FIIO M9 REVIEW
December 7, 2018 § Leave a comment
“As an Android player, the FiiO M9 gets a modern processor from Samsung, the Exynos 7270. It’s faster than the old Mediatek SoC previously in use and that’s one of the main reasons the player feels snappy. More than just a processor, it’s a full system taking charge of the many aspects of the player. That’s how the M9 became compatible with 24-bit Bluetooth transmission or how it’s able to transfer your music in WiFi directly now.
As for the FiiO Q5, the brand also employ futuristic technology like this multi-layered PCB. Each layer is only 0.08mm wide and that alone is already impressive, even more if you recall how tough it might be to isolate the chips from all this parasites waves. Gone are the days WiFi and Bluetooth polluted your audiophile experience, the FiiO M9 is fully shielded now.”
Cayin N8 Review
November 29, 2018 § Leave a comment
“The noise floor is very good on both outputs. You should have no fears running super-efficient IEMs from the Cayin N8, though we will test further in the final review. For example, our Campfire Andromeda had only a very low level of hiss using the N8 low-gain setting. Only something you can pick up on the very quietest of tracks.
There also seems to be plenty of gain and volume for harder to drive headphones though quite how well it drives them we shall soon find out. TOTL cans such as the HE1000 V2 I could only go to about 75% of the possible volume output on the N8 before it got too loud. Dynamic range and timbre were actually pretty good with this pairing on the tube output.”
IBASSO DX120 REVIEW
November 1, 2018 § Leave a comment
For the first time since the iBasso DX50, the brand chose to use one DAC only. It’s the “former flagship DAC AK4495” released in 2015 by Asahi Kasei a very potent DAC capable of decoding 32bit files as well as DSD files, if the processor allows it.It’s a full symmetrical stereo DAC from the Verita series, the one bragging velvet sound every time. Quoted from AK website :
“Five digital filters are integrated into the AK4495(…) and a newly integrated super slow roll-off filter having emphasized characteristics, providing a wide range of choice in digital filters.”To summarize, even up to this day, it’s a very good DAC with a 105dB THD on paper and 111dB THD with the DX120, thanks to an additional 7V supply.”
ASTELL&KERN SR15 $700 REVIEW
October 31, 2018 § Leave a comment
“As mentioned before, Astell&Kern has two outputs. I have mostly been using the 2.5 mm balanced one, as most of my cables are terminated to that plug. I will go over the differences between balanced and unbalanced later. One thing up front though. I know people say balanced makes no difference. While I agree that there is no general rule for that, I say, it is all about the implementation. The circuit matters. I know balanced outputs that outperform the single ended one, and I also know single ended one’s that sound better than their symmetrical counterpart. It’s all about the components used and how well they act with each other.”
