Earphones

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Written by: Geoffrey Morrison

Created: 15 March 2025

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It’s quite a challenge making something inexpensive seem high-end. At least, I assume that’s the case, because it’s pretty rare. There are cheap products, and there are expensive products, and it’s usually pretty easy to tell them apart. Of course, there are some notable exceptions, but it’s more likely that something expensive has been designed so poorly it seems cheap (ahem, Cybertruck) than the other way around. Without the luxury of material and build choices afforded by a higher price, inexpensive products tend to look and perform, well, like inexpensive products.

Read more: Meze Audio Alba Earphones

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Written by: Geoffrey Morrison

Created: 01 February 2025

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I am always equally excited by, and skeptical of, new technology. I’ve been doing this job for quite a while, and the list of cool-but-failed tech grows longer every year. As interesting as some new development is, what matters most is how it’s implemented. If the actual product ends up being more expensive, lower performing, or just mediocre, maybe the new technology wasn’t actually that great to begin with. It just seemed, or was marketed, that way.

Read more: Creative Aurvana Ace Mimi Earphones

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Written by: Geoffrey Morrison

Created: 01 January 2025

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What do you picture when you read the words “planar magnetic”? If you’re a regular reader of this site, I would guess images of big, over-the-ear headphones like the Audeze LCD-5s and HiFiMan Sundaras come to mind. I’m going to assume what doesn’t come to mind is a pair of true wireless earbuds, and noise-canceling ones at that. And yet, that’s exactly what the Edifier Stax Spirit S10s are: planar magnetic, true wireless, noise-canceling earphones.

Read more: Edifier Stax Spirit S10 True Wireless Earphones

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Written by: Geoffrey Morrison

Created: 01 November 2024

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There’s something delightfully angular about the Final A5000 earphones. They look like a sort of eight-bit version of a pair of earphones, something you’d find in your inventory in a PlayStation 2 game. I like this a lot. They’re the opposite of flashy, yet still look designed.

Read more: Final A5000 Earphones

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Written by: Geoffrey Morrison

Created: 01 October 2024

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I’m always excited to try high-end in-ear monitors. Bluetooth earbuds have their place and use, but there’s something to be said for multi-driver earphones that aren’t as restricted by batteries, antennas, and rigid, low-end price points. Well, there’s a lot to be said, actually. In this case an entire review’s worth about 64 Audio’s Aspire 4 earphones ($899, all prices USD).

Read more: 64 Audio Aspire 4 Earphones