Posts by author
Trav Wilson
Tuning, personalizing, and beautifying the Koss Porta Pro, KSC35, KSC75, and KPH30i. Every few years, a new group of headphone enthusiasts discovers the least well-kept secret in portable audio. Brace…
Review: Koss KPH30i – You Should Meet the New Guy
Has Koss finally surpassed the mighty Porta Pro? It may only be Koss that can release headphone models in 2017 and still have them considered as the ‘new’ version. It’s…
Review: Orchard Audio PecanPi Streamer Ultra – Networked Music Player DAC/Amp
When does sound quality justify compromising convenience, features, and cost? The PecanPi Streamer Ultra is the TOTL product from audio enthusiast Leonid (Leo) Ayzenshtat. His company Orchard Audio has produced…
Review: Koss KSC75 On-Ear Clips – the Iconic Not-Quite-Headphones Alternative
The titanium-coated driver sounds unique and offers an (almost ridiculously affordable) introduction to audiophile sound. Hot on the heels of my Koss KSC35 review, here is my take on the…
Review: Koss KSC35 Wireless Ear Clips – Porta Pro Magic Without the Band
The awkward Koss middle child struggles to stand out from their siblings. How does Koss do it? I can think of very few other tech companies releasing products designed decades…
Review: Helm Audio BOLT – MQA + THX = DAC / AMP. IMO, FTW!
I feel shot right through with a BOLT of blue. Relative new kids on the block (or perhaps with that subtitle, I should say, “one of a new order of…
Review: Hidizs H2 Lossless DAC/Amp – A Mouse to Frighten Elephants
Big on features and flexibility, but with small size comes low power. The Hidizs H2 is one of those products that cause you to think of a few things when…
Review: SMSL SP200 THX AAA 888 Amplifier – A Slightly Canted Approach to Affordable Amplification
Do perfect measurements equate with perfect sound? Well. I know what you are thinking. It’s about time that Headphonesty reviewed a THX amplifier. After all, 2019 saw the release of…
Review: Thieaudio Monarch – The Beautiful Ones
Are the Monarch the true king of the IEMs, or are they only beautiful butterflies? How the long-established brands must hate the name Thieaudio. Over the last couple of years,…
Review: 1MORE Quad Driver IEMs – a Former Foray to the Forefront of Per-four-mance
In the ever-evolving world of IEMs, can the mighty dinosaurs still rule? The world of Chi-Fi IEMs is an extremely volatile market. Those that follow the headphone trends see more…
The Abyss Headphones Controversy – Buckle Up, It’s Going to Be a Bumpy (Or Crinkly?) Ride.
What should you expect when you buy the ‘best’? Or is it all much ado about nothing? Abyss Headphones is having a bad week. They’ve likely found that knee-jerk reactions…
Review: ULTRASONE Performance 880 – Logic from a Rebel’s Point of View
She’s so unusual. Cyndi Lauper said it best. When I say, “I’m reviewing a pair of headphones from a longstanding, well-respected, German headphone company,” what’s the first company you think…
Review: MoonDrop Blessing2:Dusk – Crinacle’s Cohesive Collaboration
A holiday miracle. Polishing a Blessing for depth, clarity, and an oh-so-smooth shine. MoonDrop has made its name as a Chinese IEM manufacturer that offers excellent sound and high-end build…
Review: Hidizs AP80 Pro DAP – Tiny Balanced Portable Affordable Goodness!
The AP80 Pro is a mega-featured, marvelous, minuscule monolith. In May 2018, Hidizs started crowd-sourced funding for the AP80 DAP, which (at the time) they described as the “Next Generation…
Review: xDuoo 05BL Pro – Inexpensive Bluetooth Flexibility With A Coaxial Output
It’s easy to add Bluetooth to the Chord Mojo as well as the XD-05 lineup. xDuoo offers a couple of Bluetooth add-on modules (05BL and 05BL Pro) that insert into…
