Audiophilepure

https://www.enjoythemusic.com/magazine/equipment/0823/FiiO_M15S_Desktop_Portable_Hi_Res_Audio_Lossless_Music_Player_Review.htm

Performance was so good with the expanse that I had no qualms stepping over to the HiFiMAN HE6se which is my hardest-to-drive headphone. Queuing up Speakers Corner Quartet’s “Further Out Than The Edge” (24-bit/44.1kHz – Qobuz), again I was able to get excellent dynamics out of lower than expected gain settings, this time “medium gain”, but I quickly moved up to “ultra high gain” which put loud at about 107 out of 120 with this electronica / jazz / hip-hop quartet, easily scaling the amp’ed up bass and percussion. Once again the result was wonderfully musical despite the HE6se’s heavy lean into the top end. Even with the USB power disconnected, I was able to get acceptable power levels out of the M15S though it did indeed perform better plugged in.

I feel the M9 Plus has a bit more leaner and more controlled bass than the M9. The bass hits cleaner with more focus and to me, it sounds quicker. The decay is nicely done and the bass overall has excellent balance. I’m surprised that Shanling took a more neutral approach here, but it makes the player sound wider and more spacious in my opinion. The new audio circuit of the M9 Plus certainly makes a significant difference in the bass section, as the bass region is very clean, detailed, and textured.

Overall the presentation is more dispersed, wide, and open than the predecessors. The mid-range focus is no longer prominent, and the spectrum has a great balance. I’m very impressed by the development of the Shanling flagship players starting from the M8. The M8 was an excellent DAP but the presentation was solely musical. Then came the M9 and refined/improved its qualities, taking a step ahead for being a reference player. Now, this new M9 Plus is the latest step towards being more airy, reference, and maybe a bit more “studio-like” to some degree.

https://www.whathifi.com/reviews/astell-and-kern-aandnorma-sr35

Sonic fatigue won’t be an issue either, unless your listening session includes playing the whole of The Cure’s Disintegration album at the volume level it deserves (and demands in the liner notes!) That’s because the SR35 has the punch and rhythmic drive to keep you tapping along to upbeat tracks, and the insight to draw you into the details of those calmer ones. This is the kind of musical machine we have come to expect from Astell & Kern, and while the company has done well to differentiate its models of varying prices with regard to resolution and overall transparency, it has remained consistently loyal to a full-bodied, entertaining character across them.

https://www.whathifi.com/reviews/sony-nw-a306

The Sony is adept enough to turn its hand to various genres and even discern the differences in file qualities, but it doesn’t make a meal out of it at all. In fact, there’s a familial throughline from the high-end NW-WM1ZM2 to the A306 in terms of just how mature and capable it’s able to sound. We can spot the same sound signature, even if the detail resolution is at vastly different levels. Where the A306 differs (and has the upper hand) is with volume: it had no problem driving the Grados, and we found it played more than loud enough for our needs. 

As with the NW-WM1ZM2, though, we find ourselves yearning for an ounce more dynamic punch and drive. We think the Sony A306 could sound a whole lot more fun and immersive if it let its metaphorical hair down and stayed up past its metaphorical bedtime. It’s a polite, undemanding listen that could become an absolute barnstormer with just a bit more bite, fluidity and insight.

The Honey H1 DAC/Amp was quite a buggy device when it first came out. The issues were solved later on, but the problem with the volume knob continued since it can’t be fixed without a hardware modification. The SG1 offers a much smoother experience though. You open the device, pair it with your source device and you’re connected. The volume knob is much better and the build quality has no flaws. Maybe Dethonray could’ve included a protective case since the design is sharp and angular so you might damage the corners. You can get a case from the web and the Dethonray AliExpress store also has one.