Two June FollowUp Reviews
The June 2021 issue of Stereophile included followup reviews of two recommended components, both which deserved further investigation of what they had to offer: the dCS Bartók D/A processor and the Schiit Audio Sol turntable.
Two Vintage AKG Headphones: K240 Sextett and K340 Electrostatic Dynamic
This story originally appeared at InnerFidelity.com
I can't tell you what a treat it is to measure and listen to the unusual headphones I get from enthusiasts. This time, rythmdevils from Head-Fi has sent in a couple of vintage AKG cans.
He's also a photographer, and has kindly allowed me to use his sweet pix of these two cans for the article. Very nice! Thanks!
Ultimate Ears 18 Pro in-ear headphones
Headphone listening is hot these days, due not only to the ubiquity of the iPod as a music source but also because it is possible to get state-of-the-art headphone playback without having to have stupidly bottomless pockets. A plethora of affordable high-quality headphone amplifiers are available, and high-performance 'phones can be had for a few hundred dollars. Used with a computer or iPod to play uncompressed WAV or AIF files or losslessly compressed FLAC or Apple Lossless (ALAC) files, a headphone-based system can offer the audiophile on a budget seriously good sound.
Ultimate Ears Reference Remastered Custom In-Ear Monitors
This story originally appeared at InnerFidelity.comIt's been nearly 5 years since ToTL Madnessour attempt to survey the growing custom IEM landscape and identify the best of the best. It's still a good read if you want to learn more about the history of the industry, the major players, and the strengths/weaknesses of these colorful little ear gems.
Ultimate Ears UE-10 Pro in-ear headphones
All of a sudden, it seems there's a renaissance in in-ear monitors. Used to be there was just Etymotichttp://www.stereophile.com/headphones/805">Etymotic;, but now Etymotic, Shurehttp://www.stereophile.com/headphones/504shure">Shure;, and Ultimate">http://www.stereophile.com/headphones/1204ultimate">Ultimate Ears are all producing high-performance in-ear headphones. It's almost enough to make me suspect we audiophiles have become a marketing juggernaut.
Ultimate Ears UE-11 Pro in-ear headphones
Meeting strangers at social events, I've learned not to say that I write about hi-fi for a living. It's generally a conversation killer—unless your idea of scintillating repartee is "People make a living doing that?" (Short answer: Not many, and not really.)
Ultimate Ears UE-5c in-ear headphones
"You need to keep still."
V-MODA Crossfade M-80 and V-80 True Blood Headphones
This story originally appeared at InnerFidelity.com
Call me out of touch with pop-culture, but I had no idea what the "True Blood" referred to on V-MODA's V-80 True Blood headphone. A quick Google and I know we have a new kind of celebrity headphone, one endorsed by a T.V. show about vampires. Fine with me because ...
... these headphones are AWESOME!
V-MODA Crossfade Wireless a Mixed Bag
This story originally appeared at InnerFidelity.com
In the end I think these are pretty good for a wireless headphone, but you're going to have to wade through a lot of mixed feelings from me to get there.
Vincent Audio KHV-1pre headphone amplifier/preamplifier
You know me. I'm not perzackly an audio slut, but I am easy. When Audio Advisor's Wayne Schuurman called me to pitch the Vincent KHV-1pre tube-transistor headphone amplifier, he pretty much had me at "tube" and "headphone." But I wasn't familiar with Vincent Audio.