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Once upon a time in audioland, headphones, IEMs and cellphones lived together in perfect harmony just like the old McCartney/Wonder song. This was thanks to their mutual friend, a demure little opening known as the headphone jack. The partnership was sacred and unquestioned, because how else could you deliver private, personalized audio to the discerning listener? Then came September 7th, 2016 and the unfathomable happened. A certain fruity company deemed the headphone jack surplus to requirements and sent them the way of Nokia and Netscape....

To date, HarmonicDyne has released 3 models of full-sized headphones. Although, it’s arguable that they’ve only made one pair and two revisions. First came the Helios, featuring a distinctive plastic and aluminum band with wood inserts, flawless laser-cut wooden cups, and stainless-steel grills. Then came the Zeus, featuring all those same attributes, plus the addition of beryllium drivers, bigger and better ear pads, and a swanky hard storage case. Now meet the Poseidon....

The rule of Emperor Taizong is regarded as a golden age for ancient Chinese civilization, as he ushered in an incredible era of profitable trade, great military strength, and a robust economy. Indeed, for almost a century after his death, China remained prosperous and continued to experience the fruits of his labor – a stable Chinese kingdom spanned from the Korean peninsula to Central Asia and Vietnam. However, there is a dark underside to this tale, trouble brewing under this idyllic utopia....

Spotify is a great way to enjoy your favorite songs and podcasts. But it can be frustrating if Spotify pauses without warning – especially when all you want to do is get into the groove of your favorite song. If you’re busy and don’t have much time to relax, spending your limited leisure time trying to fix the issue can be a real dealbreaker. It makes you question whether it’s time to switch from Spotify to another streaming service....

If you buy a cheap pair of headphones and it falls apart after a month, can you avoid another frustration simply by buying a more expensive one? Unfortunately, that’s not the solution. Headphones, regardless of their price and quality, will break down in no time if you use them carelessly. Read on and learn what every headphone owner should know about how to make headphones last longer. How to Make Headphones Last Longer Headphones last longer when you take the time and effort to give them the care they deserve....

In 2021, a total of 130 reviews were written on Headphonesty, with 19 reviewers contributing. That equates to nearly one review published every three days. I’m very proud of what the Review team has accomplished and how the Review Lead (Trav) has assisted in shaping the reviews. Here are the 15 most popular audio gear reviews of the year: 1. MoonDrop Blessing2:Dusk IEMs / Earbuds 2. Comparison Review: MoonDrop Super Spaceship Reference (SSR) vs Super Spaceship Pulse (SSP) IEMs / Earbuds 3....

Listening to music is probably one of the most fulfilling activities one can do. It can boost your mood, calm you down, and help you reflect. However, we tend to forget that what makes listening to music such a great activity is its natural ability to be paired with anything else. There is a long list of things to do while listening to music and blasting your favorite tunes while doing other activities makes things 100% more entertaining and, surprisingly, more productive even....

Active noise cancelling is something we’d normally find in high-quality headphones, but it’s been making its way into more consumer products as well. The latest non-audio product to receive this useful feature is the new Genesis GV80 SUV, and it does more than just improve the listening experience inside the car. The GV80 is Genesis’ first SUV; previously, the Hyundai-owned company focused solely on sedans. This gave Genesis the chance to experiment more with a larger vehicle and include features that you wouldn’t see in regular SUVs....

Where to buy? Introduction With $300k forked out by 5k+ backers, the Earfun Free has made a compelling case to their target audience at an even more compelling price. Touting USB-C connector and wireless charging, it brings flexibility to your workflow (if you are on board the USB-C train). It has a higher waterproof rating(IPX7) than higher-end TWS models like Jabra Elite 65t Active. And of course, the latest Bluetooth 5....

Where to Buy Introduction The Edifier Stax Spirit S3 are one of the most interesting headphones around, given that three well-known brands are involved with their creation. The branding is a mix between Edifier and Stax (Edifier owns Stax by the by), while the drivers are supplied by Audeze. It’s perhaps the most unforeseen of alliances: Edifier, who are mostly known for their speakers, uses the Stax branding that is associated with electrostatic headphones while using planar magnetic drivers from Audeze… what?...

I’ve got a riddle for you. What does a wave whose frequency is a multiple of a reference signal (a harmonic), a unit of force acting upon one gram to accelerate it at 1 cm/second squared (a dyne), and a chariot riding Greek god of the sun (Helios), have in common? I have absolutely no idea… but somehow, it’s headphones! Introducing the HarmonicDyne Helios. No, not those Helios headphones (that never saw the light of day): the world’s first wireless solar powered headphones, which actually had something to do with the sun....

Some years back, when CHI-FI was in its embryonic stages, IEMs were mostly V-shaped. KZ (Knowledge Zenith) was the prototypical pioneer that churned out decent-sounding, cheap, and accessible V-shaped products, though their IEMs could verge on shoutiness. Over time, CHI-FI tuning evolved and became more refined with consumer input and even with collaborations with well-known reviewers such as Crinacle and Bad Guy Good Audio Reviews. Brands like Moondrop started to push out Harman-tuned sets, and other CHI-FI competitors caught on and muscled in on the Harman pie....

This IEM is certainly not like its OEMs predecessor. In fact, it dangles the name of a well-known audio manufacturer – AKG. Samsung had wasted no time in their investment since it completed the acquisition of AKG’s parent company, Harman this year. Build Quality Made from mostly rubber and plastic, the IEM feels sturdy and could probably take some knocks without any damage. The overall build quality is nowhere near premium like the 1More Triple Driver but it still has better built than the Carbo Tenore....

Sony’s Walkman line of music players are legendary. I myself grew up with a Walkman cassette player and have fond memories of listening to several “best hits” mixtapes. Those were the days, huh? Sony’s NW-A55 Walkman DAP brings back nostalgia while incorporating some modern features. That being said, the out-of-the-box experience is merely average at best. Released in 2018, it lacks some modern features like WiFi connectivity, type-C port etc....

Thieaudio has gone to great lengths and investment to create a distinctly different set of IEMs in their Legacy line. Until the introduction of the Legacy 4, there were the 3, 5, and 9. Fascinatingly, Thieaudio took the approach of designing the Legacy 4 and 5 concurrently to be a “middle ground” between the Legacy 3 and 5, both in terms of tuning and price. The Legacy 4 (USD$195) was introduced to the market following the others of the odd number nomenclature....

Thieaudio is another Chi-Fi brand that has gained some notoriety with a range of well-reviewed and interesting headphones. There was a lot of excitement when they released the (relatively) inexpensive Phantom planar magnetic headphones. Their (somehow related – sister company?) HarmonicDyne Helios headphones recently caused another stir. However, it is their two-model Voyager IEM lineup that is currently the most interesting. At the top is the Voyager 14 ($1000 USD), with 14 balanced armatures (BAs), four sound bores per channel, and 5-way crossover technology....

Let’s say you enjoy jogging every morning or swimming while listening to music. So, you look for headphones that will help you achieve that. But while browsing, you’re faced with confusing terms like water-resistant, waterproof, water-repellent, and weatherproof. Unfortunately, not understanding these terms can be more than just frustrating. Each term has a water exposure limit, and going beyond that can result in broken headphones or even electric shocks. This article explains all these terms and how they impact your headphones so you can comfortably make a purchase that suits your needs....

How to Pick the Best Headphones for Podcasting When it comes to podcasting, especially for those who are new to it, people often prioritize either microphones or recording software. Many forget that a good pair of headphones are equally important, while others don’t even use headphones at all while recording. Choosing the right headphones for podcasting is critical for many reasons. Among the most important are: They help us monitor recorded audio and ambient noise accurately....

How to Pick the Best Sweatproof Over-Ear Headphones Whether it’s living close to the equator or listening to music while hitting the gym, fans of over-ear headphones struggle due to sticky, sweaty earpads and electrical equipment getting damaged due to moisture. If you can relate to that, it’s best to go with headphones that will stand your sweaty routine. Part of the problem is that manufacturers assume customers will want earbuds for this sort of situation, all because of their better fit that won’t fall off even with rigorous activities....

Spotify is one of the best music streaming platforms in the world. But if you’re used to listening to the HD quality of platforms like Tidal or Apple Music, Spotify’s sound quality can be quite underwhelming. Sure, getting a pair of high-end headphones would help improve the sound quality of Spotify’s non-HD audio. But not everyone has enough extra cash to spend for one. The great news is, you can tailor every song on your Spotify playlist to your preference for free using the Spotify Equalizer!...