Since the introduction of the Voigt cone assembly with whizzers, many speaker and driver manufacturers have tried to perfect this design and make a great-sounding single-driver full-range speaker. 80 years after the introduction of the first Voigt cone driver, the debate on whether single-driver speakers (also known as wide-banders) are better or worse than the multi-way speakers, is ongoing. The most common arguments you can hear from the fans of single-driver speakers are that the absence of a crossover results in a more linear phase response and smoother polar response. They often swear by the coherence and beautiful midrange of wide-banders. On the other hand, some of the known downsides of the single-driver designs are the inability of one driver to perform all the tasks (reproduce al...

Lumin is a Hong Kong-based audio manufacturer. It was founded only 8 years ago but it’s already one of the fastest-growing high-end audio companies and it has already gained such an impressive reputation. In 2012, Lumin released the world’s first DSD-compatible music streamer and it was a huge success. Since then, Lumin expanded its product range, but its main area of expertise are still network music players and, according to numerous positive reviews written by fellow audiophiles, Lumin is one of the best in the industry when it comes to music streamers. Today, we’re taking a closer look at Lumin’s X1 flagship network music player. Priced slightly under $14,000, X1 is supposed to be one of the most capable and best-performing streamers on the market. Let’s see what’s so special about it

Manger Audio is a German high-end speaker manufacturer founded more than 50 years ago. During the 1960s, the founder of Manger Audio, Josef W Manger developed a special type of transducer named Manger Sound Transducer and, since then, this unique kind of driver has been the key element of all the Manger’s speaker designs. Manger’s current speaker line consists of three floorstanding speakers (active S1 and passive P1 and P2), two bookshelf speakers (active C1 and passive Z1), one wall-mounted speaker (W1), and one in-wall speaker (I1). Today, we are taking a closer look at one of the latest flagship models from this company called Manger P1. For starters, here’s a short overview. Manger P1 is a 2-way passive floorstanding loudspeaker. It houses two drivers – one powerful Manger tran

AudioEngine has been in the audio industry for quite some time and they’ve been known for making high-quality products, mostly powered bookshelf/desktop speakers. Their first powered speaker A5 was a big hit. Then, they upgraded it to AudioEngine A5+ which is still one of the AudioEngine’s bestsellers. AudioEngine A5+ wireless 2.0 speaker system is the upgraded version of the A5+ Classic. The most noticeable difference between the two is the wireless connectivity. A5+ Wireless has a built-in Bluetooth module and can be wirelessly connected to any Bluetooth-enabled device. A5+ Classic didn’t have this ability, but there was a way to make it wireless by connecting it to the AudioEngine B1 Bluetooth receiver. In a way, A5+ Wireless is the A5 Classic with a built-in B1 receiver. The se

Burson Audio is a reputable Australian audio manufacturer with almost 25 years of experience in making high-end headphone amps, preamps, DACs, and power amps. What’s common for all the Burson audio products is that they all have high-quality construction, very precise discrete circuit design, and they all deliver performance that surpasses the price tag. Today, we are taking a closer look at one of their latest units – it’s Burson Audio Conductor 3 Reference – headphone amp, DAC, and preamp.  We’ve spent the last three weeks testing this unit and enjoying its impressive musical performance. During this testing period, we’ve managed to get a good idea of what this combo unit is capable of and we were pleasantly surprised by its sound delivery and the entire set of features it of

R2R DACs used to be the only kind of DAC back in the 80s.  They used a ladder network made of a series of precision resistors turned on by the precision switches (current source) to convert a digital signal to analog. After the introduction of Delta-Sigma chips, the majority of manufacturers switched to Delta-Sigma DACs, mostly due to the lower costs of manufacturing and lower power requirements. Today, R2R DACs are produced by a very small number of manufacturers. Some of the most reputable are MSB (US), LessLoss (Lithuania), Lab and Wagner (Russia), Rockna Audio (Romania), and a great company from France called the Totaldac. One of the latest Totaldac’s units is the subject of our today’s review – it’s the Totaldac d1-direct DAC. D1-direct DAC is meant to be the best-sounding

Brainwavz HEX comes from the growing line of Brainwavz’s 3D printed in-ear monitors. The practice of using 3D printers to make earphones is becoming very popular among manufacturers as it gives them a lot of freedom when it comes to shaping and introducing new and attractive designs. Design is just one of the things that make HEX earphones special. The second thing is the use of triple BA drivers made by Knowles. The third thing is the price tag, which is surprisingly low considering the overall performance. According to the Brainwavz, HEX can outperform any pair of in-ear monitors in its price range. In this review, we are going to put that claim to the test. Brainwavz is a brand from Honk Kong owned by a company called GPGS. Brainwavz has been in the business since 2008 and it’s f

Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 6 is the latest premium Bluetooth speaker from the Onyx Studio line. At first glance, it looks exactly like its predecessor - it’s the same size, same shape, and same design. It’s also the same driver arrangement and the same control scheme. The most important (and probably the only big) upgrade is the use of waterproof fabric which made the speaker fully waterproof (IPX7 rated). Another noticeable difference is the price difference. Today, we will discuss the features and performance of the Onyx Studio 6, compare it against the previous speakers from the Onyx line and other similarly priced Bluetooth speakers, and give you our opinion on whether it’s worth it or not. For starters, here’s a short overview. As mentioned in the introduction, Onyx Studio 6 lo

Ethos by Gryphon Audio Designs is the endgame CD player/DAC. It could easily be one of the most beautiful, most capable, and best-performing pieces of audio equipment we’ve ever had a chance to see and hear. Today, we are putting this beautiful device to the test. Gryphon Audio Designs is a Danish Audio Company founded back in 1985 by Mr. Flemming E. Rasmussen. Since day one, the main priority of this company was to lead the change in the audio industry and set new standards when it comes to both aesthetics and sonic performance. Their products, almost by default, represent a perfect synergy of striking looks and amazing performance.  The very first piece of audio equipment ever made by the Gryphon Audio was the world’s first pure class-A dual-mono head amplifier and it was

Beosound Balance is the latest member of the Bang & Olufsen’s line of ‘’flexible living’’ speakers. It’s a unique, artistic, compact speaker with an amazing set of smart features. It’s the first smart speaker from B&O to have sound directivity and active room compensation, which are the features you can find on much pricier Bang & Olufsen speakers (like Beolab 90). And this is just the beginning. There are so many great things about this speaker and we will try to tell you all about it. So, without further delay, let’s see what’s so great (and what’s not) about Bang & Olufsen Beosound Balance.  We’ll start with the things we like. The first thing you’re going to notice is the looks. Beosound Balance is a simple-looking, yet incredibly attractive speaker. The lead de

It’s a common misconception that you can’t get high-end audio performance from a pair of bookshelf or floorstanding speakers without spending a fortune. Even though many high-end manufacturers sell their speakers at unreasonably high prices ($5000+ or even $10.000+), you can still find a great-sounding pair of speakers with impeccable build quality and sleek design for much less. And they don't even have to be made in China. For the past few months, we've been researching the market looking for brands and speakers offering great bang for the buck. One of the brands we came across during our research is the Axiom Audio. Today, we're presenting to you the Axiom’s flagship bookshelf speaker called M5HP.  Axiom Audio is a Canadian audio company based in Dwight, Ontario. For more than 3

SPL Phonitor XE headphone amp is made for both audio mastering professionals and regular audiophiles. It’s top-of-the-line solid-state amp (or DAC/amp, depending on the configuration you choose) offering uncompromised versatility and sound quality. Sounds interesting? Read our in-depth review to find out more. SPL stands for Sound Performance Lab. It’s a German audio company with more than 30 years of experience in making both professional audio equipment and high-end audiophile gear. The company is known for incorporating its proprietary professional technological solutions in their hi-fi products. SPL Phonitor XE is the perfect example. Some of the most notable SPL’s proprietary technologies you can find on Phonitor XE are VOLTAiR 120V Rail Technology and Phonitor Matrix. But thi

Vanatoo Transparent Zero speakers are one of the best small powered speakers on the market. We were quite impressed by the performance, sound quality, versatility, and overall price/quality ratio. If you are in the market looking for a pair of bookshelf/desktop speakers under $400, Vanatoo Transparent Zero must be on your shortlist. Read our in-depth review if you want to find out more. Transparent Zero comes from a small company called Vanatoo. Vanatoo was founded by two audio enthusiasts, Rick Kerner and Garry Gesellchen. Their first speaker, Vanatoo One, was a huge success and it was highly praised by the audiophile community. The only problem with Transparent One was the price. This speaker set was priced at $600, which doesn't make it the most expensive on the market, but it’s

What do you know about Slovenia? You may know that it’s the home country of NBA players Luka Dončić and Goran Dragić. It’s also the home country of the super-star philosopher Slavoj Žižek, poet France Prešern, alpine skier Tina Maze, ski jumper Peter Prevc, and of course, it’s the home country of the current first lady of the US. You may also know a few other things about Slovenia. It’s a small but beautiful country located in the heart of Europe. It’s known for its magnificent lakes (Bled, Jasna, Black Lake, Ptuj), beautiful mountains and mountain peaks (Triglav, Mangart), and affordable ski resorts. Slovenes like to joke that they invented the wheel since the oldest wooden wheel in the world was found near Ljubljana, which is the capital of Slovenia.  One thing you probably don’t

After a huge success of the Goldmund Telos 590 NextGen integrated stereo amp and the whole Goldmund Telos NextGen line, this high-end audio equipment manufacturer from Switzerland released the upgraded version of the Telos 590 Nextgen called NextGen II and a more affordable but slightly less capable and less versatile Telos 7 NextGen. In this review, we will discuss all the advantages and disadvantages of Goldmund Telos 7 NextGen and give you our opinion on its overall performance. Is this really one of the most amazing stereo power amps currently made by Goldmund? Let’s find out.   Goldmund was founded in 1978 in France. Two years after, it was acquired by Michel Reverchon and moved to Geneva, Switzerland. Since then, Goldmund has been making high-end turntables, preamps, power

To many audiophiles and audio enthusiast, a well-executed pure DHT circuitry is the holy grail of the preamp design. Only a few high-end manufacturers can implement Directly Heated Triode circuitry and make a unit that can achieve a true audiophile performance. Today, we are reviewing one of those units. Allnic Audio L-8000 DHT preamplifier could easily be the best DHT preamp in its price range.  Allnic Audio is a high-end audio equipment manufacturer, based in South Korea. The company was founded in 1990 by Kang Su Park. Before founding Allnic Audio, Kang Su was the cofounder of Silvawed, a company known for its high-end single-ended-triode and transformer-coupled tube designs. At first, Allnic Audio made only tube amps but today, they manufacture all kinds of audio equipment...

Looking for a flexible multichannel audio interface providing both high efficiency and pristine sound quality? Orion 32+ Generation 3 might be just the thing you need. It’s the latest iteration from the Orion 32+ series and it brings some significant improvements when it comes to converters and dynamic range. In this review, we will discuss all the advantages and disadvantages of this powerful audio interface, check out the features, and test its capabilities. Let’s see if Orion 32+ Generation 3 is worth the price.  Antelope Audio manufactures professional and audiophile audio. They have a lot of experience in manufacturing digital audio equipment. The company is also one of the pioneers when it comes to clocking – they were the first to improve the audio master clocks by implement

After reviewing Naim’s Uniti Atom, we are continuing our series of reviews of all-in-one hi-fi systems with SIMAUDIO’s MOON ACE all-in-one music player. This is another affordable and quite versatile all-in-one system. As always, we will discuss the design, features, setup, capabilities of the system, compare it with some alternatives, emphasize the most noticeable upsides and downsides, and give you our verdict. Making your own high-end hi-fi stereo system is a huge hassle and it’s a time-consuming and expensive venture. Just think about it – you have to buy a power amp, preamp, DAC, you have to match them all together (which means a lot of experimenting), and you need a lot of space for all this equipment. That's why some manufacturers decided to change their approach and started

Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 2 comes from a very popular Onyx Studio line of Bluetooth speakers made by Harman Kardon. The first version was released in 2014 and this is the second iteration of this beautiful speaker. You probably know that there are also Onyx Studio 3, Onyx Studio 4, and Onyx Studio 5. Harman Kardon is, as you probably know, part of the same company as JBL, and they have obviously decided to target different types of customers. JBL is known for its rugged and waterproof outdoor Bluetooth speakers, while Harman Kardon makes more stylish, more elegant-looking speakers. Some Harman Kardon speakers are technically portable and can be used outdoors, but they all look a bit too refined and too sophisticated to be used outdoors. That’s the case with the speaker we are about to r

Looking for a compact, capable, but also affordable Bluetooth headphone amp? Shanling UP2 is one of the amps that checks all those boxes. In this review, we will take a closer look at the Shanling UP2, analyze its strengths and weaknesses, and give you our verdict.  Shanling UP2 is a Chinese audio company, founded in 1988. For more than 30years, they’ve been making all kinds of audio devices - AV receivers, CD players, FM tuners and radios, DAC/amps, integrated amps, stereo systems, digital music players (M series), etc. Since recently, they also make earphones (ME series) and Bluetooth amps. Two things all Shanling products have in common are affordability and great performance that usually exceeds the price tag and your expectations. Let’s see if UP2 is that kind of device. We

Ever since the introduction of the Poly music streamer for the Chord Mojo (back in 2017), we knew that this reputable British manufacturer will release a similar companion device for the Chord Hugo 2. Less than 2 months ago, Chord Electronics started shipping their new transportable music streamer called simply 2Go. Today, we are reviewing this powerful streamer.  Chord 2Go looks like a natural extension of the Hugo 2. This is a transportable, battery-operated network streamer that adds an impressive set of features to the Hugo 2 and transforms it into a powerful digital music player. Chord 2Go does the same thing as any other network/media streamer, only better – it receives audio signals from the internet or from a local server and sends it to the DAC or DAC/AMP (Hugo 2, in t

The market is flooded with all kinds of cheap headphones but not all of them can meet your requirements and many are just junk. When buying budget headphones, it’s probably smart to stick to some trusted brands. OneOdio is one of those brands. They are known for making affordable, highly versatile, and great-performing DJ headphones, professional studio monitors, and ANC headphones. Today, we are reviewing OneOdio A70 DJ headphones, also known as Fusion A70. We will analyze all their strengths and weaknesses and give you our opinion on whether they are a good buy or not. For starters, here’s a short overview.  OneOdio A70 headphones are versatile budget DJ headphones with Bluetooth connectivity. They are very light and super comfy. The headphones have both 3.5mm and 6.35mm audio in

You may think that you can’t get premium performance from an affordable pair of true wireless earbuds but you actually can. You just have to know the right brands and there are at least a few of them making very affordable and also very capable true wireless earbuds. TRANYA is one of those brands. With every new release, TRANYA manages to raise the bar and improve the performance of their headphones and earbuds. Today, we are reviewing TRANYA’s B530 Pro true wireless earbuds. It’s the upgraded version of the previous B530 earbuds, with a stronger battery and improved sonic performance. We will discuss all the upsides and downsides, and give you our honest opinion on whether you should buy them or not.  We like many things about TRANYA B530 Pro earbuds but they can all be summar

Oppo PM-3 are meant to be high-end portable planar magnetic headphones. If you know anything about planar magnetic headphones, you know that they can hardly be portable for multiple reasons, but Oppo really tried hard and their effort was not in vain. In this review, we will be discussing all the upsides and downsides of this amazing pair of portable planar magnetic headphones. Oppo is better known for its DVD and Blu-ray players but they have also made some highly praised headphones and other audio equipment. Unfortunately, Oppo went out of business at the beginning of 2018 but they still offer customer support and warranty for the products made in the past. They have decided to discontinue the production of Blu-ray players and hi-fi equipment but they are still one of the big players...

Anker Soundbuds Slim+ earbuds are an upgraded version of Anker SoundBuds Slim. They are made for sports and can be used in many situations. If you need something affordable, durable, and sweatproof for your gym or cycling sessions, you should definitely try Anker Soundbuds Slim+. There are a few differences between the first (Slim) and the second (Slim+) version. The new version has a slightly longer cable. The manufacturer managed to add 2 extra inches (21.6in compared to 23.6in) without adding extra weight. So, if you have a larger head and if the cable on the previous version was too short for you, you should try the new version. Anker SoundBuds Slim+ Review The Anker Soundbuds Slim Plus are lightweight, comfortable in-ear headphones that deliver clear, crisp audio. They have ...

The market is flooded with all kinds of cheap Bluetooth speakers and a budget speaker really needs to be special to stand out. Tribit XSound Go is one of those. This is a compact, portable, battery-operated Bluetooth speaker. It’s fashionable and stylish, and it’s made of plastic but doesn’t look cheap at all. It is a perfect choice for outdoor use since it’s IPX7-certified and delivers impressive playtime. You won’t be impressed by the sound quality or blown away by the bass, but that’s not something you should expect from a speaker of this size. You cannot compare this speaker’s sonic performance with some large party speakers or more expensive outdoor speakers. For what it is (a small and cheap Bluetooth speaker), Tribit XSound Go delivers more than satisfying sound quality and loud

If you are looking for strong and durable sports Bluetooth earbuds and you are sick of experimenting with all those generic brands, you should try Optoma NuForce BE Sport3. As the name implies, they are made for sports and if you are a sports enthusiast, you are definitely going to appreciate their performance and durability. In this review, we are going to analyze and explain all the advantages and disadvantages and give you our honest opinion on whether you should buy them or not. Optoma is probably more known for its projectors and video equipment but they decided to expand their product range when they acquired California-based audio equipment manufacturer called NuForce in 2014. Since then, Optoma has been making Bluetooth earbuds and DACs. Optoma NuForce BE Sport3 earbuds are t...

Klipsch ProMedia 2.1 speaker system is one of the oldest PC/gaming speaker systems on the market and it's still one of the most popular speaker systems. It is a great choice for gamers but it's also great for movies and music and if you are looking for a speaker system under $200 for your desktop, you should definitely check it out. Klipsch ProMedia 2.1 speaker system was first introduced back in 2000 and it has been around for more than 15 years. In that time, the number of changes made on this speaker system was minimal. Most of the changes were cosmetic and the only real change is the type of the preamp input on the subwoofer (because the old DIN connector was too fragile). When some product manages to stay competitive after so many years and with no major changes, there has to be so...

Amiron Home high-end headphones by Beyerdynamic are one of the most enjoyable and exciting headphones we’ve ever reviewed. They don’t have all those fancy features like Bluetooth connectivity, built-in controls, or built-in mic. They are all about the sound and comfort. Keep reading our review and find out what’s so special about them. Beyerdynamic is a famous German audio equipment manufacturer. Some of their products, especially studio headphones like DT 990 PRO or DT 1990 PRO are very popular and highly rated by the professionals and audiophiles. Their high-end headphones are one of the best on the market and we are about to review their last year’s high-end stereo headphone model Amiron Home. These headphones are designed for home use. This is actually one of the first headphon

Audeze EL-8 Titanium headphones represent Audeze’s first attempt to make portable headphones that you can use on the go and without an amplifier. They are significantly cheaper than the previous Audeze high-end headphones from the LCD line. The idea was to penetrate deeper into the market and expand the target group. As a result of that effort, two versions of EL-8 headphones were made – closed back and open-back. In this review, we are going to talk about the latest upgraded version of the closed-back EL-8 headphones called EL-8 Titanium. Audeze is a young company, but it’s already considered one of the world’s best headphone manufacturers. All of the Audeze headphones are high-end planar magnetic headphones. Regular dynamic drivers you can find on most of today’s headphones are repla

Klipsch RP–280F is the largest floorstanding speaker from the Klipsch Reference Premiere line of home theater speakers. Reference Premiere line of speakers is the successor of the Reference line. Klipsch RP-280F represents an enhanced version of the R-28F floorstanding speaker from the Reference series. Klipsch made some cosmetic changes but they also improved the performance of the speaker. The most noticeable changes are related to the design of the tweeter and Tractrix horn. R-28F (Reference line) VS RP-280F (Reference Premiere line) You will notice that both speakers have that recognizable Klipsch design with the famous Klipsch trademarks like Tractrix horn and woofers with the spun copper finish but there are some important differences. R-28F features aluminum LTS tweeters, i

HiFiMan Edition S headphones are in many ways, a very special pair of headphones. They are the cheapest headphones made by the famous manufacturer of high-end planar magnetic headphones. Unlike all the other HiFiMan headphones, these are not planar magnetic, but that doesn’t make them less special. They are one of the rare headphones on the market that can be used as open-back or closed-back. It’s like having two pairs of headphones in one package. As you probably know, HiFiMan is best-known for its planar magnetic headphones. Some of their headphones like HE6, HE1000, SUNDARA, SUSVARA, etc. are very popular among audiophiles. All these headphones are made for critical listening, they are all quite large, and they are not portable. Also, they are all very expensive. HiFiMan wanted to e

Today’s market is flooded with all kinds of headphones and earbuds – wired or wireless, cheap or premium, ANC or regular, with or without smart features. Numerous models are advertised as premium and affordable, but they rarely live up to those claims. Finding a model that can actually deliver premium performance at an affordable price is pretty hard, but it’s not impossible. Today, we are reviewing Moshi Vortex 2 in-ear headphones. It’s one of those models that look, feel, and sound like premium headphones but cost much less. Let’s see what’s so great (and what’s not) about Moshi Vortex 2 in-ear headphones. Moshi is a relatively young company, founded in 2005. They make audio equipment (headphones, earbuds, speakers) and all kinds of accessories for audio equipment, phones, tablets, an

Finding a great-sounding pair of true wireless earbuds with powerful bass, long-lasting battery, and reliable Bluetooth connection is not an easy task. Finding a pair of true wireless earbuds that are, at the same time, reasonably priced is a little bit harder but it’s still not impossible. Helm Audio true wireless 5.0 headphones are one of the models that ticks all the boxes and it definitely deserves your attention. In this review, we will discuss the performance of Helm Audio TW5.0 earbuds, pinpoint their biggest strong points and weaknesses, and give you our opinion on whether you should buy them or not. True wireless headphone/earbud market is one of the fastest-growing parts of the headphone market. Apple led the way with its AirPods and many headphone and earbud manufacturers fol

Looking for a reasonably priced and great-looking smart speaker? As long as you prefer Google Assistant over Alexa and Siri, Harman Kardon Citation ONE deserves a place on your shortlist. It may not be the most versatile or best-sounding smart speaker on the market, but then again, Citation ONE is one of the most affordable options. This thing could easily be one of the best in its price range ($200-$250).  Since the introduction and great success of Amazon Echo and Google Home speakers, many manufacturers have entered the smart speaker market. Today, you have Apple, SONOS, JBL, Sony, Marshall, LG, Klipsch, Riva, B&O, Bose, Anker, and many others trying to get their piece of the market share. Harman Kardon entered a highly competitive smart speaker market in August of 2018 ...

If you are in the market for an affordable and compact desktop DAC/headphone amp, iFi Zen DAC could be just the thing you need. Along with great looks, compact design, and affordable price, iFi Zen DAC delivers very nice, distortion-free sound and can drive the most demanding headphones (up to 600Ω). In this review, we will discuss the features and performance of this very nice entry-level DAC/headphone amp.  iFi is a young audio company, founded in 2012. The company headquarters are located in Southport, UK. iFi makes all kinds of headphone amps, DACs, audio cables, and other audio equipment. Their products have quickly become very popular, mostly because of the value they offer for the price. iFi Zen DAC is another product that justifies iFi’s reputation.  iFi Zen DA

Looking for a reasonably priced audiophile-grade floorstanders for your stereo or home theater system? MartinLogan Motion 40i definitely deserves a place on your shortlist. This is arguably the best speaker in its price range and it’s our top choice when it comes to entry-level high-end floorstanding speakers. The price will be a dealbreaker for most people (up to $2,500 for a pair) but if you know anything about audiophile equipment, you know that prices can be much higher.  MartinLogan is an American speaker manufacturer best known for its electrostatic speakers and, especially, for its hybrid speakers from the Masterpiece and ElectroMotion series. The biggest and probably the only issue we have with these speakers is their price. They are all very expensive. In order to expand i

Como Audio Musica is a premium all-in-one music system with a fascinating set of features. It’s one of the most versatile music systems on the market. If that's something you're looking for and if a $600 price tag is not too much for you, you are going to love it.   Como Audio is a very young audio company founded in 2016, in Boston, Massachusetts. Its founder, Tom DeVesto has more than 40 years of experience in designing, manufacturing, and introducing all kinds of high-quality electronics brands. During his professional career, Mr. DeVesto gained a lot of experience in marketing and sales. According to his bio, Mr. DeVesto was the guy who introduced the concept of factory-direct selling.  The idea behind Como Audio was to make a compact device that could access all y

Looking for a great pair of kids Bluetooth headphones with an amazing set of features? Puro Sound Labs PuroQuiet kids Bluetooth headphones are arguably the best option. They might be made for children but their performance and their features are very much on par with headphones made for adults.  Volume-limiting headphones for children were not a big deal back in the 90s. We all used to listen to our Walkmans and portable CD players at high volumes and we didn’t care. We were stupid and irresponsible, and our parents had no way to control our music listening habits all the time. Some of my friends experienced the first signs of noise-induced hearing loss at the age of 15. Luckily, today, there’s an easy way to prevent this from happening to your child. There’re all kinds of volume-

Looking for a pair of high-end floorstanders for your stereo system or your surround sound system? Paradigm Persona 5F loudspeaker might be just the thing you need. A pair of these beauties will cost you as much as a nice car but, if you still decide to buy them, you will be awarded the best listening (and visual) experience of your life.  Paradigm is a famous speaker manufacturer from Canada. They’ve been in the business since 1982 and, up until three years ago, they’ve been known for their high-performing and relatively affordable speakers and home theater solutions. Before the Persona line, Paradigm’s previous flagship floorstanders were priced around $5000 per piece. Shure, that’s not cheap but it was still much cheaper than the high-end speakers made by KEF, Focal, B&W, So

Looking for a high-performing center channel speaker? Vandersteen VCC-2 center channel speaker might be just the thing you need, especially if you are building a home theater system around Vandersteen floorstanders and subwoofers. The biggest quality of VCC-2 is its performance – this thing delivers better clarity and more detailed reproduction than any other speaker in its price range. The price tag is high and it can be a deal-breaker but you can be assured that VCC-2 is worth every cent. Let's see why. VCC-2 comes from a reputable loudspeaker manufacturer with a long tradition of making high-quality speakers. Richard Vandersteen, the founder of Vandersteen Audio, started making loudspeakers in 1972. For the first 5 years, he was making them in his garage and it was rather a hobby or

Looking for a nice pair of budget earbuds under $40 for your workouts? Koss BT232i Bluetooth FitClip in-ear headphones could be the right choice for you, especially if you have really small ears.  Koss is one of the legendary names in the audio industry. The company was founded in 1958 and it is, along with Beyerdynamic, AKG, and Sony, one of the pioneers of the industry. Koss was the company that manufactured the first stereo headphones (aka stereophones) in 1958 and the first pair of US-made electrostatic headphones in 1968. During the 60s, 70s, and 80s, Koss was one of the most reputable and most wanted brands. For the last two or three decades, Koss was known for its great-sounding low-budget headphones. For some reason, the management of the company decided not to enter the h...

Headphones are, among some other gear, the essential piece of equipment for every recording studio. Big studios with limitless budgets will always go for top-of-the-line gear, but every recording artist has to start somewhere and, as you’re probably aware, the budgets are usually very limited. If you are trying to make your own home studio and looking for the best affordable studio headphones, Mackie MC-250 headphones deserve your attention. The manufacturer claims that these deliver reference-quality sound, perfect for mixing and critical listening. We gave them a chance and ended up impressed by the performance and detailed sound reproduction. Want to find out more about Mackie MC-250 headphones? Our in-depth review follows.   Mackie is a well-known name in the recording

Whether you’re looking for a great home theater system under $3,000 or you just want a pair of great-sounding tower speakers, you should check out the latest Novus speaker line by Aperion Audio. In this review, we'll be talking about Aperion Audio Novus 5.0.2 system and we'll give you our impressions about each speaker and about the system as a whole.   Novus speaker line is the latest line introduced by the award-wining Aperion Audio. In terms of pricing their Aperion Audio Novus 5.0.2 system is somewhere in between their first Intimus system and their flagship Verus systems. In terms of performance and especially in terms of performance/value ratio, Novus 5.0.2 is an excellent system and deserves our recommendation. There are quite a few pretty big selling points. First

According to the Collins Dictionary, Nirvana is the term from Buddhism that represents the highest spiritual state that can possibly be achieved. Colloquially, this term is often used to describe the state of perfect peace and happiness. Naming a piece of audio equipment Nirvana is a bit ambitious or even pretentious, but it doesn’t necessarily have to be just a marketing gimmick. Nirvana headphone amp by Auris Audio is supposed to get your audiophilic ears to the edge of orgasm. Naturally, we were a little bit skeptical about this claim, but we were proven wrong. This divine headphone amp will give you nothing but pure enjoyment and happiness. Sounds interesting? Read our in-depth review to find out more. Auris Audio is a Serbian audio company founded in 2013 by Mr. Milomir Trosic

Have you ever wondered why events you recorded with your phone or with your DSLR camera look exactly the same as you've seen them, but they never sound the same as you've heard them? The reason is simple – video recording devices like phones and cameras will, at the same time, record the sound, but only in mono. When recorded like that, the audio never sounds exactly the same as you hear it. If you want your audio recordings to sound exactly the same as you hear them, you need binaural mics. It’s the most immersive and most accurate way to record the sound. The device we are about to review is designed to capture the sound in 3D and can be used in combination with almost any video recording device. Hooke Audio Verse is the first Bluetooth-enabled binaural recording headset in the world and

Are you struggling to find a pair of IEMs that fits perfectly and that’s not too bassy? Westone B50 might be the perfect solution for you. These high-end earphones/IEMs offer very rich, detailed, and immersive sound reproduction, perfect fit, and Bluetooth connectivity. If you are interested, you should read our detailed review and find out more about Westone B50.  Westone is one of the most famous names in the audio industry with 60 years of experience in designing and manufacturing earphones and all kinds of earphone accessories. This is the company that made the first custom-fit earpiece for Sony’s ‘’Walkman’’ style earpieces in 1985. They also made the first custom (1996) and first universal-fit dual-driver IEMs (1999), as well as the first three-way earphones (2008). They

Looking for a great-sounding pair of ANC headphones under $350? Sure, Bose QC35 II and Sony WH1000XM3 are safe choices but if you like experimenting, PSB M4U 8 might be just the thing you need. They’re not as great as QC35 when it comes to active noise cancellation, but they sound more exciting and more detailed than any other noise-canceling headphones on the market in their price range. In this review, you’ll find out everything you need to know about PSB M4U 8 ANC headphones.  PSB is a very well-known name in the audio industry and they are respected for their speakers. They have almost 50 years of experience in making all kinds of loudspeakers. Recently, they have decided to bring the same kind of experience in a smaller package. Their M4U headphone line was praised by the

Looking for an entry-level audiophile-grade DAC/preamp combo? PS Audio Stellar Gain Cell DAC could be just the thing you need. Priced at $1,700, Stellar Gain Cell DAC is not exactly cheap but, compared to other audiophile gear, especially to flagship models made by PS audio and other reputable manufacturers, this DAC/preamp combo device can be considered quite affordable. What's even more important is that the PS Audio team managed to maximize the performance and offer more than you could expect at this price point. PS Audio Stellar Gain Cell could easily be the best DAC/preamp under $1,700 on the market. Want to know more? Read our in-depth review and find out everything about the features and performance of this magnificent device. Every true audiophile knows that you’ll never get

Looking for the loudest speaker ever? The third version of a very popular SOUNDBOKS speaker line could be just the thing you need. The first two speakers (SOUNDBOKS and SOUNDBOKS 2) were a great success but the latest upgrade called NEW SOUNDBOKS (not SOUNDBOKS 3) is supposed to be the most advanced and best-sounding of them all. Our review of the latest SOUNDBOKS is here to introduce you to all the exciting upgrades and give you our honest opinion about the performance and sound quality of this monster speaker. We will also cover all the important features and try to compare its performance to some other large and loud speakers. SOUNDBOKS 1 was introduced two years ago and it was highly praised by the audience. At the time, it was advertised as the loudest Bluetooth speaker on the...

Brainwavz is a young audio equipment manufacturer that’s been trying to make some real impact in the audio industry and position itself on the market for the past few years. Some of their previous models like the over-ear headphones HM5 and HM100 have been highly praised as great midrange headphones, but Brainwavz decided not to stop there. Alara planar magnetic headphones are the latest release from this ambitious headphone manufacturer and it is, by far, the most expensive and the best-sounding model ever made by Brainwavz. These are also the first planar magnetic headphones ever made by the Brainwavz. At $500 price point, Alara headphones have a few noticeable rivals on the planar magnetic headphone market, but there’s also a lot of great dynamic headphones within this price range, and

If you are tired of unreliable cheap Bluetooth earbuds and you are considering some old-fashioned wired solutions, RHA S500i could be just the thing you need. They are compact, small, durable, comfortable, they offer decent and reliable performance and, on top of all that, they are quite affordable. RHA is a well-known British headphone manufacturer. You have probably heard of their more expensive in-ear monitors like T20 or T20i or their wireless earbuds like MA650 and MA750. Unlike those models, RHA S500i earbuds are much smaller, more compact, and sharper-looking. S500i earbuds are specially designed for iPhones but there is also the Android version called RHA S500 Universal. The only difference between the two versions is in the controls. RHA S500i earbuds feature more convenient 3...

A few months ago, MrSpeakers introduced their latest flagship planar magnetic headphone model – Ether 2. If you are familiar with MrSpeakers headphones, you could assume that Ether 2 is just an upgrade of the previous Ether model but MrSpeakers Ether 2 is much more than a simple upgrade. The manufacturer completely changed the design, made a few important technical improvements, and tuned them in a way that’s not exactly typical for MrSpeakers headphones, but it’s very much pleasing. Ether 2 is a fusion of all the previous headphones made by MrSpeakers. Read our review if you want to find out more. Ether 2 it the latest headphone model from the Ether series. Ether Open (or Ether 1) headphones were introduced in 2015 and they were so fun to listen to. They delivered such a nice sense of

Looking for a cheap pair of sports Bluetooth in-ear headphones for your workout sessions? Take a few minutes to read our review of Creative Outlier ONE Bluetooth in-ear headphones. These simple Bluetooth earbuds could be the right thing for you. Founded in 1981, Creative has more than 30 years of experience in making very good and very affordable digital entertainment equipment (PC and gaming equipment, speakers, headphones, etc.). Creative Outlier ONE in-ear headphones are one of the latest Creative’s products and one of the cheapest Bluetooth headphones ever made by Creative. Don’t let the price fool you – they are cheap but that doesn’t mean they are bad. Bluetooth earbuds were much more expensive a decade ago but you can now find a pretty decent and quite durable pair of in-ear

Finding a good-sounding pair of speakers under $200 is not such an easy task as you might think. $200 is not a small amount of money but you would be surprised by how limited the number of viable choices is, even if all you are looking for is accurate and balanced sound. That’s why we wanted to introduce you to this amazing pair of Fluance Ai40 powered bookshelf speakers. Fluance Ai40 stereo speakers are all about the music and sound. Fluance has built 20 years of experience into these speakers and if you know anything about Fluance audio equipment, you know that they use high-performing drivers, refined crossovers, and high-quality wooden cabinets. The only result they are looking for is perfectly balanced and accurate sound with minimum distortion. That’s the exact thing you can ex

If you are looking for a highly versatile wireless gaming headset that you can use with all your gaming consoles, you should definitely try the LS41 wireless surround sound gaming headset. It’s the latest flagship model made by a young but reputable company called LucidSound. LS41 deserves your attention because of many things but mainly because of its wireless and surround sound capabilities, and because of great sonic performance. In this review, we are going to list and explain all the upsides, downsides, and potential issues and give you our honest opinion on whether you should buy this headset or not. So, let’s get started. LucidSound is a young headset manufacturer with an ambitious goal to bring change to the gaming industry. Their LS line of gaming headsets is not big but t

1MORE is a US-based headphone manufacturer known for its affordable and high-performing over-ear and in-ear headphones, especially their in-ear headphones with hybrid drivers. Their wired 1MORE triple driver in-ear headphones were very successful so they decided to make a wireless version and that’s the headphone model we are about to review. Their 1MORE triple driver BT in-ear headphones truly have a lot to offer but there are some limitations (or flaws if you want). So, if you are interested in buying these headphones, read our review and find out everything you need to know about them. As we’ve said, this is basically a wireless version of the 1MORE triple driver in-ear headphones. Two earphone models have a lot in common, especially when it comes to drivers, but there are also

After making a few affordable but very popular and praised portable headphone amplifiers (like Q1, Q1 Mark II, A5), FiiO decided to go big. After the introduction of their impressive and very capable high-end digital audio players X7 and X7 Mark II, they have finally released a new high-end amp/DAC called Q5. Q5 is the most advanced portable headphone amp/DAC device made by FiiO so far. In this review, we will discuss the pros and cons of Q5, talk about features, test its performance, compare it to some other high-end amp/DACs and, finally, give you our honest opinion on whether you should buy it or not. FiiO is a relatively young but already reputable Chinese audio manufacturer. With an ambitious aspiration to change the way people react to ‘’Made in China’’ label, FiiO has started

Looking for a reasonably priced and versatile pair of powered stereo speakers? Peachtree Audio M25 might be just the thing you need. They can be attached to any analog or digital audio source in your house, including your turntable (no phono preamp needed) and they deliver an impressive sonic performance for their size. In this review, we will discuss the most noticeable features and performance of this amazing and affordable stereo system. Keep reading if you want to find out more. Peachtree Audio M25 is an upgraded version of the M24. The term ‘’upgraded’’ mostly refers to the size of the cabinet and size of the drivers. In other words, M25 is larger than M24 and has larger drivers, which basically means bigger sound. So, while M24 is a great choice if you need desktop speakers,

You won’t find many class A/B power amps under $1,000 on the market, especially if they are designed and made in the US. Still, it’s not completely impossible – Vidar power amplifier made by the Schiit is exactly that. At $700 price point, Schiit Vidar is one of the cheapest high-end power amps on the market and it is also one of the best power amps under $1,000. Schiit is an American audio equipment manufacturer. The company was founded in 2010 and it's been instantaneously recognized as a high-quality brand. There are a few reasons for that. First, Schiit’s founders Jason Stoddard and Mike Moffat have decades of experience in the audio industry. That experience was definitely an important factor – they already knew how to make a high-quality product. Furthermore, Jason and Mike

Did you know they make great headphones in Romania? No, we’re not talking about that new Sennheiser’s factory. We’re talking about the Meze Audio, a Romanian headphone/earphone manufacturer based in Baia Mare in Northwest Romania. The company was founded in 2009. They’ve struggled a few years to make a breakthrough, but after the introduction of 99 Classics in 2015, Meze has become a recognizable name in the audio industry. 99 Classics received many awards and were praised by many customers as one of the best-looking and best-sounding headphones in their category. The only problem was their price. It’s not like they were crazy expensive, but most people don’t really want to spend more than $300 on a pair of headphones. So, the people from Meze Audio decided to expand their reach and m

SVS Prime Elevation is advertised as the world’s most versatile home theater speaker and that statement is not far from the truth. SVS Prime Elevation was primarily designed as high-performing height effect speaker and it’s a great choice if you need that kind of speaker, especially if you can’t install in-ceiling height speakers for some reason and you don’t want to use Atmos modules. Before we even start reviewing this speaker let's explain the two most popular types of height speakers. The first type are in-ceiling speakers. The greatest problem with in-ceiling speakers is that they don’t sound as good as speakers with cabinets. The second problem is the installation (drilling, cutting, wiring). You have to make holes in your ceiling and you have to wire the speakers which can b

Oontz Angle 3 Plus is the third speaker from a popular line of Oontz Angle speakers. Compared to its predecessor Oontz Angle 3, Angle 3 Plus is larger, delivers louder sound and punchier bass, and has a much larger battery. Oontz Angle 3 Plus is a great choice if you are looking for an inexpensive portable Bluetooth speaker under $40. It’s small and lightweight, it features Bluetooth, it’s IPX5-certified, and it delivers an amazing playtime of up to 30 hours at 2/3 volume. The speaker can be used indoors and outdoors and it’s a nice choice if you need a shower speaker. The sound is quite amazing for the size. It’s nowhere near some $100+ JBL or UE speakers, but for the price, you will get more than satisfying sound quality. We were not impressed by the bass response but you won't ge

Looking for a compact high-end all-in-one audio system? Well, you can stop your search - Naim Uniti Atom may be just the thing you need. It’s a hi-fi stereo receiver, wireless music streamer, amplifier, music player, and so much more. The number of different features packed in this small and compact device is simply remarkable. In this review, we are going to go through all the highlights of Naim Uniti Atom, give you our opinion on the performance, talk about downsides and, finally, evaluate it and suggest some alternatives. So, without further ado, let’s dive into this review.    Naim has been one of the synonyms for high-end audio equipment, especially when it comes to amplifiers, for more than 4 decades. It’s a British audio company established in 1969. The last 10-15 years

AfterShokz Trekz Titanium are the first sports bone conduction headphones made by AfterShokz. Compared to some previous AfterShokz bone conduction headphones, these are much sturdier and more comfortable. There is also an upgraded version of Trekz Titanium called Trekz Air, which is even lighter and more comfortable, but also significantly pricier. To be completely honest, we are not convinced that the number of improvements justifies such a high price of Trekz Air. In our opinion, Trekz Titanium is a smarter choice. AfterShokz is the only recognizable brand when it comes to bone conduction headphones. If you do a little research on your own, you will see that all the other bone conduction headphones have some odd names that you have never heard of. In a way, AfterShokz is the only tru...

HiFiMan HE-400i are planar magnetic headphones designed for critical or casual listening. Compared to other planar magnetic headphones on the market, these can be considered quite affordable, but they are most definitely not cheap. Still, if you want to experience planar magnetic technology and you are not prepared to splash more than $1000 on some high-end headphones, HiFiMan HE-400i planar magnetic headphones are a great entry-level option. They are not the cheapest choice but they offer great performance and great sound quality for the price. There are only a few recognizable names on the planar magnetic headphone market. The most reputable ones are Oppo, AUDEZE, and of course, HiFiMan. The introduction of planar magnetic drivers started the revolution on the headphone market and bro...

Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 3 is the third out of five versions of a highly appreciated Onyx Studio line by Harman Kardon. Compared to the version 2, this one has a new Bluetooth version (Onyx Studio 2 had Bluetooth 3.0 while Onyx Studio 3 has Bluetooth 4.1) and all the other improvements are closely related to capabilities of Bluetooth 4.1 (daisy chaining and multi-host features). The regular price of this speaker is $450 but you can often find it on Amazon for $200 or less. Since you can also find Onyx Studio 4 and Onyx Studio 5 for less than $200, you should probably check out those speakers, too. The difference between the third and fourth version is minimal (upgraded battery), while the fifth version is the first one with a modified shape and a few more improvements. Onyx Studio 3, j...

Devialet Gold Phantom is the third wireless speaker from a highly praised line of Phantom speakers by Devialet. The first two speakers, white and silver Phantom, got many positive reviews and many compliments. The main difference between the three speakers is the power rating. The first one had the peak output power of 1200W and max SPL of 101dB, while the silver Phantom had an amazing 3,000W of peak output power and 105dB max SPL. Silver Phantom was (and still is) an impressive speaker, but Devialet went one step further and released the third upgraded version called Devialet Gold Phantom. This one has the peak output power of 4,500W and max SPL of 108dB. It’s hard to believe these numbers, but they are true. Devialet is a very young company (founded in 2007), but they have already ma

OontZ Angle 3XL Ultra is the upgraded version of the OontZ Angle 3XL. This is the largest speaker from the very popular and very affordable OontZ Angle series of speakers made by Cambridge SoundWorks. You have probably heard of the OontZ Angle speakers before and you would be able to recognize one since they all have that unique triangular design. OontZ Angle 3XL Ultra features the same design but it still stands out because of the size and especially because of its features and performance. This large speaker is, in many ways, better than any other OontZ Angle speaker. The build quality is significantly improved - the edges are made of brushed aluminum and some parts are also reinforced with rubber which makes it suitable for outdoor use. The controls are more intuitive, easier to ...

AfterShokz Trekz Air headphones are arguably the best bone conduction headphones on the market. They are the latest headphone model made by AfterShokz and they are designed for active lifestyle and for people with different types of hearing impairment (especially for people with outer ear, middle ear, and inner ear issues). When it comes to bone conduction headphones, the number of possible choices is not impressive. The way we see it, there is AfterShokz, and there’s a bunch of no-name manufacturers. Those no-name bone conduction headphones are significantly cheaper than the AfterShokz headphones, but their performance, build quality, and durability is not even close to AfterShokz headphones. AfterShokz Trekz Air are the second wireless bone conduction headphones made by AfterShokz

Razer Hammerhead earbuds are one of the rare USB-C earbuds on the market. They are specially made for Razer gaming phone but they are also compatible with some other USB-C smartphones (unfortunately not with all of them). In this review, we will discuss our impressions about these earbuds but we will also try to explain this relatively new connection type and figure out why manufacturers stopped using the good old 3.5mm jack and decided to replace it with USB-C. USB-C port is supposed to be the next big thing, especially when it comes to smartphones, notebooks, computers, and of course, headphones and earbuds. Theoretically, this port should become universal and should replace most of the other ports on your devices including HDMI and VGA ports, charging ports, other USB Type-A and Type...

Optoma NuForce BE2 is the cheapest version of Optoma NuForce sports Bluetooth earbuds. The manufacturer tried to make a few compromises but keep a certain level of performance and overall quality you would expect from this brand. NuForce BE2 is not far behind more expensive models from the same line of sports earbuds (BE Sport3 and BE Sport4), but it still lacks some features and accessories you would get with those more expensive models. It all comes down to your willingness to make compromises in order to save money. When it comes to things we like, it’s important to mention the design (which is practically the same as the design of the BE Sport3 earbuds but without the ear wings and colorful ear tips). We also liked the in-line controls, IPX5 water resistant rating, battery life, an

ActionPie VJJB-V1S is such an uncool, generic, and easily forgettable name for such a cool-looking pair of earbuds. The manufacturer didn’t even try to give them some real name and that’s a shame especially considering the performance you get for the price. If you’ve already heard of ActionPie, then you probably know that this is one of many generic brands and that they make affordable, or rather cheap earbuds. We are now supposed to lower your expectations regarding the earbuds we are about to review and tell you that you have to make some compromises when buying cheap audio equipment but you probably know that and we are not going to bother you with unnecessary explanations. VJJB-V1S is a cheap but nice-looking pair of earbuds. The presentation and the design are quite impressive a

Altec Lansing ALP-XP800 Xpedition 8 is one of the best large outdoor Bluetooth speakers with lights. This huge thing is a perfect choice for tailgating and outdoor parties. Truth to be told, there is a certain gap in the market when it comes to large speakers, especially if you are looking for a portable (battery operated) and powerful speaker with lights. The gap gets even bigger if you want that speaker to be rugged or waterproof. The number of possible choices is not huge but you still have some options and one of the best ones is Xpedition 8. We were really skeptical about the Altec Lansing’s flagship model called ALP-XP800 Xpedition 8 but this large speaker actually performed better than we’ve expected and proved that it can compete with other rivals (like SONY XB90, XB60, or ION