Apos Audio is proud to add the Kinera Freya IEM Earphone to its collection of Kinera products. The Freya IEM set is available now on Apos for $249.99.
This review is posted here in partnership with The Headphone List. It was originally written and published by Pinky Powers of The Headphone List on July 6, 2020. ::Disclaimer:: Meze provided Empyrean on loan for the purpose of my honest review, for good or ill. ... Meze is one of those manufacturers who stand out, possessing a style you cannot mistake for any other. The first time I laid eyes on the 99 Classics, my heart was theirs. How fortunate for the world they care just as much for sound quality. Empyrean is Meze’s current flagship. Indeed, it’s a name worthy for a top of the line audiophile headphone, or even a mighty seafaring vessel. The suggestion is dominance.
Secret Garden 3 has a nice balance of transparency, details and musicality which is a bit inclined towards accuracy and precision. Go for the SG3 if you are in the market looking for an earphone that fits nicely, has a nice cable, looks good and sounds detailed and engaging while having a bit of analytical touch.
Meze have proven that you don’t need lambskin leather, stainless steel accents or chromed chamfers to create an appealing design, nor do you need complex folding mechanisms to achieve portability and a reliable fit... Meze set out to recapture the magic of the 99 Classics at a cheaper price, within a more contemporary shell and that’s just what they’ve achieved with the 99 Neo.
SMSL M200 ... definitely punched way above its price point offering great dynamics, good fluidity and lots of smiles while listening to it. It is one of those DACs that makes you add another album to your playlist, lean back and relax for a few hours. I don’t want to sound like a fanboy, because I’m far from one, but at this price point, I really don’t know another source that will offer you the same number of inputs and output, the same electronics and the same balanced sound signature with close to zero flaws.
Topping took their best DAC, they upgraded its USB interface with the latest XMOS chip, they added a full MQA decoder and charged only an extra $100 for that...Topping D90 MQA feels like a love letter to music lovers and streaming heads around the world. At $799, Topping (again) raised the bar and proved that high-end sonics could be achieved even at less than $1000, grumpy audiophiles this one is for you. If you are a streaming nut as I am, there isn’t a better unit than this one.
Topping E30 is such an overachiever in every possible way that I can’t tell you enough how awesome it is at such an attractive price point. Putting my objective opinions behind, I can tell you that I liked it more than some pricier digital sources (DACs and DAPs) from the land of the red dragon. E30 is small, cute and really cheap but once you connect it to a serious system, it starts blooming and showing all its awesome skills.
MrSpeakers’ ETHER 2 epitomises reference-grade; uncoloured, undramatised and pristine in all respects. In an era where wow factor reigns supreme, Dan Clarke and co. have crafted a headphone with a stunningly clear voice – one that lets the music do the talking. Despite how innately it belongs in the professional’s toolbox, the ETHER 2 is compelling for audiophiles as well. Its low-end is one of the most defined, resolved and balanced I’ve heard; as mesmerising to listen to on kick drum stems as they are on Top 40 bass drops. The midrange offers a peak inside the vocal booth with zero fluff. And, the treble is as refined as the intricately-layered soundscape it occupies.
Dan Clark Audio...focuses on building products that provide incredible performance, comfort, reliability, and value. These are just the types of products that the audio community on Apos has come to appreciate and we are thrilled to partner with another great audio brand.
This review is posted here in partnership with Soundnews.net. It was originally written and published by Sandu Vitalie of Soundnews.net on June 14, 2020. One of the biggest hypes I ever encountered in the headphone kingdom was the announcement of THX Achromatic Audio Amplifiers that revolutionized the way we listen to music. By far, the biggest impact on the market had the THX-AAA-789 by Drop. The company that made it, prepared a big budget for a powerful marketing push, to me that amp was simply a declaration of war for the expensive and bad measuring headphone amplifiers.Â