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Editor's Picks
The OAE2 is an open-back dynamic driver headphone that launched on 31 March 2026, retailing at $599 / €499 / £499. MAIN TAKEAWAY Like its predecessor, the OAE1, the OAE2 features an unconventional internal design. Its 40 mm dynamic drivers…
The HEDDphone D1 is HEDD Audio’s first dynamic driver headphone. It’s an open-back design built for studio-grade neutrality and clarity. At launch, the D1 is priced at $799 (w/o tax), €699 (incl. VAT), and £599 (incl. VAT). The HEDDphone D1…
The Fosi i5 is a full-sized planar magnetic open-back headphone. It was launched on Kickstarter in the spring of 2025 and is now available through regular retailers at a price of around 550 USD / €470 before tax. As Fosi’s…
The Sennheiser HD 490 Pro is a studio-grade headphone introduced in January 2024. It is equipped with a dynamic driver using a 38 mm diaphragm, a variant of Sennheiser’s Sys38 driver. The Sys38 is a family of driver variants, e.g.…
The Sivga Peng and FiiO FT1 are wooden closed-back headphones, each equipped with 50mm dynamic drivers. The Peng, which launched recently, is priced at $499, while the FT1 launched last year and is $149 (excluding tax) Despite the significant price…
The first LCD-2 was released in 2009 and the LCD-2 has since undergone multiple revisions, but Audeze never changed the name. These versions are often unofficially referred to as the LCD-2 Rev.1, LCD-2 Rev.2, LCD-2.1, LCD-2.2, LCD-2 Pre-Fazor, LCD-2 Fazor…
Noble Audio has nailed it with a perfectly tuned, technically capable wireless earphone that can genuinely compete with high-quality wired options. The Noble FoKus Rex5 stands out with its five-driver hybrid configuration—not only using five drivers but of three different…
The $199 FT1 PRO is FiiO’s second planar magnetic headphone, following the FT5. However, its name and price position it closer to the $149 wooden closed-back FT1, which has been extremely well received. I am one of those who have…
Headphones
The Sivga Anser is a compact, foldable open-back over-ear headphone. Despite the small cups, it uses surprisingly large 50mm dynamic drivers. It is almost a mystery how they manage to fit such large drivers into such compact cups. The build and design feel premium, as I’ve come to expect from Sivga, combining wooden cup rings with a central metal mesh,…
The HEDDphone TWO GT is a full-size, open-back headphone using an AMT ribbon driver. It’s made by HEDD Audio, a German manufacturer mainly known for their high end professional studio monitors. The standard version of the HEDDphone TWO GT has a list price of 2199 USD / Euro. There’s also an “Unplugged” version, which includes only a carry case and…
The Sivga SV021 Pro V2 is the second iteration of the SV021 Pro, a lightweight and compact over-ear headphone featuring a single dynamic driver and wooden cups, priced at around 189 USD. The V2 is a re-tuned version of the original SV021 Pro, which was released just a few months ago in February 2026. Despite the short turnaround, the V2…
The Kiwi Ears Serene is a compact, fully closed-back planar magnetic headphone using a proprietary 72mm x 89mm driver. It was tuned in cooperation with Z Reviews/Zeos. The launch price was 159 USD, but it is currently available for significantly less (see links below). First, a general warning: When I started this review I was not aware that many users…
IMPORTANT UPDATE: Sivga has already updated the SV021 Pro to a new model – the SV021 Pro V2. The V2 Looks exactly the same but is sonically superior. I have written a review about the V2 here: SIVGA SV021 PRO V2 REVIEW The SV021 Pro is a closed-back over-ear headphone featuring a 50mm dynamic driver with a five-layer aluminum composite…
The OAE2 is an open-back dynamic driver headphone that launched on 31 March 2026, retailing at $599 / €499 / £499. MAIN TAKEAWAY Like its predecessor, the OAE1, the OAE2 features an unconventional internal design. Its 40 mm dynamic drivers are heavily angled and positioned fully in front of the ears. Angled drivers are not uncommon in headphones, but the…
IEMs
Headphone amplifiers
The Sendy KYLIN is a class A headphone amplifier with a built-in DAC, featuring 3 analog inputs as well as 3…
The Mytek Liberty Headphone Amplifier is a compact yet powerful device, delivering clean sound with a wide range of input and…
The Gemini hybrid headphone amplifier is designed around a tube-based input stage and an op-amp-based output stage. In this review, the…
The Focal Utopia is one of the best headphones in the world. Naturally, it deserves a good source and a serious…
This is not a review but a guide to the Violectric legacy products and their current lineup. I have so far…
THE GAME CHANGER Violectric V200 is a long-standing reference amp for many, including myself. It is now discontinued. Its successor V202…
More Posts
The Kiwi Ears Cadenza II (or Cadenza 2 if you like) is a budget-friendly single dynamic driver in-ear monitor (IEM). It was released in early 2026 as the successor to…
The original Kiwi Ears Cadenza (mk1) is a single dynamic driver IEM (in-ear monitor) that launched in 2022. It soon became very popular, and really helped put Kiwi Ears on…
Simgot EG280 is a gaming-oriented IEM (in-ear monitor). It features two drivers: one dynamic and one planar. It comes with an extra-long 1.7-metre cable and a USB-C adapter. It’s priced…
Both the Simgot EM6L and EG280 are marketed as gaming-oriented IEMs. The EM6L typically costs 125 USD while the EG280 is typically priced at 79 USD. The EG280 uses a…
The Simgot EA500LM is a single dynamic driver IEM focused on music listening, while the Simgot EG280 is a hybrid with one dynamic driver and one planar magnetic driver, focused…
The Kiwi Ears Belle is a compact in-ear monitor with a single 10mm dynamic driver, costing a very modest 29 USD. Despite the low price, both the build quality and…