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Topping A90 Discrete Preamplifier/Headphone Amp Offers Exceptional and Affordable Performance


Mid last year, I reviewed the Topping E70 Velvet DAC, which is a Delta-Sigma design that in my view offered astounding performance at a surprisingly low price point. Most of my love of the E70 Velvet revolved around its very cool implementation of the recent new production AKM chipsets, and its use of AKM's Velvet... Read More »


The Pass Labs HPA-1 - a Superb Headphone Amp to Grow Your System Around


The Pass Labs HPA-1 Headphone Amplifier seen here is accompanied by the iconic Artemide Tizio Desk Lamp For many—especially those in their teens through their 20s—headphones are the preferred mode of listening to music, and when it comes to a quality sound experience, they offer them their biggest bang for their buck.  "I never sold... Read More »


Impressions:  The TARA Labs Omega Live Headphone Cables with HFX Floating Ground Station


David W. Robinson photographing at Icicle Creek, Leavenworth, WA, during the great fires of 2012. (Photograph by Lila Ritsema; image processing by Robinson.) Headphones…dig it! The spring of 1970. Yeah, that's when it happened. That's when I bought my first pair of headphones. I needed them, since I had become very interested in reel-to-reel tape... Read More »


Boxing Match: Bargain Headphone Amplifier vs. Audiophile Classic


Headphone stuff comes up in my email feed all the time! Last week I received a notice from online bargain store Monoprice that an "audiophile" headphone amplifier, normally priced at $129.99, is on special for $67.99—the Monoprice Monolith Series Liquid Spark. Oh, come on! An "audiophile-quality" headphone amp at a bargain-basement price? This put me... Read More »


Ready, Steady, Go, GO Bar, Go! An Uber Headphone Amp in Your Pocket 


Relished by many for their low cost, high quality audio components and accessories, iFi is renowned for enhancing sound quality and eradicating distortion, noise, and hiss from equipment like headphones, speakers, audio devices, cell phones, and televisions with their products. And, at a price of $329, the GO bar is their flagship pocket totable USB... Read More »


HIFIMAN EF400 DAC/Headphone Amplifier


One of the more commercially successful combinations in the audiophile sphere, over the past decade, has been the amplifier/digital to analog converter combo. You can now choose this combo component from dozens of brands from prices that vary very widely from a few hundred dollars for a basic, no-frills component, to models like the Boulder... Read More »


iFi xDSD Gryphon Portable DAC and Headphone Amp


iFi Audio has been on my radar for a couple of years mainly due to the excellent reviews for their affordable DACs, streamers, amps, and other digital accessories. The digital portion of my home audio system is currently in a transition phase. I had to give up my reference AURALIC Vega DAC, reviewed in Positive... Read More »


The Soncoz SGA-1 Headphone Amplifier - a Great Value, Bringing New Meaning to 'Canned Music'


If you enjoy headphone listening but prefer spending more of your cash on quality cans than amplification, the Soncoz SGA-1 headphone amplifier may be your new go-to device. Possessing XLR balanced and RCA outputs, teamed up with your favorite 'phones, a quality source and DAC, the Soncoz sets the stage for hours of pleasurable listening.... Read More »


Travel with the Devil: A Review of iFi's Diablo


We're all thinking about travel. Where can we go? How are we going to get there? And what will we listen to on our way? The Diablo (Spanish for devil) is a battery-powered DAC/headphone amp that you'll be packing with you whether your next journey is to heaven, hell, or a more lateral journey across... Read More »


Dual Duty - Questyle CMA Twelve DAC / Headphone Amplifier


It's funny. As we move up through the echelons of the audio world, the pieces that produce our sonic magic become more and more singular in function. The jobs which devices perform move into larger and more separate boxes as if no component can do two things well at once. Stay in your lane. In... Read More »


The Little Devil - The ifi iDSD Diablo DAC/Amplifier


Established in 2013, iFi currently has developed and manufactured over 30 products from its headquarters in Southport, UK. Sourcing parts from all over the world its main aim has been to create high quality audio wherever you are. Thus, the iFi iDSD Diablo would be the quintessential device to deliver on its mission statement. For... Read More »


McIntosh MHA200 Tube Headphone Amplifier - World Premiere Review!


Bob Levi with the brand new McIntosh MHA200 Tubed Headphone Amp (all photographs courtesy of Bob Levi) Once Upon A Time, in Binghamton, NY, a gathering of McIntosh engineers decided to produce an all-tube headphone amplifier without peer. They loved the sound of the Mc275 amplifier and its transformer circuit dating back to 1949, but... Read More »


Violectric HPA V550 PRO Headphone Amplifier


Headphones and the personal audio scene are a healthy and vibrant niche in our hobby, with a growth curve that has exponentially accelerated over the past decade. The selection of headphones, headphone amplifiers, and specialty cabling manufacturers is impressive, with a width and breadth of companies that is on par with any other sector in... Read More »


ampsandsound Nautilus Amplifier


The ampsandsound Nautilus, 60+ pounds of single ended glory As both a reviewer and a consumer, I read a lot of reviews myself. I often see solid state amplifiers being commended for having tube amp like qualities in their mid-range presentation, or tube amplifiers being commended for having solid state bass or speed. I myself... Read More »


Cheers to Lutz: Sparkos Labs Aries Headphone Amplifier


Background In this time of Covid 19 it was apt that I was given the opportunity to review a product from a small company headed by a dog named Lutz. Cottage industry is the name of the game, and Sparkos Labs is an outfit out of Westminster Colorado, United States that was born from a... Read More »


Audio Swiss Army Knife: Manley Labs Absolute Headphone Amplifier


This review took a little longer than I thought. I originally found out about this amp from my colleague Robert Levi, and could not resist sending EveAnna Manley an email to see if I could procure a review model. She was more than willing to send it out with the 250 monoblocks that I also... Read More »


ampsandsound Stereo ST15 Special Edition Amplifier


Readers of Positive Feedback may already be familiar with Justin Weber's creations. At least two reviews of his products can be found in these pages. Known for elegant and physically small pieces that punch way above their weight class, this amplifier is no different, and this is actually the second review of this particular unit,... Read More »


Hagerman Audio Labs Tuba Headphone Amplifier [UPDATED]


The Hagerman Audio Labs Tuba Headphone Amp (image by Bob Levi) About 12 years ago I reviewed the Hagerman Trumpet, a very fine all-tube phono stage, built in Hawaii. It was impressive and musical and priced around $2000. It outperformed my Pass X Phono, a $4000 piece, and I almost bought it. When I was... Read More »


ampsandsound Leeloo Mono Tube Amplifiers: Superior Single-Ended Triode Performance for Headphones and High-Efficiency Loudspeakers


I've owned a pair of Zu Audio Omens—the Dirty Weekend (DW) variety—for over five years now. Zu builds high-efficiency loudspeakers that employ 10-inch full range drivers and compression tweeters, with many of their models approaching 97dB per 1 watt input. During operation, the 10-inch drivers, which are custom-manufactured for Zu by Eminence in Kentucky, run... Read More »


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