Views 30,682 Meze 109 PRO is a $799 USD pair of High-End Open-Back Dynamic Headphones with an open-back design, dynamic driver, and a demonstration of Meze’s commitment to deliver pure emotion and go beyond a faithful reproduction of sound. They will be compared to other high-end headphones, including iBasso SR3, …
High End is where the effect of diminishing returns kicks in the hardest and you have to spend hundreds or thousand of USD to chase the last few details in music. This is where most of the fun is for enthusiasts, like in every hobby, but it can be a frustrating area, especially if you don’t have a lot of disposable income. The price range starts around 500 USD, and everything above is considered high-end in the audiophile hobby.
You can find my reviews on high end products below, and also the best high end products here: https://amzn.to/3zKGm1F
High End
Aune S9C PRO DAC Headphone AMP – The Silver Lining Of Flagships
Views 45,957 Aune S9C PRO Reference is a $699 USD high-end DAC / Headphone Amplifier and currently the flagship from Aune’s 2023 offering. It comes with 2 DAC chips, namely the ESS ES9068 DAC chips, it has up to 5 Watts of power over the balanced headphone output, a USB …
iBasso SR3 Dynamic Tesla Headphones – Magic’s Back
Views 43,457 iBasso SR3 is a $ 599 USD pair of dynamic over-the-ear headphones, with an open-back design, tesla drivers, and with a high, 150 OHM impedance. They will be compared to other headphones similarly priced, including OLLO S5X (489 USD), Dan Clark AEON 2 Noire (899 USD), SIVGA SV023 …
High-End Munich 2023 – An Audiophile Heaven For Your Ears
Views 65,622 With 2023 being still fresh, we decided to participate for the first time at a high-end show, and what a trip this has been. In today’s article we will discuss the highlights of High-End Munich 2023, traveling to Germany, and how to get the best of your experience …
Erzetich Thalia – Handmade On-Ear Dynamics
Views 37,208 Erzetich Thalia is a $ 599 EURO / USD pair of on-ear headphones with dynamic drivers, handcrafted in Europe, with a super cool design that’s made to withstand the test of time, and with a fully modular build, by Erzetich and Mr. Blaz. They will be compared with …
HIFIMAN Svanar IEMs – Fantastic Music Flagship
Views 41,320 HIFIMAN Svanar is the $ 1999 USD flagship IEM or In-Ear Monitor designed by HIFIMAN, to dominate the earphone market with single dynamic driver designs, with the name being inspired by the Swedish word for Swan, beauty, elegance and grace. It will be compared to other flagships, including …
Austrian Audio HI-X60 – Detail Extractor Tuned Masterfully
Views 37,237 Austrian Audio HI-X60 is a $ 399 USD pair of closed-back headphones, with a 44mm high excursion dynamic driver, two detachable cables and metallic hinges for maximum durability and made in Vienna. They are going to be compared to other high-end headphones, including OLLO S5X (489 USD), SIVGA …
Unique Melody Maven PRO IEMS – Most Beautiful Music Note
Views 31,826 Uniuqe Melody Maven PRO is a pair of $1799 USD pair of IEMs with 10 Balanced Armature Drivers and two EST Drivers playing in each ear, a Titanium Shell, and outstanding cables, all for the ultimate musicality. They will be compared to other flagship IEMs, including CTM Clear …
HIFIMAN HE1000 V2 Stealth – More Impact, Better Details, Smoothest Performer
Views 59,598 HIFIMAN HE1000 V2 Stealth is the $2400 USD latest revision to the HE1000 series, and it now comes with stealth magnets, and is also sometimes called HIFIMAN HE1000 V3. It will be compared extensively with He1000 V2 the original, but also with other high-end flagship headphones, including Audeze …
Rubyoung Master R830 Stereo Hi-Fi Speaker – Art in many ways
Views 30,700 Rubyoung Master R830 is the $749 USD star Bluetooth speaker of today’s review, and this version is the Alcantara Blue, with the Blue Love cover, and which can be purchased directly from the Rubyoung or hopefully Amazon. The speaker has a Bluetooth 5.1 protocol, and it has a …
Astell&Kern Acro CA1000T Transportable Tube DAP – The Mightiest Music Player
Views 43,367 Astell&Kern Acro CA1000T is a $2299 USD Tube DAP or Digital Audio Player, with a display, microSD slot, insane-level 4 headphone outputs, volume wheel, separate charging and USB Data ports, RCA outputs, 4.4mm Line In, and Optical, Coaxial Input. The only players that really compete are other Astell …
SMSL DO300 Balanced DAC – Perpetual Upgrade Of S.M.S.L
Views 28,910 SMSL DO300 $549 USD is a high-end DAC for desktop systems with ES9039MSPRO DAC Chips from ESS, MQA Hardware Decoding, a Full Function Remote, and with a built-in power supply. It also has Bluetooth 5.0 and 11 high-end Dual OP-AMPs. It will be compared to other high-end desktop …
OLLO S5X Dynamic Studio Headphones – Immersive Production
Views 27,341 OLLO S5X is a $489 USD Dynamic Headphone with an open-back design, a flat frequency response, made in EU. It is designed for studio usage, but also can be used for audiophile / enthusiast music listening, and it will be compared to other similarly priced headphones, including SIVGA …
KLH Model Five – Acoustic Suspension 5 Hifi Stereo Speakers
Views 59,694 KLH Model Five is a 2499 USD Per Pair / 1249 USD Each Hifi Stereo Speaker setup with huge 10-Inch Bass Drivers, 3-Way Design, and superb 3/4″ MDF enclosure. They will be compared with other speakers I reviewed, including NHT C3 Bookshelf HIFI Speakers (1250 USD), Buchardt S400 …
Feliks Audio Echo 2 Tube Amplifier – Lamp Refinement
Views 59,756 Feliks Audio Echo 2 is a 799 EURO Tube / Lamp Amplifier handmade in Poland, Europe. It is a unique product running on 4 Tubes, with a high 350mW power output, designed to drive high impedance headphones, with 1 pair of power tubes, and 1 pair of driver …
Audeze MM-500 – Studio Suprema Planar
Views 51,648 Audeze MM-500 is the 1699 USD pair of Planar Magnetic headphones designed by Audeze for Studios, Music Producers, Sound Engineers and everyone who wants to hear the latest word in detail and resolution, without breaking the bank. In fact, this is going to be not only hard to …
Hiby RS2 Darwin Player – Musicality Focused DAP
Views 34,200 Hiby RS2 Darwin is a 479 USD DAP with a beautiful aesthetic design, a minimalistic and practical OS design, and full Hiby Support, including R2R DAC and a 256-Tap FIR Filter that’s adjustable. Given the price point, it will be compared to other popular midrange DAPs, including iBasso …
Westone Mach 60 IEMs – Triple Plan – Bass, Mids, and Treble
Views 37,194 Westone Mach 60 are a pair of IEMs priced at 1100 USD, currently found on sale for 879 USD, with 6 Balanced Armature Drivers, and a unique sound to match the super ergonomic design. They will be compared to other high-end and flagship IEMs, including Ambient Acoustics MAD16 …
FiR Audio Frontier Series NE4 – NEON 4 IEMs – Exceeding All Expectations
Views 42,482 FiR Audio NE4 IEMs are a pair of Universal IEMs that can also be bought as customs, priced at 2299 USD, and designed with a superb sonic quality for both musicians and audiophiles. They aren’t the priciest IEMS I review on Audiophile-Heaven, by a good margin actually, but …
Dan Clark Aeon 2 Noire – True Flow Music Design
Views 40,187 Dan Clark Audio Aeon 2 Noire is an 899 USD pair of headphones with a full black design, in-house designed and created planar magnetic drivers, and a multitude of cables available for you upon purchasing them. They will be compared to other high-end headphones, including Sendy Audio Peacock …
HIFIMAN HE1000 V2 Planar Magnetic Headphones – Music Magic
Views 49,284 HIFIMAN He1000 V2 is a 2999 USD Planar Magnetic Headphone designed for the music lover that really knows what they want, and which is the world’s first headphone with a diaphragm that is only nanometers in thickness. It comes with a three-year stellar warranty by HIFIMAN, and it …
Ambient Acoustics MAD16 IEMs – Crazy Music Colors
Views 36,007 Ambient Acoustics MAD16 is an in-ear monitor priced at 2500 USD, designed with 16 balanced armature drivers, under the Main Audio Destination naming scheme. Given the price point, they have to be compared to other flagship IEMs, including CTM Clear Tune Monitors Da Vinci IX (1800 USD), Unique …
iBasso DX320 DAP Music Player – Ultimate Sonics
Views 41,430 Ibasso DX320 is the 1599 USD flagship DAP or Digital Audio Player made by iBasso, with a modular AMP design, two colors available for purchase, and with new ROHM MUS-IC DACs instead of ESS or AK chips. Given the price point, it will be placed against the wall …
STE Ag W16 IEM Cable – Silver Brings Fresh Information
Views 35,401 STE AG W16 Cable for IEMs is a 580 USD option for those who are looking to improve their IEMs, designed with an ergonomic build, extremely similar to the STE Cu W16, which I reviewed in the past. Given the price point, STE AG W16 will be compared …
Matrix Audio Element i Streamer / DAC / Headphone AMP – Music Connections
Views 37,349 Matrix Audio Element i is a Streamer with a headphone output, DAC output, and much more, priced at 1150 USD, and will be compared to some of the best streamers, DACs and headphone amplifiers in the price range, including Cyrus One Cast (2000 USD), cocktail N25 Music Streamer …