Introduction to the Audeze LCD-5 Review​

Audeze is one of those companies that you simply cannot dislike. Together with HiFiMAN they revolutionised the high-end headphones market marking the comeback of planar magnetic technology.
Ever since releasing the LCD-2 and LCD-3, they have been one of the most popular and beloved headphones manufacturers in the market. Known for their wonderful house sound, take-no-prisoners build quality, and excellent customer service, they gained a lot of fans and customers throughout the years.
After the huge success of the LCD-3 (I had 3 pairs during my life myself), Audeze released the LCD-4 around the year 2015. Just like its predecessors, it was a huge success for Audeze, marking the new TOTL headphones in the collection. It continued on the widely beloved sound characteristics that Audeze has been known for – dark, bassy, and powerful sounding.

We had to wait many years for the new Audeze flagship, but luckily, in 2021 the waiting was over, as they announced the brand-new LCD-5. The audiophile market was quite shocked, as the LCD-5 looked nothing like previous models. It looked smaller, and lighter, and gone were wooden cups, which have been one of the main characteristics of the LCD line flagships in the past.
It’s 2024 now, and I’m lucky enough to present my review of the Audeze LCD-5 to all of you. I spent a few months testing those, as they required a very detailed sound analysis for me to be ready to release this review. I feel it was worth the wait though, enjoy the read.

Packaging​

As I said in the introduction, a lot has changed with the release of the reviewed Audeze LCD-5, but not the unboxing experience in general. Just like previous models, the LCD-5 comes packed in a peli-style case that is incredibly secure and serves an actual purpose after unboxing your new Audeze LCD-5.
You see, display cases and wooden boxes are cool when you unbox the product for the first time, but after that, it just lands in your wardrobe and you won’t really use it anymore. If you want to take your new headphones with you, you have to get a transport case, spend money, worry if it’s gonna fit, etc.

Luckily, the tested Audeze LCD-5 continues on the trend of including a quality case that you can use for transportation of your brand-new precious pair of headphones. The box that comes with the LCD-5 is well-built, hard, and sturdy, nothing will happen to your headphones even if you drop it. At the same time, it looks nice and elegant with its all-black design, so this is basically a does-it-all type of packaging. I’m a big fan!



Inside the case, you’ll find your new Audeze LCD-5 (duh), a pair of cotton gloves, a certificate of authenticity, and a cable. As far as the cable goes, it’s a braided OCC copper cable that is just wonderful to use. Unlike many stock cables, I find absolutely no trouble with this one, as it’s comfortable to use and doesn’t get in the way. Also, I’m very happy that Audeze went with a classic copper conductor, no hybrids or silver plating. Copper just sounds right and it doesn’t add an artificial edge to the treble, unlike many silver-plated cables that manufacturers include with their headphones.
Overall, I’m very pleased with the unboxing experience of the Audeze LCD-5. It leaves nothing to be desired, it feels premium and functional.

Design, Build and Comfort​

Diving into the build quality and design of the reviewed Audeze LCD-5, here we have big changes in comparison to their previous models.
First of all, the main goal of Audeze when building the LCD-5 was weight reduction. Audeze products have always been known for their significant weight, reaching 700g with their LCD-4 and LCD-XC. For me personally, it never was a big issue, as weight distribution is far more important than the weight itself, but I definitely see problems with the big weight of your products.
Having owned a few LCD-3s and LCD-XCs in the past, I got used to their goliath-level weight after a while and I was easily able to use them for extended periods of time. However, at first, it definitely was a problem for me as well, as I was forced to take breaks every hour or so.
So, after a lot of feedback from customers, Audeze has successfully reduced the weight of the reviewed LCD-5 to an incredibly impressive 420g (the LCD-4 was 690g!). This is a great result, but the first question that comes to mind is…does it sacrifice the build quality? Well, let’s look right into it.
I’m going for a bold statement right away, as I don’t want to keep you on your toes – The Audeze LCD-5 is built absolutely beautifully and there are no compromises in its build whatsoever.

The overall design of the reviewed LCD-5 is vastly different from what Audeze has offered in the past. First things first – it’s significantly smaller, as their previous flagships were quite big and bulky. Audeze LCD-5 is what I would describe as your average-sized headphones, and you definitely won’t look as ridiculous wearing them as we all did in the past with their previous models.
Wooden rings, which have been used by Audeze for many years are gone, and the tested LCD-5 now uses a material called acetate. It has many advantages over wood, and the most important ones are weight reduction and lack of maintenance. If you owned the LCD-3 for example, you know that these wooden rings crack. I had cracked LCD-3 myself, and I took a good care of them. Acetate won’t crack, it’s lighter, and it also looks good, so this is a clear upgrade, especially when it comes to functionality.
I know people like wood and I’ve seen complaints about this change, but I honestly think this is more than reasonable.



Another completely redesigned thing about the reviewed Audeze LCD-5 are earpads. In the past, all LCD-series headphones used earpads that were flat on the section that touched your head. The new earpads are sculpted, and the point of contact is significantly smaller. The new design helps reduce unwanted resonances and interior reflections. At the same time, the new shape makes it easier for your ears to fit inside the earpads and it’s more comfortable during long listening sessions. Also, the earpads are made of real leather, which is a rarity in the current market. The quality of the material is superb and very pleasant to the touch. The LCD-5 definitely has one of the best earpads on the market.
The headband is also a piece of art. It uses a suspension strap design with a carbon-fiber arch on top. Carbon fiber provides fantastic rigidity and very low weight, which is basically what you want from your headband. Also, you don’t have to worry about the headband snapping or losing its shape, even after years of everyday use. in all fairness, I don’t think I have to explain further, why carbon fiber is the best possible material for a headband.
Overall, the Audeze LCD-5 gives you an insane feeling with its overall build and design. It’s built perfectly, it feels great in your hands and on your head. There’s just something extraordinary to it, making it one of the most exciting headphones to hold and use on the planet right now.

Tech​

Reviewed Audeze LCD-5 is obviously an LCD series headphone, so of course it uses a planar-magnetic driver. The one you’ll find here has been re-engineered and improved compared to their previous models though.
To help you better understand the differences, let me start with describing what a planar-magnetic driver actually is. Planar magnetic drivers are known for their ability to deliver highly accurate sound reproduction with low distortion. In planar magnetic drivers, a thin diaphragm is suspended between magnets, and the audio signal is passed through the diaphragm, causing it to move and produce sound.

It is the leading technology for high-end headphones nowadays. It offers fantastic speed, clarity, and detail reproduction, but they are also known for not having the biggest bass impact. Dynamic driver headphones usually hit harder in bass frequencies, but they mostly don’t offer the level of clarity and speed.
Now let’s dive into what’s changed when compared to the drivers you can find in the LCD-4.
One of the key changes in the Audeze LCD-5 driver is the implementation of a nano-scale diaphragm. Audeze used this technology to create an ultra-thin diaphragm with unparalleled precision. This nano-scale diaphragm offers several advantages, including improved transient response, reduced distortion, and increased efficiency compared to the diaphragm found in the LCD-4.



Both the LCD-4 and reviewed LCD-5 feature Audeze’s patented Fluxor magnet array technology. However, in the LCD-5, this technology has been further refined and optimized for enhanced performance. The Fluxor magnet array consists of an array of powerful neodymium magnets strategically arranged to provide uniform magnetic flux density across the diaphragm, resulting in improved driver efficiency and sensitivity.
Another important thing is the magnet array. Historically, first planar headphones after the planar revolution were double-sided, then manufacturers started going for single-sided arrays mainly to reduce the weight of the drivers. The double-sided array allows for increased magnetic flux density and improved control over the diaphragm movement, resulting in greater accuracy and resolution in the audio reproduction.

Also, Both the LCD-4 and LCD-5 incorporate Fazor waveguides, which are proprietary components designed to control and improve the interaction of sound waves as they pass through the earcups. In the LCD-5, the Fazor waveguides have been further refined and optimized to work with the other advancements of the drivers.
All of this is supposed to give a technical edge to the LCD-5 over its predecessor, and I think Audeze definitely delivered. At the end of the day, it’s the sound that matters, not marketing information, so let me just get straight into the sound description.

Sound of the reviewed Audeze LCD-5​

I’m going to start this paragraph with something very important. You have to keep in mind, that if you’re a long-term fan of Audeze house sound, the LCD-5 is NOTHING like it. Gone is that legendary dark, smooth, and relaxed timbre that was known as the “Audeze” sound for about 10 years.
Ironically, the strongest point of both the LCD-3 and LCD-4 was their bass response, and I think that the bass is the weakest point of the LCD-5. Don’t get me wrong, it’s nothing remotely close to being “underperforming”, but you’ll get my point in if you’ll keep reading.
So, what kind of sound profile did Audeze go for with the LCD-5 you’d ask? I’d describe it as neutral with the biggest focus placed on the treble frequencies. It’s not a chill and relax headphone anymore, more of a hyper-detailed, lightning-fast tool to please audiophiles who look for that last percent of technical superiority in their equipment.

Let’s start with the bass. The biggest change here is the amount of low frequencies you’re getting, as Audeze has been known for a thick, big bass response for many years. Compared to LCD-3 and LCD-4, the new flagship is thin and speed-oriented in the bass department. I would actually say that it’s one of the bass-lightest high-end headphones currently available. Out of the TOTL headphones I have here, the LCD-5 is the lightest in the bass. However, light doesn’t mean bad, as the quality of the bass here is absolutely outstanding.
The detail, resolution, speed, and impact are all great on the Audeze LCD-5. It’s not the biggest impact, don’t get me wrong, but it’s very firm and satisfying regardless of the size. If the bass is supposed to hit hard and get very snappy, it does brilliantly with the LCD-5.
You can actually get used to the quantity of bass rather easily. At first, I was like “Oh this is waaaay too light for my preferences”, but after a few days, it started to sound just right. Right now I don’t feel like the bass is lacking at all, it’s just not in the center of attention. Yeah, if you like your bass big you won’t enjoy it without EQ, but the LCD-5 handles EQ like a champ, so it’s not a big issue in my opinion. The bass without EQ is just all about quality – the speed, resolution, different textures, and being able to change from soft to firm in a matter of milliseconds. This is a very impressive bass response that the more you listen to, the more impressed you’ll get.



The midrange is very natural, smooth, and hyper-detailed. It just feels tonally perfect to me, giving you a beautifully correct timbre and loads of resolution. The midrange is slightly forward in comparison to the rest of the frequency response, but I wouldn’t call the reviewed Audeze LCD-5 significantly midrange forward, mainly because of its treble response.
The amount of detail retrieval and resolution are both top-notch here, being one of the best in the market. While some competitors might sound more colored and “beautiful”, the Audeze LCD-5 gives you nothing but the truth, but it never overdoes it. In all that technical superiority, the LCD-5 never gets tiring or aggressive sounding, it’s a headphone that you can easily listen to for an entire day and not get tired or overfed with it. This is the aspect that is by far the most impressive about the midrange in my opinion. A lot of technicality-focused headphones just sound forced, too revealing, and aggressive. The LCD-5 is smooth like butter, but still insanely detailed, on the same level as the best of the best in the world.
Every single type of vocal and instrument sounds pleasing with the LCD-5. The combination of its excellent tonality with loads of resolution just works wonders. If you’ve ever heard the Sennheiser HD600, then you can kind of feel what I’m talking about. However, keep in mind that the LCD-5 is a FAR superior headphone to the HD600 in every single term, it’s just similar when it comes to tonality. The HD600 doesn’t come close when it comes to speed, detail, and resolution, as it should be considering the huge difference in price.

Now let’s talk about the treble, which is just exceptional. To be completely honest, the LCD-5 has the best treble response that I’ve ever heard from both dynamic and planar-magnetic headphones. Yes, big words, but I really mean them.
First things first, the Audeze LCD-5 has a perfect level of shine and texture. It’s a definition of the treble that is a lot, but not too much. I’m quite sensitive to treble, often feeling that a certain product is just a bit “too much” for me. The LCD-5 has a lot of treble, but it never ever goes over the line for me. The sibilance is non-existent, but the amount of details and air are both class-leading.
The overall technical aspect of the LCD-5’s treble is an absolute dream. This is the headphone to use if you want an ultimate insight into the recording, but not to the point when you feel you’re sacrificing other things. Guitar strings and female vocals sound exceptionally natural and insightful, with a significant crunch and shine to it. To be honest, it’s not easy to describe this treble response without going overboard with statements like “the best”, and “perfect”, as I actually feel both could describe it quite accurately. If you’re a treble-head and you’re looking for headphones in this price range, the LCD-5 is an obvious choice for you, and one that I would recommend without the slightest hesitation.

The soundstage of the reviewed Audeze LCD-5 is something that I would describe as natural, but not specifically “impressive”. It doesn’t have that huge concert hall effect, but this isn’t a bad thing specifically. Fans of huge soundstages have a lot of headphones to choose from, and the LCD-5 definitely isn’t one of them. The size alone here is rather moderate, and it further improves on that incredibly technical and detailed vibe you’re getting from this headphone.
What should you expect then? A soundstage that sounds correct, not too small, not too big. It suits the rest of the sound characteristics of the Audeze LCD-5 perfectly, as I feel like a huge staging wouldn’t fit this headphone. It definitely is a pro for those who want the maximum transparency and “as close to the recording as it gets” type of sound.

Comparisons​

HiFiMAN Susvara



Let’s start the comparisons with a bold move and compare the LCD-5 to the HiFiMAN Susvara, the current leader of our “Battle Of The Flagships” article, which means, in my opinion, this is the best headphone on the market right now, at least from those I tried for long enough.
While both the Susvara and the LCD-5 play in the same league, they are quite significantly different from each other. The Susvara is more relaxed, thicker sounding with a more flavored timbre. The LCD-5 on the other hand is all about that speed and transparency.
When it comes to detail retrieval, I would rate them very similarly. Both are exceptional when it comes to resolution and getting all the micro details from the mix. It doesn’t really get better than this. You’ll hear everything, whether you like it or not. Both are actually so detailed that I’m unable to listen to vinyl through them. All the little cracks are there, nothing is hidden, everything is exceptionally clear and forward. That level of detail retrieval makes the details pop, you don’t have to really focus to hear them all. They are all served to you on a silver plate, and they are a natural part of the overall sound you’re getting.
When it comes to tonality, the Susvara definitely has a bigger, thicker bass response. The LCD-5 is faster and snappier, but it lacks some weight in comparison. After using the Susvara for a long time, you will need some time to readjust to the bass of the LCD-5, as it will sound thin coming from the HiFiMAN flagship.
The midrange is again, thicker and more colored (in a good way) in Susvara, while the LCD-5 sounds more neutral and more technical-oriented. Because of this, the LCD-5 might sound a bit faster, but the Susvara is an incredibly fast-sounding headphone to begin with, so this is even more impressive.
The treble is quite simple. The Susvara has a beautiful-sounding treble that has a lot of detail and resolution, but as I already stated – the LCD-5 has the best treble response I’ve heard from a planar-magnetic headphone, so I’ll give an edge to the American flagship here. It’s just more prominent, even more exciting sounding and it offers a bit more when it comes to the absolute resolution.
Overall, both pairs are truly spectacular and it would be best to own both. Choose the Susvara if you’re more into a romantic type of sound, and choose the LCD-5 if you’re after an ultimate resolution and neutral tuning. Or just get two and forget about the world.

Meze Elite


Now we’ll take a look at two vastly different headphones. The Meze Elite is a master of enjoyment. This is a high-end headphone that is all about giving you fun, emotions, and just pure bliss.
On the other hand, the LCD-5 is all about that fast and detailed, neutral presentation, which is just something totally opposite. It’s not supposed to charm you with its color, rather than just give you all the truth there is in the recording.
Because of that, it’s really hard to pick the winner here. These two headphones are so vastly different and they are both exceptional at what they’re supposed to do.
Another thing is the build quality and design. They both are built fantastically and both are highly addicting when it comes to their overall presentation. These could be the two best-built headphones on the market, so again, it’s really hard to pick the winner.
What we can objectively rate though is the technical performance, such as detail retrieval and resolution. In this regard, the LCD-5 is clearly a superior headphone. It’s more insightful, faster, and more detailed. However, these were never the aspects that the Elite focused on.
So, picking up one of the two should come down to a question – what do you value the most? The Elite should be your pick if you want a colorful, relaxed, and super fun presentation. The LCD-5 is an obvious choice if you’re into detail, speed, and clarity. It’s that simple.

Final D8000 Pro


This comparison is more complicated since both headphones aim at a similar goal. Both the LCD-5 and the D8000 Pro are meant to be neutral, reference-grade headphones that value detail and speed the most.
However, there are levels to this game, and I think the LCD-5 is just a superior headphone when it comes to their strengths.
Both the D8000 Pro and the LCD-5 try to achieve the same thing, but the LCD-5 just does it better. It’s more detailed, faster, snappier, and more exciting sounding.
The build quality and comfort are both better on the LCD-5 as well. The D8000 Pro isn’t too comfortable, while the LCD-5 is easy for me to wear for hours without any issues.
The D8000 Pro is still a fantastic headphone, but I somewhat feel that the LCD-5 proved it could use an update if it is to keep up with the competition.

Pairings​

Feliks Envy + XI Audio K-DAC


I’m going to give you guys 3 pairings, but let me explain one thing at the very beginning. The LCD-5 might not be hard to drive, but it absolutely requires a very high-quality system. It’s not about the amount of power, but rather about the quality of the signal you’re pumping right into these.
Because the LCD-5 is so detailed and fast, it’ll show you every single shortcoming in your system. If you want to get the best results using them, you absolutely need to give them the best possible signal and power you are able to. Of course, you can easily use them with cheaper equipment and be happy with it.
It is until you plug them into some very serious equipment though, that they start sounding like a complete Summit-Fi headphone. In this instance, I used a setup consisting of the XI Audio K-DAC R2R DAC plugged into the Feliks Envy. It is a Summit-Fi, 300B tube amplifier by a Polish company called Feliks Audio. It is an absolute behemoth, with the price set at a whopping 7000 Euro.

When plugged into this system, the LCD-5 sounds ridiculously good, to the point where you simply cannot stop listening to music. It keeps you on your toes, gives you all the detail and resolution in the world, and a majestic frequency response.
Actually, this setup makes the LCD-5 a little bit more colored than it usually sounds, without compromising even a single percent of its raw technical capabilities. Because of that, the LCD-5 transforms into an even more impressive and enjoyable headphone that I could easily live with till the end of my days.
The Envy also has a lot of power, which the LCD-5 might not need, but it doesn’t hurt. That reserve of power gives it huge dynamics and great slam, and the sound as a whole doesn’t feel forced whatsoever.
This whole system is a definition of High-End audio, it does it all with such an elegance it’s just addicting. Definitely a setup worth its insane asking price.

EarMen Tradutto + EarMen CH-AMP


You don’t really need such a behemoth-level system for the LCD-5 to sound fantastically though. Take a look at the EarMen stack, which costs a fraction of the price of the Feliks Envy alone.
When plugged into this setup, the LCD-5 sounds exceptionally detailed, fast, and natural. The EarMen stack is easily capable of driving the LCD-5 and giving it the quality it requires to sound great. It’s not the last word, but it’s definitely enough for a lot of people.
This is important because you don’t need to buy a 10k USD setup to be able to get a great sound out of your new headphones. A system like this will be plenty enough to already get a very high quality of sound without needing a bank loan.
If you’ve got the money for it, sure, just go for the first system and call it a day, you’ll be set for decades. However, if you don’t have an unlimited money glitch, something like Earmen Tradutto + CH-AMP will also do the job.

Fiio M15S


And to continue on this topic even further, the Audeze LCD-5 sounds pretty good even from a DAP.
Once again, it’s not their full potential we’re talking about here, but it’s still an incredibly high quality. Rather than simply buying the LCD-5 to use with a DAP, I’m thinking more of a specific scenario, where you have a good stationary setup for them, but still want to listen to your new favorite headphones in bed or in your garden.
If you’d buy a HiFiMAN Susvara for example, you just aren’t driving them from a DAP, not a chance. It’s a different story with the LCD-5, which you can easily enjoy even from a mid-range DAP.

Audeze LCD-5 – summary​

The release of the Audeze LCD-5 was full of surprises. Audeze introduced a brand new design, and more importantly – a completely new sound philosophy, which shocked their most loyal customers.

However, with the LCD-5, Audeze introduced a never-seen-before quality when it comes to their headphones. The current flagship is an extremely well-performing headphone that sits among the best headphones in the world.
Excellent build quality meets the sound that is simply screaming High-End. And don’t even get me started on its godlike treble response.

Wildly recommended!


Big thanks to Ari and Audeze for providing us with the LCD-5 for this review. I wasn’t paid or asked to say anything good or bad about this product, all of the above is just my personal, unbiased opinion.

Introduction to the Fir Audio E12 Review​

The first time I came across Fir Audio was a few years ago – before I started reviewing gear – when I was looking for some cheapo wired in-ears, frustrated with faulty TWS solutions I had the misfortune of coming across. Of course, I watched some videos and read some reviews by my favorite reviewers out there, and while consuming some of their content, I stumbled across the venerable Fir M5s – back then I thought to myself: “2799 USD?! Who would pay that much for IEMs?!”. Ahh, old days. Now, a few years and a few pairs of IEMs later, experience has taught me, that I would be that crazy person. Dear kids, this is why you shouldn’t expect to get wiser as you get older…
While not my first encounter with Fir Audio, the first time I got to test their stuff for a longer time (about a month or two I believe) was when Paweł lent me Fir Audio’s Krypton 5 so I could make a video about them. That occurrence was crucial in shaping my taste in IEMs, as the Kr5 remains in my top 5 favorite IEMs of all time to this day. I was hugely impressed by Fir’s attention to detail and innovation-oriented approach – Kinetic Bass blew me away with the amount of fun I had while having a listen. The build quality left absolutely nothing to be desired, and it kinda felt like a small Bentley in your ears – that’s how impressed I was by the overall product quality displayed by the Kr5.
Before I received my pair of Fir Audio E12 to do the review, I decided to take a look at some promo materials to become familiar with what the pair was going to offer. You know, do some homework. One thing I came across was a video in which none other than Bogdan Belonozhko, the founder of Fir Audio, talks about how he’s never been so excited about a product release in his 13-year-long career. That, of course, got me excited as well. Being familiar with Fir Audio’s way of handling new solutions and technological advancements, I knew this would be something special.
After all, that’s the same way I felt about the Kinetic Bass feature on the Kr5. And I was surprised to learn that the flashiest and most marketable new feature under Fir Audio’s belt had to do with… aesthetics! Boy, I couldn’t wait to test the all-new SwapX tech out.
On another note, at the beginning of February, I took a trip to the north of Italy, to ski in the mountains of San Pellegrino. Of course, I took my e12 with me, as I need at least ONE good pair of IEMs wherever I go. One day, after receiving the overwhelmingly positive news – I’ve passed the last exam of that semester – I sat down on the patio in a small hotel in Moena, set my Balmoral Anejo XO Petit Robusto alight, plugged the e12 into my trusty old Luxury & Precision W2 and began the listening session while watching the sunset in a delightful orange and purple spectacle, melting over the serene mountains of San Pellegrino. I gazed upon the mountains right as the saxophone started its small rant in “Quarto de Hotel” by Hareton Salvanini. My soul started floating.
And just like that, I created a core memory using one of Fir’s creations. I’ll remember that moment until a social worker hits me with a “Sure you did grandpa, sure you did…” at a nursing home once I get very old. It was a great trip, even though I haven’t stumbled upon wild Gladiator Cables in the woods of northern Italy. I assure you, I’ve tried.

Packaging​

I was stoked to unbox those and give them a listen, but even despite my utmost excitement, I took some time to appreciate the unboxing experience. Once you remove the white sleeve with colorful e12 on it, you’re presented with a black box with a golden Fir Audio logo and some ornaments. it’s simple, yet elegant and classy. Seeing how many IEMs nowadays, no matter the budget, come with those pesky anime girls on the package, I can’t help but appreciate Fir Audio’s tasteful unboxing experience.
Inside the box, there’s an insert with the IEMs and a cable embedded into the foam. However, that wasn’t the only thing that caught my eye when opening the box. Somewhere inside was a FIR AUDIO SPACE FORCE patch! I love that addition, I haven’t experienced any other manufacturer doing that with their products. that’s genius – you can now WEAR Fir Audio merchandise! Wait…
Another important gadget in the box is of course the case for your IEMs. It’s a round, black leather case, with another foam insert inside – this time it houses your tips, silicone, and foam, as well as some tools – a cleaning tool and a silicone plunger-like device intended for use with the SwapX technology, which I’ll gladly talk about later on. The case can fit all your accessories while also being able to house your IEMs, which is great. I believe this type of case is a usual solution for Fir Audio – if you’ve handled their IEMs before, you’ll know what I’m talking about.
It’s not as sturdy of an option as Craft Ears’ legendary pelican case (I don’t think they can be beaten at this point when it comes to rigidity) but it’s more eye-pleasing, and it’s still a very convenient and safe option. Not once have I feared the case opening by itself or my IEMs being damaged in transit while traveling to Italy. Overall – props to Fir Audio for finding a great balance between IEM safety and sleek design.

Build, Comfort and Tech​

The build quality is not dissimilar to higher-end Fir Audio products – the aluminum shells are lightweight and well-fitted, inspiring confidence in the product and making a great first impression on a new user. I, having dealt with Fir’s build quality before, wasn’t surprised by the state of the craftsmanship displayed on the Fir e12, and it’s one of those instances where it’s pleasant not to be surprised. I haven’t heard of an instance where Fir Audio would disappoint with its build, and e12 is no standout. In terms of looks, the design is pretty straightforward, with no inscriptions or multi-color multi-material action going on, apart from the faceplates of course.
It’s just a well-made solid aluminum shell, clean and simple. The nozzles are quite long though, at least longer than those found on the Svanar. Bear that in mind. The quality feel is not exclusive to the IEMs themselves, however, since the included cable is also of amazing build, I feel like it is an improvement over what we got to see paired with the Kr5. The materials listed on the product page at Fir’s website declare that the 8-braid cable is made of pure oxygen-free silver, with copper shielding.
Usually, I find myself inclined to immediately make an upgrade when it comes to stock cables (I guess that’s just what Hifiman got me used to…), but this time I felt no such need, and I’m 100% happy with the current cable situation at Fir audio. The one I received with my e12 features a 4.4mm plug, with 2-pin connectors of course.
A feature of the Electron series that highlights both the company’s desire for innovation and the amazing build quality is the all-new SwapX solution. It allows you to swap your e12’s faceplates easily, all thanks to the use of magnets. Being presented with this solution initially was the first time I felt so excited about magnets, in a somewhat similar fashion to Jesse Pinkman in that one Breaking Bad episode with the garbage dump. Making use of said solution is very easy too, thanks to the inclusion of the aforementioned plunger-like device. You just stick it on the faceplate and pull it out of the IEM.
With the pair of reviewed Fir Audio e12, I have also received an extra pair of faceplates with a design differing from the stock ones, all packed into a small transparent case, doubling down on the unboxing experience. At first, I was quite skeptical about how this solution would work, longevity-wise. Won’t the faceplates come loose with extended use?
Won’t they fall out of my IEMs? Over time, however, I have rid myself of all those concerns, as SwapX proved to be a simple and effective solution, scoring a whopping 11/10 on aesthetics in my book. It turns the reviewed Fir Audio e12 from a cool-looking piece of headgear into a conversation piece, receiving several intrigued “Huh?” and “What?” from my friends, with just as many “That’s so cool!” sprinkled in.
If you know my reviews, you’ll know how high I usually put functionality on my priorities list – I’m glad to say I’m very impressed by Fir’s ingenuity. There’s another reason why I think this solution is genius – if you’re anything like me, you would have trouble deciding on which faceplates to pick, or, god forbid, what custom IEM design you should go with. Well, now it’s way easier to make a decision since you can swap the faceplates to your heart’s content. Now you just have to decide which faceplates to get. Oops…

The technological advancements don’t end there, however. Each time a new line of products is presented by Fir Audio, it seems to carry a number of new solutions with it. To me, the most interesting of the bunch is Tactile Bass. Basically, it’s supposed to make use of the entire shell to reproduce the bass response in your Fir e12. And tactile it is indeed, but I’ll take on the subject again once we reach the “bass” section of the review. Another piece of tech that’s proprietary to Fir Audio’s IEMs is ATOM Venting – short for Air Transferring Open Module – making its return after being featured once again, last time on Radon 6, and on the Frontier series before that.
The module’s main role is pressure relief, which is supposed to help with expanding the soundstage, as well as reducing listening fatigue. I’ll mention the soundstage later on, but listening fatigue is indeed non-existent in Fir e12, perhaps partially thanks to the venting system, and partially due to a natural sound signature perfect for prolonged, easy listening. A less flamboyant, yet equally as important, is the focus on serviceability. That seems to be one of the focal points behind the way the e12 is constructed, its purpose being to shorten the repair time as much as possible.
That feature seems to be supposed to cater more towards professional users than avid audiophiles such as yours truly, as it is crucial to have your equipment working before a show or a set. And though I wouldn’t be able to shake the feeling of something being missing if something happened to my e12, my livelihood would surely not be at stake.
The comfort of those is great. One of the main reasons why, for me, personally, is the insertion depth. While something like Craft Ears Omnium threads the line between quite deep and uncomfortable for me, Fir Audio e12 has the perfect insertion depth – deep enough for noise isolation to not be an issue, yet still not deep enough to cause me discomfort. If your preferences are similar to mine, and both of us appreciate a more shallow insertion on an IEM, reviewed Fir Audio e12 is a great match. Another major contributor to alleviation of listening fatigue is of course the tip selection.
Fir Audio includes a range of sizes of both silicone and foam tips, so variety is pretty good there. Whenever I test IEMs, I try to make the experience as relatable to the user as possible, so instead of finding an exotic ear tip that not all people use, I chose to do the testing using the stock tips provided. The size that suited me the best was the medium size of the foam variety. For reference, I use the M size of Final Audio Type E, and the tested Fir Audio e12’s foams fit me just right – I didn’t even need to squeeze the foams before insertion, yet they still managed to provide a fun, yet clear sound. When pairing your e12 with your favorite kind of tips, please keep in mind that the nozzle may end up being quite long in your experience, as it is surely longer than that on something like the Svanar.

Sound of the reviewed Fir Audio E12​

Fir Audio’s focus on comfort and ease of listening in the case of the reviewed e12 does not end with the ATOM Venting technology. That kind of approach is evident in the sound as well. The e12 focuses on a laid-back, slightly warm, and bassy approach to sound, without leaving technical aspects like detail and dynamics behind.
While it does not provide the most open and snappy presentation achievable, it is no slouch when it comes to a satisfyingly high technical level of reproduction, all served with a not-so-little side of fun and engagement. Overall, the sound of the Fir e12 solidifies the impression that it is a device geared for comfort first and foremost – you can sense it when you try out the SwapX function, when you fit them in your ear, and finally – when your first listening session comes to life.
Another aspect that is worth a discourse is the debate about whether heightened driver count enhances the listening experience. Softears Twilight, Hifiman Svanar, and finally, the e12, show that that statement is not necessarily true, while doing so at different price points. I feel like the potential of a single dynamic driver is utilized very well here – the Fir Audio e12 presents a kind of sound that doesn’t make me question whether or not a few additional balanced armatures or an electrostatic driver or two would make the listening session more enjoyable.
I have taken the reviewed Fir Audio e12 as it is, and I have enjoyed it, without ever asking myself what should be changed. If you’ve read my review this far, you already know that when it comes to technology, the e12 is already impressive. No need to complicate things by increasing the driver count.

BASS
The bass of tested Fir Audio e12 is probably the most in-your-face and fun aspect of the sound that these have to offer. The tactility of the bass, combined with its ability to reach the lowest registries is exactly as advertised on the “Tactile Bass” section of the product page. The most notable example was the last time I listened to the e12, and “Mr. Rager” by the one and only Kid Cudi came on. I was reading through some homework with the e12 in my ears, and the depth of the bass that these IEMs have reached during the very low bass note concluding the first minute of the song scared me for a second. It’s like the Fir Audio e12 makes the listener use more than 2 of their ears – the rumble is so strong, it feels like it’s penetrating your skull all the way to the inner ear.
Apart from the capability of low, texturous, nearly tectonic sub-bass, the low registries shine with their punch and dynamics. One thing to keep in mind though – the presentation is not razor sharp like it was with Omnium and Svanar. This time, however, we are presented with a bass response that, once again, seems geared towards easy listening – it is softer than the aforementioned models. Yet, it doesn’t lack a visceral punch or high-performing texture. One of the more aggressive tracks in my roster is “Satan” by Raydar. I don’t think it’s possible to do justice to those thunderous bass hits and low synths without a very capable bass response, and the e12 does very well in that regard.
Another thing about the bass – it seems to me that another one of its strengths lies within its versatility. Indeed, it’s very strong, but it comes to their advantage 99% of the time. If one day you decide that it’s time for something more relaxing than a track that could be another one of Hotline Miami’s staple soundtrack pieces, Fir e12 won’t disappoint you either. Dire Straits’ beautiful “Brothers in Arms” song is a great example of how a quite bassy Fir e12 can still provide a tasteful reproduction of the lowest registries, without the whole spectacle falling apart, even in a more serene, cogitative piece of music.


MIDS
The best thing about the mids when it comes to the Fir e12 is how natural, smooth, and seemingly effortless the presentation is. One of the first tracks that comes to mind is the immortal classic – “Stumblin’ in” as performed by Chris Norman and Suzi Quatro. I won’t get tired of this song, no matter how many terrible house remixes of it I come across while the radio is on.
The tandem of the higher-pitched female voice of Suzi, and Chris’ lower, more raspy vocals, together with a dash of strings make for a layered sequence that requires some amazing separation from the Fir Audio e12’s electro-dynamic driver. And that’s exactly what the reviewed IEM provides – the presentation is very tidy, allowing each part of the song’s arrangement to shine on its own. All in a natural, lush, and realistic way, without even the slightest hint of artificiality in the mix.
“Without You”, a ballad originally released by Badfinger, dubbed by Paul McCartney as “the killer song of all time”, has its dramatic qualities especially heightened with Harry Nilsson’s haunting performance. The best thing about listening to it on Fir Audio e12 is how, despite being a quite bassy IEM without a special focus on the high registries, it reproduces the highest notes of Nilsson’s vocals in a beautiful, realistic fashion.
Some might be inclined to believe that when it comes to mids in a bassy headphone or an IEM, the lower part of the midrange would be the one to look out for, with the upper mids being behind, even lacking in some cases. That kind of an issue doesn’t exist within reviewed Fir Audio e12’s performance. It’s capable of reproducing great midrange no matter its nuances, period. That also confirms how well-controlled the bass is – the level of control amidst its quantity and scale is impressive and doesn’t take away from other frequencies.

TREBLE
The treble in Fir Audio e12’s sound signature seems to be the least prominent aspect of the sound, however, it’s quite evident that Fir Audio decided to leave no loose ends when tuning the IEMs, as it is still on a high level of technical performance. The tuning of the highest registries is far from an afterthought, highlighted by musical pieces with prominent hi-hats and cymbals. Take “For Whom The Bell Tolls” by Metallica for example. The cymbals and hi-hats work almost like a metronome for the menacing guitars and thundering kick-drums, and despite not showing the treble much emphasis, Fir Audio e12 reproduces them with the right amount of authority for them to not get lost among the bassy background.
That’s exactly when the treble’s dynamics shine the most, and let the listener know that a high level of technical performance is not limited to the punchy bass – Fir e12 is consistent with its high performance from the lowest to the highest registries. Another great example occurs when listening to something fast-paced, like “Keep Your Eyes Peeled” by ULTRA SUNN. A lack of a decisive treble performance would keep this song’s potential at bay. Sure would be a shame, because it’s a good one.
If you want to experience how the Fir Audio e12 deals with something like high-pitched violins, look no further than Henry Mancini’s “Theme from Love Story”. When the violins all come together for an enthralling, almost overwhelming performance, with the highest notes on full display, you will come to notice that there is a complete lack of harshness in the treble. It’s a pretty challenging piece of music – reproducing it without a hint of harshness is not something that every IEM can do. The e12 can, though. It’s a great example of how the lesser emphasis on the treble may present itself as an advantage in certain situations when the violins and vocals strike the eardrum the hardest.

SOUNDSTAGE
The soundstage of Fir e12 doesn’t present itself as the most spacious – while the overall scale of the sounds is quite amazing, the width of the stage won’t knock you out of your shoes. The limited space is utilized to the fullest, however. Fir e12 takes the given real estate and uses it to highlight aspects of sound such as realistic imaging, a decent amount of air, and a huge scale. As I’m writing this section of the review, a live performance of “Land of Confusion” by Genesis is playing.
The applause of the fans is very clearly separated from the instruments, which, thanks to their realistic presentation, can easily be discerned on the stage. Here’s where the scale comes into play as well – Phil Collins’ voice seems huge and powerful, grabbing the whole performance by the collar and establishing his position.
There are situations, however, where the low notes are so immersive that the separation loses some of its proficiency. Whether you like that or not is up to you, but I feel like it does some kinds of music more justice than a huge, separated presentation would. Here’s a positive example – if you like listening to your electronic music live, a Boiler Room performance for example, the realism of the imaging and the stage makes for a fun listening experience – like you’re thrown into the middle of the crowd, while simultaneously being right next to the speaker. However, if you’re into something orchestral that requires some huge staging with the clearest separation and air – you may want to consider turning that Boiler Room back on.

Comparisons​

HiFiMAN Svanar


This comparison seems fair to me, as both Svanar and Fir Audio e12 seem like quite a similar duo in many aspects – both are around two thousand dollars, both entail a single dynamic driver, hell, even the materials used are not dissimilar.
Overall, as a product, I must admit that I like the product presentation and the overall package more on the e12. It provides higher-quality accessories, offers a very clever and efficient customization option, and the cable is miles ahead of that provided by Hifiman Svanar’s package. Comfort-wise, they trade blows – some will prefer the sculpted shape of the Svanar, and some will find themselves fond of e12’s simple and universal shape. Both have a pretty shallow insertion, which I love.
How about the sound? That’s the aspect where the differences are the most evident. Starting with the bass, both present a cutting-edge level of dynamics and extension, and don’t even get me started on that texture. Which one you like more in that regard will mostly depend on your preference for bass presentation. If you’re more inclined towards snappy and fast bass hits as heard on Hifiman’s latest flagship in-ear, go with that. If, however, you enjoy a softer, more relaxed, yet not at all less powerful low registries, e12 won’t disappoint.
In terms of mids, I find the Svanar to be slightly warmer and more musical, with the Fir Audio e12 balancing the mids with the rest of the frequencies very well. The e12 creates a coherent and balanced picture, not without its magic and musicality, however, the Svanar allows the mids to shine a slight bit more, perhaps due to its overall presentation feeling a bit brighter, with a slightly lesser focus on the bass. Both midrange presentations can be labeled as natural, realistic, and lush. Moreover, both contenders show a certain level of versatility in their presentation – the mids are pleasant no matter the musical circumstance.
When it comes to the treble, both models are very dynamic and detailed, overall presenting a very high technical level. In terms of the presentation, the Svanar seems, as mentioned before, brighter to my ears. The e12 however seems to aim for something else – the higher registries are wonderfully balanced, cooperating with the rest of the sound signature like clockwork. Like Bonnie and Clyde. Davis and Coltrane. PB & J. You get the point… The treble is not too airy and bright, but it’s smooth, dynamic, and very detailed. It lends itself to an overall sound presentation that is cohesive, without anything seemingly out of place, or unnecessarily accentuated.
As you know by now, the soundstage of the Fir e12, while not exactly congested, is a bit less spacious than the one found on the Svanar. The versatility and overall capabilities of Svanar’s grandiose staging are most welcome no matter the genre, but it doesn’t make the e12 seem like you’re listening to music in a coffin. Both contenders present a high level of separation paired with imaging capabilities that just make their sound signatures make sense.
Overall, both are excellent picks, trading blows in many aspects of the sound, both as listening devices, and overall, as products. If you’re forced to pick between the two, then I hope you know what you like – otherwise, the choice may not be easy for you.

Fir Audio E12 – summary​

Fir Audio did it again – it’s not the first time that we have been presented with a fun product, entailing new technologies and solutions, all geared to enhance user experience. And not in a gimmicky way either – they bring real improvements to the table, solidifying Fir Audio’s name as one of the leaders in terms of innovation and variety. Everything about Fir Audio e12 lets you know you’re dealing with a premium product, whether it’s the unboxing, handling the IEMs, or making use of included accessories.

The inclusion of something equally as simple as it is brilliant – the SwapX technology – has truly swayed me and made a lasting great first impression. It makes me wonder what’s next for Fir Audio and their future models, and what’s in store for us, audiophiles, in terms of customization of our products, at least when it comes to things we can uninvasively alter at home – like the faceplates, thanks to the SwapX technology.
Fir Audio e12 is another great proof of how you don’t need a multitude of drivers to make a great sounding in-ear. Its single dynamic driver handles all kinds of music with grace, presenting them in a more or less appropriate, yet always fun manner. The sound signature may leave something to be desired for lovers of the most spacious sound, or a leaner bass reproduction, however, enthusiasts of heightened quantities of bass with a more intimate yet grand presentation will be overjoyed to test this one out. Whichever of these categories you identify with, I encourage you to give this one a try.

Recommended!

Big thanks to Fir Audio for providing us with the E12 for this review. I wasn’t paid or asked to say anything good or bad about this product, all of the above is just my personal, unbiased opinion.

Campfire Audio Fathom​

The Campfire Audio Fathom is the newest release from the American IEM legend. It uses 6 balanced-armature drivers and it's priced at $1049.

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Introduction to the Campfire Audio Fathom Review​

Campfire Audio is one of those companies that have been featured on Ear Fidelity the most throughout the years. Because of that, I believe that this company doesn’t need any introduction in this review. Let me just focus on the most essential aspects here.
Campfire Audio was founded in 2015 by Ken Ball. They gained enormous recognition ever since releasing their legendary Andromeda. Since then, the Andromeda and their Solaris both have been released in multiple versions.
Last year they released an Andromeda Emerald Sea and Solaris Stellar Horizon, both of which have been reviewed at Ear Fidelity in 2023. Not long ago they also presented the Orbit, which is their first TWS release to date.
Today we’re taking a look at the newest model, the Fathom. It continues the design language that is present in the Andromeda Emerald Sea, at least when it comes to the shape and materials used.
It is promised to be a neutral, reference-like tuned IEM that will please audiophiles, giving them great technical performance and universal tuning. Let’s dive right into it and see if this new release should be on your buying list.

Packaging​

I received the Campfire Audio Fathom weeks before the official announcement, and I got just the IEMs with accessories. This means that I don’t have the original box in my hand, so I cannot give you my impressions on the unboxing experience in this review.
I did get all the accessories though, so I can definitely give you my 2 cents about those.
First of all, you’ll get two Time Stream Cables – terminated to 3.5mm and 4.4mm. Gone is a 2.5mm cable included in the box, and this is a good move, As I stated in my Solaris Stellar Horizon review, this is such a niche termination nowadays, that there’s no point in including it and increasing the price of the product.
Apart from the cables, you’ll get two cases. The main case is a Handmade Leather ‘Dimensional Folding’ Case. It’s definitely a quality addition, but again – this case is not really functional. I’d much rather have a hard case that most manufacturers use. It protects your IEMs a lot more. The leather folding case of the Fathom is enough to store your IEMs in when you’re at home, but I wouldn’t trust it when tossing it into a backpack or a suitcase. Because of that, even though it’s a good quality accessory, I don’t see it serving the purpose it’s supposed to.
Another case is a mesh-type case with a zipper, that you can actually wear like a shoulder bag. It’s semi-transparent though, and the protective aspect is rather poor. Again, a cool, well-made piece of accessory that I don’t really see a purpose for. Companies like Fir Audio include high-quality, leather cases that are very protective and you don’t have to worry about your IEMs after tossing them into your bag. I wish Campfire Audio went with a more functional approach with their accessories.
Lastly, you’ll be getting both silicone and foam eartips. A lot of people enjoy Campfire Audio foam tips, so it’s nice that they continue to provide them with their IEMs. As usual, though, I’m using those with Comply foam tips, which have been my favorite for many, many years now.

Design, Build and Comfort​

Reviewed Campfire Audio Fathom shares the shape and overall design language with the newest Andromeda, the Emerald Sea. It’s made of machined aluminum shells that are anodized in black. The surface is completely smooth to the touch, and all the edges are machined to perfection.
This is one of those things that have been criticized in the previous versions of the Andromeda. People usually complained about the edges being a bit on the sharp side, resulting in somewhat mediocre comfort. The new shell that is present in the Fathom is much more comfortable and forgiving. These IEMs fit me perfectly, and I’m easily able to listen to them for hours with no fatigue whatsoever. The Fathom is also rather lightweight, which further improves the comfort.
Another comfortable aspect of the tested Campfire Audio Fathom is the Time Stream cable. It is a flat-design cable that is very comfortable and doesn’t get in the way. As always, the cables are terminated in MMCX, which is my favorite type of connector for an IEM. Additionally, Campfire Audio has been using the best MMCX sockets and plugs in the business for years now, and I never ever had a single problem with those.
Another thing is the design. The Campfire Audio Fathom is an interesting case, as it’s mainly black, but it has those rainbow PVD fasteners that add depth and uniqueness to the entire deisng of the IEM. They do have that purple tint to them, and they look truly stunning in daylight. I really like this approach, as the Fathom looks stealthy and minimalistic at first, but it has those accents that make it more interesting to the eye.
Overall, Campfire Audio has proven throughout the years that its IEMs are beautifully crafted and very durable. It’s the same with the newest Fathom, which is a very good thing in my opinion.

Tech​

Campfire Audio is one of those companies that don’t seem to follow trends within the IEMs market. We have had Bone Conductor and EST drivers for years now, but Campfire Audio only offers Dynamic and Armature drivers.
The newest Fathom uses 6 custom-made BA drivers per site, which is 1 more than their legendary Andromeda. Balanced armatures don’t usually have the impact and thickness of a good dynamic driver, not even mention Bone Conduction technology. At the same time, It’s been proven many times that with good tuning, a BA-only setup is just as competitive as all those crazy driver configurations.
At the end of the day, it’s the sound that matters, not what makes it. Campfire Audio seems to really understand this.
The Time Stream cable features 8 silver-plated copper conductors in a ribbon configuration. It is a very good stock cable, both comfortable and good sounding. I don’t believe you’ll need an upgrade anytime soon when you pull the trigger here.

Sound of the reviewed Campfire Audio Fathom​

Reviewed Campfire Audio Fathom is said to provide a “detailed presentation with just the right touch of mid-band warmth that elevates vocal performance and offers a glowing musical experience.”. This is actually a very correct summary of how this IEM sounds.
I would describe tested CFA Fathom as a combination of warm-bright. It gives you a very nice weight to the music, especially in the midrange, and the treble is sparkly and highly detailed. Let’s get right into our usual style, and describe every aspect separately.

The bass is impressive, especially for an all-BA IEM. It has a good attack, it’s firm, well-controlled and it’s never lacking. I’d go as far as saying that this is probably the most impressive bass from a BA-only IEM that I’ve heard in a long time. I like my bass thick, and while it’s nothing compared to the GOATs like Fir Audio Krypton 5, this is a very nice combination of technicalities and pure pleasure in this department.
This kind of bass works with basically all music genres. Tech Noir by Gunship has a good bass presence, but it’s a fast and snappy bass response, and the Fathom delivers just that. Some classic rock records like the legendary The Wall by Pink Floyd are not built around the bass, but they surely need it to shine. Reviewed Campfire Audio Fathom offers a fast and firm bass response that has great detail retrieval, which just suits this kind of music perfectly as well.
This is definitely not your typical basshead IEM though. It’s still BA, so the bass is not huge and insanely impactful, but at the same time, it’s very satisfying, especially in this price range. This is a fantastic IEM if you’re really into kick drums, as these sound spectacular on the Fathom. Physical, fast, controlled, with just the round amount of body and presence. I didn’t expect this level of bass performance from a Balanced Armature only IEM. Nice.


The midrange is tilting towards warmth, it’s smooth and rather delicate. This gives you an intimate and emotional approach to vocals. It goes well with a fast and tactile bass and sparkly treble, creating a sort of balance that compliments the rest of the frequency response.
If you’ve been reading my reviews for a while, you probably know that I’m an absolute SUCKER for this kind of midrange presentation. I like my midrange smooth, thick, and romantic. This is the reason why I loved the Solaris 2020 so much. Campfire Audio Fathom is not as beautiful in the midrange as the Solaris 2020, but it also has great qualities, just not to such an extent.
The overall midrange presentation is rather soft and warm, so keep that in mind if that’s not your preference. Take note though that this character doesn’t influence the technical aspects of the sound, as the midrange here is detailed and has a very good resolution as well. Don’t expect a slow and dull sound, as it’s definitely not it.

The treble is quite sparkly and detail-oriented. It is not the brighter side so expect a lot of air and information in your music while listening to the Fathom. For me personally, it goes a little bit too much on very rare occasions, but I’m highly sensitive to it, so you probably shouldn’t worry.
It actually goes well with the rest of the frequency response. It adds that touch of excitement that compliments a rather soft midrange perfectly. Because of that, the reviewed Campfire Audio Fathom certainly entertains a lot, and it’s definitely not a boring IEM.
When listening to the Crystalline by Midnight, the saxophone sounds incredibly forward and its timbre is absolutely spot-on. Well, this song is an absolute banger, no matter what are you listening to it on, but the Fathom really does a great job at making it even better.

The soundstage is wide and deep and it offers a good separation. The imaging is very accurate and the staging has that feeling of openness, which further elevates that focus on entertaining yet technical sound performance.
The size of the soundstage is not enormous, but I would definitely call it a natural size. It does the job with every music genre, but don’t expect something out of this world. The soundstage is very good – everything you should expect from an IEM from this price bracket.

Comparisons​

Campfire Audio Solaris Stellar Horizon


This comparison isn’t entirely fair, as the Solaris Stellar Horizon is way pricier, but let’s do it anyway. They definitely serve a different purpose, and both are targetted towards different types of audiophiles.
The Solaris is much more neutral, and open-sounding and it has a more impactful bass after all. It will appeal more to a universal approach type of people who value a neutral tone and an absolute focus on the technical aspects of the sound.
The Fathom on the other hand is more relaxed in the midrange and brighter on top, which makes it a more entertaining type of listen that is focused more on being unique than to always be as accurate as possible.
Because of all of this, the Solaris Stellar Horizon is also a better IEM when it comes to detail, resolution, and the overall speed of the sound. No wonder, since it costs more than 2 times more, but it’s not always the case obviously.
To sum it up as easily as possible – go for the Solaris Stellar Horizon if you’re after a neutral, highly detailed type of presentation, and obviously if you can afford it. If you’re more into a unique type of sound that focuses more on emotions, the Fathom is a wonderful alternative for a fraction of the price.

Campfire Audio Supermoon

This is somewhat of a similar story to the first comparison but to an even greater extent. The Supermoon is a hyper-detailed oriented IEM that has basically zero warmth to it. It’s all about that detail, fast transients, and unlimited resolution.
The biggest difference is that I’m sure the Supermoon will be too much for many people, while the Fathom is very easy to enjoy and like. I personally enjoy the Fathom a lot more, as it’s more of my type of sound, and it’s not as unforgiving as the Supermoon.
However, if you’re a detail-chaser and all you care about is a fast, neutral sound, the Supermoon is very hard to beat in its price category. If you tried it and it was too much for you, the Fathom might actually be the answer. It’s more forgiving, more universal, has that nice smoothness to the midrange, and a nice, impactful bass.
Pick your poison I suppose. They’re too different to call one superior here.

Campfire Audio Bonneville

Now we have two IEMs that are focused on sounding engaging. The Bonneville though is a rather dark and dynamic sounding IEM with fantastic bass response. On the other hand, the reviewed Campfire Audio Fathom is brighter, not as dynamic, and offers a more chill midrange performance.
The Bonneville is a more extreme-sounding IEM of the two, it’s not even a contest. It has that ability to take you dancing and forget about the world. The Fathom on the other hand is more like a soothing, warm blanket on a winter evening, with a little bit of spice to make things a little bit more exciting.
I really like the approach of Campfire Audio with their latest releases – each offers a significant set of strengths that just go incredibly well with different things.

Unique Melody MEXT

Those two are vastly different from each other, each having a completely different type of approach to the sound.
Before that, however, I would like to focus on the build quality first. While the MEXT is built well and very comfortable, the sheer quality of the Fathom is just way higher, no questions asked.
When it comes to sound, the MEXT is a very thick, bassy type of animal. The Fathom is way more natural and effortless sounding, also being significantly more universal when it comes to music and equipment pairing.
I would also give a technical edge to the Fathom, as it provides better detail retrieval and a more airy presentation, not being as condensed as the MEXT.
However, if you like your sound very powerful, thick, and loaded with bass, the MEXT might be the better choice for you, regardless of its compromises.

Campfire Audio Fathom – summary​

The Campfire Audio Fathom is a spiritual successor to the pre-ES Andromeda. It is now the most universal offering from the brand.
Considering its beautiful design and build quality, married with a sound that is engaging yet polished and easy to listen to, the Fathom has everything it takes to become the new bestseller from CFA.

The price surprised me in a very good way, as I do believe the Fathom is very reasonably priced, considering its level of performance and craftsmanship. It’s really hard not to recommend these. Good job Campfire Audio!


Big thanks to Campfire Audio for providing us with the Fathom for this review. I wasn’t paid or asked to say anything good or bad about this product, all of the above is just my personal, unbiased opinion.

HEDDphone Two​

The HEDDphone TWO is a successor to a highly popular HEDDphone ONE. It uses a full-range AMT driver and it's priced at $1999.

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Introduction to the HEDDphone Two Review​

HEDD Audio is a German company that specializes in manufacturing studio monitors, and more recently – also headphones. After releasing their HEDDphone One model they gained some well-deserved recognition among headphones audiophiles.
This was by no means a perfect product, but it was like a breeze of fresh air among flagship headphones in recent years. Most of the current TOTL offerings are based on planar-magnetic drivers, with some exceptions such as electrostatic, ribbon, and dynamic drivers.
However, HEDD Audio introduced yet another driver technology – a full-range AMT driver. The Original HEDDphone offered a truly unique approach to sound reproduction. It just sounded like nothing else on the market, and its timbre just suited me fantastically.
As I said though, it wasn’t perfect. The main issue of the HEDDphone was its comfort, mainly due to its behemoth-level weight and the lack of both good weight distribution and suspension strap headband.

This all resulted in a headphone that you’d love to listen to for hours, but you would only be able to do it for an hour maximum, at least in my experience. Sure, taking some breaks every now and then isn’t a deal breaker for me, but it surely was for many people.
HEDD Audio decided to launch the successor to their HEDDphone One, called…the HEDDphone Two (how surprising) that we review today. It is a completely new design, mainly focusing on the weight aspect, as well as the new, revolutionary headband. On top of that, the drivers themselves have also been changed, once again, mainly to minimize their weight, and further enhance comfort.

I actually knew about the new version hitting the market soon all the way back at Munich High-End 2023, where I met Freddy from HEDD. We had a brilliant chat about what is expected from the new HEDDphone TWO, as well as just some classic gossip session. That was a great experience!
The HEDDphone One is to this day one of my favorite headphones ever when we’re talking sound. It offered a unique, yet incredibly natural, enjoyable sound that has many qualities worthy of being called “TOTL”. Now, with the new model, we should be looking at a direct improvement in basically every aspect of the product. Let’s see how it goes.

Packaging​

Starting as usual, with the unboxing experience, which is very good with the reviewed HEDDphone TWO. They arrive in a big box that feels just as premium as you would have expected from a German brand selling a $2000 audio product.
What’s more important though is what you’ll find inside, and you’ll actually find a lot. First of all, tested HEDDphone Two now comes with a carrying case that feels premium and adds a lot of functionality to the whole package.
The good carrying case was basically necessary with this release, as this headphone will be used by many audio engineers, who are going to carry them around to the studio and back. Being able to do so, while not worrying about the survival of your fresh $2000 headphones is a breeze compared to the original version. You’ll be able to store both the headphones and needed cables inside, which is very handy indeed.
Apart from the case, inside you’ll also find your cables.
Everything is presented nicely and with functionality in mind. While the unboxing experience doesn’t feel luxurious, it screams “German” right into your face. Raw, quality, functional, and just secure. This will be a work tool for many customers, so this kind of approach is more than understandable.
Overall, I’m very happy with everything related to the unboxing experience and what you’re getting with your purchase. It’s a clear upgrade over the first HEDDphone.

Design, Build and Comfort​

Now we’re getting into the most exciting stuff. As I already mentioned, the biggest problem of the HEDDphone One was its overall design, weight, and ultimately, comfort.
Let’s begin with the overall quality of the build. Once again, reviewed HEDDphone Two feels German, there’s no way around it. While the materials are not the most luxurious, the overall fit and finish are both spotless. The headphone feels substantial in the hand, it doesn’t rattle, and it just feels like a premium product overall.
The earcups are significantly smaller than the ones you’ll find in the HEDDphone One. Also, gone are mini-xlr connectors, in favor of 3.5mm sockets. This was done to save some space inside the cups, as well as reduce the overall weight of the headphones. As you can see, the weight of the tested HEDDphone Two was the thing that HEDD Audio focused the most on. I’m a fan of mini-xlr connectors, but I also understand the decision here.
But, these are all small changes compared to the headband. Gone is the bulky, classic headband, as the one found in the reviewed HEDDphone Two is the most advanced headband ever…and I’m dead serious.
First of all, the base of the headband is a carbon fiber arch. Once again, weight saving, but also carbon is just widely used among other High-End headphones, so this choice was rather logical.
It’s what’s under the arch that’s the most important though. There is a material suspension strap that is attached to two different straps. One of those is responsible for adjusting the headphones up and down, just like a standard suspension strap does. However, the second strap is responsible for adjusting the clamping force of the HEDDphone Two, and this is the first time I have seen something like that in my whole life.



This is actually a brilliant idea that could have solved all the problems in the world. Could have…because I have a problem. Even on the lowest setting, the clamping force is just too much for me, and actually by some margin. I’m not sure if this part might have some unit-to-unit variation but with my unit…I can’t believe any normal-shaped person can use these with the clamping force set to maximum. This is just painful. And I’ve got a pretty average-sized head, maybe even on the smaller size. The headband is made out of carbon fiber, so I’m not expecting it to get looser anytime soon.
Another thing I’m not a huge fan of is the suspension strap padding. It’s rather firm, and it’s especially inconvenient if you’re rocking a bald head like I do. All of this makes the HEDDphone TWO more comfortable than its predecessor, but I still wouldn’t call it “all-day headphones”.
However, I’ve seen reviews and opinions on those, and apparently, the vast majority of people enjoy the comfort much more than I do, so have that in mind. I might just be one of the few.
Other than that, the HEDDphone Two is a significant upgrade to the original one. While the HEDD One was super bulky and actually very interesting looking because of that, the overall fit, finish, and materials are just significantly better in the new version.
As for the looks, you’ll surely be looking like an alien wearing those. While the earcups themselves aren’t really big and bulky, the headband construction makes the headband protrude from your head a lot, making you look like you’re wearing some crazy cyberpunk helmet. I don’t mind it at all, especially since the design serves a purpose here. But have that in mind if you ever want to wear those in public – you’ll be getting those weird looks from people, and I’m 100% sure about that.
The only thing i dislike when it comes to the materials is how easy these attrack oily fingerprints, and more importantly – it’s nearly impossible to wipe them off. You can probably see that they’re not the cleanest in the photos – trust me, I tried cleaning them, without success. The material of the cups has a type of coating that just attracks oils like crazy.
Overall, reviewed HEDDphone TWO has a distinct “tool” vibe into it. It’s not a luxurious, pretty pair of headphones. Everything regarding its looks serves a purpose and has been designed and engineered with you in mind. Even though it looks nothing like its predecessor, it still kinda looks like the HEDDphone. This is some serious design language legacy.

Tech​

The most important piece of tech sitting inside the HEDDphone TWO is of course the driver. Unlike most manufacturers who use planar-magnetic drivers in their high-end offerings, HEDD uses their legendary AMT driver, which is present in their studio monitors.
It is the newest revision of their AMT driver. It is said to be reconstructed from the ground up. It is now lighter and smaller than the one found in the HEDDphone ONE.
One thing is going for a refined audio performance, but the other is reminiscent of everything that has been done to the reviewed HEDDphone Two – making it lighter.
For those who wonder what exactly is an AMT driver, I’m going to quote HEDD here: “The Air Motion Transformer (AMT) is an electrodynamic transducer that allows moving air significantly faster than common voice coil, planar, or electrostatic systems. Their traditional piston-like movement is overcome by a folded diaphragm that squeezes out air four times faster: A breakthrough for capturing more details in a musical recording.”
Enough with tech, let’s get right into sound description.

Sound of the reviewed HEDDphone TWO​

What’s really interesting is that the reviewed HEDDphone Two got lighter both in terms of the build, as well as the sound. The original HEDDphone is one of my favorite headphones ever when it comes to the way it sounds, and I’m gonna state it right away – the HEDDphone TWO is significantly different when it comes to sound performance.
To fully understand this, we have to ask an important question first – who is this product for? I’d guess that 50% of the customers are going to be audio engineers, and the HEDDphone TWO is a clear upgrade for this type of customer.
The new model focuses on a neutral, linear, and highly technical type of sound. It is one of the fastest-sounding headphones on the market, offering fantastic detail retrieval. However, the thing I loved the most about the HEDD One was its unique timbre and a very unusual soundstage representation.
Because of this, I’m not sure if the new model is going to be a better choice for audiophiles, at least not all of them. While the tested HEDD Two is even more detailed, faster, and more snappy than the previous model, it’s also not as entertaining and more “normal” sounding.
However, audio engineers are going to appreciate the more raw approach to the tonality of the new model, as well as being able to use them for longer periods of time without growing extra muscles in your neck.

To help you fully understand the sound of the HEDDphone Two, let’s split the sound description in our usual fashion.
The bass is fast, detailed, neutral, and snappy. It offers a brilliant insight into the mix, not adding anything by itself. It extends to the sub-bass well, but it might not be enough for people craving that low-bass rumble. It is definitely more of a studio-oriented type of bass response, which is not the most fun possible, but it’s just accurate to what’s there in the mix. This is a great bass response for professionals, but many audiophiles would definitely like more meat to the bone, including myself. The entire bass region has good energy and punch, sounding lively and energetic. This is a definition of a very high-quality bass, but once again – definitely not the most fun sounding.
We have to understand though, that this is exactly what the company was aiming for. The quality of the sound in general is incredibly high here, and this is the type of bass that many of you are certainly looking for.



The midrange is very neutral sounding, but it never gets shouty or too analytical. I would describe it as a rather safe tuning that works with basically everything. The original HEDDphone had that incredibly unique timbre to its midrange, which unfortunately is absent in the new version. Because of that, it sounds more neutral but not necessarily natural. It sits on the thinner side than the original version, resulting in male vocals being less interesting and romantic. It will mainly come down to your preference. If you’re into neutral, flat tonality in the midrange, this will be an extremely good choice for you. If you like a little bit of flavor in your music, and this is the reason you loved the HEDDphone One, this is just not it.
However, the pure quality has been improved even more with the new version. It’s even more detailed and accurate sounding. It’s easier to hear the tinniest details in the mix, and this is a type of quality that is most important in products like this.

The treble response is once again – mainly focused on clarity and technicalities. The overall tuning of the treble is exceptional, giving you all the details (and more), without even the slightest fatigue. This is the most impressive aspect of the HEDDphone TWO when it comes to the sound. It also works great with modern genres, as it’s not prone to sibilance, yet it doesn’t sound withdrawn or simply dark. The detail retrieval is among the best in the market, so is the resolution. Once again, HEDD Audio yet again created a Summit-Fi level of technicality, in a significantly lower price than its competitors. Impressive.

The same can be said about the soundstage. It’s big and has a fantastic separation and layering. However, it doesn’t have that “uniqueness” that you could find in the HEDDphone One. It sounds more like a traditional headphone, but one that has fantastic soundstage capabilities. The original model was more “out-of-your-head” sounding, it was more unpredictable and enjoyable sounding, but the TWO is just more “correct” if this is what you’re after. This soundstage is exceptionally good with busy tracks, as the incredible detail retrieval and resolution paired with the separation and layering of the soundstage never sounds too busy. Everything is in its place, at all times.
Overall, I highly appreciate the improvement over the original model, but at the same time, I’m a little bit sad that the new revision no longer has the unique characteristics of the original model. I can understand that approach though, as the HEDDphone TWO will simply work better for audio professionals, with its improved technicalities and a more neutral sound in general.

Comparisons​

HEDDphone One


A lot has been already said about this comparison, so let me summarize.
The original HEDDphone was a very unique approach to the technical sound, making it a fantastic choice for both audio professionals and audiophiles. It offers a very entertaining, yet technical sound that made me fall in love with this product.
However, you’re able to enjoy its sound only until you feel discomfort, and this will come rather quickly. The sheer weight and poor weight distribution result in uncomfortable wear, even considering the incredibly soft and plushy earpads of these headphones.
The HEDDphone Two is more comfortable, but the clamping force is simply too much for me, even on the lowest setting. Still, I’m easily able to use the HEDDphone TWO for longer periods of time than its predecessor, mainly due to the lower weight and much better weight distribution. However, I’m going to state this again – I wish the headband strap had been less firm, as it’s a bit on the uncomfortable side for my bald head.
When it comes to the sound, the HEDDphone TWO is more correct, neutral, and even more detailed sounding than the original model. Its technical capabilities are among the best headphones on the market, which once again – is highly impressive considering the price of these headphones.

Meze Elite


Now we’re gonna completely switch things up. These two headphones are as different from each other as it’s basically possible.
The Elite doesn’t even pretend to try giving you a neutral, reference-like sound. It’s rich, natural, welcoming, and colorful sounding. Because of that, this has been one of my most used headphones ever since receiving them. It just has that easy-going, entertaining aspect to them that makes you want to listen more and more.
Another huge strength of the Elite is that it always sounds good, no matter the music, mastering quality, and the rest of your setup. This makes it one of the easiest headphones to just grab, put on your head, and enjoy your favorite music for hours and hours.
The HEDDphone TWO is completely different in those regards. It’s way more neutral, and flat sounding with better technicalities. It gives you a better insight into the recording, not adding anything to the mix. This makes the HEDD a better choice for sound professionals and people who really care about an uncolored, reference-like tuning.
However, all this makes the HEDDphone TWO far less universal and forgiving. If the mastering quality or quality of your setup is not on-pair, these will brutally show it without second thoughts.
This difference mainly lies in the heritage of both companies. Meze makes equipment for people who want to enjoy the music, and HEDD Audio is a company aimed at professionals. Pick your poison, I suppose.
Lastly, the build quality and comfort are both far better in the Elite. This shouldn’t be a surprise, as I stated a few times already – the Elite/Empyrean/Empyrean II are the best-built headphones that have been ever manufactured. This also makes the comfort truly spot-on, as I’m easily able to listen to those for the entire day. Something, that would have been impossible with the HEDDphone TWO, at least for me.
It’s not easy to pick a “better” headphone in this comparison, as they are just vastly different and are aimed at different types of customers.

Audeze MM-500


This one is quite interesting, as these two headphones are quite similar. Both are definitely aimed at professionals, offering a neutral, reference-like tuning and great technicalities.
Both are well-built, but I’ll give an edge to Audeze here. It’s slightly lighter, but also way more compact, and the quality of the materials seems to be better. Regarding comfort, they both have significant clamping force, but the headband is more comfortable with the MM-500 for me personally. The difference is not vast though, and with both pairs, I have to take a break occasionally.
Soundwisely, the tuning is very similar, but the HEDDphone TWO elevates the technical performance even further. It’s even faster, even more detailed, and snappy sounding. The HEDDphone TWO is actually closer to the LCD-5 in terms of raw technical performance than the MM-500 is. I’m definitely not saying that the MM-500 is underperforming, as it’s not. It’s a very detailed headphone with a fantastic insight into the material. However, the HEDDphone TWO is among the most technically impressive sounding headphones on the market, regardless the price.
Because of this, I believe that it is worth paying a little bit extra for that bump in technicalities if that’s something you can afford. You’d be perfectly fine with the MM-500 though, worry not. I suggest trying both and finding which one suits you better in terms of comfort and value.
Both are fantastic at what they’re supposed to do, with no shortcomings. It’s good to see products that are supposed to do a certain thing, and they simply do that.

Rosson RAD-0


The Rosson RAD-0 sits in between the HEDDphone TWO and the Meze Elite. It’s not as entertaining as the Elite, not as technical as the HEDD, but it does it all to a certain degree.
It has the quality to be used by studio engineers, and it has the enjoyable factor to be loved by audiophiles. It is more of a safe bet, a product that will be appealing to a wider audience in my opinion. However, it’ll be not as good for a person with very specific needs, like a potential buyer of the HEDDphone Two.
Also, the RAD-0 is simply a work of art with its fully custom design and simply striking earcups. It’s fairly comfortable, but nothing close to the Elite, sitting on a similar level to the hero of today’s review.
To summarize, people who want a sound that is very engaging and simply beautiful will probably end up buying the Elite. People who want absolute detail, resolution, and speed should definitely buy the HEDDphone Two. Those who are yet undecided, or simply want both, with some minor sacrifices would look into the RAD-0.
This should show you, how competitive this market is. Everybody will find a product that suits him, as we’re not actually speaking better/worse. They all have their flavor and strengths, and it’s up to you to decide, what you value the most.

HEDDphone TWO – summary​

The HEDDphone TWO is a very interesting release. It’s been redesigned and redone from the ground up, yet it didn’t lose its DNA.
However, those who fell in love with the timbre of the original won’t find it here. It’s a very neutral, technical-sounding headphone with one of the best technicalities in the market. The detail retrieval, resolution, and speed are all among the absolute best.
Unlike most of the people though, I don’t really find them that comfortable. I’m actually highly interested if that’s just my unit, or if I’m simply in the minority that is just ill-fitting. I’ll be sure to check another unit once I have a chance to do so.

Apart from that, the HEDDphone TWO offers a very good value in the high-end market. Technically it sits at the table with the biggest players in the market, while often costing half of their price or even less. This alone makes it incredibly impressive.

If you’re looking for hyper-detailed, neutral headphones, this could be the best $2000 you could spend on this hobby. Recommended!

Big thanks to HEDD Audio for providing us with the HEDDphone TWO for this review. I wasn’t paid or asked to say anything good or bad about this product, all of the above is just my personal, unbiased opinion.

Introduction to the Sineaptic SE-1 review​

The SE-1 is clearly Sineaptic’s main focus, as it’s the only thing that’s showcased on their Instagram, as well as their webpage. Coincidentally, it is the first time I have come in contact with a device designed by Sineaptic, and throughout my encounter with the SE-1, I have been surprised more than once, and said surprises were varying in nature.
The first one came when I unboxed the thing – the box in which those headphones come in is of gargantuan proportions compared to the headphones themselves. When receiving the package from my courier, I thought to myself – I do not recall ordering a microwave oven. The package was at least four times as large as the box you may know from Hifiman Susvara or HE1000SE – truly a behemoth. All of that is for a good reason, however, as it’s the first sign of Sineaptic’s desire for innovation.
The second surprise was the sound signature. It’s quite evident that beyond the nuances of ribbon drivers, unique packaging, and innovation-oriented philosophy, reviewed Sineaptic SE-1 is also a unique product in terms of sound. I had no idea what to expect from those, and still, they managed to catch me off guard and surprise me. Both in an enjoyable, and not-so-enjoyable way, but I’ll explain that further down the review – this is a trailer of the tale of the third surprise.

Packaging of the tested Sineaptic SE-1​

Inside the Sineaptic SE-1’s box is a hard pouch for your headphones in black, containing the paperwork, a dual USB type C cable, intended for charging the device, and another 3,5mm-3,5mm jack cable (three whole meters!) in case you prefer to use your SE-1’s in wired mode. All of this plus your headphones. Nothing more and nothing less than you need, which is perfectly welcome, especially if we’re talking about orienting the 200 USD budget towards the sound quality, and not necessarily towards fancy accessories.
The funny thing though, is the fact that the pouch is suspended in the air by four huge rubber bands attached to the pouch’s corners, reminiscent of Joerg Sprave’s most devious slingshot-like inventions. Sineaptic calls this technology AirGuard, and its purpose is to protect the delicate ribbon driver from any turbulence that may occur during shipping. Unfortunately, it’s a single-use solution, as the pouch is fastened to the rubber straps with zip ties, which you have to cut to detach the pouch from the rest of the contraption. Unless there are some more zip ties in your house, I don’t know. Nevertheless, I have to admit, it’s a pretty ingenious solution if you don’t mind the package’s size. Pause…

Build Quality, Tech, and Comfort​

The build quality of the reviewed Sineaptic SE-1 is quite good, especially keeping in mind that we are dealing with a headphone intended for use purely indoors, as their delicate, open-back nature suggests. They are made entirely of plastic and the construction is lightweight, so if you want to jack up that neck strength before your next boxing title defense, this may not be for you. Those play music first and foremost. Check in on Audeze though.
The construction of those is in a way reminiscent of headphones akin to the Audiotechnica R70X, where instead of a full-size headband, there are two “wings” with smaller pads on them, that come in contact with the top of your head. It’s an interesting and ultimately comfortable way to handle the matter, however, the plastic from which those wings are made isn’t very elastic, which in conjunction with my big head makes for a just-right fit. Big-headed users, beware! The earpads are quite similar to what you may know from the HiFiMAN Sundara – a leather-like outer part, with fabric lining on the inside. I like that! If slight pressure on the top of your head is not an issue, the Sineaptic SE-1 may seem like it’s not on your head at all.
Tech is by far the most interesting aspect of the reviewed Sineaptic SE-1. When it comes to ribbon drivers in headphones, there are few and far between, especially if you compare the numbers to planar magnetic drivers or even electrostatic offerings. Here, not only do we have ribbon drivers inside wireless headphones, but we also have amplification modules tuned specifically for use with such drivers. Pair all of that with Bluetooth 5.2 and 13 hours of battery life, as claimed by Sineaptic, and it comes across as one of the most interesting releases of 2023. There is one caveat though – allow me to testify.

Realizing that the Sineaptic SE-1s need to be fully charged to work when plugged via the 3.5mm cable hasn’t been the most glorious revelation I’ve come to experience in this life. I’m not a big fan of having to worry about the battery level of my headphones even when I won’t be making use of their wireless functionality. That being said, none of that is without a good reason – being fully charged is simply a requirement posed by the unique amplification solution showcased in the Sineaptics. Thankfully, the charging process is quite fast, as it doesn’t take much longer than an iPhone to reach 100%. That’s a pretty significant upside, and to some extent, alleviates the issue.
Apart from that, tested Sineaptic SE-1 is a pleasant device for daily use – it connects to your wireless device instantly, with no unpleasant artifacts like an unstable Bluetooth connection. The controls are simple and the buttons are laid out in a way that makes it easy to discern which ones are for volume, and which ones you would use to turn the device on. Combined with the aforementioned ergonomics, this turns out to be a very pleasant and accessible pair of headphones for daily use at home – I find myself coming back to those quite often, with ergonomics and ease of use being some of the reasons why.

How does the reviewed Sineaptic SE-1 sound?​

The surprises don’t end there, god forbid! Tested Sineaptic SE-1 sports a sound signature that stands out with its amazing technical performance, and that in general is what I would consider to be the pair’s biggest strength. Most people think of inventions such as Sony’s XM5 or AirPods Max when thinking of Bluetooth over ears, and the SE-1 is the polar opposite to those sonically, making technical performance its priority.
Other aspects of the sounds are no slouch either, but whether you like or love these will most likely be up to what kind of a sound signature you may be looking for – if you’re into a more lean, analytic yet spacious kind of sound, those will surely be up your alley. Thankfully, despite their penchant for detail retrieval, the Sineaptic SE-1 doesn’t make badly mixed tracks sound like a bunch of razors shoved down one’s ear. I take it as Sineaptic’s love letter to accessibility, which is impressive given the innovative solutions at hand. Let’s take a look.
Bass
The bass here has its strengths and shortcomings. The strengths include speed, cleanliness, texture, and extension – this kind of performance easily punches way above the 200 USD price point. If you’re into music with more complicated drum sequences, or, like yours truly, you are a fan of black metal, the speed and tightness of the bass will make sure you’re able to appreciate each drum hit separately, with each note having a distinct attack and decay, even if the hits reach incredible speeds and high variety, as it is often the case with my favorite BM band – Mgła. Check out “Exercises in Futility” if you haven’t yet, and don’t worry about the bass leaking anywhere.
The shortcoming within reviewed Sineaptic SE-1’s bass presentation, to my ears, is the quantity of bass – those sound a bit too lean to me. However, once again, your opinion may vary – less bass means more controlled and balanced impacts in bass-heavy tracks (as was the case with Key Glock), but is also damning for more bass-lean releases, like blues or classical, where there’s simply not enough punch and tactility. Nevertheless, I feel positive about the bass in the SE-1 – the technical performance in the lower registries is hard to match, even for more expensive headphone offerings, and is a welcome nuance in the wireless over-ear market.

Midrange
The midrange’s greatest strength is its detail and clarity. Reviewed Sineaptic SE-1s carry a huge amount of information in the midrange, which is especially evident in vocals-focused recordings. Many of my friends enjoy using Amber Rubarth’s Sessions from the 17th Ward as a reference for testing qualities like soundstage, air, and imaging, but personally, I am also a fan of how Amber’s voice was presented. The Sineaptic squeezes out a lot from Amber’s vocals, revealing information and details one wouldn’t expect from a product at this price range. All of that complements the satisfyingly realistic and quite natural presentation of music, which is a recipe for analytic listening without fatigue involved.
The midrange is not perfect though. Akin to the bass, I would’ve loved to see more warmth and tactility in the mix, because while female vocals and higher-pitched instruments benefit from this kind of presentation, male vocals suffer from a shortage of punch, power, and tangible texture. Lovers of a more cold, analytic, and reserved midrange presentation will love the tested Sineaptic SE-1, as it carries some benefits as well – such mids make way for the best-in-class air and imaging qualities because the Sineaptic SE-1 is not one to lack control. Every facet of the sound is presented in a tidy and concise way, though I wish the clinic was a bit warmer.
Treble
The upper registries are where the reviewed Sineaptic SE-1 impresses the most, showing off its feathers each time the detail carried by the ribbon drivers is maximized. The headphones strike a perfect balance between elite technical performance and the pleasure of listening – I have yet to encounter a track or even a single instrumental passage where the treble would get too hot or sibilant. Instead, the treble impresses with its dynamics, allowing violins to shine with all their might, as executed on “A Victory of Love” from one of the best pop albums of the 80s – Alphaville’s “Forever Young”.
Amidst the liveliness and magical sparkle, there is one little caveat to the treble – in some vocal performances, the consonants “s” and “t” sometimes come off as slightly metallic, in consequence making certain voices sound slightly artificial. That, however, is a nuance – observed only in a handful of occurrences throughout hours of listening. Apart from that, it’s hard to point out anything wrong with the treble’s presentation. Reviewed Sineaptic SE-1 is simply a great performer in that regard, with clarity and air being off the charts, no ifs, buts, and maybes. You’d have to spend a significant buck to obtain comparable performance.
Soundstage
Tested Sineaptic SE-1’s staging abilities are cut from the same cloth as the treble – the execution is nearly flawless, and it would be difficult for me to pinpoint the exact price point of the headphones at hand had I been doing a blind test. However, my guess would surely not be 200 USD. The soundstage is quite massive, giving some midrange planar magnetics a run for their money. Wow, I never thought I would say that about a wireless over-ear, yet here we are, and I’m dead serious – live performances involving orchestras seem to be exactly what Sineaptic SE-1 was made for.
Reproducing the feeling of a grand concert hall coupled with realistic and precise imaging is an easy way to impress the listener, and the price point makes an even greater impression on said listener’s wallet. Another great aspect of the soundstage when it comes to the Sineaptic SE-1 is its three-dimensionality. The headphones reproduce depth and scale with ease, making for a well-put-together and clean presentation, even when things get complicated and a lot starts happening at once in the music piece. This lends itself to some impressive realism as well – the overall staging ability is almost like a party trick at this price point.

Comparisons​

Well, this one gets quite tricky, as I don’t feel comfortable making direct comparisons with any other headphones in the market, be it wireless or wired, open or closed-back. The reason is simple – reviewed Sineaptic SE-1 is a unique product, unlike anything else you and I have seen in the past when looking out for new headphone gear to be released, with its one-of-a-kind technological advancements carrying their own compromises.
That being said, reviewing this product instilled hope in me, that the idea of ribbon drivers being used in wireless headphones will become more and more popular – I love to see innovation taking place, and the SE-1 has the “i-word” written all over it. While no direct comparison is made in this review, I will gladly take a shot at reviewing further products involving similar technology, and when that happens, you can bet your last freedom buck that the SE-1 will be there to serve as a benchmark.

Sineaptic SE-1 Review – Summary​

Tested Sineaptic SE-1 shocks, surprises, and impresses all at once even before you’re done with your first hour of listening. While not without certain compromises or issues that require ironing out sooner rather than later, the SE-1 aims to impress, and when it does, it does so with flying colors. I can say with a clear conscience that the level of technical performance in those is unlike anything I’ve heard at the price point at which Sineaptic operates, all of it coupled with great comfort and ease of use.
Speaking of compromises, one of the things that impresses me the most is the innovation and courage that some manufacturers display when making new products. This is an aspect of Sineaptic SE-1 that won me over – it’s an interesting invention with a very impressive sound signature, and the level of craziness involved in designing this product is worth the compromises made along the way – after all, I’ve caught myself forgetting that I’m writing about a 200 USD product more than once.
If you’re someone who appreciates expansive staging and precision written with a huge P, as well as good detail retrieval, all packed into a comfortable and lightweight headphone, those may be right up your alley. Have I mentioned they’re 200 bucks?
Recommended.
Big thanks to Ari for providing the SE-1 for this review. I wasn’t paid or asked to say anything good or bad about this product, all of the above is just my personal, unbiased opinion.

Erzetich Charybdis​

The Erzetich Charybdis is a flagship, open-back, planar-magnetic driver headphone by the company Erzetich. It's priced at 3000 Euro.

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Introduction to the Erzetich Charybdis Review​

The company Erzetich might ring some bells for many of you, but it’s definitely not the most popular brand in the market right now. Even though they’ve been manufacturing audio products for years now, they never truly got significantly important or popular, regardless of the quality of their work. However, this can definitely change in the near future, especially because of the product we’re reviewing today, as this is something that should and will make some fuzz in the high-end headphones market.

A quick introduction to the brand itself – Erzetich Audio has been founded in 2012 in Slovenia by Blaž Erzetich. Their first product was the Bacillus, which is being sold to this day. Erzetich doesn’t only manufacture headphones though, they also have their own state-of-the-art amplifiers, which I have initially tested the Erzetich Charybdis with, however, I don’t have those here with me. Both the Scylla and Deimos sounded incredible when I tested them, so…maybe one day.
Before we go that route though, let me explain how this review came to be. When visiting the High-End Munich exhibition in 2023, we had A LOT of exhibitors to visit. You know, classic shenanigans, meeting people we know, meeting new people, trying new and exciting stuff, and so on. Blaž Erzetich, the founder and owner of Erzetich of course was one of the exhibitors and decided that we’re definitely gonna go visit him, talk, and most importantly, listen to his products.

I’m going to be completely honest, apart from Blaž himself (all the best Blaž!), the thing that was a true attention-grabber was the Charybdis. Ever since I saw those headphones for the first time, I was like: damn, this looks…weirdly satisfying. Huge, silver, symmetrical, over-the-top – It was a love at first sight for me.
It’s not all looks and design though, so I immediately proceeded to the listening test, and damn…this was one of the best-sounding headphones at the show in my opinion. Everything was just right, while also being fun, exotic, interesting, and different. After trying it about 3 times I told Blaž that we HAVE to review this. You see, we review a lot of stuff, but we truly get excited when a product is different, more niche, interesting, fresh, and this all fits the description of the Charybdis perfectly.
A few months have passed, and the Erzetich Charybdis review is here, and it was really fun to do. There’s a certain feeling about this product, that gives you a wild appreciation. Maybe it’s just me though, but when you’re reviewing so many products throughout the year, you no longer get hyper-excited over everything. And trust me, I got excited for this one…I still am actually.

This review took almost 5 months to be completed, which is a new record for Ear Fidelity. However, this is not a product that you’ll just test and be ready to give an opinion about. It needed a lot of listening sessions, comparisons, trying different pairings, etc. So here we are, 5 months later, and I’m finally ready to give you all my opinion and thoughts.

Packaging​

Let’s start this review with our usual fashion, with the packaging. Reviewed Erzetich Charybdis comes in a huge aluminum case, which has been quite popular among high-end headphones for many years now. However, instead of going for a small-ish, smooth case like Meze or Audeze for example, Erzetich gives you a case that is more reminiscent to pro-audio and music instruments casing.
I really like this approach as it gives the Erzetich Charibdis a further character (not that it lacks any of that in the first place). The headphone itself is huge and massive, so both the case and box are just the same as what’s inside. Apart from the design and feeling is the aspect of protecting your 3000 Euro headphones while in transit, which will be handled perfectly by this behemoth of a case.

Inside, you’ll find a cable (more on that later), a secondary pair of velour earpads (the ones that come installed on the Charybdis are pleather), and a XLR to 6.3mm adapter. Nothing crazy, but nothing less than you should be expecting with a product of this category. Second pair of earpads is always a great thing to have, and thanks to that you can choose between two different sound characteristics, depending on your choice of earpads material. I definitely prefer the pleather ones, but more on this in the sound description.

Since there aren’t many units of this headphone here in Poland, I actually used the case a few times, as some folks asked me whether they could try it. Transporting tested Erzetich Charybdis in its aluminium case was as stress-free as it comes. I was just able to put it in my car and not worry about it even a bit. Also, I felt I’m getting +respect points every time someone saw me handling that case. You know, it looks business, people were probably wondering whether I’m carrying a custom-made gun inside. However, this one doesn’t shoot bullets, only wild satisfaction.
Jokes aside, I’m really pleased with the whole unboxing experience. Quality over quantity of add-ons is my type of approach, and you’re getting everything you’ll need. It’s not that you need a portable case, as the Erzetich Charybdis is definitely not a portable pair of headphones, no matter how much you’d like them to be that.

Design, Build and Comfort​

Now, let’s get into one of the most interesting aspects of the reviewed Erzetich Charybdis, the overall build and design. First of all, as I already stated, the Charybdis is absolutely huge and massive, coming at a whooping 740g, it’s one of the heaviest headphones on the current market, if not THE heaviest.
However, not all heavy headphones are made equal, as the Charybdis is actually wildly comfortable having their weight in mind. All thanks to their suspension-strap design and incredibly plush earpads. Because of that, the Erzetich Charybdis is definitely not a pair of headphones that will “disappear” on your head, but they will not cause any problems with ergonomics, even with long listening sessions. I personally have to take quick breaks every 3 hours or so, but only because of their weight, which just takes time to get used to. Apart from that, there are no hot-spots, and the overall comfort is high.

I would actually compare the Erzetich Charybdis to one of those huge leather armchair that everyones grandpa used to have in the past. It’s not a high-end ergonomic chair, but it just feels like you’re sitting in a cloud, being gently but securely hugged. It’s not 100% perfect, but it’s very satisfying to sit In, just like the Charybdis. I’ve had people trying the Charybdis and everyone said the same – much more comfortable than expected.

Another important aspect is the weight distribution. Most of the weight sits on the sides, where those huge drivers are. Because of that, there’s not a lot of weight on top, which usually makes hot-spots on top of your head. Because of the weight being distributed that way, I don’t recommend fast head movements when you’re wearing the Charybdis, as it tends to slide around your head a bit.

What’s the most important – don’t be scared of the weight, reviewed Erzetich Charybdis is a very comfortable pair of headphones. Its weight is quite close to the original HEDDphone, but the comfort level is just 3 levels higher, it’s not even a competition. Surely, you’ll always know you have them on your head, but that’s about it.
Now on the design. The Erzetich Charybdis looks like no other headphone in the market, and I madly respect that. It looks bold, modern and industrial, but everything serves a purpose here. The headband is made of carbon fiber, which reduces weight and improves structural integrity. Let’s be honest here, the trend is quite simple currently – it’s not a high-end pair of headphones if it doesn’t use carbon…with a few exceptions obviously. Take this with a grain of salt.

Overall, this is a fantastic looking headphone that just screams “look at me, I’m expensive”, something I like about high-end products. Yes, it’s not stealthy, it’s not super-polished like the Audeze LCD5 or the Meze Elite, but at the same time…it has that character, it looks crazy in a good way. Original, to say the least.



A huge and welcome change are the connectors. Previous revisions of the Erzetich Charybdis used to have 4-pin XLR plugs hanging on short wires coming out of both earcups. Blaž explained that he couldn’t fit the connectors in earcups themselves, but in my honest opinion, because of that, the previous revision of the Charybdis looked a bit weird. Luckily, since then Blaž found a way to fit the connectors into the earcups and now you’ve got your standard 4-pin XLR sockets installed in the headphones themselves.

As for the choice of 4-pin XLR, I have absolutely no complaints here. I’ve always liked those connectors, definitely more than 3.5mm jack sockets, which tend to be slimmer, but less robust and secure. The 4-pin XLR has that thing about it, that when you plug the cable in, it ain’t going nowhere, even if you’ll accidentally pull it, and this is the best connector in my opinion.

As for the actual build quality, the Erzetich Charybdis is rigid and well-finished, but it has some characteristics of a small-batch, hand-made product. While the top of the carbon-fiber headband is finished perfectly, the bottom side has been left unfinished. This is probably intentional, to highlight the purity of the material itself, but it might raise a few eyebrows. Not an issue at all, but it’s definitely worth noting. Actually, I like this raw carbon feeling, shows you’re getting a real deal.
Other than that, there are absolutely no imperfections or questionable craftsmanship, as thetested Erzetich Charybdis is simply built like a tank. Of course, it’s not on the same level as the Meze Elite when it comes to craftsmanship and insane finish, but at the same time, it definitely feels like a 3000 Euro pair of headphones. Combine this with their incredible design and crazy looks, and you’ll be looking at the most unique and interesting pairs of headphones on the market.

Speaking of the build quality isn’t complete without the included cable. It is a high-quality, copper, balanced cable, but it’s a little bit stiff. While this cable sounds very good, I’d personally recommend getting an upgrade for improved comfort, since the included cable is not the most flexible, and the Charybdis definitely deserves the best cable possible. It’s not bad by any means, you can totally use it and don’t worry about upgrading, but I’d personally want something more ergonomic.
Lastly, no animal products have been used when building the Charybdis, which Erzetich proudly displays on its website, which is always a great thing to see, kudos. Using real leather is a rarity in the current market, and I’m happy about it.

The Erzetich Charybdis is by far the most comfortable 700-ish gram headphones I’ve used, and then some. Paired with its incredible design and great build-quality, you’re surely getting a product worth its price when it comes to those categories. Additionally, this will definitely be a conversation starter should you hang them in a visible place at your home.

Tech​

The Erzetich Charybdis uses planar-magnetic drivers, like the vast majority of the current high-end headphones on the market. This technology has been dominating the headphones market for years now and it’s not going anywhere. There are also dynamic drivers, AMT, ribbon, and electrostatics, but the planar drivers are by far the most popular among audiophile-grade headphones.

What’s interesting is that in the past, Erzetich headphones used real wood for their earcups, but with the Charybdis, they went with CNC-milled aluminum which is much denser and acoustically stable.
When it comes to the technical details, the Charybdis has an impedance rated at 43 ohms, but Erzetich doesn’t tell what the sensitivity is. However, after trying the Charybdis with a lot of different amps, I must admit that these are definitely not easy to drive, requiring you to use a powerful amp, preferably a balanced one.



While the EarMen CH-Amp is a balanced amp, I tried it unbalanced first and came to a conclusion that it doesn’t really run the Charybdis well. It was a completely different story via its balanced output, but it still wasn’t the last word from the mighty Charybdis.

It was up until I tried them with my Feliks Audio Envy and HiFiMAN Prelude, and then everything changed. The Charybdis really likes power, loads of it, and then it starts to sing. Because of that, I don’t recommend using the Charybdis with any portable equipment, not that it is a good portable headphone in any way to begin with. Just don’t do it. Make sure you’ve got a beefy amplifier that is going to run the Charybdis effortlessly, and then you’ll be in for a treat. What kind of? Let’s dive right into it.

Sound of the reviewed Erzetich Charybdis​

Moving onto the sound description is where the real fun begins. You see, we rarely see smaller manufacturers keeping up with the big-boy competition, basically Meze Audio is the only one that comes to my mind that entered the market and took it by storm. Calling Meze Audio a “smaller” manufacturer nowadays would have been incredibly insulting, but it is that way because they earned their spot at the big-boy table.
Here comes Erzetich with their almighty Charybdis – a headphone that can easily rival every high-end headphone on the market when it comes to the sound quality. Most exotic products often offer a great, unique tonality with the technical side being slightly overlooked. However, this is definitely not the case with the Charybdis, as it is an extremely well rounded and technical sounding headphone.

It’s nowhere close to being analytical though, as this is something that distinguishes good gear from exceptional. The Charybdis is easily one of the most exciting and fun sounding headphones in my vast collection, while also being one of the most technically capable at the same time. If this doesn’t sound like a description of a fantastic pair of headphones to you, then let me elaborate.
As I stated in some of my previous reviews, audio gear is usually good in technicalities, well-tuned or colorful, fun sounding. When we will pair some of those features together into a single product, this is when we’re entering a truly high-end level equipment. However, this isn’t easy to do, hence not so many products achieved the level that lets us call them a TOTL headphone.

You can easily get a technically capable pair of headphones under $1000, also, same story with a headphone that is fun to listen to or extremely well-tuned. But to have all of those traits, you simply have to spend more, and it still won’t guarantee that you’ll get all three.
So, why did I need this long intro? I simply wanted to highlight the level of admiration I have towards the Charybdis, as it clearly sounds like a headphone coming from the most renowned high-end headphones manufacturer in the world. To keep this review easy to read though, let’s get to our usual scheme.
Before that, I have to state that these sound impressions were done using the pleather earpads. The velour spare pads that you get in the box are nice, but the extension of the bass suffers significantly, and I really like my bass. The good thing is that you can change the tuning and the overall feeling by quickly swapping the earpads, especially since you’re getting both versions included in the box. Choosing between the two will come down to your preferences, and my preference definitely says pleather.



Let’s start with the bass, which is quite linear actually, expect for the bottom of sub bass which is a touch withdrawn. Worry not, the Charybdis does have subbass, but it’s the midbass that’s incredibly impressive here. While being linear and highly technical, it also has a great sense of scale and the dynamics are one of the best I’ve heard in a planar headphone. The Charybdis packs a punch (something that I cannot say about many planars), which makes it highly enjoyable and entertaining. At the same time, the level of detail, the resolution and tightness of the bass are all magnificent. The Charybdis is a very fast-sounding headphone and it makes the bass sound crisp and very natural, without being too firm or lacking in punch.
Because of that, the Charybdis handles all music genres with ease, whether it’s a dynamic sounding electronic music or a subtle vibration of an acoustic concert. It does it all with no compromises whatsoever. My go-to album for testing the bass performance is the legendary “Random Access Memories” by Daft Punk, and the Charybdis handles this album brilliantly. I’m getting a very controlled, snappy and dynamic bass response, but it also has that natural thickness to it.

Most planar-magnetic headphones have exceptional texture in the bass department, but they lack punch and dynamics, which is my biggest complain of this driver technology. The Charybdis is different, which gives it a special place among the current high-end market. It has the technicalities of a planar, but the punch more reminiscent of a top dynamic-driver headphone. Unique and simply correct at the same time. This is very interesting. At the same time, the overall speed of the sound, which is easily audible in the bass region is mind-boggling. This comes close to the fastest-sounding headphones on the market, like the HiFiMAN HE6SE, the HE1000SE, the Audeze LCD5 etc.
It’s not often that we’re getting a planar headphone that can do bass properly. A headphone that doesn’t lack energy, kick and sheer force. Tested Erzetich Charybdis has all of that, and it is one of the best planars when it comes to the bass performance. Technical, insightful, yet fun and energetic. You’ll be bobbing your head vigorously, let me tell you that.

What’s even more interesting is the midrange though. The Charybdis has that slight warmth and thickness to the midrange, but at the same time, it is absurdly spacious and clean sounding. The level of resolution here is simply outstanding, once again creating a sound that is both unique and simply natural sounding. For all the fans of detail retrieval – the Charybdis has tons of details, both macro and micro. It doesn’t sound tiring, because of the fantastic tuning, but it will give you all the details there are in the recording. Actually, the Charybdis, apart from being quite linear, sounds thick and rich all the time. It’s never thin or over-analytical sounding.
What really impressed me was how this headphone handles metal music. I’ve never been a fan of planar magnetic headphones for metal music, it just never feels completely right. Most lack that punch, thickness and weight of the sound, focusing mainly on the texture rather than pure attack. The Charybdis however handles metal like a champ, giving you an incredibly enjoyable sound. I’ve tried a lot of metal bands, including Sylosis, In Flames, All That Remains, and every single one gave me loads of fun while listening to them via the Charybdis. To be completely honest, this is in my opinion the best planar for metal music I’ve tried.

It’s not just metal though, reviewed Erzetich Charybdis handles all genres well. Chris Jones and his gentle acoustic tracks also sound very enjoyable. The richness and body of the midrange gives you that natural timbre of his voice, while also increase the resonance of the acoustic guitar, further improving on the superbly natural sound. What’s most impressive is that it does all of that while also giving you a great detail retrieval and resolution, like a microscope for your favorite music. This is hugely impressive.
The midrange is fast, snappy and highly-textured, but at the same time it’s smooth, rich and thick. I know it sounds paradoxical, but it’s the truth. This gives the Charybdis one of the most unique-sounding midrange in the headphones world currently. It is the best of both worlds, combining great technical capabilities with a rich, very enjoyable tuning that makes your music sound real.



The treble is very open, detailed, yet rich and thick sounding. Drum cymbals have a way of coming through a mix with ease, while never being overpowering or aggressive sounding. On the other hand, you won’t be missing even the tiniest details, as there’s plenty of those here. Because of the great resolution, the sibilance is nonexistent, no matter how hard I’ve tried, and I’m quite sensitive to it.
A song called “Keith Don’t Go” by Nils Lofgren is the GOAT when it comes to treble testing for me personally, as it gives you a raw, incredibly forward acoustic guitar’s strings basically in your face. The Charybdis handles this song fantastically, never becoming tiring, while sounding very, very open and fast. The treble also affects the soundstage, but more on that in a second.

While I wouldn’t call the treble as the most impressive part of the Erzetich Charybdis, it’s still very, very good. Technical, yet pleasant and safe sounding. You won’t have a feeling that you’re missing on anything, but at the same time, you won’t have a feeling that you’re tired of the amount of information and the forwardness of high frequencies. I actually have a feeling that the treble is hugely dependant on the diaphragms thickness, the thinner the better. Recently, I received the Audeze LCD5 with the thinnest diaphragm in a planar headphone, and this is simply the GOAT of treble (more of this In its dedicated review). Erzetich doesn’t state the thickness of their diaphragms, but it’s obviously thicket than that.
But let’s not panic here, maybe the treble response here is not as good as in the LCD5, but the bass response for example is a completely different story. Every technical aspect of the driver has its pros and cons. It is important to understand the dependencies, and choose the way you want to go with. What’s most important is that the treble here is very detailed, yet smooth and non-sibilant. That’s what’s important, and it continues on the way this headphone sounds in general.

Now we’re getting into soundstage, and this is the selling point of the reviewed ErzetichCharybdis. I’m gonna be blunt here and state it right away – The Charybdis is the best staging over-ear headphone I’ve ever heard, even beating the legendary HD800 by Sennheiser. Not only the size of it, but the amount of air between the instruments, the imaging, the separation. You know how many high-end headphones I have at my hands reach, and not a single one can beat the Charybdis when it comes to the soundstage.
So, let me tell you this. I’ve tried one of my favorite tracks for testing the soundstage, which is “Dusk”, by Edison’s Children. By the way, it’s a great band, co-founded by Pete Trewavas, a bass player for Marillion. This song is incredible with its ambiance, atmospheric and spacious theme, and it’s quite demanding for soundstage, especially the width. There are sounds starting near your face, that are then going further and further away from you, and if a headphone has a great depth, these sounds can get insanely far away from you.
I’ve never heard this song sound that good on a pair of headphones before, and the Charybdis works purely magical with it. Obviously, this song is just an example, it’s not that the Charybdis works great with just this song. To be honest, all music sounds insanely spacious and huge on the Charybdis, the “Dusk” was just a great example of what it can do.

Subjectively, the size of the soundstage might come down to preference, but as a reviewer, I have to give credit when it’s due. Especially since the soundstage is not just huge, it’s just also incredibly accurate and lifelike sounding. I can tell you now that in the upcoming Battle Of The Flagships update, the Charybdis will score 10/10 in the soundstage category, it just cannot be any other way.
So, we have a headphone that has a very dynamic, hard-hitting and energetic bass response, a midrange that is both highly technical and rich sounding, just like the treble, and arguably the best soundstage in the headphones market right now – all this coming not from HiFiMAN, Audeze, Focal, but Erzetich, a smaller company. This is wildly impressive, and I want to congratulate Blaž for this achievement. While this release could have gone under the radar for some people, it should be out there with the most popular high-end headphones in all reviews, rankings and discussions.
What’s most important is that the Charybdis is simply pleasant to listen to. It is an experience, a galaxy of colors crafted specifically to make the music sound as good as it gets. The Charybdis has everything to be called a Summit-Fi headphone.

Comparisons​

For now, this section of the review will remain empty. The Erzetich Charybdis will be included in the upcoming Battle Of The Flagships update, so I cannot give you any spoilers. However, after that, I will update this review as well with direct comparisons to some TOTL headphones, like the HiFiMAN Susvara, Audeze LCD5, Meze Elite, etc.
What I can say however is that the Charybdis sits at the same table as all of the other high-end headphones, as its sound quality is basically on the same level, even better in some categories. The battle update will be really interesting!

Pairings​

Feliks Envy + XI Audio K-DAC

Let’s start the pairings section with an absolute behemoth of a headphone amp, the Feliks Envy. Honestly, these two companies have some similarities, as both are still quite niche, focusing on high-quality, handmade products, made in Europe.
The Feliks Envy is the best headphone amplifier I’ve listened to in my life, and I’m incredibly proud to have it here at my disposal at all time. When I plugged the Charybdis into it, I knew right away that I’m dealing with something truly serious.
While I saw some opinions that the Charybdis is plenty easy to drive, I actually disagree with that statement. Yes, it can sound well with weaker amps, but it is when you plug it into something proper, that it starts to sound absolutely ridiculous.

So, this pairing has everything, as the price should suggest. The DAC that I paired with it was mostly XI Audio K-DAC, which is a R2R based wonder of a DAC. This setup gave me an incredibly natural, musical, pleasant sound that was technically stunning.
The Envy had zero problems driving the Charybdis to their absolute full potential, and it was obvious that this behemoth could drive 5 pairs of Charybdis and still don’t sweat. Yet, the 300b tubes timbre paired with an exceptional tonality of the Charybdis gave me a sound that was easy to listen to for an entire day. Well, this one is important, because once you’ll hear it…you will want to listen to it for a whole day, and then the next one, and the next one.
Yes, this entire setup is wildly expensive, but we’re talking about Summit-Fi headphones that definitely deserve the best you have at your disposal, and this is the best I have. Absolutely fantastic combo, end-game for 99,99999999999% people.

HiFiMAN Serenade + Prelude

Another pairing is the newest gear from HiFiMAN, the Serenade DAC/AMP playing on its own, or plugged into the Prelude amplifier. The reviews of these devices are coming soon, but I can tell you already, that both are exceptionally good!
No matter if you’ll use just the Serenade, or plug it into the Prelude, you’ll be getting a huge, dynamic, rich and full-bodied sound with the Charybdis. The Prelude does squeeze an extra because of its monstrous power output, which further elevates the bass performance of the Charybdis, but to say that the Serenade tames it would be hugely wrong.

The Charybdis likes both solid state and tube amps, it doesn’t matter as long as the amplifier is good. This setup sounds significantly different than the first one though, as the HiFiMAN devices aren’t as musical, lush and colorful sounding as the Envy.

EarMen Tradutto + CH-Amp

The third setup for the Erzetich Charybdis is the EarMen “stack”, which is made of the Tradutto DAC and CH-Amp amplifier. This is a compact but mighty setup that packs quite a punch and an exceptional tuning just like the Charybdis.

Take note that you HAVE to use the balanced output of the CH-Amp to make the Charybdis sound great in this combo, as the unbalanced output doesn’t have enough juice to really make them shine. Once you’ll do it, you’ll be rewarded with a sound that is very natural, pleasant, dynamic and lively.
The best aspect of the EarMen stack is its highly natural and uncoloured tuning, and you can say the same about the Charybdis, and together it creates a sound that just works perfectly with everything – no matter the genre or the mastering quality, every album sounds great on this setup.

This setup is funny in a way, as the Charybdis is the biggest headphone on the market (probably), and the Tradutto + Champ is definitely one of the smallest combo in its price category, which is ironic when you pair the two. However, it is what it sounds like that matters, and the sound coming out of this setup is nothing short of exceptional.

Erzetich Charybdis – summary​

The Erzetich Charybdis is much more than just a new model released by Erzetich. It is a statement of their skill and knowledge, which makes the Charybdis one of the best headphone on the current market. It’s definitely not everyday that a smaller manufacturer is able to release the product to truly rival everyone, but Erzetich has succeeded it.

The Charybdis is quite comfortable, even though it’s big and heavy, it’s well-made, but what’s the most important – its sound quality is among the top headphones on the market. Even more, Erzetich managed to give it a magnificent tuning that is just so easy to enjoy yet it sounds natural and correct.

Reviewing this product was a pleasure and the Charybdis became one of my daily drivers. Everyone shoping for the new high-end headphones should have these on the shortlist.

Wildly recommended!

Big thanks to Blaž Erzetich for providing us with the Charybdis for this review. I wasn’t paid or asked to say anything good or bad about this product, all of the above is just my personal, unbiased opinion.

Introduction to the Schiit Audio Midgard review​

First of all, I absolutely refuse to do Schiit jokes. All-in-all it is a proud German name, host to a long line of audio engineers. We should show some respect. Also, it is kind of cliché at this point. Maybe next time. I’ll admit, I can’t recall the last time I was so excited about a review. Yes, we do play with the coolest toys on the market, but hear me out. It’s a $219 amplifier made in the US of A. Metal enclosure, discrete circuit, pre-out. I’ve seen dudes spend more on strippers. Duh, I’ve seen a dude spend more on ONE stripper. We’re talking wire strippers, obviously.

So, for what it is, Midgard is priced more than fairly. At least on paper. I love to see great sound quality getting more affordable. It excites me more than the new expensive stuff. And the other thing, that is a cherry on top: it does something different. It’s hard to get me curious about headphone amplifiers, as I’ve seen hundreds at this point and even built a couple.

I’m speaking about the Halo topology being used for the first time. In short, it is a mixed-feedback loop that includes headphones. Possibly improving sound quality. Why possibly? Because it’s very hard to measure the effect on the headphone’s output. More on that in a dedicated paragraph. So to sum things up: Schiit promises state-of-the-art performance for the price of a steak dinner in a big, European city. Steak, and a few glasses of wine, but can you do one without another?

Packaging​

They did something really smart here. The box, is a regular shipping cardboard, the one that you know its colour, but it’s weirdly hard to name it. Or is it just me? Inside the device is secured by a special, custom-made cardboard insert that holds it physically at a distance from the box sides for secure shipping. Smart, cheap and works. Inside you’ll find a quick start manual, some stickers and that’s basically it. Gotta keep the price down, but honestly? It’s secure, keeps the price low and arrives in one piece. It ain’t stupid if it works.

Design and Build Quality​

Out of the box, I knew one thing. It’s Schiit Audio quality. Full metal chassis, nothing to complain really. We have to appreciate the metal volume knob and Neutrik XLR connectors, something not entirely obvious at this price range. The logo on the top is stamped and then filled with paint, while other markings are made with screen printing. The only thing I don’t like is the two switches on the front. They feel kind of wobbly, but then I looked at the price and forgot about them. It’s an aesthetic little box. Sadly, the 4-pin XLR headphone connector can bend inside when plugging headphones. Some bracing could help that. A shame. Besides that, it’s all good.

Tech inside the reviewed Schiit Audio Midgard​

Now we’re getting to the good stuff. Reviewed Schiit Audio Midgard is not exactly a balanced amp. The inputs are balanced, as is the volume control. The input of the amplifier is balanced too, you can see that by the input filter components. The output of the amplifier is single-ended though. So the conversion from a symmetric signal path occurs here. It means we get all of the benefits of balanced inputs, namely Common Mode Rejection Ratio, which means interference resistance.
We don’t get extra output power when using the XLR output, so keep that in mind. Not that you’re going to miss it, since it delivers 5,5W @ 16 Ohm, 3,2W @ 50 Ohm and 375mW @ 600 Ohm. It drives a Susvara to a very satisfying result. But yeah, I basically touched the end of the potentiometer wiper on low gain. The manufacturer described the amp topology as open-loop linear, with low-loop feedback. I get all tingly on the inside when I read stuff like that. But, what does it mean in English? So, amplifiers use global feedback to achieve low distortion and low output impedance. Of course, there are some “no feedback” designs, like tube amps, or those crazy amps from Dartzeel.

They do use feedback in fact. It’s not global, it’s local. You can’t build an amp with absolutely zero feedback of any sort. What Schiit meant, was that they have a design that uses a lot of local feedback and some fancy engineering to create an amplifier that is pretty linear in open-loop (no global feedback applied), so it doesn’t require too much global feedback to achieve stellar performance. On the other hand, most manufacturers prioritise very high global feedback to achieve absurdly good measurements. Think NFCA circuits from Topping.
But that means, that their amplifiers are not very inherently linear. Topping prioritises fast design and deployment of their product and using huge amounts of global feedback makes it possible. To build an inherently linear amplifier it takes a long time and lots of tweaking. We know Jason likes to take time with his stuff. There is a whole book about this type of design: Audio Power Amplifiers, towards inherently linear amplifiers by Dr. Arto Kalinummi. It’s an essence from his PhD study, which ended in him building a couple of no-global feedback amplifiers. If you’re a geek like me, this book is a must-have. It was distributed by Linear Audio, and I think it still is available on Amazon.

Okay, what about the Halo topology? I have a separate paragraph about that, down below. The power supply uses a 16VAC wall-wart brick and a stacked power supply design giving a couple output voltages, but the most important part runs on bipolar +/-30V and +/- 20V rails. It gives the amp great performance into high-impedance headphones. Headroom is king. It is by measurements the best SE amplifier Schiit has made. Also, the most powerful. The preamp outputs can’t be turned off, that is the biggest con of this amplifier, one we shouldn’t have to bother with. There is space on the PCB and on the front panel for that. Shame it wasn’t done.

Halo topology​

So the Halo topology is based on a 40-year-old paper (which was not disclosed by Schiit) that described using mixed feedback to improve the speaker’s performance. According to Schiit, the original paper mentioned a 6dB improvement in acoustic measurements. Sadly, I couldn’t find any paper that fits the description. The Quad current dumping amplifier seems to be on a decent track, but don’t quote me on that. The idea is, that Halo output has sense resistors (hence 2Ohm output impedance), that allow for mixed-mode feedback (voltage and current feedback).

I suspect that mixed mode feedback allows for a partially current drive, of the driver, which should result in the driver being powered “better”. It is also assumed (which I agree with), that this system will have the biggest impact on headphones with impedance peaking. That makes perfect sense to me, as the “floppier” the driver, the more error it will create, giving the Halo more to work with.
That said, all of that wasn’t supported by measurements. Jason said, that they don’t want to spend resources and time. They invited people with measurement gear to get reviewed Schiit Audio Midgard for free and to measure it to heart’s content. This is how I got mine, even though I only have access to electrical measurements, not acoustical. I told them, but still got it. Thanks for this chance, I appreciate it. As usual, I wasn’t asked to say anything positive and they have no influence on this review. They’ll see it at the same time, as you do. As usual with Ear-Fidelity.

Measurements

For starters, I would like to thank Remco Stoujesdijk from It’s Only Audio for providing those measurements. His help was crucial in understanding the Halo as much as we were able without excessive reverse engineering. Measurements were done with Audio Precision APx585. Measurements were taken with XLR inputs and both headphone outputs. As you can see, Midgard is a fantastically measuring amplifier with impressive specs. Please note the scale of the attached measurements. They have been scaled up, so we can actually see something.

Frequency response, please note the scale. It’s completely flat in the audio band better than (-0,125dB).

THD+N versus measured output, which is astonishingly low. You can see it’s optimised for around 2V.

SNR @ 10VRMS input, max gain, over 22kHz bandwidth, brick wall filtered. With bandwidth up to 96kHz the result is 6dB worse @ 123dB indicating the white noise performance of the amplifier (flat noise density across the bandwidth, i.e. thermal noise).

Distortion products @ 1VRMS

Spectrum @ 1VRMS @ 1kHz

IMD 19kHz + 20kHz

Proof of mixed feedback. Loading was 100Ohm resistor (mildly inductive) + 66nF capacitance. If pure current feedback was used, the -3 dB point would be near 24 kHz, instead, it is 71 kHz so current feedback does not dominate.

In a sweet shot with a thermal camera, you can tell where the transistor’s die is. Notice a really hot, 85-degree C resistor up top.

Spectra of amplifier’s output at 1V (reference) and 200mV (measurement with headphone load) with different loads, with or without Halo. Notice the gain in the noise transfer around 600Hz, showing up on Halo measurements. It came up in 1M points FFT, averaged 4 times. We don’t have a good explanation for it besides it is caused by cold headphone drivers (a cold day) and it faded away with time. It might be also correlated to Halo, but at those levels, it’s speculative. But well, let’s say we measured a difference.
Dark purple: unloaded
Blue: HD800 no Halo

Dark purple: unloaded
Pink: HD800 with Halo

Dark Purple: reference
Pink: Meze Liric no Halo

Dark purple: reference
Brownish: Liric with Halo

How does the reviewed Schiit Audio Midgard sound?​

I gave Schiit Audio Midgard one day of warming up before I started the testing. I had to start with its “magical” output first. And since I’m lazy and I had the Susvara on hand… I was blown away. It’s not Susvara and EF1000’s level of performance, but still, the Midgard was doing a really good job. It’s like a substitute teacher showing up and actually teaching you stuff. Never happened in my time. Okay, okay, I thought, let the man cook then. I listened to this set for a couple of hours before I had enough. It was a satisfying, fun music session and I couldn’t say I missed out on something. But then, I had to get back to reality. I pulled a set of more reasonable, but still challenging headphones. Two of them have peaking issues. Most of my listening was done on Halo output. The difference is described below.
Without Halo, the sound sounds like any other amplifier. Gets it on a level of Jotunheim 2 and WHAMMY (which is still really good). We basically have a very good SE amplifier. Halo feels like removing compression from the sound, it returns it to a more natural, more open and more dynamic state. Since the measurements show absolutely no definitive difference on the electric side, it seems to support the theory that the driver behaves differently.

On Meze Liric in the song When It Comes To You by Dire Straits, Mark’s vocal comes in much closer and seems bigger while losing dynamics. Instruments playing in the upper midrange sound offensive because of Liric’s peaking in that region (also why I didn’t like them with midrange forward M15S). With Halo output, the soundstage opens up and the sound stops dry-humping your head. The separation between shows up, giving each instrument better placement on the scene. The peaking of the headphones seems to be tamed, as it stopped being audible. Meze Liric with Metallica’s Thing that should not be showed minimal differences and out of all my tests here, the effect was miniscule.



On the Sennheiser HD800 difference is also audible. Listening to the Opening Suite from Halo Combat Trilogy OST makes it easy to pick up. Using Halo on Halo (see what I did there?) opens up the soundstage once again. It separates sound sources, creating extra depth. The biggest difference was in the choir. It gained so much dynamics it got reasonably close to the real thing. It also allowed much more low-level detail to show up. The famous harshness of the HD800 was reduced to a level that doesn’t bother me.

Now to the good part, listening with Halo. I’m extremely impressed with the performance and sound of the Midgard. This amp sounds like it costs a couple times more than it does. What comes forward is terrific resolution, coupled with full timbre, holographic sound staging and incredible realism. Yeah, I am excited. It sounds right up my alley, so maybe cut my enthusiasm in half. The tonal balance is really good, only the bass is a bit less present than I would like it to be.
The sound is extremely effortless, even with more demanding headphones. It does help the headphones sound better, even though it doesn’t seem like it in the measurements. Shame I couldn’t provide acoustic measurements. If find a way, I’ll. In short, it is an insanely capable amplifier that bested all my references, including its own older brother. Inherently linear design with lots of headroom is the future, even without Halo. Together, they provide something spectacular. I have found Midgard to be extremely transparent and it scales greatly with other components. What I meant by transparent was: that it doesn’t limit the sound in any way. Not “it sounds flat”. The better the companion equipment, the more ahead of the competition the Midgard was.



Bass

I find it extremely satisfying, but slightly lacking in quantity. I wish there was a bit more, especially when listening to rock, metal and EDM. Touch more, would make this amp basically perfect. I enjoyed listening to Lady Gaga’s Bad Romance, with its leading overdriven synth melody during verses. I like how it and the main bass line were separated from the rest of the sound. Very often you hear me say meat on the bones in regards to bass. It’s a bit too lean. No fat here at all. For real instruments refer to Otherside by Red Hot Chilli Peppers. I love how clean the bass line is. It’s so easy to pick It up apart from other instruments. There is a lot of detail in this instrument, all of which gets delivered to your ears. Drums fill up the rest of this range with a funky pop we all love RHCP for.

Midrange

The best effect here was together with the EF600 as a DAC. I was delighted to hear how good the midrange was. Soundtrack Halo Trilogy and the famous Opening Suite is a great example of reviewed Schiit Audio Midgard’s prowess. I was thrilled with how much dynamics in the choir was provided. Especially compared to the competition, here I felt like I was getting as close to the original as I could. It’s so easy to tell every minute change of volume and timbre as the choir follows the melody. The effortlessness of Midgard also helps to make this range so convincing. I couldn’t pick up any colouration added.
When It Comes To You by Dire Straits has a mix of vocals together with guitars. I was pleased to hear them completely separated from each other. Nothing is mixing together. Since I’ve been raving about voice, now I’ll focus on the guitars. They have a very nice timbre and a full-bodied presence throughout the recording. I like this song for its use of guitars across the soundstage, creating a nice back-and-forth between them. Overall, it’s a very detailed, natural sound that is stuck with me now.

Treble

Let’s stick with this song for a minute more. It uses a lot of cymbals and different bells. The reviewed amplifier does a fantastic job of marrying treble detail and weight. Metal does sound like metal, with suitable crash and reverberation. Nothing is hidden or influenced by this amp. Once again every single sound is completely separated from others. Then I went to Time by Pink Floyd, an obvious benchmark for treble. In the opening sequence, I was impressed by how much information was recorded. Every clock was different and produced a different tone. All of that without any hint of artificial brightness from the amplifier. Very often treble resolution is a result of a brighter tuning. No such thing here.

Soundstage

Another strong point of the newest amplifier from Texas. While not extremely wide, the soundstage has amazing depth and layering. Every sound source is a very well-defined point in the space. Drums and cymbals in The Thing That Should Not Be by Metallica are very well-defined from left to right, especially at the end, where they dance from one side to the other. Even with compressed music such as Bad Romance by Lady Gaga, there was some depth and width, especially when using Halo output. The abovementioned performance is way above Midgard’s asking price.

Comparisons​

Topping A30Pro​

Topping really did stir the market up with their affordable, high-performance devices. Sadly, I wasn’t able to grab any of the newer offerings around this price. Still, the A30PRO @ $269 is a capable little amplifier. It features a now famous NFCA module that uses composite amplifiers and a truckload of feedback to offer the best measurable performance. As you can see, a topology is completely different from that of Schiit Midgard. I like the A30 for its great bass, pleasant tonal balance and nice detail. How do they compare? Topping has to give it to the reviewed Schiit Audio Midgard this time. Besides a touch more bass, which I like, the A30Pro is not as good sounding as the American amp.

Bass

Chinese amp has a really nice fullness and thump to it. With the soundtrack from Doom Eternal, I actually preferred it. It sounded much more powerful. On the flipside, Midgard delivers a resolution and finesse that is outside its competitors’ reach. It’s quality over quantity and you know which one I prefer.

Midrange

In my opinion, midrange is hands down better on the Midgard. The A30Pro suffers from a flat delivery, and lack of dynamics in this range. Midgard is just so much more natural, open and fun. It’s more a case of Topping not delivering than Midgard adding tone.

Treble

On Topping’s amplifier, the treble feels recessed in comparison to Midgard and other amps. It creates this pleasant, darker, more bassy tuning. Many people prefer that, so no harm is done. The quality of the treble is good at it’s price. It’s smooth rather than extremely detailed, but still has a pleasant ring to it. Midgard offers a more even presentation, and to be frank just better treble. Better how? More detail is more airy, yet still doesn’t go into sharpness.

Soundstage

This is the weakest point for the A30Pro, as it has a narrow and shallow soundstage. Really, it’s nothing special. Then when you listen to Midgard, it’s the complete opposite: big, open, precise positioning. Holographic I would even say. No competition.

Jotunheim 2​

Jotunheim 2 is one of the most popular amps in its price range. Fully balanced, linear power supply, nice output power and add-on cards… All for $399. It’s worth mentioning that it uses some of the coolest tech from Schiit Audio, namely the Nexus current feedback, an inherently differential amplifier with a Continuity S output stage. Those are being used in some of the best stuff from them, including Tyr power amplifier at $1599. Pretty nice package if you ask me. Of all of the amplifiers here, it was the closest to the Midgard in terms of overall sound quality. Jotunheim 2 is a daily driver of my friend, who was kind enough to lend it to me. Jotunheim has a nice, even presentation, with great sound staging and stellar resolution.

Bass

Quantity-wise Jotunheim 2 is somewhere in-between A30Pro and Midgard. Much closer to the latter, than the former. The character is also similar to Schiit’s offerings. Tight, controlled, snappy lows are the name of the game. On some tracks with Midgard, I could hear some roll-off, while Jotunheim played everything evenly. Don’t know why is that, but I guess it is what it is. Point for Jotunheim.

Midrange

This time point goes straight to the Midgard. Its midrange is stuff from legends. The Jotunheim 2 does a good job in terms of resolution and tonality. Yet Midgard is straight-up better, especially when it comes to the natural, dynamic reproduction of voices. Jotunheim 2 sounds like it’s been slightly compressed in comparison. I think that’s either Halo or just an insane amount of headroom kicking in.

Treble

Jotunheim 2 has a very satisfying treble. Smooth, with a bit of a sparkle. Similarly to bass, it’s between Midgard and A30Pro quantity-wise. It’s a great performer, and similar in style to the Midgard. On the other hand, it lacks the airiness and resolution that is provided by Midgard.

Soundstage

Sound staging was a close shave. Jotunheim has a laid-back style, that I enjoy so, so much. I feel like I’m in a loop. Once again Midgard does a similar style, but better. The comparison between the two reminds me of Peacemaker and Bloodsport from Suicide Squad 2.
“He does exactly what I do!”
“But better”

WHAMMY​

One of my favourite amplifiers, WHAMMY, is a DIY project you can assemble yourself. I love this thing. It isn’t that expensive for a kit, as you can grab it for $299. It features a single-ended topology with an opamp gain stage and a MOSFET class A output stage. I have a Muzg Audio dual opamp installed, which adds around $40 to the price tag. There are a lot of discrete opamps you can use, including Burson Audio, Stacatto Audio, Sparkos Labs and more. Soundwise, WHAMMY delivers a thick, warm tone. It marries that with a really good resolution and solid sound staging. You can control those things with the change of opamps, putting you in control of the sound. I have chosen Muzg’s opamp as it is the most neutral sounding out of all I have.

Bass

Huge difference here. WHAMMY has this big, bold bass. It’s meat on the bones and a nice amount of fat. It’s so much fun, I absolutely love it. With EDM, or metal this DIY amp kicks bottoms with no care in the world. It’s like David and Goliath all over again. Midgard, what lacks in quantity, makes up in quality. Resolution, speed, textures, it’s just better. If I could have both…

Midrange

Similar story here. WHAMMY has a nice warm, rich tone. Midgard has resolution, dynamics and a more natural feeling. It’s pick your poison, but I do believe Midgard’s performance is a level up. Just for the incredible scale and dynamics alone.

Treble

This is as close as any competitor got to the Midgard. Whammy has a fantastic treble, bold, with natural weight, and great detail. While not as airy and detailed as Midgard’s, WHAMMY produced a nicer attack and felt more interesting. Curiously, besides being heavier, it didn’t go into harshness even once.

Soundstage

DIY amplifier sounds closer and smaller in scale. While it is not as wide as Midgard it still puts up a fight in precision. The thing that should not be by Metallica has this really cool sequence at the end, where cymbals and guitars are floating in the air right to left. The WHAMMY handled that with ease, but it was not as spectacular as with the Midgard. Still, it was a great performance. Out of the comparison amps, I find WHAMMY’s sound staging the most natural feeling.

Pairing​

Andromeda Emerald Sea

I was really worried about this mix. We all know Andromeda is a troublesome IEM with its low impedance and super-high sensitivity. So, how it went? We are literally at the bottom of the volume range, yet still, the tracking is really good. It starts to lose balance at whisper levels, which for an analogue, potentiometer-based regulation is crazy good. Sound-wise, it drives Andromeda with no issues and no noise is audible. Dead quiet. And since it’s Andromeda ES, it’s crazy good.

Meze Liric​

I think it’s my favourite companion for the Midgard, which solves its biggest issue – the peak in the upper midrange. With Halo, it turns to extremely satisfying, resolving headphones with a nice sprinkle of warmth. Great sound staging for a closed-back headphone is something worth mentioning. If you are looking for a set that won’t bother a person sleeping by your side, this is one of the best you can get. It’s possibly the best-sounding Liric I have heard. Especially with EF600 as a source. This set works fantastically well with any genre of music and is as universal as it gets.

Sennheiser HD800 SDR mod​

I understand the position of the HD800 on the market, but I personally don’t like it. It’s great for gaming, but that’s it. Before you come at me with the torches, listen. With the Halo output of the Midgard, it sounded much closer to what I enjoy. It got somebody to the sound, the soundstage was great and the harshness was almost completely gone. If you are looking for an amp for these headphones, it’s worth a try. Especially, when the best-recommended amps are usually a couple of times more expensive than the HD800. Not to mention the Midgard. As a transparent amplifier, it preserves the main selling point of the Sennheiser’s dynamic flagship, while it mitigates its weakness.

Letshuoer EJ07M​

I’m happy to report, that the Midgard does a great job with IEMs. The channel matching of the potentiometer is really good even at the lowest levels. Kudos, especially since it’s a quad potentiometer. The EJ07M is a great representative of Mid-Fi IEMs, it even went on a vacation with me in February. I couldn’t pick up any noticeable issues, noise is inaudible.

Schiit Audio Midgard Review – Summary​

This is as close to a must-have that I’m comfortable with. Schiit Midgard is the best amplifier at its price point if you use the Halo output. It bested even much more expensive competition. It is also as close to transparent as it can get. The only thing I would change would be to add a touch of bass. I’m not able to pick up its sound signature. That means either, there’s none, or it’s time for a new hobby. I heard painting Warhammer 40k figurines is pretty cool.

Build quality is okay, only the selector switches feel a bit wobbly and the headphone XLR is not stable. Functionality-wise, the non-switchable pre-out makes me angry. We were so close to perfection. Besides that, it drives almost everything, even makes Susvara sound good (not perfect though), can handle IEMs with ease and is physically small.

While the measurements are basically as good as it gets, they haven’t shown any proof for Halo to make a measurable difference. I’m looking at your acoustic measurement guys, it’s your turn. It scales fantastically with other gear. If you are starting, get the Midgard and spend the rest of your money on balanced cable, headphones and DAC. It’s the best bang for the buck I’ve seen in my life. This Schiit is amazing! It’s a Schiit joke, they earned it.

Highly Recommended.

Big thanks to Schiit Audio for providing the Midgard for this review. I wasn’t paid or asked to say anything good or bad about this product, all of the above is just my personal, unbiased opinion.

Fiio M15S​

The M15S by FiiO promises to be the middle-ground DAP for portable and stationary use. Is extra power and some cool features enough to secure it a place on the market? Let’s see how much we can extract from the newest DAP in FiiO's portfolio coming at $999.

​

Introduction to the FiiO M15S review​

I had the FiiO M11 Plus ESS (which I reviewed) some time ago and I loved it. Then, I wanted to try something else and swapped it for the Chord Mojo 2. Worst decision ever, to be honest. Got rid of it quicker, than you can say “but why, it’s supposedly so good?”. Not for me. So I went back to using dongles, with the Questyle M15 taking the prime place in my inventory. A dongle isn’t a perfect replacement for a DAP, so I kept looking. Imagine, then I stumbled upon FiiO representatives at the CanJam in London. After a short back and forth we have reached an agreement, and the FiiO M15S has landed in my hands, together with something else, but that’s a story for another time.
Why do I like DAPs so much, and why a dongle can’t replace it you ask? A couple of reasons. I value the independence of music from my phone. Also, listening to music doesn’t drain my phone’s battery. Great for longer trips. Then, the sound quality. Physically larger device means we can put more stuff inside. And in this scale, the more the better. Reviewed FiiO M15S features one of the top DACs on the market, the ESS Sabre ES9038PRO, which by itself is just huge. It by itself is as wide as a dongle I used for comparisons in this review. Lastly, output power. Less important with IEMs, as dongles can handle that very well, but with headphones, extra headroom makes all the difference.

Packaging​

Unboxing feels like it’s a premium smartphone. Or, like it’s the M11 PLUS with extra steps. Everything we get is packed very nicely and securely. The external sleeve is full of iridescent prints. Looks cool, like it’s a gaming accessory.
Inside, we’ll find the player in a hard foam piece. Underneath them you’ll find the DK3S stand with a cooling fan, quick start guide and USB type C/Type C- Type A cables. I like the idea of the stand, as it complements the FiiO M15S as a desktop DAC/AMP. Even without running the fan, it’s just convenient to use, instead of a DAP lying flat on the desk. Reviewed FiiO M15S is delivered with a leather case, featuring a metal backplate for heat sinking. Cool, nobody wants to order that separately, especially at this price point.
So, overall: all is good here, nothing to complain about.

Build Quality​

The first thing you should do when unboxing this DAP is to take it out of the case it comes in. The build quality is immaculate. I dare you, to find something imperfect.
It’s okay, I’ll wait.
Told you.
It looks great: metal frame, with perfectly fitted front screen and back glass. Tactile buttons, smooth knob on top, and a necessary hold button. The top knob is specially braced in case the DAP drops on top of it. It should survive that incident, but I haven’t tested this theory. I have a strict don’t drop stuff policy, but you can try if you want. Thermals are really good too. The internal heat spreader works nicely, heating the chassis pretty evenly, though the lower part is slightly warmer. Nothing worse than accidentally touching a hot spot on a DAP or smartphone, am I right?

Tech​

Reviewed FiiO M15S is a DAP, which means this is going to be a long paragraph. Let’s start with the system part, and then we will finish with audio-related topics. The first thing we see is the 18:9 5,5” 720p display. While it’s nothing to write home about when compared to contemporary smartphones, it’s still a solid display. Vivid colours, brightness and resolution are enough for usage. To be honest I thought it was a higher resolution. Good thing I don’t review video gear then.
The brain of the reviewed FiiO M15S is the Snapdragon 660 featuring 4x 2,2GHz and 4x 1,8GHz cores, with an Adreno 512 graphics core is an older, but still capable SOC. It’s been used in phones like Xiaomi Redmi Note 7s, or Samsung A9. It uses 4GB of RAM and has access to 64GB of internal memory (some of which is taken by the operating system). The memory can be extended with a micro SD card, of a capacity of up to 2TB. Since no reputable brand makes cards this big, we’ll have to stick with a realistic 1TB, which is still absolutely insane.
All of this tech runs on a custom Android 10 with global SRC disabled. It means, it basically is bit perfect regardless of what app are you using. As was pointed out by my friend, Grzesiu, an older Android is not as secure as the newest versions with current security patches and features. Something to consider.
Built-in BT is done with the Qualcomm QC5124 Bluetooth 5.0 chip. It allows to use of the nicest codecs like LDAC, aptX HD, and AAC in both ways: as a receiver and a transmitter. On board, Wi-Fi supports both 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands in a Wi-Fi 5 spec. The power for all of that goodness comes from a 6200 mAh battery, which you can top up in around 4 hours, thanks to QC3.0 and USB PD.
Dope. You can set the battery limit at 80% to extend its life, a great feature! Nothing more annoying than searching for not only the right battery but also a repair shop that will handle a DAP a couple of years from now.
For the audio part, inside the reviewed FiiO M15s we have a proprietary digital filter/SRC stage using an FPGA with a femtosecond oscillators from the Japanese NDK company. It also produces the SPDIF output you can access via the 3,5mm jack. The D/A conversion is done with an ESS Sabre ES9038PRO. Yes, the full-size version. It is interesting to me, how they managed to fit it inside this DAP. Kudos to that, not an easy task.
The analogue stage uses OPA927 opamps. The audio chain uses high-quality thin film resistors and metalized foil caps from Panasonic. We are getting a set of standard outputs: 3,5 mm and balanced duo: 2,5mm and 4,4mm. The first one can work as headphone out, line out and SPDIF out. Balanced outputs are either pone output or line level. A great feature for integrating the reviewed FiiO M15S into a stationary system. The USB connector works both ways allowing this unit to either feed an external DAC or become a USB DAC itself. The HiRes functionality is here with capabilities of up to 32bit/384kHz and DSD256. Is it the most you can get nowadays? No. Should you be bothered by that? Oh no, I won’t be able to listen to my collection of 768kHz music. Which is one sample file, which I never actually played.
The power output is respectable, with up to 1,2 W @ 32 Ohm @ 1% THD @ balanced out in Ultra High Power mode. It isn’t available for portable use, where we can expect a pretty nice 1 W @ 32Ohm @ 1% THD @ balanced out. Around 800mW with a reasonable distortion. A bit more than half of that with single-ended output. More than enough for IEMs and headphones. It’s not like I’m commuting to work with Susvara on my head, let’s be realistic.

Desktop mode/high power

Charging the reviewed FiiO M15S is not as easy as you would expect. Let me explain. When connecting a regular USB power supply, it will charge like any other thing on this planet. But, if you plug in a fast charger with QC/PD functionality, you will get some extra options. First is the Desktop Mode. It disconnects the battery completely (neither charges nor drains), meaning the USB power supply takes full responsibility for the device. It basically turns into a desktop device. If you use the M15S at home it will hugely extend the battery life.
The Ultra High Power Mode uses external power to increase the voltage rails from +/-6V to +/-7,6V bipolar, giving us around 3V of extra swing. It means that we have more headroom for the DAC part and more output power for the headphone amplifier. It’s an absolutely brilliant idea and it gives it more edge against other DAPs in stationary roles. Also, unlike its older brother, the reviewed FiiO M15s has no external power brick required. Just a modern USB power supply, which you most likely already have. How does it affect the sound? It is easy to notice. The music feels more dynamic and open. Sound staging gets wider and bass gets a nice boost. When listening at home, using this mode was a no-brainer.

User interface/features

The operating system of the FiiO M15S, being a custom Android 10 will feel familiar to most of us. Navigation is very intuitive as usual. All of the important settings are available in the easily accessible top menu. This DAP offers us 5 modes of operation:

1. Android Mode: Regular, Android-based DAP with access to Play Store and 3rd party apps.
2. Pure Music Mode: skeleton OS functions and only the FiiO music app is available. Shuts down unnecessary processes and programs in the background. The “Audiophile mode” if you may.
3. USB DAC Mode: exactly as stated (volume works?, HID?)
4. Bluetooth Receiving Mode: turns it into a BT audio receiver, and shuts down everything else.
5. AirPlay: works as an AirPlay receiver. Duh.

Most of my listening tests of reviewed FiiO M15s were in mode 1.
An exciting feature for me is the FiiO Roon, which turns the reviewed FiiO M15S into a Roon Ready streamer. Works flawlessly, there is even an icon of this DAP in Roon. A fantastic option for those who want to share this device between home and portable use. As an avid Roon user, I’m content. Also, the buttons on the player control Roon, so you can easily skip tracks.
The menu holds another audiophile feature: upsampling to DSD64 2,8MHz. It uses the built-in FPGA to convert every input to DSD before it is converted by the onboard DAC. Besides “cool kids factor” it makes the sound a bit softer, smoother and slightly less dynamic. Also, drains a battery like crazy, so be mindful of that. Cool thing to have, similarly like it was in the M11 PLUS.
There is one multifunction button on the side. By default, it allows for quick mode selection, but you can customise its function, including switching filters, adding to favourites, switching songs randomly and a couple more. A convenient thing to have, but when using the switch filter function I was getting no info on which filter I was using. I would have to go into audio settings to check which one is being used now. Shame, it’s not displayed anywhere else. Nothing a patch won’t fix FiiO.
The last trick I want to talk about is the second harmonic regulation, a feature built into the ES9038PRO chip. It allows us to increase the amount of second harmonic in the output signal. Make the sound more tubey and sweet. In practice it felt like a bit of extra compression, softening the sound and dynamics. I preferred listening without it, as level 1 was hard to notice and level 2 was a bit too much for me.

Sound of the reviewed Fiio M15S​

To kick things off, FiiO M15S sounds different than most ESS-based audio devices. So that’s exciting (at least for me). It has a focus on midrange, pushing it forward. The exact opposite of a V-shaped response. The first things that came to mind after listening to it were spectacular sound staging and dynamics, which I admit sounds like any other review about gear with ESS DAC. I know. Not much I can do about it. On a more serious note, the sound quality from the M15S is spectacular for its price. It was able to stand up to a few really good competitors in portable and desktop realms.
Bass
When we think of ESS Sabre devices we usually think about spectacular bass. Well, not in this case. It plays a supporting role, taking a backseat. It provides enough quantity to provide a foundation but certainly is not a star of the show. It provides a solid level of resolution when listening to Afghan Whigs – Gentlemen. The bass riff in the background is crisp and separated from other instruments. Drums were tight, and snappy, with a great natural reverberation. Something I like a lot in sound. The textures are on point and while the bass sounds a bit light to my taste it does deliver quality noise.
Mids
This is where the party’s at. If you like huge, bold vocals and guitars, you’ll be delighted with the reviewed FiiO M15S. It puts the midrange on a pedestal and pampers it to no end. It is the most prevalent with vocals, both male and female. The singers/rappers/growlers seem to be physically imposing and they speak to like you are the only person in the world. I don’t want to ride the hype, but I can’t mention Oliver Anthony’s Rich Men north of Richmond. If you listened to this song even once, you know that besides hitting the nail on the head lyric-wise, it also is recorded very poorly. Nosie, clipping only adds up to the message. It fits with him being an off-grid artist, recording on a field outside his home, singing his heart out. It makes sense. And when you listen to it on the M15S, it speaks straight to your soul. As with other ESS-based DACs, the tonality could be richer (like men north of Richmond) it still is an excellent display of capability, especially if you love the clean, uncoloured, exact presentation.
Treble
I’ve been listening to Robyn’s Missing U, which has a lot of bells and I have noticed that they really stood out to me. The M15S treble is terrific. It blends resolution, speed and precision while not falling into metallic quality which can happen with ESS-based DACs. Bells in the mentioned song spread out all around my head evenly, creating a really immersive performance. They are a bit behind midrange, so take that into consideration when selecting your headphones/IEMs, more on that later. All in all, the FiiO M15S reproduces treble with great vigour, highlighting its detail.
Sound staging
Sound staging is very impressive here, although it has some quirks to it. Let’s start with the elephant in the room: vocals. They tend to be set dead centre with a tendency to be very big in size. It empowers the vocalists’ performance to a huge degree. Listen to Stir it up by Bob Marley & The Wailers, you’ll understand what I mean immediately. Bob and the choir are slightly exaggerated, while the rest of the bands feel very natural with a very wide and decently deep soundstage. The deepness seems to be limited by the dominating midrange in the middle. It creates this uncommon, but very fun vocal-centred presentation.

Comparisons​

Sadly, at the moment I only got my hands on ESS-based devices, so the differences aren’t going to be that big. There is a lot in common between those. I hope to expand my choices in the future, but for now, it is what it is. It’s also a great mirror of how the market was shaped by the fire of the AKM factory. To end on a positive note, I’m excited to see that Cirrus Semiconductor is still a pretty popular choice, AKM is getting back into the game, and we have a new player in the audio DAC game, namely ROHM from Japan.

FiiO M17
The difference between those two was much bigger than I was expecting. I was thinking: same manufacturer, same chip… Well, FiiO said hell no! The M17’s sound signature is a v shape with extra emphasis on the bass. It’s big and thick, just like me. It’s a big contrast to reviewed FiiO M15S’s midrange forward sound. The bigger brother does sound better, but is it “I’m going to carry this brick around like I’m a slave in a quarry? Don’t know. If I was travelling a lot, and staying in hotels a lot… Yes. It would be my audio centre, able to perfectly drive regular headphones with its superior output power. In my case, travelling to work, or domestically (and not that often) I prefer the FiiO M15S. It is still a great desktop device if need be, but has a much better carry-ability factor. It fits into either a pocket or a fanny pack.
The M17’s bass is much more prevalent and dominating. It does that while preserving the control and resolution of its younger brother. It’s going to knock your socks off, and you’ll come back for seconds. The midrange is my opinion a bit less pleasant than in the FiiO M15S. Smaller DAP has more finesse and agility. Human voices seem more open and engaging. The resolution and scale are once again on Big Boi’s side. To top things off, treble is similar in both cases. The M15S might come across as slightly metallic, while the M17 is much more neutral and less offensive.

JDS Labs Element III

As you know, I was really impressed with Element III’s mature sound and great feature set. It felt only right to compare it with the reviewed FiiO M15S in desktop mode, after talking so much about how it functions. So, I put the Ultra High Power mode on and switched to 3,5mm connectors to even the playing field. For ease of you, the JDS takes the point. A simple, fast user interface provides everything you need in 2 or 3 moves of a hand. With the reviewed FiiO M15S it takes a bit longer, because of how many functions there are. Speaking of which, the DAP takes the point here. While EIII is only a DAC/AMP, the hero of this review does everything from BT, AirPlay, local files and streaming. And is a solid DAC/AMP on top of that. Sound-wise, the M15S takes the cake. It is clearly a superior-sounding device. While the EIII has a more balanced, universal sound to it, the competitor takes the whole thing to the next level. Might be the jump from portable ESS9018K2M to major league ES9038PRO. The DAP provides more resolution, more open sound, and better sound staging. It also has its own style which might be a pro or a con. Depends on you. In terms of driveability, the EIII can do more, but in most cases, the difference wasn’t huge. Of course all of the extra options and better sound cost more.

Questyle M15

I had to compare the two. First of all, a dongle vs a DAP is a discussion that never ends. The Questyle’s dongle is one of the best on the market. Secondly, THE COINCIDENCE: Questyle M15 and FiiO M15S? Come on, I couldn’t let that pass unnoticed. So, do the differences justify the price jump between the two? The answer is not so straightforward as yes, or no. It comes down to your needs and lifestyle. Is the reviewed M15S a reasonable choice for people who use IEMs on a commute to work? Unless you are chasing the last ounce of sound quality – probably not. On the other hand – if you travel more, or use it in your home system, the extra investment seems to be a no-brainer.
Sound-wise the DAP is significantly more capable – which shouldn’t be a surprise to anybody. The dongle hides detail and feels a bit choked up in comparison. The dongle does better in terms of the amount of bass, which might be a deciding factor, for those, for whom the M15S feels too bass-shy. To be fair when I listen to the M15 it feels like it’s a great sound and I don’t miss anything. Then, when I switch to the M15S… Yeah, there it is.

Pairings​

Meze Liric

Meze Liric is considered one of the best closed-back headphones on the market and you can’t understand how much I wanted this set to work. Super comfortable headphones, with a capable DAP, it had to work. Well, it doesn’t exactly. The Meze’s child has a tendency to be shouty around the mids/treble border. The M15S like to push the midrange forward. It gets shouty and sibilant on some tracks. Too much for me to be honest. Imagine how heartbroken I am, when I wanted to buy the Liric for personal use with this DAP. Sadly, while both are great products, they aren’t made to work together.

Craft Ears Aurum

The previous flagship from Craft Ears, the Aurum is a great match to the M15S. Its slightly V-shaped response matched the M15S character. Together they make an amazing set in which the midrange still dominates but it is compensated by punchy bass and crisp, fresh highs. It’s a very fun-centred setup, which shines in all genres. The notable moment for me was when I was listening to mentioned earlier Rich Men north of Richmond. The effect of his raw voice was multiplied by this combe to a bone-chilling effect. A truly spectacular show of capability.

HiFiMan Sundara Closed

While not exactly portable, the Sundara Closed is a great headphone. After my disappointment with Liric, it was my next obvious choice and boy it didn’t disappoint. Together with the M15S, it presented a fresh, surprisingly open sound. Lighter tonality and excellent tight bass are the name of the game here. I love the detail retrieval from this combo. The M15S drives the Sundara Closed with ease, even without the Ultra High Power mode on. With it, it’s even better. Both work great even at louder settings, with no lack of headroom. No choking up, just music. It’s a testament to a great amp that is used in the M15S.

Fiio M15S Review – Summary​

Well, what can I say? Another really good DAP from FiiO. The value for price is very strong here. We get a terrific sounding source, that can handle any IEMs and many headphones.
Its sound signature is midrange-focused with excellent resolution and dynamics. On top of that, we have a set of thoughtful features that actually make a quality of life difference. Battery saving, extra power with USB PD/QC chargers, multiple modes dedicated to different uses. I can see the M15S becoming a part of many people’s lives both at home and outside. If you are in a market for a capable DAP, give the newest FiiO a shot. It’s worth it.

Recommended.

Big thanks to Fiio for providing the M15S for this review. I wasn’t paid or asked to say anything good or bad about this product, all of the above is just my personal, unbiased opinion.

Introduction to the Review of Effect Audio Fusion 1​

The brand Effect Audio has been reviewed a few times already at Ear Fidelity, and the brand itself needs no introduction. They are one of the leading manufacturers of IEM aftermarket cables, dating back to 2009.
Their lineup now consists of IEM cables, headphones cables, as well as IEMs (we’ve reviewed their Axiom here). What sets Effect Audio apart from the competition is their conX and termX connectors, but I will explain those later in this review.
The subject of today’s review, the Fusion 1 is the newest release from Effect Audio, the cable that looks as stunning as it gets. It is the first model in the newest Fusion series, and it promises to offer some great technology, and what you could expect from Effect Audio – Fantastic craftsmanship. Let’s dive into it.

Packaging​

Sadly, I’m not able to comment on the unboxing experience of the reviewed Effect Audio Fusion 1, as I received the cable in a demo packaging. Included was the cable itself, and two boxes containing conX and termX.
The cable had its hardware wrapped in a thin plastic film to prevent getting scratched during the transit, and it got the job done.
Fortunately, knowing Effect Audio, you can expect a great unboxing experience and some great accessories included if you order a Fusion 1 for yourself.

Build Quality, Comfort, and Tech​

Let’s start this paragraph of the review with the build quality and design. The Effect Audio Fusion 1 is an eye-candy for sure, this is one of the most beautiful cables I’ve ever seen without a doubt.
Its subtle rose-gold + gold color combination, together with just a stunning-looking wire and beautiful hardware all make for a cable that is elegant and refined looking. Take note, however, that if you like your cables stealthy and not grabbing attention, reviewed Effect Audio Fusion 1 is definitely not a cable for you. It grabbed attention every time I wore it outside, but it was a good type of attention. It doesn’t look cheap or too flashy, it’s just…elegant. The color scheme will definitely not suit every IEM on the planet, but hey…you can’t satisfy everyone.

Now onto the actual build quality, and once again, this is fantastic. The cable feels sturdy, and reliable and the actual finish of the hardware is spot-on. Well, you can see it all in the photos, as I’ve used my macro lens a lot in this review (and that was a pleasure, to say the least). I’ve had only good experience when using Effect Audio cables in the past, so I’m sure this one will last you a long time without any issues.
Speaking of comfort, the Effect Audio Fusion 1 is rather a comfortable cable, but it’s definitely not its biggest strength. The wire is quite thick, so this is not a type of cable that you “don’t feel while wearing”. You’ll know it’s there, and since you paid so much for it…maybe it’s a good thing?
Jokes aside, I have no problems with the comfort of the Fusion 1. The cable is not microphonic, it’s quite pliable and smooth to the touch. Even though it’s not the thinest, nor the lightest, I’d say that it’s comfortable enough for an all-day listening.

Now, let’s get into the tech. Reviewed Effect Audio Fusion 1 is built of selected Premium UP-OCC Material Gold Plated Silver Litz, Pure Silver Litz, and Pure Copper Litz Hybrid. It’s a 2-wire, 21 AWG cable. This all might sound like some kind of witchcraft to you, but it just shows how much effort and thought went into creating the Fusion 1. This is the best example of a cable being a real premium product, and it’s not expensive because “it can be”.
While ordering the Effect Audio Fusion 1 which we review this time, you have a lot of choices when it comes to its terminations. On the IEMs side, you’ll be getting Effect Audio ConX. This allows you to change between two-pin and MMCX connectors. This is absolutely brilliant and I consider it to be the best “invention” in the IEM cables market. You don’t have to worry that the Fusion 1 will not be able to be used with your next IEMs – it will, don’t worry. Additionally, you can get additional A2DC, IPX, and Pentaconn Ear ConX plugs if you’re using IEMs with one of those.

On the other end of the cable, you’ll have a great choice of different plugs. You can choose between Pentaconn OFC 4.4mm plug, EA 2.5mm, EA 3.5mm, and EA 4.4mm. However, you also have the option to choose the TermX multiplug system, consisting of all three – 2.5mm, 3.5mm, and 4.4mm in a single box. This, together with ConX gives you unlimited compatibility with all IEMs on the market, and this is an absolutely fantastic thing, considering this cable costs $999.
I still remember times when I used to buy expensive IEM cables in the past, only to realize that I would not be able to use them with the new IEM that I wanted to upgrade to. Effect Audio is doing a great job of allowing you to only buy a single cable to use with all your current and future IEMs. Huge kudos to Effect Audio for it.

Sound of the reviewed Effect Audio Fusion 1​

The Effect Audio Fusion 1 is very interesting when it comes to its sound. It is a highly technical type of sound that is warm and lush at the same time.
While the Fusion 1 allows every single detail to come through, and the resolution is just stunning, this cable also improves the note weight, smoothness, and warmth of the entire audio spectrum. There are cables that are highly detailed, due to them boosting the treble significantly, and it’s not the case here.
The Fusion 1 is just detailed, but it doesn’t alter your sound signature in a way that is known when we’re talking “detail”. At the same time, the dynamics, punch, and richness of every single note get elevated while using it. This is my favorite type of performance when it comes to cables, as I like an elevated technical performance with a hint of richness and thickness to it.

You see, to create a detail monster when it comes to the cable, it’s not that hard really. You’re making a bright-sounding cable made of good silver and it’ll be detailed, but at the cost of your IEMs being more tiring in most cases. To create a cable that is both rich-sounding and very detailed – this is something worthy of your respect.

The bass is slightly elevated, especially the mid-bass region, which gives you an extra body and thickness to low frequencies. I really like good bass reproduction in my IEMs (I absolutely love Fir Audio IEMs for that reason), and the Fusion 1 adds another few percent to an already brilliant bass performance of these IEMs. However, this cable does not make the bass slow or overly thick though, it adds that body and energy, but it remains incredibly fast, snappy, and detailed. This is the best type of bass an IEM cable can offer.


The midrange is smooth, detailed, and natural sounding. The Fusion 1 adds that slight refinement to the mids, but once again – it does not overdo it in any way. There’s body, richness, and lushness, but it remains fast and transparent. It goes well with vocals, as they gain that natural body to the sound that is needed for good reproduction of vocals, creating an intimate, yet refined listening experience. Female vocals sound great as well, as Stevie Nicks sounds romantic, energetic, and beautifully smooth. This is a very pleasant type of sound that is easy to listen to for hours.

The treble is very slightly tamed, but nothing to be worried of. There’s no sign of sharpness, yet there are a lot of micro-details and the overall treble performance is fast and accurate. As I said previously, this cable isn’t bright or analytical sounding, but it’s still a very detailed piece of equipment. Once again, this requires a lot of testing and a good understanding of how analog cables change the sound of your headphones to achieve a sound like this. Effect Audio clearly knows what they’re doing, and the sound of the Fusion 1 just proves that again and again. The Fusion 1 is like a good seasoning to an already great dish – it enhances your experience, but it doesn’t overpower yet alter the core of the dish.

The soundstage is vast, and has a lot of air, but it doesn’t sound artificial. The Fusion 1 once again doesn’t try “too much” for the sake of technical superiority. It is a refined and well-balanced type of experience that goes well with the rest of the sound of the cable. However, for a relatively warm cable, I must admit that the soundstage is surprisingly open, and airy and the separation is just phenomenal. The Fusion 1 gets you a great insight into any recording with its highly detailed, yet smooth type of sound, and the soundstage further improves on those. It just sounds natural, realistic, and pleasing to the ear. Very impressive.

Comparisons​

Astral Acoustics Eclipse

The Astral Acoustics Eclipse is a pure silver cable coming at $950, so it’s priced very similarly to the Fusion 1.
First of all, while both cables are built very well, I must give an edge to the Fusion 1 here. It just feels more boutique out of the two, especially when it comes to the metal hardware. It also looks more sophisticated, even though surely not everyone will like its color combination.
The Eclipse is much more universal when it comes to its design, and it’ll fit most of IEMs, which I cannot say about the Fusion 1. Just imagine pairing it with blue IEMs…no, this would just look plain ugly.
When it comes to the sound, both cables represent a similar level of technical capabilities. However, the Fusion 1 is a warmer sounding of the two, giving you a richer and smoother type of sound.
The Eclipse however is even more open and transparent sounding, and it doesn’t “add” as much to the sound.
Both cables are great, and the choice is definitely not easy. It might actually come down to your preferences on the design and looks. The eclipse is also a bit more comfortable.
I personally prefer the Fusion 1 for that extra richness and lushness to the sound.

Nostalgia Audio Olorin

The Olorin comes at $520, so it’s half the price of the Fusion 1. It uses pure 6n silver with a coaxial design, so it’s a much less complicated design than the Fusion 1.
The price difference shows immediately after picking up both cables though. The Fusion 1 just feels much more substantial, the hardware is way better, and it also looks a lot more sophisticated.
The Olorin offers a switchable plug system, just like the Fusion 1, but I find the EA one to be more refined and definitely less chunky.
When it comes to the sound though, the Fusion 1 takes the cake here. It’s more detailed, more natural, and more romantic sounding. The Olorin is still a great cable for $500, but with the Fusion 1, you’ll definitely get what you’re paying for. It is an obvious upgrade over the Olorin.

Pairings​

Fir Audio Krypton 5

Let’s get the pairing section started with my favorite IEM of all time, the Fir Audio Krypton 5.
This is an IEM with probably the best bass ever, and an overall very natural, smooth sound, which matches the Fusion 1 brilliantly.
The Fusion 1 doesn’t “overpower” the signature of the Krypton 5, but it just adds another brick to the whole. This combination sounds incredibly energetic, punchy, rich, and smooth at the same time. This is one of the best cables I’ve heard with the Krypton 5, even though their signatures are more or less the same.
This further proves that even though the Fusion 1 has a sound signature of its own, it’s not overly prominent, and you shouldn’t worry about pairing it with your favorite IEMs. If you own the Krypton 5 (or any Frontier IEMs by Fir Audio actually), it’s definitely worth demo-ing the Fusion 1 with these.

Campfire Audio Solaris Stellar Horizon


The new Solaris Stellar Horizon IEM by Campfire Audio is definitely a neutral, fast, and technical-sounding IEM, so it should benefit greatly when paired with a cable like Effect Audio Fusion 1…and it does.
The Fusion 1 improves the note weight, richness, and smoothness of the sound, while also improving the detail and resolution even further. This is a match made in heaven if you ask me, especially since the Fusion 1 matches the Solaris Stellar Horizon aesthetics well.
It’s a huge upgrade over the stock CFA cable, and it definitely sounds like a cable that is worthy of this great IEM.
This is the best cable that I’ve tried with the Solaris Stellar Horizon, and by quite some margin actually. A fantastic match, where two products complement each other just perfectly.

Effect Audio Fusion 1 Review – Summary​

Reviewed Effect Audio Fusion 1 is one of the best cables I’ve ever tried and reviewed. It’s a whole package: great design and looks, fantastic build quality, ConX and TermX, and most importantly, a very detailed, yet smooth and rich sound.

This product just screams quality, and it’s easy to see and hear that Effect Audio has put a lot of thought into crafting this one. A fantastic introduction to the new series, the Fusion 1 gets our strong recommendation.
Recommended.

Big thanks to Effect Audio for providing the Fusion 1 for this review. I wasn’t paid or asked to say anything good or bad about this product, all of the above is just my personal, unbiased opinion.

Introduction to the SMSL DO300EX review​

Another SMSL review here at Ear Fidelity. After reviewing the DO300 in March 2023, I was quite surprised to see the new SMSL DO300EX being released and reviewed this quickly.
However, while the name might be misleading, the DO300EX is not really a successor to the DO300 to begin with. Instead of going for an ESS DAC chip again, SMSL went with a new AK4191+AK4499EX chip to achieve the best possible performance.
Also, while the DO300 was just a DAC, the SMSL DO300EX now has a headphone output built-in as well. Another thing worth mentioning is that the design has changed completely, into what I would consider a much more interesting, unique design now.
I’m going to skip the part where I’m introducing you to the company itself since SMSL is just too well-known for anyone in this hobby to not know about them. Let’s get straight into the review, shall we?

Packaging​

While the reviewed SMSL DO300EX does look different than their previous models, the unboxing experience remained basically the same.
It comes in a standard, white cardboard box that has been a standard for SMSL for years now, so no surprises here. Inside the box also won’t surprise anyone.
What do you get in the packaging then? First of all, a plastic remote control that we’ve all seen by now. On top of that, there’s a USB cable, a power cable, a Bluetooth antenna, and a user manual.
Nothing fancy, but also nothing to brag about. This is a gold standard when it comes to SMSL packaging and you’re basically getting all you need.
The box itself is fine, no complaints here. It gets the job done, which is to deliver the SMSL DO300EX safely wherever in the world you’re located. It’s not a fancy multi-thousand-dollar piece of equipment, so expecting a nice display box would have been ridiculous.
Overall, the unboxing experience and included accessories are good and SMSL did a good job here.

Design and Build Quality​

Now things are getting really interesting. The DO300EX uses an all-new design language for SMSL, and I must admit, it looks fantastic.
At first, the DO300EX might look like a classic SMSL device, but it’s just a first impression from a few meters away. When you get closer, it starts to look like something completely different.
First of all, the screen that is placed on the front has a great asymmetrical embellishment on top of it, which adds depth to the whole design concept. It looks modern, clean, and unique. Next up, the knob is called “Retro Knob Design” by SMSL itself, and it’s definitely a good description. It has great tactile feedback when turning it, and it’s easy to hold and use it overall.
The actual build quality itself is also spotless. Every edge is made well, there are basically no sharp edges anywhere to be found, the device feels dense and it’s made entirely out of metal. SMSL got us used to good build quality over the past few years, and the DO300EX only improves on it even further. I would go as far as saying that this device feels like it’s 2x more expensive. Nice one!

Tech inside the reviewed SMSL DO300EX​

Reviewed DO300EX is a new device by SMSL, so you can surely expect some impressive technology to be used here. Let’s see what’s new this time.
First of all, the new flagship DAC chip, the AK4191+AK4499EX. This Chip combo promises the distortion level to be as low as 0.00006% (-124dB), which is absolutely incredible. We’re living in a crazy time when you can get the TOTL new AKM chip in a DAC/Amp costing less than $500. Brilliant stuff, really.
Next up, the SMSL DO300EX uses a brand-new 3rd-gen XMOS XU-316, with 16 core high-end independent control chips. It uses 5 OPA1612A. It lets you decode DSD of up to DSD512, as well as 32bit/768kHz PCM.
Reviewed SMSL DO300EX can also natively decode MQA, but as most of you know already – MQA is dead, so no comment on that.
The reviewed device has a built-in Bluetooth capability with Bluetooth 5.1. It lets you stream your music wirelessly from any phone, and what’s even more important – it supports LDAC and aptX HD.
SMSL also focuses on the new power supply, which is a super low-noise, stabilized power supply here. It’s said to improve power efficiency, while also reducing power consumption.
Lastly, but definitely not the least important is the headphone amplifier section. Take note that the reviewed SMSL DO300EX is mainly a DAC, and the headphone output is more like an “addition”. It offers up to 1W in 32oHms, which is far from enough for hard-to-drive planars these days. However, if you plan to use efficient headphones or some IEMs, this will cover your needs easily.

Sound​

Now let’s get into what all of you are waiting for – the sound of the DO300EX.
When I plugged it in for the first time, I was expecting a very reference-like tuning with fantastic technical performance, as one would expect from the new flagship AKM chip. And guess what…I was right!
The new SMSL DAC sounds incredibly fast, natural, and detailed. SMSL once again pushes the limit when it comes to “affordable” audio even further, with a DAC that is truly a marvel in its price range.
Luckily, the times when neutral, budget devices sounded thin and lifeless are long gone, as the DO300EX has nothing like that when it comes to its sound performance. The tuning is spot-on with no coloration, which gives you a wonderful device for testing other equipment. Also, thanks to that, the DO300EX is incredibly versatile when it comes to pairing and music you’re planning to listen to.
Bass
First of all, the bass is snappy, fast, agile and energetic. It has a lot of texture, reaches deep, and never loses control (as long as your headphones can keep up). The low frequencies are not overpowered by any means, nor they are thin-sounding. It sits right in the middle, where it should be, to be honest. This type of bass performance lets you experiment with different amps or headphones, if you want a less “neutral” type of sound.
So for example, when pairing the DO300EX with the Feliks Envy, plugged into the HiFiMAN Susvara, I got an incredibly textured, fast-sounding bass that was truly a reference grade. Literally has zero sloppiness, is not boomy, and never bleeds into the midrange whatsoever.
On the other hand, paired with the SMSL HO100 and the HiFiMAN HE-R9 gave me a much more prominent, thick-sounding bass that was less about the texture and detail, and more about the huge impact and energy of the bass frequencies. At the same time, the HE-R9 were properly driven straight out of the reviewed SMSL DO300EX without any issues, and it’s a good example of a headphone efficient enough for this amp section.

Midrange
The midrange is clean, and I mean VERY CLEAN. It sounds transparent, insanely detailed, and open, just like you would expect from a new flagship chip DAC.
It doesn’t favor male or female vocals, it does it all. The midrange is not thick sounding, nor is it thin. Once again, it’s just perfect when it comes to the tuning, which SMSL has been known for now.
The airy and detailed presentation gets you a very natural, yet insightful type of listen, and if you pair it with similar-sounding headphones, you’ll get a performance you would not expect from a sub $500 DAC.
Luckily though, there’s nothing artificial-sounding about the midrange of the DO300EX. The timbre of the instruments is spot-on every single time, and it has the ability to show you all the little details. Lastly, not only micro dynamics but also macro dynamics are both great in this DAC.
Treble
The treble is once again clean, fast, and snappy. It has a good weight to it, so it doesn’t sound bright or thin, which is something I’m really sensitive about.
Reviewed SMSL DO300EX just gives you a highly crispy, yet refined treble performance that once again – will show you all the little details that are present in the recording.
However, don’t expect it to sound analytical or digital, because it simply doesn’t. This treble performance sounds just right when it comes to its tuning, and absolutely mind-boggling when we’re considering the technical performance.
Once again, it’ll be up to your headphones of choice if you want a “different” type of sound, rather than just straight-out neutral. The Audeze MM-500 sounded like a proper sound-engineering pair of headphones (which they are, to begin with), while the Meze Elite sounded more romantic, smooth, and full. The DO300EX works great with both, as it gives you that natural, yet highly technical type of sound.
Soundstage
Lastly, the soundstage is also quite impressive. It’s open-sounding, has a lot of air and great separation.
It’s not a surprise for me though, as SMSL has mastered the natural soundstage performance years ago already. A new DAC will not be a “revolution” when it comes to the soundstage performance, as there’s nothing left to achieve to be fair.
However, the credit has to be given where it’s due. The soundstage of the DO300EX is simply excellent and once again, it will depend hugely on your headphones of choice. If you want something a bit more intimate and up-close, the Rosson Audio RAD-0 would be a great choice. If you want a HUGE stage that goes miles in each way, the new Erzetich Charybdis might be the best headphone to pair the DO300EX with on the planet right now.

Comparisons​

SMSL DO300

Here comes the most important comparison. As I already said in the beginning of this review, the name of the DO300EX might be a bit misleading, as I don’t see it as a straight-up successor to the great DO300.
First of all, the DO300EX has a headphone amplifier section, which the DO300 lacks, so basically no comparison here.
When it comes to the DAC comparison, things are interesting. The DO300 is a bit warmer-sounding, a bit more full-bodied and smooth. The DO300EX however has a more neutral and transparent tuning.
But, the differences don’t end here. The DO300EX is even better than the DO300 when it comes to technical capabilities. It’s more detailed, snappier, faster, and more dynamic. No, it’s not a huge difference, especially since the DO300 is a great DAC to begin with.
However, I find the DO300EX to be even more impressive than the older model, and it seems to push the limit of what’s possible at this price range even further. While doing all this, it also has more functionality than the DO300, especially the headphone amp section. All this for a lower price than the original DO300. This all happened within 6 months of launching the original DO300, which is incredibly impressive. SMSL takes no prisoners, and it just can’t stop releasing more and more impressive devices. KUDOS.

SMSL C200

This comparison is also quite natural since both devices are DACs with built-in headphone amplifiers.
Take note, however, that the C200 is about half the price of the DO300EX, so we shouldn’t really expect the same level of quality. I’m going to compare the two anyway, and boy oh boy…this is brutal.
The C200 got absolutely outplayed here in every single aspect of the sound quality. The DO300EX is faster, more detailed, has better resolution, more air, and the tuning is even more spot-on.
What C200 does well, the DO300EX does even better, and I’m not even kidding at this point. It’s just a more mature sound, which is also significantly better technically.
Sure, the C200 is still a fantastic buy at around $200, there’s no doubt about it. However, if you have more to spend, and the DO300EX is within your budget, then it’s just a much better-sounding DAC. Twice the price, double the class.

Pairing​

The first thing I want to point out in this paragraph is for you to be aware that I tested the DO300EX with TOTL headphones and IEMs. This should easily give you an idea of how good this $500 DAC is. I never felt that it bottlenecked any of those, rather it just offered a fantastic level of performance, especially considering its price.

HiFiMAN Susvara

This one is going to be very quick – the DO300EX doesn’t drive the Susvara, it’s not even close. It’s power output of 1W into 32oHms is just not enough for the famous HiFiMAN flagship.
It was obvious from the beginning, but I still wanted to test it.

Meze Elite

Now we’re talking The wonderful Meze Elite doesn’t need a lot of power to be sounding at its best, and the DO300EX actually does a good job powering these. Of course, it’s not the best that the Elite can sound like, but it’s definitely good enough for sub $500.
When I plugged the DO300EX into an external headphone amplifier though, is when I started to salivate. Once again, its raw DAC performance is just incredible and it lets the Elite shine with all of its power.
This DAC is definitely worthy of pairing with high-end cans like the Meze Elite for example. It won’t be a bottleneck in your system, don’t worry about it.

Fir Audio Radon 6

Now let’s pair the DO300EX with a high-end IEM, because why not?
The Radon 6 is a monster or an IEM with its class-leading Kinetic Bass technology. This pairing sounds absolutely incredible, as the DO300EX gives this IEM all the detail, resolution, and speed it can use.
Also, the power output of the SMSL DAC is plenty enough to run this IEM like a charm, which results in a sound that is nothing short of high-end worthy. Detailed, thick, natural, and wonderfully fun to listen to.
As I said previously, the DO300EX’s headphone amplifier section works great with IEMs and headphones that are on the “easier to run” side.
So, if you have some dynamic headphones or easy-to-run planars, as well as a few IEMs, this device could be the only one you’ll need for years to come.

SMSL DO300EX – Summary​

I was expecting a good device when I found out that the reviewed SMSL DO300EX was headed my way, but I wasn’t expecting how good it would actually be.
The best-sounding SMSL DAC I’ve ever heard by some margin, a beautiful yet minimal design, a lot of functionality, and all this at a price that I would easily call a bargain. Ladies and Gentlemen, the SMSL DO300EX gets my highest recommendation possible. You probably can’t get any better for $500 in this hobby right now.

Highly Recommended.

Big thanks to Aoshida-Audio for providing the DO300EX for this review. I wasn’t paid or asked to say anything good or bad about this product, all of the above is just my personal, unbiased opinion.

You can order the DO300EX at Aoshida-Audio here.

Introduction to the Questyle M15 review​

Questyle is a Chinese company that has been on the market for quite some time now. Unlike their other counterparts at the time, they always aimed at the premium market. Quality and performance, over low prices. One of the first purely Chinese companies that actually threw a challenge in the face of more established companies on the market. That is something to admire, as it was in complete opposition to what their competition was doing. There also is a more personal story that I have with Questyle.
I can remember the company appearing on the Polish market as I was learning the ropes of audio reviewing. I even listened to the CMA600i, I believe, but left the website before I got it in for a review. Guess, who later did that review. The one and only, Paweł from Ear-Fidelity. What makes it even funnier is that we actually didn’t know each other yet. He was my replacement when I left. Who’s that guy, with that ridiculous hairstyle? Somebody mentioned he looks like a pineapple. It lives rent-free in my head now.
Well, now we are good friends and today he’ll be at my 30th b-day party. Maybe I’ll buy him a pina colada… Small world, huh? It’s worth noting that the review was very favorable, and he even said it was one of the best devices available at the time. I’m not translating that directly from Polish, so let’s say you trust me on this one.
Questyle saw the rise of portable audio and the need for the best possible sound quality outside the home. That inspired them to create the subject of this review. The M15 is a portable Hi-Res DAC/AMP, a so-called dongle. It connects to your phone via a USB type C cable and allows you to utilize your IEMs and headphones on the go. Its goal is to combine Hi-Res audio, capable amplification, and premium build quality. Did they succeed? This review of Questyle M15 will tell you everything.

Packaging​

I’m fresh after doing the Andromeda Emerald Sea video (check it out on YouTube!), with its absolutely crazy packaging. Well, here we have the absolute opposite.
We only get the most basic box, holding essentials. In the box you’ll find: the dongle and the USB type C pigtail cable. Done. Whoa, reviewing the Questyle M15 is so easy.
The leather case is available separately for $25 in a couple of colors: black, red, ivory, green, brown and grey. I got the black one because it was the only one that I could grab locally, but bet your ass, that Ivory would look absolutely stunning.

Design and Build Quality​

I have to say, that the reviewed M15 lives up to the “Questyle hype” from my memories. Seems that the company hasn’t strayed from those “ancient” times. The body is made out of milled aluminium and the top is made out of either acrylic or glass. It’s like a back window in a Lamborghini. It’s not for you to safely park backwards. It’s so you can see the engine! In this case, the electronics are on the display. Why can’t girls get me that aroused? Laser-engraved markings and text cover the whole device. You can see that it is not a cheap toy. Fitting is impeccable.
The user experience was really good, especially after I bought the leather case, and stopped worrying about scratching it so much. Still managed to get a tiny scratch on the glass, curious if you can spot it in the pictures.
The dongle has one neat function: when nothing is connected to the output, it turns off to conserve energy. My main issue with the reviewed Questyle M15 is the fact that it doesn’t have integrated volume control. You control the volume from your source. My Samsung S21 FE 5G has a ridiculously large step (something around 10%) which can’t be changed in the settings. I had to find a program called Sound Assistant that allowed me to change that and reduce the volume control steps. Besides that, using the Questyle M15 is great.

Tech inside the reviewed Questyle M15​

The Questyle M15 features a couple of interesting solutions, which I’m more than happy to nerd out about.
Let’s start with the star of the show, the ESS Sabre ES9281AC codec. It’s an impressive IC, integrating a USB Audio interface, very good DAC, ADC, and some other features like output jack detection. How they managed to fit all that in such a small package is beyond me. It supports PCM 32bit/384kHz and DSD256.
On top of that, Questyle’s engineers implemented their flagship technology, the CMA (Current Mode Amplification) SiP headphone amplifiers. Four of them to be exact. Current mode amplification is not as popular as voltage mode amplification, but some manufacturers swear by it, including Accuphase. Current mode amplifiers are the most known for their speed, they can handle some very high-frequency signals.
The SiP has a bandwidth of 1 MHz with only 0,0003% distortion. Those are some nice numbers. What about the power? You won’t catch the reviewed Questyle M15 slacking. The official data shows 22,6mW @ 300 Ohm with no rating for the 32 Ohm load. Output voltages are rated at 3,5mm: 1,9V and 4,4mm: 2,6V. I know it’s hard to compare those numbers with other dongles. In my experience, the reviewed Questyle M15 is more powerful than I would ever need it to be, driving Meze 99 Classic and low-sensitivity IEMs with ease.
For our convenience, we can select gain, either low or high. I would prefer the low gain to be actually lower than it is. I still don’t have as much volume control over the Andromeda ES as I would like to. Also, the high gain is very high and even the headphones I tried didn’t need that much. The power supply used is named Torex and is focused on keeping the efficiency as high as possible.
I have to admit, that while on low gain the reviewed Questyle M15 uses minuscule amounts of energy. My phone is very happy about that. Not having to load your phone after a ride across the city is a nice feature. One last thing. The M15 has a rare tendency to pick up some interference while not playing. Like once a day. This doesn’t happen at all when listening to music, but c’mon Questyle.

Sound​

Most of my testing was based on Campfire Audio Andromeda Emerald Sea and Unique Melody MEST. I have used Time Stream cable for the Andromeda and Erua Audio Tawa for the MEST. I tested driving capability on Meze 99 Classic (no issues) and HiFiMan Sundara Classic (didn’t work that well). Other IEMs used in testing: Letshuoer EJ07M, Craft Ears Aurum. Dongles used for comparison are listed later on. As usual, I’m using 4,4mm connections wherever possible.
Well to start off, no surprises here really. First of all, the sound quality is really high. Questyle is one of the brands I would consider a safe choice quality-wise. Secondly, it sounds like it has a Sabre chip. Incredible dynamics, powerful bass, good sound staging, clear-cut sound, and black, velvety background. It sounds like some of my other reviews, but it’s not my fault that ESS Sabre dominates the market. I’m aware of that, but not much I could do about it.
Okay, I have something new for you! The newest generation of Sabre DACs is not as fatiguing to me as the previous ones and that applies to the one used in the reviewed Questyle M15. They had to change something in the design. The tonal balance of the M15 is a bit boosted in the top and bottom ends. It builds extra excitement and increases the foot-tapping factor, but it may not be the best thing for studio usage. Let’s dive into more details.

Bass
The first thing I have noticed with the Andromeda is how well the Questyle M15 drives them. Zero noise, maximum dynamics. I was dumbfounded at what bass the ES started producing. Big, bold, with the punch of a martial artist. It is more snappy like a lightweight MMA, than a heavyweight boxer, but still.
Listen to Kanye West’s Black Skinhead, this song really benefits from the reviewed Questyle M15’s sound character. In the beginning, you get a heavy drum bass with some quick jumps left and right on the soundstage. Controlled aggression, lightning-fast transitions, and complete silence in between the sounds really took me off guard. It’s absolutely amazing how the Andromeda ES transformed under the M15’s iron grip. On the other hand, a bass line from Starlight, by Muse has incredible complexity to it.
It goes throughout the song, and you can try it as a reference for textures. It’s a big sound with lots of detail with drums on top of it all. It’s a great test for equipment and you can see how much control the Questyle M15 has when drums come in after the intro and the bass line doesn’t lose anything. I’m thoroughly impressed by the performance of the Questyle’s dongle.



Midrange
The midrange is slightly recessed in comparison to other ranges, but it doesn’t lose its qualities. Great things are expected from dongles at this price point. Reviewed Questyle M15 delivers. One of my favorite pop artists Dua Lipa has this incredible show at Tiny Desk. Tiny Desk is an acoustic, live music show on YouTube. You can find big names mixed with a lot of indie artists from different genres. Dua Lipa might have one of the best ones.
Her sexy, pleasant voice is supported by a choir, a guitar, and a bass guitar. Add some simple samples and you’ll be blown away. My favorite song from the show is Pretty Please. Just layers of voices, after around 40 seconds the choir starts to take a greater part and with the mix of Andromeda ES and Questyle M15, you can listen to each voice individually. It made me happy to be able to enjoy one of my favorite shows to this degree. Are you craving something more fancy? How about an indie artist named Kevin Morby? On his album Sundowner, you can find this song called Brother, Sister.
Wait till the first chorus, where he uses vocalization followed by an acoustic guitar. The amount of insight into the sound that you are getting is really good. It is crazy how such a simple composition can speak to your emotions. Courtesy of the Questyle M15.

Treble
When it comes to treble, the M15 pushes them a bit harder, which is compensated by the Andromeda ES softness at the top. For this part, I relied more on the UM MEST. The treble of the Questyle M15 is big, and controlled.
The intro to the Sanitarium by Metallica features guitars supported by cymbals. Especially the first one sounds with a suitable impact. Emphasis on treble helps here to add extra energy and freshness to a pretty complex composition by one of my favorite bands. I do feel like the treble on the reviewed Questyle M15 tends to be a bit metallic, even when it comes to sounds that shouldn’t sound like that. Clandestina (Cocaine remix) by Filv, Edmofo, and Emma Peters is the song you know, but couldn’t remember what it’s called.
No thanks are necessary. Here the M15 presented a controlled and clear-cut sound, that sometimes felt a bit too hard. It is still a really good performance, but later on, you’ll learn about competition that does it better.

Soundstage
One of the biggest tests for sound staging was Dua Lipa’s show at Tiny Desk. I’m surprised by how well are those shows recorded. Reviewed Questyle M15 allowed me to easily place all of the musicians and singers in front of me.
Each of them was a separate sound source with no mixing between them. They were very close to me, as both Questyle M15 and Andromeda ES tend to have a closed-in presentation. For sound staging reasons I preferred the MEST with its tendency to explode the sound and push sources away from the listener.
The Questyle M15 does a good job at soundstage width and depth, but the competition is one step ahead. Really good performance on the part of M15.

Comparisons​

Cayin RU6, NOS – $249

The RU6 by Cayin is one of the first dongles (if not the first one) to feature an R2R DAC. It promises and delivers a completely different sound signature than Delta Sigma DACs. It pushes the midrange into the first line. The treble and bass are pushed to the side a fair bit. The soundstage is much more open than on the Questyle M15. Refer to the Dua Lipa Pretty Please as a reference track. Pretty please.
Same thing on Clandestina (Cocaine remix), everything is much more open with more air between the instruments. In terms of bass, it is the weakest in the amount and the quality. Whether it’s Kanye West Black skinhead’s intro that lacks the bang, or Muse’s Starlight, with its famous bassline lacking the detail. It’s the bottom of the comparison here. Midrange, on the other hand, takes the cake, and with the Andromeda ES… It’s a crazy experience. I could have RU6 only to listen to the midrange. Kevin Morby’s Brother, Sister is magical. Natural, bold, thrilling voice and guitar. Absolutely top-tier performance. Neither M15 nor W4 have anything to say here.
With Dua Lipa’s show? Don’t even ask. I’m in love with her, just didn’t inform her yet. Please, call me. Pretty please? The treble on the RU6 is not as pronounced as in other dongles but is very light, sweet, and open. Less aggressive in Sanitarium by Metallica, either in the beginning or close to the end, it holds its own and compensates the amount with quality. Oh btw, don’t use UM MEST with the RU6. It doesn’t sound good. Anti synergy, just like me and pineapple pizza.

L&P W4, TUNE 1, Filter SLOW – $450

The W4 is still pretty fresh, as it had a premiere this year. The top dog from Luxury & Precision uses the LP5108, which is a combo of two DACs from Cirrus with some power regulators in a single module. I think they might oversold it a bit, as people feel deceived by the nature of the module. Still, there are some merits to doing that, namely great power delivery and decoupling.
You might have noticed the price tag. Yes, it’s not a typo. It is crazy expensive for a dongle (besides the ridiculous Gold Bar from iFi Audio). Yet still I can’t deny, that the W4 seems to be the best dongle on the market. In the top 3, no doubt. It takes the pros from both the M15 and RU6 but leaves out the cons. Pretty balanced character (with a small bump in bass), lots of power, and a great sound. It’s gonna be hard to return it to the owner. Thank you Grzesiu for lending it to me. Sound staging of the W4 is precise as with the M15, yet open and spacious as with the RU6. Take Dua Lipa’s Tiny Desk concert and it will be a top-tier performance.
The bass is not as powerful and dynamic as with the M15, but it still is excellent. Power, control, and detail. Doesn’t break a sweat with Kanye, and neither does fine detail with Muse. The midrange is not as good as with the W4, but it is pretty close. Detail, natural timbre, and smoothness can be heard throughout the whole Brother, Sister by Kevin Morby. Treble is another win, being the best out of all tested devices.
Open, airy, and sweet, but with enough authority to balance other ranges. The W4 played well with both the Andromeda ES and the MEST. It is a complete package, but it costs basically the same as the other two dongles combined. So, you know…

Pairing​

I will compare the pairing with the help of Tom Cruise and his two best roles.

Andromeda Emerald Sea



Andromeda ES with the Questyle M15 is like Tom Cruise in Collateral. Vincent was precise and calculated, yet charming and incredibly dangerous. The darker tuning of the Andromeda means you might want to use the silicone tips to get a more balanced response. The amount of precision this combo gives is incredible. As mentioned in our Andromeda ES review on YouTube, the Questyle M15 became my daily driver.
The bass from this combo will break your stereotypes about BA IEMs. It’s crazy good. The dryer midrange of the ESS Sabre family is greatly supplemented by the IEM’s richness in this regard. It still has plenty of charm. The top end gets dominated by Andromeda ES’ roll-off, so as mentioned before, you either deal with it or use silicone tips. I can live with that, as it is still a very respectable performance. All in all, incredible combo, and I can see myself using it for a long, long time.

UM MEST



The MEST with the M15 is like the best role of Tom Cruise. As a wise man named Les Grossman from the movie Tropic Thunder once said:
Now I want you to take a step back… AND LITERALLY *** YOUR OWN FACE!
You can’t censor me, it’s a movie quote. This combo is just an obnoxious level of fun. It’s like the titular character, completely over the top. They will take you on a ride with a bass bigger than his bald spot. It will make you break some dance moves like Ludacris’ You don’t know me like that is in the air. But, on a more serious note. It’s a great combo.
The set with Andro is for enjoying music. This one is for enjoying yourself. Huge soundstage, with sound sources all around you, like assistants circling around Les. The Bass is something the MEST is known for with its bone conduction driver and the Questyle M15 takes full advantage of that. Just an ungodly rumble. The SiP amplifier is a very capable one. The midrange is on the back foot here as both devices don’t make it a priority. It’s still solid for the price, but let’s be honest.
You don’t buy the MEST for midrange, don’t you? The treble does an amazing job of countering the bass and making sure it doesn’t steal the show. Bright, bold, open and smug. Cuts through the low-frequency fatness like a pickle cuts the fatness of a pork belly on a sandwich. So to summarize it all, it’s an illegal amount of fun. If you like to always have fun, when listening to music, it might be a combo for you.

Questyle M15 Review – Summary​

Good to see, that Questyle didn’t lose its direction over the years. Their focus is to make high-quality audio equipment and this review confirms that in my eyes. I have no doubt, that Questyle M15 is one of the best dongles on the market. Premium build quality and a fantastic sound are a testimony of that. While not as feature-packed as its competition, it steals the show with detailed, v-shaped explosive sound and great drive capabilities.
If you like the stereotypical sound of ESS Sabre DACs, you’ll be in heaven. Or maybe you are interested in a stupidly good-sounding dongle, that won’t drain your battery in 3 hours?

It’s not flawless though. The RF interference it can pick up when music is not playing is something that should be addressed. It happens very rarely, but still: shouldn’t. The other feature I dislike is the lack of integrated volume control. I would prefer not to use my smartphone for that since it was a challenge to figure out how to adjust the volume control step.
All in all, M15 still deserves a recommendation. I’m happy to use it as my daily driver, as it replaced my iFi Audio GO Bar. If you are on the lookout for a dongle that will drive anything while sounding mighty, you need to try the Questyle M15.


Highly Recommended.

Big thanks to Questyle for providing the M15 for this review. I wasn’t paid or asked to say anything good or bad about this product, all of the above is just my personal, unbiased opinion.

Introduction to the Final Audio ZE8000 review​

Final Audio is one of the most respected headphones/IEM manufacturers in the market. It is a Japanese company that is known for its impressive lineup of different kinds of products.
Even though their high-end models, such as the legendary A8000 and D8000 Pro are widely appreciated, Final Audio also offers a lot of more affordable options. The entire E series has been selling like hotcakes for years.
Final also offers a range of wireless products, such as the ZE3000 (review here) or the UX3000. It was when they announced the ZE8000 that they got A LOT of attention. Is it a wireless version of the A8000 at a fraction of the price?
Well, not really, the naming could be misleading a bit. It’s called 8000 not because it’s a wireless version of the A8000, but rather because it’s a flagship of this series, which makes sense.
So in this review, we’re going to take a look at the Final Audio ZE8000 (many people actually requested this review) and see if it’s worth the price tag and the hype.

Packaging​

Reviewed Final Audio ZE8000 comes in a rather standard, white box. It looks good but is definitely nothing fancy, like their high-end models for example. It’s understandable though, this product is priced much more aggressively and there’s no need to burn the budget on fancy packaging and extras.
Inside the box, you’ll find the TWS IEMs themselves with the charging case, a set of silicone eartips, a cable for charging, and manuals.
Take note that the eartips are proprietary, so if you want to use your favorites…no luck this time. This is understandable from the design point of view, AirPods Pro 2 use their own style of eartips as well.
The overall unboxing experience is good and I have nothing bad to say about it. Let’s move on to the more important stuff.

Build Quality, Design, and Comfort​

The design and build quality of theFinal Audio ZE8000 are both very good. These are definitely on the bulky side, and they definitely protrude from your ears a lot. Forget about wearing this to your bed (if you’re a side sleeper), under a helmet, or even a snug-fitting hat.
They are made of plastic with an interesting finish, that hides all scratches or imperfections perfectly. The finish is good and they definitely don’t feel like falling apart anytime soon. The AirPods Pro 2 are all-plastic as well and their build quality is also exceptional. While the reviewed ZE8000 don’t feel as sturdy and dense as the APP2, their build quality is definitely good and you wouldn’t have to worry about them too much.
The design is also interesting. They look rather futuristic and clean, but not too stealthy though. If you like your IEMs to be not grabbing attention while you’re wearing them, the ZE8000 wouldn’t be a great choice. However, the design language is attractive and they do look very good, especially in white (at least for me).
As far as the fit goes, these are going to be a hit or miss for many. Unfortunately, I’m okay with wearing the reviewed Final Audio ZE8000 for an hour or so, after that I just have to take them out of my ears. The round part that houses the driver irritates my concha and antihelix, which leads to slight pain. However, I know people who can use the ZE8000 for hours and hours with no problems whatsoever, so this is all going to come down to your ears. For me personally, the AirPods Pro 2 are much, much more comfortable.

Now, let’s get into the case. It’s rather light, and the quality is okay, but definitely not great. Once again, definitely not the APP2 level, and it’s much bigger so it’s not as convenient as it could have been. Also, the sliding way of opening the case doesn’t feel too obvious at first, and I’ve seen people trying to just open it by lifting the lid, almost destroying the case. The case is definitely something that Final could work on if they plan to release the successor anytime in the future.
Luckily, the case uses USB-C for charging, and I couldn’t even imagine it being different. I still see some audio products in 2023 that use Micro-USB, and this is just ridiculous. Actually, when I see that, I immediately lose all interest in the product, it’s not 2012 anymore. Final went with USB-C, so no complaints here.
The biggest complaint with the case I have is its size. The AirPods Pro 2 case is so small it fits in the little pocket of your jeans, while the case of the ZE8000 is not ideal even for big jeans pockets. It’s much more of an “in your jacket” type of case, and in the summer months…well, no luck. Maybe you always bring your backpack with you – this wouldn’t be a problem then, but still, the case is just too big to be convenient.

Tech​

The Final Audio ZE8000 houses some interesting technologies, so let’s dive right into it.
First of all, the reviewed ZE8000 uses a Final Connect App, that you can download on both Android and iOS devices. The app itself is nothing to write a book about, it’s okay, does the job.
It offers a few ANC modes, an 8k Sound mode (more on that later), an equalizer (with 4 bands only sadly), and a “volume step optimizer”.
First of all, let’s dive into the ANC and ambient sound modes performance. The ANC is okay-ish, nothing even close to what AirPods Pro 2 offers, it’s not even a context here. Additionally, the wind is a nemesis of the Final Audio ZE8000, as its microphones pick up the wind noise a lot when you’re wandering the city during a windy day. The problem is big, to the point that I just turn off the ANC when it’s windy outside. Yes, there’s a wind-noise reduction, but who would like to constantly switch between all the modes?
While using the APP2 I only use the ANC mode and switch to transparent when I need to hear my surroundings, that’s the maximum level of “interaction” that I’m okay with. The ambient sound is basically a transparent mode from the AirPods Pro 2, but worse. It does the job however and is quite useful if you decide to go to the shop for example.
Next up, the 8k sound. I’ve tried, I really did, but I cannot hear even the slightest difference between it being turned on or off. For the sake of this review, I’m keeping it on, to ensure the highest quality (regardless if the difference actually exists or not).
There’s no wear detection to be found in the reviewed Final Audio ZE8000, unlike the aforementioned AirPods Pro 2, so you’ll have to manually pause and play while putting them out of your ear for a moment.
The battery life using the 8k sound option is decent at 4h, and the case allows you to have another 15h of juice. This is okay, but considering how bulky and big the case is, I wish it’d give you more battery life.
Lastly, let’s address the big topic. Final Audio has drastically changed the tuning of the ZE8000 with a firmware update, which is quite unusual. Take note that this review has been made using the 1.8.1 firmware, and the tuning COULD change with future updates.

How does the Final Audio ZE8000 sound?​

Final Audio is not known for its wireless products, but rather for its exquisite sound quality. Considering the fact that the ZE8000 is a premium-priced TWS, you surely expect these to sound great, so let’s see how it goes.
Reviewed Final Audio ZE8000 is a thick and lush-sounding TWS IEM, with an emphasis on the enjoyment factor over the detail-chasing. The overall sound is smooth and relaxed and the timbre is great. While this is not the most dynamic-sounding TWS on the market by any means, it shines with more delicate recordings, giving you a very pleasant type of experience.
Whether this is good or not will depend hugely on your preferences. I personally prefer my TWS IEMs to sound punchy and dynamic, as I mostly listen to powerful tracks while on the go, but it is just me. If you prefer a more relaxed sound, these will definitely steal your heart.
Actually, the overall tuning is the most mature I’ve heard in a pair of TWS IEMs. These definitely sound like a good pair of wired IEMs, resembling the Dita Perpetua for me, which are 3k USD. Of course, reviewed Final Audio ZE8000 is not even close to the Perpetua when it comes to technical performance, but they do share some similarities in the overall performance.

It feels like Final has put all its power into the smooth and enjoyable sound of the ZE8000, giving you an “audiophile-tuned” option in the current TWS market which is rather occupied by IEMs that sound big and bold. This is a good approach, as Final gives you something that other manufacturers don’t.
Listening to music like Fleetwood Mac, Dire Straits, or any prog-rock actually on the ZE8000 is fantastic. It gives you an incredibly wide soundstage and the melodic and rich character of the sound makes these songs sound very involving. Reviewed Final Audio ZE8000 is very good with vocals, as it offers that lush and full-bodied type of sound that truly benefits male vocalists.
Electric guitars sound good as well, while they might lack a bit of crunch, the string action is well-audible and it has that dark, rich tone to it. The ZE8000 is even better with acoustic guitars. The smooth and delicate treble response will never sound overpowering, but the weight of the treble itself sounds great with the bronze strings of an acoustic guitar. It gives you that flavorful, thick, and shimmering type of sound that is just perfect for acoustic music.
When it comes to technical performance, the ZE8000 is good enough for a pair of TWS IEMs. The detail retrieval and resolution are both good, as they won’t give you a feeling that you “miss” something from the recording. However, the rich and smooth tuning of these IEMs will not overpower the details, making them pop from the recording. This is more of a subtle detail that is a part of the overall sound, rather than being in the spotlight. This makes the ZE8000 great for long listening sessions, as it should never get tiring or overly engaging.
Overall, the ZE8000 sounds like a pair of TWS IEMs made by an audiophile-grade company. The most important aspects are the tuning and the soundstage, with both being exceptional for this kind of product. While I wouldn’t call the ZE8000 the most detailed TWS on the market, it shines in different ways that for this type of product, are even more important.

Comparisons​

AirPods Pro 2


Let’s start this comparison with the things that are not sound-related. Here, the AirPods Pro 2 takes the cake in every single category. The build quality, charging case, ANC, transparent mode, battery life, controls, and fit – the AirPods Pro 2 are significantly better in all these categories.
It’s not really a surprise though, as Apple has been the biggest player in the TWS market for years now, damn…they actually created the market on their own, so it’s not surprising.
When it comes to the sound though, these two trade blows, but they do have different strengths.
The AirPods Pro 2 is more dynamic-sounding, punchier, more neutral, and fun-oriented. The ZE8000 however has a more “audiophile-grade” tuning, better and bigger soundstage, and smoother treble.
The AirPods Pro 2 works better with genres like metal, hip-hop, and electronic music, while the ZE8000 is better for acoustics, jazz, and classical music. It is a more relaxed listen, and if that’s your preference, you’ll definitely be happy with those, if you can live with some of the ZE8000’s quirks.
Another thing worth mentioning is that the AirPods Pro 2 is rather limited to iOS users, while the Final ZE8000 works better with Android, thanks to its codecs. This should also be a very important aspect before choosing between the two – which system are you using.
HiFiMAN Svanar Wireless

Now let’s compare two TWS IEMs manufactured by companies that specialize in audiophile-grade headphones.
The Svanar Wireless and Final ZE8000 have similar strengths and weaknesses. Both have cases that are simply too big and unpractical, with ANC performances that are decent but nothing too extraordinary.
When it comes to sound, the Svanar Wireless is more detailed, punchier, and more dynamic sounding. They do sound great with dynamic music, offering a very lively, involving, and fun sound.
The ZE8000 on the other hand is smoother, more delicate, and relaxing of the two. It does better with acoustic and jazz, while the Svanar Wireless sounds better with music that needs power and dynamics.
Both IEMs are valid options for an audiophile on the go, who values the sound quality the most. They do have different sound signatures, so this will be the aspect to focus on while deciding between the two.

Final Audio ZE8000 Review – Summary​

The Final Audio ZE8000 is a bag of mixed feelings for me. The sound quality and tuning are both great and highly attractive for audiophiles who have been waiting for true “audiophile-grade” TWS IEMs.

However, Final definitely has some things to improve with the MK2 version. The case design, or rather its size, the ANC, battery life, and comfort could all use an upgrade, and then the ZE8000 mk2 could be a huge rival for the AirPods Pro 2 for example.

For now, even though the ZE8000 has many quirks and small problems, I’m still going to recommend it to those who value the sound quality the most.

Big thanks to Final Audio and Jackrabbit Media for providing the ZE8000 for this review. I wasn’t paid or asked to say anything good or bad about this product, all of the above is just my personal, unbiased opinion.

Campfire Audio Solaris Stellar Horizon is the newest IEM by the American manufacturer. It uses a single dynamic driver and three balanced armatures. It's their new approach to the high-end market, as the new Solaris comes at $2670.​

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Introduction to the Campfire Audio Solaris Stellar Horizon review​

Campfire Audio is now one of the most covered brands here at Ear Fidelity. We started covering them from their Dorado 2020 and Vega 2022, and throughout the years we’ve reviewed most of their lineup. What’s also worth noting at the beginning, is that Campfire Audio is probably one of the most known brands when it comes to IEMs in the world. Their Andromeda is nothing short of legendary for years now, as it’s been one of the most popular high-end (well, back then it was high-end) IEMs on the market period.

Their Solaris 2020 was one of the best experiences I’ve had with Campfire Audio in my life as a reviewer. It is such a unique, pleasing IEM to listen to, and the build and design are both extraordinary.
However, Campfire Audio turned its heads more towards limited editions of its most-known products, rather than pushing the limits and trying to keep up with the crazy world that is the IEM market in the past 5 years or so. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with this kind of approach, but it’s not a secret by now that Campfire Audio left the Summit-Fi IEM race a long time ago. Last year they released their new flagship, Trifecta, which seems to awaken the hopes for the true Summit-Fi IEM by Campfire Audio for their fans.
Now, in 2023, Campfire Audio decided to refresh their Solaris model with the version called Stellar Horizon. There’s a slight controversy though, as the price went up from $1499 to $2670. You’re getting a lot more in the packaging, but the price difference is still large. Everything in the world gets more expensive, that is true, but the Solaris Stellar Horizon is not just an example of inflation.

Luckily, Campfire Audio has listened to feedback throughout the years, and they finally included more cables in the packaging, including the long-awaited balanced one. This was one of the biggest cons of their IEMs in the past, as even after spending $1500 on a pair of IEMs, you’ve only been given a standard, 3.5mm cable. Nowadays, all high-end equipment comes with a balanced output, so it’s about time.
The last thing I’m going to mention is that we met the guys from Campfire Audio again this year when we visited Munich High-End show. These are one of the coolest people in the industry, without the slightest doubt. Down to earth, chill, and just nice, happy they got to do what they’re doing. Big shoutout to Chris, Ken, and the rest of the team. I have my fingers crossed that the beer party will work out next year!
Okay, let’s get to the point, join me in this review to find out whether the new Solaris Stellar Horizon is a valuable addition to their lineup, and if Campfire Audio is back into the high-end IEMs market with a product worth buying.

Packaging​

Here comes probably the most unique, cool, and creative packaging in the history of IEMs. Campfire Audio has always been known for its great attention to detail when it comes to the unboxing experience, but now they’ve outdone themselves.
First of all, the box of Solaris Stellar Horizon is now made of wood, which surely raised the cost of the packaging, but it also feels more premium and luxurious now. It has a weight to it and feels a lot more secure, increasing the “premium” feeling of the whole experience. You don’t have to worry about an evil delivery guy destroying your precious new babies while in transit. But there’s more…

What’s worth mentioning, is that the box now also acts as a showcase stand for the IEMs, thanks to the dedicated, colorful wooden part with a hand-painted hand that’s holding the IEMs. I strongly believe that this is one of the coolest things I’ve ever seen in an IEM packaging. It’s such a convenient yet great-looking way to store your new Solaris while you’re not using them. Lastly, it makes my life as an audio reviewer (that really focuses on his photography game) a lot easier, since it’s just so great-looking and I didn’t have to think too much about framing my shots. Yeah, I’m kidding here…a little.



Not everything is perfect though. Unfortunately, Campfire Audio has completely redesigned the case, and I believe it wasn’t a great idea. You see, the whole point of an IEM case is to protect them while you take them outside, and the new case doesn’t really do that. I think that every IEM in this price range should come with a hard carrying case, as it’s by far the most functional. Don’t get me wrong, the case included by CFA is of great quality, but it’s soft, meaning you could use it to store your IEMs on your desk…and that’s about it. I wouldn’t trust it enough to take it with me and just toss it into a bag. You probably shouldn’t try that either.

The biggest change with the unboxing of the reviewed Campfire Audio Solaris Stellar Horizon is the inclusion of 3 cables in the box. You’ve got a standard, 3.5mm cable, and two balanced cables, one terminated into 2.5mm and one 4.4mm. I think Campfire Audio could have cut the price a little bit by not including the 2.5mm cable, as it’s not really a valid option anymore, and it’s definitely much more niche than both the 3.5mm and 4.4mm.
I have to give credit where it’s due though, and seeing that Campfire Audio has finally included balanced cables with their new IEMs makes me happy. They’ve listened, and they delivered.

Design, Build, and Comfort​

Just like with the unboxing experience, Campfire Audio has always been praised for the build quality and design of their IEMs, and the new, reviewed Solaris Stellar Horizon is probably their Opus Magnum in this regard.
The IEMs are incredibly sturdy feeling, and the level of precision is top-notch. The fit and finish are both impeccable with these, and you’ll surely feel that you’re handling a high-end pair of IEMs while using the Solaris Stellar Horizon.

The looks also evolved a lot. The Solaris 2020 was a very cool design, but it was simply black at the end, while the Stellar Horizon is much more complicated in its design. Keep in mind though, that if you want to take some macro photos of these, do it right away after unboxing them, as faceplates get dirty immediately, and they are basically impossible to clean.
The body of the IEM is made of brushed stainless steel with brass fasteners and MMCX capture. They certainly have some weight to them, but I wouldn’t call them too heavy. More on that later though.

The faceplate is made of laser-cut black acrylic with gold PVD inlay, and it looks incredible in real life. It adds a lot of depth to the overall design, and it looks beautiful with proper light. These are a jewelry level of design, and you’ll surely be grabbing a lot of attention in the crowd wearing these. However, it looks premium and sophisticated, so there’s probably nothing wrong with grabbing attention for that.



I already mentioned the cables, so let’s go in-depth on this topic. The new CFA cables are a flat design, and while I’m definitely not a fan of those, these ones are rather brilliant. They are completely tangle-free, comfortable to use and they do feel premium. It’s a huge upgrade over the last iteration of CFA cables, and now you’re getting three of these. If you just bought the new Solaris Stellar Horizon and you plan to use it with your balanced DAP…now you can just do it straight out of the box. Great news.

I’m also happy to see that the reviewed Campfire Audio Solaris Stellar Horizon still uses MMCX connectors. I’m not a huge fan of 2-pin, as these are not as secure as good (that’s a very important point) MMCX are. Campfire Audio has always been the true GOAT when it comes to MMCX connectors, never ever failing me once, and I’m happy to report that they kept it with the new Solaris Stellar Horizon.
Continuing into ergonomics, the Solaris Stellar Horizon is a very comfortable set of IEMs. While these are nowhere close to being the lightest, the shape is very ergonomic, and the cable also adds to the comfort level. Overall, you shouldn’t have any problems using these during long listening sessions, I don’t find them problematic even after hours of listening to music, which is a great thing. Keep in mind tho, that our ears could be vastly different, so it’ll still be the best to try them on your own, but from my point of view, these are wonderfully comfortable to wear.

Tech​

Now let’s get into the tech inside the reviewed Solaris Stellar Horizon. Campfire Audio never really joined the whole “more drivers!” trend, and the Solaris SH further proves their approach.
First of all, the driver configuration is rather bland by today’s standards, but once again – it doesn’t really mean anything. It’s the way these drivers are designed and used that really matters.
The single dynamic driver is 10mm in size and here’s what Campfire Audio has to say about the “Radial Venting” technology:
Our new Radial Venting surrounds the 10mm ADLC dynamic driver, creating a greater air volume and expanding the physical space in which the driver operates. This creates a greater soundstage and a more even performance of the dynamic driver.
While there’s no real way to evaluate the result of this technology itself, the soundstage is fantastic in the reviewed Solaris Stella Horizon, so there’s certainly some truth to it.

Other than the dynamic driver, Campfire Audio used three dual-diaphragm balanced armatures, which have been custom-made for CFA.
The Campfire Audio Solaris Stellar Horizon is rated at 4.40 Ohms, and 94 dB, which makes it easy to drive, mainly. because of the sensitivity. An impedance of 4.40 Ohms is extremely low, probably the lowest I’ve seen in an IEM. Keep in mind that you might get some background noise on some DAPs and Amps, but shouldn’t be really anything deal-breaking.
I’ve had no problems whatsoever driving the Solaris Stellar Horizon from the Cayin N3 Pro, iBasso DX170, or the EarMen CH-Amp. Every single one handled the IEMs like a champ, with great dynamics and no distortion. While such a low impedance is quite demanding on the amplifier, it’s countered by the high sensitivity, so you don’t really need a powerhouse to drive the new Solaris Stellar Horizon.

How does the Campfire Audio Solaris Stellar Horizon sound?​

Let’s now see what the reviewed Solaris Stellar Horizon sounds like and how it compares to the Solaris 2020 and a few other IEMs.
First of all, the new Solaris is vastly different sound wisely to the Solaris 2020. While the 2020 version was romantic, warm-ish, and smooth sounding, the Solaris Stellar Horizon aims for a way more technical, neutral kind of presentation.
Whether it’s a good thing or a bad thing will depend entirely on your personal preference. However, looking at how much more expensive the new model is, going for a more impressive technical performance seems entirely logical to me. Let’s see how it goes.

Let’s start as usual, with the bass. The Campfire Audio Solaris Stellar Horizon offers a very high quality of bass, but keep in mind that this is definitely not the strongest-hitting bass out there by any means. Personally, I’d even go as far as calling it a slightly bass-light IEM, which is not entirely up there with my personal preference. However, as a reviewer, I’m always trying to put my personal preferences aside and focus on objective evaluation.
Hence, I simply have to admire the sheer quality of the technical aspect of the low frequencies here. The slam is there, and while not the biggest, it retains the speed and clarity that is on par with other IEMs in this price category. Both layering and physicality of the bass are great and it creates a great foundation for the rest of the frequency response.
“Random Access Memories” by Daft Punk is a great album for testing audio equipment, and it showcases a great bass response of the product if it has any. Listening to this piece on the Solaris Stellar Horizon is a great experience, and the bass frequency is definitely doing it a favor. Doesn’t matter if it’s synthetic bass or a bass guitar, low frequencies sound natural, snappy, and dynamic. This is a very strong performance here, and if it was slightly stronger overall, I’d be absolutely in love with it. It might be just perfect for you though.



Let’s now get to the midrange. Here lies the biggest difference between the reviewed Stellar Horizon and the Campfire Audio Solaris 2020 version. The latter is a romantic, lush, and smooth-sounding IEM in the entire midrange response, and the new Stellar Horizon doesn’t really offer any of these.
Instead, the new model focuses on decay, technical transparency, and detail retrieval. Looking at this comparison in the most objective way I can, there’s no way not to call the Solaris SH superior to the older model. It gives you more information, and more neutral and uncolored sound that should be your priority when it comes to IEMs that cost that much.
Going deeper into the timbre of the midrange, I’d say it’s slightly on the thinner side, and it works better with female vocals than it does with male ones. I’m not saying that the Solaris SH works badly with male vocals though, that would have been incredibly unfair for the hero of this review. Mariusz Duda from Lunatic Soul sounds great and melodic, but he lacks just a touch of body in the lower midrange, which results in his voice sounding a bit metallic and not as rich as it does with the Solaris 2020.
However, when I tried Tove Lo and her fantastic “How Long”, the Solaris Stellar Horizon simply turned into an astonishing show. The forwardness, detail, and timbre of her voice were just absolutely marvelous, and I actually went on to listen to the track three times in a row. Additionally, what I’m going to spoil for you is the soundstage which is absolutely up there with the best of the best on the market, which further enhances the midrange performance, especially with female vocals.
The amount of air, together with it moving when the artist sings sounds great, and the separation is just perfect. If you’ll get to try the Campfire Audio Solaris Stellar Horizon, try a track with a few female vocalists singing at once, and I promise that you’ll be left shocked. This is something that the legendary Final A8000 is known of for years now, but the Solaris SH takes it a step further.

Now, we’re heading into the treble. It actually reminds me a bit of the 2017 iteration of the Andromeda. It’s right on the edge, in just a perfect way. This is definitely a forward-sounding treble response, and I’d actually call the reviewed Campfire Audio Solaris Stellar Horizon a slightly bright-tilted IEM, but it doesn’t get too hot or too harsh, even though it comes close to it. That’s what I meant by saying that it’s “on the edge”. It often comes quite close to being “too much”, but it never actually does that. This must have taken endless hours for the Campfire Audio team to tune, and if that kind of treble performance was their goal, I must admit that they achieved it entirely.
The album to listen to when testing the treble response is (of course) Acoustic Live by Nils Lofgren. Yes, I know, it’s been overdone for years now, but it’s just a brilliant mastering for showcasing the treble performance, so bear with me for a moment.
Because the treble response of the Solaris Stellar Horizon is so focused, airy, and forward-sounding, this album sounds absolutely spectacular. The string action and the high pitch of certain parts of the album sound lifelike, offering an impeccable show of textures and details. Another very important aspect for me is the ability to recreate the metallic sound in a natural way, and the Solaris SH can definitely do it. The metallic ringing, the acoustic guitar strings vibrating, and people clapping in the audience, all of these benefit greatly from the kind of treble response that the Solaris SH offers. These are just fantastic for acoustic music, offering a very vibrant, airy, and sparkly type of sound.

Now onto the soundstage, and this is probably the best aspect of the Solaris Stellar Horizon.
The staging is vast, and airy and offers a fantastic separation and great imaging. The size of the soundstage is huge, which works well with the entire frequency response of the IEMs. You definitely cannot call it an “intimate” sounding IEM, as the Solaris Stellar Horizon aims for a big type of experience, with a lot of air between the instruments.
An album that showcases it well is “Hell Freezes Over” by Eagles. There are a lot of instruments playing at the same time on many tracks, and the Solaris Stellar Horizon never loses its pace and spaciousness. This type of sound works great with music that needs a lot of space and air.
The radial venting technology used by Campfire Audio seems to do the trick here, giving the dynamic driver room to breathe and resonate freely. If you’re a fan of spacious-sounding, airy IEMs, the new Solaris Stellar Horizon might be one of the best choices you could make in the current IEM market.

Comparisons​

Campfire Audio Solaris 2020



Let’s start with the most obvious comparison between the new and the old Solaris models.
As I said previously in this review, the Solaris 2020 is richer, lusher, and warmer sounding of the two, which could work for some. I’m a fan of the 2020 version thanks to its romantic and sweet sound, but it should come as no surprise that the Stellar Horizon version is better when it comes to technical performance.
The Stellar Horizon is faster, more detailed, more spacious, and airier than the 2020 version, which will surely appeal to customers in the high-end market. Because of that, I agree with Campfire Audio on the change of the tuning here, especially since the price difference is very big.

Both are valid options on the market though, as the Solaris Stellar Horizon isn’t really a natural successor of the Solaris 2020 because these two are too different to be considered that. The more expensive model is much more technically capable, which is a very logical thing if you’ll think bout it.
However, for long listening sessions, I think that the Solaris 2020 might be a better choice, because of its more forgiving, richer sound signature that will be more relaxing and less tiring over long periods of time. The Solaris Stellar Horizon isn’t really a fatiguing listen, to begin with, but it certainly involves you more with its more forward, brighter, and leaner type of sound.

Dita Perpetua



The Dita Perpetua is a single dynamic driver IEM coming at $3000. It is a flagship of Dita Audio, which we reviewed a couple of months ago.
The Perpetua is a very relaxing, coherent, and easy listen, just as I stated in its review. This is definitely not a technically impressive IEM at this price range, but its strength is a completely non-fatiguing, easy-going type of experience.
The Solaris Stellar Horizon sounds totally different here. It is much more technically capable, more forward, and more involving sounding, resulting in an IEM that will appeal more to those of you who value the detail and resolution the most. Additionally, the soundstage of the Solaris Stellar Horizon is bigger, more airy, and more precise, further highlighting the technical superiority of the Solaris Stellar Horizon.
However, once again, the Perpetua is going to be more relaxed and easier to listen to for extended periods of time, which is worth considering if you tend to listen to your IEMs for hours and hours a day. While the Stellar Horizon is much more technically acclaimed of the two, it’s also going to be more involving and expressive sounding.

Campfire Audio Supermoon



Now let’s compare the Solaris Stellar Horizon to the Campfire Audio Supermoon. What’s really interesting, is that I’d call the SH a natural upgrade to the Supermoon, as these two share more similarities than the Solaris 2020 and the SH version.

The Supermoon is a very technical-sounding IEM that offers a very fast, snappy, and detailed sound, and the Stellar Horizon has a similar flavor, but it’s just better.

The Solaris Stellar Horizon is even more spacious and faster sounding than the Supermoon, and its tuning is more natural in my opinion. Both are rather bright-tilted, but the Stellar Horizon is not as extreme as the Supermoon, resulting in a more natural timbre.

The Supermoon offers a slightly more impressive texture, mainly due to the fact that it uses a planar driver, which is known for its texture presentation. However, the Solaris Stellar Horizon packs a bigger punch and better dynamics, which further improves on the universal aspect of the IEM.

Final A8000



The Final Audio A8000 has been famous for its speed and decay over the years. However, as the world evolves and the technology gets better, it’s been less relevant in the current market.
What’s interesting is that the Solaris Stellar Horizon shares many similarities with the A8000. Both focus on the technical aspect of the sound, but I think that the Stellar Horizon is a more valid option in 2023.

First of all, while this is highly subjective, the Stellar Horizon is much more comfortable for me. I’ve always had slight problems with the ergonomics while using the A8000, and I’m not having any with the Solaris SH. Also, while both are built impressively, the CFA will scratch much less than the A8000, which is starting to show scratches very quickly.

Lastly, the sound of the Solaris Stellar Horizon is more impressive and less fatiguing at the same time. While both will be a great choice when choosing a technical sounding IEM, the A8000 is starting to sound a bit dated in 2023, having too many compromises sound wisely. It’s especially prominent in the soundstage category, as the Solaris Stellar Horizon offers a much bigger, airier, and more accurate staging than the A8000.

Campfire Audio Solaris Stellar Horizon Review – Summary​

The new Campfire Audio Solaris Stellar Horizon is the best IEM that CFA ever released when it comes to technical performance. Instead of considering it as a successor of the Solaris 2020, I’d rather say it’s the bigger brother of the Supermoon, as they share a lot more similarities.
Of course, the upgrade comes at a big price of $2670, but now you’re getting a lot more in the box. The overall unboxing experience is one-of-its-kind, and there are more accessories included when compared to the Solaris 2020.

However, I’d personally wish that Campfire Audio offered a single cable with interchangeable plugs, or at least not include the 2.5mm cable in the box. It raises the price even further, and the 2.5mm standard is not valid anymore in 2023. A hard-carrying case would have been a great addition as well.
Overall, the Solaris Stellar Horizon is a highly technical, fast, and very spacious-sounding IEM that will appeal to many. Pair it with a great build quality and beautiful design, and you’ll end up with a very exciting pair of IEMs.

Recommended!


Big thanks to Campfire Audio for providing the Solaris Stellar Horizon for this review. I wasn’t paid or asked to say anything good or bad about this product, all of the above is just my personal, unbiased opinion.

TWS is a hot topic, every manufacturer wants to get on the hype train. HiFiMan decided they want it too. So they made an R2R, balanced TWS system called Svanar Wireless and put a $499 price tag on them. Curious about the first TWS with an R2R DAC? Me too. Let’s see what’s up.​

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Introduction to the HiFiMAN Svanar Wireless review​

HiFiMan is known as one of the leading manufacturers of headphones. Their top products like Susvara or Shangri-La are considered TOTL by many. The HE400se and Sundara mark the first steps for beginners.
Their lineup is impressive, considering they seem to have an answer to any headphone question. On top of that, they have a growing range of DAC/AMPs and IEMs. Their newest IEM, the Svanar left quite an impression on Paweł, so when option for reviewing Hifiman Svanar Wireless popped up, we knew it was going to be something else. And it is.
HiFiMan is run by Dr. Fang Bian, a true genius, who helped to shape the headphone industry as we know it today. He is an audiophile by his heart and a big fan of R2R DACs. The latest EF400 and EF600 DAC/AMPs from HiFiMan feature this technology, the HiFiMan’s Himalaya modules.
Surprisingly, their newest TWS also use this type of DAC, the Himalaya. What is interesting, this is the first TWS with R2R DAC and not without a reason. Read about that more in this review, in the tech section. The Hifiman Svanar Wireless is not a Svanar with a BT built in, rather it’s a top solution in its class, just like Svanar is topping the IEM line for HiFiMan. Let’s take a closer look at the subject of the review and compare it to the competition.

Packaging and Comfort​

The reviewed Hifiman Svanar Wireless comes in an aesthetic, simple box. On the front, there is information about the Himalaya R2R DAC and the Topology Diaphragm technologies used in this TWS. There are also QR codes for their social media, website, and basic info about the product on the back.
Inside you’ll find the earphones, the case, a set of tips and a charging cable. Nothing fancy, but all you need. There are both silicon and foam tips in the set, although, only one size of foam. There is a much wider selection of silicone tips including even double flanged ones.

I was unsure about the fit, as the earpieces seemed bulky at first, but I can wear them comfortably for an extended amount of time. The inside of the earpieces has kevlar inserts that are moulded into an anatomic shape, mimicking the concha. For this size, they are okay even with small ears like mine.

Good news for those who want to use reviewed Svanar Wireless when exercising, HiFiMan thought about you, and Svanar Wireless has an IPX5 water resistance rating. The included case is quite bulky, so I imagine some users refuse to use them on shorter commutes. On the plus side, the case fits earpieces even with bulky foam tips on.

Tech, ANC and Build Quality​

Build quality is good. The earpieces are made out of lightweight metal and, as mentioned earlier, kevlar. The shape of the earpieces is quite unique: the external part has ANC/call microphones at a distance from the ear to improve selectivity. The main body is quite thick, housing electronics and the new dynamic driver.
It uses a dynamic driver with a diaphragm that is coated in a very specific shape. Interestingly enough, that process was covered in Dr Fang Bian’s PhD thesis. Selectively treating the surface of the diaphragm with Nanoparticles helps to improve stiffness but with only a small increase in weight. In this way, you can have a dynamic driver that is excellent over a full range of human hearing. Being stiff and fast at the same time, similar to Nano coated planar diaphragms HiFiMan uses.
Svanar Wireless features ANC, allowing for up to 35dB of noise attenuation. That is something all of us, daily commuters, will appreciate. It is not as strong and precise as the ANC of more commercial-focused brands like Sony, but it is on par with audiophile manufacturers. I guess this tendency stems from audiophile manufacturers not wanting to sacrifice too much sound quality for a few dB of attenuation. This is reasonable, especially since you can do so much by selecting different tips, which can give you more attenuation than any ANC.



If you told me 2-3 years ago, there will be a TWS with an R2R DAC I would just laugh. Last year, probably too. But here we are. Let me tell you some more about how they were able to achieve that. My guesstimation at least. So, will we see a wave of R2R-equipped TWS? No.
Let’s get back to the beginning. R2R DAC uses a resistor ladder that divides the power supply voltage accordingly to the input signal. As you know, DACs are sophisticated devices. R2R is even more demanding than delta-sigma because most of the parameters depend on the accuracy of the resistor ladder. Even though you only need two values R and 2R (hence the name), they need to be stupidly accurate. Top designs use tolerances around 0,01%, so the possible difference is 1 to 10000.
Another issue is TCR: a temperature coefficient of resistance. With super nice resistors we are talking up to 25ppm/1C which is 25 to 1 000 000. Let’s assume we have around 50 resistors, the whole circuit warms up by 10C (pretty normal stuff). Every resistor behaves slightly differently. You can see how quickly it can get out of hand. The miss in the accuracy of a resistor ladder is directly related to the THD figures, the distortion. Hence you can easily see, that higher distortion values compared to delta-sigma are normal for the R2R DACs.

One time I was discussing R2R DAC with a pretty well-known Hi-End DAC manufacturer and he said that MOQ (minimal order quantity) for custom resistors like that is 1 000 000 pieces and they weren’t so keen on such a small order. So this is one part. The other part is the digital signal processing that is required to make those resistors sing. Usually, it is done in FPGA, a programmable logic that is capable of super-fast operations, but is expensive as f… And physically large.
So, how did HiFiMan make so many products with their Himalaya R2R DACs and how did they fit all that into such a small product? They ordered enough resistors to make it economically viable. They also probably use custom, minuscule resistors in the Svanar Wireless to keep it small. They also have their DSP processors made as ASIC – in short custom integrated circuits. Just as somebody uses ESS’ ES9038PRO, HiFiMan has its own Himalaya chips. And integrated circuit manufacturers won’t sell you 1000 of them. Oh no. Think bigger. Much bigger. Biggus Dickus, the famous Roman noble bigger.
The Svanar Wireless uses Bluetooth 5.2 with the latest codecs including SBC, AAC and LDAC. Surprisingly, no aptX of any sort. The battery allows for 4h of playback in HiFi mode, 6h in ANC mode and 7h in transparency mode. My suspicion is that in Hi-Fi mode the BT is forced into the highest transmission rates. The case extends the playtime to around 25h, give or take.

How does the HiFiMAN Svanar Wireless sound?​

Well, HiFiMan has its signature sound focusing on sound staging and detail. So it is on the slightly brighter side, but nothing too extreme. It balances very nicely with foam tips, I use the Comply TWS.

The sound of the reviewed HiFiMan Svanar Wireless is focused on the midrange for the most part. Voices, and guitars, have the primary role here. The bass, while not as pronounced goes very low, giving us a satisfying thump. Treble has a very nice airiness and timbre, especially for a dynamic driver. The sound staging is very good, being outmatched only by the Final ZE8000.

The detail provided by the subject is excellent and on par with similarly priced IEMs. It is an overall highly enjoyable, fast, detailed tuning. A nice inversion of what we normally expect and get from TWS. Even I, in previous reviews of TWS, have mentioned that bass-heavy is the preferred tuning for me on the streets. I’m pleasantly surprised to report, that it is still true, however I had no issues using the Svanar Wireless, nor have I felt unsatisfied with the amount of bass. To finish my overall experience I have to add that you can definitely hear the R2R DAC used to hear. The sound staging, vocals and treble are very similar to what I hear on my EF400 and HE6SE set. And if that isn’t good enough, I don’t know what else to say.

Bass

Fast, light and crisp. It is recessed compared to the rest of the range. It is both good and bad. Depending on your approach. Heavier bass helps to conceal the sounds of a busy city. On the other hand, it can get tiresome pretty quickly. If you are from the second camp, you’ll be more than happy with this TWS. While not the hardest-hitting, it has good extension, the tactile feel of a dynamic driver and nice textures for a DD. Take a listen to the Roses by SAINt JHN (Imanbek Remix), which is a very bass-heavy mix. It can be overwhelming with Sony WF-1000XM4, but not with reviewed HiFiMan Svanar Wireless. Heavy, slamming bass is tight, fast and isn’t trying to blow your eyes out of their sockets. This tuning goes great well with music like contemporary pop, jazz, and rock where bass usually takes a supporting role.



Midrange

This is a star of the show. Think about a sound that is in between the dynamic driver with a timbre and BA for detail and speed. Acoustic guitars in Keith don’t go by Nils Lofgren (I know, it’s time to let Keith go) sound super snappy and lively, as they do live. That’s something that in other TWS often is either muffled by excessive bass or flattened too much. The main quality of Svanar Wireless is this lively, natural, but neutral approach to sound. Together with a nice detail, we get a very nice performing midrange, that will satisfy even more demanding audiophiles. Especially, since we are talking about TWS, not IEM.

Treble

I like it a lot. It is sparky and big. While not as precise and instant as from BA-based TWS it has an appealing tuning that helps to elevate the midrange even further. Once again, it goes great with rock music, such as That Golden Rule by Biffy Clyro. Cymbals have a nice attack and chunkiness to them that helps to balance out guitars. The treble is also a little “bottom heavy”, having a constrained top end. I feel that it is done so the TWS doesn’t become overbearing over long periods. It’s hard not to appreciate the level of detail and resolution when we’ll consider it’s a wireless IEM, something that would have been not possible just a few years back. What a great time for audio we’re living in.

Sound staging

For a TWS, reviewed HiFiMan SSvanar Wireless has very good sound staging. It has a nice, airy, wide soundstage. It doesn’t break any records in depth though. The center of the sound is very close to you but has no issues reaching far to the sides. The tuning emphasises the airiness even more. The sound spreads nicely outwards, not being constricted to the 5 cm around your head. That quality also supports my thesis, that Svanar Wireless was tuned for comfort and long usage.

Comparisons​

Sony WF-1000XM4

Sony TWS is one of the most popular on the market. It has a companion app, that allows for updating software, additional tuning and other tweaks like EQ. On the ANC side, it does have a more selective system and has more attenuation than Svanar Wireless.
On the sound quality, the Sony has bloated bass, that overwhelms everything else. It comes nothing close to the competitor. The XM4 just sounds cheap in comparison, with lacking details and a 5% tuning. In comparison, the soundstage and treble performance of the Svanar Wireless is just miles ahead, presenting a much more detailed, natural and sophisticated kind of sound.

To top all of that, Sony has a weird fit, which I’m not the biggest fan of. Functionally Sony is stronger but loses in other fields. If you value music quality, you’ll definitely choose Svanar Wireless. HiFiMAN has no chances when talking about functionality and app options, since Sony is probably going to sell their XM4 in millions of pieces, something that HiFiMAN can only dream about. However, TWS earphones have 1 main goal – to sound good. And when we value that the most, the Svanar Wireless is just a much, much better choice than the WF-1000XM4.

HiFiMan Svanar Wireless Review – Summary​

The Svanar Wireless is the first R2R DAC-equipped TWS in the world.

Additionally to that, it also features lighter, more open, and relaxed tuning than most of its competition. If you prefer that over the rumbling bass of most TWS, now you know what to choose. The Himalaya is not a gimmick too. It is a full-fledged solution and you can hear that natural, open sound that you know from other HiFiMan products.

While quite chunky, earpieces proved to be comfortable over longer periods. The big case can be an issue for some people. Innovative, with a less popular tuning, the Svanar Wireless is a solid proposal for the market of TWS. If that description tickles your fancy, it will be an excellent choice!

Recommended.

Big thanks to HiFiMAN for providing the Svanar Wireless for this review. I wasn’t paid or asked to say anything good or bad about this product, all of the above is just my personal, unbiased opinion. HiFiMAN hasn’t seen this review before publishing it.

The JDS Labs Atom Amp+ Hevi is a cool entry-level headphone amp, proudly made in the USA. It's got a bit more weight than its predecessor. You can snag it for just $114.​

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Introduction to the JDS Labs Atom Amp+ Hevi review​

Hi-Fi audio gear is getting better and cheaper through the years. Stuff that was ultra high-end like 10 years ago, now has really strong competition at a fraction of the price. This competition comes particularly from China, but there are also a couple of companies from other parts of the world, and JDS Labs is one from the USA. They deliver audio gear with awesome specs at an exceptional value. Their approach involves creating straightforward, meticulously designed devices that offer exceptional specifications within their class, or even beyond.
I really love the approach of JDS Labs, they are making audio gear without any marketing bs. Even on the Atom Amp+ product page, they wrote that the amplifier has “only” 1W of power because they wanted to avoid the marketing race. Additionally, they are running a blog where you can follow their latest releases. What’s important yet again, there is no marketing boilerplate, only the spirit. You can read some technical details and what’s the difference between older models and the released ones without unnecessary eloquence.

Packaging, Build Quality and Tech​

The paragraph about the packaging is quite tough for me in this review, because sometimes I’m writing that the package is simple, nothing fancy, just a box with some foam and some stuff inside, but JDS did some steps further the Atom Amp+ Hevi arrives in black cardboard, with a power brick in another one and that’s it. They had to cut some corners and you can easily see that the money was spent elsewhere.
In terms of build quality, I can write something more, Atom Amp+ Hevi is $15 more expensive than the OG Atom Amp+ and the only difference between these two devices is the material of the enclosure and the knob. The new version of the amp feels more rigid and feels better made thanks to the use of aluminum instead of plastic. What’s most important is that the circuit board stays the same, so no matter if you choose the standard or Hevi version, the performance stays the same. On the backplate of the amp, you will find two inputs – an RCA and a 3.5 mm jack, and an RCA preamp output. Additionally, there is a power barrel jack and that’s all. On the front, there are two switches for gain and input, a volume knob, which is a power switch at the same time, and a 6.3 mm jack which is a headphone output.



As I’ve already mentioned, the inner construction is exactly the same as the construction of Atom Amp+, so it’s a standard headphone amp construction – an opamp-driven LME49600 current buffer. It provides low output impedance, so I could drive Craft Ears Aurum without any issues, with very low distortion and noise, and good power output – 1W RMS at 32 Ohm. The manufacturer claims that the power is limited because they wanted to keep the power supply reasonably sized and to be honest Atom Amp+ Hevi can easily drive most of the headphones in the market, but I will check these claims later.
Overall, while it’s still not rock-solid and super heavy, I’d definitely call it an upgrade over the original Amp+. Most importantly, the price difference is rather subtle and it’s going to be an easy decision for everyone considering buying a JDS Labs amp.

How does the JDS Labs Atom Amp+ Hevi sound?​

This part of the review is a tough one because since it’s the same construction as the classic Atom Amp+, Michał has already written everything about the sound of the Atom stack in his review. But let me try to describe the headphone amplifier only, maybe we will discover something new. It’s a headphone amplifier with a sound signature quite popular among budget-fi gear – neutral with a little warmth and a good bass.
A thing that really pops up is that the Atom Amp+ has a serious amount of power, it can easily drive AKG K712, but it also can handle HiFiMAN Arya Organic, or what’s even more impressive Sennheiser HD8XX. Maybe it lacks on many fronts when compared to e.g. my daily driver – Topping A90, but when you remember that the reviewed JDS Labs Atom Amp+ Hevi costs just $114, then you will probably have the same thoughts as me – it’s a budget killer.
Let’s start with the bass response. As I would expect from a solid state amplifier the bass is fast and responsive. It’s not too heavy, but you won’t complain that it’s thin or recessed. It’s balanced but on a warm-ish side with a solid sub-bass punch and pleasant, nicely textured upper bass. To be honest for me It’s the best part of the sound signature, I love to listen to some electronic music with it.

The way the bass hits in Veridis Quo by Daft Punk is just great – it’s very unconstrained and easy, but at the same time it isn’t muddy or soft. It can slam when it’s necessary, but on the other hand, it can be light and easy to assimilate as well. What’s important to point out is that HiFiMAN Arya Organic has really good bass, but it requires loads of power to make it sound fully and rich. JDS Atom Amp+ Hevi can easily provide that amount of power.
The midrange is balanced as well, it lacks the lower midrange a bit so male vocals are slightly faded, but every time I’m complaining about something I’m reminding myself it’s the price – like you can buy a headphone amp that has some down sights, but overall it’s a pretty well-performing device, or you can get five to six vinyl LPs. After this recall, I can easily tune a blind eye to the minor flaws I just mentioned. The upper midrange is definitely better exposed, but it still lacks the definition of female voices.

Another thing I’m lacking is the texture. For some people the smooth sound is good, but I like when Imelda’s May vocal in 11 Past the Hour rips skin off my ears, this causes me to feel the sound is engaging. Overall for me, the midrange is the most boring part of the sound of JDS Labs Atom Amp+ Hevi. What’s important don’t get me wrong, mids are very correct, but this correctness and the stillness make the sound spiritless. Additionally, I like to listen to music at low volume and I got used to the situation that the dynamics is lower than while listening to loud music, but with Atom Amp+ I feel the dynamics in the midrange disappear way faster than I would expect. That’s not a big deal in that price range, especially when you’re listening to the music louder.



The treble is again very correct. Not too bright and sometimes hides some details, but yet again, I ate a more expensive dinner last weekend than the reviewed JDS Atom Amp+ Hevi costs. Yes, you can blame me, but let’s be fair if the amp would cost $1000, or even $500, then I would probably complain a lot about it, but since it costs $114, then I have to be gentle because it’s a very decent headphone amplifier with great driving capacities.
So treble can be too smooth in a negative way, and dull, but overall if you’re looking for a neutral sound that won’t push forward the mix and master errors at an entry-level price tag, then reviewed JDS Labs Atom Amp+ Hevi is very good. A good example can be Californication from Red Hot Chili Peppers I love the song, but I hate the sound engineering – the dynamics suck, sometimes you can even hear unexpected distortion, and while listening with “better” amplifiers I’m just fast-forwarding to the next song, but here I just feel it’s fine.

The soundstage is decent and I could finish this paragraph here. I mean it exists and does the job, but don’t expect anything extraordinary. The dimensions and the layering are both alright. Due to good channel separation, it scores a lot in terms of the width of the soundstage, but the depth is rather flat, even when I paired the Atom Amp with SMSL SU-9 which improves it. While listening to music I feel like it’s a wall of the sound that separates the back of my head from my face a little bit.
That would have been a true issue, but yet again I need to write these three digits “114” – the price in US Dollars. As a reviewer, I’m spoiled by amazing audio gear. My interconnects are more expensive than this amplifier and I feel I need to keep the expectations on a bit lower level. When keeping in mind that it’s so cheap, yet again I have to admit it’s a great piece of gear. Again, considering the price, the JDS Labs Atom Amp+ Hevi scores great in this review.
What’s also worth mentioning is that this little amp get’s along with pretty much everything I tried it with. Doesn’t matter if you’re planning to go with IEMs, dynamic od planar headphones, it does the job with everything. This makes it a highly universal and useful device to have for such a small price. Doesn’t matter if you’re planning to use it as your main amplifier, or just in your secondary setup, the Amp+ Hevi will surely deliver a good quality signal for you to simply have fun with. Also, having in mind how small it is, it’ll suit every desk, even in the office, and shouldn’t grab too much attention.

Comparison​

JDS Labs Atom Amp+​

Now I just should paste a meme with Pam from The Office, because as I’ve already mentioned JDS Atom Amp+ and Atom Amp+ Hevi have exactly the same circuit boards and the only difference is in the case.
Many users were complaining about the weight of the OG Atom Amp+ and I know, now you probably see Paweł blaming that he can’t move his Feliks Audio Envy without a forklift, but actually that was a completely opposite problem. The devices from the Atom lineup are so light that some stiffer interconnects could cause it won’t stand correctly, but JDS labs had listened to requests and they replaced the plastic top case with a metal one, thanks to this you finally don’t have to worry that it will fly out the open window like a helium balloon.
Thanks to the used materials it also feels way better quality, the plastic of the older one is ok, but when you stack a couple of devices one on top of the other it scratches a bit, with the metal that issue doesn’t exist. Finally metal is a better conductor than plastic, so the temperatures inside the case are lower and the lower temperatures mean longer life of transistors and capacitors. The OG Atom Amp+ is known for great reliability, even long after the warranty period, so you can expect the Hevi will be like the old Mercedes w124 or Toyota Landcruiser.

JDS Labs Atom Amp+ Hevi Review — summary​

If you’re looking for an entry-level amplifier that can drive most of the headphones currently available in the market, then JDS Atom Amp+ is a no-brainer and I think it’s worth spending an additional $15 on better build quality and more metal used in the case manufacturing.
Another case where Atom Amp+ Hevi fits great is the office desk stack, the device has a small footprint, and as mentioned it can handle most headphones, additionally, it does not have the most engaging sound which isn’t the most desired feature of the audiophile gear, but in that use case, where music should be only a background, it would be an advantage for me.

And finally, is it worth replacing the previous JDS Atom Amp+ with the JDS Atom Amp+ Hevi? If you’re expecting any difference in the sound, then no, but if you have always wanted to engrave something on the top of your amp then yes (custom engraving is available on jdslabs.com).

Recommended!

Big thanks to JDS Labs for providing the Atom Amp+ Hevi for this review. I wasn’t paid or asked to say anything good or bad about this product, all of the above is just my personal, unbiased opinion.

Campfire Audio Andromeda Emerald Sea​

A new iteration of a legendary IEM. Is 5 BAs still a viable option, among all of the hybrid competition? Let's see, how reviewed Campfire Audio Andromeda Emerald Sea holds at 1450 USD.

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Introduction to the Campfire Audio Andromeda Emerald Sea review​

Campfire Audio Andromeda might be one of the most known IEMs in history. Started by the OG Andromeda back in 2016, the Andromeda family was always a steamy, hot dream for audiophiles. Full BA design, that focused on smooth, coherent sound.
Unlike others, when tuning, CA didn’t sacrifice pleasure and timbre for 0,5% more detail. Campfire Audio always had its own vision of doing things, which as you know I appreciate a lot. Through time, we had 13 versions of Andromeda, with the reviewed Emerald Sea being the latest. Campfire likes to play with limited editions, creating unique designs with spectacular finishes.
I would absolutely kill for a chance to get IEMs with Cerakote finish. Do you guys know what it is? It’s a ceramic (duh) finish that will outlive us all. Often found on guns and Hi-Tec equipment. How about a polished stainless steel Andromeda? There you go. Different finishes, or tunings separated all of the variants, but when it comes to basic models we had five of them: 2016, 2018, 2019, 2020, and Emerald Sea.
The aforementioned Andromeda 2016 was the product to put Campfire Audio on the map. It featured a 3D-printed acoustic chamber. Obvious now, but it was something else in 2016. Together with T.A.E.C. matching high-frequency drivers to the rest of them. It combined that with 5 BA drivers to achieve an exquisite sound that shook the audio community.
The big change came in the shape of Andromeda 2020 priced at $1099. It elevated previous designs with the Solid Body technology, straight from their CIEM products. It means that drivers are connected in a refined acoustic chamber that delivers their sound straight to the nozzle with nothing in between. It refined the sound reducing coloration and distortion even lower.
Finally, in February 2023 the new model was shown. The new Andromeda Emerald Sea is a big step up over the older models. Among changes, you can see the new shell, new packaging, and new sound. It also had a significant bump in price up to $1450. I understand that you might feel it’s unjustified, but after everything went up in price so significantly, it’s hard to argue with the change.
I had the pleasure of meeting the Campfire Audio crew at the Munich Audio Show. It was a blast, thank you guys for having us! Then I listened to the Emerald Sea for the first time and I knew I needed that sound in my life. I kindly explained that if we don’t get a sample for a review I’m going to put some pineapple on a pizza. We agreed that it was unacceptable, and here we are now.
Fun fact! Did you know, that Andromeda 2020 was the IEM that got me into the hobby? I was like: oh, so that’s what it’s all about. Shoutout to Paweł, who made me listen to it. I wouldn’t be here without you Bro. I might have promised him unspeakable things if I can review the new Andromeda. Nothing sexual though. Probably.

Packaging​

I like nice packaging. I put a lot of attention to it. Probably, because I unbox something new every month or two. And I have unboxed a few audio products in my life, both portable and stereo. Never, have I ever seen anything close to how Andromeda Emerald Sea is delivered to you. While it sounds ridiculous to say, unboxing was an experience. Can’t say any less than that without doing a disservice to Campfire Audio.

The main box is covered with textured paper with colorful stickers explaining the contents of the box. The box itself is made out of laser-cut wood. It opens up like a jewelry box, and I believe they consciously went for that feel. Inside you find a green leather case containing the IEMs in the typical Campfire Audio anti-scratch sheeting. The case is much larger than those previously added to Andromeda’s. It will fit even medium DAC/AMPs with no issues.


The case is closed with magnets, not zippers as it was done previously. It is also flatter, which makes it easier to fit in your pants without getting the ladies too interested. That is only the beginning though.
Next up, accessories. As a part of the set, you’ll find three Time Stream cables: 3,5mm, 2,5mm balanced, and 4,4mm balanced. One is already connected to the Andromeda’s, other two are in the brown sheet with the manufacturer’s logo.

On top of that, tips. The well-known set is here. Three sizes of marshmallow foams and three sizes of silicon tips. I love both of them, they are among my favorites available. Okay, here is the gangster part. The top cover opens up and has a slot. A slot for the small hand (hand-made actually!) that is designed to hold and present the IEMs when you are not using them. Having Andromeda is a flex? Well, now it’s a flex on having Andromeda Emerald Sea. Double flex. Flexception.

Design, Build and Comfort​

The emerald green is reserved for Andromeda. The distinct color is with this model from the beginning. It is here with the newest iteration too. What has changed is the shell shape. It looks much more streamlined with no visible screws and much smoother angles. It somehow reminds me of the style depicted in Cyberpunk 2077. I can easily imagine them being worn by some corpo from Arasaka. Especially with the new cable having silver and gold accents. For non-gamers think corpo world aesthetic of Blade Runner 2049.

The dominant emerald is broken by polished stainless steel accents: nozzle, MMCX socket cover, and new screws. To be fair, I don’t think those are screws at all. Those are probably locks deactivated by pressing and rotating the ring. Compared to screws they blend seamlessly into the shell. I like the new looks a lot, but I might like the old look more. I’m still conflicted about that, even though it is a clear and obvious upgrade. Sometimes we aren’t rational.

Build quality is perfect and there is nothing to complain about, and you know me – I like to complain. The comfort is exceptional as always. Campfire somehow makes IEMs with big nozzles that do not make me itchy after a long time of using them. It was one of the characteristics that shook me when I tried Andromeda for the first time in my life. It was easy to wear, compared to other, bulkier products.

Tech​

The base of the IEM is a set of five balanced armatures: two for low frequencies, one midrange, and two for high frequencies. Reviewed Emerald Sea is the first variant of Andromedas to use dual-diaphragm balanced armatures. Of course, they are a custom design for Campfire Audio.

The shell is machined from aluminum, exactly to the spec. Looking at the shape, it has to be machined on a 5-axis CNC machine. You have X, Y, and Z axis as normal. The other ones are time and gravity. Trust me Bro, don’t Google that. Okay, okay. The 5-axis means that the head of the machine and the item under work are moving, allowing for much more advanced milling. The MMCX socket, made out of beryllium copper is secured with a polished stainless steel ring.
Did you guys know, that MMCX is adopted by the IEM industry from Radio Frequency electronics? This connector is being used to deliver super-duper high-frequency signals like Wi-Fi antennas, FPV drones video feed, or GPS.

Going deeper into the construction the drivers are housed in the Solid Body 3D printed waveguide that guarantees the perfect acoustic environment for each of the balanced armatures. It also ensures the best possible connection between the drivers and the nozzle of the IEM. The high-frequency balanced armatures are using the tried and proven T.A.E.C. Tuned Acoustic Expansion Chamber, which is fancy for a really good coupler.
Compared to traditional solutions it doesn’t dampen the treble and allows 100% of the energy to flow to the Solid Body and the nozzle. Compared to the previous entry to the Campfire Audio Andromeda family, the reviewed Emerald Sea has an even lower impedance of 6,375 Ohms. Looks dangerous, but due to its high sensitivity, it shouldn’t load the amplifiers too much.

While it looks like the impedance of a floor-standing speaker, don’t connect them to your speaker amps output…
The new cable, Time Stream is added to all of the Campfire’s flagship IEMs. It’s a flat wire that uses 4 conductors out of silver-plated copper. Non-switchable connectors guarantee the most non-compromise connection possible. I was a bit skeptical of a flat wire at first, but thanks to its soft and pliable jacket it is very comfy in everyday use. As you can see, reviewed Andromeda Emerald Sea has a lot of cool tech underneath the green coating. Campfire Audio is still one of the most innovative manufacturers around. Don’t suppose it’s gonna change anytime soon.

How does the Campfire Audio Andromeda Emerald Sea sound?​

There is some slight controversy around the new Campfire Audio Andromeda Emerald Sea. Compared to previous iterations, it supposedly has a warmer tone.
Listen, Andromedas have a cult-like following. They are one of the definitive IEMs on the market since that one beautiful day in 2016. It’s normal that people are emotional about them. Campfire decided to stray from the previous tuning a bit, going further into the warmer side of the force. People don’t like change.
To be honest, if they kept the course, and made Andromeda 13.0 just more refined, most people would be happy with that. I would too, to be frank. But sometimes change is good. Trying new things, effin’ around, and finding out is part of the growth. I respect that decision. And I believe we should give an honest listen to the new model.
Beans are already spilled, it has a warmer tuning. Especially when connected in SE configuration with mushroom tips. It has the accent put on the midrange, with high end and lowest lows recessed slightly. This is a significant change from the previous, neutral tuning. When used with balanced amps and silicone tips, we are getting much closer to the “old ways”, but we sacrifice the isolation of foam tips. I’ve settled with the middle ground: BAL and foams.
If you go SE with foams, just add +2 to warmth in the text below. It’s crazy-revealing, so I hope your DAC/AMP game is top-tier. Emerald Sea delivers amazing low-level detail if your setup has noise low enough. Also, another quality I know Andros for: the textures. It’s something that balanced armatures do very well, and combined with the timbre it will send shivers down your spine. My experience with Emerald Sea was: you start listening in the evening: “Oh I wonder how that will sound with them” and it’s morning already. I’ve decided to trademark “it gets you there” for equipment that sends me into an emotional listening state. Reviewed Campfire Audio Andromeda Emerald Sea gets you there. It’s GYT. Polish readers will love it.

Bass

Well it’s not similar to the applause in which democracy dies, it’s not thunderous. Those who know, they know. It’s not expected either. The warmer tuning didn’t bloat the bass at all. Listening to Morphine – Buena I can say that the timbre of bass is just spot on. It rumbles, building a foundation for the melody. What catches the attention is the richness, the abundance of detail, and the incredible, natural feel of the instruments. I spent an unholy amount of hours with garage bands back in my time and that is the type of memory that recalls.
The drums presented in the song are fast and punchy. Snappy snare leads the rhythm and kickdrum reinforces it. They aren’t ground, or rib-breaking but they are definitely not lacking. Honestly, they remind me of Andromeda 2020 in this regard. The rock is handled by the subject very well. But what about something harder?
Let’s go with a Panda Bear’s feat on Random Access Memories – Doin’ it right. Big, boomy, synth bass doesn’t overwhelm the reviewed CFA Andromeda Emerald Sea. While it is not a kick of dynamic or bone-conduction drivers, it still pumps enough air to give an enjoyable experience. I would make a claim, that everything including hard rock will get your foot tapping. If you want to go harder, more often, you might want to look somewhere else. All the gossip about the Emerald Sea having a bloated sound can be put to sleep. It doesn’t.



Midrange

The star of the show, with no doubt about that. My frequent readers know, that I enjoy a solid portion of Alan Parsons Project from time to time. I even got an autograph last year at Hi-End Munich. Since Andromeda is so famous, I think we need to get the big guns to match. And what APP song is more popular than Sirius from Eye in the Sky? It was used by Chicago Bulls as a theme song and instantly became a hit around the world. Kinda like Andromeda became the IEM to get years ago.
I’ll use it together with the next one on the album, the Eye in the Sky to explain the midrange to you. First of all, the midrange is incredibly organic and smooth. It just flows like smoke in the summer sky. Probably from a campfire you have set up with your friends. It’s an amazing mix of smoothness, that doesn’t influence dynamic range, detail that is insane, yet not overwhelming. This is exactly how the lack of resonances of the enclosure and lack of internal disturbances sound like. An amazing driver working comfortably to deliver everything to you.
There is a hint of warmth lurking around, but it doesn’t change the sound. It adds a layer of engagement. It goes excellently with songs like When I Fall in Love by Andrea Bocelli. Instant shivers, I melted and wished he was singing those words to me. And I’m not even into guys. Maybe I should mention the stunning vocals of Rebecca Pidgeon on In the Spanish Harlem… It’s probably my favorite midrange in IEMs, ever. It’s just right.

Treble

I was curious about this part, as it is slightly recessed compared to the previous iterations of the Andromeda. A listen to The Lonesome Lover by Max Roach allowed me to quickly understand the changes. There is less treble overall, but it hadn’t lost the qualities we admire in this model.
Once again – incredible detail, textures, and a nice edge. Even when the band goes all out the treble is separated perfectly from everything else. You can pinpoint every stroke on the crash. On the other hand, let’s listen to the Orinoco Flow by Enya. The marimbas used in the song give a very distinctive sound, that is hard to replicate for many IEMs. No issues here, Emerald Sea handles it like a boss.
Beautiful decay doesn’t get covered by anything. Treble is always hard to do well, because often it gets covered by other sounds, or the drivers can’t deliver the needed low-level detail. Emerald Sea shares beautiful, open, and airy treble with famous detail. It is a little behind midrange but it doesn’t lose its qualities.

Soundstage

I kinda like to mess with snobby people who listen to crazy audiophile music. When listening to the newest Campfire Audio Andromeda Emerald Sea I have to say I’m starting to get it though. Take a listen to Felix Laband’s album Dark Days Exit. It’s just lovely what the American IEM can do.
It’s precise like a surgical scalpel, every sound is defined in a 3D space with a millimeter precision. The incredible low-level detail allows the sounds to pop out of nowhere, and transition freely. It will blow your lid off. Don’t take drugs before listening to that, or you are GONE.
The soundstage is deep and wide with no hard boundaries. The only thing that I would like to be different is the center of the soundstage being so close to me. It is around my nose, which is closer than I like. Thanks to the open and airy nature of the sound it is not bothering me as much, but you know, we all have our preferences. Wanna go further that way? Try Becoming Insane by Infected Mushroom. It slaps.

Comparisons​

Campfire Audio Andromeda 2020


I know you have high hopes, for a big comparison, but I only have brief notes. Got my hands on Andro 2020 for only 2 hours. I had iFi GO Bar and both were driven in balanced mode with Time Stream cable. So, what is the difference?
The rumors are true. The Emerald Sea is a warmer-tuned IEM. The overall warmth of ES is not something giant, but I feel like it builds more depth to the sound. The treble is a little more dull and recessed. The mids and bass are leaner and a bit flatter (depending on how you look at it). The sound staging of both is very similar in style, but I feel that ES takes it a bit further, offering quieter background and more air.
Make no mistake, they sound more like each other than not. ES is a full-blown Andromeda, there is no doubt about that. The touch of warmth pushes it a bit towards a more organic sound. While I love the Andromeda 2020 as it was my gateway drug into IEMs and Ear-Fidelity, I understand the move by Campfire to slightly change the sound.
I do believe it makes Andromeda even more analog, smooth, and natural. I know my life will be in danger, but based on this comparison, I would pick the Andromeda Emerald Sea. You can still get some older Andromeda’s at Campfire Audio’s store if you prefer the older tuning. Both are fantastic IEMs that I can stack against anything.

Craft Ears Aurum



Craft Ears, a manufacturer from Poland is really making waves on the market. I was excited to see how their flagship stacks to Andromeda Emerald Sea, as it is available at a similar price.
Tri-brid design with DD, BA, and EST drivers gives hints about what to expect. At first, you can tell the Aurum has a much different tuning. It has a slight V-shaped characteristic, but not as much as eg. UM MEST. First of all, the Emerald Sea takes the crown in sound staging and resolution. It is well known for that, so no surprises here.
The Aurum is not far off, don’t get me wrong. On the other hand, Craft Ears IEM has a fantasthicc bass, making it much better suited for heavier, more low-heave genres. While it cannot match the texture ability of Andromedas, it is still a highly capable, fun product. And you can get it in CIEM, which is great.
Reviewed Campfire Audio Andromeda Emerald Sea is a super sensitive, slightly midrange-focused, resolution monster with crazy sound staging. On the other hand, Aurum is a power-hungry, engaging, v-shaped box of fun, that is not far in terms of detail and ability. To be honest, I’d like to have both. Emerald Sea for odd days of the month, and Aurum for the rest.

Westone MACH 60



Westone, similarly to Campfire is one of the oldest brands around. Having even more experience and being specialized with Ba’s, I expected a very tough fight.

The MACH 60 is a solid IEM, but I don’t think that it can rival Andromeda Emerald Sea in terms of sound quality. While it is excellent for musicians and studio engineers, it doesn’t have the qualities that I expect from audiophile IEM.

The build quality is completely on a different level. I appreciate the MACH 60 as a working horse, a lightweight pro monitor that you can wear for days. If you want precision, absolute flat response, and great isolation… Go for it. But otherwise, it feels like Westone became complacent, and doesn’t care about audiophiles no more.

Pairings​

iFi Audio GO Bar
A very popular choice, it is my current daily driver. The GO Bar is famous for its immense power, but with the new Andromeda, I had to use the IEMatch function to get noise under control.
Neutral sounding, with a healthy punch, is a solid choice for most pairings, but I don’t think it’s the best match with Andromeda in general.
Compared to other dongles I tried it doesn’t bring that much to the table. I would leave GO Bar for more demanding earphones and headphones, as its sound gets better, the louder it plays.
Cayin RU6
RU6 is a unique dongle, one of the few that feature true R2R DACs. As Bruno has mentioned In his review, the strong points of this machine are smoothness and soundstage.
Great choice when you want to reinforce the pros of the Andromeda, but since the top end is recessed in both it can get unexciting in some songs. That’s a choice that can be great, but I advise auditioning before pulling the trigger.
Lotoo PAW S1
Here is a very pleasant surprise. PAW S1 is the cheapest dongle I can wholeheartedly recommend for the Emerald Sea.
Quiet, dark sounding with a solid sound, it doesn’t break any records, but for its price, delivers excellent performance. While it lacks the refinement of the more expensive dongles, it created a very enjoyable experience. I have to try PAW S2, it might be it.

Campfire Audio Andromeda Emerald Sea Review – Summary​

I’d say the King is back, but it’s not like he went somewhere at all.
Campfire Audio is still one of the biggest, meanest, and most versatile players in the field. Reviewed Andromeda Emerald Sea is only cementing that fact. If you think that packaging is out of this world, listen to the IEMs. While a controversial change in tuning is generating a lot of emotion-loaded comments, it is still an Andromeda, with all of the qualities that you are looking for in that series.
The absolute resolution, crazy sound staging, and jaw-dropping textures. The new, refined build is a direct improvement in terms of looks and ergonomics, the Emerald Sea is a worthy successor of the series and it smacks many more expensive IEMs in the mouth like it’s Will Smith at the Oscars. It’s impossible not to recommend it.

You should try it if that’s your jam. High sensitivity and low impedance require careful pairing of the electronics. Campfire Audio Andromeda Emerald Sea, it gets you there.

Highly recommended!


Big thanks to Campfire Audio for providing the Andromeda Emerald Sea for this review. I wasn’t paid or asked to say anything good or bad about this product, all of the above is just my personal, unbiased opinion. Campfire Audio hasn’t seen this review before publishing it.

Feliks Audio Euforia Evo is a High-End OTL Tube Amplifier. Its price starts from €2699 and in this review, we will check if it’s worth it.​

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Introduction to the Feliks Audio Euforia Evo review​

Some time ago I visited Paweł’s place when he was preparing a review of the Feliks Audio Envy. I used to listen to the amp for a while and my only reaction was “PAWEŁ I WANT IT”, unfortunately, he wanted it even more. Later on, I had an opportunity to listen to Feliks Echo 2 and I was impressed that such a cheap (regarding its handcrafted in the EU, €899 isn’t so much) OTL amplifier can sound that good. And after a couple of months, the time has come for Euforia Evo, the latest headphone amplifier in Feliks Audio lineup.

But first, let me write something about the company. Feliks Audio is a family business based in Poland, they are a boutique manufacturer of hand-crafted tube (I know, I know valve is the only right name for this component) amplifiers with over 20 years of experience. Their products combine a passion for authentic sound, meticulous attention to technical details, and a beautiful finish. The company adheres to a philosophy of design simplicity, which involves reducing the number of elements in the projected signal path. This approach guarantees that the sound produced by their devices is genuine and unadulterated.

Mr. Henryk Feliks, the founder of the company but also an electronics engineer, is a big fan of OTL amps. He accepted the challenge of creating the amplifier that will be able to handle most of the headphones in the market, including planar magnetic ones and here it is – FeliksAudio Euforia Evo, so without further ado, let’s move to my first review of the tube headphone amplifier (ok, second one, but let’s say that the characteristics of the triode at my university electronics course don’t count as a real audio gear review).

Packaging​

The box that the reviewed Feliks Audio Euforia Evo arrives in is pretty big, the only bigger box I’ve ever received with audio gear was the one containing Fyne F500 – a pair of bookshelf speakers. The cardboard is of good quality. Inside there is a foam insert that ensures that the amp and what’s more important the tubes made of glass will arrive in one piece.

Inside the package, there is an amplifier, four tubes (a pair of driver tubes PSVane CV-181 Mk2 “Gold” and a pair of power tubes 6N13S), a power cord, and a user manual. What’s important is that the tubes are paired, so you don’t have to worry that the channels will suffer the imbalance.

Tech, design and build quality​

Let’s say that when I opened the box and put the Feliks Audio Euforia Evo on my desk I did not feel euphoric at the sight of it (ba dum tss…), I didn’t like the color of the device, but after some time I think it would be boring when it would be another black, or silver stuff. Almost like Mercedes-Benz cars sold in the current decade, black, silver, white, silver, gray, or silver, now Feliks Audio Euforia Evo breaks this monotony with its brownish, purple-ish gray body.

It’s pretty big, way bigger than other audio stuff I’m currently using. My daily driver stack – SMSL SU-9 and Topping A90 isn’t even half of the size of the reviewed Feliks Audio Euforia Evo. OTL means output transformerless, but it doesn’t mean that there are no transformers at all, there is one on the power supply stage and you can feel that it’s serious stuff, thanks to it, the amplifier weighs about 7 kg.

If the ridiculous weight and size don’t convince you, then remember that the vacuum tubes are also not very efficient. This means that they utilize lots of electric energy just to produce heat, I will skip how the tubes work, but you only need to know that to work some parts of it need to be hot, I mean literally these parts need to be red-hot. So if you have children, just keep the Feliks Audio Euforia Evo away from them.



Ok, so I’ve already mentioned that the reviewed Feliks Audio Euforia Evo, like any tube amplifier, is big, heavy, dangerous, and consumes kilowatts of electric energy, but the best part is that the tubes require some time to heat to the proper operating temperature. “Some time” means about 30 minutes, so before listening you can brew some coffee, watch an episode of your favorite series or clean up your apartment. As you can see, using the tube amp isn’t an easy thing. That’s kind of a commitment. The commitment that you want to spare some time just to make your listening session special, but about the magic and what the commitment gives you in return you will read in the next part of this review.

How does the Feliks Audio Euforia EVO sound?​

The look of the device is important, and the experience and the way the user interacts with it are even more important, but at the end of the day, the sound is the thing that defines if the gear is good or not. Some people claim that good audio gear is the perfectly neutral one, and in that case, Feliks Audio Euforia Evo would be a bad amplifier, but we humans are a bit broken. Most people would pick seasoned and cured ham over the fresh meat and in terms of audio, distorted (of course in a proper way) sound is more pleasant.

Let’s start with the bass that is very dense, rich, and warm, but don’t get me wrong it’s far from being clumsy or boring. The amp perfectly pairs with headphones that have fast and punchy bass, but the smoother ones are welcome as well.
I didn’t test any headphones that wouldn’t gain in terms of the bass response when connected with Euforia Evo. The more bassy headphones like Campfire Vega 2020 (yeah, Euforia Evo can drive even some IEMs without bigger problems) sounded pretty well – the bass was smooth, but not too smooth and without overwhelming other frequencies.
While listening to Halayo by Duit the bass flows and it has great texture. Maybe it’s not as punchy as when played with some solid-state amplifiers, especially in this price range, but it doesn’t matter, because the “creaminess” makes the bass kinda magical and delightful.

The midrange is a place where the reviewed Feliks Audio Euforia Evo shines the most, anything you will plug into its output will reproduce the midrange in a magical way. It’s powerful, vivid, and lively. The timbre is very unique and analog, it causes any headphones to be extremely engaging. Maybe it could be a bit more pushed forward since many amplifiers do it way more, so the midrange is more intimate, but the warmth and richness provide that big dose of emotions that I don’t care about its minor flaw.
The way the reviewed amplifier reproduces vocals is also very unique. I used to listen to the vocal of Nick Cave in People Ain’t No Good many times with lots of different gear, but when played with Euforia Evo, his voice made me feel gooseflesh since I can’t remember when.
Acoustic instruments sound incredible as well and since I’m from Poland, Feliks Audio Euforia Evo is designed and made in Poland, so I just need to help myself in describing the sound with a song Chasing the Now by Polish cellist Dobrawa Czocher. The cello has an amazing full-bodied timbre, you can nearly feel the rough texture of this sound but at the same time, it has smoothness and warmness so the experience is charming.



The treble is the most colored part of the frequency response of the reviewed amplifier, but I can’t say it’s bad, to be honest, it’s again – beyond amazing. The way it’s tuned makes even the worst mastered songs with tones of sibilants and harshness in the top end sound pleasant. But don’t worry about details or the sparkle, it’s still present, but it’s served in a perfectly balanced way as all things should be.

Now the last and probably the best part of the reviewed Feliks Audio Euforia Evo – the soundstage. It’s wide and deep, with perfect positioning of sound sources. Apart from Feliks Audio Envy, I haven’t listened to any amplifier that would create such an exceptional soundstage. Everything is in the place you would expect.
As I’ve already mentioned in my previous reviews, To Be by Your Side by Nick Cave is the ultimate benchmark forsoundstage reproduction, and usually, I’m writing that if I’m able to feel that I am surrounded by birds, the soundstage is more than satisfying. But when listening to it with Feliks Euforia Evo, I can easily pinpoint each bird flying around me, just let me emphasize it once more the resolution of the soundstage is purely EXCEPTIONAL.

What’s worth to mention, Feliks Audio Euforia Evo is also featured with a physical cross-feed switch. The cross-feed is a feature that partially mixes left and right channels together. Due to the lower separation of the channels, the soundstage is getting narrower, but the depth improves a lot, so you have two completely different characteristics of the soundstage shape in a single device. The resolution of sound sources is still on the top tier nonetheless the cross-feed is on or off.

Pairings​

Fostex TH-900 MK2​

When thinking about good synergy with OTL amplifiers, most people would probably say dynamic driver headphones and Fostex TH-900 (priced at $1600) is a perfect representative of the family. It’s a closed-back headphone with a bio-cellulose dynamic driver and damn, that’s right – it pairs so well with reviewed Feliks Audio Euforia Evo.

TH-900 mk2 are known for their bassy tuning, the bass may overwhelm other frequency ranges and in addition, it’s a bit clumsy. But when paired with the Euforia amp, the bass becomes stiffer, and the dynamics are amazing. From pretty average in terms of sound quality the headphone becomes amazing, it discovers lots of texture and precision. I’ve decided to listen to Healing from the album Colure by Howling, but somehow I’ve just listened to the whole album… Twice…
The midrange is ok, the amp makes it a bit warmer and adds a bit more texture, so it’s fine to listen to some acoustic instruments or vocals, but there are better options if you’re looking for headphones for that kind of music.

The treble of the TH-900 mk2 is a bit too harsh, but when powered with Feliks amp it’s getting more pleasant. The resolution is still on a very high level, but the tube warmth makes it a bit more “listener friendly”.
The soundstage is getting more layered with better resolution of the sound sources. The size is still not the best, but remember that Fostex TH-900 mk2 is a closed-back headphone, so expecting a tremendous soundstage would be at least slightly inappropriate.
Overall I think that’s a great setup for electronic music, as I mentioned, the album with Austrian-German electronics nearly hypnotized me.

Fostex TH-909​

In terms of drivers, Fostex TH-909 is a twin design with the TH-900, the only differences are that it’s an open-back headphone while the TH-900 is a closed-back one and it’s slightly more expensive, its price is $1799. So again quite expensive, dynamic, bio-cellulose driver headphone
The treble is getting slightly warmer but still very detailed. I’ve heard about a guy who modded the TH-909 to make it even more sparkly, he removed everything that was between his ears and the headphone – including earpads because that was the best way to listen to some niche Japanese music, but if you’re a more casual listener, then you probably won’t blame the change the amplifier introduces in this frequency range.
Another great thing is how the Feliks Euforia Evo improves the midrange – it’s getting more vivid and lively. The vocals are getting a more natural, analog timbre.
The bass is still weighted, I would say it’s getting tectonic. I loved how He’s The Pirate from Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl soundtrack sounds with this kit.

TH-909 has a pretty wide soundstage, and here comes the cross-feed. For example, I didn’t like how it changed the soundstage of TH-900, because it was getting a bit claustrophobic, so I enabled it once and didn’t do this anymore with it, but the open-back Fostex cans are a completely different thing. I loved how it improved the depth of the soundstage. I wish I could test how Sennheiser HD800 would improve with the Euforia Evo with enabled cross-feed, but for now, I need to satisfy myself with the Fostex.
Shortly speaking, if you’re a fan of orchestral music, then you should definitely test this pair. Otherwise, I think, there are more universal pairings, but still worth giving them a try.

HiFiMAN Arya Stealth​

Guys from Feliks Audio told me that Eufora Evo can handle most headphones available currently in the market, and that means it should also handle planar magnetic driver headphones, which require watts of power at relatively low output impedance – that’s completely opposite to characteristic of typical OTL headphone amplifier.
HiFiMan Arya Stealth is an open-back, planar magnetic headphone priced at $2000. At that price you receive very technical-sounding headphones but with a dose of fun. Some people say that it’s a very good end-game headphone, but when I used to listen to it for the first time, I thought it was too harsh for me. The treble wanted to drill through my head, but it was connected to a bright-sounding source.
When connected to Euforia Evo, the HiFiMan headphone becomes extremely superb. The treble calms, but it’s still crispy and no details are lost, it just becomes pleasant to listen to. The midrange gets a bit more mass, it’s more lively, and finally, it isn’t too clinical, it becomes natural. And the bass – that sounds good no matter the source, typical for the planar headphones, goes very low, but it’s still fast and aggressive but with the reviewed amplifier, it gains on the impact.
To be honest I did some research before the review and one Redditor wrote that this is an awesome pairing and since I didn’t like Arya for the first time, I was a bit skeptical. But After the tubes warmed up I put on the headphone, and damn. I just wanted to listen to music, any genre, any release, I was gone. My curiosity about how another song will sound was tremendous, I just wanted to switch from one song to another but I wanted to listen to whole songs at the same time.
THAT WAS SUCH AN EXPERIENCE!

Meze Liric​

Meze Liric is a high-end, planar-magnetic, closed-back headphone, priced at $2000. When I listened to it I just fell in love, it’s not a headphone that will make you gather the shattered fragments from the floor, but it’s just fun to listen to them for hours, without tiredness, like all Meze headphones used to listen to – maybe on High-End Munich I will be able to listen to Rai Solo and Rai Penta, then it will be the whole lineup.
Let’s start this pairing description with the bass response. Liric has a natural bass with amazing texture and pretty good control but with a little lack of speed. When plugged into reviewed Feliks Audio Euforia Evo it’s still very analog, but unfortunately, the speed doesn’t improve. It also doesn’t decrease, but let’s say that there are better amplifiers that can improve this part of the frequency range. A good example can be a Ferrum OOR, another Polish construction, but it’s a solid state, so a completely different construction.

The midrange of the Liric is slightly recessed so it would be logical that when connected with the recessed midrange of Feliks Euforia Evo the result may be far from good, but you couldn’t be more wrong. The power of the midrange of Liric with the density and timbre of the amplifier makes the sound extremely appealing.
I think the most characteristic part of the Meze headphone sound is the treble. It’s very fast-forwarded, so a synergetic sound source is crucial to make the Liric treble not steal the whole show. And the character of Euforia Evo perfectly matches Liric’s. After pairing highs are relaxed, and way more pleasant to listen to, but still without a loss in detail resolution or texture, hard to imagine if there is a better source for Meze Liric to make the treble sound better.
The soundstage of the headphone is really impressive, especially when considering that it’s a closed-back headphone. After connecting to Feliks Euforia Evo, the soundstage is still amazing with slightly better resolution of sound sources, but that’s only a small step since Liric is great in terms of soundstage even with worse sources.

ZMF Atrium​

Last but definitely not least, one of the latest headphones from the ZMF lineup – Atrium. It’s a semi-open headphone with a bio-cellulose dynamic driver priced at about $2500. With 300 ohms of impedance measured at 1kHz, the headphone is pretty hard to drive, but Feliks Euforia Evo is the amplifier just made to be paired with this kind of headphone. I’ve never felt the reviewed amplifier doesn’t provide enough power to drive the Atrium.
The treble is smooth, but with a very agile presentation, I would say that the listener needs to get used to the presentation of the treble, because, for a couple of first songs, it’s a bit weird. But after some time, it just charms the listener.
The midrange is very analog and natural, well presented. Especially when plugged into Feliks Euforia it’s the most pushed-forward part of the sound signature. That’s why the most magic happens when listening to acoustic music. Tamacun by Rodrigo y Gabriela sounds just great played with the described pair – full-bodied and incredibly engaging.

The bass is very linear, for me even with Euforia it lacks a bit of impact and slam. It’s a bit too relaxed, but yet again, after a couple of songs when you get used to the signature, it’s getting interesting.
The soundstage is pretty wide and deep, but since ZMF Atrium is a semi-open-back headphone, it won’t be as wide and deep as when compared to previously described pairings. Euforia improves the width a bit, but anyways I’ve already listened to more spacious cans in this price range.
I think it’s a perfect pair for a person who wants to sit in an armchair with a glass of good whisky and just chill with music. Without focusing on technicalities, just play the music and let the magic happen.

Feliks Audio Euforia EVO review — summary​

Feliks Audio Euforia Evo isn’t only a headphone amplifier, it’s a statement – the statement that the sound is the most important for you. That’s not the best-measuring amp in its price range, but it doesn’t matter, what’s really important is that it provides amazing timbre and enough power to drive most headphones available in the market. For me, that’s more than enough to highly recommend it if you’re looking for a tube amplifier that will easily drive most (or probably even all) of your headphones.

There is only one problem with the Feliks Audio Euforia Evo – due to tube technology limitations, I wouldn’t pick it as a first amplifier in my collection, but if you already have an amplifier that is your daily driver and now you’re on the hunt for something special, that will put your listening experience on a higher level, then you should definitely give it a try, or just buy it without thinking because it’s purely awesome.
Purely awesome to the point, where I just ended up buying the review sample loaned to us from Feliks Audio. There was no way that I’m giving that amplifier back.

Wildly recommended.


Big thanks to Feliks Audio for loaning us the Euforia EVO for this review. I wasn’t paid or asked to say anything good or bad about this product, all of the above is just my personal, unbiased opinion.

Fir Audio Radon 6 is a limited flagship-level IEM by the American manufacturer. It uses a single Kinetic Bass DD driver, 4 balanced armatures, and a single electrostatic driver. It's priced at $3299.​

Introduction to the Fir Audio Radon 6 review​

Fir Audio has quickly become my favorite IEM manufacturer in the world. While reviewing their previous flagship, the M5, I said that they’re really close to getting to the IEM Summit-Fi, and they achieved it with their next line.

When I reviewed their Xenon 6 it quickly became my favorite IEM to date, and I was sure that they’ll retain this position for a long time. Then, out of nowhere, the Krypton 5, which is actually a lower model to the XE6 came and absolutely stole my heart. My favorite IEM/Headphone ever, and it was truly worthy of winning our IEM and Product of the Year 2022.

Fir Audio really knows how to make a summit-fi IEM that sounds absolutely incredible, but not analytical and neutral at the same time. In High-End, it’s all about different flavors and original approach to the sound, at least in my opinion, and Fir Audio mastered that approach.
After the huge success of their New Frontier series, they came up with a limited model, the Radon 6. There are only 300 units in the entire world, so definitely, not everyone will be able to test it and buy it. With the price set between the Kr5 and Xe6, the Radon 6 is set to be a middle-ground of these two, providing the best aspects of both models.

And here, I want to say that I’m very grateful that I’m able to test the Radon 6, even though it’s such a limited product. With that being said, let’s see how the Radon 6 stacks against the competition.

Packaging​

When it comes to the packaging, things are very similar to the Xenon 6 and Krypton 5. You’re still getting the same box with great graphic design and quality. It is inside of the box that matters truly, and we’ll just get right into it.

So, the first thing that is different is the new case. It looks quite similar at first, but if you have both the new case and the old one in your hand, it’s really easy then to see differences. The new case is slightly smaller in height, but it’s made differently, using better materials. The leather itself has a finer texture, giving a more premium look and feel. Additionally, even the bunny logo on top is now more prominent. It’s not that the old case is bad in any way, but when you’ll see the new one, you’ll immediately see that there was room for improvement.

Actually, the New Frontiers case was already one of the best cases I’ve used with IEMs, and I don’t think that Fir Audio got a single feedback to improve it. But, they just decided to do that…it’s a classic Fir Audio swag – It seems like they can always do better.


Next up, the rest of the accessories is nothing to write a book about if you’ve read our KR5 or XE6 reviews. The reviewed Fir Audio Radon 6 comes supplied with better eartips, which is always a nice thing to see, but most of you will probably end up using your favorite tips anyway. However, credit must be given when it’s due, and once again, Fir Audio just went the extra mile to assume that everyone is happy with their new IEMs. Nonetheless, adding Symbio hybrid eartips with the reviewed Fir Audio Radon 6 was actually a great idea, because these are by far one of the best eartips on the market and they actually suit the Radon 6 beautifully.
Apart from that, you’re also getting a cleaning tool, a set of Atom modules (more on that later), and a new custom-made cable. Fir Audio has always been a company that cares about the unboxing experience and the accessories you’re getting with your new IEMs. While this is by no means a luxurious type of experience, you really cannot say anything bad about it. Functional, elegant, and clean.

Design, Build and Comfort​

This might get repetitive, but once again, the reviewed Fir Audio Radon 6 shares the build quality and design with the New Frontiers lineup. And to be absolutely honest, this is the best thing Fir could have gone with.
The build quality and design are both top-notch with an astonishing fit and finish, as well as a beautiful design and infinite ergonomics. Fir Audio might be the company that offers the best build quality of every single IEM on the market, and the Radon 6 is obviously no different here.
So, to begin with, the RN6 feels extremely solid in hand, it has some weight to it, but not too much for it to be problematic in terms of ergonomics. This is a great balance between pure quality and comfort, which causes absolute zero worries when it comes to the durability of your new high-end IEMs. If you’re always taking your IEMs with you, and you don’t really want to be hyper-cautious about them, the entire new lineup from Fir Audio might be the best choice for you.

Actually, if you’ll somehow manage to ruin the connectors or the nozzle mesh, Fir Audio got you covered. Thanks to their Rigid™ technology, these parts are easily replaceable. Just sent your damaged IEMs directly to Fir Audio and they’ll have them fixed for you – How cool is that?! Obviously, I’d highly recommend caring about your $3000+ IEMs, to begin with, but it’s nice to know that if anything bad happens to them, the trash bin isn’t the only solution. Fir Audio offers a type of approach that everyone has to respect.

On top of the exceptional build quality is the design that just looks absolutely sick. This time, Fir Audio went with matte-black shells and sapphire crystal glass faceplates with carbon fiber and gold flakes infused into them. These IEMs look absolutely sick, definitely my favorite from the entire New Frontiers lineup. It’s just such a classy design, stealthy yet interesting, minimalistic yet refined. Just look at the photo above and appreciate this design, as it might just be the best-looking IEM faceplate ever.



Additionally, as I stated before in this review, the comfort of the reviewed Fir Audio RN6 is simply excellent. I can wear them for long listening sessions with not even the slightest sign of fatigue, even though it’s not the lightest IEM I’ve tried, not even close. It’s all about that well-designed shell size and shape that truly matters in IEMs, and Fir Audio got that covered brilliantly.

Lastly, the reviewed Fir Audio Radon 6 comes with a new, custom-made silver cable, that was built and designed exclusively for this IEM. It is a pure silver cable with copper shielding, and it’s by far one of the best-sounding stock IEM cables I’ve tested ever. Talk about attention to detail. However, the cable is a bit stiff and heavy, so keep that in mind if you are a fan of lightweight, thin cables that you quickly forget about. You’re not forgetting about this one, but the quality is definitely there. You can also choose your termination, I went with 4.4mm…for obvious reasons.

Tech​

As I already mentioned, the reviewed Radon 6 uses the best technologies from Fir Audio, including the Rigid™, Kinetic Bass™, Atom Venting™, and Open Acoustics™.
At this point, you know what Rigid stands for, but let’s discuss the other ones.
Kinetic Bass™ is a technology that I already called a breakthrough in my Krypton 5 review here. The Kinetic Bass technology in the RN6 features a 10mm dynamic driver that is open and ported in an optimized manner directly facing the outside of the IEM shell. This design allows low-frequency sound to be transmitted directly to the ear cartilage and surrounding area.
Low frequencies are then converted to kinetic energy and reach the inner ear via bone conduction. This results in a more immersive sound with a bass you can feel, and it’s not just a theory. The bass of the entire New Frontier series is a breakthrough for the IEM market when it comes to low frequencies, and I’ll express upon that later in the sound paragraph.

Kinetic Bass makes the bass so physical, punchy, and pronounced that this is the only IEM in the world that you should consider if you’re a bass-head. There’s nothing that comes close for me personally. This feature gives that additional meat to the bone in the bass department, and the description of Fir Audio here is just spot-on, “a bass you can feel”.
Also, the reviewed Fir Audio RN6 incorporates the Atom Venting system, which helps reduce ear fatigue during extended listening sessions and at higher volumes. This system vents the pressure that builds up in a sealed ear canal, allowing for a more comfortable listening experience. On top of that, you can easily manipulate the isolation level by using different ATOM modules, which basically give you 4 IEMs in one. Those 4 different levels are:

RED : These modules give you the least amount of isolation (10dB), which gives you -4dB in the bass department when compared to the “neutral” silver module. This is the most technical, fast-sounding module, that lacks meat to the bone in my opinion. It definitely gets the least amount of listening time for me.

BLACK : These ones give you 13dB of isolation, which transfers into -2dB when compared to the neutral one, silver. It has more weight and warmth than the red module, sounding more natural and just more fun. While not being as analytical, it simply sounds more “right”.

SILVER : The silver modules are rated as N, which means neutral. It provides 15dB of isolation and is meant to be the middle ground. This is by far my favorite module, as it sounds incredible both technically and musically. Both objective and subjective sound is fantastic with silver modules, and I’d highly recommend starting with these, and then fine-tuning if you’d like. Please note: This review is made using silver modules, for the most universal sound descriptions.

Yellow : these modules offer 17dB of isolation, which gives a +2dB boost over the silver ones. This is the most bassy type of experience you can get with the Radon 6, and having in mind how incredible the bass is while using the silver modules, the yellow module is reserved for the most extreme bass heads. It hits the hardest, the rumble is just absurd, but it doesn’t sound as refined and natural as the silver module. My second favorite for electronic music and metal, but I prefer the universality of silver modules more.

The last technology used in the Radon 6 is Open Acoustics. This system in the RN6 eliminates the use of sound tubes commonly found in traditional IEMs. Instead, the open drivers radiate sound directly into a sound reactor, which shapes the sound using natural acoustics. This approach results in a much larger soundstage and a more pure and natural listening experience.
In terms of driver configuration, the RN6 features a tribrid system consisting of tubeless balanced armature open drivers, an ultra-high electrostatic tweeter, and a dynamic driver with Kinetic Bass technology. The specific driver configuration includes a 10mm dynamic driver for bass, 2x open balanced armature drivers for mids, 1x open balanced armature driver for high-mids, 1x open-balanced armature driver with a sound reflector for highs, and 1x electrostatic tweeter for ultra-high frequencies.
Reviewed Fir Audio Radon 6 has an impedance of 28 ohms, which indicates its compatibility with a wide range of audio sources. The sensitivity of the RN6 is not mentioned in the available information, but I’d rate it as quite average. All this makes the Radon 6 rather easy to drive, so basically every DAP will be able to handle them with no problem. However, note that these IEMs definitely do scale with better equipment, and I highly recommend investing in a high-quality DAP or DAC and AMP to use with these. Provide them with the best sound signal you can, and these will make good use of it.

How does the Fir Audio Radon 6 sound?​

The Frontier series by Fir Audio is what changed everything for Fir Audio. Previously, with the M-Series, Fir Audio established itself as one of the top IEMs manufacturers out there, but it needed that final touch to fight for the top of the top place.
The M-series definitely wasn’t the first thing that came into audiophiles’ minds when thinking about TOTL IEMs. However, instead of focusing on what they’ve already achieved, Fir Audio just went back and started tweaking and inventing new ways to improve.
You see, the new Frontiers series wasn’t just about “doing something new”, slapping a hefty price tag on it, and pretending it’s revolutionary. The amount of technology, research, and heart that went into it is just obvious once you spend even 10 minutes with either of the new models. While the Xenon 6 is incredibly fun to listen to, thanks to its warm, and incredibly thick sound performance, the Krypton 5 is the top dog in my opinion. Our “Product Of The Year 2022” is just an astonishing product in every aspect. This is the best IEM I’ve heard in my life, period.

So, Fir Audio now released the Radon 6, an IEM limited to 300 units worldwide, that is highlighting 5 years of Fir Audio. It uses all of the technologies that are present in the Frontier series and is said to sit between Krypton 5 and Xenon 6.
Let’s start with the bass. It is tight, controlled, and extends deep into the sub-bass region. It provides a solid foundation to the overall sound, adding weight and impact to the music without overpowering the other frequencies. Whether you’re listening to electronic music with deep bass drops or enjoying the rumble of double bass in jazz tracks, the Radon 6 delivers a magnificent bass experience. I’ve said it a few times already, and I will say it again – the bass response of Fir Audio IEMs is the best on the market by quite a margin.
The Kinetic Bass technology is absolutely incredible at providing a physical bass that you can both hear and feel, and it’s a fantastic sensation to experience it. At first, you’ll definitely see this bass as huge and overpowering, but the more you listen to it, the more you’re convinced that it’s the way it’s supposed to be and that you’ve been lacking bass energy with traditional IEMs. For many years now I’ve had a feeling that the high-end headphones and IEMs market focused on a bass response that is tight, controlled, and detailed, but it overlooked the fun factor, not giving us enough energy and power to simply headbang to.
Luckily, Fir Audio aimed to combine the TOTL qualities with a tuning that is pleasant to listen to, which was meant to give us a performance that will be both incredibly technical and enjoyable at the same time. They definitely succeeded, and that’s why I’m such a big fan of this company. There are a lot of high-end IEMs on the market, but none like this in my opinion. You’re not missing a single thing when listening to the Radon 6, you’re getting a complete experience, to say the least. Actually, after listening to the Radon 6 for some time, all of my over-ear headphones sound dull and powerless in comparison, even when plugged into the most high-end amplifier such as the Feliks Audio Envy.

Actually, Fir Audio IEMs are THE IEMs that changed my perception of the current headphones market. There’s just nothing like it when you can appreciate every single detail and godlike resolution, while also being able to get loads and loads of excitement when listening to every music genre. Metal and classic rock are not exactly the genres audiophiles go for, but with the Radon 6, there’s no reason not to do it.


Moving on to the midrange, reviewed Fir Audio Radon 6 continues to impress with its clarity and detail. The midrange is well-balanced and accurately reproduced, allowing vocals and instruments to shine. The sound is just incredibly open and clean, which also extends to the fantastic sound-staging performance (more on that later).
Female vocals have beautiful timbre and shine to them, resulting in a sound that is marvelously airy and realistic. Male vocals sound impeccable as well, with great thickness and note weight. Especially vocalists with low voices, benefit from the Kinetic Bass technology the most. As I said in my review of Krypton 5, Kinetic Bass also improves the sound of the rest of the spectrum, adding physicality and rumble.

However, keep in mind that this is still a rather thick and warm-sounding midrange, especially when compared to the Krypton 5 which is more neutral and crystal-clean sounding. It’s not as warm as the Xenon 6 though, resulting in a sound that sits in between being marvelously clear, detailed, and pleasant sounding. While the Xe6 could be too dark and warm for some, the reviewed Fir Audio Radon 6 still gets a lot of its remarkable richness, but now combined with a more open, airy, and crisp-sounding mids. This is definitely a more “safe” approach to the tuning, which will definitely appeal to a larger audience.

The treble response of the Fir Audio Radon 6 is detailed, extended, and well-controlled. The treble presentation is smooth and refined, allowing for an enjoyable listening experience, but it doesn’t hide any details at the same time. This is, again, not as safe or dark sounding as the Xenon 6, but still rather warmly tuned. There’s a lot of air in the top octave, resulting in fantastic soundstaging capabilities, which we will focus on in a minute.

What’s doing wonders with the treble of the Rn6 is definitely everything about female vocalists. Doesn’t matter if I’m listening to Tove Lo, Stevie Nicks from Fleetwood Mac, or Billie Eilish, the vocal range is always reproduced brilliantly with a timbre that sounds both natural and engaging at the same time. The sound has a sparkle to it, but it’s never becoming tiring or overly present. The level of detail is also top-notch, as you would have expected from an IEM of this price bracket. While tonality is slightly more on the “pleasant” side, the technical performance is simply fantastic. This is what you’re getting with good high-end products – a proper technical performance with a well-presented flavor profile.
The Krypton 5 is slightly more detailed than the two, pushing the boundaries even further, but to say that the treble response of the Radon 6 lacks detail, would have been incredibly too far-fetched. The Krypton 5 is a beast after all, so it’s not as surprising. However, if you’re into a more romantic and smoother sound experience, the Radon 6 might come as superior to the KR5 for you.

The soundstage is the part of this review that I’ve mentioned a few times already. Usually, IEMs with a warmer/thicker sound characteristic don’t do too well with the soundstage, but the Radon 6 is just built differently.
The sense of realism when it comes to the soundstage is absolutely brilliant here, with incredible imaging and infinite depth. The Krypton 5 is slightly wider-sounding, but the Radon 6 uses its warmer sound to its advantage here. Because of that, you’re getting a fantastic, black background with instruments popping out of nowhere, and combined with the Kinetic Bass that adds physicality to everything you’re hearing, this is a type of experience that is impossible to beat for other IEMs.

It’s actually quite interesting for a warm-ish sounding IEM to have a soundstage that vast and open-sounding, with such great separation. It works wonders with every genre I’ve tried it with, starting with electronic music, and ending with acoustic live performances of Eagles. When I said that the Krypton 5 is slightly wider sounding, I obviously didn’t mean that the Rn6 is narrow-sounding, not at all. It has a great width, but just not as impressive as its younger sibling. However, when it comes to depth, I’d call it a tie, and considering how much I praised the Krypton 5, this is very impressive.
There’s just so much air in the sound of the Radon 6, but at the same time, it has a lot of weight and body to it. This is definitely not your “classic” spacious-sounding IEM, mainly because of its beautiful tuning.

To summarize the sound of the Fir Aduio Radon 6, it is a technical-sounding IEM with an incredibly physical bass response, a slightly warm midrange, and an open, yet delicate treble. All of this is paired with a soundstage that is huge, and natural with fantastic imaging. If you’re looking for high-end IEMs with tons of details, the best bass response there is but at the same time you’d like a slightly thicker, warmer sound presentation, the Radon 6 could be just the best IEM in the world for you.

Comparisons​

Fir Audio Krypton 5



This is probably the most important comparison in this review. While the Radon 6 is a limited model, it’s priced similarly to the Krypton 5, which has won our IEM of the Year 2022 and Product of the Year 2022 awards.
So, to answer the most important question right away – I think that Krypton 5 is a better IEM, at least for me. It is even more detailed, more open-sounding and its tuning is more natural. However, the Radon 6 is more laid-back sounding with more meat to the bone. Of course, you can alter both IEMs slightly thanks to the ATOM modules that are supplied. Because of that, you simply can’t go wrong with either.
When it comes to the technical performance, I’d give an upper hand to Kr5 thanks to its more neutral, technical tuning, but it’s not a big difference. We’re definitely speaking about minor differences, that could be irrelevant for you at this point. If you’ve tried the Krypton 5 and found it a bit too neutral for you, the Radon 6 is definitely the IEM that you should try next. It’s not a revolution, but rather a slight deviation from the marvelous Krypton 5 that could appeal to more people.
When it comes to the bass response, Fir Audio is ruling the game and they’re just playing alone on the playground. No other IEM can come close to any of the Frontiers series IEMs. When it comes to a comparison of the bass response between the two, I’d say that the Radon 6 offers a thicker note, while the Krypton 5 has better slam and attack, sounding more vigorous and dynamic. Which works better will highly depend on the music you’re currently listening to or pairing with different gear.

Dita Perpetua



The Dita Perpetua is priced similarly ($2999) to the Radon 6, so this comparison is needed as well.
The Perpetua is definitely a more laid-back sounding of the two. This is the IEM that reminds me of classic BBC speakers, with a sound that is so easy to listen to, yet extremely pleasing for long listening sessions.
Starting with the bass though, the Perpetua is not even close to the Radon 6, which offers a better extension, better physicality, slam, and raw power. There’s not even the slightest competition here, Kinetic Bass is just far superior to the Dynamic Driver found in the Perpetua.
When it comes to the midrange, the Perpetua is the more recessed sounding of the two, with lesser weight and less warmth. However, it’s also smoother and more intimate sounding, with its beautiful effortless type of presentation. The Radon 6 on the other hand sounds more dynamic, lively, and much more forward, with more body and presence.

The treble is definitely more detailed with the Radon 6, but it’s more easygoing in the Perpetua. High frequencies continue the trend of a sound that is just meant for chilling when speaking of Perpetua, while the Radon 6 is more expressive and has better sparkle, while not being harsh at all. When it comes to technical aspects, the Radon 6 is much better here, with better detail, resolution, and dynamics.
A similar story with the soundstage, where the Radon 6 is wider, deeper, and offers more sublime imaging. The Perpetua is intimate in comparison, but it doesn’t offer the level of technical superiority that the Rn6 does.

Fir Audio XE6



Now let’s compare the Radon 6 to the flagship of the Frontiers series, the Xenon 6.

The Rn6 sits in between the Krypton 5 and Xenon 6 when it comes to tuning. It’s definitely warmer and thicker sounding than the Kr5, but not as much as the Xe6. The Fir Audio flagship offers even more warmth, lushness, and richness to the sound, but it might actually be too much for many people. The Radon 6 takes those aspects and goes a bit easy on them, creating a sound that is going to be more oriented towards neutrality, but not quite there.

The soundstage capabilities of the Radon 6 are more impressive than that of the Xe6, with increased depth and better layering. The Xenon 6 sounds a bit more closed-off of the two, while the Radon 6 resonates fully with a vast amount of air around you.

Also, the bass response of the Rn6 is more dynamic and crispier, while the Xe6 is even more prominent and heavier sounding. This is going to come down to your subjective test, whether you’d like more impact or more body. Both IEMs are absolutely spectacular when it comes to bass response, so…choose your weapon.

The biggest difference between the two is that the Xenon 6 is a darker-sounding IEM in general. Because of that, it might sound less detailed and sparkly of the two. However, this kind of tuning definitely has its fans, and I actually enjoy the XE6 for its incredibly rich and cozy sound very often.

HiFiMAN Svanar


The Svanar is a current flagship of HiFiMAN when it comes to IEMs. This is a very impressive IEM that is both technical and enjoyable, with great dynamics and a fantastic soundstage.
The Radon 6 is definitely fuller-sounding, warmer, and more bassy of the two. The bass of the Svanar, while very impressive, isn’t really a match for the Kinetic Bass technology, both in terms of physicality and rumble.
The rest of the spectrum is definitely more neutral and flat-tuned in the Svanar, resulting in a more universal, natural tuning. The Radon 6 however has that richness that the Svanar sometimes lacks. When it comes to the technical performance, I’d say that the Radon 6 is slightly superior here, but it’s not a level of difference you should really be worried about.

Both IEMs are fantastic when it comes to soundstage, and I cannot choose one over the other. The Radon 6 has more convincing imaging, but thanks to the superior speed of the Svanar, the amount of air and separation you’re getting is just incredible. The soundstage is probably the best aspect of the Svanar, so it’s definitely not an easy opponent.
When talking about the sound as a whole, I find the Radon 6 to be more interesting. It has that timbre and richness that make the music more enjoyable for me, while the Svanar focuses more on the neutral and technical type of approach. At the same time, the HiFiMAN flagship is significantly more affordable, but the build quality is miles behind. For that, I believe it’s worth paying more for the Radon 6 – you’re getting a WAY better build quality and design, and the sound that is just more sublime, enjoyable and unique.

Fir Audio Radon 6 Review – summary​

Fir Audio once again released an IEM that is a force to be reckoned with. The Radon 6 sits in between their hugely popular Krypton 5 and Xenon 6. Not just in terms of the price, but the tuning as well.

This is a warm-ish sounding, thick and engaging IEM that doesn’t compromise technical performance. It comes with the worlds-best bass technology, incredible soundstage, and design/build quality that is simply the best on the market. While I personally still prefer the Krypton 5, I’d like to remind you that the KR5 is my favorite IEM of all time.

If you’re looking for a high-end IEM that does it all, has interchangeable modules to alter the sound and that is just a piece of art in every single way possible, buy the Radon 6 while you still can.


Highly recommended!


Big thanks to Fir Audio for providing the Radon 6 for this review. I wasn’t paid or asked to say anything good or bad about this product, all of the above is just my personal, unbiased opinion. Fir Audio hasn’t seen this review before publishing it.

HiFiMAN Arya Organic​

HiFiMan Arya Organic is the latest version of the widely appreciated Arya. It uses all of the best technologies HiFiMAN has to offer, and it actually comes at a reduced price of $1299.

​

Introduction to the HiFiMAN Arya Organic Review​

There are some companies, that you really had to live under a rock not to know them. This makes this part of our reviews a bit repeatable, as it's hard to write the same thing over and over again. Guess if HiFiMan belongs to this group.

Yes, it does…

They make tons of great headphones at various price tags. From Shangri-La - an electrostatic headphone that was made to show that they can make Sennheiser’s Orpheus but better, through a bit more casual, but still ridiculous in terms of drive requirement Susvara, to a touch of high-end in a budget-friendly price - HE400se. In between there are even more headphones, but I don’t have enough time to write about them all. For all of you newcomers, let’s highlight the most important thing about the company HiFiMAN - the technology.

HiFiMAN is known for its relentless pursuit of technological innovation, consistently introducing groundbreaking advancements in the world of audio. The company's commitment to research and development has resulted in numerous patents and industry-first technologies that have set new benchmarks in the audio quality of headphones. One of HiFiMAN's most significant contributions to the industry is its development of planar magnetic headphones. Driven by a passion for superior audio reproduction, HiFiMAN revolutionized the headphone market by popularizing planar magnetic driver technology. Furthermore, HiFiMAN has continuously refined its technology, introducing advancements such as improved diaphragm materials, advanced magnet structures, and many more. These innovations have resulted in headphones that offer exceptional detail retrieval, speed, and clarity.

I would like to write something more about the name because for example, SE in the previous Arya edition stands for Stealth Edition due to stealth magnets used in the drivers. Unfortunately Organic doesn’t mean that the magnets are made of organic material, it also doesn’t stand for the membrane material, because it’s the same as the one used in HE1000se. To be honest we can only guess what it stands for. My shot is, it’s because of the wooden veneer on the earcups. Or actually the altered tuning...who knows.

Actually, the first time that I’ve seen the Arya Organic in person was at the High-End Munich show in May 2023. HiFiMAN generated significant anticipation for this product by teasing it a few days before the show, which immediately sparked a tremendous amount of excitement within the audio community.

The demand for information regarding the sound quality of the new Arya was so immense that audio groups on Facebook were quickly inundated with inquiries. In response to your eagerness for an evaluation of the Arya Organic, we have pushed our limits to present this review to you as soon as possible. To the best of my knowledge, this marks the very first comprehensive written review of the Arya Organic available. So, sit back, grab a drink, and let’s go.

Packaging​

HiFiMAN Arya Organic comes in the same box as most of their latest products - simple cardboard with subtle branding (I received a pre-production headphone with a box that featured no branding at all, but the final products will have a box with the branding known from e.g. HE-R9). What's most important, the box secures the headphones well during transportation, so even if your delivery man is as brutal as Homelander, you don’t have to worry about the contents of the package, at least until he will use his laser eyes.

Inside the package you will find a cable - finally a decent one, it’s soft and flexible. It doesn’t feel premium at all, but when compared to the previous one that was added to all HiFiMAN headphones, It’s not even close, the new one is just amazing. Additionally, there are some papers inside and a stand. The stand is very basic, made of polystyrene-ish material, and when plugged, the cable bends a bit too much near the connectors, but it does the job while storing the headphone in a vertical position.

I actually appreciate this a lot. Including a stand for your headphones is a tradition long, long gone, and somehow we are always short on stands. So, while the included one is basic, it's better than no stand at all, and this is just great.

Shortly speaking, the package doesn’t contain anything fancy, you spent money somewhere else, but everything included is just fine.

Design, Build and Comfort​

The Arya SE is (for me), one of the sexiest-looking headphones - all black, elegant, and stealthy (ba dum tsss). Arya Organic follows the design language of its predecessors, but now it comes with wooden veneer rings on ear cups that provide a bit more organic look (I think it’s a moment to drink some water because my jokes will be as dry as the wine I’m drinking when writing this review).

Build quality is good, even though the veneer is placed on ear cups that are made of plastic the headphone feels really solid and well-made. It’s not a level of Meze products, there are some minor flaws like the scratch on the inside of the headband that is made by an adjusting mechanism, but overall the build quality can’t be rated separately from the comfort, because these features depend on each other, so let’s move to the comfort and then I will sum it up.

The comfort is just perfect, the headphone weighs 440 grams which isn’t light, but it’s ain’t heavy at all. The suspension strap makes the weight distribution superb. The hybrid ear pads provide the perfect balance between good sound thanks to the leather material on the outside and the comfort of the velour on the part that touches the head. Additionally, the clamping force is just perfect, not too strong so I can keep the headphone for hours on my head without feeling any discomfort, but also not too firm so I can move my head and I don’t feel the headphone will fall during faster movement.

Before people will go crazy about the wood veneer on such an expensive pair of headphones - chill. There are companies that used real wooden rings on their headphones in the past, and guess what...they tend to break, like a lot. Also, real wood increases weight, and this would have been everything that HiFiMAN doesn't stand for. A lot can be said about HiFiMAN's past regarding their build quality and materials used, but they always put comfort as their top priority.

Because of that, the wooden veneer looks good and "woody", lol, while not adding any weight, and you guess it...it won't break, literally never. You don't have to moisturize it, you don't have to worry about the humidity level. So yeah, when it comes to the whole discussion about the veneer-gate, we're both hands on HiFiMAN's side on this one.

Overall HiFiMAN Arya Organic is a well-built headphone that is pleasant to keep on the head for hours and additionally, it looks pretty good. The company pretty much mastered the perfect blend of sturdy build quality and incapable comfort, and the Arya Organic is basically as good as it gets in this regard. This is by no means the most luxurious pair you'll ever feel, but it might just be the most comfortable one, and this is what really matters.

Tech​

Now let’s dive into technologies that HiFiMAN has implemented into the Arya Organic, including its nanometer-thick diaphragm, stealth magnets, and window shade design. HiFiMAN is THE company to go to if you want the absolute cutting-edge technology in your planar magnetic headphones.

The nanometer-thick diaphragm is incredibly lightweight, allowing for faster response times and reduced distortion. It excels in accurately reproducing even the most delicate details, unveiling subtleties that may go unnoticed with traditional diaphragms. The result is a heightened level of transparency and detail retrieval.

In addition to its sonic advantages, the nanometer-thick diaphragm of Arya Organic exhibits excellent internal damping properties. This characteristic minimizes resonance and unwanted vibrations, leading to cleaner sound reproduction and enhanced audio accuracy. The diaphragm's ability to maintain structural integrity even under challenging conditions ensures longevity and consistent performance.

The stealth magnet design utilizes powerful neodymium magnets arranged in an array to achieve exceptional magnetic flux density. By precisely positioning the magnets, Hifiman engineers have created a uniform magnetic field, which contributes to improved driver control and reduced distortion. Furthermore, the stealth magnets employed in Arya Organic enhance the overall efficiency of energy transfer within the headphone's drivers. This optimized energy transfer results in improved transient response and enhanced audio dynamics.

The HiFiMAN Arya Organic also features an innovative window shade design that further enhances its acoustic performance. This design element involves the use of strategically placed grilles on the ear cups, resembling a window shade, to control the interaction between the drivers and the surrounding air. The window shade design effectively addresses one of the common challenges faced by open-back headphones—the interaction between the drivers and the external environment. It enables precise management of the air movement, preventing unwanted reflections and resonances that can degrade the overall sound quality.

Yes, you can read all of this on HiFiMAN's website, but hey, now you don't have to, you've got it all here. Now, since we've got all the essentials settled, let's get right into what's really important - the sound. Buckle up.

Sound of HiFiMAN Arya Organic​

All the previous versions of Arya have been massive hits. This is definitely one of the most popular high-end headphones on the market, with a vast fanbase. However, the Arya SE is definitely not for everyone, mainly due to its hot treble presentation, which might be simply too much for you. To be honest, it is a bit too forward sounding for me, and I actually get tired after listening to it for longer periods of time.

The Organic part in the name of the new Arya seems to suggest that it'll sound more "organic" than the Arya SE, and...that's exactly how things are in some ways. TLR - The Arya Organic has all the pros of the SE, but without cons.

The Bass is very fast, aggressive, and hard-hitting. Its character affects the overall sound signature. If you’re a bass-head, then you should definitely avoid this headphone, but if you’re looking for one that reproduces the bass in a neutral but pleasant way as well, then you should definitely give them a try. The quality of the lowest frequencies impresses me, nonetheless, it’s not thick or physical, but the bolt-fast attack sounds like it’s just made for very technical electronic music. Anyway, I wish the raves I’m visiting had sound reinforcement that sounds like the HiFiMAN Arya Organic. For example the punch of the bass in Distance of the Modern Hearts by Kamp! is extremely fast, but I wish it was more physical like in Audeze LCD-X. You can't have everything, can you?
Actually, HiFiMAN got us used to that type of bass presentation. It was (almost) never about the amount of body and thickness to it, but rather about the sheer speed and clarity, and the Arya Organic definitely focuses on those. If you like your bass like your supercars - fast, agile, and firm, this is a great choice for you.



The midrange of the HiFiMAN headphone exhibits a consistent and balanced performance. It maintains linearity and neutrality, delivering an impressive level of detail and texture. The Arya Organic does not emphasize warmth or thickness in this range, as it prioritizes a flat and precise presentation. However, its exceptional staging capabilities create an intimate and captivating experience, with the midrange being particularly prominent and forward. A friend of mine told me after listening to them for a moment that he was afraid that the airiness of the sound will be a problem while listening to the vocals-based music, but after the first song, he was shocked at how airy and intimate at the same time the midrange can be.

The vocals are remarkably clear, precise, and pushed forward in the mix. Due to the linearity in the midrange, or some can even say lack of the lower midrange, Arya Organic is not the best pick for male vocals, but it shines when it comes to female voices, offering an airy and forward presentation that many listeners appreciate. However, it's worth noting that the Arya Organic may not be everyone's preferred option for vocals. However, if you're a fan of neutral presentation, then go for them. To be honest, I hoped that the “Organic” in the name would relate to the sound, but unfortunately, there are many richer and more organic-sounding headphones, while Arya Organic is still quite sterile.

Now let’s dive into the treble. That’s a very impressive part, it’s very fast, detailed, and sparkly, but not as bright as the one known from the predecessors - Arya SE, or even brighter Arya OG, but still, it’s one of the most detailed headphones I’ve ever listened to. On the other hand the treble is even more relaxed than in previous versions of Arya, so it’s not that harsh or fatiguing. Even poorly mastered songs, when played with this headphone sound, maybe I wouldn’t use the word “good” but “acceptable” is more appropriate.

Overall the top end of the audible frequencies is very fast, detailed, and well-textured, but HiFiMan took another step to make Arya less extreme and more pleasant to listen to even for many hours. Most importantly, they didn't do it for the price of the texture and detail retrieval, as the Organic retained all of the qualities of its predecessor. They simply retuned it slightly to appear to a wider audience, because of its more safe treble delivery, which was a very good idea actually. While I couldn't really spend an entire evening with the Arya SE, I don't have this problem with the Arya Organic. This is a job well-done, HiFiMAN.

And the final part of the sound description is the soundstage, the Arya OG was called the planar version of the Sennheiser HD800 due to its soundstage. With Arya SE HiFiMAN dropped this legacy, the soundstage became smaller and less spacious. And now came out Arya Organic with a bit more airy soundstage, but it’s still placed somewhere in between the first revision of Arya and the one with Stealth Magnets. What’s worth mentioning is the positioning of the sound sources, which is extraordinary. Some time ago I used the Audeze LCD-X as my primary gaming headphone and it did the job great, but with the Arya Organic, the positioning of sound sources is on a completely different level. While playing Hunt: Showdown I can easily say from which direction my opponent is approaching. And when someone kills me I usually perfectly know from where the shot was taken, so the only issue that stops me from being a better player is my aim, but unfortunately I can’t blame the audio gear. Or can I? Naah, I need to rely on Paweł to carry me every single time...tough life.

Comparisons​

HiFiMAN Arya SE



I was mentioning the predecessor a few times in the review and I think many of you are really interested in this comparison. Moreover, I would like to answer one very important question - is it worth changing from Arya Stealth Edition to Arya Organic, or maybe the older ones are better?
Let’s start with the price, the new headphone is cheaper, Arya SE costs $1599, while the price tag of the Organic edition is $200 lower, for me it sounds like a deal. I think the new model will definitely be more popular in the primary market. But how about the users who have already bought the Arya SE?
You need to answer this question yourself, but I will try to help you with my comparison.
The build quality is pretty similar, the only difference between these two is that the plastic ear cup cover of the Stealth has an anthracite color, while the Organic has a glossy black with wooden veneer on the side. The Headband, the shape of the ear cups, and even the grille are exactly the same, the weight difference isn’t noticeable as well, Arya Organic is 10 grams lighter.

In terms of driving capacities, the HiFiMAN Arya Organic features an impedance of 16 ohms (it’s even lower than many of IEMs), while the impedance of the Stealth edition is about 32 ohms. This means the new Arya is way easier to drive, but due to characteristics of the planar magnetic drivers it’s still pretty hard and you need some juice to hear the proper sound of them. So if you have some trouble with driving Arya SE on your setup you should definitely give a try to Organic.
And now the sound comparison, and first things first, let’s begin the comparison with the bass. Both headphones produce hard-hitting and ultimately fast bass, but the one reproduced by the Organic edition goes a bit lower so the sub-bass impact is a bit better, but it’s still a very planar-sounding bass, you shouldn’t expect the impact and physicality like of the one produced by dynamic drivers.

The midrange is extremely similar, the only difference is just how some vocals are reproduced in space, some are slightly further, but some are closer to the listener. It’s very hard to tell which one sounds better, they are just minimally different, but I think no one will tell that the midrange is a dealbreaker for any headphone.
And here comes the treble - a place with the biggest differences between the two headphones. In my Felix Audio Euforia Evo review, I wrote that it’s the first device paired with Arya V3 that made the treble of the HiFiMAN not causing my ears to bleed. The treble of Arya Organic is also very detailed and crispy, so fans of the Arya sound will be satisfied, but it isn’t as extremal as the one known from the Stealth. The new Arya doesn’t require that level of synergy between the source and headphones. Even with my daily setup - Topping A90 and SMSL SU9 it’s pleasant to listen to. For example, listening Just Like Honey by The Jesus and Mary Chain with this setup and Arya SE made my ears exhausted after like a minute, while Arya Organic is just slightly smoother so no detail is lost, but at the same time I can sit with the headphone for hours and I don’t feel any tiredness.

Finally, the soundstage, which is also very similar, both headphones have brilliant positioning, but if you expect that with Arya Organic HiFiMAN came back to the spaciousness of the Arya OG, then you will be disappointed, there is a bit more space than in Arya V3 SE, but it’s still far from the first edition. Or am I a bit too harsh here...the Organic IS after all more spacious and vast sounding, and the Arya SE isn't really condensed to begin with. Having that in mind, I need to appreciate that change and call the soundstage of the new revision a clear upgrade over its predecessor.
Shortly speaking, if you are tired of the harshness of HiFiMAN Arya V3 Stealth Magnet Edition, or at least you’re tired of the length of the name of your headphone, then you should definitely update to Arya Organic. But if you’re fine with the treble then you probably won’t spot any difference surplus, then you can only look for a good deal for Arya Organic and try to highball your "old" Arya V3.


Drop + Sennheiser HD8XX (stickers mod)



Drop + Sennheiser HD8XX, despite the hype before release, didn’t steal the market due to the promised sound of HD800s, but with better bass didn’t match with the delivered signature, which was dull and unnatural. But with a simple mod, I’ve found on Reddit, it’s possible to “fix” their signature and make it sound nearly as good as Sennheiser HD800s, so for $1100 with 2 hours and minimal manual skills it was a steal.

But let’s start with build quality and comfort. Both headphones provide similar comfort, Arya Organic has a bit more comfortable headband, while HD8XX has bigger ear cups so there is more air to let the ears “breathe”. The build quality of Sennheiser headphone is a bit better, you can feel that it was a flagship model a couple of years ago, but the Lemo connectors - ok it’s ridiculously expensive and feels very premium, but no one else uses it in their headphones, so it’s nearly impossible to find replacement cable. HiFiMAN Arya Organic features “normal” 3.5mm jacks on each earcup, so I could easily find a better cable in my closet and I don’t experience a heart attack each time I’m unplugging the cable because I feel I could break the socket.

Ok, that’s enough bullying HD8XX due to its design, let’s move to the sound comparison, and let’s start with the bass. HD8XX produces way more bass than Arya Organic, but it’s way slower and lacks dynamics. It’s hard to find a genre where the bass reproduced by Chinese headphones won’t easily outperform the German one.
The midrange, is also more dynamic, with a better texture and overall it sounds like HiFiMan Arya Stealth was a way more expensive headphone than the HD8XX. There's just more there, it sounds more lively, precise yet natural and pleasant. After all, planar-magnetic headphones are known for those perks, and the Arya Organic is a clear winner in this category as well.

Finally, the treble, which is also a bit suppressed when compared with Arya. While listening to music with the HD8XX, I hear a lot of sounds, and its sound is pretty decent. With a decent OTL headphone amplifier, like e.g. Feliks Euforia Evo, the HD8XX sounds really good, but at the same moment Arya Organic elevates the listening experience to a completely different level, you can discover something new even in songs you thought you knew really well. Again, a much more technically impressive sound coming out of the Arya Organic beats the HD8XX.

I would write something more in this comparison, but I feel I can offend some people who are fans of modded HD8XX/HD800s, so I will stop here to summarize it with one sentence.

If you're a fan of Sennheiser then you can pick HD8XX and mod it, but if you’re looking for great, high-end headphones, then there is no reason to even consider it over the superb HiFiMan Arya Organic. It's not even a contest in my book.

HiFiMAN Arya Organic review - summary​

In this summary, I want to consider a couple of options. If you’re looking for a headphone under $1500 then Arya Organic should definitely be one of your main points of interest. It’s a very comfortable headphone with great resolution, dynamics, and soundstage. Due to low impedance, it’s also a very versatile one, you can plug it into a DAP and it will be able to show a lot, but when connected to a proper AMP it can shine. In my opinion, it’s one of the best picks in this budget.

Another option is if you’re considering buying the Arya SE, and you’re not a fan of razors in your ears, then there is no reason in spending an additional $300, just go for Arya Organic without any doubt.

And the last, the hardest one, if you’re already an owner of Arya SE. If you’ll be able to sell your old Arya at a good price, so you won’t make an extra payment when updating to the Organic version, then go for it - you will get lower driving requirements and a more pleasant sound for free, but if you would have to pay extra couple hundred dollars, then I think it’s not worth it, just stick to Arya SE and wait till next upgrade, because we all know it will happen sooner or later.

The Arya Organic is a strong contender for the "Product Of The Year" award as of now, and it is going to be hugely successful, I'm sure about that. We said it a few times in the past, but they really give us all the reason in the world to do so, so here it is: Good job HiFiMAN.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
Big thanks to HiFiMAN for providing us with the Arya Organic for this review. I wasn’t paid or asked to say anything good or bad about this product, all of the above is just my personal, unbiased opinion.

EarMen Staccato is the third and final part of the EISA award-winning EarMen stack. It is a streamer and it comes at $999.​

​

Introduction to the EarMen Staccato review​

Welcome to a yet another EarMen review at Ear Fidelity. This is one of few companies that never disappoints when it comes to the quality of their products, and today we’re taking a look at their streamer Staccato, which is a part of the Eisa award-winning stack consisting of the Staccato, Tradutto and the CH-Amp.
This is a big step for EarMen, since they only released DACs, Amps, and DAC/Amps in the past. Expanding their lineup with a streamer required a lot of development and money to make it happen. But, this is a company that is definitely looking towards dominating the market in the future, and they have everything needed for that.
EarMen’s strength is in their sound department, as every single EarMen device we’ve tested (and we’ve tested almost all of them) sounds magnificent, with a very mature tuning and great technical performance.
Nonetheless, the streamer market is a crowded, and a hard one. It’s not just about the sound, you have to focus on functionality and on ease of use. After all, this is a device that is meant to make your setup more functional and convenient, rather than simply upgrading the sound quality. Right?
Well, that’s partially true. Coming with a device like this is actually a great idea by EarMen, as most of stationary headphones users use a PC or laptop for playback. While this is convenient and it doesn’t cost anything if you already own a PC, it also has its drawbacks, mainly in audio quality.
The Staccato promised to expanse the functionality of the stack by letting you stream music losslessly. Let’s see, if it is a worthy investment at $999.

Packaging​

When it comes to the unboxing experience, I somewhat feel that everything has been already said in Tradutto and CH-Amp reviews.
Nonetheless, to point this out, the Staccato comes in a big, quality box which is definitely protective enough for long journeys onto your doorstep.
Inside, apart from the Staccato itself, you’ll find a short manual, a Bluetooth antenna and a power supply. What’s important though, you have to remember that if you’re using the reviewed Staccato as a part of the EarMen stack, you’ll be plugging the streamer right into the PSU-3 that is being supplied with the CH-Amp.
There’s nothing really more to say about the unboxing experience here. We’ve all already got used to EarMen quality packagings and the Staccato continues on this trend. This is by no means a luxurious type of experience, but you shouldn’t be really expecting that.

Design and build quality of EarMen Staccato​

Just like other EarMen devices, reviewed Staccato is extremely well-built and great looking. It’s a rather minimalistic design that just goes well with every type of devices and on every desk.
The Staccato itself is rather heavy and very solid feeling, the CNC machined aluminium used for the chassis feels extremely dense and highly protective for the valuable interior of the streamer.

Yes, it is a very basic looking device with no screen and no controls on the front panel, but I don’t think it’s a con whatsoever. You operate the Staccato by the dedicated EarMen app, so why would anyone need anything more on the device itself.
Most importantly, as a part of a stack, the EarMen Staccato looks absolutely gorgeous when used that way, this is a small footprint kind of stack that will easily fit on every desk, offering a vast functionality and an exceptional sound quality.
What’s also important, is that the stack is so heavy that you don’t need to hold it while plugging or unplugging your headphones, which might be frustrating. I’ve been using the EarMen stack for the last few months and I’ve been extremely happy with it. It looks great, is a joy to use, and most importantly, the sound quality coming out of this thing is just exceptional.

Tech and I/O​

Let’s start this paragraph with I/O. Reviewed EarMen Staccato has two types of digital outputs: coaxial and optical, which you can use to connect the Staccato to the Tradutto DAC or any other DAC on the market to be specific. There’s also a USB on the back, but keep in mind that it is an input only.
Apart from the digital outputs I already mentioned, the rear panel also has an ethernet port that supplies up to 10/100Mbps.
Sadly, the ethernet cable is the only way that you can connect the Staccato to the internet, as it doesn’t offer Wi-Fi connection. This might come as slightly controversial, knowing that many less expensive streamers do offer Wi-Fi connectivity, so bear that in mind that you have to use the Staccato near your router or use an access point.
And this is by far the biggest con of the Staccato. After unboxing it I immediately found a place for the stack near my TV, but after realising that I do not have the Ethernet access there, I had to change my plans. Since then, the EarMen stack stands on my desk and it ain’t moving nowhere anytime soon.
Actually, some high-end streamers also lack Wi-Fi connectivity, as this is often considered as problematic. A wired internet connection is always more stable than Wi-Fi, so if you are able to do it, a cable is always a better choice. However, it would have been nice to have an option of a wireless connectivity, since you’ll be able to place the stack in your home more freely.

The EarMen Staccato is able to provide a playback of up to 32bit/384kHz, as well as DSD 256. This means that you won’t have any problems while playing all sort of audio files.
Oh, and to make that extremely clear – reviewed EarMen Staccato has no built-in DAC, so you have to plug it into one via one of digital outputs. Since this is a part of a stack, you’re most likely going to plug it into the Tradutto DAC, which is an extremely great device on its own.
EarMen Staccato also has a Bluetooth connectivity for you to stream music via your phone, but what’s worth mentioning is that it’s Bluetooth 4.2.
What I would have liked the EarMen Staccato to have is to offer Roon Ready as well as Airplay functionality. These are two options that are very popular and they would have increased the the functionality of the streamer even more. Luckily, both can be added in a future software update, so EarMen…those are my suggestions.

Operating the reviewed EarMen Staccato​

Setting up the Staccato couldn’t have been easier, which is a good thing. After powering on the device and plugging in the ethernet cable, the Staccato instantly appears in the EarMen app, and that’s basically it when it comes to the setup itself.
While using the Staccato, you can play music via Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect, DLNA and Bluetooth. Additionally, there’s a USB input on the back panel which can be used to play music from a hard drive. To be honest though, most of you will probably use Tidal Connect or play local files via DLNA.
Operating the EarMen app is a blast. The app is clutter-free and it works really fast and snappy. It doesn’t freeze, it’s convenient and easy to use and I have absolutely nothing bad to say about it.

How does the EarMen Staccato sound?​

Okay, I have to admit, writing this review up to this point wasn’t exactly easy for me. Hear me out…I’m an old-school type of guy when it comes to audio, I still prefer DAPs with no android, and I mostly listen to music through my PC using local files via the JRiver app.
If I want to get some streaming done, I mostly use Apple Music via my MacBook that is plugged directly in a DAC, and it’s been working for me for years. That’s why I’m not entitled enough to go in-depth about the full functionality of the Staccato and to address the quality of the app for example.
However, what I can definitely tell you about is the sound. And that is what I’m going to do in a second. Additionally, I would like to focus on the entire part of the EarMen Staccato being so easy to use, that even a streaming noob like me can use it effortlessly. The setup is so easy and Tidal Connect works so easy that trust me, you’ll manage to use it with no problems.

So, let’s get to the most important part of this review, which is the sound quality of course. There must be a reason for you to drop a thousand dollars on a streamer that doesn’t even offer Wi-Fi, and let me tell you that the sound quality IS the reason here.
Playing the same files through a PC and via using the EarMen Staccato it’s very easy to hear the differences. Listening through the Staccato gives you a much cleaner, crispier and less noisy sound, and the difference is much bigger than I expected.
It all comes to the fact that a PC is not a dedicated audio equipment, and it has a lot more functionality to do than a simple audio streamer. Because of that, not only the software is made for audio playback, the true problem lays in hardware that has a lot of unnecessary (at least for audio) elements that generate noise and is simply harming the delicate audio signal.



When using the Staccato, none of these problems are present, and you can immediately hear that your audio signal is just cleaner, more dynamic and more lively sounding. I’m actually highly surprised how prominent the difference is. This difference alone made me stop using my PC as the source and now I’m mainly using the Staccato while listening to my stationary system.
Actually, the EarMen Tradutto/Staccato/CH-Amp has been occupying the most important place at my desk and getting a lot of listening time for the past couple of months. Everything, including the functionality, ease of use and sound quality is absolutely exceptional and this stack has been my audio reviewer work tool ever since getting it.

What’s also immediately apparent is the absolute lack of background noise. This is especially important if you’re using IEMs at your desk, as the cleanliness of the signal is the easiest to appreciate while using high sensitivity IEMs, such as the newest Campfire Audio Solaris Stellar Horizon (review coming soon!).
Hard to drive over-ear headphones are great to appreciate the Staccato as well, I tried it with my Feliks Envy and HiFiMAN Susvara setup as well and was absolutely delighted by the audio quality, but more on that in the pairings part of the review.
To summarise, the Staccato might not be the strongest when it comes to its functionality, especially since it lacks Wi-Fi, but the sound quality this little guy offers is absolutely striking, and when used as the complete EarMen stack, this just doesn’t get any better when talking about a complete audio package.

Pairings​

EarMen Stack ​

While the Staccato is a standalone streamer that can be used as one, it truly wants to be a part of the EarMen stack.
Starting with the design that is coherent across the entire line, making for a fantastic looking stack with great size, ending up with great functionality and astonishing sound.
The overall sound of the stack is delightfully natural, dynamic and lively, with great technical performance and an ability to pair well with every headphone and IEM I’ve tested it with.
Both the detail retrieval and resolution are fantastic with nothing left to be desired, especially considering the price for the entire stack. This setup doesn’t focus too much on technicalities though, but rather on creating a musical spectacle. I really like that kind of approach to the sound, because at the end of the day, we’re not measuring devices. We’re people that seek emotions, and the EarMen stack is just brilliant at doing that.

Feliks Audio ENVY + HiFiMAN Susvara​

For this review to be complete, I had to test the Staccato with a different setup than just the stack itself. I’ve chosen the best of the best that I have, which is the XIAudio K-DAC, Feliks Audio Envy and the HiFiMAN Susvara. This is truly a TOTL setup that will show you absolutely everything when it comes to audio performance, both subjective and objective.
The functionality of the setup is complete, as the Staccato doesn’t suffer anything while not plugged into the EarMen stack, so we can just get this out of the way right away.
When it comes to the sound though, this setup shows even more than the EarMen stack, and here the Staccato shows its superiority even more. The sound becomes crispier, cleaner and more punchy, with literally no drawbacks when compared to a PC.
This shows that the Staccato is a fantastic addition to any headphone system, especially high-end ones that will be able to highlight its great black background and cleanliness of the signal. EarMen has something that’ll be useful for everybody here, and this is easily a winner.

EarMen Staccato review — summary​

The EarMen Staccato is a great way to improve the sound of your headphone system, while also providing good functionality. You’ll be able to stream your music from streaming services or just your local discography, and it’ll do it with an exceptional quality.
If you’re still using your PC to play your music just like I did for years, you should definitely consider testing the Staccato and you’ll be surprised how much better the sound gets when compared to a PC. While the lack of Wi-Fi could be a deal-breaker for some of you, its focus on audio quality will surely reward you that slight inconvenience.

Recommended.


Big thanks to EarMen for providing the Staccato for this review. I wasn’t paid or asked to say anything good or bad about this product, all of the above is just my personal, unbiased opinion.