Audiophile-Heaven

Crazy Clear Views - Underwood HIFI LSA HP-1 Headphones Review

LSA HP-1 is a variant of Kennerton's best headphones, but with an improved comfort, support based in USA, and, shockingly, a much lower price point than the original headphones from Kennerton. It is so impressive and so aggressively priced at the 1400 USD Price Mark, that it makes the original 2200 USD price look darn high. The comparison list will include Kennerton Thror, Rosson RAD-0, Audeze LCD-MX4, and HIFIMAN HE6SE. The pairing list will include the SW1X DAC I Special + Audio-GD Master 19 Amplifier, iBasso DX220, and FiiO Q5S.

No Comments

Extra Punch - Sennheiser Momentum 3 Bluetooth NC (Noise Cancelling) Headphones Review

Momentum 3 is a Headphone with a lot of life and a powerful impact, a nice amount of reach in the lows, and a good amount of features. It is priced at 400 USD, although the price is lower in most of the Europe, including Romania (350 USD medium and 335 lowest). This means that it will get compared to HIFIMAN Deva, MAS Audio Science X5h, and Verum One. There is no pairing possible, since they are bluetooth, but I will explain a bit in the Sound part of this review how the sound differs when you're driving them from a smartphone, dedicated DAC or using them cabled as a USB DAC.

No Comments

Dynamic Overload Step One - SW1X DAC I Special Edition R2R Review

SW1X is a company that's not well known right now, but it ought to be, after I'm done with this review, because it costs a LOT of money, all while having a very specific usage scenario, but doing what it does really well.Given its price of about 2400 GBP, it has to be compared to the best DACs out there, like the Mytek Brooklyn DAC+, M2Tech Young MK III, and even something also crazy expensive, like the DX220 MAX from iBasso, but for the sake of having a comparison point that's already been written about, I'll go with DX220 the usual, and add a few words about the MAX as well. The pairing list will include DAC I + Audio-GD Master 19 driving HIFIMAN Arya, DAC I + Feliks Euforia driving Rosson RAD-0 and DACI + Wells Milo driving Kennerton Thror (Also LSA-HP1).

2 Comments

The Roar's Here - iBasso AM05 BA IEMs

AM05 is a new IEM released by iBasso, and this is the green version, with a better looking one, blue, in the wild. The price is about 300 USD, so they will be compared to The Periodic Audio Carbon, Final Audio B2, and FiiO FA7. Despite having 5 BA drivers, it has a unique sound, but it is not picky, so the pairings will include iBasso DX160, Lotoo Paw S1, and Earmen TR-AMP.

No Comments

6000 Hands Of Awesome - Lotoo Paw S1 USB DAC/AMP Review

If you're curious what's the point of the title, it refers to Lotoo's 6000 series of DAPs, which I will be reviewing in the future as well (hopefully). The Lotoo Paw S1 is a nice DAC/AMP made for Android Smartphones, which is made to work wired, quite different from the BTR5 from FiiO, to which it will get compared a lot in the video. The price for the Paw S1 is 170 USD, which makes it a direct competitor to the Next Drive SpectraX, FiiO K5 PRO, and even something like the M2X DAP from Shanling. The pairing list will include HIFIMAN DEVA, Dunu DK-3001 PRO, and FiiO FH7.

No Comments

Pure Monitors - Fischer AMPs Rhapsody FA-4E XB IEMs Review

FA-4E XB is a multi-Ba driver IEM, with a low impedance and a high SPL, extreme clarity and revealing abilities, good isolation, and pretty much everything a monitor should have. Since the FA-4E XB costs quite a bit, about 400 EURO or 450 USD, the comparisons list will include the 470 USD Dunu DK-3001 PRO, 450USD FiiO FH7, and the 400 USD Periodic Audio Carbon. The pairing list includes iBasso DX160, priced at 400 USD, Earmen TR-AMP, priced at 250 USD, and FiiO M11, priced at 420 USD. I will also include a bonus comparison with the Rapture, as it is fun to see how the IEMs from the same company differ from each other.

2 Comments

King Of Affodable Power - FiiO K5 PRO Desktop DAC/AMP Review

FiiO K5 PRO gives a nice boost to your desktop setup, by having a Desktop-Class DAC, a Heavy Duty Headphone Amplifier, and a friendly price point of just 150 USD. This makes it very easy to recommend for pairing with a large selection of Headphones, including Ultrasone Signature DXP, Rosson RAD-0, and even Sennheiser HD660S. It drives IEMs too, but give the price point, it will get compared to FiiO K3, Lotoo Paw S1, and even Earmen TR-AMP, which is almost twice as pricy, but to which K5 PRO is an interesting, more budget alternative.

2 Comments

Midy Greaty Soundy - Audiosense AQ3 IEMs Review

AQ3 is an IEM priced at 190 USD, which I reviewed in video already, and which will get compared to many IEMs, including Dunu Falcon-C (220 USD), Periodic Audio Ti (150 USD), and FiiO FA7 (250 USD). The pairings list will include some gems like FiiO M3PRO, iBasso DX120, and HIDIZS AP80.

No Comments

Victorious Machine - Earmen TR-AMP DAC/AMP Review

Earmen TR-AMP is a really well-priced DAC/AMP for those who need a ton of power, but also great sonic performance on the go. It is currently priced at 250 USD, which makes it a direct competitor to iFi xDSD, which is priced at 400 USD, FiiO Q5s, which is priced at 350 USD, and even something like FiiO M11, which is a full standalone DAP, priced at 420 USD. The pairings list will include HIFIMAN Deva on cable (350 USD), Dunu DK-3001 PRO (470 USD), and Final B3 (500 USD), all of which are pretty interesting transducers by themselves.

No Comments

FiiO EH3 NC Bluetooth Headphones - Commercially Cool

FiiO EH3 NC are an entry-level noise cancelling pair of Bluetooth Headphones, priced at 170 USD, being competitors to headphones also in the entry-level area, like AIWA ARC-1, Brainwavz HM100, and ESS 422H. I will skip the pairings part of this review, and will explain a bit in the portable usage part of the review why I did such a thing.

No Comments

New Day, New Budget Wonder - HIFIMAN Deva Planar Headphones Review

HIFIMAN Deva is a Planar Magnetic Headphone that comes with a Bluetooth DAC / Amplifier and which is able to punch some real volume, priced at 300 USD. This makes it a very fair competitor to the likes of HIFIMAN's own Sundara, which can be found at 250 USD, Brainwavz Alara which was launched at 500 USD, but can be found at 350 USD or even 280 USD, Verum One, which is priced at 300 USD, and even MAS X5h, and Meze 99 Classics. The comparison list is long, but the pairing list will be shorter, with iBasso DX160, FiiO M11, and Shanling M2X, and Bluemini being the main drivers for Deva.

No Comments

DTS:Virtual X Made for Movies And Music - Yamaha YAS-207 Soundbar + Subwoofer System Review

Yamaha YAS-207 is an entry-level budget soundbar that comes with a wireless subwoofer, and is priced at about 350 USD at the moment of making this review. The best price for it in Romania can be found at HIFI Expert, and the system will get compared to Edifier S1000DB, which is priced at about 400 USD, Polk Signa S2, which is priced at about 200 USD, and Audioengine A5+ Wireless, which are priced at about 500 USD.

2 Comments

Ready for the Bass - Periodic Audio Carbon IEMs Review

Periodic Audio priced their latest IEM, the Carbon at about 400 USD, which makes it a direct competitor to some really capable IEMs, like Periodic Audio Be, HIFIMAN RE800 Silver, and FiiO FH7. As far as pairings go, we're still waiting for the Periodic Audio DAP, so for now the pairings will include FiiO M11, iBasso DX160, and xDuoo X20. Let the bass cannons loose!

No Comments

Sweetness Of The Analogue Sound - Hagerman Tuba Amplifier Review

Hagerman Tuba is a very pragmatic Tube Based Amplifier, priced at 650 USD. It is designed to drive Grado and Sennheiser but also Audeze and Beyerdynamic, and it has a 5 or 35 OHM Output impedance making it work less well with IEMs than with headphones. There's a good amount of power, and good clean voltage, as it has 350mW at 32 OHM, and 7VRMS, so it will be compared to Feliks Echo, Aune S6 PRO, and Chord Mojo. Since it is meant for Grado and Sennheiser, it will be paired with Sennheiser HD 660S, Grado SR80e, and with Beyerdynamic Amiron.

No Comments

Revelations Become Balance - Fischer Amps Rapture IEMs Review

Fischer AMPs is an IEM or In-Ear Monitor made by Fischer AMPs in Germany, Europe. They are currently sold for 450 EURO or 450 USD, depending on where you live. This means that they will get compared to other pro-level IEMs, like The Custom Art Fibae Black, but also with IMR R2 Aten, a very potent multi-signature IEM, and with FiiO FH7, a very prominent IEM priced at 420 USD. The pairing list will include iBasso DX160, FiiO M11, and Shanling M2X.

No Comments

Long Live The Queen - Sonoma Model One (M1) Headphone System Review

Sonoma Model One is a headphone system, running as a complete all-in-one system, with a Headphone, a Headphone Amplifier, and a DAC integrated, all at the price of 5000 GBP or Great Britain Pounds. This is about 5000 USD, and it is a proper flagship, so it will get compared to the best flagship setups I reviewed on Audiophile Heaven, like Mytek Brooklyn DAC+ powering HIFIMAN He6SE, M2 Tech Young MK III to Wells Milo, both powering Kennerton Thror, iBasso DX220, using the AMP 7, powering Rosson RAD-0, and Aune S6 PRO, powering Audio-GD Master 19, powering Audeze LCD-Mx4.

No Comments

4-Way Chifi IEM Fight - BLON BL-05, YinYoo V2, Revonext QT3, Revonext QT2 IEMs Review

Today's review will focus on the entry-level, and it features BLON BL-05, priced at about 50 USD, depending on the configuration, which will be compared to KZ AS10, Final Audio E3000, and paired with HIDIZS AP80, YinYoo V2 priced at 40 USD, which will be compared to BGVP DS1 PRO, and paired with Shanling M0, and Revonext QT2 and QT3, which are really similar to each other, priced at 30 and 40 USD, and which will be compared to Shozy HIBIKI MK II, and which will be paired with FiiO M3 PRO, and FiiO M5.

No Comments

Stage Opens Now - Clear Tune Monitors Da Vinci IX Review

Da Vinci IX is the nine-driver setup from CTM or Clear Tune Monitors and at the moment of writing this review it is sold for a price of 1800 USD, down from 2000 USD. The price and naming do not reflect the relationship between Da Vinci X and the IX, they are two very different earphones, and the sonic performance, as we will explore goes in two totally opposite ways. The main competitors are Clear Tune Monitors CTM Da Vinci X, Campfire Atlas, Dita Twins Fealty, Beyerdynamic Xelento and Lime Ears Model X. The pairings will include FiiO M11 / M11 PRO, iBasso DX220 with the AMP 9, and Opus #2.

No Comments

Scientifically Awesome - Topping E30 DAC Review

Topping is a large and growing company from China, and their E30 is priced at only 130 USD at the moment of making this review. This makes it a direct competitor, and it will be compared to Burson Play, Pro-Ject Pre Box S2, Cyrus Soundkey. Since it is a DAC, pairings will be slightly more complicated, so I introduced it in a few systems, including in a Wells Milo Amplifier, driving an Ultrasone Signature DXP Headphone, a JDS Labs Atom driving a pair of HIFIMAN Sundara Headphones, and a Periodic Audio Nickel AMP driving a pair of FiiO FH7 IEMs.

2 Comments

On-Ear EDM Party - Mas Audio Science X5h Headphones And XX Bluetooth Cable Review

MAS X5h is a headphone from a company named MAS Audio Science. The headphones are priced at 300 USD, which makes them a direct competitor to HIFIMAN Sundara, Verum One, Meze 99 Classics, and The OVC Vacuum Tube Headphones. In terms of pairings, I have chosen HIDIZS AP80, FiiO M9, and iBasso DX120. X5h can also be driven from a source like FiiO's BTR5, but that would be a bit redundant, since their Bluetooth cable, based on the MMCX connectors is also featured in this review, and will be paired with X5h, but also with IEMs like FiiO FH7, Campfire Atlas, and iBasso IT01S.

No Comments

Rock On - Grado SR80e On-Ear Headphones Review

Grado SR80e is one of the finest headphones for those who enjoy a colorful, dynamic midrange, and a really sparkly treble, but don't require a lot of bass. They are priced at 100 USD, and they will be compared with Brainwavz HM100, 1More Triple Driver, and AIWA ARC-1. The pairings will include FiiO M6, iBasso DX160, and Shanling M2X.

2 Comments

BT Magnifique - HIFIMAN Ananda Bluetooth Headphones Review

HIFIMAN Ananda Bluetooth is the best, most expensive high-end bluetooth headphone out there, and it has LDAC, aptX HD, HWA, works as a USB DAC, is Planar Magnetic, has the same DAC design as the mighty R2R2000, and is priced at 1000 USD. This means it will get compared to HIFIMAN Arya, HIFIMAN HE6SE, Kennerton Thror, Rosson RAD-0, Beyerdynamic Amiron, and Sennheiser HD660S. This should cover all grounds, as there are no pairings possible, given it's unique Bluetooth design and the fact that it will sound pretty similar regardless what you're connecting it to.

No Comments

Unexpected Winner - Audio-GD Master 19 Headphone Amplifier Review

Audio-GD Master19 is a heavyweight headphone amplifier that costs the magical price of 880 USD. This makes it far less expensive than some of the direct competitors, and since the list includes Feliks Euforia, Wells Milo, Mytek Brooklyn DAC+, Aune S6 PRO, and iBasso DX220, you know this review is going to be a lot of fun. Pairings will include HIFIMAN He6SE, HIFIMAN Arya, Crosszone CZ-1, Beyerdynamic Amiron, Sennheiser HD660S, Audeze LCD-MX4, Kennerton Thror, Clear Tune Monitors Da Vinci X, and Rosson RAD-0. I may have bitten more than I could chew including so many, but this one amplifier is worth all the effort, it is the unexpected, unlikely, yet it is the winner in many ways.

4 Comments

Light Spring Audio - HIFIMAN TWS 600 Bluetooth 5.0 Earphones Review

HIFIMAN TWS600 is the latest earphone from HIFIMAN, and it is the bluetooth version of their well-known RE-600 series, having been launched at 200 USD, but now being found at 70-80 USD in most stores. In this review, I will be comparing them with Lypertek Tevi, 1More Stylish TWS IEMs, Master & Dynamic MW07, Jays M-Six, and RHA True Connect. With a Neutral sound, and good connectivity, comfort, and with lots of headroom for EQ, TWS600 promises to be the audiophile TWS IEM to get if you're tired of those that are too thick or muddy.

No Comments

Majestic Express - iBasso DX160 DAP Review

iBasso DX160 is the latest DAP from iBasso, and it comes to tell us once again that they can outdo their own previous work, which was the DX150. With a price tag of 400 USD, it is 20 USD Cheaper than FiiO's M11, which will be one of its main competitors. There's also iBasso's own DX150 running AMP 9 (for fun), and Opus #3. Bonus comparison with Hiby R6 included as well. For pairings, I picked FiiO's FH7, iBasso IT04, Beyerdynamic Amiron, Campfire Atlas, iBasso AM05, Verum One, and Grado SR80e from different shapes, sizes, and price points, exploring the abilities of DX160 the best I could. It is available in Black, Blue, Red and Silver, and the version explored in today's review is the Silver Version. An Android 8.1 DAP with Dual CS43198 DACs, 4.4mm outputs, BT 5.0 and up to 13 hours of battery life, DX160 is sure to be fun to play with.

8 Comments

Older Posts

Audiophile-Heaven

Dynamic Overload Step One - SW1X DAC I Special Edition R2R Review

Search!

About me

George Dobrescu

Follow Us

Check Out!

Also Check Out!

Labels

Friends!

Blog Archive