Page 9 - Headphones

Technology is improving all the time - that's true. And portable hi-fi is becoming better and better with every advance. But did you know there's already a truly portable and truly hi-res player out there? The Colorfly C4 was the first of its kind, and while others have surfaced since, this player has held its own against the younger and skinnier models as providing the absolute premium hi-res sound.

It's quite something to behold -

We love our headphones, here at Audio Affair. So much so that - when our showroom was recently completely refurbished - a headphone bar was the top of our wishlisht. And sure enough - our wish came true! Headphones are our best selling 'genre' of hi-fi gear, and are our most tried and tested items in the showroom. People come from all over the country to try out the range themselves - and sometimes join us for a cup of tea in the process too! That's when we find out what people really like the best

The Yamaha EPH100s are... exceptional. Well and truly. They blew our minds (and the minds of every single critic who got their hands on them, without exception) upon their release, and held their own against all the competition (of every price point) magnificently throught their numerous years at the top of their game. Alas, all good things must come to an end, and Yamaha no longer produce what must be one of their most universally acclaimed products.

That's the bad news.

... the good news is:

Headphones are all down to the personal taste of the listener. Completely, in their entireity. Of course, you could say this were true of any piece of hi-fi equipment - but never is it more true than with headphones. One man's grail is another's trash. This is why trying before you buy is almost essential when it comes to the act of chosing your cans. Luckily for you, we knew this. We knew this from the start. And so we made sure that a fully funtional plug-in-and-play headphone bar was one

Ah, summertime! There is never a better time than to get up from your desk/sofa/floor and go outside for some fresh air and exercise. Even if that exercise merely entails a short stroll around the park! It's this time of year that gets us thinking about all things outdoors. The portable, the movable, the durable. You know as well as we do that high fidelity is getting more and more accessible with every passing month - and now it's possible to take hi-fi out as far as you're willing to go!

Now,

The sun is well and truly out (some say he has a hat on - we couldn't verify this) which means it's probably about time you saw to that lovely garden of yours. After all - there will probably be parties and BBQs and all sorts of outdoor-fun to be had! But what will you do about suitable hi-fi headwear while you trim the petunias and weed the borders?

Normal headphones are great - but they come with trailing wires which don't half get in the way (and if you're wielding something sharp it could get

A good pair of speakers will need a good amplifier to bring out the best in them... and it's the same with headphones.

Using a headphone amplifier with your headphones will give you a much better level of audio performance. A headphone amplifier gives you a power boost, which relieves your smartphone's onboard amplifier from the job of providing power - which in theory should give you a longer battery life for your phone!

The more substantial and capable your headphones are, the more likely they

We've been impressed with the Oppo HA2 since it first hit the shelves, and it seems now that it's not just us that love this little Headphone Amp/Dac combination... The team at AV Forums have recently extensively reviewed the HA2, and given it the coveted 'Best Buy' award.

[If you still haven't got an Oppo HA2 Headphone Amplifier, you can buy yours here]

"The Oppo is not an entirely mainstream product. For the most part, people are content to use the headphone output of their smartphone and be done

One thing that we've learned in our time as hi-fi specialists, is there truly are no rules. A hi-fi brand can be five decades old or five minutes old, and still hold its own against the other. It's not often that we feature a brand that isn't steeped in heavy hi-fi history, but every now and then, a brand like Burson comes along - an amplifier manufacturer with a difference.

Don't get us wrong, Burson aren't exactly spring chickens. They've been around long enough to be notable in the hi-fi history

When  does portable start being... cumersome? When you have to fill your pockets with too much stuff - we're willing to wager. Don'[t get us wrong - we love that portable players are giving us the abiloity to take our hi-fi outside. That never ceases to be awesome. But when there are other factors to consider - such as portable headphone amplifiers - you start to run out of room for other things. Like your phone, your wallet, your keys...

Your fruit. Life is tough.

The solution? No, we're not