Audiophile-Heaven

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.

No 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.

2 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.

6 Comments

The Opera Leader - Dunu DK-3001 PRO IEMs Review

Dunu DK-3001 PRO may not be the current flagship from Dunu, but it is their most sold IEM at the moment of making this review, having a price point of 470 USD, and being popular thanks to the beautiful V-Shaped sound, an excellent clarity and detail, and thanks to the support of Dunu, which has been stellar. The main competitors I will be comparing it with are FiiO FH7, iBasso IT04, HIFIMAN RE800 Silver, Final Audio B3, and IMR R2 Aten. Pairings with iBasso DX160, FiiO M11, Hiby R6, Shanling M2X, and Opus #2 should make this review interesting and cover most grounds.

No Comments

Director Of Sound - Feliks Audio Euforia Tube Headphone Amplifier Review

Feliks Euforia is a 2000-EURO Tube Amplifier for headphones, and it will be compared to Wells Milo, Mytek Brooklyn DAC+, Audio-GD Master 19, Aune S6 PRO, and Feliks Echo. Pairings will include Beyerdynamic Amiron, Sennheiser HD660S, Audeze LCD-MX4, and HIFIMAN Arya, Kennerton Thror, and the magical Crosszone CZ-1.

4 Comments

Pick Me Up - iBasso DC01 Type-C USB DAC / AMP Review

This review will focus on iBasso DC01, a tiny USB Type-C DAC/AMP, made for Android Smartphones, but which is ended in a 2.5mm Balanced Jack. I will compare it with HIDIZS Sonata HD DAC, Cyrus Soundkey, FiiO BTR5, and the Audirect Beam. For a good balance of price and performance, costing 50 USD, it will be paired with iBasso IT01S, Simphonio Dragon 2+, and FiiO F9 PRO.

No Comments

One Bright and One Thick - Final B3 and Final B2 IEMs Review

Final Audio is back once again, this time with their B3 and B2 IEMs, both of which are interesting. They are priced at 500 USD, and 300 USD, so the comparisons with include FiiO FH7, IMR R2 Aten, TheCustomArt Fibae Black, for B3, and for B2, FiiO FA7, HIFIMAN RE800 Silver and UFO EAR 112 IEMs. As far as pairings go, we're going for something more modest, including FiiO M11, iBasso DX160, Shanling M2x, Opus #3, HIDIZS AP80 and Earmen TR-AMP.

No Comments

The Shooting Star Returns - FiiO FH7 IEMs and LC-2.5D Silver Cable Review

FiiO FH7 is the current flagship IEM from FiiO, priced at 450 USD, making it a direct competitor for a few other IEMs like IMR R2 Aten, FiiO FA7, Final Audio B3, iBasso IT04, and TheCustomArt Fibae Black. Pairings will include iBasso DX220, FiiO M11, and FiiO Q5s. There's a lot of FiiO in this article, but all of it has a high price/performance ratio, so it'll all be interesting. For the 110 USD LC 2.5 D, the pairings will include FiiO FA7, Shozy CP, Final Audio B1, Final E5000, Dunu DK-4001, Campfire Atlas.

6 Comments

Two Hands, Two Great - Brainwavz HM100 Headphones & BLU-300 BT IEMs Review

Brainwavz HM100 is a dynamic headphone, priced at 140 USD, while BLU-300 is priced at 40 USD. They will be compared with 1More Triple Driver, ESS 422H, and with AIWA ARC-1, all of which are pretty close in price to HM100. There aren't many BT IEMS in the 40 USD price range, so BLU-300 won't get comparisons this time around. Pairings with iBasso DX120, FiiO M6, and HIDIZS AP80 will be included as well. For HM-100, I included an EQ profile that should work well with all of the pairings that have an EQ built-in, and which should make their sound a bit better.

No Comments

Two For Bass, One For Treble - 1More Quad Driver IEMs And Stylish TWS Review

1More Quad Driver is a 4-Driver IEM priced at 170 USD, while the Stylish TWS IEMs are priced at 100 USD. Quad Driver will be compared to iBasso IT01S, Shozy CP IEMs, and Final Audio E4000. Pairings with HIDIZS AP80, FiiO K3, and Shanling M2x will be included as well. The Stylish TWS will be compared with HIFIMAN TWS600, Lypertek Tevi, and RHA TrueConnect.

No Comments

Sound Science - JDS Labs Atom Headphone Amplifier Review

JDS Labs Atom is a high-power Amplifier for headphones, made to drive almost anything under the sun, or under the moon, because it does have its limits. This being said, it is priced at 100 USD, where it doesn't really have a lot of competition, even something like Periodic Audio Nickel, Cyrus Soundkey, and Burson Play, still costing quite a bit more. It pairs well with large, hard to drive, and analytic / neutral headphones, like Kennerton Thror, Ultrasone Signature Studio, and HIFIMAN Sundara making great pairings for the Atom.

No Comments

Modern Boombox Style - Vifa Copenhagen 2 Bluetooth Speaker Review

Vifa is a large company from Denmark, and they are aces in producing bluetooth speakers. Vifa 2 is priced at 700 EUROs. This makes it a direct competitor for Audioengine A5+ Wireless, AIWA EXOS 9, and Taga Harmony HTA-800 Amplifier + 806F Floorstanding speakers. There will be no pairings since Copenhagen 2 is a Bluetooth Speaker.

No Comments

FiiO Q5S Modular DAC/AMP Review - Blessing In Smol Package

FiiO Q5s is the update of the older Q5, but now has DSD Decoding, Bluetooth 5.0, and 4.4mm Balanced outputs from the get-go. Priced at 350 USD, this modular USB DAC/AMP has iFi xDSD, Earmen TR-AMP, and xDuoo XD-10 Poke as the main competitors. Based on popular request, I will also add a comparison to Chord Mojo. The main pairings in this review will be with FiiO FH7, Clear Tune Monitors Da Vinci X, and HIFIMAN Sundara, as those all should reveal what Q5S is capable of, and where things changed from the previous generation.

No Comments

Aune S6 PRO DAC / Balanced Headphone AMP Review - The Heavyweight Fighter

Aune S6 PRO is a large Desktop DAC/ Balanced headphne amplifier, priced at 550 USD at the moment of writing this review. This makes it a competition for the likes of iFi iDSD Black Label, Pro-Ject Pre Box S2 Digital, and Burson Playmate. All of those are fairly similar and compatible devices. For the pairings part of this review, I have chosen Rosson RAD-0, Dunu DK-4001, and Clear Tune Monitors Da Vinci X IEMs.

No Comments

Master & Dynamic MW07 TWS And MW65 Headphones Review - Bluetooth Engaged

Master & Dynamic is a friendly company from USA, known for their excellent headphones, all of them having awesome features like ANC, APT-X Bluetooth and other bells and whistles that tell them apart from the competition. MW65 is priced at 500 USD, and will be compared to Ultrasone Signature Studio, and Sennheiser HD660S while MW07 is priced at 150 USD, down from 250 USD, and the closest direct competitor to it is HIFIMAN TWS 600, which is also priced at 200 USD at launch.

No Comments

BGVP, Geek Wold, Shozy, TENHZ, Tin, TRN, Triponwin TP-10 Compilation Review- Linsoul Chifi Heaven

Today's Review will be about a LARGEEE Number of products. The version posted on Head-Fi will be split for each one of them, and may feel short, but let's roll. Today we are taking a look at a large number of products, all from Linsoul! The list includes BGVP DMG, BGVP DS1 PRO, Geel Wold GK3, Shozy Hibiki MK2, TENHZ P4 PRO, Tin T3, TRN V30, TRN V80, and TWNPRO TP10. A ton of Chifi, all with prices below 150 USD, most below 100 USD, and some of those around 50 USD, so let us roll with the review.

No Comments

IMR R2 Aten IEMs Review - The Customisable Joy Of 30 Signatures

IMR R2 Aten is the next best thing from IMR, a company from UK, focused on designing their polished, and now good value IEMs, all with configurable sound, and unique tech. R2 Aten is priced at 500 USD at the moment of writing this review, which makes it a direct competitor to IMR R1 Zenith, which is priced at 630 USD, HIFIMAN RE2000 Silver, which is priced at 800 USD, and TheCustomArt Fibae Black, which is priced at 500 USD as well. Pairings with top class DAPs, as well as more budget options, like FiiO M11, iBasso DX150 (AMP 9), and QLS QA 361 are also included in the review.

No Comments

Rosson RAD-0 Headphones Review - Liquid, Musical, Smooth, Grain-Free

Rosson RAD-0 is a headphone that's slightly less known right now, but I really hope that after this in-depth review will become better known, for its really good build quality, and amazingly well tuned sound. They are a flagship, and are priced at about 2600 USD, so they have to be compared with other flagships, such as HIFIMAN Arya, Kennerton Thror and Crosszone CZ-1. There is also a bonus comparison with Audeze LCD-MX4 included in this review, as Mr. Alexander Rosson has been part of Audeze in the past. I will also explore pairing with a few flagships, including pairing with iBasso DX220 (AMP 9), Mytek Brooklyn DAC+, and M2Tech Young MK III + Wells Milo.

No Comments

Final Audio B1 In-Ear Monitors (IEMs) Review - Warm, Dynamic, Fun

Today's review will focus on the most expensive of Final Audio's IEM Current Lineup, The B1. This is the warmer, more fun and dynamic of the trio, and also the most expensive one, priced at 700 USD. This makes it a direct competitor for Dunu DK-4001, Lime Ears Model X, and Acoustune HS1650CU, being priced in a very heated segment, that has a lot to offer already. How this Hybrid Design IEM will hold up to the competition, and what are the best portables to pair it up with, are two questions I will be exploring in today's review of Final Audio B1 IEMs.

No Comments

HIFIMAN HE6SE Planar Magnetic Headphones Review - The Star Is Here

One of the most expected and eagerly awaited reviews at Audiophile-Heaven, the article on HE6Se is live now! This is a high-end flagship that really deserves more than just one article, so it has been covered during multiple videos, and other articles. There's more to hear about it, and how it compares with HIFIMAN Arya, Kennerton Thror, Audeze LCD-MX4, as well as something much more expensive line Warwick Acoustics Sonoma Model One. Pairings with Mytek Brookyln DAC+, Audio-Gd Master 19, and Xtenik xDuoo TA-10, will also prove that regardless how much you invest in the source, you can surely drive HE6Se and have an excellent time with it.

6 Comments

Older Posts

Audiophile-Heaven

Search!

About me

George Dobrescu

Follow Us

Check Out!

Labels

Friends!

Blog Archive