Headfi: Astell & Kern AK480

Headfi's got the scoop on the first portable player that you won't be able to buy with the funds from the sale of a 2013 VW Passat. 

;)

HiFi Wigwam: Acoustic Energy 1 demos at Purite

If you're located in the UK and just dying to demo a set of budget speakers, head on over to Purite in North Yorkshire, who have just put the new Acoustic Energy 1 for your naysay or yaysay. Ω owns a pair of AE2's from way back in the day and loves them to bits. Cheap as chips but a decent overhead for use with a good variety of amps. 

HiFiWigwam's got the whole story

Music To Go: Portaphile Micro review

The prodigiously-thumbed pioneering headphone reviewer, Sasaki, published his thoughts on the Portaphile Micro (in Japanese) the same day as yours truly. Here's a bit of trivia for you: what country houses both of us? 

He seems particularly ecstatic, especially when comparing the MUSES Micro version to his older 627, which delivers a plainer, less exciting sound. My take is that the OPA627 version is better for a wide range of headphones, but both work nearly flawlessly for earphones. 

Westone: Seven Ways In-Ear Headphones Can Help Advance Your Career

Admittedly, in-ear earphones drip a level of professionalism that over-the-ear headphones simply can't. But certainly they do not do so in every office or work situation. Outside of a few, special cases, I call BS on this Westone article. Listening to earphones can focus you. There is no doubt of that. But they also tend to focus you like blinders do a horse, and not always in the way your boss/customer intends.

Enjoy your Bieber, but I'd check with your boss and co-workers before closing the world off with a great set of Westone or Jerry Harvey, or FitEar earphones. And for the love of god, stave off the desire to put anything Beats in your ears. 

Headfonia: Portaphile Micro review

At long last, I got Headfonia to publish my review of the inspiring Portaphile Micro headphone amp. While no amp comes sans niggles, Portaphile Micro's few (but hefty) niggles are part of a package that is entirely worthwhile. 

“I didn’t expect Micro to positively bump me so well. But it truly is an excellently engineered amp. The 627x has actually become my new bench mark among all-in-one battery-powered headphone amps. But the Micro isn’t far behind. It certainly pairs better with IEMs. It is light, well-made, and compact. It also costs less than the 627x or the Vorzüge, and for the most part, is able to match the performance of either. Yes, battery life is a pain, and yes, you have to ice down your dip stick from time to time, but I think it is worth it.

And if you own Audeze’ awesome LCD-X, it is so damn worth it.”

Sony Hi-Res Walkmans to gain DSD playback

Sony are on record (in Japanese) saying that DSD playback functionality couldn't be added to their hi-res portable audio line via firmware. That was the Sony of September 2013. The Sony of March 2014 ain't having none of that. No no. Today they're like: "We'as jus' goofin' yo!" (Remember, Sony dig doing new things just because they're new.)

Unless the joke's on us, April will be the month of the DSD-capable Walkman. Both Sony Hi-Res Walkmans, the NW-ZX1 and F880, will get DSD-enabling firmware updates. 

Check it, yo! (Japanese)

Ayre's white paper on minimum phase digital filters

Not enough of the media attention sucked up by Neil Young's Pono portable music player and music service is about the qualitative improvements the player boasts over other players.

Ayre, the company engineering the Pono, released a white paper illustrating how their digital filters outperform the filters used in "99+% of all modern digital equipment" through, essentially, the elimination of digital pre and post ring. If Ayre's minimum phase digital filters do make it into Pono, Neil's player will have a real, audible leg up on the competition.

Ayre MP White Paper (PDF) 
Thanks @Cymbacavum

Headfonia: Audeze LCD-XC review

Mike does the glorious Audeze LCD-XC in one of Headfonia's most long-awaited reviews.