Several articles about Apple’s Lightning to 3,5mm Headphone Jack Adapter are tickling the audiophile internet. These include: Heis’s appraisal of it attached to volume-capped European phones, Larry Ho’s Facebook thread (thank you Marcus) , which lambasts its jitter rate, Inner Fidelity questioning whether or not it utilises an onboard ADC to convert the signal to analogue before amplifying it in-house for the headphones, among others.
Read moreLachlan on the Sony NWZ-ZX2
Lachlan fondled the new NWZ-ZX2, which he compared to version 1. Evidently, it still hisses:
“So I had a quick demo of the Sony NWZ-ZX2! First of all, I confirmed with the IM02 that the ZX2 still hisses. It was quite noisy in the shopping centre so I couldn’t tell if it hisses less than the ZX1, but it seemed like it might be a slight improvement. The unit on the whole is chunkier and heavier than the ZX1, which makes the whole thing seem a bit excessive. But hey if you are paying 1299 then I suppose you want to look like you have something in your pocket. I can’t comment on the sound as the player was only loaded with demo tracks that I’m not familiar with. Don’t think I’ll be getting one any time soon though.”
Lach's got loads of great stuff on his Facebook page, so check it out.
BTW, the earphones he yaks about in the above quote the Audio Technica ATH-IM02, which he reviews here (YouTube).
Headfonia: Calyx M
If only it was smaller. If only its battery lasted longer than 6 hours. If only it didn't toast up my boys-- only those provisos weren't part and parcel of the Calyx M experience, the M would be the most amazing portable music player on the market.
If you want the long-winded version, head on over to Headfonia to read the entirety of my review.
The Hidizs AP100
Jay-Z likes his new home. He also dislikes it
For a short, but sweet while now, I've been using the Hidizs AP100. Like most audiophile players in its price, and size category, it does hi-resolution files, and plays pretty much every industry-accepted file type.
Read moreHeadfonia: a look back at portable minidisk
Sharp MD-DR7 acting as a DAC for the Astell & Kern AK120
The next instalment of Headfonia's monthly Back to the Future Friday column features my familiar rambling:
“we have come a long way from the elegance and simplicity of the removable optical media world. My memories of MD are bittersweet. I miss it, yet I know that what I listen through today is higher fidelity even if it isn’t as enjoyable an experience. But I will always pine for the elegance and simplicity of the minidisc.”
as well as a small decade-later user essay from Headfonia's kingpin: Lieven.
“If all the review samples I received sounded like this I would be a very happy guy. I’m kidding, I’m quite happy as it is thank you, but I’m just trying to say that the SQ of this 15 year old device beats a lot of players out there. Sony did that good of a job and I’m lucky to own one of these classic units. I actually saw new old stock versions of my exact unit being offered online for over $500 USD. (Back in the day, the MZR70 sold for around $250 USD.)”
ohmage to the iBasso DX50
Last weekend I enjoyed the thrills and soul-numbing cacophony of my first Japanese funeral. I’ve started to think different. It wasn’t just watching a man in white taxi driver gloves and train conductor garb bashing my aunt’s skull and pelvis bones with cooking chopsticks that did it; it was just as much the trip back, when my iPhone’s battery went out. You never know when your time is up.
Read morePortaphile 627 Micro pre-order
Portaphile fans, the new 627 MICRO headphone amp is up for pre-order at 399$ USD.
Astell & Kern AK240 outed at CES2014
Tagged as 'The World's First MQS Player', the AK240 natively plays back DSD 128, and looks to heavily favour right-handed operation.
So far we know the following:
- Native Double-rate DSD(up to 5.6MHz)
- Dual CS4398 DAC for True Dual-Mono
- Balanced Output
- Aircraft Grade Duralumin Body
- Wi-Fi Music Downloading
- 256GB, plus 1 microSD slot
I expect we will find out more by following the Astell & Kern website. Fans at Head-Fi have already gone mad at the purported 3.000$ AUD price tag.
Fiio X1 mockup photos at Fiio's Facebook
Fiio fans will want to check this out. The X1 portable digital player will be slightly larger than the excellent Fiio X3 DAP. Ω is excited that it looks to be more traditionally laid out. You can keep up to date by following Fiio's Facebook page.
“X1 mockup
- The dimensions will be 88x50mm (as tall as Plan B but wider, close to the width of Plan A. For reference, X3 is 109x55mm)
- The central control group will change from the X5’s “X” shape around the scroll wheel to a circle (with the four buttons on the circle still in an X configuration. The buttons’ functions (from upper left, clockwise) are as follows: shortcuts key (brings up a quick menu), back, next, previous) (same as on the X5) The centre button will be an “OK/confirm” key.
- The final product will look better. Much better ”
the convergence of audiophilia and photophilia
Thanks to mirrorless interchangeable lens camera systems and small lenses, I can now comfortably take my X-Pro 1 and favourite lens around with my favourite audiophile system... with plenty of room left over for scotch.
I've got more over at photophile.