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 →

March 14, 2018 3

Advanced Alpha: unboxing and initial impressions

I initially met the folks at Advanced at CanJam London 2017. I actually had mixed them up in my head as Advanced Acousticwerkes (AAW), and had them in my schedule for the 2nd day as a must visit. I was confused, but at least I was half right. Advanced surprised me as much as any... Continue Reading →

February 15, 2018 3

HiFiMAN Susvara: Unboxing and first impressions

Okay, so I've had this thing unboxed for a few days now. I've played it on my Questyle CMA600i and it was loud enough, but boy was that not all that it can do. Holy moly. Some loaners from SCV Distribution here in the UK just arrived to properly drive this beauty: a set of... Continue Reading →