To say that something is cheap without being cheap can mean either it’s expensive but not well made or it’s not expensive yet well made. The RHA S500i in-ear headphone fits into the latter category. I’ve been using these earphones for a couple of months and still marvel how Scottish audio company Reid Heath Acoustics, Ltd. […]
RHA S500i in-ear headphone review Read More
Bu-bump … Bu-bump … Bu-bump … The album opened with a heartbeat—a speaker tester of a heartbeat. If I cranked the volume high enough, all kinds of distortion could happen. But it didn’t. What I heard was the recorded heart thumping away along with faint analog tape hiss in the background just before those famous sound
Blue Lola headphone review Read More
Earphones and headphones are conceived and designed in many countries such as the US, UK, Japan, Australia and China. However, with the exception of some high-end models, most are sourced and manufactured in China to help keep costs down. But what if you wanted to design and build headphones in your own country and still
Bloc & Roc Galvanize S2 Edition headphone review Read More
Back in 2011, I reviewed the then new Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin Air Speaker/Dock. It was—and still is—an incredible speaker that blows away most wireless speakers. After the review, my wife “helped herself” to it, so it now sits on top of her piano facing the kitchen where she can use Apple Airplay to stream
Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin Wireless speaker review Read More
I know I’ve said this before, but one of my favorite things about reviewing products is being pleasantly surprised because a product performs better than I expected. It also makes it harder to review, because it is much easier to explain why you don’t like something than it is explaining why you do like it.
TIBO Plus 3 active speaker system w/Bluetooth review Read More
One of my all-time favorite and best sounding portable speakers is the Creative Sound Blaster Roar. Its combination of powerful audio, Bluetooth and unbelievably low price make the Roar a rarity in portable audio. Yet, as good as the Roar is, Creative saw ways to improve upon its already impressive features and created the Sound
Creative Sound Blaster Roar 2 portable Bluetooth speaker review Read More
Whether the new Fluance Fi70 Bluetooth speaker is the best sounding Bluetooth speaker as Fluance claims remains to be seen. Only a review can determine that, but the Fi70 may qualify as the largest Bluetooth speaker yet. This 81 lb. monster will certainly fill a large room with high quality audio. At the core of
Go big or go home … Fluance goes big with the Fi70 Bluetooth speaker Read More
I’ve always liked Phiaton’s earphones and headphones, Their MS 100 BA balanced armature earphones are one of the best bargains available. The Chord MS 530 headphones are a comfortable pair of Bluetooth/Noise canceling headphones that look as good as they sound. Phiaton has adapted the noise canceling tech for their BT 100 NC earphones. Bluetooth
Phiaton BT 100 noise canceling earphones review Read More
When I reviewed the Mass Fidelity Relay Bluetooth digital audio converter, I was struck how well made and solid the DAC is, as well as how it makes life easier dealing with my older stereo equipment. However, the Relay is a niche product that will not be useful to everyone. Not so with the new
Mass Fidelity cuts to the Core with a unique speaker Read More
When it comes to multiroom music systems, Sonos is the king. However, being the king makes you a target and Denon has Sonos in its sights . Denon’s ammunition is HEOS (Home Entertainment Operating System). This system ranges from the small HEOS 1 speaker to full-blown wireless home theater systems. The HEOS 1 is the
Denon HEOS 1 portable wireless speaker review Read More
Here’s a scenario: You’re out in the middle of nowhere listening to your portable Bluetooth speaker when the battery dies—and you don’t have access to an outlet to recharge it. Well, if you have the Maqe SOUNDJUMP speaker, no problem. The SOUNDJUMP is unique because it has a replaceable battery pack allowing the battery to
Maqe SOUNDJUMP speaker has replaceable power Read More
At the 2016 Consumer Electronics Show, German company BRAGI released the Dash, the world’s first smart wireless headphones. The Dash is a combination of design, audio, wearable tech, biometrics and telephone functionality, all in one product. It’s truly wireless.
The Bragi Dash Bluetooth earphones are truly wireless Read More
It’s hard to write anything new about the Bowers & Wilkins P5 Wireless headphone because so much of what needs to be said has already been said—twice! My review of the P5 Wireless is based on the P5 Series 2 which in turn was largely based on my impressions of the original P5. Sure, the P5
Bowers & Wilkins P5 Wireless headphone review Read More
Let’s talk Bluetooth—again. Bluetooth began as a convenient, but spotty and bad-sounding way to listen to music without wires. Today, Bluetooth has improved dramatically in sound quality and signal strength—although it can still occasionally have annoying drop-outs. It’s almost gotten to the point that wireless—whether it’s Apple’s Airplay, wifi, or the ubiquitous Bluetooth is becoming
Mass Fidelity Relay Hi-Fi Bluetooth DAC review Read More
The Gadgeteer has reviewed a few speakers from Fluance and come away impressed. Fluance make everything from Bluetooth to home theater to home tower speakers. Fluance’s newest offering is also their new flagship model: The Signature Series. Fluance has taken engineering, craftsmanship and premium components from its other high performance speakers, such as their XL7F speakers,
Fluance cranks up the power with its Signature Series speakers Read More
Since reviewing their excellent AF78 earphones, I wondered if Australia’s Audiofly would move into the headphone market. I didn’t have to wonder long because they’ve just released the new AF240 over-the-ear headphone—a first for them. The minimalist-looking AF240 is made from a combination of polycarbonate ear cups and metal alloy arms which allows them to
Audiofly goes from down under to over your ears with the new AF240 Headphone Read More
After reviewing every headphone French audio speaker company Focal sells, one fact stands out: Focal makes some of the best headphones available. The Spirit Professional is accurate to a fault and the Spirit Classic is one of the most comfortable headphones I have ever used. So when they came out with the Sphear—their first In-ear
Focal Sphear in-ear headphones review Read More
I’m going to say this right up front. I really like hybrid earphones. I like the warm bass that the dynamic speaker provides. I like the accuracy the armature speaker is able to replicate. And I like that when used together, these two different speaker technologies give the best of both worlds. It’s never a
Audiofly AF78 hybrid earphones review Read More
There are earphones with tunable filters and there are earphones with a hybrid (dynamic plus armature speaker) design. But it’s rare to see hybrid combined with filters in the same earphone. And it’s way more rare to see all this in an affordable package! Well, it’s not that rare anymore. The Trinity Delta Hybrid is
Trinity Delta Hybrid earphone review Read More
As much as I like people to read reviews and consider expert opinions on headphones and earphones, this reviewer is not the definitive word on what is the best headphone. No reviewer is. Headphones are only as good as the user thinks they are. So then—if any reviewer (including me) is not the final word,
The zZounds 2016 Headphone Buyers Guide is more than just any guide Read More