What’s in the Box

• Carrying case with soft plush interior
• 1.5m soft TPE Cable with aluminum casings, ending with 3.5mm jack
• 3m soft TPE cable, with aluminum casings, ending with 3.5mm jack
• Headphone 6.3mm gold-plated jack
• Airplane jack

Look and Feel

These are made with a lightweight magnesium frame and sport a similar flexible yet sturdy feel to the Meze Empyrean and Elite headphones. These are not the flashiest headphone we’ve seen from Meze, going for an almost completely matte black finish. However, they nonetheless feel luxurious and well-tailored the second you take them out of the box.

In terms of comfort, Meze really hit it out of the park on these. The headband has some of the best cushioning on it I’ve ever felt, and their extra deep, soft ear pads are the same trusty ones I’ve seen on their other luxury builds. These are a joy to wear, so much so you won’t want to take them off. 

Design

The LIRIC is a portable, closed-back planar magnetic headphone featuring technology from Rinaro Isodynamics, who also helped with the design of the new Meze Elite. The LIRIC features a scaled down Isodyanmic Hybrid Array MZ4 driver along with a “Pressure Equalization System” that’s meant to improve airflow, earcup chamber pressure, and allow for an airy, transparent sound.

Output 

The LIRIC aren’t exactly difficult to drive, but an amp is definitely pretty important with these. While you could use them without an amp, which I doubt many are considering, they’d need a hefty volume push. However, they’re still not a super power hungry headphone. You don’t need your most insanely powerful amplifier in order to drive these sufficiently, and you won’t be pushing the volume knob much once they’re amplified. 

Soundstage

Not only does the LIRIC have one of the widest sound stages I’ve heard on a closed back, but it’s also got one of the most separated and intricate. This is one of those headphones that busts a song open and lets it fly every which way. Your attention is constantly demanded as you hear the exact placement of each instrument, with new corners of the stereo field constantly addressed and explored. Needless to say, the ear candy on these is boundless. Plain and simple, the LIRIC does imaging like no closed back before it.  

Lows

The LIRIC does low end the way it’s meant to be. It’s got a healthy rumble, reaches deep, doesn’t cloud the rest of the mix, and overall makes for an incredibly intimate, realistic experience. There’s a clear low end boost going on with the LIRIC. While this boost feels tasteful and well placed, it certainly beefs things up and puts impacts and attacks to the forefront. If you’re bass averse, these could be a bit much in the lows. However, for most, they’ll feel like a low-end-leaning organic sound. Listening to Cleo Sol’s new album Mother, the LIRIC spreads baselines wide and deep across the stereo spectrum and bathes the listener in a vibrational, textured sound bath. 

Mids

While the LIRIC, at large, feels like a crowd pleaser with a very transparent sound, its mid range is a bit of an exception to this in some ways. There’s a clear boost around the 1-2kHz area, which makes for a noticeable edge and bite. The LIRIC does at times struggle to contain harshness from more resonant vocals at higher volumes, such as those of Remi Wolf on her new album Juno. But quite frankly, what headphone doesn’t struggle with this at least a little bit? I had few qualms with the LIRIC’s mids overall, and mostly found their boost brought things closer to the listener and allowed detail to flourish. The low mid is a bit more subdued, opting to give the music some room to breathe and not overdo it on the warmth. 

Highs

The LIRIC are pretty bright, you’ll get that satisfying crisp edge and breathy layer on top. The highs have incredible precision and a natural timbre. They feel more true to life than life itself at times. This brightness definitely isn’t very rounded or softened, it’s a hyper-detailed, texture-extending sound. If you want a dampened, warmed up high end, the LIRIC isn’t really approaching it from that angle. While there is perhaps some light coloring, the overall character of the LIRIC’s highs is extreme cleanliness and a sharp but gentle edge. On albums like Sevdaliza’s Shabrang, the LIRIC carries the high end smoothly throughout, and allows some airiness to flow through. Yet, it still maintained an overall acutely tightened, specified boost, focusing more on the super highs than the low highs. 

Overall

The Meze LIRIC sets a new standard for not just the world of closed back headphones, but the headphone world as a whole. This LIRIC features the best of both natural, transparent qualities and enhanced, engaging dynamics paired with an incredibly tight and realistic room feel. With an innovative build and a sound that can be described as nothing other than state-of-the-art, the LIRIC is a game changer that rings in a new sonic future.

You can purchase the Meze LIRIC at Audio46

The post Meze LIRIC Review – Best Headphone of 2021? appeared first on Major HiFi.

What’s in the Box

• Carrying case
• 2.5mm termination
• 3.5mm termination
• 4.4mm termination

Design

The Dromi feels durable, luxurious, and tangle resistant. It has an iridescent silver shimmer to it, that immediately impresses the eyes before the ears have even had a chance to take in anything. It loops around the ears seamlessly, giving just the right amount of resistance.

The Dromi is a 122cm long, 4 core twist braided, 6N OCC litz silver plated cable. It contains 50 strands of 0.05mm silver plated OCC and 50 strands of 0.06mm silver plated OCC. Its plugs are plated with 24 carat gold and its eternal metal is made of Aluminum alloy anode. 

Each of the Dromi’s cores have a 1.5mm diameter and are independently insulated. This is meant to avoid sound distortion caused by the skin or proximity effects, along with giving the wire a better antioxidant effect. The Dromi uses a combination of copper and silver wires, Kinera citing that copper has “better bass dive and sense of volume,” while silver has “treble ductility and sound resolution.” They claim this pairing is supposed to offer the best of both worlds from each material, leading to a more expanded, clarified soundstage, among other improvements.

Sound Quality

I tested the Dromi with the following IEMS: 

• SeeAudio Neo
• Campfire Andromeda
• Audeze Euclid
• Fiio FH5s
• Meze RAI Penta

With each of the IEMs I tried, there was an undeniable, distinctly noticeable difference and improvement in quality. I found that IEMs with a sharper mid range, damper high end, and added color benefitted most. Those with a sharper, more saturated mid range, like the Euclid, Neo, and Andromeda, benefitted from some added cleanliness and clarity to help flesh out their character and offset some of the grit. Those with a damper high end, such as the Euclid and RAI Penta, were given a lighter feel to their treble. Damper highs can feel natural and balanced, but can often benefit from a bit of added purification to alleviate any residual stuffiness or rounded off detail.

In terms of soundstage improvements, this was also undoubtably noticeable across all the IEMs I tested it with. The Dromi seems to insert extra air between layers and increase the sense of depth. With IEMs that already have an abnormally wide soundstage, such as the Andromeda, the Dromi really takes the preexisting width and runs with it, stretching things further and removing any overlap. The Dromi also seems to improve low end cleanliness, though I felt this was more so an indirect benefit of the clarified soundstage allowing more space for the lows to breathe on many of the IEMs I used. 

Overall

The Dromi is certainly not the cheapest cable ever, but it respects the money you spend on it. It’s not a mindless accessory, and certainly offers an appreciable increase in quality that makes you excited to hear your favorite IEMs in their best light. 

You can purchase the Kinera Dromi at Audio46

The post Kinera Dromi Review – High Quality Cable appeared first on Major HiFi.

What’s in the Box

• 1.5 m 15 V 6 A switch-mode power supply
• Qutest range power adapter
• Carrying case

Look and Feel

The Anni is incredibly sturdy and highly compact. It could easily be slipped in a backpack for on-the-go use without adding much weight. I wouldn’t have mined a hard-shell case being included for transport purposes. Its minimalistic build has an unassuming, no frills style to it. For the price, I think the Anni could sport a bit more luxury to make its exterior more symbolic of its interior. Maybe some would find it tacky, but I’m a sucker for a shiny/metallic finish and some added embellishments. 

Design

Front

6.35 mm headphone output, Volume control/input select, 3.5mm headphone output, Gain button (high and low gain functions available), Power button 

Back

15V DC Power input, ground terminal, speaker output right, Line level inputs 1 & 2, 12 V DC output, Speaker output left channel  

The Anni is Chord Electronic’s first integrated amplifier. It’s made to drive both headphones and loud speakers, and can drive multiple pairs of headphones at once. The Anni implements Chord Electronics ULTIMA circuit topology, which is meant to bring out your headphones or speakers fullest potential. The Anni also works in tandem with Chord Electronic’s Qutest range, such as their standalone DAC and Huei phono stage. 

Output

For its price and build, I expected high output from the Anni, and was not disappointed. It drove every headphone I tested with ease, rarely did the volume surpass the halfway point,  especially when using the high gain setting for especially power hungry headphones. It did an especially good job driving Dan Clark Audio’s AEON Flow 2, which some amps struggle a bit with. If you’re looking for pure power that will give you tons of leeway with volume, the Anni has you covered. 

Sound Quality

I found of the various subtle improvements the Anni made to sound quality, three stuck out to me: soundstage width, low end handling, and high end timbre. When it came to soundstage width, especially on closed backs that may be more limited, I found headphones were given far greater separation and balance. There was added air and any heaviness or stuffiness was completely eliminated. This also made open back headphones, like Dan Clark’s AEON 2, gain an even more immersive, cinematic sound than already existed in their expansive timbre. 

In terms of low end handling, the Anni greatly tightened things up. For example, on the Audeze LCD-2 closed back, the low end is one of its key strengths for me. This being said, it can be just slightly overbearing at times and sometimes pick up a bit more sub range than is necessary. With the Anni, the LCD-2’s sub range felt like it had locked into the perfect, most satisfying place. Kicks and bass sounds decayed with excellent precision, and the bottom end had a heightened realism about it. 

When it comes to high end, the Anni added what felt to me like a bit of vintage warmth, but it did so with a lot of modern cleanliness. The most crisp peaks are slightly rounded off to make an easier on the ears sound. I found this quality especially helpful when using the Focal Stellia, which I felt benefitted from a subtle taming to its brightness, the Anni providing a small but effective dose of coloring. 

Overall

I’m quite impressed with the Anni’s ability to clean up sound in a nuanced, articulate manor. It feels like it politely elevates quality, understanding how to conserve the original character of your headphones or speakers while still tightening things up and extending some sonic flare. If you want a balance of warmth and cleanliness along with some added width and depth to imaging, the Anni definitely rises to the challenge. 

You can purchase the Chord Electronics Anni at Audio 46

The post Chord Electronics Anni Desktop Amplifier Review appeared first on Major HiFi.

ATH-M40x ($99)

The M40x has the most distinguished sound separation of the group, making them most optimal for music creation when it comes to pinpointing flaws in your mix and ensuring no sounds are clashing. They don’t have as deepened of a bass response as the M50x or M60x do, but still reach fairly far down. To me, their lack of a sub response put them at a disadvantage when mixing low end heavy mixes, as not all the nuances of the lowest frequencies were audible enough to fully gauge. 

The M40x has a neutral, transparent high end and mid range, much more transparent than that of any of the other models we’re discussing. Their neutral highs once again make them more optimal for music creation, and less optimal for casual listening, as they will not clean up these frequencies or add excess air. However, their stellar sound separation keeps the highs on these from feeling thick or stuffy.

ATH-M50x ($149 – $169 for “Lantern Glow”)

While the M50x does have a width and separation similar to the M40x, it does not separate sound at quite the same level, making its sound a bit less prime for mixing analysis. It has a bright high end, but still is less bright than the M60x or M70x. The M50x’s mid range is quite recessed in certain pockets, making it very clean, but not always incredibly transparent. 

What really separates the M50x from the rest of these models is its low end response, which is by far the strongest of the group. The M50x packs a lot of sub presence, and can fully portray the most intense rumbles. Some might find the increased low end of these makes them better fitted for casual listening than mixing, and this may be true. For my personal use, however, I found the M50x’s boosted low end similar to how most systems tune things these days do, thus providing a more applicable, all-encompassing presentation of my mixes’ lows. The M50x feels like the mid point between music creation and casual listening. 

ATH-M60x ($199)

This M60x is an on-ear headphone, making it a different fit and somewhat different concept than the over-ear style of the M40x, M50x, and M70x. It has a similar sub presence to the M50x but not quite as intense, and holds some more of the top-end focused lows seen on the M40x. The M60x has the most dampened high end oof all these models, though they are by no means dark. They simply have a more rounded, colored high end than the rest. 

In terms of width and separation, the M60x are on similar footing to the M40x and M50x, but keep things more coherent and less intensely separated, making them more optimal for casual listening than mixing or production in my experience. They do not seem to be trying to expose a composition’s potential engineering mistakes. Instead, the M60x adds a pleasant warmth, purity, and tightness to music. 

ATH-M70x ($299)

the M70x hold the most width out of any of these, pulling back the center of the mix and prioritizing the sides. They hold a lot of depth too, creating a distinct sense of space. The M70x definitely felt the best fitted out of this group for casual listening. They have a low end level similar to the M40x, with perhaps a bit less of an aggressive attack. The M70x keeps the lows a bit more tamed and tightened, leaving a lot of room for the music to breathe. 

The M70x’s most distinctive feature is its high end, which is the brightest and most intense of the group by a fair amount. It has a significant sheen that caries down into its high mids, making for a more metallic, highly detailed feel. Some may find this extended high end and high mid to be a bit overwhelming and lack warmth or balance, but others may feel it adds a new level of texture, definition, and flair to music.

Overall

While all of these headphones are directed at musicians and producers, I feel that the M40x and M50x are most fitting of this application. The M60x and M70x don’t feel transparent enough to qualify as a go-to reference or music creation headphone, and instead better suited for casual listening. And with their more colored, modulated sound, the M60x and M70x will serve its listeners quite well. If they were to be used for music creation, however, some time would need to be spent to learn their biases first. At the end of the day, all four of these headphones meet the current standards for their price ranges, and certainly don’t disappoint.

You can purchase the Audio Technica M40x, M50x, M60x, and M70x at Audio46

The post Audio-Technica Comparison: M40x, M50x, M60x, M70x – Can They All Be Used as Studio Headphones? appeared first on Major HiFi.

If you’d like to hear sound demos of these mics, I made a video review and sound test of them. You can watch it here. 

What’s in the Box

• Microphone
• Shock mount
• Pop filter
• Carrying pouch

DESIGN

M 90 Pro X ($349):

• Large diaphragm cardiod condenser
• Frequency Response: 20Hz – 20kHz
• Output impedance: 180 Ohms
• Side addressed 
• Connector: XLR

M 70 Pro X ($299):

• Cardiod dynamic
• Frequency Response: 25Hz – 18kHz
• Output impedance: 350 Ohms
• Front addressed 
• Connector: XLR

SOUND QUALITY

M 90 Pro X:

The M 90 Pro X has a very professional, versatile sound. Its unprocessed, dry signal is already considerably purified and warmed up as is, giving you a great head start on your vocal processing. The M 90 Pro X has a bit of an extended low and high end, with a more recessed mid range. This frequency response gives it a pretty intimate, cinematic sound that catches each syllable, overtone, and texture with precision. While it is fairly neutral sounding, the M 90 Pro X definitely still has some coloring and definition to it that gives it a bit of an individual character and edge. For the price, this feels like a mic that goes above what’s being asked of it, and is quite viable for long term use across a wide array of applications.

M 70 Pro X:

The M 70 Pro X felt like just about what I’d expect, and hope for, from a broadcasting mic. While it brings some fullness to the low end, it retains a fairly neutral, flat response, which makes for an easy listening, unbiased feel. Like the M 90 Pro X, the M 70 Pro X picks up a lot of detail from voices. However, the M 70 goes  easier on the high end the high end, keeping things a bit damper and more saturated. This definitely feels on par with most other podcasting mics in its price range, and its cleanliness puts it ahead of the pack. My only real objection to the M 70 Pro X was its more resonant mid range, which felt a bit sharp at times. However, for a flatter response, mids like this are par for the course, and keep the mics character from being too polarizing.

Overall

The $300-$400 price range for mics is kind of a hit or miss category, as this is where they either sound like overpriced $100-$200 mics or perform at the level of some $600-$800 mics. The M70 and M90 definetly fall in the latter category, performing above their price range, and offering a lot of versatility across different vocal timbres, styles, and techniques. 

The post Beyerdynamic M 90 Pro X & M 70 Pro X – Microphone Review appeared first on Major HiFi.

What’s in the Box

• DT 700 PRO X
• 1.8 m (5.9 ft) & 3.0 m (9.8 ft) mini-xlr-kabel (mini stereo jack 3.5 mm)
• 1/4″ adapter (6.35 mm)
• Drawstring bag

Look and Feel

Similar to 900 Pro X, the 700 Pro X feels very similar to other Beyerdynamic models, with a no-frills, function-over-fashion design. Their plush, velour ear pads are extra soft and feel snug on your head, making these easy to wear for long periods of time. Their sturdy build also makes them a worry free headphone to take with you on the go.

Design

The 700 Pro X are a closed back, circumaural studio headphone. As apposed to the original Pro series, the Pro x features the Stellar 45 sound transducer, which was developed and produced in Germany. This transducer features a three-layer speaker diaphragm that uses an integrated damping layer, which helps the 700 Pro X perform consistently across devices. Moreover, this driver allows the Pro X to not be as dependent on an amp for proper volume like the Pro series are.

The 700 Pro X have a frequency response of 5Hz – 40kHz and an impedance of 48 Ohms (Amp not essential)

Soundstage

Despite being a closed back, the 700 Pro X have plenty of width to offer. While the center of the stereo spectrum is certainly well-defined, the outer areas of the sonic space are extremely forward and engulfing. The format of the soundstage on the 700 Pro X feels easy to learn and adjust to, which is what you want from a studio headphone in order to get an accurate picture of your imaging and phasing etc. 

Lows

The 700 Pro X has a strong, impactful low end sure to give you a nice punch in the chest here in there. It’s not absurdly sub heavy, but definitely reaches into the basement frequencies a bit, and I felt like there was a solid balance of this area with the high lows. These defined, intense lows make for an exciting listen, though they do sacrifice a certain level of accuracy. Nonetheless, I found the low end made for more satisfaction than it did distraction. 

Mids

The mids on the 700 Pro X reminded me of those I heard on the 900 Pro X, which I think is not tuned very differently. They have that signature Beyerdynamic color to them, and retain a lot of cleanliness despite their warmer tonality. Like the 900 Pro X, the 700 Pro X’s mids are quite snappy and have a slight bite to them, but not a strong enough one to make them harsh on sensitive ears. As is expected with a studio headphone, the mid range on this is overall fairly neutral and unobtrusive. 

Highs

Also similar to the 900 Pro X in this area, the 700 Pro X has a considerably bright high end, focusing more of its boost on the 4-8kHz range than the 8kHz+ area. This is a great headphone for that nice crisp sizzle and consistent detail, however if you’re someone who likes an ultra-thin, more delicate high end, the 700 Pro X errs on the side of a more saturated, somewhat rounded high end. Once again, this makes them more optimal for reference and creation, as they do not overstate the super highs. 

Compared to DT 900 Pro X: The 700 Pro X are noticeably more intense and punchy in their lows, along with a bit more low mid forward. However, their tuning sounds very similar to the 900 Pro X, but the soundstage is of course the real difference. Being a closed back, the 700 Pro X is of course at quite a disadvantage in terms of width. However, as I mentioned, it comes strikingly close to the large sound of the open back 900 Pro X, far closer than most closed backs in its price range could. 

Overall

The 700 Pro X are a stellar closed back headphone, and compete strongly with well-renowned reference/studio headphones Beyerdynamic has put out in the past. These might not be the most accurate headphones ever made, but for $299, they’re a bargain for what they offer. I’m excited to see what composers, producers, performers and so on do once they get their hands on these.

You can purchase the Beyerdynamic DT 700 Pro X at Audio46

The post Beyerdynamic DT 700 Pro X Review appeared first on Major HiFi.

What’s in the Box

• DT 900 PRO X
• 1.8 m (5.9 ft) & 3.0 m (9.8 ft) mini-xlr-kabel (mini stereo jack 3.5 mm)
• 1/4″ adapter (6.35 mm)
• Drawstring bag

Look and Feel

The 900 Pro X feels very similar to other Beyerdynamic models. Its plush, velour ear pads have a velvety texture not seen on most headphones these days. These are clearly made to be worn for long periods of time, and don’t feel uncomfortable even after hours of use. It’s as sturdy as their other models too, and should easily be able to withstand the perils of travel, transportation etc.  

Design

The 900 Pro X are an open back, circumaural studio headphone. As apposed to the original Pro series, the Pro x features the Stellar 45 sound transducer, which was developed and produced in Germany. This transducer features a three-layer speaker diaphragm that uses an integrated damping layer, which helps the 900 Pro X perform consistently across devices. Moreover, this driver allows the Pro X to not be as dependent on an amp for proper volume like the Pro series is.

The 900 Pro X have a frequency response of 5Hz – 40kHz and an impedance of 48 Ohms (Amp not essential)

Soundstage

The soundstage on these felt about standard for a pair of Beyerdynamic open backs. While it was a tad bit wider than past models, it was not a majorly expanded level of width or depth. This isn’t a problem however, as Beyerdynamic does a stellar job with creating a large sense of space and separation. The outer-edges of the stereo spectrum receive a fair amount more weight than the center, as is the case with many open-backs, making for an immersive, surround sound feel.

Lows

The 900 Pro X’s lows are tight and impactful, giving a lot of accuracy and balance to their tuning. I especially enjoyed their ability to pick up the nuances of various percussion and bass timbres. I wouldn’t have objected to some extra sub presence, and just an overall stronger low end. This being said, I do understand that boosting the lows is a slippery slope when making a headphone that is aiming for realism and accuracy. If you use these for casual listening, you’ll find their more controlled lows make them versatile across genres and styles. On the other hand, if you’re using them for music creation or mixing, you’ll find their low end unbiased and easy to work with.

Mid

The 900 Pro X have a clean, fairly colored mid range. The high mids take precedent over the low mids at times, but the low mids are still retained enough to keep the 900 Pro X’s warmth fully intact. There’s a nice snap to the high mids, but their saturation rounds off any edges that might be a bit overly-crisped up. The mid range on these feels like their most distinguishing quality, as it has a very pure but particular timbre, that adds a lot of flare and excitement to music, along with bringing out unique aspects of instrument and vocal presence. 

Highs 

The 900 Pro X are clearly quite bright, but do stay just below the threshold of extreme shine in the super high frequencies. They focus most of their brightness in the 4-8kHz range. This adds a fair amount of clarity, though I felt a few decibels of this range could be used on the 8-16kHz range to add a more delicate, less metallic sound. Paired with their cleaned up mids and neutral lows, the 900 Pro X’s extra crisp highs lead to a light, airy sound. If you want a more gritty, heavy feel, these are simply not aiming for that. 

Overall

The DT 900 Pro X definitely bares many similarities sonically to the DT 990 Pro, especially in its highs and lows. However, the Pro X seems to have a more successful soundstage than past models from Beyerdynamic, along with overall tighter handling and more cleanliness. For $299, this feels like a fairly accessibly studio headphone that will cover the needs of many creators, composers, and performers. 

You can purchase the Beyerdynamic DT 900 Pro X at Audio46

The post Beyerdynamic DT 900 Pro X Review appeared first on Major HiFi.

SEEAUDIO NEO

The Neo has a significantly stronger high mid than both the Duo and Andromeda. It’s the most snappy in the high frequencies in general. This gives it the highest intensity and definition in the mid range, helping to boost vocal presence along with the power of other instruments. The Neo has a more saturated, colored high end, similar in feel to the Andromeda’s high mid, just accented a bit further up. Its highs feel smooth and relatively relaxed, their brightness level sitting just above the Andromeda and a bit below the Duo.

The Neo performs with the most natural but least booming low end of the three. Its low end might have the most precise punch, as it’s focused on attack more than release, hence its less heavy sub range. The Neo has the most bite of the three, but is the least forgiving of mixes or voices high in resonance. 

Best for: classical, folk, alternative, heavy metal, 

Strengths: Increased vocal presence, extremely snappy, crisp mids, realistic lows, balanced high end, clean low mids

Weaknesses: high mid too extended for sensitive ears, low end lacking sub presence

CAMPFIRE AUDIO ANDROMEDA

The Andromeda comes across with a more smoothed, recessed high mid and a less intense high end than the Neo. Despite its less intense high mid leveling compared to the Neo, the Andromeda still comes fairly close to it in terms of snap. The Andromeda feels equal in width to the Neo, but is a bit more airy and grounded by the low end in the middle, similar to the Duo. The Neo, on the other hand, spreads the entire composition out, as apposed to the Andromeda and Duo, which further confine some areas to the center, creating a more separated effect.

The Andromeda especially excels in its strong low mids and high lows. It carries less sub presence than the Duo, but uses this extra room to highlight a bit more high mid extension. The Andromeda also has more neutral, organic super highs than the  Duo. The Andromeda is most defined by its abnormally strong impact along with its clean, nuanced saturation/coloring, which gives it the most distinctive sound of the three.

Best for: pop, electronic, jazz, country, classical

Strengths: Very pleasant saturation/color, great punch and impact, precise separation, strong but balanced low end

Weaknesses: Colored sound a bit polarizing, increased attack overshoots the mark at times, super highs could be less rounded

64 AUDIO DUO

The Duo has a much more subdued high mid than the Neo or Andromeda, giving it the smoothest, most intensely clean sound of the three. If you have sensitive ears, the Duo is arguably a no brainer, though the Andromeda is also an option if you can handle a certain amount of bite. While the Duo is the most subdued in its high mid, it is also the least subdued and brightest in its super highs. Combined with its smoothed out mids, this makes for a highly purified vocal sound, but also of course sacrifices a certain level of forwardness in the interest of natural timbre.

The Duo achieves engagement through its realistic, intimate detail more than it does by boosting or saturating mids, like the Andromeda and Neo do. The Duo also has the strongest sub response of the three, making it the most cinematic sounding, but also the most booming. The Duo has the most cleanly, realistic sound of the three, but sacrifices a fair amount of mid range intensity and low end balance to achieve this. 

Best for: pop, electronic, rock, R&B, Hip-Hop, atmospheric, movie scores 

Strengths: Extremely clean sound with smoothed high mids, cinematic sub response, high gloss brightness, warm low frequencies.  

Weaknesses: Subdued high mids reduce vocal/instrument presence at times, sub response too strong for some productions, high end too bright for certain breathy, airy sounds

Overall

These all hold their own like I thought they would, but are drastically different. Each of these IEMs has a very particular, unique character to it, and they all execute their specific missions with astounding nuance and accuracy. My comparisons likely paint a more extreme image of each of their tunings, as their characteristics felt more jarring with my ears having to readjust each time I switched pairs. Whichever pair you get, their biases will start to feel more subconscious overtime, of course. If you’re between the three of these, hopefully I’ve made the choice slightly easier, but it will always be a tough one with IEMs at this level of quality. 

You can purchase the SeeAudio Neo, Campfire Andromeda, and 64 Audio Duo at Audio46

The post 64 Audio DUO vs. Campfire Andromeda vs. SeeAudio NEO – IEM Comparison appeared first on Major HiFi.

Recently, Audio-Tehnica released a special edition of this beloved headphone, a metallic orange model titled “Lantern Glow.” This version runs for $169, a slightly higher price than the $149 for the typical black or white models. When I received this new color, I figured I’d revisit this headphone and give it a proper review. I’ve had my own M50x for over 6 years now, and it’s managed to keep chugging along just fine, despite its pleather coating flaking off all over my ears as its aged. Let’s look at the classic headphone that is the M50x, and see if it’s still the same sound I’ve known for so long. 

What’s in the Box

• M50x
• Drawstring carrying pouch
• 1.2m – 3.0m coiled cable
• 3.0m straight cable
• 1.2m straight cable

Look and Feel

The M50x is a very functional headphone, it’s comfortable but nothing to write home about, and that’s ok. This is a headphone that gets the job done, and does it well. It’s got plush ear pads and some added padding on the headband. Other features include foldability and expandable length. It’s quite unlikely anyone will find these hard to wear for long periods of time, as this is what they’re made for. You may occasionally need to take them off to let your ears breath, as they seal quite well, but that’s about it. 

Looks wise, these don’t stand out, and aren’t really meant to. They’re a function over fashion headphone, and basically look like any other pair you’d pick up at the store, which is part of what makes it hard to see why they’re so popular if you’ve never used them before. The new Lantern Glow color adds a bit more character to their build, which has stayed the same for a long time, so I’m definitely a fan of the fresh, bright design. 

Soundstage

The M50x have always felt like it had a relatively wide soundstage to me, but they’re not trying to achieve insane width. They aim for realism and accuracy, as is their goal. This means these may not cast a song wide into cyberspace, but they will give a track whatever width it’s earned through the quality of its mix. If you can make something sound insanely wide, the M50x has the abilities to accommodate that, but you’ll have to work for it. 

Lows

These have a strong, highly impactful low end. While it’s not dominating, it certainly doesn’t hold back, and like everything on the M50x, you get out what you put into it. If you throw your craziest, most sub heavy kick at this headphone, you’ll hear it full fledged. On the other hand, don’t expect it to beef up your thin sounding baseline too much. The M50x does extenuate low end a bit, however not much more than most modern systems or headphones, making it applicably inaccurate in my opinion. 

Mids

The pair of these I’ve owned for years has always had harsher, snappier mids, whereas this brand new M50x I opened felt more neutral and smoothed out in its mid range. While this could be due to a number of causes, I appreciated the less forward mids I heard this time around. In the past, I’ve had to make my mixes sound a bit resonant on the M50x in order for them to translate as balanced and full-bodied on other systems. With this newer one, it seemed to have corrected this issue and given a more accurate, trustworthy mid range. 

Highs

The M50x is a brighter headphone, no doubt, so be prepared for that. Its boost isn’t a huge shelf that extends every last bit of high end, it focuses more on the highest of highs. Still, it gives this extra shiny area a good push. The M50x’s brighter sound, while not as transparent as the rest of its attributes, ensures all high end elements are detectable and can be fine tuned in the production or mixing process. It also ensures you’ll be more light handed on your high end boosts, often resulting in a mix that does’t shine too aggressively. 

Overall

The M50x is an incredible headphone and earns its reputation each time I use it. Despite growing competition throughout the years, it’s managed to hold its own, and I suspect it will continue to for years to come. This is a headphone you can count on to last and take with you everywhere, and it won’t totally break the bank. If you’re on the fence about the M50x, I say go for it. There’s an abundance of evidence that it’ll do just what you need it to.  

You can purchase the Audio-Technica ATH-M50x Lantern Glow Limited Edition or Original model at Audio46

The post Revisiting a Classic: Audio-Technica ATH-M50x Review – “Lantern Glow” Limited Edition appeared first on Major HiFi.

What’s in the Box

• iCAN Signature
• RCA Cable
• User Manual
• iPower Elite
• Infrared Remote Control
• General Accessory Instruction Card

Look and Feel

Like all iFi amps I’ve used, the iCAN Signature is both sturdy and stylish. The volume knob is a nice size and protrudes a comfortable amount. It has some light resistance to it, which is good for preventing accidental volume adjustments. When Tube and Tube+ mode are enabled, the tube’s orange glow can be seen from the top of the unit, though it made need 45 seconds or so to heat up. The iCAN Signature uses a quad-damped isolation base mount to provide vibration dampening control, electromagnetic shielding, and help with resonance distribution and minimization. This amp is definitely built like a tank, but it still retains a sleek look and modern shine. 

Ins and Outs

Front – Headphone Output Sockets: 

• XLR 3 Pin x 2 (Balanced) 
• 6.3mm x 2 (Balanced/Single ended)
• 3.5mm (Single ended)
• XLR 4 Pin (Balanced)
• 4.4mm (Balanced)

Back:

• XLR input (Balanced) 
• RCAs x 3 input (Unbalanced)
• XLR output (Balanced)
• RCA output (Unbalanced)
• DC Loop-Out (for use with iCAN add-ons)
• iFi Pro iESL connector 
• DC Power Supply Input (15V/4A)

Design

the iCAN Signature is meant to be a “reference-class analogue headphone/stereo preamplifier.” It features a customizable bass boost (“XBass”) and sound expansion (“3D Holographic”). It also features different operational mode: Solid-State, Tube, and Tube +. Some internal features include:

• 6-Way motorized ALPS type volume control, with 4 tracks adjusting volume and two others for monitoring volume control operation.
• An audio-circuit developed with iFi’s ‘TubeState’ design.
• Full integration of the 3D Holographic function into the signal circuit, meaning there’s no use of DSP and the linked AD/DA conversion and no additional active elements. 
• If disabled, the passive elements of the analogue matrix are removed from the circuit, ensuring that the signal remains unaffected. 

What’s New about the Signature?

• Revised circuit design 
• Upgraded power supply circuits 
• Hand-selected and matched tubes in the output stage 
• 4.4mm Pentaconn balanced headphone output
• New Remote Control 

Sound Quality

I tested this amp with the Focal Clear MG, Dan Clark AEON 2 Open, Beyerdynamic DT1990 Pro, Hifiman Ananda, and Audeze LCD-2

Unsurprisingly, the iCAN Signature offers some wonderful vintage tube warmth to your headphones. Brightness is softened and given a more organic texture, while low end is de-mudded and tightened. Mixes tend to be more glued and melded with increased cohesion and clarity. The iCAN Signature does a great job of offering sonic differences you can appreciate and notice without implementing so much modulation and color that your headphones start to feel unfamiliar and repurposed.

Output

As expected, the iCAN Signature offers a considerable boost and should be able to drive any headphones you throw at, whatever their impedance. I found the 3.5mm output sometimes required a bit more volume pushing than the others did, as expected. I’d opt for the 4-pin if you can. 

Operation Modes

• Solid State mode: This was unsurprisingly the most transparent, and does allow you to get a hair more out of the XBass mode at times it seems. This was my default mode at many times, as it had the most versatility.

• Tube Mode: Tube mode offered a crisper but warmed up high end, that was definitely better fitted for some headphones than others. It offered a similar warmth to the bottom end, though not quite the grip that Tube + had. I did enjoy its looser feel when I really wanted a low chest punch sensation to come through. 

• Tube + Mode: I found the Tube + mode (not to be confused with Tube mode) to be my favorite. It added the most natural, warm, balanced feel to each headphone I tested out and offered a more smoothed out high end than one that was ultra crisp. Especially when used in tandem with the XBass, it made sure any added punch remained controlled and clean no matter what.

XBass

• 10Hz: This is the most subtle of the three modes, and will be hard to detect on some headphones that don’t reach that far down. When it is detectable, its effects are more physical than audible, allowing for more realism and cinema from music, but not generally an obvious increase in any recognizable timbre. 

• 20Hz: While this mode is still subtle, it is more noticeable than the 10Hz setting, of course. I enjoyed the understated boost this offered, making a clear change but one that’s never overwhelming, and never sacrifices balance or cleanliness. 

• 40Hz: I’ll be honest, this was my favorite setting simply because it was the most exciting and intense. This boost will definitely be a little overkill on some headphones and/or songs, but at large keeps things balanced enough. This option reminded me most of the default bass boost on other iFi amps like the Zen DAC and Zen DAC V2. 

3D Holographic

This function seems more aimed at speakers than it does headphones. It’s meant to restore the recording to its original soundstage, which may have been spatially distorted during recording/mixing/mastering. It is also meant to allow the width of the soundstage to stretch beyond speaker placement, particularly narrow speaker placement. On the headphones I tested, this function seemed to reformat the soundstage more than it did expand it, often dropping out the middle a bit and lightening up the low end/mid range of the outer edges. On some headphones, like the AEON 2 Open, it in ways felt to be making the soundstage a tad bit more narrow. 

Overall

The iCAN Signature is a successful upgrade that further refines, fine tunes, and cleans up the sound of the already impeccable original iCAN model. It offers its users the option to get increased fidelity while retaining transparency or to add some top-notch color and saturation to their system. The ability to personalize, with customizable features like XBass and 3D Holographic, make this amp a real jack of all trades and ready to serve a wide range of preferences and applications.

You can purchase the iFi Pro iCan Signature at Audio46.

The post iFi Pro iCAN Signature Review – in Depth appeared first on Major HiFi.