It looks like a Jeep designed by a man worried about his manhood. It performs like an Onkyo DP-X1. It’s got enough 00’s in its name to qualify it for an MI6 franchise of its own. And no way is it sexy enough that the handsomely epilated people on its marketing page would touch it for less than a model's wage. Strangely though, despite all its 00’s and other other idiotic geekified nomenclature, I find it easier to type XDP-100R than DP-X1. What gives?
Read moreRMAA: Sony NW-ZX2 24-bit
After dinking around with poor interfaces (Onkyo DP-X1, Pioneer), massive players (Astell&Kern AK380), and exploring the gory world of staunching bandages (Astell&Kern AK Jr, Astell&Kern AK380), I was so happy to fit the ZX2 in my palm. Its interface is clearly organised. It is generally responsive. Its body doesn’t draw blood. It’s a Sony. Whatever else it means, at minimum the name suggests a decent focus on human-oriented design. Indeed, both the ZX2's hardware and software UIs are revelations among all high-end players.
Read moreRMAA: ALO Audio Rx 24-bit
My history with the Rx is long. I leaked an original design piccie at TouchMyApps (ALO’s Prescription for good sound: the Rx for portable music). That was 6 years ago. And while I’ve not reviewed every iteration, I’m more than familiar with the lineup. By and large it is excellent.
Read moreRMAA: Chord Mojo 24-bit
And to be honest, handling Mojo is a bit alien. While large and unmistakable, its buttons have obvious central axes. Miss them and they do nothing. Whilst setting my Fujifilm GX680 to 2s and mirror up, and my Hasselblad CFV-50c to something similar, I had to on turn and off turn the thing because it wouldn't respond to off-centre jams.
Read moreRMAA: Onkyo DP-X1 24-bit single-ended and balanced
Why didn't I listen to it? Simple: I don't care. The DP-X1 is too big, too awkward, and too slaved to an unfathomly music-unfriendly and ugly interface that I would never consider owning it. It feels bad in the hand, and whose interface relies more on glitz than it does on gravitas. Getting music to register to it was even more difficult than for the Astell&Kern AK380 (RMAA'd here - reviewed here), primarily because it is new and its firmware doesn't do ID3 tags well.
Read moreRMAA: Cypher Labs AlgoRhythm Trio 24-bit
I should also mentioned that my comrade, Lieven, reviewed Trio at Headfonia in July, and that while ohm-image currently isn't sponsor-funded, Headfonia is. And, I write for Headfonia. God bless 'em!
Read moreRMAA: MS-AK100 24-bit new
Consider this article a happy follow-up to the 'dud' MS-AK100 RMAA results I just posted. The results below describe the unit I originally reviewed at Headfonia. They describe a DAP which largely outperforms the AK240, and which, in many metrics, stays toe-to-toe with the 3500$ USD AK380.
Read moreRMAA: MS-AK100 24-bit old
Prior to releasing an official apology, it is meet to be up front about the performance of my AK100 which Mezzo Hifi modded. Next to the one I reviewed at Headfonia, and the one I previewed here at ohm, it is piss-poor. At my request Mezzo agreed to look again at the same unit. If it was out of spec, they would fix it. The results speak for themselves.
Read moreRMAA: JDS Labs The Element 24-bit
There's really no point in publishing 16-bit performance anymore, which JDS Labs's The Element proves like 2+2=4. If you'd like my subjective opinion on it, mosey over to Headfonia: Review: JDS Labs Element – Bravado.
Read moreRMAA: Astell&Kern AK380 24-bit
My publish order is totally off. Yesterday, Headfonia published my review of the Astell&Kern AK380. The AK380 is a sometimes-awesome, sometime-awful DAP, chock full of hardware potential which is wrecked only by its painfully angular design, poor marketing copy, and comparatively poor lazy amp design.
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