I have been involved with this hobby for the past 6 years, and I have tried various DAC's, headphone amplifiers, full size headphones, In ear monitors, and other said accessories. Now I am by far not the writing this review for measurement tests and frequency response graphs and comparisons, and it is not because I do not think those are unhelpful but I also know that they are usually done by more than one reviewer and I do not have the proper testing setup and or gear. I will be giving my opinion from start to finish, and if you are looking for an objective review then you should probably look elsewhere for that.


To those that are in the market looking at something of this level or in this price range... I apologize this review should of been posted months ago, but alas I went through a serious health scare, hospitalization, broken pc, end of an engagement, temporary homelessness, still broken pc, to working pc but constantly overheating, and to now where I am okay and starting over. But without further delay let me start this off.

Audiofly is located in Australia, and make stage monitor's, consumer market universal in-ear monitors, headphones, and other said accessories in the audio field. The AF-180 which was a mid tier IEM(In ear monitor for those who were unaware) which received many praise in both the audio community and consumer market(such as online stores and such). They were very competitive in the 500$ and lower price bracket, and had a detailed, balanced, impressive sound with a smoother highs that people really seemed to enjoy. Now I have never owned them but I have listened to them and I have to say next to the Earsonics SM64 and the Nuforce Primo 8 they are some of my favorites for universal IEM's under 500$. This factor is what pushed me in the deeper water and larger price bracket with the AF-1120 6 BA driver IEM's. Which when I purchased these in ears I was informed that this was their flagship model for the consumer market and the measurements and sound characteristics would be different from the well received AF180 quad driver IEM.

I took a chance with the AF-1120 and I have to say I was not entirely sure on how I would like this in ear, but after receiving and doing both critical listening and just using it for my own enjoyment what I can say is that if you are looking for neutral, very balanced, detailed, and leaning a bit towards smooth in ear then this could definitely be for you. I will break down the some of the impressions I had, as well as the gear used, and the genres listened too while reviewing this IEM.

Gear used with the AF-1120:
DAC's used: Fiio x5 iii, Denfrips Ares R2R DAC, ALO Pan AM.
Amps used: Fiio x5iii integrated amplifier, ALO Pan AM, Meier stepdance 2, iBasso PB2, Meier Concerto
Headphones/IEM's for comparison: ZMF Ori's, Monolith M1060, Nuforce primo 8's, Earsonics SM64's
Sources: All files were flac 44khz 16bit all the way up too dsd. I did use some mp3's to see if it played nice with lower bit rate and or quality format or if it is more picky.

Music tested:
Paul SImon, 2Cellos, the Piano Guys, Adele, Fleetwood Mac, Rush, Eagles, Glass Animals, Bon Iver, Hans Zimmer, Ramin Djawadi, Sufjan Stevens, the Cure, Alkaline Trio, At the Drive In, Mars Volta, Radiohead, Coldplay, Almond Brothers, Iron and Wine, Nora Jones, the Smith, Joy Division, My Bloody Valentine, Florence + the Machines, Billy Holiday, Johny Cash, Black Sabbath, Metallica Tom Gabel, AFI, Against Me, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Jeremy Soule, Aesop Rock, Gnarles Barkley, Notorious BIG, Wutang, Howard Shore, Hozier, Jeff Buckley, Bright Eyes, Burial, Bob Dylan, Coheed, the Clash, Daughter, etc.( it goes on for a while longer let us just that I tried to include most of the different genre types that I have on my 3TB hard drive. I Listen to a lot of alternative, indie-rock, instrumental, prog-rock, cinematic pieces and scores, but I listen to everything as long as I like it.)

AF-1120 Sound quality and characteristics/signature

As far sonic capabilities go I believe the AF-1120 definitely very capable and definitely undervalued and under appreciated. It is a balanced and flat IEM in terms of both sound and measurements, it is both wide and detailed, but because of the consumer market many in ears/headphones have elevated bass or low end response. This being so it may be considered bass light in comparison, and due to BA drivers it is a bit light when it comes to 'slam' in the low end. It is not fatiguing through out the frequencies to my ears and it is well defined in the treble(more so than the younger brother the AF-180). It does retain some of the smoothness of the 180's signature but not too the same extent due to the flatter response most likely.

Separation, Sound stage, Imaging-

All three of these attributes are really defined on the AF1120, it was probably the first thing I noticed from upgrading from the SM64, and the difference what pretty white and black due to the SM64 having an average stage and perhaps above average separation and imaging. The AF1120 on the other hand i felt a much more 3d environment and the placement of each and every instrument was much easier to pinpoint and notice. Now, it was less right and left channel and more of a sphere around me, a more natural surround sound so to speak, and it makes the very flat and neutral AF1120 more engaging and enticing to listen to when you hear music layered and spaced just right for an in ear I was impressed to say the least. Width and separation is very good as well, and this could be a mixture of the level of clarity(which is fantastic) and the solid sound stage it already has.

Bass, Midrange, and Treble-

This is a balanced in ear to my ears, and what I am trying say is that no one particular frequency sticks out or is too elevated to my hearing. The bass is tight and controlled and doesn't sound boomy or muddy in the more bass heavy genres. I would say Comply ear tips are a good choice with this model because it helps with bass prat and allows it to have a bit more bass slam. The midrange is detailed with great separation and space, maybe slightly forward or if not then just right to my ears. The slightly smooth presentation makes the treble and upper midrange very easy to listen too and I believe they did the right thing with this IEM. Mainly I feel depending on the source or DAC that if there was no smoothness to this IEM it may of been a little fatiguing and dull otherwise. Stringed instrumentals sound awesome with this in ear and vocals stay very present and clear which I truly enjoy. Highs are just about as detailed as the mid range with no siblence or harshness to my ears.
Listening to 2Cellos cover of " Now We Are Free" sounds amazing on this in ear, the texture you feel and hear from the instruments makes you really appreciate what they offer.

Comparison's-

If I had to compare these to a full size headphone I would say they are a cross between the ZMF Ori's and HE-560's, and here is why: the low end response and emphasis reminds me a bit like the modded HE-560s with that tight, quick, and controlled bass. In the same regard if you were blend the smoother Ori's with it's great imaging and resolution and combine it with the flatter He-560's I think it would be similar in signature to the AF-1120. Now, not to say the AF-1120 punches with close to 1 grand full size headphones, but signature and characteristics of both can be found in this small in ear, and it does do very well for it's price point to deliver exceptional sound quality.

I am sure there are some that like more treble, bass, or even midrange for their own preference and there are better in ears out there that have more emphasis in one of those frequencies, like the SM64 has a rolled of treble nice low end for a BA driver and very enjoyable sound signature, but the detail retrieval, imaging, staging, separation and clarity are weaker than this model. If you want more of a reference sound with a higher level of resolution and clarity from your music then the AF-1120 will deliver, it is a very good predecessor to the AF-180. Though it is it's own IEM where the Af-180 would be perhaps more enjoyable to some with different preferences but at the loss of clarity, resolution, and detail.

Gear pairings-
The AF-1120 was pretty neutral so in that regard if you liked your DAC and amp's pairing normally then chances are you would enjoy them with the AF-1120. The ALO Pan AM as an amp sounded great with the 1120, and that is with both Vokshad and GE green tubes. One brought out some more bass emphasis and treble sparkle and the other extended further onto the already nice midrange. What I did find a little surprising was how good the Meier Audio Concerto sounded with this IEM. It had awesome clarity and prat, and as well as very good tonality.

Build and Comfort-
Build was the one thing that was upsetting for me, and this is due to the fact that my model cracked on the seam of the shell. and a small piece is now missing which I didn't even drop these because I kept them in the protective case when not listening at my desktop. Now, I do not know if I just had faulty earpiece perhaps, but I will edit once I get a hold of Audiofly about this and see if the earpiece is either replaceable or repairable.
Comfort is the best I have experienced in terms of fit, weight, and the design. It is completely concealed in my ear you would have to look at the side to notice the in ear itself.

This is a gem that has not been noticed by many and I want to bring it to other's attention so that they may experience, own, or at least sample these IEM's and put their name out there because they deserve it.
No one paid me for this review, and I am giving my honest opinion about this product.

So,  I have been waiting in anticipation to write and  produce  this review on the TOTL semi open planar magnetic headphone  from ZMF Headphones. Now, to be straight-forward and to avoid at times annoying and aggravating suspense for those just wondering if the headphones are worth the marketed price and or if they are a value… To these ears? Most definitely, absolutely, and resounding Yes. I have owned many entry level to mid tier headphones the most expensive being the He-560(grill/pad/cable modded), but the ZMF Omni is my personal favorite in terms of quality, signature, and frequency response. For those that just this information matters you do not need to read further, and for those who like the know the details, experiences, and time that led to this opinion I hope you get something of value from this review.
 
Some info before we start… Zach started messing around with the modding of T50rp drivers around 2010, and originally had started for his own private listening and wasn’t until 2011 where selling them had begun. He has been passionate about music for a long time prior and even was involved with building acoustic guitars and the like before ZMF was established. I do know he tunes this headphone to his own preferences to sound musical, natural, with a good tonality, and aspiring to bring that music home for him(These are my words from what i gathered from talking with Zach via email, so don’t quote me, heh.). As a fellow music lover and another who wants that natural feel to the music as much as possible this lead me through a series of corresponses with Zach, who has been an exceptional person to talk with, get to know, and buy from. I first found out about them via head-fi and the ZMF Vibro Mk1 which was based on Zach’s tuning and teaming up with Vibro Labs in regards to the wood design and craft. Now the wood is crafted and finished at Vibro Labs as to make sure everything is as perfect as it can be and then delivered to Zach for installation, assembly, along with tuning.


 
 
 
We will start with build, comfort, and form/function. The ZMF Omni, as much as I would LOVE it is most definitely a not a portable headphone. It is a full size, semi open, wired headphone. For those who did not know or have not yet researched much on this headphone it is using custom made wooden ear cups along with Zach’s own tuning of the modded t50rp mk2 drivers. Which From what i have read the two T50rp mk2 is in itself a better version of the original T50rp(which both are a planar magnetic driver). It is a solid headphone with the wooden earcups(different variety to choose from) replacement pads from ZMF( which are angled and come in lambskin leather, cowhide, and protein pads. Better depth, comfort, and width than original pads.) Also, the option other either a aftermarket pilot pad for extra padding and comfort can be added or what I used being a leather strap to disburse weight more evenly and increase comfort. An issues for some with these headphones may be weight, now I have strong neck and shoulder muscles but someone who didn’t or were use to light headphones may have a problem with the weight for longer sitting periods. This isn’t to say the headphone is uncomfortable to me, because it is very comfortable just shy as comfortable as my HE-560 which is saying a lot for a heavier headphone.  Now one of the most notable things about this headphone line up with the different pads and bands, and the different wood types and finishes is that it is one of the most aesthetically pleasing headphones to own. I mean from my point of of view here, the wood is done with care care and assembled again by Zach with attention to detail because he is a lover both music and headphones.
 
As far as I am concerned for a semi open headphone in the sub 1k range I do not feel like this headphone has any real weaknesses, I find it to be very balanced, and one of the most detailed headphones using the T50rp drivers. There is fantastic tone and signature that i have truly come to love and I will break that down a bit more in the descriptions and some comparisons below:

 
The Omni is Zach’s latest headphone creation, and as such it is also his highest end model in terms of both sonic quality and pricing. From being a previous owner of the Vibros that were released I would agree that the Omni out performs and with diminishing returns in mind is a better overall headphone as far sound quality.
 
Where some other headphones that have been released in the past may focus in one or two particular areas where they truly shine and out perform others at the expense or trade off of the other qualities of the headphone, the Omni is extremely well balanced across the frequencies, both depth and width of staging and separation, tonality and or timbre, it is very detailed but not specifically focus on details where it perhaps sounds a little forced or loses a naturalness that some headphones are lacking.   It exceeds in a natural detail that is present and defined, along with a separation and space that is truly impressive for only semi open. I instantly took a liking to the headphones when first trying them but had been using the Hifiman He-560’s for a long while up until this point and was not sure which headphone I would consider ideal(for me) in the long haul. So best way I can talk about the different frequencies would be to go over certain tracks and critical listening I did with the Omnis, and hopefully this will lead those who are interested in experiencing these headphones to a better consensus if this is suited to your tastes. I will not put every track and or album I listened to down with contrasts and experiences only because that be overly long and in some cases redundant. Instead i will put perhaps the tracks and artists that had the biggest effect on me while listening to these headphones.
 
 

 
 
Rush 2112-Farewell to Kings-Moving pictures
 
I will be frank I got into a pretty big prog rock trip for the past 6 months, now I was listening to these albums mastered in 32 bit 192khz format, and they sounded insanely awesome. Like totally just dazed and sucked into the music with the Audio GD-28 paired with my modded He-560s.. And though I know there are other more expensive and technically better headphones out there I didn’t think I would really enjoy it more than I was. Then came the ZMF Omni’s with a feast of musical deliciousness that just sucked me into all albums whether classic favorites or delving into new material. Space and definition for a semi open headphone, around the same asking price as the new He-560, was just truly addicting on tracks classic’s like Tom Sawyer the intro would give me goosebumps from how well everything is spaced, placed and detailed. It is done so with a natural approach where I get lost into the music and know the details are there and they are definitely audible, but I am no longer focused on them. Lowend has good prat and weight, perhaps not as much as my vibros(being a closed headphone) but I can not promise that since it has been a long while since i listened to them. But it does extend further than the vibros and I feel it sounds more realistic than the He-560s due to having some more weight with the notes if that makes sense.  Mid range is  usually my favorite area for music, I listened on and found that the clarity to be at the very least on par with the 560s but with more presence and emotion(  I know not a real term but this is anything but objective so deal) I felt more like I was listening to a live singer and performer with the Omni’s. The guitar lines in Red Barchetta were so captivating I would relisten to the track multiple times to just see if it was perhaps just hype on my end. Each of these three albums have never sounded so complete to me between the hi-res format and the Omni to lay it all out for me... I was in truly content.
 
Adele 25
 
First and foremost Water under the Bridge and River Lea are probably my favorite and most listened to tracks while using the Omnis. Adele has a fantastic voice and well written lyrics, and so with that it is easy for me to enjoy the majority of the songs she has come out with the past few years. I am very happy to say the Omni performs beautifully with this album. Every instrument is so well placed where it envelopes you with her vocals up front and center it was the closest I have come to a live performance with a headphone.
The thing i found most amusing is I prefer open headphones from all my previous experiences but when listening to music by Adele I never felt like I prefer the openness of the He-560 over the Omni. The He-560 being a fully open headphone with the grill mod included is more spacious and ethereal than the Omni’s but the resolution and depth along with the separation never made me reach for the 560’s with Adele.
 
Florence + the Machine
 
Scottish heartthrob of mine, don’t tell the wife, is a fantastic enchantress of vocalist… she mesmerizes me and I have never been happier listening to her from at home than with these headphones. I feel like the more I listened to her albums from her earlier Lungs album to her more recent How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful the impact her music had on me was something kind of gives me goosebumps. With  the low end of songs like Rabbit Heart with just enough slam and extension to hit the lower notes made the song for me. The piano and vocals throughout the refrain is where the goosebumps set in.
 
Ramin Djawadi- Game of Thrones: Season 3
 
I wanted to add this into the review as one of the ones I talked about because it is instrumental and the soundtrack for game of thrones.  Normally for instrumental I have come to prefer and enjoy open headphones usually for the width and separation they can provide. Now this is where the He-560 and Omni come closer together in comparison as far as my tastes and musical preferences are concerned. Both give good width and clarity, and though the He-560 sounds less surround than the Omnis it has an ethereal quality about them that makes listening to these soundtracks and scores a fantastic thing. Overall though, I would say the Omni is preferred in the long haul for the depth and surround staging it brings to the album. It does very well at not sound claustrophobic for not being a fully open headphone.  Also the slam the drums in Dracarys delivered makes the song feel  more natural as I imagined it was suppose to be portrayed.  
 
There a dozens of albums I could add in if I had more to write about but I do not feel it would add much more to the discussion and I have only so many words I can use to describe what I hear and feel when listening to a headphone when writing. Some of the others I used in my experiencing, rating, and then loving the Omni’s are such:
Ben Folds Discography
Hans Zimmer soundtracks
Aesop Rock Discography
At the Drive-In
Sufjan Stevens Discography
Jeremy Soule
Mars Volta
Iron and Wine
Howard Shore
Gorillaz
Gnarls Barkley
Yes
Fleetwood Mac
Smashing Pumpkins
My Bloody Valentine
David Bowie
The Cure
Coldplay
Radiohead Discography
Counting Crows- August and Everything After
Coheed and Cambria
Metallica
Queen
And others...
 
For those of you interested in the frequency response measurements this was provided by Listeninc sourced by Zach.


 
 
I will say that is something I absolutely love out this headphone is that it brought excitement back into my listening. Before I listened to them the He-560 had been my go to headphone for a long time and I had no interest to buy anything new without dropping 2 -3 times the price of the He-560. Well, I was wrong because the amount of time I have put trying old and new albums with the Omni’s should be a testament to the impact it has had on my audio life. I mean that with all the sincerity I can muster, I am not saying this jumps better than the HE-560 because it isn’t in terms of sound quality. It is mostly set with a different aspect and signature. I would say if you want one of the most enjoyable well balanced headphones out there right now I don’t feel like many would be disappointed by the Omnis. I know I have not been in the slightest, I feel reawakened to my music and the listening experiencing. Not critiquing and breaking apart the music the whole time, but truly listening and finding meaning with each artist, each album, each track, and each chorus.
 
On the Omni page there is a line written "a true heirloom built just for you.", to be as short about it as I can. That is exactly what this headphone is to me, and heirloom from sonic quality, build, and aesthetics...something I would want to pass down.

First let me just get this out of the way and say I absolutely love these headphones, but this review is completely subjective and in that it is only my preference and opinion on what this headphone offers it would be owner's at the price you pay for such a product. I have use this headphone with a few different amps, desktop and portable, and a couple different sources. It has sounded enjoyable with all of them but of course there was better synergy with particular pairings. Which I will talk about during my impressions and review from over time. This is a list of the amps and DACs used during the time I have used this headphone: ALO PanAm(DAC and amp), Geekout 1000(DAC and amp), Matrix 2012 edition(amp), JDS Labs C5(amp), Meier 2Move(DAC and Amp), Cayin C5(amp), W.S. Blue bird 1.2(amp), Cmoybb(amp), and rockbox iPod 5.5(DAC). 
EDIT: Audio GD NFB 28(DAC amp)
 
I will say I think that this being an orthodynamic headphone it does need some power to be driven to a clarity and detailed musicality that the headphone excels in. This is just my opinion and though particular pairings were not as good as others, I still really enjoy all these amps with this Headphone. Now to get into the actual review.
 
Build/design:
 
 Well first off you have options for this customize T50RP modded headphone, and when I say modded I mean modded... it really is so much more than you would ever get from your standard model. It is aesthetically beautiful, and I mean I think that many people would like a pair just on the looks of the wooden cups and stained finish. You also have the choice of the the leather comfort strap for weight dispersion on your head which helps with comfort overall, because let's face it this is a heavy headphone which is from the wooden cups and ortho drivers. It is definitely also one of the most comfortable headphones I have worn, and that is a testament to the leather ZxV headband strap and the alpha dog ear pads. So comfort I would give a 9/10 only minusing a point for the overall weight still being a factor. That being said I feel like Zach working with Vibro labs is one of the best things that has happened for the T50RP, being that this headphone at full retail is cheaper than both the Alpha dogs and the Paradox slants. Granted these are all different sound headphones and from what I have heard the Alpha's are a bit more precise and neutral, but I feel the ZxV's are more musical and overall more enjoyable.
 
Sound: I will break it down in a few sub categories to give myself and the would be reader's a break.
 
Lows: The bass is a variable option here with the bass ports, and their plugs. You can choose how much bass you want from this headphone to a certain extent, and honestly it really does make a difference. I personally think it sounds best for the genre's I listen to mostly with 1 stopper out of 3 removed on each cup. This gives me nice impact with out sounding to loose and or sloppy for some of the more bass intensive tracks. I have listened to every option so I can say that even all ports closed the bass has nice impact and a special character, the lows are definitely good, maybe not as tight and as in depth as I would like with some of my music but still good. 8/10
 
Mids: This is the bread and butter of this headphone, honestly I do not think I find anything wrong with this at all. I mean that, and yes the midrange is lush and slightly fuller and warmer. But it is never lacking detail and extension from what I can hear. also it has magic. Yes, Magic is what I said, I normally do not think of a magical element when referring to a headphone except the few that I reviews passionately.  This midrange just is immersive where it surrounds you intimately is presented in a way that it is very very hard to forget. I think it is beautiful, and I am not even saying this is my ideal midrange, I like open headphone, but even the HD600s/650s did not effect me like this with their midrange. I think it is still smooth and lush without dropping detail and speed, and clarity is still decently good. 10/10 this was the easy one for me to rate.  
 
Highs: Smooth is a word that comes to mind when listening to the high range, and it still retains decent detail, but not as much as I sometimes would like with specific genres or groups. I definitely think it is nice sounding, and still enjoyable and for someone that does not like bright headphones this is definitely a good thing. This is a tad on the darker side but the more they opened up with use, I will be honest they do not feel as dark as they did. Certainly more neutral than the ZMF V2's. This  was one of the harder things for me to rate, because though it was a smoother treble it was still detailed well enough and most importantly I kept putting these headphones back on over everything else I compared them with... 7.5/10 I believe this is fair.
 
Soundstage/ imaging/ separation: this is not going to take the medal for openness and stage for it is still a closed headphone, but this definitely feels more spacious and deeper than other closed headphones I have listened too. The T70p is wider by a little bit but also feels less natural, and HD600 feels more grainy. So, it may be closed but it does have some space and good separation for sure, The imaging is easy to pin point instruments and feels very 3d to me. I have to be fair and keep my thoughts realistic on the soundstage, because this is closed so with that being said 8/10(imaging and separation top notch for this price, staging not to far behind for a closed headphone)
 
Timbre/tonality: Impressive, and very real feeling to me, yes it is a tad warm in somethings but still very natural and god do I love it's overall tone. Could be because of the wooden cups, and or just the modding Zach has done, but I will be talking to him more and editing this review along the way. 
 
Comparisons: This beats out, for myself, the HD600/650s, Beyerdynamic T70p, DT880s, Dt990s, and comes closer to the Hifiman HE-560 level of headphone. Now, this is not objective just opinion, do not want to step on any toes. I had sold all my headphones but kept these, and now the HE-560s. They make a fantastic partnership. This Headphone is similar to the HD650 in it's intimate midrange, and nice bass impact. smoother sound sig. But It just did things better imo. Detail and musicality won me over in the end. 
 
Amp pairings: out of those listen above I will be honest in saying I did not expect the GeekOut 1000 to pair so magnificently with this headphone. But it did.... it is an aggressive DAC/Amp Class A and god does this sound good together, adds tightness in the bass and extension up top. With improving further on clarity, detail, and speed. Making this a very awesome combo.
 
Now originally the ALO PanAm I had thought only decent with the RTC French tubes but once I put the Geekout1000 as the DAC and PanAm as amp(with the Cifte tubes) I was much more impressed where the bass was tighter and quicker, but the midrange was even more detailed and musicality was done justice. Very nice and sweet pairing.
 
Cayin C5 would be the amp that I recommend as far as portable listening with this headphone as it has 850mw of power ouput, and is able to drive these to a very nice level of both clarity and detail, they pair very well, because the Cayin C5 for a lack of better words is a beast of an headphone amp(taken from a friend :-D) 
 
The JDS Labs sounded okay but lacked in power at the impedance of this headphones and just did not able to get best sound from this. At lower volume it sounded okay and still enjoyable because both these products are good for their price.
 
Meier 2Move is more musical and slightly more warm than the JDS Labs C5 and I enjoyed it more because of this. Was a good match and recommend after the Cayin C5 and W.S1.2 Blue Bird
 
Finally the Audio-Gd NFB28, is probably my favorite DAC/Amp paired with this headphone, and that is out of the single ended jack, which this being a fully balanced unit I am waiting on a cable actually from Zach to test from the balanced jack with a 4pin xlr plug. I think the Speed of this amp and detail really add something to the ZxV and if anyone is looking for an all in one unit with lots of options for connectivity and inputs and outputs this is the way to go. 
 
Overall: This is my favorite closed headphone and possibly my tied for favorite headphone I have owned, next to the HE-560 and especially after the pairing with the NFB28, I think from the aesthetics, customizing, build and comfort all the way to the tonality, musicality, and detail of this headphone you are in for a real treat and bargain for 550$. You can also find out about possible B-stock(if available) and other options from Zach, who is very very good at getting back to people. Hell, he has even talked to me just about possible amps to try cable, etc. When I had already bought and been using his HP. Great guy, great company in the rise, and magical headphone. Not much to complain about just think to your own preferences before buying because that comes down to a big chunk of what you should choose.  
 
EDIT: once I get the balanced cable from Zach, I will be pairing the ZxV with the NFB 28 balanced jack and see if there are improvements and or differences worth writing about. Also, any amps I try that I think worth mentioning as well. I am sorry to those who wanted an objective review on this headphone, that is just not what I am capable of at the moment. I hope this review helps any fellow headfier out there looking for a headphone.
 
EDIT: Received the hybrid copper/silver balanced cable and extensions from Zach today. I originally had been pairing the ZMF x Vibro's with the Audio-gd NFB 28, which had been the best pairing I had found for the ZxV to date, and adding the "hybrid" intertwined cable and plugging this already great headphone in to the balanced jack just made things that much better. Given this is a fully balanced system and it's purpose was meant thus, so single ended sounds good but is about 10% maybe more less in sound quality and about half the power of the balanced jack. I will say first impressions are very positive and instantly realized the differences in improved clarity, speed, details, and power. The harshness that happened in the treble times is gone completely with just a more detailed and refined treble making this one of the best pairings I have tried let alone owned.  
 
Edit: So, firstly I have found the best pairing to date with my own subjective experiences with the ZMF x Vibros headphones. It consists of a transportable set up of the iBasso DX90 paired with PB2 balanced portable amp to balanced adapter to 4pin xlr to the ZxV headphones. It sounds crisp, powerful, yet does not loose that midrange and impact in the lows. It  is like listening to a desktop setup in my experience. I highly recommend it if possible looking for an amp for this headphone search the classifieds on the FS forum.

   I have had a little bit of experience with hybrid amps from the Vali, Little Dot 3, and finally the Fournier HTA-2. What I have not had experience is with all in one tube-hybrid/DAC which yes I have seen them around from unknown chinese versions that cost less and High end audio gear that cost so much more. I will say for this Price I think many units will have a hard time beating out this DAC/Amp. Now that fact that you can travel with this and have it connected to your laptop and or tablet on a bus or train and being listening nise 96khz files from a great amp and DAC is just a hefty plus. Mainly because I actually preferred getting the Gateway which is the aftermarket powersupply, for a cleaner and or more solid power supply. The sound quality on this unit for the price you can find them at is what really is amazing, because this DAC is definitely on par with the ODAC/CDAC+ that I have used in the past, which many know from their own experiences is fantastic DAC for the value it brings to all types of audio hobbyists. Well, the PanAm is not a slouch in the DAC dept. and man does it sound clean and clear with great detail, which for this price it should be. Yet, all this is for not if the amp is lacking in qualifications....well do not fret, because the Amp is in many ways the star of the show being even better, from power(raw power this thing is seriously fronting with the ring of power or something) to versatility. This amp can drive them phones, and does it sound good? *a very satisfying hell yeah, Let us get into a few specifics
 
The Design/Build
 
 Honestly this feels and looks like a higher quality DAC/Amp from the small compact size to the sturdy construction and aesthetically pleasing chassis and ability to stack the PanAm with both the Gateway power supply( same size and color if one so chooses between black and silver) and the Passport( the battery pack that can charge and last up to 10 or so hours otg) which if buying both of the aftermarket accessories/extensions this product looks really cool and still is much smaller than many to any DAC/amp combo's I have seen. That amber to orange led light is non-obtrusive to the eye and gives a very nice pairing with the the orange tubes leds. It is heavier that it looks for it's size but that just adds to the solid feel it gives when first unboxing this gem. To myself this is easily a 10 out of 10 if they had decided to throw in the ability to use RCA out and have a stand alone DAC for those hobbyists, and I am happen to be one, that like to have more than one amp for a pairing with a particular headphone. I understand that was not in the design and new this going in, but I also know 500$ is nothing to scoff at so I give Design  and build an 8/10
 
Sound quality and performance
 
  If I could of a one word description, perhaps...beautiful. I can honestly say this unit with all the headphones from 35 ohm to 600ohms, from Dynamics to Orthos everyrthing is driven with authority. Not just authority though, with the RTC French 5654 tubes I am using everything has a spaciousness and detail that just knocks me to a music dream state. I have used 5 headphones with this unit the top 3 with it that I have given ample listening time are the T70p(35ohms), the HD600(300 ohms), and the ZMF X Vibro(Ortho not sure on Ohm)...each performed admirably but these exceeded that with performing remarkably. I have say as far as closed back headphones both the X Vibro and T70p are great for a pairing, one have heavier bass impact lush full midrange and smooth easy listening treble. Where the T70p has great extension on bottom and top, the bass being lighter but tight and quick, the midrange being the best I have heard from a Beyerdynamic, and treble though bright is very detailed and not as harsh as the lesser siblings of the DT line. The T70p's resolution and spaciousness for a closed headphone really helped it be an easy fit with the ALO PanAm especially pairing with the RTC tubes which has great detail and separation yet still has a musicality and intimacy that I happen to love ...with the T70p this feels like a very detailed yet musical pairing that many hobbyists would grow to love. I happen to Listen to all three of these headphones pretty regularly with the PanAm, but what I did not expect was how incredible this hybrid would sound with the pairing of lower sensitivity IEMs such as the ER4PT. I plugged them into the 3.5 audio jack turned gain to low setting and took a shot, fingers crossed, and was surprised with awesome satisfaction when I heard no hiss and or noise with the ER4PT and never have I heard them sound so good or large for that matter. Versatility is definitely a strong point with the PanAm, because it has torn through all the Headphones and IEMs(which are only a few) that I have put in it's path. I am hopefully getting the Cfte tubes from a member of this community( a very good one at that) and will be trying them on for size and when I do I will probably put down an edit list at the bottom where I place what tubes I felt  made the best impression along with what headphones. Granted all of this is subjective because everyone's ear and taste is different to some extent. Sound quality and performance I give a 10/10 especially for the price right now.
 
As it stands there are other units for both DAC/Amp out there especially with the growing values out there in the audio world that compete with the PanAm, but I do not feel there is many that allow you to get this size, soundquality, versatility, and option to tube roll for the price that is on par with the PanAm, but granted this is my subjective opinion. Do I feel it warrants the money spent? Yes, I definitely do and it is incredible as far as audio performance in such a small package such as the PanAm. 
 
This was just the initial impressions and review after a couple weeks with this device, but after I try more headphones and some different tubes I will definite come back to edit what I feel needs to be.
Thanks for reading please leave comments and questions below. 

   I recently sold off my Schiit Vali in preparation for an HD600 headphone. Which I have heard that the HD600 sounds fantastic with the Vali, so while getting the HD600s I had just received this amp, the Fournier HTA-2, and had paired it with the DT880s which all I can say is.....awesome just awesome. I will be frank this amp is not perfect but for sub 200$ this amp has given me the most enjoyable and rich listening experience to date.
 
   From what I have read this amp came out a couple years ago, was designed, hand built, and sold by a seller on ebay. The HTA-1 was received very well from the community on Head-fi and elsewhere, with the small dissatisfaction when using the amp with low impedance headphones and IEMs. That is when the seller and designer of the Fourneir decided to make the HTA-2 where he implemented having a 3.5mm headphone jack on top of the 6.3mm. The 3.5mm being for lower impedances and making the amp much more versatile, and the fact that the sound quality alone would be enough for me to buy this for 200$. Now you add the ability to drive IEM without an abundant amount of noise and this is a real hidden gem. I will through the basics with this amp being its build quality/design/features, sound quality, and then comparing it to a couple over amps. 
 
   Build/Design/Features
   Firstly remember that this is handbuilt, so it is not going to a perfect specimen of an amp. That being said I believe that is still a very well built amp, with a nice cobalt blue aluminum chassis. The chassis does a very good job, great in fact with heat dissipation from the 2 tubes on top of the chassis. The bottom has little rubber feet which I feel do two things, first being the more obvious help with sliding around and also having the chassis scratch up the desk it is on. The second being that this unit get warm to hot and the feet are nice benefit if you are planning on stacking this unit on top of a DAC. To be honest I like the placement of the jacks and interconnect jacks, it has the 3.5mm and 6.3mm headphones jacks in front with the power switch and a really nice aluminum volume knob(crosshatched design). Where it has both RCA and a 3.5mm input in the back along with the power interconnect. Only thing I can see people not caring for with this design and build is the fact that it is hand built so the holes in the chasssis for the jacks are not perfectly aligned and they can be a bit of a pain to in some cases with place the tubes it presses agains the rubber grommet that has been glued around the cut out to help with vibration. Really though, that is it and I think it looks fantastic and stylish . Not too mention solidly built though decently light and small.. 4.5/5 

These are a couple pictures of the Fostex HP-A3 DAC/amp with the Fournier Stacked on top looking fantastic and king-like all in the same.
(Currently I am using the the Fostex DAC and the M-stage as a preamp where the Fournier is driving my headphones, where the HD600 only has to be turned to 7am to good listening volume...awesome)
 
    Now we get to the more important of the two sound quality I will break it down as best as I can, being that I am still relatively newer with reviewing audio gear compared to some of the veterans. So, I will do the best that I can in giving descriptive experiences and opinions. Please do note that this entire review is subjective and I do not have the testing gear to give a more objective results and or review.
 
  Sound quality
 When first receiving this unit I have only head mayb 6 amps, and owning a couple at that current moment in time, they all were sub 200$ amps like this one, and I preferred and enjoyed the fournier over all of them, now this is not to say amps like the Schiit Vali, O2, and Fiio e9 are not enjoyable or even better in some ways. In my time with this amp though the musicality and life like presentation trumps all other's. Considering that many tube hybrids tend to be warm and smooth but also sacrificing some of the detail and or separation this unit does exceptional. It is less warm than other hybrids I have heard, and definitely has more of a solid state feel in some respects. It does however have a charming way of making everything I listen to sound fantastic, better than it was before
Lows:
They are not boomy and have decent control, they do not have extreme amounts of detail but they do have a solid amount to where there is a balance of detail and warmth. I do think it could have a bit more impact with some genres and tracks but it is in no way meek.
 
Mids: this is the life of the part where this amp is concerned, they are lush and smooth, where you can just listen so easily to any track in any genre. They have good detail along with being very engaging, I can listen vocals and feel completely stuck in them. If I had to give one word perhaps it would be something like intimate or endearing, as in when I am listening the the upper mids of a female vocalist I feel transfixed where this woman is here in my very own room singing this song with an emotion of when it was first performed just for me. I know this is perhaps a strange way of explaining them but I could not do otherwise and give it justice
Treble: 
Is solid not as intimate and engaging as mids but at least on par with the lows and perhaps maybe a bit more detail with a nice smoothness, but not overly smooth like some tubes. This just take a bit of the harshness from a low resolution recorded track that may of been too bright with the DT 880s. Is has good extension but I do think it is lack when compared to something the like the Matrix M-stage. 
 
I honestly am not unhappy with any of the ranges, they all sound good with mid range being the money maker with this unit, yet the other two do not fall too far behind. You would really only be able to tell if you like the amp by listening to it with you own phones and source of course, but honestly I do not see many people not having  a liking for this amp. It would be a good hybrid to get if you are going over from strictly using solid state amps, because this amp have a solid state sound to with the presentation of a tube amp being that it feels life like. 
 
 Some of the comparisons I did that I had that were on hand was between the Fournier and the Fostex's integrated amp, the Schiit Vali hybrid, and finally  the solid state Matrix M-Stage.
they were tested with the Fostex HP-A3 DAC section, along with using 16bit-24bit and 44.1-96khz resolution tracks from Media monkey and Foobar2000. Headphones being used was the DT880, 990, and Finally the HD600. 
 
 VS Fostex HP-A3:
Okay hands down the HTA-2 was more enjoyable, with it's bit of warmth, fuller bass yet still a soid amount of control. Now the HP-A3 has fantastic control and tightness in the lows, but what it is lacking is a fullness and impact there is not enough weight behind it. This making the Hp-A3 a great match for headphones with heavy and impactful bass to the point where it helps tighten them up and the HD600s did sound great with rock and progressive tracks out of the HP-A3. In comparison to the HTA-2 and HD600s just felt like they had better synergy with the lush mids and detail given with the HD600...taking the HD600's mids to a whole new lvl of enjoyment. I would say the HP-A3 can be a good amp for particular headphones, but it is either  a hit or miss, but it is a decent amp really, for an all in one unit it is one of best for 300$ tag imo. Now, the HTA-2 sounds fantastic with all three headphones detail and clarity, yest smoother and more lush. 
 
VS Schiit Vali 
Both of these amps are very easy to listen to, especially with the three headphones I had used for the comparisons because they sound great with all the headphones used. I will say that I feel the Vali si a bit warmer than the HTA-2, and maybe a bit smoother as well. I think when coming  down to detail and depth the HTA-2 wins. The Vali is also price 50-60 $ less than the Fournier when both are bought new. Even so I let go of my Vali after getting this due to the realism and detail when listening from the DT880s. I do not regret nor really miss the Vali, which I liked very much, it is just worth the difference in price to buy the HTA-2. 
 
VS M-Stage 
Now the M-stage goes for about 50 dollars more sometimes more, depending on the source, than the HTA-2. I think that the HTA-2 is it's equal though, but not in normal terms. The sound stage on the M-stage is really nice and wide but not as deep as the HTA--2. Detail retrieval goes to the M-stage again there is more detail with the subtle things in the songs. Whether it be the touching of a string before the note is strummed, or something like precise drums where you hear every pit and patter. The M-stage shines with these things, but as midrange belongs to the HTA-2 and I believe that if I could make a perfect amp, it would be the combining of the separation, detail, wide staging, and character of the M-stage an d blending it with the intimacy and deeper texture of the HTA-2...man that would be like a dream to my ears to hear that with the HD600s. I will be editing this particular comparison between the two because I about receive some 1950's 12AU7 RCA tubes tomorrow. I will be also receiving some upgrade for the M-stage to dabble in opamp options. I will find out if they sound too close to the same as before. I will have to find out.
 
  Overall this amp has given me such an exciting time listening to music, to the point of wanting and actually listening to all the music files of FLACs I have on my pc all over again. Just to see if  I noticed an improvement in quality. I really think that it is a huge shame, and I wish that they would make an HTA-3 or maybe a portable hybrid amp would be a nice addition. Still, if you can find one of these used for a good price I highly suggest buying one especially if you have a DT series headphone or HD600 and or 650. You will not be disappointed.

  This is a review of the SoundMagic HP100 over the ear full sized closed headphone. I received this as one of my first mid-fi headphones about 6 months ago, and I have to say though I had just received the DT 990 pros a day before these I was undoubtedly impressed with the sound quality and comfort of the headphone. This headphone is top notch and one of the best closed headphone options you can choose under 300$. I had spent a few months with it, and my preferences being on over the ear open headphones I was surprised how much time I spent listening to this headphone. Let me get into a bit more details on why that was, at least for myself and what I heard and felt about this phone.
 
BUILD/Comfort: 
 
      Top notch, in the sense that these definitely feel like a 300$ headphone in comparison to what is out there currently. The design is made of a mixture of plastic and metal, but the plastic is higher quality and holding them in hand, though they are not too heavy, they feel sold and that they have a nice finish. Their is aluminum underneath the headband but it is a flexible source of design where one can extend this band very far given one's head width. I have a larger skull and these headphone never caused me pain for long hours of use(long is generally 6hours+) and the ear pads though they were my lesser desired pleather  material they had a very soft and high quality texture. Some owner's complained about the depth of the ear cup with the current stock pads, and I understand that perhaps for some ears that would be a less comfortable scenario. I have decent sized ears, and I have never experienced discomfort, and I remember putting velours on this phone and I have to say with them they become the most comfortable over the ear headphone I have ever worn let alone owned. I do believe the gripes about comfort or only ever about ear pads depth which can be easily remedied for a much more comfortable headphone than one would expect. As far build design only gripe is the detachable cable being custom to their own design with a locking mechanism, and this making it more difficult to get a custom cable for the headphone of higher quality. Minor gripes all in all, this deserves a 4.5/5  For comfort and build
 
Sound quality:
    Sound stage: Decently good especially considering this is a closed headphone, which tend to lack stage and excel in something like more bass impact. But this headphone does well in having a decent sound stage, granted nothing like DT 990s or even better a AKG K701's.. but come one this headphone cannot have it all. 4/5 (for a closed headphone)
  
    Lows: Very well controlled, with nice tight percussion, which I prefer. It does have decent extension in the low's as well but one thing it may be lacking in body and warmth when it comes to the bass I like control, impact, body, and extension. With this phone you will find almost all of these acquired but the body really.   4.5/5( overall very enjoyable lows)
 
   Mids: Now I think this headphone excels in this as far a bit more forward mid range, and  while listening to something Counting Crows I was kind of dumbstruck about how much I felt him singing in the same room as me. I have read that some one thought them too dry at times, and I will be honest I did not hear that if anything they are slightly warm and have a fuller more forward sound. 5/5
 
   Highs: There is solid detail retrieval in all three ranges, and highs are no exception of this. I would say they have a brightness, and this grants detail and a bit of energy at the sacrificing of being a little to bright at times. Where you will here harshness listening to something like a modi and magni coupling. I do believe it is not near the level of the DT 990s and some other like headphones. But I did not want to leave it out in case someone bought them after reading this. Highs are well done none the less 4/5
 
 Now when it comes to taking the small sections I had wrote about and putting the information together I can honestly say this is one of the best headphones I have used in the sub 300$ pricing. I am comparing this too hp's like DT 770s, Shure 440, 840, ATH M-50s, and others that have slipped my mind. This headphone does not disappoint and I ended up selling my own at my great dismay due to health issues and struggling finances. I will be honest for a closed headphone it is fantastic in all aspects that I prefer and desire. I am not going to say that I am going t buy it again soon, but that is because I am buying it's open brother  the HP200 which I know wills suit my preferences even more. I will say however that if I end up needing and having to purchase a closed headphone again, this is with out a doubt the one I am buying. That should say something being that I am stingy when it comes to making purchases for myself.

    The ud110 was recommended in a few different serious threads in the audio community, and I was intrigued to say the least, myself looking for more affordable options with out sacrificing too much and getting nice audio quality. I have tried a handful of DACs that some would consider the best value for your money in the 100-300$ price range. I know everyone has a preference as far as the flavor of audio, warm, cold, sterile and detailed, smooth and warm, etc. I have yet to really find a specific preference, but this not that I have not found I what I prefer with my actual DAC as in I like a more spacious, detailed, and transparent representation of the music. With this being paired with a slightly warmer but accurate amp and or headphones. WIth that said I think you can appreciate what Stoner has brought to the forefront with their products, these past couple years have been exciting and rapidly changing times for audio gear. With more and more DAC's being lessened to a minimal and small footprint of a device, all extra features and connectivity cut from the fray being left with usb asynchronous connection. This opens the doors for much more affordable high quality audio devices to be used for a minimal desk set up or on the go with a tablet/laptop or in some instances a smart phone. I appreciate and respect both sides in this ever growing and changing audio revolution, because I feel the more I hear about it the more it is becoming known and marketed which can be an awesome thing for the average consumer looking for the best deal. 
 
The UD110 v1 and V2 do something fantastic at a incredibly low price point, being that I can buy computer games for more than this audio converter... which given the quality of sound that I am about to delve into is really impressive, and for some people it may be all they need paired with their favorite headphones and a respectable amplifier. I know for some who always want to try something newer and potentially better, and even being a 3 percent margin difference they take the 150$ price leap. I have nothing against either side if this can be your end game then fantastic, if this is used for on the go and put away at home for something bigger and better, and believe me more expensive then great.
 
It starts out I did not know what to expect when receiving the replacement V2 for the V1 that was not usable even with my installation of windows 7, and to save frustration of always commandeering my girl's computer to use the V1 I was sent the UD110 V2 from the amazing and quick customer support of Stoner Acoustics(great people and company). I already how an idea how this unit sounded being the UD110 v1 and v2 sound the same and the only real differences lie in that one is plug and play and the other original needs special drivers to be used on certain os. I cannot explain that I still somehow was unprepared for what uninterrupted listening of this device would do to me and my opinions... 
 
I was pretty much blown away that a device I have listen to here and there could make an impact on me used on my computer for prolonged periods of time, and it did just that with out prejudice made all my tracks sound more transparent and detailed. I was surprised how closed the sound quality came to two more much more expensive units I had previously reviewed .The tracks and amp that I used with this device for review and comparison consisted of 16-24bit and 44.1-96khz FLAC files, used on both Foobar2000 and MediaMonkey music player. As far as amps I am much more limited to than the DACs I have on hand currently, being the Schiit Vali(used in most tests and comparisons), Gemini Doctor's WS1.2 Bluebird amp, and the govibe 5. The UD110 sounded great with all three of these amps, hands down best DAC I have used under 100$, and this unit comes very close to stepping in line with units that are considered great buys for their price of around and under 150$, such as: ODAC, CDAC+, Modi, Audioquest D.F. 1.2, and HRT MSII. I have used and or tried all of those but the DF 1.2, and I can honestly say that this unit comes very very closed to the ODAC and sounds better to my ears than the HRT MS. It is the fact that it goes for 50$ before shipping and sounds so much more than anything in this price point so far having heard perhaps one or two units.  
 
It comes down to the quality with the mix of detail, transparency, the snappy and tight lows, and very honest staging dependent of course on the headphones used. I am not going to claim to know if there is no other DAC better at this price point, but I will say I would be surprised if there was something better and priced the same. I think if you this is a great if you an affordable DAC that has great quality, small footnote, minimal and simple in it's purposes, and finally portable. Paired with a nice entry amp like Vali, O2, or perhaps something like the Asgard even.I believe if someone was deciding between the ODAC and this trying to consider their options and budget, I would buy this and put the extra into something like the M-Stage Amp, Darkvoice, Project Ember, V-Can Mk2, etc. I believe you would neither be to let down if at all with the difference in audio quality with the two DACSs.

    I currently had done a review for the Fostex HP-A3 DAC/amp unit, which is a couple years old, but none the less one of the best units in the price range from experience and reading material from people and enthusiasts with much more knowledge than I. So, after I had first listened and used for a while with the Fostex. I was able to write a review about the unit, and also a brief comparison with the CDAC+ which I had just received the night before the review. I had only wrote about early impressions and felt this unit was too good for the price not to be reviewed more thoroughly after some serious listening. So this is what I have have discovered from my listening these past couple weeks .
 
    The Audio Poutine CDAC+ is not a well known unit even among some audio enthusiasts and that is a shame, because it is a very nice option among the different makes of the ODAC. Now, Audio Poutine is known as another maker of their own version of the ODAC, and he still makes his own customized versions of the O2 amplifier. They are actually quite fetching, and after he had sold many of the ODAC's he was assembling, he then turned to modifying the original design and attempting to improve upon the design and audio. This comes down to a couple things that the ODAC may be lacking which comes to the isolation, and the USB power being less clean than separate psu. I will be addressing how I feel the CDAC+ sounds and functions in review and also a comparison against two other DACs being the more pricey Fostex HP-A3(using the Vali as amp to even the playing field) and the less expensive audiophile budget unit, Stoner Acoustic's UD110 v2. I felt that these would make good comparisons being that all 3 units are some of the best options in their price range. 
 
   The CDAC+ is a nice unit in all 3 of categories I tend to look for: Aesthetics, build( for the intended use), and the most important being sound quality which I believe this unit does fantastic in all three. The unit being tested with the Schiit Vali amp(good pairing) the Sennheiser HD595(modded for bass impact and increased soundstage) along with the Beyerdynamic DT 990 pro. I will be listening to 16 bit/44.1khz resolution files at the minimal and 24bit/96khz which is the standard sample rating for the CDAC+.  First I can say with certainty that after listening for roughly 3 weeks that this DAC is exceptional with it's clarity everything sounds so clear and clean, and you get a great reproduction of the music where most of the coloration is coming from the headphones and or amp you are using which is what I prefer. I like a nicely detailed and transparent DAC, and I would rather have my chosen headphones being what flavor I choose along with what amp I am using. It does a great job at bringing details out of the phones I am using to forefront where they were likely recessed and or invisible before. This a nicely unique thing to find at this price range especially when it was made originally. I know now there is much much more competition being with the MANY USB powered and portable DACs out there in today's market. Now I could say they all sound lousy in the sub 200$ price point, but I would be lying through my teeth because the truth is we keep getting portable and very minimal DAC's that may not have all the richly variant features that a desktop may provide, but they sound just as good as some at half the price. Well, I believe the CDAC+  may not be able to be used with a phone, but it is easily transported as long as you have a wall to plug the psu into. This is not the first small footprint DAC to be offered, but it definitely is one of the best sounding units to be offered at this particularly low price of sub 150$(shipped)
 
  I will be bunching aesthetics and build/functionality into the same paragraph mainly because there is only so much that I can write about a DAC, even if I think it is amazing. The CDAC+ may have similar internals as the ODAC, but it definitely ended there. The shell and or chassis of the CDAC is a Hammond case much more in comparison with the grubDAC actually, and I think that it looks nice and minimal with a pretty blue led that shines through the case. The fact that is pocket size is handy to say the least, and that you do not need a 3.5mm and or rca cables to carry with you to connect to whatever amp you may be using. Was a very nice improvement in the design adding the short RCA cables attached to the unit eliminating the need to have one with you. The casing is not as nice as the ODAC's aesthetically with the brushed aluminum look to it, but it also is cheaper than the ODAC by about 25 dollars being sold for 125$ before shipping. So I think this is a good trade off which is dependent on the preferences of the buyer.
 

 
  As far the quality when the CDAC+ has some decent quality FLACs to convert....awesome a word that pops on the top of the brain. Where do I begin, it is a bit fuller sounding than the Fostex, which is bit leaner but very well controlled especially in the low end, now the CDAC+ is bit more upfront feeling while listening to it, it does well with keeping the soundstage honest with the headphones it is using. Detail seems to come very natural with this DAC, and pairing with the Schiit Vali was a great idea as they do something very kind to music. They make the HD595 more engaging than  they may have been prior to listening. The modifications done to the HD595 do wonders to this already decent headphone, and I am pretty in love ith using both the DT990s and the 595s with the CDAC+ when the Vali is in the mix. The Fostex HP-A3 may be more detailed at some points, where the CDAC+ is a bit warmer, now I do not know for certain but I happen to thoroughly enjoy both the CDAC and Fostex(DAC with Vali) on almost equal footing, which this is just preference. The CDAC+ is has a bit better when comes to Clarity perhaps than either UD110 or HP-A3, not I do not know if this is accurate exactly as in I feel both HP-A3 and UD110 are very clear, and clean sounding the Fostex I believe is just as clear as the CDAC+. What I may be hearing is the cleaner power source, and I believe that must be it, and the Fostex would gain much from this I believe.
 
I still would say I prefer my Fostex perhaps with most tracks and with the HD595 it pairs very nicely even with the integrated amp. This is however considerably a compliment to Audio Poutine for their work with the CDAC+ being that the Fostex(which is a much respected brand and the HP-A3 which is fantastic) Is about twice as much at normal prices. I got mine for much much less as a gift, but I cannot say I prefer it over the CDAC+ with all my headphones, it just is so hard to compare the two in some instances. When two DAC's sound really very good for the money spent it is hard to find which you prefer when you happen to love both. Now, with that being said I can recommend this DAC easily as one of the best values in audio equipment out there. Now, also having the UD110  I can honestly say I am stumped on which I would recommend as the best bang for you buck other than this: depending on portability being a factor, what price range you are wanting to shop in, and whether or not you need an integrated amp or a all in one unit I could easily recommend all three of these units. The main reason the UD110 was brought up was because I am still doing some listening with it to right a review about in the future. 
I hope this helped any wanting to know about the CDAC+ and or if you had and or have more questions feel free to pm me about the unit. It can be ordered via email check out Audio Poutine on Facebook to get a hold of it through there.

First of I have been using the DT 990 pros and a soundMagic HP100 for a while now at least 4 months. I have had time to break both in and happened to think both did what they did great. The HP100's got sold though because at the time I needed the funds being out of a work with health issues. It wasn't that I like the HP 100 less but more of the fact that the DT 990 was a gift from my girl. That left me with one headphonethat I was listening with and for the most part I was happy have a couple of DACs to toy with and a couple amps to pair and see what sounded best. 
 
  I found the HD595s used(but very lightly used) for a great price, and at this point I knew I had to check into them because I have mixed reviews. I started talking to the guy that was selling these and realized I am going to go for it because I  wanted to try a Sennheiser Headphone. I was originally looking at the HD 580 but new that was never going ot happen right now alas I am still out of work. I went through with the buy and they arrived after the weekend, and after pairing them with the CDAC+ and Vali amp....they sounded like many people wrote laid back, clear, shining in the mids, sound stage not as big as some open headphones and more to the forward like standing a couple rows from the stage, and finally not much bass impact. All in all a good headphone especially for someone coming into better audio gear. I took more time because this headphone has not been burned in much, and it did open up a bit more and get more musical than the initial listening. I would say that I would they are not as enjoyable as my DT 990 pros, but that is purely preference, but what they did seem to excel at was classical, instrumental, and folk/acoustic.  
 
I had read there was a mod to do with the little brother of this headphone for opening sound stage and increase bass response I believe. Now I checked out a couple threads and after videos to see if my amateur hands were capable. Thankfully the mod is relatively easy if you have worked with any kind of gadget that need basic screw driver, and in my case wire cutt/ pliers. The one bad thing about this mod before doing it is that it is irreversible...so if you do not like the changes you are out of luck. I read reviews on how the mod had sounded for the HD595, and after I felt confident enough with the responses I gathered my tools. The next section will be a more detailed reviewing of the HD595 with the mod accomplished and I am sorry if this is the wroing place to review it, but I did not know where else to. So here is my impressions after 24 hours...
 
The mod was basic and the only real hardship through the whole process was removing the plastic internal grill that is under the drivers. Once I had completed then reassembled the headphones I sat down and did some more serious listening. Now as far as sources go I used Foobar2000 and Mediamonkey with using 24/96khz flac and 16/44.1 flacs... so nothing to scoff at. This was also listened via CDAC+(improved isolation, and separate psu for ODAC) and the Schiit Vali, and then again on the Fostex HP-A3 using both internal amp and Vali. I must say I was surprised to hear such a difference immediately afterwards and that I can definitely say that the stage spread out a bit, and while opening up became more clear and placing the instruments was more distinct. I was kind blown away because though the sound stage was not as wide as my DT990s it may have been more deep and the sound more clear. Now I put on different types of music, from classical, to instrumental, progressive rock, indie/alternative, hip hop, and binaural+ tracks as well. And honestly every artist I listened to from Arcade fire, to radiohead, to pink floyd, to Aesop rock, to Adele sounded good.  I did not have to eq any of the lower frequencies which was a nice change because I do have to apply eq to the higher frequencies with the DT990s on some tracks after the 2k range.
 
I actually had my girl who is not a enthusiast by any means, but more so one of the most honest unbiased people I know, and she actually just started realizing things such as burn in which I never told her about. She brought it up about a month or so after she bought her headphone, she looks back at me and goes " babe I know this is going to sound silling and maybe a bit strange but I swear my headphone sounds better than before . Like maybe something is wrong with my hearing" I just started chuckling and got a stern grimace of "what the hell" from her. 
Welll I had her listen to the headphones prior and she did not care for them that much being  more of fun headphone lover, and I had her sit down and really listen, and immediately she said she could hear where everything better and it does not sound so close. She then after some more serious listening  said she prefers CDAC+ and Vali with this unit and that she feels like she can move more to the music than before not understanding why, I then explained I had removed the inner cloth and grills.  
 
So main story is I absolutely still love and enjoy my DT 990s but now I do not have any reservations about buying the HD595. I do not know if it just placebo that I am noticing difference, but after to bringing my girl into listen i highly doubt it. I think most people out there prefer the HD598, HD600, HD650...well understandable I actaully want a HD600. If though you are like me, and on a budget you can find this hp normally on ebay for around 100-120$, and if you keep an eye out you can get them for below 100$ like I did.  I have actually been listening to the HD595s ever since this mod and I do not regret buying them because I really believe they are a great pairing in contrast with the DT 990 pros. I know this is not my best review and impressions but I hope someone finds it useful. 
 

 
 
                                                                                                                                                      My daughter likes them quite a bit...hah.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
These are some photos of the HD595s and how they look, and plastic build put aside I happen to think these are great looking headphones. Also, I like the way the driver looks showing through the grill like this, because it kind of gives it a cool and unique look.

 So, where to I begin... I am newer to owning and reviewing audio equipment of above the normal consumer caliber. I have come from a AMB Gamma 1 lite for desktop us, an Fiio E7 for portable, with a couple a of different sub 100$ portable amps. So I am limited when it comes to multi hundred dollar DACs and headphone amplifiers and I just want people, in this community, to keep that in their thoughts when and if reading this review. 
 
  I first saw this unit from the classified section of this community and the head-fi website, and I immediately thought this was a good price for a all in one unit for someone such as myself who was running  the Gamma 1(Lite usb only version) as my main audio DAC in my home setting. Something to note about me I have a large variety of different tastes, whether that is a positive and or negative some could argue either way. I like minimal and solid peripherals of all types, from mechanical keyboards, to speakers, to my chassis of my pc being a more simple but aesthetically pleasing look to me. I contacted the seller of this unit with inquiries on both the price and the sound, he took a while to get back to me originally and when he did was very understanding and laid back, which was much appreciated at the time. I tried for around 3-4 weeks to get the necessary funds to purchase this unit from him. I cannot say for certain why this review stuck out to me compared to maybe a used ODAC/O2 unit or a Modi/Magni unit. I just know after reading the few reviews I could actually find I was pretty much set. Now, most of the reviews said the same things regarding this DAC/amp combo, and from my experience that usually is good thing when you are looking to being informed about a potential purchase.
 
I eventually was not able to buy the unit from my fellow head-fi member due to a towing my god awful car, but soon after my girl found it for relatively cheap brand new on a sale and bought it as anniversary gift. I got it the day later which was awesome, and my impatient self got to hooking it up to the pc. Now, this is a usb powered DAC/amp where there is not wallwart or anything else but your device charging the unit. I was a little worried because I have read that with certain measures put in place it could lead to distortion or interference, but thankfully for the past week of breaking in this unit I can say I have not had a single hiccup so far. The HP-A3 sounded very different right out of the box compared to the Gamma 1 with the WS 1.2 bluebird amp I was using, and it was both a good and bad thing to me. Where this unit was more competent with that the Gamma 1 was sound stage, details, a bit more neutrality, and overall sound coming from the much more pricey unit was to my ears a better DAC. Now, that is not to say the Gamma 1 Lite is not a bad unit if anything at the initial listen I actually preferred it, it had more warmth and more body down in the bass section(not boomy & muddy more body) So I can say I definitely did not have the placebo effect going for me at the time of first impressions, but I also new it had a integrated amp which probably needed to burn in, so what I did was to compare it directly out of the box I used the RCA out and connected it to the amp I was using with the y1. Honestly it made a difference and the detail of the Fostex was not lost if anything it sounded better being there but with more of a smoothness to the texture, I happened to like it very much. So, I decided to let the unit burn in for a bit using Foobar2000 playing all types of music from anything such as 16/44 files to 24/96khz files.     
                                                                              
  

                                                          
 I went back about 30 hours in, and really did some long period listening with just the unit, and it definitely did make a difference for the amp section, now do I feel as though this amp is on par with the Ak4390 chip and however it was placed in the Fostex? No, I do not and I believe they had focused a bit more on the amp section keeping the DAC they would have had an even nice item here. I can say that the sound stage is nice probably one of the better than the anything I have listened to along with separation. I feel as though I know where each instrument is coming at all times but it still feels immersive and musical. I definitely like the lower end with it's control and tight and quick impact, because I feel like it really gives a nice contrast for perhaps the more intimate mid section of this unit. That being said I also feel like the lowers are a little to lean at times even though they still are enjoyable it does take away from some very bass heavy music. I really thought that if I could bring a third party amplifier in here with maybe a little more body and warmth it would do wonders for this DAC. I had the Schiit Vali on the way and I was looking forwarding to seeing how this combo would sound together. 
                                                    
 
 
   
Firstly after listening to the HP-A3 with the Schiit Vali I can say it sounds just right, not overly warm and I still feel like the music that is accurate and not over exaggerated. I really like how well these two paired together as a combo and honestly I think if you have the Vali and are looking for a DAC then this would definitely be a good option. I still think the HP-A3 is worth 300$ to use as a unit by itself, but I am also using DT990 headphones and the warmth and sound that comes from the combination of HP-A3 paired with the Vali is perfect for myself in this desk setting. 
 
I still think people that opt to go with the Modi/Magni(or Vali for my preferences) which is the cheapest solution when comparing them to the ODAC/O2 or the Fostex A3 is a solid choice that I believe 95% of beginners would be happy with depending on situation and headphone being used. Do I believe the HP-A3 is worth the difference between them, honestly I cannot say being that I have never owned the Modi, but I think that I would agree it was, because I prefer the Fostex's DAC over the CDAC+(still getting use to the difference of the CDAC+ which is essentially a improved upon ODAC) I will eventually be doing a comparison between the CDAC+ and Vali against the HP-A3 and Vali to see if I prefer one or the other and if I believe there are benefits from either setup.
I will be reviewing that unit shortly and doing my comparisons somewhere at the end. I hope that people reading this, if there are any, will perhaps give the Fostex a listen. I think it does an exceptional job at this price point, but from what I have read that the newer A4 is even nice with a better implemented amp in that unit...just something to consider when buying.

This is my first review on this website, and further more for this community which I have come to love. Ever since getting both pairs of headphones that I currently use(the open back DT 990 pros and the closed back soundMagic HP100's) I have been on the look out for a decent but affordable portable amplifier to use with my Samsung s3 phone. This has been under a budget of sorts sub 100$, and the review is for the Gemini Doctor WS1.2 Blue Bird portable headphone amplifier. I have done a decent amount of research and heavy reading on what amplifier and DAC for which budget, whether I am in a sub 100$ or a sub 300$ budget, to buy and use for the headphone's I currently use and I must say love.

It started with the Fiio E11, which I got used on Ebay for a very low price, I will be honest I was expecting less in the sense of what I paid and that I was only just starting to learn about amplifier's and the like at the time.It was a solid amp and drove both the soundMagic and the Beyer's that I own well enough to at least decent listening levels. I will be frank, I was not satisfied leaving it at that I had an itch that needed some scratching. I found a Go  Vibe 5 amp for 5$ bought that and was not able to use it because the charger was not included. I was not really looking for another headphone amp, but I was looking for a 9volt battery charger via Amazon. What I stumbled upon was a headphone amplifier from Gemini Doctor, a third party seller who actually was the designer of the product, selling a portable amp on sale for sub 50$. I was more than interested seeing as it came with a more than average 3.5mm cable and also a 9 volt battery charger, which was capable of charging the amp. I saw no reviews and decided I would take a gambit. This was the result.
 
The amp arrived two days later, in a simple brown box, with a nice but minimal logo. Packaging was a foam surrounding the amplifier, cable and charger. On top was letter printed say thank you for your purchase, and also leaving an email if there was any problems with the product that way they could leave their customer happy. It was  a simple but effective package, and now to the important things. 



 
I proceeded to take everything out, and examine it the best I could( being that I do not have a lot of experience with higher end audio products, my opinion is limited to what I have read and know.) I have to say when first removing the this minimal but aesthetically pleasing amp I was surprised by how solid it was and the nice heft to it. Now both the Fiio E11 and the Go vibe were solid for what they were, but this as far as external structure and build took the cake; baked and ate. I then took both the cable which seemed nice and of decent quality seeing as it was a free part of the purchase, and the charger was fine and usable for what it was made for. The plus side at this moment in time was if worse comes to worse and I do not like the overall sound of the device I could use the cable and charger for my Go vibe.
 
I currently do not have a DAC of my own, I ended up buying a AMB Gamma 1 Lite but it was given to my wife for her necessity was greater than mine. I would be using the both the y1 Lite and my samsung s3 for the initial test of this amp and it's comparison to the Fiio and Go Vibe. I will be using spotify fo rmy music source, which the premium membership allows 24bit and 96khz music files. Which is all I had to work with at the time, but it would suffice in my impressions. 
I hooked all the devices up and fired it up, now the amp does not have an on and off switch it uses the connection to the cable as a on and off source. You plug in any 3.5 mm cable into the input and it will turn on, and to me this is can both be a con and a positive. For you will not accidentally turn it on in your pocket, but it is kind of pain to have to remove the cable every time you want to turn it off.
Depends on the person's preferences really...

 
 

 
These are some pictures of what it looks like on it's own and stacked with the Gamma 1 Lite and alongside the Samsung S3.
 
Now to get to the difference in sound quality compared to just the Samsung 3 alone. This gives a significant boost in power for my DT 990's where I only need to stay around 2-3  oclock to be satisfied (which I do listen to my music loud) this is with out the implementation of the y1 Lite DAC. It gives the bass a nice boost in body and it is not over the top and boomy. I really like what this amp did for the lows with my music. Anyone who has read about or used the DT 990 pros(250 ohm version) know it is bright in the treble section, and that without eq it can be a bit much with the highs. Now this amp does not have an eq function, and honestly it does not need it imo. It give a nice body to the bass, but it also mellows out the highs a bit in doing so with the DT 990s and the soundMagic HP100's it makes them both sound even better than they did before. as for the mids it is a bit more forward in comparison to the S3 on it's own, but it is not overbearing with any of the songs I have listened to. To be short it is really to my preference with a bit more mids because with the DT they are slightly recessed, mostly due to the better but bigger bass response and the bright highs. 

With the soundMagic it went incredibly well, the mids in the Hp100 are not recessed at all but the highs are brighter, so with the Blue bird in the mix they are smoother and less grating at times. 
 
Now with the Gamma 1 DAC in the mix I do not need to bring the volume past the 12 o' clock mark with the DT 990's and only need to bring it to 9 o'clock with the HP100's. This amp mixed with a decent DAC is a lovely mix. The sound stage with the y1 Lite is good but with the Blue Bird WS.1.2 it just expands along with the clarity increasing. It sounds very impressive with this combo, though my experience is limited I do have an ear for what sounds good. 
 
 
The last part of this review I will try to do my best with a brief comparison with the 3 amps I had on hand when getting this Blue bird amp.

 
I would say out of the 3 amps I do prefer the Blue Bird headphone amp, and I believe that the reasons behind this I really like the way the amp drives my headphones, with the nice body in the lows to the smoothing of the highs this is a solid headphone amp. Both the Go vibe and Fiio e11 I use, but usually when this one is charging. Not to forget the charge time lasts about 8-10 hours depending on impedance of the headphones. Now the Fiio e11 might be a bit more neutral adding less down in the lows and not mellowing out the highs, and for some that may be what they want. I am going off of my own needs and what headphones I am using and how they sounded to my own ears. With that I believe the Blue Bird is exceptional for the cost and if you need more bass response and body and prefer slightly more clear and forward mid range along with smoother treble.  
 
 
EDIT 7/10: I have not been using this unit as much that I have been at my desk, and have had gotten the Fostex HP-A3 which has a integrated amp, along with the CDAC+ and the Vali. I happen to really like the Vali and CDAC+ combo, the vali is a great amp...but with that said I ended up getting the UD110 and wanted to try it out and had brought over the Bluebird to test it with. I was blown away that the quality of a DAC/amp pairing that costs under 101$ would sound this good, kind of blown away. I already knew I liked the bluebird and had found it better than the other competition under the 100$ price range...but damn. If you are looking for inexpensive but high quality sounding unit then go with the Gemini Doctor WS1.2 Bluebird is a great amp to pair with the inexpensive but fantastic(comparing this unit with ODAC, CDAC+, Fostex HP-A3, does fantastic) UD110 v2 from Stoner Acoustics.
 
 
 
EDIT: I have just discovered this amp as small and low priced as it is can adequately drive orthodynamic headphones, like my HE-560 and ZMF x Vibro(t50rp modded headphone) and it does so well, the volume does not get ear bleeding loud but even at low volume to high( which it does) it has more definition, resolution, detail, and just musicality than headphone amps I have tried that are 10 x what I paid for this headphone amp. Which I know sounds silly, but I plugged in my Vibros just for a gander, and my jaw kind of hung a bit... clarity? check, Detail? check, pRat? check, noiseless at high volumes? check....damn. So I have in unplugged the HE-560 from the desktop unit and added a 3.5mm extension to the balanced cable and plugged away. And though they are able to be less loud than the Vibros the power, details, pRat, resolution are all there. I was kind of blown away. For 50 dollars ....damn really damn.
 
 
This headphone has become my number one recommend product for portable rig with orthodynamics under 150$. I have had the Fiios(some good some not so much)
Just for a comparison of what I have used, Meier 2Move(fantastic unit), JDS labs C5, Cmoy bb( upgraded lm4562), Cayin C5( only one to drive the orthos well besides the WS1.2 Bluebird but also almost 4 times the price). I also have used Meier Quickstep, Stepdance, Fiio E11, E12(did good job of driving but did not care for sig), E7, E17. I have tried others some more expensive units up in the 500$ retail, but I have not used them long enough to do a good comparison.