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.

Cons — Neo iDSD2’s Amp section is not powerful enough to drive inefficient headphones
– aptX Adaptive performance can be device dependent
– iPower X could be included in the packaging given the asking price
– Background hiss at the highest gain setting

INTRODUCTION

It is update season again, with iFi overhauling parts of its lineup. First up was the hip-dac 3, then the Diablo2 — and Neo iDSD2 arrived in tandem.

I reviewed the original Neo iDSD almost 3 years ago, and found it to be lacking in the amp section. The DAC performance was excellent, but the meek amp output held it back from being a universal recommendation. iFi has taken the sweet time to refine all “controversial” aspects of the original.

The amp section is noticeably improved with better power delivery into high impedance loads. Meanwhile, the noise issue with sensitive loads has been taken care of by the inclusion of IEMatch. Moreover, the general build and finish has become further refined, with a new UI and display, extra buttons on the front for easier control, and external app support for OTA updates and more.

Sounds like a winner so far, but then you look at the… upgraded price tag, which is almost $150 extra over the OG version, placing the Neo iDSD2 near the kilobuck range. In the days of measurement-topping budget gear, the Neo iDSD2 needs to have a few unique trick up its sleeve to justify the extra dough.

Note: the ratings given will be subjective to the price tier. IFi Audio was kind enough to send the Neo iDSD2 for evaluation.

IEMs and headphones used: Symphonium Crimson, Campfire Holocene, Sennheiser IE 900, Sennheiser HD 800, Hifiman HE-6se V2
Price, while reviewed: $900. Can be bought from Amazon.

PHYSICAL THINGS AND USABILITY

PACKAGING AND ACCESSORIES

iFi Audio bundles practically everything you will need to get the Neo iDSD2 up and running. Aside from a 12V iPower V2 power adapter, you get a pair of RCA Cables, a USB cable, a handy remote control, and a stand to vertically orient the Neo IDSD2.

The only thing I’d change about the packaging is the supplied power adapter. The iPower X is noticeably “quieter” than the entry-level iPower adapter that’s bundled with the Neo iDSD2, and given the premium pricing, I’d have preferred the more “upscale” adapter.

BUILD QUALITY

The basic design language is similar to the OG Neo iDSD, with a sleek, sandblasted aluminum frame; a large, multi-functional rotary encoder placed in the center, while the display and the headphone outputs flank it on both sides.

One of the key elements of the design is the vertical orientation capability. With the supplied stand you can easily prop up the Neo iDSD2 on your desk, leaving horizontal space to place your speakers or other amps. There’s a built-in accelerometer as well that automatically rotates the display.

The central rotary encoder stands out with its knurled finish and excellent tactile feedback. There is still some wobble when you try to press it inwards. Frankly, only way to avoid that would be to use a more complex setup where the outer ring and the inner “button” needs to be separated. iFi tried to keep things simpler here I guess.

The buttons have been improved from the OG Neo iDSD it seems, with a more defined feedback and less wobble than before. They are still a bit stiff so the remote is better for most operations. Do note that you have to aim the remote directly at the Neo iDSD, otherwise the infrared signals are not picked up well.

The sides now have an opaque acrylic “cut-out” for better RF signal transparency, which should improve BT reception and transmission performance. Another readily noticeable aspect over the first version is the weight of the unit, which feels more substantial. The OG Neo iDSD feels somewhat hollow and less rigid in comparison.

Overall, excellent build quality and industrial design, as expected from iFi.

INPUTS AND OUTPUTS

The Neo iDSD2 does not skimp on the input options at all. In fact, there are a few surprises here.

First of all, you have the power input that accepts 9V to 15V AC-DC adapters. The USB 3.0 type-B port is there, alongside the coax and optical inputs. Then there is a 10 MHz external clock input (via BNC) which is somewhat rare in the under USD$1000 range of sources. On paper, it should provide even better jitter performance when combined with an external clock.

Lastly, there are the analog/pre-amp line-outs in the form of both single-ended RCA and balanced 4-pin XLR. Strangely enough, there is only a single-ended 3.5mm line-in and not the usual 4.4mm analog input that iFi tends to have in their amps.

It’s a strange omission given the amp section is marketed as fully balanced internally, so there needs to be an additional single-ended to balanced conversion in the signal path if iDSD2 is used in amp only mode.

The headphone outs are all placed in front, with both 6.35mm single-ended and 4.4mm balanced outputs available. They have auto “IEMatch” enabled at the lowest gain setting, taking care of hiss with sensitive IEMs.

TECH SPECS AND INTERNALS

Let’s get the spec sheet out of the way first:

The iFi Neo iDSD2 uses a Burr-Brown chip as per tradition. The BT5.4 is one of the highlights of the product and has both LDAC and the newest aptX Lossless codec support.

iFi also uses a new proprietary PureWave topology where they go for a dual-mono setup with shorter signal paths than their previous designs. The default firmware is GTO-enabled by default. I am happy to see that iFi has brought back the xBass and xSpace features, both of which work exceptionally well here.

The internal components are all high quality as expected: TDK/Murata caps, FET-based switching to mute those annoying “pops” you encounter on some DAC/Amps, and native MQA full-rendering support. I confirmed the latter by setting up Tidal on Windows in exclusive mode and playing MQA Master files, which were seamlessly handled by the Neo iDSD2 (indicated by displaying MQA on the display). At this juncture I should mention that it’s advised to install the iFi Neo iDSD driver package if you’re on Windows (Mac version coming soon). You can get it here.

The Bluetooth performance in LDAC was excellent. I did not notice any dropouts and not much fidelity was lost over wired USB connection. However, aptX support was a bit iffy with Samsung phones, likely due to Samsung’s somewhat poor implementation of the codec over other manufacturers.

One last note regarding amp specifications: the power rated is likely “peak” power, as I do not find the balanced output to provide 620mW of current into a 600 ohms load. The very high rated current delivery into lower impedance loads (max of 5.5W into 32 ohms) also did not really translate to real world usage, as certain planar magnetic headphones needed the 3rd gain setting to be driven properly. iFi’s FAQ section is also somewhat vague about the exact methodology used.

Speaking of gain, there are 4 different gain levels, with the first one being for sensitive IEMs, the second and third one for most headphones and IEMs out there, and the last one for very difficult to drive loads. The last gain level has audible hiss with even somewhat sensitive IEMs and headphones, so caution is advised while using that one.

IFI NEO IDSD2 SOUND CHARACTERISTICS

It’s always difficult to describe the sound of a source in isolation because, well, you are going to use it with a pair of IEMs, headphones, or speakers in the end, which have their own “coloration”. Moreover, the additional effects like xBass, xSpace, and even the IEMatch can affect the sound somewhat.

Nonetheless, I would describe the general tuning of the Neo iDSD2 as neutral with a hint of warmth. Notes are slightly rounded off, resulting in a softer presentation that works well with somewhat “edgier” sounding headphones and IEMs. Staging is not intimate or claustrophobic, rather the instruments are naturally spread apart.

The filters have subtle sonic changes, but in the end I preferred the DXD filter for the most part which is a sort of “oversampling” filter that sounds engaging with my Tidal library. You can also try the Bitperfect filter for a slightly different flavor.

PAIRING NOTES

Sennheiser HD 800

The Sennheiser HD 800 are extremely “amp-picky”, with the wrong pairing often verging on unlistenable as the treble peak tends to be too distracting. Fortunately, the Neo iDSD2 displays no such issues, with the HD 800 showing their usual transparency without veering into “analytical” or “sterile” territory.

The xBass switch helps here as well, since the HD 800 has a linear bass response with sub-bass roll-off. The driver performance is still one of the best around, so pushing the sub-bass a bit with the xBass does not hurt performance and fidelity at all. The xSpace makes things too airy for me, however.

In general, the Neo iDSD2’s amp section pairs well with high impedance dynamic driver headphones, so if you primarily plan to drive such headphones, this one is a great fit.

Hifiman HE-6se V2

The Hifiman HE-6se V2 proved to be a difficult challenge for the Neo iDSD2. These notoriously difficult to power headphones have a sensitivity of about 83 dB/mW at 50 ohms of impedance. Some even use speaker amps to drive these, which is bordering on the absurd.

Even at the highest gain level, the HE-6se V2 do not show the bass slam and macrodynamics they are capable of displaying. The volume got loud enough for me, but the subtler details felt missing.

The modern Hifiman planars like the Arya or the Ananda tend to fare much better, however, as they have relatively efficient drivers. The Arya Stealth especially was phenomenal on the Neo iDSD2, so try to audition them together if possible.

Campfire Audio Holocene

The Campfire Holocene magnify the slightest amount of source hiss and as such, most desktop amps are a no-go to drive them. The auto IEMatch and the dedicated low-gain IEM mode on the Neo IDSD2 comes to the rescue. There is no noticeable hiss with the Holocene, and the FR did not skew noticeably.

On the other, the Symphonium Crimson are another pair of difficult to drive IEMs, with an astoundingly low 6 ohms of impedance and a sensitivity of only 84dB/mW. These factors combine to somewhat “choke” the amp section of the Neo IDSD2 which is not designed to handle such low impedance loads it seems.

The Crimson, just like the aforementioned HE-6se V2, are anomalies, so it’s not an inherent “con” if an amp is not designed around their specific needs. As a reviewer, I yearn for that true “all-in-one” solution though, and it’s always a bit of a letdown when that doesn’t happen. Ah well.

CONCLUDING REMARKS

The Neo iDSD2 is still unique in the market, three years after the first version came out. I cannot think of another DAC-Amp combo with such a sleek design and rich connectivity options. The amp section is much improved over the first version, and the already excellent DAC section makes this sequel a great upgrade all around.

The market has not sat still in the meanwhile, with the likes of Topping DX7 Pro+ offering higher output power, better “measurements”, and a cheaper price tag. The Neo iDSD2 have the latest BT codec and version to offer, alongside handy extras like xBass, xSpace, IEMatch, a nicer display, and an analog line-in for amp-only usage.

Most of all, the Neo IDSD2 got the looks and the vertical orientation may be preferred by those with small desk space. All these considered, I can recommend the Neo iDSD2 for desk usage if space is a premium and you need an all-in-one solution with exceptional BT connectivity. Just keep in mind that this is not an amp you use with power hungry planars, as there are other options for that particular use case.

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DISCLAIMER

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Our generic standard disclaimer.

PHOTOGRAPHY

You find an INDEX of our most relevant technical articles HERE.

The post iFi Neo iDSD2 Review – A Proper Upgrade appeared first on Music For The Masses.

INTRO

The Oladance OWS Sports represents a new category of earphones we have reviewed in the past called Open Wearable Stereo. The OWS concept was first pioneered by the former Bose Team and inspired by the need for user safety and awareness, Oladance OWS Sports adds another product to their lineup of well received products such as the OWS Pro. My fellow co-bloggers had high praises and recommended I try them out since it is a different concept and one that is executed in a most excellent way.

I found them so curiously odd and different that I shared them with friends and everyone over the holidays. Priced at $179 they are a unicorn in a field of crowded options.

BACKGROUND

Oladance is a nod to Leonard Euler, the love of mathematics and invention to achieve something wonderfully new that allows us to enjoy sound while moving throughout the world.

They are quick to point out these are NOT bone conduction (more on that later) and can help those who do not enjoy wearing other types of headphones either for medical reasons and or physical reasons.

In engineering, projects or products should solve a need. The Oladance OWS Sports aims to allow people to enjoy music while staying active, yet be aware of their surroundings and not damage their hearing or nerve endings.

Bone conduction aims to solve this problem, but can also introduce new problems. At the very least avoiding bone conduction can reduce the pressure on the temple and comfort can be improved. There are some claims that long term bone conduction usage can damage nerve endings of which I can neither confirm nor deny. The hearing aid industry would probably be a better source for this information, but the Oladance OWS Sports removes this possibly by using Air Conduction instead.

There is a haptic feel while holding them from the oversized 23mm dual drivers, but since they do not make contact it is mostly the result of the large divers trying to deliver the required output to your ears.

With careful tuning and directing sound towards your ear openings without blocking them, it is like someone whispering in your ear in a clear manner. Due to the fact they are not completely sealed to your ear canal, there is some loss of low end bass similar to PA speakers not covering the bottom end or another closer analogy would be a soundbar for your TV or a small set of 3” bookshelf speakers. It covers the midrange and lower midbass, but the treble and sub-bass are present in lower quantities and not as detailed as in ears.

The Oladance OWS Sports can be used in a wide range of activities although primarily geared to walking, running, and cycling. I found them useful while cleaning out my storage room late at night. They did not fall off while moving around, did not bother my family members and were extremely comfortable. I wear glasses and had no issues with interference from my glasses either. 

I also have a co-worker that primarily uses bone conduction so he still has awareness while working. These would also work excellent in this situation, especially in cases where normal earphones are not allowed. After using them for hours, my ears did not feel fatigued or tired from listening.

Oladance did a phenomenal job of creating a set of earphones with balance and comfort, there are no sharp edges, they are lightweight and the soft materials are very skin friendly. The wrap around strap can be used to quickly hang them off your neck for further attention when needed.

The Oladance OWS Sports are also IPX8 water resistant which means workouts and light rain can be tolerated. IPX8 is supposed to mean it can withstand water immersion of at least 1m/3ft, but time-frame and depth is up to the manufacturer. In this case Oladance states 10 seconds of direct rinsing of the speaker port should not cause damage. Oladance is quick to point out these are NOT for swimming.

For medical purposes, the Oladance brought awareness to me about two key things: Nerve Damage and Vertigo. I had never considered bone conduction can cause nerve damage, and although I have an extended family member that suffers vertigo, I had not realized wearing headphones could cause them trouble. The Oladance OWS Sports offers a solution for those unable to enjoy portable sound.

Personally, I enjoyed the Oladance OWS Sports outside while walking the dog. I can hear vehicles approaching with ease, and also a windy day was a good test. Normal in-ear or even earbuds introduce edges for the wind to catch and then since they are touching inner parts of your ear they tend to amplify the wind noise in unnatural ways.

The Oladance OWS Sports on the other hand with its rounded form factor and floating design combined with noise reduction technology handled it with no sweat. Everything was clear and there was no additional amplification of the wind noise. Bravo.

With the open wearable aspect of the Oladance OWS Sports, it solves the sweaty ears problem of over ears, and the ear insertion and pressure of in-ear, and the falling out problem of earbuds with the wrap around strap. On-ears can be uncomfortable due to extra pressure on the ears, and foam pads get yucky after many uses.

It trumps all categories in terms of situational awareness, even for the noise canceling types that offer transparent modes that sound unnatural. It will not replace noise canceling obviously for that use case, that is not what they were designed for.

ADDITIONAL FEATURES

Oladance OWS Sports offers multi-point device connections. That means you can have it connected to a music device or your computer for work and a phone at the same time. This comes in handy also for people who might have to carry around two phones, one for work and one for personal use. Switching back and forth was seamless.

EQ presets are Default (best sound), Surging Bass (muffled muted mids and treble), Pure Voice (focus on midrange lo-fi experience), Custom offering access to 5 equalizer bands (160Hz, 440hz, 800Hz, 2.7khz, and 8khz)

Default Button Controls (The Oladance App allows customization)

Battery life is advertised at 15 hours and while I did not keep track of how long before needing a charge, I did not have to charge amongst the on and off nature of testing the last month. It should provide increased battery life over bone conduction since those have to excite the body to make sound, they are rather in-efficient. 

The rather large hard case is flocked with felt/cotton that appears to be water resistant, even the zipper is covered by rubber when zipped. It was easy to use when placing the headphones and cable into it, however my wife was quick to point out it would never fit in her cross-body bag. It is clearly meant to fit into a backpack, work bag, or gym bag. Even medium sized purses would be an issue. It is about half the size of an over-the-ears type case.

While the charging cable utilizes an easy magnetic connection,  I am a little disappointed it does not offer a standard USB-C cable. I can see both sides to this argument however. A USB connection adds bulk to the earphone and may be harder to protect against water intrusion.

The Oladance OWS Sports solution makes the connection shallow and quick. I should point out that the case does not offer wireless charging either, and there is no included charging power supply.

SOUND

So I slapped these on the year end gear list because they offer a unique solution and sound good while doing it. Bass is limited but has a full warm sound, punch is soft due to limited extension and sub-bass is not really present. Treble is soft and yet clear. I liken it to full range speaker treble in that it reproduces the spectrum of sound but ultimate articulation is slightly lost due to the transmission distance from the output to the ear.

Cymbals are extremely smoothed while woodwinds and brass have an environmental airiness given the open nature of the earphones. There is just enough percussion available for Piano sound natural. There is no peakiness or sibilance. Midrange sounds clear and open, rather spacious and wide like listening to speakers in the nearfield up close.

Acoustic guitar has warmth and plucks are easily picked out and defined, but does sound a bit tubby, the best part is that I get a sense of being in a room versus just listening to earphones. It’s such an interesting listening experience that is half nearfield speaker, half open back earphone is the best way to describe it. Depth and width are excellent, the staging presentation is done very well.

WRAPPING UP

Comfort, cannot stand other types of earphones, awareness of surroundings and active lifestyle are all excellent reasons to buy these Oladance OWS Sports. If your focus is on sound quality and full frequency reproduction look elsewhere. The lack of bass would turn off normal users. They are unique and designed purposefully so therefore I can recommend them for specific applications mentioned previously.

Disclaimer: Oladance provided these gratis with only wanting to make sure we understood they were not bone conduction, and the reasons why. Audioreviews extends a thank you for allowing us to experience this new form factor.

SPECIFICATIONS

Contact us!

DISCLAIMER

Get it from Oladance Shop, the kickstarter recently closed.

Our generic standard disclaimer.

About my measurements.

The post Oladance OWS Sports Review – Open Has Never Been More Fun appeared first on Music For The Masses.

INTRO

Fosi Audio has been pumping out desktop audio gear like mad and the new Fosi Audio P3 preamp is designed to fit with many of their desktop amplifiers like the TB10D, or their well received V3 amp.

It is a bit of a conundrum to pair the P3 with the V3 given the V3 was marked an audiophile piece, but there are audiophiles that also believe only the best sound comes from tubes. There is room for all types in this hobby, and priced at $79 this is a low entry fee for hybrid tube preamps.

THE EVALUATION

The Fosi Audio P3 is not a tube only design relying on solid state to drive the output. The tubes are only injecting colorful fun. Despite the Fosi Audio P3 measuring flat, it does impart a sonic signature due to harmonic distortion components.

Low end is warm, and the treble becomes vivid. The midrange has some additional tone weight and separates from the homogeneous exactness of a solid state amplifier. Some staging separation is condensed, but at the expense of drawing out some depth components. 

Analyzing the features of the Fosi Audio P3 I appreciate the tone controls have detents for the zero position. This was something that bothered me on the TB10D and BT30 Pro. The tone controls allow a 10dB boost in the bass, and 6dB in the treble.

These features are similar but not exactly the same as the Ampapa A1 that has detents for all positions. The knobs feel solid and are tapered to allow your fingers to turn the knobs without hitting the table. They are dainty in size, smooth and solid. The Ampapa A1 are more substantial and retro feeling.

The tubes used in the Fosi Audio P3 are the same GE JAN 6594 tubes, they both have a headphone output, but the secondary input is where they differ. The Ampapa A1 offers a phono input while the Fosi Audio P3 provides bluetooth.

There is also an Auxiliary output on the P3, but it is redundant to the RCA connection. This extra connection is tied to the volume control unlike the auxiliary output of the V3. Inside the Fosi Audio P3, the blueooth chipset supports up to AptXHD and AptX Low-latency but not LDAC. Range is good with the external antenna.

The headphone output is strong and capable or perhaps sufficient to power my Drop Sennheiser HD6XX however there is a limit where there could be more control. You can tell it poops out just as you get to the good stuff and the specs indicate why with only 32mW of power at 300ohms. The headphone output is not the star of the show, the SMSL HO100 and JDS Labs Atom have more bottom end control and the tube coloration also changes the treble and midrange clarity and separation.

Fosi Audio P3 uses a logarithmic taper volume POT for more even volume control. Linears POTs jump to fast in the low to mid volume section. Another potential downside is the use of the 3.5mm jack instead of the larger 6.35mm. While the majority of headphones use 3.5mm, a 6.35mm with an adapter can help improve longevity. If the adapter fails or gets worn, it is easier to replace.

Other observations, there is a 15 second turn on time most likely to allow the tubes to warm up. I also again appreciate the Fosi Audio P3 includes a UL listed external Nationally Recognized Test Lab 12V 1.5amp power adapter. For me this is important so as to not have self certified power adapters plugged into my home.

WHAT’S LEFT?

The compact size and form factor fits in line with their TB10D, and the V3 and their K5 DAC (not tested). The finish is more satin/matte than the TBD10D, but matches the V3 aesthetic. The tubes fit snugly into the sockets.

For someone looking for an inexpensive hybrid tube solid state preamp, with a semi-powerful headphone output and bluetooth support in place of a phono input, the Fosi Audio P3 is a good contender. It adds a little harmonic punch, midrange pop and treble glisten to butter up your music.

Disclaimer: Sent to me gratis for an evaluation. We appreciate Fosi Audio for allowing us to pick and poke at their products from time to time.

Purchase Links (non-affiliate/no commisions earned):

https://fosiaudio.com/products/fosi-audio-p3-tube-preamp
https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_ok91hH7
https://fosiaudio.com/pages/preamp-p3#g-szpTrknv
https://www.ebay.com/itm/296013294697?nordt=true

SPECIFICATIONS

https://fosiaudio.com/pages/preamp-p3

Headphone Output Power:
250mw @16Ω；150mw @32Ω
32mw @250Ω；20mW @300Ω
Headphone Impedance: 16-300Ω
SNR: ≥103dB
Dynamic Range: 104dB
THD: ≤ 0.02%
Noise Floor: 64uV
Crosstalk: 95dB
Frequency Response Range: 20Hz-20kHz(±1dB)
Bluetooth Chip：QCC3031
Bluetooth Version：5.1
Bluetooth Range：≥10m
Bluetooth Codecs：SBC/AAC/aptX/aptX HD/aptX LL
Power Input：DC 12V/1.5A~3A

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DISCLAIMER Fosi Audio P3

Our generic standard disclaimer.

About my measurements.

The post Fosi Audio P3 Hybrid Tube Preamp Review – Let Your Soul Glow appeared first on Music For The Masses.

Cons — Acefast T8 have somewhat uncontrolled bass response
– V-shaped tuning might not appeal purists
– Too much sub-bass adds haze to mids
– No Active Noise Cancellation
– No higher bitrate codec support
– No app support

INTRODUCTION

I primarily associate Acefast with its range of high quality chargers and power banks. So when the brand approached me to try the T8, perhaps the highest “specced” TWS IEMs in the current lineup, I was a bit on the fence. One look at the design had me hooked, however, as the Acefast T8 have a distinct design language that sets them apart.

A good design is only as good as the sound, so let’s see what tuning decisions Acefast took, and how those have shaped the final product.

Note: the ratings given will be subjective to the price tier. Acefast was generous enough to send me the T8 for review.

Sources used: Pixel 4 XL
Price, while reviewed: 60 euros. Can be bought from Amazon.

PHYSICAL THINGS AND USABILITY

PACKAGING AND ACCESSORIES

The packaging of the Acefast T8 is as “radiant” as the IEMs themselves. Inside, you get the basics (eartips, type-C cable, carrying case with the IEMs inside) and a silicone “bumper” for the case. The silicone case offers basic protection from drops and scratches.

BUILD QUALITY

The transparent shell, the under-glow of the LEDs, the sense of depth underneath the battery indicators, and the playful colors – all of them coalesce to form a striking first impression.

Given the transparent nature of the shell, it’s no surprise that the Acefast T8 is entirely made out of polycarbonate (or plastic, in more colloquial term). I dropped the buds accidentally a few times and there were no scratches or dents on the shell so the overall build is fairly sturdy.

The back of the IEMs house the vent and mic, while the stem has a capacitive touch layer on top. There is another microphone on the inner side that aids in noise cancellation when making calls. Note that this is not a mic for Active Noise Cancellation that blocks you from outside noise.

The earbuds are secured in the case via strong magnets and won’t fall out even when vigorously shaken. Overall, excellent build quality and the unique aesthetics set the Acefast T8 apart from the competition.

COMFORT, ISOLATION, AND FIT

The comfort is excellent as the earbuds sit firmly in the ears, once you have picked the right eartips that is. I found that the stock eartips were a bit on the “thin” side when worn, so I had to go a size larger than usual for the best seal and stability.

SOURCE AND EARTIPS

I used the Acefast T8 with Pixel 4XL and the stock eartips.

DRIVER SETUP

Acefast T8 utilize a dual-dynamic driver setup where one 10mm driver is in charge of the bass and another 6mm driver produces the upper-mids and high frequencies. The drivers are arranged coaxially and I assume that there is some frequency-overlap between them (so no fully isolated “frequency bands” for each driver).

TONALITY AND TECHNICALITIES

The Acefast T8 have a bass-boosted, V-shaped tuning. One look at the graph and you know that bass dominates the scene, especially sub-bass frequencies.

Due to this over-emphasis of sub-bass, the lower-mids sound somewhat hazy and undefined. Male vocals can sound a bit drowned out, with subtle articulations being lost. Female vocals are less up-front than your usual Harman affair, but on the flip-side, high-pitched vocals sound smoothed out and lush. No shout or shrillness here which is a plus.

The lower-treble emphasis is mostly unnoticeable due to the bass boost, but can be felt in tracks with sparse bass or mostly vocals and string instruments. Treble has a metallic sheen in those instances at the expense of clarity. This peak is needed though to cut-through some of the sub-bass haze, so keeping this region down while pushing the bass high will make the T8 sound even darker.

Upper-treble is mostly muted, as the trailing-edge of cymbal hits and hi-hats tend to disappear abruptly. Soundstage is surprisingly “open” in its presentation, with stage depth and width being fairly impressive for a pair of budget TWS IEMs. Imaging is not as well-defined. Spatial cues are often difficult to pinpoint in the stage.

Macrodynamic punch is pretty good as strong bass-lines and sudden bass drops are further accentuated. Microdynamics (subtle shifts in volume) are not as evident as the strong sub-bass tends to throw off these subtle details.

SELECT COMPARISONS

vs Soundpeats Engine4

Soundpeats Engine4 are priced similarly to the Acefast T8 and have a very different design. While the T8 adopt the half in-ear look, the Engine4 are the traditional bullet-style in-ears. The build and design are far more enticing on the Acefast T8 as the Soundpeats IEMs have a fairly generic design. Battery life is also superior on T8.

When it comes to the sound, Engine4 have a more neutral tuning profile. The sub-bass boost is controlled, while the lower-treble has some dips in it to reduce sibilance and recording artifacts.

Moreover, thanks to the app support on the Engine4, you can tune the sound even further. The T8 do have better battery life, and the bassy tuning can be fun to listen to when on the go. Soundstage is also better on the T8 while Engine4 have better imaging.

Oh, and the Engine4 have ANC (doesn’t work much) and full-fledged app support.

My personal tuning preferences align more with the Engine4. Acefast T8 is a bit too “mainstream” for my tastes, but I found them to be fairly decent for commute and casual listening.

Quality of life features

So, let’s talk about all the non-sound stuff that we have left out so far.

• Battery life is very good, with the buds not draining much charge when put in the case.
• Mic performance is excellent. In crowded areas, the voice can come through somewhat compressed, but speech intelligibility is unaffected.
• There is no app support on the Acefast T8 which is a huge bummer
• The controls cannot be remapped but stock controls work fairly well, as long as you keep your hands dry (those touch sensors go bonkers with water on them).

CONCLUDING REMARKS

Acefast has nailed the design and overall aesthetics of the T8. That being said, the tuning needs some extra work. A more controlled and even-handed bass response would automatically fix many of my issues with the T8.

For the next release, I hope that the overall quantity of the sub-bass is reduced and the lower-treble is further reigned in. App support would be a great bonus, so would be the inclusion of ANC.

The Acefast T8 enter a crowded market but manage to stand out thanks to their design. Some more refinement in the tuning would make them a solid contender for the “best under USD$100” bracket. Until then, if you find the T8 on a good deal and mostly care about the sub-bass, they can very well be your next purchase.

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DISCLAIMER

Get it from Amazon US, Acefast Official Store

Our generic standard disclaimer.

You find an INDEX of our most relevant technical articles HERE.

The post Acefast T8 Review – Stunning Looks, Mainstream Sound appeared first on Music For The Masses.

Haptic and UI on the OpenRock Pro are a bit of a mixed bag—on the one hand, despite their bulk the Pro are very comfortable and adjustable ear hooks provide for stable fit. Likewise, battery life of 19h is outstanding, although the clamnshell charging case (which gives you another 27 hr) is a bit large for pocketability.

On the other hand, the small physical control buttons, which sit under the headset and atop your tragus, are hard to access and somewhat unreliable. Most critically, maximum volume on these is too low, and they get  overwhelmed in nosier environments,

The OpenRock Pro present a very V-shaped, warm signature with a prominent low end which misses the lowest octaves but is full-sounding, fast, and very well-sculpted. High end is nicely detailed and unexpectedly sparkly; drums and percussion have some snap. Midrange is the Achilles heel here—it’s recessed and muted, and female vox in particular and a distant, veiled quality. (These would really benefit from EQ, but there’s no app).

Soundstage is narrow—these OpenRock Pro lack the openness of good buds—but quite three dimensional and imaging is capable; you can place performers accurately on the stage. Tonality is actually quite natural-sounding—there’s none of the metallic shrillness of cheap TWS, though again the hollowed-out mids are conspicuous by their absence and preclude a smooth transition between the higher and lower frequencies.

The OpenRock Pro does sound better than any of the bone conduction models I’ve heard—bassier and more-resolving. However, The similar-looking, comparably-priced open-ear Oladance Wearable Stereo is louder, fuller-sounding and more coherent than the Pro, with a much more expansive stage; the OpenRock Pro has tighter bass and the more extended treble. Most folks would find the Oladance to be the much better phone. Likewise, the Samsung Galaxy Live trumps the Pro with a better-balanced tuning and more stereo spread.

There’s much to admire with the OpenRock Pro—build, battery life and bass quality are all class-leading, and they mostly nail the technicalities. However, these needed a little more output and more time in the lab to eliminate that conspicuous midrange dip and to bring vocals forward. I enjoyed auditioning ‘em, but I would not be a buyer at the current SRP. The future bears watching, however—they’re an ambitious gang—and I suspect the next iteration of these will be a real contender. 

Disclaimer: review freebie; you can purchase from OneOdio.

Specifications OneOdio Openrock Pro

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64 Bluetooth & TWS Devices

The post OneOdio OpenRock Pro Open-Ear Air Conduction Headphones Review – On the Rocky Road To Enlightenment 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.

INTRO

How do I follow my fellow friend dishing out my take on the SMSL DO400? Sometimes I feel like a stand-up comedian that now has to follow an act that just knows how to nail it. Regardless, these DAC companies are in a space race back to the moon, and SMSL is much like the retail world in America tripping over itself to release two holiday displays at the same time…looking at you Costco with your Halloween and Christmas products out and it is only August.

There was an article that once said a DAC over $2 buys features, not performance however in this case the SMSL D0400 has pretty much all the features possible on a 2 channel DAC and knocks the performance off the chart. Originally discussed in our circle as a potential $1000 Swiss army black box, the SMSL DO400 is actually affordably priced at $500 given all the features and doodads.

IT’S WHAT’S INSIDE THAT COUNTS

The SMSL DO400 packs everything it can into the hardcover book-sized frame like my wife on a 3 day trip, everything except an analog input. I can see what Loomis is getting at, I am ok given the amount of digital features. It would be a waste to only use it as an analog preamp, but without a that feature it cannot claim the title of fledged preamp with one of every input.

SMSL DO400 includes state-of-the-art DAC chip from ESS, single-ended 6.35mm and both 4.4mm/ XLR balanced headphone outputs, remote control, optical, coax, USB, and I2S digital inputs, AES/EBU and RCA  XLR balanced outputs for use as a preamp. Avlaialbe in standard Black or Silver for something more visible.

Having tested several other SMSL devices and purchasing the SU-9 as my full-time desktop DAC, the DO400 is an upgrade in the DAC department and checking off all the SINAD, testing parameter boxes making it pretty boring in a numbers only game. It is a transparent DAC and powerful sounding headphone amp that easily drives my DROP Sennheiser HD6XX to full throttle.

The SMSL SU-9 was/is a great DAC. There were some quips about the ESS IMD hump, but sonically it was excellent. My nuisance conundrum was the lame 0-99 volume display. I really wanted to see 100 or at least a way to have the display turn off after a predetermined timeframe, both of which were resolved with the SMSL SU-10 and the SMSL DO400 carries the same heritage over. 

Now we get a -dB display for volume which is way more useful, and to add life to the display by offering auto turn-off times in the menu. Curiously they named it dimmer, I feel like display would have been a better menu category, it is not to be confused with brightness which is the next available menu setting.

You also get full access to the ESS Sabre ES9039MSPro features with sound color modes (slight EQ), the usual 7 low pass filters, DPLL settings for troublesome clocked digital inputs, and the XLR outputs have an adjustable +/- pin switch which is useful for goofballs like me that have some older Pro-amps like the Crest FA901 that use a reverse polarity XLR balanced input. I can use the SMSL DO400 as a digital preamp going into some powerful two channel goodness, even though some people forsaken fan noise as the devil.

The I2S setting also has reverse polarity settings. First time using it, so not sure how someone is supposed to know the I2S output type. For those utilizing DSD files, the SMSL D0400 is equipped with a third generation XMOS 316 chip.

That is not the only new addition to the SMSL DO400 as it is equipped with the TI TPA6120A2 current feedback integrated chip that provides a level of uniformity that rivals the art of a discrete design. The current feedback of the chips has a high slew rate that reduces odd-order distortion leaving the more favorable even order distortion that tube enthusiasts enjoy due to a rich warm aspect. From an electrical design standpoint it simplifies parts and provides a controlled and repeatable experience. 

COMPLAINTS AND CRITICISMS

At $500, there has to be some room for improvement and as things get more expensive so do the first world “problems”. The case cover is steel although quite solid still. The rotary knob has wobbles and the knobbies on the knob itself are a weird decoration. I would have preferred to have them on the outer edge so the knob has some grip. The knob is metal and not plastic, it’s the shaft of the rotary encoder that moves around. SMSL DO400 did plant itself firmly with four feet this time, I still have no idea why the SU-9 had only three.

Stylistic choices are purely individual taste, but overall the SMSL DO400 feels and looks like digital techno wizardry, rather than a symphonic masterpiece that pricey high-end devices tend to exude. There is no joy in clicking through menus, but I do appreciate all the features. SMSL needs to add a menu Exit that does not require the remote, waiting for the menu to go away to take back control of the volume knob is still a nuisance. Snobbery aside, I appreciate the value that everything the SMSL DO400 delivers because changes to this formula would most definitely hike up the price tag for little added value.

SOUND

Inputs tested were primarily the USB section, but also the optical via a Sony DVP-S7700 and Denon DVD-2200 and lastly the bluetooth for casual background chatter. Bluetooth connection was strong and worked at a fairly large distance.

Listening to the SMSL DO400 is everything you would expect of a high class DAC amp combo. It sounds extremely transparent and powerful. At -12dB on high gain, the Drop Sennheiser HD6XX is rocking hard, not something that I recommend long term. Switching over to low gain and pairing it with the awesome BGVP DM9, allows the SMSL DO400 to utilize its prowess. 

The BGVP DM10 has a very detailed upper end, and the SMSL DO400 can extract the nuances and microdynamics the DM10 is capable of recreating. Everything sounds hyped and lively leaving nothing to hide., it does not smooth or gloss over any detail.

Compared to the JDS Labs Atom with SMSL SU-9, the SMSL DO400 fleshed out the upper end by improving depth and black levels. Big band sounded large and lively as it should, cymbals and horns have natural sounding decay patterns. The Atom/SU-9 combo sounds overall smoothed out but still equally clean. The SMSL DO400 is well-rounded getting in all the corners and extracting out all the fine details. There is also double the power on tap for the DO400 over the Atom, so room for volume differences when comparing.

FINISH

While the JDS Labs Atom has served well to act not only as my headphone amp but also my preamp for the powered monitors, it will officially be replaced with the more solidly built SMSL DO400. The SU-9 is still a wonderfully built and excellent sounding DAC, the DO400 at only $100 more over the original price tag of the three footed SU-9, arrives with four feet, a larger footprint and a complete desktop solution with all features that is going to be hard to beat.

SMSL SU-9 will find a new home amongst my 2 channels setups. The absurdity of value the SMSL DO400 brings to the table is mind boggling, given that it’s essentially a D400ES ($550) plus a HO200 ($400) in one package. I still cannot fathom the value of the SMSL DO400, not sure where we go from here, but yeah this thing is cool.

DISCLAIMER

SMSL DO400 provided at no cost by Aoshida Audio. We thank them for that.

SPECIFICATIONS SMSL DO400

Product Page:

https://www.smsl-audio.com/portal/product/detail/id/843.html

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About my measurements.

The post SMSL DO400 DAC/Headphone Amp Review (2) – Digital Wizardry Got Mojo Working appeared first on Music For The Masses.

In any event, the Pro2 Bone looks and feels a great deal like their prior Runner Pro and Runner Caller, with the same tiny, difficult-to-access controls, although the Pro2 adopts Bluetooth 5.3 for better connectivity and increases the battery life from a subpar 4-6 h to a more competitive 8 hrs. Curiously, the Pro2 lacks a microphone, which makes it unusable for calls and limits its utility. There is an MP3 mode which allows you to shed your phone and listen to stored files.

Tonally, the Pro2 is similar to its predecessors—warm, smooth and quite natural sounding, with very limited highend extension. However, unlike the original Pro, which had almost no low end, the Pro2 has discernible midbass thump and presence, albeit somewhat boomy and slow.

Overall clarity is pretty good—these work well for podcasts—and instrument placement and separation is surprisingly accurate, although soundstage is narrow and two-dimensional. Most significantly, in contrast to its forbearers volume is adequate with these (note that positioning the headshells over (as opposed to next to) your tragus markedly increases the output and bass depth, although somewhat belies the phone’s non-intrusive purpose.

Detail and resolution cannot compare to in-ear TWS models, or even to open designs like the excellent Oladance or Galaxy Wireless Live, both of which present fuller, tighter bass and a much crisper, more extended high end—drums and percussion on the Pro2 sounds veiled and soft and electric guitars lack bite, but are free from sharpness.   

I’m not sure how you’d transcend the inherent limitations of the bone induction design—venting the headshells or adding more or bigger drivers would, I presume, compromise waterproofing and increase sound leakage or muck up the bone conduction technology.

That said, the Pro 2 has considerable appeal to its target no-penetration crowd—they’re comfortable and inoffensive-sounding, and I listened to them for four straight hours without feeling a need to take ‘em off. 

By its very nature, the Pro 2 is a practical device and not an audiophile product, and we’re probably the wrong guys to be reviewing them. Yet purely from the standpoint of sound, Naenka is subtly but clearly evolving— unlike past models they’re more than merely background music and they convey a certain organic quality that’ll get you through your next decathalon very pleasantly.  Keep up the good(ish) work.

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438 Reviews – A World Class Earphone Database

Naenka Runner Pro2 Bone Conduction Headphone

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The $230 Oladance OWS Pro is an open-ear wearable stereo device that impresses by its natural, open presentation. Something completely different compared to the usual fare…and very well executed.

The Oladance OWS Pro was kindly and unsolicited provided by the company for my analysis – and I thank them for that. As always, no affiliate links and no kickback. And no silly YouTube videos either. Wir können auch anders.

Introduction

In 1726, Swiss mathematician Leonard Euler published his doctorate “dissertatio physica de sono” (physical dissertation on sound). In 1739 he followed up with the “tentamen novae theoriae musicae” (attempt at a new theory of music), hoping to eventually incorporate musical theory as part of mathematics. You may remember the Euler’s number from your math class: the mathematical constant e, approximately equal to 2.71828, which is the base of natural logarithms.

Oladance obviously adapted some of Euler’s sonic ideas. Their first syllable is based on the Cantonese pronunciation of his name. The company was established in the US in 2019, where the product and software designs are located.. Their goal is to bring the physical and digital world together with innovative audio products. They also have offices in Hong Kong and Shenzhen to target their biggest expansion markets. Their first-generation product was launched in 2021, but global sales only commenced in 2022.

OWS is short for “Open Wearable Stereo”. This concept, according to the company, stands for open and natural, comfort and health (avoidance of hearing damage), and stereo sound quality (through software innovations and hardware innovations). I have to admit, there is lots of interesting and innovative technology in these wearables.

Specifications Oladance OWS Pro

Physicals

In the box are the earpieces, a storage/charge case, a USB-C charge cable and the manual/other paperwork. These earpieces are made of titanium and skin-friendly silicone, the case of polycarbonate-polyacrylonitrile alloy. Both are “Chrome de la Chrome”, reminiscent of the Terminator II movie. Excellent haptic, a premium product…and a fingerprint magnet.

Battery life is up to 16 h per charge and 58 h for the case for continuous playback. Charge times are 2 h for the earpiece and 3 h for the case.

Comfort and Fit

Comfort is amazing. The earpieces feel weightless…you really think you are sitting in a concert hall or recording studio. There appears to be a good balance between the battery in the back and the speaker module in the front that avoids any pulling. After a long listening session, I could not find the buds…they were still sitting on my ears.

Fit is another issue. The company relies on “on-size-fits-all” shape, but human ears differ in shape. The speakers have to somewhat aligned properly on the ear. While fit is good for most, people with very big or very small ears may have issues: the sound may be tinny and the maximum volume rather low.

This issue could be avoided if Oladance had made the earpieces bendable so that people could adapt them to their ear shapes. But, then they would not fit into the charging case easily anymore…unless it was flexible, too ;).

On the good side: glasses are no problem, I tried different ones with different temple geometries. Furthermore, these wearables sit secure like rocks. You can shake your head as you want, and bow in all directions…they do not move. Excellent!

Now you definitely know the difference between comfort and fit.

Features and Operation

The OWS Pro incorporates a lot of innovative ideas and technologies such as virtual bass and dynamic EQ. The virtual bass uses the ear as resonance and the dynamic IQ adapts automatically to the ambient noise (indoor, outdoor). Six microphones aim to cancel external wind sounds…which works actually very well for me in the Canadian fall.

The free app, available from Google Play and App Store, allows for selecting different sound profiles and offers even a basic customize eq.

Since an open wearable does not seal well, the app offers something similar to ANC, called “Focus Mode” (also displayed as “Zen Mode”), which works soso, depending on ambient noise. Since the wearables invite for lengthy listening sessions, a patented anti-hearing algorithm can be used to avoid hearing damage.

The OWS Pro are operated with one button on each earpiece (and also sport an on/off switch). The button is clickable and also swipeable, depending on functionality. Gestures can be customized in the app. I found these difficult to handle initially, but got used to them quickly.

Bluetooth Functionality/Performance

The OWS Pro deploys the latest Bluetooth version 5.3, but the older SBC codec. You may not hear much of a difference between lossy and lossless. Multipoint is supported: you can connect the OWS Pro up to two devices. The earpieces work within a distance of 20 m.

Tonality and Technicalities

While one size-fits-all accounts for the earpieces, it does not for the sound. Depending on how the earpieces are aligned in one’s ear, you get a different sound perception. And this varies as no ear is the same. But what’s in common for everybody is the polished and balanced, sparkly, clean, transparent, NATURAL quality of the reproduction and the fantastic soundstage (wide and tall, but limited in depth). You think you are sitting in the recording studio or a concert hall. A truly open sound.

If a V-shaped iem was a heavy French Bordeaux wine, the Oladance OWS Pro are like a bubbly fine champagne.

Some users and Oladance itself perceive a similarity to Bose earphones, but I would rather compare the their sonic qualities to Bang & Olufsen products. The sound goes perfectly with the wearing comfort.

Since on-ears are never very bassy (they may dig deep but do not have that punch of in-ears), you get a rather balanced, coherent sonic image. And yes, the OWS Pro has that good sub-bass extension, and midbass has this golden, full, soothing feel.

Treble is sweet and nicely extended (for a Bluetooth device) with a lot of pearly sparkle. Midrange is present and silky, voices are sculptured 3-dimensionally, they are reasonably forward and of natural richness (not too thick or too lean). Just as it should be.

Note definition is excellent, imaging and soundstage are marvellous and so are separation and layering…but I am repeating myself. Resolution and microdetail are also outstanding for the class. I was admiring the sound of my big stereo system until I realized the music actually came from the wearables. If NAD’s Paul Barton had designed the OWS Pro, one would speak of “room feel”.

The overall listening experience is cohesive, relaxed, ORGANIC, and laid back but also very disciplined and composed (no smearing notes). When turning the volume up high, the upper mids can get a bit grainy (but never shouty). The OWS Pro work best with (complex) natural sounds…but are a mixed bag when the music becomes more aggressive (because of the limited bass punch).

Phone/Microphone Quality

Listen yourself. Here is a sound sample recorded with the 6 built-in microphones:

Value

At $230, the Olandance OWS Pro don’t come cheap but fit with the pricing of comparable iems and in accordance with their (expensive) technology. They really are a quality product in terms of both haptic and sound.

Why Would We Want It (or Not)?

The main purpose of having these is relaxed, non-fatiguing, natural, home-theater-like listening over a longer period of time. For example, while writing some of this, I listened to a lengthy Vladimir Horowitz piano recital. And/or you want to be able to hear the ambient noise when on the job or in traffic…hey don’t do that. You can also enjoy these in the gym or doing sweaty outdoor sporting activities (IPX4 water resistance)…or simple when walking around in a hot, humid climate.

“Yes they [Oladance] have their shit together.” Loomis Johnson (famous audio blogger).

Concluding Remarks

The Oladance OWS Pro are a completely new and interesting concept with their perfect marriage between extreme comfort and relaxed, natural listening experience. They offer a balanced, cohesive sound with great note definition and accuracy and give you a realistic live experience. You can listen to them all day without fatigue and without running out of battery (while your phone does…)

Due to their nature as on-ears, they don’t have that driving, authoritative bass and are less suited for the more aggressive music. They target the more mature, discerned listener. I love these for piano, orchestral, and jazz…but also enjoyed listening to rock music like Queen, Dire Straits, and Pink Floyd.

The OWS Pro are truly fine dining. Oladance are a young and coming company that will make it big, I’m sure.

Leonard Euler would be pleased.

Until next time…keep on listening!

The post Oladance OWS Pro Review – Aural Sculptures appeared first on Music For The Masses.

As much as I’ve raved about Moondrop’s wired IEMs, I didn’t like Moondrop’s prior TWS offering, the $189 Moondrop Alice, and wouldn’t have expected much from the uber-budget ($25), Airpod-style Space Travel. However, Jürgen (who’s generally indifferent to TWS)) positively raved about these and insisted on getting me a pair to audition. With some qualifications, I’m glad he did.

The Moondrop Space Travel are generic looking, but lightweight and comfortable for extended sessions; touch controls work reliably, but (puzzlingly) you cannot control volume with the phones. Battery life is rated at only 4hrs (with up to 12hrs for the case), which is really low for this day and age—these would not work well for long plane trips. The clear plastic case has no top cover, which makes the buds hard to remove and allows all forms of grime and lint to enter if you store in your pocket. It’s a truly baffling design decision.

Moondrop makes much ado about the ANC technology on the Space Travel, which ostensibly abandons feedback and utilizes a “feedforward solution,” which reduces noise without losing bass. The ANC mode does in fact work pretty well and sounded about as detailed and open as the transparency mode; despite the shallow fit the wide shells provide for good seal and exclusion of wind and outside noise. Call quality is good. The voice prompts for noise cancelling, regular and transparency modes (“sh”, “eh” and “heh”) are a panic.

There is ostensibly an accompanying app, the Link 2.0, but as with the Alice I couldn’t get the damn thing to work—you can’t find it on Google Play Store and the apk download from the site doesn’t seem able to find the buds. FWIW, Jurgen got the app to work on his Iphone and states it has three useful bass tunings.

So, mixed marks on the externalities, but how do they sound? Pretty good, actually.  Despite the big 12mm drivers they don’t play very loud (a pet peeve of mine), and they sound veiled, artificially lean and unengaging at lower volumes, without a ton of detail. Crank ‘em up, however, and they transform into a livelier, much more revealing and open presentation, with a neutral, articulate (if still leanish) tonality.

Bass, in default mode, is well-sculpted and fast, though not deep or punchy; mids are slightly recessed while high end has limited extension but is free from glare or sharpness. Soundstage is wide and somewhat low-ceilinged but immersive; instruments are cleanly separated and drums have good snap and crackle. Orchestral and other busy passages are unexpectedly well sorted out–these actually image as well as any budget TWS you’ll hear.

Sonically, Moondrop seems to be going for the Apple/Samsung type of mass-market tuning—smooth, coherent, without enhanced frequencies. As such, it’s quite successful—compared to $150 Galaxy Buds Plus the Space Travel lack some bass throb [in “Reference” or default mode…there is also a “Basshead” mode] and present less high-end information, but actually have the more natural-sounding timbre, although they can’t play in the same league as champs like the $100 Cambridge Melanomia or $100 Lypertek Tevi, both of which have more body/dynamic slam and play louder.

Jürgen actually posited these things as Wall of Fame material, which for me is a stretch—their quirky design and (esp.) short battery preclude daily driver use, while they miss just a bit of the crispness and drive of top sets. Factor in the price, however, and they do have their considerable appeal—they are a nicely built, cohesive sounding piece with class-leading imaging. Plus those voice prompts are worth the price of admission…

The Moondrop Space Travel were kindly provided by SHENZHENZAUDIO for my review – and I thank them for that. You can get them here.

SPECIFICATIONS Moondrop Space Travel

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60 Bluetooth & TWS Devices

The post Moondrop Space Travel Review (2) – Closer To God appeared first on Music For The Masses.

The $25 Moondrop Space Travel are absolutely marvellously sounding TWS earphones, my find of the year. There is nothing on these that would indicate their low price.

Pros — Wonderful cohesion and fluidity, organic sound; superb comfort and fit for my ears; decent ANC, incredible value.

Cons — Relatively short battery life; not the loudest maximum volume.

The Moondrop Space Travel were kindly provided by SHENZHENZAUDIO for my review – and I thank them for that. You can get them here.

Introduction

Moondrop were once big into space – now they are back. Just like the USA. Since their takeoff from Chengdu, Sichuan, China, in 2015, they have travelled with Spaceships through Starfields to boldly go where no man has gone before. They experimented with diffuse field neutral and Harman Kardon, and recently appeared to have settled for their own interpretation of the latter, called VDSF (see below).

When I was a space cadet myself in Chengdu (yes, we had an office there), most of the Moondrop protagonists were children or teenagers.

Apart from alternating tuning trends in the “tonalities of the season”, Moondrop sometimes were their biggest competitor, even enemy. For example, their $30 Crescent rivalled their $180 Kanas Pro Edition back in 2019. Needless to say that the Crescent disappeared very quickly and mysteriously from the company’s catalogue. Faster than Yevgeny Prygozhin.

As history ALWAYS repeats itself, I hope the $25 Space Travel will stay in the market a bit longer. They are THAT GOOD. I don’t know the other Moondrop TWS models but am completely satisfied with this one. It could be the one for the lonely island for me (provided there will be enough chargers available).

Specifications Moondrop Space Travel

Physicals and Operation

In the box are:

• Space Travel * 1
• Charging Cable * 1
• User Manual * 1
• Product Card * 1
• Earphone tips * 3 pairs (S/M/L)

The case is made of solid, hard polycarbonate and looks futuristic, like the love child of a pencil sharpener and a water flosser. A bit awkward in one’s pocket but a great looking accessory to any desk. The earpieces (without their antennas) are rather small and have an excellent fit on my ears: super comfortable with a great seal. Stock eartips work well. Haptic of both earpieces and cable is great. No hint that this set is only $25.

Operation is intuitive when you have used TWS earphones before: different taps and clicks operate next/last song, play/pause, turnoff/off voice assistant and ANC. This works smoothly. You can customize these gestures with the free Moondrop Link app…see below.

The voice assistant is actually quite cool: a snoddy young girl’s (or waifu’s?) voice advising the listener in a sometimes funny way. May cause repeated chuckles and good mood.

What you cannot do with tapping is adjusting the volume. This needs to be done on your music source. Speaking of volume: Space Travel’s maximum volume is not as high as that of its more expensive competitors such as the 199€ Earsonics AERØ or the $150 final ZE3000, but it is loud enough for “normal” listening.

Bluetooth Functionality

The Moondrop Space Travel features Bluetooth 5.3 and actually really operates over a distance of 10 m, unobstructed, as claimed. I tested it. Bluetooth operation is very smooth. When alternating between the Space Travel and the final ZE3000, the iPhone recognizes each model automatically. No fiddling with the setting necessary.

Active Noise Cancelling

It works, and surprisingly well as long as you do not expect wonders. The Moondrop Space Travel’s ANC filters out static noise such as remote traffic, wind in trees, or a fridge sound quite effectively. It does not do much for dynamically changing noises such cars passing by or the traffic helicopter above you. The use can choose between noise cancelling, regular, and transparency mode.

Battery

That’s where more expensive models leave the Moondrop Space Travel in the dust. You get max. 4 hours of uninterrupted listening out of them, not quite enough for most international air travel out of Canada. Recharging takes approximately one hour. The case allows three re-charges to a total of 12 hours. It is re-charged within 1.5 hours.

The free Moondrop Link App

I downloaded the free Moondrop Link app from Apple’s App Store. A Google version is also available. The app works for a series of Moondrop devices such as TWS iems and dongles, and serves the purpose of fine-tuning them.

For the Moondrop Space Travel, the Link app allows for two things: first, customizing operational gestures (“Custom Touch”) such as play, pause, next song, ANC on/off etc.

Second, the user can adjust the tonality with a choice of “Reference, Basshead, and Monitor”. The difference between the three is the bass perception. Monitoring has the flattest bass for the most neutral sound.

I mainly use “Reference” in the middle as it is closest to the Harman Target (with a bit of bass rumble). If you are on a noisy train or bus, you may choose “Basshead” in order to support the ANC in suppressing the ambient noise.

Once selected, the Space Travel memorizes the setting.

Tonality and Technicalities

The sound of the Moondrop Space Travel is absolutely superb. This may be a blanket statement but that’s how I perceive it. I have used the Space Travel around the clock (or moon?) since its arrival. Its natural sound rivals my $150 final ZE3000 TWS gold standard. Surprised?

With three selectable tuning configurations you can tweak the Moondrop Space Travel’s tonality to your liking. All three hover around Moondrop’s Virtual Diffuse Sound Field (“VDSF”) target, their interpretation of ideal sonic quantities across the frequency spectrum. The VDSF (and therefore the Space Travel) avoids annoying peaks and is broadly similar to the Harman target.

The “Reference” tuning comes closest to the VDSF target, The “Monitor” shifts the experience somewhat towards neutral. Basshead is not as extreme as it sounds and can polish some flat old recordings up quite a bit.

Bass is in all cases reasonably tight with natural decay — and with good control and decent attack. Mids are a tad on the lean side (but only a tad), and they excel in note definition and articulation. Midrange resolution and clarity are very good.

The interplay of bass and mids makes for excellent spatial cues. You get a real room feeling. And since the upper mids are well controlled there is absolutely no shoutiness. Gone are the days of the piercing Moondrop SSR and the likes of. Treble is safe and well rounded by Bluetooth’s own limitations.

The Space Travel sound wonderfully cohesive, fluid, natural, and relaxed, but with great dynamics nevertheless. Staging is wide with reasonable depth, separation and layering are unbelievably good considering its price. Even microdynamics is surprisingly good.

It is the whole composition that is so enticing to my ears.

In comparison, the superb $150 final ZE3000 are somewhat richer sounding and play louder. But the Space Travel have better articulation (!!!). The ZE3000 also play longer before recharging but have much bigger earpieces.

The 199€ Earsonics AERØ may be built more rugged but have some degree of unpleasant harshness compared to the Space Travel.

None of these pricier competitors offers ANC.

A word on the microphone’s recording quality: pretty good, my voice comes across quite clear in an echoey environment (over hardwood floors):

Concluding Remarks

Since Chinese budget iems have first flooded the western markets some 5 to 7 years ago, consumers have been “holygrailing” to find that $$$ iem at a bargain price. But these killer deals never materialized. This resulted in hoarding for many jumping from one model to the next in short order like Tarzan from tree to tree. It has been a bottomless barrel – and an expensive one cumulatively.

Not quite sure whether the Moondrop Space Travel will satisfy this clientele 100% either, but they are Wall of Excellence material in my opinion. They offer a natural, cohesive listening experience that is nothing less than irresistible to my ears. Greatness independent of price.

My find of the year! It is as simple as that. Why pay more? Get them before they are being pulled – again.

Until next time…keep on listening!

The post Moondrop Space Travel TWS Review (1) – Reaching New Galaxies appeared first on Music For The Masses.

INTRO

Fiitii HifiDots challenge the user right from beginning. They come from the brain child of someone concerned with major ear juice intrusion, who must believe humidity is a major issue to be dealt with by multiple layers of protection.

The $200 Fiitii HifiDots have high ambitions, focusing on the art of storage, but fall short of dethroning mainstream players in terms of sound qualities. They have good Active Noise Cancellation and a strong midrange centric boost with mild bass lift complimented with a bright sizzling top end.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

Sometimes building a better mousetrap makes sense, but the Fiitii HifiDots picked the wrong thing to focus on. Upon opening the box the first thing you see is directions on how to remove the earpieces from the case. Not a good sign. Puzzled, I completely ignored it and opened the spaceship styled pod with a satisfying button push to reveal the EarPods.

Trying to pluck them from the pod was the opposite of satisfying, and after fiddling with them I managed to extract them. Now I understood why there were directions just to get them out. For fun For fun, I handed it to my unsuspecting wife who thought the case was “cool” but quickly became frustrated when trying to pull the earpieces out. Fiitii should have stuck to inserting them stem first into the charging case like 99% of the earphones that have stems.

The Fiitii HifiDots come with a sleek charging pod, but heavy like a good lake skipping stone. Fidgeters will rejoice, those nearby will curse and swear them to eternity for messing with the space pod door.

Putting them back in is a chore as well if you do not put the stem in first, and even after doing it the right way does not just drop in place. No idea why they needed to make this difficult, the Fiitii Air 2 was fine.

Eartips have to go, there is some kind of concern about cleanliness of the earphones being gunked up that they are also causing sound from coming out. Perhaps those with surgical skills can cut out the protection portion of the eartip to remove at least one obstacle.

Anyone who has ever used a commercial grade industrial heat gun, the type that you open or close the veins to allow more air in or out to control the temperature…yeah that is what you have here except no control, just blockage.

I did manage to fit the Fiiti HifiDots in the charging pod with different eartips. The latching mechanism keeps the lid closed, but does put strain on eartips and the closing mechanism rubs on the shell when using third party ear tips.

SOUND

Overall the Fiitii HifiDots are midrange centric with presence with a delicate thinner bass profile from the 10mm DLC dynamic driver and a muffled treble from the dual BA driver. Bass notes are soft and gooey with male vocals sounding slim and nimble. Female vocals avoid chestiness and sound distant.

Brassy instruments are kept in check and sound unsteady in the higher registers where the treble is highly hampered by the multiple layers of ear tip and screen. I would recommend to cut out the ear tip screen to improve the treble and even give the bass room to breathe.

Cymbals, triangles, flutes etc all bear the brunt of sounding un-exciting and reminiscent of a worn out cassette tape. There is extra sizzle and crisp but it’s like burning a piece of meat- overcooked and lacking flavor no real definition.

Third party eartips do help, but there is still a coloration in the timbre. Vocals are forward with some lower midrange being pushed to the background. Sony WF-1000xm3 in comparison have an even stage with a softer treble and more grunt in the midbass to midrange transition that gives bass guitars more presence. The Drop Grell TWS also has a softer treble with a shallow stage, but good timbre. Bass is fuller again than the Fiitii HifiDots midbass to midrange region with a much mellowed out and relaxed diffuse field.

TECHNOLOGICAL PROWESS

Fitii Hifidots other claimed features include quick charge2/3 but no wireless charging, ANC and a control app. Aptx lossless is the top codec no LDAC. Multi-point connection did not work. Fiitii App that is supposed to allow the user to change button control, greeting, EQ, etc however does not work either at the time of this review.

Given these currently missing features and functionality, value takes a major hit. I would consider them over-valued at their $200 MSPR.

Charging time is 45min for the earbuds and 1 hour for the case. The case has a 460mAh battery and the earbuds 35mAh battery extending total runtime to 30 hours. Individual runtime is advertised at 6 hours or 4.5hours for heavy ANC use.

ANC was pretty good and worked well in both airplane use and my gas powered lawn mower test, the mild ANC is hard to tell if that means off or if it is still active. The Sony WF-1000XM3 is still my benchmark as the ANC is great and fully adjustable with the Sony app, but the Fiiti Hifidots held their own with only slight high frequency engine noise leaking through exhibited as a faint whistle.

WRAPPING THINGS UP

Fiitii Hifidots have several marks against them in terms of design, functionality, and with less than stellar treble resolution washout. ANC works well enough, IPX rated and alcohol wipe tested as well, they are trying very hard, but just squeak through a passing grade. At $200 for them competition is tough, and they do not have enough redeeming qualities to dethrone the big players.

Disclaimer: We gratefully received these free of charge direct from Fiitii and the opinions here are of my own thoughts.

MANUFACTURER PRODUCT PAGE

https://fiitii.com/product/true-wireless/hifidots/https://fiitii.com/product/true-wireless/hifidots/

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DISCLAIMER

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Our generic standard disclaimer.

About my measurements.

The post Fiitii HifiDots TWS Review – Rube Goldberg Strikes Again appeared first on Music For The Masses.

The $129 TempoTec March III M3 is a versatile natural sounding and powerful balanced DAC/amp (wired, BT) that drives even 300 Ω headphones well. It runs on 5V from your computer, the stock power supply, or a fancy third party one.

The TempoTec March III M3 was kindly provided by the manufacturer for my analysis, and I thank them for that. You find more information on the TempoTec website.

Introduction

TempoTec are a Chinese company established by audiophiles. They claim to have a multinational team from China, Taiwan, Korea, and Germany. The company originally made a name for itself by budget dongle DACs…cheap, ok, great value, but not necessarily high end. This, unfortunately, stuck with them for the longest time.

Lately, the company left the starting blocks and released impressive “midfi” products that convinced by innovative quality features at attractive prices.

First was the TempoTec V6, a very good sounding digital analog player at an incredible $300. Next came their $269 Serenade X, a desktop streamer with essentially unlimited features. And last but not least, there is the forthcoming IM05 4+1 earphone, their first…but it is a good one.

The March III M3 is TempoTec’s first DAC/amp, which once again undercuts its competition in price, but not in quality.

TempoTec are becoming serious competitors to brands such as Topping, SMSL, and possibly FiiO. But in contrast to these companies, TempoTec are confident to score with one model of each: streamer, dap, DAC/amp…instead of offering us the same in multiple different flavours. A very positive sign.

Let’s have a good look at the March II M3’s specs. What makes the device special?

Specifications TempoTec March III M3

Physical Things

In the package are the unit, a 5V/2A power supply, 2 USB-A-C cables, and the paperwork. The device and all buttons are made of metal, the front is almost completely covered with glass. The March III M3 is rather small and relatively light – easy to be carried around on travel and to be used in hotel rooms or the office.

Technology

The March III M3 sports an Asahi Kasai DAC chip (most competitors use ES Tech Sabre chips) for decoding, and 4 OPA1688 operational amps by Texas Instruments for amplification. For readers who dwell on DAC chips making the sound: they don’t. This combination of quality DAC and opamps costs you and me around $15 USD, and is probably much cheaper in bulk [ES Tech chips are not much different]. TempoTec does not give us details on the other components.

The March III M3 comes with a 5V/2A power supply with USB-A port. Alternatively, you can power the device from your computer or a power bank, or a fancy third-party power supply such as the $99 ifi Audio iPowerX or the $59 Allo Nirvana or the $43 BRZ.

Replacing the stock power supply with the iPowerX enriches the sound, it adds body…though it may be a cost prohibitive upgrade. Just try all the 5V power supplies that came with your tablet or phone. The lowest current I used in my test was 1.2A for the BRZ.

Front Panel

The front contains all control and monitoring functions: the two headphone sockets (3.5 mm single ended and 4.4 mm balanced), the on/off/volume knob, an OLED screen (small but crisp) and three buttons: Mode (wired/BT), Gain (low/high), and Bass (on/off). Most of the front panel is glass. The brandname “TempoTec” is nowhere to be found.

Back Panel: I/O

In the back are two USB-C ports (one for 5 V power, the other for connecting a music source), analog RCA outputs (for powered speakers), and digital SPDIF out (coaxial, optical)

Functionality and Operation

The TempoTec March III M3 is an unusually versatile device.

It does

• play music into headphones from different sources (Phone/tablet, computer)
• accepts digital music wired or per BT
• output an analog signal through its balanced and single-ended circuits into headphones
• output an analog signal per RCA into powered loudspeakers
• output a digital signal into another DAC via SPDIF (coaxial, optical)
• works as a BT receiver

It does not

• drive most unpowered speakers
• power the hungriest planar magnetic headphones

The unit is switched on and off by pushing and holding down the volume knob. The Mode button toggles between wired and BT operations, the gain can be adjusted to low and high (use low gain as much as possible as any high gain compresses dynamics), and bass button adds…you got it…bass.

And the added bass totally contorts the timbre. It is awful and you better leave it off….unless you need some serious “boom boom”. Actually, even without the bass button, there is more than plenty of bass, naturally.

Wired

You can operate headphones through the two headphone jacks. The balanced 4.4 m circuit is much more powerful and provides an overall better sound. Only use the 3.5 mm one, if you don’t have a headphone with a 4.4 mm plug.

If you have powered near-field speakers, they are connected to the RCA ports in the back.

If you can’t be bothered with the DAC/amp functionality at all, you have the option to connect the March III M3 to an external amp. This is a truly rare feature in this price category.

Bluetooth

The March III M3 is also a Bluetooth receiver. It features the latest Bluetooth 5.2 and handles all common codecs (SBC 328 kbps, AAC 256 kbps, LDAC 990 kbps). It operates over a distance up to 30 m. This is useful when the unit is used with powered speakers when the headphone cable is longer than one’s arms. The M3 never lost reception while I was walking with my iPhone music source all over the two floors of my 2000 sq ft house.

It becomes really interesting when the March III M3 is connected via a different DAC to a room-filling stereo system. In this case, the device’s own DAC and amp are disabled and it works as a BT receiver only.

Amplification

Power is not measured but always calculated from voltage, current, and resistance. TempoTec list a power of 630 mW @ 4 V/32 Ω for the balanced circuit, and 310 mW @ 2 V/32 Ω. But 630 mW power require a voltage of 4.5 V, at 4 V, it is only 500 mW (accordingly, the SE power should be 250 mW). Therefore, either the given voltage or power are wrong…which does not matter in the end.

The March III M3’s volume scale goes from 0 to 100. In practical use, the device drives the 300 Ω Sennheiser HD 600 on high gain at a volume of up to 95 (for quiet recordings); it needs a volume of 80 to be loud for average recordings, and 65 for moderate level on the balanced circuit. This is pretty impressive considering the headphone’s sound quality is not suffering at high volumes. The sensitive Final Sonorous III gets away with a volume of 30. The HD 600 don’t run well on the weaker single ended circuit.

Most iems need about 30 on balanced and 40 on single ended. Unless you have a hungry planar magnetic, the March III M3 handles the rest.

Sound

The March III M3’s sound quality is actually surprising(ly good): it is not harsh and analytical as many of its budget peers’, but rather…erm…”musical” with well rounded notes. Many would claim that the lack of “Sabre glare” is ascribed to the Asahi Kasai AK4493SEQ chip, but life ain’t that easy, friends.

The overall tonality is slightly warm with an elevated low end, similar to TempoTec’s V6 dap.

Bass is indeed lifted a bit and not the fastest. It may occasionally smear into the midrange, which is probably the M3’s weakest point – but it is not dramatic. Transparency is otherwise good. The stage is wide and tall but not very deep.

The balanced circuit adds power and also depth to the image. The single-ended image is more two dimensional…and BT operation removes a bit of richness and extension on both ends, but is overall still pretty good.

In order to characterize the March III M3 in more detail, let’s compare it to the $250 EarMen TR-Amp, a battery operated DAC/amp with a single-ended circuit only. The TR-Amp does not offer BT and has slightly weaker amplification. At twice the price, you’d expect better components in the EarMen, and therefore better sound quality.

Both do indeed sound different. The TR-Amp is less bassy, has a crisper attack, better note definition (“sounds sharper”), better resolution and transparency, and better 3-D reconstruction overall. The March III M3 has softer notes, a wider but shallower stage, and lags the TR-Amp in terms of separation and layering.

The TR-amp is technically and analytically better but the March III M3 is more soulful and sweeter sounding…at half the price. I enjoy both.

Concluding Remarks

With the March III M3, TempoTec has pulled another white rabbit out of their hat. It it a complete, good-sounding and attractive looking DAC/amp and BT receiver that works well with most full-sized headphones and essentially all iems. What sets is apart from its immediate competition are its low price and digital outputs.

I cannot think of a comparable competitive device below $200. I really like this little rascal a lot. It is right up my alley.

The March III M3 joins the V6 dap and the Serenade X as a great, enjoyable product at a reasonable price.

Until next time…keep on listening!

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I haven’t previously heard TOZO’s products, but they purport to move millions of units and certainly know how to market the $149 Golden X1, which are nicely packaged and accessorized and sport an appropriate array of features for the price, including ANC, LDAC, multipoint and a customizable, well-conceived app with some useful EQ settings.

Build feels premium (the flashing battery level indicator in the case is a nice touch) and comfort and seal are good, although a fair amount of wind noise intrudes even with the ANC engaged. Battery life is advertised as 8 hours, although I got closer to 4 with ANC/LDAC. Connection was instantaneous and stable and touch controls responsive.

In their default state the hybrid Golden X1 presents a gentle V-shape with modest bass depth and limited high end extension, but a very wide soundstage with good imaging and accurate instrument placement. Tonality is fairly neutral and performers are well-separated; there’s no low end boominess and drums retain some snap.

Unfortunately, the Golden X1 fall into the too-common trap of inadequate output—even with volume maxed out they sound soft, slightly veiled and seriously lacking in high-level detail and dynamic slam. I surmise that the dense gold mesh screen covering the ear tubes acts to muffle some of the higher frequencies and reduce gain; I was tempted to remove it and replace it with a more sonically permeable filter but ultimately felt one shouldn’t have to mod a product at this price level.

All evidence to the contrary, I don’t particularly relish trashing products, and the Golden X1 do nail the ergonomics and UI. However, I can’t rave about what I can’t hear, and louder (and cheaper) TWS like the Tin Buds 3 or Lypertek Z3 are better choices.

Disclaimer: these were sent for review purposes by TOZO (TOZO | Wireless Earbuds, Headphones, Chargers, Watches & More Electronics (tozostore.com). They are very nice folks and I hope they try us again in the future.

Priced at $189 at time of publishing.

SPECIFICATIONS TOZO Golden X1

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50 Bluetooth & TWS Devices

The post TOZO Golden X1 Review – Quiet Is The New Loud appeared first on Music For The Masses.

INTRO

With the proliferation of mini-desktop sound systems tied to computers the Fosi Audio BT30D Pro plants itself front and center for this audio revolution. If you told me a few years ago I could have a legit 2.1 amp powerful enough to drive a pair of bookshelves PLUS a passive subwoofer in a box not much bigger than a deck of cards I would have said you are crazy.

Not to be confused with the lower powered BT30D, the Fosi Audio BT30D Pro is the $109 2.1 Bluetooth desktop amp that you did not know you needed. At time of this review it was on sale for $89. That small size however introduces some compromises that are minor annoyances.

BACKGROUND COMMENTARY

I was thoroughly impressed with the Fosi Audio TB10D (upgraded version) recently, that when they offered the 2.1 version using the same TPA3255 chip I was fully on board. So the TPA3255 is actually a 4 channel amp chip, but can be configured by the designer in 4 different numbers of channel arrangements. That does not mean, you get to configure it that way-it is designed for only one use so you have to pick the model that implements the usage case you need.

While the TB10D was an 80-100W 2 channel amp advertised as 300Wx2, it was still an impressively strong mini amp. The Fosi Audio BT30D Pro cuts down on that power output because two of the channels are un-bridged, the other two are bridged for a non-powered subwoofer. If you prefer to use a powered subwoofer, it accommodates with a 3.5mm pre-out connection instead. It does use the same 32V 5 amp power brick the Fosi Audio TB10D comes with.

The pre-out on the Fosi Audio BT30D Pro is not impacted or controlled by the low pass filtering, gain, or the bass adjustment. This is good news to avoid impacting the built in filtering of the powered subwoofer. Besides the volume knob, all the other knobs have no taper so adjusting is cramped unless you let your 3 year old wreck havoc.

I still wish Fosi Audio would have implemented a detent for the zero position on the tone controls, and markings for filter frequency would have been nice. Instead they opted for a simple, clean front panel free from distraction. All adjustments done by taste.

There is not a physical switch to toggle between analog input from the RCA’s and the Bluetooth input anywhere on the Fosi Audio BT30D Pro. Instead, when you connect or disconnect the Bluetooth it defaults to analog input. The Bluetooth has to always manually be connected each time you power up the Fosi Audio BT30D Pro. I am glad they chose this method, sometimes it is not necessary for Bluetooth to automatically connect and wonder why you cannot hear your phone calls when you answer.

Subjectively, the Fosi Audio BT30D tends to run warmer than the TB10D. I am not sure why this is the case, but maybe there is some heat loss due to the different filters required to run the TPA3255 as a 2.1 setup. It does not seem to matter if there is a subwoofer connected or not.

I noticed a small turn off click/pop when powering down. It is nothing that is even remotely close to speaker damaging levels, but I wanted to be clear it exists. It does not detract from the usability. My Lepai LP2020A+ and Ashly FTX1500 (rack mount professional amp) have way more turn off pop.

PACKAGE CONTENTS

Fosi Audio BT30D PRO

Bluetooth Antenna

32V 5A Power Supply

Operators Manual

SOUND

Tested with Behringer Truth B2031P and Aperion Audio 522D LR bookshelves mated to a Pioneer Venue 12 inch subwoofer (old sub amp kicked the bucket).

The Fosi Audio BT30D Pro cleanly provides around 40-50W of power to the bookshelves and the 100W to the Pioneer sub was enough to easily fill my office and small bedroom. In a larger room it provides plenty of room filling background music, but you are not going to knock your socks off at these levels.

I did notice though without the subwoofer, the Behringer Truth B2031P was missing the same bass impact the more powerful TB10D delivered. I attempted to level match so I was comparing correctly, and surprisingly the TB10D just has more kick.

I believe that it is acceptable considering the Fosi Audio BT30D Pro is meant to be used with a subwoofer anyway. It was harder to notice with the smaller 5.25 (130cm) woofer of the Aperion Audio, since they do not play lower frequencies.

Passive subwoofers are harder to find these days, so this amp might be aimed at hobbyist builders that frequent the pages of Parts Express, Madisound, or Meniscus Audio, (here in the States) or Solen for my northern neighbors. Or might I suggest browsing the local used market for blown powered subwoofers and pair this Fosi Audio BT30D Pro up to a set of bookshelf speakers for a garage, office desktop, or small bedroom setup.

COMPARISONS

Value wise the Fosi Audio BT30D Pro amp is exceptionally better than the Lepai LP2020A+ with only 2 channels of 20W, plus the Fosi Audio BT30D Pro offers bluetooth 5.0 and a subwoofer output. Compared to the Dayton Audio DT100A, it feels more powerful and gets louder. The Fosi Audio BT30D Pro also has a higher build quality, knobs are solid and it has 5 way binding posts for the speaker connections, although again a little cramped to use comfortably.

ENDING

The Fosi Audio BT30D Pro should lose the inflated power ratings and stick with truthful advertising. It fits my expectations and cozies up on the limited space of your desktop to provide just enough power to preserve your hearing, or run a background music machine in larger areas or apartment dwelling with maybe just enough sub thump to annoy your neighbors.

Disclaimer: Thanks for Fosi Audio for providing this free of charge so I could put more of my speaker collection to use as an excuse to my better half why I was hoarding them in a dark corner.

COMPROMISES

• Knob spacing
• Speaker Terminals are crammed
• Runs Warmer than TB10D
• Slight turn off noise
• No central stop point for 0db bass/treble boost
• No markings for the low pass filter to indicate what frequency it is set at
• Power brick only CE rated, missing NRTL certification

GOODIES

• Preout is unfiltered and unaffected by the gain knob.
• Solidly built and weighty
• Bluetooth built in

SPECIFICATIONS

Contact us!

DISCLAIMER

Available directly for Fosi Audio or other retailers such as Amazon and Aliexpress.

Our generic standard disclaimer.

About my measurements.

The post Fosi Audio BT30D Pro Review – Power For All Woofers appeared first on Music For The Masses.

INTRO

Shanling has released a second version of the UP4 called the Shanling UP4 2022 denoting the 2022 version compared to the 2021 version. With the new iteration priced at $119 we get a dual ES9219C DAC chip vs last years ES9218.

It follows many other interesting products like the UA1, UA2, UA3 we have reviewed previously. They also have attractive higher-end products as well in their DAP lineup so if you have not seen or heard of them I suggest you have a look. The Shanling UP4 2022 slides easily into the top spots for Bluetooth DACs with its powerful neutral and clarifying output, but is it enough to dethrone Amazon’s #1 seller?

Disclaimer: Aoshido Audio provided the Shanling UP4 2022 to Audioreviews free of charge and I will roast it over a hot fire. The original Shanling UP4 (22) sent to me had a firmware issue noted as a skipping hiccuping problem, but Aoshida Audio sent a replacement device so hats off to taking care of the problem easily and swiftly. You can get one for $119.99.

FEATURE CRITICAL COMMENTARY

Misses

The Shanling UP4 2022’s sleek plastic body can be snapped into a not as impressive plastic belt clip case. I do not have much faith in the longevity of the purely plastic clip to retain it’s strength but time will tell. The original Ear Studio ES100 suffered from early clip failures and they upgraded that in the MK2 version. I do like that the extra bulk of the clip can be removed.

One of the standout features not found on many other Bluetooth DAC’s is the Near-Field-Communication (NFC) pairing. While it did make pairing quick and easy, I never really thought a one time pairing process needed to be made any easier. It also might cause frustration if people keep NFC turned off on their phones for security reasons.

The other almost there feature is the option to use the Shanling UP4 2022 solely as a USB DAC. Great in theory, on a Windows PC or Mac there is plenty of output. Once plugged into my Android phone it does work, but volume levels are lower by a fair margin, this could be due the battery recharging. Testing indicates it consumes a whopping 350mA. So in a pinch you can use it with your Android phone or Apple with a USB Camera adapter, but I would not recommend it.

The Shanling UP4 2022 can also be paired with their Eddict Player APP available for both IOS or Android, but only Android offers over-the-air firmware updates.

Hits

So It is not all bad news for the Shanling UP4 2022, I particularly love the single knob/button control. This makes actually using it heads and shoulders above models without controls and ahead of the pack even for ones with multi-button controls. For one, less chance of accidentally changing the volume and it’s tucked nicely into the side to prevent accidental button pushes as well.

There is a mode button too for less used features such as output codec and gain control, but that is not used for normal operation, more of a set it and forget it function. It does allow for high/low gain output, which is a feature that is becoming more common and a nice addition to better support the variety of headphones in the market.

There is also a Turbo boost mode that enables the second DAC to super charge the un-balanced single ended output from 70mW to 100mW (not as noticeable as you might think). It also toggles between 4 different filtering modes named: Natural, Accurate, Mellow and Warm.

The Shanling UP4 2022 also supports LDAC, LHDC, APTX HD, APTX Low latency, APTX, AAC, SBC in bluetooth mode and is indicated by the multi-colored LED when switching between them. It does not support the less common UAC from Hiby.

Dual connections flank the top of the Shanling UP4 2022. Users can choose to run the more common single ended 3.5mm connection or opt for 2.5mm balanced output for more power and channel separation.

Battery Life of the Shanling UP4 2022 is a claimed 11.5 hours or 9/5 hours if using balanced output from the 550mAh battery. Standby mode is approximately 300 hours.

PACKAGE CONTENTS

• Shanling UP4 DAC
• Removable Plastic Belt Clip/Cover
• USB-A to USB-C short cable

Paired up with LG G8 and Moondrop Dusk 2.

SOUND

The Shanling UP4 2022 has a neutral profile across the board there is nothing that stands out more than other areas, this is a good thing. The bass is neutral a little less weight behind it than plugged straight into the LG G8. Bass notes sound more rounded out with the LG ES quad DAC when listening to Brian Setzer Orchestra Rumble in Brighton.

If there is a difference in the midrange and treble I am hard pressed to hear it. The LG G8 is using one generation previous of the ESS DAC lineup and given that it is a SoC, there is not a big variance.

The decay in the bass affects how it much room energy is reflected in the listening experience, again the LG G8 sounds ever so slightly larger in terms of spacing and scale.

In comparison to other bluetooth DACs such as the Earstudio ES100MKII, the Shanling UP4 2022 is more mature sounding, better darker levels giving the impression of more depth and layering. Both bluetooth DACs utilize LDAC, the ES100MKII uses the AK4375A compared to the ES9219C.

The other bluetooth DAC I have is not really comparable, the Sony SBH56 since it supports only the SBC codec. The sound is rather dull, bass lacks any kind of articulation, treble is subdued and it mostly sounds midrange focused. The SBC code makes it sound rather elementary.

For another option the equally praised Qudelix-5K Bluetooth reviewed by Jurgen is the class leader if looking at Amazon sales picks. It hosts the same SoC and features for the same price. The Qudelix has a utilitarian plastic body with a metal clip, and the Shanling UP4 2022 has a much sleeker rounded body with a plastic case clip.

The Shanling UP4 2022 uses the bluetooth chip CSR8675 vs the QCC5124 in the Qudelix. The QCC5124 is said to improve battery life up to 65%. It has a dual DAC boost to push the power level up to 100mW in single output mode, but somehow the Qudelix boosts a higher balanced output power of 240mW vs 165mW.

I like the knob better than the buttons personally. It also appears the Qudelix operates as a phone USB dac given the supplied cables and description so more value there.

Final test for the Shanling UP4 2022 was actually making phone calls. My side of the audio was of course clear but having a conversation proved a little less pleasing. If the device was a relatively short distance away it exhibited a tunnel effect, if I held the device up to my mouth and spoke directly into it the results were more “normal”.

FINAL COMMENTS

The Shanling UP4 2022 is geared towards a small market, I am not sure how many people are looking for bluetooth DAC devices, for those that want to connect wirelessly are going for wireless earbuds based on my own sampling of observation. The market segment for the bluetooth DACs has increased, so maybe there are people who like certain wired headsets but need to connect to phones without a 3.5mm jack.

The Shanling UP4 2022 is a great device for those users, I particularly like the knob control, sleek design and removable belt clip. My only gripes are the clip is completely plastic so longevity can be an issue it you want to actually use that feature, and I really wanted to use it as a USB DAC on my phone but it does not work well for that.

It doesn’t sync to more than one device at a time. On the sound front, it is excellent and plenty powerful to drive headphones under 150ohms. When compared to the Qudelix 5K, shaping and the control knob appear to be the only unique selling features, but is that enough you have to ask yourself.

SPECIFICATIONS

Contact us!

DISCLAIMER

Get it from Aoshida Audio Store

Our generic standard disclaimer.

About my measurements.

The post Shanling UP4 2022 Bluetooth DAC Review – Second Chances, Hiccups Not Included appeared first on Music For The Masses.

At least in the IEM space, Moondrop has consistently stood out from the legion of gratuitous Chifi manufacturers, with much-loved products ranging from the $30 Crescent to the $800 Illumination. I haven’t heard their prior TWS entrants like the ($89) Sparks, but (like the rest of the gang here) I’m enough of a Moondrop acolyte to have awaited the $189 Alice with consideration anticipation. Durwood, FWIW, praised these highly.

The Alice is a very large, protruding design vaguely reminiscent of the Sony XM3, although I didn’t find them uncomfortable and fit with the included Azla tips was reasonably secure, if not gym-friendly (the unmarked R and L buds are, however, difficult to tell apart). Feature set is really sparse for the pricetag—no ANC, no multipoint, no wireless charging—but 8hr. Battery is good; passive isolation is so-so.

There’s a companion app which promises a variety of preset and parametric EQ, but despite numerous resets and reinstalls (including sideloading from the Moondrop site) I could not for the life of me get the damn thing to work—it kept terminating firmware updates and would not allow access to the EQ functions, so my sound impressions are based solely on the default tuning. Touch controls are minimal–no volume control and no customization–but fairly responsive; call quality is good.

The Alice presents a smooth, balanced signature across a wide but two-dimensional stage which has very limited depth and height; performers are well separated across a flat horizontal plane. There’s limited extension at both ends—low end is well-sculpted but doesn’t have a lot of punch or presence, while high end is rounded off and lacking in sparkle and snap, though free from shrillness and coarseness.

Mids are the strength here– full-sounding and euphonic (male voices have good body), but tonality is just okay—Moondrop seems to be going for a neutral, audiophile approach which isn’t analytical and which provides for good coherence, without sharp peaks. However everything has a slightly muted, distant quality, as if you’re too far from the stage, and some energy and drive is missing.

It’s a more analog, less aggressive tone than something like the (much cheaper) Lypertek Z3 or the Soundpeats H1, but also less full-sounding or dynamic. The recent Tin Buds 3 are similar in approach to the Alice—i.e. low-tech, warmish, balanced—but have better resolution, more energy and are the significantly better phone. Which, considering the Tin cost half as much, is not high praise for the Alice. The Sennheiser CX-400BT is another better, cheaper alternative to the usual V-shaped, ballsy consumer fare, with more bass and a rounder soundstage.

Given that the Alice have the same drivers as the much-adored KATO I’m surprised by my lack of enthusiasm for them. They aren’t by any means a bad TWS—they’re well-built and free from the hyped-up artificiality of many of its peers—but they’re certainly overpriced for what you get. Pass.

Disclaimer: borrowed from Durwood. Get it here from ShenzenAudio priced at $189 at time of publishing.

SPECIFICATIONS Moondrop Alice

• Model: ALICE True Wireless Stereo
• Driver: 10mm U.L.T super-linear dynamic driver
• Diaphragm: 3rd generation DLC composite diaphragm
• Bluetooth version: 5.2
• Bluetooth protocol: A2DP/AVRCP/HFP/HSP
• Codec protocol: AAC/SBC/aptX Adaptive
• Charging plug: Type-C
• lmpedance: 32Ω±15%@1kHz
• Working distance: about 15m (barrier-free open environment)
• Input: 5V-0.5A
• Battery Life: about 8+40hours

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50 Bluetooth & TWS Devices

The post Moondrop Alice Review (2) – Swing And Amiss appeared first on Music For The Masses.