Shanling M0
Sonarworks True-Fi
Munich High End 2018
beyerdynamic Aventho Wireless
Sennheiser HD 660 S
iBasso DX200
FiiO X5 III
How to build a Custom IEM
Oppo PM-3
Lake People Reference Series
Benchmark DAC3 HGC
Shanling M0
Buy it. I would like to keep the conclusion this brief. Of course, the Shanling M0 is not perfect and perhaps it’s not the audiophile high-end nirvana in terms of data specs, but realistically speaking, you don’t need much more unless you like to fire particularly hungry headphones. For the moment, I’m hard to press to recommend any cheaper device on the road.
The workmanship is impeccable, the operation functional, the touch display sufficient and the form factor absolutely ingenious! Meanwhile, whenever I leave the house, I have to check for a fourth item in my jacket and trouser pockets: smartphone, keys, wallet and the M0.
Thanks to bluetooth connectivity, it no longer hurts to say goodbye to the smartphone’s headphone jack and compatible bluetooth headphones have also been considered. The “real” audiophile is also served a delicious dish: DSD and HD files are played back without a hitch and the finest gold ears can select an appropriate filter to get the maximum out of the information. However, low distortion and high signal-to-noise ratio are particularly important and Shanling succeeds.
We are talking about 99 € and the application possibilities are extremely varied. There is absolutely no reason not to recommend buying the M0. If you are looking for an inexpensive DAP, or have higher demands and still want to save money, you can easily get it from here.
Sonarworks True-Fi
At Headflux we think pragmatically: good sound is good sound, whether or not it was achieved with the help of DSP. In our opinion, the frequency response in particular is very important for subjective sound perception. This is one of the reasons why we have been intensively involved with the linearization of headphones behind the scenes for a long time. For this purpose we have already tested several target curves internally – the review of the biggest player Sonarworks should not be missing.
Altogether, we can easily recommend Sonarworks True-Fi as a cost-effective solution to achieve a significant improvement in the audio chain in terms of high-fidelity in most cases. The project is very ambitious, but currently there are not enough headphones on the list of supported devices. We also see potential for improvement in regards to IEM equalization. For the full experience, we also suggest to take a look at Sonarworks Reference, which allows manipulation of the default correction that thus can be better adapted to subjective perception. Anyone can test the software for free for 10 days before buying. We highly suggest to try it – at least if your headphones are supported.
Munich High End 2018
From May 10th to 13th 2018 the High End show took place in Munich. It is organized by the High End Society with its headquarters in Wuppertal. The High End has been an annual event since 1982, making it one of the largest international audio shows. Once again this year the size was immense and four halls, each with two floors, were filled to the smallest corner with booths. The visitors were numerous, but the fair was not so crowded that one would not have found access to interesting products. For the first time, CanJam Europe also took place in Munich. The entrance ticket was also valid here. Although CanJam was comparatively small, one day was far from enough to cover all the latest the headphone news. Therefore, some selected few impressions must suffice. Click on the link below to read the full article.
beyerdynamic Aventho Wireless
The beyerdynamic Aventho Wireless are a chic, well-made and comfortable set of on-ear headphones that are fun on-the-go with a warm tuning, moderate bass and smooth highs. You’ll enjoy wearing and showing them, but with a RRP of 449 € they ultimately stay a little below our expectations or don’t quite meet our demands of a neutral studio sound. Nevertheless, they can stand up to competing Bluetooth headphones. Perfectionists will criticize some shortcomings, such as the imprecise touch controls, noise from the built-in technology and a much too coarse volume control. In addition, the connection to the accompanying app is unreliable. Although the MIY app occasionally has problems accessing the headphones, the Bluetooth connection itself works very well. I am also very satisfied with the voice quality. As an audiophile, it’s easy to forget how convenient wireless use really is. Bluetooth definitely has some advantages.
The usefulness of the MIY app, which is actually supposed to enable “perfect sound” through personalization, ultimately depends very much on the health or age of one’s own ears. If your ears are still healthy, the additional benefit remains relatively small, but I can see how the idea makes sense in the long run. Especially those with asymmetrical hearing are offered an almost unrivaled advantage. Others are instead advised to take a look at a cheaper on-ear from the same company, such as the Aventho (without wireless), the T51i or the DT 1350.
Sennheiser HD 660 S
Just like the HD 600 and the HD 650 before it, the new HD 660 S is another great hi-fi headphone for home use. The revisions and minor improvements are legitimate and suit the series well – even if the surcharge seems to be a bit steep for the moment. I do not agree with the decision to include a symmetrical Pentaconn cable, but otherwise, considering the complete package, there is very little cause for criticism.
Sennheiser have once again delivered a very well-balanced and ambitious set of headphones, which can actually be blindly recommended for almost all purposes. However, if you already own one of the headphones from the six hundred series, you might save yourself the upgrade, depending on your requirements. Despite the new technology, the relationship to its siblings cannot be denied.
iBasso DX200
How much is a DAP allowed to cost? Up to 900 €, apparently. I criticized a few points, for example the display. However, there is nothing that cuts back on the music enjoyment. The DX200 has everything an audiophile needs: it sounds transparent, uncolored, spatial, revealing, and more.
The “ideal customer” of the iBasso is uncompromising, but also makes high demands based on price. He also wants to have the feeling of buying a premium device. The DX200 offers all this: the packaging is too fancy to store away; the charging cable is nice enough to proudly carry along and every day anew you want to decide whether to put on the leather case or not – it is attractive with or without it.
If you know that you prefer to listen to music very loudly, then you might want to replace the amplifier unit yourself and order the AMP3 module. The modularity is a big advantage in the long run, as there should soon be the 4th option. Personally, as an IEM user, I was already completely satisfied with the AMP1.
FiiO X5 III
In this review the poor FiiO got wiped several times from left and right. I am someone who demands streamlined minimalism and who prefers perfectionism over loads of functions. The X5 III moves in the opposite direction and offers quantity instead of quality in the software. Those who take their time will certainly get the Android device optimized to their advantage and have an excellent technical basis. If you can do without highly sensitive inears, you get a lot of power for 450 €. Unfortunately, you don’t get it served on a silver platter and I don’t recommend the FiiO music app.
How to build a Custom IEM
Custom-made in-ears – more commonly known as CIEM (Custom In-Ear Monitors) – are becoming increasingly popular. A few years ago, this was not the case when Ultimate Ears, Jerry Harvey and Compact Monitors still featured high-end products, but universal mass-produced earphones cost less than half the price. This price difference has now almost been closed. A custom-made earphone does not necessarily have to cost more than a good universal earphone such as the Campfire Andromeda or InEar ProPhile 8.
That’s reason enough to look at how a CIEM is created. How does it get its shape? How does the technology get into the custom? To answer these and other questions, we visited the specialists of Vision Ears in Cologne.
Oppo PM-3
We are friends of magnetostatic headphones. We are particularly pleased if these are visually attractive and of high quality, without being punished with a lot of weight. It’s almost unbelievable when a headphone can do all of this and also fits into your hand luggage, yet still manages to play loudly and clean from almost any source.
The smaller deviations from a perfect frequency response give the headphones their individual character and we are pleased that these do not end in too much bass and highs – as is often the case with the competition. Instead, the Oppo PM-3 appear surprisingly mature and feel most comfortable with multi-layered and complex compositions.
Lake People Reference Series
The Lake People Reference Series is easily recommendable for headphile purists. DAC and amp sound very clean and linear without any flaws. Especially the amp impressed me. Aiming at the same sonic qualities as the pricier Violectric products, the Reference Series deserves its name in my humble opinion.
Benchmark DAC3 HGC
£2,349.00 is not cheap. I will not lie, I was anxious at first, especially in regards to the slightly less expensive competition. But Benchmark did not fail me. The converted sound is rich in dynamics, crystal clear and completely transparent. Looking at the complete package, the DAC3 (HGC) offers everything one would need. It would be a shame to only use it as a desktop DAC to amp headphones.
Despite its rather small appearance, the DAC3 deserves to be a hifi stereo’s main centerpiece. Dual analog, dual optical, dual coax and a USB input with native DSD support accompany dual headphone, dual unbalanced and 3-pin balanced outputs. The optional – but highly recommended – remote control top off the audiophile consumer’s dream. If the Benchmark DAC3 fits your budget, this is a really good recommendation.