[Impression] Snugs Custom Eartips for Etymotic ER4

 

Snugs is a UK based company that specialized in making silicone soft-shell custom eartips for IEM. Though they don’t make custom IEM themselves, they do offer a couple of IEM models that you can order with the custom eartips included, from the cheapest GBP $159 SoundMAGIC E10S to the most expensive GBP $1K Shure SE846. They also offer soft earplug if isolation is what you need. But if you already have a pair of IEM, they can also make just the eartips themselves, starting around GBP $139 if it is one of the compatible model. You will however need to check with them on what option is available to which IEM. If your IEM isn’t on their list, you might need to pay an extra GBP $30 and send in the IEM in order to make a new template for your IEM. You will also need to send in your ear impression of course. Those in some part of UK might be able to get this done via a digital ear scanner which save you the trouble of sitting through the typical silicone ear impression casting process. You can also get a digital scan from Jaben Singapore as well. But if you can’t get a digital scan, a normal impression done professionally will do a fine job as well.

[Impression] iFi Audio nano iUSB3.0, micro iDAC2 and iCAN SE – Trio of Excellency

It has been 3 years since my original review of iFi Audio’s original micro iUSB Power, iDAC and iCAN. Fantastic when they are first released and, in my opinion, still quite relevant after all these time (*with the testimony that they still form part of my PC audio chain), the competition has however certainly stiffen up a bit. In respond to the fast pace of the current digital audio gears market, iFi Audio has decided to update the original models with newer parts, better tech, still excellent sound quality and always a big bang for the buck. The nano iUSB3.0, micro iDAC2 and iCAN SE are priced $199, $349 and $390.


(nano iUSB3.0 package not show)

[Impression] Aroma Audio A10

Aroma Audio is a Hong Kong based new company that is less than 1 year old. The A10 portable headphone amp is the company first baby, but by not mean another ‘me too’ product in the already-overcrowded portable amp market.

[Impression] Elekit TU-HP02 - The Portable Discrete 'Tube' Amp

Elekit Japan is not your typical audio company. Their core business is in fact not audio, but the design and manufacture of educational electronic kits. Perhaps it is because of this unique background, they are more willing to exploring the different paths to music enjoyment. The new TU-HP02, the company’s second portable amp, best reflects that idea by purposefully introduces distortion that mimics the sound of a tube amp. The idea is however not as outlandish as it sounds since it has been tried by others in the past, though this may be the first portable amp to do so, or at least to my knowledge.

[Impression] OPPO Digital HA-2 amp+DAC - A Slice of Portable Audio Heaven

You probably already know OPPO as a smartphone brand, but the company called OPPO Digital isn’t exactly the same. It is the American sister company of the Chinese smartphone company, and its main business is Blu-ray player. Recent years however, the company also begins to develop a series of personal audio products including desktop headphone amp and a few planar magnetic headphones, which are very well received by the audiophiles’ community. The HA-2 we are going to look at is the company’s first portable amp + DAC and as the title of this article already suggested – quite an outstanding piece of kit.

[Impression] Tube Amp LF-15 Full Discrete Desktop Amp

I have covered Tube Amp’s portable amps in the past (here and here). While the company is called ‘Tube Amp’, they don’t limit themselves to only tube amp, but also discrete amp. The LF-15 however is their first venture into the world of desktop gears with another fully discrete design, priced around US$450.

[Impression] Aune B1 Full Discrete Class A Portable Amplifier

Originally running a well-known audio DIY forum in China, the company behind the Aune brand has managed to turn itself into a fairly reputable audio brand in recent years, producing mainly PC based desktop Hi-Fi gears. As far as I know, the B1 portable amp that is going to be reviewed here is the company’s first foray into the portable amp market – and not a run-of-the-mill design at that. Not only does it has a fully discrete design, it is also running at Class A configuration. That sound promising on paper, but does it deliver?

[Impression] iFi Audio micro iDSD – The Overachiever

At this point of time, iFi Audio shouldn’t need much introduction at all. The British company is the more budget oriented sister brand of the prestige Abbingdon Music Research and have made a name for able to punch above its weight when it comes to price/performance ratio. If anything, the micro iDSD that is going to be reviewed here has set a new bar on what it means to be an overachiever in the world of portable audio gear. Never have we seen so many features being packed into one portable USB DAC + amp while still having such level of performance.

[Impression] Creative Sound Blaster E3 - Right Stuff for the Smart Age

Over the recent months, Creative Labs has been bursting out some pretty nice portable gears aiming from the basic casual user all the way up to serious audiophiles. Most importantly, they are pricing them in a way that almost makes all other major brands look greedy. Usually that’s the strategy reserved for new start-ups or lesser known companies, but I have no complaint. If anyway, I am glad to see Creative getting, well, creative again. Two of the major factors for any tech companies to success are innovation and addition of extra value to the user – that’s what Creative is doing now, finally coming out of the shadow of other big tech brands and remaking a name of their own in era of the smart devices.

[Impression] FiiO X1 - A New Beginning

FiiO has been quite successful with their X series of high resolution digital audio player. So much so that perhaps even they themselves didn’t anticipate that the company will have to shift its focus away from their portable amp business in order to keep up with the DAP demand. But with Apple fading grip on the pure DAP market, a new niche of higher end DAP is born from music lovers seeking a better device to replace their aging iPod. Well, maybe ‘new’ isn’t the right word here - the higher end DAP niche has been around since Hifiman HM801’s invention late last decade, but now it is in a new era of growth and competition. The significant of X1 is not in its technology or sound quality, but rather being the first 24bit / 192kHz capable DAP that is priced just under US$100. Does the affordability mean HD music isn’t just an expensive audiophiles’ thing anymore but rather going mainstream? It is probably too early to say with just one DAP, but it certain is one of the sign that the music world is moving toward that direction – and FiiO is on the forefront trying to catch a piece of the action with their new X1.

[Impression] Comply Custom Wraps

Comply foam tip should need no introduction at this point, as it has become a norm for many brand name IEM to include a pair of them. But what we are talking here is something new – or should I say something old that has been put to new use - Comply has been selling a special foam wraps called the ‘Soft Wraps’ for custom hearing aid for a while now. The idea is that, by sticking a piece of soft foam strip to wrap around / near the nozzle of the custom hearing aid, it will ensure a tighter fit. This is especially useful since custom mold – as much as it is custom fitted to the person, it is still mostly a handmade product that subjects to tiny imperfection. Sometime it is just a tiny bit loose that isn’t worth sending back for refitting. Other time it is caused by weight change and aging that alter the shape of the ear canal just a bit too much. Essentially, the Soft Wraps is a foam tip for the custom hearing aid. Now, Comply has adapted the same concept for custom IEM as well, calling it the ‘Custom Wraps’.

[Impression] iFi nano iDSD and iCAN with a splash of iPurifer

iFi Audio has gained a great success over its Micro line of small sized desktop gears, and now it is pushing into the portable world with the Nano series. The nano iDSD is USB DAC that not only works with PC, but also has OTG support for the iDevice with OS7 (via camera connection kit / CCK) and Android that have USB Audio Class driver built-in (*for older Android that doesn’t have the driver, there is still a chance that USB Audio Player PRO will work). The nano iCAN on the other hand is a pure portable amp, but infused with the magical XBass and 3D Holographic Sound we have seen on the micro iCAN. Both are retailed under US$200.

[Impression] Creative Sound Blaster E1 – Stick of All Trade

With desktop PC sale declining and mobile devices on the rise, thumb drive sized USB DAC has become the quick fix for poor sound quality that is all too common in portable computer and smart devices. Creative’s answer to that demand is the new Sound Blaster E1 – a multipurpose USB DAC + headphone amp + mic that boosted with quite a few impressive features.

[Impression] S.M.S.L. sAp-4s and sAp-7

If you ever searched eBay trying to hunt down a desktop or portable headphone amp, chance are you already come across the brand ‘S.M.S.L.’ - a Chinese brand that has pumped out quite a few headphone amps over the years. Their Chinese name is actually quite interesting – “two wood three forest” (don’t ask me why as I don’t know either). The two models we are going to look at belong to their portable line-up.

[Impression] miniwatt n4

The Hong Kong based company miniwatt has quite an interesting history as they have the tendency to focus on one product at a time. I actually won their first product a few years ago in a contest, and it was the tiny tube based speaker amp called S1. The n4 under review here however has nothing to do with tube anymore, but a DAC + headphone-amp aiming toward the PC audiophiles.

[Impression] Lear C2 custom IEM cable

Early in the year, I reviewed the Lear LCM-5. Though it is excellent sounding, the stock cable does look a little dull. At the time, Lear already announced they will release an upgrade cable for those who want to complete the whole package of sound and look. It has been released a few months ago and it is called the C2. Oh, it is actually quite affordable too.

[Impression] FireStone Audio Fireye Mini+

I have reviewed the Fireye Mini from FireStone Audio a while ago and now an updated version has come out. The Mini+ keeps to the ultra-portable size while adding in a few more very useful features and mending some of its predecessor’s shortcomings.

[Impression] NuForce MMP

It seems there is a sudden surge of volume-control-less, fixed boost type of ultra-portable amps being released to the market in the recent months, likely targeting the smartphone users market which has seen enormous growth globally in the last few years. NuForce is following the trend and comes out with a small amp called the Mobile Music Pump, or MMP for short.

[Preview] FiiO E18 Kunlun – Surprise, Surprise.

The E18 Kunlun is the latest portable amp/DAC for our favoritest budget amp company FiiO. Different from the E17, the new E18 is built for pretty much exclusive for Android devices. Well, it does work as a USB DAC on PC or as a standalone amp, but being an Android DAC is what it really is all about.

[Impression] Spider Surround Pro Amp

Last time when we take a look at Spider, they were mainly a cable and IEM company. Now however, their product range covers everything from full sized headphone and small portable amps, including the Surround Pro that will be reviewed here.