Page 10 - Headphones

Do you like your music loud and proud? Do you like it in stunning high fidelity? And do you like it... outdoors? Well now you can have all of those things.

Okay, you have technically been able to have all of those things for some time. But hey, it's hi-fi, there's always room for improvement. And the latest portable player to hit our shelves has really got us excited. Yes, there's a new player in town. Enter: the FiiO X3 II / X3K - FiiO's second generation of high-fiedlity music player. It's everything

Buy yours here:

https://www.audioaffair.co.uk/fiio-e12k-mont-blanc-2-portable-headphone-amplifier-dac

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Wireless! Portable! OUTDOORS! If those three words are getting you excited then we all know what that must mean. Summer time is fast approaching! And that means swapping your floorstanders for wireless actives and your separates system for an adorable little portable headphone amplifier. Because even audiophiles have to go outside sometimes... but that doesn't mean you can't take your hi-fi with you!

That's right, pure high fidelity goodness is now achievable from almost anywhere, as long as you

Even the most wet-behind-the-ears music lover can tell you: headphones plugged directly into a smart phone or portable music player simply won't cut the mustard in the sound department. And now the technology exists which means no one should ever have to do that again! The time has never been better for hi-fi lovers to grab their cans off their stand, and put them through their paces in the real world. The same rules apply in the portable-amp realm as they do in the stationary, the higher end the

There's something undeniably beautiful and alluring about a valve amplifier. Be that a valve pre, power, integrated or head, there's no mistaking that warm, lush sound accompanied by the warm, lush glow of the valves. We've been having a bit of a headphone-amp season here at AA HQ, the release of some incredible portable amps (and some separates, of course) has really piqued our interest in this - the most audiophile-esque of pursuits. And now we have something on offer that could potentially give

We love high end headphones, and at £349 the latest PM3 from Oppo are right up our street. With sturdy build and quality materials, the PM3 are impressive before you've even plugged them in. The ear pads offer effective isolation from the outside world, and the 3.5mm jack to jack cable is replaceable should you snag it on the tube in the morning...!

View on our website here: https://bit.ly/OppoPM3

Reproducing studio quality sound with sweet upper tones and deep bass, the Oppo PM-3 is a revolutionary

As with anything and everything in the vast and sprawling hi-fi Kingdom, there comes a time when one will ask... which headphone amplifier should I pair my headphones with? It's a very good question and, as with everything else hi-fi, to a certain extent it does boil down to personal choice. But there are a few key things that should help you along the road to head-fi heaven.

But firstly...

Why Do I Need One?

Need is a strong word - the vast majority of headphones will work with any headphone socket

In memory of Joseph Grado founder of Grado Labs 1924 - 2015. 

How many inventors can you remember, right off the top of your head? Okay, and how many of those were hi-fi inventors? We're willing to bet that any hi-fi (particularly the head-fi and vinyl crowds) will be able to name Joseph Grado, right off the bat. The second-generation Italian immigrant first made his name (however you pronounce it, it's currently a toss up between /ɡreɪdəʊ/ and /ɡrɑdəʊ/) by making phono-cartridge history on his