INTRO

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

DESIGN COMMENTARY

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

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

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

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

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

FEATURES

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

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

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

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

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

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

SOUND

Tested with iPhone 13 and LG G8.

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

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

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

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

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

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

GOOD TRAITS

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

NEEDS IMPROVEMENT

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

FINAL REMARKS

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

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

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

CREATIVE AURAVANA ACE 2 SPECIFICATIONS

Product Page

CREATIVE APP SCREENSHOTS

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DISCLAIMER

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

Our generic standard disclaimer.

About my measurements.

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

INTRO

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

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

SOUND

Tested with LG V8, Shanling UA3

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

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

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

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

PACKAGE CONTENTS

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

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

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

TECHNICALITIES / COMPARISON

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

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

THE END

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

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

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

SPECIFICATIONS TRN CONCH

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

TRN CONCH GRAPHS

• Left vs Right
• Nozzle Tuning

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About my measurements.

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

INTRODUCTION

Courting green audio aficionados and perhaps some seasoned folks, the Fosi Audio ZA3 desktop amp has the allure of affordable yet buzz worthy tech. They have built an arsenal of small but mighty desktop power amplifier solutions, from 2 channel, 3 channel and now a select-able two channel/monoblock built around the Texas Instruments TPA3255 class D amp chip. 

By scaling back maximum power, they are able to also run it in a lower signal to noise ratio region that makes it clean and resolving at the same time and delivering plenty of power for a desktop or even room filling output. However we need to be realistic about the 300W max power output as the power supply is not large enough to deliver true 300W continuous power output with the 32V maxing out at 160W or 240W for the 48V version.

Having experimented with the TB10D, and V3 amplifiers from Fosi Audio, the ZA3 is the next generation or third iteration of this design, each one improving on the next as it should. The TB10D/BT20A Pro were Gen1 using the TPA3255 and were the most powerful version…until they launched the V3 with a 48V 5A power supply option.

Technically you can order the 48V 5A power supply and use it with the TB10D Pro for more power with reduced signal to noise specifications. Fosi Audio offers it with 32V/5A. 48V/5A or no power supply options priced at $129, $149 and $99 respectively.

FEATURE COMMENTARY

Ideally though the V3 was fairly well received minus some caveats, and the Fosi Audio ZA3 is a more mature version with the stylistic elements of a burnt orange volume knob, balanced inputs, a usable preamp and a mono mode to boost power output, or wastefully use it to power a small subwoofer.

New features not available on their other models include the switchable RCA or XLR balanced input that accepts ¼” TRS/XLR. With these two unbalanced and balanced connections you get two inputs. We are still stuck with the tiny binding posts found on their other models, I tend to use banana jacks for easy switching anyway.

Other new features include the subwoofer output, and 12V trigger input to automatically turn it on/off with a preamp or AVR? Another more diy approach for desktop PC users would be to run a 12v out from your desktop PC and trigger it that way. There are most likely some DACs out there with 12 trigger outputs to turn it on as well. I did test this with my ancient Denon AVR-3806 and it comes in handy, let me explain.

The Fosi Audio ZA3 powers on or off with a long press on the volume knob, it seems sensitive to where you push on it, or it did not always recognize that I had tried to turn it on. Maybe I was impatient, but sometimes I just did not have the magic touch to turn it on. I would prefer a standalone power switch if the knob is going to be touchy. The knob itself is smooth and the indentation is prominent enough to see the position of it from across the room.

With the 48V 5A power supply almost as big as the amp itself, I felt comfortable taking this thing for a spin as the main room amplifier and freeing it from pure desktop usage. While it fits more at home there, it has plenty of output to be the focal point of a serious sound system.

The manual is not entirely clear about loading the amp, it states 2-8 ohm speaker systems, I imagine this is for stereo operation. To be safe, I would not recommend using a 2 ohm load in mono mode unless Fosi Audio explicitly states it.

SOUND COMPARISONS

Pairing the Fosi Audio ZA3 with my Amrita Audio Elan 8 inch 2 way floor standers, the SMSL DO100 DAC, and Sony DVP-SS7700 it performed rather exceptionally for a Class D chip amp. Imaging separation and clarity were quite noteworthy. Bass control was tight,  yet perhaps a little restrained. This was not a lack of power as I was running it at a decent listening level about 50% maximum clean output, instead there was  some richness missing.

Swapping in a Parasound HCA800 II set to the same level, it sounded more enveloping and the bass had more texture and warmth. More meaty and visceral sounding, I swapped in the Adcom GFA-545 again doing some level matching and noticed it too had more drive behind the bass.

Between these two amps, they both gave the impression of stronger depth and more envelopment. The Fosi Audio ZA3 had a defined stage width with less front to back range, and the Parasound felt more like an arcing stage as opposed to a flat stage.

To be fair, these are some well regarded 2 channel amps with plenty of power supply and output current to power the vast majority of 2 channel sound systems into blissful happiness. Next I put it up against the Denon AVR-3806, a decently powerful home theater receiver and it did not have the same clarity or resolution of the Fosi Audio ZA3. 

My final test of the Fosi Audio ZA3 was to incorporate the subwoofer pre-out. The addition of the subwoofer pre-out helps with the new wave of small bookshelf plus subwoofer setups. It is much easier in a smaller room or desktop setup to make room for a bookshelf and offload the heavy lifting to the subwoofer on bass duty.

The pre-out has a 200Hz low pass filter and is controlled via the volume knob. The V3 pre-out was not a true pre-out, so Fosi implemented a proper and useful feature. Note it can be used to supplement the natural roll-off of your main speakers, there is no high pass filter for the main channels and you would need to use the built in crossover of your subwoofer to adjust it down to a proper cut-off frequency.

MODDING AND HOT-RODDING

Op-amp swapping carries over from the V3 to the Fosi Audio ZA3. Removing four 2mm hex screws (two on the back panel, two underneath), prying off the volume knob with a plastic cooking spatula, and loosening the 10mm nut gives you access to the internals, which construction shows are miles and miles better than a Dayton Audio DTA-100a I have from over a decade ago.

The op-amps are used in the pre-amplification stages and provide gain and feedback control to minimize distortion. There are a total of five op-amps that can be swapped, one for each Left/Right, two for the subwoofer pre-out (one is used for the filter), and one for the XLR.

They come stock with TI NE5532 which is vintage by audio standards, but an extremely stable, inexpensive, noise free op-amp found in millions of audio devices including professional audio gear.

Other boutique op-amps can be swapped in, but adding new ones may not always be a great idea or guarantee “better” performance. It is fairly easy for some faster op-amps to become unstable and oscillate in the wrong situation, or perhaps they cannot drive the load, or the gain is not structured correctly to minimize distortion.

 The high price tags of other op-amps might be a result of low use so it does not benefit from economy of scale, or just flat out because they can. I happen to have 4 BB ones ranging from the OPA2134PA, 2227P, 2228P and 2107AP from an Audiotrak Prodigy soundcard experiment.

I might investigate in a separate review if I find it interesting enough, some of them might add noise or cause instability and I would like to measure the effects if possible using my limited measurement equipment. The heatsink + power resistors would most likely overheat when looking at distortion components, I really need to bring out my water heater element load to handle the power better.

Bipolar, FET and discrete op-amps can behave differently as well so without proper testing equipment, you might introduce some coloration into your audio chain. There used to be great information by Douglas Self over a decade ago, but there are also many other great resources (59+ op amps tested ) found throughout the internet or in books.

You can also just take the religious route and just believe. I can fully appreciate how hard it is to remove sighted bias from testing, and how short our memory is if not performing quick changes to compare.

FINAL REMARKS

I did test it in mono mode while I did some housework, and it never got too warm or shut down. I was not stress testing, but I feel confident that the Fosi Audio ZA3 handles mono loads just fine and they boost a 240W power rating into a 4 ohm load. Get two and run them as monoblocks and have ultimate channel separation.

Channel separation is the noise of one channel bleeding into the other channel if you were unaware. One missing feature is a volume control bypass for the dual mono folks, but max them out and let it rip through another pre-amp device, DAC or streamer.

One feature missing is perhaps a phono input for the resurgence of vinyl. It’s not a must have feature, as those really into vinyl might prefer to use a standalone phono preamp of their choosing anyway. Other people might prefer bluetooth input instead, a good DAC or preamp might include those features separately, I enjoy this as just an amp.

Class D is essentially a motor control circuit design tailored to meet the audible audio frequency spectrum requirements, and speakers share similarities to motors in that a coil of wire is excited through a magnetic field. There should be no fear in using modern Class D amps and losing fidelity. While differences were noted between full fledged larger brethren, I have minor qualms in recommending the Fosi Audio ZA3 amplifier.

While the V3 is on loan to Loomis I am unable to directly compare, I believe the ZA3 stages closer to the Adcom and Parasound than the V3 did. It does a better amplification job than an AVR and it looks sleek on a desktop being plenty powerful in a nearfield setup.

Disclaimer: Fosi Audio thankfully provided this gratis and this review was not written by robots.

FOSI AUDIO ZA3 SPECIFICATIONS

Chip Set Texas Instruments TPA3255
Output Power With 48V/5A PSU
Stereo: 155Wx2 @4Ω
Mono: 235Wx1 @4Ω
With 32V/5A PSU
Stereo: 95Wx2 @4Ω
Mono: 110Wx1 @4Ω
Terminating Impedance 2-8Ω
Input Mode RCA, XLR, 1/4″ TRS
Output Mode Speaker Output (supports banana plug or bare wire connection), Active Subwoofer Output
Frequency Range 20Hz – 20KHz(±0.1dB)
SINAD 89dB
THD ＜0.006%
SNR ≥106dB
Dynamic Range ≥106dB
Device Dimension 15.49 x 18.39 x 5.08 cm; 1.78 Kilograms
DC Input Range 24-48V
Power Supply 32V/5A, 48V/5A

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DISCLAIMER

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Fosi Audio Direct

Our generic standard disclaimer.

About my measurements.

The post Fosi Audio ZA3 Stereo/Mono Amp Review – Making New Friends appeared first on Music For The Masses.

INTRO

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

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

FEATURES

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

SOUND

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

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

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

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

FINAL REMARKS

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

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

PACKAGE CONTENTS

DAC
Cable USB-C to USB-C
Instruction manual

SPECIFICATIONS

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

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

Headphone Jack:
3.5mm Unbalanced / 4.4mm Balanced

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

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

Firmware Upgrade: Support for future upgrades

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DISCLAIMER

Get it from ShenzhenAudio.com Store

Our generic standard disclaimer.

About my measurements.

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

INTRO

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

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

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

DESIGN FEATURES

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

SOUND

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

FINALE

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

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

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

PACKAGE CONTENTS

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

MOONDROP MAY SPECIFICATIONS

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

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

GRAPHS

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

Contact us!

DISCLAIMER

Get it from Shenzhenaudio.com

Our generic standard disclaimer.

About my measurements.

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

START HERE

KZ AS24 is the crown jewel for KZ with twelve BA’s jammed together like a game of Tetris into the the custom 3D printed acrylic bedazzled shell. The model sheet and past history of KZ models is long and confusing to keep up with. Some models have been incremental successes, others just a blip on the timeline.

I personally think they are more of a fast fashion company. I wouldn’t be surprised to see them popup as an MLM (multi-level marketing) scheme for stay at home bloggers and influencers to invite their friends over for some adult beverages, and a Charcuterie board. 

KZ as of late seems to draw either hate or praise, nothing in between. There were some “internet” scandals that are sort of meh in reference to other more serious issues happening in the world. Luckily for us here at Audioreviews we have no skin in the game, and do not need to take any sides.

DESIGN FEATURES

Drama aside, the KZ AS24 comes in the standard version without switches at $112 and the tunable version with 8 switches at $122 only $10 more. Some of the adjustments are only 1-2dB changes and in the bass region this is a resolution our hearing has trouble detecting 1db changes in low end, but in upper frequencies this is detectable. This is of course unless you goof and briefly set the bass switches opposite each other and spend a few minutes wondering why I was fighting a seal issue. 

So the main set of tuning switches on the KZ AS24 work to alter the bass frequencies, while the auxiliary switches impact the mid-high frequencies, the set provided to me had the switches arranged in different directions so pay attention to witch way is “on”. Overall the general tuning  curve follows the Harman.

I opted to pick the most tricked out tuning because I wanted to know how it sounds giving it all it has, we try hard around here afterall. If you check out the impedance graph below you can see how they add resistance in series with certain drivers to reduce output levels. Low powered smart phones and dongles might struggle when going for less bass and treble tuned modes.

The DLP printed shells of the KZ AS24 can reach a high level of precision allowing KZ to include sound tubes built into the shell. Bravo, as this is attention to detail we do not normally get from KZ let alone the vast majority smorgasbord of earphones. There is however one minor difference in soft sound tubes that can absorb standing waves, and hard tubes that create a tunnel and may exhibit ringing. 

Tapping into their fast fashion concept, the KZ AS24 is adorned with various geometric pyramids housed behind a ceiling of clear plastic. It takes on a broken glass, slash kryptonic cave crystal aesthetic.

The silver plated copper flat cable has low microphonic transmission and inserts cleanly and securely into the reliable 2 pin connection. You get the KZ’s starline eartips that have been a staple since near the beginning, the version included has the long stem and a firmer rebound stiffness. However there have been subtle changes to them and KZ tends to pair the variations to properly match the earphone.

Packed inside the KZ AS24 shell in the form of a cityscape is you guessed it – 12 drivers (24 total between both earpieces). Although, when these companies are boasting about driver count you have to realize they are doubling, tripling or even quadrupling up on certain drivers to reach desired output levels while bringing overall distortion levels down. Specifically on the KZ AS24 we have:

• 1 bass driver
• 2 mid/treble wideband drivers with a new trident reed vs the standard U reed design.
• 4 mid treble (consisting of a dual balanced armature)
• 1 tweeter driver

So with all these different drivers, the KZ AS24 allows the user to flip the switches and achieve different results. The descriptions of what each do are semi vague so it helped to makes changes and perform some measurements shown below. Here are some short descriptions of the effects.

• Main tuner switch 1 adds 2db across full range, I measure closer to 4-6db depending on frequency
• Main tuner switches 2/3/4 adds 1db per switch to bass
• Main Tuner switches 1+2+3+4 adds 10db to bass and 4-6db through rest of spectrum gradually decreasing up high
• Aux tuner switches 1/2 adds 1db per switch for the range mid-high 600Hz -6kHz
• Aux tuner switches 3/4 adds 1db per switch above 6.5khz

All the details of these features point to improved control and sound-shaping unlike most KZ recipes, but there is always room for improvement such as actual resistive filters and more costly/labor intensive flexible standing wave absorption sound tubes.

COMFORT / ISOLATION

The shell is stout and bulked up with a confident stance in my ears as if to make it point to feel so sturdy even given the plastic shell. They are large and in charge so small eared folks should look elsewhere. I attempted to give away some other KZ products this weekend only to realize even the smaller models may be too big for young ears. 

Most importantly, the deep nozzle of the KZ AS24 with the fairly sturdy starline eartips managed to take hold of my ear canal keeping them in place. Even with the fact they are floating above my Concha/ Antitragus ridges, they take root. Fitment is often overlooked, but I find this is a main driver to me adopting them in the listening rotation or getting shelved. If I cannot keep them in my ears, I get annoyed and no longer want to listen.

SOUND

Tested with LG G8, Colorfly CDA-M1P, and SMSL DO400.

KZ AS24 bass has what I consider the KZ house sound, snappy with some punch followed up with a modest sub bass filler. It lacks the tight rumble of the Kefine Klanar, so if over-pressurization is an annoyance, the AS24 will have your back. Sub-bass holds back, but is present in the group of friends, taking on the role of designated driver over its more boisterous and outgoing frequency band of brothers.

Midrange pinna boost does reach the forward level but clarity is quite good and this is where I can tell the focus was in creating such a monster. Voodoo Child by Kenny Wayne Shepherd is quite intense, and on overdrive through his guitar riffs. It is very overpowering especially given the soft tail ends of the spectrum reproduced only by one driver each.

Clarity is good however resolution is still not where I would like it. It feels slightly claustrophobic, not giving enough room to separate everything out individually. If it had more depth, the width might also feel wider.

Treble teeters in the fray and is allowed to speak with extra sheen. It’s not offensive at all, but feels muted and overdamped affecting timbre. I think KZ has overdone the treble output in the past, so they were rather careful here not to completely blow it out. Cymbals sound like they are being hit with spaghetti sticks rather than wood sticks. I could use some more shimmer. 

Bringing back in the Kefine Klanar to take on the equally priced KZ AS24 seems like a no brainer. It is easy to forget the plethora of good options in the $100 category where we are just dipping toes into the value mid-tier. Midbass is fuller and gives rock more grunt on the Klanar, the AS24 sounds thinner and more  sculpted. Midrange is not as forward on the Kefine and allows me to enjoy Tool’s Forty Six & 2 without a front row assault. Cymbals sound more realistic with good decay and quantity.

The Kefine Klanar sounds more wholesome while the KZ AS24 presents the music as individual parts glued together. There is more contrast in the AS24 presentation that can become tiring with the treble switches set to max. I had to turn all those off and it became slightly warmer in the presentation. This is the problem with trying to evaluate these more complicated tuning solutions. It is a bonus and a curse at times.

Where KZ AS24 does score over the Kefine Klanar is in fiitment. While bulkier, it clearly stays put and seals correctly. The Kefine Klanar is more finicky in this regard and requires delicate positioning and better than stock tips perhaps to reach fitment nirvana. They may be others who appreciate a less bulky earphone but the overshapes are still equivalent.

WRAPPING UP

I am impressed with the overall package and design of the KZ AS24, it seems they did more than slap as many drivers as they could fit in the shell and made a careful decision on how to tune it. The forward nature does wear on me, and as mentioned earlier I feel claustrophobic. Clarity is great however resolution is modest. Tuning is textbook Harman without any major deviations.

Switches can make an earphone feel more like a prototype than a feature, however it offers more than just acoustic tuning via easy to lose nozzle tuning filters. The AS24 without the switches is available for those who want certainty. The AS24 is one of KZ’s better accomplishments in a highly competitive value entrance to the mid-tier. I don’t hate it, it’s got a good pedigree and I forget at times I am listening to a KZ.

Disclaimer: I appreciate KZ Acoustics sending these by mistake to me instead of Jurgen and given my busy tail end of the year, the AS24 fittingly slip into the 2024 new year. Available for purchase from Aliexpress or other shops.

KZ AS24 SPECIFICATIONS

https://kz-audio.com/kz-as24.html

KZ AS24 Frequency 20-40000Hz
Sensitivity Standard Version 112±3dB
Tuning Version 109±5dB
Impedance Standard Version 20Ω
Tuning Version 20Ω~50Ω
Plug type 3.5mm
Pin type 0.75mm
Cable type Silver-plated cable
Cable length 120±5cm

KZ AS24 TUNABLE GRAPHS

• Left vs Right
• Main switch Tuning
• Auxiliary Switch Tuning
• Other Combinations
• Impedance

Contact us!

DISCLAIMER

Our generic standard disclaimer.

About my measurements.

The post KZ AS24 (Tunable Version) Review – Earphone Tetris A Winning Game? appeared first on Music For The Masses.

INTRO

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

SOUND

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

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

Specifications CCA Duo

PACKAGE CONTENTS

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

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

OUTRO

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

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

FREQUENCY RESPONSE GRAPH

Contact us!

DISCLAIMER

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

Our generic standard disclaimer.

About my measurements.

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

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.

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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Get it from AOSHIDA AUDIO

Our generic standard disclaimer.

About my measurements.

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

BEGIN HERE

SIVGA Nightingale launched at the same time as the Kefine Klanar a planar based IEM from another mother. SIVGA has been around in the circles for quite some time with my experience seeing them mentioned as great options for over-ears “budget” busters.

Their signature wood ear cups carry through a vast majority of their lineup. The Sivga Nightingale is no exception with wood representation on the faceplate. A unique tuning that dares to be a different creation highlighting a bullish tight midbass, a dark and chesty midrange, finished with a pointed exacting treble.

Given that Sigva sent me both the Nightingale and the Kefine Klanar, and the diameter of the diaphragm has the same dimension it is easy to hypothesize  they are most likely sourcing the same planar driver.

How they tuned them is entirely different and it is abundantly clear these are two separate earphones for sure. The premium price tag of $229 plants them firmly in the upper level of what I classify mid-level IEMs, it is a direct competitor the 7Hz Timeless at that price.

SOUND

Sigva Nightingale makes the upper bass lower midrange the focus of the show, with at times exuding a tunnel or highly reverberant spacious representation. I would not call it bass bleed because the whole lower end is lifted and thunderous, a combo of mildly boomy and boxy that just doesn’t stop.

Subass is available, but it slowly fades out while the snappier 60-100Hz band exudes more confidence and sets the pace. Transients are speedy and clean when you dig through the muddle. Vocals sound chesty, colored, opaque at times. Since the pinna gain is fairly flat, it is absent the usual forwardness and has a natural laidback posture.

Shimmering treble dominates the treble region, but it is clear and articulated with plenty of air. Its a bit magnified as it comes really forward in the mix. While it might be unnatural to have it brought so prominently focused in the mix, it does not sound sibilant or tizzy at all. If you like super clean and articulate cymbals this will not disappoint. It bests the Timeless in treble production even with the Timeless over highlighting it.

Technically, the saturated low to mid region weighs down the highly articulate nature of the treble. The Sivga Nightingale is an odd bird in that respect because everything feels quick and nimble except the low to mids. The Sivga Nightingale sounds wide and closed in, but depth in staging is good. Timbre is ruined only through the low-mid. I am having flashbacks to Brainwavz B400 tuning? I also think it might close to Pioneer CH3 turning, or perhaps something from Final Audio.

PHYSICAL ATTRIBUTES

Shell design of the Sigva Nightingale shares similar curves and shapes as the 7hz X Crinacle Salnotes planar. It fits smoothly and isolates well. The cable has an outer gummy texture and remains flexible, with an easy to use chin slider. The only connection option is 4.4mm balanced, 3.5mm users find yourself a dongle, consider a replacement cable, or look elsewhere.

The Sivga Nightingale ear-tip selection has a basic set of medium bore style, and then a more sticky smaller bore that resembles what comes with the Final Audio earphones. The smaller bore are of thicker material and harder to get on the nozzles of the Sigva Nightingale. The diameter might be slightly too small for the nozzle size, challenging me to change them out.

The attractive hard case is rather large , but fits the ear-tip carrying case with the earphones inside. The carbon fiber appearance cloth stitching sets it apart from generic cases with their brand name molded to it.

FINAL REMARKS

The Sigva Nightingale has all the ingredients to be great and it is in certain ways. I am happy to hear a different tuning because not everyone likes Harman, or diffuse, or neutral. Not everything needs to be the same. I like the Nightingale with caveats not worth repeating, but it’s not going to be for everyone. It only comes in 4.4mm balanced as well.

Disclaimer: Many thanks to Sigva for providing these free of charge for a no-nonsense review and without whispering in my ear.

Get it from these Stores:

amazon.com

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256805845717815.html

SPECIFICATIONS Sigva Nightingale

Style: In-ear
Driver type: 14.5mm Planar diaphragm
Frequency response: 20 Hz – 40K Hz
Sensitivity: 100 dB +/- 3 dB
Impedance: 16Ω+/-15%
Cable length: 1.2 M +/-0.2 M
Plug size: 4.4 mm
Weight: 15g

GRAPH

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DISCLAIMER

Our generic standard disclaimer.

About my measurements.

The post Sivga Nightingale Planar IEM Review – A Lonesome Walk Down A Dark Tunnel appeared first on Music For The Masses.

ORIGIN STORY

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

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

PHYSICAL FORMALITIES

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

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

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

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

SOUND

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

FINAL REMARKS

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

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

DISCLAIMER

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

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

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

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

SPECIFICATIONS

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

GRAPHS

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

Contact us!

Our generic standard disclaimer.

About my measurements.

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

INTRO

Prepping for my annual ahem visual inspection, I dove into the HIDIZS MP145 and what I found was almost more enjoyable than trying to keep my hunger at bay. Having purchased the 7Hz Timeless ($220) at nearly double the entry cost of the HIDIZS MP145 ($109 kickstarter/$145 MSRP) my curiosity wanted to know is there something that improves upon it in the planar realm?

HIDIZS found inspiration from the plight of the whales, and for those who want to support a noble cause have a look at the Whale and Dolphin Conservatory. 

The $139 (early-bird; regular $199) Hidizs MP145 was provided by the company for my review and I thank them for that. You can get them from Kickstarter.

HIDIZS wants you to know they plan on providing more information about how their partnership works by following them on social media.

“Whale and Dolphin Conservation (WDC) is the leading global charity dedicated to the protection of whales, dolphins, and their ocean homes. As the design of the MP145 was inspired by whales, we’re proudly supporting WDC’s Green Whale work and helping to raise awareness about the vital role whales play in the health of our oceans, and ultimately our planet. Learn more about these amazing animals here, and follow us on social media to get updates about our partnership.”

Getting back to the task at hand, why use Planars?

Planar drivers are unique and opposite to dynamic drivers that rely on stiffness of the diaphragm to prevent unwanted movements. Instead, the planar operates solely on the principle of bending and vibrating the surface of the diaphragm. Usually this results in very quick transients and an extended top end that sounds airy.

SOUND

Tested with the HIDIZS AP80 Pro-X Copper, LG G8, and SMSL SU-9 + JDS Labs AtomV1

The HIDIZS MP145 is a mid-centric bright with a midbass boost signature as opposed to the U shaped response curve of the 7HZ Timeless. Bass lacks the speed and control of the Timeless and the lower registers as well. I feel like the venting might be too much on the HIDIZS MP145 and does not allow enough air suspension to control the back wave.

It is noticeable for example on Hans Zimmer’s Mombasso from the Inception soundtrack where rapid succession synth tones can easily be lost. In simple arrangements it seems dynamic and tight, but once it gets more complex the definition is lost. Amplification or high gain mode on portable players and DACs was a must to help, but it did not provide the ah-ha moment I was hoping for. Keep in mind the lower sensitivity of 104dB/mW will challenge lower powered devices.

Now looking at the upper end of the spectrum we indeed get air produced by the HIDIZS MP145, but it also sounds steely in the timbre. The 7Hz Timeless with its even more tricked out air and zing lets the MP145 off the hook for its exaggerated enhanced highs.

At times, cymbals sound over-damped and blunted when compared to the 7Hz Timeless. I wonder how it might fare against the Letshuoer S12 instead that Jurgen reviewed previously since they are priced similarly.. During the auditioning of the track Acoustic Alchemy by Georgia Peach, the cymbals are accentuated and brittle, a tough test for many IEMs I like to use. 

The midrange stands out on the HIDIZS MP145 with its clear and detailed portrayal of male and female vocals alike. There is good spacing and a sense of resolution through the midrange that is not shared through the upper treble and bass department. Listening to the HIDIZS MP145 by itself, it comes off fairly confident in abilities. 

Once compared to the 7Hz Timeless where spacing around all the individual elements shine through and there is more depth and resolution do we see the HIDIZS MP145 has some ground to make up. It’s like if you took a picture primarily with flash, the picture is clear, but the shadows do not let things pop out.

Once you add in the extra background flood light allowing shadows to disappear do we truly get a good picture. Stage width of the HIDIZS MP145 extends outwards , but depth is somewhat 2 dimensional. Unfortunately even given the extended top end, I do not pick up enough height lift.

PACKAGE CONTENTS

At this point of my review maybe you are irritated by the fact I skipped over the wide selection of eartips for balanced, vocal and bass enhancement. They are the same as what was included with the MS3 and MS5.

Or perhaps, I did not mention the 3 sets of filters also designed to tailor the sound. I also noticed when swapping the filters, there is open-cell foam jammed deep down inside the shell. With a small pair of tweezers or similar tool, it could be carefully plucked out and that might undo some of the over-damped brilliance, or we might get some other unwanted nasties. Point being, these could be a tweaker project.

HIDIZS MP145 includes the coin purse case that first made an appearance with the MS3 and seems to be the new popular way to include a case with expanding the packaging size. I appreciate that it fits cleanly in my pants or shorts without looking like I am excited to greet everyone I meet.

The silver cable is enjoyable and much appreciated over the heavy and extra cable used on the HIDIZS MS3 and MS5. It does not add unwanted weight to my ears, and looks classy. I am the anti-cablist desiring something that does not tangle (easily), is pliable and does not create micro-phonics which is what you get with the HIDIZS MP145. 

Constructed with high-purity single-crystal oxygen-free copper silver-plated wire, after saying that five times fast I believe they should hold up well over time. The functional chin slider can snug up the wires for further reduction of micro-phonics produced by the cable, as a comparison the MS5 chin slider was extremely hard to use. These were all the good points, unfortunately there were some grievances. 

GOING MENTAL

This does not impact the main importance of earphones, the packaging in my mind does not meet their goals of saving the whales. You may or may not have heard about the Great Pacific Garbage Patch floating around in the Pacific Ocean. Well, normally boxes are made of recyclable materials such as cardboard instead HIDIZS opted for a plastic box and while it may not end up in the ocean, it will most certainly end up in a landfill. My suggestion is hopefully reuse it for small storage in a drawer perhaps?

The other issue involves the shell – one of the earpieces supplied to me near the vent holes is deformed, as if it was pushed on. There is a crease noticeable in the right light despite the material being aluminum. Those blow hole covers are maybe a little thin, but could also be a one off problem.

The sharpness of the HIDIZS MP145 shell  is a strange feeling when pushing them into my ears. I prefer the simple yet boring flatness of the 7Hz Timeless face-plate. The carved out shells are rather large and the nozzles are large diameter, so those that have small ears and prefer smaller shells might find them too big.

THE WRAP-UP

I might have been praising the MS3 and the MS5, but the HIDIZS MP145 is merely decent and not class leading for a planar. I still like the 7Hz Timeless better despite having an over the top airiness, plus it is not as large. The more mid-centric and over-damped treble air of the MP145 might be welcome to those who thought the 7Hz Timeless might have too much in either end of the frequency spectrum.

The HIDIZS has a pleasing western tonality with extra airiness, but non-de script bass and average technicalities prevent me from praising, I prefer their MS3 instead for around the same price.

Disclaimer: We thank HIDIZS for providing these free of charge. I will do what I can to save the whales, I for one have cut down on using one-time use disposal plastic sandwich bags.

SPECIFICATIONS HIDIZS MP145

GRAPHS

• Left vs Right
• Eartips
• Filters

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DISCLAIMER

Get The MP145 from Kickstarter.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/hidizs/hidizs-next-gen-ultra-large-planar-hifi-iems-9-sound-types?ref=aq2pt9

Our generic standard disclaimer.

About my measurements.

The post HIDIZS MP145 Review (1) – Save The Whales And Your Bath Water appeared first on Music For The Masses.

IN THE BEGINNING

Shanling has a thorough product catalog including many IEMS including their latest iteration the Shanling Sono. While I am more familiar with their various portable DACs (UA2+, UA3), they make wonderful DAPs from entry level to premium players. We have not explored the earphones they offer so when Shanling offered up their Sono for dissection, I was compelled to investigate given the unique dual dynamic coaxial hybrid BA configuration.

The Shanling Sono departs from the usual universal shell and goes for a more compact, smooth, and well built zinc alloy IEM while competing in a normal retail price point ($79) for other brands found in the local big box stores around here. There are some well regarded IEM’s in this cost segment, and for a few bucks more the options expand further. The Shanling Sono physical design is a welcome departure for those that despise bulkier IEMs clouded by a mixed bag of slow bass, clear mid-range, and aloof treble.

WHAT’S INSIDE

When the Shanling Sono arrives on your doorstep inside you will find a shiny set of zinc oxide polished metal earphones with a spacious zippered carrying case. The shell takes the form of their ME100/500 models from what I can see. It comes with a set of 4 tips, XS, S, M L, additionally there is a non-standard dual flange type for deep ear cleaning insertion depths. I find those uncomfortable, but they typically provide good anchoring and isolation as long as the flanges maintain their shape.

The only hiccup with the included accessories was the 2 pin cable. I find it comfortable and lightweight with the twist inside a twist coming out smooth on top around the ear hooks, but the plugs going into the earphones have a sharp edge on the outward facing side. This was a purposely done design feature to match the lines of the earphone connection point, but I find it an unnecessary an unwelcome design choice.

The final surprise was inside the case of the Shanling Sono – a second set of nozzle filters that screw on. This has become a simple and effective way of making drastic changes to the tuning of the earphones. The Shanling design utilizes a vent hole on the side of the actual filter. I have not seen that concept since the BGVP DMG days. The vent hole is guarded by a filter so it is more than just a hole.

The filter with the black o-ring is the balanced one, and the red o-ring one is the bass filter. They both have absorbing foam in them, with the black ones having less. The problem is that on this particular set, the black ones do not have an even amount and this impacts the bass output both in listening and measuring.

The good news, you can roll your own materials and create your own concoctions. I pulled out the foam and re-positioned the foam that was originally sideways and it seemed to improve channel balance.

Upon a quick listen of the Shanling Sono, the red filter balances out the upper mid-range gain, but the bass is overpowering and unfocused. The balanced filter is my choice despite putting up with the shrillness that plagues the tonality. With the filters removed you can see inside the shell and marvel at two peculiar design factors.

One is that the BA driver is deep inside firing at an angle into the side of the nozzle. The other is the filter is oblong and once tightened the squashed side matches up with the thicker portion of the nozzle. I do not know if this was to provide a surface for the BA driver sound to traverse, was done to reduce resonances, or most likely both.

SOUND

The Shanling Sono is not the most efficient and paired with a smartphone you will have good luck at protecting your hearing, but I feel a dongle is a must with these or a strong DAP. Amplification improves them further when using the SMSL DO100/HO100 combo because not only are they inefficient, the impedance dips to 8 ohms requiring some current capability. Out of the two Shanling dongles at my disposal, the UA3 is a great fit while the UA2+ is adds to the already present presence. The smoother nature corrects for some 5khz shrillness from the middle treble.

Cymbal riding sounds twisted up- snares sound lively but the rest is smeared. I cannot help but think that sideways balanced armature is struggling to define itself. The treble also feels a little disconnected from the rest of the music. It takes front stage, over the bass and vocals.

Mid-range emanating from the coaxial 6.8mm dynamic is pleasant although recessed. Vocals have a dryness to them, the female vocals are missing some breathiness. Rush’s Tom Sawyer sounds very much like listening to them in an intimate room.

Bass is very heavy and slow exacerbated by the red filters, and again sounds disjointed from the treble. Cohesion is not a strong point even though the bio diaphragm 9.2mm dynamic should align with the midrange coaxial driver. Here the issue is speed. Smearing both the bass and treble does not bode well for the Shanling Sono. With the proper amount of filling in the black filter, it could knock down the stuffiness at least.

Jazz works well with the Shanling Sono, when I listen to Angelina by The Yellowjackets the sax solo is front and center and the intimate stage fits well with the piano in the background. Rock and electronic are second place music types that and can work with them as well, but I prefer other tunings for that music.

COMPARISONS

Given the $79 price tag of the Shanling Sono, I quickly realized I do not have much to compare with in this prices range. I know the class leader Moondrop Aria would be a good comparison, so melding Jürgen’s thoughts is what I can offer. Bass on the Aria was articulated and composed, not smearing like the Sono. The upper mids on the Sono peak higher and will sound more forward. On top of that the plateaus tip in different directions. Finally, if the 10khz peak was too much on the Aria, the Shanling Sono takes it to level 11.

Truthears Hexa is direct competition at $79, however it is still on loan to Loomis. The coherence is better on the Hexa, bass is snappy where the Sono straggles behind. The Truthears Hexa had a diffuse field curve and the presence region was scooped out making the Shanling Sono more energetic, but pitchy. Staging is pulled back on the Hexa where Sono brings you closer.

The ancient Ibasso It01 V1 ($99) with it’s U shaped signature has sweet treble and stronger controlled bass with better extension. The It01 sounds more homogeneous, but with its grungy midrange due to less pinna gain perhaps a little more crowded than the Shanling Sono. The Ibasso IT01 is easily driven whereas the Shanling Sono requires amping.

THE END IS NEAR

Keeping in mind the Shanling Sono is an entry level earphone for Shanling, it does not have enough pluses for me to like it and is definitely not a leader for this class. The unique small shell is great, the driver placement needs improvement, cohesion is struggling and there is no standout frequency band to hold up and claim victory.

At least the tuning is somewhat unique peaking at around 5Khz, if you like intimate jazz these might work for you. I really dislike the quality of the treble though making this set soon to be forgotten. The requirement of amplification to deal with the low impedance of the frequency spectrum below 2khz and low sensitivity makes this not so affordable either, if you add that to price of admission.

Disclaimer: I thank Shanling for providing these free of charge for review. My opinions are my own thoughts, good or bad.

SPECIFICATIONS SHANLING SONO

Earphone Type In-Ear Monitors
Sensitivity 103dB±3dB
Cable 4-core Silver-Plated Copper
Plug 3.5mm
Frequency Response 16-40000Hz
Impedance 16Ω
Earphone Connector 0.78mm 2Pin

GRAPHS

• Left vs Right Red Filters
• Left vs Right Black Filters (after I re-positioned)
• Red vs Left and Right Black filters (as delivered out of the box)
• Impedance Plot

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DISCLAIMER

Available from Amazon or other retailers.

Purchase Link (no funny business) https://www.amazon.com/SHANLING-SONO-Headphones-Earphones-Replaceable/dp/B0C9MCVM1R

Our generic standard disclaimer.

About my measurements.

The post Shanling Sono Review – Living On A Prayer appeared first on Music For The Masses.

BEGINNINGS

I never thought I would see my Starfield again, but then the Universe delivers the Moondrop Starfield 2 to my doorstep. Not much of a spiritual individual, I was still thankful I get another chance to reminisce.

Truth be told, the Aria would have been more my type to boogie with, but it was released later than the Starfield. Like all impatient audio junkies, I wanted the quick fix of what was new now.

The new Moondrop Starfield 2 is better than version one where the treble brilliance took a trip to the basement and never came back. We should take hints from kids, always shine a light before embarking on a trip to the darkness.

What to expect from the new version? A more forward upper midrange paired with a less gradual decline in treble output with a topping of sparkle and tighter controlled bass.

PACKAGE CONTENTS

Borrowing 1960’s hot-rod paint jobs or old amusement park rides for the kids in us, the Moondrop Starfield 2 utilizes the familiar shell that helps to keep tooling costs down for production. The iridescent paint is beautiful on top of the cast alloy zinc shell.

I believe there were reports of the original Starfield paint had a tendency to chip off. That does not mean the Starfield 2 would suffer the same fate, but painted metal things bouncing against each other will eventually show wear, call it patina or just be warned.

Inside they have stuffed the Moondrop Starfield 2 with a new 10mm dynamic constructed of Magnesium and Lithium alloy that claims to be more rigid and lighter than pure Beryllium.

This should equate to precise and quick transients, and hopefully push the breakup mode of the driver past our threshold of hearing. That is usually the goal of extremely rigid driver materials.

The faceplates are flat vs the angled ones from the Kanas Pro and Kato designs. Moondrop chose to make the screw a decorative feature. The tips of the nozzle also unscrews to change the mesh screen.

I have taken pictures in the past of these screens, and they are rather intricate and specialized to not only keep the moisture out, but apply acoustic filtration.

Also new the Moondrop Starfield 2 are vent hole plugs, in comparison to modders using micropore tape in the past to increase bass. You need patience to attach them, but once attached they increase the bass to bass head levels in a straight liner shot to the bottom. There are also plugs with holes, but it did not seem to change anything different than just leaving them out. 

The 2 pin cable is a striking blue color of twisted silver strand wrapped in a slightly rubberized texture sheath. The brass accents standout and match the brass nozzle. It’s rather weighty at 32g while both ear pieces clock in at 22g together. Microphonics are rendered moot, but the weight of the cable puts a damper in another way.

SOUND

Tested with the Shanling UA2 Plus and SMSL DO100 with HO100, the Moondrop Starfield 2 is a lightweight with the bass, easy on the lower midrange and focused on upper mids with a sprinkle of sparkle. This is the essence of Moondrop’s VSDF target curve many of their products follow with varying degrees of refinement.

The dynamic driver feels quicker than past iterations and the sub bass rumble is adequate. The vent plug drastically changes that, so if you desire they respond well to EQ instead. Still the midbass has a soft start but a tight finish. Despite the relatively minor bass lift it rolls into the lower midrange nicely avoiding sounding too thin.

Midrange clarity is excellent for this tier of IEMs producing well rounded vocals that sound exciting and pure. Note definition has proper decay exhibiting good depth making instruments sound believable. The upper midrange lift is more than my personal preference by a few decibels, but it hangs back ever so slightly before it steps out of bounds. This pinna gain aids in the clarity perception.

The Moondrop Starfield 2 treble is in-offensive and delicate, brass never sounds honky in quieter passages and picks up the slight flutters of saxophones and flutes. A little kick in the brilliance at 10Khz adds excitement and helps to uplift the final stage keeping it from sounding too flat. Purists will probably object, but the original Starfield was too tame for me near this area. What can I say, I enjoy some spice.

Lately I have been giving the Ibasso IT01 some light of day, I felt another oldie but goodie that was frequently recommended in this price bracket deserves a chance. Some might remember the Pioneer SE-CH9T, if not no worries.

They share similarities in the bass department until the Moondrop Starfield 2 except the Pioneer goes flat before making it to the midbass, quantity and quality are equivalent. I find the Starfield 2 has more note weight when listening to stand up bass. 

The Pioneer is more balanced overall, it doesn’t quite have the sharpness at the pinna gain around 3khz. Staging sounds wider on the CH9T and some dips in the treble take the edge off and push the whole stage backwards in comparison to the Starfield 2 with its more forward nature.

I picked up some resolution improvements in the presence region on the Starfield 2. Shakers and cymbals sparkle on the Moondrop Starfield 2 and shine like watching a newer movie shot with digital cameras. The Pioneer feels more analog with a grainy quality. 

Another one of my favorite picks between the $80-100 mark depending on purchase date, the TinHifi T4 is a good match-up for the Moondrop Starfield 2. While following a more similar target to the Pioneer, the T4 has more mid-bass thump and grunt compared to the Starfield 2. Upper midrange on the T4 is a more pleasant and longer session tune for me, but the Starfield 2 has snappier snares. 

While the stage sounds wider on the T4, I do not sense as much separation when compared to the Moondrop Starfield 2. Micro detail resolution winner is the Starfield 2. I clearly pick out each instrument and place them as if listening live, the T4 otherwise sounds more like a great recording.

So what have I missed, perhaps at this point I should mention they offer between good or great isolation. While I sort of miss the sticky and unique Spring ear tips, I think the sizing on them was off and not appreciated by the masses so instead we get rather generic eartips. Storing them is easy in the flip top leather case that can also be found with the Kato.

SO WHAT NOW?

Moondrop really hangs their hat on the VSDF tuning which is more diffuse than the Harman tuning. Moondrop Starfield 2 enhances a few areas on the old Starfield while dare I say, undercutting the previously popular Kato in terms of technical abilities. It will be a shining star for those that crave sharp definition and resolution while not overdoing either in air or bass (unless you want to). 

I have personally bought my way up the Moondrop ladder with the Kanas Pro (retired), Starfield (lost), Kato and Blessing Dusk 2 still in rotation and have previously reviewed the Alice TWS.

I can say the Starfield 2 is good company however not kicking older brothers and sisters out of the house. Kato and Alice still deliver more technicalities than the Starfield 2, but the $100 buys a fantastic floor seat to a great concert anchoring itself at the gate for others to attempt to push past.

Disclaimer: I thank SHENZHENAUDIO/Moondrop for providing these at no cost. While I have purchased the original Starfield, Kanas Pro, Kato, and Blessing Dusk 2 on my own dime you could say I am a bit of a fanboy – I still keep my biases in check.

SPECIFICATIONS

GRAPHS

• Left vs Right
• Open Vent vs Plug
• Moondrop Graph Comparison of Starfield and Starfield 2

Contact us!

DISCLAIMER

Get it from SHENZHENAUDIO.

Our generic standard disclaimer.

About my measurements.

The post Moondrop Starfield 2 Review (1) – Deadly Electric Boogaloo With An Old Friend appeared first on Music For The Masses.

HERE WE ARE

There is something enticing and comforting about big chunks of aluminum, copper and steel that emit heat while pushing electrically charged particles around and with these small black box amplifiers, Fosi Audio V3 shifts the goal posts and somehow invites curiosity from the opposite of excess.

Cramming it full of all the audiophile buzz word components and features at an affordable starting price of $89, or unlocking more power at $109, what us power hogs identify as an amp might be slowly shifting.

Fosi Audio appears to be active listening and have taken part in the forum communities to pluck what drives reliability and credibility to an audio product. What we get in return is a well thought out desktop amplifier for those chained to a desk, or that could also serve as the anchor in a nice 2 channel setup as long as power expectations are kept in check with the included power supply.

LET’S TALK DESIGN CHOICES

With these small black box amplifiers, Fosi Audio V3 shifts the goal posts and crams it full of all the audiophile buzz word components and features at an affordable starting price of $89, or unlocking more power at $109. They appear to be active listening and have taken part in the forum communities to pluck what drives reliability and credibility to an audio product.

What we get in return is a well thought out desktop amplifier for those chained to a desk, or that could also serve as the anchor in a nice 2 channel setup as long as power expectations are kept in check with the included power supply.

Apart from the very obvious marketing blurbs about Japanese Elna and German Wima capacitors, along with Japanese Sumida inductors, we get a UL certified power supply included with the Fosi Audio V3 when selecting the 32V option. Seems like a small win, but that means it passes all safety requirements.

That is not to say the original power supply provided with the TB10D or the BT30D Pro were dangerous, it just means they are willing to go the extra mile. There are actually two options when purchasing the Fosi Audio V3 direct from their store, the one supplied with a 32V power supply ($89) or the one with a 48V supply ($109). The power supply by itself sells for $59, so a much better value choosing the 48V. This is also another win.

However, I wish they would cut it out with the 300W irrelevant text pulled from the Texas instruments data sheet. Hopefully they are not fooling anyone, but I am sure there are true believers. To reach those levels, it requires a 51-53V supply and those power ratings are with 10% distortion, and most likely poor SINAD numbers.

Coming back to the parts used, they designed it using reputable parts and swap-able op-amps that pays homage to the days of tube swappers. It does come supplied with the workhorse NE5532 which is a solid choice and rather inexpensive these days (~$0.67 non-bulk pricing).

Of course those with tweaking hands will definitely open it up and probably swap in MUSE op-amps or some Burr Brown. What I would like to see from brands that offer this flexibility is actual verification that certain op-amps are compatible. With the wrong circuit design, a “better” op-amp can actually invite instability and oscillations.

Fosi Audio does appear to consider recommendations and also made sure to capitalize on that by actually offering the MUSE02, OPA2134PA, and OPA2604PA. I have dabbled in op-amp swaps with one of my Audiotrak Prodigy soundcards using the OPA2227, OPA2134 and am familiar with Douglas Self testing from over a decade ago, but the NE5532 is a fine op-amp to stick with.

Other features or rather non-features of the Fosi Audio V3 include only a tapered logarithmic on/off volume knob and the subtraction of any tone controls that might detract from a purist experience. Logarithmic volume controls give the user better control to find the volume sweat spot without large jumps in the output power.

There is also a 3.5mm pre-out connection however not sure what purpose it serves other than to daisy chain a headphone amp to it. The pre-out works whether the amp is on or not so therefore it is not tied to the volume control. If it were, then we would have a proper preamp for a subwoofer.

The Fosi Audio V3 does exhibit a small blip (not a pop) when turning on. It would not even remotely damage anything I am only pointing it out because Fosi claims noise free turn off-but they are clever by not mentioning turn ON noise.

Cooling did not seem to be a problem on the TB10D, but the Fosi Audio V3 adds ventilation holes on the top and bottom. The size of the case is the same as the TB10D and about the size of a computer mechanical hard drive. If anything it would aid in any heat buildup in the filter inductors. Regardless, it stays cool to the touch even during spirited listening sessions.

HOW DOES THE FOSI AUDIO V3 SOUND?

Several of my friends gave the Fosi Audio V3 a listen paired with an Adcom GCD-600 CD player and vintage Kef 103.2 speakers (8 ohm)- a far stretch for bookshelf speakers. I also paired it with a SMSL C200 DAC and Behringer Truth B2030 (4 ohm) nearfield monitors.

Volume was plentiful, bass was tight and controlled but not given a chance to blossom as it did with an Nelson Pass designed Adcom GFA-545. Probably not fair given the highly regulated power supply of the Fosi compared to the linear power supply of the Adcom with its ample capacitor power reserve and more power for dynamics.

Also keep in mind the Adcom can easily supply 100W at 8 ohms and the V3 is closer to 30-50W. An unfair advantage for sure until you remember one can take up minimal space on a desktop, and the other is geared for equipment rack usage.

The Fosi Audio V3 had quick transients almost to the point of sounding too clean, we all seemed to prefer the more organic nature of the Adcom although I admit we did have sighted bias going on. Also due to depth reproduction, layering was crunched giving a flatter stage presence.

I think our biggest take away was there was something going on in the treble mostly noticeable on cymbal hit-hats making them sound over-damped and trimmed. The Adcom let them ride a bit. Like biting into an apple that has been stored too long, the essence is there but the flavor and juice are missing. Surprisingly, I felt the Fosi Audio TB10D fell somewhere between the GFA-545 and the Fosi Audio V3 in cymbal reproduction, but delivered a boxed in stereo image.

I did notice the Fosi Audio V3 does not have the same power output as the TB10D despite the same power supply and amp chip. This was noticeable by turning both volume knobs as high as possible and using the DAC as the volume. Based on some sleuthing over at AudioScienceReview (ASR), it appears they might have opted to improve some measurement figures in lew of power output. This is how you can play numbers gains with amps.

TB10D = 29db gain at 76 SINAD
V3 = 26dB gain at 88 SINAD

In a desktop near field situation, staging is excellent and there is plenty of depth and width at play. The Adcom sounds more spacious, wider, and deeper as a result of the more expressive low end, while the Fosi Audio V3 sounded more even with less front to back definition and more focus. Timbre is a touch towards uncanny valley syndrome, sounding less wholesome otherwise sounds clean and transparent. Compared to their TB10D, the V3 improves upon stage width and stereo image.

FINAL POINTS

The Fosi Audio V3 is a great desktop amp, but is not going to replace a full fledged well designed two channel amp. As with all class D designs using a passive filter on the output we end up with load dependent frequency response on the Fosi Audio V3. Fosi made the right decision to reduce output power and go for a cleaner transparent amp with no tone controls.

In a desktop near-field situation the extra power is not needed, and extra cleanliness is applauded, however the treble sounds thinned out and has room for improvement in resolution. The V3 improves on stage width and does sound cleaner over the TB10D. I would have preferred a pre-out controlled via the volume control.

I hope to revisit with the larger power supply, to see if that helps unleash more potential, but as it stands there is plenty of juice for a near field application to reach reference decibel levels with ample dynamic headroom in an affordable package. Keep an eye out for sales, they tend to run promotional discount codes. The Fosi Audio V3 is a great recommendation around the $100 price point for a straight-forward no nonsense desktop amp.

Disclaimer: I am grateful that Fosi Audio provided the V3 despite my poor response time. Had I been more aware of my surroundings, I would have requested the 48V power supply. If I can get the 48V supply, I will update my review or have a secondary review if I can also locate my op-amp stash.

Get it from Fosi Audio, Amazon or Aliexpress

Fosi Audio Store (where you can select 48V power supply option currently): https://fosiaudioshop.com/products/fosi-audio-v3-300w-x2-2-0-channel-hi-fi-stereo-audio-amplifier-with-tpa3255-chip

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Fosi-Audio-V3-Amplifier-Component/dp/B0C36S8DCT

Aliexpress: https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256805418717043.html

SPECIFICATIONS

Chip Set TI TPA3255
Output Power 300Wx2 @4Ω
Terminating Impedance 2-8Ω
Input Mode RCA
Output Mode Speaker Output + Pre-out
Frequency Range 20Hz-20kHz(±0.1dB)
SINAD 88dB
THD 0.003%
SNR ≥110dB
Control Knob Built-in Logarithmic Taper A pot
Device Dimension 6.5×4.1×1.4 inches
DC Input Range 24-48V
Power Supply 32V/5A, 48V/5A

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DISCLAIMER

Our generic standard disclaimer.

About my measurements.

The post Fosi Audio V3 Amp Review (1) – Palm Sized Punch? appeared first on Music For The Masses.

INTRO

Warm and inviting with a zing is how I would describe the HIDIZS MS3. Scaled back drivers to design elements from their flagship MS5, the HIDIZS MS3 is a safe gateway to the mid-tier over $100. Inside they have installed a dual Knowles SWFK-3176 balanced armature paired with a 10.2mm dual magnetic circuit dual cavity dynamic driver for boisterous low end. With nine tuning options, the HIDIZS aims to give users a way to find the right sound signature as long as the baseline contains some resemblance of elevated bass and treble.

PACKAGE CONTENTS

As many others, the HIDIZS MS3 have aimed the tuning towards one of the Harman tuning curves in particular the 2019 version, and hit that target well with 2 of their tuning nozzles at an introductory sales price of $119 and retail price of $169. The internals drivers do not share any similarities of the MS5. We have previously reviewed hits such as the HIDIZS S9, AP80 Pro-X, while the MS5 and other IEMS are always a mixed bag of opinions.

HIDIZS seems to have improved a couple of things that bothered me with the HIDIZS MS5, mainly related to the cable ear-hooks and weight. It is still a heavier cable than most with a plastic stiffness, but the ear-hooks are less dramatic easing the pain inflicted on my ears.

The case is not nearly as lavish and has opted for a coin purse like Moondrop did with their LAN, which is great for reducing the bulk in your pocket. Instead HIDIZS focused on the same nice selection of ear-tips and nozzle filters included with the MS5. Missing is the aluminum plate for storing the filters. The filters do include an o-ring to provide some friction from unscrewing, but I still recommend occasionally checking the tightness.

The 3 sets of ear-tips do what they say, vocals tips accentuate the upper mid-range, bass tips knock down some of the treble, and the balanced take a small bite out of the upper treble and sharpness. They are not overly firm- I wish the outer portion would maintain their shape a little better, on the plus the stems are thick to keep them in place while improving bass concentration into the ear canal.

FITMENT / ISOLATION

As I test more IEM’s I am starting to realize the fitment is the number one factor in determining if the HIDIZS MS3 would be considered for a position in my rotation, then and only then does sound factor in. If I am constantly repositioning or they hurt in some way, this will determine usage. Unfortunately my fitment does not equal your fitment. It is smaller than the MS5 mainly in outward protrusion, nozzle length is good, they do wiggle a bit, but I would classify as medium sized. Isolation is stronger than average given the aluminum shell and decent coverage of filling the space.

SOUND

Pairing the HIDIZS MS3 with their AP80 Pro-X they are heavy in the bottom, easy on the top except for a thin peak in the treble knob region they feel grounded otherwise. I would characterize it as a V tuning. Nuances in the bass overpower much of the mid-range and treble, they are not bass-head, but are bass heavy if that makes sense.

Drums and bass guitars are meaty as opposed to thinner presentations from Moondrop offerings. This is pretty standard affair HIDIZS bass. It could probably use a few clicks of less bass between 250-400Hz to remove some coloration, but it might also suck some life out. Impact is forceful, with good rumble to add dimension. The dual magnetic circuit appears to offer good control.

Upper mid-range and treble are mostly impacted by the filters which tilts the balance between powerful bass and amount of treble energy. Treble is clean and well detailed given the dual Knowles balanced armature.

I gravitated towards the combination of the red filters with the balanced ear-tips. Resolving the macro dynamics, the HIDIZS MS3 also manages to deliver some micro details as needed. Because of the placement of the BA right at the exit, clarity in the treble is pronounced.

The red filters transform the HIDIZS MS3 to something different like a cousin of the other tunings, while the silver and gold filters are siblings. With the red filters you have a gentle ramp up into the lower treble peaking in the presence region. This keeps the vocals from sounding too forward. I prefer the red filter with the balanced tips.

Treble is clean and articulated well by the Knowles BA, it does have a touch of extra zing at 8-10Khz that causes cymbals to pull forward in the mix. It’s not sibilant but rather accentuates some brilliance. I chose the balanced tips to knock down the upper treble to offset this.

Staging feels tight with everything clustered-orchestra pieces feel small but even and well integrated. They are more sensitive than the Ibasso IT01 and the TinHifi T4, with the Ibasso having a darker tone and less biting bass.

The TinHifi T4 is similar to the overall signature of the HIDIZS MS3, but removes some of the coloration from the bass. Upper mid-range pinna gain is knocked down a bit in comparison to the HIDIZS MS3. The TinHifi T4 sounds tilts in the direction of V/balanced.

Comparing to another equal contender the BQEYZ Spring 2, the HIDIZS MS3 has bigger bass with more bloom and room reverberation enhancement. Not surprising the Spring series bass was like drinking a lite beer in that it tastes like beer, but lacking in flavor and refinement.

The treble on the HIDIZS MS3 brings more sizzle and definition while mid-range feels on par to the BQEYZ Spring 2. Fitment of the MS3 is larger over the Spring 2 and the cable is heavier as well with my cable preference going towards the Spring 2. Bigger is not always better.

While the HIDIZS MS3 is easily driven from the AP80 Pro-X along with a dongle or smart phone, the SMSL SU-9 with the JDS Labs amp tightens up the bass even further with more umph and control. Timbre is not as organic as single dynamic Moondrop Kato, but I do find the clarity higher most likely the result of the peaking treble.

WRAPPING UP

I think it would be wrong to primarily focus on the Harman tuning of the HIDIZS MS3 when it has another side to it. The point is the MS3 is a properly accessorized worthy mid-tier IEM. I would rather recommend someone save for these than buy a pile of $50 or under IEMs hoping to make medicore sound gains.

With the unique shell faceplate, and nice selection of ear-tips and filters offering 9 tunings (only 2 major and 7 minor), I can stand behind the recommendation of the MS3 in the price range of $100-200 with the caveat the heavy cable is too much burden on your ears and it does have a V tuning with a wee bit too much in and around 8Khz. If this does not worry you, give them a look.

Disclaimer: I cannot go on vacation without incident- hot tip, ocean waves can be stronger than knees. HIDIZS provided these free to sweep me off my feet but I own my own opinions and my actions when playing in the ocean.

SPECIFICATIONS

HIDIZS MS3 Manufacturers Product Page

Type: 1DD+2BA Hybrid 3 Drivers In-Ear Monitor
Frequency Response: 20Hz-40Khz
Hi-Res Certification
Dynamic Driver: 10.2mm dual magnetic circuit, dual cavity PEEK+PU
Balanced Armature: Knowles SWFK-31736
Replaced Sound Filters: 3 types
Shell: Aluminum with black oxide coating
Sensitivity: 112db
Impedance: 18 ohms
Cable: 0.78 2 pin removable high-purity oxygen-free copper 4-strand braided, 1.2m length
Plug: 3.5mm or optional 4.4mm when ordering
Weight: 15g includes cable.

GRAPHS

• Left vs Right
• Comparison of Tuning Filters
• Comparison of Ear-tips

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DISCLAIMER

Get it from HIDIZS or Amazon

Our generic standard disclaimer.

About my measurements.

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