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EH lineup continues to impress Hello once again, FiiO EH family of headphones... headphone. Everyone was so impressed by your older brother EH11, your smaller, thinner, and cheaper but nonetheless older brother. And there are big shoes of expectations for you to fill. And I am also in that boat of expecting a lot from you, I loved EH11. Telling by just holding you, well you are not giving a run for the money for more expensive models, but this is just an okay plasticky build,

Intro Thieaudio is a brand most of us first met in the IEM aisle. The Monarch line, the Hype series — these are the products that helped shape what a modern, premium Chi-Fi in-ear looks and sounds like. Full-sized headphones have been a more sporadic affair for them, which is exactly why the new Cypher arrives with a curious mixture of expectation and quiet skepticism. At a $399 MSRP, the Cypher lands squarely in the most contested corner of the open-back market — the same co

FiiO has spent the last few years transforming itself from a “budget portable audio brand” into something much bigger. And with the new K17 R2R Pro, it feels like the company is now aiming directly at the serious desktop audiophile market. This isn’t just another DAC/amp. It’s: DAC streamer headphone amplifier EQ workstation desktop control hub …all packed into one relatively compact chassis. And honestly? This might be one of the most feature-loaded desktop audio products Fi

After my time with the AUVA EQ isolators, I was fairly sure I had figured out Stack Audio's whole design philosophy: take a principle from mechanical engineering that has been well understood for decades outside of hi-fi, apply it intelligently to an audio component, and let the measurements do the talking. The Serene Mat and Serene Stabiliser confirm that hunch — but they also take the same approach into a much stranger and more interesting environment: the groove of a vinyl

Introduction There is a quiet conviction in everything Sivga makes. The Dongguan-based outfit has, since its founding in 2016, refused to participate in the race-to-the-bottom aesthetics that define so much of the budget headphone market. Where others reach for matte plastics and edgy industrial silhouettes, Sivga reaches for rosewood, Zebrawood, hand-polished metal, and a kind of quiet, neo-retro elegance that feels closer to a vintage hi-fi cabinet than to a 2026 consumer e

For decades, “wireless audio” has mostly meant one thing: wireless music… connected to speakers with giant cables running across your floor. Now Pro-Ject is trying something genuinely different. Its new Wireless Box E flips the usual streaming amplifier concept upside down by attaching a compact mono amplifier directly onto the back of a passive speaker—eliminating the need for traditional speaker cable runs almost entirely. And honestly? This might be one of the more interes

If you follow this channel, you will know that I did a report from the Shenzhen International Audio Show. And I had a few picks of my favourite gear. First was Sendy Audio Peacock, but in hindsight that was probably because it was synergised with the great Kylin DAC/AMP. But the second one was none other than the Matrix Audio TS1 streamer. I loved how it looks, how it feels like a premium build, I liked the interface, I liked the really good headphone output, and I of course

Topping DX9 Discrete — deep dive news + analysis Topping isn’t just releasing another DAC here—it’s making a clear statement: we’re done playing inside the usual chip-DAC sandbox. The DX9 Discrete is a full desktop control center built around a proprietary discrete conversion architecture, and it’s aimed straight at users who want maximum control, power, and flexibility in one box. This is less of a “DAC upgrade” and more of a system replacement component. What the DX9 Discre

A dedicated disc spinner built around precision playback, modern digital processing, and classic hi-fi values. With the introduction of the NAD C 589, NAD Electronics is doubling down on something many thought was fading away: the compact disc. And it’s doing so without trying to reinvent the category. A focused return to physical media The NAD C 589 joins NAD’s Classic Series as a dedicated CD player, designed with a clear purpose: Extract the maximum performance from your C

A familiar streamer on the outside—completely different on the inside. With the new Shanling SM1.3R, Shanling is taking an interesting turn: keeping its proven streaming platform intact while swapping in a very different DAC architecture. Same design, new core philosophy At a glance, the Shanling SM1.3R looks identical to the earlier SM1.3: 5.8-inch touchscreen Compact desktop chassis Android-based streaming system Same connectivity and layout But internally, this is not a mi

My story with Hegel has been a rollercoaster of happiness and disappointments. But one thing was always a constant during all those years, is that at higher levels Hegel created amps like no other. But the big problem is always the value, as they hold quite the hefty premium to get great all-arounders. I am speaking from H190v and onward. I always believed that the value Hegel represented was more than justified. They offer unique technology, great sound, great looks, all in

A feature-packed 7.2-channel receiver that doubles down on usability, gaming, and wireless flexibility—without crossing the $1,000 line. With the introduction of the Denon AVR-S980H , Denon is refining—not reinventing—its popular S-Series formula. And that’s very intentional. This is about making home theater easier, not more complicated. A familiar formula, tightened where it counts The Denon AVR-S980H replaces the AVR-S970H, staying in the same price tier (~$949), but addi

A bigger, sharper, more ambitious take on one of the most popular powered speaker lineups. With the unveiling of the Kanto Tuk Grand , Kanto Audio is doing something it hasn’t really done before: Pushing beyond “great value desktop audio” into something that looks a lot more like serious hi-fi territory . From crowd favorite to flagship statement Kanto has built its reputation on accessible, well-designed speakers like: Yu series Ora Ren Tuk Now, the Kanto Tuk Grand becomes

A powerful integrated amplifier that updates a proven design with the features people actually use in 2026. With the launch of the Musical Fidelity M6xi , Musical Fidelity is taking a familiar formula—and making it far more practical for modern systems. The pitch is simple: Keep the analog performance people loved… and fix everything that felt outdated. Built on a proven foundation The Musical Fidelity M6xi evolves from the well-regarded M6si platform, but pulls in tech from

Link 3`s beautiful promise What if your dongle DAC could also store your entire music library and drive your hardest-to-power headphones — all from your phone? That's exactly what xDuoo is going for with the Link3. And honestly? It's one of the most ambitious — and most divisive — dongles I've come across in a while. I'm HIFI Daydreaming and welcome back. Today we're looking at the xDuoo Link3, priced at $219. It's big, it's powerful, and it's got a trick up its sleeve that n

A compact subwoofer redesigned from the ground up—with more power, larger drivers, and smarter DSP control. With the announcement of the SVS 3000 Micro R|Evolution , SVS isn’t just refreshing a product line—it’s making a pretty bold claim: That a truly small subwoofer doesn’t have to behave like one anymore. Bigger drivers, more power, same footprint The new SVS 3000 Micro R|Evolution replaces the original 3000 Micro, but keeps roughly the same compact size. What changes is

A $140 CD player with a built-in DAC and headphone amp—landing right as physical media makes a quiet comeback. With the launch of the Fosi Audio Merak CD Player , Fosi Audio is doing something a lot of bigger brands seem reluctant to do: Taking CDs seriously again—but without taking your wallet hostage. Yes, CDs are back (a little)… and this is exactly the kind of product that fits CDs aren’t replacing streaming—but they are resurging among: Collectors Younger listeners disc

A $6,000 DAC that tries to make digital sound more “honest”… even if that honesty isn’t always comfortable. With the release (and early impressions) of the HiFi Rose RD160 , HiFi Rose is clearly aiming at the serious end of the digital market—people who already know what they like, and more importantly, what they don’t . And interestingly, this DAC seems built to challenge expectations rather than simply please. A delta-sigma DAC… for people who don’t like delta-sigma? At its

Moondrop Aesthetics Now Moondrop is a peculiar company, on the surface they use this Anime babes, a anime and manga aesthetic to brand and promote their products. It might seem childish, and unprofessional. But the more I have experience with Moondrop products it is a different story all together. It is just their way to communicate and approach younger market. But a lot of product that I had a chance to use like Discdream Ultra, is built incredibly. Like a tank. This is

This isn’t just a new product line—it’s a statement about where “traditional” hi-fi is trying to go next. With the Nova range, Advance Paris is aiming higher than ever, blending: Classic analog aesthetics (yes, tubes and VU meters) Modern streaming and HDMI integration A modular, expandable ecosystem And while the ambition is clear, the execution raises some interesting questions. The core: two serious integrated amps At the heart of Nova are: Advance Paris A-i130 (130W per