Best DAPs to buy in 2016

We have looked at the best high resolution players from brands like Astell&Kern, Acoustic Research and Lotoo as well as new entries into the market like Questyle and Pioneer and great value offerings from FiiO.

DAPs are audiophile quality digital audio players that support 24 bit formats such as FLAC, OGG and WAV as well as compressed formats such as MP3.  These high end audio players are often capable of driving the best full size and on ear headphones.

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FIIO M3

The FiiO M3 can’t be beaten in terms of value for money. The player will support lossless formats such as flac and wav up to 96khz/24bit and thanks to the 8gb of on board storage as well as a microSD card slot for up to 64gb you have plenty of space for your music. And to top it all off you get a free pair of earphones in the box!

FIIO X3-II

FiiO really dominate the low priced DAP market and the X3-II is our most popular model. It’s the perfect entry level player for those wanting to upgrade from their phone as it handles all popular lossless formats as well as DSD. The amplifier is powerful enough to drive most headphones and currently the microSD card slot can accept up to 128gb for storage. The player can also act as a USB DAC for your PC or Mac.

LOTOO PAW 5000

You could think that Lotoo have taken a risk with the PAW 5000’s retro design – opting for a small non-touch screen and a small wheel/button combo. But doing this has allowed the engineers to focus on speed and responsiveness as well as power and a microSD card slot that will take cards up to 2tb once available to store as much lossless audio as you like.

ASTELL&KERN AK JR

Astell&Kern are known for their truly audiophile sound and no corners were cut with the AK Jr. It’s one of the thinnest players around with a large touch screen making it very attractive. The player has 64gb of internal storage and can take up to 64gb via the microSD card slot giving 128gb in total. It also supports lossless and DSD formats and can double as an external USB DAC when connected to your PC or Mac.

THE BIT – OPUS #1

New kids on the block The Bit have released the Opus #1. This player runs on a stripped down version of android – this means that it won’t support apps such as Spotify and Tidal but will make the player more efficient and concentrate more on sound quality. The Opus #1 has 32gb of on board storage and the 2 microSD card slots allowing a total of 400gb for all of your high quality files. There is also an optical output allowing the player to connect to an external DAC.

PIONEER XDP-100R

Pioneer’s addition to the digital player market comes with a catchy name – the XDP-100R is a superb player! Running on android the player can host popular apps such as Spotify, Tidal and Google Play. The player has on-board Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, can support the most popular lossless formats as well as MQA audio, has a built in speaker and with 32gb of on board storage as well as 2 microSD card slots that can handle up to 200gb each – you get a lot for the money!

QUESTYLE QP1R

The sleek and stylish QP1R doesn’t just look pretty, it can handle all popular formats and has plenty of power to keep all portable headphones sounding their best, and a lot of full-size cans too! Questyle have gone with buttons as opposed to the more modern touchscreen approach, but many people prefer buttons for their tactile feedback. It’s good to know when a button’s been pressed. The QP1R has lots of storage space, with 32gb onboard and two 128gb microSD slots which makes.. plenty of room!

ACOUSTIC RESEARCH AR-M2

The AR-M2 is a full android-powered device and since it can connect to local Wi-Fi networks, it can download your favourite android apps as well as connect to music streaming services like Spotify and Tidal. It has as much power as any portable DAP and sounds superb with almost any headphone you’d care to throw at it. Careful though, as it’s so well put together that your headphones might sustain damage during any such collision.

ASTELL&KERN AK320

Another Astell&Kern player, the AK320 promises to take us most of the way towards the giddy audio quality and functionality offered by the likes of the AK380, but for half the price. Still, the AK320 does nothing else by halves as it can handle all popular formats up to 24bit/192kHz, has 128gb storage built in, and has a slot for the same again making a whopping 256gb for all your favourite music!

LOTOO PAW GOLD

Lotoo’s current flagship DAP, the PAW Gold, has exceptional sound quality and a huge amount of power. Unusually for portable players these days, the PAW Gold accepts SD cards. Of course, microSD users can make use of an adaptor to get their collection working, or they might take advantage of the greater capacities available on this format, currently at 512gb. Lotoo say that SD cards sporting capacities as high as 2tb are compatible with the PAW Gold – if they were to exist yet!

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Verdict

The Hidizs AP100 is a great media player. I look forward to future firmware updates but in the meantime the UI is quite useable, and the unit gives a clean, uncluttered sound with a decent amount of power. This is an amazing first effort which begs the question; whatever next from Hidizs?

Pros

• Built to last

• Neat, useful carry case

• Large clear display

• Firmware can be updated

• Sounds superb at this price point

• Internal data/file storage

Cons

• Button layout may need getting used to

• Micro SD card could be easier to insert and remove

If you like your brand names to look like the first line of an optician’s eye chart, the Hidizs is certainly worth considering – the name might take some getting used to, but it’s plain to see that this player is getting some covetous glances! The Hidizs AP100 has some stiff competition in the low-cost DAP (Digital Audio Player) market, not least from FiiO’s ‘X’ range. The Hidizs AP100 appears to be a halfway house between the Fiio X3 and X5 in terms of size and cost.

Key Features

Inputs and outputs are well represented; both headphone and line-out sockets are present on the top and a separate 3.5mm coaxial in and coaxial out can be found at the base of the unit. Volume buttons are side by side on the front, and on the left side there are both the source/SRC and EQ buttons. Being capable of playback at up to 24bit/192KHz, the SRC button can select the bitrate the player works at. The EQ button scrolls through available presets, and the user can define their own preferred EQ settings.

The case is a really nice design; it is enough to protect the AP100 without bulking it out, and has an understated look much like the player itself. The case is made from a synthetic leather-like material which looks quite durable.

The battery lasts a good long while, and although no precise measurements were taken, there was a good amount of playing time between the ‘low battery’ warning and the player turning off – maybe an hour or two. My experience with the Fiio X3 gives little chance to enjoy music before the unit runs out of power – perhaps 20 minutes at most. Helpfully, the status of the battery is given as a percentage on the screen when charging the unit, so we can make an informed choice of whether to leave the unit charging or to take our chanced with what power is there.

First Impressions

The buttons on the Hidizs AP100 are lovely to press; there’s a great chunky feel to them and they are good solid buttons which will last. Someone said that they are reminiscent of Gameboy buttons – certainly the placement of the volume buttons on the AP100 give a flavour, but they are the kind of buttons that let you know they’ve been pressed – there’s no doubt involved as with touch screens and wheels. The only problem is that Hidizs saw fit to add separate buttons for ‘fast forward/rewind’ – usually the same buttons are used for track skip and forward/rewind, but not on the AP100. Also the ‘back’ button is on the right of the other navigation controls, which makes it feel like a forward/select button; this may lead to a few wrong turns for the uninitiated but it’s easy to get used to.

Sound Quality

Compared to the Fiio X3, the AP100 is a little more accurate and coolish but this is not to say that the AP100 is harsh. Listening to unyielding and brittle-sounding early 80s pop such as Duran Duran is fine on the AP100 but the X3 just gives it a bit more warmth and roundness to a presentation – the AP100 wins in terms of detail.

Compared to the Fiio X5, the sound is extremely similar; the X5 comes across as just a little smoother up top. Soundstage and imaging are similar, but with just a hint of edge to the sound on the AP100 which brings up harmonics a little more.

Added to that, the AP100 holds enough wherewithal to power some less than sprightly headphones such as the HifiMAN HE-400 very well, so the need for a separate amp is lessened.

Summary

An excellent player with a bulletproof design. Solid and reliable, the Hidizs AP100 gives a similarly solid sound and user experience. The sound quality and power gives amazing results, however less sensitive headphones may need a little help. The Beyerdynamic T1, at 600 ohms/102 dB gets up to a good level, but quieter recordings will be lacking in headroom. In our opinion, it bridges the gap between Fiio’s offerings and Astell and Kern’s AK100 but at a very favourable price.

Score 9.0

Return to : Best high resolution audio players to buy in 2015 – Expert Reviews

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Here at HiFiHeadphones we’re asked regularly about what amp/DAC combo might make the best job of converting and amplifying your Apple binary music collections. Would it be best to get an all in one solution like the Cypherlabs Theorem or Fostex HP-P1, or get a DAC such as the Cypher Labs Algorhythm Solo with a separate amp?

Further, how does the DAC in the Fostex compare with the DAC in the Theorem if both are connected to the same amp?

The proof of the audio pudding is in shoving the thing into your ears, so here’s our thoughts about how each solution compares!

Firstly, why even bother? The Apple iPod/iPhone has a headphone socket (just) so let’s plug straight in right? There’s nothing wrong with this, and most people find the internal DAC/Amp to be quite satisfactory when used along with their stock white earpods, or any low impedance headphone designed for portable use.

However there are those awkward types who require more power for their chosen headphones; more than the iThingy can put out. Others include those with high value in-ear headphones who will not compromise on audio quality when it comes to the digital to analogue conversion.

The wonderful full size Beyerdynamic T5p and in-ear Sennheiser IE800 were used to ascertain what might comprise the best sound and value for the average portable audiophile.

Fostex HP-P1

The original combined dac/amp for Apple; how does it fare with the new available equipment? When tried with both the Beyerdynamic T5p and Sennheiser IE800 the Fostex HP-P1 does a splendid job. Certainly better than the on-board Apple kit, but other makers have been doing their best in the intervening years of course. With this setup, the HP-P1 filter was slightly more natural sounding so assume the filter is in postion one throughout this test. Being the first up in a comparison, there’s not much to be written now but read on..

Cypher Labs Theorem 720

With the Sennheiser IE800, the Theorem gave a much better impression of control and there seemed to be more space within the midrange region. In comparison, the HP-P1 just got a bit cluttered there and the result was a loss of detail and imaging.

The Theorem compared favourably using the Beyerdynamic T5p too – the soundstage was wider and deeper with better imaging leading to a more immersive 3D sound. The detail level appeared to be the same, but with the Theorem this was smoother and more lush sounding; the Fostex HP-P1 was a little brittle next to this.

Cypher Labs Algorythm Solo with Just Audio AHA-120

I’ve compared this Class A amplifier with the Theorem before; I put it as the Theorem’s spandex versus Just Audio’s silk. Not to say the Theorem is a slouch, but when compared to a Class A amp it sounds slightly less good! And that’s the tradeoff – if you want no compromise in sound quality and wish to pick every component you will pay for it, and you will have to carry it around as well!

DACs Compared Only

For this test I decided to get a decent portable amp (Fiio E12) and compare the Line-Out features of the HP-P1 and Theorem. Things were not all that different in comparitive terms.

• The HP-P1 had good detail but the presentation was flat with a limited soundstage; a bit on the dry side.

• The Theorem had a wider soundstage but was still a little dry sounding. Detail was similar to the HP-P1 but again with more control.

• The Algorythm Solo was a slight let down used in combination with the E12; soundstage was decidedly average with a flat feel to proceedings. Detail was comparitively muddy sounding.

And compared with the E12 amp (with no bass boost), the internal amp of the HP-P1 was slightly darker and more laid back, while the Theorem amp was much fuller and lusher sounding than the Theorem DAC + E12 combo.

Conclusion

The best solution in terms of sound only is the Algorythm Solo/AHA-120 pairing, but this scores lowest in terms of cost, bulk and convenience. Having to keep 3 separate battery operated devices charged is worth considering, and then there’s the interconnects which add cost and lengthen the audio chain. The sound is rich and effortless – a real treat which is earned by those having to carry all that gear!

The Cypher Labs Theorem 720 is the best all-rounder in my opinion – there’s an engaging, exciting energy about the sound from the Theorem which is close to the Solo/AHA-120 combo but it swaps the silky smoothness of the AHA-120 for a more in-your-face powerful sound. Also the amp in the Theorem gives a lushness which is really attractive.

The Fostex HP-P1 is the least impressive of the three; given that it was the first to be introduced this is no surprise. It is still a very competent and fine-sounding unit but has been surpassed since its introduction.

The post The Big Apple Rig Shootout – Which DAC and Amp is the Champ? appeared first on HiFiheadphones.

FiiO X1 – £99.99

We’ve certainly been spoilt by Fiio’s offerings of recent years; it’s a situation that’s all too easy to get used to. First it was amps which got insanely cheap, then DACs. Now we have to get used to the idea of great quality digital audio players for under £100. What’s the world coming to?

Based on the design of bigger brother the X5, the X1 sports a control wheel on the front and buttons for an alternative means of control. Options and tracks can be scrolled through quite easily, and information is displayed clearly on the generously-sized screen. EQ status and battery can be checked at a glance, and other improvements have been made to the player’s software when compared to Fiio’s other players, such as the X3. For instance when moving around the menu system whilst listening to a track, it is now possible to see on the file list which track is playing; but you will need to find your own way to the exact folder where the file is.

Output options are reduced when compared to the X3 and X5; the X1 has one audio output socket only, but is good for both headphones and line-level output. This needs to be selected within the player options menu while no music plays, so don’t worry about the possibility of damaged equipment!

Another very nice feature is the capacity to detect button presses from a headset. When used with headsets on the newer CTIA wiring standard, the X1 should be able to pause, skip track forward and skip track back. This was tried with the new Sennheiser Momentum in-ear model, and the SoundMAGIC E10S.

The sound is amazing for a player under £100. Compared to the X3, the X1 comes across as slightly cooler-sounding and the quality is what we have come to expect from Fiio. The sound gives a slightly brittle impression when compared to more expensive players such as the AK100; but at a fifth of the price the Fiio X1 is a very credible alternative for the cash-strapped music fan!

Return to : Best high resolution audio players to buy in 2015 – Expert Reviews

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SoundMAGIC ES20 – £24.95

Coming in under £30, the ES20 punches well above its weight. The build quality is superb with braided cables and tough speaker housing. The sound quality will blow you away – fun and punchy with great detail!

Similar Items – Fidue A31s £19.99 | DUNU DN12 £29.99

Shure SE112 – £42.99

Shure are famous for their high end IEMs, but their lower priced earphones follow Shure’s high standards. The SE112’s build quality is very solid and comfortable. The sound is rich with plenty of power and smooth detail – these earphones will sound great with whatever you throw at them. There is also the Shure SE112M+ for those who will use them with a smartphone.

Similar Item – SoundMAGIC E10S £39.99

SoundMAGIC P30S – £69.99

SoundMAGIC’s new portable on ear, the P30S, not only sounds great but it can work with any smartphone out there – thanks to their compatibility switch you can manually set the headphones to work with your phone. The P30S is extremely comfortable and folds up nicely for easy storage. The sound is fun and punchy with plenty of detail and great bass!

Similar Items – Sennheiser PX100-IIi £44.95 | SoundMAGIC P21S £49

Sennheiser Momentum In-Ear – £89.99

For the asking price, the Momentum In-Ear is incredible value; giving great sound as well as swish styling and all in a very rugged and classy looking case. They are available in versions compatible with Apple devices as well as Android, so you needn’t be cutting down your choice of handsets with the Momentum In-Ear.

Similar Items – Beyerdynamic MMX102iE £79.99 | RHA MA750i £89.95

FiiO X1 – £99.99

Now that high quality audio is becoming more commonly available, it is time to upgrade your music player. The FiiO X1 supports very high audio (up to 192kHz/24bit) and will play most formats (APE/AAC/FLAC/ALAC/WMA/WAV/MP3) – most devices like mobile phones and more basic players can’t handle the higher quality and different audio formats. There is enough power to drive some of the more demanding headphones and the sound is crystal clear and very well balanced. The X1 will hold one micro SD card – with this you can have up to 128GB of storage.

Similar Item – FiiO X3 £159.99

FiiO E18 – £119.95

For anyone who listens to their music or watches films from their android phone, laptop or desktop computer – the FiiO E18 is a must have. Not only is it a powerful headphone amplifer, able to be used with most devices, it is also a DAC. This means that you can connect it to your computer or phone and the E18 will take over all of the audio processing and amplification – giving you extremely high quality sound on the go.

Similar Item – FiiO E07K £79.95

Audio Technica ATH-OX5 – £129.99

New on the scene, the ATH-OX5 by Audio Technica is possibley the best sounding on-ear portable headphone in it’s price range. For less than £130 you get amazing sound – tight bass, clear detail and lots of energy. The OX5 also has replaceable cables with an option for an in-line mic and controls for smartphones. These are perfect for anyone looking for an affordable on-ear headphone to use with their phone, music player or other portable device.

Similar Items – Audio Technica ATH-AX5iS £74.99 | Sennheiser Urbanite £149.99

Jaybird Bluebuds X – £149.95

In-ear headphones are becoming more and more popular, so it makes sense to have an in-ear Bluetooth headphone. Jaybird have done this very well with a great sounding earphone that has a fairly balanced yet warm sound. They are also very comfortable and come with a number of different ear tips. Another great feature is that they are very secure in the ear, so they are popular amongst the more active user too.

Similar Item – Jaybird Freedom £94.95

Sennheiser RS170 – £162.95

Another popular idea is the wireless Sennheiser RS170 full-size headphone. The RS170 can be used all around the home, so that unmissable TV moment might never elude you again! Also the RS170 is excellent for music, and features an enhancing ‘bass boost’ feature for a little extra kick. Being a closed-back design, they afford good privacy and so you need not disturb others while rocking out.

Similar Items – Sennheiser RS120-II £99.95 | Sennheiser SET 840TV £219.95

Pioneer SE-MX9 – £249.99

For those that like their bass – look no further! We feel that the Pioneer SE-MX9 truely are Beats beaters. They have the big bass but they also have great detail and an open sound. The quality of the bass is extremely good with no bloatedness or muddyness – you hear every detail in the music. Not only do they sound better, but they are cheaper than Dr Dre’s Beats too!

Similar Items – Sennheiser Urbanite XL £199.99 | Sennheiser HD7 DJ £229.95

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Verdict

Totally immersive – don’t forget your life jacket and emergency flares for when you inevitably get lost in there. It’s unusual for a highly esteemed brand’s flagship headphone such as the Shure SRH1840 to be going for under £500 (particularly headphones as good as this), so take advantage of Shure’s generosity!

Pros

• Sound Superb

• Comfort

• Spares included

• Removable cable

Cons

• Some may find headband underpadded

Despite the recent growth of the headphones market and the high standards attained by makers generally, it’s easy to recognise products Shure puts out; always nice to the touch as well as the ear, solidly built and sounding great. So with heavy hearts we find another predictably fantastic pair of headphones for review!

Key Features

Shure has seen fit to include some spare earpads and a spare cable with this model, as it has with the SRH1540. Spending this kind of money on headphones probably gets people searching for extra value and they won’t be disappointed here. Also a storage case is included.

First Impressions

Having not long put down the SRH1540, it was surprising how light the SRH1840 still felt. These headphones are almost not even there, particularly when worn. Some would prefer more padding on the headband, but the negligible weight is borne mostly by the earpads.

Sound Quality

Warm without being bassy, crisp without being strident – Shure has really done a good job here. Things can get a little harsh with a raft of flutes playing, but that’s the nature of the sound which the SRH1840 brings out faithfully. Also an amp will be an advantage – the impedance and sensitivity of the SRH1840 is not suited to being used straight out of a portable player or phone. My Fiio X3 can power them but seem as if it is straining a bit. An E12 gave a more relaxed presentation, and the bass boost was not lost on the SRH1840, giving some added weight to proceedings. There may be a bit of a bump on the SRH1840 at the top and bottom ends of the range, but midrange is still fully represented.

Summary

Close to perfect. For those who want just a little more detail without spilling over into strident territory the Shure SRH1840 is certainly worth considering. Together with the modest price and incredible comfort, the SRH1840 is a flagship model indeed!

Score 9.5/10

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The Audeze LCD-XC is definitely one of the top-tier headphones available now, and is a worthy stablemate to the similarly closed-back but smoother Fostex TH900.

Pros

• Exceptionally comfortable

• Sumptuous build quality

• Amazing detail

• Well balanced

• Separation and imaging fully immersive

• Sturdy travel case

Cons

• May be too heavy for some

In the world of headphones we get the odd celebrity now and again; the flagships sail in and are esteemed due to their value if nothing else. But as with everything, a high price needn’t necessarily equate with a good product. Is this particualr celebrity just famous for being famous, or do they actually have some talent?

Key Features

Those shiny wooden earcups are a treat for the eyes, and the build quality is exceptional. Solid is definitely the word, but this may count against the Audeze LCD-XC as some necks may suffer under the 650g/1.4lb weight; those with the fortitude to ‘press a head’ should be well rewarded though. The tough carry case protects them in transit, and the supplied ribbon-type cable is ‘tangle free’. Also in the case is a little bottle of wax for keeping the shine on the earcups.

First Impressions

Having tried Audeze’s offerings before, my appetite was suitably whetted and it was not disappointed. By now the obvious build quality and good looks are meeting with blasé reactions – we all know what to expect from Audeze! The weight issue was in my mind, but since I’ve been enjoying the HifiMAN HE-400 for some time now with no issues I was not worried, and indeed the LDC-XC’s weight did not bother me.

Sound Quality

I first tried the Audeze LCD-XC with a Chord Hugo; both to feed as good a signal in as possible, and to try the Hugo’s resolution with the LCD-XC. The presentation was very accurate and crisp; I found it just a little too far into bright territory for my tastes. Then I tried the LCD-XC with my humble Fiio X3; the X3’s output is a little warmer than that of the Chord Hugo, and this was reflected within the sound of the headphones. Where before it was a little cold and uncompromising with the K120, it came to life and into colour for me with the X3. The LCD-XC is like a mirror for the amp; it brings out the best traits of the available equipment.

The closed-back nature of this model is possibly a down side, if only because so many great headphones in this price range are open and so have an advantage in terms of soundstage. As we all know however, isolation is often necessary if we aren’t to be distracted (and don’t want to disturb others), and the LCD-XC does not sound like a closed headphone. The soundstage is appreciably wider than the physical limits of the headphones, and the closed nature of them does not remain so obvious when in use.

Summary

With the asking price in mind, it’s no surprise to learn that this is an exceptionally competent headphone which can hold its own among some cutting-edge competition. If you are considering a highend closed-back model and you find the Fostex TH900 a little smooth, the Audeze LCD-XC may be just for you.

Score: 9.5/10

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Verdict

We are impressed with the sound quality and power which the Fiio E18 provides; together with the mobile DAC functinality and everything else, nothing gives better value for money. However, it would have been much better (and safer) to have that gain switch recessed, or indeed buried into the side of the unit, rather like the E12. There’s no way we would chance using the E18 with an IEM whilst out and about. Either that prominent gain button should be ripped off or the switch covered up with tape, to save our ears from a possible bashing. Similar with the track/play/pause controls on the side of the unit – these can be swithed and operated all too easily.

Pros

• Great Value

• Oodles of power

• Extra functionality with smartphones

Cons

• Gain switch and track select buttons too prominent

The Swiss have enjoyed enormous success with their pocket knives, they are handy and can do a variety of jobs. However if wishing to hack your way through the jungle, a 3-inch blade is going to keep you busy.

Up until recently, portable headphone amps appear to have been aimed at providing a good level of power, or a lot of features. The Fiio E18 changes this, as it can accept a digital signal from a multitude of handsets as well as PC, and amplify enough to power any less-sensitive headphones up to 600 Ohms! Please check the E18 Kunlun page on Fiio’s site (http://www.fiio.cn) for exact details on compatibility.

Key Features

The E18 is a no-nonsense design like the E12, but with a few more tricks up its sleeve. DAC functionality combined with track select controls make this a versatile and useful addition to any portable set-up. Gain and bass boost controls will help get your preferred sound from a vast array of headphone models.

First Impressions

The track skip/back buttons on the side along with play and pause are handy, but it would have been preferable to have seen these recessed – unrequested track skips are an annoyance. Bass boost and gain switches are placed near the volume pot on the top end, and there’s little to prevent accidental operation of the gain switch. Accidental operation of the gain switch could potentially be quite damaging if wearing sensitive IEMs.

There’s a switch on the opposite end to select the source for the DAC (PC or phone) and also there’s the option of using the E18 as a power source itself; this was tried with Fiio X3 and smartphone – they both started accepting a charge, although this smartphone is not compatible with the DAC.

The outward design is not dissimilar to that of the E12 which is an amplifier only. It has been mentioned that the E12 is a little better in terms of amplifier quality, as well as more powerful. But the question everyone wants to know the answer to is ‘will it power my headphones?’ and the answer is very likely to be yes.

The E18 was tried with the AKG K240 DF (600 ohms, 88dB sensitivity) and the dial wasn’t turned all the way up – it was ear splittingly loud with room to spare! The E18 should be able to drive anything the modern world has to offer, within reason. The manuafacturer states an impedance range of 16 – 150 ohms, but there’s nothing like trying these things. So long as your recording is done well (and not extremely quiet), the E18 is enough to really blast it out.

Sound quality

The Fiio E18 was run from a PC to test DAC functionality and quality. It was up against an X3 and E12 together, which seemed like a fair match. A 600 ohm Sennhieser HD540 was used.

The E18 appeared to give better resolution; sounds were relatively flat and dull on the X3/E12 combination. I decoupled the X3/E12 rig and plugged into the X3 alone; predictably, things improved in terms of details due to fewer connections in the chain, but the relative lack of power took some of the wind out of my X3’s sails. Bass and hats were pushed back a little.

Summary

With the wants and needs of the average portable audio fan growing all the time (in part helped along by just this sort of product!) the Fiio E18 tries to tick as many boxes and cover as may bases as it can, and it does a great job of all of them.

Score: 8/10

The post FiiO E18 Kunlun Portable Smartphone Amp/DAC Review appeared first on HiFiheadphones.

With the potential to have the highest quality audio in your pocket you will want to complement that with the headphones you use. This article will cover how to choose a portable headphone and suggest some of our favourites.

When buying headphones or in ear earphones for a portable player there are 3 main qualities you will be looking for:

Compact

As you will be more than likely using the headphones while travelling you will want them to be small enough to fit into a bag or even fold up for easy storage. You will also want them to be a size that won’t get in the way whilst moving from busy train to busy train.

Closed Back / Sound Isolating

As these headphones will probably be used in public, you won’t want the sound of your guilty pleasures spilling out to the rest of the train carriage – nor will you want to hear the loud music being played by the youths at the back of the bus. Closed back or sound isolating headphones are perfect for this, as they reduce the amount of sound leaking and help block out external noise.

Easily Driven

The majority of portable players such as iPod, iPhone, Samsung, Sony etc. can give great sound quality but they don’t have the most powerful headphone amps on them – when this is the case you want a headphone that is easy to drive so you can get a good volume out of them without maxing out your player.

In ear headphones

The ultimate portable solution are in ear isolating earphones as they tick all the above qualities – here are a selection that I would recommend:

SoundMagic E10 (£34.99)

The go to in-ear for under £60.

Final Audio Heaven II (£89), IV (£199) and VI (£599)

Refined sound with great bass and sharp detail.

Shure SE112 (£46), SE215 (£96) and SE315 (£159)

Well balanced sound with superb midrange. Great isolation and secure over the ear fit.

On the ear

SoundMAGIC P30 (£69)

Best budget portable headphone.

Sennheiser Momentum On-Ear (£169.96) and Full Size (£259.99)

Warm, smooth sound and superb build quality.

KEF M500 (£249)

Clear detail with tight bass and crisp mids. Folds up for easy storage.

Full size over the ear

GermanMAESTRO GMP 8.35 D (£160)

Practically indestructible and one of the best for isolation. Great punchy sound.

Beyerdynamic Custom One Pro (£169.96)

Adjustable bass ports for customizable sound. Another great one for isolation.

Beyerdynamic T70p (£438.95)

Neutral sound with crystal clear detail.

Beyerdynamic T5p (£880)

Studio quality sound on the go.

Ultrasone Edition 8 (£1099)

Audiophile quality sound with superb isolation.

Open back

Now if you don’t need complete sound isolation and would prefer an open backed headphone then there a some very good ones to choose from:

Koss Porta Pro (£29.95)

The classic portable headphone.

Grado SR80i (£99.95)

These are very hard to beat for under £100. HiFi quality sound on the go.

SoundMAGIC HP200 (£229)

Smooth and fun sounding with great detail. Very comfortable and good isolation for an open back.

Headphone amplifier

And finally… If you have got your heart set on a headphone that is more difficult to drive then do not fear! Adding a portable headphone amplifier into the chain will solve this issue.

FiiO E12 (£109.99)

Lots of power, bass boost, sturdy build quality and detailed sound.

So hopefully this article has helped you decide on your new headphone – but if you have any questions then do feel free to get in touch and we will be happy to help!

The post Best Headphones for Portable Players appeared first on HiFiheadphones.

FiiO X5 Lossless Portable Digital Audio Player & DAC

Summary

The FiiO X5 is the new contribution from this great brand; the company which is making a huge name for itself by bringing high quality budget-priced items to the market. Almost a year ago we were all taken aback by the arrival of the X3 which has certainly shaken up the digital audio player (DAP) market, but now FiiO has X-ceeded itself with the X5.

After coming to know the FiiO X3‘s sound quality, it was a little difficult to imagine how it could be bettered; both in terms of sound quality and power. The X5 creates a certain expectation as it’s larger. It is still pocket-sized, but it certainly makes for a pocket which is full.

Unlike the X3, the X5 has no internal storage so a micro SD card is required to get started. However it has 2 slots for these cards, so there’s a potential 128Gb storage capacity with current firmware/size limits.

Price – £289.95

FiiO X5 Lossless Portable Digital Audio Player & DAC

Pros

• Fantastic Sound
• Two Micro SD slots
• DAC capability
• Powerful amplification

Cons

• Wobbly wheel
• Auto hold – no manual hold button
• No internal memory
• Relatively bulky

 Key Features

• Supports High-Definition192kHz/24bit audio
• Lossless Playback for DSD/APE/ FLAC/ALAC/WMA/WAV
• High-Quality DAC Functionality
• Headphone Out, Line-Out and Coaxial Digital Output
• Dual Card Slots with 1024GB Memory Capacity (with future firmware updates)

First Impressions

Appearance takes priority over usability for perhaps the first 30 minutes of use; the buttons are not marked and the user can feel a little helpless initially. This soon passes, but the wheel remains a point of contention; its build does not appear to sit well with the rest of the device. It’s very light and wobbly, with a rubber touch wheel to select options or tracks on the screen. Notches or slight clicks are encountered as the wheel goes round, but these tend not to be linked so much with what is happening on the screen. A ‘two click’ turn of the wheel may not necessarily move you along by two options so watch the screen. It can be frustrating if the required option is just one ‘click’ away; it seems that a gentle turn of the wheel can turn into a few gentle turns, as the selected option doesn’t change, or changes too far. Fortunately the lower two buttons on the front of the X5 can be used to scroll through these items, so it’s not something we’re stuck with using.

Sticking with the wheel, the centre acts as a ‘select’ button for the X5; however it is machined and is uncomfortable to touch with the thick skin on my thumb. It’s worth it though. Also I was a little concerned that there appears not to be a space where I can throw a band over and have it strapped to my FiiO E12 – the X5 is full of buttons, screen and wheel, but I have found that a band can be placed over the wheel area and operation is not affected. Maybe the addition of an E12 is overkill however; having tried the X5 now, my demanding 600 Ohm AKG K240 DF headphones sound fantastic straight out of the headphone socket.

There is no ‘hold’ button on the X5, there is a simple timer function (from 30s to 120s, or off) which renders the screen blank and most of the buttons inoperable, until the power button is pressed. I noticed that the volume buttons turn into ‘track skip’ buttons in this state.

The screen shows a little more of the track titles than the X3 when browsing, for example I am able to read the full title of Duran Duran’s ‘Is There Something I Should Know’ but no band name is present in the filename. Compilations may still require guesswork as to the track title, or you might want to encode your files with the ‘Track Artist’ after the ‘Track Title’ so song names can be read with no problem. Also the screen is less square than that of the X3; it’s wider, but only the top half of any cover art is visible when tracks are playing as it gets stretched to fit across the screen. Not a real issue, but Sweet’s ‘Desolation Boulevard’ cover isn’t the same!

Sound Quality

I tried the X5 against the X3 with the HiFiMAN HE-400; despite their 35 ohm impedance, these are thirsty headphones and can really take some power to get them up to their full potential. The X5 felt a little more relaxed, more analoguish, more controlled. It appeared to go a little louder as well, although the two models are evenly matched. Both the X3 and X5 powered the HE-400 adequately, although a little more headroom (on both players) might be nice with quieter tracks.

Next, a high quality dynamic headphone was tried – the Beyerdynamic T1. With this headphone the differences were harder to spot between the two Fiio players but the X5 appeared to give a slightly wider and more spacious presentation; the X3 had a little more bass impact or ‘slam’ to it.

FiiO has beefed up the bass/treble setting of the X3 with a full equaliser in the X5 model; there are now 10 bands between 31Hz and 16kHz, the frequency bands roughly double in breadth as they move up through the frequency spectrum; ie. 31Hz, 62Hz, 125Hz, etc. The steps in terms of EQ volume are very fine indeed, so this is a useful tool to anyone wanting fuller control.

Verdict

In all, the X5 is a winner if you have headphones which can reveal its audio quality. If you plan to stick with sub-£100 headphones or only have portable uses, you may as well save your money and get the X3. If you’re confident that your equipment can get the best out of the X5, then that is what I recommend – it is a clear improvement over the X3 and the extra money spent will not be in vain.

Return to : Best high resolution audio players to buy in 2015 – Expert Reviews

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This is not your ordinary music player. With impressive processing power the portable FiiO X5 digital audio player supports DSD, APE, FLAC, ALAC, WMA and WAV lossless music formats up to 192kHz/24-bit. This is the most complete set of supported formats to date among Hi-Fi DAPs. With the X5, music lovers need not worry about lack of format support or format conversion.

As well as being a high resolution portable music player, FiiO X5 also doubles up as a dedicated digital-to-analogue converter with line or digital output from PC or MAC. The asynchronous USB DAC also supports 192kHz/24bit. Users can adjust the X5’s equalizer according to their preferences, tailoring the X5’s sound output to different headphones and music genres to produce their ideal sound.

Inside the casing the X5 is packing a lot of punch with four Texas Instruments opamps and Burr Brown DAC as well as dual TI Flagship DAC Chip for headphone output. The X5 comes with three output ports: headphone out, line out and coaxial digital output. Apart from connecting directly to headphones, you can also connect it to other DACs and amps. Dual TF card slots offer a storage capacity up to 128GB, with future firmware upgrades supporting up to 1024GB.

TI Flagship DAC Chip
High resolution music playback
WAV, APE, AAC, WMA, ALAC, FLAC lossless music format supported
DSD playback (DSD playback function will be added and optimised in pending firmware upgrade)
USB OTG support (OTG support will be added and optimised in pending firmware upgrade)
Dual TF card slots (up to 1024GB storage capacity with future firmware upgrades)
Asynchronous DAC
Aviation aluminium CNC unibody technology
Headphone out, Line out, coaxial output socket
Japan original imported high resolution IPS screen
3700mAh lithium polymer battery with 12 hours playtime

To purchase the unit, please visit our website:

Buy FiiO X5 Portable High Resolution Digital Audio Player

The post FiiO X5 Portable High Resolution Digital Audio Player – Announcement appeared first on HiFiheadphones.

Enter the world of the professional audio decoder FiiO E18 with the convenience of listening to music from Smartphones, and the pleasure of high fidelity audio.

Reference quality digital-to-analogue audio conversion for music played via compatible Android smartphones. FiiO E18 is compatible with Samsung Galaxy S3/S4/Note2, HTC One, and other Android devices with USB OTG and USB digital audio output capabilities.

FiiO E18 can be used USB DAC and amp as replacement of the on-board soundcard on computers and laptops. FiiO E18 serves as a dedicated headphone amplifier when connected to portable audio players.

The user-friendly volume knob design with symmetrical volume roller is resistant to accidental bumps, yet easy to adjust. When used as power source, the automatic cut-off and self-recovery function of charging current limiter IC on the E18 protects the phone. The 3500mAh Li-polymer battery achieves 25 hours playtime when used as amplifier only, and 12 hours utilising the DAC and amp combination.

• Performs reference quality digital-to-analogue audio conversion for Android smartphones
• Compatible with Samsung Galaxy S3/S4/Note2, HTC One and Android devices
• USB DAC functionality for computers and laptops
• Works with laptop and desktop computers at up to 24-Bit / 96kHz high definition audio
• High-end op-amp audio output circuitry with ultra low distortion and noise
• 3500mAh battery for up to 25 hours of use as an amp-only, or up to 12 hours as DAC+amp
• Charges in 4 hours with optional 2A USB adapter

To purchase the unit, please visit our website:

Buy FiiO E18 Kunlun Portable USB DAC & Headphone Amplifier

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So you’ve determined which outputs your TV has and now it’s time to pick your headphone – here is a list of the best wireless TV headphones for each connection type.

RCA Phono/Jack Plug (analogue)

Thomson WHP3311

This is our most popular wireless TV headphone. Amazing value for money – packaged with a charging dock as well as offering clarity and comfort. the Thomson WHP3311 is the best TV headphone we’ve come across for under £50.

Sennheiser RS165

Sennheiser SET 840 TV

The SET 840 TV is the ultimate assistive listening wireless headphone. Great sound quality and three selectable hearing settings on transmitter for optimised speech intelligibility. The volume control has left and right balance settings as well as tone control.

Sennheiser RS120-II (DISCONTINUED)

If you’re looking for a sub £100 wireless headphone then you can’t go wrong with the RS120-II. The transmitter can charge the headphones and uses RF (radio frequency) to transmit audio – this gives you a very long range but can be susceptible to interference. The headphones are open back so they will leak sound – but will provide a natural sound with good width.

TV Ears 2.3 (DISCONTINUED)

For the hard of hearing, the TV Ears 2.3 is very hard to fault at the very low price of £59.95. They use infra red to transmit audio so you get a clear sound, they are susceptible to interference though. The sound quality is what you’d expect for the price but as they are designed for the hard of hearing their main focus is on the upper frequencies – so for this purpose they work very well.

Coaxial/Optical (digital)

Sennheiser RS175

The RS175 transmits digitally using Sennheiser’s advanced technology, this provides a much clearer sound with no interference. The headphones are extremely comfortable and they are closed back so they isolate sound very well. The transmitter acts as a charging station for the headphones and also provides Dynamic Bass and Surround Sound listening modes and the built in DAC allows a digital connection via Optical cable.

Sennheiser RS185

The RS185 is almost identical to the RS175 except the headphones are open backed. This means that the headphones will leak sound, but you will get a wider and more natural sound from them. You can also adjust the balance for left and right channels separately.

FiiO D03K

If your TV only has digital outputs and you don’t want to go for the Sennheiser RS220, the FiiO D03K can solve your problem. Adding this to the chain between the TV (coaxial or optical output) and wireless headphone means that you can use any of the headphones I have mentioned in this article. A very handy piece of kit!

Sennheiser RS220 (DISCONTINUED)

The Swiss army knife of wireless headphones – The RS220 can connect itself to analogue (RCA) and digital (coaxial and optical) sources. The headphones themselves are open backed and provide an audiophile experience. The transmitter has a built in DAC (digital to analogue converter) so when used with a digital source, the sound is superb! The headphones feature balance control for left and right channels, a charging docking station and Sennheiser offer an extended 5 year warranty.

The post How To Choose Wireless TV Headphones appeared first on HiFiheadphones.

FiiO X3 Portable Digital Audio Player with Lossless Music File Playback and DAC Functionality. One device for all your lossless music, the FiiO X3 plays the five main types of lossless music including APE, FLAC, ALAC, WMA and WAV up to 192kHz/24bit. With incorporated professional DAC chip, inbuilt headphone amplifier, hardware based bass and treble adjustments and 10 hours playback time in a light-weight portable form factor, the X3 is the most versatile high-definition portable music player available.

Different from other consumer music players and smart phones, the X3 does not use the DAC function of its main controller chip; instead, for the best sound effect, it adopts the professional WOLFSON DAC chip WM8740. Instead of using software to achieve bass and treble adjustment, the FiiO X3 uses an adjustable hardware circuit, resulting in more natural sound without influencing other frequencies.

The FiiO X3 is well furnished with multiple output ports which include headphone, lineout and coaxial digital output. Moreover, it also can be regarded as a digital turntable and invites more powerful DAC implementation to improve the sound experience by connecting to audio decode through its coaxial digital output.

• Most versatile high-definition portable music player available
• Lossless playback for APE/FLAC/ALAC/WMA/WAV music formats
• Supports digital master copy source at 192kHz/24bit
• Employs high-performance WOLFSON DAC chip
• Can be used as standalone digital-to-analogue converter
• Main controller amplifier chip achieves A-Class amplification
• Adjustable hardware based bass and treble adjustments
• Master control committed exclusively to music
• 8GB internal memory capacity with 64GB memory upgrade capability
• Outputs include headphone out, line-out and coaxial digital out
• 10 hours playback time with standard USB smart charging

To purchase the unit, please visit our website:

Buy FiiO X3 Lossless Portable Digital Audio Player & DAC

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Based on the highly successful FiiO E7, the E07K Andes features many improvements. The FiiO E07K portable headphone amplifier with USB audio decoder (DAC) is designed for dual-functionality. It both replaces PC on-board sound cards as the primary audio decoder, which can lead to an increase in audio quality, as well as provide high quality sound amplification and drive high-powered high-end headphones.

• High performance with excellent resolution and low distortion
• 96kHz 24-Bit high resolution audio decoding
• Right and left channel balance can be adjusted to suit users with different ear sensitivity
• Separate fine bass and treble adjustments with 20 discreet steps from -10 to +20
• Output bypass feature allows user to output fixed line-level signal when used with E09K
• Three separate gain levels of 0dB, 6dB, and 12dB
• Hold switch prevents inadvertent adjustments and key presses
• Build-in rechargeable 1500mAH Li-ion battery for up to 24 hours of continuous use
• Dual colour OLED display with automatic key lock and sleep timer function

To purchase the unit, please visit our website:
Buy FiiO E07k Andes Headphone Amplifier & USB DAC

The post FiiO E07K Andes – Announcement appeared first on HiFiheadphones.

This is a question that comes up a lot at HiFi Headphones, so here is our easy guide on setting up TV wireless headphones.

Before you go and buy your wireless headphones it is important to find out what audio outputs
your TV has. This is the best starting point as it will determine which wireless headphones are
compatible and if you need any extra devices, such as a DAC.

Based on the type of outputs, there are two types of TV’s:

TVs with analogue output:

Headphone Output/Jack

This is the most commonly known type of audio output, but not necessarily the best. Using the headphone output on your TV will cut the sound from the built in speakers so only you (or anyone else connected to the wireless system) will be able to listen to the TV.

The majority of TV wireless headphones come with a mini jack cable so there won’t be any problems connecting them via the headphone socket.

RCA Phono

This output is generally located at the back of the TV and has two circular sockets, one red and one white. This provides a pure line out signal and therefore won’t interfere with the built in speakers. This is probably the best option as the majority of wireless headphones out there use analogue inputs, and most of them will include appropriate adapters to connect to the RCA phono output.

Even though there will always be a way of connecting TV wireless headphones to the RCA phono socket, some models come with their own adapter to make this easier. Here are a few that I would recommend:

TV Ears Wireless Voice Clarifying Listening System
Sennheiser RS120-II Wireless Stereo Headphones
Sennheiser RS180 Digital Wireless Headphone System
Sennheiser SET 840 S Wireless TV Listening System for Hearing Aids

TVs with digital output:

Optical/Coaxial (Digital)

A lot of modern TVs now only have digital audio outputs, this is either as optical or coaxial. If your wireless headphone transmitter only accepts analogue audio then it’s not the end of the world, you can buy a device called a DAC (Digital to Analogue Converter). This device will sit in the chain between your TV and wireless headphone transmitter. You will need a digital cable to go from the TV to the DAC, this will be either optical or coaxial depending on the output. Then from the DAC you will need an RCA phono cable to feed into the transmitter.

With digital outputs becoming more and more popular, there are now headphones that can take a digital signal and convert it to analogue with their own built in DAC. This way you get a much higher quality of sound. Here are a couple that I would recommend:

SoundMAGIC WP10 Digital Wireless Headphone System with DAC
Sennheiser RS220 Wireless Audiophile Headphone System

With such a wide range of TV wireless headphones and accessories on the market at the moment, it doesn’t matter what TV you have; there will be a wireless headphone out there for your set up.

The post TV wireless headphones – Set up guide appeared first on HiFiheadphones.

At HiFi Headphones we’ve just taken delivery of our first batch of FiiO headphone amplifiers.  The brand new FiiO E5 and FiiO E3 are ultra small headphone amplifiers with a price tag that makes them affordable for anyone with an iPod, MP3 player, laptop or mobile phone.

The FiiO headphone amps promise increased output power (to power hard to drive headphones), added bass response and even better clarity of treble notes.

FiiO E3

The FiiO E3 headphone amp is the perfect introduction to improving your portable audio setup – look out, it’s a slippery slope!   At a price point that makes it possible to try without risking to much cash, the E3 has taken the headphone amp World by storm.

Just connect the FiiO E3 between your portable audio device (iPod, iPhone, laptop, mobile phone, etc) and enjoy the improvement in volume and sound quality.

FiiO E5

The next step up from the E3 in the FiiO line-up is the all new FiiO E5.  With an exterior casing that has been redesigned to fit more comfortably in the pocket, and internals completely revised to improve noise figures, the FiiO E5 is a force to be reckoned with.

When compared with higher end headphone amplifiers, such as the iBasso T4 or Graham Slee Voyager, the FiiO E5 does colour the sound to some degree (it definitely warms up the bass response), but with the FiiO E5’s price tag of less than £25 I shouldn’t really be comparing.

More Information

For more information on FiiO Headphone Amps, a range of other Headphone Amplifiers & DACs and iPod Line Out Docks (LODs) please visit the HiFi Headphones shop.

The post FiiO E5 & E3 headphone amps – boost volume, add bass and improve soundstage appeared first on HiFiheadphones.

FiiO and KS Distribution today announced a partnership for distribution of FiiO’s audio electronics products in the UK.  Based near Brighton on the South Coast of England, KS Distribution is a specialist distributor of headphone and earphone related audio products.

KS Distribution is to be distributing FiiO audio electronics products to independent specialist retailers in the UK and Ireland.

FiiO headphone amplifiers provide a way to get the best audio performance from portable audio sources, such as MP3 players (Apple iPod, iPhone, etc) and laptop computers.

The FiiO E5 has taken the headphone amp market by storm, with a high specification and entry level price making it accessable for anyone looking to upgrade their portable audio system.

About KS Distribution

A leading audio electronics distributor, KS Distribution specialises in bringing innovative products to the UK market and providing a World class service to their customers. Offering a carefully selected range of products for home and mobile listening, KS Distribution are a highly focused team whose primary aim is to develop strong partnerships with retailers and manufacturers.

For more information visit www.ksdistribution.co.uk

About FiiO

FiiO Electronic Technology is a personal audio consumer electronics manufacturer with a product line-up that includes headphone amplifiers and speaker systems.  Leading the field in affordable personal audio products, FiiO is constantly innovating to stay ahead of the competition.

For more information visit http://www.fiio.com.cn

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