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Integrated DAC/amp desktop combos are preferred by many audiophiles (especially beginners) for various reasons. They’re cheaper, more organized, and offer a better channel balance in the sound output. That said, cutting through the noise and picking a suitable desktop DAC/amp unit that checks all your boxes can be overwhelming. Besides navigating technical spec terms like frequency and wattage, core features like connectivity, format support, and your budget must be considered....

As more fitness-driven people continue to hit the gyms and parks, those places get so noisy that it’s hard to focus on your workout. One solution for this is to get a pair of workout headphones. You may have heard that Bose and Beats make great headphones but are they suitable for workouts? Unfortunately, not all of the Bose and Beats headphones are suitable for workouts. Some models are purely for music enjoyment but there are also models that you can bring it out for a good sweaty workout....

I decided to review these two sets of headphones, the Audeze LCD-4, and Meze Empyrean, as I can’t really justify keeping both. This review will hopefully help me to decide which to keep. The Audeze LCD-4 is originally a 2016 model, but the drivers and ear pads were replaced last November. The Meze Empyrean was made in November this year, so both headphones are basically brand new. All gear used in this review is owned by me and I’ve got no affiliation with any of the mentioned brands....

One of the more annoying occurrences for anyone using their phone or laptop is for the device to get stuck on headphone mode. This can happen due to incorrect device settings, operating system issues, or having the headphone plug breaking off and getting lodged inside the audio port. What’s worse is when the device is STILL in headphone mode, even if the headphones themselves are already disconnected. This means the audio can’t come out of the built-in speakers or any other output since the device thinks that the headphones are still connected....

Whether due to faulty audio settings, a bad connection, or a low-quality device, hearing an echo in your headphones can be downright distracting when you’re gaming with friends, listening to music, or in a video conference call with co-workers. It’s bothersome enough when the echo comes from a single source, but can be quite disruptive when coming from multiple sources – like in a video call with more than two participants....

Did your headphone jack break and now it’s stuck inside your smartphone’s audio port? It’s an annoying problem. It keeps you from taking calls, listening to music, watching videos, and hearing important notifications. In short, it severely limits what you can do with your device. The obvious solution is to get the audio port replaced at a repair center. But that involves spending some of your precious time and money....

A DAC, or Digital to Analog Converter, is (just as it says) a device that converts digital signals to analog signals. Audio that starts off as a series of 1s and 0s eventually ends up as music coming from your headphones. It’s the DAC (and a few other little components along the way) that makes the magic happen. In short, yes, and if you have a phone, laptop, or computer, you already have one....

Whether you’re a casual music listener, an amateur recording artist, or dabbling in sound production, one constant thing is the desire to get the best out of your audio. Often part of that discussion is whether mono or stereo audio is best to achieve that. It’s easy to say that stereo is best since it’s the most used option nowadays. But, if that’s the case, why do some people still go for mono?...

The AKG K371 was released 2 months ago along with another AKG model, the K361. Both serve the same purpose: Efficient studio headphones with a focus on portability. The K361/K371 are the direct replacements of the now discontinued K550/K553 that were produced between 2012 and 2018. All of them share similar dynamic drivers. Specifications Type: Closed-back, over-ear Drivers: 50mm dynamic, titanium-coated Impedance: 32 Ohms Sensitivity: 114 dB/V Cable: Detachable, mini-XLR connectors...

The Avantree Opera are something different for me, and for Headphonesty. Headphones not intended for music listening. How novel! The Opera are a combination of headphone stand, charging base, pre-paired Bluetooth transmitter, and (of course) the wireless headphones themselves. Designed to take the difficulty out of connecting headphones to virtually any TV setup, they are purported to effortlessly integrate into any system with a variety of connection options. The Opera include optical, RCA, and AUX cables, as well as a microphone for TVs that don’t feature any standard audio outputs....

Starting in 2008, the Victor Company of Japan, Ltd, (usually referred to as JVC or the Japan Victor Company) released their first IEMs made with wood fiber diaphragms, the HP-FX500. Since then they have released several generations of wood dome diaphragm IEMs including the HA-FX650, HA-FX750, HA-FX850, HA-FX1100, and HA-FX1200. In 2016, the FW series (the fourth generation of JVC’s wood diaphragm IEMs) was released in Japan. The FW range consists of the HA-FW03, HA-FW02 and the flagship HA-FW01....

You get what you pay for. It’s a well-worn saying, and almost always an accurate one. Whilst quality audio reproduction has never been more affordable, there’s always room for improvement, even if the pursuit often experiences diminishing returns as the price goes up. The truth is, good engineering costs money, so if you really want the best, you have to dig deeper into your pockets. This review focuses on a fine example of what you get when you’re prepared to put down more of your hard-earned money....

When the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie, that’s… love? Lunar-related violence aside, Moondrop has been one of the most refreshing in-ear monitor (IEM) brands to appear as of late, winning acclaim and accolades with each new release. As you know I’ve taken quite a liking to Starfield, their budget superstar, and fervently look forward to their new releases and subsequent buzz. Hype Beast Moondrop’s latest offering goes a tier lower in terms of price, and is called the SSR or Super Spaceship Reference, the nomenclature an ode to their earlier IEM, the Spaceship....

Regardless of your personal feelings on whether cables make an audible difference, it’s pretty universally accepted that cables, at the very least, can create an aesthetic transformation. Headphone enthusiasts are often drawn to making upgrade cable purchases. This may be to chase audio quality using more exotic materials, or to change from single-ended to balanced connections, or even just to get a special color combination. Cables are contentious. Prices range from reasonable to ridiculous for cables that, by their very definition, should do the same thing....

The PecanPi Streamer Ultra is the TOTL product from audio enthusiast Leonid (Leo) Ayzenshtat. His company Orchard Audio has produced audio components based around the Raspberry Pi microcomputer since 2017. The Streamer Ultra debuted in Q4 2020 and is priced (at $850USD) to compete with network music streamers/players from established brands. Leo positions the Streamer Ultra as a three-in-one device, “ultra high-performance, stereo hi-res networked music player with a built-in DAC and headphone amplifier....

Once you’ve embraced the digital audio lifestyle, whether fed by streaming services, digital files, or even good old CDs, there’s one component that helps to shape the listening experience. The DAC takes on the critical role of turning all those ones and zeroes back into a pure analog signal we can enjoy. It’s a big responsibility, taking on the challenges of timing and distortion to produce the final signal that makes or breaks the sound....

Sometimes, there’s no better way to unwind after a long day than to listen to your favorite beats. So, it can be quite a letdown to find yourself unable to jam to your favorite playlists because Spotify isn’t working. The issue gets worse when you find yourself lost figuring out what’s wrong with Spotify in the first place. Instead of using your time to rest and relax, you’re now stuck trying to get Spotify to load or get specific functionalities up and running....

If you’re a budding audiophile looking to improve your listening sessions, you’ve probably done lots of research that has made you wonder if it’s time to invest in an external DAC. External DACs remain in constant discussion in audiophile forums, and many swear by their ability to improve audio quality. But for someone inexperienced, it can be a challenging topic to navigate. Not only are there countless options to choose from, but there’s also much to consider in terms of compatibility, what form type to choose, and what specs to go for....

In the world of headphones, you can supposedly enhancing the state of headphone’s performance via this process call burn-in. How to burn-in my headphones? Basically the process of burn-in is relatively straight-forward and pain-free. All you have to do is to continuously play music through the headphones. It is recommended to play for at least 40-50 hours. Burn-in gurus usually play pure tones like sin wave, sweeps, pink noise, and or AM/FM static....

While AirPods have widely dominated the market in the past few years due to their convenient features and design, they are not flawless. Now and then, your AirPods’ status light will flash orange, indicating an ongoing issue. What’s annoying is that you can’t really tell what the exact problem is since you’ll have no other information except the orange light. Not to worry! In this article, we’ll decode what AirPods flashing orange could mean and what you can do to fix the possible problems....