Intro and acknowledgement I heard and purchased the Mistral Pro at Canjam London 2022 at a discounted price, direct from the Spirit Torino representatives there. No input was sought or received as to the content of this review - all opinions (however misguided) are my own. My thanks go to the team at Spirit Torino,... Continue Reading →
Canjam London 2022 impressions – part 1 (Audeze, Campfire Audio, JOMO Audio)
This is my fourth trip to Canjam London, which given the lack of availability of audiophile in ears and headphones across most of the United Kingdom outside of a handful of specialist dealers, makes it my fourth trip to Willy Wonka’s audio factory. There is no doubt that Canjam London holds a special place in... Continue Reading →
It’s shopping time! Black Friday a-go-go!
Now that Americans (like myself) have gobbled some soporific poultry, 16 pounds of sugar (more than a stone, for Brits), and eaten copious amounts of stuffing, potatoes and green bean casserole; it's time to waddle our fat asses to the shops, or better yet, place our fat asses in front of the ass-growing wonder that... Continue Reading →
CanJam London 2019, part two: a tour of IEMs (InEar, oBravo, Acoustune, HiFiMAN, 64 Audio, FiiO)
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 →
WAVAYA Octa: a porcelain dream
Pros: Superlative upper mids, superlative treble, cymbals and violins are voiced wonderfully, drum timbre, excellent instrument separation, good stage depth, nice looks, well-controlled bass with good extension, beautiful leather case, Linum SuperBaX cable has great sound and fantastic ergonomics, less wax build-up with porcelain Cons: touch of warmth can lean a bit away from neutral,... Continue Reading →
AKG N90Q – the tunable TOTL over-ear
Pros: Tunable sound, noise cancelling in a TOTL headphone, high detail levels, dynamic sound, packed with unusual tech, bomb proof storage case and bags of accessories Cons: Tuning capability less useful at the extremes, flimsy 2.5mm cable connectors, thin cables, onboard DAC not same quality as rest of package, slightly dry tinge to the sound... 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 →
Interview with Tatco Ma of Lear
Introduction I like to reach out to companies that I view as doing innovative things. I gained interest in 64Audio when they worked with ADEL to relieve pneumatic pressure on the tympanic membrane with the potential to save hearing. I followed Noble for their gorgeous designs. I checked out oBravo because they were the first... 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 →