Soundsight

Amplifiers Reviews

FiiO A1 Review – Best Cheapest Portable Headphone AMP to Buy?

One of the first products that helped Fiio gain worldwide popularity was the E5, a small headphone amplifier. This small, inexpensive device dramatically improved the sound quality of the devices at the time and allowed you to get more out of your favorite headphones. Several years later, a new successor appeared, the FiiO A1.

The FiiO A1 is a small headphone amplifier, a device enclosed in a slim aluminum case with a built-in battery. The case features a sandblasted finish and a removable transparent clip on the back, which can be used to hang the device on your clothes. Apart from these factors, the biggest selling point of this product is, of course, its low price; the FiiO A1 is a cheap amplifier that costs around $25 to $30, which is comparable to the price of budget headphones.

Noise Cancelling On Ear Reviews Wireless

Bang & Olufsen Beoplay H8i Review

B&O Play is a division of the famous Bang & Olufsen that develops electronics. The subsidiary company inherited the first two initials and the elegant design distinguishable among the entire Bang & Olufsen range of products. This time the brand offers an on-ear Bluetooth headset equipped with an active noise reduction system, the B&O Beoplay H8i.

When it comes to top-end products like the H8i and H9i headphones, we have no doubts regarding quality. Usually, we’re always shown something really outstanding by the Danish luxury brand founded in 1925, at least from a design perspective. We know you’re here to find out about other aspects of the B&O Play H8i and how it sounds.

Amplifiers Reviews

Sony PHA-3 Review – Premium Headphone Portable Amplifier

Prior to the PHA-3, Sony had long focused on the consumer segment. Still, as consumers confidently turned to more advanced audio products, Sony decided to move upmarket, which encouraged the production of a high-end portable headphone amplifier.

The goal of the PHA-3 was to create a reliable amplifier for the MDR-Z7 and meet consumer demand for more professional audio equipment. Of course, $700 headphones are unlikely to work at full volume on a smartphone or standard player, and the PHA-3 is an excellent choice. It’s powerful and versatile and can be connected to virtually any device. Whether it’s a computer, an external digital music source via an optical connection, or an Android or iOS device, the PHA-3 can act as a DAC. There’s also a line input, so the PHA-3 can serve as a DAC/AMP (though it’s not the most powerful).

For advanced users, the PHA-3 is capable of handling high-resolution recordings at 384kHz/32bit (the current maximum) and DSD. Another interesting feature of the PHA-3 is that it can be used with balanced headphones, with two channels connected separately. It is not surprising that such a device is not compact and inexpensive. Its large size and weight are justified by its whopping $1,000 price tag, but is it really worth it?