Recently, after the PS Audio Perfectwave DAC MKII (I’ve kind of given it back because my dad wanted it back), I was exchanged, for a short moment, anyway, with a review product my dad was working on. Nice privileges as someone helping my dad out with reviews and stuff eh? I mean I did help him out with this one, as I was more knowledgeable about the headphone side of things compared to him, and this specific product has a headphone aspect to it. I’m not going to reveal much as it’s not been published yet, but I’ve had an interesting encounter with this product with my brother’s headphone the Sony WH-1000MX3, which was compared against my V-Moda Crossfade 2 Wireless headphones. Now, the main thing to note here is the fact that my V-Moda Crossfade 2 Wireless headphones are Hi-Res certified when in wired mode. And I’m personally glad they are.
This product, which I will say has a headphone DAC and amplifier aspect to it, can process Hi-Res music. That means truly 24-bit 192kHz resolution, and even above actually. And boy, what a truly beautiful thing to listen to when I have something capable, like my V-Moda headphones. So to further elaborate, since my brother’s main listening form is actually via headphones, of which is why I had him do a review of his own headphones at the time, the Sony WH-1000MX2 (which you can find under reviews along with my V-Moda). He has since upgraded to the WH-1000MX3s, and I had him use it with this particular product, to see what he thinks of the improvement you get vs. just using it under his normal circumstances.
If there was a priceless look on his face, this was it. I played a song he was familiar with, which is actually a song called “Dear Me” by Taeyeon, a Korean artist who was or is part of a idol Kpop group called Girls Generation. He listens to this song on his own, so I know he will know how it sounds usually, versus with this product in question. When I played it though, at first he was indifferent about it. As the song went on (the song builds up so you can hear the differences a much better as the song goes on), his eyes widen and he goes to tell me a bunch of differences he can hear. Ok, great, and for safe measure, I go a listen to it too. What I heard, was decent, but I couldn’t help compare it to my experience with my V-Moda.
Safe to say, I let him listen to my Crossfade 2 Wireless as well, and what was superbly surprising was him saying that wasn’t the sound he expected to hear from V-Moda. He has owned a pair, before certain acquirement of the company with Roland. My pair was probably one of the first headphones with technology most likely shared between the two companies. Truly, a blessing to be capable of Hi-Res, even if it is only in wired mode. It just takes the pair of also wireless capable cans to the next level. As my review of them ask, are they the best of both worlds? I’ve reached my post-review conclusions much later I’d say, because I didn’t truly test them to the maximum potential I could have. I mean I just couldn’t. But since I have a means with this particular product, my newfound conclusion of these headphones are, that they are truly the best offering of both worlds, I’ve ever picked up.
HIFI Sound Enthusiast 