Editor’s Note: We’re starting a new category of articles here on CYMBACAVUM that covers headphones. Historically, there have been numerous websites that do a very good job of covering full-sized headphones, so we chose to cover — obsessively — in-ears and other aspects of the most portable arm of audio. But while we’ve always focused almost…
Category: Reviews
Longform Reviews
NocturnaL Audio – Hydra V2 Custom Cable
Editor’s Note: The cable used in this review was purchased at a discounted rate. NocturnaL Audio (https://nocaudio.com) is a custom cable maker based in Singapore. They have been producing cables regionally for the portable audio market since 2013. I’d heard of them off and on over the past couple of years as members of Head-Fi…
Surfing With The Alien: The Unique Melody Martian
Unique Melody just recently announced the newest edition to its lineup, the Martian- a dual dynamic hybrid, and our friends at MusicTeck have graciously loaned us a sample for this review. Rather than rehashing all the details on the accessories and packaging that come with UM universals, you can check out our previous review of the…
iFi Audio’s iUSB 3.0: Next Generation Power
Editor’s Note: We thank iFi Audio and the Evergeneral Trading Corporation for their immense patience and coordination. We held onto the review loaner unit of the iUSB 3.0 for way longer than we’d originally intended, and their patience is much appreciated! We reviewed the original iUSBPower by iFi Audio about two years ago (review link) and…
Standing Tall – The Pinnacle P1
Note: Mee Audio graciously provided the Pinnacle P1 free for review MEE Audio has been without a flagship for a couple of years, since the discontinuation of the very well received A161p. The A161p was single armature design with a balanced signature leaning to the slightly warm side. The A161p, along with the venerable Audio…
Unique Melody: From Miracle to Maestro
Note: MusicTeck graciously provided the Miracle and Maestro samples for review. Based in New Jersey, MusicTeck is an official distributor for some of the best-known manufacturers of high-end in-ear monitors, such as Unique Melody, Vision Ears, AAW, InEar and Earsonics to name a few. When they contacted CYMBACAVUM to see if we would be interested in reviewing two of Unique…
Jomo Audio 6R
Note: About three months ago, we were contacted by Joseph from Jomo Audio regarding a review of his newest reference flagship, the 6R. The unit in this review was provided free of charge. Intro The CIEM business, at least to the general public, is much more of a niche circle compared to universal IEMs or…
Perfect Seal AR6: Ambiance and Reference Defined
Note: Perfect Seal graciously provided the AR6 in this review. Perfect Seal Laboratories, based in Wichita Kansas, is a relatively new company in the increasingly popular custom in-ear market. The company is run by Mike Martinez, and while Perfect Seal might be new to the Head-Fi community, Mike is certainly not new to the industry….
For Those About to Rock, Ortofon e-Q8 and Grado GR10e, We Salute You
Editor’s Note: Both the Ortofon e-Q8 and Grado GR10e were personal purchases by shotgunshane. There’s nothing quite like a loud, stadium filling, uproarious rock anthem. Growing up in the 70’s and coming of age in the 80’s, I regarded rock as a staple, if not a way of life: AC/DC, Van Halen, Kiss, Journey, Bad…
LIFE Acoustics & Kickstarter
Editor’s Note: We tend to publish in bursts. That’s just the way it works when none of us on the writing roster does this for a living — we write when we can, and all of us do it essentially on a volunteer basis. Not having much activity in between these bursts doesn’t mean we’re…
Estron Linum SUPER BaX – Super Thin, Redefined
Editor’s Note: Estron provided the Linum SUPER BaX 2Pin Balanced prototype in this review, originally for internal feedback purposes. Last September, I had the opportunity to test and review the upcoming Estron Linum Balanced BaX in-ear monitor cable (read review here). Since then, I’ve had opportunity to own a few single-ended Linum BaX cables that…
Gojira! Or, how the DUNU DN-2000J changed my mind about hybrid IEMs
911? Meet Godzilla.
