SoundStage! Solo | SoundStageSolo.com

Details: Written by: Brent Butterworth; Created: 20 August 2022

Sound: 1/2
Value: 1/2
(Read about our ratings)

Measurements can be found by clicking this link.

I can tell we’re deep into the headphone boom because so many hot brands that emerged a decade ago have—well, not necessarily fallen, but certainly ceded the spotlight to others. I can think of a bunch, such as SOL Republic, Skullcandy, Soul Electronics . . . and Phiaton, a brand I remember liking the last time I reviewed one of its products . . . seven years ago. So when I got a PR pitch for the new 900 Legacy, a set of noise-canceling Bluetooth headphones, I was eager to see what Phiaton’s been up to—and whether the brand had retained the safe’n’sane, neutral-sounding voicings I remember it for.

Details: Written by: Brent Butterworth; Created: 20 July 2022

Sound: 1/2
Value: 1/2
(Read about our ratings)

Measurements can be found by clicking this link.

Whether your notions about the Technics brand come from decades-old memories or familiarity with the products the company has made since its 2014 relaunch, you probably think of Technics as a provider of fairly trad gear, such as turntables and stereo components. That’s why reading the webpage for the EAH-A800 headphones came as such a surprise to me. I wouldn’t say the EAH-A800s ($349.99, all prices USD) are the highest-tech headphones I’ve encountered, but they’re way up there—with advanced noise-canceling systems for playback and for phone calls, and one of the most capable control apps I’ve seen.

Details: Written by: Brent Butterworth; Created: 01 July 2022

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Value:
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Measurements can be found by clicking this link.

Reviewers' Choice I’m gonna guess that as an audio enthusiast, you’re not that familiar with Edifier. Although the company makes the best under-$500/pair powered speaker I’ve ever tested or measured—the S1000MKII—it’s never really targeted audiophiles. But the new Stax Spirit S3 Bluetooth headphones seem tailor-made for SoundStage! Solo readers.

Details: Written by: Brent Butterworth; Created: 20 May 2022

Sound: 1/2
Value:
(Read about our ratings)

Measurements can be found by clicking this link.

When the pandemic hit two years ago, I took even greater joy in walking my dog, because it was one of my few chances to get outside—and I enjoyed the walks even more when I had some good headphones or earphones to listen to. So the HiFiMan Devas—excellent planar-magnetic headphones with a snap-on Bluetooth adapter—came along at just the right time. I thought the Devas were almost perfect, especially at $299 (all prices USD). Now HiFiMan has an updated version, dubbed the Deva Pro, that appears to be almost the same except for the color, the inclusion of a different Bluetooth dongle, and the price—which is $30 higher.

Details: Written by: Brent Butterworth; Created: 10 May 2022

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Measurements can be found by clicking this link.

The Rolling Stones occupy but a few square centimeters of my vast musical landscape. I’m merely using the launch of the Crossfade 2 Wireless Rolling Stones Tattoo You headphones ($279.99, all prices USD) as an excuse to give a fresh listen to some V-Moda headphones, which I haven’t reviewed since before the company was sold to Roland in 2016. The company was started in the early days of the headphone boom by DJ Val Kolton. Its headphones built a strong rep among enthusiasts for sound quality, and among the stylish set for their cool looks and customizable cover plates. But when Roland bought the brand, it kind of shifted more into the pro audio realm, which I cover only sporadically.

Details: Written by: Brent Butterworth; Created: 20 April 2022

Sound: 1/2
Value: 1/2
(Read about our ratings)

Measurements can be found by clicking this link.

Sometimes I wish HiFiMan wasn’t such an efficient, well-run business. I can’t think of any brand that cranks out so many new models each year. Most are variants of a previous design. The company might update an existing frame with an improved driver, as it did with the new Arya Stealth Magnet Version headphones ($1599, all prices USD) reviewed here. Or it might cost-reduce an existing design so it can sell for less. Or it might introduce a Bluetooth version. It’s great that the company keeps offering new and improved (or new and cheaper) models, but for a reviewer like me, the pace tough to keep up with—and any model I review this year is likely to emerge in an updated form within about 18 months.