Acoustune This was the stall I most wanted to spend time at over the course of the weekend, after becoming a recent convert to the Acoustune "house sound" with the acquisition of one of their older models (the HS1503al) off another Head-Fi'er on eBay recently. For the uninitiated, Acoustune are a Japanese brand that specialise... Continue Reading →
CanJam London 2018, Part 2: Chord, Meze, Campfire, Cayin, HiFiMAN, ZMF Audio, Effect Audio, DITA, 64Audio, Advanced Sound, Jerry Harvey Audio, AKG
One day! So much to do. Better get right into it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6auk1TkGtVQ Chord + Meze The Meze Empyrean, Meze's upcoming $3000 flagship was dotted all over the floor. Meze even had their own room. I never made it upstairs to that room, but I was listening to some Campfire Audio gear with the HiFi Headphones... Continue Reading →
NCM Bella – the Bella of the TOTL hybrid ball
Pros: Sub bass presence and overall bass capability, beautiful and non-recessed midrange, exceptional treble, lots of air and sparkle, very coherent tuning Cons: Fit is shallow, nozzle bore is very large List Price: 23,500,000 (Vietnamese Dong) / c. £735 (UK) Product Website: http://www.nguyencustoms.com/ncm-bella/ Rating Disclaimer: ratings are subjective. Audio quality and value do not mean... Continue Reading →
Empire Ears Athena – the goddess of Olympus
Ratings Pros: Impeccable build quality, balanced but musical tuning, incredible sense of smoothness, good note weight, fantastic midrange, good clarity Cons: May lack air in the treble for some, can take a little time to adjust to the tuning, extension/quantity in the sub bass area could be better Price (as of Dec 2017): $1299 Website: Empire Ears... Continue Reading →
64 Audio U8 – bass over APEX
Introduction I have always been fascinated by bass in music. That’s probably why I always feel a little bit of a fraud when someone calls me an “audiophile”, as my tastes quite often encompass a little more lower end substance than the current fashion for a more lean and mean sound. I can appreciate detail... Continue Reading →
Campfire Audio Andromeda – another stellar constellation from the stargazers at CA
Pros: Great value, classy metal build and accessory package, superbly balanced tuning, clarity, large and airy soundstage, neutral yet musical Cons: Sharp edges on the shell casing can cause discomfort for some, not for bassheads Introduction Anyone with more than a passing interest in high-end in ear audio gear costing more than $100 will most... Continue Reading →
64 Audio U8 – unboxing and initial impressions
Introduction I have always been fascinated by bass in music. That’s probably why I always feel a little bit of a fraud when someone calls me an “audiophile”, as my tastes quite often encompass a little more lower end substance than the current fashion for a more lean and mean sound. I can appreciate detail... Continue Reading →
Jackpot77’s Canjam Impressions
Canjam London will always hold a special place in my heart - this is the first portable audio festival I ever attended, and provided my first taste of true high quality portable audio, and what it could sound like. I was lucky enough to make the Sunday of this year's Canjam London, and while making... Continue Reading →
CanJam London 2017: Effect Audio, FiiO, RHA, 64 Audio, 1More, iBasso, Final, Advanced, Kennerton (Part Two)
Sorry it's taken a while for me to get this post up. You can see the first set of impressions here. I had a job interview for a job that may enable more paying the bills and more fun purchases. Wish me luck! At the end of the first day of CanJam London 2017, I... Continue Reading →