable and lastly you get a 32GB Sandisk MicroSD card which is a great addition. It’s not a lot of memory but these days you buy a player and need to go and buy a memory card straight away usually, at least like this you can pretty much use it out of the box. Plenty of accessories and everything you need really.

Features and Ease of use:
The DP20 has quite a few nifty features and I will try and list the main ones.

You get a dedicated line-out on the bottom, that can also act as a coaxial output for use as a transport with an external DAC.

It has high and low gain, USB DAC function, gapless playback, EQ, adjustable max volume, playlist support and favourites.



The DP20 has a simple and easy to use interface; it supports folder view but also the categorised view with All songs, Artist, Album, Genre, My favourite and Recently played. There are 2 settings menus, one for playback one for general, in these you can toggle the gain, USB mode, Line-out or Coax out, sleep time, screen brightness and time off duration, and it also has a couple of different themes. There are plenty of options in the settings to customise the player to your liking.

The now playing screen has the album artwork, file name, duration and the screen is relatively sharp for its size however the text is quite small. Pressing the back button from the now playing screen takes you to the folder you are playing from.

If you press the options button whilst on the now playing screen you are presented with a few options: Gain, Order of play, Shuffle playback, Repeat modes, Add to favourites, Add to playlist and also Delete file. This is a really handy little menu when tracks are playing.

The only thing I don’t really like about the design is the headphone output is on the bottom, the opposite end of the volume control. This means adjusting volume whilst it is in your pocket is harder.

Battery life wise, you get roughly 8-10 hours out of the DP20, which is fairly average for DAPs at the moment.



The DP20 has a volume wheel on the top, recessed and covered by the DAPs case so it is not easy to accidentally change the volume when it is in your pocket. On the left side you have the power button which toggles the screen on/off too and also 2 playback buttons for skipping tracks. Just below these is the micro SD card slot, on the front you have a scroll wheel for menu navigation, and next to it 3 buttons. One is the play/pause button which is also the select button, a settings button and below that a back button. The layout is a little odd but once you have been using it for a couple of days it’ll come naturally.



Sound:
The DP20 actually sounds really good, I have been listening to both the DP10 and DP20 and it is hard to pick which I prefer. The DP10 has a more reference sound that is highly detailed, it also has 2 micro SD cards and more output power, however the DP20 is nicer to use and has a slightly smoother and laid back sound. Compared to my reference player the Opus #2, the DP20 has a sort of lush and warm sound signature that is not harsh or fatiguing in any way.

The DP20 is very controlled sounding, and also slightly more refined than the DP10, having a more holographic and expansive sound. The lows are full bodied and articulate adding a little warmth to the sound. The mids don’t really stand out, they are just well detailed and smooth, the highs lack a tiny bit of bite over the DP10 and Opus #2 thus making it a very easy to listen to DAP. The separation, layering and soundstage are all very good on the DP20, creating a refined and holographic sound that is also resolving. The sound is very coherent and pleasing not allowing the warmth to sacrifice finer details in the music.



Conclusion: Again this is a tough segment of the market, with a lot of competition; the DP20 fits in quite nicely with minimal added extras. It focuses on being a music player, and in that sense it is excellent, it does not have Bluetooth or Wifi but what it does have is excellent build quality and great sound quality. If you want a no frills, dedicated player that offers a relaxed and smooth sound the DP20 is well worth looking in to. The added feature of being able to use it as a DAC is an added bonus. Now regarding value for money, yes there are players with more features for the price, but the sound of this is actually worth the price in my opinion, and the build quality really is superb.


Sound Perfection Rating: 8/10 (Smooth, refined and easy to use)

Firstly I would like to thank HiFiMan for giving me to opportunity to review these, as always I try to write honest reviews. These received over 100hrs of burn-in before review.

Gear Used: Audio Opus #2 / HP Laptop > JDS Labs EL DAC > Violectric V281 / Marantz PM5005 (speaker tap output) > Susvara



Tech Specs:
Frequency Response : 6Hz-75kHz
Impedance : 60Ω
Sensitivity : 83dB
Weight : 450g (15.9oz)
MSRP: $6000
http://hifiman.com/products/detail/275

Packaging, Build quality and Accessories:
The Susvara come in a box very much fitting of their price, it is a luxurious affair upon first unboxing. Firstly they come in a normal size brown cardboard box, but inside this you will be greeted by a black, textured vinyl covered hard wooden box with a brushed metal face plate with the brand and model on it. The box has a metal clasp on the front and lifts open to reveal the contents, the first thing you will find is the warranty card with serial number on it, and a hardback book detailing the technologies inside the headphones.



This book is a thing of beauty with lots of high quality images and the story of how the Susvara came into existence, underneath this you will find the headphones themselves. The headphones are tightly held in a velvet coated foam inlay, in the middle section is a small lid that lifts up to reveal the cables. The unboxing is a high end affair and a thing of beauty, you will not be disappointed.

Build quality overall is excellent in my opinion, the brushed metal grills perfectly machined, the headband is akin to the HE1000 but slightly better finished. The swivel joints rotate 360 degrees, and have some plastic to stop the metal rubbing and squeaking which was an issue on the HE1000, however my unit has some squeaking when I rotate them in my hands it does not affect the performance once they are on my head and I am sure they will bed in with use.



The wood veneer they use looks great if not a little rough around the edges in places, the headband pad is wide and made of leather and is well put together. The earpads are easy to remove, and are made of leatherette on the outside and soft fabric on the part that touches your head. The cables are detachable via dual 2.5mm jacks, the stock cables are well built using strands of silver and copper, but I do feel like they could have used better looking cables that had better build in my opinion. The stock cable is very flexible and comfortable, it just doesn’t quite feel like it belongs on the Susvara. The build quality overall is good, but there is still some room for improvement with manufacturing tolerance.

Accessory wise you get the luxurious box they come in, a more practical soft carry pouch and 2 cables, one with a 6.3mm stereo jack and the other with a 4 pin XLR plug on it. Nothing else, but in my opinion you don’t need anything else.



Comfort and Features:
The Susvara are superbly comfortable, the earpads fit perfectly around your ears with enough depth to not having the inner part pressing on your ears. They are not overly heavy and the wide headband strap distributes weight very evenly, I find myself being able to listen, fatigue free, for hours. The earpads are very soft and don’t allow your ear to heat up too much, and again the cable is lightweight and does not weigh you down.

The Susvara is a planar magnetic headphone with some quite impressive technologies applied, the thinness of the driver itself is impressive, and this also meant they had to find a lightweight material for the traces on the diaphragm itself. This is where they used gold, which increased resistance and thus brought the sensitivity down to that close to the legendary HE-6. This means you will need an amp that can output around 2w at 50 Ohms minimum in my opinion, otherwise these will not get loud and the amp may clip if it can’t output enough.



I found these to work extremely well with the V281 in balanced mode, but also the PM5005 was a great match playing directly from the speaker outputs without resistors. HiFiMan kindly provided the HE Adapter box to use, but I found the output directly from the speaker taps sounded cleaner.

The Susvara uses what HiFiMan call stealth magnets, due to the planar magnetic design these have magnets in front and behind the diaphragm to control it, but the magnets are a barrier for sound waves, so what they did was round the back edge of the magnets, to reduce distortion and standing waves. How this effects the sound I do not know, but they did their homework. You can read more on their website: http://hifiman.com/products/detail/275



Sound:
Split into the usual categories, with a conclusion at the end.

Lows: Starting off with Massive Attack - Angel these have the most effortless and bottomless bass response I have ever heard from a headphone. You can feel and hear the air hitting your ears, even at moderate volumes, these can push a lot of air and the control down low is very impressive. The way these portray bass tones from electronically generated tones, or real instruments is simply sublime, you can hear the layering and separation but the presence is never overwhelming.

The bass oozes with quality, it is so lifelike in its tonality, it is rich and full yet never oversteps the line to being the centre of attention. It solidifies the foundation of the song, happily playing away in perfect harmony with the rest of the sound, like a chameleon it changes its colour based on the track in question.

Double bass comes across with perfect timbre, and the subtle detail that you are able to pick out is truly impressive, the decay is never too soon nor too late just very natural. Yet stick on some faster EDM or rock music and the slam is there too, kicking hard and fast when needed. With heavier metalcore (The Devil Wears Prada etc...) I tend to find headphones struggle with double pedal kick drums, they struggle with being able to provide the initial impact of the kick backed up with body, in quick succession, and these don’t.



Midrange: Again the midrange is silky smooth morphing to the track in question; they are neither forward nor recessed, perfectly balanced between the lows and highs. They don’t have any peaks or dips and sway between genres and tracks with excellence, handling everything without a hint of strain or harshness. Male vocals don’t suffer from any bleed from the lows, female vocals are not thin or harsh, and there is no sibilance unless the recording has it.

The resolution is stunning allowing you to hear vocalists every breath and movement, flaws in the recording are not presented in a harsh manner, and tend to be shown up in a more polite manner. These are not analytical or thin, they are smooth, full, layered, textured and natural.

Tracks with multiple guitar layers are easily picked apart but the overall sound is coherent, again you can hear fingers on fret boards, and intimate acoustic recordings you can hear taps on the body of the guitar. I think the main thing about the mids is their ability to bring out the emotion in the song, and the way they never sound congested unless the recording is bad.



Highs: Here we have well extended highs that do not have any harsh spikes that cause fatigue, the highs here are as good as the recording can portray. I found a lot of my recordings to be of quite bad quality with these, because they are revealing, not to the point they sound downright bad but they definitely shine with better recordings. The highs never get harsh or too prominent; to be honest they almost take a slight backseat but are always there to keep things well balanced.

The realism and decay up top is very impressive, transitions from the upper mids to treble is smooth, the smoothest I have heard. I am not a big classical music listener, but had to try some on these for the review and the way they render strings and flutes is truly spectacular. I have only ever been to one classical concert, and it was one of the best experiences I have had, these transport me to the concert hall with their accurate positioning of every instrument.

Cymbals in jazz are some of my favourites to judge a headphone with, and one of my new test tracks is Juicy Lucy by Steve Nelson in 24/96, and the pinpoint accuracy of the highs is superb, never missing a beat yet on the other hand never becoming too hot up top. They just faithfully represent what is in the recording.



Soundstage: Now I must confess I have never been too much of a fan of the HD800, I always found the soundstage to be artificially boosted. These do not suffer from that, the soundstage again depends on the recording, and that is how it should be in my opinion. The Susvara are incredibly open and spacious but always coherent. I was listening to a recording once, and there was a clap of thunder in it, and I genuinely thought it was real from outside. The soundstage has width and height, the placement of instruments is so accurate you can tell where each individual in an orchestra is.

It goes without saying that separation is excellent, the only time they get congested is when you feed them a recording that is congested (badly recorded).



Conclusion: Well there is no getting past the $6k price tag, it is a hard pill to swallow for anyone, and as I said in my RE2000 review, I would never be able to afford these unless I won the lottery. There are people however that work hard and can afford luxuries like these, and if you can afford them then they are worth an audition.

I personally feel that there could be improvements made with the build quality and cables included, but after plugging them in and putting them on you almost forget about these little niggles. They are very comfortable, and instead of being analytical they allow the music to surround you in a beautiful way.

Yes they are very revealing, and sound best with well recorded music, but I still found myself enjoying them a lot with nearly all my music (a lot of rock / post-hardcore and metalcore). You need a beefy amp to drive them, but you will be rewarded by effortless and natural sound.
I love the way they sound open and spacious without a hint of unnaturalness, they are so controlled and extended on each end. All frequencies are delicately balanced to complement each other, and the overall sound is so natural and faithful to the recording.

Colour me very, very impressed; now I advise you to run as far away from this review once read, otherwise you may find your wallet substantially lighter.


Sound Perfection Rating: 9/10 (Some improvements can be made to the build, but the sound is something special and perfect for my tastes, I don’t think I’ll hear better for a long time)

Firstly I would like to thank Peter at Sybasonic for sending this sample for review, I have reviewed for them before and always found their products to be very well made and sound excellent, yet they do not have a very large following. As always I will try to write an honest review, this amp/DAC received over 100hrs.



Gear Used: HP Laptop / Opus #2 > UDHA-1 > HiFiMan RE2000 / Beyerdynamic DT990 600Ohm / Grado SR60e Wood.

Tech Specs:
Model UDHA-1
Power: Built-in rechargeable battery / USB Mirco-B
Input/output: USB Micro-B, 3.5mm headphone out, 3.5mm stereo in / out
Control Combo: volume knob/power ON/OFF
Streaming resolution: DSD 5.6MHz 1-bit, DSD 2.8MHz 1-bit, PCM up to 384KHz 32-bit
Stereo Crosstalk: >-100dB
Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR): 112dB (A-Weighting)
Total Harmonic Distortion (THD+N): 0.003% (A-Weighting)
Rechargeable battery: Lithium-ion Polymer rechargeable battery, 2200mAH
Battery test standard: UN38.3: ST/SG/AC.10 / 11 / Rev 6 Section 38.3
Play time: Headphone amplifier: 24 hrs / USB DAC: 4 hrs
Control IC Audio processer Codec: Savitech Bravo SA9227 / Cirrus Logic CS4392
Battery charging: ESMT/EMP EMC5040
Headphone driving Ability: 16-600ohm
MSRP: $399
http://www.sybasonic.com/index.php?m=en&a=productview&id=195

Packaging, Build quality and Accessories:
The packaging is a simple brown card box, I am unsure whether this is the final retail packaging as there is no info about the device on the box. The DAC/Amp is held tightly in an inner cardboard tray, the thing I like is there is no plastic, saving the environment starts here.

The built of the UDHA-1 is excellent the casing is solid metal and very well finished, the volume knob is smooth to operate, the sockets are tight with no play. It is also very compact but solid feeling, no issues whatsoever with the build of this DAC/Amp.

Accessory wise you don’t really get anything, just a micro USB cable and a disc with the manual and a copy of Jriver on it. I would have liked to have seen a nice good quality short 3.5mm to 3.5mm interconnect, possibly amp straps and adhesive rubber feet would be helpful.



Features:
The UDHA-1 is a portable DAC/Amp combo that is full of features. First off it has a micro USB input on the back for use as a DAC with phones and computers. On the back there is also a switch for changing the power source from battery to USB. This is excellent when you are hooked up to a computer and don’t want the battery to trickle charge once full.

On the front you have the 3,5mm headphone output, a 3.5mm analogue input which also serves as a line output when being used as a DAC, and the volume knob which is also the on/off switch.
On the top you have LED’s indicating the sample rate being played, power status and if it is plugged in for charging.

It’s a very versatile little thing with both digital and analogue inputs, along with a line-out so it can be used as a standalone DAC.



Sound:
First off the gain isn’t overly high but could still be a little too much with very sensitive IEM’s, but this thing has quite a bit of power. It managed to drive the DT990 600Ohm pretty well, but the bass was not quite as full as when powered with a bigger desktop amp.

Now for a portable amp it has plenty of power, and the sound is also excellent being in my opinion a very balanced, neutral and detailed amp/DAC. Using it with a PC will increase the output power and clarity by quite a large margin over the on-board audio. Pair this with a phone and again you’ll benefit greatly from a wide and detailed sound.

Using it with the 64 Audio U6 there is no background noise, it is dead silent, the sound is so precise and detailed, you can hear subtle details with ease.

The bass is taught and controlled, never overwhelming and easily keeping up with fast transients. Yet the body can come out when called for and it is incredibly articulate.
The mids are detailed and possibly a little analytical, and the highs extend effortlessly without any roll off.

The soundstage is excellent being wide and deep, instrument separation is also very good with air between everything.



Conclusion: There is so much competition in the market currently, but I still think the UDHA-1 is worthy if you are looking for a portable DAC/Amp for easy to medium hard to drive headphones. Yes it won’t replace your desktop setup, but for on the go and use at the office it really is excellent. The sound is in my opinion a reference sound with excellent detail retrieval and extension on both ends.
Another big plus is the versatility, the internal DAC is actually very good so you can use it as a standalone DAC feeding another amp and not be missing much at in the price point.
The UDHA-1 is built like a tank and will last a long time, it is well engineered and feature packed for its small size.


Sound Perfection Rating: 8.5/10 (a little pricey, lacking in accessories, but feature packed with excellent SQ)

Firstly I would like to thank Peter at Sybasonic for sending this sample for review, I have reviewed for them before and always found their products to be very well made and sound excellent, yet they do not have a very large following. As always I will try to write an honest review, this amp/DAC received over 100hrs of burn-in due to the tube.

Gear Used: HP Laptop > Utha > Grado SR60e Wood / MrSpeakers Aeon and others



Tech Specs:
Model: UTHA
Power: USB/12VDC adapter
Input/output: USB Type-B, 6.3mm headphone out, 3.5mm headphone out, 3.5mm stereo out/Toslink out
Control Combo: volume knob/power ON/OFF
Streaming resolution: DSD 5.6MHz 1-bit, DSD 2.8MHz 1-bit, PCM up to 384KHz 32-bit
Stereo Crosstalk: >-100dB
Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR): 112dB (A-Weighting)
Total Harmonic Distortion (THD+N): 0.003% (A-Weighting)
Vacuum tube: 12AU7
Control IC Audio processer Codec: Savitech Bravo SA9227 / Cirrus Logic CS4392
Headphone driving Ability:16-600ohm
MSRP: $399
http://www.sybasonic.com/index.php?m=en&a=productview&id=194

Packaging, Build quality and Accessories:
The Utha comes in a plain brown cardboard box, I am unsure if this is the retail packaging as there is no info on the box itself. The item is held tightly in place in the box by cardboard inserts, the thing I like about this is all the material is recyclable, no plastic is used in the packaging.

The Utha is similar to other Sybasonic products in build, basically it is built like a tank, except this one has a tube poking out the top. The main casing is thick metal, all the sockets are tight with no play and the tube has a plastic protector that is easy to remove allowing you to roll any 12AU7 tube you like. It may not be the prettiest device, but it is strong and I prefer that.

Accessories included are good, you get a USB cable, multi country power supply and a high quality 3.5mm to RCA jack for using the amp/DAC with active monitors or into a separate amp. Simple but everything you need is included, you even get a CD with the driver and a copy of Jriver software on it.



Functions:
The Utha is a DAC/Amp combo with tube buffer, it only accepts USB input and can play DSD, it has an optical output so can be used to convert USB to optical. The Optical output socket is also an analogue output which acts as a pre-amp out, and is controlled by the volume pot. This is handy for using with active monitors, or hooking up to an external amp.

On the back you have the power socket, USB socket and 3.5mm/optical output. On the front you have a 3.5mm and 6.3mm headphone output, and the volume pot which is also the on/off switch.

Under the tube there is a blue LED, I personally think this always looks really cheap and chose to cover it up so I can see the natural tube glow. Being a tube hybrid amp this uses the tube on the input stage and let’s separate op-amps handle the output. This allows for tube and op-amp rolling, it comes with a Chinese 12AU7 tube and LM4562 op-amps, the tube would be the first thing to upgrade as the LM4562 op-amps are good.

The unit does not get overly hot but does get warm to the touch; it is also very small and compact.



Sound:
The Utha being hybrid won’t have the typical liquid like sound of a full tube amp, but is does add a little bit of tube warmth to the sound. First off the Utha is easy to setup and get working, it has very high gain and I had to actually turn windows volume down to 40% to get usable levels with my Grado’s.

This device is not for ultra sensitive headphones, it works better with full size harder to drive headphones. To me the Utha is a fun sounding DAC/Amp, it is detailed, clear yet has a smoothness to it that some more objective amp’s lack. Yes it’s made for enjoyment, not for measurements, it lets you get lost in the music rather than pick it apart.

The bass is full with excellent extension, it is impactful and can keep up with all genres, and the bass doesn’t dominate the sound.
The mids are beautifully textured and organic; they have a lushness to them that makes them so pleasing without smearing the finer detail.
The Highs are well extended and don’t roll off, they have the detail from a solid state amp but are not harsh or glaring.

The Utha’s sound can be described as effortless, slightly warm and euphoric but without smearing details or taking away extension at either end, this amp doesn’t artificially boost anything, the soundstage is accurate and not boosted, imaging on the other hand is superb.



Conclusion: The Utha is a well built DAC/Amp, I personally would have liked it to have an analogue input to be able to use it as a pure amp but it is small and punches well above its size in sound. It is easy to setup and use, and the sound is just so fun and easy to listen to that you don’t end up analysing the sound coming from it. It is a good hybrid, bringing the speed and detail of a solid state, with the warmth and smoothness of tubes.

This would make a great DAC for active speakers, and also a great office or simple home setup for fairly hard to drive headphones. It does not work well with sensitive headphones (some audible noise), so maybe dual gain would also be a good feature for it to have.


Sound Perfection Rating: 7/10 (damn fun, but very high gain leading to noise with sensitive headphones)

Firstly I would like to thank Hifiman for this sample, I always try to write honest reviews. These have had well over 100hrs of burn-in, in my opinion I have heard small changes and recommend you burn them in fully.

Gear Used: Audio Opus #2 / HiFiMan MegeMini > RE800



Packaging, Build Quality and Accessories:
The RE800 come in a luxury box, the box has an outer sleeve that says the model name, with a picture and basic specs on the back. Take the sleeve off and you have a wooden box that has a laminate coating on it, with a metal plate with the brand and model number on it. The box has a metal latch and metal hinges, once you open it you will find the accessories and the IEM’s held in a foam inlay. Underneath the main tray you will find additional tips and also an owner’s book which is a very elegant paperback book. The packaging is superb and the un-boxing experience is first class, fitting for the price.



The metal housing of the RE800 is tiny and very well finished; the cable is thick below the y-split but maybe a little thin above it. The cable on my pair is fixed, but HiFiMan have brought out a revised version with a detachable MMCX cable. Strain relief is mainly good but is lacking on the entry to the housing, hopefull this is fixed with the detachable cabled version. I think these are well built and the housing definitely feels like a quality IEM.

The RE800 comes with quite a few accessories, you get some ear guides for wearing them with the cable routed behind the ear, 2 different types of single flange tips, and triple flange tips in M and L. You also get 2 pairs of Comply foam tips and a clamshell carry case. For the price I think more tips could have been included, and a metal case like the one of the RE2000 would be nice over a normal clamshell case.



Comfort, Isolation, Driver flex and Cable noise:
The RE800 are one of the most comfortable IEM’s around, the tiny housing combined with the light weight means once inserted they are comfortable for hours. I found them most comfortable with the cable routed behind my ear.

Isolation is good, they are vented so won’t isolate as much as a fully sealed IEM but for general use and some commuting they would be perfectly fine.

Driver flex is present occasionally, but only upon initial insertion and is not bad.

Cable noise is minimal when worn cable straight down, and never present when worn with the cable over the ear.



Sound:
Based on the sound with stock grey bi-flange tips, split into the usual categories with a conclusion at the end:

Lows: The lows on these are similar in some ways to the RE2000, but a little leaner, they come out when called for yet stay in the background when not needed. The extend right down to the sub-bass with ease and linearity, stick on some acoustic and the body is there, some heavy rock and they keep up with ease, then put on some hip-hop/rap and be prepared to hear/feel the sub-bass come out to play. The lows are enjoyable with all genres, and are never bloated; they never encroach on the midrange.

Mids: The lows don’t bleed into the mids, keeping them crisp and detailed without any extra body. The do come across with a slightly cold tonality, but has excellent separation and speed. There is an emphasis on the upper mids giving female vocals a bit more presence than males, but there is also a tiny bit of sibilance. The mids are well balanced with the rest of the sound of the RE800, never becoming strident or shouty.

Highs: First off, let’s get the bad out of the way, there is a bit of a peak at 7 kHz that can cause fatigue for some and also gives cymbals a bit of a metallic tone upon initial impact. But with that out of the way, some tip rolling can help tame this, as could a touch EQ if you find the peak to be problematic, which I do not. I actually like that these have a nicely extended high frequency response, with plenty of detail and air. You will never lose track of the treble frequencies, but I still don’t find them sharp or overly bright (your mileage may vary).

The soundstage on the RE800 is realistic and track dependent, it is fairly intimate but everything is well separated with about equal width and height.
Instrument separation is superb with excellent transient response.



Conclusion: The RE800 is fast, exciting and borderline bright to some ears and with some tips. There is a flaw, which is the peak, but this can be remedied somewhat with tips to those that are sensitive to treble. The other downside has actually been fixed, HiFiMan have now revised the RE800 to now come with a detachable cable that uses a MMCX cable.

Overall the RE800 is an excellent monitor that does well with a multitude of genres, there is fantastic coherency that you just don’t quite get with multi BA designs, full bodied bass when needed, a midrange packed full of micro detail and some shimmering and well extended treble. If you crave details, crisp sound and a convincing soundstage these are worth a listen. I have found these play very well with a lot of the faster rock music I listen to.

Sound Perfection Rating: 8.5/10 (some won’t like the treble peak, but there’s a lot to like in these)

Firstly I would like to thank GrandView for sending me this sample to review, as always I try to write honest reviews. This unit received over 50hrs of burn-in, no differences were noted.

Gear Used:
HP Laptop > JDS Labs OL-DAC > SA-50 > Denon SCM50 / Mission 702e



Packaging, Build Quality and Accessories:
The SA-50 comes in a simple blue and yellow card box, the amp is held tightly in place in foam, and the power supply is also well secured. The box is nothing fancy or special, but serves it purpose of protecting the amp during transit.

The SA-50 is a well built amp in my opinion, the metal chassis is very well finished without blemishes. The volume knob operates very smoothly and the inputs and outputs are all of good quality. The on/off indicator is a blue light that forms a ring around the volume knob, I really like this as it is very subtle and not a glaring on/off light.

Accessories are not included, you get the amp and power supply, that is it. Not really anything else that could be useful though, so not an issue.



Use:
The amp is rated at 50wpc, has a single pair of RCA inputs, and a pair of outputs so you cannot bi-wire speakers with this amp. The speaker terminals are quite small so won’t accept cables larger than about 12awg, however they accept standard 4mm z-plugs so it’s easier to use terminated speaker cable over bare wire.
The amp never even gets warm, even after being used for hours.
I also didn’t have noise floor issues, it isn’t dead silent, but there is minimal noise and it is not even noticeable when playing at all, I have to put my ears right up to the speakers to hear the slight hiss with no music playing.



Sound:
The SA-50 is a powerful little amp (high gain) I had to turn down the volume of my source to get usable volume range. There is channel imbalance right at the quietest ranges, but this is quite normal when using analogue volume pots. I am mainly using this in my near field desktop setup with the Denon SCM50 speakers and the amp brings out plenty of detail whilst powering them easily.

I wouldn’t say the amp is 100% flat and reference sounding, I found there to be a little bit of a bass boost which brings out a bit more body from my speakers. It worked equally as well with my Mission 702e speakers, but again there is a little added body in the bass which the 702e do not need. I did find the bass can get a little uncontrolled at louder volumes, but for the most part it is well behaved.

The stereo imaging is very good and the amp has a convincing soundstage whilst not being artificially boosted. Instrument separation is excellent and the synergy with my Denon SCM50 is very good.

This amp is perfect for a small desktop setup, and 50w might even be overkill for most small desktop speakers. For the price it represents very good value for money, for a main setup I would still advise getting a proper integrated amplifier, but for a small kitchen, bedroom or desktop setup you cannot go wrong with one of these.



Conclusion: This amp is only £51.99, and you get plenty of headroom with most sensitive speakers out there. For the size it can output plenty of power, and the size allows it to fit into many systems. I am quite impressed with it, the sound is well detailed with some extra body down low, that means if you find your speakers a little lean this amp will help. The sound is not as refined or effortless as a fully integrated class a/b integrated amp, but for what this amp is likely going to be used for you can easily overlook that. I know I do.


Sound Perfection Rating: 7.5/10 (Gain could be lower, bass boost is a little too much sometimes)

Firstly I would like to thank Karina at iFi for these tubes to review, as always I try to write honest reviews. These tubes have had over 50hrs of burn-in.

Gear Used: Opus #2 > Feliks Audio Espressivo > Grado SR60e / Sennheiser HD650



Tech specs and info:
http://ifi-audio.com/portfolio-view/accessory-nos-6922-2/

Packaging and Use:
These are actually 5670 tubes in adaptors for use in 6922 sockets, and they come packaged in the usual slim white box from iFi audio. The box is understated and I appreciate the slim packaging, the tubes are carefully held in a foam insert to help protect them during shipping. They come with a pair of white cotton gloves to reduce oils from your skin contaminating the tubes. Overall a well packaged product which is kept perfectly safe during shipping.



These 5670 tubes in adaptors can be used in the majority of amps that use 6922 tubes, and are for the most part a drop in replacement. iFi audio state that the tubes have been through a rejuvenation procedure of gentle heating up, and are not to be removed from the included ceramic adaptors.



Sound:
The reason I wanted to try these is that I like the original tubes that came with my Feliks Espressivo amp but tube rolling is addictive and I went down the rabbit hole. I am using 6N6P-I power tubes and went through some NOS Voskhod tubes that were great for warming up the sound of harsher headphones but lack top end detail. After that I invested in some NOS Tesla gold pin valves, which have an incredibly lush and slightly forward midrange but again were lacking finer detail.

I have always been a fan of iFi audio products and their tube stages in the iTube and Pro iCan all use the 5670 and have incredible detail with a slight hint of tube lushness. I am not after a solid state sounding tube amp, but one that has a hint of tube warmth whilst still letting the details through.
The iFi Jan 5670 deliver, and are in line with what I want, the first time I listened I was impressed, the highs that I was missing are back but still without glare. The bottom end is still wonderfully textured and full bodied; the mid range has an intimacy that is lacking with some more reference sounding amps. The highs come through with excellent detail that is lacking in some tube combinations.

Now I know the tube amp output impedance isn’t always going to play nice with the low impedance Grado SR60e, but I have found with this pairing I am finding the bloat that occurred with other tubes has lowered, and the highs that were missing (I know, highs from a Grado not being bright?) came back.

With the HD650 I always find their top end lacking too, and this combination is not going to make them treble monsters, but it does bring out some nice energy up top, yet again without harshness or metallic tone.



Conclusion: In my opinion these tubes have made my Feliks Audio Espressivo an excellent performer for the price, and these tubes offer what I would call a more neutral sound than some other NOS tubes out there, but they still have that bit of tube warmth. They don’t make the sound bloated, they don’t make the sound congested, they are a clear and detailed sounding. Again I cannot state enough that tube rolling is all about creating synergy between your gear, if you feel like details are smoothed over with your current 6922 tubes, give these a try, for me personally these deliver the details I crave without brightness or unnatural tone.

Sound Perfection Rating: 8/10 (you can get the tubes and adaptors separately for less, but at risk of not having matching pairs, and without knowing they are genuine)

Firstly I would like to thank HiFiMan for sending me this sample to review, as always I try and write honest reviews. This unit received over 50hrs of burn-in, no differences were noted.
Gear Used: Megamini > Inearz P350 / HiFiMan RE2000 + RE800 / German Maestro GMP 8.35d and more



Tech Specs:
Dimensions：1.69”x 3.93” x 0.31” (43.0x100.0x9.0mm)
Weight：2.43oz (69g)
Frequency Response：20Hz - 20kHz
THD: 0.08%
Max. Output：54mW (1.4V @36 Ohm)
Battery Life：15 hours
TF Card Capacity : 256GB
MSRP : $249

Packaging, Build Quality and Accessories:
The Megamini comes in a simple white box, with HiFiMan printed in orange on the front, slide the top off the box and you will find a small card leaflet showing you where you can download the user manual and info about the warranty. Underneath this you will find the DAP in a foam insert, held tightly in place. Once you lift out the foam insert, you will find another compartment with the USB cable. The packaging is sleek, slim and perfectly fine for a player at this price point.

The Megamini feels well built, it is mainly plastic with a metal back plate. The buttons are plastic but feel sturdy and the jack socket is nice and tight. I don’t have any problems with the build quality, and I’m sure it will last well with some care.



The Megamini only comes with a micro USB cable, nothing else, I personally would have liked HiFiMan to include some screen protectors for the player.

UI, Features and Hiss:
The Megamini is a pure player, no frills, load up music onto a microSD card, pop it in and you are ready to go. On the right hand side of the player is the on/off button, on the left hand side there are up and down volume buttons and on the front you have the play/pause/select button, scroll up/down buttons that are also used to skip tracks, and a back button. On the bottom you will find the 3.5mm headphone output, microSD card slot and micro USB port.

The menus are very simple to navigate; you get a file explorer along with the music separated by artist, albums and genres. You can also set favourites and browse all songs. In the settings you can set shuffle / repeat playback, back light time, library update, auto shutdown and all the normal settings.



The now playing screen shows the artist, song, bit rate and at the top you can see whether it is in repeat/shuffle mode along with the battery meter.

Again this is a pure player that is easy to use and playback whilst in your pocket is possible due to the buttons. I have no issues with the UI or features, volume steps are good but maybe a little too steep for some sensitive IEM’s, the volume goes from 0-32.

Just to note there is no EQ, no gapless playback, the audio does not pause when headphones are removed, and no playlist support. Also battery life is not great, I would say around 8-10 hours at the most depending on how loud and how much the screen is on.

Unfortunately I did find the Megamini to have some audible hiss with the Oriveti New Primacy, so it is not the best for hiss prone IEM’s. But it has loads of power to drive most IEM’s, portable headphones and medium hard to drive full size headphones.



Sound:
I would say the Megamini leans towards a slightly tighter, more aggressive sound with perhaps a small amount of emphasis in the upper registers. It is ever so slightly bright and very energetic presenting the music in an upfront and fun manner. This works wonders with more laid back headphones but could possibly lead to some fatigue if you have brighter headphones.

I like the fact that the Megamini is no slouch for its size, it may be small but it packs some punch and handles all genres well bringing out plenty of detail. It is not strident, and has no roll off at either end of the spectrum.

Stating this player is slightly bright is not to say it lacks any body down low, as the lows are punchy and full, it just has a slightly colder tonality than my Opus #2. The soundstage is also not quite as wide as the Opus #2.

For the size and price of this player I am actually very impressed by the sound quality, it is very clean, crisp and clear. The Megamini with my woodied Grado SR60e is a wonderful pairing, an extremely energetic and engaging listening experience.



Conclusion: The Megamini is very impressive for its size; it is powerful, crisp and clear. It may not have the layering, refinement and overall natural tonality of high end players, but it is a very fun player to listen to. For a throw around player, that can be used on a daily commute or at the gym the Megamini is worth looking at.

It does not play well with sensitive IEM’s but works well with most headphones out there. They have put more into making a great sounding player than to pack it full of features, and in my opinion it has worked and it sounds excellent for a pure no frills DAP at this price. But there is stiff competition from players for the same price or less with more features and great sound, so this may not be the best value for money player in the price range.

Sound Perfection Rating: 7.5/10 (Really engaging and fun but there is hiss with sensitive IEM’s)

Firstly I would like to thank Burson for sending me these op-amps for review, as always I will try to write and honest review. These received over 100hrs of burn-in as is suggested by many users.

Gear Used:
Topping D30 > A30 > German Maestro GMP8.35d / Dita Dream / Hifiman RE2000 and more.





https://www.bursonaudio.com/products/supreme-sound-opamp-v5i/

Op-Amp Rolling, Packaging and Build:
First off I have done some op-amp rolling in the past with cmoy type amps, and believe op-amps make a small change in sound, and it can be for better or worse depending on the circuit and headphones being used.

I recently got the Topping A30 which is a fantastic budget amp, and I wanted to see how good it could sound. Burson were really helpful, and the A30 needs the dual op-amps, as the stock ones are OPA2134, they are a drop in replacement, and the A30 has sockets in it for easy op-amp rolling.

PLEASE BE CAREFUL TO INSTALL THE OP-AMPS THE CORRECT WAY AROUND, YOU WILL KILL THEM OTHERWISE (instructions on the Burson website)

The V5i come in a small plastic box with the op-amps snugly in place in the foam inlay. They are very well protected.

The V5i are well built, they are well put together and are slightly wider and taller than normal chip op-amps so they may not fit in all designs.





Sound:
Now as stated before I believe in small differences between op-amps, but putting this in was the biggest difference I have heard between op-amps.

Instantly I was surprised at how the sound opened up compared to the slightly closed in sound of the OPA2134. The soundstage got more holographic and accurate, the bass also gained a little body and now digs deeper and has more realistic punch.

There is more air around all instruments and overall just a more defined and realistic sound.
Now this really was quite a big difference in sound from the OPA2134 and this little amp is now even better value.

These will set you back around $70 which is quite a lot considering the amp is not a lot more, but op-amps are a key part of the circuitry and these brought some very welcome changes that enhanced my listening experience. To be honest I was shocked by how good they made the amp sound, so if you can afford them, depending on your amp, they can bring some welcome differences.


Sound Perfection Rating: 8/10 (excellent upgrade in my amp, adds a small amount of warmth)

Firstly I would like to thank Hifiman for this sample, I always try to write honest reviews. These have had well over 100hrs of burn-in, I have heard changes and recommend you burn them in fully.

Gear Used:
Audio Opus #2 > RE2000
Dell PC > Topping D30 > Topping A30 > RE2000
Hifiman MegaMini > RE2000



Tech Specs:
Frequency Response : 5Hz-20kHz
Impedance : 60Ω
Sensitivity : 103dB
Earphone Weight : 0.48oz (13.8g)
Cable Weight : 0.81oz (23g)
MSRP : $2000

Packaging, Build Quality and Accessories:
The RE2000 come in one hell of a luxury box, the box has an outer sleeve that says the model name, with a picture and basic specs on the back. Take the sleeve off and you have a wooden box that has a laminate coating on it, with a metal plate with the brand and model number on it. The box has a metal latch and metal hinges, once you open it you will find the accessories and the IEM’s are in the carry case. Underneath the main tray you will find additional tips and also an owner’s book which is a very elegant paperback book. The packaging is superb and the unboxing experience is first class, fitting for the price.





Build quality overall is good, there are some improvements that could be made though. Finally Hifiman have included detachable cables for their flagship IEM, it has the standard 2-pin connector and has recessed sockets for these. The housings are lightweight and made of metal, the gold may not appeal to all tastes but they are well finished and not cheap feeling. The stock cable is silver plated copper, with a sturdy right angled jack with good strain relief, a slim metal y-split and chin slider. Unfortunately the cables are lacking any strain relief on the 2-pin connector which lets them down a bit, however you can easily replace the cable. Even so for $2k I would have liked a better cable with better strain relief.

Accessory wise these come with bi-flange tips pre-fitted, and another 2 pairs, they also come with 2 pairs of triple-flange tips, and also 2 pairs of Comply foam tips. Also included are ear guides for the cable, and an extra set of 2-pin connectors if you want to make your own cable for them. The IEM’s come packed in a sturdy metal case that is padded on the inside and is the perfect size for transporting these. Overall a good amount of accessories, but a few more different types of tip would be welcome.





Comfort, Isolation, Cable Noise and Driver Flex:
The RE2000 have an odd shaped housing that is quite wide, however once fitted I did find them very comfortable for long listening sessions. With the stock tips I never got the most secure fit but the fit was good and I wasn’t worried about them falling out. All the edges are smooth on the housing, and again they are lightweight so don’t feel heavy in your ears, the cable is soft and goes over and behind the ear with ease and stays there. Maybe not perfect for sports, but for long listening and general use they are excellent.

Cable noise is not an issue, the cable is soft and goes over your ear eliminating any cable noise.

Isolation is only average on these, they have quite a large vent on them so they let some outside noise in, but do not leak badly. Fine for general use but not the best for noisy commutes.

Driver flex is not an issue, not once have I heard the drivers flex.





Sound:
Split into the usual categories, with a conclusion at the end, the below is based on using the stock grey bi-flange tips.

Lows: Now this is what people want, and this is something that only a dynamic driver can deliver, smooth, dynamic and punchy lows that extend right down to 20hz, and come out to play when called for. The driver in these is extremely responsive, it can keep up with the fastest metalcore, yet put on a modern pop recording at it will pulsate and deliver exquisitely textured bass. Put on some jazz you can hear the body of the double bass reverberate and deliver such realistic tonality. The thing that is most impressive about these is how they morph depending on the track in question; they stay tight and controlled if needed yet warm and full when called for. The texture, layering and tonality cannot be matched by multi BA driver IEM's.

Midrange: The midrange is pure heaven, it is lush warm and inviting, yet at the same time it manages to be crystal clear and bring out the subtlest of detail. Again during busy tracks the layering is sublime, they sound more like a full size headphone with their layering and soundstage. I have been out and about listening to these and the mids just hit you sometimes with the way they portray the emotion in vocals (Slipknot – Vermillion Pt.2). Nothing is on top of each other, you have the vocals in the centre with the other instruments surrounding them sounding totally separate, they never sound congested.

Highs: The highs manage to be soft and non-fatiguing, but without loss of extension or air. They manage to extend effortlessly, and the definition is there, each different tap of a cymbal is easily heard, yet without peaks or harshness. They are also about right in presence, without taking a back seat, they just complete the whole sound perfectly. These are all about high definition sound in a smooth package, without sacrificing the finer details and emotion.

The soundstage is the largest in an IEM I have heard (except maybe the fully open Audeze iSine series). These offer real out of head experiences, and the soundstage has width, depth and height, very impressive.

The instrument separation is also very good with an airy soundstage and excellent layering everything is kept well separate.



Conclusion: Now these are $2000, and that is a lot of money, whether these are worth that is up to the person buying them. Looking at them you might not assume that they are worth the money, but just like the Final Piano Forte series, these offer a very unique sound for an IEM, especially one that seals and is good for on the go use. These are in all ways a TOTL IEM, the sound is dynamic, slightly warm, euphoric and emotional. I don’t recall any other IEM managing to evoke such emotional response from me whilst listening to certain tracks and the good thing is they play well with all genres.

So there you have it, I personally would never be able to afford these with my current job, but do I appreciate what these deliver, hell yes. They sheer dynamics of the sound, the tonality and realistic soundstage all come together to offer a natural sound that is not missing out in the technical aspects either.

These are not an IEM that impress upon first listen, they take time to appreciate.

Sound Perfection Rating - 9.5/10 (Tip selection could be better, and the cable needs strain relief)

Firstly I would like to thank Topping for sending me these samples for review, as always I will try to write an honest review. Both units have had over 50hrs of burn-in.

Gear Used:
HP Laptop / Dell Desktop > D30 via USB > A30 > German Maestro GMP 8.35d / Hifiman RE2000 and many others.



Tech Specs:
A30

Packaging, Build Quality and Accessories:
The units both come in a very sleek white box, with a very simple outline drawing of the unit on the front of the box, and the model number on the opening flap. Open up the box and you are greeted with the units held firmly in place in foam. The packaging is simple but effective and protects the units well during shipping.

The build quality on both units is very good, I think they look great in the brushed metal finish. The volume knob on the A30 is very smooth, all switches feel sturdy and like they will last, and all sockets are tight and have little to no play. All the sockets on the back are in good places and not too close together. Overall they are very well made for the price, and the all metal casings will no doubt help prevent interference from nearby devices. The power indicator on the D30 is a small blue LED, on the A30 the ring around the volume knob illuminates blue, I like this design.

The A30 only comes with a power supply, the D30 comes with a power supply and USB cable, no frills or unnecessary bits and bobs, this no doubt helps keep the price down. Although I think if they are purchased together a short 20cm set of RCA interconnects would be a nice added accessory.

Ease of Use and Features:
The A30 has a few great features, it has RCA input, and also RCA output which is a direct pass through. This does mean it cannot be used as a pre-amp though, and they output can be configured so it is either outputting at the same time as the headphone out, or it can be made so it gets muted when you plug headphones in.

The A30 has 3 gain settings, 0/9/18dB, High and Low power modes, and 3.5mm + 6.3mm headphone outputs. It works with most headphones on the market, from sensitive IEM’s to hard to drive full size headphones (doesn’t quite drive the Hifiman HE-6 / Susvara).



Sound:

The A30 again is pretty incredible for the price, it uses good components inside and the op-amps are in sockets so you can change them easily. What impressed me is the power the A30 has, it will drive most headphones out there, I got good volume out of the Hifiman Susvara but it slightly lacked body, that is high praise right there.

I have been using it with IEM’s and full size headphones alike, the noise floor is silent, the gain settings are perfect and the volume knob is super smooth.
The sound is fairly neutral, the soundstage is quite intimate but overall it is detailed and a very clean sounding amp, nothing stands out which in my opinion is a good thing.

Now I did change out the op-amp after listening for quite a while stock, I changed them to the Burson V5i Dual op-amps and I think op-amps make a small difference but this was actually quite a big difference. The soundstage widened and got deeper, making the sound more immersive, the bass response got more tactile and ever so slightly fuller, and there was more air to the whole presentation. In my opinion if you get the A30, I highly recommend the Burson V5i Dual op-amps to go with it; it makes this amp a real steal for less than $200.



Conclusion: Topping are a brand you should look for if you are on a tight budget, both the D30 and A30 punch above their weight stock, and the A30 can be improved by a large margin just by changing out the op-amps. The stack is both visually pleasing, and great sounding, it is a powerful desktop combo that has a neutral and balanced sound, excellent detail and all for under $300. I am quite a fan of these now.

Sound Perfection Rating:
A30 – 7.5/10 (Clean, detailed, powerful, stock op-amp holds it back)

Firstly I would like to thank Topping for sending me these samples for review, as always I will try to write an honest review. Both units have had over 50hrs of burn-in.

Gear Used:
HP Laptop / Dell Desktop > D30 via USB > A30 > German Maestro GMP 8.35d / Hifiman RE2000 and many others.




Tech Specs:
D30

Packaging, Build Quality and Accessories:
The units both come in a very sleek white box, with a very simple outline drawing of the unit on the front of the box, and the model number on the opening flap. Open up the box and you are greeted with the units held firmly in place in foam. The packaging is simple but effective and protects the units well during shipping.

The build quality on both units is very good, I think they look great in the brushed metal finish. The volume knob on the A30 is very smooth, all switches feel sturdy and like they will last, and all sockets are tight and have little to no play. All the sockets on the back are in good places and not too close together. Overall they are very well made for the price, and the all metal casings will no doubt help prevent interference from nearby devices. The power indicator on the D30 is a small blue LED, on the A30 the ring around the volume knob illuminates blue, I like this design.

The A30 only comes with a power supply, the D30 comes with a power supply and USB cable, no frills or unnecessary bits and bobs, this no doubt helps keep the price down. Although I think if they are purchased together a short 20cm set of RCA interconnects would be a nice added accessory.

Ease of Use and Features:
The D30 does have drivers that need to be installed unless you have the creators update of windows 10. The drivers are easy to install and I had no issues getting it to work with either PC. It is a pure DAC with line-out, it also has a Coaxial and Optical input which is great for use with DAP’s or even CD players etc....



Sound:
Now the D30 is a fully DSD compatible DAC that doesn’t aim to alter the sound, and that is my impression of it. It really just gets out of the way and lets the rest of the chain do itss work. Now directly comparing to my OL DAC, the D30 has a slightly colder tonality, the OL DAC is a little more natural sounding, but both are excellent standalone DAC’s.

Ok it is not as refined, and doesn’t have as wide a soundstage as some of the more expensive DAC’s out there, but for the price the features and sound really make it very good value for money indeed. It isn’t hyper analytical, nor is it smooth, it is just a neutral, balanced, detailed and very versatile DAC. For under $500 you could do worse than to pick one of these up. But there is stiff competition from the likes of iFi Audio (more analytical) and JDS Labs (more natural sounding).



Conclusion: Topping are a brand you should look for if you are on a tight budget, both the D30 and A30 punch above their weight stock, and the A30 can be improved by a large margin just by changing out the op-amps. The stack is both visually pleasing, and great sounding, it is a powerful desktop combo that has a neutral and balanced sound, excellent detail and all for under $300. I am quite a fan of these now.

Sound Perfection Rating:
D30 – 8/10 (Neutral, feature packed DAC, no selectable filter)

Firstly I would like to thank Status audio for sending me this sample for review, as always I will try and write an honest review. These have had well over 50hrs of burn in, small changes were noted.

Gear Used:
Audio Opus #2 > CB-1
HP Laptop > Sybasonic Utha > CB-1
Dell desktop > Topping D30 > Topping A30 > CB-1



Tech specs:
· Over-ear closed Back
· 50 mm Driver
· 15 Hz – 30 kHz
· 32 ohm
· 97 db +/- 3 db
· 1,600 mW at 1 kHz
· 3 m Cable
· 3.5 mm Plug
· 13.2 oz
· 1/4" Adapter
· MSRP: £61.05

Packaging, Build Quality and Accessories:
The CB-1 come in a very nice looking dark brown/gold box, the front folds open and you are presented with the CB-1 in a plastic intray. On the back of the box you have all the specs, and on the front you get an outline drawing of the headphones. To be honest the outer packaging is very nice, the inner plastic tray is a little cheap but for the price I cannot complain.

The build quality is perfectly acceptable for the price, yes they are mainly plastic but all the swivel mechanism and extender arms feel well built. Yes you don’t really want to throw them around too much but for a bit of home and portable use they will hold up just fine. They also fold up quite small which is good, and the cable is detachable. They have a standard 3.5mm socket for the cable, with their own locking system, but the hole for the locking system is big and most straight 3.5mm jacks will fit. Both cables are sturdy with excellent strain relief, and I cannot see any issues with them failing prematurely.



Accessory wise you get 2 cables, 1 long 3m straight cable, and another shorter coiled one. Both cables have thread for the included 3.5 to 6.3mm adaptor. I would have liked to see a cloth carry case, but overall nothing missing accessory wise.

Comfort and Isolation:
I have a small head, and have to have the arms extended to number 6 out of 7, so they won’t fit larger heads, but I found the headband to have sufficient padding for longer listening sessions. The earpads and soft and plush, they are small but still cover my ears properly, and are fully circumaural, again those with bigger ears may have issues. The earpads are deep as well, keeping your ears well away from the driver which makes them very comfortable. The earpads are easily replaceable too.

Isolation is fairly average, they are fully closed back and seal out some noise, but do have some bass vents that will leak a very minimal amount of sound, and also let in some. They are however fine for most scenarios where ultimate isolation isn’t required.



Sound:
Split into the usual categories, with a conclusion at the end.

The lows on the CB-1 are very full and for the most part well behaved. It is not boosted massively, and stays in line with the rest of the spectrum, but it does let you know it’s there. It extends right down to around 35hz with ease, has great articulation but maybe not the best speed and attack for heavy metal. What I like about these is that the bass has real kick and power behind it but is not drowning out the mid-range. I believe there is enough bass to satisfy all but the most extreme bass heads.

The mids unfortunately are not the CB-1’s strong point, if there is one place to fault them this is it. Now the mids are there, and are not drowned out by the bass, but the lower mids do sit a little far back in the mix for my tastes. They have a lower mid dip that sucks the life out of certain male vocals, however going up to the upper mids there is a slight emphasis and female vocals sound better but there is a slight hint of sibilance. There is a good amount of detail in the mids, it is just a shame about the dip.

The highs are very good at lower volumes, maintaining very good separation and a good level of detail. Different cymbal strokes are easily told apart and the extension is very good, I like that they are not rolled off or too laid back. They sit about perfect in the mix quantity wise, and for the price the quality is good too. Turning up the volume a bit does induce some splashiness up top, they become a bit congested and don’t fare as well.

Soundstage has better height than width and depth, width wise it is only just outside the cups, but the placement is accurate, as is the imaging. Instrument separation is also very good on these, with enough air to pick out single bits in the recording.



Conclusion: Well for £61 you get a very comfortable, and good sounding headphone, the sound has a mild U sound signature, and the highs are not the most refined at slightly louder volumes, but for the asking price these are a very good headphone. You can slightly tune the sound with EQ, but even stock they have good bass impact and extension, detailed upper mids and well defined highs.

Sound Perfection Rating: 7/10 (lower mids a little recessed, but overall very enjoyable)

Firstly I would like to thank InearZ for kindly making these custom IEM's for me to review, I will try and write an honest review, these received over 50hrs of burn-in, no differences were noted.

Gear Used:
Dell XPS 15 > JDS Labs C5D > IE-P350
iPod Classic 7G > IE-P350







Accessories are the case talked about above, which is an excellent case, also included is an InearZ sticker and also a wax cleaning tool. I can't see them needing any extra accessories, all the essential are included.

Build quality, well they feel great, they are hard acrylic customs so there is always the possibility of them cracking or smashing if you drop them on hard ground, but if you are careful I cannot see any faults appearing. I got the recessed sockets on these, as I find they put less strain on the connector pins themselves, and the socket is very tight. Great when you are using them, but it is very difficult to detach the cable if you want to change it, but they do detach. The cable itself is flexible and soft, has good strain relief and should hold up well over time, it does have a section of memory wire that I find to be comfortable.




The finish of the shell is excellent, I can spot the odd air bubble, but they are very difficult to find and won't affect the longevity of the IEM's. The innards are all securely fit in place and glued, so no wires flexing to be broken. Overall they are well made, and with a little care I can see them lasting a long time. The carbon faceplate looks excellent, and the joining of the faceplate to the shell is very good, the InearZ logo also looks great, overall superb finish and plenty of customization options.





Comfort, Isolation and Cable Noise:
Well being a full shell custom IEM these are definitely more comfortable than universal IEM's, they may not be as flexible as silicone custom IEM's but I do not find the acrylic to cause any discomfort. The fit of these is spot on, first time round that is really good. I can move my mouth without the seal breaking, there is no pressure or discomfort. Also they sit nice and flush, which is great if you want to sleep with these in. The memory wire is not uncomfortable either, although I always prefer cables without memory wire.

Isolation is great, better than universal IEM's, even with comply tips, but silicone customs will isolate better. To be honest for most uses you will not need more isolation than these, they cut out a lot of background noise, and are great for commuting and also for regular flyers, even for stage use these would be fine.

Cable noise is not an issue, due to the cable going behind the ear.


Sound:
Split in to the usual categories with a conclusion at the end.

Lows: The lows on these are full and warm, they give great body to the sound without sounding muddy. They do warm the mids a little giving a tad extra body but this is not a negative thing, if you are using these out and about in noisy environments the lows disappear first so the little extra body means you never lose track of the beat. The lows also make these sound a little more natural, they don't sound clinical or thin. The lows extend nicely with sub-bass being audible with only slight roll off below 40Hz, so very good response, and also articulation. Also being balanced armatures the lows are very fast in attack and recovery, so they can keep up with whatever you throw at them.

Mids: The mids sit nicely in the middle of the sound of these, where they should be. Up front mids can be fun and engaging but also fatiguing, these are never fatiguing. They are slightly warmed up from the lows as stated, but this doesn't make them muddy, they are still very well separated, it just adds a little extra body. Both male and female vocals sound great, electric guitars have power and crunch, acoustic guitars have excellent tone and reverberation. All with excellent detail retrieval. They also don't suffer from sibilance, very smooth and sweet mids.

Highs: The highs sit a little behind the rest of the sound and give the overall sound a warm tone, but the highs do add some air and detail to the sound, extending nicely and not sounding metallic or tinny. They could use a little boost but to be honest for every day listening they are fine. They are accurate and present, they could just do with being slightly more up front. However I never find these to be fatiguing to listen to, and I can listen to these for hours easily.


Soundstage is good, it's not huge but there are definitely out of head experiences to be had.
Instrument separation is great, there is enough air to separate everything without sounding detached. These are fairly forgiving of bad sources, but they definitely benefit from FLAC over mp3 and also a good amp brings out a little more body in the sound.

Conclusion, I really like the smooth yet detailed sound of these, they lean towards the warmer side of sound, but never sound muddy or veiled. The mids cut through with great detail, the lows have extension and punch, with body that makes these a pleasure to listen to. You will never find these fatiguing to listen to, rather they are more relaxed, the highs could use a little boost, but this could lead to fatigue (also if you want that, EQ and cables can help in this regard). They may not be the most detailed, or the most fun IEM's to listen to, but what they do, they do very well, which is easy listening. I highly recommend these as an entry level custom IEM, that sounds great with all genres and is easy to listen to.

Also a little end note, InearZ are a pleasure to work with, excellent communication and fast turnaround, they can be found and contacted via social media very easily, and Matthew who does all the shells was quick to reply to my messages, and Kim the owner was very insightful about the driver configuration.


Sound Perfection Rating: 8/10 (easy to listen to, reasonably priced, great looking custom IEM's)

Production photos:

Effect Audio Ares II
UPOCC Litz Copper 26awg, 2.5mm balanced

https://www.effectaudio.com/upgrade-cables/iem-cables/iem-premium-series/ares-ii.html



Packaging, Build quality and Ergonomics:
The Ares II comes in an excellent littler white box, with the company logo on the front. The cable is carefully wound around a foam insert. The box is very simple but elegant, I like it.

The cable is very well built, as is to be expected from most custom cable companies. The 2.5mm balanced jack is sturdy, but there is no strain relief on that end. The cable has a tight round 4 core braid, a slim y-split but again no strain relief. You get a section of molded cable that acts as memory wire, without the metal insert, which is excellent and the 2-pin connectors look great. All the connectors and the y-split have the Effect audio label on them which is a nice touch, and the cable feels well built, even with the lack of strain relief.

Ergonomics are truly excellent, I thought the cable was going to be slightly stiff by the looks of it, but once it is in your hands it really is very supple, with an almost rubbery texture. This means cable noise is minimal, and it is a very comfortable cable to use. The memory wire is excellent as it doesn’t use the convention stiff piece of wire. Overall no ergonomic issues, it is possibly the most comfortable cable I have used.





Sound:
The Effect Ares II is really an excellent cable, it slight goes against the norm of a warm and lush sound for copper. It actually has quite a neutral sound with excellent impact and dynamics, but with a bit of added upper mid/lower treble presence. This really adds some extra air and sparkle to the sound of your IEM’s.

It almost sounds like a good silver plated cable, but without any lack of body, the lows are full and extend with ease, the mids are more natural and then the extra presence up top makes for a very fun listening experience.

Details are more prominent, but the soundstage is a little limited. This cable has the excellent properties of a good copper cable with good body and impact, but then it also adds more sparkle. It might not be the most natural sounding cable, or the most refined, but it really does bring some welcome changes.

Cables are all about synergy, and this cable would match a headphone that is neutral to slightly dark, as it adds some sparkle without taking away excellent bass response. For the asking price, this is possibly one of the best upgrade cables, if not the best.

Firstly I would like to thank Heygears for sending me this sample to review, as always I try to write honest reviews. These received over 50hrs of burn-in, no differences were noted.

Gear Used:
Audio Opus #1 > Anora



Tech Specs:
www.heygears.com
· Driver: Single Knowles Balanced Armature
· Sensitivity: 108.5±3dB
· Impedance: 46 ohms
· Frequency Response: 20-20kHz

Packaging, Build Quality and Accessories:
The Anora come in a very slim and simple box, there is a clear plastic window on the front showing off the IEM’s, and information and specs on the back of the box (mainly in Chinese). The inner tray is plastic and there is nothing luxurious about the packing, just plain and does the job.

The build quality is good overall, the 3D printed housing is very well crafted but I wish they had used a better cable. They have used a cable that is very similar to apples offerings, the strain relief is good, the microphone and playback controls feel fine but the overall cable feels cheap.

Included accessories again are lacking, you get a wax cleaning tool which is good, along with S, M and L single flange tips. No case and only one type of tips included.



Comfort, Isolation and Cable Noise:
These are well designed, and should fit most ears out there, unfortunately for me I have tiny odd shaped ears. I found the L side fit well and was comfortable but the top parts that keeps them secure put a little too much pressure and created a tender spot. The R side was a different story, the top part that is supposed to tuck into the Cymba just kept coming out and thus looking ridiculous. Again my ears are small and a bit odd, so I had fit issues, but a friend had none, it all depends on your ear shape. For me, not very comfortable, for my friend, he said they were very comfortable.

Isolation is very good, they use a single sealed balanced armature driver, even though the housing looks open they block out a good amount of outside noise.

Cable noise is present and a little bit of an issue, investing in a cable clip would be wise as these have no chin slider and can only be worn cable down.



Sound:
Split into the usual categories, with a conclusion at the end.

Lows: Being a single balanced armature, these handle lows very well, they don’t have the body or slam that some multiple driver or dynamic sets have, but they have speed and detail. Yes they are not up front, nor do they extend effortlessly, but nonetheless the lows that are there are very well controlled, and do have some body and kick to them. Not for bass heads, but for those who like a well controlled, and balanced low end these will be fine.

Mids: This tends to be where BA drivers come into their own, and these do not disappoint. The mids are forward, detailed but perhaps a little dry. There are no peaks, just a very linear mid range that fairs very well with both male and female vocals. I think the detail retrieval in the mids are their forte, and they really do bring the finer details up front to be easily audible.

Highs: The highs are not lacking either, with very good tone and extension. Heygears have managed to find a filter for this driver that simultaneously allows for an articulate and well bodied low end, a slightly forward mid range and a well defined but not fatiguing top end. Yes they are not as smooth and refined as higher price IEM’s, but at least they are not dark and boring.

Instrument separation is very good, everything is well separated, and the soundstage is fairly average with slightly better height than width.



Not a fair comparison, but similar in price are the Simgot EN700 Bass. The Simgot offer a fuller, more organic sound with more natural tonality. They are also better built and more comfortable. The Anora is leaner, quicker and more nimble, it offer better detail retrieval and a more reference like sound.

Conclusion: Unfortunately I have issues with the fit of these, I know that is personal so I will try not to hold it against Heygears. My issue is that the driver tuning is excellent, but they kind of ruined that by saying “we are going to make something new, exciting and odd looking”. The costs of making the exquisite housing, they could have put the driver into a housing like the Brainwavz B100 and sold it for a lot less and possibly had more success.

The housing as it is won’t fit everyone, and I do think it is a shame as they do sound very good. They may not have the best extension on either end, that is the limitation of many single BA driver models. But they do offer a highly resolving, nimble, detailed and balanced sound that is not lacking low end body. So a thumbs up for sound, but please sort out the weird housing, sometimes innovation can be a great thing, in the case of the Anora it has held it back.


Sound Perfection Rating: 5/10 (Great sound, just lacking everywhere else)