Audiophilepure

https://www.headfonia.com/omne-audio-hendeka-review/

Priced at $585 USD, the Hendeka occupies what the community has started calling the upper mid-fi segment. In any earlier era of audio, this would simply have been called high-end. Inflation, as they say, is a relentless companion.

The boutique headphone market can be genuinely unpredictable. Small manufacturers often chase bold tuning philosophies, and in doing so, sometimes sacrifice versatility for the sake of a strong identity. The Hendeka could easily have fallen into that trap. Instead, it strikes a thoughtful balance between excitement and refinement – and that balance reveals itself quickly.

From the moment you pick it up, the Hendeka feels like something built by enthusiasts rather than a corporate committee. There are visual and tactile cues everywhere that suggest genuine care: the way the earcup geometry sits in your hand, the weight distribution, the finish quality on the 3D-printed components. At the same time, it avoids looking unfinished or experimental – a concern that follows many boutique builds, whether fairly or not.

https://www.hifinews.com/content/audio-research-ls-2s-200-prepower-amplifiers

If you’re looking for maximum impact amplifiers, with the excitement dialled up to 11, you won’t go far wrong here. The no-frills approach, flexibility of the LS-2 with those plug-in options, massive power of the S-200 and the purposeful styling will also all appeal. But there’s a nagging doubt that these amps sometimes try too hard, meaning care with partnering components may be needed to tame them a little.

https://www.headfonia.com/laiv-crescendo-verse-review/

Over the course of the past weeks, I used the LAiV Crescendo Verse mostly at work in the office and at home. It was placed as a standalone DAC/Amp using an array of different IEMs and headphones. I used the FIR Audio Radon 6 and Project K, as well as the Volk Audio Étoile, 64 Audio Fourté Noir and Noble Audio Kronos. At home I hooked up the HiFiMAN Arya Unveiled and Susvara, next to the Nur Headphones Harmonia.

The Verse did not have issues driving any of the above IEMs or headphones, with the only exception being the Susvara. While it gets loud enough, it misses proper grip to unleash Susvara’s full potential. But honestly, you cannot blame the Verse here. Susvara is a beast to drive right.