7Hz Salnotes Zero's Review



Intro
For those who are not aware, Salnotes is a sub brand of 7Hz which is well known for the Timeless Planar IEM. Salnotes’s first IEM is Dioko which is also a Planar in collaboration with Crinacle targeted at a more accessible price point. I have tried that model as well and i can understand why it’s such a hit, review to come soon. Let’s focus on Zero for now

Packaging
Nothing much to say about the packaging, barebone style, you get a pack of eartips with wide,narrow bore with several sizes. A high quality cable in 3.5mm termination and the IEM itself. Nothing much to complain about considering the price.

Build/Comfort
The size of the iem is not big, so it should fit most ears properly. I can wear them for several hours straight without feeling discomfort. The nozzle is short, so you might have to spend some time to tip roll to get a proper fit, the stock tip works well for me, the red colored one or the light blue tip (if you want a little bit more oomph on the lower end)

Source
Macbook Air M2 Tidal/Apple Music -> iFi nano iDSD Black Lable -> Zero
Tempotec V6 -> Zero
Macbook Air M2 Tidal/Apple Music -> Zero

Sound
Zero is clean sounding and has good dynamics and timbre for the asking price. While it will certainly not please the bassheads but other than that, i think it will do a good job of keeping their ears happy. With a good tuning that will certainly please most even seasoned audiophiles. They’re slightly warm to give a sense of musicality to the overall presentation.

Bass

• Bass quality is good on the Zero and has adequate quantity for me
• The sub bass does rumble when it’s called for but nowhere near basshead territory
• Mid bass has good slam and punch to it and it is really commendable for its price point
• Good texture and speed as it is evident on tracks like Slipknot’s People = crap, it’s keeping up and doesn’t sound muddy at all, it doesn’t even bleed into the mids

Mids

• The mids has good note weight to me when listening to Imperial March by Wiener Philharmoniker, John Williams
• Vocal positioning is slightly in your face rather than sounding recessed
• Female vocal sounds a little more pleasant to me compared to male vocal, female vocal is a little bit more forward compared to male’s and it has got a little more bite to it
• While the upper mid range is generally smooth and not harsh to my ears, but some who are sensitive might be bothered a little, as for me personally i prefer it to have a little more energy in this range where Zero has no problem delivering that

Treble

• Treble has got enough energy and never harsh nor sibilant
• Good amount of air and extension which is quite rare for the price point
• Nothing much to comment here as the implementation is generally good
• Something’s got to give right? Well, detail retrieval is average i would say, not really a con but rather nitpicking

Soundstage/Imaging
Soundstage and imaging is pretty much in your head, it is alright for most of the track but if you are listening to an orchestral track, then it will definitely sound a little boxed in. Generally they are alright.

Driveability
Zero is easy to drive but of course when you feed it with a better source, it does perform better. Majority of the dongle will be sufficient to provide a decent experience on the Zero.

Comparison (Moondrop Chu)

• Similar price bracket to the Zero
• Less bass quantity and a little bit lacking in terms of punch and impact, Zero does this better in terms of quality and quantity
• In terms of sound, It’s safe to say Zero is running circle around Chu, it has got better bass control, a little bit more treble extension
• The most important thing is that Zero features a detachable cable setup, for those who want to cable roll, this is a better option
• It may seem like i am bashing Chu and shilling Zero, that’s not the case at all, Chu will be a safer option for someone who’s sensitive towards slightly energetic nature of Zero

Final Thoughts
Not gonna say much but if someone asks me if they should get Zero as their first starter IEM? I’m more than happy to tell them yes, even seasoned audiophiles will like this I'm sure. I for one like them, I take em out and just put them on with my DAP and listen to music without caring much for technicalities or seeking to hear every single detail in that particular track. It is just something that I wear and I listen to music and completely indulge myself into it. Easily a 5 star for Zero in terms of sound and high price performance ratio.

*Salnotes Zero is sent to me F.O.C from Linsoul in exchange for this review. I am in no way under any influence nor do I receive any monetary compensation for this review. All thoughts are of my own.

Head over to @Linsoul Audio store to purchase one if you are interested
Salnotes Zero - Non affiliated

Questyle M15 Long Term Review



Intro
Questyle is a brand I believe most audiophiles are aware of. They are famous for their CMA technology (Current Mode Amplification),you may read more about their CMA in this link if you are interested. Today we have M15 with two independent CMA SiP modules compared to M12 which is M15’s predecessor with only one SiP module. Today I will evaluate the performance of M15. Now,I may sound a little biassed and shilling this product,but trust me,once you have listened to it,it is very hard to put it away,of course,provided that the sound signature is your preference.


Specifications and Diagram (Grabbed from Questyle’s Website )

DAC Capability -
PCM: 32kHz – 384kHz (16/24/32Bit)
DSD64(1Bit 2.8MHz) , DSD128(1Bit 5.6MHz), DSD256(1Bit
11.2MHz)

Output Power -
3.5mm:RL=300Ω,Po=11.97mW,
Vout(Max)=1.895Vrms,THD+N=0.00045%
4.4mm:RL=300Ω,Po=22.60mW, Vout(Max)=2.624Vrms,THD+N=0.00057%

Frequency Response and THD -
Frequency Response: ±0.1dB(20Hz-20kHz)
THD + N：0.0003%
DAC：ESS flagship USB DAC chip ES9281AC

Output Interface -
3.5mm standard headphone jack x1
4.4mm balanced headphone jack x1


Packaging/Build Quality
M15’s packaging is fairly minimalistic and elegant to me. No fancy layering and huge space wastage,it gets the job done and looks elegant and minimal. The package came with two USB cable,one type c to c,and another type c to type A. I received this unit during the promotion period hence it came with a leather protective case which I find it to be very good from protecting the unit from scratches.

In terms of build quality,the whole device feels very solid. Body’s panel is made out of metal and the front panel is a transparent cover which allows you to view the internals of the M15.Very nice looking piece of hardware in my opinion.



IEMs used

• Letshuoer S12 (Planar)
• TinHIfi P1 Max (Planar)
• FAudio Major (Single DD)
• Moondrop Aria Snow (Single DD)
• Rose Technics QT-9 MK2S

Source used
Foobar2k -> Questyle M15
Apple iPhone 12 Mini Apple Music -> Questyle M15
Foobar2k -> TRI TK2

General Features
M15 is equipped with a gain switch which is a very welcoming feature that allows us to manually control the gain considering M12 does not have a gain switch but an automated switching instead.

M15 has got a see-through front panel which reveals the circuitry of M15,i personally like the appearance a lot. There are two LEDs which indicate whether M15 is on Low/High gain,and another LED which shows the data rate. Refer to the diagram under specification for more information.

Testing the battery drain of M15 on my iPhone 12 Mini,gotta admit it drains quite a bit of juice from my device. Do take into consideration that the iPhone 12 Mini itself has a smaller capacity battery.



Driving Power
Unfortunately,I do not own any headphones/IEMs that are hard to drive. Let’s just say it is able to drive anything that I own even on low gain mode. FAudio Major, TinHifi P1 Max,Letshuoer’s S12,

Sound
This is my first time testing out Questyle’s product.I have heard many great things about how good they sound across their product line. M15 is no exception either,to my ears,they are uncolored and fairly neutral sounding.Dynamic sounding but they are not sterile or analytical sounding.Very enjoyable and pairs well with most of the IEMs i have. Prior to writing this review, I have been using M15 extensively for at least 3 weeks on a day to day basis averaging 3-4 hours a day.

Bass

• Clean,fast and tight bass,not muddy at all
• Good texture/note weight and enough warmth for the bass texture
• Sub-bass rendition on M15 is clean and not emphasised,it delivers the sub bass as it is. An example of slightly emphasised sub bass is on Xduoo’s Link2Bal,on the same IEM,it sounds different on both DAC/AMP in terms of the sub bass rendition
• Very good impact and note weight
• Bass doesn’t bleed into the mids and it is very capable in handling busy tracks like Slipknot’s Duality,not a tinge of muddyness spotted

Mids

• The midrange reproduced by M15 is very lush and organic sounding to my ears,they are in no way cold sounding nor sterile,maybe titling to the warmer spectrum a little,at least to my ears
• Both male and female vocals has got good textures to them
• Instrument’s timbre such as piano sounds very natural to my ears
• Upper mids are are not harsh and very pleasant to listen to

Treble

• I find the treble on M15 to have good extension and non fatiguing to listen to
• It has got plenty of details,both micro and macro but never at once it sounded too analytical to my ears,even when you crank up the volume,it remained very pleasant to listen to
• Treble never sounded cold,instruments does not sound splashy at all
• The air and sparkle region is also nicely reproduced

Soundstage and Imaging

• M15 doesn’t reproduce an overly huge soundstage,instead i would say it is reproduced in a more accurate stage size,Xduoo’s Link2Bal for example,the soundstage reproduction certainly sounds bigger on Link2Bal compared to M15,but it does feel a little artificial and M15 does not made me feel that way
• The soundstage reproduction has got good depth and height,but it doesn’t give you that kind of “out of head” feeling
• Imaging is also very on point,instruments can be identified easily and layered properly

Comparison (TRI TK2)

• Both M15 and TK2 sports DAC from ESS albeit different model
• To my ears,I actually enjoy the M15 a lot more compared to TK2,TK2 to me sounded a little sterile and dry?
• M15 is a lot more versatile when it comes to IEM pairing,it seems to synergize well with the IEMs that i have listed above,even some other IEMs like HZSound’s Waistdrum,TinHifi’s T1S,and even Final Audio A4000,WaistDrum and Final Audio A4000 on TK2 are not a good pair as TK2 kind of made both of them sound brighter than they already are
• In terms of driving power,i believe both should perform on the similar level although i do not have any hard to drive gears nor any measurement tool to test it
• In terms of soundstage, TK2 seems give a taller sense and slightly wider soundstage compared to M15
• In terms of technicalities,they are more or less similar to my ears

Final thoughts
This is my encounter with Questyle’s product and now i’m hooked! It is very exciting to see such a product in a small form factor that’s capable of delivering reference class sound without breaking the bank considering the sonic performance that it brought along with it.

It’s safe to say,this will be my reference dongle dac/amp and I will be using it extensively for any IEM/headphone review moving forward.

Highly recommended piece of hardware and i will gladly give this a 5 star without any doubt!

*Questyle M15 was sent to me f.o.c for the purpose of this review, I thank Zach from Questyle for the opportunity. I am in no way compensated nor influenced to produce this review.

Questyle M15’s Product Page
https://www.questyle.com/language/en/m-15/

Get one here! (Non affiliated)
https://questyleshop.com/products/m15

General/Build/Comfort/Packaging
I don’t think anybody needs any introduction for Hifiman, in case if you need, you may read about it here. Ananda Nano is using both the stealth magnets and also the nanometer thickness diaphragm that is based on their top of the line Susvara’s.
The Ananda Nano that I have with me today, shares some resemblance with its bigger brother, the Arya, the earcups in particular. The packaging of the Ananda Nano is similar to the HE-R9, HE400SE, and Edition XS that I have tested, with the exception that the Ananda Nano came with a storage case instead of a headphone stand. The cable remains the same across the models that I have tested. The build quality is pretty good overall, it's just that the earcup itself is quite huge and it might be an issue for people with smaller heads. For me personally, it fits just fine without the need to adjust the headband, the clamping force is also just nice, i wear glasses sometimes and i don’t have any issue with the fit or clamping force. Very comfortable throughout the listening session, the earpads are also soft and don't really cause my ears to feel warm nor hot even when I'm not listening in an air conditioned room.

Gears used for this review

• Earmen Tradutto DAC + Earmen CH-Amp
• Hiby R6 II DAP Mid/High Gain
• Earmen Colibri
• Hifiman Ananda Nano Stock cable and Earpads

Foreword
My review is solely based on what I hear via my equipment and I never consider my reviews to be objective in any way rather a subjective approach. Do take into consideration that everyone’s ear anatomy is not the same, so the psychoacoustics perception might be different as well, but i believe it will not stray too far

Sound Impression
Ananda Nano has a slight emphasis on the upper treble based on my listening impression, hence it has a very detailed sound and at the same time, contributes to a fairly large and airy soundstage. In terms of tonality, Ananda Nano is definitely on the brighter side, and in no way it is harsh. Let’s take a look at the break down below:



Bass

• Starting with the bass, it’s safe to say the bass has very good speed, very very fast and tight, and punchy as well, Slipknot’s People = crap!, especially during the intense drumming during the opening, Ananda Nano has no sweat in keeping up
• The sub bass has very good extension, although it doesn’t extend that deep, but considering it being an open backed, it is really impressive
• The bass response is not basshead kind of presentation, but to my ears, they are sufficient and will present themselves well when the track calls for it
• Bass has good texture overall and doesn’t sound thin
• The bass doesn’t bleed into the mids at all

Mids

• The mids are quite detailed and lush
• Vocal for both male and females has good enough textures
• Female vocal has a bit more energy compared to male
• Upper mids are generally safe to my ears and not shouty

Treble

• Treble response has plenty of energetic yet it is not harsh nor sibilant, but do bear in mind that everyone has got different level of tolerance for treble, to my ears, they are not harsh nor anywhere near sibilant
• Fast and snappy transient response
• Very good resolution
• Good detail retrieval, micro details can be picked up easily

Soundstage/Imaging

• Soundstage is very wide and has good depth and height perception
• Instruments can be picked up easily where it is coming from
• Excellent separation and layering
• Very good soundstage and imaging overall

Driveability

• The Ananda Nano is not hard to drive, i am using it with the Earmen’s ST-AMP with 1.8w from 4.4 headphone out, the Ananda Nano sounds like it is being driven to its optimum performance
• When i switch over to ST-Amp’s bigger brother, the CH-AMP, i am greeted with the Ananda Nano that has better control on the bass, and much more dynamics
• I would say it does scale with amplification as well as source

Final Thoughts
The Ananda Nano is definitely one of my favourite planar magnetic headphones that i have tested from Hifiman, and I'm really surprised by its capability in terms of the sonic performance as well as its technicalities. Not to mention that the price is highly competitive as well given what it has to offer. It doesn't require a beefy amp to sound good yet it does scale with better source and amplification, the only downside is that some might find the lower treble a little too forward which can then be perceived as bright on certain tracks, but other than that, at 599$, this is a highly recommended headphone from me!

*The Hifiman Ananda Nano was sent over by Hifiman for the purpose of this review, I received no monetary compensation nor was I influenced in any way to produce this review.

If you are interested in getting a pair, head over to their official store to grab one now! It is currently available for 599$

Hifiman Ananda Nano - Non Affiliated

General Info (Packaging/Build/Comfort)
KZ or rather Knowledge Zenith is a brand which everyone is familiar with and needs no further introduction. I got into this hobby with their budget model KZ ZST and back then, for the price they’re asking for, they sounded good and I'm not ashamed to admit it.

Fast forward to today, they too wish to take a slice of cake from the planar’s market and decided to release the PR1. In terms of packaging, they remain pretty barebone, a standard box consist of the IEM, cable and several pairs of eartips and that's it, more or less the same even for their entry level IEM, i personally think that they should at least include a storage pouch or some variety of eartips to correlate to the asking price, but that’s just me.

Build quality is good, the faceplate’s design is very refreshing, it looks like an open back but it is not, you can actually see the planar driver on the IEM itself, fairly big. The shell is not too big nor small, average to my ears and I can achieve a good fit with the stock M sized eartips. I wore them for several hours straight and I didn't feel any discomfort throughout my listening session.



Equipment and Software used

• iFi Zen Dac + iFi Zen Air Can
• Topping DX1 + iFi Zen Air Can
• Tempotec V6
• iPod Touch 2G
• Dunu DTC 500
• Hidizs S9 Pro
• Macbook Air M2
• Apple Music/Tidal/foobar2k

Sound
The PR1 is a mild V shaped sounding IEM, boosted bass and high and slightly recessed mids. They are slightly warm and easy to listen to, with a tiny bit of planar timbre, it is not really that noticeable to me (subjective). PR1 is generally easy to listen to and non offensive

Bass

• Bass is emphasised with good texture and maintains good control (if properly powered)
• Bass extension is quite good, sub bass quantity is good and has a good rumble when the track calls for it, i have tried watching some video with it and it’s pretty good
• Mid bass has got good thump to it, it certainly need a little power here in order to have good control, else it will sound a little muddy during complex track
• Overall speed is fairly good considering the price

Mids

• Vocal sounded a little recessed but not too bad, i noticed that as you feed it with more power, the vocal goes a little more forward and not that recessed
• Male vocal has got good texture and also doesn’t sound thin, same goes to female’s vocal as well
• Instruments in the mid range has good note weight to it, Imperial March for example, the cello, violin, all sounded realistic and carries sufficient note weight to it

Treble

• Treble is a little boosted as this is mild v shape sounding IEM, but it is nowhere near sibilant or harsh, well done KZ, gotta give credit where it's due
• Extension is average but they made it up with good amount of air for good separation and imaging capability
• Nothing to shout out overall in the treble region, good amount of fun in an inoffensive way
• Detail retrieval is good but not decent, microdetails can be picked up but not expect totl kind of detail retrieval capability and you’re good to go

Soundstage/Imaging

• Soundstage is really good on the PR1, good width and height, a little lacking in terms of depth but quite good overall. It does gives off the sense of wide sounding, very enjoyable
• Imaging is surprisingly quite good, instruments can be pinpointed easily even in complex track

Driveability

• PR1 is not hard to drive, you can get decent volume even from Apple’s Lightning Dongle, but it does scale with more power, eg: vocal is a little bit more forward, better control on the bass and bigger soundstage

Final Thoughts
KZ PR1 is KZ’s first attempt in planar IEM, entering the planar market with aggressive pricing, and the tuning that they’re well versed with, V shaped with a little bit of tweak here and there and they then have a pretty good tuning that’s pleasant and inoffensive to listen to. We gotta give credit where it’s due.

Will I recommend PR1? Yes, why not? If you’re in the lookout for a pure planar IEM with limited budget, PR1 is the way to go, if you feed it with more power and better source, it will reward you with better sound. Peace out and enjoy music everyone! Till next time.



*KZ PR1 is sent over by @Linsoul Audio f.o.c in exchange for this review. I received no monetary compensation nor am I under any influence to produce this review.

Non Affiliated Purchase Link
KZ PR1

SeeAudio x Crinacle Yume: Midnight Review


Intro

Won’t be doing much intro as i believe most of you guys out there should be aware of SeeAudio or Crinacle by now if you are reading this. Yume Midnight is a collaboration project between SeeAudio and a well known reviewer Crinacle. So what changed? Let’s find out.

I will pretty much skip the packaging and build and summarise it as follow:

• Midnight’s cable is similar to Yuan Li’s
• Packaging is more or less the same, SeeAudio’s style
• Eartips are similar to KB Ear’s
• Shell’s size is slightly bulkier than Yume(the one with green tip)

Source

Ibasso DX160 -> Yume: Midnight
Foobar 2k -> Audirect Beam 3 Pro -> Yume Midnight
Tidal -> Audirect Beam 3 Pro -> Yume Midnight

Sound

Midnight sounded quite balanced throughout the frequency range to me. It is slightly warmer compared to the Yume which is to be expected due to the boosted bass.
Bass

• The bass is tastefully boosted to give a more musical presentation and also warmer tone
• Bass’s quantity and quality is definitely better than Yume
• Bass extension is fairly good
• Mid bass is punchy
• No bass bleed

Mids

• As the mids is the strong point of Yume, so is Midnight
• Lush and full presentation
• Slightly warmer compared to Yume which is cleaner and leaner
• Vocal presentation for both male and female sounded full and weighty due to the warmer tonality
• Vocal’s positioning sounded not too laid back nor forward, however, changing the eartip will indirectly affect the positioning as well (from stock tip to Symbio W Peel for example, brings the vocal forward, which i kinda like)

Treble

• Smooth and non sibilant
• Good amount of air and well extended
• It does have a slight BA timbre to it
• Overall the treble here is very well done and A/B comparison with Yume, Midnight’s treble is noticeably better in terms of air, extension and extra “flavor”
• Detail retrieval is also improved on the Midnight compared to Yume despite sharing the same driver configuration

Soundstage/Imaging

• Yume’s soundstage is very 2d-ish and Midnight fixed that
• The soundstage on Midnight sounded very 3D and noticeably better depth and height
• Instrument placement is identified easily as well

Driveability

• Doesn’t really need amping to pump out enough volume
• However it does benefit from better source
• No noticeable improvement when fed when more power

Comparison with Yume

I’ve mentioned Yume a lot so i’m gonna summarise what changed below:

• Shell size (larger on the Midnight), fit wise its more or less the same for me except i have to downsize the eartips to S
• In terms of sound, better bass presentation on the Midnight, better slam, quantity and also rumble
• Mids that doesn’t sound dry (Personal preference, i prefer Yume’s mid over Midnight)
• Better soundstage and technicalities on the Midnight

FInal Thoughts

So, are you missing out a lot if you already have the Yume? Not really, i would put it this way, Midnight is more versatile compared to Yume which tends to be more specific in terms of library.

Is the additional cost justifiable? If your library consists of multiple genres and you are looking for one IEM that will handle anything being thrown at, yes, the cost is justifiable, however, if you only listen to a specific genre and already have Yume, then I don't see a reason to get Midnight.

This is not to say that Midnight is bad or anything, ultimately, it depends on your library and your preference. Overall, Midnight is a good IEM for its asking price. A solid 4.5/5

Get them here
HifiGo

*Midnight is sent for review by HifiGo as part of a review tour. I am not influenced by them in any way nor do I receive any compensation for this review. Thanks to @bryaudioreviews for including me in this tour.

General/Build/Comfort/Packaging
Athena is not HarmonicDyne’s first headphone, in fact, HarmonicDyne has released several headphones previously namely the Zeus, G200, Helios and the flagship Poseidon. Today i have the Athena with me, i have no prior experience with any of HarmonicDyne’s product.

The build quality of Athena is average, not bad but not excellent either. It is made out of plastic, the headband has very good padding and a wide contact area. The good thing is that it uses fabric instead of those faux leather which will be prone to peeling off after some time. The earpad is also very soft and comfortable, i don’t feel excessively hot even when I'm not in an air conditioned room. However, I personally find that it is a little too soft and doesn’t give a good seal at times, so I have to fiddle around with it to get a proper seal. The ear cup is swivelable hence it allows for more adjustment in terms of fitting.

Athena doesn’t feel heavy despite it looking rather bulky, I have no issues wearing it for several hours and don’t feel fatigue at all. The packaging of Athena is rather straightforward, housed in a big box with serial number on it, and it consists of the coaxial cable, storage pouch, and the headphone itself. I’d prefer a case instead of a pouch, but that’s just personal preference and it’s nothing good or bad against the brand.



Gears used for this review

• iFi Gryphon in BitPerfect Mode
• Earmen Angel
• iPod Touch 5th Gen
• Macbook Air M2’s 3.5mm port

Foreword
My review is solely based on what I hear via my equipment and I never consider my reviews to be objective in any way rather a subjective approach. Do take into consideration that everyone’s ear anatomy is not the same, so the psychoacoustics perception might be different as well, but i believe it will not stray too far

Sound
Tonality wise, Athena is leaning towards neutral with a slight emphasis on the highs, timbre sounds natural to my ears, good note weight overall. Very good soundstage and imaging capability which I believe is contributed by the M shaped side venting system. Let’s take a look at the frequency breakdown below:

Bass

• Starting with the sub bass, with a 3db boost on the sub bass, Athena does rumble whenever the track calls for it, however, it is nowhere near basshead level kind of rumble, possibly being a semi closed which will affect the bass
• Mid bass is punchy and tight, good slam as well, turning on iFi’s Xbass, Athena’s bass response behaves on a different level, more rumble and more punch, not to mention its tighter and also sounds “meatier”, very very enjoyable experience, however for the sake of this review, i will be leaving it off to prevent any “coloration” being added to the sound
• Bass has got decent speed and good control, listening to Slipknot’s People = crap!, the drum beat, and the double bass, Athena managed to keep up with every beat and it doesn’t show signs of muddyness, very good performance here
• The bass also doesn’t bleed into the mids

Mids

• Mid range is not overly forward nor recessed
• Both male and female vocal has good texture to it, it carries a little “warmth” to it so they don’t sound thin
• Low baritone voice such as Zhao Peng has the intended “thickness” to it and overall very pleasant sounding
• Florence and the Machine’s lead singer Florence Welch’s vocal sounded thick very pleasant
• Transition from lower to upper mids is generally smooth and doesn’t sound “shouty” at all

Treble

• Treble does have some energy here but it's never offensive and sibilant
• Detail retrieval is good for the price, but not super analytical
• Good amount of air in the treble region, doesn’t sound congested even on busy tracks
• Good resolution

Soundstage/Imaging

• Soundstage is excellent here, with a good sense of width, height and depth, this shows that the side venting system is actually working its magic here
• Imaging capability is also excellent, instruments can be pinpointed easily and everything is well layered, instruments has its own layer while the vocal has its own and well separated even during busy track, very good performance

Driveability

• Athena is not hard to drive, with Apple’s Lightning dongle, it is able to push out decent volume within my normal listening volume
• With that being said, it does scale with better source and fare better with more power
• Feeding Athena with more power by using Earmen’s Angel with Gain+ mode, much better dynamics and tighter bass, slightly spacious sounding
• Pairing it with iFi’s Gryphon, turned the Xbass and Xspace on, the Athena becomes a lot more musical sounding, very airy and spacious sound, slight boost on the bass quantity, all without affecting the mids. Totally different sound from Earmen’s Angel, Angel reproduce the sound without adding any “coloration” to it, both are great pairing in my opinion, it depends on my mood when i feel like listening to which pairing

Final Thoughts
Athena is a good headphone overall with some minor caveats, it is not for those who prefer a warm signature as Athena is not warm to begin with. It offers good technicalities and good tonality at a competitive price, it is also not hard to drive and scales very well with power, making it suitable for anyone with powerful amp or without and it will still sound good.

*Athena is sent over by @Linsoul Audio for the purpose of this review. I received no compensation nor was I influenced in any way to produce this review. A big thanks to Linsoul for the opportunity as always.

Head over to the store if you’re interested in getting a pair:
HarmonicDyne Athena - Non affiliated

Moondrop KATO Review



Intro

KATO has been teased several times in Moondrop’s facebook page. Featuring swappable nozzle and also new eartip designed specifically for it. Namely the Spring tip. I am very lucky to have received Kato for the purpose of review. Let’s find out if it is worthy to add into your collection.


Packaging

The packaging as usual has the Moondrop’s anime style boxing. I had to tore the box a little just to get the inner packaging out as it was so tight and I couldn't get it out. LOL.
Once you unbox the inner packaging, you are greeted with a very well presented packaging. An ear tip carrying case consists of the new Spring tip as well as foam tip. A carrying case, extra nozzle

The stock cable that comes bundled is a high purity copper silver plated cable in a 4 core stranded structure. The cable itself is very soft and doesn’t tangle easily despite it looking a little thicker than the usual cable

10/10 for the packaging




Build and Comfort

The unit that I received is a Mirror Finished unit. Fingerprint magnet for sure if you ask me, at the same time it is also a beauty to be looked at. There is also another unit with Matte finish if you prefer that.

Comfort wise, I have no issue with it as the size is just nice and fits my ears well. No hard edges protruding that causes discomfort. I wore them straight for 4-5 hours straight during my test and comfort and soundwise makes me don’t want to take them off!


Overall a 9/10 for build and comfort



Source

Foobar2k -> Audioquest DragonFly Red -> Moondrop KATO (Spring Tips+Stock Cable)
Cayin N3 Pro (Solid State) -> Moondrop KATO (Spring Tips+Stock Cable)


Specifications

Driver: 10mm-ULT dynamic driver
Diaphragm: the 3rd generation DLC composite diaphragm
Socket: 0.78-2Pin sunken design
Housing: MIM stainless steel
Nozzle: stainless steel *2, brass *2
Cable plug: 3.5mm stereo single-ended plug
Frequency response range: 10Hz-45kHz (IEC61094, Free Field)
Effective frequency response range: 20Hz-20kHz (IEC60318-4, -3dB)
Impedance: 32Ω±15% (@1KHz)
Sensitivity: 123dB/Nrms (@1KHz)
Distortion: < 0.15% (@1khz, AES17 20khz, A-weight)

Sound
*I listen to a wide range of songs thus I don't fixate on a single sound signature. I like whatever sounds good to my ears. F.Y.I, not a graph guy here. So if you are looking for objective measurements you may skip my review..

The tonality to my ears sounds neutral and warm. Overall presentation is very organic and smooth to listen to, they are very immersive, that is probably due to KATO’s deep soundstage. The timbre here sounds very natural and organic. Doesn’t sound harsh even at high volume for some JPop tracks. Out of the box, the bass is a little lean, after burning them in for a while and they are a lot punchier and tighter, everything started to smoothen up.

Bass

• The bass here is realistic, you will not be getting those boomy bass where it’s bloated and muddy
• Tight and punchy
• The quantity is just right, not too much that make it sound boomy nor muddy, basshead need to look elsewhere
• Sub bass presence can be felt on EDM tracks like Armin Van Buuren’s Ping Pong, but don’t expect it to be basshead level, it is adequate for you to enjoy the track. At least for me
• 9/10 for the bass presentation

Mids

• The vocal is very natural, not shouty at all
• Good amount of body and sufficient warmth to give that kind of smoothness to the overall presentation
• To my ears the mids are very well done in the sense it doesn’t give off any kind of harshness or any peak that i can heard/detect
• 9/10 for the mids as well

Treble

• Very smooth sounding
• Not harsh and no sibilance
• Good amount of details and micro details
• Very good treble extension as well
• Less energetic due to it being smooth in nature, not a concern for me as i preferred the overall smooth presentation
• Overall very smooth sounding and there’s nothing to complain about it
• 9/10 for the treble presentation

Soundstage/Imaging

• Soundstage is good, feels very wide and depth is not lacking, i have that kind of immersive feeling when listening to KATO
• Imaging is good as the instruments can be pinpointed easily
• HRTF experience is also very good. Doesn’t feel in your head kind, does have some 3D to it
• Instruments separation is also above average and you will not find them overlapping the instruments nor vocals
• 8/10 for soundstage and imaging

Driveability

• Very easy to drive, even off Apple’s lightning Dongle
• Benefit from good source
• Good synergy with AudioQuest’s DragonFly Red
• Doesn’t benefit much from more power as swapping over to a balanced SPC cable doesn’t seem to give a very audible difference in terms of dynamics. Stock single ended cable is good enough in my opinion

Comparison with Steel Nozzle vs Brass (We’ve Just Begun by Sinne Eeg)

• Bass response sounded more or less the same to my ears
• I do notice that the reverb effect is a little more pronounced on the Brass nozzle compared to the Steel nozzle, feels a little more 3D
• Brass sounded more open compared to Steel to my ears
• The difference is very minor but audible

Comparison with Tanchjim’s Hana 2021

• The reason for this comparison is because both of them are at similar price points.
• Hana 2021 sound a lot more energetic
• Hana 2021 can be a little too aggressive on high volume
• Slightly brighter than KATO
• Less body in the bass
• Treble is crisp and sparkly on the Hana
• Detail retrieval and imaging,both KATO and Hana is more or less the same to my ears
• Both are in the similar category, ultimately you need to look at which signature or tuning you are leaning to.

Final Thoughts

There are several contenders in the price bracket of KATO. I don’t have them all and I only managed to listen to Hana 2021 and compare it against KATO. My preference is leaning towards KATO due to it being so much smoother than Hana 2021. Hana 2021 has too much energy to my taste, at some tracks where it is supposed to be laid back but when i listened to it using Hana, the excessive energy was put off to me, where by KATO presented the song the way it is intended, laid back and smooth.

KATO managed to nail every genre that I threw at it, at least in my library which consist of metal, rock, jazz, classical music, ost, jpop etc etc. It definitely is an all rounder to me.

Many people kept asking if this is an upgrade over Aria or a sidegrade. I don’t have Aria with me anymore but based on my memory, KATO is way better than Aria in terms of detail retrieval, bass reproduction and soundstage and imaging.

A solid 4.5/5 from me. Highly recommended!




*A big thanks to ShenZhen Audio and Cloris for including me in this tour, if you are interested in getting the KATO. Do make sure to check out the store linked below:

SHENZHEN AUDIO
*Non affiliated

Audiosense DT200's Review

Intro

Audiosense is no stranger in the Chi-Fi scene. The T800 which is praised by many reviewers garnered a lot of positive feedback. This model that i’m going to review today is not a new model, it was released last year. I’ve had the AQ0, although the driver config is different compared to DT200, i kinda like the tuning of Audiosense, so let’s see.

DT200 is using two Knowles BA, one for handling the high, another one for the mid and low.




Specifications




Packaging

The unboxing experience is not not mind blowing or anything spectacular, but it came with a pelican like storage case, which is a plus point, two different types of silicon tips, and the cable and IEM itself. The storage case is what I like the most as it’s fairly big and you get plenty of space for other items as well.


Build/Comfort

Build quality wise, they are average i would say. They’ve got a nice faceplate and they do pay attention to details. Comfort wise, they are really top notch. Even after a few hours of listening session, no discomfort can be felt at all. With the right eartips, the noise isolation is very good, even at low volume, I can barely hear my surroundings, providing a noise cancellation kind of experience.




Source

Cayin N3 Pro (Tube - Ultra Linear) -> DT200 with Kotori Silicon Cable (With Audiosense S400 Tips)
Foobar2k -> E1DA 9038G3 -> DT200 with Kotori Silicon Cable (With Audiosense S400 Tips)

Sound

The overall presentation is smooth and organic. Very pleasant to listen to. I find it very smooth and there is nothing harsh coming from DT200. It is just smooth and very hard not to like it. (Personally speaking, your mileage might vary).

As you can see above where i pointed out i am doing this review in non stock form,i’m sure you’re curious in how it sounds in stock? Well, in stock form, it is quite good, i will be brief

• Bass is fast and tight, punchy and have good note weight
• Vocal is slightly pushed back, just slightly compared to when it’s paired with Kotori’s cable
• Treble and detail retrieval is average (better with Kotori’s cable but still nowhere near critical listening’s level)

Bass

As expected from a pure BA setup, bass extension is not DT200’s strong point. However, it does provide enough quantity for you to enjoy the music. The bass produced is fast, clean, controlled and tight. You can hear the sub bass, but definitely not the rumble that you’re used to produced by DD driver. Basshead will want to stay away. The bass reproduction is good enough for me.


Mids

Very smooth. Very very very smooth. I have to say it several times because it is by far the smoothest mid-range I've ever heard. There are some other pure BA setup where the mids are shouty at times. Billie Eilish’s vocal presentation literally gave me goosebumps when i'm listening to her new album via DT200. It is smooth and sounds very organic and not harsh at all. Switching to another track to try listening to male vocals, Born This Way cover by Orville Peck, the rendition is as stunning as female’s vocal. Very enjoyable. To me, this kind of vocal rendition is to die for.


Treble

Natural and nothing harsh. Buttery smooth. I do hope that the treble can be extended for a little bit, then it will give some air and sparkles on the top end, which I think will be very good if this can be achieved. As of now, it lacked some air and sparkles, hence this is what we perceive as being smooth, and there is nothing wrong or bad with that, its personal preference after all. For me, I like it with a little more air and sparkles.


Soundstage/Imaging

Soundstage is average in terms of width, however the depth and height are above average.
Imaging wise, instruments can be heard clearly where they’re coming from, on certain busy tracks, it can sound a little congested due to its soundstage’s width.


Driveability

DT200 is very easy to power, they can be driven straight off a smartphone and achieve listenable volume, however it does scale with better source of course. Amping is not required to get the best out of it.


Final Thoughts

Personally, I really liked DT200’s sound signature, i don’t get the wow factor when i first listen to them, but they kinda grow on me. The more I listen to them, the more I grow to like them. They’re just smooth and i find that they’re fairly neutral with a little, just a little bass boost. Not to mention the timbre is also very natural and I can't hear the metallic kind of timbre which can be heard on some pure BA setup.

It is not analytical, it is not fun, but to me, it does have that audiophile kind of tuning and it is very suitable for when you just want to pick it up and listen to music for as long as you want.
I listen to a wide range of genres except for EDM and Kpop, and DT200 is holding up pretty well.

Highly recommended for anyone who’s looking for a smooth listening session. Definitely not for bassheads.

*Bought this at subsidized price from Audiosense’s Shopee Store in Malaysia. Do check out their official store and follow them for any upcoming new release or promotion. Once again, a big thanks to Elaine for the opportunity.

General/Packaging/Build/Comfort
7Hz is back with another banger collab with Crinacle. This time, we have the Zero:2, which is an improved version of the OG Zero that was released last year. Some are happy with the OG Zero, some aren’t, so 7Hz collected the feedback and here we have the Zero:2, featuring a new driver for improved bass and mid range, not to mention a better cable that’s similar to 7Hz’s Sonus. Packaging is similar to the OG Zero, the same goes for the bundled eartips, candy coloured ranging from wide to narrow bore, the shape and the build is also similar as to the OG Zero, except the Zero:2 has slight translucent for the colour that i’m reviewing, the silver and blue colour is transparent, i don’t have any fitting issue as with the OG Zero, hence the Zero:2 fits me just fine, but some might find the nozzle length a bit too short, tip rolling may help with this, i am using the Dunu S&S eartip for a better seal and insertion depth.

Gears used for this review

• Earmen Colibri
• Earmen Tradutto -> Earmen CH-Amp
• Hiby R6 2020
• Colorfly CDA-M1P
• Zero:2 Stock Cable with Dunu S&S Eartip

Foreword
My review is solely based on what I hear via my equipment and I never consider my reviews to be objective in any way rather a subjective approach. Do take into consideration that everyone’s ear anatomy is not the same, so the psychoacoustics perception might be different as well, but i believe it will not stray too far

Sound Impression
Zero:2 is a lot more fun sounding compared to OG Zero. Many complained that the OG Zero lacked bass, there you have it, Zero:2, some complained that the highs are a little too much, Zero:2. The driver within Zero:2 is completely new and different from OG Zero, hence, making this tuning possible. The timbre sounds natural to my ears and has very good note weight overall.

Bass

• Bass quality is good on the Zero:2 and has adequate quantity for me
• The sub bass does rumble when it’s called for but nowhere near basshead territory
• Mid bass has good slam and punch to it and it is really commendable for its price point
• Good texture and speed as it is evident on tracks like Slipknot’s People = crap, it’s keeping up and doesn’t sound muddy at all, it doesn’t even bleed into the mids

Mids

• The mids has good note weight to me when listening to Imperial March by Wiener Philharmoniker, John Williams
• Vocal positioning is slightly recessed but not to the point where it is v-shaped kind of recess
• Both male and female vocal has pleasant texture and weight to the vocals, they’re not thin sounding
• Upper mids are safe and no where near shouty

Treble

• Treble has got enough energy and never harsh nor sibilant, very smooth overall but certainly not dark
• Good amount of air and extension which is quite rare for the price point
• Nothing much to comment here as the implementation is generally good
• Something’s got to give right? Well, detail retrieval is average i would say, not really a con but rather nitpicking

Soundstage/Imaging
Soundstage is slightly out of your head, good depth and height for the asking price.
Imaging is good with the ability to pinpoint instruments easily



Driveability
Zero:2 is easy to drive but of course when you feed it with a better source, it does perform better. Majority of the dongle will be sufficient to provide a decent experience on the Zero:2.

Comparison (OG Zero)

• Less bass quantity and a little bit lacking in terms of punch and impact, Zero:2 does this better in terms of quality and quantity
• Treble has got more energy compared to Zero:2, not exactly a good or bad thing but this is down to personal preference
• OG Zero sounds a little bit lacking in terms of note weight due to the lows
• Slightly smaller soundstage compared to Zero:2
• Overall, my interpretation will be OG Zero will sound cleaner/a little bit technical whereas Zero:2 will sound more fun

Final Thoughts
Not gonna say much but if someone asks me if they should get Zero:2 as their first starter IEM? I’m more than happy to tell them yes, even seasoned audiophiles will like this I'm sure. I for one like them, I take em out and just put them on with my DAP and listen to music without caring much for technicalities or seeking to hear every single detail in that particular track. It is just something that I wear and I listen to music and completely indulge myself into it. An easy rec for Zero:2 in terms of sound and high price performance ratio.

*Zero:2 is sent to me from Linsoul in exchange for this review. I am in no way under any influence nor do I receive any monetary compensation for this review. All thoughts are of my own.

Head over to their store to purchase one if you are interested
7Hz x Crinacle Zero:2 - Non affiliated

General/Packaging/Build
Fiio is currently refreshing its line up of products, the KA7 which was announced early last year has come to fruition now, and it has been renamed to the KA17, and it sports quite a powerful specification which I have also listed out below. The build quality is very solid, front sporting an OLED screen which shows the sampling rate, and various other information on it. The side of the dongle itself also sports a type c port for power supply when desktop mode is enabled. The packaging is good and quite premium, and inside the box, you have the dongle itself, a type c to c cable, usb c to A adapter, also the KA17 comes with a leather case, which is nice because you don’t have to purchase it separately. Let’s take a look at the specifications below:

Specifications

• Dual ES9069 high-end DAC
• XMOS XU316, supporting full MQA decoding and PEQ sound effects with a 192k sampling rate
• Supports PCM 768K sampling rate and DSD512
• Multistage balanced THX AAA 78+ headphone amp
• Push-button: Desktop Mode (desktop amplifier mode, high-power output)
• BAL maximum output power of 650mW (Desktop mode on)
• 0.91-inch dot matrix display screen, showing more status information
• Main TYPE-C port (power, data) + side TYPE-C port (power supply, used for desktop amplifier mode)
• 4.4mm as well as 3.5mm output
• Volume button + play button + desktop amplifier switch + display screen
• 3.5mm interface compatible with SPIDF output

Gears used for this review

• Tidal MQA/FLAC -> Macbook Air M2 -> Fiio KA17
• foobar 2k -> Macbook Air M2 -> Fiio KA17
• Spiriti Torino Twin Pulse IEM
• 7Hz Legato
• Hifiman Sundara (Open Backed)
• iPhone 15 -> Fiio KA17

Foreword
My review is solely based on what I hear via my equipment and I never consider my reviews to be objective in any way rather a subjective approach. Do take into consideration that everyone’s ear anatomy is not the same, so the psychoacoustics perception might be different as well, but i believe it will not stray too far

Battery Drain

• The KA17, given the power that it outputting, i would not expect it to be very efficient, personally, i find it to be alright, connected to my iPhone 15 at 90%, streaming Tidal Flac and MQA on my mobile network from 10am onwards, dongle’s volume at 43/120 on low gain, at 10.52am, i’m left with 82% of battery, which i personally think it’s alright, given i’ve been streaming on mobile network, on wifi, the drain will probably be lower

Features

• Upgradeable firmware whenever there’s new firmware release which will add/fix certain bugs or additional features (Unfortunately, the flash tool doesn’t support Mac and my windows VM can’t detect the KA17,i do hope they will release a Mac version in the near future)
• Independent volume control that doesn’t control the OS’s volume but actually controlling the volume of the DAC
• Choice of volume steps 60 or 120, i personally go for 120 because i get more control for it
• PEQ support, set the EQ directly on the dongle itself, low and high gains, UAC 1 and 2

Sound Impression ( Low Gain and Desktop Mode off unless stated)
The KA17’s tonality is leaning towards slightly warm and neutral, but when desktop mode is turned on, the KA17 becomes very dynamic and depending on the pairing, it can be very exciting to listen to. The overall note weight is alright, not overly thick or thin. Instrument’s timbre sounds quite natural to my ears.

Listening Impression with the following gears
Hifiman Sundara

• Bass is punchy and tight, mid bass especially
• Sub bass has slightly better extension
• Mids are slightly being pushed forward instead of sounding slightly recessed prior to pairing with the KA17
• Slightly better separation and imaging
• Male vocal has slightly thicker texture and sounds fuller
• Female vocal is full sounding as well
• Not so much changes in terms of detail retrieval
• Desktop mode on, with high gain and volume step at 65, driving the Sundara to its potential is definitely not an issue for the KA17

7Hz Legato (Desktop Mode On)

• Legato is a bassy and warm IEM, aimed at delivering analog-ish speaker sound
• The mids are slightly recessed, but when paired with KA17, the mids doesn’t sound that recessed anymore and it sounded a little bit more forward, both male and female vocal also have better texture and body to it
• Bass on the other hand has better control and slightly tighter, this is when the Desktop mode is switched on, Legato loves power
• Not much changes on the detail retrieval as well as soundstage, slightly better imaging i would say
• Legato is not hard to drive, but the KA17 does have more than enough power to push it hard as Legato scales really well with more power and source

Spirit Torino Twin Pulse IEM (Desktop Mode On)

• For those who are not aware, Spirit Torino is a brand from Italy and they make mostly high end headphones and the Twin Pulse IEM is a trickled down version of the Twin Pulse Headphone, sporting a dual beryllium plated DD in isobaric configuration, they’re not hard to drive but they certainly scale very well with power
• The sound signature of the Twin Pulse IEM is very natural, neither overly warm or cool, just very natural in terms of timbre, vocal, as well as the overall note weight
• With the KA17, it seems to have good synergy, slightly better dynamics and it gives the Twin Pulse IEM a bit more energy on the top end, yet it doesn’t make the mid sounds thin and also weakens the bass

Comparison (Earmen Colibri)

• The Colibri is smoother sounding overall to my ears, not as dynamic as the KA17
• The overall note weight is slightly thicker compared to KA17
• Treble is smoother sounding compared to KA17, also less extension in my opinion
• In terms of features, there are no EQ/PEQ available or app control from Earmen, It is just a plain dongle itself, with a bass boost button
• In terms of power output, KA17 definitely is running circles around the Colibri, but Colibri will be able to drive most efficient IEMs and headphones without any issue

Final Thoughts
There are many dongles out there in the market, i have tested quite a few but not all, Fiio is out to disrupt the market in my opinion, packing a lot of punch in this little dongle. The sound is very good overall, not to mention it is also able to output a whopping 650w with the desktop mode on, and connected to external power supply. If you are currently in search of a dongle that has good power output, and also a dynamic sound signature, the KA17 is definitely for you, also coming in at only 149$, with features such as PEQ, Desktop Mode, and also compatible with Fiio Control Apps, it is definitely a steal at such pricing. Highly recommended by me!

*A big thanks to Fiio for sending this over for the purpose of this review. I thank them for their support.



Head over to their official AliExpress Store and official website if you are interested in getting one:

Fiio KA17 Product Page
Fiio KA17 - Non affiliated

General Info/Comfort/Build
7Hz Timeless, a name that i believe no one who’s active in the Chi-Fi community wouldn’t know, it made a splash last year coming out with the first Chi-Fi Planar IEM, not just that, it also received a great deal of positive feedbacks (of course, there are bound to be some negatives as well as we all hear/perceive differently). Today, I have here with me the Timeless AE (A collaboration between 7Hz and a famous Aliexpress audio product store Angelears). This collab is basically a retune of the OG Timeless with a 3db boost on the sub bass, also it came bundled with a modular cable and a different shell colour.
Sporting exactly the same shell design as the OG Timeless, with the exception of a 2 pin port instead of mmcx, a change which I believe most will be happy with.



Gears used for this review

• Timeless AE in stock form (stock cable in 4.4 termination and stock eartips)
• Topping DX1 + iFi Zen Air Can
• Hidizs XO Dongle
• Sony Walkman ZX300 with MrWalkman’s Firmware
• iFi Go Blu in Wired and Bluetooth Mode
• Macbook Air M2’s 3.5mm port

Foreword
My review is solely based on what I hear via my equipment and I never consider my reviews to be objective in any way rather a subjective approach. Do take into consideration that everyone’s ear anatomy is not the same, so the psychoacoustics perception might be different as well, but i believe it will not stray too far

Sound Impression
Timeless AE is a L shaped tuned IEM to my ears, they are quite neutral with a bass boost of 3db over the OG Timeless, being a planar IEM, i did not hear any planar timbre on the Timeless AE, it could be the case of the 3db boost on the low end that helps to slightly smoothen to top end which in effect also cause the planar timbre to smoothen out. It has got a good note weight and full sounding to my ears. Let’s take a look at the breakdown on the frequency range:

Bass

• Bass on the Timeless AE is hard hitting, fast, and tight,especially satisfying when listening to Metallica’s track, Master of Puppets, Lux Aeterna
• Speed is good which is expected from a planar driver
• The bass has got a satisfying texture, especially evident on the double kick drum, very very pleasant experience which got my foot tapping along with it
• The sub bass rumble is nicely done on the music, i took a step further and played a trailer of Star Wars where the lightsaber fight scene and swinging the saber around produces a very ecstatic deep rumbles, and this is reproduced in a very “fun” manner listening to it via the Timeless AE

Mids

• The mids are a little forward, but not overly forward to the point where it’s on your face
• Male vocal has got a good texture to it, doesn’t sound thin or nasally, both Sam Smith and Zhao Peng’s vocal sounded very pleasant
• Female vocal such as Teresa Teng sounded sweet and has got texture to it, a slight boost on the upper mids will give the female a little boost, but overall, it is good
• Vocal positioning is not too laid back or forward, i would say it is just a few steps from your face
• No bass bleed from the mid bass to the lower mids, transition from the low to upper mid is also smooth and gradual rise, certainly not shouty at all

Treble

• Treble on the Timeless AE is very well done in my opinion, it is detailed, airy and also smooth at the same time, impressive
• The treble is non offensive and never sibilant, i have tried a wide range of music with it and even turned up the volume (for a short period of time of course), it remained easy on the ears all the time
• The smoothened treble response is due to the seesaw effect from the boosted low end which is audible to my ears

Soundstage/Imaging

• Soundstage is good, but it is more on a 2D presentation rather than a more 3D presentation
• Very good height, a little lacking in the depth and width hence the 2D presentation
• Imaging on the other hand is excellent, well layered and instruments can be pinpointed easily

Driveability

• Timeless AE is not hard to drive, it can be driven easily by most of the dongles out there
• It does however scale with better source and also power, i observed a better bass response in terms of control, dynamic, as well as soundstage when it is being fed with more power and also better source
• This is not to say that you need an amp to get the best out of it, rest assured that it is already great sounding right out the box, but amp it just to fully maximise its potential

Comparison
Dunu Talos

• Talos offers a more three dimensional presentation in terms of soundstage, but it can be a little artificial sometimes, as in a little too wide sounding
• Bass quality is equally good but in terms of quantity, Timeless AE packs more punch compared to Talos, hence a more fun and musical experience
• Talos offers a hybrid mode with a switch, but to my personally experience from Talos, the hybrid mode is too bright to my taste although it does offers even better resolution and also wider soundstage
• In terms of detail retrieval, Timeless AE pulls itself ahead of Talos even with Talos’s hybrid mode switched on. I say this because in most listening scenario, you are not able to listen with the hybrid mode switched on for more than 5 minutes because it gets very fatiguing (at least for my experience)

Tangzu ZetianWu

• ZetianWu’s presentation is overall a little laid back, warm with a slight elevation on the mid bass
• Once again, Timeless AE pulls itself miles ahead in terms of detail retrieval comparing against ZetianWu
• A very safe sounding set i would say compared to Timless AE which offers a bit more fun and details, I’m not saying ZetianWu is bad in anyway, it’s just that it is tuned differently and considering the price point it position itself at, it is good enough

Final Thoughts
There are plenty of Planar IEMs out there at the moment, i personally have tried several which i compared against the Timeless AE, i am someone who prefers versatility because i listen to a variety of genre, Timeless AE gives me the versatility because i consider it an all rounder which perform really well in most of my library, Metal, Rock, Hip Hop, Jazz, Live recordings and many more in its stock form (stock cable and stock eartips). To make things even better, using the Dunu’s S&S eartips offers a slightly wider soundstage compared to stock eartips, and also gives a little bit more energy on the top end if you find the treble on stock form is a little smooth to your taste. I am definitely recommending the Timeless AE without any hesitation to anyone who’s currently on the lookout for a very capable Planar IEM.

*I thank Ray and also Angelears Audiostore for sending over this in exchange for this review. All thoughts are of mine and I received no monetary compensation nor was I influenced in any way to produce this review.



Interested in getting a pair? Head over to Angelears Audiostore to grab one from the link below:
7Hz Timeless x AE - Non affiliated link

Rose Technics QT-9 MK2S Review


Intro
Rose Technics is a brand which flew under the radar of many audiophiles. They are very popular in mainland China but internationally,not so much. They are well known for their earbuds and also several IEMs which can be found in their Taobao’s store. I came across the design and specifications of the QT-9 and it piqued my interest in trying it out as their previous iteration of QT-9 is well received by several reviewers in HeadFi. Without further ado,I approached Rose Technics about my interest to test it out,and here I am today ,ready to pen down my thoughts about QT-9.

Specifications (Information grabbed from Rose Technics AliEx Store)
Impedance - 12Ω
Sensitivity - 108db
Connector - MMCX
Frequency Range - 8-44600hz
Drivers Config - 1DD+4BA

Packaging
The packaging came in a very minimalist style. It looks simple yet doesn’t lack the premium touch. The QT9's head unit itself is stored in a hard case, while the accessories such as eartips and cable are also stored in another hard case. I have yet to come across such packaging style at this price point, it is unique for sure and I appreciate the hard case given and it has ample space to store your IEM with cable, or you can even store your dongle dac/amp with it.



Build/Comfort
QT-9’s shell is made out of PMMA(methyl methacrylate) which is a kind of high toughness plexiglass. The faceplate is made out of Aerial Aluminium Alloy,which according to Rose Technics’s marketing material,will not oxidise nor risk the paint being stripped.

As for comfort,they are very lightweight and there aren't any weird protruding edges that cause discomfort. I am able to wear them for as long as I want without feeling any discomfort.

Source
Foobar2k -> TRI TK2 -> Rose Technics QT-9 MK2S (Stock cable and eartip)
Foobar2k -> Questyle M15 -> Rose Technics QT-9 MK2S (Stock cable and eartip)
iPhone 12 Mini Apple Music -> Apple Lightning 3.5 Dongle -> Rose Technics QT-9 MK2S (Stock cable and eartip)

Sound
If you are looking at the graph of QT-9 from Rose Technics’s AliEx store,you will see that it has recessed mids. Let me tell you that isn’t the case at all. The mids are in no way recessed,in fact the upper mids do sound a little boosted to my ears,in a good way of course. The tonality of QT-9 MK2S to my ears sounded neutral to slightly bright,it may come off as a little dry sounding to some depending on which source you are pairing it with. Let’s take a look at the break down below:

Bass
QT-9 MK2S’s bass won’t hit you really hard, it does its job,it is clean and punches hard enough when it’s called for

• Bass is tight and clean,the speed is very good as well
• Sub bass is slightly roll off,but you will still feel its rumble when it’s called for,it is not emphasised for sure
• Definition is very good and well textured
• Mid bass is no slouch as every drum hit got a very good definition to it,not to mention its speedy as well,very good and enjoyable thump

Mids
The mids of QT-9 MK2S reminds me of SeeAudio Yume’s mids. It is lush and certainly not dry sounding. The mids of QT-9 MK2s is clean and it sounded full

• Vocal positioning is rather in your face,not laid back nor intimate,just nice to my ears
• Female vocal sounded just right with the right amount of texture and body,not overly warm nor cold sounding
• Male vocal sounded thicker compared to female’s,very enjoyable especially those male artists with a very low deep voice. A track that i enjoyed very much from Zhao Peng, The Moon Represents My Heart
• Instruments sounded realistic and yet there’s a slight boost on the upper mids that can be felt,but to me it is enjoyable,your experience might differ as we all have different ear structures,all that does play in a role in terms of how you perceive the upper mids

Treble
The treble is very lively and vivid to my ears,yet it is not fatiguing and i enjoyed it alot

• Very good detail retrieval capability and i can easily pick up the micro details on QT-9 MK2s
• Good amount of air and well textured
• The treble to my ears,it is as if a combination of monitor earphones with a hint of musicality on it,so it doesn’t sound dry
• The treble is non sibilant,not fatiguing and very enjoyable to listen to,even when you crank up the volume,it remains very enjoyable

Soundstage and Imaging

• Soundstage of QT-9 MK2S will largely depending on the eartips that you’ve chosen,for this review,i am using the stock eartips
• On stock eartips, the soundstage is average,not to wide nor in your head,average depth and height
• I tried Final Type E eartips and it does expand the soundstage making it sound wider and slightly taller
• Imaging is quite good,stereo positioning is on point and instruments can be pinpointed easily
• HRTF transition from left to right and vice versa is very clear across the transition

Comparison (SeeAudio Yume Midnight)

• Yume Midnight is slightly warmer to my ears,it has got thicker weight notes and more slam on the bass
• Yume Midnight doesn’t sound as vivid/sparkly as QT-9 MK2S (YMMV)
• Fitment of Yume Midnight is a little problematic for me as it is slightly bigger,QT-9 MK2S fits very well in my ears
• Mids noticeably better on the QT-9 MK2S,it is similar to the OG Yume,which sounded lush and sweet
• Soundstage is wider on Yume Midnight but that’s not really a cons as it’s more of a preference,some prefers intimate soundstage while others wide,again,very easily rectifiable by tip rolling
• In terms of technicalities,both Yume Midnight and QT-9 doesn’t stray too far off each other.I do find QT-9

Cable Rolling

• I do find QT-9 MK2s is sensitive to cable change as well,different cable material does affect the tonality of QT-9
• I have tried several cables,pure copper,and silver plated copper,and mixed gold,silver,and copper cable,they sound different on QT-9 and it is fun to experiment with and see which signature you actually prefers
• I settled with the stock cable in the end as i find it synergize well with my source and the signature is what i preferred

Final Thoughts
QT-9 MK2S in my opinion is the IEM that flew under the radar,I personally think that it deserves more exposure. Sound wise, for the price that it is asking for,I have tried several hybrids, although at a lower price point,but by paying slightly more for the QT-9,you are actually getting more than what you are paying in terms of the extra amount that you’re spending. Worth every penny in my opinion.

It may sound like I'm trying to shill QT-9,rest assured that I am not,it is just that good and who knows,you may like it after you try it.

If you are interested in getting one,head over to RoseTechnics AliEx store to grab a pair
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/100...d716557389683016785e28ea!12000028123091802!sh

*Although QT-9 MK2s is sent over to me for free for the purpose of this review,I am in no way influenced nor compensated by RoseTechnics in producing this review. The store link provided above is non-affiliated as well.

Tanchjim Zero Review



General Info (Packaging/Build/Comfort)
I believe Tanchjim needs no introduction to anyone reading my review? They’re very famous for their Oxygen, a single DD IEM which is considered by most as one of the best single DD iem, I have not had the chance to hear it yet and hopefully one day I will be able to.
Packaging for Zero is quite good considering its asking price. It carries the usual Tanchjim styled packaging with the anime waifu as front cover. You get eartips and the IEM itself and a storage pouch, which is fair for the asking price if you ask me. Nothing to complain about.
Most people should have no issue with the fit for Tanchjim Zero, the nozzle is quite wide and a little short, so you might need to spend some time tip rolling if you’re having issues with the fit/seal. Overall, works well for me and no discomfort throughout the long listening session (3-4 hours in ear).

Source
Macbook Air M2 Apple Music/Tidal -> Tanchjim Zero
Macbook Air M2 Apple Music/Tidal -> iFi iDSD Nano Black Label -> Tanchjim Zero
Tempotec V6 -> Tanchjim Zero



Sound
Zero’s sound signature is leaning towards neutral and it is certainly not for basshead. I am using the stock eartips with narrow bore L sized, had to up size in order to achieve good seal and fit. Note weight is pretty good, however, if you switch the stock eartips to FInal Type E eartips, it has got thicker note weight and slightly meaty low end, also slightly wider soundstage and a little better in instruments separation

Bass

• Bass on the Zero is fast and tight, no trouble keeping up in Slipknot’s People = crap! It never sounded muddy nor bleed into the mids
• The bass quantity is definitely lacking but i am not a basshead, so it doesn’t really concern me and it works well with my library (Metal, Rock, Nu Metal, Jazz, etc etc)
• Sub bass rumble is there but lacking a little extension, it might not be that suitable for EDM track, something like the bass that’s coming out from a full range speaker without a dedicated subwoofer if you get what i mean
• The bass has got good enough texture but i do wish if there’s a little bit more in terms of quantity for the fun factor

Mids

• The mids sounded quite lush to my ears, timbre sounds natural to my ears and i’m honestly surprised that this is a 15$ IEM, Tanchjim’s tuning is no doubt doing an excellent job here
• Vocal positioning is not too forward nor recessed, just slightly few steps away from your face
• Male’s vocal does lack a little texture to my ears, female vocal on the other hand, sounded sweet and has got good texture, Anita Mui’s vocal sounds very sweet and pleasant to listen to
• Instruments in this range has got good note weight to it and i have to repeat that this is a 15$ IEM and i’m really surprised in terms of its performance
• The lower to upper mids transition is also pretty smooth and there is no noticeable harshness on the upper mids

Treble

• The treble response is never harsh yet it has got a good amount of energy to it
• The extension is quite good to my ears, plenty of air
• Detail retrieval is good enough for this price, anything else will just be nitpicking
• Overall the treble on Zero is very pleasant to listen to

Soundstage/Imaging

• Soundstage on Zero is good, slightly out of your head, a little lacking in terms of height but good depth
• Imaging is surprisingly very good, especially at this price point, i don’t have any issue identifying the instruments and good layering as well

Driveability

• Zero is easy to drive but it does benefit from a good source to squeeze out that last few bits of performance
• It sounded good straight out from my Macbook Air M2’s audio jack, however when fed with Tempotec’s V6 DAP and iFi iDSD Nano Black Label, it exhibited better control in terms of bass and also slightly bigger soundstage
• Doesn’t seem to benefit much from extra amping power

Comparison (KBear Little Q)

• Slightly pricier than Zero
• It has got more bass quantity compared to Zero but still nowhere near to be classified as basshead IEM
• In terms of technicalities, they are more or less on par but the difference is more on the tuning and sound signature, Zero is more on neutral bright while Little Q is slightly warm and fun sounding
• Little Q is a bullet styled IEM so it can achieve a slightly deeper insertion, no issue on the comfort, as for Zero, the stock tips doesn’t work for me, but i guess it’s just my ears, so your experience might vary
• Which to go for if you ask me? Zero if you’re a purist, Little Q if you prefer your music to be more musical

Final Thoughts
There are several Zeroes in the market currently, namely the Truthear Zero, Salnotes Zero, and this Tanchjim’s Zero, i have reviewed both the Truthear Zero and Salnotes Zero and i like the two of them, the same can be said for Tanchjim’s Zero as well. It looks like it will be my default recommendation for those with tight budgets yet looking for a neutral signature with good technicalities.

*A big thanks to @shenzhenaudio as always for setting me up with the review sample in exchange for this review. All thoughts are of my own and I am in no way under any influence to produce this review.

Head over to the store if you’re interested in getting a pair
Tanchjim Zero - Non Affiliated

Intro

Audiosense is coming out with another model which is the DT600. It is a pure balanced armature setup which consists of 6BAs per side. As far as i know, all of the BAs are Knowles’s BA.

Let us find out today how they stack up against other competitors out there.

Packaging

I’ve always favoured Audiosense’s packaging. Having tried several products ranging from AQ0 to DT200 and now DT600, the bundled accessories are very generous and it came with a big Pelican like storage case which houses the IEM itself and the bundled eartips and cable. There are 4 types of eartips bundled which you can tip roll to whichever you prefer. My personal favourite is the S400 with the light green tube as below. It has got the spinfit kind of tube where it can swivel around.
9/10 for packaging


Build and Comfort

The shell of DT600 is 3D printed and each of the panels is personalized according to the marketing material of Audiosense, that means you won’t have the same panel design and each DT600’s face plate will be unique. I’ve been giving it a lot of time and wearing them for several hours straight in a day without feeling any discomfort.
8/10 for build and comfort



Source

Foobar2k -> Audioquest DragonFly Red -> AudioSense DT600
Cayin N3 Pro (Solid State) -> DT600


Sound

I might sound a little biased here but I have always favoured Audiosense’s tuning ever since I tried their AQ0. Having tried several models from them, they have always retained that smooth and organic kind of tuning for their models. DT600 is no exception as well. Smooth and very pleasant to listen to even when the volume is cranked high.

Tonality wise, I would describe them as slightly warm and organic. The overall presentation is very smooth and pleasant to listen to. I’m sure there are several graphs out there that depict how good/bad DT600 is, to me personally, the graph only tells part of a story, in order to really know how it sounds, you have to listen to it. No offence to all the graph lovers out there. Peace.

Bass

• On first listen, i'm trying to convince myself that the bass produced by DT600 is coming from BA. They slam hard, sub bass rumble is good, punchy as well
• Doesn’t feel bloated, clean bass
• Hans Zimmer’s Why So Serious at the 3:30 mark, the rumbles rendered by DT600 is very very impressive especially coming from balanced armature
• Bass has very good body, thick and well textured
• The bass reproduction from this is very similar to a dynamic driver, heck even some dynamic driver IEM doesn’t rumble this hard!
• You can test this with Armin van Bureen’s Ping Pong, i don't listen to EDM generally, but with DT600, I kinda enjoy it actually.

Mids

• Vocal placement is slightly forward, doesn’t sound feel intimate
• Male and female vocal has got very good body, feels very thick and rich, very pleasant to listen to
• Upper mids is lacking a little, thus you will find that it doesn’t sound that airy, having said that, it will not sound congested even in busy tracks like Duality by Slipknot

Treble

• Personally think that spectrum of frequency is DT600’s weakness, i mean it is not bad at all, i just wished that it has got extension
• The treble here is smooth and non fatiguing,not sibilant nor harsh
• Smooth even when the volume is cranked higher
• Detail retrieval and technicality is good enough

Soundstage/Imaging

• Soundstage is average in my opinion. Lacking in depth, but the width is alright
• Imaging is good as the instruments can be pinpointed easily
• Nothing much to shout out here as it doesn’t make you feel boxed in nor gives you the out of head kind of soundstage experience. Just enough for you to feel the sense of space

Driveability

• Easy to drive and you will get acceptable volume level even off smartphone
• Benefit from better source/dac/amp

Comparison with SeeAudio’s Bravery

• The reason for this comparison is because both of them are using an all balanced armature setup. Bravery being Quad while DT600 having 6 BAs
• Bravery is priced at 278$ while DT600 is a little lower at 248$
• Bravery has got more air compared to DT600 hence sounding more open
• However the bass response of Bravery does lack behind DT600,i preferred the bass response of DT600 over Bravery, not that Bravery is bad, it's just my preference
• Technicality and detail retrieval, Bravery is ahead of DT600, if you favors details and technicalities, Bravery is for you, however if you are like me, you prefer a more musical sounding set, DT600 is for you
• Shell size of Bravery is slightly bigger compared to DT600, both are comfortable

Final Thoughts

I have been listening to DT600 throughout the week at several hours a day, when i rotate to Bravery, yes, Bravery renders the music with plenty of details and has very good technicality, but i’d still go back to DT600 even though they are not as detailed as Bravery nor do they excel in technicality, that is because i favoured DT600’s tuning more than Bravery’s.

This by all means does not mean that both of the IEM are bad even though they’re lacking in certain areas. For me, I preferred the tuning of DT600 because they sound good to my ears. If you are like me, you like what i described as best as i can, then you will like DT600 like me as well.

What is very clear to me is that, at the end of the day, you have to find out and know what you prefer, a review can only help you to understand the IEM subjectively, a graph can help you to view it objectively, the best is still for you to listen to it yourself.

I’m giving the DT600 a solid 4.5/5

General/Packaging/Build
SMSL is well known for its lineup of dac amps. The lineup consists of budget models all the way to high end models. For those who are not familiar with SMLS, here’s a brief introduction of who they are and what they do from the official site. This is my 2nd time reviewing SMSL’s product, i have reviewed the SU-1 DAC previously and I like it a lot, it offers a lot of value for the asking price, i have the M300SE today and let’s see how it performs against the competition. The packaging is fairly straightforward and the unit is well protected, i’m surprised it came with a remote control and I actually find it very good and convenient to have a remote, Fiio K11 on the other hand which costs slightly higher doesn’t come with a remote.
Build quality of M300SE is solid, buttons have good tactile feel to it, the body is made out of aluminium, with an OLED front panel, 6.35mm and 4.4mm headphone out is located on the front panel.

Specifications

• Inputs:USB / Optical / Coaxial / Bluetooth
• Output Level:RCA 2.0Vrms XLR 4.0Vrms
• THD+N(UN-WTD):0.00013% (-117dB)
• Dynamic range (UN-WTD):RCA 120dB XLR 132dB
• SNR (UN-WTD):131dB
• Bluetooth:BT 5.0 ( support SBC)
• USB transmission:Asynchronous
• USB compatibility:Windows 7 / 8 / 8.1 / 10 Mac OS X10.6 or Later / Linux
• Bit depth: USB:1bit ~ 32bit
• Optical/coaxial:16bit ~ 24bit
• Sampling rate: USB:44.1 ~ 768kHz DSD64, DSD128, DSD256, DSD512
• Optical/coaxial:32 ~ 192kHz
• Power Consumption:3W
• Standby power:＜0.1W
• Size:70x73x165mm (WxHxD)
• Weight:0.54Kg

Gears used for this review

• iPhone 15
• Macbook Air M2
• SMSL M300SE
• Fiio K11
• 7Hz Legato
• Sennheiser HD660S
• Hifiman Sundara

Foreword
My review is solely based on what I hear via my equipment and I never consider my reviews to be objective in any way rather a subjective approach. Do take into consideration that everyone’s ear anatomy is not the same, so the psychoacoustics perception might be different as well, but i believe it will not stray too far

Driving Power

• Despite the claimed power out from the specification, 148mw per channel, it’s not being specified whether the output is from SE or BAL, but based on my own testing from the 4.4 headphone out, it certainly has no problem powering my Sundara and HD660s to its potential without maxing out the volume, at just 20/40 volume step, for both HD660s and Hifiman Sundara

Features

• Low power consumption, does not need an external power supply, it can be powered solely by my Macbook Air M2’s USB port, even straight from my iPhone 15 via USB C, not an issue as well
• As a Tidal user myself, full MQA decoding is definitely a welcoming feature for me

Sound Impression
Tonality wise, BHD Pro doesn’t add much coloration to the signature, i would say it is quite neutral with a slight hint of warmth for the signature. I have tested several dongles and dac/amp with CS41313, it does seem like they have this signature where it sounds quite airy and a slight boost on the lows

Listening Impression with the following gears
Sennheiser HD660S

• Bass is punchy and tight, mid bass especially
• Sub bass has slightly better extension, although still lacking due to it being an open back
• Mids has a bit more body
• Slightly bigger soundstage
• Male vocal has slightly thicker texture and sounds fuller
• Female vocal is full sounding as well
• Not so much changes in terms of detail retrieval
• Overall, a very good synergy pairing the HD660s with M300SE

7Hz Legato

• Legato is a bassy and warm IEM, aimed at delivering analog-ish speaker sound
• The mids are slightly recessed, but when paired with M300SE, the mids doesn’t sound that recessed anymore and it sounded a little bit more forward, both male and female vocal also have better texture and body to it
• Bass on the other hand sounds a little tame when paired with M300SE, the sub bass doesn’t rumble that much, but mid bass is still punchy, a very refreshing experience if you ask me, still very fun sounding
• Not much changes on the detail retrieval as well
• Soundstage is slightly better in terms of better height,depth and width perception
• Legato is not hard to drive, but M300SE definitely have more than enough power to push it hard as Legato scales really well with power and source

Hifiman Sundara on 4.4

• Sundara is a Planar headphone from Hifiman that requires quite a bit of power in order to perform at its best, M300SE does have the capability to drive it to optimum performance with a 4VRMS voltage swing on balanced output
• Sundara on its own is quite neutral sounding with a slight hint of brightness in terms of tonality, pairing it with the M300SE seems to be a good choice where the overall presentation has a bit more body to it
• The low end is slightly elevated due to the added warmth, treble is smoother yet it doesn’t compromise in terms of resolution, not to mention the soundstage is also slightly bigger

Comparison (Fiio K11)

• In terms of sound, K11’s sound signature is leaning towards the “clean” sounding kind of tonality, uncolored and quite neutral to my ears, less musical compared to M300SE
• Soundstage is slightly smaller and less air compared to M300SE
• Packs some serious punch in terms of output power, up to 1.4w on Balanced
• Gain selection, Low, Mid and High
• Although sporting different DAC, the differences are actually very minimal, the 43131 on M300SE is a DAC chip with built in amp section, where as on the Fiio’s 43198, it is a DAC only setup and the amp section is designed/implemented separately
• On paper, it may seem like K11 is a better choice, but depending on your own use case and sound signature preference, i would put K11 as a more clean sounding dac/amp, whereas M300SE a more musical one, not to mention, it also sports a full balanced circuit with the ability to do dual XLR out to an external amp for more power

Final Thoughts
Having tested and daily driving the M300SE for several weeks, rotating between my IEMs, headphones and various dac/amp, it’s safe to say M300SE definitely earned a spot on my desk and without any doubt, i will recommend it to anyone who’s looking for a musical sounding dac/amp that is loaded with features yet it won’t break their bank. Highly recommended!

*A big thanks to SMSL for sending this over for the purpose of this review. I thank them for their support and opportunity

Head over to their official webstore if you are interested in getting one:

SMSL M300SE - Non affiliated

General Info/Build
Tronsmart is no stranger when it comes to releasing products with high price performance ratio. Their products are generally priced competitively offering good functionality at the price point where it won’t break the bank. I have reviewed several Tronsmart’s product and generally they are very good for the asking price. Let’s take a look at the T7 portable speaker that I have with me today.

The build quality is generally very solid, fabric mesh and the rubbery volume control and the rubber bottom base to absorb the vibration from the woofer, buttons on the T7 itself has very good tactile feeling to it, “clicky” i’d say and doesn’t feel hard to press


Specification
Bluetooth: 5.3
Bluetooth codec: SBC
Bluetooth Profile: A2DP V1.3, AVRCP V1.6, HFP V1.7
Frequency range: 20Hz-20KHz
Connection distance: Up to 18m/59ft (Open Area)
Battery capacity: 10800mAh
Waterproof rating: IPX7
Dimensions: 216 x φ78mm/ 8.5 x 3.07inch
Weight: 930g/2.05lbs
Playtime: Up to 12 Hours (LED Off), Up to 4 Hours (LED On)
Power: 30 W
Battery: 7.4V/2000mAh
Charging time: 3 Hours
Input: 5V/2A, via Type-C port

Test Setup

• iPhone 12 Mini
• Tronsmart T7 with LED Off at 40% Volume level

General Features (App functionality/ Bluetooth Range/Stability/ Battery Life)

• The T7 is compatible with Tronsmart’s App, you can customise the EQ via the apps itself and also change or switch the LED on and off from there
• The firmware of T7 is also upgradeable via Tronsmart’s app, i have updated the firmware to the latest firmware, the only gripe that i had with it is, the release log doesn’t mention what is the update for (no mention off any fix or feature enhance)
• Bluetooth connection on the T7 is quite stable, with my phone in my pocket, the T7 in the living room with some walls in between, the songs are still playing well without getting cut off, i’d estimate the range is approximately 8-9m away
• I did not test the T7 with the LED on as i find them to be a little distracting to my taste (that’s just me), the battery life is quite close to what Tronsmart claimed at 12 hours, i managed to get roughly 10+ close to 11 hours just letting the songs loop
• There are 4 LED effect modes that you can choose via the app, namely Circling, Beat Driven, Breathing, and also RGB
• You may find the instructions to operate via this online manual

Sound Impression based on the EQ Modes
The T7 comes with several EQ modes that allow you to switch on the fly via Tronsmart’s App. The default sound tuning is quite balanced to my ears, i have tried several portable speakers and they’re either very bassy or thin sounding or just muddy. T7 managed to sound balanced, although not quite audiophile standard i’d say, but you can EQ it on the app to tailor it according to your preference.

• Default Mode: In this default mode setting, the bass is deep and punchy, of course there are still some limitations due to the size of the driver where of course it will not rumble like the usual subwoofer but it does go quite deep. Treble response is smooth and non offensive
• Sound Pulse Mode: In this mode i find that the vocals are more forward, bass is slightly tame, treble is also slightly lifted to be a little more revealing (in terms of detail retrievals)
• Deep Bass: Well, in this mode, as the name suggest itself, It gives a v shaped signature with boosted bass and treble, the mids does sounded a little more recessed
• Classical Mode: In this mode, i find that the treble is being tamed a little, and the bass is being slightly lifted, not the mode for critical listening but very suitable for chill and relaxing session
• Rock Mode: In this mode, i find that the bass sounds thin, but speed slightly better (faster decay), the upper mids are energetic as the vocals are forward,treble remains inoffensive for me
• Customised Mode: As the mode suggest, you are able to customise it according to your preference

Final Thoughts
The T7 is a pretty solid product overall. The sound definitely packs a punch coming in at 30W. The price is also within reach and definitely won’t break a bank. The only gripe that I have with T7 is that I wish it has support for more bluetooth codecs instead of just SBC, even AAC is good, but of course it’ll be better if they put in aptx as well. I will recommend T7 without any doubt for its high price performance ratio.

*T7 is sent over by Tronsmart in exchange for this review. I am not under any influence nor do I receive any monetary compensation for this review.

Purchase Link
Tronsmart T7 - Non Affiliated

General/Packaging/Build
For those who are not familiar with Earmen, Earmen is a company registered in the US, and a subsidiary of Auris Audio which is a high end Serbian brand that builds amplifiers as well as headphone amps, similar to Auris Audio, although Earmen is registered in the US, all of the products are made in Europe to uphold a certain quality standard.

I have the ST-Amp with me today, a fully balanced amplifier, although it has a DAC (ES9280) in it, its strength lies on the amping section rather than the DAC, while it is certainly good to have for those who are on a budget or looking to get an external DAC to fully utilise the amp of ST-Amp.

Build quality of the ST-Amp is solid, switches are not wobbly, the input and output ports are gold plated and have solid connection (doesn’t come off easily). The only complaint that I have is with the positioning of the anti-slip rubber pad which formed a triangle, which in my opinion isn't that stable as it can easily topple if you accidentally knock it or if you have a thick power cord, it may be an issue as well. The amp itself has a noiseless LPS (Linear Power Supply) built in, which is something that i personally preferred instead of having a separate power brick dangling around

The ST-Amp came in a bare minimal packaging but is well protected, one box contained the ST-Amp, while another layer of box served as a protection layer. It doesn’t come with any power chord nor usb cable unfortunately, but for someone who’s already spending this much amount of money, they should already have several power cord or usb cables laying around, but nonetheless, it’s good to have so a first timer can enjoy the package right out the box.



Technical Specifications grabbed from ST-Amp’s product page
Full product information


IEMs/Headphones/Equipments used for this review

• Final Audio Heaven II 3.5mm
• Kiwi Ears Orchestra Lite 3.5mm
• Kiwi Ears Quartet 3.5mm
• Hidizs MS5 4.4mm
• Earmen Angel -> Earmen ST-Amp
• Xduoo XA-10 -> Earmen ST-Amp
• Sony WM1A -> Earmen ST-Amp

*Earmen ST-Amp is sent over by Miroslav from Earmen for the purpose of this review. I appreciate the opportunity given



Foreword
My review is solely based on what I hear via my equipment and I never consider my reviews to be objective in any way rather a subjective approach. Do take into consideration that everyone’s ear anatomy is not the same, so the psychoacoustics perception might be different as well, but i believe it will not stray too far. I have used the Angel for several months prior to writing this review.

Notable Features

• No loud popping sound upon switching the amp on or off
• Clean and dark background, no audible noise floor even on Hidizs MS5, which has quite low impedance at 5.3ohm, no noise/hiss at all
• Very very little channel imbalance at low volume, pretty much can be ignored even for IEM users, 3rd lining onwards there will be no imbalance anymore, unlike the implementation on some other dac amp, where it is either too soft or too loud, this is not the case here with the ST-Amp

Sound Impression
Listening to both the SE and BAL out, it’s safe to say that the SE doesn’t sound bad compared to the BAL out,, except slightly lacking in terms of dynamics, which is expected from SE output, i have tested some dac/amp which i shall not name to remain neutral, the SE output sounded bad compared to the BAL out, it is as if the SE’s circuit is designed badly and the focus is only on the BAL out. This is not the case for ST-Amp, both are sharing the same topology with almost no additional noise or THD as stated from Earmen, which I can personally attest to.

DAC Amp Combo

• Utilising the internal dac of ST-Amp, which is the ES9280, the DAC exhibited clean lows with good enough texture, sufficient punch and good resolution and dynamics, tonality wise, it is on the slight cool side and it has very good synergy with my transducers that has warm signature, for those with neutral signature, the sound is very dynamic and enjoyable when you feel the need to tap your foot

Amp + Xduoo XA-10

• Operating as Amp only, the ST-Amp is very revealing, uncolored, as well as dynamic. It bring out the characteristics of the DAC connected to it, take Xduoo’s XA-10 for example, which has dual AK4493 DAC, on its own, it doesn’t sound engaging, lows lacks a little texture as well as punch, resolution sounds a little lacking as well, when paired with the ST-Amp, the difference is day and night and i’m not kidding, very clean presentation overall while retaining the AKM’s “flavour”, resolution is also much better, the performance of this amp is simply excellent!
• Bass has better texture and slightly more weight to it, treble has good energy to it while maintaining its smoothness and dynamic

Amp + Earmen Angel

• Earmen Angel itself is an excellent device which i have also reviewed previously, it exhibits very clean and good dynamics
• Paired with ST-Amp, the dynamics of Angel is another step up from its internal amp, it sounds more dynamic, also a little more analytical, and transparent compared to its internal amp
• The reason i said what i said above is because i used the Final Audio’s Heaven II, which is a single BA IEM, listened via ST-Amp’s dac and amp combo, bass is slightly lacking and doesn’t have good texture/definition, switching over to Angel, i can immediately notice the difference in the bass, more texture, sounds fuller and a little bit more punchy, as well as overall resolution and imaging
• Bass has got more punch compared to Angel’s internal amp
• Treble is lively and nuances can be picked up easily, analytical yet enjoyable at the same time

Pairing impression with various Transducers
Final Audio Heaven II

• Heaven II is a single BA IEM and the tonality is slightly on the warm side and bass lacks a little extension due to it being a single BA
• Pairing it with the ST-Amp, somehow the bass sounds fuller and has a bit more extension, the treble also have slightly better extension to it
• Soundstage and imaging is improved a little as well

Hidizs MS5

• MS5 has very low impedance and quite picky in terms of source, i have paired it with iFi’s Gryphon, Go Blu, XA-10, and they all hiss whenever i plug it into the 4.4 port, I’m very surprised when i plug it into 4.4 port of ST-AMP, it doesn’t hiss
• Bass sounds fuller and good punch, treble on MS5 for certain song have slight sibilance, with ST-Amp, it seems to be very well under controlled and kept at minimum (bearable level for my listening preference)
• Precise imaging as well as slightly bigger soundstage

Kiwi Ears Orchestra Lite

• Despite being a full BA set, it doesn’t exhibit any noise or hiss when i plug it i
• Orchestra Lite is another set that’s safe sounding by nature, pairing it with the ST-Amp seems to be a great choice, the dynamics are improved and it is certainly a little more fun sounding now
• Bass is tight and well controlled, sounds fuller as well
• Detail retrieval and staging is excellent

Kiwi Ears Quartet

• A hybrid set with 2DD and 2BA config, default dip switch configuration, bass is fast and tight, full and sub bass has good extension as well
• Treble doesn't sound harsh
• Very good imaging and soundstage
• ST-Amp somehow makes whatever that’s plugged into it sounds good

Final Thoughts
My experience with Earmen’s product has been good, ST-Amp is no exception. As a Dac/Amp combo, although the in-built DAC is not a high performance DAC, it provides good enough sonic performance for users who are conscious about desk space.
However, the strength of ST-Amp lies in the amp itself, it is very clean and packs enough punch for most IEMs and efficient headphones out there.

The overall build quality is solid and it certainly looks like it is built to last. With all that being said, there are some drawbacks such as the lack of gain switch, as well as bundled accessories (nitpicking)

Still, without any doubt, I absolutely recommend the ST-Amp for those who are looking for a clean and dynamic sounding dac/amp.

Head to the link below if you are interested in getting a unit yourself
Earmen ST-Amp- Non affiliated
Earmen ST-Amp Product Page

General/Build/Packaging
Fiio needs no further introduction. I have tested and reviewed several products from the brand and I have good experience with their products in general. I have their latest portable dac/amp with me today, the Fiio Q15 which houses AK’s flagship DAC, the 4191+4499EX as well as a plethora of components within the Q15.
The build quality is very solid and premium looking, front and back glasses, good thing it came with a protector pre-applied, the rear glass is in matte finishing and it looks very good. The buttons and the volume knob has very good tactile feedback to it and the buttons are not wobbly. The volume button also acts as a button to enter the menu and input selection (click and long hold).
The packaging itself is good and nothing to complain about, long and short type C cable included, a storage pouch and some silicon strap for you to stack and keep your device secure while stacking, sadly, there isn’t any case included and it has to be bought separately. Let’s take a look at the specifications below:

Specifications (Full Specs here)

• DAC: AKM AK4191 + 4499EX
• Sample rate : PCM : 8Hz – 768Hz (8/16/24/32bits) native – DSD64/128/256/512 MQA full decoding
• System clock: Full synchronisation technology with TI Cortex M4 Processor
• Outputs: 4.4mm Pentaconn // 6.35mm TRS
• Input: USB-C // Coaxial // Bluetooth
• Screen: 1.3″ IPS Screen from LG
• Bluetooth support: SBC, aptX, aptX HD, aptX adaptive, LDAC
• Battery: 3.8V 55000mAh Li-Polymer
• Quick Charge: yes, PD2.0
• Battery life: 9h with wired headphones (3.5mm), 8h with a Balanced headphone
• Charging time: around 3.5h
• Size : 143,5mm x 71,75mm x 21,75mm
• Weight: 305 g

IEMs/Headphones/Equipments used for this review

• Letshuoer Soloist
• Spirit Torino Twin Pulse IEM
• 7Hz Legato
• Macbook Air M2 -> Fiio Q15 -> Tidal
• Macbook Air M2 -> Fiio Q16 -> foobar 2k (tracks ranging from 16-44 to 24-192)

Foreword
My review is solely based on what I hear via my equipment and I never consider my reviews to be objective in any way rather a subjective approach. Do take into consideration that everyone’s ear anatomy is not the same, so the psychoacoustics perception might be different as well, but i believe it will not stray too far

Features
Desktop Mode

• The Q15 comes with a desktop mode toggle, and also a type c port specifically for power/charging
• The desktop mode is enabled when the toggle is on and a powered via PD charger, this will enable the Q15 to deliver up to a whopping 1.6w on 4.4 balanced out
• With the desktop mode on, the dynamics are a step higher when paired with transducers that scale well with power

Fiio App Compatibility

• PEQ is supported via Fiio’s control app
• The app allows you to customise the LED on the volume knob (breathing or steady)
• Firmware update

Battery Life

• Normally i take the battery life claim from the manufacturer with a pinch of salt, but the Q15 does surprised me and the battery life is actually very good
• On high gain and volume level 40 /120, looping through DSDs and Flac files, it lasted approximately 8 hours +-, which in my opinion is good

Sound Impression (Fast Filter and no EQ/PEQ USB in Mode)
The Q15 has been aged for approximately 50 hours prior to writing this impression. The sound of Q15 is nothing but amazing. Dead silent background, zero noise. I’m not saying it will make a bad sounding/ badly tuned IEM turn good, it simply makes what is already good a step further and eeking out every bit of hidden potential your IEM/headphone have. I wouldn’t say the Q15 is neutral, there’s a slight lift on the lows, but the overall listening impression to me is that it is natural and the technicalities are very impressive.
Soundstage is largely dependent on the transducers and mastering of the songs, but Q15 does render the soundstage very open and let you have a good perception on the stage size in terms of depth, width and height.
Imaging is absolutely excellent with very good separation and layering, instruments can be pinpointed easily and they sound like they each have a space of their own and not mushed together.

Pairings
Letshuoer Soloist

• Pairing the Soloist with the Q15 is nothing but fun, the bass is definitely elevated, it has more punch now and better extension, it is tight and the texture is good as well, all these without messing with the mids and highs, this is evident when listening to Gojira’s Amazonia, the double paddle especially has more punch
• The mids are slightly forward and doesn’t sound that recessed
• The treble sounds more open and the imaging and detail retrieval is just amazing, i can definitely hear the notes that i need to focus more previously in order to hear it, the Q15 does it with ease, Hans Zimmer’s Why So Serious ( The Dark Knight )
• Soundstage has more width and depth, doesn’t sound that 2D anymore

Spirit Torino Twin Pulse IEM

• The Twin Pulse is neutral with slight warmth on its own, based on my listening impression pairing it with Q15, the soundstage is definitely “bigger” than before, imaging that is already good has been taken a step further with excellent separation as well as layering, simply amazing
• Bass is slightly faster, but the rendered texture is also improved
• Not much changes on the mids
• Improved detail retrieval, listening to Why So Serious, the notes that used to sound faint can be heard easily now

7Hz Legato

• This particular pairing is the most interesting to my ears
• Legato itself is quite warm and bassy to my ears, pairing it with Q15, the dynamics are improved as well as the treble
• Bass has better control and tighter, while retaining the punch
• Not much improvement on the detail retrieval, but slightly better, afterall Legato isn’t tuned to be analytical in the first place
• Soundstage has very good width and depth to it and seems to image better as well

Comparison (iFi Gryphon)

• Uses different DAC chip (Burr Brown) and has lesser power output compared to Q15
• Different sound signature compared to Q15, more coloured sounding compared to Q15, slight neutral and warmish signature
• In terms of size, Gryphon is smaller and slimmer in profile
• Analog stage EQ, xBass and xSpace, and also the ability to taylor the level of both xBass and xSpace to your preference
• Feature wise, iFi does have the IEMatch which allows you to use sensitive IEM without any hissing noise when enabled, also the ability to use the Gryphon as amp only
• Q15 definitely has more power compared to Gryphon, 1.6w vs 1w on balanced output
• Having used both and swapping around for A/B test, i definitely prefers the Q15 than Gryphon for the sound signatures, it has better dynamics and also very good technicalities yet it doesn’t sound analytical

Final Thoughts
Having tested and used the Q15 for quite some time prior to publishing this review, Q15 definitely has what it takes to make the statement in the fast moving market with various competition. Q15 is a very versatile product and I find the use case is very suitable for portable users and also headphone users that don't use overly power hungry headphones.
The power output is definitely sufficient for most IEMs out there and also headphones that aren’t overly power hungry (Tested with the headphones which I owned, Hifiman Sundara Open Back, Hifiman Edition XS, Hifiman Sundara Closed Back, as well as Aune AR5000). In terms of sound, it is definitely not neutral yet the coloration is somewhere in between and quite balanced overall, which I personally enjoyed and find it rather easy to pair with most transducers. The only gripe that i have with it is the size, if only it has a slimmer and shorter profile, then it is definitely an undisputed portable power house, however, it is also understandable that packing so much tech and features into the Q15, there are definitely some limit in terms of the size. All in all, if you enjoy a dynamic sound yet you don’t like an overly colored signature, Q15 is definitely highly recommended!



*A big thanks to Fiio for sending this over for the purpose of this review. I thank them for their support.

Head over to their official AliExpress Store and official website if you are interested in getting one:

Fiio Q15 Product Page
Fiio Q15 Purchase Link - Non Affiliated

General/Packaging/Build
ddHifi is a brand that I believe needs no introduction. Most of the audiophiles should be familiar with their adapters as well as cables. The brand produces a wide range of products ranging from adapters, cables, portable dongle dac/amp, and even IEM. Packaging is taking on the minimalist approach, very straightforward yet premium looking at the same time. The box contains the dongle itself as well as a mini lanyard.

Specifications

• DAC chips: Dual Cirrus Logic CS43131
• Output power: 120mW (4.4Bal. 3252)
• SNR: >125dB
• Dynamic range: >120dB
• THD+N: <-110dB
• PCM decoding capability: Up to 32bit/384kHz
• DSD decoding capability. Native DSD64/DSD128/DSD256
• Dimensions: 30×18×12.5 (mm)
• Weight. About 9g

Gears used for this review

• Thieaudio Hype 2
• 7Hz Legato
• iKKO OH5
• TC44 Pro -> Google Pixel 5 -> UAPP (Tidal)
• Macbook Air M2

Foreword
My review is solely based on what I hear via my equipment and I never consider my reviews to be objective in any way rather a subjective approach. Do take into consideration that everyone’s ear anatomy is not the same, so the psychoacoustics perception might be different as well, but i believe it will not stray too far

Battery Drain

• TC44 Pro is quite power efficient based on my test, i did not specifically measure the power draw but based on my observation
• BHD Pro is connected to Pixel 5 at 100% battery, the volume is being set at +- 40% and 7Hz’s Legato is hooked to the 4.4 out and let it loop through the playlist from 10pm until the next morning 9am (UAPP Pro on exclusive mode)
• That’s about 11 hours and the battery on Pixel 5 is at 50% when i checked the battery%, that is quite efficient in my opinion based on my observation
• Also take into consideration that i’m streaming Tidal via UAPP as it doesn’t support offline download for UAPP

Sound Impression
Tonality wise, The TC44Pro doesn’t add much coloration to the signature, i would say it is quite neutral with a slight hint of warmth for the signature. I have tested several dongles with CS41313 but they don’t sound the same at all. That pretty much explains implementation and tuning is the key.

Listening Impression with the following gears
Thieaudio Hype 2

• Bass is punchy and tight, mid bass especially
• Sub bass has slightly better extension
• Mids are slightly being pushed forward instead of sounding slightly recessed prior to pairing with TC44 Pro
• Male vocal has slightly thicker texture and sounds fuller
• Female vocal is full sounding as well
• Not so much changes in terms of detail retrieval
• Overall, a very good synergy pairing the Hype2 with TC44Pro

7Hz Legato

• Legato is a bassy and warm IEM, aimed at delivering analog-ish speaker sound
• The mids are slightly recessed, but when paired with , the mids doesn’t sound that recessed anymore and it sounded a little bit more forward, both male and female vocal also have better texture and body to it
• Bass on the other hand sounds a little tame, the sub bass doesn’t rumble that much, but mid bass is still punchy, a very refreshing experience if you ask me, still very fun sounding
• Not much changes on the detail retrieval as well
• Soundstage is slightly better in terms of better height,depth and width perception
• Legato is not hard to drive, on paper, TC44Pro may seem like it is very lacking in terms of power output, but it is actually more than enough for most IEMs out there

Comparison (Truthear Shio)

• Shio sounds warmer to my ears
• The low end is way more elevated compared to TC44Pro
• Treble is more or less similar
• It does have a low/high gain mode which can be toggled by pressing a certain button combination
• Although sporting different DAC, they difference are actually very minimal, the 43131 on TC44Pro is a DAC chip with built in amp section, where as on the Shio’s 43198, it is a DAC only setup and the amp section is designed/implemented separately

Final Thoughts
After weeks of using the TC44Pro, i’m actually very happy with the performance and the size of it, there’s no additional cable dangling around and the dongle is directly attached to my mobile, although the headphone out port is positioned on the side, i just switch the position of my phone in the pocket to face other direction and problem solved, or just put it in the ddHifi C2023 bag and walk about with it.
While the specs on paper may not please the crowd, however, the sound and the power output is actually very sufficient for most IEMs out there, when i’m using it with the Hidizs MS5 and MS3, both which are quite sensitive and prone to hissing, there’s none, the background is dark and no audible hiss.
The tech within the dongle and the asking price, i’d say it's fair and i have no issue recommending this dongle if you’re in search of a dongle that has good performance and very portable without breaking the bank.

*A big thanks to ddHifi for sending this over for this review. I thank them for the support as always.
Head over to their official AliExpress Store and official website if you are interested in getting one:

ddHifi TC44Pro - Non affiliated

Intro
Hidizs is no stranger to the audiophile community,they have several great products that are well known to the community,namely the S9 Pro as well as their AP series’s DAP which has a high price performance ratio. I have the AP80 Pro-X with me today and it's safe to say it certainly offers a very good sound and performance for its price point.

Specifications (Grabbed from Hidizs’s AP80 Pro-X Product Page)

PERFORMANCE SPECIFICATIONS​

Build Quality
AP80 Pro-X has got a very good build quality,the back panel is made out of glass and the whole unit has got a very solid build quality as well. There is a caveat however,the volume control wheel,it does offers a very solid clicky sound when you are adjusting the volume,but from my observation,it is very hard to operate the wheel via the thumb,it doesn’t really scroll when i am using only just the thumb to adjust the volume, but that's just a very minor annoyance, other than that,it is all good.


Sound Impression
AP80 Pro-X sounds quite flat and balanced to my ears.
It’s fast and precise, at any level of volume, and the layering feels natural, with clean lows and voices that sound sweet. Even at low listening volume, the AP80 Pro-X clearly renders the micro-details without much effort.
Timbre on the AP80 Pro-X sounds natural to my ears and in fact it synergizes quite well with most of my iems.Comparing it to the Cowon Plenue PD2 that’s similar in terms of size and output,sporting both 3.5 and 2.5 balanced out,PD2 is sounding a little warmer and less energetic.

Bass

• The bass rendition on AP80 Pro-X is clean and tight,doesn’t sound boosted at all to my ears
• Sub bass rendition on the AP80 Pro-X is quite flat and extends well,but again,it is not anywhere near bassheads level which is fine by me because it is not my preference
• Mid bass surprisingly kicks a little hard and it is actually very enjoyable listening to

Mids

• Good layering and dynamic
• Lush sounding and never harsh
• Depending on the pairing,it can sound very good if the iem/headphone has good synergy with AP80 Pro-X

Highs

• High is rather flat and has good extension,doesn’t sound boosted to my ears
• It has got the typical ESS high of high which has good extension
• Plenty of micro details,of course,depending on the pairing of IEM/Headphone once again

Pairing
Hidizs AP80 Pro-X + Hidizs MD4 in Balanced Tuning

• Pairing it with in house’s MD4,it is nothing short of amazing,as if the MD4 were made to complement AP80 Pro-X
• The vocal is forward separating it from the instruments and exhibit excellent separation as well as imaging capability,and this is coming from only 3.5 single ended output
• MD4’s soundstage on its own isn’t that good,average at its best i’d say,however,pairing it with AP80 Pro-X does seem to make it sound a little bigger,in terms of having better depth and height

Hidizs AP80 Pro-X with Letshuoer S12

• Letshuoer S12 is the first planar coming from Letshuoer.
  Paired with the AP80 Pro-X, the result is quite impressive but on some tracks it can be a little too bright for some who are treble sensitive as S12 has got a slight boost on the top end and AP80 Pro-X with ESS dac is very engaging for those who prefer this kind of signature,but for others,avoid this pairing as it might be too energetic for you,i for one enjoy this pairing.
• Lows are fast and tight, and highs are snappy. For my preference,I find this pairing to be pretty good.

Hidizs AP80 Pro-X with TRI x HBB Kai

• Kai is probably one of the unconventional IEM for the year, where most of the company is striving for neutral bright,or even neutral tuning,Kai is the IEM tuned with “fun” in mind.
• Having an emphasis on the low end on Kai and this is very obvious,when paired with AP80 Pro-X,it kind of made Kai a little less bassy and in a way balanced it with a slight boost on the top end of Kai. I certainly enjoy this pairing a lot as it does tame the bass a little,or rather balance it out in my word.

General Features (Bluetooth/USB DAC)

• Bluetooth version is slightly outdated at 4.2 but supports various codecs,Aptx and AAC and LDAC
• It can also be used as a DAC/Amp when connected to PC/Mac
• It can also be used solely as a transport,which means you can connect AP80 Pro-X to another Dac/Amp via the Type C port,one of the in house product is DH80S for example

Final thoughts
This is my 2nd Hidizs product and I'm surprised to say, in terms of price and size, the Hidizs AP80 Pro-X is one of the good sounding dap with a high price performance ratio. It is sturdy and compact,and most importantly,good sound with more than enough power to drive most IEM and non demanding headphones.
Now,let’s face it,it will not replace your top tier DAP or Dac/Amp combo,but it certainly will be a device that you want to carry around with you and provide good sound when you’re out and about. I am more than happy to recommend this to anyone that’s new to this hobby and looking to get his/her first DAP,or even seasoned audiophile who’s looking for something that’s compact and provides good sound.

*AP80 Pro-X is sent over F.O.C by Hidizs in exchange for this review,i am not under any influence nor do i receive any compensation in producing this review. All words and thoughts are of my own.

If you are interested in getting one,head over to their online store to check it out (Non affiliated link)
Hidizs AP80 Pro-X
Hidizs MD4