Views 4,918 With the winter holidays drawing us closer to each other and to our families, it is time to be grateful that we survived another year, that we got to listen to so much excellent music, to meet so many new awesome people, and to explore this wonderful hobby …
Desktop Equipment is mainly made to be used at home or at your main desk, and it is not generally intended to be portable. This includes Speakers, DACs, AMPs, even Headphones, and desktop equipment is generally larger and / or needs access to a power outlet to work. HIFI products are generally considered desktop equipment, although you can find some which can be used portably.
You can find the best desktop equipment here: https://amzn.to/3QiOhdd
Desktop
HIFIMAN HE1000 Unveiled Headphones – Stealth Magnets Truly Open
Views 7,722 HIFIMAN He1000 Unveiled is the $2699 USD culmination of the HE1000 series of headphones, now having the Unveiled Driver that we’ve seen in the Susvara Unveiled, so today we review the best He1000 the world has seen, and compare it with other similarly priced headphones we recently reviewed …
Sparkos Gemini Tube Headphone Amplifier – HiFi Delight Meets American Precision
Views 9,673 Sparkos Gemini is a $995 USD Tube Headphone Amplifier with RCA inputs, RCA outputs, XLR Headphone outputs, and with Sparkos Labs SS2590 Discrete OPA Output Stage. Today we will review the Sparkos Gemini and compare it with other headphone amplifiers we recently reviewed, including Aune S17 PRO (699 …
Creative Sound Blaster G8 Desktop Hi-Res Dual DAC AMP – BiAmp Gaming Acoustic Engine
Views 11,331 Creative Sound Blaster G8 is a $149 USD desktop DAC / AMP with a Dual DAC inside, Hi-Res decoding support, and Proprietary XAMP dedicated amplifier. Today we will review the G8 and explore how it works, how it sounds like and if it would make a good purchase …
NeoHipo ET30 VU Meter – Vintage Charm For Modern Systems
Views 16,873 NeoHipo ET30 is a $159 USD stereo VU Meter designed for speaker systems, to bring a bit of that vintage charm to modern setups. Today we will review the ET30 and explore whether it changes the sound in any way, as well as what exactly it does for …
ECDesigns UT96 and UT192 USB Toslink Converters – Digital Magic ElectroTos Transformation
Views 15,427 ECDesigns UT96 and UT192 are a $125 USD and $325 USD USB to Toslink converters that work with all ECDesigns DACs, as well as any other DAC out there, basically doing a stellar job at converting a USB digital signal to an Optical Signal. We will explore UT96 …
Audience Studio ONE Speaker HiFi Cable – Low Mass, Significant Impact
Views 19,670 Audience Studio One is a $2899 USD pair of speaker cables, priced this for the length I needed which is 4 meters. The price for a short, 1.5 meters is $1899 USD. The version we will review today comes with BFA connectors on both ends, but you can …
Tronsmart Mirtune S100 Bluetooth Speaker – More Outdoor Shenanigans
Views 20,353 Tronsmart Mirtune S100 is a $79 USD Outdoor / Public usage Bluetooth speaker, with a powerful sound and tubular build. Today we will explore the S100, how it stacks against the competition and whether it is a good option for those who are in the entry-level range and …
R_Volution PlayerOne 8K Dolby Vision MultiMedia Center – HDR10+ Ultimate Video Experience
Views 18,260 R_Volution PlayerOne 8K is a $899 USD high-end media player, compatible with both Dolby Vision and HDR10+, capable of streaming content to other R_Volution devices in a network and internal hard drive bays, for storing your favorite TV Shows, Movies and live concerts. R_Volution PlayerOne 8K is also …
SMSL B200 Bluetooth Receiver – LDAC Clarity And aptX HD Strength
Views 28,126 SMSL B200 is a $85 USD Bluetooth Receiver and DAC, with a very rectangular design, and a 2.33″ display at the front. Today we will explore the B200, what it is, how it works, and how it sounds. Introduction SMSL is one of the most popular Chifi …
T+A Solitaire P-SE HiFi Planar Headphones – Flagship Theory Application Performa
Views 36,859 T+A Solitaire P-SE is a $3900 USD flagship HiFi Planar Magnetic Headphone designed and made in Germany, based on the groundbreaking Solitaire P, but with a more affordable price point. Solitaire P-SE incorporates a highly refined application of the magnetostatic principle, having an uncompromising design to deliver perfection …
Loxjie A40 HiFi Integrated Stereo Power Amplifier – DAC and MQA-CD with 165W x 2 Driving Power
Views 22,227 Loxjie A40 is a $255 USD entry-level Integrated Power Amplifier with a huge driving power per channel, HDMI ARC input, USB input, Aux Input, Phono input, and with both a Speaker Output and a Headphone Output. Today we will explore the diverse and boundless world of the A40 …
HIFIMAN EF500 HiFi Desktop DAC / AMP – Hymalaya Stream Of Unbound Power
Views 25,369 HIFIMAN EF500 is a $459 USD Desktop Headphone Amplifier, DAC, Streamer based on the novel Hymalaya R2R DACs developed by HIFIMAN, known to surpass the venerable PCM1704K. Today we will review the EF500 and also compare it with other DAC/AMPs including HIFIMAN EF499 (299 USD), Burson PlayMate2 (544 …
Keces P14 Ultra Low Noise Linear Power Supply – IV Zones Upgrade HiFi Stage Booster
Views 26,889 Keces P14 is a $1749 USD 14A Ultra Low Noise Power Supply with a high quality toroidal transformer inside, to provide pure power to your devices. While most power supply experiments can be disputable, having a high-end power supply is essential for DACs, AMPs, and devices that require …
Tronsmart Mirtune H1 Lightweight HiFi Bluetooth Speaker – Compact And Practical
Views 16,538 Tronsmart Mirtune H1 is a 25 USD Bluetooth speaker designed for trips and adventures, with a carabiner attachment to clip to your backpack, and today is the first time we’re reviewing two bluetooth speakers at once (50 USD), to explore how well the new H1 handles a dual …
Topping B100 Mono HiFi Desktop Stereo Amplifier – Monoblock Clockwork Maestro
Views 32,138 Topping B100 is a Speaker Amplifier, and it is sold per piece, with a price of $299 USD per piece, although you will need two for your standard stereo setup, so you might as well consider the full price to be $598 USD per pair. Today we will …
Akko x MonsGeek MA01 Headset – Gaming Light Entwines Audiophile Pleasures
Views 21,691 Akko x MonsGeek MA01 is a $59 USD pair of headphones made for gamers, with RGB Light effects, Immersive 7.1 surround sound, and a 50 mm dynamic driver at the heart. Today we are going to take a deep dive into the gaming headphones market and explore whether …
Dan Clark Audio Expanse Summit-Fi Headphones – Enter The Driver Bliss
Views 36,522 Dan Clark Audio Expanse is a $3999 USD pair of high-end flagship headphones designed around Dan Clark Audio’s all-new 4th generation of planar magnetic drivers and the company’s breakthrough in Acoustic Metamaterial Tuning system, delivering a stunning presentation and depth. Today we will review the new DCA Expanse …
HIFIMAN EF499 HiFi DAC Headphone AMP Review – Music Nectar Sweet Spot
Views 28,311 HIFIMAN EF499 is a $299 USD Entry-Level R-2R DAC / Headphone Amplifier, with a powerful 4.35 W headphone output, and a full-black, vertical design. Given the price point, and the quality of the unit, we will also compare the EF499 with other similarly priced DAC / AMPs, including …
Feliks Audio Euforia Evo HiFi Tube Amplifier / Preamp – Dream Of The Richest Sound
Views 31,686 Feliks Audio Euforia Evo is a 2699 EURO / $2991 USD Headphone Amplifier based on the Tube Technology, being the ultimate achievement in OTL Technology, having a superb design, coming with 4 tubes in total, 2 for drive and 2 for PRE, along with a an improved design …
Audience ClairAudient 1+1 V5 Personal Reference Monitors – True Field Precision Envisage
Views 33,879 Audience ClairAudient 1+1 V5 is a $3900 USD pair of speakers, sold as a pair, with Dual Full-Range Drivers in Bipole configuration with two side firing passive radiators, and 5-Way binding posts. This is one of the most technologically advanced pair of bookshelf monitors, so despite the differences …
SINGXER SA-1 V2 HiFi Headphone Amplifier – Boundless Smooth Silk Music Flow
Views 27,338 Singxer SA-1 V2 is a $599 USD Headphone Amplifier / Desktop Stereo Preamplifier with a high-end internal design, upper midrange pricing, and a beautiful design that makes most of the competition pale in comparison. Thanks to its Class A architecture and completely analog design, SA-1 V2 is the …
AIYIMA A70 HiFi Stereo Speaker Amplifier – Explosive Box Of Power
Views 22,671 AIYIMA A70 is a $189 USD stereo speaker amplifier with a huge amount of driving power, offering up to 300W x 2 for speakers, having both RCA and XLR inputs, a SNR of 116dB, and user-replaceable OP-AMPs. Today we will review the A70 and explore what setups can …
NeoHipo DC10 Mini HiFi Desktop DAC – Fosi Reverberation Converter
Views 22,462 NeoHipo DC10 is a $79 USD desktop DAC with a USB, Optical and Coaxial input, and an RCA Line out, here to give you a clean and crisp sound. Today we will review the DC10 and explore whether it is worth integrating in your stereo system. Introduction …
Fosi Audio V3 Mono HiFi Amplifier – Twofold Music Punch Expansion
Views 28,139 Fosi Audio v3 is a Mono Power Amplifier priced at $169 USD per piece, or $338 USD for the pair of amplifiers that we’re reviewing today. This is a Class D Amplifier, with modular OP-AMPs, which can accommodate both Sparkos and Burson Audio OP-AMPs, and which is a …