This is going to be a very non-technical and subjective review mainly about the ergonomics and sound quality of these unsung beauties, and doesn't include much stuff about the packaging, unboxing, accessories, filters etc, as this has been done before by far more literate folks than me

I was recommended these by Headfier Turrican a few months ago or so who was raving about them alongside his K3003's which we both posess incidentally.

I declined to purchase at that time due to cash flow and Roon also caught my eye around that time and I took the plunge with that particular sideline drug. Several months later I had the cash and decided to pull the trigger on a pair of LZ A4's after doing my due dilligence of course, reading up as much as I could prior to purchase. Actually, whilst I was reading good things, I couldn't really get any good comparisons to 'phones that I knew. I wanted to know if these really could be giant killers, as 200 dollars is a relatively small sum and I'd been burned before with cheaper 'phones purporting to offer amazing sound (Soundmagic for example).

So... I ordered mine from Penon Audio and, after only 5 days (seemed like a year) of waiting, they arrived yesterday.

What have I learned in the last 24 hours that these have spent in my lugholes? Mainly that these are giant killers or at least can punch way higher than their weight class. I would say these are borderline budget IEMs which sound better than models perhaps 3-4x their price.

I have 2 other sets of IEM's which are any good and these are the Grado GR10's and the AKG K3003's. The A4's outperform both of these in quite specific areas.

For me there are two main characteristics which stand out with the A4's; comfort and sound. Just as well as they are pretty important for IEMs

Comfort: I ignored the included tips completely and popped on some large Comply tips which probably aren't specific for the A4's but they fit fine and comfort is sublime. I really barely notice them in my ears. They are much more comfortable for long term use than either the Grados or AKGs.

Sound: Quickly I'll mention the filter combo I went for. It's down to personal choice of course, but I tend to work on a "maximum info" principal. So I chose the filters which allegedly would give max frequency response (blue front, red back) and found this a little brash at the top, so I took black filter for the front to tone down the treble a bit... perfect. Not looked any further, may fiddle around when I have some time, but am perfectly satisfied with Black front, Red back.

Moving on to facets of the sound, adjectives which spring to mind are:

Defined, smooth, unfatiguing, detailed, layered, separated, effortless. Slightly V-sounding (not in a bad way).

As you can tell, colour me impressed by these. For 200 dollars or less, they are literally unbelievable in terms of what they can do.

AKG K3003s? Blown away
Grado GR10s? Don't even bother coming to the party

Comparing directly with the AKGs the sound coming from the A4's is altogether more refined. Detail is probably about the same, but the K3003's sound somewhat harsh and a bit muddled by comparison.

Compared to the Grados the Grados sound very mid-centric by comparison. Not natural at all.

Another way of looking at the sound coming from these minor miracles is that they just get out of the way and let you get on with listening to the music. You can really listen to well-known albums and feel at home with their established production immediately. They don't quite give me those surreally "real" moments I get with my Beyerdynamic T1+Mojo combination, but they do completely give an unfatiguing and smooth sound which, coupled with the comfort factor, means I can keep them in and listen for many hours at a time.

There's something exremely beguiling about the A4's ability to present a complex mix (listening to Kamkiriad - Don Fagen right now via Mojo) in an effortless and coherent way which encourages continued listening. I would say this is on par or better even than the T1+Mojo in this regard.

The A4's also benefit from being very easy to drive. I've fed them Mojo, Fiio X3ii and S6 and am currently listening via a Samsung Level Link bluetooth receiver, and whilst the BT adapter doesn't have the same definition, or slam, dynamics, etc of the Mojo for example, it's entirely an enjoyable listen.

On the downside (for some); they are pretty ordinary and generic looking. But this is really a sleeper situation if ever there was one. They look like a 20 dollar set of 'phones and perhaps sound like a 1000 dollar pair. Lol.

And if I am a bit naive and this is the "norm" for 200 dollar 'phones in 2017, then that's brilliant for all of us - However, I get the feeling this is not normal and Ill be getting another set when funds permit!

So, to summarise... The LZ A4 offers truly excellent, smooth, detailed, layered, separated, effortless sound coupled with superb comfort.

Don't be put off by the generic look of these and also don't be put off by ordering directly from Hong Kong, via Penon Audio, I have nothing but praise for their quick and efficient service.

Get a pair or more.

INTRO: The Chord phenomenon (or how it opened my ears to enjoying music more) 
 
To get to the hear of the matter, I have been shopping on and off for some highly resolving monitors in order to exploit as much of the potential of my Chord Mojo as possible since I bought mine back in late 2015. 
 
The Chord Mojo has an almost surreal ability to deconstruct music and reassemble it in an intelligible and highly detailed, layered, manner. I had achieved "nirvana" in the headphone department (on a cost-effective level at least) with my K3003 IEMs and T1 over-ears, but my speaker rig was lacking. I have the Audioengine A5s which just aren't delivering what I know the Mojo is capable of and a set of KEF X300As which are great, BUT anything analogue gets converted to digital, and then back to analogue via all the onboard gubbins, with no way to bypass it; I felt that this was a huge downer for any upgrading. Seemed irrelevant at the time of purchase
 
Both sets of speakers ultimately leave me feeling I am listening through a veil; enhanced when I compare the resolution achievable either with the K3003s or the T1s.
 
The Search
 
I began toying with ideas involving amps/speakers combos (LS50 Kefs perhaps with Naim amp? etc), but was always stumped by pairings, sitings and such. I was looking more and more into the "pro" market (which seems to be alone in offering high quality, non-digital, active systems at decent prices), wondering just how bad they could possibly be for music listening; the ideal of balance, neutral-yet-razor-sharp sound really appealed to me. I had discovered the world of HD audio and wanted more!! Specifically, I wanted a speaker sound which could approach, at least, the sound I was getting from my cans. A tall order perhaps, given the budget I had available, of under 1000chf/usd; but I felt I could do better than what I had for sure!
 
My search in pro-quarters soon took me to Adam's door with their range of mini-monitors. Offering seemingly supernatural levels of sound quality I was instantly locked on to them. Common +ve comments being of the "highly resolving", "superb midrange and sublime treble", "holographic soundstage" variety. How could I not be smitten?
 
Adam supply many different options in their ranges, including the F series which is a lower cost range, seemingly more marketed as for actual music listening, the A range for mixing and mastering and then an S range which is at another audio level and price point altogether.
 
I focused on the A range which seemed to offer the decisive , razor sharp "Adam" sound, and fell within budget.
 
My choice was between the diminutive A3X (only about 10 inches high or something and with a 3+ inch effective woofer), the A5X which offered bigger cabinet around 12inch high, 100w RMS per side, and decent frequency response, and finally the A7X which really was my ideal choice, but a little over budget at around 1200chf the pair cheapest option. Also the A7X seemed a big beast at around 14 inches high and with a 7" woofer always seemed a little OTT for a desktop rig; my intended placement for my new acquisitions.
 
The Adam Listening Experience
 
Finally, after doing my sums, scraping cash together, I went to a local crack audio dealer who had all 3 in stock and was able to dem all 3 pairs side by side.
 
1st up were the A3Xs which sounded really great! Surprisingly so, it was all there; definition, clarity, soundstage, and bass (lots of that).
2nd up, the A5Xs; a much more balanced sound. And oddly much less apparent bass than the A3X (clearly the designers had hyped up the bass output of the little 3s)
Finally tried the A7X, just a bit more bass presence than the A5Xs but no noticeable improvement in mid nor treble.
 
The setup was pretty crappy, it must be said; whole banks of monitors set up with a comparator and itunes feeding it; all in an otherwise empty chamber of around 20ft x 14ft, with the speakers lining up against the long wall . But it was enough for me to make a choice.
 
I extrapolated what I was hearing in that horrible environment to how I expected it to sound in my small workspace; a timber walled enclosure of about 16ft x 7ft; home to MUCH clutter and furniture. Speakers firing down the room, 2ft from side walls and 1ft from back wall.
 
I felt the A3Xs may become overblown or "one-note" in the mid-bass; whilst they still sounded great I was a little wary (I would seriously love the little A3Xs as a "play speaker" to wow people with; they sounded so big and rich, it was a What! moment). I moved on to the A7Xs and A5Xs and listened to them in detail, in the end I felt that the A5Xs would be perfect because of their compact size, yet very full sound and defined bass. If the A7Xs and A5Xs had been the same price, I would have gone for the 7's of course, but there's about 430chf between 2 sets, which is a healthy wedge and certainly I wouldn't say the A5X's lagged, like,  30% behind in terms of SQ. Maybe even in my small space, the 7's would be too much.
 
Sound Quality of the A5Xs
 
So I went for the A5Xs and am over the moon with them. Now they are more or less run in, they are providing an uncoloured, glorious, out of the box, soundscape across my desktop. Close to the sound of my IEMs or T1s? Yes definitely. They are as addictive as the T1s to listen to with Mojo.
 
Notably, they don't have any perceived deficiencies, certainly not for their price, nor size. Yet we have to put these things into perspective.
 
I have a sort of check-list which I go through when selecting speakers, and invariably I have to compromise along the way. Let's see how the A5Xs stack up:
 
1) Out of the box sound - check! Best out of the box experience I have had at my desk (Not so good on stands at 3m away, however, but then these are not designed for that purpose)
2) Clarity and precision - check! Able to pinpoint elements of a mix and focus on whatever aspect one wants.
3) Dynamics and drive (PRAT) - check; rhythms and transients are extremely well present.
4) Bass definition - check! Incredibly defined and tuneful bass. It's dry but not excessively so. Very tuneful and clear; can follow bass-lines very easily.
5) Treble "shimmer" - check! With the advanced ribbon tweeter, the treble is a startling USP on these; very pure and natural.
6) Midrange clarity - check! Vocals are very pure; these things do that weird thing sometimes when you have that sort of double take that you're actually listening to something live rather than recorded. Happens to me a lot with my T1s listening to very well recorded classical; and sometimes female vocals like Tori Amos or Norah Jones.
 
Conclusions
 
Overall, it's a heady mix and IDEALLY suited to a DAC output like the Chord series which are so highly resolving-yet-musical that they deserve nothing less.
 
My initial worry was that I'd end up with something over-analytical with no soul. My fears are allayed as the inherent musicality of the Mojo shines through these clear windows onto the music. They do really rather sound like a speaker version of my T1s and that saying something.
 
Relative to the KEFs they are a definitive step up in terms of resolution of detail, lower colouration (in the nearfield - equal at distance), bass definition, soundstage depth, separation, dynamics. The A5Xs do sound very similar tonally to the KEFs which surprised me a little; I guess the KEFs are pretty well balanced!
 
I can heartily recommend them to anyone seeking a small, budget conscious, incisive, audiophile setup for near field listening. Forget the claptrap of Hifi vs Studio sound and let your ears and heart do the listening.

INTRO and INITIAL IMPRESSION
 
I bought the Riva Turbo X after doing a bit of online homework and also after having bought a Fugoo for my wife for her birthday (jealous!!).
 
The reviews were hyping me up really badly and I must admit I was taken in hook, line and sinker.
 
I was originally going to go for the Fugoo XL, but after reading all the reviews touting the Riva as being the "best thing" from a sound quality point of view, I went with them.
 
This review is primarily intended as a subjective sound quality and general impressions review.
 
When I got the parcel from a local supplier for 279chf via the post, my immediate impression was "wow, small box, but some weight there". I quickly unpacked the speaker and out came a black brick, basically. Nice finish; a quite pleasing, lifestyle product, in my opinion.
 
So, I powered her up and attached my mojo and started listening.
 
SOUND IMPRESSIONS AND USE
 
My initial impression was distinctly underwhelming, I must admit. I am not sure what I was expecting, but having been taken by the hype I must admit, it wasn't this. It seemed I was hearing a bit of a muddy sound, narrow soundstage, mid-bass hump.
 
I do try to not make snap decisions about things so I let them burn in (and for my brain to adjust too!) over a few hours yesterday and tried different placements, and programme material and slowly my opinion changed and the little Riva began to grow on me ALOT more.
 
One HAS to put these things in context. What we have here is a battery powered box about 9 inches long, 3 inches deep and high. One can't expect this to replace some FAR more voluminous stereo speakers which are mains powered. I am really not sure what I had in mind, something to rival my A5's or KEF X300A's? Haha.
 
I started listening more closely to them and found that the sound quality is actually quite fine. Nicely dynamic (but not in a false way), detailed, layered, good frequency response and even a micro-soundstage. There is a mid bass hump, and it sounds a little forced, but it's no where near as bad as on the A2 Audioengines for example, and the frequency response is pretty smooth from around 65-70hz up to around 10k where it tails off, to give a bit of a "dark sound". It's entirely listenable and non-fatiguing.
 
The bass is really pretty decent and tuneful. Am currently typing this listening to some Tony Joe White, really old stuff from the early 70's and it's sounding great. I am able to follow bass lines and their melody is clear. The bass is not swamping any thing and gives a nice full rich sound signature. It's a little boxy, depending on material, but again to be expected given what they are!
 
Midrange is super, nice clear vocals and instruments genuinely stand out with good separation and layering, so you can pick out and following strands and instruments quite well. There even moments that the box disappears, leaving the sound behind, which is pretty cool.
 
Treble is a bit rolled off. It would have been nice if they could have incorporated an advanced tweeter in the mix, but that would have engendered more cost, size, weight and complexity, I am sure. As it is I don't feel anything is missing, but the treble does lack a bit of sparkle. But it is natural sounding; what is there is quite sweet. 
 
Compared to the Fugoo, it's like you are comparing a fine full bodied mature Bordeau to a young Beaujolais. The Fugoo is impressive in a boom and tizz way. The Riva sounds more like a classic good hifi from the 70's; mellow and smooth. In some respects it reminds me of the old Roberts Radios, remember those?
 
I am liking it more and more. Its definitely something which benefits both from a physical burn-in period and to allow one to accustomise oneself to its signature.
 
Volume-wise, it's distinctly not a party speaker (and would be a shame really to push it for hours on end), but it will crank up loud enough to provide a very decent listening experience.
 
One thing I would REALLY like to see is an option to be able to link up 2 Turbos via bluetooth or in a master-slave arrangement so you can wire connect a dac to one and it would split stereo and send left or right to a 2nd unit. I think part of my initial chagrin was due to the fact I really needed to get used to the tiny soundstage. The "Trillium" feature is a bit of a gimmick, in my opinion. It's a good implementation however and suitable for some material; it just doesn't do a great deal overall and I must admit, I prefer to not use any processing whilst listening.
 
SUMMING UP
 
After a rocky start, I must admit I am now enjoying the little Riva immensely. I like the whole package, I like the weight. People have complained the Turbo is heavy to its detriment, but I think its a plus. I like speakers to have a certain reassuring heft to them.
 
The design is svelte, I like the glossy top and wrap around grill. I would like to see some optional cradle to ruggedise the unit and also the aforementioned ability to configure a stereo pair, but otherwise, I think it's just right.
 
Sound quality is classic, smooth, understated, non-fatiguing and one's appreciation of it grows as one listens more. It does not initially wow in any way, but like a good wine or whiskey, the more you have of it, the better it gets and it take a little while to discover all it's nuances.
 
One thing I would say is that I much prefer listening to it in wired mode via my Mojo than using the bluetooth option via my cellphone. The Mojo confers better layering, detail, and also allows you to push the boundaries of volume much more than the phone. Just whack the volume on full on the Riva and control the volume via the Mojo. Its a much nicer, natural, experience. Oh, and for general purposes, the Turbo feature is completely unnecessary. Only use if you really want to push the sound envelope, imho; its just another another piece of sound processing to colour the sound.
 
Overall...Highly Recommended, but don't be surprised if you find it a little underwhelming to begin with.

(EDIT: I don't understand why, if you put all sliders to max ,they don't appear maxed when published - ie Audio Quality, Design, etc..! )
 
Equipment: PC playing music via Foobar and Tidal, through USB connected Mojo and K3003 iems. Secondary source, Samsung S5 with USB Audio Pro Player. Material, wide range of CD ripped flac, HD flacs and DSD files.
 
 
Introduction...
 
Sorry about this, folks. I've written rather a lot here. I felt that there simply wasn't enough on the web about how this little device transforms our listening experience (at the lower end of the audiophile game in any case). In short, the Mojo allows mere mortals like us to experience a musical portrayal from electronic equipment with normal recordings and familiar albums which was hitherto unheard of and perhaps never even existed until recently, at any price.
 
This document is a catharsis for me, a need to get my thoughts, emotions out "there", to help people who have an interest in audio and a passion for music to learn more, and to further engage those who may feel they are not getting the best out of Mojo; above all it's a love letter to Mojo, and a big Thank You to Chord and Rob.
 
What I have tried to do in these pages is to put down in words how the Mojo makes me feel when I listen to music through it, and also try and work out why.
 
You will not find here any details about the box, the package, the lights, the inputs, the outputs, the heat, the charging, etc... I'm all about the sound.
 
There are 3 things I feel need to be mentioned which are not sound related:
 
1) Mojo has a great feel to it, solid, svelte, chunky. It's a delight to use and hold. Quirky, yes, but that works fine for me.
 
2) It's very small and entirely portable, almost shockingly so, utterly belying it's capabilities and rendering a certain air of disbelief about it. It does, of course, allow us to savour Mojo's full cream sonic delights on the go, and with little distress in terms of physical distractions, which is phenomenal in itself.
 
3) It's very cheap. Relatively speaking. Mojo would probably achieve the same sales at double the price, but Chord know what they are doing. They are attempting to elevate the senses of the common man to aspire to better things. Or perhaps, more cynically, this is the free crack to get the punters hooked?
 
Preamble...
 
Talking of drugs, I would like to point out that I'm not a user of recreational drugs. Well... a I am bit of a caffeine addict (nothing I can't handle!) and the odd beer or two, but nothing psychadelic. You are simply getting the ramblings of a (fairly) sane music lover.
 
I'm no seasoned tester of HiFI, I've not got the time, the money, nor the inclination to try out many different products in A/B listening tests. I tend to shoot fairly high in my purchases, relatively speaking, buying outside my comfort zone in terms of justifiable expenditure (for me personally, not in general terms). Probably this is in keeping with most "seekers of the audio grail". We all experience that sinking feeling when we pull the trigger on that next "must have" purchase. Adrenalin, mixed with vague guilt and yet hope that we're doing the right thing for our quest!
 
So it was I approached yet another purchase. After splurging on Grado GR10's earlier this year (my first foray into Head Fi) I quickly followed with a source purchase; the Fiio X3ii, then E12 amp. I was still hungry for more. I mentally justified the purchase of the K3003's (which I had my eye on even when I bought the GR10's) and once acquired, though mightily impressed, I did feel they were capable of more. My source was wanting, for sure. I took the plunge and got hold of the IDSD Nano and this made me realise raising the bar via the source (DAC/AMP) could indeed take me further on the journey to Nirvana. I was happy, despite the connectivity for portable use the IFI didn't really offer. It was very cheap and certainly made a difference over the Fiio onboard DAC.
 
Then it all started...I saw the rumours of "something big" coming out from Chord; the hype, the countdown, and really thought nothing of it, apart from vague curiosity. Chord was out of my league.
 
Then the Mojo was launched and I started to read more, and more, and realised I had to hear this. Crikey, it was within the realms of reality budget-wise! Hugo sound for a fraction of the price??? What was this madness?
 
And I knew, because of my location, it would be a blind purchase. The forum was going crazy, stocks were running out, buzz at fever pitch. I was hooked. I knew the Mojo would be mine. And as soon as possible... I scraped together cash from hither and thither, pawned a kidney, sold a child, and placed the order (that nauseating feeling again). It arrived in the post three days later...
 
It's all about the music, you see...
 
Ok, so where to begin to get this off my chest....I note there are very few reviews of this marvel. I think there's a simple reason; it's TOO bloody good.
 
Sometimes really good things defy description. And they just make you want to experience them rather than write about them. The few reviews there are are pretty unanimous in their praise, that is for sure, but how can you keep saying "this is superb, it's great", keep giving things 10 out of 10 or 5 stars and maintain that this is really better than all the other 5 star products?
 
For me, hifi, audio has one defining criteria, or raison d'etre. How does it make me FEEL about the music I am listening to. Ultimately am I moved by what I am hearing. Does it make me feel emotional, can it make me cry for joy? Does it get my puse racing with it's sheer exuberance? That's all.
 
I am a junkie in this regard and I know it, seeking that emotional buzz, and any piece of kit which gives me more of the buzz is a must have item. My hopes that Mojo would become my new enabler in this regard were not unfulfilled.
 
A Paradigm Shift?
 
I think we have something here which is very special.
 
I believe this is a history defining product, at least in HiFi terms. I feel it's going to go down, for me at least as, one of those "do you remember when you first hear the Mojo?" like when Kennedy was assasinated, I know it puts a bit of a downer on a review of such a joyous product, but to each person who can hear what this can do with some really good IEMs or Cans or even in a good loudspeaker setup, they will have that defining moment etched in memory.
 
I am not alone. I played some tracks to my stepson last night, and he just started grinning. And he's no headfier, just a guy who loves music and likes to hear it all the time. His comments were, visibly moved, as he removed the K3003's from his ears, "you can hear everything, it's amazing!". He's not wrong. You can hear it all. In a wonderful, smoothly presented, unfatiguing way. For the first time, it all makes sense. Albums after album of familiar tracks reveals new depths, new richness, new interplays, fresh subtleties hitherto concealed as a wash of sound.
 
I would say what we have here is a paradigm shift in "budget" hifi. For this item to be available at such a low price, less than a half decent mobile telephone, is phenomenal. It's a landmark. It's like the piece of audio equipment I've been waiting for, like... forever.
 
There is a caveat however. I truly believe that to get the full experience, you will need to invest in some very good transducers. If you have them already, then great! But don't expect to experience the wonders Mojo has to offer with mid-tier phones. The Mojo magic is apparent when you use highly resolving headphones. Specialists in capturing minutae of detail, subtle audible cues which are lost on lesser devices. I have tried the Mojo with my GR10's and the effect is greatly dimished. With the K3003's the effect is completely addictive. I would go further and say that my GR10's viz the K3003 really sound poor through Mojo, relatively speaking. The gap between Mojo+GR10 and the Mojo+K3003 is much widened over, say X3ii+GR10 and X3ii+K3003. This is quite normal when you think about it, if we are to assume that the capabilities of the K3003 scale up more rapidly than the GR10's. I suppose,I'm just pointing out that if you are not noticing immediate "magic" when listening to Mojo, consider your transducers.
 
I would really like to hear some top over ear phones, like the T1's or HE600's or HD800's. My feeling is that the Mojo will shine even more.
 
The Great Illusionist...
 
I have come to the conclusion that the Chord Mojo is a master conjurer. It rather magically, reconstructs a musical picture which is so vivid, so layered, detailed and well organised that it gives your brain a myriad of options to listen to. The more complex the mix, provided it has been well recorded, the more intense the experience. One can follow groups of strands of music with a mix of multiple groups of strands.
 
In order to create this masterful illusion, I believe all the ingredients of a sonic image have to come together perfectly, or nearly so. So if we examine the ingredients we need to also look at a certain ability for the rest of the chain of equipment to keep up so to speak. Thus you can't expect to experience the full impact with lesser iem's or phone, or poor source material. As mentioned at the start, I am fortunate enough to be able to listen with a decent pair of AKG K3003's which, I believe , are up to the task, and I have a host of Flac rips and HD Tracks and DSD files to work with. I have tried the system out with my Grado GR10's and they just don't do it.
 
So, armed with my K3003's and some great flacs and DSD, we can start to work out what else works in this scenario to create the "great illusion".
 
All the basics are good, dynamics, treble purity, midrange clarity, ample and defined bass, separation, layering, soundstage great, albeit quite in the head mostly (not really a problem for music enjoyment and emotion, for me a matter of taste).
 
Standout sound attributes...
 
For the purposes of collation, to get a better handle on just why this thing is so mesmerising, we can outline specific attributes which in turn define the Mojo in sonic terms:
 
Treble definition and responce is outstanding. Cymbals and delicate percussion transients are just amazing. 
 
Bass and midrange, are fine. No complaints. (In fact the bass power is strong, and is also very clear)
 
Pace and timing is spot on, rhythmic interplay is excellent.
 
Now we move on to what I believe to be the "big thing" with the Mojo...
 
Positioning and definition of individual instrument is incredible. ie Layering, separation and soundstage is like nothing I've heard. This is probably THE most apparent and immediately noticeable feature of Mojo. Each good recording, be it Rock, Electronic, Classical, Jazz, Ambient, has a holographic life to it. And the precision is absolutely incredible. It's almost laughing at you, inviting you test out your own ability to shut your eyes and see just how far you can go to aurally define the music space, be it artificial or naturally created. I can actually hear a difference position for each note being played on some Keith Jarrett Trio ECM recordings. Put on some good jazz played live and you understand within seconds what all the buzz is about, and why concerts are sold out years in advance.
 
Recently, I've also come to believe that very subtle handling of phase differences are wholly important in creating separation between instruments. Layering, soundstage, precision are all affected implicitly by how the brain perceives these minute differences in phases between left and right. We could go further and say, it's more a case that the illusion of layering and holography of a soundstage is created by those phase differences. It can either be done with subtlely to make something natural, beguiling and wholly intelligible or it can be a train wreck of hamfisted, nauseating effects (I'm thinking Dolby "headphone" processing?). Needless to say, the Mojo falls into the former camp.
 
Basically, the Mojo transforms each note of a well loved piece of music into a delight to be savoured. A note of piano from Miss Clare Remembers by Enya off Watermark, becomes a joy to hear, literally.
 
The swell of orchestration and keyboard in Cinematic Orchestra's Crimson Wing is entirely plausible and completely, utterly beautiful in the purest sense. Simply remembering it whilst I type moves me.
 
You see... It's not just the instruments themselves which are given this holographic treatment, but the notes themselves, thus each note has it's air and space, which is infinite in complexity. I know it's not possible to recreate infinitely this space using a digital signal, but the Mojo gets further than anything else to create the analogue picture with complexity and purity and logical structure.
 
Building the picture in the real world...
 
Let's ramble on with some specific examples.
 
Yes - Close To The Edge (Steve Wilson remix 16/44.1 Flac) has always fascinated me; the interplay between the members of the groups, the chaotic-yet-musical, incredibly dense soundscapes. It can all get a bit too much, fatiguing, if not handled well. It really needs a good system to hold it all together. Usually I have to skip passages or adjust volume, etc. Now... listening with the Mojo, K3003 combo, I am hearing it as if never before. It's like the simplest thing to follow. Like I've taken some mind-enhancing drug. I am telling myself, "what was all the fuss about before?", "what was the problem?"; it just sounds completely normal, natural, relaxed, unfussy, and, above all, engaging. Driving rhythms, basslines, clear vocals, all in their own space and time to follow or not, to listen to as a whole or in parts, at my convenience. It's not forcing the music onto me, I'm able to listen to it on my own terms. To delve into to appreciate. Wow.
 
Another dense piece of music which can quickly sound harsh and tiring is Red Rain (DSD) by Peter Gabriel. Not so with Mojo. There is a really big sound to this track, with layered keyboards, percussion and bass. It's really an impressive piece and each layer is given room to breath magnificently. The rhythmic drive to the track is superbly recreated. The driving bass just is so clear and powerful. Over the standard CD rip, the DSD version is notably freer of harshness and even more intelligible. A revelation.
 
Moving on to some newer Prog Rock, Steven Wilson's masterpiece, Hand. Cannot. Erase., it's a sublime experience. A veritable cocktail of textures, emotions and soundscapes, exquisitly portrayed. As we know, Steve Wilson is a master of prog production and there are intricate and dense moments in HCE. One such is the 2nd track 3 Years Older. Like the Close to the Edge track above, all is intelligible, defined, magnificent. It's quiet moments are handled with absolute delicacy, making the soaring crescendos all the more explosive and giving maximum payoff.
 
Oh, I can go on and on. Classical (excellent), acoustic, jazz ensemble, rock, all handled with a definite signature; a surreal sense of space and time. Like nothing other I've ever heard. Is it wholly natural? Not sure. I think so. Reading a little of the tech stuff written by Rob and expounded by others, it converts losing as little as possible of the minutae of the information. The micro-cues which are retained, recreated, are all important in going the extra mile in creating a realistic illusion, Whatever it is and however it's achieved, it's enticing, addictive, mesmerising.
 
Let's bring it to a close...
 
In short the Mojo offers a listening experience which I have never known before. I am trying to put my finger on what is special about it, simply. I believe that fact that it gives a true 3rd dimension to the sound means that one can experience music with that extra dimension in mind. It's not a gimick or a trick; but a masterful and close-to-perfect illusion. It's rather like the difference between seeing a mountain vista on a top quality HD 2d screen and experiencing it for real. With the screen in 2d you can only get a hint of the literally awesome scale of the reality. The Mojo takes you on an aural journey which is very fine indeed. It is literally awesome.
 
It works with all the files I have thrown at it (to be fair, I have been testing it out with good recordings). And Mojo shows off it's magic with CD Rip flacs and/or DSD's and HD Flac in equal measure.
 
I believe you need the right "cans" to enjoy it, but it's an entirely essential product.
 
 

(edited note - for some reason I am giving these 10/10 for Audio Quality, but they are appearing as one notch less. Not sure why!)
 
Introduction
 
To begin, would like to explain a little about my self and what makes me "tick" as regards audio equipment.
 
First off, I am no head-fier. I have enjoyed audio reproduction for the last 30 years or so, and specifically enjoy an out-of-the-box soundstage experience with conventional loudspeakers; kit which just disappears and leaves the music behind.
 
I purchase audio equipment for the sole purpose of listening to music, music, music. That's all, not for looks, not for caché or impression, or for boom and tizz. For musical involvement.  First and foremost I am a music addict, literally; I just get such a buzz from listening to great musicians playing well together and give thanks that I am living now, in this time, to be able to enjoy so much excellent recorded material in near perfect clarity with relatively low cost equipment.
 
I have currently a pair of Kef X300A active speakers and run them with an assortment of several thousand albums of all genres ripped in flac or HD/SACD.
 
Recently have I found that family lifestyle was not really allowing me to listen "pubicly" so I started investigating the smaller end of the spectrum, and specifically the world of universal IEM's.
 
My first foray into the genre was an unheard of investment in a pair of Grado GR10's earlier this year quickly followed by a Fiio X3ii and E12 amp (to run the Grados and also a pair of ageing but still entirely worthy Sennheiser HD600's).
 
I was very pleased with the sound of both with my new "rig", and loved the midrange of the Grados but soon the lure of something with more extension at both ends was just too much and I pulled the trigger on a pair of AKG's flagship model, the K3003's. I should add, this was after much prevarication and reading around, reviews, etc! I almost went for the SE846's from Shure, but was nagged by a feeling the apparent rolled of top end would be a constant source of regret had I gone for them.
 
So after a week or so of almost complete immersion into the world of these "designed in Austria" beauties, I can safely say they have blown me away and bathe me in addictive and involving sound which just "works". 
 
I am not going to describe the gear very much, nor their ergonomics, or aesthetics or what you get or don't get in the box. Nothing matters for me apart from how the sound and the fact that they can be worn for extended periods without discomfort or fatigue. With this in mind I should say that the back edges are a little sharp and take a little while to get used to. I did have some mild discomfort to begin with but now my ears have become used to them and I feel no discomfort.
 
Why am I reviewing them? Simply because I find them to allow me to connect with the music more than any other piece of audio equipment I have ever owned or heard and I felt that they deserved a fresh review in light of recent price revisions
 
I purchased the AKG's for a decent price of 800 CHF (around 850 usd or 550 gbp) and this was for the non-i version, ie without the remote and mic. Also with 2 years' guarantee.
 
So... it's a far cry from the 1000 gbp original price or 1300usd or whatnot, and I feel at the price I paid, they are a bit of a bargain.
 
I also think they have been marketed by AKG in such a way as to make them seem a frivolously chic frippery. a "lifestyle" item intending for rich playboys, to go with a nice pair of cufflinks or tiepin. Ie not worthy of audiophile consideration. I am hoping to redress this somewhat
 
Now onto the important stuff...
 
How do they sound
 
I should mention that I use the K3003's with the Fiio X3ii / E12 combo and listen to a range of CD Flac rips and HD Tracks and SACD ISO and DFF or DSD files.
 
Where to begin?
 
Overall these are stunning. A masterpiece of engineering, offering more musical insight than I have ever hitherto had the pleasure of experiencing.
 
The AKG K3003's allow me to enjoy, wherever I may be, a seemingly holographic portrayal of all genres of music.
 
When I first listened to these, I focused on the bass , or the treble, picking out frequencies which were new to my ears in well-established recordings, and being stunned initially by their discrete abilities in this regard, but over time I have become more and more appreciative of the way the whole performance is portrayed. It's very easy to become lost in the soundscape, it's so detailed and rich and immersive. The wall of the interface of music reproduction simply melts away so easily and leaves you to just bathe in the performances. 
 
To this end, I find the effect most stunning with well recorded ensemble pieces, rather than heavily processed or electronic tracks. That's not to say that these latter styles don't sound good (great, even), it's just that the effect, the illusion, of real human interplay is so heightened by the AKG's that genuinely virtuosic performances by ensembles at the top of their game just makes them entirely irresistible and addictive.
 
One note I had made when listening over the past week include that they make most albums very listenable and engaging; that there is a sound signature to albums of which I was not acutely aware until listening to various albums with these. Once I got used to the bright clear sound signature of these AKG's themselves, I was able to assimilate the signatures of the albums was listening to quite rapidly, and I could get on with the business of listening to the album on it's own strengths and weaknesses.
 
So, rather than being turned off an album for this and that reason and moving on to the next to try (a regular, normal occurrence when listening to audio with me, at least), I am just transfixed often enough with what is currently playing so I listen to a whole whole track or album, relishing each note, feeling the direct connection with the musicians, their passion, their energy, their life. This occurs with most genres and recordings. And give them better source material, they simply perform even better. This is no mean feat for any equipment,as far as I am concerned. I am notoriously flighty when it comes to listening. Always seeking nirvana, the next buzz, or what-have-you, so to have some kind of stable and consistently excellent platform to listen to music on its own merits is refreshing to say the least.
 
Another note I made was that dynamically, the K3003's handle well the ebb and flow of music, especially notable with well recorded classical material and prog-rock, where crescendos are handled effortlessly and naturally.
 
To sum up... Man, these are something else! They are pure transducers of a high order offering a window onto the sound like nothing else I have experienced. However, they don't sound cold or clinically analytical. just pure. I keep testing them out, thinking, "when is the bubble going to burst, when am I going to wake up or come to my senses?" but they just keep on making sublime music. And wherever and whenever I want, completely discretely. Absolutely stunning.  
 
One thing I would say, is that these are pretty addictive. I have had to consciously and reluctantly climb out of listening experiences, musical moments, when other things have demanded my attention. It's another world in here.
 
Specific Examples - Musical Notes (I could go on forever, but here's a few...)
 
Blues-Rock - Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble - Soul To Soul - Say What! (MFSL SACD DFF)
 
Great test this. Can easily sound congested, but the AKG's deconstructed this beautifully, revealing a full 3d soundscape, with all instruments in define spaces. Easy to follow bassline and "comping" keyboards and percussion behind SRV's soaring lead. Fantastic. Giving me chills as I write this.
 
Blues-Rock/Southern Rock/Jam Band - Allman Brothers - Eat A Peach - Mountain Jam (MFSL SACD DFF) (1st 15 mins or so)
 
Now, this is a blast! OK, here goes... Deconstruction. In defined spaces in the soundstage: Bass, Berry Oakley clearly defined rickenbacker by the sound of it (correction- It's a Fender Jazz Bass). Really clean and clear, in mid foreground, slightly to the right. Lead guitar on right, Duane Allman. Left hand side rhythm/2nd lead, Dickey Betts. Far right and left double drummers Jai Johannson and Butch Trucks. And in the background (unless leading) Gregg on organ. My goodness this is incredible. I've never heard these guy gel so well! & I've listened to this 1000 times. Really so stunning, the bass ripping through it all, but tying perfectly to the drumming, allowing a canvas on which the guitars and keyboards can soar. 
 
Classical - Beethoven Symph no 3 - Eroica - Marriner - AAM - (1983 or something?) CD Rip
 
This is a very well recorded version of the 3rd, and performances are spot-on. I have listened to this for the last 25 years or so and it's sounding super via the AKG's. Smooth, detailed, holographic. I can clearly hear individual groups of instruments and interplay between them. No stridency whatsoever, just smooth and clear. Dynamic peaks handled extremely well. Music flows naturally. Phones disappear, leaving soundstage.
 
Electronic - Tangerine Dream - Poland (Title track)
 
I have always loved this track, since the late 80's when I first heard it. It's one of my favourite all time Tangerine Dream tracks. It has a visceral energy, dynamic, stunning bass, and atmosphere and it's an amazingly well recorded live album. With the AKG's it's portrayed very well indeed. Holographic soundstage, great air between instruments. Tight bass line. The textures of the sounds are very layered and interesting. Beautiful rendition, stunning. Giving me chills again, as I write. The dynamics and tension are captured so well. It's alive!! There's one part of the track around 6 mins in where a sort of rasping sound moves from l-r and then the piece takes off again into a soaring electronic climax. All handled beautifully and clearly. Am enjoying interplay more than ever here.
 
Acoustic - Punk/Folk - Frank Turner - I Knew Prufrock Before He Got Famous CD Rip
 
Got into FT in recent years, went to see him live a couple of times locally. Great times. I Knew Prufrock is a super track about coming of age. Here it sound better than ever. It has a slow buildup to a rousing finish, with much detail and complexity along the way. A great test for any system and can easily sound irritating with lesser systems. Here, with the AKG's it's sounding great. Holographic (that word again) acoustic guitar sound, crystal clear. Vocals nicely presented. Visceral energy builds up proportionally as the track moves forward. All very good. As the full crescendo comes on, it almost loses it, and it probably should sound like it should, but it doesn't and maintains composure, surety.
 
Prog -  Rock - Genesis - Selling England By The Pound - Dancing With The Moonlit Knight SACD DFF
 
This album was one of the early pinnacle masterpieces from the Prog Rock masters. The opening track is a stunner. Everyone is on top form and the recording production is 2nd to none. Here, with the K3003's, it's superb. Crystal clear definition of instruments in their own spaces, Gabriel's vocals are stunning, very lifelike indeed. Nothing to fault; interplay is superb, sounds like a jazz fusion outfit at the top of their game. One realises what a great drummer Phil Collins was.  So uncongested. Incredible, given the complexity of the music, like each instrument is laser etched.
 
Rock - Jazz - Steely Dan - Aja (Title Track)  SACD ISO
 
Possibly the finest track from arguably the finest album of the 70's. Becker and Fagen were notorious for their ruthless and laborious approach to album creation, hiring the best musicians of the day to play certain parts of each track and then editing them to perfection with all the finest cuts. Aja features a drum and sax solo from Steve Gadd and Wayne Shorter respectively and it's a real epic, swooping and soaring often in startling directions. The AKG's handle the piece with reverence, neutrally, allowing the virtuosic perfomances to shine through. Notably, percussive cymbals are shining through with a delicacy I haven't heard before. Really adding to the experience. Beautiful.
 
Rock - Metal - Iron Maiden - Rock In Rio - Blood Brothers - CD Rip
 
Love this track, and not more so than on the Rock In Rio album. Handled superbly by the AKG's, deconstructs the soundstage very well. I was expecting this to sound irritating and compressed somewhat, but was completely surprised. The soundstage was pushed back nicely, and dynamics handled well, with the swelling and power of the occasion coming over well. Turning on the bass boost feature of the Fiio E12 amp, helped to give some oomph to the proceedings. Guitar solo really nicely defined with great interplay with percussion.  Again, giving me chills