Greetings! Today we’re checking out a discontinued model from AKG, the K121 Studio. I’m no stranger to AKG having spent ample time with a number of their products, like the K512 mkII, K701, and my favourite, the K553 Pro, among others. I recently added the K121 Studio to my collection having found a roughed up copy at the local thrift shop for a whopping 3.99 … Continue reading AKG K121 Studio: Thrift Store Gem
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 a few products from Venture Electronics (VE), the BIE, Monk Go, Monk Lite, and Odyssey HD. Wild Lee reached out a few weeks ago to see if I’d be interested in checking out some of his recent lineup. After a great chat about a variety of topics, he confirmed a package would be sent over with some goodies. I’ve enjoyed … Continue reading Venture Electronics Impressions
Greetings! Today we’re checking out a pair headphones that are old, irrelevant, and well out of production; the JBL Reference Series 420. Released in 2007, the 420 was the base model in JBL’s Reference Series of headphones. Released at the same time was the 610, a Bluetooth model sharing more-or-less the same design. When in university, I was looking to get a quality set of … Continue reading JBL Reference Series 420: 14 Years New
Greetings! Today we’re checking out the reworked 12 Classics from Meze Audio. The original 12 Classics released in 2016 brought a more affordable product to Meze’s lineup alongside yet another timeless design. While it was a very competent earphone there were some areas that could have used attention; the cable and an overly safe tune that was somewhat lacking micro detail. Meze must agree that they … Continue reading Meze 12 Classics V2: Updated and Enhanced
Greetings! Today we’re checking out Meze’s midrange earphone offering, the Rai Solo. In the realm of earphones Meze had some budget options in the 12 Classics and Neo and a premium offering in the Rai Penta, but were lacking presence with no products priced in between. Enter the Rai Solo. Released in late 2019 at 249 USD, it showed itself to be a competitive product … Continue reading Meze Rai Solo: Steel Samurai
Greetings! Today we’re checking out a unique product from the ‘Masters of Audio Accessories’ over at DDHiFi, the Janus. DDHiFi has been making a name for themselves thanks to a wide variety of high quality portable audio accessories, be they compact DACS, cases for various FiiO products, cables, adapters, and whatever else the audio enthusiast needs. With the Janus, ambitiously named after the Roman ‘God … Continue reading DDHiFi Janus (E2020A): Innovation
Greetings! Today we’re checking out the all-new Sennheiser IE 300. Sennheiser is a brand that needs no introduction. They’ve been around since 1945 and have created some of the most memorable and respected products in the industry, many of which have become staple recommendations for sound engineers, budding and seasoned audiophiles, and general music lovers around the world. The new IE 300 is a replacement … Continue reading Sennheiser IE 300: Premium EDC
Greetings! Today we’re checking out a modern update to a classic KZ. The original ZST was a landmark product and KZ’s first foray into hybrid earphones. It inspired an entire segment of equally budget-friendly hybrid competitors, a market that today is alive and well, teeming with new models. Prior to the release of the ZST, fans of the brand had been relentlessly asking KZ to … Continue reading KZ ZST X: How To Update A Classic
Greetings! Today we’re checking out one of the more impressive products to have crossed my plate this year, the Spring II from BQEYZ. My first experience with the brand was through the KC2, a very well-tuned quad-driver hybrid that recently saw a resurgence in popularity. I quite enjoy it and still pull it out for the occasional listen and comparison to more current gear. Why? … Continue reading BQEYZ Spring 2: Piezo Done Right
Greetings! Today we’re checking out a neat little accessory from DDHiFi, the TC35B. As we all know by now, smartphone manufacturers are slowly weeding out the 3.5mm jack in their more premium offerings, forcing users to either go wireless or carry around a cumbersome dongle to add that feature back. Not ideal. DDHiFi is well known for their various adapters that solve a wide variety … Continue reading DDHifi TC35B: Size Matters
Greetings! Today we’re checking out the newest version of Campfire Audio’s legendary Andromeda. My first experience with this well-known model was the 2019 update. I was expecting something fantastic given years and years of glowing commendations from various forums. They certainly didn’t disappoint. The Andromeda is a modern classic for a reason. It looks awesome and the sound quality is just that damn good. When … Continue reading Campfire Audio Andromeda 2020: A Legend Reborn
Greetings! Today we’re checking out Campfire Audio’s new top of the top of the line model, the revised Solaris 2020. The original Solaris was a stunner in all aspects. The large, gold-plated housings drew in the eye while a bold tune pleased the ear. However, the black and gold colour scheme and fairly massive housings earned it some critics. The new Solaris addresses those complaints … Continue reading Campfire Audio Solaris 2020: Lean and Mean
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 a budget friendly single armature earphone from retailer turned earphone manufacturer, the NiceHCK X49. I’ve been a fan of NiceHCK from the early days, well before retailers like them, Penon Audio, and LendMeUrEars started developing and selling their own products. It was a little odd to see them head in this direction, but using a small amount of brain juice … Continue reading NiceHCK X49: An Armature For The Masses
The Contraptionist 