Greetings! Today we’re checking out Moondrop’s newest sub-100 USD release, the completely revamped Aria. The original Aria came out in 2018 and featured a more traditional barrel shaped housing. The shells were brass with an attractive chrome coating and housed dynamic drivers with carbon nanotube diaphragms. The cable looked to be the same as that on the Spaceship, affixed to the earpieces with durable metal … Continue reading Moondrop Aria 2021: Alpha Dog
Greetings! Today we’re checking out one of KZ’s newest releases, the ZAX. Knowledge Zenith, the mother of all budget brands, has been slowly but steadily moving themselves upscale ever since the release of their first hybrid, the ZST. The ZAX is part of their newest crop of X-branded releases and has some pretty eye-watering specs that we could never have imagined being present in a … Continue reading KZ ZAX: 8 Drivers For Under 100 Bucks?!
Greetings! Today we’re checking out one of FiiO’s newest releases, the FD1. The FD1 pull its physical side from the FH1S sharing the same low profile, ergonomic shell with unique celluloid faceplates, 0.78mm 2-pin system, and snazzy cable. Where the FH1S was a 1+1 hybrid, the FD1 rolls with a single dynamic. What sets it apart on the specs sheet is the use of beryllium … Continue reading FiiO FD1: Rounding Out
Greetings! Today we are checking out the MS1 – Rainbow from Hidizs. Hidizs has been around since 2009 and successfully released their first digital audio player (DAP), the AP100, in 2014. While best known for their DAPs, in 2019 they expanded their product portfolio to include earphones under the ‘Mermaid’ moniker; MS1 and MS4. While I never had the chance to try them out, they … Continue reading Hidizs MS1 – Rainbow: Middle Of The Road
Greetings! Today we’re checking out one of Moondrop’s most affordable products, the micro-dynamic equipped Spaceship. Moondrop is a brand that has skyrocketed in popularity among forum goers thanks to their excellent performance per dollar products and unique Anime girl packaging. The Spaceship was my first experience with one of their products and immediately cemented them as a brand worth following. After all, not many brands … Continue reading Moondrop Spaceship: Long Term Review
Greetings! Today we’re checking out the Form 1.1, an affordable hybrid earphone from Shozy. Last month I reviewed Shozy’s newest mid-range offering, the Form 1.4. At 199.00 USD it is a seriously impressive earphone bringing with it a classy, comfortable design and a hybrid driver setup that is bassy without sacrificing the midrange or treble quality or quantity. It has a wonderful sound stage, is … Continue reading Shozy Form 1.1: Fun IS Fun
Greetings! Today we’re checking out one of FiiO’s newest Bluetooth amp modules, the BTR3K. Along with Type-C dongles and true wireless earphones, wireless amp modules are a segment that seem to have seen a huge surge in popularity the last couple years. Back in 2018 FiiO sent over their very wallet friendly module, the uBTR. I was pleasantly surprised with the quality of sound coming … Continue reading FiiO BTR3K: Thumb-Sized Powerhouse
Greetings! Today we’re checking out a new budget offering from FiiO, the FH1s. After building up a great reputation for quality DAPs, DAC/AMPs, and other like devices, FiiO introduced earphones into their lineup and haven’t turned back. From their humble beginnings with the EX1 in 2015, basically a Dunu Titan 1 rebrand, FiiO has continued to expand and improve their lineup which now features seven … Continue reading FiiO FH1s: Spicy
Greetings, If you’ve been following my content over the years you’ll know that Knowledge Zenith (KZ) has played a big part in my journey from total newb to whatever I am now. I was around for their early models like the ANV, Micro Ring, and R3, and saw them finally break into the mainstream to set things alight with affordable hybrid iems like the ZST … Continue reading KZ S2: A Game Of Inches
Greetings! Today we’re checking out the VSonic VSD 3P. VSonic used to be a household name in the forums thanks to legendary models like the GR07. They were one of the earliest major players in the Chinese earphone industry offering killer sound at an affordable price. Along with Fidue, Astrotec, Dunu, Havi and a small handful of other “giant slayers” that have languished over the … Continue reading VSonic VSD3P: Irrelevant, Yet I Love It
Greetings! Today we’re checking out another new release from Tin HiFi, the T4. Back in 2017, a great sounding earphone was released on the world. That earphone was the TinAudio T2. Despite receiving almost unanimously positive feedback, it flew under the radar until a few key hypsters got their hands on it. It has since become a staple recommendation to anyone wanting a well-built, neutral-leaning … Continue reading Tin HiFi T4: Single Dynamics Have Still Got It!
Greetings, Today we’re checking out the XQ-50, an affordable Bluetooth 5.0, aptX equipped receiver from xDuoo. xDuoo is a brand full of variety, from dacs to amps to earphones, and Bluetooth receivers like the XQ-50. While in the past xDuoo has mostly disappointed me, the last couple products I’ve checked out have been winners, and the XQ-50 is no exception. Let’s take a closer look, … Continue reading xDuoo XQ-50: Inexpensive and Effective
Greetings, Today we’re checking out Astrotec’s newest entry into the truly wireless market, the S80. The truly wireless (TWS) earphone market has exploded with options in recent years, the blame (or credit) for which many would lay at the feet of the Apple Corporation. While die-hard audiophiles scoff at wireless products thanks to their degraded sound quality vs. their wired counterparts, the average consumer values … Continue reading Astrotec Redspace S80: Beryllium Baller
Greetings, Today we’re checking out a new version of Astrotec’s S60, an affordable and very competent fully wireless earphone released at the end of 2018. While the new variant of the S60 looks virtually identical, it has seem some welcome updates to it’s specifications and feature set making it even more versatile than it’s predecessor. That said, given the similarities between the two earphones there … Continue reading Astrotec S60 5.0: Updated and Enhanced
Greetings! Today we’re checking out a snazzy new earbud from Smabat, the ST-10. Smabat is a new company with two products under their wing, the ST-10 earbuds and the XT-10 iems. The ST-10 that we’re checking out today is a pretty cool little earbud. Unlike many companies that have been tuning the driver and shoving it into an MX500 shell, Smabat put a little more … Continue reading SMABAT ST-10: Little Bat
The Contraptionist 