If you are in the market for a pair of professional quality over-ear headphones, you will undoubtedly have already come across the terms closed-back and open-back headphones. With the top manufacturers making both types and often in similar price ranges, you will find yourself asking what’s best? There is not a straightforward answer. The reason for the 2 different designs is that they both serve different applications and different tastes....

As far as audio file formats go, many audiophiles consider Free Lossless Audio Codec (FLAC) as one of the best options. However, despite its popularity, this format isn’t supported by the Apple ecosystem. Instead, Apple has its own lossless audio format, the Apple Lossless Audio Codec (ALAC). This prompts users to manually convert FLAC to ALAC just to be able to play them on their iOS devices. This can be very inconvenient, especially if you have thousands of files to convert!...

The company from Shenzhen, currently headquartered in Califonia, certainly knows what they are doing and it is evident from the amount of effort they put into their marketing message, packaging and, of course, their product. Today, we will be reviewing the 1More Triple Driver In-Ear Headphones. Packaging The packaging of the Triple Driver is large, like Harry-potter-esque large. The box is hard-case and feels premium to touch. When the package arrived at the office, it did attract a lot of attention....

This main lead in the review today will be the H6 as I have already reviewed the Momentum 2. You might be interested: Review: Beoplay H7 (Top-notch Bluetooth headphones) Build Quality The B&O H6 is nicely designed. The round earpads are made of lambskin leather and on the inside, some extremely thin material with the right and left indication. They are not spacious or deep. It is definitely on the small side of the « over-ear / circum » category....

What do you picture when I say the words “headphone stand?” The now infamous foam yoga block? Or perhaps an omega-shaped wooden curve? The budget-minded among us may own an affordable Ikea MÖJLIGHET. Perhaps you’ve got a clip-on desk model? There’s no shortage of options out there. What all those options have in common is that headphones hang from them rather than ‘stand’ on them. And this creates an issue because the weight of the headphones compresses the foam padding on the underside of the headband....

If you’re into headphones, chances are very high that you’ve already heard of the Sennheiser HD600. So much has been said about these particular headphones that it’s hard to know where to start. Since their release, they’ve been heralded as the holy grail of the “mid-fi bracket.” This bracket is known for headphones that, while not amazing with their transparency or technicalities, get so little inarguably wrong that they’re almost impossible to fault....

Almost a year and a half ago, Takstar released a sub-$200, open-back, over-ear, planar magnetic headphone, generically named the HF 580. Soon it was discovered that several other headphones shared a very similar (or the same) driver with different ear cups, earpads, headbands, and cables. All were more expensive than the HF 580, and some significantly more so. Perhaps the most notable alternative is the gorgeous, hand-assembled, wooden cupped SendyAudio Aiva....

Tripowin, established in 2019, quickly gained experience in manufacturing professional HiFi cables and earphone accessories. To date, they have brought two models of IEMs to market. The inaugural release, the TP10, is a 5BA (Balanced Armatures) model with a build strikingly similar to the now retired CCA A10 and CCA C10. The TC-01, our present beauties, are Tripowin’s unique sophomore effort – with a single direct driver and no foolishness to be found....

We all know how expensive state-of-the-art noise-canceling headphones can be. And sure, it’s okay to splurge on a high-end gadget that you know could make life a little more enjoyable, or peaceful even, but there are times when it’s just not in the budget to do so. Even worse, some people might be forced to add to their credit debt or spend outside their budget range especially if they’re already experiencing some hearing loss because of too much noise, and only a pair of noise cancelling headphones can alleviate them....

AirPods, as we know, are supposed to work intuitively and connect seamlessly with devices, especially with Apple devices. But with Murphy’s Law at work, we understand the disappointment when they are not working as expected. It can be frustrating when your AirPods won’t turn on or connect in times you need to answer a call or even switch between your Apple devices. After all, AirPods can be expensive so you only expect them to be worth what you paid for....

Have you ever read an amplifier review and been overwhelmed by technical jargon? How about ad copy that packed in esoteric terminology like the barker at a sideshow? A string of words like discrete direct-coupled single-ended Class A without feedback might seem calculated to dazzle average consumers into a state of shopping compliance, but there’s real engineering behind it. Besides, this is Headphonesty and we’re above average here, aren’t we?...

A typical headphone source (amplifier, DAP, etc.) supports an unbalanced headphone connection. Think of that round ¼” headphone jack on your stereo or the 3.5mm socket on your (non-i) phone. However, it is becoming much more common for manufacturers to also include separate balanced headphone connections on their devices. While once the purview of ultra-high-end or professional equipment, balanced connections have recently found their way to lower-priced consumer products. The idea, however, isn’t a new one....

In this tutorial, I will be building a Mini XLR to 3.5mm cable for the K7XX, but the practices used for this will apply for just about any connector you can think of. With a bit of practice that is. Materials used for this build Mogami W2893: Great cable for our purposes. The core wires are very thin, and very flexible, which makes for a great wire. Rean Neutrik Stereo 3....

The video gaming market has steadily been one of the biggest markets in the world. And this $178 billion industry isn’t showing signs of slowing down; with the US accounting for almost a third of that figure. In line with that, the demand for gaming headphones has been on a steady rise as more people try to get their hands on headphones to aid their gaming performance. That’s why the gaming headset market has now adjusted to cater to every type of gamers — new or old, fancy or not....

Ever wanted to listen to music with your friend during a long commute without playing it through your phone speakers? While using one earbud each is a solution, it’s frustrating to hear only one audio channel. Not to mention, sharing earbuds isn’t the most hygienic way to listen together. The thought of where your friend’s earbud has been before you put it in your ear is enough to make anyone hesitate....

While Spotify is one of the most widely-used music streaming services in the world, seeing about 422 million active users per month in over 180 countries, a slew of controversies has increasingly mired its good reputation over the years. Many of these issues have become dealbreakers, prompting a hard-pressed few to cancel their Spotify subscriptions. Your profile and created playlists will still exist on the app. Even worse, your personal data and information also remain for Spotify to continue using....

Some years ago, when I first became a “headphone nut,” the first pair of truly mid-fi headphones that I purchased were the AKG K712. I had heard of their reputation for an expansive soundstage and a swirling, psychedelic, creamy sound, and I immediately found that the rumors were true. At least to me as a new audiophile, the soundstage was large, and the sound was amazing! I had to know more!...

Since time immemorial, man has sought to carry stuff, yet leave both hands free. Whether a folder under the arm, a phone between the ear and shoulder, or a woman in a fireman’s carry, I’d still like to hold a turkey leg if handed one, you know? For the modern man, the wallet was a superb invention. Carry all the stuff you need within a few folds of leather, and have hands free to hold two turkey legs....

One of the pleasures of hearing new audio equipment for the first time is when they reveal your music in a different or surprising way. This unassuming pair of planar magnetic over-ear headphones, devoid of branding of any kind and black all over, give little away until the music starts flowing. Once I started listening to the Gold Planar GL600s, I went on a voyage of re-discovery through my collection and I found them hard to take off!...

If you made it this far, you likely know what this thing is – a portable audio amplifier, with this form factor being called a “dongle.” In general, dongles are devices that generate more clean power and sound than you might get from your mobile audio source (e.g., smartphone, tablet, laptop). The HELM DB12 AAAMP mobile headphone amplifier is the world’s first portable in-line amplifier powered by THX. Its name highlights two significant attributes: +12 dB of gain/power, provided by an internal THX-certified AAA (Achromatic Audio Amplifier) amplifier....