The Audio Technica ATPHA100

I never expect to be impressed by Audio Technica amps. I expected the ATPHA100, a portable amp/DAC, to doubly disappoint. Here's why I've begun to doubt my feelings:

1. low noise floor - barely discernable through the Grado GR10 (which I reviewed at headfonia)
2. Excellent L/R balance even at low volume levels through sensitive earphones
3. USB can be powered from an iPad
4. Great RMAA scores (coming soon)

The above isn't all. Next to the Pioneer XPA-700, it isn't fugly, either. Unfortunately, that's as much as I will be able to say; the ATPHA700, along with a Fiio X5, the Pioneer XPA-700, and a DSD UFO thingy, are heading back to Mac Audio, which sent them to me to be photographed for their latest edition.

(These photos were taken for the purposes of this small impressions piece; they are not commercial.)

Click the image below to advance to the next frame

Headfi: Tokyo 2014 Autumn Fujiya Avic Headphone Festival Impressions

Again, I missed what appears to have been a great show. My advice: don't move.

Lachlan's hi-res/Sony NWZ-A15 rant

Lachlan gives the Sony A15 about thirty minutes. He adds a number of sighs. It's a rant and review. It's also the one that he and I went back and forth about in the latest OHM AIR, 007: Dick Moves.

Watch it, folks. 

@Headfi: In-Depth Comparison: Ultimate Ears In-Ear Reference Monitor & Noble Audio 4C (Wizard Design)

tomscy2000's A/B comparison of the Ultimate Ears In-Ear Reference Monitor and the Noble Audio 4C clinches head-fi's role as the most complete source for all things headphone.

If you've not yet got a pot of coffee brewing, get one on. If you've yet to shave, don't. Tom's ~7.000-word essay goes better with a beard. 

In-Depth Comparison: Ultimate Ears In-Ear Reference Monitor & Noble Audio 4C (Wizard Design)

Lachlan goes two fists on the AKG K712 Pro

Thanks in part to his successful Patreon campaign, Lachlan's videos have been ramping up nice and good. He's put out a lot of great videos since his appearance on OHM AIR, my recent favourite being the above: his unboxing of the AKG K712 Pro. 

Why do I love it so?

The big box forced Lachy to film the video from a new, stretchy angle. You can almost feel his seams popping. I hope he didn't dislocate any shoulders. And come to think of it, where's his iconic iMac? Ba-da-boom. 

Lachy writes the following:

“I’ve gotta say that the mids/treble is actually my favourite aspect of the K712 Pro. It sounds gorgeous with strings and pianos, fast and energetic without being too splashy. That said this is still going to make ‘hot’ recordings ugly.”

Be sure to check out Lachlan's excellent YouTube channel, and his truantly updated website of the same name. I'll be sure to have him back in a few weeks. 

OHM AIR episode #5: How do you fit it into a Japanese apartment?

Deadpan Amos Barnett, aka Currawong, takes time out from YouTube and Headfi to arrest the long silence over here. He brings a shit microphone, but manages to be a great conversationalist anyway. We chat about large amps, the problems audiophiles face, the problems photographers face, the Bigma, the iPhone 6, and much, much more. 

A few relevant talking points include: 

ALO Audio Studio Six (ohm image)
Sigma Bigma (Sigma Global)
Sony A7r (ohm image)
Nikon D800 (Nikon Global)
iRiver AK240 (headfonia)

and more.

Be sure to check out Amos's YouTube channel, and hit him up at headfi. And if you haven't already, subscribe to OHM AIR on SoundCloud.

Headfi: Master & Dynamic MH40 review

Headfi forum member, grizzlybeast, just posted a review of the Master & Dynamic MH40, an awesome headphone whose prototype I briefly evaluated. 

The short is that it sounds good, but isolates less well.

“While these headphones isolate fairly well, I will make a gripe about leakage. As easily as these seal around my ears I would expect them to leak a little less. They leak a little more than average without striking them out from being portable. If I was on a loud bus I would be able to enjoy my music easily but the person next to me would be hearing much of my music if it was loud. I wouldn’t say you would be obnoxious though. This is not deal breaking leakage but also not ideal.”

Be sure to check out grizzlybeast's review.

Next week I will follow up with by finally publishing my review of them at Headfonia.