Austrian Audio Composer

A Great Take on the High End



Opening
Austrian Audio Composer is the newest headphone from the company. The guys previously from AKG were well known for the Microphone before they started making high end headphones. The composer is their take on what it means to make a great headphone for both audiophile but also professionals. How does it fare compared to similarly priced competitors in this high end market.

Video Review:


Specs
Sensitivity: 112 dBspl/V
Impedance: 22 ohms
Driver Size: 49mm
Weight: 385g
Frequency Response: 5-40 kHz
THD: <0.1% (1kHz)

Rating
Tonality: 8/10
Technicality: 9/10
Enjoyment: 8/10
Build: 4.5/5
Comfort: 5/5

Total: 34.5/40

Note:
This is a loaner set from JABEN Singapore. However all opinions are mine and not reviewed by them before posting.

TLDR:
This is like a better HD800s, all sparkly, big sounding and highly detailed. However they did not give up on the bass or body of the mids, providing a good amount of both while also reducing sibilance compared HD800s. Overall this is a neutral bright headphone that is less offensive to most and overall still exciting and large sounding. A perfect headphone for upgrade from the HD800s



Introduction
The Composer is a dynamic headphone meant for both listeners and professionals. It has a sound that most can probably pick up and straight away get in the groove of listening and enjoying. All this in a package that is surprisingly light and easy to wear. On first impression, Austrian audio has taken great lengths to address things like comfort, connectivity and ease of drive. The most important question to answer is, does it sound good?

Build Quality
The build quality of the composer is both great and very practical. The material used is a mix of metal and fabric with some plastic. The weight of the headphone is kept below 400g. Adjustment is limited to only the headbands, which can be changed at a push of a button. This ensures the size is locked to whatever the wearer is comfortable with. The pads are nice and soft, and the cups can rest on 2 swivels which has certain amount of angle of adjustment. The best part of this headphone is that it comes with 3 cables (4.4/XLR/3.5) and they used a two pic banana plug for connection, which is both simple to use and really secure. Overall build quality is top rate, not to the insane build of Abyss, but still very well designed and built, better than most out there.



Comfort
This headphone is very comfortable to me. Weighing at about 390g, it's one the lightest high end headphones. The cable is also on the slimmer and flexible side, so it's easy to adjust and bend to what a user needs. The ear cups are large and the ear pads are soft and plush, making the headphone really easy to wear for a long hour. It also does not feel stuffy over a long period. The earcups do swivel both left right and up down , though the up down is more limited but sufficient for me. The band can be set by fixed adjustment, this allows it to hold the setting nicely. The headband has sufficient support and foam that makes it comfortable resting on the head. I do not have any complaints about comfort and will rate it one of the very best today.



Sound Quality

Song used
Suzume (RADWIMPS)
Ibara (ADO)
Yuusha (Yoasobi)
Backlight (ADO)
Witch from Mercury (Takashi Ohmama)
Shatter Me (feat Lizzy Hale)
Ultima (FF14 Soundtrack)
Comet (Cover by Ari Anjou)
Shinkuu no Diamond Crevasse (May’n)
Gira Gira (ADO)

Tonality
Neutral with a slight touch of brightness. It has a slightly forward mids with a very slight emphasis on the higher frequencies. It has an overall airy sound while still maintaining a good amount of bass and body.

Clarity and Detail
The clarity is very good. Details naturally pop out while listening but never overemphasized. The small little tinkling sound in Gira Gira was clear as day but never drawing attention to itself. Clarity was also great, there was never a time that swapping it to another headphone will give it a muddier feel. However both of these characteristics do not make it an overly analytical headphone, as the composer does not want you to focus on them, but on the overall signature of the sound which was still really enjoyable.

Soundstage
Sound stage will be more of a focus with a large spread type of sound stage. The size is comparable to the atrium open width wise. They also have some updown differences though not as dramatic. There is however very little depth as things don’t appear in front of you much. You can imagine their sound stage more of a halo rather than a bubble. This is quite obvious in soundtracks like ULTIMA and Witch from Mercury, where the sounds go around you like a halo but never in front. Vocals from songs by ADO felt like the vocals are at the forehead instead of infront of the face.

Separation and Positioning
Separation is very good. Instruments are clearly divided and you can easily focus on each of them in songs like Unravel. In songs like Ibrara where there is plenty of background instruments and even backing voices everything is well separated and vocals still push through with no effort. However positioning is a little more limited as they tend to be closer and around the head, and are not as pinpoint as something like ZMF Verite Close. The positioning goes around like a halo form and does not have position bubbles like some headphones such as CA-1A, so overall I will rate the positioning as above average but lacking layers and depth.

Bass
Bass is fast and punchy. The bass definitely is not the most in quantity and does not rattle your brain unless in very high volume. They are however very clean and punchy in songs like Ultima and Backlight. Sub bass is noticeable but not in large quantities till really loud volume. So for the bass heads, this headphone may not be for you.

Mids
The mids are on the lighter yet realistic side to me. It is kinda like performing in a open space with not much reflections. Female vocals are fantastic on the composer due to the slight brightness which makes female vocals stand out with good energy and air. This applies to also instrument in Shatter Me, where the violin is very realistically rendered with lots of energy as the violinist plays on. Ibara is a music with tons of guitars in the backing, from electric to acoustic plucking, all of them clearly and realistically rendered with the right texture. Even with all the energy in the mids, the vocals are still not shouty with good extension. Overall I love how mids are rendered here, for those songs that need that clarity and energy.

Treble
The composer has a little more treble energy then what I normally prefer. That said, it was a fine balance where I can still accept even at higher volume, with sibilance and glare still well managed. Due to its very slight elevation in treble, it is also really detailed, creating clear separation for many instruments. Cymbals crashes are well managed and never chaotic while high pitch bells have really nice decays and roll off. That said, this headphone is not for people who want tons of treble and bite, as the quantity to me is really near the edge of my tolerance, which is actually rather low after speaking to friends who listen to music.



Amplification
The composer is really easy to drive to really loud volume. With an impedance of just 22 and having a sensitivity of 112 dBspl/V, you can literally play it off anything and get it to sound decent. However amps do change the sound as you can see below.

Mass Kobo 475: I love this combination but only for shorter listening at lower volume. Bass gets tighter and punchy. It increases the sound stage and makes the overall signature a bit more airy and light, which is kinda the strength of the composer. It does lose some energy in the mids, which may make some vocal profiles a little duller to laid back. There is also a slight increase in sibilance for this amplifier. This is probably my preferred way of listening if I want the composer's original sound but at lower volume.

Woo Audio Mini Tube: This makes the sound a little thicker yet still maintaining the airy feel to it. The airy feel is lesser than the mass kobo though so the flavor is quite different here.

Enleum HPA-23RM (Voltage): This is like the halfway mark between the mass kobo and Woo Audio. Both air and body are really the middle point of the other 2 amps. It also has sibilance then both.

Enleum HPA-23RM (Current): This changes the sound of the composer. More energy, more bass, harder bass, more body, less high extension and the least sibilance. Bass becomes really tight and punchy with good sub bass. Things get less sparkly and more bassy with a good amount of body. It sounds close to modern IEM which generally have significantly more bass then headphones. I think this combination will be for those who want more energy in the lows at the sacrifice of some top end frequency. This also changes the soundstage slightly, with more dispersal in the mids but big sounding. This is a fun way of listening and I can go louder and listen longer due to less sibilance and treble energy.



Conclusion
The composer is the alternative flagship dynamic headphone for me. This is the open back dynamic if you like a lighter signature that is more airy and smooth up top. This headphone may not please everyone unlike the Atrium Open, however those that enjoy when picking it up will be constantly rewarded, providing you a top of the line technicality, energetic sound, good bass, yet with an extended and airy signature that plays great with certain genres of music and vocals. The downside are maybe how the soundstage is rendered and positioning, but those are minor issues to me compared to what it delivers. And there is always the alternative current mode on the Enleum which will satisfy my bass craving when needed.

Atrium Open

Dynamic At Its Best

The ZMF Atrium open is a dynamic headphone that is widely acclaimed to be one of the most enjoyable dynamic driver headphones. Handcrafted by the guys at ZMF, does this headphone sound as good as it looks? This review looks at one of the best dynamic driver, the Atrium Open.

Video review


Specs

• Impedance: 300 Ohms
• Driver: Biocellulose N52 Atrium Tuned Driverr
• Weight: 490g ± 30g (aluminum chassis, black grille/rods)
• Aged Copper adds approx 30g
• Sensitivity: ~96dB/mW

Rating
Tonality: 9/10
Technicality: 8.5/10
Enjoyment: 9/10
Build: 4.5/5
Comfort: 4.5/5

Total: 35.5/40

Note:
This is the second set I purchased recently from a local headfier. As such there is no affiliation with anyone and all opinions are of my own.

TLDR:
If you want a slightly warm, enjoyable signature, that is both exciting but not fatiguing, look no further. The Atrium Open by ZMF is a masterpiece, regardless of price, it deserves to be one of the best, if not the best, dynamic driver headphones I have come across so far. It may not be a technical champion like high end planars or electrostatics, but it's definitely one of the best all in one package. As of this writing, this is one of the 2 highest rated headphones, sharing the highest score with the Warwick Bravura.



Introduction
The ZMF Atrium Open is one of the few high end dynamic headphones you can get in a market dominated by planars in the high end Head-Fi space. It is hand crafted and comes in a variety of flavors of wood and finishing. For this review, the version is the default cherry version with a perforated lambskin. It was actually not in the top of my list so I was waiting for a 2nd hand version which eventually happened. Since then the headphone was the few constantly in arms reach.

Build Quality
If you have not seen a ZMF before, then you are missing something in the head-fi world. The Atrium Open is a very practical headphone design that is both well built and easy to maintain when required. The important parts such as joints and headband are made of metal, the cups are made from cherry wood and leather with a good amount of padding is used for the headband and ear pads. Even though this version I had, according to the original owner, is about 1.5 years old, it looks and feels brand new, and the owner himself has used it multiple times. It is definitely not the absolutely best build I have seen, but it's definitely beautiful, practical and solidly built.

Comfort
This headphone is very comfortable to me. Weighing at about 500g, it is considered more on the heavy side of headphones. However the large cups, thick padded headbands, and a relatively light and good cable makes this headphone comfortable for long use. The clamp force is also just just nice, strong enough to keep it on the head yet never too tight even on my head which is on the larger side. If the weight could be lower, it would have been great, else the headphone is probably as comfortable as it gets.



Sound Quality

Song used
Suzume (RADWIMPS)
Ibara (ADO)
Yuusha (Yoasobi)
Backlight (ADO)
Witch from Mercury (Takashi Ohmama)
Shatter Me (feat Lizzy Hale)
Ultima (FF14 Soundtrack)

Tonality
Neutral with a slight touch of warmth. It has a slightly forward mids but overall relatively balanced sound. It's more of a smooth and airy nature that is easy to listen and get acquainted easily with.

Clarity and Detail
The clarity is very good. However Atrium is not the clearest of headphones. If anything it is a touch rounded over to ensure a more enjoyable sound. Similarly for details, most details are easily showcased by the Atrium Open. In soundtracks such as Witch from Mercury and Ultima, every instrument and their details are showcased. Once again, is it the most detailed? Definitely not. You don’t get the precise details from the string instrument or background sound without really focusing on them. One can try to focus on the details, which the Atrium delivers, but random listens do not make you suddenly stand up and proclaim hearing something new. The Atrium is just detailed and clear enough for a great headphone, while everything else it's focused on the sound's smooth and airy nature.

Soundstage
Soundstage on the Atrium can be described as two spheres. A smaller sphere that's slightly bigger than the head is where most of the music is. In a nutshell its focused but till in the head for stuff like vocals, not as diffused like the CA-1A where it spreads everywhere. Then there's a second large sphere which represents the edge of the soundstage. The Atrium sounds larger than previous ZMF models and also represents one of the larger sound stages for headphones. It sits below the Abyss 1266 and Warwick Bravura but above those like Abyss Diana Phi and HD650s. One thing to note: the second sphere portrays itself more like a semi-close sound, which means it feels like there is a hard wall rather than diffused into the surrounding. One way to imagine it is shouting in an open field and in a really large concert call. Both are open sound but one just has the tiniest of reflection that makes it sound like there's a wall.

Separation and Positioning
Separation on the Atrium is good. Instruments are clearly separated in sounds like Ultima and Shatter Me, be it the bells, violin or electronic instruments in the track. However the Atrium Open just like in the details, it is not a headphone that will make you sit up and notice the separation, as the general presentation is still of one a well blended large song. One can still dive in, but it is not a razer separation compared to say some of the state of the art IEMs or electrostatic headphones like Warwick. Positioning is great as you get a good sense of direction where the instruments are, not limited to just big bubbles of 3 or 5 positions that some headphones portray. Instrumental tracks like Ultima and Witch from Mercury are a pleasure to listen to because of it. Coupled with its well blended sound, it really sounds like a music hall.

Bass
Bass on the Atrium Open in terms of quantity is more on the middling side. It doesn’t have a lot of bass impact or rumble unless played to a relatively loud level. Below the likes of the Abyss headphones and most modern IEMS. So you will not be banging your head with the beats unless you play it quite loud. Quality however is really good. It's fast and punchy, with good texture in the sub bass. Bass horns and drums are well textured in sounds like Ultima. The ending of a Backlight has a bass guitar closing and the texture pulls through. Though for that I think the likes of Abyss headphones will do it a touch better. The bass is generally also really clean, with good decay and clean separation between the bass instruments and other frequencies.

Mids
The mids on the Atrium Open are more on the thicker body type with good weight to the sound. It feels generally strong and powerful with a slight warmth to the signature. It balances the body while still retaining a good amount of air in the upper mids, giving female vocals a nice warm representation but still has that soft and airy touch. I enjoy this presentation of vocals in songs like Comet and tracks from Yoasobi. This characteristic also carries to the mid instruments, making tracks like Witch from Mercury sounds weighty and big. Violins in that track sounds grand in this presentation, like hearing it in a concert.


Treble
There is something about the higher mids and treble. It’s sparkly and bright, always bordering on close to being overly hot or sibilant but never really is. When I listen to songs like Shatter Me which have a high tendency of being overly hot for many headphones, the Atrium Open brings me the edge but stops just right there to let me enjoy the music. I do not think the treble is the most accurate presentation, but it is enjoyable.



Amplification
The Atrium Open is easy to drive. It may have high impedance but like most ZMF headphones, if you reach the volume, it’s probably fine. That said, amps will impart their signature to the headphone.

HPA23-RM: Increases bass quantity and reduces treble slightly. Makes the sound slightly more powerful too. Makes instruments more distinct but also result in some congested sound in complex portions of tracks especially when listened loud. Overall it is a positive gain to use the amp but not my number 1 choice unless you really want power and bass in the sound.

Ferrum Oor: This is the overall most balanced sound. To me it represents the middle ground of good enough for everything.

Mass Kobo 475: This decreases the mid power and diffuses it slightly further. Increases the sound stage and airyness of the sound. This is for people who want a big sound or enjoy jpop style female vocals as it adds that extra softness to the sound.

Woo Audio Mini Tube:
This is actually the surprising combination I love best for this headphone. It reduces a little treble for a slight tubey smoothness and increases soundstage. I enjoy this more than the other settings and highly recommend it

Burson 3X GT: The signature here is powerful, slightly warm, wide and smooth. It does feel like things are alittle rounded here but in a good way that really amplifies the Atrium goodness of warmth, wide and smoothness. I recommend this over the Ferrum.

Topping A70pro: in a nutshell, clarity and most neutral sounding among the amps. If you want to here raw sound, this is it. I don’t quite like the mids here though, especially when turned loud, it starts getting a little sibilant to me. Now to be fair, all amps with the atrium when loud enough will have this issue , it’s just that the A70pro hits the unbearable point the quickest.



Conclusion
The Atrium to me is the high-end dynamic for most. It may not be the special one especially on first listen, it doesn’t have a particular standout that triumphs other flagships, but its combined strength across all its parameters makes it an enjoyable headphone for long listening.

Mass Kobo 475

Its Special

The Mass Kobo 475 (MK475) is a really special little amplifier. It is a solid state so don’t go about thinking it will wildly change your audio experience. However it does somethings really well and for those differences, it may be enough to justify its purchase.

Video Review


TLDR
This is a good amplifier that outperforms its specs. It sounds great, especially if you love sound stage and response. The best part is it applies its characteristics to all headphones and IEMs. The only downside is it doesn't play nice with very sensitive IEMs. Still the price is high but if you like a competent solid state amp with a wide and holographic sound, this may be for you.

Specs:
Model: Full-Balanced Portable Stereo headphone amplifier
Maximum Input Level: +16dBm (balanced), +10dBm (unbalanced)
Maximum Output Level (P-P): 7 V (balanced), 3.5V (unbalanced) (with 32Ω loaded, 1kHz, THD+N 0.5%)
　　　　　　　　　　 (RMS): 2.3V (balanced) , 1.2 V (unbalanced) (with 32Ω loaded, 1kHz, THD+N 0.5%)
Maximum Output without Distortion: 165mW (balanced), 45mW (unbalanced) (with 32Ω load, 1kHz, THD+N 0.5%)
Power Supply: AA Alkaline or rechargeable battery x 4
External Power Supply: Micro USB +5v
Size: 97mmW x 132mmD x 40mmH (not include protrusions)
Weight: 440g (with batteries), 382g (without batteries)

Introduction
The Mass Kobo 475 is a unique amplifier. In the current market of mass product portable equipment, what we have here is a small outfit from Japan hand making a really limited set of these amplifiers. x. It is a rarity in the world today, an amplifier that looks like from the last decade using AA batteries. All of this comes with a hefty price tag of over $1600 usd. The question is does it sound good? Can it power the latest headphone? Is it worth its hefty price tag? We will visit that in this review here.



Build Quality and Inputs
This is a really well built amp with a brushed aluminum shell that I like as it does not pick up fingerprints and scratches are not obvious, important for a portable device. It weighs about 500g with batteries. The batteries are 4 AA which can either be the usual Alkaline or rechargeable types. You have gain selection in the amp which requiring you to shift 4 recessed switches in the battery compartment. Personally I left it at low. All the controls of the amps are on the front panel. One of the best things I like is the decoupling of the power switch from the volume knob. Many portable amps today combine them, but it does mean readjustment of volume with each session. For the MK475, you will not need to change your volume as the power switch is separate. The volume knob is smooth with a good amount of resistance so it doesn't easily shift when rubbed.

For inputs, the MK475 accepts balance via a 4.4mm port. A switch can be flicked and utilising a Single Ended to Balance interconnect, it is possible to plug a single ended dac into the amplifier. For outputs, the MK475 accepts both 3.5mm and 4.4mm output.

The amp can be powered utilising a USB C on the front panel, this is strictly based on the older power protocol using USB A to USB C with no Power Delivery support. The MK475 will automatically switch between USB power and battery when required.



Equipment Chain:
Fiio M17 -> Balance Interconnect -> MK475 -> Headphones

Headphones used:
Simgot EA1000 (IEM)
Tangzu Wu Zetian (IEM)
Abyss 1266 Original
Abyss Diana Phi
DCA Stealth
Audeze MM500
ZMF Atrium Open
ZMF Verite Closed

Amps Compared
Brise Audio Tsuranagi
Enleum HPA-23RM
Xi Audio Broadway
Ferrum Oor + Hypsos
Topping A70Pro

Sound Quality:
Contrary to the specifications, as per the headphone list above, the MK475 works wonderfully with all the headphones I threw at it to a comfortable volume. Sound quality of the MK475 is comparable to any good solid state amplifiers like the A70Pro or Ferrum Oor. There are however 2 standout differences and 2 minor differences compared to the solid state amps I owned that can be noticed when swapping between them.

Soundstage:
The MK475 has a more holographic and larger soundstage then all the amps I have when compared. This is larger than even the current mode drive in the Enleum HPA-23RM. There's also more layering when compared to amps like Ferrum Oor. Overall, for a solid state amp, this may be the largest sounding amplifier I have heard so far. If I was to put a number, it would be about 10-20% larger. I do not have the Holo Bliss on hand in-case if anyone is wondering. For more information, do look up the video review as I describe how this estimation of size is done.

Mids:
The mids are a little laid back and less intense. This is the second notable difference when comparing between amps. The difference is not large but noticeable especially when compared to most amplifiers. If compared to more energetic amps like the Ferrum Oor or Tsuranagi, the gap can be easily heard by most that have tried.

Transient:
The transient edge on the instrument for the MK 475 is surprisingly quick and clean. This is noticeable only by a few headphones like the DCA stealth and Verite Closed. Most headphones I perceive are an ever so slight improvement in clarity for instruments.

Bass Impact
Bass impact is clean, incisive and quick. It may be due to the transient traits as the bass impact attack is really quick and impactful. The quantity of bass however isn’t more then other amps I compared to: The Enleum current mode do actually give more in quantity and power then the MK475. That said this is a slight improvement and requires extensive examination of bass in tracks to notice.

Sound Quality Summary:
The MK475 is an amp that sounds different compared to other amps. Its standout characteristic of soundstage itself may be worth the asking price. Well designed solid state amps have very little differences between them, and to make a marked improvement is no easy feat especially when compared to the likes of the Ferrum Stack or the measurement darling A70pro. The laid back nature may be a downside to some as it may seem like a lack of power, but after conducting tests with a large number of headphones, I find it a consistent nature and more of a presentation of sound by the amplifier. That should be noted as some may not prefer it.



Pairing of Headphones:
Abyss Series: I find this pairing not optimal for me. The improved soundstage is nice but the loss of some energy in the mids make it less exciting. If I am using the Abyss, I want it to be fun and exciting.

DCA Stealth: I liked this combination. The larger sound stage makes it really enjoyable. The slight improvement in transient and bass impact are also noticeable makes tracks even clearer and more dynamic sounding.

Atrium Open: Really nice combination. It makes the headphone sound even larger and smoother. I enjoyed this combination.

Verite Closed: This combination is a mixed bag. I like the clean transient edge and how instruments feel so clearly separated and distinct. My wife however felt it was really weird. I personally like it but it may be something that others may not agree on.

Issues with Sensitive IEM: (There's a update below)
I notice the amp is highly susceptible to electrical noise. This is not ground hum or hiss that is normally encountered with amps. The MK475 does not exhibit any hiss or hum even on the EA1000 which is rated for 127db/mw. However if you are powering it via a DAP or Handphone + Dongle, you will pick up the buzzing of the electric signals and capacitive screen. This electrical noise seems to be transmitted via wire and disregards placement of the amp in relation to the DAP. To use my M17 with the MK475 with the EA1000, it requires turning off the screen, airplane mode and only using the physical buttons to control. I am not sure if it's my version of the MK475, but it doesn’t show up in any other headphone except sensitive IEM like the EA1000 and Truthear Zero Red. I will try changing cables and maybe if there is a chance to use it with other daps or try another copy of the mk475, I will update this post. For now if you have a sensitive IEM, do try it before committing or have some way to refund.

Summary:
The MK475 to me is special. It gives an improvement to sound that I appreciate across a wide range of headphones. The fact it powers headphones in a way that the specs don't quite represent impresses me. If you have a chance, do try it out as I think the mK475 is something worth considering even at its price tag if soundstage is something you favor. For users of sensitive IEM, do try it out with your DAP and IEM before committing if possible.

Update:
I notice that balance mode reduces the electronic noise significantly. Using the truthear Zero Red (~100db/mw) on Single Ended and Balance yielded significant difference in the amount hum you can hear. On balance, it is not noticeable while on single ended it hums. I did notice that the hum is also mix of ground loop sound where if you touch different things, it has different sound and quantity. Overall a very messy situation with the single ended output.

Update 2
Using a shielded and grounded 4.4mm interconnect eliminates all the noise. The MK475 is highly suspectable to noise introduced through the wires. Other amps like Tsuranagi I tried are not that sensitive to it. I used a generic 4.4mm interconnect with no ground connection is terrible for sensitive IEM like the EA1000. Using a ddHifi BC44B grounded inter connect with my DAP eliminates it totally. You can use your sensitive IEMs after that

Raal Requisite CA-1A

In the Sound!

The Raal Requisite CA-1A is a unique headphone. Utilising a full spectrum Ribbon Driver and requiring either special amplification or a transformer with immense amount of power, this headphone presents a unique sound signature that really brings you in the sound at the cost of a ridiculous amount of power.

Video Review


Rating:
Tonality: 8/10
Technicality: 8/10
Enjoyment: 8.5/10
Built: 4.5/5
Comfort: 4/5

Total: 33

Note:
This is a set purchased by myself for usage. Thanks to Jaben for introducing this to me.

TLDR
A little odd, a little weird, with a sound signature that's big and diffused. Requiring an immense amount of power, this headphone can only be used by those who have the literal power to drive it. Its sound is more of an esoteric side, featuring something really unique in its presentation that will definitely delight some but not others. A neutral with a slightly cool signature, the general sound can be described as high clarity, with great mid bass to highs but a sub bass that is generally somewhat quirky, large sound stage and good separation but has a really weird imaging. It’s a headphone that will either make you smile or walk away a little confused



Introduction
Interesting… That was my first impression. The CA-1A in every single way is a really unique headphone. It was designed with a language more aligned to today’s headphone unlike its bigger brother, SR-1A, however its shape, fit and even the earpads is just different from what most headphones of its caliber should feel like. Using a Ribbon driver, this can’t be driven directly from any normal amplifier, requiring a transformer in between to convert the power and lower the impedance. Together, it just comes together as an odd ball of headphones. Does it sound good? Even that is a rather interesting topic. With that let's dive into the CA-1A, the device that puts you in the sound itself.

Build and Package

The headphone package is nothing too special, just 2 boxes. Why 2 boxes, you will be asking. That's because one box holds the headphone while the other holds a transformer. Being a ribbon driver, it has really impedance, requiring you to plug into a the transformer to rectify it. The transformer is a heavy black box that weighs more than the headphone itself. It has a cable that goes from the amp to the transformer, and another cable from the transformer to the headphone. There are amps that can power this amp directly, but do not plug it in directly into a normal amplifier as it may result in a short circuit.

The headphone is rather well built though on the weirder side. The cups are made of carbon fiber, held on by some spring steel with a thin piece of leather for supporting the top of the head. The cups are tilted forward significantly and the drivers are also angled, this makes the angle of the driver to your ear somewhat more forward then normal. The earpads are made of a foam that looks like those you use to pack your goods but are surprisingly soft. The earpads are sticked on to a rather cheap plastic that slides into the headphone. But it does make changing the pad really really easy. Double really!

Comfort
The fit takes a little getting used to. The headphone is rather light at just 440g but the fit is rather unique. Not as eccentric as say the Abyss 1266 or mysphere, it still is a rather interesting fit that is weird but comfortable. Firstly the leather strap on the head is like a belt, with 3 pairs of hole each side to adjust how much slack there is. This gives a total possible of 5 sizing. It may sound really limited but this headphone dont need to be really precise in the height as the driver is really long, 8 cm long. Then the forward tilting earcups. The cups with the earpads rest in a way that applies more pressure in the front then back, this is unlike almost any headphone that applies equal amounts all around and takes some getting used to. The earpads are really soft even though they don’t like their part which makes it still a rather comfortable pressure. The spring still band applies very minimal pressure on the earcups and thus my head. Lastly the cables look thick and durable but are really light, soft and flexible, making them easy to move around. Overall it's a surprisingly comfortable headphone that requires a little getting used to.



Sound

Songs Used
Ultima (FF14 Sountrack)
Ibrara (Ado)
Yuusha (Yoasobi)
Suzume (Radwimp)
Grand Escape (Radwimp)
Unravel (Ado)
Shatter Me (Lindsey)

Setup
Mac -> Chord Hugo TT -> Ferrum Oor + Hypsos

Earpads
The CA-1A comes with 2 earpads. One has open slots while the other essential fully seals the cups. My personal preference is the slotted pads. The sealed version has noticeable improvement in sub bass at the cost of it sounding muffled and slightly veiled, losing a significant amount of top energy, detail and air. As such the slotted version will be used for this review.

Tonality
This headphone is more a neutral with a slight cool tone. The interesting part is even though the tonality is as such, I will not call this a bright headphone as sibilance is very well controlled while the higher treble are sparkly and exciting but never piercing or overly hot.

Clarity, Detail and Seperation
This CA-1A clarity is one of the best. Anything above mid bass all the way to the high is very clearly articulated by the headphone. Switching this to most other headphones feels like you just put a veil over your ears. Details are similar in that nature, with everything above mid bass quite clean and clear. Small little bells to soft drum hits in orchestra like tracks never get lost or merge into other sounds and instruments. This makes listening to complex tracks on these headphones enjoyable.

Soundstage and Imaging
This is one of the interesting aspects of the CA-1A. The sound here feels like a big glob of sound surrounding the listener. Everything felt more diffused and bigger. The CA-1A is one of the more open sounding headphones, even more open then the Diana Phi easily. It’s similar to listening in a hall with quite some properly managed reverb. That’s also where an issue lies, the imaging is similarly diffused. You can roughly tell where it is coming from, but it’s never quite exact, like big blobs placed around a big stage. Going back to the hall with managed reverb, it’s like the instruments are well diffused together with the reverb, while never losing clarity and detail. It feels like a big wall of sound that one should just enjoy rather than try to find where everything exactly is. Now weather you like it or not goes down to personal preference, but it’s definitely something I personally enjoy quite a little.

Dynamics
The CA-1A felt very dynamic to me. Going from really quiet to really loud without ever feeling ever congested. The driver is really quick and its really close to electrostatic in this aspect of swinging from soft to loud with minimal effort. Micro-Dynamics in the instrument is also really clean, little nuances in a instrument can be easily heard without much issue.

Bass
The Subbass in the slotted pads are quite limited. You can somewhat feel it but its very minimal. Mid bass is really fast and punchy with very good definition to their texture. This makes songs that the sub bass for feels and moods alittle lacking on this headphones, but if punchy quick ones are the aim, it performs really well. However if bassy headphone is what you are looking for, this is definitely not the one.

Mids
This is where the good stuff it. I find most of the mids, very natural, smooth and enjoyable. The responsiveness of the driver makes string instrument a delight to listen. Even though the headphone is more of a neutral bright signature, it has no sibilance. This is likely due to cut in the upper mids frequency, which to me I am good with it. Its the few headphones that makes shatter me enjoyable. It does also means female vocals that are meant to be a little hot may sound really tame on this headphones. SImilar to mid type instruments like electric guitar and violin may have less zing to their sound.

Treble
Even though theres a cut in the upper mids, the rest of the treble is pretty good. I find the treble instruments have good amount of sparkle to them. There is also quite alot of air in vocals for tracks that have them like Comet from Ari. Its all nice smooth and airy sounding. It also sounds well extended, with cymbals crash displaying good quality and realism to their sound.

Amplification
This needs alot of power. I overloaded my Fiio M17 (3wpc) and Broadway (1.8wpc) easily. Only the Ferrum Oor, A70Pro and Burson 3X GT had no issues, going over 100 Db with ease. I recommend at least 4wpc to ensure most songs work and sound dynamic with it.

Conclusion
The CA-1A from Raal Requisite is a interesting headphone. Using a unique driver that brings with it perks of soundstage size, speed and dynamics at the cost of imaging and sub bass, this is something one should listen before purchase. You will probably either like it to bits or go Mehhh real quick.

Hidizs MS3

Affordable Nice and Spicy IEM

Video Review


MS3 is a recently released 3 driver IEM. Made up of 1 DD and 2 BA, it promises a sound that matches Harmen 2019 target curve closely. Coming in at $119 at the point of writing, it seems to be an entry level IEM. Does it sound good? Today we will take a look at it!

Specs
Driver: 1 DD + 2 BA
Sensitivity: 112 DB
Impedance: 18 ohms
Frequency Response: 20Hz - 40kHz
Connection: 0.78mm 2 Pin

Rating
Tonality: 7/10
Technicality: 8/10
Enjoyment: 7/10
Build: 4/5
Comfort: 4.5/5

Total: 30.5/40

Note:
This was provided to me by Hdizs for review. However they did not have a say in what goes into the review.

TLDR
The MS3 is a pretty good IEM, especially for its price. A clear step up from the below $100 IEM, it provides noticeable improvement in technical performance such as clarity and separation over the cheaper alternatives. The bass was great and the overall slightly warm signature makes vocals enjoyable for me. The only issue is it is still a touch too bright for me in some tracks and the sound stage is a tad small, making it a IEM that I have to be more selective in what I listen to. That said, overall it is still a great value considering its price of $119 USD.



Introduction:
Hidizs approach me recently to do a review of their IEM, the MS3. This is a IEM that fits the Harman 2019 target quite closely. I have to honestly say, I am both excited yet with a slight dread as most of the time H2019 IEM tends to be bright for me. However with the ability to tune it with filters and tips, this IEM turned out to be pretty enjoyable.

Package and Build
The MS3 comes with a variety of items. It has 3 set of tips with label of Vocal, Balanced and bass. Additional to that, theres also 3 filters which is balanced, high frequency and low frequency. Hidizs labeled clearly on how to tune the IEM and I enjoyed the process to finding what I want. The IEM itself are made of metal with a matte black coating. The design on the front plate I felt was quite decent but definitely not something that will wow others when they do see you wear this IEM. The braided cable provided feels premium with a nice dark coating, relatively thick but still flexible. It does not get easily tangled. The cable comes only in 3.5mm or 4.4mm, not the multi adapter type seen in more premium IEMs today.



Comfort
The IEM is comfortable. The size is quite small and fits flush with my ear. The weight is relatively low at 7.5g per side and is molded to the shape of the ear cavity. It does mean that it fits snugly without much movement and supported by the ear itself rather than the canal and hook, which is something I pretty much prefer. This prevents it from dropping out when moving around yet still being comfortable all day long. The cable does have a memory plastic that hooks around the ear. Overally, this is one of the more comfortable IEM I have tried and my score above reflects it.

Sound Quality

Songs Used
Ultima (FF14 soundtrack)
The Witch from Mercury (The Witch from Mercury Soundtrack)
Suzume (Radwimps)
Shatter Me (Lindsey Stirling)
The Brave (Yoasobi)
Avid (Sawano Hiroyuki)
Ibara (ADO)



Filter and Tips
For this review, I used the balanced filter (Rose Gold) and vocal tips. I felt this combination was the best as the earphone was on the spicy side for the upper mids and treble, as such the high frequency filter (silver) was out. The low frequency filter (Red) makes the bass a little too bloated for me and the vocals recessed while not addressing the spiciness much compared to the balanced filter. Vocal tips were used as the default balance tip makes the mids a little too laid back and far for me, the vocals tips bring it up to a more balanced tone.

Tonality
The general tonality to me was a slightly warm type with spiciness up top. The overall sound felt slightly elevated bass and treble. I won’t call it V shaped as the bass itself isn’t that strong but the frequency around the 5-8k point seems to be elevated causing some sibilance in female vocals and also some percussion instruments for the point of impact sound. Overall the tonality and balance seems to fit most songs, except those with a mix of female vocals + certain bass instruments and higher pitched string mixed songs. An example was Shatter Me which I felt quite fatiguing to listen to on long sittings.

Clarity and Detail
Even though it's slightly warm and smooth sounding, general clarity and details is really good. Partially due to slightly elevated higher frequency, vocals and instruments are really clear and detailed. Its multi driver design help the bass to maintain the details like in Witch of Mercury on the softer drums never getting lost. One Wing Angel which displayed an array of instruments was also really clear and detailed throughout.

Soundstage
Soundstage is a little small for this IEM. It is still slightly larger and taller than say the truthear zero series of IEM, but it is still quite small with most of the sound stretching not much further than my ears.

Separation and Position
Separation is pretty good with the MS3. The instruments in tracks like Suzume could easily be followed even though there's probably vocals + bass + multiple other instruments playing. It doesn't get easily congested. Positioning is however quite limited as the soundstage as there seems to be only 3 positions, slight left, center, slight right. Unless an instrument is playing on only one channel, the rest kinda falls into the 3 positions.

Bass
The bass overall has a good amount of quantity. Both sub bass and mid bass are significant in all tracks I listened to but never to the point of overwhelming. The sub bass has good texture as I can hear the ripples in bass instruments such as AVID and Ultima. The mid bass impact is good but the initial impulse felt a touch loose.

Mids
Mids are a little pushed back compared to the other frequencies. It feels a touch laid back but still relatively focused. Overall mids are a touch warm. Vocals are clear and smooth. Instruments in the mids are clear, and proper sounding, with some emphasis on the higher note frequencies. Higher mid instruments and vocals may get sibilant in certain songs, but that only happens for a handful of songs for me. On general the instruments are still relatively realistic and correct as long as they don’t break into the harsh sounding part of things.

Treble
The treble is a little spicy, bordering on harsh for me. For most songs, this spiciness gives a bite and sparkle especially for cymbals and small bells. On some songs like Shatter Me, it causes fatigue. So if you dislike any sibilance or brightness in sound, this is probably not a good match for you.



Amplification
Good amplification reduces harshness for the MS3. However the rest of the sound largely sounds the same. As such any decent amplification is pretty ok with this. My favourite combination is with the Fiio M17. The MS3 is not flat impedance, which means that sound signature will change if powered by a current amp like the Enleum HPA-23RM or Bakoon. For more information on amplification, do view the video,

Conclusion
The MS3 is a pretty good IEM overall. Its tonality and spiciness may not make it the top pick for me, but the entire package and considering the price, it is an upgrade above the more affordable models below it. The H2019 target is not really of my taste, but if you like it, then this is a really good deal considering what is being offered in almost every parameter except soundstage. With the price at the point of this review, this is definitely what I considered as value for money.s

Simgot EA1000 Fermet Review

Video Review


Natural Dynamic Exciting

The SImgot EA1000 is a Single Driver with Passive Radiator IEM priced at about $219usd during this write up. This is one of the most dynamic and exciting IEM I have heard while sacrificing little else.

Specs
Driver: 1 Dynamic Driver + 1 Passive Radiator
Sensitivity: 127db/Vrms
Impedance: 16ohm
Effective Frequency Response: 20hz to 20khz
Connector: 078mm 2pin

Scoring:
Tonality: 8/10
Technicality: 8.5/10
Enjoyment: 8/10
Build: 4/5
Comfort: 4/5

Total: 32.5/40

Note:
This is purchased by myself for usage and review.

TLDR:
This is a IEM that surprised me. I have owned dynamic IEMS and other Planar Large Driver IEMs. The dynamics and excitement for this IEM is truly special while still maintaining really good clarity, soundstage and tonality. Its bass may not go super low but you get a good punch in exchange while on the treble front, they can be quite sparkly or even approaching metallic but never too harsh with the right filter. Overall, this is a very enjoyable IEM that you should try out.



Introduction
The Simgot EA1000 for me was an accidental last minute purchase. I was shopping around for some IEMs and happened to see this listed on my shopping application as new and upcoming. Doing a very quick search, it seems to be well received so I just got it to try. It truly is a worthy purchase.

Packaging and Build Quality:
The packaging came with 2 set of tips of different size, a case and 3 sets of filter. The default fitted one is the red filter. I will write more about filters in the sound section. Build quality wise, this is a really nice looking IEM, with a pure metal body and a clear surface. It gives off a really premium feel. The cable provided is a silver coated OFC cable. It feels good and sturdy. The cable is not those multi-adaptable types, only providing 3.5mm or 4.4mm, selectable on purchase. The cable is connected to the IEM via a 0.78mm 2 pin. One of the issue is here, the 2 pin socket is recessed into the IEM, this makes alternative cable or True Wireless System (TWS) connection tricky and loose.

Comfort:
This IEM is relatively heavy at about 11.2g per side. Many IEM of its size is lesser than 10g. The shape of the iem fits into the ear nicely. However as it does not have much of a shape, the ear canal and the hook are the main way this IEM is being held up. Its still a relatively comfortable IEM due to its small size and flat profile. Its profile is low enough that you can consider sleeping with them on.

Isolation
The IEM does isolate a good amount but you still hear some sound around you though at very low volume.



Sound Quality

Songs used
Ultima (FF14 soundtrack)
The Witch from Mercury (The Witch from Mercury Soundtrack)
Suzume (Radwimps)
Shatter Me (Lindsey Stirling)
Unravel (ADO)
The Brave (Yoasobi)
Avid (Sawano Hiroyuki)
Comet (Ari Anjou)
Ibara (ADO)

Filter:
The EA1000 comes with 3 filter. The Golden one is the more balanced one, with the red ringed having more treble and the blue ringed reduces the mid and lifts the subbass. I prefer the golden filter as the red was a little harsh to my ears in songs like Shatter Me and Ibara and the blue one just feels like the vocals became hollow and mids sucked out. Golden filter is the one I will use for this review of the sound quality.

Tonality and Dynamic
This is a general neutral sounding IEM with a slight emphasis on Mid Bass and Mids. Its signature is very dynamic sounding and generally exciting to listen to, especially in the frequencies that make a difference to the general listening experience.

Clarity and Detail
The clarity on this IEM is superb. Infact this is a standout feature as the overall signature was really clear without it being treble heavy, maintaining good body and bass with minimal harshness. Details are generally good though in complex music with a lot of frequency, some instruments may disappear as in the song ultima, there was this percussion instrument that suddenly just disappears.

Soundstage
This is a generally wide sounding IEM. It is significantly wider than the widely known truthear Zero:Red, wider than the recently reviewed Duno Talos. It is generally wide left and right with a little depth in-front. The sound is also quite open and airy sounding, which adds to the soundstage feel.

Separation and Position
Separation is really good for this IEM, each instrument can be easily heard in tracks like One WIng Angel, Witch from Mercury or Ultima, all of which are orchestra-like tracks with a lot of instruments. But do note, in really complex tracks that are loud, some softer instruments may disappear. Positioning is mainly left and right with approximate position. So even though it has a relatively good sound stage and separation, positioning is quite limited. In orchestra pieces like One Wing Angel, it's like there are only 5 positions: far left, left, mid right , far right.

Low
Lows to me are very satisfying. I prefer a good amount of impact with sufficient sub basso that the bass sounds impactful yet not overdone. The EA1000 sounds exactly the way I want, with really nice clean impact while with sufficient subbass to feel and hear. The bass is also really clean, not leaking into the mids, giving it a very clean signature. The low does not have too much texture, with the bass sounding horns sounding more like a slightly smooth flat sound then the slight ripples it should have.

Mid
Mids are where this IEM is a standout. It's full bodied, accurate and exciting to listen to. Instruments like violins in Shatter me and Guitars in Unravel are well rendered. Vocals are smooth yet powerful to listen to, this makes songs from ADO a really great experience. Even with all that mids, it still has a good control with minimal harshness in the higher mids. Overall its a very enjoyable experience for vocals and mid instruments.

High
By default, the red filter was fitted on and it was really harsh sounding to me in songs like Shatter Me and Ibara. Once I swap to golden, the harshness is reduced and it makes the treble generally smooth. The treble does have a slightly more bright and sparkly sound, making bells and cymbals sound a touch over but not offensive. I do think this does add slightly to the overall clarity and excitement of the sound.



For amplification, better amplifier do help, but apple dongle is probably good enough. Do watch my video review for more details.

Conclusion
The Simgot EA1000 is a really fun earphone to listen to. It maintains a relatively neutral and accurate tone while being highly dynamic and exciting. Its price is not exactly the cheapest, but to me, it sounds way better than the entry IEMs and the tuning is something I really like without all the sub bass booms. Details and positioning are not the best and so is bass texture, but everything else is just so close to perfect especially for its price that I have it to give it one of the top scores I have for IEMs that I come across so far.

Warwick Bravura: Almost Perfection

Warwick Bravura is a close system headphone + amplifier setup. Costing the same price as a Susvara if purchased as a set, this may just be your endgame to everything. However not everyone will be impressed or want such a system.

Disclaimer: this is my own personal set, purchased and paid for. I did got them separately from a second hand Sonoma M1 system and added on the Bravura headphone later, as such the color difference.

Note: I will be taking in consideration the entire package , dac+amp+headphone, as the Bravura system as they can’t be used separately as of the time of this review. As such the value I will gauge them by is also at the system level.

Video Review:


Scoring System:

This is added to give a simple scoring with emphasis on sound quality but not forgetting build and comfort. The maximum score is 40.

10: Tonality: timbre, accuracy, balance
10: Technicality: details, separation, clarity
10: Enjoyment: soundstage, dynamics, vocals
5: Build: how well is it built
5: Comfort: how Long can you wear

Tonality: 10
Technicality: 10
Enjoyment: 8.5
Build: 4
Comfort: 3

Total: 35.5/40


TLDR

The Bravura is a marvel with some of the best tonality to match its end game level technicalities. It may just be the best you can get your hands on without spending multiple times the system price. However the Bravura system is the antithesis of this hobby, where one mix and match to meet personal preferences.

Introduction

The Bravura was introduced in 2022 by Warwick as a step up over the original Sonoma M1 headphone. Utilising the same electrostatic technologies with additional refinements over the original M1, it is to provide an improved sonic and comfort experience. Priced at $2000usd, it seems to be a steal but unless you are a original Sonoma user, you must buy the Sonoma M1 Dac/Amp as it only works with the inbuilt Energizer there at 1,350v. That will set you down by another $4000usd. However there are some perks to using such a system in addition to its great sonic capability.

Build

As a system, both headphone and amplifier are very well built. The amplifier I have is the silver version from the original M1 while the headphones were the black version.

The amplifier has a really nice build to it, made of solid metal with a shiny faceplate. It has volume knob with good resistance, smoothness and some slight indents. The switches both front and back have some of the nicest feel when flicking them. In Fact I will say they are the nicest switches I ever used. The Warwick/sonoma system uses a Lemo plugs which are compact but lock really securely.

At the back of the amplifier you get digital input and analog inputs. Just note all inputs are digitized, even via the analog input. As mine is a second hand set, I didn’t have the original usb cable, which I just use one from DDhifi. The only oddity about this amp is the in off switch is at the back. For a device designed for desktop usage, the placement is weird. Maybe they expect the headphone to never be plugged out and the amp always on.

The headphones are matt black with a grippy textured coating. I’ll start with the negative first:
This coating can flake off after some usage as you can see in the photo.



Other than the coating that can flake off, it’s a well built headphone and really light for its size. The frame is made of magnesium and nylon, both of which are very durable and light. In the Bravura, they also added additional padding on the headband which is really plush. The headphone uses sheep leather, which doesn’t flake over time (unlike the coating!) . Overall the look/ especially for the black version is really sleek as everything is matt black.

The cables are really well built with LEMO connectors. However they are also quite stiff and the plugs are quite long.

Comfort

The comfort of this headphone scored low for me due to clamp force and also the stiff cables. My head may just be a touch too big as such the clamp force is quite significant. Even utilizing a large box to condition the headphone over a long period only improved it slightly. There's also the cable which has a very long connector and stiff wire. It makes the whole experience not exactly the most comfortable setup to use. Thankfully there's a lot of cushion this time round compared to the M1, making it usable for long periods but definitely not the headphone I want to wear on hours end for general relaxation. Anything from ZMF, Focal or Hifiman will be more comfortable.



Sound Quality

Songs I used for this Review:
One Wing Angel (Final Fantasy 7 Soundtrack)
Ultime (FF14 Soundtrack)
The Witch From Mercury (The Witch from Mercury Soundtrack)
The Brave (Op: Freiren)
I really want to stay at your house (Cyberpunk Soundtrack)
Suzume (Suzume Soundtrack)
Shatter Me (Lindsey Stirling)
Unravel (Ado Cover)
Hold My Hand (Topgun Soundtrack)

Timbre

Neutral with a touch warm timbre Generally balanced signature with no emphasis. Will take on the emphasis on what the song/music wants. Very suitable for orchestra/soundtracks

Dynamics/Transient

Higher dynamic. Goes from black to thumping highs and soft zingy treble easily. It sounds “quick” to move from one note to other but in a very natural way

Details

As detailed as it gets for a headphone. Small little bass notes to tiny treble bells are distinct and identifiable. This is obvious in soundtracks like witch from mercury and ultima.

Clarity

Clear sounding with no veil. Even in songs with a lot of mid instruments and vocals with bass playing like shatter me, everything remains clear and tangible.

Separation

Superb separation regardless of how complex the song is. This can be songs like in Suzume, there’s a section at the 3:20s where bass/vocals/chants/violin/bells/some other treble instrument are all playing in the mix. The interesting thing is that the bravura maintains this clear separation even at relatively high volume all the way till distortion. Most other headphones at that volume sound congested to me except maybe the CA-1A.

Positioning

The positioning is some of the best I heard. It layers and spreads across the front. Listening to One Wing Angel is quite an experience with it. Instruments are spread out throughout and the Bravura can identify the position quite exactly. Only one headphone I have tried gave me a clearer positioning and that’s the ZMF Verite Close Stb running off Enleum HPA-23Rm

Bass

Very well controlled. Goes deep if required and has sufficient impact. The quantity I will put it below the abyss 1266 and similar to a ZMF atrium open. However the quality of the bass is the best in how clean and controlled it is. There’s a section in “I really want to stay at your house” track with a sustained synthetic bass note which in the Bravura you can hear the texture really clearly.

Mids

The mids are just smooth, clear with a touch of warmth. Clarity and tonality in the mids is superb. There’s no sibilance in the upper mids.

Treble

This is similar to the mids. It’s well balanced without harshness and generally easy to listen to. I do think for a person that’s really into treble, this may not have enough sparkle for you.

Volume & Distortion

I usually don’t include this as for me it’s quite irrelevant as I don’t listen loud enough (70-75db) to hear it normally. However while testing I usually go higher (85-90) to hear certain parts of a song. The Bravura distorts when played loud enough for the purpose of reviewing (90db +). This is however due to a particular track, Suzume, which has strong sub bass which can’t be heard. It was the only track I heard distortion but it’s worth mentioning as I use that track to test amps to see how far they can load with headphones. In normal volume listening and most tracks, you won’t hear an issue. This also correlates to why some people who heard it at shows complained about distortion as you will need to crank it way above the ambient in a show setting which results in overloading. This distortion sounds closer to an amp distortion than a headphone limitation based on my experience when testing other low sensitivity headphones on dongles which have limited power. It sounds really similar to it.

Comparison

ZMF Atrium Open

The difference is really the absolute clarity that the Bravura provides across the spectrum. IThe Atrium is a touch smoother and warmer. The bravura also feels a touch more exciting. Overall very similar in balance for both. Go for Atrium if you want a smoother and more relaxing sound.

Abyss 1266

This Abyss 1266 is a very exciting headphone which is absolutely fun to listen if you are looking for a very dynamic sound that has hard hitting bass and exciting mids. The technicality of the abyss 1266 is very similar to the bravura if driven by a proper amp and the choice between the Bravura and it should be purely based on which you enjoy more.

Hifiman Susvara

If you are looking for a more airy signature while maintaining most of the technicalities, I find the Susvara is probably the more appropriate headphone. If you are looking for body, balance and absolute clarity, the Bravura is the better choice. But if big airy sound is what you want while still maintaining technicalities, the Susvara may be the better choice especially considering you can use amplifiers to change the sound slightly to have more body or clarity which you don’t have an option on Bravura unless via a EQ.



Conclusion

The Bravura system is to me one of the best you can purchase at this price point. Considering everything in the package, the sound quality and without any fideling, you get one of the best systems out there. Other than the coating peeling and comfort issues that I faced, everything else is really close to perfection and I truly enjoy this system. Is it the very best for everyone? I probably don't think so. Everyone has preferences and if you mix and match with the wide range of equipment out there, there is probably something for everyone and most likely many will not choose the Bravura as the one. However if one does not want to spend the time to really go through everything out there, it may be worth trying Bravura. If this fits you, it may be your true end game, since you won’t be able to upgrade to anything else! (unless warwicks comes out with Bravura 2 or a Sonoma 2 amp, but that's another story)

The One Closest to a Planar Headphone



Dunu Talos is a planar IEM with the ability to activate an additional pair of BA driver for additional treble. Among the IEM today, it belongs to the more neutral IEM with a slight hint of brightness and a more moderate bass. If you are mainly a PLANAR headphone user with occasional IEM, this maybe the one closest a similar feel. This review will be done in pure planar mode as the activation of the BA drivers is way too hot for me in the treble.


My video review will cover amplification so do take a look!

Scoring System:
This is added to give a simple scoring with emphasis on sound quality but not forgetting build and comfort. The maximum score is 40.

10: Tonality: timbre, accuracy, balance
10: Technicality: details, separation, clarity
10: Enjoyment: soundstage, dynamics, vocals
5: Build: how well is it built
5: Comfort: how Long can you wear

Tonality: 8
Technicality: 8
Enjoyment: 7
Build: 4
Comfort: 3.5

Total: 30.5/40

The One Closest to a Planar Headphone

TLDR
This earphones is quite unlike the usual tonality I heard in recent IEM which has an elevated bass region. The sound I get from the Dunu Talos mirror more similar to how planar headphone sound, which is good extension but not exactly bassy or high in impact. It’s is generally neutral with a hint of brightness in the upper mids and treble. There maybe some sibilance depending on track but overall I enjoy this sound signature as a person who predominately listen to headphones.

Disclaimer: This earphone was purchased by me. No special deal was struck for this review. Additionally, I am predominately a headphone reviewer. As such my expectations may vary from the pure IEM crowd.



Introduction
Dunu is well known to deliver great value, in this review we will take a look at what the Talos offer. Dunu Talos is a planar IEM with the ability to activate additional drivers for increased treble. This itself is quite a unique function, almost getting two iem in a single purchase. Priced at about $200usd, it belongs to more of entry to mid cost for IEM.

Build
Sporting a full metal body, the Dunu is as well built as I feel it could be. The earphone has a matt finishing that makes grabbing it easy. The edges are well rounded so nothing uncomfortable got the touch. I do not think it can get much better especially at this price point and for what it’s meant to do. The Talos comes with a decent cable but without the newer fancy adaptable head. You get to choose 3.5mm or 4.4mm on purchase. The cable has a small amount of memory but can still easily bend to most shape. It is not the softest or nicest looking cable but for its price I think other then providing the adaptable head, it can’t get any better.



Comfort and Fit.
The size is moderate and fits into my ears which I consider average for asians easily. The weight isn’t much from the time i use. I have no issue keeping it in my ears moving around. As a full metal IEM, putting them on in winter initially may not be the most comfortable affair, but holding it in your palms before wearing will make it a whole lot better. As the earphone do not conform to the shape of the ear, it may rotate and move around given sufficient head movement. Due to its structure and it not being flush with the ear, if you intend to sleep and listen music, it is ok but definitely not the most comfortable experience.

Sound quality
As this is a relatively affordable IEM, I will mainly give my opinion based on using it with dongles and wireless adapter. I will however have a special section at the end added later that I will add testing it with much better amplification such as the Enleum HPA-23RM or Ferrum Oor once I get access to them again.

Used on:
iPhone + Apple Dongle
iPhone + Questyle m15
TRN wireless Dongle

Songs:
Ultima (FF14 soundtrack)
Suzume (Radwimps)
Shatter Me (Lindsey Stirling)
Unravel (ADO)
The Brave (Yoasobi)
Avid (Sawano Hiroyuki)
Comet (Yoasobi, Cover Ari Anjou)
I really want to stay at your house (Lunity)
RGB(Yoasobi)

Tonality/Timbre:
Talos belongs to the more neutral type with a slight bump in the upper mids and treble. This gives it a little more zing and also the occasional sibilance. It however maintains a generally natural sound with no additional warmth or too cold sounding. Instruments on general sound as they should be.

Sound stage:
For a IEM this has a decent size sound stage. The sound don’t feel like it’s inside your head but slightly outside. Depth is quite limited but width moves out of the head. Compared to other planar IEM (S12Pro, Wu Zetian), it’s a touch smaller but this may be partially due to the more focused mids.

Position:
The positioning of the instrument is quite good though limited to only left and right. In ultima there’s always this moving bell which is properly portrayed here. Instruments general position can be quite easily identified but limited to left and right with no layers. This is noticeable in shatter me where all instruments are on the same plane and level with difference only left and right.

Separation:
Separation is good. In suzume later parts where multiple instruments are playing, you can clearly identify the vocals from the treble instruments and bass instruments. This is probably due to the more neutral tone, a slight treble emphasis and a relatively nimble driver. The edges of the treble instruments do cut through the mix well with minimal dulling,

Clarity:
This is a high clarity iem. Due to the lower sub bass, most instruments can be easily heard. There’s also no veil to the sound and most of the instruments can be easily heard even in very complex songs.

Details:
Details in the mids and treble is very good. Details in the bass region on the other hand is quite limited if you are looking for texture and nuances there. The various bass brass instrument tends to loose details the moment the track gets busy.

Bass:
The Talos is on the lighter side for bass for modern iem and even compared to its planar peer. But it trades the lighter bass for better control. The sub bass on general do have some texture and the mid bass impact is fast, quick and clean. The Brave has a portion with a lot of fast bass hits. It’s very enjoyable on the Talos as the control and speed is superb resulting in a very nice clean rhythm for it.

Mids:
This is where the Talos is good. There is good body and rich sounding. The Talos has a slightly forward mid, which makes things feel slightly closer. When listening to Talos and then switching to many other iem, you just feel the lost of body that the Talos offer. The upper mids can get a little hot and sibilant in certain tracks like Shatter Me. The higher mid frequencies of violin and vocals can be a little too hot.

Treble:
Treble here is very natural. The cymbals in unravel is clear and natural sounding. The treble is also never masked by the other frequencies unless in very complex song, where some definition and edges maybe lost in softer treble instrument.



Comparisons

Letshouer S12Pro:
This is a little more bassy and smoother. I also find them alittle more laid back and warmer with a slight list of clarity. The fit is superior to the Talos and it has bigger sound stage

Tang Zu Wu Zetian:
I find this to be a better comparison to the Talos. It has more bass without losing the responsiveness. There is also less Sibilance and treble energy here, fixing one of the concern I have with the Talos. It also has a slightly warmer signature. Personally this and Talos is a matter of preference then true technical difference.



Amplification
The Dunu Talos do not benefit much from improvement in amplification unless its through something a Current Amp such as the Enleum. For more details do look at the video above. In short, save your money and stick to the apple dongle as the last mile may not be worth it.

Conclusion:
To me the Talos is a very competent IEM. Especially at its price range, you get an experience that neutral, clear with plenty of details. Technicalities are great and if you are not adverse to a slightly brighter earphone, this maybe one of the best. That said, I come from a headphone user POV and to me the tuning is really like a full size planar headphone which I enjoy more then the more elevated/V shaped tuning that IEM this days seems to be targeting. If you are looking for a head banging, closer to current IEM tuning like those of Crinacle with significant sub bass lift and mid bass impact, this may not be the IEM for you.

Focal Bathys Review

Great wireless headphone with spacious sound

Video review will be up soon!

Summary
The Bathys represent Focal’s attempt to enter the Bluetooth market. Priced around 700usd depending where you get it from, it provides quality sound, good ANC that works and wireless, no all in a package that looks stylish.



TLDR

The Focal Bathys may not be cheap, but it sounds better than most wireless headphones at its price range and once you consider all the functions, it is actually decent value if sound is your top priority but don’t want to break the bank. The two really major flaw is actually the led lights cause a weird hum when on and the headphones can’t be used passively.



Scoring
Bathys will be the first headphone I will use the scoring criteria. We as audio lovers prioritises sound quality but we should not forget build and comfort. A total 40 points will be given.

10: Tonality: timbre, accuracy, balance
10: Technicality: details, separation, clarity
10: Enjoyment: soundstage, dynamics, vocals
5: Build: how well is it built
5: Comfort: how Long can you wear

Bathys have the following score
Tonality: 7
Technicality: 6
Enjoyment: 7
Build: 3
Comfort: 5

A total score of 28/40

Introduction
I got this Focal Bathys before a recent travel of mine. I just wanted something that sound good and easy to carry. This is actually my forth wireless can, but not the most expensive as that belongs to solitaire T. I tried many along the way such as Sony, B+W, Bose, Beyerdynamics and B&O. Now most of them I no longer use, but I have a the Solitaire T which to me is the pinnacle of wireless, beating out the Mark Levinson when I tried for like 2-3hrs. So how does the Bathys fair?


Package and Build

The Bathys like most good headphones comes with its own carrying case. In it the two cables are provided. USB C and 3.5mm to 3.5mm. As the Bathys turns flat, the case also isn’t thick and is easy to keep.



As I got the dune version, I really like the colour of headphones and case. The white/beige with magnesium look was really attractive to me. The headphone is made of mainly plastic with metal parts for its hinge and headphone inner support, places where it matters. This usage of plastic and metal makes it light at just 350g. For this price point, I think it’s well built and even the plastic they use isn’t the cheap look types.

The headbands have decent amount of foam. Not too thin but definitely not the most plush. The ear pads are nice and thick with soft memory like foam. It’s not those cheap type that just springs back immediately but those that slowly move back to its shape. The cups are quite big so it does cover my entire ear. With such a big cup, the headphone is thus bigger than usual wireless ones.

The inner driver is angled towards your ears. This is suppose to improve imaging by push the sound forward. We will talk more about it in the sound section.



On the outer side of the cup there is a glowing logo. This is actually an issue to me, but it’s not the glow. There’s this soft high pitch whine that’s noticeable on my right cup caused by the light. Luckily once you off the logo, this whine goes away. I may send it into focal later but it doesn’t really affect my enjoyment.

Comfort
The headphone is relatively comfortable. The clamp force is mild and it does stretches quite abit. The cups are big and can fully cover the ear. The form is soft and headphone does rest nicely on the head. Due to its low weight and just the amount of clamp force, it does not slip when using. This headphone won’t have issue being used for 8 hrs.



Controls and Software

The controls are all button based, no funny touch panel, which is great. You can control most aspect of the headphone for the purpose of listening music with the buttons.

The app is needed for further controls. This is where things get interesting. First you can off the light which removes the whine for me. Then you can EQ the headphones. It’s not the most comprehensive but at least there’s the option and it saves properly in the headphone.

There’s one cool function, which is some sort of hearing test. I believed it’s called Mimi and it test your ability to hear various frequencies. Once tested, it will produce a compensation (or eq) to bring those levels with deficiencies up. I personally think it’s too much for me, making everything too crispy and alittle too sharp for me so I left it off.

One last thing on control, you can use the headphones with either USB C as a dac mode to remove the disadvantage of Bluetooth. This is great to remove latency and use a better bit rate.

There’s also the ability to use 3.5mm connection. However this is not a passive bypass and requires power to operate. This does mean it can’t be used with fancy amps, which is a bummer. It also means when the day the battery dies, a replacement battery is needed else it will no longer operate.



Sound quality

All test is done with no EQ.

Songs used

Love Ka (ADO)
Ultima (FF14 soundtrack)
Suzume (Radwimps)
Shatter Me (Lindsey Stirling)
Unravel (ADO)
The Brave (Yoasobi)
Avid (Sawano Hiroyuki)
Comet (Ari Anjou)

Soundstage:
The sound stage is relatively big and forward. I believe this is helped by the forward angle driver. The size I will put as medium size with good depth. It is actually quite big for a close back, better then my dca stealth.

Separation:
Seperation is average. You don’t get clear distinction between the sounds like a good planar or high end dynamics. It is comparable to most dynamic drivers headphone I heard of its price class. This is obvious in Suzume sound track where vocals + bass and treble instruments mixes, things can get alittle confusing and hard to peel apart.

Positioning:
Positioning is decent for its price. You can roughly tell where the sound is coming from. However it is not really precise till you can hear the movement of the bells in ultima which drifts if you listen on something like the bravura.

Tonality/Timbre:
This is a relatively neutral sounding headphone that’s alittle bright. Overall it sounds neutral with a touch brightness. However it is not cool sounding.

Details:
The details from the focal are pretty good especially in the upper mids to treble ranges. Go down to the bass and it has some resolution there but not great as you can’t make hear good distinction in really low bass brass instruments.

Bass:
Overall quantity is good. The impact is good but not the tightest. I notice in The Brave opening, the quantity is quite sufficient and impact was good but alittle rounded on the edges. It just wasn’t the tightest or hardest hitting. There is some sub bass level sound but it’s quite little. Bass texture is average, like in ultima where you have the tuba sound and there’s some texture but not the same as you get in much higher resolution headphones.

Mids:
They are generally well balanced and accurate. Vocals are relatively forward with good amount of focus and clarity. They are also generally smooth and for me which mainly listens to female vocals, a touch of airiness which is what i favour. Instruments in the mids are clear and accurate with good texture like guitars and violins. I do find there’s something about the trumpets I hear in Ultima. Like it’s a little recessed and a touch off.

Treble:
The highs are more on the sparkly side. It can get quite sizzling for me on some tracks like shatter me and tracks from yoasobi. On general though, treble in most tracks with bells and cymbal felt distinct, clear with good amount sparkle for a generally exciting track. The headphone has a higher tendency to be sibilant in tracks to me with the treble getting a little hot and bright at times. It’s never reach the point of actually discomfort but can break the smoothness of the treble area for me

Travels and Movies
For the purpose of travel and movies, this headphone is pretty good. It may not be able to run passively, it can definitely ANC while watching movie, providing good sound and sound stage. I enjoyed my flight with the Bathys for 6 hours.



Comparison with Solitaire T

General:

Build: solitaire T is better, much more sturdy built.

Fit: Bathys fits in easier. It covers the entire ear comfortably.

Compactness: the solitaire T folds more compactly than the Bathys.

App: Bathys app does a whole lot more

Connectivity: The Solitaire T has passive bypass, they can be powered by amps for better sound, not possible for Bathys as it is always using the inbuilt Amp.

Sound:

Soundstage: no comparison, Bathys is better

Separation: the solitaire T edges out as it’s more distinct between instruments

Positioning: both has its issue, solitaire T soundstage is too small cramping all together. Bathys seperation is not as great so positioning is also not really defined.

Tonality: Bathys is neutral with more treble, overall it sounds thinner then the solitaire T which has a richer sounding mids and a touch warmer sound. I prefer solitaire T here

Bass: the solitaire T has tighter and more impactful bass with better texture.

Mids: solitaire T is more forward with richer sounding. It also sounds alittle more accurate. When swapping to the Bathys, it feels that the Richness has taken a step back in exchange for a more open sounding mids.

Treble: the Bathys has better presence and clarity up top. However it does get hot at times and mask the details. The solitaire T is smoother, at times more detailed and defined. This is partially helped out by the better separation.

Overall: the solitaire T is the better sounding headphone all around. However for general listening and usage, I recommend the Bathys for its bigger sound stage and slightly more relaxed overall sound unless you are treble/sibilance sensitive.



Recommendation:

For the price, it is recommended especially if you want that great sounding, larger sound stage, Bluetooth close can with good ANC. Is it the best? Probably not to me. The solitaire T is my preferred still for most situations unless sound stage or watching movies. However at half the price, coming in two colour flavour with a really cool app, this is recommended unless you are an Apple user, then maybe try out the AirPods Pro. I tried many others but non can give the statisfsction as this focal. The solitaire maybe able to deliver a better sonic experience but its sound stage is definitely not for everyone and its twice the price.

This is review of the XI Audio (11 Audio) Broadway. The version being reviewed is a full balanced Broadway, not the second ended edition.

A video review can be found here!
Broadway Review



The Broadway by XI Audio is an amplifier launched in 2019 for the headphone market. It was a marketed as transportable Class A that uses batteries to ensure the output is clean. The broadway to a true balance amplifier, with no single ended cross over end to end.

TLDR
The broadway is a competent amp that can compete with some of the best available. However considering its current price point, there are alternatives and one should weigh what they need before committing.

Specs
Type: Class A Balance Amplifier
Power: 1.5W @ 32Ohm per channel
Weight: 1.2KG
Dimension: 212 mm W x 156 mm L (190 mm including volume control) x 48 mm H
Batteries: 4 X 18650 (User Accessible under the hood)
Runtime: 6 Hrs
Input: XLR Only
Output: 4 Pin XLR + 4.4mm

The broadway species is not impressive in the year of 2023 when this review is written. Amplifier of similar size or portable can output significantly higher power. The unique part is being full balanced class A and still running on batteries. This give it qualities that class A has but exchange for significantly shorter battery life and a generally warm amp during operations.

Physical Aspect
The amplifier depending on how you look at it can be either classified small or large. If you are comparing to portable amps with batteries, this will be considered small. If compared to desktop or other class A amps, the broadway will be considered a small amp.

There are however some limitations, and that is Inputs and Outputs.



The Broadway for a smallish desktop size amplifier, only has a balanced in. No support for RCA. For output, its only balance headphone out, with no support for single ended or pre-amplifier options.

The amp however is very well built, made of relatively thick aluminium, making it durable and rigid. It weighs 1.2kg, and considering its size, it's about average, similar to a A70pro by topping. That said there are a few points to highlight for its physical.

Pros:
Nice Volume Knob
Simple Operations
Both XLR and 4.4mm for headphones

Cons:
Sharp edges
Non-intiutive power switch design
Poor placement for gain with too many switches

The broadway has one of the best volume knob I turned. This is smooth with just the nice amount of effort. Very similar to very very good oiled video heads or steering wheels. The operations are also very simple since it's a pure balance amplifier. Add on with XLR and 4.4mm, usage is as simple as it gets.

However there are some decisions made that could be improved. Firstly is the sharp edges should be rounded just a little. It is way too sharp for comfort for a consumer device. Secondly the power switch is placed behind with a weird centering mechanism. The position can still be forgiven given that some amps do put it behind, but considering this is also meant to be a transportable with batteries so people will be toggling the power switch quite often, front placement will be a whole lot better. There's also the self centering part of the switch. Most power switch are toggles in on/off state. This returns to center every time you switch it on or off, which means you need to remember that pulling up is on and pushing down is off.



But the weirdest decision to me is the gain. I seen this before in some amplifiers long ago in the past. However with only high or low gain, there's no reason to have 4 switches for gain adjustment to just make it high or low. Also gain is something people will toggle often, as such it should be placed on the front or at least the back rather then needing to flip the amp around.

With all that said about physical, let's go on to the nice stuff. This amp is battery powered and its user accessible with some tools and easy to replace.



This is great for longevity and maintenance.

Sound Quality

Songs used:
Ultima (FF7)
The Brave (Yoasobi)
Unravel (Ado)
Love Ka (Ado)
Suzume (RADWIMPS)

The amplifier is a class A, that outputs 1.5W into 32ohms. I don't have a measuring tool but I do have one of the hardest to power headphone. It's not the Susvara, but the Raal-Requisite CA-1A. This headphone takes over 1-2W to make it sound loud and dynamic enough without distortion. And I can safely report the broadway does it well. I also used it with the Moondrop Para, which has an impedance of 8ohms and sensitivity lower than the Susvara at 80db/mw. The broadway powers the Moondrop Para like a champ.

The sound wise, it is generally competent. The bass is tight and punchy, treble extends well, vocals was smooth, mids such as piano and guitars sounds realistic and great like any good amplifier. Tonality is a slight touch warm with a slight smoothing at the vocals that make it enjoyable. Details retrieval is good and sound stage belongs to the larger category of Solid State amps.

One thing to note: plugging the power in will result in a ground loop/hum sound which will go away once a dap/dac plays any sound (even if it's playing no sound). So it will not affect your music enjoyment. Upgrading to a better power supply does reduce the hum.

The better way to talk about sound quality is comparison:

Topping A70Pro: Technical wise very similar as far as I can hear. The broadway is just a slightly more pleasant one with a slight warmer sound and nicer vocals.

Ferrum Oor + Hypsos: Technically similar. The ferrum stack has a touch better clarity and a touch more bass. The broadway has a slightly more dispersed vocal and feels little more powerful at times but the ferrum has more control.. Other parameters are very similar.

Enleum HPA-23RM: More powerful, more sub bass, better separation and wider sound stage. The broadway is smoother and generally better if you are looking to relax.

Overall though, between the amps (except enleum) if I was not able to AB directly one after the other in portions of the song in quick changes, I will not be able to detect the difference. Enleum is unique due to it being current based amplification.



Final Thoughts
If this was 2019 or 2020, this amp will probably celebrated by me as one of the best amplifier I tried with the ability to be portable. However, given 2023, good small amps are coming out everyday from Schiit and Topping while portable side with something like Cayin C9 and Enleum HPA-23RM, it gets a whole lot harder to recommend the Broadway especially at its retail price. At that price, the choices are large and amps that are slightly better do exist in the form of Holo Bliss, Ferrum Oor and Enleum HPA-23RM. However it is still a very good amplifier, any differences are really small, it can power something like the Real CA-1A and it can be used in places with no power socket. It is still a great product, but at the retail prices, you will need to ask yourself what exactly do you need, and if it aligns I still recommend you to consider and try it out. Else there are many options.

Moondrop Para

This is Great!
This is one of the better headphone I tried at any price point for the genra of music I listen.

But…
This headphone requires decently good amplifier. Once amplified properly, this headphone performs at prices 5-6x it’s value easily

Scoring System:
This is added to give a simple scoring with emphasis on sound quality but not forgetting build and comfort. The maximum score is 40.

10: Tonality: timbre, accuracy, balance
10: Technicality: details, separation, clarity
10: Enjoyment: soundstage, dynamics, vocals
5: Build: how well is it built
5: Comfort: how Long can you wear

Tonality: 7
Technicality: 7
Enjoyment: 7
Build: 4
Comfort 3

Score : 28/40

TLDR
This headphone is great for female vocals and pop songs. It’s generally has alittle more treble, an airy sound, good mids and balance bass. It requires a amplifier that can deal with its impedance and provide it tons of power.



The Moondrop Para is the latest full size headphone by Moondrop at the time of this writing. It cost about $250-300 usd depending on promotions

General specs
Weight: 530g
Sensitivity: 101dB/Vrms
Impedance: 8ohms
Type: Planar Magnetic

Build Quality
Solid build with a mix of metal and plastic. Out of the box, joints can be a alittle stiff but quality is good. Cups swivel and tilt but with limited angles for swivel. Ear pads are made of thin pleather and velour. Feels soft and cheap compared to everything else. Machining of parts is overall clean but not very refined looking. Overall really good build quality for its price point.





Sound Quality
I tried with a variety of amplifier but mainly will use A70Pro as the baseline for a appropriate price amp for this headphone.

Overall sound signature is more on the neutral to slightly bright type. This enhances overall perceived clarity and airiness.

Sound stage is average. Mid size wide with some head room. Comparable to most planar. Layering is limited. More like a flat wall.

Transient is generally fast but not as quick as most planars. Not plucky sound. Makes treble a lot more enjoyable though. Overall transition is still very clean.

Detail in the treble is very obvious and present. Mids and bass details are good but nothing special or revealing.

Tonality is quite accurate sounding to me. Alittle more on the bright side but sounds correct.

Bass is decent compared to most planars. Mid and sub bass is present but not in high quantity. Sub bass is not as obvious if amplification is poor.

Mids are clear and forward. Violin and guitar from tracks like shatter me and unravel was accurate sounding. Vocals are clear but on the brighter side.

Highs. higher tendency to be sibilant compared to something like say the audeze mm500. But a lot lesser than hifiman more entry planars like Arya organic. Treble is more present but not too hot for me.



Amplification
The para requires both power and good matching on the output impedance. With a 8ohm impedance, amps with higher output impedence beyond 2ohms May start changing the characteristic of the sound. Coupled with the 101 dB/Vrms, it has a sensitivity of 80db/mw which is even lower than Susvara. Most dongles and entry DAP/AMP will probably sound really flat or distort running the Para when playing a high dynamic sound. I tried with Apple dongle and Questyle M15 and both were non satisfactory.

I find A70pro is great and suitable pairing. Ferrum will give it a touch more dynamics and soundstage. Enleum was the best, giving it good to great bass with a larger sound but slightly less focus.



Video initial impression


Final thoughts
The Moondrop para is a good to great headphone, depending if your amp can support it or not. It produces a technical quality that can compete at the higher bracket especially if an appropriate amp is coupled with it. That said this is where things get tricky, at $300, most won’t get anything too crazy. Maybe a Schiit magni or topping a50s at best. A A70pro is a stretch since it’s twice the price. Most will probably use entry DAPs or Dongles at this lower price bracket, and that will make the headphone sound average. Most that buy the para will probably never hear it at it’s best.

Update: Added link to compatibility list of headphones for the current out. This is of course based on my acceptance of the sound.



In Summary:

This is a powerful amplifier for the serious head-fi enthusiast, comparable to the best of similar price range like the Holo Bliss and Ferrum Oor + Hypsos.



Headphones used:
Abyss 1266
DCA Stealth
T+A Solitaire T

Source:
FiiO M17



Build Quality:
Excellent Build Quality
Limited to only RCA and Single Ended In and out.
Volume knobs is smooth to turn, but note the Solid State Relay has some ticking sound when turning volume.
Sound Quality:
This amp sounds extremely powerful even compared with great amps of its class. It "wakes" headphones like the DCA stealth like a champ.





Bass:
Sub bass reproduction is fantastic. You can fill the rumble that no amps I tried produces. This includes Holo Bliss and Ferrum Oor. Bass impact is fantastic, more impactful then my Ferrum Oor but not as clean (very very minor difference)

Mids:
Powerful, large and little more dispersed than even my MHA200. It creates a really large soundstage and it's very powerful/exciting sounding. Vocals have a huge (size wise) and powerful (energy) feel to it, great for songs that needs that kind of voicing. In orchestra like tracks, the instruments in the mids are accurate and large sounding.

Treble:
Clean, no harshness. At times for very low volume detail treble, may get masked by the strong bass and mids.

Soundstage:
One of the largest and biggest I heard out of headphone amp, comparable to the MHA200 and Holo Bliss.

Seperation:
Similar to most amps of similar price

Tonality:
More to the warm and thick type when compared to amps like Ferrum Oor or Topping A70. Topping amps are like polar opposites.

Details:
The details are there, but can be not as apparent at times due to the really strong bass.

Overall:
This headphone amp is powerful and exciting sounding amplifier and I greatly enjoy it. Comparable to similar amps of this price range, its a matter of preference rather then is it absolutely the best. This headphone amp is not for everyone, recommend to audition and pair with your headphone of choice as it maybe too powerful/exciting in certain combination and song genre.



Updates:
I notice the power behaviour of the amp. First it always draw a standard 9.5-9.8w from my power bank during operation or charging, the amp driving headphones or not similar to a class A Amp. When the battery is full, the wattage will drop over a period of time. I will update the phantom draw/trickle charge amount in the future.



The next is on battery, it runs cool, on usb C, it runs really warm to the point it can be uncomfortable for prolong contact with it. So as a portable device, you probably don't want it to be charging and running in a bag. The amount of power draw remains the same at 9.5-9.8w constant. It’s only slightly warm while charging. So it’s the power section generating the heat. This behaviour doesn’t care if the battery is full or not.

Video Review Here


Compatibility list of headphones I tried:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/10NYPSk0Ne2g-CKtNhXhvs-r9urQn8ldGd_9kt0I1aE4/edit?usp=sharing

The RE800 is the second Hifiman IEM review I'm writing after the RE2000. Thanks to AVOne and Hifiman for the review sample.



The RE800 is probably the smallest dynamic driver earphone I seen. Fully sealed and in gold, this little thing bears some similarity to others of its type but also a significant difference.

I wont touch so much on what came with the packaging here where many reviewers covered. Personally I thought its just about right for a earphone of its type: Some tips, a carrying case and a box that holds both of this. I do find the box space alittle wasted since you cant put much else. Other that that, for its price, I find it acceptable.



What I couldn't find acceptable was the fixed cables. The first thing that breaks in most earphones was the cable going wrong. Hifiman in its pursue for miniaturisation probably taught it was a good idea to leave removable cables out and this was definitely not what most people would had wanted unless its something like electrostatic. Add on with the thinness of the cables, my dealers did say they will do their best if anything happens...

Other then cables, the build is decent: All metal at around 1cm + long. Put on a double flange tip, its light and will sink in deep into your ear. Due to it being relatively small and light, it did not need a hook over ear. This is self is quite a pro since small means easy to mange, keep and wear. It would also mean have less fit problems for most.

So how does it sound?



Albums used:
Aimer Day Dream
Final Fantasy 14 Soundtrack
Beauty and the Beast
Skyfall

Player: ZX2
Compared to : KSE1500, RE2000

Coming after the RE2000, I was prepared to lower my expectation since this was meant to be the little brother. But after hearing it, I personally thought the quality of sound difference isn't great except 2 major things: Vocals and Warmth.

Lets start with the warmth, the RE800 do not bear much similarity to most IEM using Dynamic Drivers from my memory when it comes to warmth. Be it the Lyra or the RE2000, the RE800 sounded a little cool, at times it even felt a little hollow. It didn't have the mass and warmth I expect from a dynamic driver. However this is a preference and luckily due my preference to KSE1500, I quite enjoy this lighter, cooler touch of sound from the RE800. So a direct switch from RE2000 to the RE800, this is definitely its biggest and most apparent difference.

Then it follows the vocals, the RE2000 isolates the vocals and brings it forward, quite a surreal experience if your enjoy vocals. The RE800 treatment of vocals were a little different. It sounds separated but distant, at the edge of the music together with the instruments. It also sounded a little hollow and metallic at times due to the lack of warmth and mass. Its also just not as smooth as RE2000 liquid like or KSE1500's quick and light. I am probably exaggerating here since the difference were small and you probably will only notice it if you been hearing something like the Re2000 for extensive period of time.

After the comparison above lets talk about whats great: The Bass.
Personally, I may actually enjoy this more then the RE2000. It has just enough of everything: Impact, Depth and most importantly "Feel". KSE1500 sounds like bass is there, RE2000 has the impact and warmth, but the RE800 had the impact when needed together with the tiny feeling of bass vibration. Fantastic really. This was noticeable with FF14 Sound Track - Dragonsong, I can surely say, I will listen that sound using this earphone over the RE2000 and KSE1500.

The other good characters is something it shares with RE2000, which is the sibilance characters. Short of the worst of tracks, its relatively tamed, making it a great choice of modern pop music. Plus it being less warmth, it definitely fits into modern genres a lot better then the RE2000.

Soundstage is wide, wider then what i remember for most earphones of its class. Its probably just a touch smaller the RE2000, definitely good enough for its class. Similarly for details, its good but just a little lower then RE2000 and KSE1500. This is noticeable in complicated instrument tracks from FF14 Soundtrack. Some softer instruments will get lost in the track, not a huge issue though and if you are a loud listener, it probably wont be as much of a issue.

What I think it lacks was treble energy. Treble was there, just not much excitement, energy or speed compared to BAs and KSE1500 electrostatic. This made it less musical for tracks that are bass light and treble heavy. However when the opposite happens, I think this was not an issue in my listening experience. An example was listening to Skyfall, which really did not contain much of the higher frequencies, and through the RE800, it sounded fantastic.



All this said, I thought the RE800 is a rather good IEM for its class, except the lack of removable cable and not much accessories, its definitely something that people can consider for its sound quality. If I had to recommend it to someone, it will be to people who listen to modern pop music due to its good sibilance and bass character.

Master of Some: RE2000



Thanks to AVOne and HIFMAN for the review set RE2000.

Summary:
The RE2000 is a fantastic earphone, worthy of it's price tag and definitely a competent earphone of its price range. A little harder to drive, it benefits from amplification and delivers a unique vocal and lows experience. With a relatively wide soundstage and thick sound, it's really for those that enjoy vocals and tracks that's heavy on bass. The low sibilance nature is also a great choice for listeners of modern pop music.

The RE2000 is a dynamic driver IEM designed by HIFMAN. In recent years they really dabbled in many interesting things, and the RE2000 is definitely a new take on high end dynamic IEMs.

I had the RE2000 for approximately 3 weeks. Listened to them intensively for a week, put them down for one and pick it up again to ensure what I was hearing was not just a "new toy" effect.



The first thing that blew me away is the packaging, luxury is the word for it. It looks great and really well presented. Opening up you get to see everything well placed and in a display worthy of its price tag.



HIFIMan packed quite some items within the package, a pair of cables, a few tips and some spare connectors. On general, it came with the things you need to experience the earphone on the get go.

Even though the package was striking, I find the cable on the other hand lacked the same experience, really thin and felt a little cheap. A nice thin braided cable would have definitely been a better impression. The earpiece themselves are pretty decent. It comes in gold (not my fav color for IEM) and has a metal shell with a plastic side. Initially I felt it was rather cheap looking and because of its light weighted feeling, it really didnt carry the premium feel for a metal build earphone. I did appreciate it later as the fit was great and it doesnt pop out due to its own weight.

Now we reach the more important part of the review: Sound Quality!



For this review the following items were used:

Player:
Supermini
Sony ZX2

Amp/Dac:
Hugo TT

Other earphones:
KSE1500

Tracks used:

Nier Automata Sound Track
Final Fantasy Distant Worlds
Adele 25
Suara DSD Series of Special Recordings

The RE2000 benefits from amplication. Running is straight off either player without an amp really didnt do it justice. Plugging it into the HugoTT really improved it, with great emphasis on its strong points as written above in my summary.

The RE2000 from the get GO has a really interesting rendition of vocals. Its separated, focused, thick (in relation to KSE1500). This made it a total hit with female vocals that carry power such as Adele. In comparison with the KSE1500, its not as airy and light, which in my opinion wont be as good for Japanese Female vocals and its apparent in tracks such as powder snow by Suara. Overall though, it's a matter of preference but for most that appreciate vocals and have a decent amplifier, the RE2000 may actually be slightly better.

On initial listening, what captured my attention upfront is the bass. It goes deeper and slams harder then the KSE1500. It may not have the same tightness as the KSE1500, but I will say in this case, it's definitely better than the KSE1500 if you appreciate bass on any level. The best part of the RE2000 is that the bass dont seem to bleed into other frequency, which means even on bass heavy track, it doesn't overpower the other frequencies nor affect their quality. A huge plus to me as I find multi driver iems don't seem to sound as great in such aspect. They are either too disjointed or too mushed up.

Some things have to give though with all this greatness, and if you ask me, treble is the one. It didn't have sparkle or zing that the KSE1500 holds or infact of other IEMS of BA nature. I'm not sure if it's a character of Dynamic Drivers as the Lyra from ALO gave me similar feeling. That said, no zing doesnt mean lost in details. Everything is well separated and all details are in placed. The sound tracks from Nier Automata and Final Fantasy Distant Worlds really carry proved that point well. Its just that if you are a treble lover, I probably can't recommend this to you as the flagship to get. In this regard the KSE1500 is ahead especially since its electrostatic nature actually brings it out extremely well.

Though not so great in treble, maybe because of it, I never experience any sibilance in all the tracks I tried. This is really great for todays modern music where mastering/recording of vocals is not the best and induces those peaks. Though it;s a silly to recommend a earphone of this caliber to listen to "not so well done" modern music, but hey we are here to enjoy whatever music we like and if it so happens that's your genre, the RE2000 gets 5/5 from me. In comparison I always felt most BA IEMS especially those from a very popular make seems to be susceptible to this.

Clarity and separation is quite good. In fact I think perceived separation, the RE2000 is better than the KSE1500 but the clarity to me is a no fight KSE1500 ground. The RE2000 has this layering that really separated the vocals lows and highs very well. This made the sound of instruments of different class easy to pick out.

The last part of the sound I will cover is how the soundstage felt. The RE2000 felt like the low and mids are grounded to the center with the rest of the sound radiating outwards all around. If explained on how it felt in like a hall: The RE2000 is like sitting next to a band, center in a midsize hall. The vocalist is upfront and close up. The overall atmosphere is warmer. Compared to the KSE1500, that is a slightly bigger hall, but you are a touch further from band and singer. A friend of my commented that the RE2000 had a soundstage that centers on the Vocalist and this gives a layer effect compared to the KSE1500 which is all around. Songs with instruments and vocalist such as Weight of the World and Answers from the soundtracks demonstrated this effect. If listening to full range orchestra, I will recommend the KSE1500 while if a vocalist is put in and there's more bass elements, I may actually recommend the RE2000 even though there's some lost in the size but you gain a more interesting placement and soundstage.

I end my review with what I said at the top: Fantastic Earphone, worthy of its tag and range. Great bass and Vocals and definitely a good choice if your genre includes modern pop songs. To me if you love the above, get it.



On a final note, this earphone requires quite alot of volume and power. As earlier said, it benefits from decent amplification.

 
 
The Aune S6 provided was part of a review tour for my region. Thanks to Aune for the chance to try this out.
 
Exterior
 
The S6 was a well designed piece of DAC/AMP. Its heavy and had everything that you will need for both a home headphone system to a DAC connecting into a much larger system. From various digital inputs to outputs going both stereo and balance, it was clearly designed to either standalone or integrate into a larger audio design when needed. The outer covering was some matted black coating similar to Chord products which I personally dislike. Its too easy to scratch and leave marks. I just wish everyone use anodised coating or something.
 

 

 
 
The front comes with 2 outputs, a balance XLR and a standard stereo, an LCD that shows the volume/bit rate and a knob for controlling volume. I mainly use the XLR for this review and if anything I would like to comment on, its the volume knob. The knob was nice to turn with smooth indents, the issue lies with the amount of turns needed to raise the volume. Being a digital amp, turning the knob raises the volume in steps. All this was fine but what I personally didn't like was how I need more then a full turn to actually raise it to the level I need. Else theres really not much to complain about.
 

 
 
For the back their are various input and output to use it as a pure DAC. The S6 accepts USB, Optical and Coaxial while outputs in both stereo and balance. For this review, I used only the USB and the front outputs due to the lack of time available and mainly as a standalone system with no amp in-between. The ports I personally thought were better designed and built then the TT, which has this tiny wiggle that makes me wonder when its going to break. I also liked the upside down words as they actually considered how people are going to attach the cables while looking over it.
 
Sound
 
For this review I used the provided Balanced VE Earphones provided by Aune, Abyss 1266 and the KSE1500. Now some of you maybe saying that the Abyss won’t run off it. I can say it does just fine at around 80 points to the volume. Maybe its just me listening to really low volume but a great headphone is one that doesn't need to be running at full volume isn't it? I will be comparing to the Hugo TT and the ALO CDM. Both are all in ones amp/dac, one being portable while the other represents the higher price spectrum of the market.
 
For this review I used the following tracks:
Hello, Remedy by Adele
Apocalypse Notis, Answers, Ultima from Final Fantasy
Reflection from Disney Music
Ninelie by Aimer
 

 
 
I’m heavily into vocals, with final fantasy tracks covering chants and instruments
 
The S6 from the get go had a slightly warmer tone then even the hybrid tube CDM. Personally thats a preference though I prefer the CDM signature a little more. Whats notable however was the feeling of transient speed between the devices. Among all 3 devices, the S6 felt the slowest. It gave this feeling that the music was just cruising along. It felt ever so slightly slower then the CDM while the TT was like instant reaction. This characteristics favours some song like Hello which felt right with the slower transitions. In tracks from final fantasy, the instruments and chants were a lot better off with something such as the TT, which had this instant transition from instrument to instrument.

Soundstage quality wise the S6 stands between the CDM and TT. The Chord was wide while the CDM narrow with focus especially on the mids. The S6 had this more disperse characteristics that spreads the sound widely in the left and right axis. The TT had more depth which gave it a slight edge over the S6. On general this dispersion made the S6 soothing to listen compared to the CDM which was really focused. However, CDM does render a smoother sound most notable in the mids partially cause of its tube characteristics. This was obvious in Remedy where the CDM gave Adele a smoothed but focused tone while the S6 spreads it out while feeling a little edgy. With the warmer tone and disperse soundstage, the S6 gives a laid back signature and to me, its definitely beneficial to songs such as jazz. Its also great when you just want to relax rather then concentrate on the music.
 
The S6 in terms of details were pretty good. Better then the CDM and just a touch poorer then the TT. This was apparent in Ultima with its complex instruments and chants, the S6 revealing every little details of the song, from the little tinkles mixed into the Chants and other instruments. If anything, that little touch of poorer detail maybe due to its lower treble energy which gives it a perception of lower detail retrieval then the TT.
 
And on that point, the treble on S6 was really tamed versus the TT and even the CDM. There was never any harshness, but it also lacked the sparkle and bite which makes some instrument a little more exciting. I believe that this was the element that gave TT the more cooler and lighter feel while the S6 felt warmer and heavier. This gave the S6 not as much ‘air’ in the tracks compared to both the CDM and TT.
 
Bass wise, the S6 lack the final oomph that both the CDM and TT does better. It goes deep but lacks that final impact that gives that smile on your face. This was notable in Answers when the drums kicks in the middle of the track, being a song with not many instruments, one can really feel the bass which the S6 lacks that final push. It still retains that bass rumble on the Abyss, just don't expect it to give that impact.
 

 
 
So between the KSE,Abyss and Balanced VE earphones, how did the S6 perform.

Where power and control is concern using the Abyss, the CDM was last with the S6 sitting in the middle and the TT in-front. Do note I listen at really low volume with the Abyss so absolute wattage doesn't really much to me. The TT leads purely by sheer control of sound, each note and voice being distinct with clean transition. While the S6 never gets muddled no matter how dynamic or complex the tracks are, it just lacks the final finesse and control to split various sound distinctly.

On the Balanced VE earphone, I will say the S6, CDM and TT performs quite similar just different a different Flavour. Want smooth with power? CDM. Want light and quick? TT. Want something laid back and relaxing? The S6 will do.
 
On the KSE1500, a pure test of DAC, I will place S6 and CDM at equal levels while the TT in-front. The TT really enhances the effect of electrostatics like the KSE, bringing in a lot more sparkle and ‘air’ while being lightning quick in the transitions. The S6 and CDM gives a much slower like pace feel with a more soothing sound. The key difference here was that the S6 gave a more dispersed wide soundstage while the CDM was more Focus.
 

 
 
Closing off
 
Now with everything said, the S6 is great value. It cost way cheaper then the TT and even the CDM, out performs the CDM when power and control is needed and drives a beast like the Abyss decently (to my ears at low volume of course). Its a little laid back but there are definitely people who prefer it then the quick and cool of the TT.  With all the input and output choices, its a great entry to good sounding all in one Amp/Dac at a much more acceptable price. In-fact theres probably not many competitors at its price range that offers as much as the S6.
 
Thanks again to Aune for the review sample. I enjoyed it though a little more time would have let me dived deeper into capabilities and sound more.

 
 
The Soundaware Esther M1Pro provides a immersive sound experience held down by its dated interface and firmware. Its like driving a luxury car with all its comfort but with a dated design and dashboard.
 
I got this as part of the Esther Tour for Asia. Thanks to Soundaware and Mary for the chance to review this device.
 

 
 
I received the M1Pro on a Saturday, with my SD card on hand and skipping the menu, I straight away plugged in my iha6/Abyss 1266 and selected a track from Distant Worlds "Liberi Fatali". The first thing that went into my mind was: Forget about reviewing it for now and just enjoy the music.
 
The first impression of the device was great. It took me sometime to figure out the menus and select my track, but the sound from it through my Abyss was truly an experience. It sound big and wide. The perceived width of the sound was larger then my Hugo TT, which surrounds my head rather then just a wall infront. The instruments from Distant Worlds were detailed and well separated throughout the entire album, allowing me to focus on individual parts of the sound if I so want to. The bass to the little tinkles sounded balance, coherent yet separated surrounding me, like a little concert hall with a grand orchestra.
 
Followed up with some vocals from Susan Wong using the KSE1500, it blew me away again with the smooth sound that surrounds your head. The soft touch to the voice that sounds a little distant but envelop you like a little room of its own. The benchmark of a great sound system to me is when it relaxes my whole body and put me to sleep. This player definitely delivers.
 

 
 
With the First impression done, it was time to really look in-depth into its sound and do some comparison. 
 
Firstly to my ears, the M1Pro seems to have a V shape type sound. Compared to my ZX2 or my TT, its vocals and mids seems a little more distant and softer. This probably contributed to the more diffused and smooth vocal sound. That said, if you are one for powerful voice, this probably won't satisfy you. However if you are into soft female vocals like me, this will delight you to the end of every track.
 
The sound also lacks the power in the mid bass/mids. This is more apparent when comparing to TT. The sound lacks the final kick and energy that the Chord delivers but compared to like the ZX2, it isn't much different. 
 
Treble did not have much impression on me other then being just the right amount, not overly bright and sparkly yet still prominent enough for the instruments that needed it.
 
As noted in my first impression, the sound is wide and detail. In fact at the very start, it gave an impression of being wider then even the TT. However after some some cross comparison, its quite similar in sizing but there is a notable difference in placement and 3D feel of it. The Chord TT has more depth to it, like an additional axis to the sound placement. The M1Pro just felt spread around the head. This gave it great separation but feeling of a wall surrounding your rather then a open room. ZX2 felt really different in this context, with a more forward projection rather then around your head, kind of like a concert performing in front and you are sitting at a seat some distant away.
 
If there was one thing I noted unique about this player sound is the impression of like a dream: wide, soft and smooth but lacks the precision and power. Definitely this is a preference of sound and to me its great.
 

 
 
Now for the not so great part of the device.
 
The firmware and navigation felt like it was from yesteryear. 
 
Firstly, it could not read some form of M4A properly. The title appears but selecting it results in no playback. Luckily it did not crash and all i needed to do was press back a few times.
 
Next is the screen is a little low resolution, for a player its fine but probably lacks the last mile of luxury feel which for example AK is really good and providing. Luckily the glass on top seems to be of a scratch proof grade and still looks great after a few reviewers (im the last on the tour).
 
The menu has some quirkiness to it. After selecting a track and playing it, pressing back from the play screen will throw you back into the file explorer rather then the song selection list. with the display small and screen resolution low, alot of my tracks filename can't be read properly in the file explorer and I had to go out to the main menu and back into the song selection list to select the title.
 
Putting a SD card in requires you to refresh manually else it wont appear in the song selection list though you can still get it through the file explorer till you refresh the system.
 
Most of this other then the screen could be solved by some firmware update else I do hope in the next generation, something better could be done.
 

 
Some other notes of this device:
It comes with 2 SD slot which means plenty of space.
There is a headphone out, line out and digital out (COAXIAL). The lineout though is quite soft, does present a slight improvement in sound. You will probably need an amp with a higher gain to work with it. 
There is a switch to lock the buttons as they are too easy to be depressed. However this switch itself is too light and easily flicked when it catches on anything. Also the switch does not prevent the power button from being used, resulted in some accidental off and on.
Battery life is rather short, it ends before my KSE1500. About 7-8hrs.
It warms up in prolong usage. 
Its built in amp is rather good. Better then my ZX2 using my H6 headphone. I did not go indepth as its not my preferred way of listening music this days.
 
In summary:
 
The sound is impressive if you are into the soft, smooth and dreamy like sound with wide soundstage. However it needs a interface improvement to really bridge the final mile to make it a truly great device.
 
For me, I may actually get it as it represents a signature that I really liked with the songs I listen.
 
And did I say it fits my KSE1500 perfectly ? 

 
 
Hifiman Mega Mini Review
 
Some disclaimer: This set is provided to me by HifiMan for review as part of the tour in Singapore. Thanks to AVOne for arranging this
 
Little box of happiness.
 
In the age of monster players that cost >500 USD, here comes this little box of happiness by HifiMan, The MegaMini Player. 
 
This little player is similar sized to a AK Jr, and like it, the only purpose is to output great music to whatever portable headphones or IEM you have. Lets go through part by part on the player.
 
Physical
 

 
 
The player is small, about the size of the AK Jr but slightly shorter. It looks rather similar too, with that top section being the glass and matt aluminium. It even got the sharp edges that the AK Jr has. It however doesn’t come with a touch screen, instead you get a few buttons to do things you need. The front buttons mainly control the navigation and menu while the side are the power and volume controls. The headphone jack, charging port and SD slot sits at the bottom of the player. Overall its pretty good looking and feels ok to hold except for the corners which could have been a little more rounded. At its price range, you probably will not need to baby it like the AK Jr though.
 
Software
 
The software is a custom build from HifiMan. Relative minimalist, navigation is done through the buttons with the usual menu selections such as artist, song and file explorer. Booting up the software or waking it from sleep takes a longer time then what we are now used to in a modern smartphone. Once up, navigation is quick with clicks on the button. Its definitely faster to use then the AK Jr which had a lot of stutter. There are some oddities in the menu such as shuffle and looping is done at the settings rather then calling it up from the play screen. Theres also the issue of pressing back after selecting the song do not bring you to the last menu but the main screen.

In terms of audio support, it does play every thing except certain DSD such as those above DSD64. Else it handles things like flac, alac and mp3 all fine.
 
If I had a complain, it will be “Why is the music still playing after I pull out the headphone?” This sometime lead to a dead player on my way back home as most of us would had probably been trained by modern devices, that pulling the plug will stop the music.
 
 
Sound Review
 
This review was done with a B&O H6 and Shures KSE1500. For its price and size, its biggest competitor will probably be the smart phones. As such I will be putting it against the Iphone SE. The ZX2 will be brought in just to see where it stands against higher audiophile players.
 
Tracks use are mainly from Adele 25 and Distance World: 2
 
Against the Iphone SE using the H6
 

 
 
The MegaMini had a relatively different sound. Firstly the Iphone SE was straight up muddier in sound. Theres a bloom in the mid and bass that mixes which was obvious the moment you compare it to the MegaMini that had a much cleaner sound. The MegaMini do lean more towards the treble side  in comparison resulting in a cooler sound. This was easily noticed in the voices of Adele track like I Miss You where the moment the bass comes in, the SE would mix it into the mids a little while the MegaMini clearly separates them.  This also results in overall better detail on the MegaMini vs the SE as the little sounds in various tracks are fleshed out easier due to the cleaner and more treble leaning sound of the MegaMini

In terms of soundstage, the MegaMini sounds like a forward wide stage while the SE sounds all around but rather cramp. The MegaMini do have a vocal that felt further away in the center while instruments were placed left and right of the it while the SE had an all around intimate close up sound.
 
The bigger soundstage on the MegaMini and better clarity resulted in more defined positioning that’s noticeable especially in the instrumental tracks of Distant World compared to the SE. 

With this, I am sure that most people will prefer the MegaMini over the Iphone direct audio out unless you are one for the more warm and close up sound.

Now how does it stand against the ZX2 with the KSE1500?

Using the KSE1500 a few notable things can be said:
 
Straight up the MegaMini felt a little  too cold and towards metallic sounding vs the ZX2. This was probably escalated due to the nature of the KSE1500 being relative neutral sounding and the slight treble bias of the MegaMini.
 
The MegaMini does have a nicer treble  with a little more sparkle then the ZX2. If you like treble, the MegaMini probably is better.

That said, the MegaMini just could not compete in vocals or bass. The ZX2 has the touch of warmth and smoothness with no mushiness in the vocals, making it sound closer to a live performance. On the other hand, the MegaMini felt like a obvious recording, with vocals that’s cold and at times a little metallic sounding. The bass of the MegaMini also felt less tight then the ZX2 with some mushiness in tracks with quick slams like those of distant worlds.
 
The soundstage held similarity with the above against the Iphone SE. The MegaMini feeling more in-front of you type of sound while the ZX2 is all around. However unlike the SE, the ZX2 sounds bigger with clarity, with much more air in the voice and notes of the various tracks. That said positioning I may actually give a slight edge to the MegaMini as the ZX2 sometime may lose me in the sound in very complex track as it goes all around the head.
 
One final point, in terms of driving capability using my H6, the MegaMini and ZX2 is about the same while the SE felt a little back in terms of the ability to fully bring out the headphones capability. So for a small package, it performs really well.
 
Overall I think the MegaMini is a good product for its price. Other then the button nature and maybe a slightly below average interface response time, it may just be the best thing at its price point and with its size and price, a good replacement to a smartphone for listening to music.
 
I will say I prefer the ZX2 but the MegaMini comes close and if you prefer that type of cooler nature of sound, it may just be the better player.

For me, I will pair the MegaMini with my KSE1500 at times  as it’s the most compact package that sounds really good.
 
If you are looking for a small compact player at a good price, this is definitely a little box of happiness that could improve your overall audio experience on the move.
 
 

 
 

The Abyss AB 1266.
Some call it the Medieval Torture Device. I call it audio heaven.
 

 
I shall not mince my words: Abyss is butt ugly. On first impression, I doubt anyone will even figure how the heck to put it on to your head. Followed by its weight, its one of the heaviest in the 640g range. It is on first sight highly unadjustable and uncomfortable. How can something like this sound good? Add on the initial price tag of more then 5K, maybe JPS Labs went mad or something.
 
But the truth is actually far from it. Price has fallen to 4k + (Abyss Lite Edition. Same thing just less accessories). I got mine cheaper then a LCD4 in my area. Its actually highly adjustable, and quite comfortable once you are done with it. Infact due to its design, you wont be as affected by the ears and its surrounding area heating up like most other headphones. The sound can also be describe in one word: Sublime.
 

 
First lets look into the design. The Abyss is made of out of solid aluminium pieces bent and merge together. I have a feeling that if you throw it at someone, concussion ensures. Its probably the most solid built headphone I touched, even beating those of Beyerdynamics. The frame will probably last you a lifetime unless you get a car to run over it. The elastic bend is where the headphone rest on. The headphone was designed to actually rest on your head, with the ear cups lightly touching around your ears.  This will put bulk of the weight on top and thus making it rather comfortable. And since there is little clamping force, its more comfortable then many headphones out there, lets not forget it also reduces the chance your ears heating up and sweating! The next question in most people mind now is how do you actually adjust it to there. 
 

 
First we take a look at the top, the joint there can be extended by about an inch and slightly bent forward or back. So depending on your head size, just pull or bend accordingly. Next is the ear cups. Its of a asymmetric design. Attached with a magnet, it can rotated up to 18 positions. So just rotate them till you feel comfortable and the entire cup is resting on the side of your head. This adjustment takes around 20-30 min in my experience and its the most important phase of using this headphone. Infact, it will determine if you ever enjoy the headphone, both comfort and sonically.
 
The issue of this headphone and why many cant understand it when they do auditions is this: The adjustments of the entire headphone determines the sound. Clamp down too much and you lose bass impact and make the overall signature warm. Pull it too far apart and you will get a relatively bright signature. If the earpad fully sits on the side of your head, you get a full sound. But if you want alittle more dynamic with more bass rumble, leaving a gap in the seal will give you a better experience. The thing is this headphone is finicky until you get it right. Once you obtain the fitting and sound you want, its onward to audio bliss, SUBLIME!
 

 
The Abyss is quite the monster to drive. With 85db/mw, its just slightly better then HE6 which is 83. On the Hugo TT, that will equate to violet or light blue for volume and even white if your track is soft. Its power requirements are also quite high, many amps will not have the grunt to fully power it to its fullest. Best to get something that can do 1w on output. When I first audition it with the Hugo, its rather flat and boomy. The TT did a much much better job as it had the current to swing. For me I use the Cayin IHA6 pictured on top. The IHA6 amp outputs 7w per channel, its a monster in power in a relatively small package. The abyss never needed more then 12 position to be too loud for me.
 
Sound:
 
Equipment:
Laptop -> Hugo TT -> Cayin IHA6 ->Abyss
HD800S
HE500
KSE1500
 
Tracks used:
Powder Snow by Suara (Female Vocals)
Musouka by Suara (Female Vocals)
Liberi Fatali by Distant Worlds(Orchestra/Chant)
Send my Love by Adele (Female Vocals)
Hotel California 
 
This section is based on a properly fitted Abyss.
 
This headphone is fast. Faster then my HE500 and HD800S. This gives it a more dynamic feel with nicer blacks as instruments tend to not decay longer then they should. In Liberi Fatali, the bass and the treble will never mix. I can hear the xylophone in the background clearly even with all the other instruments and chants. In Hotel California, you can clearly hear the guitar pluckings as the bass pounds away.  Instrument separation is just fantastic as everything could be easily identified and heard. 
 
Soundstaging and placement is fantastic. Its soundstage is wide and huge, comparable to the HD800S in size. However its Z Axis doesnt feel as great the HD800S, I will say HD800S feels a little more holographic then the Abyss.This also lead to a slightly better separation in the HD800S. In Liberi Fatali, instruments could be heard clearly but on the Abyss, you cant exactly pin point its position all the time unlike the HD800S. There is also a slightly different feel to the soundstage. HD800S felt like a concert hall with mid row seat while the Abyss is a more closer to the front. This is very apparent in Hotel California, where everything felt closer with the sound radiating out far.
 
The Abyss is transparent and detailed. To me its more transparent then HD800S and the HE500. Other then my KSE1500 which sounds about the same in this field, everything else felt like there is a veil over them muddles things a little. In the tracks for the female vocals, the voice is just crystal clear with all the instrument sounding right.  In Musouku, you can hear the little guitar plucks that is usually lost. It does mean that many modern recorded song for the masses will sound bad. You can probably pick up every crackle which can be downright irritating.
 
Vocals and mids are great, natural but a little recessed.The Abyss is just so much more relaxed and natural in the mids then the HD800S. In Send My Love, there are those claps. The Abyss just renders them like exactly how you would expect, a slap like impact followed by quick decay. The HD800S however sounded like just a mass of sound that feels like a clap. You cant tell the exact point of impact.  The mids are slightly recessed on the mids for the Abyss. This gives them a feeling of being slightly further away. Due to the way the Abyss is voiced, it sounds perfectly fine, but put it next to the HD800S and it becomes apparent. In Powder Snow, Abyss felt like the vocals were aligned with the instruments while on the HD800S, the instruments played a more supporting role. That said, even though its slightly behind, the Abyss felt more natural. The HD800S vocals felt a little constricted when compared. However there is an issue at times. In Hotel California, the bass can at times feel like it overpowered the vocals due to the slight change in placement. Though if you are a basshead then this is totally up your alley.
 

 
 
Cause Abyss is King for bass. I tried many headphones before I purchased the Abyss. He1000, LCD4, HD800S, LCD3, TH900. When I tried the Abyss properly, I just could not forget how it sounded. I told a friend of mine who ran one of the shop that sells everything but the Abyss: "Sorry but I will probably purchase the Abyss. It is deep... deep like its name stake, The Abyss" The thing is the Abyss bass goes not only deep, it sounded like a sub woofer. It impacts the side of your head and ear. You can feel that rumbling vibration that was lost in almost all headphones. Most headphones just had a tight, deep and impactful bass. The Abyss had all that plus a bass that can be felt just like a Sub. Its controlled, you can pinpoint the point of impact, then its decay, rumble and vibration there after. That was not the only thing great, with all the rumble, definitely the mids will get affected, but it isnt. It really felt like a properly integrated sub woofer, clearly separated but part of the total audio landscape. 
 
The last part is the treble. Here, I will say the HD800S had a more distinct treble that sparkles a little more but never confusing. It also means the Abyss due to its treble being a little more tamed to me, sounded much more pleasant with almost no sibilant. The treble also sounded more natural. The little bells in Powder Snow just felt like the small bells you would hear. It was reported in complex treble tracks, the Abyss may sound confusing in the treble region. I did not personally heard it in the tracks I used. Maybe it needs a full orchestra with lots of instrument in that region which I did not have access to.
 
There is something I love about Abyss's sound Realism and Atmosphere. The Abyss just sounded closer what the mind imagines as the live music then my other headphones. Infact swapping between it, HD800S, HE500, and KSE1500, the Abyss gave the best overall feel and atmosphere of closer to going live in a concert. The KSE1500 takes the cake for most realistic vocals, it was like a small room live recording. The other 2 felt like listening to really great headphones of the music replay, with the HE500 better for vocals and the HD800S for the huge spacious feel. 
 
There is something I noted of the Abyss when I tried it out with my friend. I usually listen on the Hugo TT at around Dark Blue while he does it at Light Blue. This translates to around 85db peak at 90+ vs 97db peak at 100+. We noticed at my levels, everything is in control, but at his preferred level, the bass had this weird vibration which we believe is distortion. We therefore believe that at higher volumes, the Abyss may have big and powerful bass but it will distort and therefore if you are sensitive to such things, do audition it at those level before purchase.
 

 
 
The Abyss is a medieval torture device that sound as deep as the Abyss. As a TOTL, I believe it deserves its place in todays context. You will be called nuts 3 years ago at 5.5k when it first debutted but now with pricing reaching similar levels of LCD4 (and maybe even the Focus Utopia), it is definitely a must try if you are in that market. Especially if you like quality sound with bass sounding like a sub woofer that is clearly missed in almost all headphones. Lets not forget its one of  kind look which is actually quite comfortable.

I bought the Hugo TT from my local retailer AVOne. Their service is fantastic. The set I purchased is an all black set.
 
The TT is not the brother of Hugo, its Hugo that grew up and went for some weight training!
 
The short summary: Hugo grew up with a larger box and a much more capable amp stage. The same boy that built up some mass to wrestle the harder to drive headphones.
 
Now for the full review:
 
Hugo TT is the table top (TT) incarnation of the Hugo. It comes now in a much bigger box, with it a remote to control it and a much larger battery that will let it probably last a long time before charging is required.
 
Design:
The TT I got is a all black edition. Similar to the Hugo, there is a top panel to see the spartan chip and a little knob with color coded volume. The TT now comes with an additional front panel that shows which input is selected and how much crossfeed is done. Package together is a really nicely made controller that allows selection of input and volume. Personally the remote is even better built then the TT itself. The TT build is a box that is solid unlike other chord product. The big issue however is the side acrylic panel that houses the bluetooth antenna. Out of the box, you can see hairline scratches and no plastic sheet to protect it. This is probably the mot contentious point of buying a brand new TT and not finding it look pristine especially at its price point. That said everything else is all fine and well. Maybe the buttons should have less wiggle, but overall there is very little complain on it. Maybe a nicer design that fits with the ports tighter will give it an even more premium feel.
 
The TT comes with the following inputs:
2 USB (SD/HD)
1 Optical
1 BNC Coaxial
 
Outputs:
2 6,3mm Stereo 
1 3.5mm Stereo
1 Pair of RCA 
1 Pair of XLR
 
The XLR are probably the biggest addition to the TT. Do note, plugging the XLR and the RCA to same amp seems to overload something that results the need of the TT to be restarted with one of the terminals plug out to work.
 
Operations are similar to the Hugo, with front buttons doing the input selection and crossfeed. The on off switch is placed at the bottom center of the TT. The remote can control the input and volume, however it does not have the ability to power on and off the device. 
 
Sound:
 
Headphones:
HD800S
KSE1500
 
Other devices used:
Hugo
ALO CDM
Cayin IHA-6
iPad Pro as Source
 
Songs used:
Hotel California
Gate
Songs from Suara
Songs from Susan Wong
 
So how does the TT sound? Wide, Airy, Sparkling Treble, Tight Bass. Its technically everything Hugo is and better. 
 
Using the HD800S
 
Vocal tracks of Suara and Susan Wong, they seem to span the entire front of the listener. The vocals felt relax and airy, similar to how it feels when someone is doing it live, with no strain and totally effortless. One can just feel immersed in the vocals from the start to the end.
 
Sound stage with the HD800S and TT it may be as good as it gets. Non of my other amp gives a wider field then just the Hugo itself. 
 
Transient is exceptionally fast, everything felt like is moving along naturally in good pace. Be it the violin in a complex track or the vocals with a back ground mid bass constantly playing off, everything feels right in place and never one step too slow. 
 
Effortless feeling regardless on how intense a track is. In Gate, where there is guitar, vocals and a strong bass that was going off at multiple beats per second, everything still felt effortless, without any feeling of strain. The sound never felt like it is going to run out energy.
 
Bass is tight, tighter then running of any amp I have. Most other devices I heard would have portrayed it as one large bass thump, but with the TT, you can pinpoint the exact point of impact followed by the deep decay that follows.
 
Treble is filled with energy and sparkles. From Powder Snow sung by Suara, the Japanese bells have a realistic texture and great decay. I do notice sometime on certain tracks, hot treble could be detected but that may just be TT being less forgiving in that range then the other dacs/amps
 
Compared to the CDM using the HD800S as a AMP/DAC: (I reviewed this previous)
The CDM has a warmer tone with a more intimate sound. Vocals off it feels closer like a single sound source infront of the singer with great body.  The TT on the hand is more spread out and airy, similar to a open room with some distance away. The vocals however felt more distinct compared the the CDM which sounds more mixed with the background music. TT has a better instrument separation and a more effortless sound while CDM felt a little forced. The TT treble sparkles with energy while the CDM felt a little diffused with everything else and thus a little dull. With the combination of treble and separation, the TT allows more things to be heard and recognize at any one time.
 
CDM as Amp: (Dac by TT)
CDM has a more weighty sound with a center focus for the mids and a overall smoother sound. On the TT, the sound felt more airy with a bigger stage. The CDM did have some nasal like feel for the vocals and a touch less sparkle in the treble. 
 
Cayin IHA 6 as Amp: (Dac by TT)
In SE, the IHA6 had no chance against the TT SE. In balanced, its a close fight with more energy and air in the IHA6 at the lost of some sound stage. However the IHA6 sound could be tweaked with the settings which could improve various parts when needed so I kept my HD800S balanced and amped for more flexible setting based on the song I listen.
 
Overall there is little gain to amp the TT while using the HD800S.
 
I highlighted the point above as it is pretty much the 2000 dollar question between it and Hugo. The TT sound really close Dac wise to the Hugo. In vocal tracks, there is a touch more air at the end of each phrase. On the bass tracks, there is a little more control. There is a little more separation. Everything is just a touch better which may or may not be heard. This was tested with the KSE1500 which is extremely sensitive and is purely self amped. Put on a headphone or speaker, unless in some sound isolation room, I maybe hard pressed to tell the difference
 
However switch out to the HD800S and running as a all-in-one amp/dac, the TT trumps the Hugo by a huge margin. The Hugo just sounds muddy compared to the TT edition, with lost of energy, sparkle and speed. Hugo bass felt bloated in relative to the TT. The 2k question pretty much lies here for me: If you are looking for a all in one, the TT is the Hugo with all the muscle, else you will probably have nothing to lose with the Hugo and maybe for the extra money get a much better amp stage elsewhere. Just to note, non of my amps actually improve the TT sound so unless I can get my hand on something significantly better then them, I am not really sure if its something that can be solved especially if you like the Hugo house sound with no coloration.
 
This sums up my summary of the Hugo TT. Its Hugo grown up with weight training! 

AK Angie Universal
 
The AK Angie is the universal fit of the JH Angie by JH Audio. Sold by Astell & Kern, it sits below the the bigger brothers Layla and Roxxane. In the upcoming refresh “Full Metal Jacket”, the younger sister Rosie will be introduced. For now I am reviewing the original version of the AK Angie.
 
Packaging
 
The Angie comes in a hard box. Within it are 5 different tips, a mini screwdriver, a brush and wire for clearing the tips, a metal case and 2 cables (1 standard, 1 balanced). The metal case is really nice, bright red and screwed lock. All in all, I am quite satisfied with what is given for its price point.
 
Usage
 
The Angie is quite a big IEM. It took me some effort to get the optimal seal, settling on the M sized comply tips. Still the earphones stick out quite some bit and can easily lose its seal with enough shake. The cables are really nice though: Very little microphonic and very easy to move around even though they are quite thick. They also don’t get tangled easily. Overall, to me the comfort of Angie is quite low, luckily it had a great cable and a very nice carrying case that fits the IEM in.
 
In additional, the screwdriver given is to tweak the bass of the Angie on the cables. JH Audio introduced tweak-able bass with the Siren series starting with Roxxane. On general it works though I cant feel much difference in the first quarter of the turn. However once it goes beyond half way, it really made a difference with the highest point giving quite some boom to the bass. That said, I feel that the Angie even at its highest bass point is still well controlled. More in the next section.
 
Sound Impression
 
To first start off, I got my Angie after my KSE1500  which to me is quite the pinnacle of  portable audio performance. I owned a 846 for a short period and a Lyra. On general I rate the Angie above the 846 but below the KSE1500 especially if EQ is applied for the latter in the Amp.
 
So lets start with the basic parameters of treble, vocals, bass, and sound stage followed by the characteristic of the sound which will cover the rest.
 
Songs used:
 
Liberi Fatali: Distance World from Final Fantasy

Hello: Adele 25

Powder Snow: Suara

Sometime When we Touch: Susan Wong

Hotel California: Eagles, Hell Freezes Over

Gate:: Kisada Kyodan and The Rockets

 
Bass: The bass goes quite low and can have quite some impact. For the song of Gate, where it starts with a lot of mid bass, the impact can be felt with very good separation that do not affect the other spectrum. The bass can be tweaked as mentioned above with the screw driver by turning a knob on the cable. This increases the amount of bass. However even at the max, the bass never felt totally out of control. Compared to the Lyra, it has a more controlled bass but don’t have the impact or “boom” of the Lyra. Compared to the KSE1500, the KSE1500 just felt extremely well controlled, tight and quick.  However the KSE1500 also has lesser at its base setting. So by no means the Angie bass is inferior to the KSE1500, its more different.
 
Vocals: The vocals felt a little forward for the Angie. Everything is clear and smooth. In the tracks by Adele and Suara, the vocals are well portrayed with a little forward center.  The vocals are quite smooth but has some warmness in them. The vocals do not feel as realistic as the KSE1500, however they have a enjoyable tone similar to say a small room concert.: warmish and well spread out.
 
Treble: The treble is very well controlled with very little harshness. Compared to the KSE1500, it does not feel that extended and sparkle. Overall, the details in this region could be easily picked up with ease. In Powder Snow, the little bells can be heard with a nice ting to them with good amount of sparkle that so far been only surpassed by the KSE1500 in my collection. I personally felt the treble is actually very smooth and probably theres a roll off at the higher region which result it being less harsh which made it more enjoyable for modern pop songs.
 
Sound Stage: The sound stage is actually pretty wide. Wider then the Shures 846 and about the same as the KSE1500. The positioning is in my opinion better then the KSE1500 but it doesn’t have the absolute clarity and separation that the KSE have.  A notable part of the soundstage difference is how vocals are done, where the KSE1500 is laid back by default, the Angie had a more forward with good spread. The way to describe it is a room where you are in the middle with the singer somewhat closer to you then the wall. 
 
Characteristics: The sound is warm even at the minimum bass. No matter how low the dial go, it will never be of similar tone to the KSE1500 which I felt is extremely neutral. The Angie is very detailed. Technically everything but the softest details can be picked by the Angie. Due to the great positioning, clarity and separation, orchestra/band music is very good on them. I throughly enjoyed Liberi Fatali with its complex instrument and chants. The warm tone adds to the feeling of a concert hall.  Its signature is closer to the 846, except more refined especially in the bass, separation and positioning. One notable thing with my pairing with ZX2, I sometime find them too warm and smooth on some tracks. This made them a little off sounding if lots of bass and treble happen together. Maybe due to pairing or that the ZX2 do not have the absolute finesse to drive it. Weirdly it still retains the positioning and separation quite well so Im putting it as a signature mismatch. Will update the characteristic again whenI have access to my CDM.
 
Value:
 
The cheapest of the Siren line, less then half the value of Layla (which I tried and didn’t think its that great) I find the Angie extremely value for money at the price points its competing. At where I am, its pricing is quite close the 846, K3003 and many others. However the new full metal jacket is coming with a 200USD price bump. Im unsure will it be of good value after  the price increment if the sound quality remains the same.
 
Conclusion
 
I throughly enjoyed the Angie even though I got it after my KSE1500.  Overall the warm and smoother sound signature makes it easier to appreciate then KSE1500 neutral and flat default signature. The bass can be tweaked to personal flavour which I think its great. I will definitely recommend people to look into it especially before the metal jacket comes in. At just 100 more then the Shures and many others in the price range of around 1k price range, it stands at the top of that heap. Compared with the absolute TOTLs, it may not have the finesse of them but definitely no where inferior that you will stop listening to them.