Lively Limited Edition – Audeze LCD-24 Review

In the Box

-LCD-24 headphones

-Premium silver-plated copper cable

-leather conditioning cream for earpads

-handling gloves

-hard shell protective carrying box

-documentation

Design

Look and Feel

The Audeze LCD-24 has a mature and stoic look. Just like the LCD-MX4, the LCD-24 features matte black earcups and grills, with its newest headband design. Like the old headband design, this one features a leather strip and a carbon fiber frame. However, it also has a more ergonomic extender and yolk angle. The headphones feel strong and well made, with an all metal body and solid joints (adjustable with an allen key). Additionally, it has leather earpads which have an asymmetrical shape to head the headphones at an angle on the head. 

Comfort and Fit

The Audeze LCD-24 was super comfortable on my head, especially compared to others in the LCD series. At 590 g, the lighter design was easier on the neck. Additionally, the headband reached all the way across the top of my head, helping it feel more balanced and supportive to the earcups. Additionally, it is flexible, and thus will work well for a wide variety of head shapes and sizes. The LCD-24 had a wonderful secure and comfortable clamping force and thick earpads to keep the cups from touching the ears.

Driver

The Audeze LCD-24 has Neodymium 50 planar magnetic drivers. Together with .5 micron diaphragms, the headphones include Fluxor double magnet arrays. They’re placed in an offset position from each other which helps improve airflow and transparency. Then finally, it all works together with Audeze’s Fazor elements which helps direct airflow further, and keeps phase coherence in line. 

Cable

The Audeze LCD-24 comes with their premium silver-coated copper cable. This cable is worth $600 on its own! It is made of OCC copper and has four individually insulated conductors. Within these strands are particularly positioned crystals which help to optimize signal transmission. Together with a gauge of AWG 20, it has a low resistance. 

Sound

Low Frequencies

The low frequencies of the Audeze LCD-24 has quickness and punch, with a subtle feeling of extension. A light boost around what sounded like 40 Hz provided sub energy and life, giving a deeper feeling to kick drums, sub synths, and basses. 

For example, when I was listening to the song Cleva by Erykah Badu, the kick drum transients were super quick and punchy, providing incredibly groove along with the bass guitar. Additionally, the kick felt full, with a good sense of sub energy. As a result, it came through with a subtle, yet  tight and precise feeling of extension.

Middle Frequencies

The middle frequencies of the Audeze LCD-24 have weight, harmonic complexity, and presence. A boost in the low-mids around what sounded like 200 Hz provided a feeling of thickness and fullness to basses, electric guitars, pianos, organs, and strings. Additionally, this fullness combined with an even middle midrange provided harmonic complexity, revealing overtones in complex instruments, as well as room mics and reverbs and other time based effects. Interestingly, the quickness of transients in the mids provided wonderful separation between instruments. Additionally, a cut at the base of the high-mids around what sounded like 1-2 kHz created great separation between instruments with more middle midrange information and those with more high mid information like vocals, acoustic guitars, high strings, and horns. 

For example, when I was listening to the song Thrash Unreal by Against Me!, the bass guitar felt full and had a wonderful sense of movement and groove. Additionally, during the first and second verse, the palm muted electric guitar has a lot of nice movement and clarity. Then when the pre chorus and chorus come in, they feel nice and big! They maintain clarity because of an even high-mid response, and the vocalist is able to sit on top in the mix level-wise.  

High Frequencies

The high frequencies of the Audeze LCD-24 are pretty sounding and have presence and extension. With a boost in the lower treble around what sounded like 6-7 kHz, vocals have articulation, drum attacks have snap, and horns, acoustic guitars, and string stabs have specificity and forwardness. Additionally, a cut around what sounded like 8 kHz and 10 kHz softens the level of the highs a bit generally speaking and creates separation between the lower treble and upper octave. However, life and beauty and charisma comes back with a boost around what sounded like 11-14 kHz. This boosted area provides lift and extension, as well as a sense of energy and separation. 

For example, when I was listening to the song 1919 by Terri Lyne Carrington, the piano hammers had a clear sense of attack. Additionally, the snare brushes and cymbal hits had a good forwardness and clarity. I could hear the wood of the upright bass, and occasional string snaps and finger noise. However, most interestingly, the cymbals and their sustains had a beautiful, extended lift that gave them a real sense of life. It contributed greatly to the emotional impact of the song. 

Soundstage

The soundstage of the Audeze LCD-24 benefits from its super active and quick transient response. In particular, this activity provides a lot of space and separation in the width of the left-to-right response. While the width doesn’t feel dramatically extended, it has specular specificity and clarity. By contrast, the sense of height does have a dramatic presentation due to both the high frequency lift and low frequency sub information. Lastly, because of the space around the transients and the full room mic and reverb sound, the depth has reach and has a good sense of control and nuance.

For example, when I was listening to the song Good Life by Sammy Rae, the reverb and room mics of the vocals, drums,  and horns provided specificity to their placements in depth. I was especially impressed with how the horns were able to sit backward in space while maintaining all the details to keep provided a good emotional response. Next, the wide guitars had great separation, in addition to the specific left-to-right placement of the strings and horns. And while the didn’t seem so dramatic to shoot completely away from the head, relative to the solid phantom center of the vocals, bass and kick, they felt specific and under control. Lastly, the lows of the kick drum contrasted dramatically with the highs of the cymbals and vocals. In between, the horns and guitars were able to sit specifically in the middle by the ears and shoulders respectively in the vertical space.

Overview

Overall, the Audeze LCD-24 has a comfortable fit, a full and energetic midrange, and a beautiful extended high end. While its low end feels full and harmonically complex, it won’t be best for bass heads. Rather,  it works well for those that like a nice thick and harmonically complex sound. It sounds gorgeous for jazz, rock, indie, and acoustic music. 

The Audeze LCD-24 is available for the best price here:

Audeze LCD-24 at Audio46

MajorHiFi may receive commission for retail sales.

The post Lively Limited Edition – Audeze LCD-24 Review appeared first on Major HiFi.

Sennheiser Momentum 3 Wireless Headphones Review

In the Box

-Sennheiser Momentum 3 Wireless Headphones

-aux cable with 3.5 mm connector

-USB-C  to USB-C charging cable

-USB-C to USB-A adapter

-zipping carrying case

-documentation

Design

Look and Feel

The Sennheiser Momentum 3 wireless headphones have an attractive,new circular carrying case. Opening up the case and unfolding the headphones, it is clear that these have a classier and more modern look than its predecessor. With matte black metal ear cups and a steel, foldable headband, they seem durable and have weight in the hands. However, they seem to be a bit more reinforced than the Momentum 2. In fact, I’m going to go out on a limb and say these are the most durable noise cancelling headphones I’ve ever felt. Lastly, the earcup has an intuitive button layout, with simple playback controls, noise cancellation controls, and phone assistant controls.

Comfort and Fit

Putting the Sennheiser Momentum 3 wireless headphones on my head, they have a light, yet secure clamping force on my relatively small head. I felt a little bit of pressure from the leather coated headband right at the top of the head. However, the headband actually has softer padding than the Momentum 2, making them more comfortable. Additionally, the earpads are coated in the same soft leather and fit completely over the ears. They keep the ear from touching the ear cup, and provide soft comfort. 

Wireless Connection

The Sennheiser Momentum 3 wireless headphones are, of course, wireless. However, they can also be used with an analog aux cable for wired listening (in case the battery dies or you’re in a listening situation without Bluetooth). It connects to listening devices via Bluetooth 5.0 or NFC, and supports SBC & AAC, as well as aptX & aptX Low Latency codecs. Additionally, it has a 17 hour battery life, and charges via USB-C (which also comes with a USB-C to USB-A adapters for those that need it).

Noise Cancellation

The Sennheiser Momentum 3 wireless headphones, in addition to having a stronger noise cancellation than the Momentum 2, also have a tighter seal on the ear, and thus greater sound isolation. However, they also have three different noise cancellation modes.. When the noise cancellation is on Max mode, it reduces the maximum amount of background noise. This mode has a stronger level of cancellation from the Momentum 2. Next, Anti-Wind mode reduces noise slightly, focusing mostly on wind or “structure-borne noise”. Lastly, Anti-Pressure mode provides a comfortable level of cancellation, without such a strong feeling of pressure in the ears. This is not only optimized for plane rides, but was also my favorite noise cancelling mode because it reduced the noise, while maintaining a feeling of comfort and optimal sound quality.

While there is a switch on the headphones to control whether or not the noise cancellation is on, off, or in transparent hearing mode, the different levels of noise cancellation are choosable via the Sennheiser Smart Control App (for iOS and Android).

Sennheiser Smart Control App

The Sennheiser Momentum 3 wireless headphones have a smart design, because they pause when you take the headphones off, play when you put them back on, and power down when you fold the headphones (similar to the Sennheiser PXC 550). However, they also have lots of controls in the Sennheiser Smart Control App. In the app, one can change the level of noise cancellation, as well as the sound signature with an EQ. Additionally, one can turn on transparent hearing (also selectable on the earcup of the headphones). Transparent Hearing opens up the microphone to hear your surroundings so if someone is trying to get your attention, you don’t need to take the headphones off. 

Sound

Low Frequencies

The low frequencies of the Sennheiser Momentum 3 wireless headphones have a sense of fullness, punchiness, control and warmth. They also have a subtle sense of extension. A boost around what sounded like 60 Hz brings the punch of kick drums, bass synths, and other low-frequency-rich instruments forward. Additionally, it is followed by small boost at what sounded like 100 Hz, which elevates the level of the lows in the mix. However, low frequency instruments maintain a sense of tightness and control, in addition to their warm tonality.

For example, when I was listening to the song Formation by Beyonce, the bass synth felt full and had subtle extension. Additionally, the kick was punchy with some extra level in the mix. Together, both felt warm, yet maintained a tight control.

Middle Frequencies

The midrange of the Sennheiser Momentum 3 wireless headphones feels full. Similar to the low-end, the middle frequencies had a sense of warmth and smoothness. Electric guitars, strings, pianos, horns, and bass guitars felt thick and smooth. A light cut at the base of the high-mids around what sounded like 1.5 kHz. As a result, I heard good separation between midrange heavy instruments from those with more high-mid information. However, only the instruments with the most high-mid info really found themselves engaging with that separation due to another cut at around what sounded like 4 kHz. This cut contributed to the overall feeling of warmth. However, some presence returned due to a slight boost around 5 kHz.

For example, when I was listening to the song Born of a Broken Man by Rage Against the Machine, the electric guitars and bass sounded nice and big with lots of fullness. However, the distortion of the guitars was smooth sounding. However, the vocal and snare drum had more presence and separation from the guitars.

High Frequencies

The high frequencies of the Sennheiser Momentum 3 wireless headphones have a slight feeling of specificity to their attacks. Additionally, they have a good, emphasized sense of texture. A light residual boost around 6 kHz provided presence to cymbal, string, and horn attacks. However, it was followed by a cut around 7 kHz which makes the highs as a whole sound a bit quieter in the mix. Additionally, it makes them lean upward. Another boost around what sounded like between 8-9 kHz provided texture to percussion, vocals, cymbals and strings. Finally, a boost around 12 kHz provided subtle lift and energy. 

For example, when I was listening to the song Miles Runs the Voodoo Down by Miles Davis, the cymbals had a delicate accented attack and nice texture. As a result, they were able to maintain their own individual characters. Additionally, the shaker and snare brushes had great texture too. However, the cymbals and percussion sat slightly quieter in the mix. But, the upper octave boost gave them along with the horns and guitars a subtle sense of lift.

Soundstage

The soundstage of the Sennheiser Momentum 3 wireless headphones have a lot of solidity in the middle. While the depth is a little bit compressed sounding because of the noise cancellation, there is an impressive feeling of width and height. The fullness of the lows combined with the subtle extension in the highs gives a nice tall image of the sound although it is weighted toward the middle mids because of the warmth. 

For example, when I was listening to the song Shout Mountain Music by Old Crow Medicine Show, the upright bass felt solidified the center. It acted as a center of gravity where all the other instruments felt drawn. However, the fiddles actually did a good job of flaring out to the sides, creating good emotional impact. Additionally, the height felt nice with the upright bass anchoring the mix downward, but with the vocal and hand claps extending it back upward. However, the majority of the mix sat in the middle part with the body of the fiddles, guitar, banjo, and higher frequencies of the upright bass. Lastly, while the depth was not particularly emphasized, room mics and reverbs helped to create a sense of depth, especially noticeable in the background vocals. 

Overview

Overall, the Sennheiser Momentum 3 wireless headphones are a great headphone! They’re a great option for those nauseated by the super strong noise cancellation of Sony and Bose. Additionally, they are great for those that need super durable headphones that also has a great, warm sound!

The Sennheiser Momentum 3 wireless headphones’ incredible build quality and sound make it a top tier headphone worthy of the MajorHiFi Gold Award!

The Sennheiser Momentum 3 wireless headphones are available for the best price here:

Sennheiser Momentum 3 Wireless Headphones at Audio46

MajorHiFi may receive commission for retail sales.

The post Sennheiser Momentum 3 Wireless Headphones Review appeared first on Major HiFi.

AKG K275 Review

In the Box

-AKG K275 headphones

-detachable mini XLR cable with 3.5 mm connector

-3.5 mm to 6.35 mm connector

-protective drawstring pouch

-documentation

Design

Look and Feel

The AKG K275 has a clean and professional look. With a matte black finish and small AKG logos in white, it has a mature simplicity to it. However, the headband features a two-tiered design which sort of gives it a little bit of a retro look as well. Additionally, the headphones feel strong and durable in my hands. The headband, earcups and hinges (used to fold the headphones) are all made of metal. As a result, they are built to last, and were put through rigorous testing to ensure their security.

Comfort and Fit

The AKG K275 sat comfortably on my head. Its headband reached completely across my head, providing even weight distribution and support. Its clamping force felt natural, with a not-too-much, not-too-little feel to it. Additionally, the earpads are made of memory foam and are coated in a soft pleather material. As someone with a relatively small head, the headphones fit just right in their smallest position for me, with a lot more room for extension for those with bigger heads. However, it is worth noting their size if you have a particularly extra small head, because you might find they’re a little bit big for you.

Drivers

The AKG K275 features AKG’s signature 50 mm drivers. AKG claims these drivers are built to contribute to the bass response, providing a good sense of low frequency extension.

Cable

The AKG K275 comes with a detachable 3 m curly cable. It attaches to the left earcup via a mini XLR connector and terminates to a 3.5 mm connector. The cable is slightly bulky, but ultimately feels extremely well made and durable. 

Sound

Low Frequencies

The low frequencies of the AKG K275 feel full, even, and harmonically complex. As a result, they come through with a feeling of realism, yet maintain punchiness. Additionally, they have plenty of sub information which helps to give them a sense of extension. However, this sub information isn’t overpowering, and rather just feels like a small accent as opposed to a boost. 

For example, when I was listening to the song Good Life by Sammy Rae, the kick drum felt punchy and full. It had a good sense of extension, which helped to separate it from the bass guitar above it and the big toms to the side. Additionally, even though these dynamic drivers aren’t particularly fast sounding, I could hear the length of the kick well, and its harmonic overtones.

Middle Frequencies

The middle frequencies of the AKG K275, like its low frequencies, feel full and even, providing realism and neutrality. All instruments seem to sit appropriately in the mix, without any major emphasis anywhere. However, I did notice a slight boost around 2 kHz followed by a small cut around 3 kHz. This provided a slight extra amount of presence, that then resets its mix level to maintain clarity and balance. 

For example, when I was listening to the song Slow Burn by Kacey Musgraves, the bass guitar in the low-mids felt full and even. All of its notes sat appropriately in the mix level-wise, and created a strong foundation for the rest of the mix. Additionally, the acoustic guitar, banjo, synths, strings and vocals all felt harmonically complex and realistic. I could hear the reverbs of each clearly, providing an emotionally impactful image of the sound. However, the acoustic guitar, vocals, and banjo had a slight bit of extra presence, helping to define attacks and contribute to articulation.

High Frequencies

The high frequencies of the AKG K275 were harmonically complex, yet a little bit light in the mix level wise. A wide cut around 7 kHz made cymbal attacks, piano hammers, and horn stabs slightly softened. However, a boost at 8 kHz brought out their textures and helped bring back definition. Lastly, a boost between 10-11 kHz provided a good sense of lift to mixes as a whole. It brought forward an audible breathiness and air to vocals, and gave a good sense of directionality to high-frequency-rich instruments.

For example, when I was listening to the song 1919 by Terri Lyne Carrington, the cymbals sounded harmonically complex and full, however leaned slightly toward the higher highs. Their attacks, along with the piano hammer attacks felt slightly rounder than normal. However, the cymbals maintained their individuality with harmonic complexity and a sense of realism. Additionally, the texture of the snare brushes felt clear with a slight sense of emphasis. Lastly, the snare brushes and cymbals both had a sense of lift and space which helped to define them and separate them from the piano hammers and upright bass.

Soundstage

The soundstage of the AKG K275 has a strong phantom center, which has a sort of gravitational pull toward it. Wide flares come through, but many other instruments feel ultimately pulled in toward the center. Additionally, the sense of height has good separation and differentiation. The subs of kicks, sub synths, and basses contrast strongly from the airiness of the highs of cymbals, percussion, and vocals. Lastly, the sense of depth is well done, although not particularly dramatic or extended. Rather, room mics and reverbs come through clearly, contributing to the sense of space. However, additionally, because of the little extra emphasis in presence, the intimate instruments have a slightly emphasized sense of closeness, contrasting from instruments placed further back in space.

For example, when I was listening to the song Sweet Spot by Kim Petras, the bass synth, kick, and vocal held all the other wider synths within its foundation. As a result, the song came across with a feeling of strength and stability, even though it had a lot of moving, wide synth parts and background vocals. Additionally, the lowness of the sub synth contrasted strongly from the brightness of the vocals and brighter synths. In between, thick midrange synths filled in the gaps along with the time-based effects of the vocals. Lasty, the intimacy of the vocal contrasted strongly from the filtered background vocals, the darker pulsating synths, and the hand claps. And while there wasn’t dramatic differentiation, reverbs provided particular spaces for each instrument, which gave them their own place.

Overview

Overall, the AKG K275 is a great option for professionals or audiophiles with an affinity for neutral sound signatures on the go! The folding design, combined with the efficiency of the headphones makes these a great option for those that need realistic sound, even without access to an amplifier.

The AKG K275 is available for the best price through AKG. 

MajorHiFi may receive commission for retail sales.

The post AKG K275 Review appeared first on Major HiFi.

Hifiman Ananda BT Review

In the Box

-Hifiman Ananda BT headphones

-USB C to USB C cable

-gooseneck microphone

-rugged protective travel case

-documentation

Design

Look and Feel

The Hifiman Ananda BT looks almost identical to the original Ananda. In fact, if you didn’t check the underside of the earcups, revealing the charging port, single aux port, power button and charging button, you might not notice the difference. It’s matte black finish contrasts from the silver “window-shade” grill. The straight lines against the asymmetric cup shape give the headphones a modern, mature look.  Additionally, the thin metal of headband and yolks gives it a sturdy, yet lightweight feel. The yolks connect to the earcups via small proprietary screws, letting the cups rock inward. They rock until the wires on top have strain, which is something users should be aware of to avoid breaking them.

Comfort and Fit

The Hifiman Ananda BT is super comfortable on my head. Its hybrid, two-tiered headband stretches across the entire width of my head, distributing the weight of earcups evenly. Additionally, the earpads are made of bouncy foam. Coated with leather on the outside edges, a spandex-like material touches the ear, giving them a cool and breathable feel. Additionally, the headphones fit perfectly on my head with a comfortable yet secure clamping force. For larger heads, this clamping force will feel stronger, but will maintain a stable and secure feel.

Drivers

The Hifiman Ananda BT, just like the original Ananda, features planar magnetic drivers with Hifiman’s Neo “supernano” Diaphragm. This diaphragm is 80% thinner than other Hifiman diaphragms, which they claim imaging and transient response.

Wireless Connection

The Hifiman Ananda BT can connect wirelessly via aptX, aptX-HD, LDAC, HWA (LHDC), and AAC/SBC. It has a special DAC filter design, which is the same as the one found in the RSR2000 player, as well as its own Bluetooth chip. 

With 10 hours of battery life, it’s worth noting that if the battery dies, you won’t be able to listen with the wire instead. However, the headphones charge fully in about 2.5 hours. 

Other Features

The Hifiman Ananda BT comes with a gooseneck microphone, meaning these headphones are great for talking on the phone and gaming. Additionally, one can listen wired to a computer or phone via the USB-C cable.

Sound

Low Frequencies

The low frequencies of the Hifiman Ananda BT have a sense of extension and clarity. However, they are also groovy and punchy.  A boost around what sounded like 60 Hz brings kick drums, basses, sub synths and other low frequency rich instruments forward. However, the clean amount of space around the lows also provides separation and emotional impact.

For example, when I was listening to the song I’m Callin’ by Tennis, the kick and bass had great separation from each other, but both moved a solid amount of air. As a result they had a good sense of emotional expression, impact, and grooviness. The kick had a feeling of extension, yet remained tight and punchy. 

Middle Frequencies

The middle frequencies of the Hifiman Ananda BT, have a good sense of separation, with emphasis toward the high-mids. The middle part of the midrange feels even and full. However, a cut at the base of the high-mids around what sounded like 2 kHz provided stringent differentiation between the two regions. This cut was followed by boosts at 3 kHz and 5 kHz, bring vocals and attacks forward in the mix, but favoring articulation rather than thickness. 

For example, when I was listening to the song Thrash Unreal by Against Me, the bass guitar and electric guitar had full bodies and harmonic complexity. However, the different electric guitars had good separation from one another, and also a good feeling of movement which contributed to their emotional impact. However, the guitars seemed to lean a bit toward the fuzzy part of their distortion. Additionally, the vocal sat forward in the mix, emphasizing the mouth, teeth, and a little bit of the throat rather than the chest. 

High Frequencies

Like the middle frequencies, the high frequencies feel harmonically complex, but lean upward. A cut at the base of the lower treble around what sounded like 6 kHz helped to create a good sense of separation between the high mids and instruments more purely with high frequency information. A boost right after it at 7 kHz brought attacks of drums, guitars, strings, and piano hammers forward, can contribute pronunciation to vocals.  Additionally, a boost around 9 kHz provided a pretty sense of texture to percussion, vocals, cymbals, and horns. Finally, the sense of extension had emphasis around what sounded like 11-12 kHz. This provided life and air to mixes as a whole.

For example, when I was listening to the song 1919 by Terri Lyn Carrington, the cymbals felt rich, yet learned upward away from thickness. Additionally, the texture of the snare brushes, cymbals and even the wood of the upright bass felt forward in the mix and clear. Lastly, the piano hammers felt elevated in the mix, with lots of space around them. As a result, they felt harmonically complex and clear.

Soundstage

The soundstage of the Hifiman Ananda BT has a beautiful feeling of width and height. It has a sense of intimacy which contrasts beautifully from instruments further back in space. And while the space around transients has movement, it also feels a slightly compressed when arrangements become thick. It feels like the open-back nature and quick responding planar magnetics provide most of the soundstage as opposed to purely a low-noise-floor wireless connection.

For example, when I was listening to the song Diamond Heart by Lady Gaga, the vocal felt dry and forward and intimate. In contrasted well from the synths and rhodes which felt further off in space. Additionally, the headphones had a solid sense of phantom center, however the wide synths were able to move and dance while remaining under control. Additionally, the sub information in the kick drum contrasted wonderfully in height from the vocal and brighter synths. However, the song begins very sparse and becomes thicker toward the middle. I found the punchiness and spaciousness was better able to keep up during the sparser parts of the song rather than the thicker parts. 

Overview

Overall, the Hifiman Ananda BT is a great option for the audiophiles out there who want a pretty and engaging sound without the mess of cables. While the wired version feels cleaner overall, the folks that need to be able to move while listening will be thrilled with the convenience of this design. 

The Hifiman Ananda BT is available for the best price here:

Hifiman Ananda BT at Audio46

MajorHiFi may receive commission for retail sales.

The post Hifiman Ananda BT Review appeared first on Major HiFi.

AKG K371 Review

In the Box

-AKG K371 headphones

-Three detachable cables (one straight 3 m cable, one straight 1.2 m cable, and one curly 3 m cable)

– 3.5 mm to 6.35 mm adapter

-Drawstring carrying pouch

-Documentation

Design

Look and Feel

The AKG K371 have a strikingly soft feel in the hands.  Their matte black finish with small silver details gives them a sleek and modern vibe. However, their interesting yolk and extender design contribute to this look and to their overall durability. The headphones fold, but not via the normal hinge design. Rather, the earcups turn inward via their extenders, which takes a lot of potential stress off the joints of the headphones.  Additionally, all the parts are reinforced by metal, giving them an even more security. Overall, the headphones feel extremely well made, and well above their price point.

Comfort and Fit

Holding the AKG K371 in my hands, they have a little bit of a sense of weight, but ultimately they feel strong and lightweight. The underside of the headband has padding coated in a soft-to-the-touch silicone feeling material. Additionally, the shape and size of the headband will work for a wide variety of heads, except perhaps, for children. My head is relatively small, and the smallest position on the extenders made them fit just right. With a light clamping force, the headphones sit easily and comfortably on my head, although there seemed to be a light point of pressure right at the top of the head. The earpads are made of memory foam and coated in a super soft material. However, they have a pretty large hole in the middle. My small ears touched the earcup a bit, but for those with larger ears, it seems your ears would rest purely on the padding.

Driver

The drivers of the AKG K371 are huge 50 mm dynamic drivers. They have titanium coated diaphragms and pure OFC voice coils. As a result, they are able to deliver sound and low end with efficiency and power!

Cables

The AKG K371 comes with three different cables: one straight 3 m cable, one straight 1.2 m cable, and one curly 3 m cable. While there isn’t much information about the makeup of the cables, they all feel durable and strong in the hand, with professional, somewhat bulky terminations. Each attaches to the left earcup via a mini XLR connector. 

Sound

Low Frequencies

The low frequencies of the AKG K371 have a nice sense of sub energy with a boost around what sounded like 30 Hz. As a result, kick drums, sub synths, and other low frequency rich instruments have weight and a bit of right extension. Additionally, I heard a boost around what sounded like 80 Hz. This boost provided punchiness and a sense of fullness to the lows, even though they were able to keep an appropriate level in the mix.

For example, when I was listening to the song Normal by Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band, the kick drum felt punchy and tight. It took up a little bit of extra space than usual, yet maintained separation from the bass and other midrange instruments. It had a slight sense of extension which gave it emotional impact. And because of the weightiness down there and its relationship to the bass guitar, it was able to provide a good sense of groove to the song.

Middle Frequencies

The middle frequencies of the AKG 371 have a definite emphasis in the high-mids. Vocals as well as drum and string attacks step forward due to a boost around what sounded like 2-3 kHz. And while this boost relative to the middle midrange makes the overall sound signature feel less thick, the headphones maintain harmonic complexity. In reality, there seems to be a solid sense of separation between the middle-mids and the high-mids due to a cut at the base of the high-mids around what sounded like 900 Hz – 1 kHz. Additionally, the high-mids have definite separation between the highs due to another cut around what sounded like 4-5 kHz.  As a result, tonally, vocals have most of their emphasis on their throat rather than their mouth or chest. 

For example, when I was listening to the song Mercy Now by Mary Gauthier, the high strings and the attack on those strings have emphasis, along with the vocal. Additionally, the wood of the fiddles and mandolin feels emphasized, and they lean upward rather than toward thickness. However, the bass guitar provides a feeling of foundational fullness, supporting the other instruments’ movement.

High Frequencies

Like the midrange, the high frequencies of the AKG K371 lean upwards as opposed to a feeling of thickness. However, they are also able to maintain a sense of harmonic complexity. A boost around what sounded like 7-8 kHz provides texture to percussion, cymbals, vocals, strings, and horns. Additionally, a boost around what sounded like 11-12 kHz provides an overall sense of lift to cymbals and a feeling of inaudible air to mixes as a whole.

For example, when I was listening to the song Miles Runs the Voodoo Down, the texture of the horns, snare rattles, and rhodes felt like they had emphasis. However, each cymbal felt like they had their own characters, and I could distinguish between them easily. However, they all leaned upward, away from thickness. 

Soundstage

The soundstage of the AKG K371 had a dramatic sense of height due to its high frequency and low frequency extension. And due to the sense of somewhat distinct sections of the lows, mids, and highs, the separation in height was distinct as well. The sense of width had a fun sense of activity, although wasn’t overly dramatic. Lasly, I was super impressed with the feeling of depth, especially at this price point.

For example, when I was listening to the song Djadja by Aya Nakamura I could hear reverbs, delays, and other time-based effects clearly, helping to set each instrument in space. Additionally, the sense of intimacy was interesting with the vocal, which certainly felt present, but wasn’t too pushed forward. This contrasted well with the far-off moving rhodes and other keys and synths. Next, the feeling of height was dramatic, with strong contrast among the 808, the bright synths and the more midrangey arpeggiating synths. Lastly, the headphones handled the dynamic panning of the fun vocal accents, and they all seemed to have a good sense of space around them. 

Overview

Overall, the AKG K371 are a great value at $149! They are built super well, have great harmonic complexity, and impact. Additionally, they have a nice sense of extension and soundstage, especially for their price point.

The AKG K371 is available on the AKG site here!

MajorHiFi may receive commission for retail sales.

The post AKG K371 Review appeared first on Major HiFi.

Warm and Spacious – Sennheiser IE 80S BT Review

In the Box

-Sennheiser IE 80S BT earphones

-Proprietary detachable Bluetooth cable

-Eartips (silicone, two flange, and foam tips)

-Cleaning tool / bass adjustment tool

-USB C charging cable

-Semi-hard protective carrying case

-Documentation

Design

Look and Feel

The Sennheiser IE 80S BT has a compact driver housing design, which gives it a sleek, modern look. Additionally, its dark grey matte finish, combined with its aluminum Sennheiser plate gives it a sense of maturity. 

Comfort and Fit

Because of its ergonomic design, the Sennheiser IE 80S BT fits easily and comfortably in the ear. Its housings are small and lightweight, weighing about 30 g. As a result, when I fit them in the ear canal, they sit securely, and work nicely with gravity to stay in the ear. Additionally, built into the cable is a silicone ear hook. This earhook was just a little bit big for my relatively small ears, yet it still helped the earphones stay in my ears, and felt comfortable on my skin. Lastly, the cables hang down from the bottom of the earphones and attach to a silicone neck band. Usually, I don’t like neck band designs, but this one is lightweight and comfortable and let me forget it was there.

Driver

The Sennheiser IE 80S BT utilize dynamic drivers which use neodymium magnets. And, like the original IE 80S, these earphones have a bass adjustment pot. However, one special characteristic which sets these apart from their predecessors, is that a 5-band EQ is accessible via the Sennheiser Smart Control App. As a result, its sound is even more customizable for those with changing sound signature tastes.

Cable

The cable of the Sennheiser IE 80S BT connects to the driver housings via a proprietary two-pin connector. I was disappointed it wasn’t a standard connector type, which would have been nice for all of us nerds who are into variable cable designs, or even just in case it breaks over time. However, the cable was lightweight and super easy to manage. With short wires connecting to the neckband, the cable is able to stay out of the way. Additionally, the neckband has a built-in mic and remote for talking on the phone and controlling playback, including a button dedicated to voice commands via Siri and/or Google Assistant. 

Wireless Connection

The Sennheiser IE 80S BT can connect wirelessly via Bluetooth 5 (AAC or SBC), aptX, aptX Low Latency, or LHDC. This commitment to supporting high-res wireless codecs means this is going to be a great option for the audiophiles out there who are interested in the best sounding wireless possibilities. However, the thing that is more impressive about it is that it converts via a dedicated AKM DAC. And while Sennheiser didn’t specify which DAC it actually uses, the fact that it has one dedicated to great sound gives me hope! Lastly, the earphones have a battery life of about 6 hours (a bit low in the world of wireless technology for 2019, but on-par with the rest of Sennheiser’s wireless lineup).   

Sound

Low Frequencies

As I previously mentioned, the Sennheiser IE 80S BT has an adjustable bass frequency pot, which seems to boost the bass in the upper part of the bass. As a result, increasing its level increases thickness, but can also come across as a bit cloudy. For the sake of this review, I’ve put the bass pot to its lowest setting to try to give a more balanced image of what it sounds like.

The low frequencies of the Sennheiser IE 80S BT have a feeling of fullness and warmth. Additionally, it has a subtle sense of extension, however this extension has a little bit of vagueness overall, as opposed to tightness. A boost at 60 Hz provides energy and punch to kick drums, bass guitars, and low synths. I was quite impressed by the dynamic expression of the low end because it seemed to have significant groove compared to most wireless earphones. It definitely did a good job of mimicking the type of expression a wired set of earphones provides.

For example, when I was listening to the song I’m Callin’ by Tennis, the kick drum and bass guitar had an aesthetically pleasing sense of warmth and fullness. However, both also maintained punchiness which, combined with their dynamic response, provided groove. The kick had a subtle sense of extension, but its sustain felt a little bit vague. 

Middle Frequencies

The middle frequencies of the Sennheiser IE 80S BT have a sense of smoothness and tonal warmth. However, they also provide smack and clear energy to transient instruments like drums, horn stabs, and piano hammers. A boost around 200 Hz provides thickness to bass guitars, electric and acoustic guitars, synths, pianos, and strings. A cut at the base of the high-mids around what sounded like 2 kHz provided subtle separation between instruments with purely middle midrange information and those with more high-mid information. Additionally, a boost around 4-5 kHz provided much needed articulation, which helps emphasize the mouth and consonants of vocals. However, because of the middle midrange fullness, vocals also have emphasis in the chest.

For example, when I was listening to the song Thrash Unreal by Against Me, the bass guitar had a sense of heaviness which merged with the heaviness of the electric guitars. However, the texture of distortion in the electric guitars stepped forward a bit in the mix, providing note clarity. Additionally, the snare and toms had a solid feeling of attack with a good feeling of space around them. Lastly, the vocals, which had an emphasis on both the chest and the mouth, had a good sense of articulation and word clarity. 

High Frequencies

The high frequencies of the Sennheiser IE 80S BT have a great sense of texture and subtle lift. A boost in the upper treble around what sounded like 8 kHz provided a good sense of textural emphasis to percussion, cymbals, and strings. Additionally, a boost in the upper octave around what sounded like 12 kHz provided a feeling inaudible air, a subtle lift over mixes as a whole. However, with a cut in the lower treble between 6-7 kHz makes the high frequencies lean upward and away from the midrange, which gives them a quieter feel in the mix overall, and relaxed thickness.

For example, when I was listening to the song Miles Runs the Voodoo Down, the cymbals and horns have a good sense of texture and harmonic complexity in their sustains, but have a bit less thickness than usual. However, the trumpet has forwardness, which sometimes feels a bit sibilant. Additionally, the mix as a whole had a bit of a sense of lift, which gave it directionality and expressiveness. 

Soundstage

The soundstage of the Sennheiser IE 80S BT was quite impressive, especially for a wireless earphone! The subtle high frequency and low frequency extension help to create a nice sense of tallness in the vertical domain. Additionally, because of the cleanliness of the AKM DAC, the left-to-right presentation feels active and exciting. Lastly, the sense of depth takes on the shape of the frequency response, providing contrast to intimate high-mid rich instruments and far off middle midrange information. 

For example, when I was listening to the song Fever by Ray Charles featuring Natalie Cole, the lift of the cymbals, percussion, and vocals contrasted dramatically in height from the lowness of the upright bass. Additionally, the hand drum, which seems to be recorded in stereo was able to dance from right to left in a spacious and active way. Lastly, the intimacy of the vocals contrasted well from the far-off rhodes, strings, and electric guitars. Each instrument seemed to have its own sense of space, which really helped provide that feeling of three dimensionality in a way you don’t usually hear with wireless earphones.

Overview

The Sennheiser IE 80S BT has a warm and thick sound with a comfortable fit. Its dedicated wireless DAC provides spaciousness and activity, making it one of the best sounding audiophile Bluetooth earphones out there. 

The Sennheiser IE 80S BT is available for the best price here:

 Sennheiser IE 80S BT at Audio46

MajorHiFi may receive commission for retail sales.

The post Warm and Spacious – Sennheiser IE 80S BT Review appeared first on Major HiFi.

Serious Gamers ONLY! – Audeze LCD-GX Review

In the Box

-Audeze LCD-GX headphones

-GX cable with microphone with 3.5 mm connector (TRRS)

-Splitter (3.5 mm TRRS to dual 3.5 mm TRS for audio and microphone)

-LCD Series cable without microphone with 6.35 mm connector

-3.5 mm to 6.35 mm adapter

-Documentation

Design

Look and Feel

The Audeze LCD-GX headphones are savage! The matte black, magnesium housing  contrasts in a fun and energetic way with the red metal grill underneath it. It gives the headphones a more mature look than many gaming headphones, yet still maintains the flashiness that gives it personality and flavor. The headphones have weight in my hand, yet are actually quite a bit lighter than other LCD Series models. However, they maintain the feeling of extremely high quality and durability, that makes me feel confident in the product as a whole.

Comfort and Fit

I was extremely impressed with the Audeze LCD-GX’s comfort and fit. The combination of the lighter earcups with its improved, better fitting headband makes them more comfortable than ever before, with a weight of 17.4 ounces. Additionally, the angle of the metal extender to the magnesium yolk lets the length of the perforated leather 2-tiered headband sit wider across my head. As a result, the weight feels more evenly distributed. Combined with a flexible and durable band, the LCD-GX will fit a wide variety of head shapes and sizes.

Drivers

The Audeze LCD-GX has planar magnetic drivers made up of the Fluxor N50 neodymium magnets in its proprietary magnet array. As a result, the headphones are more efficient than they’d be otherwise, as well as have lower distortion. Additionally, these headphones utilize Audeze’s Uniforce ultra-thin diaphragms. Audeze recommends using these headphones with an amplifier and DAC to get the most out of the headphones.

Cables

The Audeze LCD-GX comes with two cables, one which has a built in microphone and one without. Both cables attach to the headphones via mini-XLRs to each earcup. The microphone cable terminates to a 3.5 mm connector and has a built in mic mute switch. Additionally, the microphone is directional, noise attenuating, and has a gooseneck style for optimal positioning. On the other hand, the standard cable has individually insulated conductors which are braided together and terminate to a 6.35 mm connector. 

Microphone Quality

The microphone of the Audeze LCD-GX comes with a built in windscreen. It sounded clean and clear, with a sense of presence and articulation. 

Sound

Low Frequencies

The low frequencies of the Audeze LCD-GX have a feeling of articulate clarity and space, however have sort of a lightweight body. A small boost around 60 Hz provides punch and energy. Additionally, a sense of clarity in the sub region gives kick drums, bass synths, and other low frequency rich instruments reach. However, the lows feel slightly light in the mix compared to a boost at 150 Hz. This boost provides the beater of kick drums nice thud, but it generally lifts the low end upward and gives it more of a sense of specificity than thickness. 

For example, when I was listening to the song Lazarus by David Bowie, the beater of the bass guitar had lots of clarity and articulation in its various notes. It merged and had a friendship and commonality with the kick drum providing groove. Additionally, the kick’s beater felt thuddy and had a good sense of movement. This movement wasn’t weighted downward, although it had a subtle and nuanced reach toward the sub region with a little extra punch than the bass guitar.

Middle Frequencies

The midrange of the Audeze LCD-GX had a full feeling of thickness, yet maintained articulation. A light cut around 1 kHz created a sense of separation between rich, harmonically rich midrange instruments from those with more high-mid energy. Followed by another cut between 3 and 4 kHz, the high-mids had a sense of easiness and space. However, these cuts were among boosts at both 2 kHz and 5 kHz, which helped to bring a sense of presence back to the high-mids. As a result, the high-mid response has a sense of character over realism, but also helps to provide a great sense of clarity to vocals, footsteps, and attacks.

For example, when I was listening to the song No Dad by Taylor Hollingsworth, the electric guitar had a feeling of fullness and harmonic complexity, as well as articulation and texture in its distorted crunch. Additionally, Taylor’s vocal had presence above that texture, although its shape was unique and had character. It seemed to have an emphasis in the mouth of the vocal and the chest of the vocal rather than the throat.  

High Frequencies

The high frequencies of the Audeze LCD-GX feel articulate and textural, with a pretty, aesthetically pleasing nuanced sense of extension. Boosts in the lower treble around what sounded like 6 kHz brought forward attacks of drums, strings, and vocal consonants. Another boost in the upper treble around what sounded like 8 kHz brought clarity to the texture of cymbals, percussion, strings, and vocals. However, then a cut at the base of the upper octave around what sounded like 10 kHz made the audibility of air quieter in the mix than usual. Rather, the feeling of air was more powerful than the audible sense of air. As a result, this gave the high frequency extension and reach a pretty sense of subtlety and nuance.

For example, when I was listening to the song Mercy Now by Mary Gauthier, Mary’s vocal felt forward and present, brining the recordist/mixer’s compression forward in a warm and pretty way. Her consonants were clear, however the air that the vocal usually has was quieter. Additionally, the attacks of the acoustic guitars, mandolin, fiddle sweeps and drums had accents in the mix. Lastly, the mix as a whole had a sense of lift and life in the high-highs, bringing extension to the vocal, acoustic, and drums. 

Soundstage

The soundstage of the Audeze LCD-GX has a pretty, aesthetically pleasing yet subtle sense of lift and height. It’s depth has a good sense of contrast because its high-mid and lower treble presence and harmonically complex middle midrange. Lastly, its width has a feeling of solidity in the middle, with seems to act like a gravitational field where high-frequency instruments can move at the edges. It’s extension in all three dimensions is subtle, yet audible, which makes the soundstage a bit less dramatic than others in the LCD Series.

For example, when I was listening to the song Quizas Quizas Quizas by Pink Martini, the highs of the shaker, guiro, and hand drum have subtle extension, and contrast well from the vocal, strings, and most dramatically from the bass below. Additionally, there is a good sense of intimacy in the vocal which contrasts well from the further off guitar, strings, and piano. Lastly, the sense of width is the most interesting. The bass holds down the middle, proving a strong and phase coherent phantom center. The biggest contrast is in the percussion which dances off to the sides, but the strings, horns, and guitars feel like they are drawn in toward the middle.

Overview

Overall, the Audeze LCD-GX has a nice thick midrange with a beautiful subtlety and nuance in its high-end. It has presence, texture, and thuddiness, which will help in gaming scenarios, as well as a clear and clean sounding microphone. Lastly, it is comfortable, with the best fitting headband, extender, and yolk of any in the LCD Series so far. 

The Audeze LCD-GX is available for the best price here:

Audeze LCD-GX at Audio46

MajorHiFi may receive commission for retail sales.

The post Serious Gamers ONLY! – Audeze LCD-GX Review appeared first on Major HiFi.

Audioquest Dragonfly Cobalt vs Chord Mojo Comparison Review

In the Box

Design

Look and Feel

The Audioquest Dragonfly Cobalt and the Chord Mojo have very different looks from each other. On one hand, the Dragonfly Cobalt is remarkably small, sporting a sparkly blue finish and round edges. The Mojo has rounded edges too, but resembles a pack of cards in its size and shape. It’s matte black design looks mature and classy, whereas the Cobalt seems more playful. However, both sport colorful lights which correspond to the playback formats, and for the Mojo, to the volume level. 

Both the Audioquest Dragonfly Cobalt and the Chord Mojo feel very durable with aluminum chassis and an overall sense of simplicity in their designs compared to other DAC/Amps in their price ranges. However, while the Cobalt has an extremely simple one-input-one-output design, the Mojo has more variability with three input options and two 3.5 mm outputs. 

Features

The Audioquest Dragonfly Cobalt and the Chord Mojo have a few major differences in their designs which will make them better or worse for different types of listeners. One on hand, the Cobalt draws power from the listening device, whereas the Mojo draws power from an internal battery which lasts for about 8 hours of playback. As a result, the Cobalt, due to its size and power situation, is going to be a better option for those prioritizing portability. 

Additionally, the Audioquest Dragonfly Cobalt and the Chord Mojo have different DAC chips, which affect both their sound characteristics as well as the playback formats they support. On one hand, the Cobalt has a Sabre ESS ES9038W2M DAC chip. It can play back PCM with up to a 96 kHz sample rate. Additionally, it supports MQA playback. By comparison, the Mojo has a custom Chord FPGA DAC chip. It can play back DSD256 and PCM with up to a 768 kHZ sample rate. 

Lastly, one big difference between the Audioquest Dragonfly Cobalt and the Chord Mojo is their output power. Audioquest says the Cobalt is made to work well for modernly efficient headphones. By contrast, the Mojo has a much greater output and Chord says it can power headphones with up to an 800 ohm impedance. As a result, the Mojo is going to be the best option for those who have a power hungry headphone.

Sound

Comparison reviews between DAC/amps are challenging. Often times, the differences are slight, and have nuance, and require special attention to level matching. This sound comparison is no exception. Additionally, in an attempt to make the comparison as fair as possible, I listened with an efficient IEM, the Meze Rai Penta. I knew both DAC/amps could easily power it and I know the IEMs well. One disclaimer I’d like to make is that the nuance of these differences are small and nuanced and won’t be audible to some listeners. But for those with sensitive ears like me, this is what you’ll here:

Low Frequencies

The low frequencies of the Audioquest Dragonfly Cobalt and the Chord Mojo have punchy, clear low ends. They have a remarkably similar tonality and sense of depth. However, while the difference was admittedly subtle, the low end felt bouncier and slightly more accurate in pitch with the Chord Mojo. 

For example, when I was listening to the song Formation by Beyonce, the bass synth seemed to have a clearer note than it did with the Cobalt. Additionally, the 808 moved with more groove and bounce with the Mojo. By contrast, with the Cobalt, the bass synth felt firm and strong, but had more of a sense of feeling than of key. Additionally, the 808 had punch and space, but felt slightly less energetic. I noticed it most obviously in the little quick ghost-type notes of the 808. Ultimately, this gave the Chord Mojo a step up over the Cobalt because it felt dancier and more emotionally impactful for the groove of the song.

Middle Frequencies

The middle frequencies of the Audioquest Dragonfly Cobalt and the Chord Mojo are clear and full, and have considerable spaciousness and detail. However, the midranges feel a bit different from each other in their overall aesthetic presentations. On one hand, the Cobalt seems to push forward the high-mids. This emphasis brings out the specificity of textures and brings vocals forward in space. By contrast, the Chord Mojo has an aesthetically pleasing harmonic richness which helps to give the high-mids a smoother feel. And while it maintains detail and texture, it was a little bit easier to listen to. Vocals sit more evenly in the mix with the Mojo.

For example, when I was listening to the song No Dad by Taylor Hollingsworth, the crunchiness of the electric guitar had textural emphasis with the Audioquest Dragonfly Cobalt. Additionally, Taylor’s voice sat forward along with that textured crunch. This provided a great sense of detail, but was slightly more fatiguing to the ears than with the Mojo. By contrast, the Chord Mojo the vocal felt more evenly balanced with the crunch of the electric guitar. There was an underlying smoothness where the crunch sat, and while it still felt textural, a sense of harmonic richness helped to smooth the pointiness it seemed to have with the Cobalt.

High Frequencies

The high frequencies of the Audioquest Dragonfly Cobalt and the Chord Mojo have spaciousness and detail. However, similar to the midrange, the overall presentation of the highs is slightly different from one another. On one hand, the Dragonfly Cobalt feels a little bit more forward in the lower treble. This forwardness provides detail, but also makes that area of the frequency spectrum a little bit less spacious sounding, and ultimately a little bit less smooth in comparison to the Mojo. There is a pointiness to the Cobalt that brings out details in the highs, but this same characteristic makes it a little bit less aesthetically pleasing to my ears than the Mojo. On the other hand, the Chord Mojo, similar to its midrange response has a sense of harmonic prettiness, while maintaining its details. 

For example, when I was listening to the song Mercy Now by Mary Gauthier, the high frequency harmonics of the acoustic guitar had most of their emphasis with the Cobalt on the attack. By contrast, it seemed to have a different feel with the Mojo which brought out smoothness in the sustains of those finger picks. Likewise, these qualities came through with the presentation of Mary’s vocal. With the Cobalt, there was a sense of immediacy to the vocal, bringing it forward in space and emphasizing consonants. By comparison, with the Chord Mojo, her vocal sounded softer, and less hard than the Cobalt. There was a slightly more elongated feeling of air to her voice, which sounded gorgeous, and showed the aesthetic skill of the Mojo. 

Soundstage

The soundstages of the Audioquest Dragonfly Cobalt and the Chord Mojo have a special sense of spaciousness and presentation which is probably, to my ears, one of the main reasons for adding a specified DAC/amp into an audiophile’s arsenal. Due to the differences in the feeling and shape of their frequency responses, their feelings of soundstage sound different from one another. On one hand, the Dragonfly Cobalt, has a greater sense of intimacy than the Chord Mojo. As a result, the contrast in depth feels more dramatic with the Cobalt, whereas the depth feels a bit more even sounding with the Mojo. However, because of the way the high frequency harmonics have such a pretty feeling of extension with the Mojo, it seemed to have a more nuanced and expressive feeling of height and differentiation. The Mojo seemed to have a little bit of extra expansiveness in its sense of width than the Cobalt. 

For example, when I was listening to the song Miles Runs the Voodoo Down by Miles Davis, when the song opens up, both the Cobalt and the Mojo had a sense of solidity in the middle, but the Mojo seemed to represent the high-hat and guitars a bit wider out. Additionally, the difference in height felt more dramatic with the cymbals, and trumpet against the lowness in space of the bass guitar. However, something I found interesting was that the intimacy of the trumpet with the Cobalt made the difference between in and the far off drums and keys more dramatic than with the Mojo. And while the Mojo better differentiation between specific notes, the specificity of depth felt more relaxed than the Cobalt to my ears. 

Overview

Overall, the Audioquest Dragonfly Cobalt and the Chord Mojo are amazing portable DAC options. For those who prioritize sound quality and/or have a power hungry phone, the Chord Mojo is going to be the best option because it has all the detail of the Cobalt but with an extra sense of beauty and aesthetic pleasure to the sound. However, for those wanting to save some money, prioritize portability, and want as much detail as they can get for their money, the Cobalt is going to be an amazing option.

The Audioquest Dragonfly Cobalt and the Chord Mojo are available for the best price here:

Audioquest Dragonfly Cobalt on Amazon

Chord Mojo at Audio46

Chord Mojo on Amazon

MajorHiFi may receive commission for retail sales.

Specifications

The post Audioquest Dragonfly Cobalt vs Chord Mojo Comparison Review appeared first on Major HiFi.

64 Audio Tia Fourte Noir Review and Comparison

In the Box

-64 Audio Tia Fourte Noir IEMs

-Detachable 2-pin connector with 2.5 mm balanced termination

-2.5 mm to 3.5 mm adapter

-Silicone eartips (s, m, l)

-Foam eartips (s, m, l)

-Protective, clasping carrying case

-Cleaning tool

-Shirt clip

-Sticker

-Documentation

Design

Look and Feel

The 64 Audio Tia Fourte Noir looks just like the regular Tia Fourte, but with a matte black aluminum shell. As a result, it has a classier, more mature look than the Tia Fourte. 

In the hands, the Noir feels strong and high quality while maintaining a light weight. Additionally, its cable connects feel strong and durable. 

Comfort and Fit

The 64 Audio Tia Fourte Noir has a tapered body leading to its nozzle. Its nozzle is slightly angled. As for its fit, I have relatively small ears, and had the easiest time fitting the IEMs in my ears with the foam eartips. It seemed like my ears were somewhere between the small and medium silicone tips, so neither fit just right. However, due to the light weight of the Noir, once I got a seal, they fit securely and comfortably in the ears. They didn’t touch the outside of my ears at all, nor did the cable touch too much. The cable of the Noir features molded earhooks, but they have kind of a loose hook shape. As a result, they didn’t hug the ear super tightly and just provided light support.

Cable

The cable of the 64 Audio Tia Fourte Noir is an upgraded cable from the regular Tia Fourte. It has 8 conductors which have individually insulated and then  twisted together. The concept behind the cable is that it has a lower resistance than the previous model, providing a smoother high frequency response. Additionally this cable is balanced and terminates to a 2.5 mm connector. No frets if you’re player doesn’t have a balanced output, though! The IEMs also come with a 2.5 mm to 3.5 mm adapter.

Driver

So much of the inside architecture is similar between the 64 Audio Tia Fourte Noir and Tia Fourte. Both have three balanced armature drivers and one dynamic driver. Both feature 64 Audio’s APEX (air pressure exchange) technology. Lastly, as evident by the name, both implement 64 Audio’s TIA technology (which includes tia drivers, tia single bore, tia acoustic chambers, and a passive radiator system). However, the main difference in drivers between the Noir and the Fourte is that the Noir has a retuned dynamic driver, which should provide more warmth and richness to the low end according to 64 Audio.

Sound

Low Frequencies

The low frequencies of the 64 Audio Tia Fourte Noir have a good sense of movement and energy. With a boost in the sub region around what sounded like 40 Hz, the low end moves air. This movement comes through in a tight way and as a result sounds spacious and energetic. As a result, it is both emotionally impactful and punchy and works well for a wide variety of genres.

For example, when I was listening to the song Cleva by Erykah Badu, the kick drum has a great combination of extension and tight punchiness. There is a lot of space around it, providing separation between the kick and bass guitar. Additionally, the low end has a full sustain and subtlety to its movement which makes it extra groovy in this song. 

Middle Frequencies

The middle frequencies of the 64 Audio Tia Fourte Noir, like the Tia Fourte has specificity, dynamic expression, harmonic complexity, and great separation. However, the shape of the midrange feels a little different between the two. The Noir had a boost in the low-mids around what sounded like 200 Hz. As a result, bass guitars, low synths, pianos, and cellos have added thickness and energy. However, this is not to imply cloudiness at all. On the contrary, the low-mids still have an extremely impressive level of separation and spaciousness around them.

Additionally, the Noir has a cut at the base of the high-mids between what sounded like 1 kHz- 2 kHz. This cut provides even more distinct separation between the middle-mids and the high-mids as well as a feeling of warmth to instruments with a lot of high-mid energy. However, it also makes drums, strings, horns, acoustic guitars, and piano hammers lean toward their attacks. Lastly, a boost in the top area of the high-mids between what sounded like 4 kHz- 5 kHz provided articulation and presence to mixes as a whole. This presence sounded slightly less close in space than with the Tia Fourte due to the thicker sounding midrange of the Noir.

For example, when I was listening to the song Shout Mountain Music by Old Crow Medicine Show, the acoustic guitars, fiddles, banjos, hand claps all had an impressive sense of separation from one another. Additionally, the upright bass felt full and gave a sense of foundational support to the mix as a whole. This support gave the rest of the high-mid rich instruments the autonomy to move and dance with dynamic excitement and clarity.

High Frequencies

The high frequencies of the 64 Audio Tia Fourte Noir have detail and harmonic complexity. Compared to the Tia Fourte, the highs sound slightly quieter in the mix. However, with both IEMs, they sound dynamic and spacious and gorgeous. The Noir has a little boost in the lower treble around what sounded like 6 kHz leftover from the boost in the high-mids. However, immediately following that boost, it has a dip around what sounded like 7 kHz- 8 kHz. As a result, it has a little bit less of a sense of attack than the Fourte, but does feel warmer in the highs. This boost and cut is largely even sounding, and as a result, it maintains the character of cymbals, percussion and the harmonics of other high frequency rich instruments. Then, a boost around what sounded like 10 kHz helped to provide life and directionality, as a well as a light sense of audible air across mixes as a whole.

For example, when I was listening to the song  1919 by Terri Lyne Carrington, the snare brushes sounded light and spacious, with a beautiful sense of realism and detail. Additionally, the piano hammers, while having spaciousness and detail, felt warmer than they did with the Tia Fourte, which really pushed the hammers forward toward the upper treble. Additionally, the cymbals sounded beautifully harmonically complex and showed off the individual characteristics of each cymbal. The mix as a whole had a light feeling of lift to it, letting it spread out into the soundstage.

Soundstage

The soundstage of the 64 Audio Tia Fourte Noir, like the Tia Fourte, is fantastic! A sense of separation and spaciousness comes across all three dimensions, and contributes an impressive sense of life and energy to mixes as a whole. However, between the two IEMs, their differing frequency responses affected the general shape of the soundstages. The Tia Fourte had a greater sense of intimacy than the Fourte Noir. However, the depth seemed to have slightly more nuance with the Noir because of its thicker middle midrange. Additionally, the sense of height felt a little bit taller in the highs with the added extension of the Fourte, but reached a little lower with the Noir. Lastly, both IEMs felt beautifully wide however the Noir seemed to have a stronger sense of center because of the elevated low-mid and sub response. 

For example, when I was listening to the song Good Life by Sammy Rae, the lows of the kick drum and bass guitar reached wonderfully down low below the chest. Additionally, they felt solidly centered, letting the guitars, horns, and background vocals dance and move without disturbing the balance of the width. Lastly, the vocal and strings felt less intimate than they did with the Tia Fourte, but the guitars, drums, and horns seemed to have a slightly more detailed position in the z-axis. 

Overview

Overall, the 64 Audio Tia Fourte Noir has a gorgeous sense of harmonic complexity, dynamic excitement, and detail. Compared to its compatriot, it has a little bit of a fuller middle midrange, as well as a smoother upper treble. Additionally, it comes with a balanced cable for those with players with a balanced output.

Both the 64 Audio Tia Fourte Noir and the Tia Fourte are available for the best price here:

64 Audio Tia Fourte Noir at Audio46

64 Audio Tia Fourte at Audio46

MajorHiFi may receive commission for retail sales.

The post 64 Audio Tia Fourte Noir Review and Comparison appeared first on Major HiFi.

Audioquest Comparison: Dragonfly Cobalt vs Dragonfly Red Comparison Review

In the Box

Design

Look and Feel

I had never considered the Dragonfly Series a DAC that needed to decrease its footprint. However, the Audioquest Dragonfly Cobalt did just that. It has a rounder, shorter, slightly thinner shape than the Dragonfly Red. As a result, it seems to have a more modern, sleek look. While the Red has an old-school, flash-drive look, the attention to detail in the ridges of the Cobalt gives it a more modern feel. 

Both the Dragonfly Cobalt and the Dragonfly Red have a strong feeling of durability with their (what feels like) aluminum housings and glossy finish of blue and red respectively. Additionally, both have USB covers to protect them when not in use. 

Features and Upgrades

To answer the question of whether or not the Audioquest Dragonfly Cobalt is worth upgrading from the Dragonfly Red, it is worth examining the following improvements. And just in case you can’t handle the anticipation, yes! It is worth upgrading. 

DAC Chip

While all three Audioquest Dragonfly DACs use ESS Sabre chips, the Dragonfly Cobalt has an upgraded chip from the Red. The Dragonfly Red has an ESS ES9016 chip. This chip features a minimum phase fast roll-off filter. Roll-off filters in DACs are used to remove quantization noise. A fast roll-off means that the curve of the roll-off has a steep slope. As a result, it is more dramatic, but sounds less natural. By comparison, the Dragonfly Cobalt has an ESS ES9038Q2M chip. This chip uses the same minimum phase method, but has a slow roll-off filter. In other words, the slope of its cut-off is smoother, thus giving it a more natural, expressive sound according to Audioquest.

Power Supply Filtering

By nature, Bluetooth, WIFI, and cell signals are noisy. As a result, listening this way introduces small, inaudible noise into the signal which can limit our perception of dynamic range, soundstage, low frequency pitch, and emotional impact in the music. Audioquest’s research and development for the Dragonfly Cobalt proved special power supply filtering solves these issues, and thus, has a big leg up in emotional impact compared to the Dragonfly Red which doesn’t utilize this tool.

Microcontroller/Microprocessor

Both the Audioquest Dragonfly Red and Black use the same chip for their microcontroller and microprocessor: the PIC32MX270. By contrast, the Dragonfly Cobalt features the PICMX274 chip, which reduces the amount of current it draws from the phone or computer, and increases its processing speed by 33%. And like the Red and Black, the Cobalt is firmware upgradeable because of this chip. 

Includes Dragontail USBC – USB A to USB C Adapter 

Lastly, the Audioquest Dragonfly Cobalt includes the Dragontail USB A To USB C adapter. This adapter has minimal jitter and noise, and thus helps to preserve details over other USB-A to USB-C Adapters. Additionally, it reduces potential RF interference with its carbon-based noise dissipation system. It has a $22 value, and thus makes the difference between the Cobalt and Dragonfly Red $78 verses $100. 

Specifications

Sound

Low Frequencies

The low frequencies of the Audioquest Dragonfly Cobalt and Red have a similar feeling of punchiness, but differ in their sense of tightness, spaciousness and pitch accuracy. The Cobalt’s cleaner noise floor provides more space around low frequency rich instruments. As a result,  instruments with low frequency overtones sound more realistic, with more specificity to their pitches. On the other hand, the Dragonfly Red certainly has a nice feeling of punch to it. However, it feels a little bit less three dimensional in the low end. 

For example, when I was listening to the song Normal by Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band, the kick drum sounded tighter and more precise when I was listening with the Dragonfly Cobalt over the Dragonfly Red. I heard more precision in its sustain, and thus it seemed to have more spaciousness around it. Additionally, I heard greater separation between the bass guitar and the kick drum with the Cobalt than the Red. 

Middle Frequencies

The middle frequencies of the Audioquest Dragonfly Cobalt seemed to have a slightly different weighting than the Dragonfly Red. The Dragonfly Red had a greater deal of emphasis on the high-mids. Vocals, strings, horns, and the snaps of drums felt more forward in space. On the other hand, the Dragonfly Cobalt felt more natural and even, with a sense of warmth while maintaining detail and separation. 

For example, when I was listening to the song Shout Mountain Music by Old Crow Medicine Show, the fiddles, vocals, attacks on the acoustic guitar had more emphasis and felt closer in space with the Red. And while they had a lot of detail, they had a less aesthetically pleasing tonality than they did with the Cobalt. On the other hand, the Cobalt helped them sit back in space, giving them a greater sense of naturalness. They had a greater sense of warmth, but retained their separation from each other and from the upright bass below them.  

High Frequencies

The high frequencies of the Audioquest Dragonfly Cobalt and Dragonfly Red have detail and harmonic complexity. However, the Dragonfly Cobalt had a greater sense of spaciousness around the highs. As a result, cymbals, hand percussion, the overtones of strings and vocal breath had what felt like a greater sense of extension and movement. While the Dragonfly Red did a great job of translating the details of the highs, it didn’t have the same kind of expressive quality that the Cobalt had. However, interestingly, because the highs are slightly more condensed into less space with the Red, they feel slightly louder in the mix. 

For example, when I was listening to the song Fever by Ray Charles featuring Natalie Cole, the finger snaps and cymbals sounded a little bit louder in the mix with the Audioquest Dragonfly Red than with the Dragonfly Cobalt. However, they felt more lively and extended with the Cobalt. Additionally, the cymbal flares seemed to have a greater sense of expressiveness with the Cobalt. 

Soundstage

The soundstages of the Audioquest Dragonfly Cobalt and Dragonfly Red differ due to their differences in noise floor and frequency response weightings. On one hand, the Dragonfly Cobalt has spaciousness across the frequency spectrum, and thus produces a greater feeling of extension in all three dimensions. The sense of height feels more extended in the highs, and more accurately placed in the lows. Additionally, the sense of width has a greater specificity to it because of the separation around midrange and high frequency instruments. The feeling of depth benefited from this separation as well. On the other hand, the Dragonfly feels slightly more condensed. Due to its high-mid emphasis, instruments with high-mid information lean forward in space. It has a nice sense of depth, but doesn’t have the same level of separation among midrange and high frequency instruments as the Cobalt, making it less precise feeling. Similarly, it doesn’t feel quite as extended in the highs. It has a similar reach in the lows, but ultimately feels less tall. 

For example, when I was listening to the song 1919 by Terri Lyne Carrington, the cymbals felt taller in space with the Dragonfly Cobalt than with the Red. Additionally, the splayed width of the piano in the stereo field felt more precise with the Cobalt. I could certainly hear the difference in space of the different keys, but they had less space around them with the Red. As a result, the piano had a greater sense of emotional impact. Additionally, the upright bass and drums felt like they were in a similar place backward in space as the drums with the Red. On the other hand, with the Cobalt, the drums felt further back, putting greater and more accurate separation between the piano, upright bass, and drums. 

Overview

Overall, the Audioquest Dragonfly Cobalt and Dragonfly Red are astoundingly portable, and enhance the sound off of your phone or computer. In their price points, both offer grip and clarity. However, when listening side-by-side, it is undeniable that the Cobalt has a clearer, more precise, more emotionally impactful, and more aesthetically pleasing sound than the Red. If you have the money to upgrade, it will certainly be worth the extra $100 and then some!

The Audioquest Dragonfly Cobalt and Dragonfly Red are available for the best price here

Dragonfly Cobalt on Amazon

Dragonfly Red on Amazon

For an alternative to Audioquest, check our review of the iFi hip-dac.

MajorHiFi may receive commission through retail offers.

The post Audioquest Comparison: Dragonfly Cobalt vs Dragonfly Red Comparison Review appeared first on Major HiFi.