Stax SR-34 Short Review
I’m very excited about this purchase, more than anything that I’ve come across for a while. It is not the best headphone ever, and it’s quite low in the Stax line up, but boy, there is something about the SR-34 that makes me like it so much. Truly, I’ve heard other electrostatic systems that are bigger and better, but I feel that there are qualities of the SR-34 system that the bigger system doesn’t have. Everything about it is just right. (Click to read more)…
AKG K500, K501
These two cans may be one of the most pleasant, natural sounding headphone AKG has ever produced. Frankly, I haven’t heard the K601, but compared to the K701, K401, K240, K271, and even the K340, the K500 & K501 remains a long time favorite due to their natural sound. (Click to read more)…
Three Way HFI-780 Shootout
Cable discussions are always a subject of interest to headphone enthusiasts. A while ago we did an aftermarket cable shootout for Sennheiser cables, and we find that cables tend to carry their own sound signature, and that their property can be used to fine tune the sound of your system. This time we find two different modifications of the Ultrasone HFI-780 headphone, and we seek out to find out the difference between them. (Click to read more)…
Alessandro MS1i Review
For a long time, people have been recommending the Alessandro MS1 as a more neutral-sounding alternative to the Grado the SR60/80/125. Priced at the magic number of $100, it is regarded by many as one of the best sounding $100 headphones. The Alessandro MS1i is an updated version of the Alessandro MS1, with bigger cups and maybe a tweaked driver. The price has gone up to $110, $10 more expensive than the original MS1. (Click to read more)…
Stax SR-Lambda Review
With a little bit of patience and luck, I managed to get my hand on a Stax SR-Lambda Earspeakers, which is admittedly a bit rare, and expectedly so, since it was discontinued more than two decades ago. Introduced in 1979, it was a milestone product for the Stax Company, the first iteration of the Lambda series and the predecessor to all the Stax Lambdas produced after it, including the Stax SR202 Earspeakers which we have reviewed previously in this website. All the Lambda headphones owe their look and many of their designs to this original SR-Lambda. For this review, I am pairing the SR-Lambda with an almost as old Stax SRD-7 adaptor. The SRD-7, as the name says, is an adaptor which needs to be paired with a speaker amplifier to function properly. The good thing about it is that it is significantly cheaper than a full-size electrostatic amp, so you can get better bang for the buck. However, does this setup sound anywhere as good as the SR202?
Superlux HD 668B: A Giant Killer?
Not to be mistaken with the Swedish home appliance manufacturer, Superlux is a Taiwanese company specializing in microphones, speakers, and headphones catering to a wide variety of customers, from casual music listeners to professional artists. However, despite their professional-oriented market, Superlux managed to sell their products at very competitive prices. One fine example would be the Superlux HD668B studio monitoring headphones, which costs only $30.
Ultrasone Edition 8
High end and portability doesn’t usually go together, but Ultrasone has made it happen with the Edition 8.
I’ve always associated high end with big oversized set ups that include masive amplifiers with separate power supplies. Multiple box source set ups. Thick interconnect cables with power conditioining system, and so on. You get the picture. Thus I was really surprised when I found that Ultrasone’s Edition 8 comes with a short 4′ long, 1/8″ terminated cable. Granted, it’s a dual entry cable that retains separate lines all the way to the termination, but still, the cable strongly hints that the Edition 8 is to be directly plugged to an Ipod.
Hippo Pearl
Enter the Hippo Pearl. Priced roughly around $30, the Pearl may be the cheapest IEM that I know of. Sure, you have the JH13s and the UM Mages for those audiophile moments. But if you’re like me, there are occassions where I want something that won’t give me a heart attack when accidentaly break it or pull a cable or something.
W1000X Grandioso
In the midst of all the “hot” releases surrounding the custom IEMs, the new flagship cans, as well as the new generation orthodynamics, it seems that this brilliant headphone from Audio Technica is not getting the attention that it deserves.
A Little More on the HE-5 vs HD800
I have been doing more listening on the Hifiman HE-5, partly because I’m doing a review on the Audio Technica W1000X and I want to see how it compares with the HE-5 orthodynamic. During this time, I’ve felt that my HD800 vs HE-5 comparison focuses too much on the technical superiority of the HD800. Although I did mention that the technical superiority of the HD800 may be a double edged sword when fed a bad recording and from a bad source. I feel that there are more things to say about the HE-5 versus HD800 discussion. (Click to read more)…
Sony MDR-CD900ST
Here is an obscure little Sony headphone that we don’t hear too much about. Unlike the MDR-V6 or the MDR-5607 headphone, the MDR-CD900ST is relatively unknown, except perhaps in Japan, where it is quite a popular monitoring headphone.
UM Mage vs…
This may sound like a big bag of hype, but what I am saying is the result of real observations of the UM Mage’s sound quality. (Click to read more)…
UM Mage Customs
I have been very impressed with the JH13 IEM. Acknowledged by all as the current king of in ear monitors, the JH13 is the first IEM that successfully challenge and beat a lot of full size headphones. Well, that the phenomenon is not unique to the JH13. When I heard Unique Melody’s top of the line customs, the Mage, I immediately ask myself: “In the future, will IEMs take over headphones for good?”
Hifiman HE-5 vs Sennheiser HD800
I’ve been going back and forth on the HE-5 and the HD800. This time I am listening purely on the CEC TL51xz and the Balanced Beta22. Both the HE-5 and the HD800 is in balanced configuration. I did not want to wait to source out for another cable, and so I made a balanced cable for the HE-5, using a Canare L-2T2S cable, terminated with two 3-pin Neutrik XLRs. The HD800, on the other hand, is equipped with fancy APureSound cable with the nice super nylon covering and the same two 3-pin Neutriks. A little unfair? Yes, but the world is also not perfect.
Audio Technica ES10
Audio Technica rewrote the rules of portable with the ATH-ES10. When it was announced last year, I noticed that the ES10 is not just another new portable. It uses a 53mm driver, the same size driver as the one used in the bigger W-series headphones such as the W5000 and the new W1000X. Big sized drivers, most of the time, have an advantage over smaller ones, especially when it comes to bass. What’s amazing is that Audio Technica still manages to fit the 53mm driver into a housing not much bigger than the Sennheiser HD25-1. With a housing that size and a foldable headband, I’d consider grouping the ES10 as a portable. Of course they’re not ultra portable like the Sennheiser PX100, but if have ever use your SR-60 Grado outdoor, then you know what I’m talking about.
The Titanium housing is finished with a hairline finishing. What does a hairline finishing look like? If you use an Ipod without any form of protec
tion, you know that the glossy back side very quickly collects scratches, and so you have no choice but to spend $30 for some plastic or rubber silicone protection. The hairline finishing is sort of like that, except that they are done professionally and the scratches are all aligned to one direction. It comes out as a nice and classy finishing. The finishing not only gives you a unique, non bling-bling look, but I figure it may help to hide any scratches the housing may pick up on the way. Not that titanium is very easy to scratch, but I don’t dare to test it out on this ES10. (Click to read more)…
Ultrasone Zino
Fans of Ultrasone should rejoice with the release of the Ultrasone Zino. The Zino is a foldable portable headphone with a $129 MSRP, though street prices are more in the $90 range. This puts the Zino in straight competition to Sennheiser’s new HD238 portable, as well as our long term favorite portable, the Koss Portapro 25th Anniversary Edition.
Baby Stax
The Stax SR-001 Mk2, also known as the Baby Stax, is definitely a unique product. Along with the Stax SR-003, they are the only electrostatic earphones available in the market. While the SR-003 is designed to be driven from desktop amplifiers, the Stax SR-001 Mk2 comes with its own portable, pocket size, electrostatic amplifier. At the retail price of roughly $350, the Stax SR-001 Mk2 system competes with other top of the line IEMs. (Click to read more)…
Koss ESP-950 Electrostatic System
People beware, as you’re about to be lured into the most kickass headphone ever for ~$600. I am so tempted to get these to complement my HD800. They are THAT good, even with the stock amplifier.
$300 IEM Shootout
A while ago our reviewers got together and listened extensively to several of the most popular IEMs on the market. Due to the quantity of the IEMs involved and for the sake of readibility, I won’t go in-depth about their packaging, cables and accessories, their synergy with certain portable amplifiers, etc. Rather, I’ll write general guidelines about their sound that should be useful for people wanting to purchase one of these IEMs. (Click to read more)…
Sony MDR-R10 Short Impressions
Though most Sony headphones are considered to be non-audiophile headphones, the MDR-R10 is an exception. This is a discontinued model that has gained a legendary reputation in the headphone world, and used models sell in the $6000 price range.
Jaben Networks kindly provided me with an opportunity to audition the Sony MDR-R10. The set up was mostly mine, except for the R10, so it was a setting I’m very familiar with. It was as follows:
Source: CEC TL51XZ CDP
DAC: Buffalo24
Amplifier: Grace M902
