UK firm Flare is definitely one to watch; matching interesting technology with good manufacturing and resulting in some very good-sounding earphones in the Jets - Jet 1 and Jet 2.

Shipibo wood cups, aluminium gimbals, rodblocks and leather headbands are all excellent hand crafted upgrades for your Grado headphones. They also provide a great base for a custom Grado style build for use with 3rd party drivers.

Audeze's new LCD-4z hits us hard; both with sub-bass and credit card bills. However, relaxing with a set of these in place will certainly mask the insistent knocks on the door from bailiffs.

The SoundMAGIC P22BT is suspiciously low-priced for a bluetooth model, but exceeds all expectations. Watch out this summer however, as wearing these constantly may affect your suntan.

For the price, and size the FiiO X1 II is a great little DAP, it will serve you well on your daily commute or when out and about. It has a smooth, easy to listen to sound that is about enjoyment over ultimate detail.

The Edifier W830BT is not a headphone for the seasoned audiophile, they are for the average person looking for a quality Bluetooth headphone for out and about use. For this purpose, you cannot go wrong with them, easy to use and fun to listen to, along with effectively blocking out most ambient noise.

For a basic low-cost player, the Cowon Plenue D is a good choice. It does all that's needed, and it's clear that the Plenue D comes from a company which knows its stuff!

If you are wanting to upgrade your portable audio but don't have bottomless pockets, the Cyrus Soundkey is a clear winner.

So there you have it, two beautiful cables both with different sound signatures. Which will be for you, it all depends on synergy and what differences you want out of your current IEM's.

There's plenty of choice out there with bluetooth earphones these days, but Sennheiser seems determined to corner this market with a few great releases over the past couple of years. The CX6.00BT is certainly a contender.

So the bluetooth fairy has delivered yet again, and Optoma Nuforce now has a truly wireless product in the BE Free8. When shoved in the ears, Optoma Nuforce promise us 'True wireless earphones with superior sound quality with deep explosive bass'.

The new wireless BE6i from Optoma Nuforce is as smart as it is nice-sounding, giving a good impression of your music and complementing your outfit a treat.

Those who like to hear the smallest thing within their music needn't study the fine print of credit card agreements in order to afford the ER3-SE and ER3-XR.

Presenting a well balanced sound across the frequency range, the A15 is a well built IEM for the price with excellent sound to boot.

Sennheiser's souped-up IE80 design is here, and it's an enjoyable listen for many modern genres but some may find the sound lacking air and space for genres such as classical.