Recent Headphone Reviews

At $299, the HiFiMAN HE-400S comes in at the most affordable price for a planar dynamic driver headphone of its nature in the marketplace. With hopes to entice budding audiophiles, HiFiMAN have managed to release a very solid performing model with a luscious midrange and evenly balanced low and high-end. At 22 Ohms and a relatively light 12 Oz weight, the model is set to be a versatile release to capture more of this growing market share. To find out more, please read the review.

With updated drivers, the RHA T20 in-ear monitor headphones have recently been launched as an upgrade to the previous T10 flagship. The T20 come in the same stunning build quality and form factor however it now adopts a DualCoil dynamic driver technology to really improve resolution, clarity and the overall sound. With a price that matches performance, the RHA T20 looks set to be a popular model.

The Ultimate Ears Pro Reference Monitor has been a proud product of Ultimate Ears now for several years and remains the choice amongst audiophiles as the reference Custom In-Ear Monitor. Combining an accurate representation of sound with a seemingly large soundstage, the Ultimate Ears is technically and sonically a force to be reckoned with. This 3 driver, 3 way headphone system combines accurate sound with a fairly large soundstage. At $999 however, the price remains a factor to be taken into account though CIEMs of its nature tend to fall around the same ballpark. To decide whether or not you would like to buy, read on.

Thanks to Decibullz Contour Custom Molded Earphones, with a little hot water, and your thumbs, you can make a pair of off-the-shelf earbuds fit like custom in-ear monitors. This review is primarily about the Contour Custom Molded Earphones, but we’ll also talk a little about the Custom Molded Earphone Adapters and Custom Molded Earplugs that use the same unique custom fit method. It’s the custom molding technique common to all of these products that is the real star of this review.

The terms wireless and audiophile sound have been known to be quite oxymoronic in the community of avid listeners. One company however proposes to change this notion of conflicting ideals and make these terms synonymous with one another. Enter, the Pendulumic Stance S1+ Wireless Headphones– a concoction of careful planning and crafting in an attempt to break down preconceived thoughts. Armed with aptX to enhance the audio transmission over Bluetooth, Pendulumic is serious about offering a non-compromised high fidelity audio experience wirelessly. Have they succeeded? Read on to find out.

The PM-3 is Oppo’s third time around designing a planar-magnetic, closed back headphone after its highly acclaimed PM-1 and PM-2. But the PM-3 stands apart from its higher-end forefathers in a few key ways. The PM-1 and PM-2 are essentially the same design, both high-end luxury open-backed headphones for those willing to pay a premium for uncompromising performance. The PM-3 is designed with portability and more mainstream audience (and price) in mind. Let’s see how the company fared.

The Parrot Zik has been touted as the most technologically-advanced wireless headphones on the market. A recent redesign brings many improvements to an already impressive piece of hardware. These headphones have a wonderful sound. Their forte is in their features, but quite a bit of attention has been paid to sound quality via software. Overall, the Parrot Zik 2.0 is very much worth an audition for Bluetooth listening from a smartphone or tablet if the app is compatible with your device.

Fidue has pulled out all the stops to launch their new A73 in-ear headphones. Combining futuristic designs and a well-rounded sound, the A73s sport a hybrid driver configuration with a single dynamic driver and 2 balanced armature ones. The model departs from its predecessor, the A71, in various ways and brings more things to the table including great top-end extension and a controlled punchy bass. So has Fidue succeeded in winning over the audiophile community? Read on to find out.

AudioQuest’s relatively new device– the DragonFly USB DAC v1.2 offers a great portable way to improve your current computer and smartphone set up. With a flair in creating affordable mid-fi products, Audioquest have not failed to satisfy the market with an outstanding hi-fi sound. The USB DAC draws on the power of the USB port of your computer and overrides the internal DAC to offer its own resolving and detailed sound character. Can you really get audiophile sound from a device that can fit in your pocket? Read on to find out.

RHA have slowly grown to be a company which has strongly impressed the industry with their great value for money offerings. In addition to this, RHA are known to provide unparalleled customer services which is a great testament to the not only the company itself but also the end user experience. The latest in their popular line-up is the T10 and T10i in-ear monitor headphones which feature outstanding build quality, a hand-made dynamic driver and 3 tuneable filter options. To find out more about these, read the review.

RBH may be best known for high-end speakers but they have recently built a niche for themselves with high-performance earphones. The company that has been filling custom home theaters with sound since 1976 has just launched its most ambitious earphones yet. The EP-SB earphones combine an impressive array of the latest wireless technologies from aptX, CSR, Bluetooth 4.0, NFC and IPx4 – more acronyms than a brain surgeon’s business card. How did they sound? Unlike any wireless earphones we've ever heard. Read our review and watch our YouTube review to find out the details.

LEAR’s bold statement, the LEAR LUF-4C, in its series of universal IEMs has recently been put under the scrutiny of long-time followers of the company. With a 4-driver technology and host of other engineering feats, the LUF-4C is by no means simple and even puts some of its worthy adversaries to shame. This review will pull apart and dissect these in-ear monitors to truly see whether it weighs its worth in gold. Read to find out more.

The Heir Audio IEM 8.0 in-ear headphones, the latest concoction in Heir’s universal series, has aroused the interests of many audiophiles across the globe. There is no doubt that with a colossal 8 drivers per earpiece and an affinity for a strikingly beautiful design, these IEMs truly combine the best of audio reproduction and aesthetics alike. So with a price tag of $999 is this release a justified one? Read on to find out.

The Oppo PM-1 Planar Magnetic Headphones are the first foray into the headphone market from the company that has already taken the DVD and Blu-ray market by storm. The PM-1s surprised us in their ability to play cleanly and clearly with any device or source material. They were light enough for long listening sessions and forgiving of poorly recorded or encoded material. For $1,100, they aren't cheap but they are very, very good. These are reference level headphones. Check out our recently added YouTube video review and comparison of the Oppo PM-1 and PM-2s.