iBasso DC02 vs. xDuoo LinK Review: little dongles that can

Introduction I never expected that I’d be reviewing two USB-C dongles when I already have a pretty good phone for audio, but here I am with two units bestowed by HiFiGo to compare in the circa $50 portable DAC/Amp market. I’m looking forward to seeing how these do in a quick set of tests. Specifications... Continue Reading →

November 12, 2019 9

Tin Audio T3, first impressions

I received a surprise package the other day from Linsoul. I was notified the day before delivery during Chinese New Year, which is unusual. Linsoul told me that the T3 was going live on Massdrop at an introductory price of $59. It will apparently be $69 at retail. The T3 is a follow-up to the... Continue Reading →

February 8, 2019 2

iFi iEMatch 2.5mm: hiss busting miracle worker in a tiny magnesium suit

Pros: I can listen to sensitive IEMs on the Questyle QP2R now without being swallowed by hiss, nice diamond dust feel and look to the casing, simple to use, lightweight, takes pressure off of 2.5mm jack Cons: 2.5mm jack isn’t flush with barrel, original iEMatch less expensive List Price: $69 Product Website: https://ifi-audio.com/portfolio-view/accessory-iematch2-5 Rating Disclaimer:... Continue Reading →

March 31, 2018 7

QP2R Cases: Miter vs. Spyker

Introduction The Questyle QP2R is a nice-looking piece of kit, and I want to keep it that way, so I was already looking for a case for it before anybody offered me one to review. I looked at Dignis, but they were way expensive, unavailable, or both. I looked at Miter, but I wasn’t sure... Continue Reading →

March 27, 2018 3

1MORE IBFree AptX Bluetooth IEMs: One More Excellent Headphone From Luca Bignardi And Crew

Pros: Balanced sound, good precision for the price, clear mids, tight bass, attractive colours, excellent battery life Cons: Can have some tin in the cymbal strikes, no carrying pouch, fit will be a problem for some, stock tips not secure for active use (need Comply) List Price: $50 (Penon Audio, affiliate link) Product Website: https://usa.1more.com/products/ibfree-bluetooth-in-ear-headphones Rating... Continue Reading →

February 23, 2018 0

The HiFiMAN MegaMini – now in plastic, with a far better $99 price

Pros: Tiny form factor, excellent build quality, nice looking, good even keeled sound, easy UI and intuitive control scheme, excellent value at $99 Cons: no external DAC, no gapless (on the way?), limited playlist capability, somewhat thin sound, dismal battery life (especially with HiRes) List Price: $99 Product website: http://store.hifiman.com/index.php/hifiman-megamini-high-res-music-player-531.html Rating disclaimer: ratings for audio... Continue Reading →

December 9, 2017 0

Kinera H3: Unboxing and initial impressions

I was contacted about the Kinera H3 out of the blue. I had no idea who Kinera was, what they had done or whether I should say yes to reviewing their latest offering. Their representative gave me some time to think about it, I looked at their previous offering's reviews, and decided to go ahead.... Continue Reading →

September 6, 2017 0

Pocket Class A DIY Headphone Amp by XRK971

I crossed paths with XRK971 a few months ago on the diyaudio.com forums as we worked concurrently on Class A single-ended headphone designs. Although we did not collaborate and our parts choices differed, our overall topologies share a strong resemblance. After chatting a bit, we exchanged some parts so that each could hear what the... Continue Reading →

July 18, 2017 3

RHA s500i and ma750: A tale of two sisters, the Thin White Duke and the Fat Bottomed Girl, excellent sound in two affordable flavours (A blast from the past review)

Blast from the past reviews Before we started up Audio Primate, many of us reviewed a ton of products on Head-Fi. Some of these reviews were great lyrically but terrible from a technique perspective, others were in touch with a past time, but tough to update. As reviewers, we have grown. Blast from the past... Continue Reading →