The TRN BAX PRO were provided my review by the manufacturer. I thank them for that and also apologize for the long delay of the publication of this article owing to some lengthy orofacial problems. You can get them from TRN Audio.

Introduction

TRN, or more precisely, Dongguan Zuodu Acoustics Technology Co., Ltd. are a ChiFi player of the first hour, from a time when a budget Chifi model reached easily 40,000 views on Head-Fi in a few weeks. Examples are the TRN V80 and V90.

TRN, like many other relatively inexperienced ChiFi companies (compared to, let’s say, the more established Sennheiser or Audio Technica), overestimated their abilities and prematurely released earphones in the premium segment that may have had the ingredients but the final meal was subpar. For example, the TRN BA8 was a screamer and unable to deliver musical enjoyment to the aided ear. And the original BAX was apparently not much better (I was told).

Time cures wounds and companies mature. TRN reassembled and tried again in order to close the reputation gap to, let’s say, Dunu or Moondrop.

Specifications TRN BAX PRO

Physical Things and Usability

The BAX PRO features quality ingredients and an interesting architecture: 1 DD + 2 BA + 2 EST: a Beryllium diaphragm for the bass, 1 Knowles 29689 BA for the mid frequencies, and another Knowles BA 33518 as well as two Sonion electrostatic drivers for crisp treble. It also comes with a modular cable with 3.5 mm single ended and 2.5 mm & 4.4 mm balanced plugs.

In the box are the earpieces, 2 sets of eartips with three tuning switches, the modular cable with three plugs, a strange plaque, a small tool for moving the switches, the usual TRN metal storage box and the paperwork.

The CnC machined, sturdy earpieces are rather large and have a bit of an unusual nozzle angle. Some people complained about not getting them deep enough into their ear canals, I have had no issues. But I don’t get the world’s greatest isolation with them either.

The eight-strand single crystal copper cable is rather pliable and, appeal wise, average. The eartips (2 silicone sets and 1 foam set)) are also nothing to write home about. In summary, the BAX PRO’s haptic is ok.

The BAX PRO are easy to drive.

Tonality and Technicalities

It is very difficult to give you an accurate account of the sound considering the options you have with switch positions and (stock) eartips. The BAX PRO are also sensitive to insertion depth so that different reviewers may report different results. Let me start with the black stock eartips and all switches in the “off” position [“Equalization mode”].

If you expect another TRN shoutfest, you may be surprised to hear that this is not the case. The BAX PRO offer a slightly warm however transparent sound with vocals in the foreground and zero shoutiness. I was quite delighted when I tried them out the first time and left them in my ears for a couple of hours going through a selection of jazz, rock, and classical.

What sticks out to me is the lower midrange: both female and male vocals are sparkly, very well sculptured in three dimensions, and rather intimate with a very good body. Bass is digging deep but is a bit subdued, thick, and could be a tad crisper while having enough kick…a bit similar to the Sennheiser HD 600 headphones…but you can tweak this with the switches, insertion depth and eartips. The midrange has good transparency and resolution without a hint of shoutiness. Very realistic.

TRN spent lots of attention on the treble – which are very well carved out with excellent resolution. My treble testing passed, for example, Anne Sophie Mutter’s rendering of the very high violin notes of her pieces from Star Wars. Cymbals are very clean…though rather subtle.

The technical merit of the BAX PRO is also very good. Stage may be average in two dimensions, but the spatial reprodcution and imaging are excellent. You really can spot the singer on stage. Dynamics is also good.

Timbre is also rather natural. I much preferred it over the glassy BA sound of the Blessing 2, allegedly the first $1000 soundalikes at $300. I listened to a lot of Beethoven piano music and orchestral pieces with great pleasure.

The piano touch was quite realistic and revealed a good driver speed. Timbre and dynamics paired result in orchestral sounding natural and developing a healthy richness and volume. Surprising how good the BAX PRO work with acoustic instruments of any quantity.

I confirmed my positive listening impressions when connecting the BAX PRO to the EarMen stack after listening to the Sennheiser HD 600. They did hold up to my big surprise.

Let’s have a look at the switch settings.

Equalization

The standard mode which sounds best to my ears. I use this mode as comparison to the other switch settings.

Electronic Mode

Enhances the upper midrange and introduces shoutiness. Not for me.

Transparency Mode

Bass imbalance 2-3 dB. Reduces bass and adds upper midrange. Introduces even more shoutiness than Electronic mode. Transparency is good enough without this mode.

Atmospheric Enhancement

Is the same as Electronic Mode in my measurements…I did two independent measurement runs to confirm.

High-Frequency Mode

Adds to upper midrange and to treble. Only for the hardest of us who get up with cheap Bourbon whiskey in the morning. Too bright for the rest of us.

Low Frequency Mode

Essentially the same as Equalization, with the upper midrange minimally tuned down. Good.

Compared to the LETSHUOER EJ07M

The EJ07M have been one of my daily drivers for the last couple of years. They also sport electrostatic tweeters and are, at $649, ca. 50% more expensive than the BAX PRO. They feature smaller earpieces with a different nozzle angle, which probably provide a better fit for many. Their imaging is flatter than that of the BAX PRO (in the Equalization setting), they are generally a tad brighter sounding and more coherent overall.

The BAX PRO have the upper midrange dialled down (in the Equalization setting), which makes the vocals thicker but also duller and less dynamic. In terms of treble resolution, both are pretty even, with he BAX PRO possibly a tad ahead. I’d like the EJ07M’s form factor with the BAX PRO’s sound.

Overall, the price difference appears arbitrary.

Concluding Remarks

The TRN BAX PRO come as a very pleasant surprise to me. They sound enjoyable to my ears with all musical genres I threw at them. The money is essentially in the excellent holographic staging and imaging. But I am also confused: the switches are not very useful as most of the settings only add shrillness nobody needs. Sometimes, less is more!

My other criticism is the very generic accessories (cable, eartips). And some may have problems with the fit owing to the unusual nozzle angle. Sometimes, more is better!

In the end, I recommend trying them out if possible. I may have to send them on a western Canadian tour to gather some feedback from Biodegraded and Co. We may have a diamond in the rough that is overlooked owing to lack of concerted promotion and organized hype.

TRN are finally on their way to join the likes of Moondrop and Dunu in the mid tier segment (if they leave useless gimmicks such as switches off). They now have to substantiate this with other models. Durwood is currently taking on their Dragon Azure, and I am anxious to see what he will come up with.

Until next time…keep on listening!

The post TRN BAX Pro Review – Electroexstatic appeared first on Music For The Masses.

INTRO

Lately, TWS earphones like the Creative Aurvana Ace 2 have been impressing me more than the budget wired earphones in the same pricing range. With new technology from xMEMS that makes promises to improve our aural experience, the xMEMS technology is better suited for TWS given that it requires a constant voltage to keep the plates charged. While this may add an additional drain on the battery of the TWS, it does not seem to impact it too much.

DESIGN COMMENTARY

The xMEMS are similar flat panel type drivers, they do not have the excursion to reproduce bass frequencies as well without being larger than normal, so it seems better suited for treble duty for the time being. They do have larger models, but I am not aware of any commercial products using them currently.

MEMS have already been used for microphones in some wired models and also smartphones, now they are using it as an actual driver. There were even suggested automotive applications from other technology companies. It is a wide band piezo style silicone based surface mount device.

Seeing new technology making tons of promises is nothing new, the question is does it live up to the hype? So what does xMEMS promise? You can read about it here, or I have summarized my take:

• Semiconductor components that can be surface mounted, good for automated assembly.
• Improved material stiffness, this pushes the breakup mode higher in frequency where it is less audible especially if it can be pushed above 20Khz. They are claiming >10khz, so it must still be in the audible band.
• Phase Coherence
• Near-zero phase shift
• Excellent transient response
• Shock resistant up to huge values
• Easier fabrication (This implies a cost savings somewhere, either for the consumer or the manufacturer, most likely the latter.)
• Better uniformity. I have some experience in what they call binning. The tolerances of products may ultimately be graded and “binned” into lets say A,B,C etc categories. Binning can be used to match tolerances, charge more, provide longer warranties, charge less if they are slightly outside of tolerance, or used in other less demanding applications, etc or a combination of these. With better uniformity and stricter tolerances, then there is better matching from Left to Right channels.

Creative Aurvana Ace 2 is plastered predominantly on the rotating splash page for www.xmems.com They are the first model to use the Cowell/xMEMS coaxial driver so we are not getting all the claimed advantages of their single full range xMEMS model. It is new nonetheless, there are other brands using them too however, I see Noble Audio also has a model available for example.

FEATURES

The Creative Aurvana Ace 2 priced at $149 comes in a familiar earbud styled shell like the Airpod Pro, and charges via USB-C or wireless in a translucent compact case. On the bottom is a pairing button, and the USB-C port.

A new trend I am seeing more and more of is oval shaped nozzles. I know this is supposed to be a better match for our ears, however I seem to have mixed experiences with fitment. The Creative Aurvana Ace 2 shell is longer than the Moondrop Space which also has a similar shape and oval nozzles, and therefore fits better for me and of course others may have a different outcome.

With the Creative App, users can update firmware ( I already updated twice in the span of a month), change EQ presets or modify your own, and change the button controls. Screenshots are below. Additionally there are three sound modes, ANC, Ambient and off. I noticed the off mode keeps wind noises at bay, ANC and Ambient both amplify wind noise. Highly encouraged to use the app, otherwise you will miss out on firmware updates that may be required for proper operation.

Unfortunately, the ANC testing is at the wrong time of year as I have yet to fire up the lawn mower and have no airplane trips scheduled. Best I can do is test in the bathroom with the fan on. Bathroom fan testing reveals a quiet hair dryer sound, it is similar to the Moondrop Space. Sony WF-1000XM3 still reigns supreme for me (I have not tried the XM4/XM5 models).

The ambient mode on the Creative Aurvana Ace 2 was actually more enjoyable than the ANC. Somehow it improves the Ace 2 soundstaging similar to open-back earphones without the loss of bass. On windy days it will boost windnoise, but inside it works out great.

I briefly played with the EQ settings, it reacts strangely in that making changes to a band also makes changes to the surrounding band. You will notice it if you set a band, and then makes changes to the one right next to it, move it up or down and watch the neighboring band also move up or down with it. I have never seen this behavior with other apps, either is a glitch with the APP, or the Q is too wide.

SOUND

Tested with iPhone 13 and LG G8.

I would describe the Creative Aurvana Ace 2 as a V shaped tune if not close to Harman. Bass comes through boisterous and fat on the Creative Aurvana Ace 2, over accentuating say foot stomps that normally only slightly show up causing a jarring sensation.

Given Creative’s heritage in computer based audio for gaming purposes, this is probably a purposeful design goal and not necessarily a negative if primary use is for gaming. There are also soft landings on the bass hits and could use more definition. It slogs along on a Sunday stroll rather than with purpose.

Lower mids sound full and warm, while midrange comes through realistic sounding with plenty of blank spacing around them. This lets the vocalist sound like they are singing in a larger space and not closed in and dull. Woodwinds are soft and delicate sounding.

Creative Aurvana Ace 2 delivers on the quick transient treble response, I do not pickup any coloration. There are some hiccups, horns have trouble sounding continuous. Perhaps there is a crossover between the drivers smearing it making them sound jagged. Sparkle and air tail off in a good way, cymbals and triangles for example have nice shimmer and ringing as required.

Coming back to the bass output on the Creative Aurvana Ace 2, it pulls the wide stage forward with the whole stage between your ears. Timbre is pretty spot on, height is predictable. The KZ VXS Pro sounds less forward and lower midbass provides a tad more definition.

The final feature that I find invaluable is multipoint connection and the Creative Aurvana Ace 2 comes equipped with said feature. It worked flawlessly between my Iphone and LG G8. Initially I had trouble with my Lenovo laptop, but after a firmware update it seemed to rectify the problem of it immediately disconnecting. I did have a hiccup a few times where one earpiece was disconnected, I am not sure if it was user error or on purpose, but sticking them back in the case and then pulling them out made them both start working again.

GOOD TRAITS

Ambient, ANC modes
Multipoint
Wireless Charging
Brightish Treble sounds quick and mostly concise
EQ settings/App
Low Latency toggle in app
Charging case is pocket friendly

NEEDS IMPROVEMENT

Computer connection disconnects
Oval nozzles does not always fit well in my experience
Bass is boosted too much and could use more definition
ANC is not at Sony levels.
APTX Lossless and lower codec support
EQ band changes affect surrounding bands, needs work.

FINAL REMARKS

Creative Aurvana Ace 2 is a good choice for TWS if you want accentuated bass and clear upper treble but do not necessarily need top tier ANC. Although it is not a strong contender for ANC performance, the ambient mode is nice and opens them up. The petite case is appreciated, and has wireless charging, battery life seemed middle of the road.

At $149 value is on the low side when you start comparing to the larger market share of Sony, Bose, Apple and Sennheiser for example. You can even find the good models from those brands used for cheaper. I am not completely sold on xMEMS being the end all be all, but for a first go it has better dynamics and timbre than some planars and BA drivers, but there is not a big difference noticed yet.

Disclaimer: I appreciate that Creative sent these free of charge for evaluation, this review as always is influence free, guilt free, and gluten-free.

CREATIVE AURAVANA ACE 2 SPECIFICATIONS

Product Page

CREATIVE APP SCREENSHOTS

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DISCLAIMER

Available for purchase direct from Creative, Amazon and other retailers.

Our generic standard disclaimer.

About my measurements.

The post Creative Aurvana Ace 2 TWS Featuring xMEMS IEM Review – Come As You Are appeared first on Music For The Masses.

INTRO

TRN Conch is calling from 2018, and looks like TRN dusted off the V30 shell and equipped it with a single dynamic 10mm DLC coated driver. Shell shape is familiar, coils tightly and fits easily in smaller ears, however the nozzle width is still quite large. I did like this smaller Dunu like shell back in the day from TRN, but seasons change. Unfortunately the smaller size allows it to float in my ear, and the angle of the nozzle tends to push out of my right ear.

I’m just going to get right to it, Diamond Like Coating doesn’t mean it needs to cut like a sharp blade, but that is what we have here. DLC was all the rage 2 years ago and still works great in some other models. I bought another DLC IEM from Senfer a few years ago that was just so rough I could not even review it, plus it had major channel imbalance. While the TRN Conch looks like a great vacation package, the reality is far from white sandy beaches and tasty fruity beverages.

SOUND

Tested with LG V8, Shanling UA3

The TRN Conch has a dry damped bass reminiscent of British bass. It was tuned to have the mid bass snap with some leftover sub-bass for dessert. Vocals sound a bit chesty since the bass is more mid-bass centric. Not too sculpted though with a soft mushy center.

Midrange is clear and resolving with average depth definition which is right in line for something in this price range of $38, but then we continue into the overzealous treble that hits sharp and grainy occasionally becoming sibilant.

Timbre has an unattractive tinge, but I also do not ever remember any TRN model being a poster child for normal. Instead they tend to always shoot for big treble with highly focused presence where snare and cymbals jump out, at least that has been my experience with all the models I have used.

All this excitement comes even when using the tuning nozzles I find the least offensive. The other two have the tell-tale eastern 12-15db pinna upper midrange that makes them extremely forward. The level of detail for the TRN Conch unfortunately does not need a magnifying glass put towards an area it struggles with.

PACKAGE CONTENTS

The TRN Conch comes with extras you would expect in a $100+set with the hard circular case, the swappable tuning nozzles, 2.5mm/4.4mm balanced 3.5mm single ended connectors, and great sticky advanced eartips named TRN T eartips. They feel similar to the MOONDROP springtips. The cable is above average and more premium than TRN/KZ entry level thickness and quality that reduces some tangling, and the chin slider moves easily.

All these extras attracted me to the TRN Conch for curiosity anticipating a new TRN ready to take on the midfield “budget”. Ignoring the zesty treble it might work for mellow tracks, but anything else is tiring for me. I recommend pairing it with a warmer source to tame the sharpness and smooth it out even further.

Perhaps the tuning nozzles are worth stuffing some extra dampening materials inside to tame that treble peakiness around 8khz, but there are others ready to go without this hiss. This was not the more mature TRN I was hoping for, the treble has the contrast turned to 11.

TECHNICALITIES / COMPARISON

Staging is quite narrow feeling, I tried the reference and atmospheric nozzles with no improvement. The reference moves the staging closer, but there is still congestion.

In comparison to the TRN Conch, the Kiwi Ears Cadenza has a leaner proper midbass, and lower midrange with less pizazz in the treble and is easier to listen to without a hint of sibilance. The TRN Conch has better ear-tips that stay on the nozzles, and the accessory kit with case and connection types, but is that supposed to be the main show?

THE END

The TRN Conch as an IEM is the summary of the book, and not the actual book. While you get a decent picture and substance of the music, to fully appreciate the nuances requires more in depth studies.

The accessory package is good, the bass lacks some definition and the sibilant treble is sharper than I would like. In this day and age, a rookie mistake even for $38. Overall the window dressing is only enough to get a passing grade, but this will not be a good memorable IEM for me other than a DLC IEM that sounds like a sharp rock.

Disclaimer: I would love to extend gratitude to Shenzhenaudio who sent these free of charge.

SPECIFICATIONS TRN CONCH

Resistance 30 ohm
Sensitivity 114dB
Driver: 10mm Dual Circuit DLC Dynamic
Shell: Metal
Cable: 0.75mm with detachable 2.5mm balanaced, 3.5mm, 4.4mm balanced

TRN CONCH GRAPHS

• Left vs Right
• Nozzle Tuning

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DISCLAIMER

Get it from SHENZHENAUDIO

Our generic standard disclaimer.

About my measurements.

The post TRN Conch IEM Review – Watch Where You Step appeared first on Music For The Masses.

Unlike the stubby, cable-less SD2, the bespoke aluminum-and-glass S9 Pro Plus utilizes the same traditional cabled design as its S9 forbearers, but adds volume buttons which allow for much finer adjustments than most source’s volume control and which double as selectors for six different digital filters (fast roll-off, linear phase slow roll-off etc.).

Both sampling rate and filter effects are indicated by colored lighting, which is a nice aesthetic bonus. As with most such gimmicks, the filters on the S9 Pro Plus have a very small (but audible) effect on the presentation, with the “slow” settings showing less ringing and more rounded treble. Ultra hirez PCM and DSD support is provided, though curiously no MQA, which seems to be a dying breed.

Prior reviews of the S9 Pro Plus have stressed its considerable driving power and inclusion of a balanced (4.4m) out, and it certainly is a lusty beast—even through the single-ended out IEMs of average sensitivity sounded loud at 33% of my Pixel 6’s volume, while (other than losing a little subbass depth and  tightness) the 300 ohm/97dB Senn HD 600 didn’t break a sweat when played through the balanced out.

For all that, careful pairing is advised—unlike the S3, the S9 Pro Plus did not match well with very sensitive IEMs like the BGVP DM8 or the KZ ZS10 Pro, which sounded edgy/strident at the high end, especially at higher volumes. In general, the S9 Pro Plus seemed to play better with higher impedance (>50 ohm) phones. Note, too, that if battery life is a priority, the Plus is very power-hungry and will get warm with use. 

The Plus uses an ESS DAC chip which imparts a very different signature to the Plus—in contrast to the brightness, forwardness and lean note texture of the its progeny, the S9 is less adrenalized (though not exactly laid-back), with a neutral-to-slightly warm timbre and a thick, but still-crisp note texture. Bass has considerable depth and emphasis, mainly in the subbass region, but remains tight.

Where the SD2, which image very well and present a lot of space between performers, imparted a “bigness” to the music, the S9 Pro Plus sounds simply massive—upright bass has a resonance and body you won’t hear with lesser pieces, while snare drums have a booming-but-realistic snap. Unlike, say, the Moondrop Dawn, overall coloration isn’t wholly absent, but is considerably less on the Plus and there’s little of the digital sheen you’ll hear on the S9 or SD2.

Resolution and transparency are very, very good—little nuances like the quiet guitar echoes and cymbal taps on INXS’s “Need You Tonight” are revealed in a way I’ve never heard before, while the unadorned piano on Keith Jarrett’s “Koln Concert” sounds eerily lifelike. Other than some hiss on very sensitive phones, background noise is wholly absent.

Yet unlike the similarly revealing SD2, the S9 Pro Plus avoids sounding clinical or excessively detailed, and coherence is almost flawless, and you can pick out different performers without losing focus on the musical whole. Which is not to say they’re particularly smooth or mellow—they still retain a hint of Hidizs’s characteristic sharpness/metallic edge at the highest frequencies, and treble-averse listeners might find it slightly hot, but for most of us it’s an appealing, very detailed presentation.

Nominally $139, the S9 Pro Plus is selling for $89 on the Hidizs website, which is only a few sou more than Hidizs’ less powerful models and actually cheaper than the (non-Plus) S9. Especially considering its build quality, flashing lights and fancy tech specs, this seems like good value. Again, it doesn’t achieve the purist’s audiophile-neutral ideal, and you’ll need to be careful with impedance matching, but the S9 Pro Plus plays at a significantly higher level than its cheaper peers and gets my gushing praise.

Disclaimer—yet another freebie from Hidizs—get one here: https://www.hidizs.net/

Specifications Hidizs S9 Pro Plus Martha

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The post Hidizs S9 Pro Plus Martha Balanced & Single-ended Dac/Amp Review – Metal Machine Music, Vol 2 appeared first on Music For The Masses.

INTRO

The Colorfly CDA-M1P is a force to be reckoned with in terms of shear weight for a portable USB DAC dongle. Sometimes making things heavy to appease those that equate heavy with quality does not improve the experience. Something this heavy jammed into a pocket with a phone gives me a moment of worry in terms of damage to screens and such.

The predecessor to the Colorfly CDA-M1, the CDA-M1P utilizes the AKM DAC chips over ESS, different opamps and adds some more power. The bass presents strength, the treble is gentle, and the overall package is a mixed bag in features.

FEATURES

The detachable ribbon cable is the same as the fixed cable on the Moondrop Dawn 4.4. I particularly do not enjoy the rigidity of the cable, but again maybe the designers had concerns of a more flexible cable not holding up to the forces a heavier dongle may weigh onto the cable connections.

One final concern involves the 130ma current draw regardless of gain setting. While not the highest I have seen from other dongles, it will drain your battery faster than other dongles such as the Truthears Shio that clock in around 50ma. It is quite interesting that the high/low gain settings do not impact current draw. This seems to be the case on all USB dongle DACs I have tested so far. It does however generate significant heat in the high gain setting mode.

The heavy zinc alloy electroplated case is smooth, extremely solid, and the fit and finish is most excellent. The beef of the case helps to dissipate the extra heat generated from the higher power consumption. The detachable USB-C cable fits tight and snug. The user can change out the cable in case of failure, general preference, or for something longer if using at home.

Airing out my grievances of the Colorfly CDA-M1P we can focus more on what it aims to achieve in terms of sound. Packed inside is the AKM4493SEQ DAC chip allowing 6 filter changes. It also includes dual opamp gain stages powered by the XR2001 opamp. I am not familiar with this opamp and trying to find a datasheet was difficult. The opamp allows higher output power than relying solely on the DAC chip itself.

We get a powerful 125mW single ended and 240mW 4.4mm balanced output at 32 ohms. There are more powerful options for single ended, but balanced output is near the top of other DACs in the same class. It’s not going to be equivalent to a dedicated desktop dac/amp, but it will provide increased power and control for moderately high impedance headphones doing justice for loads 150 ohms or less 300 ohm is the ultimate ceiling for me.

Low and High Gain modes are selected by pressing both volume buttons at the same time, with the red light indicating low and yellow high gain. Colorfly recommends low gain for anything under 120 ohms, and high impedance/gain mode for greater than 120 ohms.

The Colorfly CDA-M1P is a direct competitor and shares almost all the same features as the Shanling UA3 previously reviewed. As DAC’s are trending downward in price, the Colorfly CDA-MP1 shaves off $40 coming in at $79. The Shanling UA3 can be used with their Eddict Player app which allows control of assigning buttons and changing filter settings. The Colorfly CDA-MP1 is only controlled via the buttons.

Due to only hardware control, I could not tell what filter mode the Colorfly CDA-M1P was set in easily without the help of the manual. Only mode 6 flashes the white light twice when pressing both volume buttons long enough. Once you know it is in mode 6 you can cycle back to the other modes by keeping track of how many times you switch it. This has an impact since I wanted to match the filter of the Shanling to that of the Colorfly.

DSD fans with have several options offering 512 native decoding or 256 DoP decoding with sampling frequencies up to 768khz. For simpler connections there is a UAC1.0 mode to connect with legacy connection devices such as the Nintendo Switch.

SOUND

Tested with LG G8 Sennheiser IE200 Single-ended, and Sivga Nightingale, BGVP DM9 Balanced

I notice it sounds fuller and balanced compared to the thinner in the lower mids and brighter Shanling UA3. The UA3 sounds more V shaped with slightly more sculpted bass with longer decay and impact. They will both measure flat, so this likely comes from noise shaping and distortion handling. We are talking about tiny differences here though. 

Cymbals sound smoothed and cleaner on the Colorfly CDA- M1P overall. There is some increased naturalness when paired with the Sivga Nightingale in balanced mode in comparison to the UA3. I don’t know if the UA3 struggles to control the planar driver but it also sounds compressed and tinny.

Now against the Moondrop Dawn 4.4, the Colorfly sounds cleaner and bass has more low end grunt. The Moondrop Dawn is less exciting and focuses on the lower treble enhancement and midbass impact. I would clearly pick the Colorfly CDA-M1P as it sounds cleaner and more resolving.

FINAL REMARKS

Taking dings in the power consumption, weight and user settings categories, the Colorfly CDA-M1P is a strong contender for clean transparent sound. If you are not one to tinker too much and don’t mind a pocket weight heater, the Colorfly CDA-M1P performs well.

Disclaimer: I am grateful ShenzhenAudio.com sent this free of charge no strings attached. That is how we like our relationships.

PACKAGE CONTENTS

DAC
Cable USB-C to USB-C
Instruction manual

SPECIFICATIONS

Dimensions: 562214.5mm
Weight: 46g
USB Interface: Type C
Signal-to-Noise Ratio: 125dB
Frequency Response: 20Hz~20kHz
Dynamic Range: 122dB
Decoding Formats:
PCM 32Bit / 768kHz
DSD 512 / Native
DSD 256 / Dop

THD+N:
-104dB@RL=600Ω，0dB/Balanced
-100dB@RL=32Ω，100mW/Balanced
-104dB@RL=600Ω，0dB/Unbalanced
-100dB@RL=32Ω，100mW/Unbalanced

Headphone Jack:
3.5mm Unbalanced / 4.4mm Balanced

Output Level:
2Vrms @RL=600Ω Unbalanced Output
4Vrms @RL=600Ω Balanced Output

Maximum Output Power:
125mW@RL=32Ω Unbalanced Output
240mW@RL=32Ω Balanced Output

Firmware Upgrade: Support for future upgrades

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DISCLAIMER

Get it from ShenzhenAudio.com Store

Our generic standard disclaimer.

About my measurements.

The post Colorfly CDA-M1P DAC Review – Whoa This is Heavy Doc appeared first on Music For The Masses.

INTRO

Moondrop May has me looking forward to the spring given our latest arctic blast where we dipped colder than Siberia. Moondrop are notorious for challenging how much value you can get from a dynamic driver earphone. The uniqueness of the MOONDROP May is the built-in dac dongle EQ tuning feature strung unfortunately to the Android OS for now, but once adjusted can be carried across devices or applications.

Planar treble and a new Sapphire dynamic driver meld together to create something new from Moondrop Labs in the value realm with great technical abilities and optional electronic tuning in the more serious earphone price category.

DESIGN FEATURES

The Moondrop May only has a USB-C connection built into the solidly thicker than normal silver plated braided cable. Installing the tips was difficult feeling like perhaps the bore size was not matched well to the nozzle diameter, but once on they stay in place so not all a bad thing.

The unboxing experience was easier to open than past offerings and along with the mundane eartips and the detachable USB dongle cable is a premium leather zippered case that looks quite classy, but is bulky in the height dimension. It’s best in a bag or coat pocket, awkward in a pants pocket.

The Moondrop May departs from the shell shape that has been a staple through many models. I actually find the Moondrop May is less finicky for my ear shape and fits better. It is also quite isolating. Inside we have a new wideband Sapphire dynamic to handle up to 8khz where the 6mm annular planar driver takes over upper treble duty.

The USB dongle cable has minimal power drain, I measured only 0.01A or approximately 10mA of current draw. The convenient controls include coarse volume steps so a little change goes a long way, for finer control the DAP/phone may offer better control. 

Play and pause are activated with the center button. There were in some instances a faint ringing tone that lasted about 2-3 seconds could be heard when paused or even as it switched to other songs, probably has to do with the noise filtering of the DAC, the EQ (perhaps they are using convolution or minimum phase filters) or the low pass filter used to abide by Nyquist theory. I have no way to flesh that out and determine what is causing it, other than I can notice it only in the moments of silence (not during song listening).

IOS users could still use it with a camera adapter or a newer device that has USB-C over the lightning connection. Those that manage to connect will have a different experience and not be able to fully utilize the design. Moondrop Link 2.0 is required to select EQ’s being USB-C and there is no 2.0 link app for IOS. 

I am curious as to why there is no official store app. The Moondrop Link 2.0 like the original Link app is not on the Play store. You must allow 3rd party app access with the developer options. Some may view this as a security risk so use at your own peril. Users can create their own tunings and add them to the Moondrop repository by creating an account. Otherwise, you have mostly free range on the app.

It did appear buggy, sometimes my LG G8 would not recognize the device to make changes and I would have to restart the phone, but it was connected since music could be played through it. If I did not get the message to allow Moondrop to access the May, then I knew it would not be recognized. I have no way to tell if it was my phone, or the app.

SOUND

Strangely, the out of the box tuning does not match any of the downloadable target curves. I measured it first before I started playing with any of the EQ settings and was surprised to find that oversight. I am not sure if this was on purpose or accident, but either way a bit concerning.

One question I have is what is it like without DSP? Being that the cable is detachable, I connected another cable just for funsies. Graph below, surprise it matches the out of the box tuning. So to answer the question of how to get a tuning that does not exist in the presets…use a different 0.78 2 pin non-dongle cable. Given the 10dB lower treble pinna gain, this might fit better with eastern style tuning. It is too forward for my preference.

The nice thing about the presets is you can hear the change instantly without actually hitting apply to lock it in. The presets are also different than just straight EQ because it will carry across any app or device you listen to them on. Ranking the presets for my personal tastes were Standard, Basshead, Reference, Harman, No Bass. Reference and No Bass were rather close and sound a bit thin in upper bass, but heavy on upper midrange/low treble gain.

The Harman setting was thunderous and weighty feeling even more so than the Basshead tune and it adds extra treble zing. For classic rock that might be missing some midbass tone and warmth, the Basshead is the way to go, but if you want more treble essence and further thickness go for the Harman. It also increased the upper treble with cymbal shimmer.

Standard has a minor bass lift somewhere between the reference and basshead. I find the Standard and reference pretty close to balanced, but occasionally the reference could feel too thin in the mids. Bass has a tight punch and snap with either of these presets, basshead and Harman adds some slowness and can come off bloated.

Mids and treble sound realistic and never dull, however like most Moondrop products the essence of air is where they pull back the reins. To fully utilize the annular planar driver, the Harman tuning adds more air and shimmer. Overall, there could be some extra contrast but nothing that worries me. The bones or structure is in place, I think the user has to embrace the electronic tunable nature of these and unlock the full potential. Transient response is quick as expected from the planar treble, especially with the smaller driver. 

With some of the reference or no-bass presets it gets overpowering however less so than the Moondrop Starfield 2. Nothing sounds weird or off in the timbre department until you download some of the PEQ downloadable content to mimic the tunings of some of their other models.

The downloadable presets come from Moondrop, plus other users who have created accounts. I yearn for a reset button though, and also wish that by setting the presets it might carry over to the adjustable PEQ section so you could have a starting point, but add or subtract from the preset. 

Regardless of tuning, the Moondrop May never felt too crowded and provided ample instrument separation front to back and side to side. Clarity is good and what is normally found at this price range I find them near on par with the excellent Sennheiser IE200. The standard tuning is also close to what you find on the Sennheiser IE200, but there will be some differences in the midrange. Sennheiser likes to give us a more vocal enhancement that blends with the overall tuning. Jazz and classical fans would be more satisfied with the IE200.

So I mentioned the Sennheiser IE200 is a close competitor and excellent overall, it gets an overwhelming positive stamp of approval from audiophiles, the general population takes issue with the cable and fitment. The Sennheiser is a new benchmark around the $130-150 price range. The Moondrop May is half the price and one of my favorites closer in price is the Truthear Hexa. It’s not going to best the Sennheiser, but recognize it can fill the gap.

With the Hexa you get balanced bass, and equal resolution and clarity, with additional treble presence that is boosted. It sounds more V shaped with less midrange presence. The Hexa fits with modern rock and pop music, where the Moondrop May is trying to straddle the mainstream and yet still appeal to audiophiles with a more proper timbre. The Truthears Hexa also has lower sensitivity and works better with more amplification.

FINALE

Keeping in mind the Moondrop May is a $65 earphone with an attached DSP dongle it ticks off many boxes with caveats. Those being restrictions on connections and devices, app is only available on the Android platform (not even Windows or Mac OS), and has to be side loaded outside the Play store. It has technical abilities that set it apart from the ok entry level offerings, and could easily last a while without getting the itch to upgrade.

Great value too minus the bland eartips, this is a good one to have and safer to recommend over the Starfield 2. Much like the KZ VXS Pro, the built in DSP tuning is something that is carrying over from the powered professional studio monitors, and I think we will star to see more and more of this concept.

Disclaimer: We are grateful for Shenzhenaudio.com for providing the Moondrop May at zero cost and zero affiliate kickbacks for a thorough picking, poking and an occasional wet-willy.

PACKAGE CONTENTS

• May Earphones
• Detachable Cable
• Manual
• Leather Case
• Service Card

MOONDROP MAY SPECIFICATIONS

https://moondroplab.com/en/products/may

Moondrop USB-C Online Interactive DSP DD+Planar Hybrid Dual Drivers
Driver: 10mm Sapphire Plated Diaphragm Dynamic Driver + 6mm Annular Planar Magnetic Driver
Impedance: 30ohm +/-15% @ 1khz
Sensitivity: 120dB/Vrms @ 1khz
THD: <0.05% @ 1kHz
Frequency Response: 7Hz-39Khz
Effective Response: 20Hz-20Khz (IEC60318-4, 3dB)
Cable connection: 0.78-2Pin to USB-C

GRAPHS

• Left vs Right Out of the box (Note this is not one of the presets, but can be achieved with a non-dsp dac cable)
• Tuning Presets
• Out of the Box Tuning Compared to Non-dongle powered cable
• Moondrop May vs Sennheiser IE200 vs Truthears Hexa

Contact us!

DISCLAIMER

Get it from Shenzhenaudio.com

Our generic standard disclaimer.

About my measurements.

The post Moondrop May IEM + Dongle Review – Oops They Did It Again, Digital Delight appeared first on Music For The Masses.

The $130 ddHiFi Janus3 is a Moondrop-tuned single-dynamic-driver earphone with an agreeable Harman sound and an original, small shell design that provides maximum comfort and fit. Adding the compact cable and the good isolation, it is a great companion for travel. Fits in your shirt pocket between flights.

The Janus3 was provided by ddHiFi for my review – and I thank them for that. You can get it from the ddHiFi Official Store.

Introduction

ddHiFi are a company that specializes in accessories such as adapters, cables, and storage cases. But they have also produced a line of earphones called “Janus”, after a Roman god that is often depicted by a double-faced head.

Reason for this name was the unique double connectivity of the two previous models, Janus1 (released in 2020) AND Janus2 (from 2021): both had sockets for 0.78 mm two pin and MMCX plugs. The E2023 Janus3 is therefore the third iteration of this model line.

The dual connector had the advantage that one could connect essentially any earphone cable found in their drawer….which was actually not necessary as each model featured a fancy and rather pricey cable you could also purchase separately. While the Janus1 lacked sub-bass, the Janus2 had an over energetic upper midrange. Both models also came with luxury cases…these accessories drove their price up to $200.

Moondrop helped out with the tuning of the Janus3, which is way more mainstream than that of their predecessors. Also slimming down the accessories helped reducing the price by $70. Interestingly, ddHiFi abandoned the 2-pin connector in the Janus3: you can only connect MMCX cables to this model. Strictly speaking, the Janus ist not a Janus anymore, as one half of its head is missing. But I’m waffling…

Specifications ddHiFi E2023 Janus3

Physical Things and Usability

Although slimmed down, accessory wise compared to its more expensive earlier iterations, you still find quite a few goodies in the box: most of all the gorgeous modular MMCX cable, that comes very close in appearance to the $60 ddHiFi M120 A model.

The wire is OCC (“Ohno Continuous Casting”), manufactured according to a Japanese process that results in essentially oxygen-free copper, which minimizes corrosion. The cable is thin, light, has the right stiffness, and essentially no microphonics. You can choose between a 3.5 mm and a 4.4 mm connector, both are included. There is no memory wire. All this is very handy.

Also in the box are a set of silicone eartips (S/M/L), the largest of which actually work for me. The storage case is not too small and very sturdy, also of good quality.

Finally, the earpieces, not double-faced as in the previous iterations, feature MMCX connectors. They are part metal, part resin, and you can look inside to admire the interior. These earpiece have otherwise not changed in shape: they remain small, light, they seal well, and can be worn over-ear or under-ear.

The Janus3 are easily driven with a phone.

Considering that many earpieces are marketed by their faceplates, which resulted in some monster cherries in our ears, ddHiFi’s pragmatic earpiece design may be one of the Janus’ biggest asset. Together with the light cable, you have a stereo that fits in the smallest pockets and isolates well in the loudest environments.

Tonality and Technicalities

The Janus3 features a classic agreeable, middle-of-the-road sound with a natural timbre and average technicalities without major flaws. In terms of richness, they are more on the lean side but without any stridence, which adds some articulation to the overall sound.

Although the shells are small, the drivers are reasonably large (10 mm, compare to Sennheiser IE900’s/IE 600’s 7 mm), and hence produce some decent heft at the low end. Sub-bass extension is excellent, an annoying midbass hump is missing, and the lower end can develop a good punch and impact…it all depends on insertion depth: deeper means thicker. A satisfying low end that is well layered, well composed, never too thick, and it does not smear into the lower mids either.

Female and male voices are therefore “free standing” and a bit on the lean however nuanced side. Lean does not mean thin, it means articulate and well carved out in this context. Upper midrange is not overenergetic. All this makes for a good midrange transparency: lots of space between notes and musicians.

Treble is subdued in its lower part but quite lively in the upper. This avoids shoutiness but adds (perceived) detail, sparkle, and liveliness to the upper registers such as cymbals. The treble is decently well resolving and articulate.

Soundstage is reasonably expansive and tall, with ok depth, imaging is pretty good. While layering, separation, and spatial cues are also decent (the stage is really well organized in 3D), detail resolution is average. Not bad, but not outstanding either. Timbre, as expected for a dynamic-driver earphone, is very good.

Concluding Remarks

The Janus3 is the sonically much improved version of the 2020/21 Janus1 and 2, with slimmed-down accessories, a better price, and a more cohesive, well-rounded sound. Its biggest assets are its original, imaginative small design with maximum comfort and fit, and its attractive modular cable.

While it does not add anything spectacularly new sonically for the experienced hobbyist, it may have its appeal to the novice and intermediate experienced…and/or to listeners who prefer to carry their stereo in a shirt pocket. Considering their good seal, the Janus3 are well suited for airplane, bus, or train travel. And that’s what I will use them for.

Until next time…keep on listening!

The post ddHiFi E2023 Janus3 Review – Beheaded God appeared first on Music For The Masses.

INTRO

Should you spend the $40 on a pair of CCA Duo, that is why we are here. CCA seems to draw parallels to some unknown competitor (Truthears X Crinacle Red seems to be the rumor) of another dual drive and claims to do it better. I found myself a little duped based on their graphs showing the second driver was for bass coverage. Instead what I find is an unusual tuning for CCA, with a very lean bottom and a bright top much like you might find at a Taylor Swift concert.

SOUND

Since this is a second round review of the CCA Duo after my fellow founder of Audioreviews, no point in rehashing the similarities and instead will focus on differences. The sub-bass is hardly detectable on mine, and actually when I measure them I wonder if the second bass driver is even connected. Not sure this sidekick driver is actually needed. There is a 3db rise from 1khz reference, but given the 10db pinna gain rise at 3khz It gets left behind.

Midrange is forward and has sufficient capabilities to render a spaciousness and is the major redeeming quality of this $30 earphone. The tuning seemed promising towards the upper end except that cymbals sound like two pieces of paper rubbing together, slight exaggeration. I can appreciate the quantity, but not the quality. Overall it does not seem in balance with the bottom end so consider the CCA DUO a neutral bright tonality. Neutrality does not guarantee absence of coloration however.

Specifications CCA Duo

PACKAGE CONTENTS

The shell design is actually 3D printed utilizing individual sound channels, however not to be confused with sound tubes that have some absorption properties given they appear to be part of the plastic 3D printing. CCA boosts about not up-charging for this technological achievement and maybe there is only a slight increase in pricing compared to the shells used from a few years ago where driver output is loosey goosey in the shell cavities.

The design of the CCA Duo shell adopts a 45degree angle to fit snuggly into the ear. Its actually a different design than their normal universal. It most likely follows what is required with two dynamic drivers as apposed to a more compact solution of dynamic balanced armature setups. The crossover can be seen through the shell and looks rather complex for such a simple 2 way. Still somehow I feel there is some smearing occurring that muddles up the treble, unless that is the result of the driver handling treble duties.

OUTRO

We used to get better sounding earphones for less than $20 a few years back, even with the quirks in the case design of the Moondrop Space Travel, your money is better spent on a pair of doorbuster wireless earphones with average ANC than these rather bland dual dynamics. I would also contend the BLON BL-03 with aftermarket tips is still a better buy, or their older CCA Lyra with a tighter fitting shell, a single dynamic for a cheaper price.

The CCA CRA+ follows a similar tuning trajectory with better cohesion, warmer and a simple single driver. The CCA DUO is the more spacious sounding setup so if you want a wide and emphasized soundstage this is probably the standout feature if that is your thing. I am not really sold on the CCA DUO even though the target curve appeases me, the Lyra is more appealing or the CRA+ for those that want the extra treble.

FREQUENCY RESPONSE GRAPH

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DISCLAIMER

Sent to us by KZ for our evaluation. Get it from KZ Store and other retailers like Amazon, Aliexpress, etc.

Our generic standard disclaimer.

About my measurements.

The post CCA DUO Review (2) – Sidekicks Need Not Apply appeared first on Music For The Masses.

A5000 like all of the A line is readily distributed in Europe, and can be bought from multiple sources including Amazon for € 299,00 retail.

Introduction to final A series

I’ll take the story from a bit far back in the past this time: I’ll start from D8000.

final’s D8000 project was (and is) founded on reaching absolute top sonic results stemming from world-class leading-edge R&D and technology.

More simply put, this more or less equates to engaging into the following bet: if we design components which are world’s best, really meaning 360° best materials, employing 360° best methods, etc, then we’ll get the absolute “best possible” head/earphones.

Is that the case with D8000? Well in a sense, arguably yes indeed, at least in terms of high-range market reception.

Let’s move forward.

As you may or may not know, the first model within final E family of earphones was E3000 (presented in the same year: 2017), and it was created with the exact purpose of obtaining a sound perception as similar to D8000’s “universality” as possible.

Of course, E3000 as a product being aimed at the budget market, no one ever thought to start from employing top end materials or parts on them, rather – in a sense, an equally and perhaps even more challenging effort indeed – by “just” applying extremely sophisticated psychoacoustic research to otherwise much more “ordinary cost” components.

It’s totally obvious that E3000 do not sound like D8000 in the end, but it’s certainly as much obvious that their general presentation, and even some parts of their technicalities, are incredibly close to their intended archetype, again the more so when considering the ridiculous price tag they were positioned on the market at.

In the couple of years following those 2017 months final pitted a total of 5 other models onto the market to complete their E family lineup – some carrying a pretense of higher sophistication and style, some oppositely aiming at an even tinier-budgeted market segment, however all based on two common fundaments : employing the same single 6-mm dynamic driver, and offering an arguably general-purpose tuning, beyond modest flavour touch-ups ranging from bright-neutral (E1000, E500), to balanced-neutral (E2000), to warm-balanced (E3000, E4000, E5000).

Then – and we are in the end getting close to our today’s case – a different train of thought was applied.

Making headphones sounding “as good as possible” starting from “as advanced as possible technology” may be a nice engineeristic exercise but runs the risk of ending up producing a remarkable piece of equipment which is nevertheless distant from the particular, real-world preferences of many users.

Alternatively said: what if world technology’s best can only get some – or many? – users “close” to what they really need, but not right on the spot? Simple as hell, they will just be not fully satisfied – in spite of all the rutilant technological words accompanying the product they were sold as “best”.

So : instead of moving from technology traits towards application, final started flipping the point of view, focusing on specific auditioning targets to begin with (!), and got engaged on understanding their particular challenges, ending out backtracking into (re)designing technology, and developing products purposefully tuned to best pursue such newly scouted needs.

As I reported in the introduction of my B3 review, when conceiving their B-series final reflected on the relations between spatial projection and dynamic range.

Taking into consideration small bands, acting on physically unextended stages, a lot of overlapping sounds and voices usually happen. In such situation there’s a relatively lesser need to render “spatial amplitude”, in exchange for much higher demand for sonic separation capabilities. B3 are absolute champions on that purpose.

On another drawing table – and we are finally starting to refer to the A series now – they started investigating better on the dyscrasy between today’s most common auditioning situations, naturally at the base of nowadays’ user expectations, and the very different ones which where common when much or even most of that music was actually produced.

Within such project, they moved from observing that perceptions such as “sound transparency” are not modellable in terms of sound amplitude modulation (you know? those “frequency response graphs” you see everywhere… they do not represent the entire IEM/HP sound behaviour!), yet they are crucial to a user satisfaction depending on the musical genre, and/or the aforementioned chasm between a piece’s original mastering and its today’s reproduction conditions. And that’s just an example.

In their effort to model user expectations, soon they realised that a mixture of physical measures and subjective evaluations was involved, and to manage it all they even developed an appropriate internal-use scoring methodology called Perceptual Transparency Measurement (PTM) – no real technical details sadly available on that, bar a succinct marketing-level description.

As already hinted before, different types of musical situations require, or at least preferentially would call for, different renderings to best be perceived by the auditioner.

For classical and other acoustic music the sense of a wider stage space, and perceiving the various instruments well enucleated from one another on it, is of course much more important vs rock or pop.

Furthermore: while (for example) for classical music priority #1 is no doubt making sure that the auditioner perceives the correct relative distances amongst the various instruments (violins and other strings in the front, wind in the middle, percussion back there), having a particularly wide dynamic range (i,e. a particularly wide breadth of in-between sound nuances separating the faintest and loudest note played by each instrument) is not a vital requirement here.

Oppositely rock and pop bands play much more tightly grouped together, and their music is supposed to be much more blended in the first place, which is why sound field size and imaging are much less prioritary in their case, while resolution and layering become key, and dynamic range amplitude with them.

All such differences were known since the beginning to music professionals, and that’s why different types of music were most often recorded / produced with such priorities in mind to begin with.

So how to approach such situation?

There are of course two different ways: develop relatively more specialised headphone/earphone models, each aimed at optimising a defined subset of musical situations, or, work on R&D to try and come up with something that will cover a broader, ideally almost universal applicative span.

While the former method would naturally result in products loved by relatively restricted groups of specific enthusiasts, the latter is supposed to deliver products that would be recognised as excellent by a very diverse users population.

Cutting this very long story very, very short: final’s marketing narration tells us they re-thought their (intended) universal-purpose IEM line on the basis of more up to date technical-demoscopic research, in parallel of course to their ever-accruing technological advancements and skills.

Fair enough. Enter the A series then !

Starting from the first model and flagship – A8000 – and through its other 3 ones named A4000, A3000 and A5000 (mentioned in the order of their release dates) A series is focused on delivering the most extended possible mix of clarity and spaciousness together, while not compromising on dynamic range.

In final’s own words (referred to A4000): “realize [its] quality not by its ability to create sound capable of attracting a small number of wild fans through its strong individuality, but rather sound aimed at greater universality”.

A bold target, indeed. I mean… try asking Diderot and D’Alembert…

No wonder that once self-encased in such an epic task they deemed it appropriate to specially develop a brand-new dynamic driver from the ground up. Or indeed, even two different ones.

The first one is the so-named “Truly Pure Beryllium Diaphragm” driver created on purpose for their A8000, released some four years ago. One of the very few real things on the market when it comes to Beryllium foil adoption. By the way: you did laugh at cheap chifi brands’ sudden hype, emerged just weeks after final and very few other higher standing companies presented their new Beryllium-tech drivers, stating they could deliver “True Beryllium” diaphragms for a fraction of the price, didn’t you?

Past social marketing fun apart, at the technological level the resort to Beryllium came from the search for an extremely lightweight material, to obtain superfast sound propagation speeds. In other words: they designed the fastest-moving dynamic driver they could think of, meant as a crucial component to get to the intended sonic target.

They also developed a second version of such driver, the so-called “f-Core DU” driver. No Beryllium in there, “just” a call for a speed as close to that of the Truly Pure Beryllium Driver, for a much lower manufacturing cost – both in terms of sheer material cost and of the equipment and skills required to treat it – which is a quite as tough industrial challenge, indeed.

I won’t bother you with the various marketing wordage final uses about the f-Core DU, you can find some here if you like. Long story short: it’s fast, very fast, and it costs less so it can be fit into “budget” finished products – as low as € 130 retail, instead of 2K€-tagged ones as the TPBD.

All good, even epic, indeed. But did it all work ?

Well if you want my opinion – and I presume you do at least a bit, otherwise why wasting your time reading all this? – yes to an extent, but not quite as they intended to.

Be warned: in frankness, I must say I am not a supporter of the project in line of principle. Universality and optimisation are irreconcilable enemies for me, and my life is made of distilled choices in most if not really all of its aspects, so I will always be a supporter for “specialised” vs “genericist” – and this applies to “items” (audio gear, vacuum cleaners, cars) as well as to “services” (restaurants, jobs…), or relations (friends, partners). This alone might and probably should be seen as an apriori bias leading me to downvote final A instances vs their declared intentions.

That being duly noted, first and foremost I must say I was not impressed by A8000, considering its price of 2000 €.

While I never owned an A8000 sample, I took some extended audition time on them during the latest Munich High End show, and there I built some solid “impressions” – not the same as a long term experience, for sure, however I feel what I heard is enough to form a clean opinion about their key aspects at the very least.

That beryllium-based fantastic driver is, indeed, as fast as a planar, and maybe even more – and that’s precisely why I reckon it fails on delivering a truly organic timbre – as I can’t fail decoding its supersnappy transients as a taint of artificiality touching pretty much everything in their presentation.

That is indeed a monumental pity, as it undermines all the effectively marvelous other deeds no doubt accomplished by A8000 in terms of clarity, spatial drawing, tonal coherence, range extension and more. However, an artificial timbre is a too serious turn off for me.

As for A3000, A4000 and A5000, instead, I happen to have purchased a sample of each right upon their release dates – so I have a much more extended opinion on each of them. You already [should] know my take regarding A3000, as I covered them here.

This article is of course about A5000, and before you wonder I will not write a full blown piece about A4000, and I hope I will succeed conveying why within the Comparisons section, here below,

Well I guess I can consider this introduction over now…

At-a-glance Card

Full Device Card

Test setup and preliminary notes

Sources: AudioQuest DragonFly Cobalt / Chord Mojo / E1DA 9038D, 9038SG3 / Questyle QP1R, QP2R, M15, CMA-400i / Sony WM-1A – INAIRS foam or JVC SpiralDot silicon tips – Stock cable – lossless 16-24/44.1-192 FLAC + DSD 64/128/256 tracks.

Signature analysis

Tonality

A5000 are tuned following a rather classical V shape, if a bit wide, so with elevated bass and sub-bass, energetic treble and (moderately, in this case) recessed mids.

The timbre is clear and a whiff lean-ish but not too much really, and the result stays reasonably close to organicity. The overall impact is a bit off neutral colour, shifted towards the cold side, and medium-bodied notes, a bit more such towards the bass, and less towards the high-mids and higher on.

Sub-Bass

Sub-bass is fully extended, and more elevated then midbass. It is not overly elevated though, so it stays there as a good, hearable rumble floor when of course the music calls for it.

Mid Bass

Mid bass on A5000 is good, fast, with quite pulpy and well contoured notes. Decay is tight, attack perhaps a bit on the relaxed side. From my library I get good bass readability, yet when pushing a bit up on the amping kickdrum may at times tend to get fuzzy. Even in such occasions however mid bass in never bleeding on the mids.

Mids

Mids are recessed yet well delivered nonetheless. They do partake to the overall note leanness, probably ultimately connaturate to the very f-Core DU driver, and such feat may resolve into a first impression of relative coldness and unwanted thinness.

Letting music flow, however, one appreciates such texturing, and the level of detail which are present in this segment, too, with that soon re-ranking A5000’s mids onto their honest value in the overall mix. It stays anyhow true that central piano octaves, and some guitars, will sound dry, somewhat unlushy.

No doubt, a sole driver is in general on vantage position to grant seamless tonal passage from mids to highmids, and this is the case on A5000 too, even in presence of a steep-ish ramp in the output, up to an important pinna gain at around 4Khz.

Good news include that there’s very little if any glare.

Male Vocals

A5000 treat baritones an basses with good authority and power, and tenors too but those start to partake to the mids’ general dryness – this, in spite of their relatively recessed level in the presentation.

Female Vocals

Female vocale are sparkly, energetic and clear. I would much prefer them having some more “butter” on them, yet their actual tonality is in the end consistent with the rest of A5000 signature, which is clearly not mid-centric by design, quite the opposite as we already noted.

Sadly, they are quite often affected by sibilance which paired with their dry-ish timbre brings them south of truly organic, and most importantly lets them come across quite raw a bit too often.

Highs

A5000 trebles are a mixed bag, and that’s a real pity. On one end there’s very good energy, sparkle, and clarity, without excessive thinness, and no zings. On the down side however they do lack airiness, and often expose a modest yet fastidious sibilance – and more in general their elevation and modulation is anyhow such to produce fatigue on mid-length listening sessions, which is a serious turn off to me.

Sadly, JVC SpiralDot tips – usually quite effective in taming harsh trebles and sibilance – don’t help in this particular case.

Technicalities

Soundstage

In compliance with an intended feature for the entire A family, A5000 offer soundstage drawing capabilities that are extremely significant in absolute terms, with this I mean they widely transcend the levels of other drivers, probably most other drivers, in their price category.

A5000 in particular draw very ample width, and even more remarkable height, paired with no less than significant depth.

Imaging

Microdynamics are an absolute forte on A5000 – it is always very easy to pinpoint instruments on the stage, and their positioning is offered in a very natural way.

Details

Detail retrieval is extremely good, perhaps even sensational on A5000 on the low mids and mid bass. It is also above average, but just that, in the trebles, due to their previously mentioned tendency to get a bit hot.

Instrument separation

Layering and separation are very good on A5000, at the absolute top and beyond of their direct price competitors. This, paired with the aforementioned drawn stage amplitude, depending on the particular track master delivers a comprehensive no less then theatrical spatial experience, with voices not only well identified and enucleated, but also seemingly positioned at sensible distances from one other.

Microdynamics are a bit above average but no more then that, hampered in general by the driver’s tightness. Within such general view, they are better on mid bass and low mids, and more limited the more we go up in the frequencies.

Driveability

Properly driving A5000 is not overly hard, but their 100dB/mW sensitivity at 18 ohm does call for sources with at least some current delivery muscle on low impedance loads. Read: I would not recommend direct smartphone pairing, or other particularly known-weak mobile source usage.

Physicals

Build

The ABS resin material appears fully resistant to “normal” solicitations. The Shibo finish is a love/hate thing (I am in the former group).

Recessed and notched cable connectors are good on the tech side, but a bit inconvenient for the user as only few(er) third party manufacturers easily make compatible 2pin terminations available.

Fit

A 3-contact-point fit between the housing and the outer ear has been designed by final aiming at the best compromise between wearing firmness and light stress accumulation over time.

The design idea is quite brilliant to be honest, the rationale being: you need (just) 3 grip points to obtain stability. One is the eartip umbrella, inside the canal. Another one is the housing’s short front side vs the tragus. And the third can be any one of the possible 4 contact spots between the housing’s shaped back side and the concha – depending on one’s ear particular shape that of course will happen on one or another position. I would say that for my experience it all works as intended.

The nozzle is relatively short – same situation for the whole A series of course as the shell size&shape is identical on all models – that calls for a shallow fit, which is consistent with the housings’ shape and size: pushing them further in would defeat their triple-support-point design, and most of all would (and will – I tried!) soon become uncomfortable.

Be as it may, this situation makes tip choice apriori limited. In my case luckily the working trick “just” stays in choosing a bigger size for my left ear: that gets me a firm grip and seal with the tip sitting “just in” the canal. Oh and by the way: stock final E black tips are good for the purpose.

Comfort

A5000’s particular housings size, their 3-point-fit design, and their external finish all contribute to a good comfort once the right “personal” position is found.

Oppositely, if you want, or feel obliged by your particular outer ear conformation, to opt for a deeper fit very high chances are that A5000 housings will not be as comfy for you after a moderate, and in the worst cases even short period of time.

Isolation

Passive isolation is quite nice once A5000 are properly fitted “as per design”, but not more than that as the housings won’t even “fill the concha up”, which would of course block more of the leak.

Cable

A5000 stock cable is a new model for final. Instead of the Junkosha silver plated copper, 2-thread PVC-sheated cable bundled with A8000, E5000 and B3, a new silver plated copper 8-thread braided cable is offered.

final did not disclose much additional information, nor spare / alternative termination versions are available yet on their website.

Sadly, similarly to all other final packages, no modular termination plugs are available on A5000 either, so pairing to a balanced source requires swapping it anyhow.

Talking about cable rolling: better stay on silver plated. Dunu DUW-02S is a good rec for A5000.

Specifications (declared)

Comparisons

final A3000 – € 109,99 Amazon.it

There’s an almost 3x price difference between A3000 and A5000, and such piece of data is totally misleading. In terms of general quality, strong points and – more simply – listening pleasure, the two are on par at the very least, and depending on personal tastes (such as in my case) A3000 indeed come ahead in the comparison. Which means that, while A5000 are already worth every cent of their cost, A3000 represent a total no brainer for whoever is akin to their presentation flavour.

Insofar as part of the same A family, the two models share identical housings (A5000 just carrying a different external finish) and drivers, and their packages bundles are identical too. A5000 come with a supposed higher quality cable – which however did not impress me too much in terms of sonic quality, not to speak about the fact that, both carrying a classical non-modular single ended termination, I had to swap both for the sake of properly exploiting my various sources.

A3000 present a U, or even W if you wish, shaped presentation in lieu of the (wide) V on the A5000. In terms of modulation, there are two extremely important, and crucial differences between the two tunings.

One: high mids are tamed and very slowly growing from 2 all the way to 6KHz on A3000, while “more harmanilly” ramping quite sharply from 2 to 3Khz on A5000, and almost plateauing thereafter.

Two: mid bass and mids are all the way uniformly more forward on A3000, this already per se resulting in a perceivable warmer tonality and a bit fuller timbre across the board, but it all results in a very evidently different overall timbre and tonality balance as the two aspects of course work together.

A3000 have an overall tonality which is much more pleasing to my ears, and while it may be said to be a bit less energetic and dynamic especially on guitars and trumpets, I would never trade added muscle in those areas for the wonderfully delicate balance A3000 offer on acoustic music, therein included tracks with vocals, and female vocals in particular.

Both sets can be said to have a non-lushy timbre, with A5000 on a furtherly drier position. A5000 have an evident if modest bit better extension towards the bass, with their sub-bass rumble being more nicely present in many occasions. Sadly, both are unable to completely avoid sibilance, but A3000 fall into this pit less then 50% of the times compared to A5000. Even with that said, however, in presence of similar 6KHz peaks A3000’s more relaxed high mids tuning makes them much, much less fatiguing, and pleasant to enjoy even for quite long sessions.

Technicalities such as soundstage casting and microdynamics are on par at stunning levels on the two models. Microdynamics are an evident tad better on A3000 thanks to their slightly more relaxed transients across the board. Similarly, detail retrieval is better on A3000 both on the bass, and moreover on the high mids and trebles, vis-a-vis them being much less invasively “hot” compare to A5000’s.

A3000 carry a (decisive) even lower sensitivity, which makes totally impossible to disregard selecting an adequate power source when it comes to pairing choices. Forget smartphones, and all low powered sources / dongles too. To give an idea, a Sony NW-A55 is barely enough to cope with A3000, with no headroom to spare to compensate for low volume recorded tracks.

final A4000 – € 129,99 Amazon.de

A4000 are the third individual in the “different twins born group” A3000-A4000-A5000. With this said, let me cut very short here on everything else which is similar or even identical between A4000 and A5000: shells, package, fit and comfort, cable (identical to A3000’s, different to A5000’s but not “practically so” in the end, see above), and last but not least f-Core DU driver.

Presentations are also quite similar between A4000 and A5000, however they diverge by that small much that makes for a decisive difference – especially for my tastes. Similarities are in the general tuning, which is a V, a sharper one at that on A4000, and on timbre, which is equally fast / clear on both models. Soundstage and imaging are equivalently top notch too. A5000 have farther lower extension, resulting in a more strongly evident sub-bass.

Most important, and crucially, A4000 offer even more energetic high mids than A5000, which is where their tonality breaks in my opinion, and anyhow for my tastes. Fast transient, so much (too much!) energy on guitars, trumpets and high piano chords, and that 6KHz peak which won’t forgive sibilating more frequently than not make A4000 a definitely unbalanced-bright, at times even splashy high tones cannon, too often sounding artificial – which is a true pity as their low mids and bass lines are viceversa beyond commendable.

Microdynamics are equivalently no more than average both on A4000 and A5000, with A4000 being nothing to write home about in terms of high mid and treble detail retrieval, too often drowning under the waves of excessive clarity and brightness.

Long story short: I would exclusively recommend A4000 to die-hard treble-heads.

Tanchjim Oxygen – € 269,00 AliExpress

I called A3000 and A4000 in as the first two comparisons due to them being part of the same product family of course, however no doubt the most significant notes will be those referring to Oxygen, being for me the rock-solid, as of yet undisputed natural-tonality sub-300€ reference.

Both A5000 and Oxygen carry a single Dynamic Driver, and while both can be classified as bright-neutral tonalities, their immediate skin-effect is obviously different due to the much clearer timbre brought up by A5000 compared to Oxygen, which – while still in the category of relatively fast drivers – offers definitely more relaxed transients, both as for attack and decay.

Oxygen sound therefor “mellower”, tonally softer, less clear, and most of all they convey a more closed-in group sensation – there is a way less air between one instrument and the other. En revenche, acoustic instruments and human voices sound obviously more organic on Oxygen.

Oxygen and A5000 are equally extended down to the bass, but A5000’s tighter transients deliver punchier, more energetic feeling to midbass, which of course may be more or less welcome depending on the track/genre.

Oxygen are more aggressive when it comes to high mids modulation, but less when it comes to low trebles. Their thicker note weight, however, make the entire high line less aggressive, if a bit less impactful, compared to A5000.

There is *no* sibilance on Oxygen.

Stage projection is evidently better on A5000, and by a significant margin. The opposite can be said about microdynamics, where the palm clearly goes to Oxygen.

Oxygen’s lesser cleanness and air presence do not compromise on layering and separation: Oxygen and A5000 are equally good at resolving overlapping instruments and voices.

Oxygen may be less easy to comfortably fit – shallow insertion being sadly a forced option here.

Like most if not all Tanchjim / Moondrop models, Oxygen require opposite-than-normal 2pin cable polarity so there’s that, too, to keep in mind when (as I strongly recommend) upgrading to a better cable, binning Oxygen’s disappointing stock one.

Yanyin Canon II – $ 341,00 + import duties, Linsoul

These recently-released 1 DD + 4 BA hybrids are surfing their hype waves right these weeks, and I happened to have a chance to assess a pair.

Both Canon II and A5000 offer full bilateral range extension, which is of course a more significant achievement on A5000 given they carry a single driver instead of five. En passant, it’s however fair to underline how Canon II offer commendable timbre coherence amongst their drivers, with some hearable débacle exclusively circumscribed to the passage between low and high mids.

Canon II’s dynamic driver offers very nicely calibrated sub-bass – possibly even better than A5000’s – and fuller bodied, slower decaying mid-bass notes, which sound punchier, but less cleanly separated, compared to A5000’s, resulting therefore in a stronger, but less readable and a bit more “stuffy” bass presentation. This, when Canon II’s tuning switches are both kept on their OFF positions – as flipping either, let alone both, up will make bass even thicker and less natural.

Canon II’s treble is vivid, and their BAs carry nothing short of a delicious timbre. Treble note weight is surely better on Canon II – and a sort of absolute weakness on A5000. Compared to A5000, however, detail retrieval is less on Canon II, and airiness is nothing to write home about even in absolute terms.

Imaging on Canon II is above decent, primarily hampered by the too bold bass actually, which would be not too big a drawback in absolute terms, if not in direct comparison to A5000 where it is practically perfect instead.

Canon II are also good at separation and layering, again with the sole exception of the 80-250 Hz region falling too often hostage of their exuberant mid bass personality. A5000’s are near perfect across the board though. Microdynamics are not superlative on A5000, but even more ordinary on Canon II for one reason or another.

Canon II’s fit is not too easy (not arduous either however) mainly due to quite bulky housings, and thick nozzles. Their stock tips are right away binnable, JVC SpiralDots offering good results on them, for the record.

Intime Miyabi – € 150,00 + reforwarding costs and import duties from Japan

Miyabi feature a hybrid setup made of a dynamic driver paired with a industry-unique, patented ceramic tweeter and other specialties, vs A5000’s proprietary f-Core DU single dynamic driver. In spite of such hybrid setup of theirs, Miyabi sport a totally commendable timbral coherence, nowhere shorter than A5000’s.

Miyabi and A5000 offer substantially equivalent bilateral range extension, with A5000 coming across stronger in the bass and sub-bass – Miyabi being nevertheless significantly slammy and textured there – and Miyabi more energetic, bodied and engaging in the treble. The two are also arguably on par on their exceptional space projection, separation and layering capabilities. Microdynamics are better on Miyabi.

Miyabi’s presentation is fundamentally neutral with a slightly bright accent, while A5000 is markedly V-shaped in comparison, although a mild-V if taken in absolute terms. Either can be said to carry a quite personal timbre, however diversion from more common options is more pronounced on Miyabi.

As a consequence, some may viscerally love Miyabi’s voicing while others might not fully enjoy their “brassy” aftertaste, and that sort of “popular crudeness” of theirs may be decoded as “commoner class” by those who will tend to better appreciate that silky, “rich middle class” style taint offered by A5000.

Miyabi’s vocals are a big notch more organic compared to A5000, very obviously so when it comes to female voices.

Miyabi’s fat bullet shape will probably result statistically easier to fit, and more easily comfortable vs A5000’s shallow fit. Neither get positive votes for their stock cables, which in both cases is bound for a quick upgrade. Unlike A5000, Miyabi benefit or indeed even require third party tips for best results.

Last but not least Miyabi are significantly less expensive, but much more difficult to source outside of Japan due to the very limited distribution network set up by their manufacturer, a very small crafting company.

Penon Fan 2 – $ 165,00 (down from $279,00 …why?) + import duties direct from Penon

Fan 2 are based on 2 dynamic and 2 BA drivers, vs final’s single proprietary f-Core DU driver on A5000, and sport a U-shaped presentation, with a nice organic timbre and a slightly warm-colored tonality, vs A5000’s more accented V tonality, definitely leaner note body and (in comparison) dryer/colder color.

I find Fan 2 striking a better, as in more realistic, note body compromise compared to A5000, which again I find a tad too lean in comparison. Fan 2 exhibit some timbral incoherence, which is extremely subtle if ever perceivable on A5000 instead. Both models offer very good bilateral range extension, I’d say on par the one with the other.

A5000 offer a much better defined, textured, detailed and slammy bass, which instead comes across too frequently a bit woolly from Fan 2. Flipping the situation, I would choose Fan 2 for what attains to organic mids rendering.

While both are very good about imaging and instrument separation, A5000 come clearly ahead in terms of layering capability. Soundstage casting is also hands down on A5000 favor.

Fan 2 are very picky when it comes to eartips selection, and possibly even more so in terms of source pairing – they require a very low impedance amp not to scant into fr skewage due to their extremely low internal impedance. Fan 2 and their stock cable pair better with one another vs A5000 and their one.

Considerations & conclusions

As I tried to outline above, I have mixed feelings about final’s A series, starting from not agreeing with the fundamental project purpose of delivering wide-range drivers, intentionally targeting equal satisfaction to very diverse user categories, continuing with not having been dazzled on my road to Damascus by auditioning the A8000s, on one end, while greatly appreciating the deeds of the f-Core DU driver as implemented into A-series budget models – such positive feeling standing beyond the tuning differences characterising those 3 models – on the other.

More than 2 years after my original piece about A3000 I do reaffirm that to my senses the overall best of the three budget priced A series models are indeed A3000. They deliver an incredibly subtle balance amongst note body, clarity, macro and microdynamics on top of a full-neutral presentation over a stunning all-direction-extended stage.

A5000 are anyhow second in line. Athletic like an Olympic fencer, they strike strong when needed while at the same time chiseling their movements in a precise and artistic way. Too bad for those modest, but perceivable, exaggerations in the treble area, as they could otherwise join their siblings on our Excellence showcase.

Lastly, I find A4000 much less special then their sisters, and of what they might potentially be. While they do positively hit on the user with the same grand stage, and imaging clarity, as their fellow A’s, they do pass the excess limit on their trebles, making an overly bright tonality, as such delivering a non-realistic overall musical experience.

The post final A5000 Review – One Cent To Excellence appeared first on Music For The Masses.

Gear of the Year: audioreviews.org is soon completing its 5th year. We are still six dedicated and competent authors located all over the western hemisphere, catering to a mature, discerning readership. Our list of earphone reviews is approaching 450 and our Wall of Excellence (WoE) is better decorated than the Christmas tree at NYC’s Rockefeller Center. Since any product on our WoE is backed by more than one opinion, it should give you confidence in your buying decisions.

However, our WoE is not a bunch of “best of” lists as we have not tested all competitors in each category. Such claims would be presumptuous.

We did, sadly, lose our single sponsor HifiGo (and some more suppliers) over our reviews of their gear. But hey, our critical, realistic approach sets us apart from 98% of the blogosphere (we think). We rather deal with companies that have confidence in their products.

Whatever gear passes our test must be somewhat good. We still don’t do Google ads, affiliate links, and we don’t allow trackers…we are no salespeople, we honour your reading pleasure and your privacy. We are simply audio aficionados.

Thank you for your patronage in 2023! Enjoy this read and we wish you a happy and successful 2024!

Hey, feel free to let us know your personal favourites of 2023 in the comments section below.

We thank our 2023 Partners

And here we go…that’s what we enjoyed in 2023…published by author in the order of submission…and purely subjective.

Loomis Johnson…Chicago, USA

Wiim Mini AirPlay 2 Wifi Streamer—the onboard DAC is just fair, and the app is quirky (if very ambitious), but through its digital out this is a genuinely excellent streamer  for less than a hundo.

BGVP DM9 IEM—energetic and massive sounding, these are head and shoulders above any other IEM I’ve heard this year. Richly priced at $600 and worth every penny.

Sony WH-1000XM5 Wireless Headphones—Bose has marginally better ANC and Sennheiser a longer battery and better UI, but overall the XM5 would be my pick if (god forbid) I could own only one TWS.

Oladance Wearable Stereo Open Ear Headphones —eons better than any bone-conduction model out there, these come close to good in-ear TWS models for sound quality, with a rich warm sound and a big 3D stage. Hall of Fame material.

SMSL D0400  DAC/Headphone Amp—a tad more detailed (if not necessarily better-sounding) than the godlike SU-9, the inclusion of balanced out and an excellent onboard headphone amp makes this my pick among SMSL’s myriad offerings.

Truthear Shio DAC/Dongle—well featured, balanced dongle won’t make your counterfeit Beats sound like Carnegie Hall, but it sounds just slightly more transparent than its ubiquitous price peers.

JBL Boombox 3 Portable Bluetooth Speaker— rather than spending ten grand to mod the sound system on his 100k pontoon boat, a very wealthy friend of mine dropped $349 on one of these. He couldn’t be happier. Link two together and you’ll be in hip-hop heaven.

Eagle Rare 10-Year Bourbon—if this was an IEM, we’d deem it “musical, balanced and fully coherent.” People are asking stupid prices for this in the secondary market, but if you can find it anywhere near its $40 SRP, buy it.

Dreamcloud Premier Rest Hybrid Mattress—the downside of buying a really good mattress is that it’ll sap your ambition faster than a meth habit. If, however, like me your ambition is to lay around and watch professional basketball, this is a necessary acquisition.

Jürgen Kraus…Calgary, CANADA

Short and sweet, as I am mainly still using my 2022 gear. And the best gear is the gear one uses after all. 2023 added a few excellent products to my daily listening. Oladance TWS Pro wearables were most impressive…and useful…a home theatre on your ears you don’t even feel. I can listen to these all day.

In terms of earphones, the Sennheiser IE 900 impressed me most because of their natural, cohesive presentation, their incredible treble quality, and their wonderful dosage across the frequency spectrum. I preferred them much more over the IE 600, which offer the same Harman type tuning we have experienced so often before. Both were sadly loaners. I also love the well-balanced Sennheiser IE 200, which are tuning wise closer to the IE 900 than to the IE 600.

Also very natural sounding are the Akoustyx S6, but they do need some modding to tame the upper midrange. As to budget TWS, I do have a pair of Moondrop Space Travel by my bedside, for talk radio and classical music. They have a very composed and nuanced presentation…and they fit me well.

Also by my bedside is the EarMan CH-Amp/Tradutto combination for driving my HD 600 and final Sonorous III. I equipped the HD 600 with a Hart Audio 4.4 mm balanced cable. Also great is the SMSL DO200 MKII DAC, which I use on my desk.

As a movable desktop stack (between sofa and kitchen table) serves the very good sounding Moondrop DiscDream CD player. A great idea to reconsider this technology — looking forward to another premium Walkman.

An honorouble mention goes to the very versatile TempoTec Serenade X Digital Desktop Player, and TempoTec as a company, as they don’t get lost in countless models of the same…no they offer one model of each product, and each is well thought out. A big step up for them in the last two years.

As a guilty pleasure, I indulged myself with USB cables for audio usage from AudioQuest (Forest), IKEA, and Monoprice. I love USB cables. And this combination of brands doesn’t leave room for the usual shitstorm by naysayers.

And hey, Loomis, we just acquired an Endy mattress. Made in Canada, of course.

Alberto Pittaluga…Bologna, ITALY

Given I’m not one of those world-famous tiktokers I guess it’s preliminary worth remembering that I have a sharp inclination to carefully avoid wasting time on even assessing “stuff” which doesn’t apriori seem to qualify for a serious upgrade to whatever I already own – an attitude of mine that applies across the board of course, not certainly to audio gear only. Such information is I presume key to better understand the following list.

Proceeding by categories, and starting with cans, towards the end of the year I got a pair of Sennheiser HD800. These were quite a lot anticipated to upgrade my pleasure on my particular library vs the HD600 – and that’s of course what happened. As a side bonus I had yet another chance to touch how important fresh pads and a decent cable are for sound optimisation, let alone how tough still is finding an overall more exquisite timbre then the one coming off my Groove.

Shrinking size down to IEMs, my trip to Munich earlier this year got me very curious about Sennheiser’s relatively recent IEM introductions, and that’s where the curiosity to assess IE900 and (from a different source) IE600 came up from.

The latter impressed me almost as much as the former, however when it comes to stunning V-shaped IEM encounters happened this year nothing beats – and I reckon will hardly beat tomorrow – Intime Sho DD.

The other major IEM acquisition of the year is represented by final B3, and their ability to capture the auditioner and port him onto the jazz stage. Honorable mention goes to Akoustykx S6 (and their “magic” Earlocks).

In terms of source gear, I completed my collection of DAPs by acquiring a Sony WM-1A, of course instantly flashing MrWalkman WM1Z signature onto it. For a number of reasons its sonic features are at the same time in line and complementary to those of my other standards: Questyle QP1R and QP2R.

Sometimes it does bring an audible improvement, other times it doesn’t – it depends on the apriori situation of the system you plug it onto. I’m talking about AudioQuest’s Jitterbug. My (quite articulated) home setup is clearly in the benefitted category, and that’s why 3 of these are now stable part of it.

Source gear honorable mention goes to a tiny-budgeted device, Ifi GO Link. That, and IEMs with a balanced cable and a 3.5mm TRRS adapter, right away became my blind buy rec to those individuals which every now and then, attracted by the gear they often see me fiddling with, ask me to indicate “something nice and inexpensive to get started with”.

Looking in retrospect what I just recapped (and I genuinely did it “live”, now, for the mere sake of putting these notes together) none of my 2023 preferred tech comes from chifi-land. The white-bearded badly-aging old continent nerd in me shily shruddered in realising it

Durwood…Chicago, USA

Kefine Klanar

Redefines what a planar can do, the Timeless 7Hz was great but it also had that overblown upper air treble that made it standout. The Klanar on the other hand dials everything down delivering similar quality bass and while not as treble exciting is better balanced, target curve crowd pleasing retaining the technical precision and quick transient delivery of the planar driver.

Moondrop Blessing Dusk 2 

Fits snugly staying in place, great technical details, with enough bass to keep me interested.

BGVP DM9

While I do not own many top tier earphones, I have listened to plenty at shows and know that they best anything I have in the $300 realm. The bass hump is well controlled and balanced nicely in the midbass/sub-bass transition region. The elevated treble plateau keeps them energized and engaging delivering maximum resolution and clarity.

SMSL DO400 DAC/AMP

Extreme value premium desktop DAC melding a powerful headphone amp. I miss the quick control of a potentiometer volume knob of a split dac/amp solution, but it is worth the feature rich resolving DAC and potent headphone amp drive.

Truthear SHIO DAC

Just as powerful as any of the dongles out there it sounds the most blended qualities of a dongle dac without leaning too warm, bassy, thin or sharp. Not head and shoulders above the LG G8, but can turn any USB-C phone into an excellent DAP for an average price.

Oladance OWS Sport

A new category of open-ear sports headphones that offers other uses while avoiding disadvantages of in-ear pressure, ear canal phobias, and isolation, earbud compromises, and over ears isolation and sweatiness. Balanced sound quality that trades low-end bass for open awareness without the lackluster bone conduction competition. Review coming soon, they know what they are doing.

TWS????

Still looking for a TWS all-rounder. I want them to fit tight without loosening slowly, excellent tonality and have good ANC. A blend of the Sony WF-1000XM3 ANC with the sound of the Moondrop Alice combined with the fitment of the KZ ZXS Pro.

When browsing the local classifieds this year I scored some very excellent sounding vintage ADS L570/2 and lesser known local midwest unicorn relic well tuned, amazing imaging cherry veneer Amrita Elan (I think) that my buddy is still scorning me over not “allowing” him to buy them instead- no worries we are still friends. He would love to get his hands on the 3 way model with isobaric woofers anyway.

Kazi Mahbub Mutakabbir…Munich, GERMANY

This year passed by in the blink of an eye, but fortunately I managed to listen to hundreds of devices in this rather short span. My personal collection also went through some radical changes, so without further ado…

Firstly, I finally upgraded my reference gear, both portable and desktop. On the portable side, it’s now Lotoo PAW Gold Touch paired with the venerable Cayin C9. The desktop, meanwhile, is the recently-retired Questyle CMA Twelve Master. Having tried numerous TOTL setups so far, these two fit my needs the most. I may add a tube amp down the line, but that’s for the future.

On the IEM side of things, my daily drivers include Sennheiser IE 900 and the (discontinued) Softears Turii. The IE 900 are perhaps the most advanced in terms of driver tech, and the Turii have such a unique, spacious sound that it belies the single dynamic setup. They have received the most “ear time” this year, and will likely continue to do so in the coming year.

On the TWS side of things, I am impressed by the Beats Studio Buds Plus. For once, a Beats product is actually decent enough to be a daily driver. Apart from the middling noise cancellation, there is little I’d change about them given the price tag.

Finally, I have streamlined my headphones collection and ended up purchasing a modded Sennheiser HD 800. These hold up tremendously well against the planar magnetic behemoths even now, and the staging and imaging are unparalleled in the sub-$2000 space. I was also pleasantly surprised by Sennheiser HD 660S2, though the price tag is a bit higher than I’d prefer.

This year, I finally managed to audition the Sennheiser HE-1 for almost an hour. It was a surreal experience and I can definitely see (or hear) why these are so mythical. That being said, the Warwick Acoustics Aperio are no slouch either and trade blows with the supreme Sennheisers.

But the one pair of headphones that I can call my “personal endgame” are none other than Warwick Bravura. They get dangerously close to the summit-fi behemoths and fortunately, come pre-built as a system so you can save on the cost of an energizer or accompanying pre-amps to further flavor the sound.

Notable mentions: Campfire Audio Supermoon (perhaps the best sounding planar IEMs), Softears Twilight (fantastic single DD), Effect Audio Code 23 (the best copper cable I have ever tried, despite the challenging ergonomics), iFi Go Blu (fantastic little dongle), Cayin RU7 (replaced Questyle M15 for my portable use).

Biodegraded…Vancouver, CANADA

Environmentally friendly, as his name implies, he stuck to his 2021 gear…again. Gives us carbon credits.

Gear of the Year 2022

The post Gear Of The Year 2023 – Our Personal Favourites appeared first on Music For The Masses.

ENTER HERE

KZ Acoustics was my gateway brand into the world of Chi-Fi remaining firmly planted in the affordable segment of constantly recommended IEMs, and now they bring us the KZ VXS Pro TWS. The “Pro” indicates a second iteration as the first was actually the VXS, and they have had a few TWS models over the years. 

The KZ VXS Pro is aimed at the active crowd and more specifically the gaming crowd. While I am not their target consumer, these TWS are great for kicking around the house or out and about with a comfy familiar V or Harman tuning. Pricing is more mid-level budget at $58, so twice as costly as entry level and also one of Jürgen’s suggestions of the Moondrop Space Travel.

While my sampling size of budget TWS is small, I previously tried out the Fiitii Air 2, Fiitii Hifidots, and the Tinhifi Tin Buds 3. The bulk of my experience is more mid-tier with the Sony WF-1000W3, Moondrop Alice, and Drop Axel Grell TWS, all different beasts with go-to features that are a mixed bag.

SOUND

KZ VXS Pro bass is warm and thick if not on the punchy side followed by a recessed midrange. I can appreciate these are not shouty in any way or forward sounding. Vocals are flat sounding without portraying much space. Bass guitars have grunt behind them, and electric guitars come on heavy and present, while delivering a sculpted tone. I find this rather enjoyable with rock.

Treble is tuned safely with nothing offensive, but definitely lifted in comparison to the Moondrop Space Travel. The presence region is tilted downward so things such as a snare and horns are not overpowering, perhaps tame. There is a treble lift around the 8-10khz mark that allow cymbals to exhibit crunchy and tizzy tendencies, but I would consider the quality in line with the price.

The KZ VXS Pro sounds rather closed in most of the time, and not a lot of front to back differentiation. Instrument separation is above average however the closed in staging does make it feel crowded. It can handle busy tracks without much fanfare, but there is one excellent star feature.

Volume output on the KZ VXS Pro is top notch. It may have something to do with the Qualcomm 5171 chipset which boasts a  SNR at 105dB. Other bluetooth chipsets are rated around 95dB in the Signal-to-Noise Ratio department. While KZ is employing this chipset, there is nothing stopping others from also using this (captain) obviously.

Part of this chipset and most others as well is that DSP can be applied to tune the earphone, specifically a 10 band parametric EQ. This is exactly how the powered studio monitors have morphed over the years as well. Engineers apply a complex parametric EQ to tune the monitors as desired to hit a flat target.

This is one area TWS will have a leg up on wired earphones that are only tuned acoustically. At some point TWS might crossover from consumer mainstream also into the professional audiophile realm making the EQ dirty little secret just part of everyday life.

Evidence for this exists in the KZ VSX Pro marketing, normally brands like to point out magnet structures, driver counts, fancy diaphragm materials, etc. Instead KZ focuses solely on the chipset and DSP technology. They are not relying completely on the parametric EQ and instead complementing the acoustic tuning methods.

Keep in mind that KZ did not utilize any ANC using the DSP only relying on the passive noise attenuation of the shell. I also do not want to discount that starting with good drive units, and proper acoustic tuning should come first.

If we put the KZ VXS Pro up against the Moondrop Space Travel TWS, I would say the midrange is on equal footing. The Space Travel has a fuller lower midrange and a mellow treble region that gives a more relaxed listening experience. The KZ VXS is more fun, and probably fits the genres of my music collection better. Cymbals and guitars are more pumped up. 

OTHER STUFF

So there is no ANC on the KZ VXS Pro like there is on the Moondrop Space Travel, which is barely enough to call it ANC. Instead the KZ VXS Pro has a “high performance mode” activated by pressing on the right or left earpiece 3 times. This is for lower latency gaming and also movie watching.

I have no idea what the typical latency is on most TWS, but it can be a problem if drastic. I know 100-200ms or more I can usually detect some weirdness when watching movies. The KZ VXS Pro limits latency to 58ms. The vocal announcements are in English on the Kz VXS Pro, albeit the “high performance” is easier for me to understand than the “standard mode”. As long as I can tell though, no big deal.

For charging the KZ VXS Pro, the case has a 400ma battery. Battery life is a touted 8 hours which is pretty good, I never found them running out of juice. The clear cover provides an indication on the earpieces themselves it is charging, vs the case displaying that.

There is a second LED in the case that is activated by charging or by pressing the button. Different colors indicate charge level, cool idea but unless you commit it to memory a multi-segment light would be preferred. Unfortunately, wireless charging is absent.

The clear plastic window has me concerned about the longevity of the case for rough users, mine is already scratched up. At least it has a cover unlike the Moondrop Space Travel. I do like the case better than the TinHifi Tin Buds 3 with its loosely rotating cover that easily swung open making it prone to ear pieces becoming dislodged. 

Taking calls on the KZ VS Pro was relatively easy. Call quality was an oddity and I do not know why. I spoke for a long time in one call without issues, but a few other calls had the sound cutting out and making weird background white noise. Once it transferred the call to the Iphone itself, I was able to hear the caller. I do not know if the trouble was on my end or theirs, but concerning none the less.

Fitment and comfort conform well to my ears, the shell design on the KZ VXS Pro is something that is found on many of their model lineup. This is how KZ keeps costs low, by reusing old molds/designs. Controls are easy to use, and are duplicated on both sides.

CLOSING TIME

KZ VXS Pro was an enjoyable TWS that I found myself digging the bass guitar slap and strum. Treble reproduction quantity was desirable, and quality of it met expectations. Value-wise for a TWS, they sit in the middle of the road. They are double in price over the entry level affair, yet get close to the used market pricing on well known models that offer lots of features and good sound.

I think you are better served buying this TWS model over a budget wired model from KZ since you are not going to get exceptional sound from their low budget tiers anyway. Good enough for government work, just be wary of making calls with them.

Disclaimer: KZ Shipsed these to me accidentally instead of Jürgen. Thank you KZ for making that mistake, they make walking the dog more enjoyable.

Get it from the KZ Store or ALIEXPRESS.

KZ VXS PRO SPECIFICATIONS

• Bluetooth Version: 5.3
• Bluetooth Chip: QCC5171
• Transmission range: Approximately 15 meters
• Earphones battery life: Approximately 8 hours
• Earphones battery capacity: 48mAh
• Charging case battery capacity: 400mAh
• Charging case recharge cycles: Approximately 4 times
• Charging interface: Type-C

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DISCLAIMER

Our generic standard disclaimer.

About my measurements.

The post KZ VXS Pro TWS Review – No Games, All Business appeared first on Music For The Masses.

The $112 KZ AS24 is a well executed 12-driver-a-side earphone that impresses by its cohesive, vivid presentation. Yes, finally a KZ that impresses.

The KZ AS24 was sent to me unsolicited by the manufacturer for my analysis. I thank them for that, You can buy them from KZ Official Store.

Introduction

This is a review of the non-tunable version of the KZ AS24 earphone (a version if tuning switches is also available). I was a KZ buyer of (almost) the first hour…and started loading up back in 2017. You could get single-dynamic-driver models for $5-7 CAD packaged in plain blue boxes. At that time, the price of balanced-armature drivers fell dramatically so that KZ started experimenting with this technology as one of the first in the budget segment. The older ChiFi aficionados may remember the famous KZ ZS5 and ZS6, which sold for less than $30 USD.

KZ started releasing different models on an assembly line, and most if not all of these had the same characteristics, not well liked by the western ears: a strong V-shape with buried vocals and an elevated upper midrange, which many of us perceived as shouty. And the number of drivers appeared to increase from model to model.

For me, this driver craze ended with the ASX, which offered 10 BA per side…but very little music. It also made me quit silly YouTube videos and focus on the written word.

While KZ continue flooding the market with increasingly more models, their AS 24 (yes, this one) is finally a good earphone, offered at a decent price…which makes for great value. Good that I can still experience this in my lifetime. There are two versions available, one as is (for a lazy guy like me), and the other with 8 tuning switches, for the tinkerer.

Specifications KZ AS24 (Standard Version)

Physical Things and Usability

The unboxing may be disappointing for some: despite being their flagship, KZ stick to their no-frills presentation of no storage case, a rather “simple” cable, their standard eartips (SM/L plus a pair of foams), and their paperwork.

The large earpieces follow the same recipe as most previous KZ models with their standard translucent resin material. Although each shell hosts 12 drivers it is not bigger than, for example the Moondrop Blessing 2 or the TempoTec IM5. The cable, although not spectacular in appearance, works well in terms of pliability.

Comfort and fit are good for me, and so it isolation. But I have to use SpinFit CP145 eartips, as the stock ones are too small for me.

Tonality and Technicalities

Don’t forget, I have the standard edition without switches, which is somewhat on the bassy side (with the SpinFits), at least when compared to the vocals in the lower midrange. Despite the many drivers, there is no issue with cohesion and the sound does not exhibit the usual BA timbre, but is reasonable natural.

Star is the bass: super deep digging, thumpy, driving, energetic, lively, well composed. If I had switch, I’d dial it back a tad. It conflicts a bit with the more recessed male/female voices of the lower midrange. Midrange resolution, transparency, and clarity are quite good.

Compared to earlier KZ models and also to the frequency response graph, the recession is actually acceptable and not a dealbreaker. It adds to the soundstage and imaging. Vocals are articulate and well placed in 3D space. There is no shoutiness whatsoever as the frequency starts dropping off at 3 kHz.

This leads to a safe, middle-of-the-road treble response. Cymbals and high notes are well resolving but a bit in the background. This combination leads to a soundstage of lower average width with very good depth, and to great spatial cues. The 12 drivers do an excellent job in terms of imaging, separation, and layering. That’s where your money is.

In comparison, the $150 Sennheiser IE 200 with their single dynamic driver have a flatter tuning with a wider stage lacking the AS24’s depth. While the AS24 are technically superior, the IE 200 are more fluid with a wider but shallower stage. Another big difference is the size of the earpieces…after all, 12 drivers need a lot of space.

The Tempotec IM05 with their 5 drivers have similarly bulky shells and feature a similar V-shaped tuning as the AS24, but with a peakier upper midrange. That’s where the AS24 gets the upper hand. Both have an elevated bass compared to neutral.

Concluding Remarks

KZ have finally produced an iem that, in my opinion, can be considered as very good for its class. For your $112, you get an iem that had cost $200 a couple of years ago. The AS24’s dominant features are its deep digging, thumpy bass and its immersive, holographic stage with very good imaging, which contribute to its lively, dynamic sonic reproduction. Its shortcomings are maybe KZ’s continued recessed midrange, which is not a big deal in this case. But they have eliminated shoutiness and glare.

Yep, KZ are finally starting to rock…after so many tens of models. Congrats. If you want to try a KZ earphone, start with their flagship. Think Big!

Until next time…keep on listening!

The post KZ AS24 (Standard Version) Review – Steamy Flagship appeared first on Music For The Masses.

The $199 Moondrop DISCDREAM is a very-good sounding (trans)portable CD/SD-card player that drives even demanding headphones like my 300 ohm Sennheiser HD 600 well and also works as a DAC /amp for your computer. Whilst it features a dedicated line out, it sadly lacks digital outputs.

The Moondrop DISCDREAM was kindly supplied by SHENZHENAUDIO for my review – and I think them for that. You can purchase it here.

Introduction

The compact disc (CD) is a digital optical disc data storage format that was co-developed by Philips and Sony, and first released in Japan back in 1982. CDs were very expensive in the mid 1980s in my native West Germany — more than twice the cost of an LP (how times have changed!). My friends, professional classical musicians, were fascinated by the detail retrieval compared to analog sources at the time.

CDs buyers frequently purchased this digital format for experiencing the sound quality — and not necessarily for the content. I once ended up with a 1907 (!) recording by Enrique Caruso, which sounded…terrible.

When it comes to vinyl I had issues as, in Germany, customers could play records in stores, then put them back on the shelf. I frequently purchased “new” albums with fingerprints and scratches. The CD came to the rescue.

I started acquiring digital in 1988 and have accumulated >3000 CDs since. Thanks to the Apple Airport Express, I started ripping my CDs as early as 2003, but the physical copies remained…cluttering our house up. Ask my wife.

In the meantime, CD prices have come down considerably, whereas vinyl has skyrocketed during its recent comeback. Hipsters have embraced analog technology and vintage Hifi stores’ sales soar. And, in analog…y to the mid 1980s, just inversely, they purchase vinyl for the sound experience and not so much for the music.

How else would anybody fork out >$50 for an obscure Jethro Tull album or Fleetwood Mac’s Greatest Hits…when you can pick up CD versions in a thrift store for a couple of bucks? I also don’t see the need for purchasing post 1982 recordings that have been produced for digital media.

Been there, done that. It sometimes pays to be old. And as history repeats itself, hipsters are increasingly picking up CDs, whereas serious equipment reviewers like Steve Guttenberg have always relied on this medium. I belong to the latter and have never given up on CDs (while dusting off my old Thorens TD147 record player occasionally).

Was the race on for old vinyl, so has this hunt changed for original CD recordings, as many if not most recent remasters suffer from dynamic compression: sound great in your car stereo but not on your $$$$$ home system.

Today, decent, affordable CD players and transports have become rare, as not many companies produce drive mechanisms, possibly for the lack of customer demand. Strictly speaking, any moving medium has become obsolete with the advent of SSDs.

But since the world typically rotates in cycles, the CD is currently experiencing a comeback – and some manufacturers have discovered it: Shanling and SMSL have released HiFi CD Players recently.

Moondrop, the company out of my Chinese Alma Mater Chengdu, Sichuan, have expanded lately, from originally mainly earphones into headphones, dongle DACs, and now a portable CD Player. Their DISCDREAM is the product of Moondrop’s cooperation with a senior developer who had been involved in Sony’s Discman concept more than 30 years ago.

The company wanted to supply all these guys with a portable CD player, who cannot find a working vintage one, thereby integrating the latest technology such as modern DAC chips and amplification. The DISCDREAM also has functionalities the old Discmen lacked. It looks like this, bigger than the old portables:

In a companion article, I will compare old and new CD player generations.

Specifications Moondrop DISCDREAM

Physical Things

In the box are: the player, a USB-C charging cable and poster-sized manuals in English, Chinese, and Japanese…and the QC card.

The player’s shell is made of metal with a lid mainly of glass, which makes for an attractive visual effect watching the spinning CD. But it is also a fingerprint magnet and prone to scratching. Have your Windex ready. There are 4 rather grippy rubber feet on the bottom. A protective bag of soft fabric would have been good but is not included.

The design is reminiscent of the wall-mounted Nakamachi CD changers you found in 1990s record stores. I remember auditioining music with these at MusicPlex on Portage and Main in Winnipeg, MB, and at HMB on Catherine St. in Montreal, PQ.

Check the product page for further details.

Functionality and Operation

The DISCDREAM does

• play CDs and SACDs gaplessly
• play music from a micro SD card
• act as DAC and amp for a computer source [and for DAPs, too]
• feature a dedicated line out
• offer a 3..5 mm headphone jack

It does not

• have digital outputs
• rip CDs
• have a balanced circuit
• have Bluetooth capabilities
• have a remote

Interface

Front Panel

…features six buttons for the usual operation and also a crisp display.

See here for operational details

[collapse]

Side Panels

The right panel features an SC-card slot (for music), a dedicated line out, and a 3.5 mm headphone jack. The left panel is blank.

Back Panel

You find the on/off switch, a pinhead LED (green when charging), and a USB-C port for charging and connecting to a computer.

Playing Music from CD, SD Card, and PC

You can switch between these three different sources with the button next to the display.

Playing CDs is straight forward…you lift up the lid and mount your CD, just like on your record player…and push the start button. The drive starts swiftly and operates quietly. Track changes (forward-backward) are smooth. If you wish, you can leave the lid up, just like on your turntable.

Operating music from an SD card is a different story as the small display is much simpler than that of a DAP. The system ignores folder hierarchies and labels songs from 1 to X. You therefore can never be quite sure what song is playing and what album will be next. An error sign appears when the music organization on the SD card is too complex for the system to handle.

As to USB: works for my Mac with the included USB-C to USB-A cable. Since both DISCDREAM and current MacBooks use USB-C ports, I had to dig out an adapter. Unfortunately, the USB-C port is NOT a digital out – I tested it with an external DAC: it does not work.

Outside the specs: I also connected my iPhone and the Hidizs AP80 Pro-X DAP to the DISCDREAM’s USB-C port. As expected, iPhone “did not support this accessory” and the DAP worked well…but with a caveat: since the USB-C port is also used for charging, the DISCDREAM started “milking” the DAP.

Amplification and Power

The DISCDREAM has a volume scale up to 50 (check the specs above for detailed numbers). I run the 32 ohm Beyerdynamic Custom Pro at 7-8 and the hungry 300 ohm Sennheiser HD 600 on 19-20, at leisurely listening. On quiet recordings, and craving some oomph, I crank the dial just above 30 with the Senns. Plenty of power for most headphones.

Sound

The DISCDREAM sounds like a classic mid-tier CD player. Very clean, very good separation, very transparent image, very good resolution. Very “widescreen” with the HD 600. Excellent note definition with well rounded notes. I am surprised how good it sounds.

Let’s put it like that: I Iistened to Dire Straits’ “Brother ins Arms” album, the complete Freischütz opera by Carl M. von Weber, and Pink Floyd’s “Echoes”. Could not stop.

In an unfair but useful comparison, my $1300 Marantz SA8005 with integrated headphone amp sounds grittier, deeper, fuller, more organic, with more bass rumble, but it also has a narrower stage. The Moondrop sounds a bit more subtle, more polished, finer, and wider. But the differences are not earth shattering. I’d tie them in terms of overall technicalities.

My 23 year-old TOTL Panasonic SL-CT780 portable player also manages the HD 600 (to my surprise). It sounds narrower, duller, and is technically much less refined than the DISCDREAM, particularly in terms of imaging, resolution, and upper extension.

Last but not least did I compare the DISCDREAM by itself vs. plugged into the EarMen CH-Amp. Again, the differences were not huge (unless you are in dire need for excess power). The CH-Amp delivered a slightly more relaxed, deeper image, the Moondrop’s built-in amp was a bit more forward. This means that the DISCDREAM is a mature device by itself.

Real-Life Use

The DISCDREAM is kind of an oddball in that it is of desktop size (with a footprint even larger than the EarMen stack) but comes with a battery and no digital out for connecting it to a DAC. On the other hand, it is too large for use on the bus or when walking downtown. Call it transportable rather than portable. And no-one would carry their CDs to a hotel room either.

So yes, you can use it with your phone’s 5V power supply (or the ifi iPowerX or Allo Nirvana) and you can plug it into an amp, if necessary, but this defies its purpose.

For me, it comes down to use within the house, being on the sofa or in bed. The DISCDREAM is kind of its own movable desktop stack. Finally…as I really hate my desk.

Concluding Remarks

The Moondrop DISCREAM fills a niché occupied by mainly older listeners who are still sitting on their prehistoric CD collection – and hipsters who are newly discovering this medium. It plays my CDs satisfyingly well, and does justice even to demanding headphones. I finally pick up these stashes again after having ignored them for the last 30 years. A very engaging listening experience that is also optically appealing…when the disc spins.

What a very good idea you had, Moondrop.

Until next time…keep on listening!

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Our generic standard disclaimer.

Gallery

The post Moondrop DISCDREAM Review – Discotheque appeared first on Music For The Masses.

ORIGIN STORY

I suddenly found myself overloaded with many new audio gadgets to review in the midst of a home remodel to make it more interesting, and the Kefine Klanar stands out amongst the noise. Kefine is a new brand that aims to jump in the Planar realm with an oddly similar planar driver size. I think they hit the mark and delivered a more forward sounding Timeless with less sizzle in the top, and for nearly half the price at an easy to digest price of $119.

As a newcomer, Kefine is named after the founder Ke, and mashed together with Refine hoping to provide refined audio products for music lovers with affordable price and the best value-that’s their tagline. Klanar is word play on Planar from what I can tell. One quibble was the box was hard to open, but it only added to the suspense of what was inside. Seriously though, I appreciate an easy to open box please.

PHYSICAL FORMALITIES

The eartips included with the Kefine Klanar are no big thing, your basic set of small bores with two pairs of medium one of which comes preinstalled and then a set of S/M/L wide bore. I suggest aftermarket replacements as the outer portion is rather flimsy and easy to deform. The nozzle stem is thick which sometimes helps with bass control.

The black matte anodized aluminum CNC shell of the Kefine Klanar is smooth and free of any uncomfortable edges. Kefine understands that CNC shells need not be heavy monstrosities that wear heavily on your ears after long listening sessions.

The emblazoned logo might not be everyone’s idea of a nice design, however simplicity is a statement since it is the only thing to look at. Being a first time product, this is probably a wise choice. Understated, unobtrusive and fits well is a good combination in my book. Keep in mind the nozzles are the typical larger diameter, I have not seen smaller nozzle designs for quite some time.

The medium sized zippered gray cloth hard case is appreciated. It will protect them nicely and fit the ear-tips with ease. The cable is a bit plastic feeling, but is of above entry level grade quality. First comparison, the 7HZ Timeless cable is nicer feeling, but the Kefine Klanar is better equipped with 0.78mm two pin. I prefer 2 pin for longevity over MMCX which instead offers pivoting capability for the ear-hooks. The Kefine Klanar is offered in 3.5mm single ended or 4.4mm balanced connection when you order.

SOUND

Every time I see another planar launched, I automatically assume it has to be similar to the 7Hz Timeless, and so far the Kefine Klanar is the one that has come close. Bass sounds deep when needed with a good haptic rumble. When compared to the Timeless, they feel equal in technical abilities. Articulate, transiently quick and rumble when you need it. 

Despite measuring the Kefine Klanar at a higher level in the bass region, the balance between the bass and mid-range pinna gain, has it sounding similar in quantity to the Timeless. Timeless sounds plump and fatter while the Kefine Klanar adds a touch of warmth and slap. Even double kick drums on Symphony X – King of Terrors rips quick with defined bass notes, I remember how disappointed I was in the HIDIZS MP145 in this regard.

Mid-range does come forward on the Kefine Klanar, but oddly not overbearing. I think it has to do with the lowest valley is not at 1Khz, but rather even lower in the mid-range around 600Hz. At 1khz, we are talking a 10db rise, but at 600hz it comes closer to 13dB.

This again is that balancing act. Vocals sound clean and absence of added rasp. Instruments have good depth and space around them. The Timeless sounds a touch wider given the less forwardness of the vocals. I have to agree Kefine has tuned the Klanar to work well with acoustic music. Snare drums are subdued as mid treble is dialed back to provide a more fatigue free listening session over energetic.

Timbre comes off more digital than analog despite the warmer lower end, to me this is a byproduct of exacting nature of a properly implemented planar driver. Overall it sounds proper and nothing sticks out as off.

The Kefine Klanar treble is where the balance shifts in its favor. The Timeless was known for it’s U shaped signature with a rather over the top treble shimmer and air that can be almost too much at times. The Kefine Klanar has gone easier on us and yet still presents excellent shimmer and clarity with quick transient dynamics. I like the balance of it, others may prefer the extra air of the Timeless.

Easily driven by my LG G8 smartphone or simple dongle despite the lower than average sensitivity, the Kefine Klanar is a few more decibels louder or more sensitive than the Timeless. Power of course is always appreciated. The response through the treble is more consistent and tracks between left and right properly, my Timeless is not nearly as matched left to right.

FINAL REMARKS

Deep down I was hoping this planar would deliver, but had low expectations. I am proud to say Kefine Klanar surprised me and gave us a nicely designed earphone that can compete with the Timeless if you felt more mid-range presence was needed or the treble shimmer was a tad much. The typical universal shaped shell design might also be more appealing, that circular face-plates found on the TImeless.

Given the diffuse field curve with enough low end bass boost and upper treble at a good level, a prominent recommendation for anyone shopping for a new IEM, put it on your short list and consider getting some better ear tips to do them justice. Jazz and acoustic mate well, as does Rock and Pop a close second. I am going to revisit these before year end against the HIDIZS MS3 and Moondrop Starfield 2 and decide who comes out on top at the $120 price point.

DISCLAIMER

Provided Free of charge from Sivga who also sent me their iteration Nightingale yet to be received, I appreciate the opportunity and these will probably get a second look from the man, the legend Loomis. Purchase links below that provide no monetary incentive for us. Check them out on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/kefine.audio

USA:
Audio 46: https://audio46.com/products/kefine-klanar
Hifigo: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CKZ71VP3/kefine+klanar/

AliExpress:
https://www.aliexpress.us/w/wholesale-kefine-klanar.html?spm=a2g0o.home.search.0

International:
Linsoul: https://www.linsoul.com/products/kefine-klanar
Hifigo: https://hifigo.com/products/kefine-klanar

SPECIFICATIONS

Style In-ear
Driver size 14.5 mm Planar
Frequency response 20 Hz – 40K Hz
Sensitivity 105 dB +/- 3 dB
Impedance 16 Ω +/-15%
Cable length 1.2 M +/-0.2 M
Plug size 3.5mm SE or 4.4 mm BA
Weight 12.6 g

GRAPHS

• Left vs Right
• Kefine Klanar vs 7HZ Timeless
• Kefine Klanar vs Moondrop Starfield 2 vs HIDIZS MS3

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Our generic standard disclaimer.

About my measurements.

The post Kefine Klanar Review – Time Is Only A Reference Point appeared first on Music For The Masses.

$70 seems to be the sweet spot for good dongles, with ubiquitous exemplars like the Hidisz S3, iFi Go and Moondrop Dawn. The $70 Truthear Shio doesn’t  sound exponentially better than its peers but does offer a 4.4mm balanced jack, a useful volume control and good driving power, especially in high-gain mode—it drove my demanding Senn 650 capably while more sensitive (16-32 Ohm) IEMs maintained their composure and avoided sharpness or shrillness at high volumes.

Less forward and energized than the S3, the Shio hews closer to the neutral-sounding, uncolored Moondrop, perhaps with a somewhat tighter, more sculpted bass.  The Shio (like the Moondrop) is an  excellent choice for those who want to hear the music exactly as recorded.

The $90 UA2 Plus opts for a brighter, bolder presentation with more high end detail and sizzle; cymbals and high hats sound very crisp and attack transients are very quick. Quite mid-forward (bass is a bit restrained and vocals have a larger-than-life presence and emphasis), with a full-bodied, but well-sculpted note texture. Soundstage seems wider than the Shio’s, and resolution is very high.

It’s a gutsy, exciting signature but over-etched and unnatural at times—your ears get drawn to the individual elements rather than to the cohesive whole. These do pair well with and add some juice to warmer or more reference-tuned phones, though I prefer a less hopped-up dongle for daily use.

The $99 Hidizs XO takes the bright ballsy delivery of the UA2 Plus and amps it up to 11—this MFer plays LOUD, with a giant booming bass and a rich, larger-than-life tone. As with the UA2 Plus, it’s an ear-catching sound which places instruments very accurately across an expansive, 3-D stage. However, like Cerwin-Vega speakers, some refinement is lost amidst the sonic furor—everything sounds over-caffeinated and the low-end emphasis tends to blur some fine nuances.

I also struggle to understand the inclusion of the flashing lights (perhaps there are more Deadheads in Hong Kong than generally known?)—they are the DAC equivalent of spinning rims. Like the UA2 Pro, the XO can enliven flatter pieces, but  ultimately I characterize the XO as fun but inessential.

All of the above have their merits, and none registered as poor value, but the Truthear was the best-balanced of the lot and would be my pick for all but the most power-hungry phones. If nothing else, this little exercise should be irrefutable proof that not all dac/dongles sound the same.

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The post Truthear Shio, Shanling UA2 Plus and Hidizs XO Dongle Shootout – ‘Cos You Can Never Have Enough Portable Audio Gear appeared first on Music For The Masses.

The original Moondrop Starfield (my review here) was one of the best $100 IEMs I’ve heard—rich-sounding, smooth and immersive—and I was surprised at how much they changed the tuning for the Starfield II. As with the original, the II has a dialed-down bass and pronounced emphasis on the upper mids. but the II has a leaner, brighter tone with much more high-end detail and sparkle—it actually sounds more like a hybrid BA than a DD.

Technicalities (imaging, transient speed) are very good on the Starfield II even if electric guitars or saxes can sound a little edgy or sharp on some material, and most folks would find the II to be the more refined, better-resolving  piece. I prefer the original, which is less analytical and has a more analogue tone but both are worthy. Moondrop’s forays into TWS have been hit-or-miss, but in the wired world they dominate this price point.

SPECIFICATIONS Moondrop Starfield II

Disclaimer

Borrowed from Durwood.

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DISCLAIMER

Our generic standard disclaimer.

About my measurements.

The post Moondrop Starfield II Review (2) – Another Time Around appeared first on Music For The Masses.

Hidizs MS3

Very V-shaped, hard-rockin ear cannons from DAP/dongle specialist Hidizs. Build and aesthetics are commensurate with the MSRP and cable is very well-made, if somewhat heavy. I found these slightly uncomfortable, esp. since they require deep penetration to show their true colors, but isolation is very good.

Even with the “Balanced” or “High Frequency” tuning filter, the MS3 is a very hopped-up, bassy phone with a thick, throbbing but musical low end which does have some bleed into the higher frequencies. (Avoid the “Low Frequency” filter, which sounds boomy and blurs high end detail). Treble is well extended and full-bodied and (despite the low end bloom) instruments are very well separated across a wide, deep soundstage. 

My reservations about the MS3 are twofold. First, percussion (esp. snares and hi-hats) sounds splashy and unnatural. Second, integration between the frequencies is less than seamless—the big low end tends to dominate the proceedings and to deflect focus on the vocals.

To a large extent, the MS3 typify the sonic differences between hybrid and conventional DD designs—compared to a comparably priced DD like the Whizzer Kylin or Moondrop Kanas Pro the MS3’s BAs present more microdetails and sparkle and more accurate imaging , but have a more synthetic timbre and less coherence.

Its imperfections notwithstanding, these are an exciting, immersive listen which make heavy music sound heavy. Hidizs is promoting these at a $119 introductory price, which registers as good value. Recommended, if not unqualifiedly.

Hidizs MP145

Priced in the same range as the MS3, the planar MP145 is a completely different beast sonically—midforward and conspicuously lacking in subbass depth and speed. Large ovoid provide for good seal and isolation but feel uncomfortable after an hour or so. In contrast to the frenzied, party-hearty and brightish MS3, the MP145 seem to be going for a more neutral, laid-back quality, without a lot of sparkle or shimmer at the high end. 

Mids are very well-resolved here—male vocals sound full and quite natural, and there’s sufficient high-end detail, with much more accurate reproduction of drums and percussion than on the MS3. However, lowend is, for lack of a better term, amorphous—it’s discernible but wholly lacking shape, speed or punch and has the effect of murking up the the rest of the spectrum.

I’m not sure what Hidizs was aiming for with the MP145—they’re too reserved for uptempo genres and not clean or open-sounding enough for acoustic or vocal fare. Frankly, these should not have escaped the lab.

Disclaimer

Borrowed from Durwood.

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About my measurements.

The post HIDIZS MS3 And MP145 Review (2) – Fun Fun Fun Till Her Daddy Takes The Crackpipe Away appeared first on Music For The Masses.

The $80 Moondrop Joker headphone was kindly provided by SHENZHENZAUDIO for my review – and I thank them for that. You can get them here.

Introduction

Moondrop, the ever rising Chengdu company have earned their stripes mainly with earphones since 2015, some of which are remarkable. They lately expanded their catalogue into TWS and portable DACs. Their most recently addition were headphones, one in the premium segment, and the other in the mid tier category. Their $200 Moondrop Void received rather unfavourable reviews, mainly because of its poor build and mushy sound.

The current $80 Moondrop Joker appears to be exactly the opposite of the Moondrop Void: an articulate, analytical sounding headphone tuned for monitoring. It is distinctly different from most of their competitor’s warmer tonalities. The Joker has been designed for its technicalities.

Specifications Moondrop Joker

Physical Things and Usability

In the box are the headphones with detachable cable, one 3.5 mm to 6.3 mm adapter, and the usual paperwork. The fabric-coated cable uses standard 3.5 mm connectors on all three ends and can be easily replaced – though there is no need to do so.

The headphone itself appears a bit rickety, as the earpieces tend to bang against the frame, though both are separated by a rubber pad. The design is plastic and rather light. The headband padding is soft but the fabric appears somewhat cheap. The around-ear pads are spacious even for my monster flabbers and offer good comfort. They can just be pulled off and replaced if needed. Clamp pressure is comfortable for my large head. Overall fit and wearing comfort is very good for me.

The Joker can be driven by a phone but benefits from amplification.

Tonality and Technicalities

The Moondrop Joker was designed for monitoring – as a production tool: it therefore has an analytical tilt with an elevated brilliance region, far away from the warmish sounding Sennheiser or Koss-Porta-Pro-type models. It offers excellent note definition and great spatial reconstruction but can sound a bit lean and “cool” with some sources.

The Joker excels in his technicalities: separation, layering, and note definition are very good, staging is three-dimensional. Imaging is also one of the strong points. Note weight (above sub bass) is on the lean side, probably somewhat sacrificed for the technicalities. The degree of richness varies with source with analog players and warm digital DAPs delivering the thickest sound. Note decay is actually quite realistic: the Joker passes the “cello test” and aligns itself well for even monitoring acoustic sets.

In summary, I’d characterize the sonic presentation as AAA: analytical, accurate, and articulate. Don’t forget, the Joker’s purpose is not casual recreational listening.

The prominent bass really benefits from the technicalities: it is impactful and as tight as my wallet with some sources and thicker/rubbery with others. But there is always a good rumble down there, which can ad warmth. The low-end focus is clearly on the sub bass. A solid foundation.

The mids are rather lean, but very nuanced and well sculptured. Midrange has decent clarity. Accuracy rules! With some sources and tracks, there can be a degree of harshness in the upper midrange.

Treble has a good presence and is well resolving. Let’s call it “sweet” as there is no graininess above the upper mids.

As you see, the Joker is a bit of a chameleon in that its signature varies a lot with source, which makes its sonic characterization difficult.

In comparison, the Koss Porta Pro is warmer with a mushier bass but has inferior technicalities, particularly its spatial reconstruction lags far behind. Different purpose, though. The Teufel Massive is a bass bomb in comparison, and the discontinued Sennheiser HD471 is warmer but also lags in terms of note definition. The Moondrop Joker appears to be lonely in its own class – and hard to compare.

Concluding Remarks

The Joker is Moondrop’s third headphone model, and the first below $100. It has been designed as a monitoring tool for DJs and studio engineers placing tonal accuracy and articulation over richness and “musicality”. It is not meant to be someone’ primary playback device. And it performs its job very well. The price is certainly right.

Comparing the Joker to $80 iem models, it probably beats most.

Goal achieved!

Until next time…keep on listening!

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Disclaimer

Get the Moondrop Joker from SHENZHENAUDIO.

Our generic standard disclaimer.

About my measurements.

The post Moondrop Joker Review (1) – Remarkable Accuracy appeared first on Music For The Masses.