Best Headphone Amp 

iFi Audio iCAN Phantom – £3,749.00

The iCAN Phantom is the jack of all trades and the master of them all. It delivers unmatched versatility, combining top-tier solid-state and tube amplification with cutting-edge XSpace and XBass customization. It is also an Energizer. Pure end-game gear. Perfect for audiophiles, it powers any headphones with effortless precision and offers stunning sound.

Best Headphone DAC/Amp under £100

iFi Audio Go Link Max – £79.00

The all new iFi GO link Max delivers studio-quality sound with up to 241mW of output power—nearly five times that of a MacBook Pro—driving demanding headphones with ease. Compact, portable and versatile, it’s the perfect upgrade for immersive, high-fidelity audio anywhere. An upgrade over the original in every way, this is a must have for anyone who owns wired headphones.

Best Headphone Amp £100-£300

iFi audio Zen CAN 3 – £229.00

The iFi ZEN CAN 3 offers stellar sound and versatility, perfect for music, gaming, and movies. With excellent build quality and performance, it’s the standout entry-level amp and punches well above its selling price.

Best Headphone Amp £300-£1000

iFi Audio Neo iDSD 2 -£899.00

The iFi Audio NEO iDSD 2 is a versatile all-in-one home audio solution, offering improved performance, user-friendly features, and a powerful amplifier with IEMatch. It delivers a neutral, balanced sound that enhances any audio setup, making it perfect for those seeking high-quality sound without the need for extra equipment.

Best Wireless Headphones with ANC under £100

1More SonoFlow HQ50 – £89.99

The SonoFlow HQ50 is a fantastic product priced under £100. Boasting up to a 70-hour battery life, QuietMax ANC technology, a DLC 40mm driver and featuring 12 EQ modes, it delivers premium sound and comfort at a budget-friendly price—challenging pricier rivals like Sony and Bose.

Best True Wireless for Sound Quality

Final ZE8000 MK2- £199.00

The ZE8000 MK2 combines striking aesthetics with top-tier performance. They deliver sound quality that rivals the best wired earphones as well as providing all the modern features you’d expect from TWS earphones. The distinctive shape of the buds also provides insane levels of comfort and the app is a treat to use. The ZE8000 MK2 is a great overall package.

Best Wired Earphones under £50 

SoundMAGIC E11C Silver – £39.98

A Brilliant Budget Earphone that Sounds MAGIC. We have found the E11C to be a grown-up earphone with a keen knack for giving a clear and accurate presentation across the board. It is a true bargain and certainly a very good IEM for everyday use. The mic and controls are an added bonus and making use of the included case as well as regular cleaning ensures that these earphones last well beyond their warranty. Perfection? Not quite. But at £40 you will struggle to find a similar product worthy of your investment. – Full Review

Best Wired Earphones £100-£300

Final A5000 – £259

The Final A5000 IEM delivers exceptional sound quality with powerful tight bass, stunning mids and highs, all at an affordable price of £259. A perfect choice for those looking for an upgrade within this price range.

Best Wired Headphones Under £100

SoundMAGIC HP151- £88.99

The SoundMAGIC HP151 offers exceptional clarity and precision, letting finer details in your music shine. Durable, comfortable, and priced just under £90, it’s a fantastic choice for those seeking great sound from a wired headphone without breaking the bank.

Best Wired Earphones £1000-£2000

64 Audio U6t- £1,299.00

For the price, 64 Audio have created a brilliant everyday earphone that allows great insight into the recording with superb clarity and detail retrieval, wrapped up in a smooth, coherent and easy to listen to sound. They are such an easy earphone to live with. Providing a comfortable fit and refined sound that many fail to match. This is proof that 64 Audio really do know what they are doing when it comes to sound. A superb model for the price.

Best Wired Earphones £2000+ 

64 Audio tia Fourte – £3,599.00

This model pushes the boundaries and shows what’s possible with only 4 drivers. This is a hybrid design with an intricate inner shell with chambers that help shape the sound. Nothing sounds overly boosted on the Fourte, but they do have a healthy dose of impact down low. The Fourte are very revealing and will throw up flaws in recordings, but the clarity in the midrange is truly astonishing. What’s even more impressive is how the top end just extends without rolling off at all.

Best Wired Studio Earphones 

Etymotic ER-4SR – £305.95

If you are looking for neutrality, the ER-4SR are the industry standard – they do not flatter you with a smooth sound or hide any mistakes in recordings, so not great for everyday listening but superb if you want to hear every detail.

Best Wireless Headphones

Audeze Maxwell- £319.00-£349.00

• The Audeze Maxwell the best gaming headset currently on the market, but it is also superb for listiening to music too. It offers uncompromising audio quality with its planar magnetic drivers, delivering deep bass and clear mids, all in a comfortable, wireless design. An exceptional 80 hour battery life, and the ability to create and store custom EQs for different genres, it’s perfect for those seeking a pair of high-performance wireless headphones for fully immersive listening. – Full Review

Best Headphones £100-£500

Audeze MM-100 – £399.00

The Audeze MM-100 can be driven by just about any source, making it ideal for on the go. It delivers stunning transparency and musicality, especially when paired with a quality setup, completely outperforming anything else in its price bracket at just £399. Perfect for audiophiles and studio use alike, it has unbeatable value.

Best Headphones £500-£1000

Audeze LCD-2 Classic – £799.00

The LCD-2 Classic are a well controlled, but ultimately warm sounding headphone. They offer up a fatigue free sound with good width and height. If you listen to electronic centred music, old school rap/hip-hop and smoother more acoustic music they are a joy to listen to. Full Review

Best Headphones £1000-£3000 

Final D8000 – £2,999.00

Instead of going for the usual neutral-ish sound signature of most high-end models, Final instead decided to make the D8000 enjoyable, with very punchy and dynamic bass and impressive clarity across the board, the D8000 stand out from the crowd.

Best Headphones £3000+

Audeze LCD-5 -£3,999.00

The Audeze LCD-5 is a masterpiece of audiophile engineering, delivering unmatched clarity, precision, and emotional depth to your music. Audeze’s Flagship LCD has a lightweight magnesium frame and the premium materials ensure long-lasting comfort, while the cutting-edge planar magnetic drivers reveal every nuance in your favorite tracks. For those seeking the pinnacle of sound reproduction and a transformative listening experience, the LCD-5 is still there, in a league of its own. Full Review

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What’s the most common solution? Turn it up!

However effective this may be for many viewers, others in the room may not be as open to this tactic. And making everything louder can only make things worse in the long run. There are plenty of ways to improve the overall sound quality coming out of your TV such as soundbars, home theatre systems and TV headphones (wired or wireless).

With the way most of these shows are mixed, the speech can still get lost very easily…

What about soundbars?

Soundbars will certainly improve the sound quality of your TV, the problem here is that they improve the sound as a whole. Soundtracks and effects included. Now most of these soundbars and AV setups will improve overall clarity, which will in effect make dialogue clearer. Yet, with the way most of these shows are mixed, the speech can still get lost very easily, and for those with hearing loss, the extra clarity more than likely will not be enough.

Will TV headphones come to the rescue?

For a lot of situations – yes. TV headphones do a great job of improving sound quality for the user, not only improving the sound as a whole, plenty of TV headphone models out there will have features and settings that focus on speech, making it a lot easier to understand dialogue. So, what’s the issue here then? Headphones are great for solitary TV sessions. They are not as well suited for watching TV with others – and many of us like to watch TV with our family, friends and even pets. Don’t tell me you have never had a little chat with your furry friend in front of the TV.

Not great when others want to watch the TV too.

The problem with wires

Another issue with headphones, is that wired headphones require a headphone socket to be used. Not all TV’s have a headphone socket and for the ones that do, using that socket tends to cut the sound from the speakers entirely. Not great when others want to watch the TV too. Wireless TV headphones on the other hand manage to get around this problem by using an optical connection which does not cut the speakers off.

What if you struggle with hearing TV dialogue, enjoy watching TV with others and have been told that if you turn the TV volume up again, you’re out!

Well, there is another option

There are a handful of brands releasing TV speakers catered to those with hearing loss and designed to enhance TV speech. One of those brands comes out of Germany and is called Faller, who has just released the OSKAR TV speech enhancing speaker here in the UK. This is not a soundbar, and unlike typical soundbars, the faller OSKAR is much smaller, and sits on top of a docking station that charges the speaker and also acts as a wireless transmitter. This allows you to use the speaker up to 30 meters away from the TV or any other audio source you choose such as a radio, computer or even a smartphone. The beauty of this is that you can place the OSKAR close to where you sit, bringing the speech enhancing technology directly to you. This type of speaker ticks all of the boxes:

• Improve speech clarity and enhance dialogue
• Watch TV with others without affecting their viewing
• Sit in comfort with no need for headphones or straining to hear the TV

Making TV a lot more enjoyable

In testing the Faller OSKAR myself – full review here – I realised that I was using this speaker a lot more than I thought I would. The OSKAR makes watching sports on TV a lot more enjoyable. I have always found that the commentary can easily get lost to the background crowd noise. Using the OSKAR meant that the commentary was crystal clear, while my TV still brought the stadium sounds to the room. Then, when I needed to go into the kitchen, I could bring the speaker with me so I didn’t miss anything.

Whether you watch TV on your own or with others, the flexibility, comfort and ease of using the Faller OSKAR makes it the ideal TV viewing companion…

I found that it also works great for late night viewing, especially when you don’t want to wake up the kids! I could keep the TV volume low while using the OSKAR to deliver its enhanced audio without sound leaking into the other room.

So what am I trying to say here?

If you suffer from hearing loss, are annoyed with not being able to hear dialogue on TV and want to enjoy watching your favourite shows with friends or family (or pets), then there are options out there. Just make sure you know what you are buying, and that more volume and better sound quality does not always mean easier to understand speech. Whether you watch TV on your own or with others, the flexibility, comfort and ease of using the Faller OSKAR makes it the ideal TV viewing companion for those who have had enough of resorting to subtitles.

Interested in all things Faller? Check out more News and Reviews here!

More about Faller here!

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Faller has the perfect story. Brought to life by the founder of German audio system specialists Sonoro, Marcell Faller, Faller was conceived as a way of providing a solution to his father’s loss of hearing and the need for a way to be able to enjoy family TV time again. The Faller OSKAR was the result. A portable wireless TV speaker that focuses on speech and dialogue clarity so that people who struggle to hear can easily watch and listen to TV again. Now I don’t struggle with this issue personally, yet I have tested the OSKAR to see if it does what it intends to achieve.

Faller OSKAR: The Presentation

Firstly, the presentation is very high quality, with a professional and elegant packaging design that clearly speaks to the desired market. Open the box and the OSKAR looks great with its aluminium frame and handle, and premium cloth speaker covering. The design of the OSKAR is very simple, and for this kind of product I believe that this is ideal. It is not over complicated in any way, there is just one large control dial on the top of the speaker which adjusts volume as well as turning the unit on and off.

Other than that, there is a button on the side that allows me to activate the speech filter and scroll through the three modes, where each one increases the focus onto speech. That is it for controls, and I find this to be great. Especially as this kind of device has the potential to be complicated, yet Faller has avoided this entirely without compromising on usability.

Connectivity

In addition to the controls, there is a USB-C input for power and a 3.5mm headphone socket if you wanted to use headphones instead of the speaker. Along with the speaker, the OSKAR comes with a docking station. This connects to the TV or audio source via 3.5mm AUX jack or Optical Toslink, and also has a USB-C power input. The speaker can then be charged while on the docking station for wireless use, where a full charge gives you up to 16 hours of wireless use. Thanks to its dedicated transmitter, the OSKAR can achieve a wireless distance of up to 30 metres which should be more than enough for most uses.

The Inside

Internally, the OSKAR uses two full range 35mm speakers in a stereo setup as well as a passive bass driver for the lower frequencies. I found that even though the OSKAR is very much designed to focus on speech, the quality of the speakers provided good sound when playing music on them too. Now, that’s not to say that the Faller OSKAR would compete with TV soundbars for their audio quality. They do deliver good enough sound in my opinion to be used as a general speaker though alongside their main purpose as a speech amplifier.

Functionality

The Faller OSKAR is very easy to setup, and once up and running I tested it with a number of different types of content. I found the sound quality to be very well detailed with the speech filter de-activated. The tuning of the speakers brings dialogue and speech to the forefront when compared to other speakers I have listened to.

Many TV shows and films have very loud soundtracks or use sound effects that can sometimes get in the way of dialogue. The OSKAR is a good way around this sometimes annoying feature of TV.

Activate the filter and that’s when things get impressive. For the first mode, speech is clearly enhanced while the background noises are reduced. I found it to be subtle at this setting, and I could imagine occasions where I would find it useful even though I don’t struggle with hearing. Many TV shows and films have very loud soundtracks or use sound effects that can sometimes get in the way of dialogue. The OSKAR is a good way around this sometimes annoying feature of TV.

The second mode pushed the enhancement further, this time making the effect a lot more noticeable with speech becoming crisper and seemingly louder while the background noises being suppressed further. The third setting really makes speech stand out. So much so that for me it was too sharp and sounded unnatural, however for those that struggle hearing these frequencies I can imagine that this effect is necessary. At the same time, background sounds were kept very low while there was dialogue on screen.

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Trifecta ‘Astral Plane’: Packaging sent from above

Firstly, let’s talk about the packaging. Campfire Audio want to offer the ultimate user experience as soon as their IEMs are unboxed, and this is certainly the case with the new Trifecta. The box is made out of wood and can be transformed into a display stand for your earphones. Just attach the brass hand to the backplate and you have an angelic design, holding the Trifecta ‘Astral Plane’ up to the heavens.

Inside the box you get two carry pouches, useful to store the IEMs as well as the extra cables that are also supplied. The cables are Campfire’s new Time Stream design, provided with 2.5mm, 3.5mm and 4.4mm termination options. There is also an impressive amount of eartips provided with silicone and foam options is all sizes.

Beautifully constructed

Now for the earphones, and this new Trifecta is a work of art. They resemble luxury jewellery as much as high-end IEMs. The new ‘Astral Plane’ version comes with a blue tint to the transparent housings which somehow makes them look clearer and ties in very well with the artwork that comes along with this model. Images of a beautiful blue sky. Peering through the glass-like outer shell, it is amazing how much of the internals are on show. It looks so neat in there. Inside the housing, Campfire Audio has placed three custom 10mm full-range dynamic drivers in a triangle configuration. This is stunning, and completely unique.

Comfort is key

The shape of the housings are surprisingly comfortable considering they are on the large side due to the three dynamic driver inside. This level of comfort must be down to the shape of the housings and the expert build quality as weight balance is spot on, allowing the earphones to sit securely in my ears. I personally prefer the silicone tips, and I found a great fit with the large ones. Definitely try the silicone and foam tips in order to find your best fit and sound, as the material of the tips does impact the audio tuning.

Trifecta ‘Astral Plane’ – How do they sound?

As for the tuning, Campfire Audio has gone for fun, fun, fun. It is unusual for an IEM brand to have their flagship model be this much fun. The Trifecta ‘Astral Plane’ has one job, and that is to put a smile on your face. The three dynamic drivers do exactly what you would imagine them to do. Bass is luscious and moreish. I’m so impressed with how Campfire Audio managed to harness the power of this driver configuration without allowing it to go out of control. The bass is big and enveloping, yet it is also controlled and manages to stay out of the way of the higher frequencies. The richness doesn’t stop at the bass, the mids are equally moreish. There’s a warm tone that makes guitars, vocals and snare drums pour into my ears like liquid gold. I almost feel naughty enjoying these earphones. Surely music isn’t supposed to sound this delicious.

Other Features at a Glance:

• Three custom 10mm ADLC diaphragm gold-plated dynamic drivers
• Ultra light and rigid ADLC Diaphragms
• Optically clear nylon body styling
• Transparent Housing with Gold PVD Accents
• Time Stream Cables with 3.5mm, 2.5mm and 4.4mm terminations
• Dimensional Folding leather carrying case
• Stainless steel spout and MMCX capture
• Custom beryllium copper MMCX components 

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Who are these brands then?

Final

Final is one of those brands. What most people do not know is that Final has been creating some of the finest audio products since 1974. In their home of Japan, Final is regarded as hi-fi royalty. Over their long history, Final has developed a wide range of products from turntable cartridges, hi-fi stereo amplifiers, speakers and more recently, headphones and earphones. Their latest venture is wireless audio, where they have had huge success releasing the UX3000 wireless headphones, ZE3000 true wireless earphones and most recently, their flagship ZE8000 ANC true wireless earphones.

Final ZE8000 ANC True Wireless Earphones

Final’s flagship true wireless earphones are their most advanced release to date. Almost 50 years of hi-fi experience has been packaged into this portable gem. The ZE8000 gives us an insight into the passion and drive towards excellence that is at the core of why Final do what they do. For the ZE8000, Final has developed a number of new technologies from custom made drivers, Class-AB amp integration with dedicated signal processing and software breakthroughs such as 8K Sound, Volume Step Optimisation and sound quality prioritised ANC. The ZE8000 is the closest you can get to wired IEM sound quality from an ANC true wireless earphone.

Campfire Audio

Another ‘new’ brand on the scene is Campfire Audio. They are new when it comes to the world of true wireless, however they have been making some of the finest, and highly regarded IEMs since 2015. Even before 2015, the team behind this creative boutique brand came out of ALO Audio; leaders in developing headphone amplifiers, interconnects, and cables to audiophiles all over the world. Their history and experience, paired with a passion for art and bombastic creativity has resulted in some of the most stand-out IEMs the audio world has seen. Legends such as the Andromeda and Solaris are still regarded as some of the best, and now it is time for Campfire Audio to do the same to the world of wireless with their first ever true wireless earphone: Orbit.

Campfire Audio Orbit True Wireless Earphones

Staying true to their eye for striking design and love of sound quality that aims to please, Campfire Audio’s Orbit perfectly encapsulates these values. This is no ordinary audiophile product; the tuning of the Orbit aims to please all music lovers with a rich and luscious sound. The Portland, Oregon team developed a custom 10mm full range dynamic driver to sit at the heart of the Orbit, with the internal chamber designed to bring out every ounce of detail. This along with the unique design and colour choice means that the Orbit is well suited to those who appreciate style, originality, and creativity for an enhanced musical experience.

Noble

Last up is Noble. For 10 years now, Noble has been creating some of the most beautiful and technically marvellous IEMs money can buy. Headed up by the ‘Wizard’ himself, John Moulton, who is one of the main players when it comes to the IEM industry we know today. Noble specialise in both custom-fit IEMs as well as universal-fit, using only the finest materials and managing to effortlessly pack multiple driver configurations into their models. Only magic can explain this. Noble first released a TWS model in 2019, gaining high praise and multiple awards. Now we have the latest, and most impressive true wireless earphone model: FoKus Mystique.

Noble FoKus Mystique Triple Hybrid-Driver True Wireless Earphones

Once you get over the stunning craftsmanship of the FoKus Mystique, there are plenty of other ways for you to be well and truly stunned. Firstly, Noble has packed one 8.2mm dynamic and two Knowles balanced armature drivers inside each earphone. This hybrid configuration not only uses the finest driver technology, the result is sound quality that most wired IEMs would struggle to compete with. The design is very unique, resembling a custom IEM with the shape and contours crafted to fit perfectly in your ear. The Noble FoKus Mystique is for those wanting the very best, and the most beautiful when it comes to what is possible in wireless audio. You will have to pay for it, however those who are willing to will not be disappointed.

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Solaris ‘Stellar Horizon’: Improved Ownership Experience

In terms of packaging and presentation, this 2023 version of Solaris has had the same treatment as the Andromeda. Provided in a new box made from lightweight wood that acts as a display unit once opened. The level of detail here is so impressive, with striking artwork and even an elegant hand which is used to hold the earphones when not in use.

As for accessories. You get an impressive bunch of silicone and foam eartips in a range of sizes. My personal favourite is the large foam tips for the Solaris, and the rest of the review will be written using these. Do make sure to try all tips provided so you can find the best comfort and sound quality for you, as eartips play a big role in both. You also get three new ‘Time Stream’ silver plated copper cables in a range of terminations: 2.5mm, 3.5mm and 4.4mm.

Two carry pouches are also provided, one leather and one material. Having two really makes sense here, as you can use one to keep your earphones safe and the other to store your extra cables and any other accessories that you would like to keep secure.

Strikingly Compact

Now for the earphones. The Solaris ‘Stellar Horizon’ has a very similar shape and size to the previous version of Solaris, providing a compact design that sits nicely in my ear. The housings are made using brushed stainless steel which looks great, especially along with the gold and black faceplate which is striking and really stands out.

Brand New Technology

Internally there have been big changes too. Campfire Audio has developed new technologies for the Solaris ‘Stellar Horizon’, with custom dual-diaphragm balanced armature drivers and their new radial venting which surrounds the 10mm dynamic driver. The configuration consists of three custom dual-diaphragm BAs and one 10mm ADLC dynamic driver inside each housing.

Solaris ‘Stellar Horizon’ – How do they sound?

The Solaris ‘Stellar Horizon’ has a sound that I haven’t experienced before. They are the realest sounding IEMs I have heard. If I didn’t know better, I would assume that the audio was coming from a huge acoustically treated chamber filled with musicians all playing just for me. Bass sounds real. No boom or overdoing it. Mids sound real. The tone, texture and timbre match exactly with my experience of listening to drums, guitars and vocals being performed live and in person. This is something I haven’t heard before from any set of IEMs. There’s an edge to each sound that is so pleasing, and the Solaris delivers audio quickly and clearly. Highs extend endlessly and help to create space which provides an impressively wide and deep soundstage. The overall experience seems so effortless that it would be easy to assume that the earphones are doing nothing, and that’s the beauty. It’s like a great actor. The best ones seem as though they aren’t acting at all.

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Andromeda ‘Emerald Sea’: Improved Ownership Experience

Not only have the earphones been given a makeover, the entire ownership experience has been enhanced. The main addition here is the wooden presentation box that the Andromeda is packaged in. Reminiscent of a cigar box, this packaging is like no other. Remove the lid and slot it into the base, then attach the bronze hand and you have the most original earphone presentation stand I have ever come across. In the words of Campfire Audio, nicely done.

As for accessories, the selection provided is equally impressive. You get a wide range of eartips with a mixture of foam and silicone. You get two carry pouches. One for the earphones and one to store the extra cables that come with the Andromeda. Campfire Audio has included three Time Stream cables: 2.5mm, 3.5mm and 4.4mm. These new cables feel great and house silver plated copper conductors. Providing three shows how dedicated Campfire Audio is to the experience.

Complete Re-Design

The earphones themselves is where Campfire Audio really make their statement. Gone is the severe, angular shape of the old Andromeda. For the ‘Emerald Sea’, the housings are smaller, smother and more streamlined. This is also a new shape for Campfire Audio, and this really adds to the comfort of the earphones. This shape works perfectly for me, nestling nicely into my ears with no feeling of pressure even after a long listening session.

Low distortion and superior stability.

Internally, the engineers have also gone to work, using brand new drivers and also redesigning the interior chamber. Five custom, dual-diaphragm balanced armature drivers are housed inside each earphone. These drivers have been chosen for their low distortion and superior stability. These drivers have been placed within a newly designed internal 3D-printed chamber.

Less Sensitivity. More Flexibility.

Another change that I think is worth mentioning is that the Andromeda ‘Emerald Sea’ is less sensitive than previous Andromeda versions. This is a big change, as one of the issues I found previously is that the Andromeda was always very picky about which devices it worked well with, and part of that pickiness was down to its sensitivity. The new ‘Emerald Sea’ is less picky, meaning there will be more people out there who can enjoy this stunning earphone.

An overall more balanced and believe it or not; an even more enjoyable listen.

Andromeda ‘Emerald Sea’ – How do they sound?

Now, what does all of this mean? The result of this overhaul is a listening experience that has taken an already sublime sound provided by the older Andromeda, and added a new layer of fluidity and finesse in the ‘Emerald Sea’. Bass is as present as ever, this time with an improved roundedness and coherence which allows the mids to sound more effortless than before, especially in the higher end.

This Andromeda has kept the organic quality that made has made the Andromeda so successful over all these years, yet there is something new here, a new smoothness in the higher peaks which now allows other frequencies to show themselves even more for an overall more balanced and believe it or not; an even more enjoyable listen.

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ZE8000: Presentation

I am a big fan of the ZE8000 presentation. The box is smart and shows the design of the earbuds in a subtle and inviting way, urging me to want to see more. Open the box and Final has provided a number of useful accessories including five sizes of eartips (SS, S, M, L, LL), a USB-C charging cable and a handy set of dust filters.

The Earbuds

Delve further and you’ll find the earphones along with their handy portable charging case. The earphones have been designed in a completely unique way. Final has developed their ‘division design’ so that the bulk of the components are separated from the part that fits into the ear. This means that those with smaller ears will be able to find a secure fit. This design choice is not only clever, it is attractive to look at too (for me anyway). With the ZE8000, Final has taken the common true wireless ‘stem’ and created a classy and stylish alternative. Due to the divided design, the ZE8000 is extremely comfortable. I have large ears, and the LL eartips create a tight seal and secure fit with no fear of the earphones moving around or falling out.

Maybe Final are onto something.

The Case

The case is on the larger side, yet the size seems justified considering the unique shape of the earphones. The lid slides open easily enough and has a pleasant action. Putting the earphones into the case and removing them is easy to do, even with gloves on. I am however slightly disappointed with the overall feel of the case. It is very light and has a plasticy feel to it which I would not normally have expected from Final – especially with a product at this price. Saying that, maybe Final are onto something. The case will either be in my pocket or bag, so being this light does have its uses. There is no wireless charging here, so you will need to use the USB-C charging port on the back which my be annoying for some. I personally don’t use wireless charging, so this did not affect my use of the ZE8000.

ZE8000: Impressive Hardware

The Drivers

Final has developed a bunch of new technologies for the ZE8000. The driver used is their ‘f-CORE for 8K SOUND’ ultra-low distortion driver, which has been newly designed by Final’s in-house engineers. The 13mm driver has a lightweight aluminium dome which results in very low total harmonic distortion (THD) when compared to other true wireless models.

Class-AB Amplifiers

Another impressive hardware choice is the use of Class-AB amplifiers, known for their superior balance between sound quality and power efficiency. This is a big step for Final, as usually true wireless earphone products tend to use Class-D amplifiers which sacrifice audio quality for power efficiency. The result is a lower battery life when compared to some of the competition, but the benefits to sound quality will make up for that.

Battery Life

Speaking of battery life, the ZE8000 will give you 5 hours of listening time when fully charged, with an additional 10 hours (15 hours total) with the case. This is with noise cancelling activated, so while not being the best in terms of numbers, I find it acceptable given the benefits to sound quality from the Class-AB amps. You can fully charge the earbuds in 1.5 hours from 0, and fast charging will give you 45 minutes of playback from a 5 minute charge.

Call Quality

Thanks to the positioning of the earpieces, and the quality of the internal microphones used, voice quality on the ZE8000 is very clear. I found these earphones to work well outside while on the move and even better inside. I tried them when there was a fair amount of wind and still managed to make a few calls with no problems. Indoors, where there is no weather interreference, the call quality is extremely clear and along with their comfort, ideal for a day of long videos calls.

ZE8000: Software done right

Active Noise Cancellation

No corners were cut when it comes to the software either. For the ZE8000, Final has developed their noise cancelling technology to prioritise sound quality, and from what I can hear this is most certainly to be the case. The ANC may not block out as much noise as some of the competition, but what I do get is total silence coming from the earphones. There is no hiss anywhere to be heard, and the ANC certainly does create a quiet listening environment for me to enjoy some tunes, podcast interview or audiobook. The ANC also feels very natural to me. I tend not to use ANC on headphones or earphones because I find the effect to be very unnatural, usually affecting audio quality too.

Finally, there is Wind-Cut mode which gives you the benefit of Noise Cancelling while also completely reducing wind noise

Ambient Sound and Wind-Cut Mode

With the ZE8000, ambient noise is blocked out in a very natural way – as though the world just got quieter. If you want to hear your surroundings, Final has you covered. There are other settings including Ambient Sound and Voice Through. Both allow you to hear what is going on around you, with the Voice Through mode reducing the level of music coming through in order to be able to focus on talking. Finally, there is Wind-Cut mode (my favourite) which gives you the benefit of Noise Cancelling while also completely reducing wind noise – something I have not experience this well before. All of these models can be easily selected on the ‘Final Connect’ app along with a few other handy features including Final’s newly developed Volume Step Optimiser and 8K Sound.

Volume Step Optimizer

Volume Step Optimiser is a way of being able to easily fine tune your volume. This is setup via the app, where you can set a reference point, and then from there you can adjust the volume at much smaller intervals when compared to the standard volume controls. I personally didn’t use this much – however I know that there will be a lot of users out there who would appreciate this as an option.

8K Sound

8K Sound utilises the hardware choices within the ZE8000 in order to deliver audio in a new way. When selected, I noticed a change to the sound. It is subtle, and there definitely seems to be an improvement to my ears – as though a veil was lifted and more information was pulled out of the audio. Those who prefer to keep things natural may not use this setting, I found myself keeping it on as I really enjoyed the benefits, however subtle.

Within the app you can also see the individual battery levels and easily perform firmware updates when available.

Compatibility

The ZE8000 supports all the main codecs AAC, aptX and aptX Adaptive, and is compatible with Snapdragon Sound – so anyone with devices using this technology will be able to benefit from this. My device does not so I could not test this out. I’ll just have t take their word for it.

‘But John, how do they sound?’ – Good question. They sound very good!

I listen to so many headphones and earphones, wired and wireless, and at some point I realised that once you get to a certain level – they all sound pretty good. So, is the ZE8000 any different? Yes. Why? I am glad you asked…

A listening experience that I can best describe as ethereal

In my experience, true wireless earphones tend to favour smooth, unoffensive or bass heavy sound signatures. This makes sense, as it is probably what the majority of users really want. I love bass. If I listen to an earphone that has a lot of bass, and has balanced it well among the other frequencies, I will be a fan. Then I try the ZE8000 and I quickly remember that there’s a lot more to music than these popular sound signatures tend to deliver. Firstly, these are not bassy, nor are they smooth – they are effortless. The bass is very much there, and it stays well in its lane. The lack of noise makes for a silent canvas, which means that the finest details can come across in a way that is noticeable and yet perfectly subtle. Each sound is so tight and well controlled, that this leaves an impressive amount of space within the mix for reverbs and other effects to really make an impact. The combination of an extremely comfortable fit and effortlessly delivered audio makes for a listening experience that I can best describe as ethereal.

The post Final ZE8000 Review appeared first on HiFiheadphones.

Since 2009, final has been at the forefront of portable audio, and their most recent flagship releases have influenced the creation and development of the ZE8000. In 2017, final released their D8000 flagship headphone which incorporated their very own planar magnetic technology (AFDS); developed in-house by final engineers. Later in 2019, the A8000 flagship wired earphone was released, utilising final’s truly pure Beryllium diaphragm driver; again designed and developed in-house.

These discoveries have allowed final to foresee the untapped potential of wireless portable audio, and apply their years of development and engineering prowess into creating the flagship ZE8000 true wireless earphones; proudly included within their 8000 series lineup.

Introducing 8K Sound technology – developed by final

For the ZE8000, final has developed their new ‘f-CORE for 8K Sound’ ultra-low distortion driver with a large 13mm diaphragm. This driver is extremely lightweight, using an aluminium-magnesium dome injection moulded onto a highly flexible silicone surround, with a floating mechanism used for the voice coils. The impressively low total harmonic distortion (THD) from this driver is unique amongst other true wireless earphone models, providing the highest precision in digital signal processing results and allowing the fullest possible portrayal of sound texture and detail.

Class-AB Amplifier and Dedicated Digital Signal Processing

In order to achieve 8K Sound and fully utilise the new f-CORE driver, final has paid focused attention to the hardware nestled within the ZE8000. Class-AB amplifiers are known for their superior balance between sound quality and power efficiency, and is another element of the ZE8000 that sets it aside from the many TWS models typically using Class-D amplifier technology. Paired with the Polymer Multilayer Capacitors (PML CAPs) designed by Rubicon for digital signal processing, final’s 8K Sound is fully realised in the ZE8000.

Impressive hardware matched with state-of-the-art software and final Connect app

The ZE8000 has been loaded with an impressive amount of features, some of which never before available until now. In order for music quality to always be the focus of the ZE8000, final has developed their sound quality prioritised Active Noise Cancelling (ANC). This ANC does not degrade the audio in any way, and the low-noise helps to create a quiet environment for listening; removing irritating ambient noise and enabling a stress-free listening experience.

With the ZE8000, final has shown that high-end, hi-fi audio quality is possible from a wireless earphone; and this flagship is the first step towards realising the full potential of portable audio.

More News about Final and their latest releases here

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The Looks

In true Campfire Audio fashion, the Orbit is presented in a beautifully simple and yet visually striking box. There is something quite retro about the colour and font choices for the Orbit, with a very neutral and natural colour palette for the font, box and earphone housings – then there’s a bright splash of green to shake things up a bit. Just a reminder that this is indeed a Campfire Audio product.

Very eco-friendly and also very attractive

The packaging is all made of what looks like recycled cardboard, with no plastic in sight. Very eco-friendly and also very attractive. Open the box and there an explosion of gold which looks like sunbeams coming from out of the centre, with a deep blue box containing all of the goods.
Along with the Orbit, Campfire Audio has included a number of silicone and foam eartips in small, medium and large sizes. There is also a USB-C to USB-C charging cable, user guide and the coveted pin badge.

Campfire Audio has designed the Orbit from scratch, resulting in a unique style like no other. The case is nice and small and is finished with a smooth matte finish that feels very pleasing to touch. The two-tone colour style is in all neutral, earthy tones which is new to me – and I really like it. The shape is also interesting, with smooth angled edges along the sides, and the case tapers towards the bottom which makes for easy entry into a tight pocket when on the move. Lift the lid and there’s that lovely green colour again! Nestled in the case are the earphones, which fit very securely and regardless of their compact size. They are easy to remove too.

As for the earphones, their shape reminds me of the Saber with is small housing size and comfortable fit. The Orbit housings are again using the matte finish and two-tone colour style. There is also a stainless-steel sound nozzle which not only looks great – this surely adds to the Orbit’s durability.

The Inside

The Orbit uses 10mm custom full-range dynamic drivers, with a Liquid Crystal Polymer (LCP) film diaphragm. They are also packed with impressive tech: Bluetooth 5.2, AAC and AptX Adaptive codec support handling up to 24bit/48KHz audio, Qi wireless charging and 8.5 hours playtime plus a whopping 30 hours of reserve power from the carry case.

A Word of Advice

In trying the Orbit, I noticed that the housing shape made it slightly tricky to get that fit right in my ear, so I made sure to move them around until I felt a good seal. Once in place and with the right tips, the Orbit is very comfortable and secure with an airtight seal.

The sound is massive. It slams when needed with bass that drops low and punches high

The Sound

As for the sound – I had to keep reminding myself that this was a wireless earphone. We know Campfire Audio can create incredible wired earphones, having released some of the best sounding IEMs in history. The Orbit not only manages to carry on this tradition without the need for cables. There is now a Campfire Audio product that delivers their well known bombastic and engaging audio in a more affordable and convenient to use package.

The Orbit makes full use of the custom 10mm drivers, and it is as though they have wrung every bit of quality out of them. The sound is massive. It slams when needed with bass that drops low and punches high. Details come across with crispness and clarity, yet they are still very much a part of the overall listening experience. There has always been an organic quality to Campfire Audio earphones, and the Orbit is certainly this.

It’s hard to imagine that there is just one 10mm driver (per side) creating what sounds like a whole production suite in my head. The higher frequencies appear effortlessly, bringing everything together and helping to create space and depth – which there is plenty. Vocals are smooth and natural sounding, yet very present. They never get lost in the mix, they manage to be the focus when needed and if I didn’t know any better – I would think they were singing directly to me. Words that come to mind are lush, liquid, edgy, smooth, impact, moreish, quick, yum… I think you get the picture.

To top things off, Campfire Audio has also developed an app for the Orbit. Here you can view the individual battery levels, edit the touch controls, set the EQ (presets and custom) and update the firmware. This is all done very easily and the app is simple yet visually bold with quick response and connection.

The post Campfire Audio Orbit Review appeared first on HiFiheadphones.

The Outside

First off, looking at the packaging it is clear that the Cleer SCENE is out there to challenge the premium speakers available right now. The box is sleek, has a lovely soft feel matte finish, and is extremely well designed. Inside the box you get a user manual, charging cable and the speaker itself.

As for the speaker – it’s stylish, elegant and feels very robust. The SCENE provides an alternative to the majority of speakers out there from the likes of Ultimate Ears, JBL, Bose, Anker and Soundcore. Where most other brands offer either party-time boom boxes, or plain and minimal designs – Cleer has gone for a more mature and refined design. Now, this won’t appeal to a lot of potential customers out there. However, the SCENE offers something that the current competition does not at a price that is extremely competitive and provides great value.

There are a number of rubber coated buttons that run along the top of the speaker. They provide useful controls such as play/pause, adjust volume and activate the built-in microphone. On the back there are a few more buttons, this time to turn the speaker on/off and a button to activate Bluetooth. There is also a USB-C charging port on the back.

Looks great, and gives the Cleer SCENE its refined look as well as feeling high quality to touch.

The majority of the speaker is covered in a textured – fabric similar to typical speaker grilles – and it goes over the speaker from front to back. This looks great, and gives the SCENE its refined look as well as feeling high quality to touch. The tough plastic rim provides contrast to the design, and then there is a light on the front that indicates power as well as notifying you when the battery is low.

The Inside

Inside the housing are dual 48mm dynamic drivers, and this is paired with two passive radiators. These radiators can be seen from the outside, and they look like mini subwoofers either side of the SCENE’s housing – this looks great and adds an extra element to the premium design.

The Sound

Audio in a refined and sophisticated manner

How does this speaker arrangement sound? Well, like the design – the Cleer SCENE delivers audio in a refined and sophisticated manner. There’s a focus on clarity and definition, which is something that is generally missed in most Bluetooth speakers out there. That’s not all you get though. Thanks to the dual driver setup and two passive radiators – bass is tight and punchy with power and distortion-free depth. The SCENE also provides a high level of detail that give insight into the music you listen to; moving away from the typical bass heavy approach to speaker tuning. This certainly won’t be for everyone, and the lack of boomy bass may also disappoint the bass heads out there. However, those that prefer bass accuracy over volume – I’d say the SCENE could be just right for you.

In addition to the impressive audio performance, the Cleer SCENE is also IPX7 waterproof rated. So there’s no risk of water damage on those rainy days. You can also expect 12 hours of playback time when fully charged. When taking calls – the SCENE’s built-in echo and noise-cancelling microphone is well suited to personal and conference calls alike.

The post Cleer Scene Bluetooth Speaker Review appeared first on HiFiheadphones.

Aesthetics and Build Quality

Campfire Audio’s Andromeda is about as bold as you can get when it comes to its design. The housings are made from machined aluminium, with a deep forest green anodised finish. The finish has been updated in this new version of the Andromeda, with a much smoother coating and a slightly richer shade of green.

The sound tube is made using stainless steel, which I am sure not only benefits the acoustics. It looks very striking too. Overall the Andromeda feels robust and built to last, while managing to stand out with its unique character.

Features and Comfort

Campfire Audio earphones have a very distinctive look, and the Andromeda is their champion. The design is very unusual, with a slightly futuristic shape to them. The shell’s design allows it to catch the light at different angles, which gives off a multitude of different shades of green. That is not the only purpose of this shape, the angled design provides superb comfort. The Andromeda sits perfectly in my ear, and with the included Final silicone eartips – the fit is snug and they seal extremely well which also helps towards isolation.

Another great feature of the Andromeda is the supplied cable. An upgrade on the older version, this time the Andromeda comes with their popular Silver Plated Copper Litz wire covered in a new smoky jacket. The cable is also more flexible than the previous version and uses a lightweight moulded ear hook design instead of memory wire – a definite improvement.

Campfire Audio don’t stop there, the Andromeda comes supplied with a newly designed leather carry pouch, foam and silicone eartips, a cleaning tool and even a fancy Campfire Audio lapel pin.

Sound Quality

The best way I can describe the sound of the Andromeda is organic. Sound comes across effortless, well balanced and with an impressively natural soundstage.

Bass

Bass comes across with authority and punch. It goes low and manages to keep controlled, even with more bass heavy tracks. Bass performs equally well with intricate instrumental, heavy rock and electronic music. This shows that the bass has been tuned to do what is needed, letting the quality of the production do the talking.

Midrange

Thanks to the controlled bass, there is no risk of the midrange getting over shadowed. Mids come across extremely clear with a musical richness – this is a welcome change from the analytical sound that is common amongst high-end earphone models. Vocals have presence and whether male or female, they sound uncoloured, engaging and with emotion.

Treble

Campfire Audio uses their very own Tuned Acoustic Expansion Chamber in the Andromeda, designed to improve treble extension and soundstage. This is very clear and noticable. Thetreble provides just the right amount of definition without going harsh or sibilant. Then, in addition the extension provided by the T.A.E.C. goes on and on, creating width and space with superb separation.

The post Campfire Audio Andromeda IEM Review appeared first on HiFiheadphones.

Headphone hygiene is something that seems to get overlooked. We see a lot of headphones being returned to us because of supposed faults. When all they really needed was some TLC.

Here we’ll go through some of the common issues when it comes to headphone hygiene. In addition we will provide steps you can take to make sure your headphones and earphones are well looked after.

Earphones tend to suffer the most from not being kept clean. This is becuase they fit into the ear canal and they tend to be stored in pockets and bags which are both perfect places to pick up dirt. This dirt can seriously affect the sound and performance.

Blocked Sound Nozzle – Earphones

The most common issue is a loss of sound from one or both of the ear pieces. This can either be a complete loss of sound or a slight drop in volume, and is not always the result of a fault. One of the most common reasons for this issue is a build up of ear wax in the sound nozzle of the earphone. There can also be a blockage at the opening of the eartip. Now we know this is not the nicest sounding thing, but you’d be surprised how many earphones are returned to us faulty, when they in fact just needed a good clean.

Many earphones are supplied with cleaning tools. These are great for removing wax or dirt. However, always be careful to not poke the driver or damage the grille that protects it. Be careful when cleaning your earphones in this way, and if it is too difficult – please get in touch and we will be happy to advise.

If the eartips are blocked, (the silicone or foam tips that go into your ear), then you can remove them from the IEM and give them a proper clean. For silicone tips, you can even soak them in warm water! If they are beyond saving, then you will be able to find replacement eartips that can be bought as spares. Final, SpinFit, Dekoni and Shure are just some brands that sell eartips separately. We are very happy to help if you are unsure which tips fit your earphones.

Blocked Cable Connectors – Dust and Dirt

Another area where dirt can affect your headphones or earphones, is where the cable connects to the housings. This is only relevant if the cable is replaceable. Sometimes dirt can get into the contacts, breaking the connection between the cable and connector.

So, if you notice sound cutting out from one of the sides, try disconnecting the cable from the housing and check for any dust or dirt. Nothing a good blow won’t get rid of. To be extra safe, you can use compressed air or a manual air pump to do this. Check both the housing socket and cable connector to be sure.

Dust and dirt can also make its way into the headphone socket of your device, whether it’s a phone or portable audio player. To avoid any issues, regularly check the socket for anything that may interfere with the headphone connection and make sure to be careful when removing anything blocking the socket.

The best way to avoid a lot of potential issues, is to keep your headphones or earphones inside a case. Not only will this look after them and keep the cable safe and tangle free, cases will also help avoid dust or dirt getting into places you don’t want it to.

Enjoyed our How To on Headphone Hygiene? Check out more guides HERE

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Fit and comfort

The Goal is completely unique when it comes to fit. They have a hybrid design, with Apple Airpod style earbuds held in place using replaceable rubber fins. This combination is intended to keep the earphones secure while in use, allowing you to hear what’s going on around you while you listen. With that in mind, don’t expect the Goal to create a seal around the ear – they are designed to sit in place with the help of the provided fins. There is a selection of different sized fins, and it is important that you try them all to find the best fit for you. I used the large size, and they worked a treat – saying that, they do take a bit of getting used to as it is such a different experience when compared to standard earphones. Once you have twisted them into place, they stay put and you’ll barely notice you’re wearing them.

Features

Being a true wireless earphone, the Goal uses touch sensitive controls to play/pause, skip tracks, take calls, adjust volume and activate voice assistant. The controls are very easy to use, as the touch area is easy to find thanks to it being scooped slightly into the housing – the perfect size for finger tips. The earphones are IPX4 rated, so they are sweat proof and water resistant which is ideal for working out. You also get a total of 20 hours of battery life from the Goal – with 6 hours from the earphones and them a further 14 hours from the supplied charging case. The case itself works very well, and the design isn’t the smallest – yet it is shaped in a way that is easy to slip into a pocket.

Sound

Due to the fit of the Goal, the sound is airy and spacious. As there is no seal created, you’d expect there to be no bass. Cleer have managed to avoid that though. By using a custom tuned 14mm dynamic driver, bass is punchy and very present – providing depth and body. The mids are very cleer, and they allow vocals and snare hits to really stand out and bring rhythm to the experience. The treble brings air and space to the mix, which overall is wide and well defined.

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The Cleer Crescent smart speaker was one of the stars at this year’s CES, and TechHive were quick to award the impressively designed speaker their Best of CES 2021 award

“We’re big fans of Cleer’s Bluetooth headphones (Cleer’s Flow II Bluetooth ANC headphone snagged our Editors’ Choice award last year), so we were pleased to hear that the fledgling home-audio manufacturer is prepping its first smart speaker. Boasting a beautiful crescent-shaped design and equipped with eight 40mm full-range drivers and a pair of 3.3-inch woofers, the Google Assistant-powered Crescent (natch) supports high-resolution audio streaming, while beamforming technology features such listening experiences as Wide Stereo Mode, Room Filling Mode, and 3D Immersive Mode. The $700 Crescent also comes with 3.5mm, optical, and ethernet ports, along with support for AirPlay 2, Chromecast, and Spotify Connect.”

Crescent showcases how Cleer’s design team “Owns the Moment”, stepping away from the monotonous styling of the modern speaker landscape and creating an all-in-one sound system that compliments the interior of any room in the home. Crescent will support wireless music streaming from a wide variety of popular services, including Hi-Res file formats.

Available to PRE-ORDER now on Hifiheadphones for £799

The post TechHive awards Cleer Crescent ‘Best of CES 2021’ award appeared first on HiFiheadphones.

The M8 adopts a brand new system of interchangeable headphone sockets, developed by Shanling themselves. This system makes it possible to provide all the needed connection standards, while keeping cleaner looks and a better optimized internal design. Four different options are available and come supplied with the M8 – 2.5, 3.5, 4.4 and 3.5 pro.

With a massive 7000 mAh battery, the M8 can manage up to 14 hours of continuous playback once fully charged. The M8 also comes with a bigger, brighter and sharper screen than their previous models – for an even better user experience in all conditions.

The analogue circuit of the Shanling M8 was designed around a pair of high-performing AKM flagship DACs, with in house developed I/V conversion stage and fully balanced amplifier. Offering reference class performance, while keeping to Shanling’s smooth, pleasing and slightly warm sound.

Qualcomm’s Bluetooth 5.0 chipset assures stable connection and low latency. And the best sound quality is achieved thanks to the support of advanced Bluetooth Codecs.

Transmit: LDAC / LHDC / aptX HD / SBC

Receive: LDAC / LHDC / aptX HD / aptX LL / aptX / AAC / SBC

Features

• Hi-Res Audio + Hi-Res Wireless Audio certification
• Perfect match for all headphone types
• Equipped with top of the line AKM AK4499EQ DACs
• Interchangeable socket system with 3.5mm, 2.5mm, 4.4mm and 3.5 Pro
• 24GHz/5G Wi-Fi streaming with MU-MIMO technology
• Wirless file transfer, remote control, DLNA, airplay and OTA firmware updates
• 5-inch full HD touchscreen
• 14 hours continuous play on single charge + QuickCharge
• Graphite cooling system

The Shanling M8 is available to buy now for £1649

The post Shanling release new M8 digital audio player (DAP) – Now available appeared first on HiFiheadphones.

Cleer Ally Plus II – Noise Cancelling True Wireless Earphones

An update to the previous Ally Plus, the Cleer Ally Plus II has a planned release for March 2021, and they come with some impressive specs and features.

• 10mm Graphene Drivers
• 11+22 Hours Battery Life
• Adaptive Noise Cancelling with Feed Forward & Feed Backward Technology
• Custom EQ and ANC Control via Cleer+ App
• Wireless Charging
• IPX4 Water and Sweat Resistance
• SRP: £129.99

Cleer Roam NC – Noise Cancelling True Wireless Earphones

This is a brand new model for 2021. The Cleer Roam NC will be Cleer’s entry level noise cancelling true wireless earphone model. With a planned release in April, and and SRP of only £59.99 – this is definitely a release to look out for.

• 5.8mm Custom Dynamic Drivers
• 5+10 Hours Battery Life
• Noise Cancelling Technology – blocks up to 25db
• Custom EQ and ANC Control via Cleer+ App
• IPX4 Water and Sweat Resistance
• SRP: £59.99

Cleer Enduro ANC – Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones

Packed with impressive features, the new Cleer Enduro ANC wireless noise cancelling headphones look to be a winning combination of price and performance. Release planned for February 2021.

• 40mm Ironless Drivers
• 60 Hours Battery Life
• Active Noise Cancelling + Ambient Mode
• Custom EQ and ANC Control via Cleer+ App
• New Qualcomm QCC5126 Chip
• SRP: £149.99

Cleer Crescent – Smart Audio Speaker

We are very excited about this one. The award winning Cleer Crescent smart speaker looks stunning, and with features including Google Assistant, unique room settings and a dynamic listening experience thanks to the 10 speaker drivers – the Crescent looks to revolutionise the smart speaker. Planned to be released January 2021.

• Unique 8 Linear Array Full-Range 40mm Drivers
• plus 2 Back Firing 3.3″ Woofers
• High-Res Audio Streaming
• Unique Room DSPs – Stereo Widening, 3D and Room Fill
• Google Assistant
• SRP: £699.99

The post Cleer announce new headphone and speaker releases at CES 2021 appeared first on HiFiheadphones.

It’s easy to confuse the benefits of noise cancelling with sound isolating headphones. This is easily done, as essentially they are both doing something similar but in very different ways. Because of this you want to make sure you choose the right headphones for your situation – this article will help clear things up for you.

Noise Cancelling

Noise cancelling headphones can reduce the amount of low frequency hum or ambient sounds reaching your ear drums. This can make it possible to listen to your music without having to raise the volume excessively, or even help you get some good sleep on a long journey – they don’t cancel out all noise though. They are useful for people who travel a lot, especially by plane or train as the engine noise can become a nuisance. These headphones use active noise control to cancel out low frequency noise so they will need power; usually using batteries or USB power. Depending on the model of headphone, if the power runs out one of three things will happen:

• The noise cancelling function will stop running but you will still get sound from the headphones.
• The sound will completely cut off, you will need to change batteries/recharge to use the headphones.
• The noise cancelling will stop running and if the speakers have high impedance (require more power) then the sound you get will be faint.

A good example here is the B&W PX5, they are a Bluetooth wireless headphone that feature active noise cancelling (ANC) technology.

Sound Isolation

Sound isolation is a term used for headphones that block out external noise and reduce the amount of sound leaking for others to hear passively (without power), and this is achieved by their build quality and materials used. Most closed back headphones or in-ear isolating earphones do this, and some will do it better than others. Lots of things can improve isolation such as leather ear pads, a good in-ear seal, heavy clamping force (tight fit on the head), acoustic treatment in the ear cups and even the shape and material of the driver housing. A prime example being the Shure SRH840, these have no noise cancelling but for everyday use they block out enough outside noise, making them great for noisy environments.

Summary

Noise cancelling is great in theory, and for long journeys on planes it can be very effective, however it does have its drawbacks. In solving one problem, it creates another, and this is noise and lack of dynamic range in some senses. The other thing to note about noise cancelling is it is only effective against constant background noise, and does not help with sudden loud noises. So it has its uses, but for most people, especially those wanting the best sound, noise isolating headphones are the only logical choice. The company will have put time into tuning the housing to reduce resonance, along with experimenting with different pad materials, to bring you the best sound and isolate unwanted noise.

The post Noise Cancelling vs Sound Isolation appeared first on HiFiheadphones.

Looking for a new pair of headphones can be very confusing, there are so many to choose from – how do you know you are getting the best for your money?

There are lots of things you can look at when deciding, and the main place to start is whether you will benefit from Open or Closed Back headphones. It’s easy for some people to say that one is better then the other, but this isn’t the case – it really depends on how you will use them. If you are looking for a pair of headphones to commute to work with then an open back design won’t be ideal, unless you want the whole carriage to listen to your guilty pleasures. So here is a quick run down on the differences between Open and Closed back headphones.

Closed back headphones

The main benefit you get from a closed back headphone is sound isolation, this reduces the amount of sound that leaks out for others to hear and it also helps block outside noises so they won’t interfere with your listening. This is something that is very important when using headphones in public e.g. commute to work, travelling or even at home with other people in the room. Generally closed back headphones have a narrower soundstage (compared to open back) but you tend to get a punchier sound with heavier bass from a closed back headphone. One downside of closed back headphones is that your ears can get warm very easily, especially compared to open backed headphones – using velour earpads instead of leather can reduce this but this will reduce the amount of sound that is isolated.

Closed back headphones we recommend:

• Bowers & Wilkins PX7
• Dan Clark Aeon 2 Closed Back

Open back headphones

These headphones certainly don’t isolate sound, being open back the sounds comes out from them like mini speakers – some more than others. They will also allow you to hear what’s going on around you, so this won’t be ideal for noisy environments. The benefit from this is that you get a very natural sound, your ears will keep cool due to the air flow and they give a wide soundstage – this is particularly good for live recordings as you really feel like you’re right there. Being open backed you will sometimes notice a loss of bass compared to a closed back alternative, however the bass has a more natural feel to it because the driver housing is vented so the sound can breathe.

Open back headphones we recommend:

• Audeze LCD-1
• Audeze LCD-2 Classic
• Sennheiser HD800S

How to choose?

The best question to ask yourself first is “how will I use these headphones?” and from there you will know whether to go for open or closed back. So if you’re using them at home and there won’t be anyone else around then open back will be a good place to look, but if there is a chance that you will also want to use them on the odd commute to work – then overall a closed back will be the most suitable.

The post Open or Closed Back? – How to Choose the Right Headphones appeared first on HiFiheadphones.

What is a headphone amplifier?

Simply put, every device that allows you to plug in headphones has an amp built in. The amp takes the audio signal and boosts it, allowing us to hear sound through the headphones. Amps don’t only boost volume; they can add and improve qualities like soundstage and separation. Adding an amp to a setup can also bring extra warmth or clarity. This all depends on the quality of the amp and how it has been designed. The reality is that most people won’t need an external headphone amp. That’s not to say that they wouldn’t benefit from one, though. Smartphones are now a very common music source, and with the technology getting better and better, they do a decent job of delivering good quality sound to most portable headphones and earphones. There are plenty of headphones designed to be used with mobile phones and other low powered portable devices. These headphones generally have a low impedance of up to 32ohm, and high sensitivity of around 100db, so they are very easy to drive and are more likely to go louder. Remember though: not only do amps add extra power but they can also improve the quality of the sound. So, once you start looking at higher quality headphones, improving your amp will start to make more sense as you will want to get the most out of them. No matter how good your headphones are, the sound quality will be limited by how good the amp is.

How to choose a headphone amp

If you’ve decided to go for a headphone amp, you now need to decide which one to go for. There are many to choose from, and they go for anything between £20 to £2000 and more. Amps can be split into two main groups: portable and desktop. If you want to add some power to your phone or laptop, then you will want to look for a portable amp. These amps can be charged, and will run off batteries, making them ideal for using on the move. They are also small in size, and there are some out there (like the Shanling UP4) which can connect to the source wirelessly using Bluetooth.

If you only use your headphones at home, or intend to use headphones that are particularly hard to drive, then you will probably want to go for a desktop amp as they are generally more powerful. Not only are they more powerful, they also tend to have a larger amount of inputs and outputs, making them very versatile. They will need to be plugged it at all times, so will need a power socket to work. As amps can bring their own character to the overall sound quality, it’s worth making sure you choose wisely and pick an amp that will compliment your headphones. For example, if your headphones have a warm or bassy sound then it’s a good idea to go for a neutral or bright sounding amp. This also works the other way around; a warm sounding amp will complement bright headphones and help to balance the sound out.

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If you have any questions about choosing the right amplifier then please feel free to comment below! We’ll be happy to offer advice on this.

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