Displaying items by tag: portable - StereoLife Magazine

Ten years after the debut of one of its most recognisable models, Meze Audio announces the return of the 99 Classics in a refined and upgraded form. The headphones that won worldwide acclaim for their natural sound and timeless aesthetics are making a comeback, preserving their signature character while introducing a range of subtle yet meaningful improvements. According to the manufacturer, the new 99 Classics continue the brand's philosophy of combining craftsmanship with modern acoustic engineering. The changes introduced in the second generation are evolutionary in nature, focusing on enhancing comfort and refining the overall sound performance. The headphones feature redesigned earpads, optimised cup volume and sealing, as well as a re-engineered acoustic partition. Meze Audio has also fine-tuned the driver matching process, resulting in a more balanced sound signature with deeper bass, smoother highs and a clear, expressive midrange.

Beyerdynamic introduced two new professional DJ headphones - the DJ 300 PRO X and DJ 300 PRO X Club - designed to bridge the gap between live performance and studio work. The new headphones are built around the idea of flexibility and durability, offering a modular design that allows users to switch between on-ear and over-ear configurations within seconds. At the heart of both models is a newly developed 45 mm dynamic driver, engineered to deliver a balanced, powerful and detailed sound that remains clear even at high playback levels. Compared with conventional DJ headphones, the transducer offers a wider dynamic range and improved control across the frequency spectrum. The low end is deep and punchy, providing a solid foundation for beatmatching and cueing, while the treble retains crispness and precision without fatigue. Beyerdynamic says that the driver design is tuned to maintain accuracy under high sound pressure levels, ensuring clarity of kick drums, hi-hats and sequenced synth lines typical of modern electronic music.

Final Audio Design, the Japanese high-end audio specialist, has announced their latest venture into the world of gaming and VR with the new VR2000 earphones. For close to five decades, Final has long proven their mastery of all things hi-fi. Starting in 1974 with the development of high-end turntable cartridges, amplifies and CD transports, and more recently moving onto portable audio with their award-winning headphone and earphone models - final's experience and insight is unmatched.

Astell&Kern introduces the second generation model of its popular and award-winning entry-level player, the A&norma SR25 MKII. Every aspect admired about the original SR25 is retained with the new model improving on the audio performance, adding new features, such as a balanced 4.4mm headphone jack, and tweaking its already eye-catching and ultra-compact design. The A&norma SR25 MKII represents the perfect entry-point into Astell&Kern's unrivalled world of high-resolution music playback on-the-move.

FiiO launches the K7 - balanced desktop headphone DAC and amplifier featuring dual AK4493S DACs, dual THX AAA 788+ amp technology, USB/Optical/Coax/RCA inputs, and both 6.3mm single-ended and 4.4mm balanced headphone outputs. Building upon the success of previous FiiO desktop amplifiers, the K7 utilises a truly balanced six-stage audio circuit consisting of: DAC, Low Pass Filter, Volume Control, Buffer Amplifier, Pre-Amplification, and Headphone Out. Throughout this signal path, audio signals from each channel are processed separately by the K7, thereby reducing crosstalk, and ensuring the best sound quality possible.

Grado introduced the new Statement Series, which brings fourth-generation X Drivers to the wooden GS3000x and GS1000x. The GS1000x combines mahogany and ipê wood, while the GS3000x houses the company's most powerful driver yet inside a metal chamber surrounded by a single body of cocobolo wood. Along with the superior sound these new drivers produce, the GS3000x and GS1000x also utilise Grado's improved 12-conductor braided cable and new headbands. Both are hand assembled in Brooklyn, New York.

Bowers & Wilkins has launched its new flagship wireless headphone, the Px8. The new model sets a new reference standard for sound, build and finish in the active noise cancelling wireless headphone category. The heart of the Px8 is the same active noise cancelling wireless platform found in the Px7 S2, already one of the best-sounding headphones in its class. In Px8, that stellar performance is taken to even greater heights of detail, resolution and spaciousness thanks to all-new bespoke 40mm Carbon Cone drive units.

Meze Audio announces its first pair of dynamic open-back headphones - the 109 PRO. Made from carefully curated and responsibly sourced materials, including walnut wood, zinc, manganese steel, and vegan leather, the 109 PRO is a comfortable, lightweight, yet highly durable headphone capable of producing a natural, emotionally engaging listening experience. "Our obsession with art, exceptional sound, and timeless design drives us. We only create what we love, and the 109 PRO is no exception to that. We poured our soul into every aspect of its design - from the premium materials used to its intricate engineering. And because we don’t follow trends, nor do we let them influence us, the 109 PRO is built to sound, look and feel great for years to come." - said Antonio Meze, lead designer and founder, Meze Audio.

Astell&Kern reveals the Kann Max portable digital audio player (DAP), the 4th model in its acclaimed Kann series. By applying advanced design and audio technology, this newfound power is also housed in a more compact and lightweight chassis. The result is an even wider variety of headphones, including sophisticated high impedance models, can be optimally driven without the need for additional amplification. Music fans can experience the original studio-quality sound without compromise - anywhere, anytime. As the power output increases, so does the noise level that adversely affects the audio performance. Through innovative integrated circuit design, Astell&Kern is able to achieve a low noise level while hitting the new 15Vrms 'Super' output setting.

Astell&Kern introduced the second generation model of its popular and award-winning entry-level player, the A&norma SR25 MKII. Every aspect admired about the original SR25 is retained with the new model improving on the audio performance, adding new features, such as a balanced 4.4mm headphone jack, and tweaking its already eye-catching and ultra-compact design. The A&norma SR25 MKII represents the perfect entry-point into Astell&Kern's unrivaled world of high-resolution music playback on the move. Astell&Kern A&norma SR25 MKII feature upgrades include Replay Gain function to uniformly adjust volume playback from sound sources up to 24 bit/192 kHz, AK File Drop for easier wireless file transfers, BT Sink function for simpler connection of the SR25 MKII to an external Bluetooth device, and extra internal silver-plated shielding, first seen in the higher-end SP2000T, to protect from electromagnetic interference.