It's the bone conduction takeover at Empire Ears with Triton! The third generation of Dean and Jack Vang's Dual Conduction Architecture (DCA) distils the lessons learnt from Empire Ears' own W10. The tri-brid Triton introduces a new level of cost – and sonic – effectiveness after Legend EVO and Raven. Far from being the bass cannon everyone taught it might be, Triton in fact puts in a good word for entertaining neutrality. Here, it sports a pair of new Sonion bone conduction units – that are already carving a reputation for themselves for uncoloured transparency – alongside one custom Empire Ears mids balanced armature and a trademark W9+ bass dynamic driver.  Operated efficiently, the latter pair operate conventionally as pressure-based transducers, with Triton's bone conductors literally making their presence felt. These bone conductors are the driving force behind DCA, enhancing both Triton's auditory and tactile elements of music. This fusion works with an expertly designed SynX crossover to ensure that every note resonates with unparalleled precision assigning drivers to the right frequencies. And, thorough tweaks like Anti-Resonance Compound (ARC) and tri-port ventilation are the Empire Ears signature on Triton, truly standing it apart from anything else on the market. [See Product Desc. For More] The benefits of bone conduction are discernible, particularly the way Empire Ears operates them full-range. Music gains a new found solidity as the bone conductors reach one's inner hearing structure through vibration. Music is propelled at you, but the lack of distortion – a benefit of not needing to tax Triton's pressure-based drivers for SPL to generate intangible listener engagement and immersion – is clear. Certainly, without needing to punch too hard by way of artificially overemphasising micro and macro dynamics, combines with Triton's lack of transducer distortion to reduce listener fatigue. Notes are portrayed sweetly and effortlessly. And by not trying too hard, Triton actually fills in the blanks in your music more effectively, conveying emotion.   Triton's earth-shaking performance indeed amplifies the performance of the premium dynamic driver and balanced armature Empire Ears chose. ARC aids in the resonance, amplification, and dispersion of sound waves, synergising with other elements to achieve a distinctive sound signature and optimise Triton's acoustic performance. To optimise sound quality, Empire Ears meticulously engineered the enclosure's ventilation system. Precise adjustments to vent size and placement were crucial, as even minor changes significantly impacted audio performance. By carefully calibrating the vented drivers to their ideal volume, Triton's full sonic potential was unlocked. With bone conductors performing for many other conventional pressure-based drivers, the SPL demands on the other cast members was lessened. Triton's Weapon 9+ dynamic woofer for low-frequencies can stick to its assigned range without needing to overcompensate. And Triton's balanced armature particularly benefits as the reduced need to produce SPL leads to less distortion and an edge-less body to their detail. Triton is a show of Empire Ears maturity and is possible also because of the state of maturity the Head-Fi ecosystem is at. DAC/amp and music player sources show up in abundance to drive Triton's very difficult 3ohm load. It starts as simply as Questyle Audio's M15i, with this flagship current-mode DAC/amp ever happier as a voltage source the more it detects a dead short. And the potent output devices of HiBy Music's Class A entry R4, FD5 and R6III are more than up to the task despite their budget status. And then there are the discrete DAC music players which output plenty of juice. Cayin's DSD N7 with its 5 ampere output devices, and HiBy's PWM R8II plus R2R RS8 with inductor power supplies and large, paralleled transistors, promise natural tone, gravitas, soundstage and imaging for audio fireworks.  Because Triton is the party that brings all of Head-Fi together; and also every Empire Ears technology – synX crossovers, DCA, ARC, tri-port exhaust vents – under one roof. Whet your appetites for Triton with every other Empire Ears release here, or view all our other earphones here.

If you think you know how C9II sounds because it's a Class A tube/solid-state hybrid portable amplifier, Cayin Audio asks you to think again. Pre-order now – stock arrives end-September. The successor to the genre-defining C9 throws in no-feedback operation, local feedback adjustment around dual 6P1 Nutubes, and anode voltage adjustment to reinvent the rule book, once again.  In its rawest form – with no global feedback and the barest minimum around its Nutube voltage gain stage, where the majority of an amplifier's signature is shaped – C9II is an exercise in circuit purity. It's a simple circuit that outperforms any complex one, especially in portable form factor. With Hyper mode, where operating voltage and bias gets pushed to the linear open-loop maximum, and full balanced differential operation, Cayin equipped C9II with the means to operate at its maximum in every possible mode of operation. [See Product Desc. For More] The vast majority of an amplifier's tuning comes from its initial input and voltage gain stages. Here, we see how far Cayin have come since C9 was released in 2021. A listener's ability to adjust every parameter including tube anode voltage and the feedback loop around Nutubes means up to five potential sonic signatures are possible. The operation of C9II's Gen 5 Nutube circuit in Classic mode eliminates the use of global negative feedback, increasing immersion with a simpler and faster circuit that avoids time lag and transient intermodulation distortion. Distortion figures also increase on paper but are of a low-order variety that is less jarring to the ear, compared to the complex intermodulation associated with unabated feedback levels. READ ALSO The full blow-by-blow story of C9II's development Here is where a good old linear open-loop circuit based on immaculate parts gain matching raises the victory flag. And that's before Class A bias and high operating voltages comes into play, setting up C9II for success. You can even play with Nutube anode voltage for very audible sonic outcomes.  Throughout, C9II allows linearity specs to remain respectable even without error correction, because there are less errors to correct in the first place. Cayin's biggest asset in that regard comes from differential, balanced operation, where common-mode rejection enters the picture to amplify signal and block off non-linear distortion and noise.  While 6P1 Nutubes are always going to be the start of the show, and adaptable to sonic preferences and tastes, don't ignore C9II's solid-state input either.  Four channels of single-ended Class A Toshiba JFETs work in quasi-complementary fashion. Just NPNs, without PNP mismatches, plus even-order harmonics and square law make for a totally unique differential circuit in a portable set-up. Once you find your ideal match from five possible permutations, the input signal passes through JRC's MUSES 72320 resistor ladder volume controls – kept far away from the input and implemented only after the driver stage to preserve fragile small-signal integrity and excellent signal-to-noise ratio. This preserved resolution is handled all the way by a discrete transistor signal path. C9II's design is more than up to the task of preserving the signal – mere op-amp ICs need not apply. Instead of wasting their input stage advancements by entrusting the analog job to commercial ICs, Cayin's labour of love continued into its discrete, differential, analog stage for common-mode rejection. C9II's driver section counts on all the benefits that come with a discrete FET & bipolar design – low open-loop gain and the resultantly lower negative feedback necessary, high slew rates, current-handling and unity gain stability.  Cayin's headphone power amplifier section is inherently stable without going into oscillation caused by too much gain product. The utmost attention is paid throughout. Differentiating itself from even other amplifiers that cling to op-amp layouts seeking THX-certification but with inordinate amounts of gain and feedforward/feedback, C9II's linearity remains excellent already in the open-loop, owing to its high operating voltages and bias. Those ensure individual transistors are working in optimum condition. Distortion and noise are kept low, without resorting to the excessive use of negative feedback. Cayin designed a true-balanced differential amplifier to further improve C9II's linearity, and you can count on common-mode rejection at its best whenever you plug in via 4.4mm preserving its resolution. It's an output stage that's direct-coupled to improve low-frequency performance, and C9II audibly plumbs the lowest bass depths. With the extension down low, phase reproduction in the audible human hearing range for taut, hard-hitting and life-like dynamics is excellent. At the tip of the power stage's spear, large bipolar devices work in parallel emitter-follower configuration to ensure excellent beta and current-handling for good reason, reaping the full benefit of Cayin's quad of 18650 batteries outputting direct DC and working without voltage boost conversion. These power transistors are linear enough in the open-loop, running fully biased and at high operating voltages, that they can be removed from the global feedback loop with the push of a button. The reduction in feedback to simple local quantities innocuously just controlling small-signal gain means sound becomes all the more natural. A faster, simpler and more responsive circuit is just able to present musical information in a more effortless way. Capable of following the impedances of the Empire Ears Raven, Odin and Legend Evo down low, Cayin's tradition building amplifiers that provide actual power as proper voltage sources into halving resistances continues with C9II. This is Cayin's latest exercise in old-school linear amplification brought away from the shackles of heavy hardware and into a portable future – with nary a compromise in sound, and adapted to manage the increasingly complex crossovers flagship IEMs represent. The versatility C9II yields in tuning options is only acknowledgement by Cayin for how much the portable audio market has grown. This Nutube hybrid promises to adapt to and improve your ever-changing transducers and portable sources, making you the chef that is in full control of the flavour of your audiophile nourishment. For much, much more detail into the portable technological advances C9II heralds, check out Cayin's full development story here plus the rest of their gear here, and all our other portable amplifiers here.

Every step Focal take towards the entry-level, the more they impress. So it is with Azurys, an audiophile closed-back wired portable headphone for the masses. Built on the familiar, chic, compact chassis of the Bathys, Focal included everything that they want into a portable, consumer audio headphone. Tom's Guide praised the company's most affordable wired headphone to date, echoed by SoundGuys. And like every Focal, Azurys sounds great. Trademark 40mm M-shaped aluminum-magnesium dynamic drivers supply a hearty dose of correct tone yet exciting dynamics whether you listen on the bus, the plane or your desk. Azurys stands to get better yet. Enquire in-shop about swapping Focal's stock mic cable with a balanced 4.4mm version, increasing this groundbreaking release – or its open Hadenys sibling's – audiophile credentials yet. [See Product Desc. For More] Like every Focal, Azurys combines stunning design for immersive listening experience, with unmatched portability and comfort. These wired closed-back headphones boast a high-end design with Focal's signature style elements, featuring luxurious materials like leather, magnesium and aluminum.  It's this winning combination that ensures both durability and comfortable wear for any head shape. Awash in a captivating blue chosen after Azurite and named accordingly, Azurys radiates positive energy, fostering confidence and a dynamic spirit. Its beauty is matched only by the serious technology it hides underneath. Like every Focal, 40mm M-shaped dynamic drivers that have been made in French facilities reside below its cups. Built to be extremely pistonic in motion, the maximum potential travel of the Azurys drivers give its bass proper low-frequency presence, speed and dynamics – useful on a noisy commute. These are traits that remain as frequencies rise. Focal's humble 40mm driver dimensions and the superb damping qualities of magnesium mean movement stays pistonic and doesn't deteriorate into harsh modal break-up up top. Treble detail stays inherently warm and natural. Focal engineered Azurys seriously so you could have fun. Worth every penny as it gives you a taste of French finery, few entrances into the audiophile hobby are as credible as this new closed-back headphone. Enquire with us about the balanced cable in order, for use with any one of our 4.4mm portable DAC/amps. Otherwise, see how you can step up via the rest of Focal's range here, or check out our other headphones here.

LetShuoer have set the gold standard for entry-level quality, so is it any wonder the colour they chose to build their Eighth Anniversary S12 Edition.  This is a celebration of LetShuoer’s timeless quality no matter the price of entrance, and so they constructed their most emblematic model of a rose-gold titanium alloy. This is a durability that will protect its specially-tuned 14.8mm planar-magnetic driver, with a new tuning that brings it to an ever-wider public. Refined to tame any possible peaks remaining from its original S12 Pro predecessor, S12 Eighth Anni irons out remaining treble issues to produce an effortless, warm listen for all. The interchangeable plugs provided – in balanced 2.5mm and 4.4mm – ensure future compatibility with balanced sources and DAC/dongles. This is an IEM you're intended to start with, and keep with you in the long-term. Check out LetShuoer's other gear here that you can grow with here, or view our other IEMs here.

For the audiophile gaming or on the go, Sennheiser's HD620S closed-back headphones offer a sanctuary. Forget noisy environments – HD620S's deliver pristine sound that rivals open-back designs. Immerse yourself in rich details, dynamic audio, and Sennheiser's remarkably spacious soundstage, all without sacrificing isolation. Its sub-bass boost not only adds excitement, but benefits low-level listening, ensuring low-frequency extension even when listening soft.  "For a closed-back headphone in this price range, the spaciousness, airiness and openness are just remarkable" to Headfonia. Headfonics says it "thoroughly belongs in the same class as the HD600". "HD 620S will serve up audiophile-quality sound wherever you are" adds Forbes. HD620S's wide, open soundstage thanks to angled drivers, a rarity for closed-back headphones. Sennheiser's bass is present and powerful, yet remains well-balanced. Every detail shines through with ultra-low distortion across the frequency range. [See Product Desc. For More] Vocals are reproduced faithfully, intended to allow you to hone in on detail in that specific band. HD620S's driver delivers exceptional impulse response, ensuring the music attacks and decays with accuracy. The core of the HD620S is a custom-made 42mm driver, crafted in Sennheiser's cutting-edge facility in Tullamore, Ireland.  This driver builds on the smooth, effortless sound of the open-back 600 series, adding a touch of modern airiness for a balanced soundscape with clear highs and deep, detailed bass. Sennheiser's thin and light 150ohm aluminum voice coil delivers crisp transients and instrument decays, resulting in impactful dynamics throughout HD620S's entire frequency range – a win for audiophiles and gamers who crave rich sonic detail. The HD620S boasts a legendary design known for its exceptional comfort, a favourite among audiophiles, gamers, and streamers alike. Its metal accents are not just for aesthetics. The steel backplate effectively isolates sound, minimising internal reflections that can muddle your audio. Sennheiser's cleverly angled baffle promotes airflow, mimicking the behaviour of open-back headphones and recreating the expansive soundstage of a high-end speaker setup in a perfectly tuned room. HD620S's immersive experience places you right in the heart of the action, whether you're enjoying a rare live recording or an intense online multiplayer battle. The trade-off between open and closed-back headphones is a familiar one for audiophiles. Open-back designs offer a more natural sound and wider soundstage, but leak sound and provide little isolation. Closed-back headphones excel at blocking out external noise but often come at the cost of a more "boxy" sound. Use these with any portable source available – anything as small as iBasso Audio's DC03 Pro that swings voltage will drive the HD620S. Step up to the desk with iFi Audio's hip-dac 3 and ZEN DAC V3. And Sennheiser's 150ohms will even suit high output impedance and suspect voltage sources in the studio, providing an accurate response. HD620S represents a breakthrough, achieving the spacious soundstage desired by audiophiles without the drawbacks of typical closed-back headphones. Check out the rest of Sennheiser's releases here, or our other headphones here.

Madoo's Type 622 is Japan's gift to Chinese and Cantonese vocal music lovers. Their newest planar-magnetic earphone produces exactly the kind of tuning associated with such driver topologies – especially a massive sub-bass. Deep bass emphasis with pronounced reverb combines with flow in the mids, for one's romantic idea of immersive listening in which the artist sings intimately to audience – Type 622 delivers completely in that regard. Madoo's single planar driver enjoys the best characteristic of a flat impedance, allowing it to connect to all variety of high output impedance sources and still reproduce the intended audio results. All this, in Madoo's trademark aluminium shell shaped by the result of sampling over 300 ear shapes, with a sapphire crystal viewing panel to give you insight into Type 622's internals that produce such addictive sound. Check out the rest of Madoo's planar IEMs here, or view our other earphones here.

Cayin Audio bring the KT170 – the golden boy of vacuum tubes – to Head-Fi for the first time in Soul 170HA. This Class A flagship specimen of a tube amplifier is capable of outputting up to 18 watts per channel into HIFIMAN's Susvara Unveiled. Beating every other household tube amp builder to debut the KT170 in a commercial amplifier, all of Cayin's tube expertise has been distilled into building a flagship product around this exciting new valve model. Early impressions have proven stunning on Eddie's Hifi Audio World. [See Product Desc. For More] Massive EI core output transformers plus dual power transformers for the high and low voltage sections are designed and wound in-house, to Cayin's exact spec. These allow Soul 170HA to take total advantage of its choke-input power supply, transferring pure potency to your giant flagship headphones. But don't let such raw power scare you, your sensitive Focals, ZMF Headphones ... or even your IEMs. Soul 170HA retains the sensuality that has defined Cayin alongside brute strength. This behemoth on its XLR outputs turns delicately tactile on its alternative 4.4mm output – 18 would-be watts usefully reduced, to a maximum of just 4 watts. It is this Jekyll-and-Hyde nature of Soul 170HA – enabled by the different taps on its output transformers – that means Head-Fi should take this flagship very seriously. A JRC MUSES72320 volume control shows up, proving how Cayin meant for more than just Susvara, Abyss Headphones and Dan Clark Audio owners to enjoy this do-it-all amp. These resistor ladder electronic volume parts preserve signal-to-noise ratio and channel balance down to the ALPS-controlled encoder's lowest level – perfect for however much, or little, travel you need.  Not a one-dimensional bull in a china shop, Soul 170HA still adds all the fidelity and finesse you can reap from the whole world of flagship equipment that can be enjoyed today – gear that's easy to drive, including IEMs, is certainly not exempted. Cayin naturally provides all the fidelity, and power, the Susvara Unveiled needs. But when that speaker-amplifier level of power's not needed, Soul 170HA has more than enough fidelity to stand upon that alone and make its case. Built to work in single-ended Class A, Soul 170HA preserves the all-important even harmonics that tube enthusiasts crave. Certainly none of those push-pull, odd harmonic nasties that's a painful shortcut to easy output power yet a route to non-linearities in the process. With Soul 170HA's huge, regulated power supplies, Cayin have ensured its single-ended KT170 pair sit in their sweet spot of bias and operating voltage, while outputting their huge power. Said power supply is perfectly designed to lavish New Sensor Corp's 2021 wonder tube's great plate dissipation and robust cathode. Housed in a separate chassis, comprised of dual toroidal transformers – one for the massive voltages of tubes, and a different one for the low voltage sections to avoid contamination – Cayin tagged these to a huge choke input.  This choke operates in tandem with a capacitor bank and regulation to ensure Soul 170HA enjoys vast power reserves. Soul 170HA's reservoir is unleashed into impossible loads during big transients via dual umbilical cords connecting the two chassis, so that neither feed contaminates the other. Cayin's protection from interference is yet another factor that adds up to Soul 170HA's fidelity – and the resulting point of owning one. Soul 170HA will undisputedly improve any transducer you use, whether or not you require all 18 watts off its 4-pin XLR, or barely approach the limit of its ubiquitous 4.4mm's max 4 watts. Soul 170HA can attribute that claim to its excellent linearity in the open loop. What enters comes out the same, not relying on the excessive use of negative feedback. Without counting on common-mode rejection, its achievement of 110dB signal-to-noise ratio is a great feat and testament to thorough, good old-school engineering. A point-wired, simple tube circuit guarantees purity. Custom-built AudioCapX MultiCap coupling capacitors in Soul 170HA's signal path are ideal for passing low frequencies and extending bass down to 10Hz. Phase reproduction in the audible human hearing range remains stellar as a result, with taut dynamics and impactful bass slam – not the wooly affairs of yesteryear's transformer amps. Helped by huge output transformers, with enough inductance to reproduce sub-notes low, plus Cayin's hand-wound EI shape to allow high frequencies through, Soul 170HA performs very satisfactorily in moving drivers full-range ... and is even capable of transferring its full 18 watts of ultra-linear power out into high-impedance, high-sensitivity speakers through taps on the rear. Again the reasons for Soul 170HA's range of highest possible output power, to delicate and soft playback, surface clearly: to reproduce its magnificent KT170 tube fidelity into any kind of load possible. Buy Cayin's champion now, and rest forever assured you have the best foundation for flagship tranducers – present and future – to perform. But if space and weight are a constraint, however, look towards Cayin's own HA-300B and HA-6A in more compact form factor for Susvara-driving power still. And, when on the go, bring out one of Cayin's DAPs here, as you browse the rest of our desktop equipment here too.

A Letshuoer double-kill sounds like S08 – releasing new entry-level planar-magnetic excellence and using the chance to debut new technologies. The combination of a new dual voice coil diaphragm, a new coil etching method plus a driver surround combine to create a complete IEM bound to keep newcomers happy for a long time. With its driver surround, S08's driver is capable of making pistonic action more akin to a dynamic driver. When you consider Letshuoer's large 13mm diaphragm and the copious amounts of air it can move, the recipe for deep, plentiful, bass is guaranteed. A 13mm dynamic driver would risk modal break-up at higher frequencies, though. Not Letshuoer's planer driver, kept under the control of S08's magnetic array at all times. [See Product Desc. For More] Being etched across its entire surface with a voice coil means that movements across S08's driver surface are perfectly controlled. Letshuoer introduced a new nanoscopic magnetron sputtering process with S08, etching the planar driver of their S08 earphones yields high stability and long lifespan. Far from modally breaking up at high frequencies, this coil-etching enhances treble resolution and yields high stability and long lifespan. Furthermore, S08's diaphragm is covered with these high-tech voice coils on both sides, improving vibration control, reducing resonance and enhancing transient response. All these aspects translate to Letshuoer's legacy of listenability continue with S08, balancing addictive bass with just a right level of transparency that's not overbearing. Discover S08 and be amazed, or check out Letshuoer's other gear here as well as our other IEMs here.

Open-back with a switch, but neither are features just for the sake of it. Alter Ego is Melodic Artification's big announcement that they're hitting the flagship IEM market with a point. A point to their implementations. A point to exist.  Twister6 quickly latched onto the hype. Switches like those on the tri-brid Alter Ego serve the listener, and not the spec sheet. Two different personalities present themselves in Melodic Artification's flagship when flicked.  One presents music accurately and resolutely, transient information all reproduced. Alter Ego's other setting immediately – and obviously – boosts sub and mid-bass as well as lower mids to grant warm immersion and an emotive presentation. Across both signatures, listeners are planted into a mid-range with a sweet, perfectly black background. Spatial detail is abundant but always natural. Distortion is evidently low; artifacts never get in the way of your listening. [See Product Desc. For More] Both switch positions engage a different crossover in Alter Ego entirely and present music in equally full quality and its total glory. No resonances or trapped backwaves from Alter Ego's dynamic driver are given the chance to build up given its open-back construction. In fact, Alter Ego's switch is another showcase of Melodic Artifaction's calibre. It's not easy to reproduce two different signatures with such quality in a single IEM, with a single set of drivers. The quality of its dynamic driver cannot be questioned, when asked to reproduce extra SPL with the flick of a switch. Alter Ego's bass unit responds without distortion, suggesting a perfectly damped diaphragm that allows it to climb in frequency and produce more pistonic motion. Its seamless transition between personalities of equal quality also suggests a design excellence in aspects rarely discussed – crossover design. Indeed, roll-off slopes and order of crossover are calibrated such that drivers, particularly Alter Ego's mid-range balanced armatures, are never pushed out of their comfort zone. The seamless driver transitions between frequency ranges suggests low-order crossovers that preserve phase response. Yet when asked to produce more SPL, Alter Ego never falters, able to take whatever you ask from it in stride. It's a degree of sweat and effort from Melodic Artifaction's design team so that Alter Ego never breaks sweat, sounding completely effortless. Indeed, it's a degree of mastery only matched by the extent of going on to machine its titanium shell. Alter Ego benefits yet from experiments with eartips and cables. Its forgiving detail is always an advantage for listening with more exacting sources, and music players like HiBy Music's R4 plus R8II, iBasso Audio's D16 and DX260 as well as Cayin Audio's N7 make perfect steeds. Stay tuned to welcome one of 2024's most exciting flagship IEMs today, highlighting the sheer variety the earphone segment is counting on as the key to its success today.

HiBy Music have nothing more to prove in the hand, so they've turned their attention to the desk. The Class A FD5 is the answer to the question Head-Fi had – can HiBy build a USB and Bluetooth desktop DAC/amp leashed to a wall power supply that could match, or even exceed, their portable music players? FD5 says they can. Built with a quad of AKM's AK4493SEQs supported by a FPGA, the discrete Class A FD5 is everyone's affordable compact gateway into an over-performing one-box desktop solution. Complete with a power supply given enough space to spread its wings in a separate chassis and finished with voltage regulation throughout, FD5 packs 32 discrete output transistors that achieve output power of over 1.5 watts. [See Product Desc. For More] This is a desktop-calibre HiBy that will drive your Empire Ears Raven, Subtonic Audio Storm or Symphonium Audio Crimson with total confidence from your mobile and computing devices. More importantly, its warm, rich tuning will offer lovely synergy and timeless value with revealing transducers such as Final Audio's D7000, Fostex's TH900 MKII, Canpur's CP74E, Craft Ears Aurum, Elysian Acoustic Labs' Annihilator, PlusSound's Allegro and the Vision Ears Elysium EXT. HiBy's first DAC/amp is not without flagship genes despite being on a budget. It not only borrows its analog stage from the R8II statement DAP. It also goes one better, doubling the output transistor count on FD5 to 32 to handle the abundant current its separate power supply can produce.  With such a discrete output stage HiBy immediately takes a big step ahead of the chasing pack of pedestrian op-amp competitors. Its individual transistors provide the power necessary to push big HIFIMANs and Rosson Audio Designs – not to mention Subtonic's Storm and Symphonium's Crimson – on a budget. Its ability to reel in highly-detailed, exacting and even punishingly revealing gear will, in fact, see it increasingly appreciated down the road. The ability of discrete output devices to handle current and push power is a given, and a necessary HiBy trademark given FD5's power supply sporting several thousand microfarads of filtering capacitors. It's a powerhouse that's escaped the pocket and now has the stage, and the limelight.  At the tip of HiBy's spear, an abundance of 32 output transistors ensure excellent current-handling for good reason, to reap the full benefit of FD5's separate power supply that can draw power from the wall on demand. They can be biased into Class A, if you so choose. Differentiating itself from even other flagships that cling to op-amp layouts seeking THX-certification but with inordinate amounts of gain and feedforward/feedback, HiBy's linearity remains excellent already in the open-loop, owing to its high Class A bias. FD5's quiescent current ensures individual transistors are working in optimum condition. Distortion and noise are kept low, without resorting to the excessive use of negative feedback. The fidelity of four Asahi Kasei Microdevices (AKM) DACs, being fed pristine I2S by HiBy's FPGA and dual clock oscillators, are totally preserved. To build on its impressive, regulated, miniature power supply, HiBy designed a true-balanced differential amplifier to further improve FD5's linearity, and you can count on common-mode rejection at its best whenever you plug in via 4.4mm preserving its resolution. Send this brute power into your transducers directly, or set up FD5 as a hub to also decode digital for a downstream amplifier via separate line outputs around back. It brings convenience too – on top of its USB input, it accepts Bluetooth LDAC feeds too. When you're done with FD5 at the desk move onto HiBy's portable DAPs here, or explore other desktop DAC/amp upgrades here.

Lucky number '6' goes onto Advanced AcousticWerkes' latest budget wonder – the Z06. Building on their experience with the 4+2, they've taken the same six drivers but completely reinvented the formula.  More complete than its 4+2 predecessor that ruled the mid-range and imparted a cream to vocals and instruments, Z06 extends its emphasis to the extremes. The star of Z06's show is undoubtedly its pair of isobaric dynamic drivers. AAW have had multiple iterations to perfect its 6mm dual dynamic set-up, and it shows with its kind of performance in the low frequencies here. Z06 hits hard and fast in the lows, small diameter drivers granted plenty of speed while able to move sufficient air due to their surface area – a direct result of their doubling up as an isobaric pair. [See Product Desc. For More] AAW's implementation of their BassFlow Vent Pressure System grants Z06 both the air volume necessary to produce prodigious quantities of bass and has the added benefit of damping the drivers when they move out of phase. That provides optimal control. Z06 hits hard and fast but never becomes overbearing, as its low-frequency drivers stay locked under the grip of neodymium magnets. Thankfully, the rest of Z06's performance stays as good as its bass. AAW's dynamic drivers count on great damping owing to their humble 6mm proportions to climb up in frequencies without cone break-up. Mids stay clean as the handover to Z06's balanced armatures is performed seamlessly. As much thought about implementing Z06's higher frequencies took place. Its 3D-printed acoustic cavities leverage powerful computer simulations. By simulating hundreds of driver and nozzle configurations, AAW meticulously analysed each iteration to identify the perfect balance of phasing, response and overall acoustic performance in Z06. AAW ensure every element works in perfect harmony, resulting in superior sound quality. Z06 is a bottom-to-top budget banger, granting you excitement with its V-shape while maintaining its audiophile sensibilities. Build Z06 as a CIEM here to personalise its awesome completeness to your tastes. You can also view AAW's other IEMs here, or our other IEMs here.

Feel the power of Timsok's TS316. The same minds behind Melodic Artifaction harness the sheer pistonic power of a 10mm dynamic driver to deliver a one-two punch in the lowest bass-registers, this side of $1,000. Competition might be fierce, but the ease in enjoying this bass response off laptop, mobile or DAC dongle flea power ultimately gives Timsok the crown.  You never have to try too hard to coax sheer dynamic power down low from TS316. Its 10mm driver is capable of moving plenty of air, undoubtedly helped by a large air vent on Timsok's shell. It's a V-shaped frequency response that also grants terrific sparkle in the highest registers, and listeners who appreciate anything from Advanced AcousticWerks' old AXH up to Elysian Acoustic Labs' Annihilator will find plenty to like in TS316. Pairing it with the Divinus wide bore tips could help it achieve ever slightly more refinement in the low-frequencies, while Final Audio's E-Type eartips grant much more mid-range presence. Meanwhile, check out the Alter Ego that Melodic Artification announced themselves on the high-end IEM market with here, or check out our other IEMs here.

iBasso Audio can't stop and won't stop loading Cirrus Logic DACs into their sources. DC07 Pro is their latest balanced 4.4mm dongle supplied by a quad of CS43131 DAC chips from the DX180 music player, working controlled by iBasso FPGA-Master technology. It's landed right on Headfonia's Recommended Buys list. DC07 Pro's state-of-the-art decode flows onto a fully-balanced analog path counting on common-mode rejection and claiming 134dB of signal-to-noise ratio. An OLED screen basically adds to the illusion of music player levels of detail and fidelity even from USB's 5 volt supply are possible with DC07 Pro. A thoroughly regulated circuit and clean power form the basics here, as with every iBasso. It's solutions like DC07 Pro that continue to see USB DAC/amps raise their game. Further pushing decoding precision is an outboard clock that means DC07 Pro does not rely solely on its USB receiving chip for a master clock, but its FPGA. [See Product Desc. For More] Said FPGA sees DC07 Pro overachieve by supplying its CS43131s DACs the same pure I2S as iBasso's bigger DX180 and DX260 DAP alternatives, pushing down DAC phase noise and jitter for a stable decode. After decoding, iBasso's generous use of negative feedback quashes distortion and claims up to 134dB of signal-to-noise ratio. The employment of this feedback also sees DC07 Pro achieve bandwidth that's effectively flat from 10Hz to 75Khz. That means phase reproduction in the audible human hearing region is perfectly preserved, for the totally realistic portrayal of dynamics and natural transparency – a triumph of iBasso's budget DAC dongle. Powerful op-amp output buffers can supply nearly one watt of power. iBasso's little wonder promises high power and damping factor while maintaining its low distortion into low impedances typical of IEMs, Focals, Fostexs and Rosson Audio Designs. Still the closed-loop internal gain remaining after the application of negative feedback around DC07 Pro's op-amp IC analog circuit remains high. So where she really shines is in swinging volts, opening up the sound of any high-impedance Audio-Technica, Sennheiser and ZMF Headphones while barely breaking sweat. The quality of DC07 Pro's signal will translate to nearly everything you choose to drive from its balanced 4.4mm output, or 3.5mm – turning it into a miniaturised DX180, if you would. Flying the dongle DAC/amp flag high is DC07 Pro, till you turn to iBasso Audio's DC Elite here and other upgrades here, or others in our catalogue here.

The most resolving amplifier – not just of Vioelectric's current crop, but in all of Head-Fi. A bold claim, but a title befitting for the Niimbus US5 Pro though as it achieves both fidelity via a 135dB dynamic range, and combines that with power to drive HIFIMAN's Susvara.  14 watts into Susvara Unveiled certainly keeps that planar flagship ticking over and producing all the resolution it's capable of. Niimbus, Vioelectric and Lake People continue to be worthy steeds for the world's latest and greatest headphones. It clinches StereoNET's Applause Award. All the hallmarks of a superb voltage source are present. 16 output transistors provide superb damping factor and are fully capable of handling the current produced by US5 Pro's dual-mono power supply and huge operating voltage. But power is nothing without control, US5 Pro says echoing Pirelli's famous slogan. For an amplifier capable of providing so much power, the Niimbus signature move of using reed-relay resistor ladder volume controls and Vioelectric's unique pre-gain system keeps noise low, and detail in your music high. [See Product Desc. For More] In there is the delicate balance Niimbus provides. US5 Pro achieves infinite headroom for listening loud on the most demanding headphones, reproducing crashing musical crescendos without the slightest hint of clipping or losing composure.  And at the same time, Niimbus is a transient detail monster, being totally respectful of musical detail and reproducing it without undue colouration. “Tools, not toys” is the famous Vioelectric slogan, yet US5 Pro's top attributes always combine to bring us unbridled fun hearing detail that hadn't been present before. At the heart of Niimbus' awesome performance is a power supply built upon a 60 volt operating voltage. No matter how loud you listen, US5 Pro's massive headroom keeps individual transistors running in their most linear region in the open-loop.  Linearity is already a given before negative feedback is applied. What goes in comes out the same – and US5 Pro's fully-balanced, differential operation yields common-mode rejection that also lends itself to this amplifier's huge claimed 135dB dynamic range. The true credit for that goes towards the default extremely low internal gain – all of 2dB – Niimbus works with. With lower gain comes lower noise, encouraging you to climb your volume knob and feed in more signal ... only helping your ratios, and your ability to hear more of the music.  That optimised operation only serves up the platform for US5 Pro's reed-relay volume control – 256 steps each yielding a 0.4dB difference. That yields super-precise adjustments devoid of channel imbalances, and no loss of transparency one might otherwise endure at the lowest points of a conventional potentiometer.   Free from the big chunk of a variable resistor in its signal path, US5 Pro switches in a couple of quality resistors of precise value for your volume setting, to enable a hyper-transparent presentation. The direct-coupled Niimbus promises frequency extension that is virtually flat from near DC to 250Khz, meaning phase response in the human hearing range is stellar and transients and dynamics are true-to-life. What strengthens this impression is clearly a tremendously high slew rate. The air and natural, sophisticated bloom to notes separates this Niimbus from all others – even its regular US5 counterpart. All this exceptional handling of US5 Pro's small signal leads to a linearity that then gets passed over to 16 output transistors that are well capable of withstanding the amplifier's huge operating voltage – and handling the abundant current its power supply can deliver. This all maintains the exceptional fidelity Niimbus receives from your source, to be passed over accurately – with minimal distortion – to your flagship headphones.  With every other popular flaghip planar-magnetic headphone taking the low-impedance route, having the power reserves and voltage headroom of Niimbus will serve you ably now and in the future. US5 Pro drives everything, from IEMs on the right pre-gain setting, to becoming the sweet spot for Final Audios, Focals, Fostexs and Rosson Audio Designs, to the ZMF Headphones Caldera, Hedd Audio's HEDDPhone 2 and naturally, HIFIMANs and Abyss Headphones. Come and hear how Niimbus US5 Pro's heavy hardware and expert craftsmanship of assemblers working under Fried Reim's direction justify its top-tier pricing and place at the top of the flagship pile. View the sibling US5 here, other Vioelectric amplifiers here, or all our other amplifiers here.

iFi Audio's newest Zen CAN 3 puts flagship technology into an affordable 4.4mm balanced amplifier, merging futuristic xMEMS capability with good old school Class A. Even as we wait on xMEMS to achieve widespread availability, there's so much for the budding audiophile to enjoy with Zen CAN 3.  Its maximum power output of 2 whole discrete Class A watts on balanced 4.4mm promises to drive your cans to their maximum potential. [See Product Desc. For More] What is even more impressive about Zen CAN 3, though, is its practicality for listeners of entry-level headphones, right up to easy-to-drive Focal and IEM flagships. iFi's use of their custom 'Operationsverstärker' op-amps means that they're fully in charge of how much – or importantly, how little – gain is applied internally to Zen CAN 3. This mini marvel is capable of working at unity gain at the push of a button. With 0dB of gain applied to the incoming signal, Zen CAN 3 is realistically able to drive 90 per cent of transducers out there, from the easiest to the most difficult, without suffering any noise penalty. It's unlikely users will ever find it necessary to go beyond unity gain on their iFi, allowing listeners to climb up their knob where signal-to-noise can reach a leading 125dB, while always enjoying perfect channel balance. Zen CAN 3's flexibility doesn't stop there. With built-in 'Movie' and 'Gain' modes on top of favourites like XBass and XSpace, all implemented in the analog domain without lossy digital EQ, iFi owners can tweak the Zen CAN 3 to their exact liking. Feed Zen CAN 3 signal from iFi's own Zen DAC 3 and Zen Blue 3, or take hip-dac 3 on the go as you explore the rest of their range here.

This is what everyone's first audiophile open-back headphone can be. That's the message Focal have sent with Hadenys, an entry-level wired headphone for the masses. What Hi-Fi? are already impressed. Built on the familiar, chic, compact chassis of the Bathys, Hadenys sounds great. Trademark 40mm M-shaped aluminum-magnesium dynamic drivers work with its open grilles to supply a healthy dose of space. As possibly one's first experience with open-back headphones, Hadenys however never once pushes listeners out of their comfort zone. Reference soundstage, dynamics and detail are delivered politely and palatably, never once beating the uninitiated over the head with excessive high-frequencies. Also requiring zero amping, but improving with some, Hadenys gives you headroom to explore. Enquire in-shop about swapping Focal's stock mic cable with a balanced 4.4mm version, increasing this groundbreaking release – or its closed Azurys sibling's – audiophile credentials yet. [See Product Desc. For More] Like every Focal, Hadenys combines stunning design for immersive listening experience, with unmatched portability and comfort. These wired closed-back headphones boast a high-end design with Focal's signature style elements, featuring luxurious materials like leather, magnesium and aluminum.  It's this winning combination that ensures both durability and comfortable wear for any head shape. Inspired by the Hadean era, when the Earth completed its formation, Focal's rich brown colour gives it a distinctive touch, evoking earthly depth and organic warmth. Its beauty is matched only by the serious technology it hides underneath. Like every Focal, 40mm M-shaped dynamic drivers that have been made in French facilities reside below its cups. Built to be extremely pistonic in motion, the maximum potential travel of the Hadenys drivers give its bass proper low-frequency presence, speed and dynamics – useful on a noisy commute. These are traits that remain as frequencies rise. Focal's humble 40mm driver dimensions and the superb damping qualities of magnesium mean movement stays pistonic and doesn't deteriorate into harsh modal break-up up top. Treble detail stays inherently warm and natural. Focal engineered Hadenys seriously so you could have fun. Worth every penny as it gives you a taste of French finery, few entrances into the audiophile hobby are as credible as this new closed-back headphone. Enquire with us about the balanced cable that's in order, for use with any one of our portable DAC/amps or desktop sources. Otherwise, see how you can step up via the rest of Focal's range here, or check out our other headphones here.

The highly-touted 'mini-Annihilator' is here. Elysian Acoustic Labs release Pilgrim as an affordable way to enter their universe of earphones. It landed right on Headfonia's Recommended Buys list. "Its sound signature is entertaining and performs at a very high technical level" says Headfonics. Twister6 enjoyed its flavour. It's the benchmark for its price to Ichos-reviews. Pilgrim's hybrid construction of a dynamic driver paired with quality Sonion drivers leads you on your wall into the high-end. Elysian combined its neutrality, tuned in reference to the Harman Curve, with potent dynamics to guarantee you both accuracy and musical engagement. [See Product Desc. For More] Elysian flagships certainly are famed for their high-frequency transparency. But while the inclusion of Sonion mid and high balanced armatures promises some of that that, Pilgrim did not skimp on the low-end action either. Its 9.2mm dynamic driver counts on its Liquid Silicone Rubber (LSR) surround to move pistonically, pushing the necessary amounts of air needed to produce bass. The aluminium-magnesium alloy construction of Pilgrim's dynamic driver – the same material as some of Focal's high-end headphones – combines stiffness and damping, allowing a clean hand-off to Elysian's balanced armatures without modal break-up. Pilgrim's story of low-distortion and precision continues with its construction that provides its Sonions a platform to perform. Its internal chambers and sound tubes are 3D printed with high-precision, ensuring intricate details for minimal signal distortion and accurate phase coherency. Elysian's lightweight yet robust aluminum shell offers excellent portability, while the 304 stainless steel bores provide superior corrosion resistance. This combination guarantees long-lasting use without compromising the exceptional audio quality you deserve. Annihilator and Diva constituted somewhat of a bargain in the high-end when they came to market, and Pilgrim arrives in the Elysian stable channeling the same spirit. Also check out Pilgrim Noir here, their other IEMs here, or view all our other earphones here.

After iBasso Audio's success with DX260, you knew DX180 was going to be on its way. Doing good by DX260's industry-leading measurements, DX180's 130dB of dynamic range and -115dB THD is ensured by 4 Cirrus Logic CS43131 DACs. Twister6 says it simply: "I'm impressed!" It exceeds the highest expectations of ichos-reviews. More than outright audio benchmarks, it's the continued evolution of iBasso's FPGA-Master 2 technology to lower entry points that's reason to celebrate. It landed on Headfonia's Recommended Buys list and Audiophile-Heaven's Hall of Fame. "DX180 is a very accomplished and natural-sounding" player says Headfonics, this iBasso arriving at the sweet spot between raw resolution and musicality. iBasso's affordable player never pushes you out of your comfort zone, sweetening the deal – and detail – its correct, super-quiet operation, yields. With its unique CS43131 implementation, the Android 13 DX180 exceeds even Cirrus Logic's nominal specs giving listeners a degree of pocket fidelity from Spotify, Tidal and Apple Music never experienced before. [See Product Desc. For More] That's owed to iBasso's very precise decode thanks to its FPGA-Master 2, banishing noise and distortion with proprietary code aboard operating DX180's arsenal of DACs with an accuracy and co-ordination not thought possible before. This numbers-chasing from iBasso leads to a new-found transparency in your music playback. The technical basis upon which the idea of DX180 was founded was to operate its sheer number of DACs in as flexible and independent a way each. Each DAC answers to iBasso's veritable puppet master – the FPGA-Master 2 aboard. iBasso's treat each of the 4 CS43131s as individual entities, and operates them at very specific moments in the time domain. Ordinarily that might spell chaos, but it's iBasso's FPGA-Master 2 that grants a firm grip of how each Cirrus Logic outputs in the time and frequency domain. The result of the entirety of 4 DACs outputting at phased intervals leads to a coherent, continuous waveform with finer stairsteps in time. That captures more detail in your music and reduces errors, decoding your music back more accurately to the original waveform. Throughout, FPGA-Master 2 keeps an iron grip on proceedings as the CS43131s work in synchronous mode, counting on iBasso's FPGA-generated I2S to work in the exact manner intended.  Superior to the switched-capacitor output stage on Asahi Kasei Microdevices voltage DAC counterparts, the Class H analog outputs of CS43131s are accurate before being fed into DX180's low-pass voltage summing gain stage that smooths the audio wave removing ultrasonic artifacts further. After the differential decoding, iBasso's generous use of negative feedback quashes distortion and claims up to 130dB of signal-to-noise ratio. The employment of this feedback also sees DX180 achieve massive bandwidth that's effectively flat 10Hz to 75Khz. That means phase reproduction in the audible human hearing region is stellar, for realistic portrayal of dynamics and natural transparency – a triumph of iBasso's new mid-line player. Powerful op-amp output buffers supply current and mean iBasso's wonderkid promises high damping factor while maintaining its low distortion into low impedances typical of IEMs, Focals, Fostexs and Rosson Audio Designs. Still the closed-loop internal gain remaining after the application of negative feedback around DX180's op-amp IC analog circuit remains high. So where she really shines is in swinging voltage, opening up the sound of any high-impedance Audio-Technica, Sennheiser and ZMF Headphones while barely breaking sweat. And DX180's future-proof Android 13 software will mean Google Play Store app support of Tidal, Spotify and Apple Music for years to come, backed by a Snapdragon 665 SOC processor. Certainly, iBasso's FPGA-Master 2 wonderkind might be all the DAP you need. Till you step up to what dual battery power supplies, current-output DACs and a discrete output stage can do for you in DX320. Explore the rest of iBasso's range here, or view our other music players here.

The Caldera Closed is a planar-magnetic revelation not just for ZMF Headphones, but for Head-Fi. Here's a closed-back sister to Caldera Open that packs heaps of reference-level resolution, soundstage and tonal accuracy. Most importantly, its raw detail and way of extracting musical information does not come at the expense of proper musical immersion, or pure, simple fun. Headfonics write this flagship "is a very easy recommendation". It's a TechPowerUp award-winner. Caldera Closed doesn't suck the life out of music as some other closed-back planar-magnetic flagships gone by in recent history have.  Far from being a dead scientific instrument, this ZMF adds on to the fun factor, mirroring its open counterpart's engagement factor behind the privacy of closed cups. Zach Mehrbach's latest Caldera Asymmetrical Magnet Structure (CAMS) and Atrium Damping System (ADS) realisations prove closed-back headphones are no longer inferior to open-backs – they're just differently flavoured, and equally capable. [See Product Desc. For More] Caldera Closed's biggest strength at the drawing board was that it was designed from scratch. While it walked the same path as Caldera Open, Caldera Closed breaks the mould with a cup shape inspired by the rugged, geometric form of a volcanic caldera. Its unique, asymmetrical curves not only look striking, but also allow the exceptional sound of our drivers to truly come alive. With a new asymmetrical magnet array working for – not against or apart from – earcup acoustics, ZMF's original work merged their two biggest technical accomplishments into one headphone. Certainly, CADS birthed Caldera Closed together with the Atrium Damping System (ADS). CADS starts with trapezoidal N52 magnets that shape and optimise airflow either side of Caldera's 80mm planar driver minimising turbulence and phase issues.  It's a volcano-like magnet structure that allows air to naturally spread out, and maintains a slightly asymmetric force making the membrane more nodal, pushing a massive amount of air towards the ear while diffusing it at the same time. Macro dynamics are a given but it's micro-dynamic reproduction that distinguishes Caldera Closed. The traces in proprietary ZMF planar driver film are gold-plated copper, and the diaphragm is coated with silver to maximise excursion along the traces. It's not just sheer driver size producing authority and slam – actual pistonic excursion akin to dynamic drivers reproduces tiny gradations in SPL. This sees Caldera Closed's timbral resolution on par with the likes of its Open, Atrium and Vérité counterparts.  Atrium Damping minimised back-wave cancellation from the rear of the driver, for more pressure to be exerted in a controlled manner towards the ear, carefully away from the back volume at determined frequencies. The smallest details made all the difference to a driver with as much resolution as Caldera Closed produced, and ZMF extended their research to earpads with three depth variances released for a complete ecosystem of accessories. All Caldera pads bear fluting – the tapering of rim thickness and circumference back to front – officially sealing the integral role oft underestimated items play on the ZMF tuning process. Already, Caldera Closed's combination of Atrium Damping plus the horn-like acoustic amplifier its sculpted earpads take the form of ensure substantially better SPL loading of the driver ear-side. With sensitivity at a high 95dB ensured by these added implements, the driver and motor are then freed to focus on mustering as much deep bass extension as possible from the air volume within limited cup enclosures. This is a closed headphone, so naturally it works as meant to from portable sources. Caldera is a call to experiment with amplifiers, so big-small devices such as Cayin Audio's C9, HiBy Music's FD5, R8II and RS8 and Enleum's HPA-23RM throw their hat into the ring to work very satisfactorily. At the desk and in a public office, compact voltage sources like that fit the desk only enhance the performance. The solid-state route is straightforward with Questyle Audio's current-mode desktop flagship CMA18. The Cayin iHA-8 and HIFIMAN EF500 are absolutely capable. That's exactly the kind of attention Caldera Closed deserves, the planar-magnetic cherry on the ZMF cake that completes the circle from the very first days Zach Mehrbach spent modding venerable Fostex T50RPs. Caldera is a headphone unlike any other, entering a world of planar magnetics yet not being entirely of it. Switch to Caldera Open here when you step back into the home environment, check out ZMF's dynamic driver headphones when looking for the perfect OTL tube amplifier match here, or view all our other headphones here.