Cons — Can’t find any.

Executive Summary

Introduction

Jason Wang has been an audiophile since middle school. In university, he invented current mode amplification (CMA). CMA devices are characterized by their crisp and transparent sound. It became his ambition to produce audio products with the best possible sound quality. But nothing can remain the best forever, so we should always keep questioning for better. He made this his lifestyle. Jason combined his two principles to form the company Questyle in 2012. Got it?

Questyle had a huge impact with their first digital analog player QP1R back in 2016. Three of us have purchased one – and it remains our reference to this day. Their flagship dap QPM made it onto our Wall of Excellence as true endgame. And the CMA Twelve DAC/amp also collected very good marks from our team.

The company recently also followed the trend of battery-less dongle DAC/amps. Such dongles are marketed to people who want to play music in high quality on their phones, and who don’t want to have a second device in their pocket.

The current market is flooded with dongles – we covered a few – and it appears to be increasingly difficult for a new release to stick out. The 2021 M12 was Questyle’s first effort in this field. Our two guys in Europe were not…too impressed. That’s probably because of their expectations of the crisp Questyle sound, which the M12 did not deliver. It was unusually warm and soft to their ears.

Spoiler alert, the M15 returns to the strictly neutral sound Questyle made its name with. There are a few more things to say, for example how they did it…let’s start with the physicals.

Specifications

Physicals

In the box are:

• 1 * M15
• 1 * USB-A to USB Type-C cable,
• 1 * Type-C to Type-C cable
• 1 * Instruction manual
• 1 * Warranty card

The body is made of metal with a glass cover on top so that one can see the internals at any time. Sturdy, robust…as good as it gets.

Technology

The Questyle M15 incorporates the ES9281Pro SoC (System on Chip) that comprises an all-in-one DAC and headphone amplifier, which delivers a prefabricated sound so that all such devices sound similar. STOP! This is not the case with the M15.

Questyle engineers have enhanced the output signal by adding two Current Mode Amplification (CMA) SiPs (“System in Package”: each with two independent amplification circuits) to achieve the Questyle sound, which is characterized by ultra low distortion, a very low noise floor and very low output impedance of around 1 ohm. This low-voltage configuration is further meant to minimize power consumption, beneficial for mobile use.

The reason why Questyle did not bypass the SoC’s amp altogether is because that’s virtually impossible. And the reason why they didn’t use a pure DAC chip such as the ES9038 is size – it is simply too big. The ES9281Pro chip also features a USB module. Therefore, size and performance dictated the choice of chip.

The M15 offers both balanced (4.4 mm) and single-ended (3.5 mm) circuits.

Functionality and Operation

What it does

• Works plug and play with Windows, Linux, and OSX computers and Android/iOS devices.
• Plays music though single- ended (3.5 mm) and a more powerful balanced (4.4 mm) circuits.
• Supports almost all music streaming platforms worldwide, including Apple Music, Tidal, QQ Music, among others.
• Fully supports and decodes ALAC, FLAC, MQA, and other lossless formats.
• Features two data status indicators that will illuminate one of the following colors: green (sample rate is 48kHz or less), red (hi-res lossless playback: PCM 88.2kHz~384 kHz, or DSD64~DSD256), magenta (final unfold of an MQA Core stream).

What it does not

• Has no on-board control.
• Needs a lightning adapter to be used with iPhone.

The Questyle M15 does not have an on/off switch. It draws current from the host device and switches itself on, when a headphone of earphone is plugged into one of its two sockets.

Amplification and Power Consumption

The manufacturer’s amplification data are rather cryptic so that I put the Questyle M15 to a practical test. The problem is that balanced cables for full-sized, power hungry cans are hard to come by – to take advantage of the M15’s 4.4 mm balanced circuit, which is much beefier than the single-ended circuit (a generally valid statement).

Running the 300 ohm Sennheiser HD 600 on the (weaker) single-ended output – to my surprise – did not only provide enough power, it also maintained the zing, bite, and clarity experienced with easier to drive earphones.

Then I ordered a balanced cable for the balanced circuit – which worked even better. The M15 has enough power to adequately drive a 300 ohm headphone.

Questyle claims that the M15 has an ultra-low power consumption (which, of course, is relative to performance). I did a quick test with the FNIRSI-FNB48 voltmeter. The M15’s single-ended circuit has about twice the power drain of the “frugal” AudioQuest DragonFly Red, and approximately one third more than the DragonFly Cobalt. Both are designed for low power drain, which comes with compromises in performance.

The Questyle M15 has, however, a much smaller current drain than the much less powerful Hidizs S9 Pro. And it works with iPhone that limited power draw to 100 mA, which shuts out similar dongles such as the Astell & Kern PEE51.

I’d say the M15 is very current efficient, but you’d still better have a decent phone battery.

Sound

The Questyle M15 has a sonic signature owners of Questyle equipment love: essentially neutral with great extension at both ends, unparalleled resolution, clarity, transparency, and crisp dynamics – and all that without ever being strident or aggressive, sterile or analytical (Topping comes to mind as the opposite). Almost like a little class-A amp in your pocket. If you have listened to the QP1R dap or the CMA 12 DAC/amp, you will know what I am talking about.

Spatial reconstruction is excellent in both single-ended and balanced circuits. No compromise has been made for the single-ended circuit, the only difference between the two is power. This is in contrast to some other models that sacrifice headroom in their single-ended circuit such as the EarMen Sparrow.

And that’s all you have to know.

Questyle M15 compared

Questyle had released the $150 M12 a year earlier. In contrast, it features only a 3.5 mm single-ended circuit, and, most importantly, it has a different sound: softer and warmer than the M15 or QP1R dap…which did not quite delight Alberto at the time. The M15 also has a gain switch for driving a larger variety of headphones.

Apogee Groove: is much more powerful, way higher current drain, a very high output impedance of 20 ohm, and it does not run with most phones, not at all with iPhones. Its use with hybrid iems is not recommended by the manufacturer. Sonically, the Groove is more coloured and it drives headphones without the need of balanced cables. The Groove offers the best spatial reconstruction of all dongles I have tested but is limited to single dynamic driver earphones and headphones.

With the Sennheiser HD 600, the Groove delivers more dynamics and a deeper stage than the M15. The differences are, however, not substantial. In summary, the Groove excels in it specialized applicability, but the M15 is more universally deployable.

AudioQuest DragonFly Cobalt is smaller and thus handier on the go, has USB filtering included and sounds a bit smoother and a tad warmer. It has similar imaging and spatial reconstruction qualities. It is less powerful – at a lower power consumption, and therefore more limited in its application. The evaluation of sonic differences relies on personal taste but are on par in terms of overall quality. Both offer stellar sound.

Practical Aspects

Questyle and similar dap manufacturers offer dongle DAC/amps to cover the phone/table/notebook market. A dap has principally a cleaner data and power source than a phone or a computer, as it is designed for playing music only. Computer and phone feature other clocked internals that introduce contaminations (“noise”) to the sound. So you are always better off with a dap, sonically – any USB DAC/amp (“dongle”) is a compromise.

When it comes to dongles, the user has to pick their poison: low current draw (= low power = battery preservation) vs. high power (= better sound quality = battery hog). Both are mutually exclusive.

You obviously need a powerful dongle to operate full-sized cans. Devices optimized for low current draw such as the AudioQuest DragonFlys will be easy on your phone’s battery however not do a satisfactory job on demanding headphones. Clipping will occur which will first be noticed when the bass is getting muddy.

Battery hogs such as Hidizs S9 Pro will do a better job on such headphones but empty your phone in no time. The Apogee Groove will not run with most phones at all. Powerful AND low battery drain does not exist!

There is a fundamental lack of technical understanding by some testers who run full-sized, insensitive cans on battery-preserving dongles, then rate them lowly. This misuse conveys the wrong information on the quality of such devices and distorts the playing field.

Therefore, if you have an old phone, a DragonFly type dongle may be right for you. If you want to run full-sized headphones from your computer, you may favour the Apogee Groove type. The Questyle M15 strikes a good balance between powerful output and current drain. However, despite its advanced power management, it is not a miracle power saver. In the end, you have to factor your intended usage into your buying decision.

Concluding Remarks

The very versatile Questyle M15 dongle is as good as it gets in its category. It is for listeners with very high standards. I will use this one for future iem testing…and submit it for approval to be attached to our Wall of Excellence.

Until next time…keep on listening!

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Disclaimer

I received the unit from Questyle Engineering for my analysis. I thank them for that as well as for responsive in answering my questions. You can purchase the M15 at the Questyle Shop.

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The post Questyle M15 Review – Stellar By Starlight appeared first on Audio Reviews.

Cons — Piercing upper midrange needs modification, stock tips useless, ordinary sound (the thumpy bass kills the fun); unimaginative design; pointless tuning filters (only one yields an acceptable sound); not sure whether they are their money’s worth.

Executive Summary

Introduction

Shenzhen company NiceHCK has accompanied this blog before it even existed. Loomis and I first discussed their iems over on Head-Fi – we both treasured the legendary $12 NiceHCK Bro model. One enthusiastic Head-Fier compared the NiceHCK N3 with the Campfire Andromeda (nah…), but Loomis nevertheless added it to his 2019 favourites.

NiceHCK have made themselves a name mainly with budget earbuds and quality earphone cables in all price categories. Their earphones, on the other hand, have been hit and miss, mainly because of poor tuning, but most of them have at least been interesting.

Their recent two midprice models are still in their catalogue at the time of this review: the $119 NX7 Mk3 with 4 BA + 2 DD + 1 piezo with exchangeable screw-on tuning nozzles (and exchangeable faceplates) and the $239 Lofty with their Beryllium-coated dynamic driver. The first had a piezo working against the other drivers and the second was overly ordinarily U-shaped for its price tag.

Their latest NiceHCK M5 sport 4 BA + 1 DD and 3 exchangeable tuning valves, which are actually back vents. We’ve seen this recently in the Hidizs MM2.

Specifications

Physical Things and Usability

In the box are the earpieces with three tuning vents (grey:balanced/red: mid-treble/blue: basshead), screwdriver (!!!), 2 sets of eartips (S/M/L), silver-plated high-purity copper cable, a pleather storage case, and the paperwork.

The shells consist of 3D printed German resin shells with aluminum alloy faceplates added. They are small and ergonomic, with good fit and comfort. Nevertheless is the design somewhat boring and home made to me. Isolation depends on eartips used. It is mediocre with the SpinFit CP145.

The included monster screwdriver is somewhat comical and you have to have a quiet hand not to scratch the faceplates during vent change.

Tonality and Technicalities

The NiceHCK M5 offers 3 different sonic signatures, depending on tuning filter used: super bassy, warm-bright, and neutral-bright. The blue bassy filter yields a horribly vulgar sound and is largely omitted here. The grey “normal” filter creates an ordinary middle-of-the-road sound, and the red “treble” filter introduces harshness by the dialled down bass.

None of these signatures is tolerable to me without further modification: I taped 90% of the nozzle mesh off with 3M micropore tape, as so often with Shenzhen earphones in the past. This reduces the over-energized upper midrange, it rounds the sharp edges to some extent and adds volume to the midrange. Without, the midrange is breathy, thin, and strident.

Grey “normal” Filters

This yields a middle-of-the road sound that could not be more unexciting to the educated ear. Bass is very well extended but thumpy and somewhat fuzzy. It lacks definition and finesse. A bass we know from cheap iems. The thick bass dominates the whole presentation. Wonder what dynamic driver there’s in it.

The bass bleeds into the lower midrange, which is attenuated by the upper midrange energy. The micropore tape does a good job in removing midrange harshness. The M5 sounds smoother in the lower midrange than the modded Rose Qt-9 mk2s, though voices are honky and boxed in.

Lower treble is rolling off in panic and gets re-energized at around 9 kHz. This moves higher notes back and adds some tizziness…

The soundstage is relatively narrow but has good depth. Timbre is just ordinary and a turnoff for the educated listener – particularly at this price. The M5 sounds…cheap.

The other technicalities are ok. Midrange resolution is good, midrange note definition is good, too. Note weight is lean in the midrange. Spatial cues is decent as long as there is not much bass in the music.

Red “neutral” Filters

Reduces bass quantity without improving bass quality. This moves the midrange forward and adds harshness to the image while removing warmth – it becomes overpixelated, like an early-generation digital photo. Notes are very edgy. Bass is now thumpy in the background and anemic, vocals are strident, despite the micropore tape.

But midrange clarity, articulation, and transparency are greatly improved in my perception (but in my perception only), stage widens but becomes shallower. Still, bass and midrange don’t fit together. My ears can handle this sharpness only for a few minutes.

Blue “bassy” Filters

Horribly overdone thumpy bass. Just like your steak dinner drowned in barbecue sauce. Vulgar!

Concluding Remarks

The NiceHCK M5 are no outright bad earphones. They are pleasing to the lesser educated ear and therefore may be a good choice for the novice with well-filled pockets. But the over-energetic upper mids require user modding with micropore tape, and the stock tips are useless.

Of the exchangeable tuning filters, the “normal” ones creates an ordinary sound and the red ones with reduced bass a harsh sound. And the humongous screwdriver for installing them is outright ridiculous.

In summary, the M5 sound “middle of the road” (a rather narrow road that is) but don’t do anything above average nor do they look or feel special. The M5 cannot compete with their peers such as Moondrop KATO. Their tuning, particularly in the midrange, is yesteryear.

I don’t think NiceHCK understand how to market the capitalist part of the world. Just sticking some drivers into a shell while ignoring the competition is not good enough. The M5 are simply nothing special, they lack finesse, are uninspiring, and they are not competitive at $179.

Until next time…keep on listening!

Gallery

The post NiceHCK M5 Review – Ordinary Life appeared first on Audio Reviews.

At-a-glance Card

Full Device Card

Test setup

Transports: Samsung smartphone and tablet, two different Windows 10 laptops, Sony NW-A55 DAP – Stock silicon eartips – 16/24bit-44.1/192KHz tracks

Physicals

Build

Sirius Pro TWS’ carry & battery recharge case is very, very nice design-wise, both in terms of aesthetics and of phyisical conception. The shell is fully metallic, with a sort of “unlockable cage” on the upper side safely keeping the buds down in their recharge position. The design follows a very well calibrated cyberpunk style, clearly clinging at such theme lovers but staying a small but decisive step “not too far” on that path, resulting in an item that can still stafely be taken out during an informal business meeting for example.

The metal case is complemented by fancy LED lighting – up to the user selecting their color by cycle-clicking on a button at the bottom, or disabling (!) them – and it’s very uncommon “open-body” shape indeed doubles as a bottlecap opener. Again: strong styles aesthetics design involved, but always with an eye at not really “overexceeding”, the result being still possibly compatible with the taste of an old somewhat conservative old european sole like myself for example. YMMV, needless to say.

I couldn’t devine what material are Sirius Pro TWS’ bud housings themselves made of – the manufacturer talks about zinc-alloy. Whatever, they are apparently very solid, and IPX5 certified which means they can bear moderate watering (like rain, or of course sweat) – no submersion or big water splashes tho so remember that when going to the beach or so.

Sliding the buds out of the battery case gets some… creativity, at least the first times you try. Their backsides are conic shaped and short, and they are almost impossible to safely grab with a fingertip pinch to pull them out both due to their shape & size and to the magnetic force applied between them and the case. The trick at least for me is to start pinching on the case (!) right below where the buds start emerging from it, and pull up while letting fingertips slide on the structure: this way they come out easilly and aergonomically as (I suppose) intended.

Access to the battery case is regulated by a metal “gate” which besides being aestheticall in-line with the overall style also serves the function of keeping the two buds safely into their case when pocketing them, and last but not least ensuring their bottomside contacts do fully match those on the receptacles, to initiate recharging when the buds are homed.

Fit

Sirius Pro TWS bud shells are very reasonably lightweight and their shape is quite anatomical. They fit easily into my ears but be warned: they need to be orientated the “right” way. Simply put, you have to make sure the “octopus legs” are pointing towards your lobe, and this for two reasons: one to get the best fit of course and two to avoid the mic hole being occluded. This is also properly mentioned on the manual (RTFM, FFS! )

Nozzles are oval shaped (à la Ikko OH1S, to give an idea) so are the bundled eartips. I must say this is one of those rare occasions where stock tips are perfect for the job. Caveat: it may be not so simple finding third party spares.

Comfort

Once properly fitted I found Sirius Pro TWS very comfy, also for prolonged usage timeframes – both listening and/or office calls. I presume this is another achievement coming from all the industrial design attention which was obviously applied to this project and product.

Tapping once on more on the housings allows the user to issue the usual commands e.g. track fwd, track backwards, play, pause, answer call, reject call, etc. Tunneling voice commands to Android assistant is also supported.

Connectivity and battery

Sirius Pro TWS support Bluetooth 5.2, but sadly only SBC and AAC codecs. No aptX, no LDAC. So forget hi-res audio in the first place with them, although as I will report more below that’s not their worse audio drawback.

Pairing with all the transports I tried them with was straightforward, no annoying bad surprises. Long-clicking the button at the bottom of the batterycase resets all BT pairing by the way.

The buds themselves turn ON when take off the battery case, and OFF when put back in. After pairing the two to a given source, they can be used together or one at a time as preferred – just leaving one of the two inside the case.

The battery-case on its turn has a USB-C port for recharging of course.

The small batteries inside the buds offer up to 4 hours of operation time, and the case can fully recharge them for 3 times, up to a theoretical autonomy of 16 hours. But : earbuds take 1.5/2h to recharge ! So if you imagine to use them continually until they are fully discharged you will have to bear a quite sizeable downtime every 3.5/4h. In more practical terms you can expect to use Sirius Pro TWS for more than a full working day (including even long commuting time) for calls, and for listening to music during free time, as long as you take them off into their case for a while every now and then to restore some juice up.

Sound analysis

As all TWS earphones/headphones, Sirius Pro of course carry their own small DAC-AMP which is in charge of analog reconstruction starting from the digital stream received via BT. Barred a few very high end (and expensive) cases, the overwhelming majority of budget-priced TWS drivers carry quite basic-quality DAC-AMP circuitry, from which of course we can’t reasonably expect top sonic results.

Sirius Pro TWS are no exception. Simply put, they offer some pleasant music rendering experience when evaluated under “non-audiophile” standards, while – like most of their peers – they fall way behind critical listening / audiophile quality standards offered by even more modestly priced wired options.

Sirius Pro TWS also carry some DSP capabilities offering the user 3 pre-set audio modes – Music, Gaming and Movie – each offering a different overall presentation which the user can switch onto on the fly by simply tapping on the buds’ housings.

Music Mode

Music Mode is probably the zero-DSP mode, i.e. the situation where I am direct listening to the unaltered Sirius Pro DAC voicing.

Tonality on Music Mode is V shaped, on a warm, dark-ish timbre.

Bass range is moderately extended, sub bass is hinted but does not deliver proper rumble. Midbass is pushed up, and too much proactive for acoustic music where it comes accross almost booming. May be liked by EDM and other non-acoustic music lovers.

Mids are evidently recessed and seriously overshadowed by the midbass. Highmids are also quite timid so even on female vocal prominent tracks the ryhtm section steals the scene to the leader. Trebles are inoffensive and unshrilling, at least that, but (quite coherently with the rest of the presentation) they clearly lack air thereby not succeeding in properly “counterbalancing” the overall experience.

Technicalities are very basic. Soundstage is intimate, with just a bit of depth. Imaging is hampered by the midbass. Microdynamics are nowhere near audiophile ballparks.

Gaming Mode

Gaming mode evidently expands the soundstage, a distributes imaging better on the X axis at least.

Midbass gets less invasive which makes at least female vocals come up more natural.

Movie Mode

Movie mode delivers a stage similar to the gaming one, and stretches (so to say) bass similarly too, so midbass is also less invasive, which is good of course.

The less good part is that mids are pushed forward and end up quite artificial from the sound fidelity perspective. Good for watching movies (as intended!), not for listening to folk singers nor jazz or most pop stuff of course.

Latency

Latency is very modest, and simply put it does not get in the way any seriously when watching movies. And that’s good.

While gaming… well, it depends on gaming levels. I expect an hardcore FPS gamer to underline the ever so slight delay Sirius Pro TWS deliver, but then again that individual would probably not choose a similar pair of TWS buds for his most engaging plays anyway.

Calls

I could quite successfully use Sirius Pro TWS for business calls, and I was very positively surprised by that.

As previously mentioned, it’s crucial to appropriately orientate the housings into the ears to get the best fit and properly expose the mic’s hole (again: RTFM). When that is taken care of, mic quality and Environment Noise Cancellation (ENC) is above decent at the very least – not comparable with professional vertical products of course, but way beyond usable.

On calls I ended up preferring Sirius Pro TWS on Gaming mode in terms of vocal quality.

Specifications (declared)

Considerations & conclusions

TWS earphones are no doubt a huge technical challenge in terms of achieving true audiophile results, comparable with wired alternatives.

Firstly, there ain’t such thing as “lossless BT communication” so that is an apriori negative bias no matter what technology or competence goes into the buds themselves.

Even more importantly, by definition TWS earphones must carry their own DAC-AMP. Think to how much did you spend for your DAC and your AMP, and/or for your DAP, add the cost of your preferred IEMs, then compare that with the budget you are investing into a pair of TWS IEMs : this will give you a rough measure of the expectations you may reasonably set in terms of output quality from TWS buds.

Indeed, it’s even worse than that: earbuds are small. The smaller the size, the more complicated (and sometimes impossible) it is to fit truly high quality DAC and especially AMP technology in.

With all the above in mind, looking at their asked price Gravastar Sirius Pro TWS are a wonderful piece of industrial design in terms of construction, ergonomics, features set and not least aesthetics (although carrying a definitely sided style at that). On the flip side they evidently lag behind in terms of pure hires sound reproduction quality – which I quite simply rate “no audiophile grade” – and make themselves more appreciated as a multipurpose music, office calls, gaming, movie watching audio gadget instead.

The Sirius Pro TWS set I assessed have been provided free of charge by Gravastar Europe, to whom my thanks goes for the consideration and the trust. They can be purchased from Gravastar web site, here. 16% off with discount code AUDIOREVIEWS.

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Cons — Lacks macrodynamic punch and sub-bass rumble
– Notes sound smoothed over at times
– Lower-mids are somewhat recessed
– Imaging is hazy

Note: the ratings given will be subjective to the price tier. Elle Zhou of BQEYZ was kind enough to send me the review sample.
Sources used: Sony NW-A55, Questyle CMA-400i
Price, while reviewed: $200. Can be bought from HiFiGo

INTRODUCTION

The folks at BQEYZ are best known for their hybrid and multi-driver efforts. Their popular models such as the Summer or Spring had DD + BA + Piezo configuration. In fact, BQEYZ is one of the few manufacturers who still use Piezo drivers and has extensive know-how about this driver type.

The Autumn, being a single-dynamic offering, mark a shift in BQEYZ’s approach. Simplifying the driver count allows for easier tuning but also makes maintaining technicalities a challenge.

Do the BQEYZ Autumn pass the hurdle, or do they fall by the wayside? We’ll find out in the following.

PHYSICALS

Accessories

The BQEYZ Autumn come with 6 pairs of eartips, a 4-core silver + copper mixed cable, and the proprietary tuning magnets along side a tool to remove the magnets. A carrying case is also included which gets the job done without being flashy.

Build

General fit and finish are excellent here, with the BQEYZ Autumn having a polished aluminum shell. The shell is a two-piece design with the seam between the pieces barely noticed.

There are three vents on the inner-side of the IEMs. The nozzle is also metal. Lastly, BQEYZ has opted for 0.78mm 2-pin recessed connectors, which I personally prefer over flush or raised connectors.

Comfort and isolation

Comfort is very good but isolation is lacking due to the vents placed on the inner side of the earpiece.

Internals

BQEYZ went for a 13mm single dynamic driver here, with not much being told about the diaphragm material. Elle Zhou confirmed that they are using a 6 micro-meter ultra-thin PEN diaphragm.

The driver is housed in a dual-cavity structure which is becoming pretty standard lately.

BQYEZ Autumn Sound Analysis

Listening setup: BQEYZ Autumn with normal filter + stock cable + Radius Deep-Mount tips + Sony NW-A55

The BQEYZ Autumn have a slightly V-shaped tuning with emphasis around mid-bass and lower-treble. What makes them stand out is how relaxing the signature is, as the transients are rounded and leading edge of notes are softened out.

Bass here is mostly characterized by the mid-bass bloom that adds some extra decay to bass notes. Snare hits also get extra thickness and body as a result. This tuning works well for moderately paced tracks but leaves you wanting in fast metal tracks.

Sub-bass rumble is lacking, so sudden bass drops lack the physicality you expect. Macrodynamic punch is lacking as well, so the BQEYZ Autumn isn’t really suited for portraying the energy in tracks.

Mids are fairly well tuned. Lower mids are recessed but doesn’t sound drowned out. The recession gives a sensation of laid-back vocals that is devoid of shout or shrillness. If you don’t mind midrange recession, the Autumn won’t be disappointing. However, for those seeking more forward or energetic vocals – this ain’t it.

Then comes the treble, and here we have perhaps the only tonal oddity of the Autumn. The 5kHz peak is quite prominent and makes leading edge of cymbal hits sound a bit brittle. This presence region emphasis is needed to keep the Autumn from sounding overly dark but this also leads to over-crispness at times.

Upper-treble is well extended with resonances being heard well until 15kHz. The airiness is kept in check though so it doesn’t lead to fatigue.

Before getting into technicalities, let’s talk about the filters. The filters only increase or decrease the amount of bass but due to how we perceive sound, this change in bass markedly alters the presentation.

The normal filter is the one I found the most balanced, with the bass filter making things too bassy and the treble filter making the 5kHz peak even more prominent.

When it comes to staging, I found the stage width to be quite good. Everything is well separated, and the Autumn don’t sound cramped. However, stage depth is limited.

Imaging is also average with positional cues often being hazy. The saving grace here is the reproduction of microdynamics that allows you to delineate between instruments playing at differing volumes.

Finally, resolved detail is above average for a single dynamic IEM but the Autumn will be bested by a number of multi-BA or hybrid offerings in this range.

Compared to Final E4000

Final E4000 have been one of my default recommendations for a single dynamic driver IEM under USD $200.

In terms of build, the Final are no slouch with a similarly solid aluminium shell. Final went for a barrel shape and mmcx connectors but both IEMs are at equal playing field here.

Comfort and Isolation wise I think E4000 wins as they block more noise than the Autumn. Accessories are about par on both.

As for the sound, E4000 have a similarly bass-boosted, warm tuning but Final has even less emphasis in lower treble. This results in a tad darker tuning than the Autumn. Another noticeable change is the staging and imaging where the E4000 sound more expansive and accurate respectively.

Resolved detail is a bit better on the Autumn due to better upper treble extension. Macrodynamic punch is better on the E4000 meanwhile. Mids are also more engaging on the Final IEMs.

One advantage of the BQEYZ Autumn is the filter system that isn’t available on the E4000 at all. So if you want to change the tuning on the fly the Autumn will be better suited. E4000 are also more difficult to power, requiring better amping.

CONCLUDING REMARKS

BQEYZ have tuned the Autumn fairly well. They didn’t just try to copy-paste an existing target curve and instead went for their own flavor of sound which is rarer to see these days. I do wish that the Autumn were a bit better in terms of technicalities, esp the imaging department. BQEYZ’s previous offerings were better in this regard so this one is a backward step. 

Other than that, the Autumn are a solid pair of single dynamic IEMs, and on sale price they warrant a closer look.

MY VERDICT

4/5

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DISCLAIMER

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The post BQEYZ Autumn Review (2) – Incremental Improvements appeared first on Audio Reviews.

In a sort of Nigel Tufnel/David St. Hubbins fire/ice schism my learned colleagues Alberto and Durwood have offered completely different takes on the 7Hz Timeless, with Alberto finding them lacking microdetail and unrefined in the treble, while Durwood praised their transparency and resolution.

I lean closer to Durwood on this one—with sufficient power, they epitomize the best qualities of planars—speedy transients, tight (if lean-textured) bass, energetic big-sounding midrange and highly resolving high end which captures the little nuances of acoustic guitars as well as anything I’ve heard at this price point.

I do agree with Alberto that some midbass oomph is missing and that they’re prone to a slight shoutiness/steeliness on some higher frequencies—saxes and female vox can occasionally sound overbright.

The 7Hz Timeless are also a poor match for mobile phones or less powerful sources. However, feed ‘em right and they are damn good and well worth the $200.

Disclaimer 7Hz Timeless

Borrowed form Durwood.

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Headphone Reviews

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Cons — Steep app learning curve to take advantage of all features; no storage bag; buttons could be marked better.

Executive Summary

Introduction

I have yet to find another company that has so much customer satisfaction and loyalty as Qudelix. Long before I even thought about the Qudelix-5K , happy customers were all over me inquiring whether I had checked out this device.

And once I finally “gave in” to peer pressure, I learnt that there is probably hardly another company with so much pride in their products, so much detail in optimizing functionality and documentation thereof, and such a responsive and enthusiastic customer service. And yes, I needed their customer service as I didn’t know much about Bluetooth at the time – now I know everything…almost.

Qudelix are an audio-system engineering company that develop and produce affordable high-end audio in the Republic of Korea – which is a high-cost market. It is therefore astonishing that they can offer their gear at attractive prices. They offer the 5K USB DAC, the QX-over earphones to go with the 5K, and the T71 gaming USB DAC.

Key Specifications

Physicals

The environmentally sustainable packaging – a plain cardboard box (dimensions 91 x 55 x 55 mm; QX-Over comes in a box of the same dimensions) – contains the quickstart user manual. In the box are the 5K and two 120 mm cables (USB-C to USB-A and USB-C to USB-C).

The actual Qudelix-5K itself a rectangular plastic box with a metal shirt clip at approximately the size/dimensions of a 9V battery…(52.8 x 26.7 x 15.6 mm including clip – at a weight of 25 g). The enclosure hosts two double multi-function buttons, a USB-C port, and two headphone sockets (3.5 mm single ended and 2.5 mm balanced.

Technology

ES9219C Headphone SoC

The Qudelix-5K DAC/amp deploys a ES9219C Headphone system on chip or “SoC“ [see also ESS specs sheet]. Earlier versions of the 5K hosted the ES9018p SoC until it was discontinued by ESS Technology. Qudelix prefer to refer to the SoC as IC (integrated circuit).

SoC means that the ES90219C is a closed system that incorporates the DAC and headphone amp on the same chip. The sound is therefore pretty much prefabricated and devices with this SoC all sound rather similar. This is in contrast to individual DAC chips (on other devices), which do not tell you anything about sound as it mostly depends on the custom-designed output stages. Qudelix’s added software aims to access all features of the ES90219C.

Bluetooth 5.0

The Qualcomm QCC5124 SoC used is an energy-efficient Bluetooth DAC/amp that supports all the latest audio codecs including the Sony LDAC topping the data transmission rates. The codecs deployed has to match the one used by the source device. The QCC5124 SoC can process both Bluetooth and USB signals. When the Qudelix app is enabled (see below) iOS devices and 5K pair automatically.

In summary, we have two independent SoCs, the QCC5124 and the ES9219C. The incoming Bluetooth signal is decoded but bypasses the Qualcomm’s DAC – and outputs it to the higher-quality external ESS9219C DAC/amp.

Functionality and Operation

Overview

What the 5K does:

• works as wireless receiver supporting all the latest Bluetooth codecs
• as USB DAC/amp, the 5K supports 96 kHz/24 bit USB audio streaming, works with Windows, Mac OS, and Linux – and connects via USB-C to android phones
• functionality and sound can be highly customized via a phone/tablet app or Google Chrome extension
• plays hi res music from my Sony dap via LDAC
• can simultaneously be charged and streamed to from computer while being controlled from phone via Bluetooth
• Bluetooth connects automatically to iPhone (when app is connected)
• sound can be adapted to personal taste with 8 DAC filters
• features graphic and parametric equalizers, including presets for many of the most widespread models
• offers powerful output with two gain levels (1 Vrms and 2 Vrms)
• features a built-in high-sensitivity microphone for phone calls
• automatic firmware update

What it does not:

• decode MQA
• have a display
• come with a protective case

Buttons & App/Chrome Browser Extension

The Qudelix-5K has a two multifunction double-buttons (red and blue if illuminated) that control Bluetooth connectivity, onboard volume, and song transport (start/stop/back/forth). They are not marked (one of them has a ridge for touch recognition…but you have to remember which one it is…it is the blue one).

There is also a free mobile app (Android/iOS) and a Google Chrome browser extension for remotely monitoring and adjusting/changing performance/parameters. Both have the same functionalities. The Qudelix mobile app works over Bluetooth link only. The Qudelix PC Chrome app works over USB link only.

In detail, you can monitor device and system internals such as the kind of connection, Firmware, even warranty. You can power the device off, pair with peripherals, do resets, access the user manual, and get in contact with customer support and the Qudelix discussion forum.

You can monitor the battery including all stats and set charge levels as well as power modes. You can even set the button functionalities including turning on and off the button’s LEDs and enable multi-point pairing if desired. The charger function can be turned off in the app, which is necessary for USB operation with iPhone – as Apple only allows 100 mA current draw (but why would you want to do that?).

You can prioritize USB vs. Bluetooth, further monitor input parameters (bit rate, sample rate, RMS levels etc.), the active Bluetooth codecs/USB DAC functions, and set the microphone functionality. You can adjust volume on both host device and 5K.

And you can adjust the DAC/amp bit selecting output power (1 or 2 VRMS) and output quality (Standard/Performance) as a way to manage battery consumption. You can set the output mode to auto, balanced, single ended (unbalanced), or QX-over (the proprietary iems). You can even swap L and R channels…handy, when testing earphone balance.

Finally, the ESS9219C SoC lets you choose between 8 digital filters (best start with “minimum phase fast/small rolloff”). The QX-over has its own extra tweakability in the app.

Last but not least, there is a choice of parametric and graphic 10-band equalizers with 10 programmable presets. The app also provides access to a user-maintained public database with auto eq presets for all popular earphone models…hundreds of choices.

In summary, the app is a nerd’s paradise. You find a complete operational overview here.

Power Consumption/Battery Life

The Qudelix-5K hosts a 500 mAh lithium polymer battery. At a rate of 200 mAh, it is fully charged in 2.5 hrs. The battery discharge time varies with codec, sample rate, power profile, output mode as well as earphone/headphone sensitivity and output volume level.

Depending on combinations of these factors, battery life is between 6 and 18 hours. Check here for a detailed breakdown.

Amplification

Single-ended and balanced outputs features 80 mW and 240 mW per channel, respectively. Each of the circuits has two modes (or gains). Single ended features 1V_RMS mode for “normal” iems around 32 ohm. 2_VRMS mode drives low-sensitivity iems and headphones.

The balanced circuit offers more powerful 2V_RMS and 4V_RMS modes. All these modes are user selectable.

Full-sized headphones obviously prefer the more powerful balanced circuit, however, balanced cables for them are hard to find – and if so, they are not swappable between headphones, as there is no connection standard. Paradoxically, cables of easier-to-drive iems adhere to two standards (MMCX and 0.78 mm, 2 pin) and balanced cables are readily and cheaply available for them.

In real life, the 5K’s single ended circuit drives my 150 ohm Sennheiser HD 25 with ease, but the 300 ohm Sennheiser HD 600 bring it close to its knees. The balance circuit played any iem thrown at it – and more.

Wrong world!

Sound

The Qudelix-5K is primarily designed as a Bluetooth receiver for on the go. Hence functionality is above audiophile fine tuning. The ES9219C SoC with DAC and amp delivers a prefabricated sonic signature as it is impossible to manipulate the amp part other than through unleashing the functionality via custom software. Therefore, all devices with this SoC will sound similar.

That said the Qudelix-5K features a neutral sound with a tad of warmth added. The big difference between USB and Bluetooth sound is that Bluetooth sacrifices some dynamics and depth.

Extension is decent at both ends, there is nothing scratchy or strident, note weight is very good, note definition is ok. My overall impression is…middle of the road…not the most audiophile but more than workable – and enjoyable. Imaging, resolution, clarity, staging are all good and even great for the price. Headroom with the balanced circuit is excellent.

Considering the ambient sounds one is exposed to on the road, the 5K’s musical presentation is more than adequate and actually quite delightful – even more so when combined with the functionality.

So what do you get in a $250 DAC/amp such as the Questyle M15? First, no Bluetooth…but better midrange clarity, more “zing”, more intimacy, better note definition, a better organized stage…and a bigger battery drain on your phone.

Both kinds of devices clearly serve different purposes. One for the soft sofa at home and the other for the hard seat on the bus.

QX-Over Earphones

The $29 QX-Over earphones are another one of Qudelix’s technical specialties – they only fit the 5K and T71. The iems feature two 8 mm dynamic drivers and utilize the 5K’s active crossover as part of its 4-channel DAC/amp and DSP for optimal sound quality.

The QX-Over therefore features a double plug that is inserted simultaneously into the 2.5 mm and 3.5 mm sockets. Using the stock tips is required to unleash the intended sound signature.

The QX-Over have a safe, V-shaped, slightly warm tuning with a huge headroom and great staging (obviously the result of the proprietary crossover technology). Again, no audiophile delicatesse, but a decent burger fare: an unpretentious souped-up mainstream iem that is optimized for the 5K.

They have tight enough bass with a good sub-bass extension generating a healthy rumble. Vocals are not too recessed, they are a bit on the lean side but still have enough body. There can be the occasional shoutiness. Treble extension is not the greatest and high notes can be a bit subtle.

The OX-Over are quite quirky in terms of dynamics and clarity is also good. Seriously, although quite middle-of-the-road, the QX-Over completely do the job outside of the house (in…errmm..the middle of the road). Even inside: I danced around my kitchen with them while unloading the dishwasher. I definitely recommend this experience as an add-one to the 5K.

Comparison to FiiO BTR5

The $129 FiiO BTR5 features the same ES919C SoC as the 5K, and both presumably sound very similar. Qudelix released a comparison pdf (that is in need of minor updating).

The main differences between the two devices, apart from price, are weight (BTR is much heavier), battery life (5K much better), native resolution (BTR up to 32 bit/384 kHz), and app/Chrome extension (5K much more customizable). Qudelix 5K has a resolution of up to 24 bit/96 kHz (just like the AudioQuest DragonFly Cobalt), which covers 95% of all audio files).

Another huge difference is the customer support. FiiO have never replied to any message of us at audioreviews.org authors whereas Qudelix have a short turnaround time with dedicated support.

Concluding Remarks

The Qudelix-5K is probably one of the most mature products on the market and bears zero risk to the buyer. No wonder it enjoys an excellent customer satisfaction.

One of my personal highlights is that it turned my Sony NW-A55 dap into a balanced player.

Apart from great sound and functionality, the free tweaking/monitoring app is a great teaching medium. Sure, the 5K can’t compete with $300 competitors, but it is still good enough to be used even with premium earphones – and it is simply perfect for use on the road.

Oh, and I highly recommend ordering the QX-Over earphones as add-on.

I am going to recommend the Qudelix-5K for induction to our Wall of Excellence.

Until next time…keep on listening!

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Disclaimer

The Qudelix-5K was provided by the company for review upon my request – and the QX-Over showed up as a surprise. And I thank them for that as well as for answering all my questions patiently and in every detail.

You can get the 5K and QX-Over from amazon and directly from Qudelix Store.

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The post Qudelix-5K Bluetooth DAC/amp With QX-Over Earphones Review – Highest Pragmatism appeared first on Audio Reviews.

INTRO

For those not familiar with the Drop Grell TWS1X, Grell was founded by one of Sennheiser’s top designers Axel Grell so there are high expectations from those aware of the association. For the rest they might be unaware of the wonderful products Sennheiser has created throughout the years.

If you peruse their about page it reads just like any other direct to consumer breakout brand forked out of a legendary following, promises of high quality parts, cutting edge tech, but with a direct to consumer pricing model.

Ever been in one of those relationships that you do not know how to describe and default to the cliche- It’s complicated? That is how I feel about the Drop Grell TWS1X. The sound is another wonderfully tuned Harman profile with lower bass boost absent of midrange bleed, a mild treble plateau that gradually fades with good technical abilities and features that sport a working ANC feature set.

Disclaimer: Thanks go out to Drop sending a free pair and for trusting me to review these as a first time product for Audioreviews. I hope they are not too let down by my critique, but we also need to be honest to readers-no sides taken. Price as tested $200. Tested with Firmware version 2.8.0

GOOD TRAITS

• Harman Sound Profile
• Small Wireless Charging case, also USB-C
• Case Charge level indicator
• Transparency Mode
• ANC/NAR mode works well
• IPX4 Splash Proof

NEEDS IMPROVEMENT

• Manual not descriptive enough a quick start guide with universal pictures, but no manual to describe the features or SoundID.
• Fast Battery drain during storage
• Fitment-short nozzle stem
• Awkward pairing issues, sometimes only one connects if you put the wrong side in first.
• Storage orientation is opposite (Left earpiece on the right, Right earpiece on the left)

MODES

There are essentially 4 modes of operation

1. Normal (Transparency Off, ANC Off)
2. Transparency On
3. ANC ON
4. ANC ON + NAR ON

ANC, NAR and Transparent modes are not explained in the manual other than how to switch them on/off
Transparent is fairly obvious for an experienced user, but not a novice.
ANC=Automatic Noise Cancellation
NAR=Noise Annoyance Reduction (Not much information on what this does)
Switching between the modes is weird. Sometimes it says ANC on/off, other times it says NAR on/off with a 1 sec hold.
Pop noise when turning ANC mode ON.

COMFORT / CONTROLS

I don’t own a lot of wireless IEM’s because I have trouble keeping them in place. My only other pair is the wonderfully fabulous Sony WF-1000XM3, but even those I struggle with to keep them in place. I prefer something that locks in place in my ears.

So this is a bias I have and wanted to point out the Drop Grell TWS1X does not make this better. The stems are short, the ear wings don’t seem to help, and therefore I had to resort to using foam eartips which was still not enough to keep them in place if in moving around situations.

The controls on the Drop Grell TWS1X are divided amongst both sides so that volume (right side) and track changes (left side) are not confused with each other. In addition to that, Play/Pause on the right, and ANC/Transparency single taps are on the left. Upon inserting them into your ears, there is not much area to grip and I found myself cycling through modes as I inserted them or activating Google Search.

The responsiveness of the touch sensor was about equivalent to the Sony WF-1000XM3, however there were times I wish they would pause sooner. I had seen discussion that there is some delay to prevent unwanted commands from occurring.

Note: Firmware updates for the Drop Grell TWS1X are done through the SoundID app, which also allows a user to apply a personal EQ to earphones in their database, which is quite large. It appears to be similar to an app called Neutralizer. The SoundID app is a Sonarworks product, and not specific to the Drop Grell TWS1X.

PACKAGE CONTENTS

• Charging case with Wireless Charging
• USB-A to USB-C charging cable
• 3 pairs of silicone eartips (S, M, L)
• 2 pairs of foam eartips (M, L)
• 3 pairs of wingtips (various fits)

SOUND

Ok having moved past the hiccups with operation, the sound of the Drop Grell TWS1X is quite enjoyable. With modern music the bass blooms in the bottom end, yet I sense some compression action occurring most likely from the built in amplifier. With music that does not utilize the lower octaves, it comes of sounding balanced and tighter.

Activating the ANC mode adds even more echoing bass boost which again is fairly typical of ANC earphones that are designed to cancel out constant noise signals typically centered throughout the bass region and lower midrange.

Airplanes, public transport and lawn mowers are typical good uses. Since the boost is focused purely towards the bottom octaves, they avoid bleeding into the lower midrange.

Midrange is set forward, with a very intimate dry sound. Treble has good presence keeping things lively and delicate at the same time. Peaks and such are well controlled, for me the treble is the star of the tuning.

If I had to nitpick perhaps it could use a sprinkle of more airiness. Strings, flutes and cymbals are very natural sounding. If ANC is active and the NAR is turned on, I pick up some boost in the treble as well but it could all depend on what the ANC is trying to cancel out too. The NAR is sort of a mystery.

TECHNICALITIES

Timbre is fairly close to natural, the Drop Grell TWS1X favors width over depth, imaging is excellent and spacing is clearly delineated. Height information is mostly maintained on a level plane, with average lift. Volume is limited on these, occasionally I would catch them quickly ramping the volume down when activating the ANC as if they could play louder if allowed.

Transparency mode is useful in an office setting, or possibly in an active usage scenario, however as mentioned before I could not get them to stay in place with even a simple walking exercise.

The microphones are very sensitive so they pick up wind noise and whispers sound unsettling loud. You could potentially ASMR yourself using the transparency mode. I would like to see if this could be simmered down with future firmware updates maybe?

COMPARISON

Sony WF-1000XM3 (Discontinued street prices $50-150)

While both the Drop Grell TWS1X and the Sony WF-1000XM3 both utilize apps to control and EQ, the Sony requires the app to control the earphone settings. There is no way to access some of the features without the app.

The Drop Grell TWS1X on the other hand allows you to cycle through the different listening modes on the earphones themselves. The WF-1000XM3 is fully customize-able for the transparency mode though.

The Drop Grell TWS1X sounds more balanced than the V signature of the WF-1000XM3. Mids sound recessed on the Sony after listening to the Grell. The Grell also has a more rounded treble that allows many instruments to shine as opposed to the one note treble feel of the Sony.

The Drop Grell TWS1X has wireless charging while the Sony does not (winner TWS1X), but then fails on battery drain just from sitting around (winner 1000XM3). This seems like a toss up, except its more of a nuisance to grab a pair of dead earphones then be inconvenienced by having to plug them in to charge.

There is one final thing to note, when I bought my Sony I did some research that technically the battery can be replaced if you are handy. I don’t know if the Drop Grell TWS1X battery can be accessed without destroying the earphones. I might just be a nerd in this regard to worry about such silly things, but something to think about in our throw away society.

COMPLETION

Most of my concerns (and others) for the Drop Grell TWS1X appear to be the user experience, so if you can overlook the functionality quirks they are a wonderfully sounding set with nice features comparable to the Sony WF-1000XM3.

I know they are trying real hard to work through peoples’ concerns on head-fi and Drop so that is a glass half full half empty scenario. They are receptive to solving people problems, but it would be nice if there were no bugginess in the first place, I am referring to the single side pairing conundrum.

My two biggest gotchas are fitment and battery drain. Nothing more frustrating than having to charge them once a week even if not using them. However my biggest disappointment is that I cannot use them in more active situations.

This is the most frustrating part for me because the sound tuning is excellent and the ANC passed my lawn mower test. So if you plan to use them in a stationary situation that requires ANC or even just wireless usage, and don’t care much about the battery drain these are a wonderful set of wireless ANC IEMS.

SPECIFICATIONS

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DISCLAIMER

Get it direct from DROP.

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About my measurements.

The post Drop Grell TWS1X Review – Ambition Meet Frustration appeared first on Audio Reviews.

Cons — Build appears a bit flimsy; no dead cats for the lavalier mics included.

Executive Summary

Introduction

Vlogging, live streaming, and virtual meetings are becoming increasingly important. When two people are looking into the same camera, a microphone for each is needed. The Maono WM820 offers this functionality. The set features two clip-on transmitters with built-in microphone and a receiver connected to your computer, phone, or other broadcasting device.

The clip-ons also offer the option to connect an included lavalier microphone for improved sound quality or simply for convenience – as well as a headset for real-time monitoring. The transmission range of the sound is up to 50 m, but in any case can one move around the house safely without losing contact to the receiver.

The WM820 set looks awfully close to the Røde GO II set, but at less than half the price, appealing to the cost-conscious consumer.

Maono is a high-tech company that produces affordable microphones, audio interfaces, headphones, and other audio accessories. They preferably sell directly to consumers to keep their prices reasonable.

I am a big fan of good sounding microphones and have certain expectations. Spoiler alert, the WM820-A2 deliver, albeit they cannot be compared to radio-station microphones, just to state the obvious.

Specifications

Physicals

The WM820 set comes with all necessary accessories other than OTG adapters for phones. For example, you have to buy an Apple Audio Adapter for use with iPhone.

In the box…is a lot: 2 transmitters, 1 receiver, a charging cable with three USB-C connectors for simultaneous charging of all three units, a 3.5mm TRS Cable (for cameras), a 3.5mm TRRS Cable (for phones), 2 lavalier microphones, 3 dead cats for the transmitters, and the paperwork. And all that comes in a big pouch.

The receiver and the two transmitters feel a bit light and the plastic a bit flimsy, and I would not want to drop them onto a concrete sidewalk (to be fair, the same accounts for my iPhone). But being heavier would make them more difficult to wear around one’s collar. The pouch smells a bit like petroleum and the lavaliers and the other accessories are sturdy.

Functionality and Operation

The principal idea is to assign a “talking head” to each of the two transmitters, and to connect the receiver to a DSLR, smartphone/tablet, or computer so that the two people can have a recorded or streamed conversation with the outside world.

There is a 3.5 mm output jack on the Maono WM820’s receiver for this purpose. The transmitter features a 3.5 mm jack for connecting an external lavalier microphone (which bypasses the internal mic) as well as a 3.5 mm headphone jack for real-time monitoring.

Both receiver and transmitters feature three buttons on the side with various functionality. First, apart from ON/OFF, for Bluetooth pairing by simply holding button combinations down on both. Pairing has a memory: once done, you will not have to do it again. The receiver buttons allow to adjust the 22 dB gain in 2 dB steps of the incoming signal as monitored through a connected headset (also works for the mics).

Transmitters and receivers features a couple of LEDs on their front top, one as battery-level indicator and the other for Bluetooth connection status.

The set can be used indoors and outdoors. The receiver fits any standard camera shoe or phone rig as you see below. The company claims a 6 h battery life, which is more than sufficient. The build-in 350 mAh batteries are charged with a standard 5V USB charger (not included, but any phone charger or computer port will work). Charging time is 2 hours.

The microphones built into the transmitters follow a polar pattern and are (to some extent) omnidirectional with noise cancelling technology. Transmission distance is given as 50 m without physical obstruction such as walls. I tested this in the following video.

Sound Quality

When it comes to spoken word and speech intelligibility, I am fuzzy. First, I love talk radio and own several old-fashioned FM radios. Second, one of my first cousins and one of my nieces are voice actors. When listening to the “big” radio sound, you hear differences depending on the microphones used.

There is always a competition of richness against clarity, and the question is how well extended a voice is towards the top and bottom of the frequency spectrum. A microphone with little upper extension makes the voice sound boxed in and blunt, one without lower extension makes one sound tinny and analytical.

My wife and I tested the transmitters with both the built-in microphone and the added lavalier. According to specs, the lavaliers should yield a richer sound, but listen yourself to the sound of the video below.

So, what do you think? I did not change the default gain or process the sound. You get the raw data, just like somebody in a live stream or zoom call. I find the sound strikes the right balance between richness and clarity. And since you can attach any microphone to the transmitter you want, I also tried my Sony ECM-CS3, which sounded clearer, but also sterile and analytical. The Manao delivers the more natural sound with a bit or warmth added.

Concluding Remarks

The Maono WM820 is a well working and good sounding set…though I see a bit of “copycatting” as it comes optically very close to the Røde GO II (at more than twice the price). It may be a functional lower-priced alternative to the hobbyist like me, but the build is too light for professional use.

And since the company is big on influencers and affiliate programs, a built-in disclaimer: I/we don’t participate in any of that as we are not salesmen on a commission but product analysts. I just tested the set – and without any humour.

Until next time…keep on listening!

Disclaimer

The WM820 was provided unsolicited by Maono and I thank them for that.

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Gallery

The post 2-Person Wireless Mic MAONO WM820 Review – Talking Heads appeared first on Audio Reviews.

So the Mifo would really have to sound good to justify the tariff, in which regard the Mifo are decidedly a mixed bag. Signature is generally mid-centric, with limited extension at both extremes (there’s some subbass thump, but midbass is conspicuously lacking in depth and quantity), with a narrow stage that tends to place the performers towards the center. Timbre is slightly anemic but quite accurate—guitars and voices are well-articulated and there’s no high-end sharpness or glare.

But (and this is a big but), the output on the Mifo is wholly inadequate—you need to max out the volume to get any sort of presence, and even then these lack snap and energy. Much cheaper buds like Lypertek Tevi or Soundpeats H1 sound a little more processed, but are otherwise more impactful, louder and far more engaging, while a comparably-priced mainstream piece like the Galaxy Buds isn’t necessarily better tonally, but has much better bass quality, much more high end detail and far superior UI.

TBH, I don’t get who Mifo is targeting with the S—they’re too pricey for kids, too feature-less for technophiles and, despite the pleasing tonality, are neither tuned for consumers nor for audiophiles. It does seem that Mifo’s prior releases have garnered some praise, and I’d hope that future iterations enhance the bass, widen the soundstage and, above all, crank up the volume. For now, though, these are a hard pass.

Disclaimer: sent free for review purposes by Mifo.

Product Page: Mifo S

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Bluetooth & TWS

Mifo S

The post Mifo S TWS Earbuds Review – A Mofo from Mifo? appeared first on Audio Reviews.

Originally priced at a substancially higher level compared to the regular version – which still retails for $249,00 – such Anniversary model is now discontinued. Externally identical except for the finish – available either in silver or gold variant – internal specs are very similar between the regular and Anniversary models.

A friend lent me his personally owned Anniversary Edition Groove recently for me to try it it parallel vs my “regular” Groove(s) and spot any possible audible difference.

Differences on paper

Firstly, please refer to my other article about Groove for a general and quite indepth description of the product, its specs and performances – which I wont report here as it wuold be redudant and tedious.

Looking at official Apogee information, the sole published differences between original Groove and Anniversary Edition Groove are the following:

Everything else, including input power requirements and output power delivery are declared unchanged.

Differences in my ears

Quite simply, I plugged both devices for as much as possible “in parallel” on my existing infrastructure and I auditioned a few key tracks, using some neutral-ish and most of all well-known (by me) drivers such as Tanchjim Oxygen on the low(ish) impedance front, and Sennheiser HD600 on the opposite end.

Long story short: there is some sound difference, yes. But a very modest one at that.

Anniversary Edition does sound marginally cleaner – spatial reconstruction is a little yet audible bit furtherly airy – and modestly more effortless, furtherly uncompressed – microdynamics are maybe a 5% better.

Apart from that, the two devices behave identically in terms of pairing capabilities (and limitations), output power levels and such.

Worth noting I guess that as always all the above is exclusively consequence of direct subjective audition, I conduceted no “measurements”.

Considerations & conclusions

As a known Groove fanboi of course I’m gelous of the Anniversary unit I got as a kind loan, and I’m of course returning now.

On the other hand, performance differences are indeed marginal and in pure honesty I would not say that the Anniversary Edition is an upgrade to die for vs the original Groove. Nice to have, especially if a good condition preloved unit can be found for a good price around, but that’s it.

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Granted, there’s some evidence of cost cutting—no balanced outs, and the front panel switches and volume knob on the headphone amp seem a bit flimsy, but work as intended. Little of this would, of course, matter unless the SU-6/SH-6 sounded good, but fortunately they do.

As a headphone amp, the SH-6 isn’t a powerhouse (it hits its limits with my  250 ohm Beyers), but immediately impresses with its low end impact and control—slightly boomy IEMs like the Moondrop Kanas Pro  sound tighter, while more balanced pieces like the Whizzer Kylin HE03D or the 7Hz Timeless show palpably more low end depth and presence.

Other than juicing up the bass, the SH-6 is quite neutral in tone—neither bright nor warm–and added very little coloration across the spectrum. Compared to my trusty (tube) Aune T1 MK2, the SH-6 played louder, had the more expansive soundstage and presented a lot more high end detail; the Aune had the more analog, organic timbre, with the SH-6 sounding a bit leaner and more processed, albeit more resolving.

My ($150)  Project Head Box S2 actually was a close match tonally for the SH-6, with a comparable level of high-end detail, but lacked the bass thwack and speed  of the SH-6.

Moving to the headphone section of the pricier Chord Mojo gets you a richer, fuller-bodied sound, with noticeably better loud/soft dynamics and a wider stage. However I actually thought the bass on the SH-6 was crisper and extended deeper than the Mojo’s, which sounded smoother and not as sculpted.

The SH-6 likewise functions very serviceably as a digital preamp, again maintaining its neutral tone and tight bottom end, although careful pairing with sources/speakers is necessary, as the SH-6, in high-gain mode, can get a tad shrill with higher output devices or very sensitive speakers. 

The SU-6 DAC was initially the more intriguing of the pair, largely because of its lineage from the genuinely great ($450) SU-9, with which it shares a variant of the ES9038 chip. While I usually avoid measurements and graphs (which often skew my impressions on how a piece actually sounds), I cheated on this one and checked out Audioscience Review, which showed extremely good measured performance, including very high SINAD. In fact, the SU-6 was dead quiet, with no audible distortion.

As a standalone DAC (decoupled from the SH-6), the SU-6 sounded slightly bright, with a taut note texture and mostly balanced throughout the spectrum, with an etched, slightly sharp-sounding high end which can sound a little intense on amplified instruments (note that the adjustable digital filters have a small but audible effect on mitigating the intensity).

Microdetails are very present (you can clearly hear the difference between 32/768 files and lower rez stuff), though Bluetooth streaming sounded like typical Bluetooth—compressed and somewhat rolled off at the high end.

Paired with the SH-6, the SU-6 takes on the bassy-but-not-bloated character of the amp, while retaining its slight harshness at the highest frequencies. It’s a good combo nonetheless, with a high level of resolution and good PRAT. The 3x pricier SH-9/SU-9 combo, at least from memory, is more powerful and refined at the high-end, though the qualitative differences are incremental. 

Most of the other reviews I’ve read have labelled the SH-6/SU-6 a good “beginner setup”, and like anything else you can certainly spend more and get better. Frankly, unless you’re driving 600 oHm planars I wouldn’t feel a lot of compulsion to upgrade from this little stack—it does many things well and its bass quality trumps a lot of pricier pieces. Bargain.

Disclaimer

This stack was sent to me by SHENZHENAUDIO for review purposes and I thank them for that. It will go to Durwood for a 2nd opinion.

SMSL SU-6 DAC: tested at $169.99. Get it from SHENZHENAUDIO.

SMSL SH-6 amp: tested a $119.99. Get it from SHENZHENAUDIO.

Contact us!

SMSL SU-6 and SMSL SH-6

The post SMSL SU-6 DAC and SH-6 Headphone Amplifier/Preamp Review (1) – Bargain… appeared first on Audio Reviews.

Cons — Relatively high impedance…benefits from amplification.

Executive Summary

Introduction

BQEYZ made themselves a name back in 2018 with one of the first neutrally tuned budget iems, the $30 2DD +2BA BQEYZ KC2, at a time when budget meant V-shaped. The KC2 is still available and has a dedicated following.

The company continued a class higher with the $139 1DD +1BA +1 EST BQEYZ Spring 1, which had wonderful vocals but a somewhat pillowy bass. The subsequent 1DD +1BA +1 EST $169 BQEYZ Spring 2 improved the bass somewhat. All of the above were metal built.

The subsequent $129 1DD +1BA +1EST BQEYZ Summer deviated with its translucent resin shells and finally featured the desired punchy bass.

We have collectively analyzed all of the above to the hilt, including Durwood’s study of the effect of nozzle mesh on the Spring 1’s frequency response.

The latest BQEYZ model is named “Autumn” after the third season of the year, hence “Tre Stagioni” (three seasons). With their BQEYZ Autumn, the company reverts to metal shells being essentially identical in shape to the Summer’s.

New is the driver configuration which is a single DD. BQEYZ also offer maximum sonic flexibility by including three sets of magnetic tuning vents at the font of the shells. Each of these pucks constitutes a different front vent with its very own bass response.

It is an interesting approach contrary to the JVC FDX1, the perceived bass response of which is dosed by screw-on nozzles containing different filters. Although these alter the JVC’s upper midrange response, the effect is only heard at the low end, as the human ear registers the whole frequency spectrum in context.

Specifications

Physical Things and Usability

In the box are the 2 earpieces, the cable, 3 pairs of tuning pucks in a holder, the magnetic tuner pole, 2 sets of eartips (S/M/L), a brush, and a carrying case. The three tuning pucks (“bass”, “normal”, “treble”) are actually the inner earphone vents (also called front vents). They come in different openings: the smaller the bassier. We describe the relevant physical principles in this article.

The metal pucks are inserted and removed with the included magnetic pole. This takes as long as a tire change during a Formula 1 race. The magnetic fit guarantees minimal wear and tear even when swapped frequently. Very handy.

The earpieces are made of CNC machined metal and are built very well. The overall haptic of shells and cable is great. BQEYZ have addressed the criticism of the BQEYZ Summer’s resin shells.

Fit and comfort are very good, isolation is rather poor for my ears. The cable has silver-coated copper and high-purity copper strands. It is loosely braided with minimal contact area between the strands for minimum interference. I find the cable rather pliable and light – it has no microphonics.

2 sets of eartips (S/M/L) are included, one wide bore and the other narrow bore. Note that the nozzle diameter exceeds the usual 4.5 mm so that many third-party eartips will not fit. You may try the SpinFit CP500 or any Azla SednaEarfit models if going for third-party tips.

Tonality and Technicalities

A universally valid assessment of the BQEYZ Autumn is difficult as tonality and technicalities depend on the interplay of several factors: magnetic tuning puck + eartips + source (in any combination). This versatility allows to you pretty much to create your own favourite sound.

Considering its 46 Ω impedance, the Autumn benefits from amplification, although it works surprisingly well with my iPhone SE (1st gen.). For example, the powerful Apogee Groove produces a much cleaner and better defined image than the weaker AudioQuest DragonFly Cobalt.

Using the JitterBug FMJ with the Apogee Groove makes quite a difference in that it ads definition to the image. The difference is actually considerable.

With the wide-bore stock tips, the “bass” vents generate more…yes…bass…which drowns the vocals out somewhat — and the “normal” vents bring voices more into the foreground without sacrificing bass impact. But this latter combination may be bassier than the combination of “bass” vents and JVC Spiral Dots.

I played with the stock eartips but got the best results with the JVC Spiral Dots that disperse some of the mid-bass and produce the tightest possible low end. Bass generally digs deep but the vocals move into the foreground with the JVCs. Signature becomes brighter but notes also cleaner and more articulate.

I also experimented with the vents, and the normal ones yielded the best result (in combination with the Spiral Dots). The bass vents “overthicken” the low end, move the vocals back and therefore remove intimacy and detail.

My favourite combination therefore is the normal vents with the JVC Spiral Dots.

So, how does the BQEYZ Autumn sound, actually (with “normal” puck and Spiral Dots)? It has the classic slightly warm single-dynamic driver sound with a rather crisp attack adding some edge.

The low end is on the tight side, it is well extended and remains focused to the lowest frequencies. There is no mid-bass hump as emphasis is on the lower frequencies, just above sub-bass. Drum kicks in the mid bass are not as pronounced as they could be but they are nevertheless hard as a rock – and dry.

Lower midrange is standalone without bass bleed. Male and female voices are somewhat recessed, of medium note weight, energetic, and natural. There is no shoutiness but we are getting there, although that 5 kHz peak is not irritating to my ears.

Midrange temperature is a bit cooler than in the bass region but still not quite neutral. Midrange resolution is very good, everything clean and clear there. Note definition is very good.

Lower treble rolls of substantially. Cymbals are a bit back and don’t have the best definition – but they are still ok. Resolution is better in the midrange than in the treble region.

Stage is average in width, height and depth. Spatial cues is very good. Attack is sharp and crisp without being aggressive. The dynamic driver is rather nimble. Stage positioning and separation are also good. Timbre is good.

I am a bit short in my sonic description as it mostly applies to this very particular setup.

BQEYZ Autumn compared

The dynamic-driver competition in the $200 region is tight. The Tanchjim Oxygen (which I don’t know) and the JVC HA-FDX1 are standard staples on our Wall of Excellence (also count the 1+1 IKKO OH10 in). The Moondrop KATO is arguably the company’s best dynamic-driver offer.

To disappoint you, it is impossible to tell which is the best of the lot as they are very close in terms of (sound) quality. But they differ quite a bit in ergonomics.

For example, the IKKO OH10 is very heavy in one’s ear, and so – but to a lesser extent – is the KATO. The Oxygen have short nozzles that may not fit everyone and the JVCs have a weird shape altogether that may not be the most comfortable for many either. In this respect, I prefer the Autumn’s compact shells.

But what I can say is that the Autumn sound more refined than the brighter $139 BQEYZ Summer, particularly in the midrange. The JVCs are not as crisp as the Autumn, they are smoother, dampened, with more rounded notes – but not as deep. The Autumn are rougher around the edges, more dynamic/energetic, and they have more midrange body and a much better sub-bass extension.

The Moondrop KATO are brighter than the Autumn (in my setup), with a wider but shallower stage. They have a smoother bass and vocals are not quite as intimate. They also have more sparkle with more air in the midrange. And they are more prone to shoutiness. How graphs can deceive us. Voices are a bit thicker and more rounded in the KATO. Treble resolution is similar between the two.

As I tend to say (well I stole it from Alberto): pick your poison!

Concluding Remarks

The BQEYZ Autumn are well built and good sounding single-dynamic driver earphones that fit their price category well – and that can prevail against their tough competition.

Whilst it is difficult to rank the large crowd of $200 single-dynamic drivers, the Autumn stick out in two aspects: comfort/fit and sonic versatility through the included tuning front vents. They are, in my opinion, the best offering in BQEYZ’s 3 season series.

Tre stagioni? Quattro stagioni! Now we are ready for “inverno”. No, that’s not what you think*…learn Italian…

Until next time…keep on listening!

*Italian: winter

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At-a-glance Card

Features and description

Externals

The Go Blu is a minuscle device, approximately the size of a 9V battery but much lighter in weight (just 26g).

It carries an on-off button, an options button, and a volume knob which also has a button as its central part.

Phone outs, and a status LED are on the top side of the device. On the bottom there is the USB-C port, the microphone hole, the power LED, and a futher pin hole for hard reset.

The accessories package is quite limited: GO Blu comes with just a short USB-A/USB-C cable and a soft carry pouch. No USB-C/USB-C cable, let alone Apple cable are included, nor – oddly enough – a shirt clip is bundled inside the box.

Internals

Unlike so many competitive alternatives on the market, GO Blu is not designed around one of those “single chip does it all” items, but is rather a fully articulated dac-amp device, with separate communication, dac and amp sections, just “miniaturised” to fit an extremely small and lightweight footprint.

Connectivity is assigned to Qualcomm’s QCC5100 chip, the latest or one of the latest releases in its class by the wireless techology leader. The DAC section is centered on a 32-bit Cirrus CS43131 chip, sided by a separate hi quality precision clock. The amp section follows a full dual-mono design, and exploits some iFi proprietary technology called “Direct Drive” whereby they avoid using output coupling capacitors to get an even cleaner result on even other conditions.

Input specs are quite limited in terms of accepted formats: just PCM and only until 24bit / 96KHz. No higher res PCM. No native DSD. No MQA. The meta-message by iFi is quite evident here: focus on doing less, at higher quality.

Output specs (find them all here) are quite impressive: up to 5.6V @ 600ohm load on balanced output (half of that on single ended) and a promising 245mW @ 32ohm load on the opposite end (always on BE). Output impedance is below 1 ohm on both ports.

There’s a 6dB gain which is applied “automatically” as volume goes up – read more under Volume Control, here below.

The on-board battery while small features 450mAh capacity, and offered me – based on my typically low-ish playback volume, and always top-rank digital resolution – around 9-10 hours of operation.

Input

GO Blu is mainly conceived as a BT DAC-AMP device, and BT performance is in facts ace both in terms of features and results. The pairing process is straightforward and I had no problem with any of my owned devices (phones, computers).

GO Blu supports BT 5.1, and a whopping array of different codecs including AAC, AptX (Adaptive, HD and Low Latency), LDAC and LHDC/HWA. The LDAC/96 implementation in particular is very solid and – when paired to another known-good-LDAC capable device – I was able to get at least 10 meters away on open path, or 7-8 meters with 2 walls in the middle, with zero dropouts.

The USB-C port on the bottom of GO Blu main body can be also used as a digital input. Again, connectivity proved straightforward both when attached to my PC (directly, and via the Nano iUSB) or to my Android devices – on which I use 3rd party sw players e.g. UAPP and Roon.

Didn’t try Apple ecosystem devices, which are declared as fully supported nonetheless.

Existing connectivity type will take priority: if GO Blu is connected somewhere via BT, a subsequently established USB connection will “not to work” – and similarly, if I have GO Blu on BT pairing mode, but not yet BT-connected to anything, plugging it into a USB data source will kill the BT pairing process, which will not resume for as long as the USB link stays on.

Finally, GO Blu has a very good working microphone on its bottom, which is straightforwardly used for calls and phone assistant interaction. The mic quality is above average at the very least, and Qualcomm’s built-in ANC works a charm: I could use it as an office tool for a while with great satisfaction.

When using GO Blu as a bi-way communication device, short-pressing once on the volume knob’s central button answers the incoming call. Long-pressing ends the call, or activates the phone assistant.

Output

GO Blu comes with two phone output alternatives: a Balanced 4.4mm option and a 3.5mm Single Ended (S-Balanced, actually). The former is by all means the one to go for whenever possible – more on this later.

Neither is configurable as a pure Line Out.

Volume and gain control

The volume knob is apparently well designed and feels solid and precise. iFi is particularly proud on the Swiss tech they added on that, I got no competence to confirm or dismiss but a fact is I couldnt appreciate any audible volume unbalance above 2% or something, and I did witness supersmooth and cracklefree operation for my entire (long!) assessment period.

On the GO Blu iFi chose to integrate gain control within the volume knob excursion – they call it “automatic gain”. In a nutshell, GO Blu is offering low gain until 60% volume level, then it quickly applies a +6dB gain from there on.

In general, I’m not a high gain fan to say the least: the higher the gain, the higher the compression especially on budget (read: sub-multibuck) class devices. High gain to me can and should be used with high impedance loads only, and that’s why I don’t particularly mind having a classical separate “gain switch” for that.

On the other hand I do see the point iFi designers are making on seamlessly integrating gain and volume controls, clinging at non-specialistic users who will simply not want to care on learning why and how they should or should not engage High Gain, and just want a device that “does it right, automatically”.

What makes the equation solve correctly in GO Blu case is that that little device delivers a whopping high level of current already at low volume marks. Which means that most if not all mid & low impedance devices I connected to GO Blu went nicely loud and dynamic (!) already at moderate (way sub 50%) volume levels, thus never needing to engage the High Gain mode. Plugging my HD600 required a deeper volume knob excursion, and -correctly- ended up into +6dB gain territory. Good job!

Other features

Software and Firmware

Like all iFi devices GO Blu allows for easy user-operated firmware flashing. In this specific case, operations can exclusively carried out from an Anroid host though, so be aware!

There’s currently only one GO Blu firmware version available, released last January 2022 – which must be flashed in should the device come with an earlier version as previous one(s) were, frankly, buggy as hell.

On the other hand, iFi offers no host software to remote-control / remote-configure GO Blu. Nothing in the line of what E1DA does for 9038x, or Fiio for BTRx, etc is available. Too bad.

Alternative reconstruction filters

GO Blu firmware includes a sort of “easter-egg”, allowing the user to switch onto an alternative DAC reconstruction filter by following an undocumented button-pressing sequence.

To access such feature one needs to turn on and connect Go Blu (BT or wired, doesn’t matter), then triple-short-press the Power Button. At this point, single short-pressing the Options button (the one below the Volume knob) will toggle between two DAC filter alternatives:

• Minimum phase filter (upper LED turns Purple)
• Standard filter (upper LED turns Green)

The setting is saved, and will resist powering the GO Blu down.

XBASS and XSPACE

On the GO Blu too iFi added two of their most appreciated “extras”, namely XBASS and XSPACE.

Both implemented on the time domain – i.e. on the already calculated analog output coming off the DAC – for superior quality results, XBASS is a bass/sub-bass enhancer, i.e. a filter enhancing all bass frequencies without impacting on the rest of the presentation, while XSPACE is a crossfeed filter, i.e. a system whereby, vulgarly speaking, “a bit” of the left channel sound will be hearable on your right channel too, and viceversa, which brings the headphone/earphone listening experience closer to that of full size speakers of course.

Both are great to have – especially on such a modest budget device – and being a late-50ies / 60ies acoustic jazz lover I’m especially fond of XSPACE, which “magically” compensates on many of those early stereo hard-panned masters with John Coltrane “fully stuck to the left”, for example, making them even more enjoyable.

To activate XBASS and/or XSPACE all it takes is to cycle-press the options button on the right side of the device, just below the volume knob. 1 press = XBASS, 2 presses = XSPACE, 3 presses = both, 4 presses = reset to none. The options led on top, near the 4.4 port, will light of a different color accordingly.

Sound

GO Blu sounds seriously well.

The presentation range is very well extended both down low and up high, notes have very good body accross the board, and a particular mention is deserved by bass being very controlled. Highmids come accross a tad too evident, on the other end. Trebles are way airier than one may expect from such a small – therefore necessarily hw-limited – device. Perhaps most importantly, instrument separation and microdynamics are nothing short of outstanding.

Comparing by memory (I sold my unit quite some months ago) with an overall similar-featured device, GO Blu sounds significantly better than Fiio BTR5 for example : definitely cleaner, more extended, more macro and micro-dynamical.

Comparing instead with a different-featured but similarly priced device by the same manufacturer, GO Blu’s presentation is not the same as Hip-Dac – the latter is warmer down low, and less hot up high – although the “general sound quality” impression I can get from either is definitely on the same league.

As for probably 95% of sub-1K$ devices I auditioned to date, on Go Blu too single-ended output delivers much lesser quality than the balanced option next to it.  Simply put, I would recommend Go Blu for Balanced only – and skip it if your main drivers are all single-ended and you don’t want to (or can!) plan on swapping cables.

Some caveats now.

One: In spite of a quite low output impedance (below 1 ohm), GO Blu’s Balanced output produces significant hiss on very low impedance + high sensitivity loads (Andromeda and such).

Two: GO Blu’s USB connection does and will charge the battery while playing, when connected to a host providing power on the VBUS wire. As a consequence, USB-connecting GO Blu directly to my PC produces audibly worse (closer, more compressed, less dynamical) output compared to connecting it through my Nano iUSB3, or to a battery-powered pure transport (eg a Tempotec V1).

Some educational pairings

Final E3000

I would call this an unreal pair in terms of amping authority, if it weren’t for the fact that E3000’s fixed cabling forces me into the Single Ended option on the GO Blu, and sadly it shows. With that being said, GO Blu’s amping module makes E3000 open up and sing quite well, so much as to make the pair an incredibly good “compromise option” e.g. when adopting GO Blu as a BT device and mid-fi digital sources e.g Spotify or similar.

Final E5000

Not the best pair in the world at all for those but waaaay better than so many alternatives. E5000 is the empyric proof, if one is ever needed, of how vivid current GO Blu outputs already at very low volume positions, making E5000’s bass not “melting” into a too dark presentation as on most other lowcost stuff I heard it on. Very well done here.

Sennheiser HD600

GO Blu drives HD600 with great authority powerwise, even from the single ended out which is the sole I could test as I don’t care putting a balanced cable on my HD600, Groove pair being endgame for those at my place. GO Blu’s “automatic gain” works greatly here.

Considerations & conclusions

The main thing about GO Blu is that, quite simply, it sounds surprisingly good – especially so via its Balanced Ended output, which is the part I would recommend it for anytime really.

This little kid impressed me quite a lot for its very good DAC reconstruction quality, its more than decently clean amping stage, its capacity to drive low impedance and high impedance loads equally well, and the incredible life it delivers to most of my drivers.

Weren’t this enough add supersolid BT 5.1 (!) connectivity, XBASS and (to me, especially) XSPACE, and great performance for office calls, too.

What else can one want? The man on the road would probably, and justly, respond “nothing, just take my money now”.

I’m an old grumpy fellow so I always go around looking for flipsides, and GO Blu does have a few of course too:  Single Ended output quality is rather unimpressive for one; output power although good is not enough for planars and such; Balanced output hisses off on very low impedance loads; well… that’s it really.

Also due to some unwanted external interferences I got in the past months, I took my sweet time assessing this device and I feel I need to particularly thank iFi Audio for the patience they had after supplying my loaner review unit back last december already!

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Executive Summary

The Burson V6 Classic opamps are a valid alternative to the V6 Vivid opamps for those who prefer a leaner, wider, and better resolving sound. The V6 Classic work particularly well with acoustic pieces and jazz, but also with sources too warm for the V6 Vivid.

Introduction

Burson Audio is a >20-year old innovative company from Australia that produce high-quality DACs and amps. They started their business with opamps and other audio parts before dipping into complete devices.

I have exhaustively analyzed their lowest-priced amp, the Burson Funk, which, in its “Deluxe Package”, comes with a pair of Burson’s flagship V6 Vivid opamps that produce an energetic and dynamic sound. But the company offers another set of flagship opamps separately, the V6 Classic, which generate an alternative sound signature.

Both, V6 Classic and V6 Vivid retailed at $85 per piece/$145 per pair at the time of this review. You can order them from Burson. Both models are based on 12 years of research and carry a life-long warranty. V6 stands for Version 6 (or 6th generation). You can learn about their internals here.

What are Opamps?

Operational amps (“opamps”) are one of the building blocks of analog electronics circuits, used for sound optimization and customization. Opamps fine tune the’s sonic signature and help tailor the sound to the listener’s preference – similar to tubes in tube amps.

Opamps are universally deployable across different amps independent of brand. They are easily plugged into/pulled out of an amp’s logic board.

Caution, “opamp rolling” can be addictive!

Physicals and Installation

In the box are two opamps and two adapters. You don’t need the adapters when plugging the opamps into a Burson amp. If using them with amps of other brands, make sure there is enough space in the enclosure. Considering that most other opamps are these flat spider-like things, the Burson opamps are little skyscrapers.

You install the opamps by opening the enclosure (Allen keys included), align them according to manual, and stick them into the dedicated slots on the logic board. The Burson Funk, for example, has 2 such slots, one for speakers, and the other for headphones.

And if you align the opamps incorrectly, Burson’s unique “reverse voltage protection” prevents them from getting damaged.

The Burson Funk holds two opamps, one for the headphone circuit and the other for the speaker circuit. You can use a different opamp in each signal path. Many users prefer the V6 Classic for headphone use and the V6 Vivid for speakers.

Test Setup

I tested both opamp models, the V6 Classic and the V6 Vivid with the Burson Funk and different headphones/earphones. I used a neutral and a warm source to establish a possible source dependence for the performance of these opamps. After all, you’d expect the warm V6 Classic to pair better with a neutral source and the V6 Vivid to harmonize best with a warm source.

Neutral source setup: Questyle QP1R as DAC via AudioQuest Golden Gate RCA interconnects into Burson Funk amp. Warm source setup: Questyle QP1R as transport via Lifatec USA optical cable into EarMen Tradutto DAC and via AudioQuest Golden Gate RCA interconnects into Burson Funk amp; Sennheiser HD 600 headphones, JVC HA-FDX1 and Final E5000 iems.

Sound

Previously, I had tested the V6 Vivid opamps for my exhaustive Burson Funk review. What became evident to me was how the Burson Funk with the V6 Vivid opamps replaces the neutral signature of the Questyle’s own Class A amp with a slight warmth and an overall subtle tone colour. Sound is quite natural and definitely not digitally artificial.

Replacing the Vivid with the V6 Classic changes the Funk’s sound substantially — similar to exchanging the pickup of a record player or the earpieces on an iem.

To give you the helicopter view: the Classic make the Funk’s sound sound wider, more open, leaner, more neutral, and flatter, but also faster. In contrast, the V6 Vivid create a thicker, bassier/warmer, deeper, more dynamic but also narrower sound.

In detail, the V6 Classic deliver a tighter, faster, more composed bass compared to the V6 Vivid’s thicker, richer, and warmer low end with a better sub-bass extension, which contributes to the V6 Vivid’s deeper soundstage. On the other hand, the V6 Classic’s more forward treble makes for a wider, more open but also flatter stage. Due to the lesser warmth from the bass, the V6 Classic’s mids are leaner, cleaner, and clearer, as opposed to the Vivid’s richer, smoother, softer, and more rounded notes. This results in a better midrange resolution, transparency, and spatial cues in the V6 Classic.

Saxophones, cellos, and vocals sound leaner and “sharper” with the V6 Classic and smoother/richer/thicker with the Vivid. The advantage of the V6 Classic’s leaner presentation is “more space between notes and musicians on stage” and therefore better instrument separation and placement. A symphony orchestra on stage becomes easier congested with the V6 Vivid than with the V6 Classic.

On the other hand, the V6 Vivid have more dynamics and therefore a punchier sound.

V6 Classic: the right Choice for You?

The question is not which opamp is better, but which source and music fits better to which. I find the better resolving, “wider” V6 Classic better suited for acoustic pieces, classical music, and jazz. The more dynamic, punchier Vivid are better working for rock music and electronic…or anything noisy.

But that’s my observation for my combination of neutral source and neutral iems/headphones. If you have a warm source, you may overthicken your music with the Vivid, the same accounts for warm headphones and earphones. So you may have to balance the temperatures of source and headphones/earphones against the choice of opamps.

Concluding Remarks

My analysis shows that the performance of the V6 Classic (and V6 Vivid) opamps are to some extent source and output dependent. Whilst, admittedly, the V6 Vivid is more universally deployable, the V6 Classic caters to the listening to acoustic/classical/jazzy pieces and such who want to cool their coloured source.

In the end, the opamp choice relies on personal preference and savvy aficionados collect them all. Opamp rolling is not any different from tip rolling (and cable rolling) with earphones/headphones, it is just another enjoyable addiction for audio junkies.

Until next time…keep on listening!

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Disclaimer

The V6 Classic opamps were provided by Burson – and I thank them for that.

Get the Burson opamps HERE.

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You find an INDEX of our most relevant technical articles HERE.

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Much like its predecessor, the $160 KBEAR Believe (as well as the cheaper KBEAR Diamond and KBEAR KB04), the mid-focused, $170 KBEAR Aurora scores high on the technicalities—low end is well-sculpted and meaty, coherence between  frequencies is seamless and layering and imaging are impressive, even if the soundstage is fairly narrow.

However like its brethren the KBEAR Aurora’s tonality is just a little bit off—for lack of a better description, everything sounds “recorded” and slightly unnatural. Acoustic guitars, in particular, lack shimmer and crispness and sound more like electric, while drums show something of a cardboard box effect and miss some snap, depth and resonance.

High end is smooth and tasteful but, as others have opined, rolls off too early and misses some of the high-level microdetail you’d expect at this price point. By no means a bad IEM—these would have considerable appeal to fans of vocal-oriented material or to the treble averse—but I prefer KBEAR’s cheaper offerings.

KBEAR Aurora Specifications

• Driver configuration: 10mm Nano Titanium Plated Diaphragm
• Frequency response: 20 Hz – 20kHz
• Impedance: 18 Ω
• Sensitivity: 105 dB/mW
• Cable: 2 Pin (0.78mm), OFC Silver plated cable
• Tested at $169 USD

Disclaimer

Borrowed from Durwood. These were sent to him gratis via Keephifi.

Get the KBEAR Aurora from Keephifi.

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Headphone Reviews

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As so tipped, the subbass presents good rumble, if not the lowest octaves, and note texture gains considerable weight. Mids are  forward, full-bodied and clear, especially when amped, and high end is quite detailed, though lacking some of the subtleties of more analytical sets. 

HE03D Specifications

• Frequency Range: 20-40Khz
• 5th Gen 12mm Density DLC Dynamic Driver
• 1.2m 6N OCC 3.5mm cable
• 35 ohm Impedance
• Sensitivity: 112db @ 1khz
• Distortion: 1% @ 101db
• Rated Max Power: 10mW

A few thoughts-at-large:

1. in contrast to Durwood, and likely due to our different tip preferences, I found the HE03D’s reproduction of hi-hats and cymbals to be excellent, with estimable snap and quick transients;

2. soundstage in any formulation is fairly narrow, and these tend to work very well with solo performers or small ensembles and less well with fuller arrangements, where instrument placement gets imprecise; and

3. aesthetics and build are commensurate with the $200 SRP, however the heavy shells do compromise long-term comfort.

I wouldn’t choose the Kylin HE03D as my daily driver—their open-air design and lack of isolation limit their utility, and their more intimate presentation make them less optimal for brain-bleeding rock. However, at least when carefully paired with tips and source they show the coherence and tonal accuracy you’d expect at this price point. Well-tuned and worth a listen overall.

Disclaimer

Borrowed from Durwood.

Get it from the official Aliexpress Store, or various distributors of your liking.

Our generic standard disclaimer.

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Headphone Reviews

The post Whizzer Kylin HE03D Review (2) – Quick Hit appeared first on Audio Reviews.

Cons — V-shape; heavy earpieces, shoddy cable.

Executive Summary

Introduction

The OH10 “Obsidian” has been hanging on our Wall of Excellence for a while, mainly triggered by Alberto, who had written a glowing review. He characterizes the OH10 sensibly and exhaustively so that there is not much room for things to add.

I have tested the OH10 for 1/2 year with endless source combinations.

IKKO is a company that has excelled through excellent builds and a rather small quality rooster of iems (and lately other products), each of which has had a rather long shelf live. The company obviously designs sustainable quality, which is not easy to find in the Shenzhen environment.

The OKKO OH1, their first offering, may have been a bit bright for my taste, but it stuck out from the field because of its sturdy metal build and the unusual shape of their earpieces. It was recently superseded by the smaller OH1S, which is highly underrated because of anti-hype by the usual YouTube screamers. The OH10 was introduced between the two models. It has been on the market for a while, and it is still as relevant as on its first day.

Specifications

Physical Things and Usability

Please relieve me for once from describing the photo showing the content. Yes, the cable is crap and I use Final E tips.

The metal earpieces are super heavy and relatively big – and probably more suited for home use, but their haptic is great. The nozzles are long enough. Fit is good, comfort depends on how much I move, and isolation is average.

Tonality and Technicalities

I was for the longest time in the belief the OH10 featured a crisp single dynamic driver…but it is rather a 1+1 (dynamic driver and balanced armature driver) constellation…which speaks for its cohesion. Both drivers obviously harmonize well with each other.

To give you the helicopter perspective: the OH10 excels by its fantastic bass slam and its excellent imaging. The price paid is recessed vocals and treble extension.

OK, ’nuff said already. Now you know what Alberto and I think of the OH10.

Co-blogger Kazi gave his snappy account on Facebook:

• Unique shell design and very dense shell material. 
• Too heavy for some, myself included. I find them to weigh down on my ears after a while.
• Isolation is lacking.
• Sub-bass is excellent. Punchy, agile, with good amount of rumble.
• Mid-bass is slightly thinner than expected but got good texture. 
• Vocals are recessed. Not gonna set the world alight with midrange performance.
• Upper-midrange can feel peaky at times. I found them to be too up-front on some hard rock tracks. 
• Treble is inoffensive, decent amount of sparkle but lacks the extension and air of upper-tier stuff. 
• Good staging, not as wide or deep as E5000 but fairly balanced across all three axes. 
• Imaging is decent, did not stand out to be as much as, say, the Falcon Pro. 

IKKO OH10 Compared

People keep asking for comparisons with the IKKO OH1S “Gems”, which is redundant as both sound totally different. The OH1S is more forward and brighter, and one cannot replace the other. That’s why companies run different models simultaneously…duh!

More interesting appears to be a comparison between the OH10 and the Unique Melody 3DT with its three dynamic drivers. As you can see, both have largely overlapping frequency responses. But I have to disappoint you again as both iems sound completely different. The UM 3DT is much more analytical and less engaging than the OH10.

But what this tells us the limitations of frequency response graphs for characterizing the sound of iems.

Concluding Remarks

The IKKO OH10 gives $$$ conscious audio enthusiasts access to premium quality at a mid-tear price. With its excellent imaging, it plays in the league with the big, expensive boys…not on top, but well above the bottom.

What you sacrifice is comfort through the large and heavy earpieces and some vocals intimacy through the V-shape. But the OH10 does full justice to high-quality sources way above a phone.

It is for good reason a standard staple on our Wall of Excellence…and will remain there for a long time…and im my collection. Kudos to IKKO for demonstrating sustainability in the short-lived world of Shenzhen consumerism.

Until next time…keep on listening!

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Disclaimer

The Ikko Gems OH1S were provided by Ikko for my review and I thank them for that. I also thank Alberto and Kazi for discussion.

Get the Ikko Gems OH1s from ikkoaudio.com

Gallery

The post IKKO OH10 Review (2) – On Our Wall Of Excellence appeared first on Audio Reviews.

The BQEYZ Autumn remidies all previous issues and is the best and most mature sounding iem of the series. In fact it is a very good and enjoyable single DD iem. And it is flexible, sonically, as you can adjust the bass response with the three included front vents.

Before you read my Autumn review, you have the opportunity to check out the Autumn’s physical features. Is the nozzle length right for you, will the shell fit your ears well? Sound quality is only one aspect of an iem’s functionality. And the best iem is the one we use most. Don’t you agree?

Specifications

Images

Get the BQEYZ Autumn from aliexpress.

The post PhotoGraphed: BQEYZ Autumn vs. BQEYZ Summer appeared first on Audio Reviews.