“Since the advent of the CD, listeners have been deprived of the full experience of listening.” - Neil Young PonoPlayers...
Read More »
Headphones
Benchmark Media DAC1 HDR DAC and Headphone Amplifier
Thomas Turner has posted a review of the Benchmark DAC1 HDR DAC and headphone amplifier ($1895) at Stereo Times. His conclusions: The Benchmark DAC1 HDR was a stellar performer and I could happily live with it in my system. As far as sound quality is concerned, its performance is darn near flawless. I could...
Read More »
JH Audio Pro 13 In-Ear Headphones
John Zurek has posted a review of the JH Audio Pro 13 in-ear headphones ($1099) at Positive Feedback Online. His conclusions: A little over a year ago I was at one the audio shows that included displays by most of the really good headphone companies. While talking with PFO's Bryan Gladstone about audio on...
Read More »
Grace M903 Headphone Amplifier and DAC
John Marks has posted a review of the Grace M903 headphone amplifier and DAC ($1895) in his The Fifth Element column at Stereophile. His conclusions: The Grace Design m903 continues the tradition set by its predecessors by being "a great, high-resolution DAC in a very cost-effective package" that offers remarkable clarity, continuity, and roundness...
Read More »
Eximus DP1 DAC/Preamplifier/Headphone Amplifier
Doug Schneider has posted a review of the Eximus DP1 DAC/Preamplifier/Headphone Amplifier ($2995) at SoundStage! Hi-Fi. His conclusions: The Eximus DP1 has plenty to crow about and I found little in it to criticize, so I’ll deal with the latter first. Most notable was the DP1’s lack of analog inputs, particularly a balanced one....
Read More »
CEntrance DACmini CX DAC and Headphone Amplifier
Erick Lichte has posted a review of the CEntrance DACmini CX DAC ($799) at Stereophile. His conclusions: The sound of the DACmini CX couldn't have been more different from that of the Benchmark DAC1 HDR. Whereas the DACmini was all round and supple, the Benchmark was cool and calculating. Via the Benchmark instruments had...
Read More »
Grant Fidelity TubeDAC-11 DAC and Headphone Amplifier
Dean Seislove has posted a review of the Grant Fidelity TubeDAC-11 ($325) at Positive Feedback Online. His conclusions: As noted earlier, there are many DAC options for the holiday shopper: some are cheaper than the Grant Fidelity, a few the same, and many more are much pricier. But few of these DACs can also...
Read More »
Musical Fidelity M1HPA Preamplifier and Headphone Amplifier
Phil Gold has posted a review of the Musical Fidelity M1HPA headphone amplifier and preamplifier ($799) at Canada Hi-Fi. Hi conclusion: Most impressive is the sense of ease and power across an enormous frequency range. This amp is absolutely bulletproof and never shows any sense of strain with any of the headphones in my...
Read More »
Burson Audio HA-160D DAC and Headphome Amplifier
David Abramson has posted a review of the Burson Audio HA-160D DAC and headphone amplifier ($1250) at Stereo Times. His conclusions: In sum, and by it’s lonesome, the Burson Audio HA-160D is a superb example of what the high-end is all about, for me anyway. It is emphatically not about acquiring one “state of...
Read More »
Grace Design m903 Reference USB DAC and Headphone Amplifier
Chris Connaker has posted a review of the Grace Design m903 Reference USB DAC ($1795) at Computer Audiophile. His conclusions: The Grace Design m903 is no doubt a well designed and constructed all-in-one DAC / Preamp / Headphone Amp. I would be remiss not to recommend all interested readers listen to the m903 themselves...
Read More »
Graham Slee Solo SRG II and Solo Headphone Amps
Graham Slee Solo SRG II and Solo Ultra-Linear headphone amplifiers ($999 and $1199, respectively) at Canada Hi-Fi. His conclusions: I pulled out all the phones I could find. The Sennheiser HD580 and Sony MDR-V150 showed no hiss at all, the Klipsch Image One had barely detectable hiss, while the Sleek Audio CT6 and Sony...
Read More »
AURALiC ARK MX+ USB DAC and Headphone Amplifier
Srajan Ebaen jas posted a review of the AURALiC ARK MX+ USB DAC ($1999) at 6moons. His conclusions: Because of this organic fluidity rather than choppy edginess, I suspect that Xuanqian and Yuan Wang and their Swiss collaborators at Archwave AG really did their homework with the Sanctuary chip run amongst other things as...
Read More »
CEntrance DACmini DAC and Headphone Amplifier
David Abramson has posted a review of the Entrance DACmini DAC and headphone amplifier ($795) at Stereo Times. His conclusions: If you don’t do much headphone listening, you should buy the CEntrance. On the other hand, if you listen to headphones a lot, you should also buy the CEntrance. What’s this? Marketing boiler plate?...
Read More »
CEntrance DACmini DAC and Headphone Amplifier
Srajan Ebaen has posted a review of the CEntrance DACmini ($) at 6moons. His conclusions: Let's keep it real though. With 4 inputs, headphone socket with analog volume and one analog input, CEntrance's pricing is ultra competitive against other newcomers. While I did prefer the €699 Metrum Octave, one must add $495/579 for a...
Read More »
CEntrance DACmini DAC and Headphone Amplifier
Tom Lyle has posted a review of the CEntrance DACmini DAC and headphone amplifier ($795) at Enjoy the Music. His conclusions: The CEntrance DACmini is a fine digital-to-analog converter that is well worth its asking price. It is actually quite an amazing little box – the fact that it was designed primarily for use...
Read More »
DACport USB Headphone Amplifier
Anthony Kershaw has posted a review of the DACport USB headphone amplifier ($399) at Audiophilia. His conclusions: All these new tiny DACs and other digital devices help to bridge the gap between computers and music that sounds real and dynamic. The HRT Music Streamer, the DACport and others do a wonderful job communicationg the...
Read More »
Burson Audio DA-160 USB DAC and Headphone Amp
Srajan Ebaen has posted a review of the Burson Audio DA-160 USB DAC and headphone amplifier ($950) at 6moons. His conclusion: Who is the DA-160 for? That appropriate question is best answered with a counter question. Would you rather listen to an affordable analogue or digital source? If your idea of a better time...
Read More »
Eximus DP-1 and Stello U3 USB DACs
Eximus DP-1 USB DAC and Headphone Amplifier Srajan Ebaen has posted a review of the Eximus DP-1 USB DAC and headphone amplifier ($2999) and the Stello V3 USB DAC ($495) at 6moons. His conclusions: The DP1 made very good on user and maker assertions that it can replace a high-quality preamp of considerable expense....
Read More »
HiFiMAN HE-500 Planar Magnetic Headphones
Tom Martin has posted a review of the HiFiMAN HE-500 planar magnetic headphones ($699) at Playback. His conclusions: HiFiMAN is well aware that the power requirements of these headphones is a limitation for some customers, and with this thought firmly in mind they set out to create a model that combined elements of the...
Read More »
Audeze LCD-2 Planar Magnetic Headphones
Chris Martens has posted a review of the Audexe LCD-2 planar magnetic headphones ($995) at Playback. His conclusions: The LCD-2 sounds just the way its accompanying frequency response chart suggests that it would, meaning that—for starters—the headphone sounds extraordinarily smooth and evenly balanced from the lowest bass notes right on up through the middle...
Read More »
Furutech ADL GT40 USB DAC, Phono Preamplifier and Headphone Amplifier
Malcolm Steward has postd a review of the Furutech ADL GT40 USB DAC and phono preamplifier ($480) at AVGuide. His conclusions: Sounds from my USB 2.0-equipped Acer and Toshiba laptops – played using Media Monkey software – lived up to the claims in ADL’s literature for a sound that is “smooth, detailed, impeccable and...
Read More »
Cavalli Audio Liquid Fire Headphone Amplifier
Chris Martens has posted a review of the Cavalli Audio Liquid Fire headphone amplifier ($3250) at Playback Magazine. His conclusions: The Liquid Fire is one of those extremely good amps that is hard to review because it really doesn’t contribute any obvious or readily identifiable sonic “flavorings” to the music at all, which is...
Read More »
HiFiMAN EF5 Headphone Amplifier
Chris Martens has posted a review of the HiFiMAN EF5 headphone amplifier ($499) at Playback Magazine. His conclusions: Finally, to enjoy the EF5’s hearty and expressive dynamics, let me recommend the track “Back to the Blues” from Hadden Sayer’s album Hard Dollar , where Sayer’s delivers a lovely and deeply evocative blues...
Read More »
Apex Audio Peak Headphone Amplifier
Srajan Ebaen has posted a review of the Apex Audio Peak headphone amplifier ($1395) and Volcano power supply ($750) at 6moons. His conclusions: From what I know and purely speaking to sonics, the Peak belongs to the general class which includes the likes of the ModWright LS-100, Woo Audio Model 5 and Eddie Current...
Read More »
HiFiMan HE-500 Palnar Magnetic Headphones
Srajan Ebaen has posted a review of the HiFiMan HE-500 planar magnetic headphones ($899) at 6m00ns. His conclusions: If you find the stock Sennheiser HD800 too zippy (a replacement wire harness addresses that), the HE-6 is its planar cousin. If you'd find a fictional hybrid of beyerdynamic's T1 and Grado's PS1000 too dark and...
Read More »
Pro-Ject Pre Box Preamp and Head Box Headphone Amp
Andre Marc has posted a review of the Review: Pro-Ject Pre Box Preamplifier ($349) and Head Box II Headphone Amplifier ($159) at Audio Video Revolution. His conclusions: Many high-end audio companies claim to operate under certain philosophies and credos, but not all live up to them. Pro-Ject, in my opinion, does exactly what they...
Read More »
Copyright © 2009-2015 Franklin A. Berryman - All Rights Reserved
Reproduction in whole or part in any form or medium without specific written permission is prohibited.
