This story originally appeared at InnerFidelity.com
It's no secret I really like the Audeze LCD-3 and LCD-2. When they slotted the LCD-X between the two, I simply had to have a listen to these cans in context with the rest of the line. So I spent some time with the latest Audeze headphones...
This story originally appeared at InnerFidelity.com
Ask any headphone geek that's been around for a while for a recommendation between $100 and $200, and there's a very good chance the Audio Technica ATH-M50 will be the first thing out of their mouth.
With good reason, if you ask me, let's check them out.
This story originally appeared at InnerFidelity.com
Simply put, I'm stunned.
It's hard to make a good sounding sealed headphone, and much more so a small, supra-aural (on-ear) type. They all seem to falter sonically somewhere. In-ear headphones were the only way to get really good portable sound ...
This story originally appeared at InnerFidelity.com
One look at the Sennheiser HD 800 and it's quite obvious that this headphone is in a class of one. Seemingly as much architecture and structural engineering as it is audio, this headphone is a technological marvel and delivers incredibly accurate audio fidelity.
This story originally appeared at InnerFidelity.com
Just another "big audio company joins the ranks of headphone makers" or something a bit more special? It's hard to get my hopes up with so many first stabs at making headphones resulting in mediocre introductions. Maybe I should just lower my expectations a bit.
This story originally appeared at InnerFidelity.com
Originating with the Foster OEM design (model 443741, page H-4 of this .pdf) and seeing the light of day first as the Denon AD-H1001, then the Creative Aurvana Live! (CAL!), this model has now been refreshed as the E-Mu Walnut. This is a lovely example of a companyin this case Creative Technologies in the form of its subsidiary company E-Mu Systemsrecognizing they have a solid-performer on their hands, and incrementally improving it. I wish I saw this more often.
This story originally appeared at InnerFidelity.com
The inside of a great designer's head must be a very unusual place. On the one hand, the world is filled with clumsy, ugly, ill-formed objects. On the other, it's rife with opportunity for utility and beauty. The cacophony of internal dialog must be almost unbearable. Renowned designer Philippe Starck has turned his attention to untangling the mess that is Bluetooth headsets, and in collaboration with Parrot (a French company with significant experience in automotive Bluetooth devices) has developed the most unique wireless headset I've ever seen.
This story originally appeared at InnerFidelity.com
I had only two days with a pre-production Ether Flow before my house was invaded by the French. I was quite enjoying the pre-production Flow, but the Focal Elear and Utopia turned my world upside down. By the time Dan Clark, CEO and Founder of Mr. Speakers, sent the production unit my world was in a bit of an uproar. Though I didn't mention them, the Flow was ever present in my listening tests...it kept whispering to me, "It's not about "The Best" anymore, it's about character."