Author Archives: Steve

Earsonics S-EM6 Crystal Limited Edition – Lauri Cular Review

Posted on by
Reply

What is it with the French wanting us to see the insides of things? The Pompidou Centre is all very well, but anyone wanting to fix the air conditioning needs a good head for heights. The Eiffel Tower, although a good effort, could do with a spot of rendering. Some nice Spanish arches and stone cladding would look a treat. And that glass pyramid – no self-respecting Pharaoh would be seen dead in it, I’m sure.

However, if I’d managed to squeeze 6 speakers into a package which fits into the bowl of my ear, maybe I would want to show it off too. Lauri Cular took these transparent treats home for a weekend, but do they sound as good as they look?

The Earsonics S-EM6 comes in a neat little briefcase-type box, but don’t be tempted to assume that these are for the conservative bowler-hatted commuter. These are a little more rock ‘n roll than that!

When I put the E-SM6s in, I was struck by the size compared to what I’m used to – usually 2 BAs are enough, and the housing for this half-dozen did seem relatively bulky. However once in place, they were as unobtrusive as any in-ear, apart of course from the isolation they offered. I live with a very noisy pet, and enjoyed the isolation aspect to the full. With audio coming through it’s very easy to ignore everything else.

One thing I will say is that these are not for the bass-shy. I popped them on and listened through my E12 which is relatively cool-sounding. My first thought was ‘now let’s try it with the bass boost off’ – but it was already off. Most of the time this wasn’t such a problem; the bass doesn’t get in the way of anything else in particular, and only a few tracks offered a problem when it came to bass.

I decided to capitalise on this and tried some rap and dance music. The S-EM6s gave some excellent sub-bass and seemed to suit these genres well. Separation and space is amazing. I’m sitting in the office dancing in my chair as I try to type. The midrange reminds me of the Final Audio Pianoforte X I tried a few months ago; amazingly real and engaging, with a very real sense of the space in which the presentation is contained. Detail is superb, and placement is as good as anything I’ve heard from an in-ear.

Classical music is very involving as well as more jazzy soundtracks. As I type, I’m enjoying the slowly building tension in Lalo Schifrin’s ‘Shifting Gears’ from the Bullitt soundtrack. The bass is of a very low frequency in this track (an alternative version, track 25 on the CD) – but quite voluminous. It threatens to detract from the other instruments but doesn’t quite. Bass boost is not an option here either.

I have found that tracks like this are in the minority however, most well produced music will not offer a problem. But if you hate too much bass, avoid the S-EM6!

There is a bit of a top-end roll off as well, but this is a problem for all of 10 seconds. The mids and high mids are so real-sounding, any desire to have the higher frequencies boosted just gets forgotten. I’m now listening to ‘Beat It’ by Michael Jackson – just before Van Halen’s guitar solo there’s a knocking sound. I knew it was there, but it scared the life out of me!

All in all, the S-EM6 is a very well built and solid model from Earsonics, but I would prefer to see some sort of porting option to ease the bass down a little.

Lossless Audio – How To Get Started

Posted on by
Reply

Lossless Audio – How To Get Started

For a few years now, we have enjoyed the convenience of lossy music files as opposed to carting around a portable CD or cassette player. The drawback of course is that we can only use equipment which does not reveal the flaws within these music files. Try listening to a 128kbps music file with the headphones you received with the player and it’ll sound acceptable. Try again with some Shure 535s, and the appalling drivel you’ve been listening to is revealed in all its wishy washy glory.

These headphones are very kind to low quality audio. Any flaws are likely not noticed by the listener.

So what if you want to get rid of those compression artefacts? If you want to keep those nice headphones, you need to think about raising your game.

Perhaps the simplest solution is to raise the data rate of the music you’re buying or encoding to 320kbps – this will not require any new equipment, other than a larger memory card on your device perhaps. Your media player should not need to be changed.

Lossless formats do not include MP3. However high the settings are, a certain amount of the original information is still lost.

The first lossless format I came across was monkey’s audio (.ape) about 10 years ago. At the time it seemed to be an equivalent of .zip or .rar files; it would squash the music down to half the original size for storage, but my computer could not play it back in real time – it needed to decompress the files again before playing. Even so, after decompression the music files were identical to the original files, with no loss of information. Nowadays, my computer is up to the job and can play back Monkey’s Audio files in real time. I have some ‘Gorillaz’ playing just now.

Other lossless formats include Windows Media Audio Lossless (.wma, but not all .wma versions) and the open-source Apple format (.m4a) along with perhaps the most well-known, FLAC (.flac).

Not all portable music players can handle these filetypes, so do check before committing to a particular filetype, or player. Some are more versatile than others; for instance the Astell & Kern AK100 plays WAV, AIFF, FLAC, ALAC and APE as well as some lossy formats, which is a large range of formats. However my humble Sony Walkman will not bother with anything but .mp3/.mp4/.wma – if I want lossless I have to carry around the full uncompressed .wav file, and with 8Gb memory this is not a great option.

The Astell&Kern AK120 is certainly no slouch when it comes to lossless quality.

Another great player is the Fiio X3, and with the forthcoming X5, Fiio is worth keeping your eye on as regards players. It supports .dsd, .ape, .flac, .alac, .wma and .wav. and can also be used as a DAC.

 

Please check out our youtube video DACs, Sample Rates and how to use Audio Files 

Cypher Labs Theorem 720 Vs. Solo -R / Just Audio AHA-120

Posted on by
Reply

Lauri Cular gets his magic towel and liniment ready for The Big Rig Showdown – which is the true mobile music master? The Cypher Labs Theorem 720 vs The Cypher Labs Solo -R / Just Audio AHA-120.

For many a year, we’ve had great fun at the expense of the music fan on the move; what about those roller skaters with half a coconut over each ear? Then of course there’s the Atlas figure with a ghetto blaster and curvature of the spine, and who can forget that legion of listeners with those white buds of mediocrity?

“Darn these Confederate batteries!”

For some however, no compromise is acceptable; great sound quality just has to be paramount. A lump in the trousers causes no embarrassment in such cases. So who exactly is trying to get these big things in our pants?

There’s a wide selection of portable bits and bobs as we all know; with the more static listener, there’s known to be an entry or ‘low’ end of the market and a high end. Portable devices, by the nature of who they’re generally aimed at, are mostly built around price and convenience; some of them only accepting MP3s or similarly lossy file formats.

Apple’s recent impact on the portable audio market is well known, and although their products have a fair reputation for out-of-the-box audio quality, it’s very difficult to satisfy all scrumpers. Due to the success of Apple’s fruits, other manufacturers deem it worthwhile designing ways to improve the sound quality of these devices.

It’s well known that a low-cost cable can be attached to a 30-pin connection which provides a line-out signal; a signal which bypasses the internal amp of the iDevice, to be fed into an external amplifier. This can give sound quality a boost, certainly where less sensitive headphones are involved. Line-out lightning connectors for newer devices are available via Apple, but they ain’t giving them away.

However, this cuts little ice with those who strive for their jive – Apple’s DAC is still doing the conversion to analogue. Perhaps understandably, Apple would not have such a marketable product if all components were as high-spec as possible, and the DAC is no exception. It’s to get the job done adequately.

Apple has been protective in the past when aftermarket manufacturers wanted to get in between their rind and pips; indeed a hefty royalty has been required should anyone want their product to truly interface with the iDevice’s software. This has affected the price of available gadgets greatly; hopefully this is changing.

Fostex’s HPP1 is one example of a DAC which will decode music on an iDevice, but here we will compare two high-end arrangements provided by Cypher Labs and Just Audio.

..The Theorem 720 with iPod Touch

On one side we have the new Theorem 720 from Cypher Labs; an all-in one solution providing both digital-to-analogue conversion and amplification. On the other, we have the Cypher Labs Solo -R, with separate amplification provided by Just Audio’s A-Class AHA-120. How do these compare, and is the extra bulk of a separate amp (and extra connections) worth it?

The headphones I used for this are at a similar level – the effortless Beyerdynamic T1. Being a semi-open headphone, these are not the first choice for portable use but are excellent for judging the subtle differences in sound quality between high-end rigs, and for  illustrating how powerful the amps are.

The Theorem 720 blew me away with its accuracy and power, but the latter depends on the mastering of the recording. For instance Aha’s ‘Take On Me’ (what better to test this against the AHA-120?) was blisteringly loud, but Queen’s ‘Another One Busts the Dust’ needed more headroom. Of course, the T1 headphones are rated at 600 Ohms with 102 dB sensitivity, so the bar’s unrealistically high for portable power requirements. It gives a good comparative impression though.

Bass was present and under good control. The mids had great detail and strength, and the highs were crisp and clean. Soundstage and separation were very immersive, and I was very impressed with what I heard. However, specialist interconnects such as those supplied by ALO Audio were not used, just the standard 30-pin to Micro-B USB connection provided with the Cypher Labs unit.

It’s not hard to imagine that a plethora of high quality interconnects will be available soon for the Theorem.

..Just Audio AHA-120 with the Solo –R and iPod Touch

So then I popped on the T1s with the same 30-pin iPod – now with a Cypherlabs Solo -R, and the Just Audio AHA-120 headphone amp. There was an ALO Audio interconnect between the iPod and Solo -R, and an iBasso 3.5mm to 3.5mm between
the Solo -R and AHA-120. This rig has a slight advantage here.

The bass was a little more present, but by no means excessive. Mids were more recessed than with the Theorem, and high frequencies not so clinically accurate. The soundstage was a little narrower too.

But for all that, I far prefer the Solo -R/AHA-120 combo as it sounds so effortless and natural. The difference is like that of spandex and silk. Spandex is functional, comfortable and easily cared for. Silk on the other hand reqiuires a little more TLC and is expensive. But all that trouble seems unimportant when hitting the town with my silk shirt on – the pleasure of wearing ultra-stylish, comfortable and cool fabrics makes all that seem unimportant.

And so it is with the Solo -R/AHA-120. Even the sound of fingernails scraping the surface of a blackboard would create a large smile across my face when heard through this rig.

In-ear vs On-ear Headphones

Posted on by
Reply

It is tempting to think nowadays that smaller is better, cheaper and easier to carry around; but when it comes to headphones there are differences between large and small which are not all that obvious.

One of the relatively new developments in portable audio is the in-ear headphone, as opposed to the ‘earbud’ which goes back 25 years or so. The earbud sits in the ear’s concha and rests up against the ear canal (sort of), whereas the in-ear headphone sits in the ear canal itself and ideally creates a seal, for far better isolation and bass response when compared to the earbud.

In-ear (Intraaural)

This coupling method between speaker and ear gives a much more intimate presentation – indeed, more intimate than the producer or mastering engineer perhaps intended. This brings a danger of fatigue with certain recordings, and the soundstage is typically narrower making any spatial effects less pronounced.

One of the important parts of getting the most out of the in-ear headphone is the seal created when the right eartips are used. Everybody’s ears differ, and it is likely that some experimentation is necessary with the tips before the right effect is achieved.

Not everyone can comfortably wear in-ear headphones; some also prefer to keep the presentation as close to the intended ‘2 speakers in a room’ sound as possible. Full-size headphones replicate this better.

On-ear (Circumaural and Supraaural)

This is the style everyone surely thinks of when they hear the word ‘headphone’ – speakers sitting on or over the ears, connected by a headband.

The Circum-aural style encloses the ear and is the most likely to give the ‘2 speakers in a room’ effect; the entire ear is subject to sound coming from the headphone driver, and this gives the outside ear or ‘pinna’ a chance to bounce the sound around a bit before it enters, much like natural environmental sounds.

Also, headphone designers have much better opportunity to treat the headphones, or make minor adjustments to ensure that they have the required frequency response. For example, holes or ‘ports’ can be created to reduce bass frequencies, and bumps in any frequency response graph can be dealt with by membranes which block certain frequencies and allow others to penetrate. There are fewer opportunities to tinker with in-ears before the design has to go back to the drawing board.

To a lesser extent, there’s a better chance of the left ear picking up sounds from the right speaker and vice-versa; mirroring what happens in real life. Sound passes through the head and is also filtered by it; the resulting sound is therefore attenuated and with a lot of high-mid frequency detail lost. Together with a slight delay (the time taken for sound to cross from one ear to another is around 3 thousandths of a second), the brain converts these subtle details into information on sound placement.

This is why binaural recordings are so lifelike; given that the technique involves small microphones placed in the ears of a real human head or dummy, any recorded audio has the artefacts lent to it by the head on which it is recorded.

The circumaural style is considered to be the most comfortable generally; the intended use for circumaural headphones is that the wearer stays relatively still, perhaps seated, and so the headphones rest gently on the head and ears.

Supraaural headphones are a little smaller and are designed to sit on the ears, against the pinna. This often makes them more practical for the purpose of portability, but often at the expense of comfort when it comes to extended listening sessions. This design tends to press harder on the ears, both to increase the chances of a good seal and to prevent the headphones’ headband from slipping as the head moves. Supraaural headphones are generally designed for outdoors with more active uses in mind, and so tend to be closed-back to offer better isolation.

It is perhaps easy to choose between circumaural and supraaural headphones; do you wish to remain at home and listen, or go out, for instance? In-ear headphones are less clear-cut. They are being designed now for all scenarios it seems. Our habits may have yet to catch up, but in-ear headphones such as the sumptuous Final Audio Piano Forte range are now being designed for the armchair listener, so the choice from now on may be less clear, but it will have increased, which is no bad thing.

Cypher Labs Theorem 720 DAC & Headphone Amplifier – Review

Posted on by
Reply

Cypher Labs is well known for producing seemingly military grade gadgets for uncompromising audiophiles on the go, but it looks as if the dedication of such users needn’t grow with the passage of time. With the Cypher Labs Theorem 720, digital to analogue conversion AND amplification are taken care of within one handy unit.

First Impressions

The Theorem comes in much the same packaging as its recent predecessors; good for getting the product to you, but likely to turn dog-eared before long if used for storing the item between sessions. There’s a booklet with a few FAQ-type questions and answers, perfect for those who like to get stuck in. I had this unit for the weekend, but was unable to charge it – it is distributed within the UK along with its default 2-pin US plug. Any orders from hifiheadphones.co.uk will of course be shipped with an extra UK-specific power supply.

As luck would have it though, the battery was well charged enough already and I was able to sample the unit both as an DAC with an iPod, and as a PC DAC. The unit comes with connectors for use with the Apple iPhone 5, iPhone 4(s) and some Android devices; depending on software the Theorem can be a DAC for HTC and Samsung models, for instance. I tried to get some functionality on my Huawei handset, but the recommended software is not compatible with my firmware so that was that. Indeed, for supported devices there is a charge for the full version of the suggested app on the Google play store.

The Theorem is built very well and like other Cypher Labs products, it feels as if it wouldn’t be out of place clipped to the side of an Abrams tank. I was careful not to drop it for fear of damaging the floor.

Uses & Features

Now that amplification is a part of what Cypher Labs does, I was looking forward to trying the Theorem as a plain headphone amp with my Walkman before delving any deeper. However there is no ‘Line-in’ socket which was a tad disappointing, and I returned to the office ipod to provide the audio.

There are 3 gain settings (L,M & H) but with my Phonak PFE 232s, I found myself stuck between the lower two settings. Admittedly the 232s have a 49 ohm impedance which is an unusual number, but the lowest gain setting had me wishing for more headroom, and the medium gain hardly allowed any movement of the volume pot before it got too loud. Also the gain selector switch stands proud slightly – I would feel nervous if using in-ear headphones on the street, it’s easy to imagine the switch getting knocked inadvertently.

The USB input is on the same end of the Theorem as the headphone socket which is a good improvement; should the rig go into a pocket or bag, the cables will not be such a problem.

Sound Quality

With my Phonak PFE 232s the presentation was certainly on the cool side for me, at least with the grey filters in the 232s. I exchanged these for the green filters which cut down a bit on the higher frequencies and tamed the sound. There was an unattractive ‘edge’ to the mid-frequencies which needed attention. Other than this, the presentation was very involving and there was a good amount of soundstage for in-ear headphones.

Leaving the 232s, I tried my old AKG K240 DF studio monitors with a very flat frequency response. I have found these headphones indispensable for mixing and arranging, but generally they aren’t the most fun to listen to. However the Theorem made them sound incredible and brought them up to a decent volume for me. Perhaps a little more headroom would be nice for those quieter recordings, but given that these headphones feature 600 ohms of Austrian intransigence, this is very good going for the Theorem.

Finally I tried the HifiMAN HE-400s which really is a superb match. The relative brightness of the amp (for me) complimented the HE-400’s warm character, and there is more than enough power to drive these orthodynamic headphones to their full potential.

Verdict

An excellent choice for those who will accept no compromise when on the move, and who have headphones which will reveal the extra information which the Theorem can glean. Big pockets are still needed to afford the device and carry it about, but given that it does the same work that two units did formerly, those pockets needn’t get too frayed.

Pros

  • One unit instead of two
  • Headphone cable/USB connections at the same end of the device
  • Good and powerful

Cons

  • Gain selector switch can be knocked accidentally
  • No 3.5mm Line In socket
  • Android devices require a separate app which is not free

Musical Fidelity MF-100 Portable Headphone – Review

Posted on by
Reply

Lauri Cular and infidelity are very familiar with each other; but here’s a fine pair of headphones to reintroduce Lauri to the straight and narrow path of audio absolution..

Musical Fidelity MF-100

On inspecting the clean, white box which contains these latest objects of curiosity, one feature stands out – there appears to be the packaging equivalent of Tippex: a sticker placed over an erronious line of text. Tantalisingly, the words ‘Balanced Armature’ show through – is Musical Fidelity planning a full-size BA hybrid? Is it text meant for a smaller box containing in-ear headphones but accidentally printed on a bigger box?

Stand by sleuthers; I also have the EB-33 in-ear (not reviewed here). It has the same sticker covering the same indiscretion. Is someone at Musical Fidelity getting their driver types mixed up or is something in the pipeline?

What’s wrong with all this speculation? It’s the natural consequense of hearing the MF-100s. I like them and I want more. The prospect of clapping my ears on a BA equivalent is attractive to me; what else can I do?

On first seeing the MF-100s I was struck by the design; not too flashy but with just enough pazzazz to get them looking attractive. With their sturdy black and chrome build, they remind me of the mid-1990s hair salons in which I would be tempted to get the occasional perm. I just have the combover now, and on windy days I daren’t go out for fear of looking like a walking pedal bin.

However now I have my MF-100s I can dally with a dust-devil or tarry in a tornado. The clamping force is on the high side with these, though it may be possible to bend the headband back and relieve the pressure – I daren’t with my review pair though.

The sound is detailed and on the cool side. The MF-100s are a great match for the Just Audio UHA120 which has a warmer output, but a pairing with something like a Fiio E12 will take a fan of a sound which is bass light and detail rich. Although the earcups do not enclose the ear, they do cover it so the cold wind does not bother me too much, and with the featured mic/button I needn’t take my gloves off should I get a phone call.

This is unlikely as I’m very unpopular, but that’s the power of the combover.

Final Audio Design Piano Forte X Earphones – Review

Posted on by
Reply

Final Audio’s high end in-ear, the Final Audio Design Piano Forte X, is causing a stir, and it’s not all due to the price or styling. Lauri Cular takes them home after leaving his sister behind as security.

FINAL AUDIO PIANO FORTE X

Piano Forte, when directly translated into English, means ‘soft and loud’. With appropriate amplification they certainly go loud, but in terms of their outward design they struggle with softness. Indeed they could be used to mug someone – and with the hefty price tag here the proceeds of a few muggings could come in handy.

If only these were available years ago. All those hours spent collecting conkers and ruining my mum’s roast dinners by sneaking them in the oven to harden them could have been more fruitfully spent. Never mind pretending to miss, and hitting your mate’s hand on a cold morning, what fun!

More seriously, the ‘soft’ is quite accurate when describing the sound of these. The first thought which struck me was ‘where’s the treble?’ followed closely by ‘surely these are the Emperor’s new headphones, has everyone gone mad?’ but I’m glad I reserved my judgement. I collected together some pieces of music which would bring out the strengths of the Piano Fortes – a recording of Hariprasad Chaurasia’s bansuri (with genuine jungle sounds accompanying), Handel’s Music for the Royal Fireworks and a work which I think reflects Beethoven’s best period – Beethoven’s Greatest Hits. Added to this is the Temperance Seven, which is just perfect – the music brings to mind the huge acoustic horn speakers of the 1920s and the Piano Forte Xs really bring this quality to it. Not the scratchiness or the narrow frequency range, but the liveliness of it all – it really gets me involved. Also tagging along is my Wurlitzer CD from Blackpool Tower ballroom and my fairground Gavioli LP. Rockin’!

These don’t do electronica or pop, and rock is not recommended – unless particularly atmospheric, that is. The Piano Fortes are designed to be at their best for one type of performance or production only – the acoustic. Hence my selection of twiddly stuff.

Now I’m not one to go for the classical or acoustic out of habit, so it made quite a change to don these gold blobs and be immersed. The usual half life for this stuff is about 10 seconds with me, so it’s a feather in the Final Audio cap to keep me listening. Closing my eyes, I could imagine the space and myself in it very easily. The classical, and music of a higher-brow-than-mine variety is all very well but I don’t know it intimately – these aren’t reference tracks for me. The Temperance Seven CD full of them though, and I thoroughly enjoyed the various instruments involved. I was hit with as much information as any great headphone; it was just that the emphasis here is on the midrange and it matches the music perfectly.

It’s like the best of both worlds – the charm and ease of an old-style phonograph presentation, but with the sound quality and convenience of 21st Century technology. These are not necessarily designed for the hectic lifestyles of now, as evidenced by their tendency to drop out when leaning forward or moving the head rapidly. This may be more to do with my ears than anything; I checked Final Audio‘s website to check how they were fitting me, and the chap on the page had managed to ingest the things almost completely. On me, most of the body tended to balance half in and half out of my concha, and the nozzle up against the opening of my ear canal kept it in. They stayed there and would offer no trouble if used in the same manner as full-size headphones of the same calibre.

In summary, these headphones may not be the most practical for our busy modern lives, but they are not meant to accompany any activities other than relaxation. With the Piano Forte X, it might be said that any foul mood can easily be conkered!

Are Electrostatic Headphones Worth The High Charge?

Posted on by
Reply

Electrostatic Headphones

Electrostatic headphones are the undisputed kings of headgear when it comes to sound quality – it is only their price and power consumption which stops everybody wanting them! Some of their mystique can be dispelled by knowing the internal workings, but they’re still going to impress!

They operate on the principal that ‘opposites attract’, although Paula Abdul is not involved here. The technique has a thin membrane of plastic held in place between two electrode plates called ‘stators’. The membrane is coated in a conductive substance which allows a static field to be built upon it, and this in turn reacts with any audio signal which is fed to the stators.

Being statically charged, the membrane is attracted by any positive force held within the stators, and opposed by any negative force within them. Since any similar forces in the stators either side of the membrane will be effectively cancelled out, one of the stators is wired out of phase so that one stator is pulling the membrane whilst the other is pushing it. The effect of this is to double any force acting upon the membrane, much like two sawyers operating each end of a large saw.

This is also happening on the opposite side of the headphones; so along with energy required to build up the static fields on the membranes, more energy is needed to move them.

The combination of ultra-light membrane and powerful moving forces makes for a very accurate sound with great separation; since the membrane is acted on as a whole, it does not bend and this also avoids distortion. Also due to the fact this technology can cover all frequencies well beyond 20kHz, there is no need for the crossovers and multiple drivers which would cause distortion in a dynamic or balanced armature equivalent.

What are Orthodynamic headphones?

Posted on by
1

Orthodynamic, AKA Planar Magnetic or Isodynamic Transducers

If you think Orthodynamic headphones are for people recovering from ear operations, you might not be alone as the various names for this driver technology are not that well known. Perhaps due to the relative cost of this type of driver, it has not had the exposure of the ubiquitous dynamic version, for instance.

Orthodynamic: Technical term advanced / popularized by Yamaha Headphones in 1976 to describe their line of headphones at the time using a driver type known generically as isodynamic,  planar-magnetic, or magnetostatic incorporating characteristics of both dynamic and electrostatic driver design.

Of all transducer methods, perhaps the most sumptuous-sounding is the electrostatic method, where a large thin membrane is suspended within a magnetic field which is affected by an electric impulse passing through it. The advantages of this is a very fast attack since the membrane can be thin and light with little to no inertia. On the down side, the technology is horrendously expensive and difficult to drive; a portable rig will likely require a backpack to power it!

A decent halfway house however is the planar-magnetic (AKA orthodynamic or Isodynamic) transducer type. Rather than the membrane being suspended between two electromagnets as in the electroststic method, it is suspended between two sets of permanent magnets; the audio information is fed through a thin wire on the membrane (the voice coil) which makes it react with the magnetic field it is suspended in. While this extra weight makes the membrane less reactive, this is a much cheaper and more efficient way to get near the electrostatic sound.

Some advantages of orthodynamic headphones over their dynamic counterparts include the flat driver with the voice coil controlling its entire surface. Since the membrane reacts across the whole surface at once, it does not need to be rigid which cuts down on weight and inertia. The result is a very fast driver which is particularly good at replicating a wide soundstage with great separation.

Balanced armatures are fantastic for detail, but find it hard work to replicate the very low, and very high frequencies. Also their relative lack of power keeps them mainly in the in-ear realm, where a good seal is required for decent bass perception.

My favourite? Just now I’m loving my full size orthodynamic HiFiMAN HE-400s but recent experiences with both dynamic and balanced armature-driven in-ears (such as the Sennheiser IE800 and Westone UM3X for example) tell me that it’s anybody’s game. There is no ‘best’, only what suits the listener at that particular point in time.

Graham Slee Bitzie DAC – Review

Posted on by
Reply

Graham Slee has a great reputation for amps and related products, so how does a DAC from this company fare? Lauri Cular gives the Graham Slee Bitzie DAC a look-see.

There’s no shortage of external gizmos out there to improve the output of the average computer, but this is a worthy contender from Mr Slee. It presents itself in a sturdy but light case made of aluminium; small enough to be portable and large enough to handle easily when on the tabletop. It does not have its own power source however, so true portability may be limited to users of larger music sources such as tablets and laptops.

I disconnected my budget Behringer USB soundcard and connected the Bitzie. Unfortunately my copy of windows 7 decided to label the Bitzie ‘Behringer USB’ when detected, making for a furrowed brow; but I got through that by scrawling ‘Behringer’ on the thing. Don’t tell the boss.

There’s some debate over the value of more expensive USB leads such as the recommended Lautus; I’ll admit that I was sceptical. It’s data, right? It goes from A to B and you hear it perfectly.. or not. How can there be an in-between?

I didn’t notice anything much wrong at first whilst trying a cheap USB cable with the Bitzie, I was using full size headphones of one sort of another when trying the DAC, and gave the cable issue no thought at all. Then I tried listening with some in-ear headphones, the classic (and soon to be vintage) Phonak Audeo PFE 232s, expecting great things. With no source audio playing at all and the volume down, I was presented with the unsettling sound of a dozen tiny squealing mice coming from the Bitzie. It appears that even USB cables are susceptible to interference, and whether audible or not this unwanted signal will be affecting all audio coming from the device. It isn’t loud, but it’s bothersome with more sensitive in-ear headphones.

I recorded it to look at the waveform; there’s a very random pattern at around 15kHz and, zooming out, another waveform at 50Hz.

So on to the sound; for my test I chose two bits of soundtrack music, one was the Main Title from the original Taking of Pelham 123 movie soundtrack, and the other from Saturday Night Fever – Night on Disco Mountain. Both by David Shire.

The Pelham 123 tune has a lot of brass; and the Bitzie really brought this to life. I love a low brassy grunt or two, and the detail revealed by the Bitzie made me sit up past my bedtime enjoying the added depth this soundtrack now had to offer. In a comparison with my M-Audio Audiophile 24/96PC soundcard, the Bitzie had a clear edge and didn’t feel as if it was trying very hard either.

Night on Disco Mountain, although cheesy, has a lot going on for the Bitzie to cope with and it did a great job. I wasn’t so much listening as fully immersed. There’s a great sense of space and depth and it’s difficult to turn the thing off and go to bed. The Bitzie is bags of fun, but watch for bags under the eyes.

One thing I would say is that the Bitzie has a limit where it comes to amplification. Perhaps due to the fact it draws power from the attached source or device. My HE-400s are a thirsty pair of headphones, and the Bitzie did not get them up to a decent level. However, for dynamic headphones of 300 Ohms and lower I’d say the Bitzie should be fine without further amplification.

Headphone Compatibility with Smartphones (part 1)

Posted on by
Reply

In an industry where any extra functionality usually translates into extra sales, it is hardly surprising that headphone manufacturers are falling over themselves to give the customers as many buttoms and as much control as possible when it comes to skipping tracks, altering volume and answering calls. Of course, while this is fine when your handset is specifically listed as being compatible with the headset, there’s a lot of handsets out there now and a lot of headphones with some indeterminate functionality, but what works with what?

To get some kind of idea, we need to look closely at the connections and wiring, also the standards under which these wiring decisions have been made.

CTIA

The oldest standard belongs to the then-called ‘Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association’, now called ‘CTIA – The Wireless Association’. This organisation represents both service providers and manufacturers, providing a framework for discussion regarding standard ways of designing parts and services which makes everybody’s lives easier. Apple uses this standard, for instance.

OMTP

Another standard exists, called OMTP (Open Mobile Terminal Platform). It has been around only since 2004, and was set up by mobile operators to attempt standardisation between handset manufacturers. Sony and Nokia are members, but it looks as if this standard is quietly being dropped.

The difference between these standards lies in the way the individual contacts in the socket and plug are wired to the phone. Both standards include the tip and first ring dealing with ‘L’ and ‘R’ respectively. This way, a normal stereo 3.5mm plug will work in the same socket, whether it be CTIA or OMTP. The difference is in the ‘Mic’ and ‘Ground’ contacts. These are reversed between the two standards and explains the seemingly random functionality between headsets and headphones with mic/controls.

Phones on OMTP include

  • old Nokia
  • old Samsung
  • old Sony Ericsson (’10 & ’11 Xperias)

Phones on CTIA include

  • Apple
  • HTC
  • latest Nokia
  • latest Samsung
  • latest Sony (2012 on)
  • most Android phones

To further muddy the compatibility waters, Apple has built a different way of signalling (sending instructions to the phone) into their remotes and phones.

Where the more universal remotes use differing voltages depending on the button pressed, Apple’s incorporate a ‘dual mode modulator’ which results in a complex ‘chirp’ being sent to the phone. For instance a ‘power on signal’ (where the phone shakes hands with the remote) has the remote sending back a chirp consisting of two bursts of ultrasonic frequency, one immediately following the other. A couple of hundredths of a second at 280kHz, and maybe a few more at 244kHz.

The use of these ‘encoded’ signal can prevent the Apple remote’s functions from working with other manufacturer’s handsets, although from experience it looks as if some makers are widening the goalposts so the remote may have some functionality. My Huawei Ascend P1 LTE will answer a call using an Apple remote, but nothing else will work for example.

Stay tuned, as over the coming weeks we will be collating information as to which remote headphones work with which handsets, and what functionality there is.

Cypher Labs Algorhythm Solo -dB Review – Lauri Cular

Posted on by
Reply

Cypher Labs Algorhythm Solo -dB

So what’s the weakest link? I’m not talking about BBC quiz show tedium here, but something that every headphone enthusiast has probably asked at some point. If upgrading your system, whether it be portable or home-based, there is likely still something which is holding it back. Spending a grand on some sumptuous headphones is all very well, but they may be a waste of money if you are then plugging them straight into an iPod. Sound quality is limited in part to what the iPod can put out, and expensive headphones will simply reveal with greater resolution the flaws and limitations of the standard iPod DAC and amp.

For those who accept no compromise, there are bits of specialised kit which can take digital information from the iPod (from the 30-pin, or new lightning connections on the 5th gen. iPod) and process that into a much better quality analogue signal. This would need to be fed into an amplifier as the Algorhythm Solo -dB puts out a line-level signal only.

So what’s the dB for? This is a newer version of the original Algorhythm Solo which would work exclusively with Apple devices. Cypher Labs has upped the stakes and provided greater functionality by making these units compatible with the USB ports of Apple computers and PCs alike. Once drivers are installed, the computer will be able to use the unit as an external DAC, beating all pre-installed motherboard DACs to a pulp, and most aftermarket DACs as well.

I decided to check for myself what these things can do, so I put the Solo -dB against my M-Audio Audiophile 24bit/96kHz PCI sound card. If not already, this card is nearly ten years old; and although I have investigated upgrading there really is no need. It’s excellent, so the Solo -dB’s work is cut out.

And so was mine; there was likely a weak link in my chain elsewhere which made properly appreciating this level of quality a challenge. Perhaps with the cables/connections or the amps I was trying it with, the Fiio E12 or my old Behringer 802A mixing desk – neither of which are aimed at truly high-end ears. Looks like that’s my next upgrade.

However I did manage to perceive some difference through my HiFiMAN He-400s before fatigue set in, but not by listening to what was there; I listened to what there wasn’t. On The Sweet’s ‘Blockbuster Blitz’ I found it a real challenge to favour one or the other version (both PCI card and Algorhythm Solo going through the mixing desk at the same volume level) but on trying to analyse the space in between the instruments, I found that the glam snare drumroll parts definitely had a more 3D feel coming from the Algorhythm Solo; I could detect space all around them. From the M-Audio PCI card, the same parts had a flatter presentation.

Although the differences may be subtle, I am comparing a PCI card with all its requirements (like a desktop ball and chain) with a self-contained unit which can go in a pocket (albeit not a small one).

So if you are looking at upgrading your sound with some pricey headphones or a similar high-end gadget, just spare a thought for the entire chain. And if you can’t tell the difference between the iPod’s DAC and the Algorhythm Solo, perhaps you’re the weakest link!

Goodbye!

Headphone Selections for Summer Scenarios – Lauri Cular

Posted on by
Reply

Now that every true Brit is reaching for his socks and sandals, the mind turns to outdoor pursuits and ideas of travel. However, the notion of too many other sandal-wearing Brits and their awful children being in the immediate vicinity is less than ideal. To avoid longing for winter again, Lauri Cular collects up some ideas on how to best take your mind off the snot and screaming (sonblock if you will) and also the unwanted noise associated with travel.

On the Roads

From a road safety point of view, I wouldn’t recommend volume levels which could block out or distract from effectively guiding a vehicle along Britain’s winding thoroughfares, but a little music can enhance the concentration and tame the road hog within. I like a volume level which just about matches that of wind noise when I’m on my motorbike, that way I can be sure I can hear everything I otherwise would.

The issues are the ease with which the helmet can go on over the ears/earphones, and the cable; depending on how careful the rider is. I have E10s which I use on the bike and they’re fine; but I do need to be careful when putting the helmet on.

SoundMAGIC E30

So to stick with SoundMAGIC, the E30s sit in the concha of the ear and so do not stick out at all. Added to this, the cable is of a sturdy braided design and is less likely to snag on items of motorcycle clothing. Also, as the E30s are designed to be worn with the cable over the ears there is the option to have the cable going down the back of the neck and reaching to an inside pocket, for instance.

Shure SE215

Another strong candidate is the Shure SE215; like the E30s they keep a low profile and are dynamically driven making a warmer sound. As bass is easily drowned out by engine noise, I find it a good option. The cable is really substantial when compared to most other IEMs, and concerns with tangling or breaking are certainly short lived. The build quality is remarkable for a product under £100.

In the air

If you prefer to forgo the sound of crying children and engine noise whilst on your way to Larnaka, then there are options. You can use isolation, noise cancelling, or both. Isolation is the simplest way to block unwanted sounds; like earplugs, the headphones or earphones will physically obstruct them, and the music should successfully mask most of what remains. This can be further enhanced if assuming the crash position; simply place each knee against each ear to exclude the sounds of panic and the rapid loss of height.

Sennheiser Momentum

The E30s/SE215s mentioned above are good for isolation, but some may prefer more comfort during longer flights. The Sennheiser Momentum is perhaps the best and most comfortable portable headphone; it is available in brown or black and the earcups are circum-aural, meaning they completely enclose the ears. The resulting isolation can be compared to that offered by effective ear protectors. The sound is warm and well controlled, and the headphones would be just at home on the street or the beach.

Sennheiser CXC700 + PSB M4U2

Noise cancelling is excellent for removing the low hum of the aircraft’s engines, or any relatively low frequency. The higher the frequency of the sound, the harder the technology has to work to provide a complimentary waveform to cancel it out; also the headphones cannot account for the exact position of the eardrum or the exact point in time when unwanted sounds are in contact with it. Therefore the technology cannot deal effectively with the sound of the human voice, for example. Another drawback is the ‘muddying’ effect it can have on the music you are listening to. The introduction of extra waveforms into the headphones (to cancel out exterior sounds) can only be detrimental to the clarity of the music. Another thing to be aware of is that noise cancelling requires its own power supply, necessitating a battery to be placed either in the headphones themselves, or somewhere on the cable. Happily, the examples below use isolation also so they are still useful should battery power be low.

At the resort

Philips SHQ3000

We’re all aware of the potential dangers to technology in this scenario; there’s sun, sea salt, sand and the possibility of having a bucket of cold brine poured over your head by children who crave punishment. I wouldn’t recommend anything too expensive in this environment, so here are some great value items which are designed to keep out the worst of the sweat and suntan lotion.

Koss SportaPro

And for comfort and versatility, try the Koss SportaPro – these feature a headband which can be worn over the head in the traditional style, or bent down in a ‘behind the head’ style so that a fetching sombrero may be sported for example.

Lauri Cular talks Orthodynamic – Interview with Mark Dolbear

Posted on by
Reply

Mark from HighEnd Workshop, distributor and maintenance man for some very serious audio brands was kind enough to have a chat with me about headphones. Among others, he looks after HiFiMAN‘s distribution in the UK and is in the know about their exciting new range of planar magnetic headphones. This technology is also known as orthodynamic, or magnetostatic driver technology.

Lauri – Hello Mark, it’s nice to see you. Did you have any trouble getting here?

Mark – We are communicating by email.

Lauri – Of course. Perhaps then, I should ask what led you to be in your current position and what do you like best about it?

Mark – The company I previously worked for closed down, so I started a repair company (HighEnd Workshop). After 7 years I noticed that the repairs were slowing down so I decided to go into small scale distribution (something that is very niche) and offer an over the top service which comes from my background repairing £8000 cd transports and £14,000 amplifiers. Hence I started Electromod. The best thing about my position is it was my hobby (not so much now but i still get some time to listen). Also I run my company as I want and do not need to answer to anyone other than the customers.

Lauri – How does orthodynamic (or planar magnetic) technology work and does it have any advantages over dynamic driver technology in your opinion?

Mark – Orthodynamic headphones have drivers with flexible plastic film diaphragms (like cling film) into which a flat voice coil is imprinted in the shape of an S. It is embedded this way for an even distribution of the drive force. This allows the diaphragm to be driven equally over its surface, so you therefore do not need to make a stiff driver or cone; it is very lightweight and with this you have a faster reacting driver. These drivers or diaphragms are tensioned to supply returning force. The magnets are on one or both sides of the diaphragm and supply the magnetic field against which the flat voice coil reacts. This makes the diaphragm vibrate causing sound, the design of an orthodynamic headphone is somewhat similar to an electrostatic design and produces a similar sound characteristic.

Lauri – There are lengthy threads on headfi.org for instance, which describe how to go about modifying headphones such as the HE-400 in order to change the sound signature/fit etc. Do you feel that this is going against the ‘vision’ of the designers, or do you welcome such tinkering? Would HiFiMAN consider incorporating the ideas of modders into future designs?

Mark – My views are that everyone is entitled to their own expression and music is a very emotion thing. I offer one flavour of sound shall we say, and it is down to you to modify or not. I do not mind which but it is important to get the sound you like, if this means playing with a product to get this then so be it. But I don’t agree with playing about with any product and then trying to claim warranties when it goes wrong; that just goes against us and our policies of honesty. I do not think manufacturers will generally take any modding ideas on.

Lauri – What future do you see for orthodynamic headphones? Are they making an impact on the ubiquitous dynamic versions?

Mark – HiFiMan’s orthodynamic headphones are a very good choice and I hope they will make an impact on the overall market; but we still have a long way to go in educating customers that there are options other than dynamic headphones. People who follow Hifi understand the technology, but outside this bubble we still have work to do. It does help when dealers have them in their shop on show to demo, as normally once a customer hears the HiFiMan headphones it is hard to miss how good they are.

Lauri – How robust is this technology when compared to dynamic drivers? Is it easy for the careless to ‘blow’ a driver like with dynamic drivers sometimes?

Mark – Like all speakers, if you feed a driver with a distorted waveform or sound then you are reducing the life of that driver. I have been distributing HiFiMan since 2010 and up to now we have not had a driver fail! As I would say, it is down to the care that HiFiMan put into these ear speakers, and also you will find the customers who are purchasing these products are not normally the ‘head banging’ type and therefore are more careful of their products too!

Lauri – Why did HiFiMAN decide to include a dynamic-driver technology headphone (the HE-300) in the series?

Mark – This was all to do with efficiency; some customers wanted the Hifi-Man sound on their portable devices and since the orthodynamic headphones are a little hard to drive on these devices, it was thought that we would do a dynamic driver version to solve this issue and also be an entry point into the Hifi-Man brand.

Lauri – I see there are aftermarket cables available, consisting of pure copper and pure silver cores for instance. What do you think of this market?

Mark – Again this is down to personal taste. Getting a cable made to do a job, say XLR to BNC, well then that’s a great thing to offer as we all need cables made for different things.

Lauri – Is the low impedance of the HE- range a deliberate part of the design, or does it come with the orthodynamic technology?

Mark – As we understand how to build better and cheaper diaphragms as in the HE400, then the orthodynamic headphones will come more in line with the normal impedance headphones but the inherent design of orthodynamic headphones makes this a very big learning curve.

Lauri – Would you recommend headphone amplifiers with this range of headphones (for home and portable use)?

Mark – This is also down to personal taste but I would say the HiFiMAN amps go well obviously, then Schiit Audio, Trilogy Audio and I have heard good reports from customers who are also using the following: Icon Audio, Bryston and Epiphany Acoustics. But have a play and listen, as this is what it’s all about and I think some people forget this is supposed to be fun as well!

Lauri – Truer words have never been said. Thanks for the interview, Mark!

Mark can be contacted via:

HighEnd Workshop
ElectroMod

Dispensing Audio Justice – Just Audio uHA-120DS

Posted on by
Reply

Just Audio‘s range of headphone amps make a nice change from the sleek appearances of similar offerings from larger competitors. This may sound like a backhanded dig at the styling of this range, but not at all. On the contrary, it gives the units a bespoke appearance; one that promises to reform the sound in a no-nonsense, pragmatic way.

The new uHA-120DS also operates as a fantastic DAC and the improvement over my little Behringer UCA202 USB soundcard was plain, even when using passive loudspeakers.

There is the option to switch between battery power and USB power if used as a DAC, and between ‘Normal’ and ‘Fast’ charging depending on which USB standard is possible with your set up. Installation is easy, I tried the 120DS with Windows 7 and good old XP and both were fine; the PC recognised the unit and had it working with no extra work necessary, only to chage the settings to make the unit the PC’s default audio output. I’m told that there is a similarly smooth experience waiting for mac users too.

I tested the unit against a FiiO E07K to see how the audio from these two amps/DACs compared. For this cross examination I used the excellent Phonak Audeo PFE 232 earphones; to let no nuance escape the jury’s attention. The FiiO sounded a little brighter on first impressions, but on closer inspection there appeared to be either a small boost to higher frequencies with the Fiio, or a smoother presentation with the uHA120DS.

The Just Audio unit came across as being more relaxed; it didn’t break a sweat under the pressure and gave some very convincing testimony. Perhaps given that the uHA120DS is 4 times the cost of the FiiO, there’s no surprise here. You always get what you pay for when it comes to witnesses.

An absolute discharge is called for in this case, which is a relatively rare event. The battery can last anywhere up to 40 hours, depending on which headphones are used with the device and the amplification used, etc.

Before you ask, there is no ‘dock’ for an iPod however. Take him down!