Original Fiio FT1 (different than FT1 Pro) with raw 5128 measurements.
This got some love in the recent staff picks for 2024.
1 Like
DCA E3 with raw 5128 measurements.
2 Likes
Auribus Acoustics Sierra with raw 5128 measurements.
1 Like
AKG N9
Summary
Seems like something with good potential with just a little bit of pretty basic EQ. Absence of fine grained quirks in FR, nice bass response and channel matching.
1 Like
How about reviewing an older legend like the LCD-4 and seeing how it stacks up to the TOTLs of today?
I’m ready to send mine in!
5 Likes
I’d like to hear your detailed feedback of the Heavys H1H by Axell Grell.
1 Like
Would like to see a review of the KEF MU7. I have the KEF M500 wired 'phones and absolutely love their clarity, musicality and punch. Surely their wireless over-ears are at least decent, but there are few serious reviews out there.
I also second the request for the Edifier Stax Spirit S5.
Thanks, guys - great job!
1 Like
Could the team please review the qudelix t71 dac/amp. It is a really powerful portable dac amp with the same eq abilities at the 5k
Please review ZMF Bokeh with full measurements. Thanks!
2 Likes
Austrian Audio Hi-X20 headphones with raw 5128 measurements.
A new lower-cost, studio-oriented, closed-back from AA. Comparisons to some other similar headphones in the same price class (e.g. Fiio FT1, AKG K371, etc.) would also be welcome, if the X20 looks decent.
3 Likes
Shure SRH-840A headphones with raw 5128 measurements.
These are also lower-cost, closed, studio type HPs.
Bellari HA543 solid state headphone amp with XLR inputs.
I’ve been using one for a few years with no real complaints. But don’t think I’ve ever seen any measurements on it.
Adam H200, for those of us looking for a headphone for mixing and music enjoyment.
1 Like
Bellari HA540 MK2 headphone tube amp.
If the 5128 graph of the Austrian Audio Hi-X20 shown in the Earphones Archive graph below is accurate, then this headphone appears to have a rather pronounced U-shaped response that’s pretty depressed in the mids between about 200 and 2000 Hz.
This would make the Hi-X20 of less interest to me (though I’d still be interested in hearing some of the staff’s takes on it). It looks like somethin that might perhaps be a little more up Zeos’s alley though.
The stock response looks… questionable.
But it seems like it has good EQ potential. It graphs considerably smoother (in terms of high Q peaks or troughs) than HD620S, Azurys/Lensys or FiiO FT1 and shows better extension than Sony MDR-M1 on both sides of the spectrum (the bass extension may end up worse on human heads, but not the treble as far as I understand it). Austrian Audio also seems to have great build quality.
I think it may be a very interesting package, especially for the price, for anyone who’s able and willing to EQ.
1 Like
Not sure I agree with all the above, Jean-Paul. I get your point to some extent about the extension, and what have you. But still think I’d prefer a more neutral tuning to start with, even if I planned to EQ. To your point though about the narrow band features, my DT770 has a couple “high Q” notches, at least one in the bass and one in the upper mids/low treble, which are difficult to correct with EQ. So I am with you, at least in spirit on that. 
I have not listened to the Azurys, but it has been pretty well-received by some of the reviewers here. And looks like one of the better closed-backs right now. It looks slightly elevated in the lower frequencies. And there are some fairly narrow band peaks in the treble. It appears smoother than headphones like the AT M50X, DT770, and Sennheiser’s new HD620S in the bass and mids though, fwtw. And the resonances in the treble also appear to be in about the right spots (if there is a such a thing).
The Lensys, while similar, appears a little darker in the treble and less emphasized in the bass by comparison. And also more withdrawn in the upper mids.
Small footnote: Earphones Archive graphs like the one above default to Oratory’s 5128 DF with a -0.8 dB/octave tilt, which is not my preferred target or compensation curve. I generally prefer HBK’s stock 5128 DF with a -1.0 to -1.5 dB/octave tilt. So around a -1.25 tilt on average as a general reference. This is good up to about 15 kHz imo. Above 15 kHz, it noticeably overshoots a neutral response imo.
To define your own target you may also have to remove any bass, treble, and ear gain adjutsments that are also included in the default squiglink target curves. And also the preference bounds.
1 Like
Sennheiser HD505 with raw 5128 measurements.
1 Like
A review of the UGREEN Max5C along with 5128 measurements would be great! 
Dunu Arashi
1 Like