CanJam London is the biggest headphone and portable audio show put on in the UK every year. It is the highlight of the HeadFi enthusiasts calendar and something that I have attended since the inaugural CanJam London in 2015. This year was the 5th annual edition and it lived up to its billing. I'll be... Continue Reading →
oBravo Cupid – first impressions of something unexpected and brilliant
Would you believe me if I told you that I'm enjoying the £249 oBravo Cupid as much as any oBravo I've listened to? The oBravo line-up is notoriously picky with amplification, including the £8999 Ra C-Cu. Each of the ERIB and EAMT hybrid series has several flavours with different sound according to housing material (warm wood, neutral... Continue Reading →
Dunu Falcon-C – Eagle of liquid metal
Pros: Fantastic ergonomics and build, punchy low end sound, decent detail levels Cons: Can run hot with certain pairings, sounds a little lean at times Price: £229 ($260) Product website: Dunu Topsound Build quality and ergonomics There is no denying the Falcon-C is a beautiful looking IEM. The matt black finish and smoothly rounded curves on the... Continue Reading →
Flares Gold – gold plated sound
Pros: organic tonality, detailed but not analytical sound, resolution, balanced tuning, bling factor, excellent imaging, stellar Bluetooth implementation Cons: Bespoke cable limits swapping options, apart from shells build isn't "premium", possibly too neutral for some, "audiophile" foam tips very fragile Price: £999 (Flare Audio website) Specifications Introduction I've always been fascinated by IEM technology various different... Continue Reading →
Campfire Audio Solaris – sound like the sun
Acknowledgement The Solaris were very kindly provided by Ken Ball at Campfire Audio for the purposes of writing a full review. I paid nothing for these, and there is no obligation to or input from Campfire Audio with regards to the content of the review. Allegations was (politely) asked for was a few brief impressions... Continue Reading →
TFZ Series 2 first impressions, $50 IEM shootout
One of the coolest phenomenons in audio right now is the big improvements moving forward in the budget sector. $100 headphones can and do compete with $400 headphones, and $25 headphones sometimes compete with $200 headphones. It’s a great time to be an audiophile, even if your budget isn’t as large as you’d like it... Continue Reading →
Focal Elear: dynamism with a dash of French flair
Pros: Incredible dynamics and punch, crisp and detailed sound, good balance through the frequencies, rock solid build and comfort, decent bass weight, highly engaging sound Cons: Small soundstage for an open-back, dip in upper mids may not be to everyone’s taste, “always on” dynamics make this a little excitable for more mellow genres Price: £769 ($799,... Continue Reading →
Focal Utopia: unboxing and initial impressions
After reviewing the HiFiMAN Susvara, I wondered, and I'm sure many readers on this blog wondered, which of the Focal Utopia and the Susvara would be king of the mountain. Unfortunately, during the Susvara review, I didn't have both on hand to compare. Now I do, but I'm not going to tell you the result... Continue Reading →
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 →