THE REVIEWS
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MEZE EMPYREAN WIRE REVIEW
At the time of the MEZE Empyrean review, I was aware of the upgrade cables—the Pure Copper Ultra High Drawability (PCUHD) cable ($249-$349) and the PCUHD Silver-Plated Copper cable ($399-$499)—but I had not heard either. And there were scant if any reviews, save for customer reviews, that had found the cable well worth the price of admission. I was intrigued. Could the Best Product for 2020 and AudioKey Reviews’ only DIAMOND AWARD winner, to date, sound even better?
VISION EARS EVE REVIEW
Some might think the EVE an anomaly for what it does in service of the music, with its outstanding transparency—detail, microdynamics, articulation—its superb musicality, its speedier than The Flash transients, and its top to bottom coherency. However it is for us, very much in line with what we consider the Holy-Music-Lovers-Grail.
IBASSO AMP9 MODULE REVIEW
The iBASSO AMP9 module is unique in that it utilizes “high current vacuum tubes” for power generation. The tube in question is the sixth generation, Korg and Noritake Nutube vacuum tube, which clearly reflects the “old is new again” adage. And, in this respect, the AMP9 module brings an analog sound signature as opposed to an analog-like sound signature.
IFI PRO IDSD HEADPHONE AMP/DAC/STREAMER REVIEW
The time spent with the Pro iDSD was time well spent, in that it offered, as listed above, a plethora of options, wonderful musicality and quite good transparency across all of its options, and it played well with many partners ranging from headphones (dynamic, planar) to In-Ear-Monitors (IEMs) all of which it drove beautifully.
CAYIN N6ii/E01 REVIEW
In the E01 module Cayin has embraced a duality, that sees a “Warm/Transparent” tuning, reminiscent of EL34’s, “shacking up,” so to speak, with a “Reference (like)/Transparent” tuning. Said duality is, by the way, available on-the-fly—touch screen enabled. Sweet!
OBRAVO EAMT-2C REVIEW
Upon first listen (straight out of the box!), the resident cynic in me had to ‘figuratively’ lift his lower jaw from the floor. How can this be, I asked? Here was an IEM that had audacity to act as if it were an “Over-the-Ear,” planar-magnetic headphone of truly exceptional capability, right out of the box!
CAYIN N6ii/A01 REVIEW
The Cayin N6ii’s/A01 ($1,119) sound is reminiscent of some of the best, classic analog—Thorens TD-125 MK II, Linn LP12, Garrard 301/401—as married to the best in today’s high-end digital offerings…