John Darko
Lists of Christmas gift ideas for audiophiles are a bit silly. We generally buy for ourselves and we tend not to wait until Christmas to do so. What follows are 10 affordable products – ‘stocking stuffers’ for the more cliché-minded – that I think represent terrific value for the money. That T-word isn’t just hot air. I own every single one of these products. Well, apart from one, which I already have on order to arrive next week.
Denon Perl Pro (US$349)
🛒 https://amzn.to/3tfFL9q
There are only two true wireless IEMs available at the time of writing that can do lossless CD quality over Bluetooth via Qualcomm’s aptX Lossless codec. They are the Bose QC Ultra and the Denon Perl Pro. And even though the Denon can’t match the Bose on ANC or phone call quality, they sound more balanced when playing back music. The Bose are a little sub-bass heavy for my taste and the Denon sound even better once run through the personalisation algorithm inside the app. Turning that personalisation on and off makes it crystal clear that ON sounds less hollow and more natural than OFF.
Asus Zenfone 10 (US$699)
🛒 https://amzn.to/3NzK9XJ
But to make use of the Denon Perl Pro’s lossless capabilities with CD-quality audio, we also need a smartphone that’s equipped with aptX Lossless. The Sony Xperia 1 V is far too costly for this list but the next best thing – that sells for under half of the Sony’s asking – is the Zenfone 10 from Asus. It runs close-to-stock Android, the display refreshes at 120Hz and there’s a very decent camera set for a mid-tier phone. Best of all for people who care about such things, it has a headphone socket. Like Sony, Asus isn’t saying much about the DAC chip and headphone driver that sits behind that socket, only that it’s 24bit/192kHz capable. Which is as good as worthless on any device if it doesn’t sound decent with CD-quality streams but that’s a story for another day…
Sennheiser IE200 (US$119)
🛒 https://amzn.to/3tj1FbQ
One thing that I learned from testing the Sony’s smartphone’s headphone socket is that with moderated expectations and a suitably priced IEM, decent results are possible. One such IEM is Sennheiser’s IE300. However, the IE200 is more affordable and is more likely to satisfy those looking for a Harman-flavoured frequency response. Just know that the cable tangles easily and the carry pouch is bare-bones basic. However, long-term in-ear comfort on the IE200 is unparalleled at this price point.
FiiO KA2 (US$59)
🛒 https://amzn.to/3TyZc7J
Dongle DACs are ten a penny nowadays, especially those loaded with 3.5mm outputs. However, what if we just wanted a balanced 4.4mm output on our dongle DAC but without an enlarged housing? Enter the KA2 from FiiO. I’ve talked a lot about FiiO this year because they seem to be kicking goals with touchscreen streamers, wired IEMs, full-sized headphones, and now balanced-outputting dongle DACs. The KA2 very much fits the pigtail sub-category of dongle DACs where it’s hard to imagine how it could be made any smaller. And I’ve bent the cable connections at both ends numerous times this year with no sign of wear and tear.
FiiO FT3 32 Ohm (US$299)
🛒 https://amzn.to/4723PdH
Srajan Ebaen and I will be tackling the FiiO FT3 in our next podcast episode. I have the 300 Ohm version and he the 32 Ohm. The latter will likely play very nicely with the Zenfone 10 or, perhaps better still, a decent dongle DAC like the KA2 attached to any smartphone. It amazes me that FiiO can produce a headphone with such a sturdy and attractive frame for only a few hundred bucks. That they can make the FT3 sound as good as this – sounding more expansive, richer and punchier than the Meze 99 Classics – is a reminder that Chinese companies like FiiO are on the rise; and with them comes the very real threat that Chi-Fi’s up-ending of the affordable IEM market could soon happen to other audio product categories.
Workshop 66 Halo (~€180)
https://workshop66.dk/product/halo/
I know very little about Workshop 66; only that the Denmark-based company offers two exceedingly attractive headphone stand models – Halo and Aja – whose wooden frames feel solid in the hand. I own the Halo, designed to accommodate headphones with larger earcups. The extended hexagonal cutout can be oriented two ways where a single screw attaches the wooden frame to its metal base.
Good-looking headphone stands that don’t sell for crazy money aren’t as common as we might think. Headphones stands with genuine design flair selling for under $200 – like the Halo – are as rare as rocking horse shit.
IKEA Kallax TV cabinet (€69)
https://www.ikea.com/pt/pt/p/kallax-movel-tv-branco-70562087/
Regular readers will know how much I like IKEA’s Kallax shelving system. Not just because it’s the world’s most cost-effective vinyl storage system but also because its ‘cutouts’ can house smaller music servers, DACs and streaming amplifiers. Components less than 33.5cm wide I refer to as Kallax-Fi: NAD M10, Cambridge EVO 150, Naim Uniti Atom or Lyngdrof TDAI-1120 (to name a few).
And by definition, full-width components, like Lyngdorf’s TDAI-3400, have long been Kallax’s Achilles Heel. That is, until this year. IKEA’s new Kallax TV unit is effectively a standard 4 x 1 Kallax with a lower-profile window section added to its longest side. That window section is divided into two, ready to accommodate full-size integrated amplifiers, draw- or slot-loading CD players, A/V receivers or games consoles.
The Kallax TV unit is available in an oak finish or black but I’ve gone with white.
Cambridge Audio MXN10 (US$499)
🛒 https://amzn.to/4atDMPd
The problem with the WiiM Pro and Pro Plus is that their plastic cases make them look AND feel as cheap as their asking prices. We don’t get what we don’t pay for.
So – if you insist on a network streamer with a more substantial look and feel, you’ll need to pony up more cash for something like Cambridge Audio’s MXN10. The whole thing is wrapped in a ‘Lunar Grey’ aluminium case with wifi and Bluetooth streaming reception coming via two screw-on antennae.
And if those antennae look too unsightly to you, there’s always the Ethernet input on the back where we also find analogue outputs (via an ESS Sabre ES9033Q-based DAC circuit), digital outputs (coax and TOSLINK) and a USB-A socket to UPnP stream files from a directly-attached storage device.
Streaming smarts additionally include: Google Chromecast, Spotify Connect, Roon Ready and Apple AirPlay 2 with Tidal and Qobuz folded into Cambridge Audio’s very capable StreamMagic app.
Moondrop DiscDream (US$199)
https://hifigo.com/products/moondrop-discdream?variant=44077639139567
Not only a small CD player but a portable CD player designed by an ex-Sony engineer who worked on the Discman project. The DiscDream features something called “elastic damping” that aims to physically reduce the impact of bumps on the CD’s laser pickup. An internal data buffer makes sure skips are kept to a minimum. Battery life is rated at 10 hours, D/A conversion is built around a Cirrus Logic chip for which the DiscDream will also serve as a USB DAC or DAP (thanks to a microSD card slot).
There are no digital outputs on the DiscDream but we do get up to half a Watt out of the the 3.5mm headphone socket and there’s a 2V line-level output for outboard amplifier hook-ups. That’s quite the feature-packed device for $199.
Doorstopper (~US$15)
🛒 https://amzn.to/3RzomjM
It wouldn’t be a Darko gift guide without a doorstopper. Regular readers will know that I use them to prevent cable weight from pulling smaller items – like the Cambridge MXN10 – off the back of a Kallax shelf. It’s an idea that seems to have caught the imagination of the hi-fi community since I introduced it in 2016. I know this because I often see hi-fi system photos on the ‘net that show the use of a doorstop. Or two. This year, I present an all-black version for your inner Goth or your outer Nine Inch Nails fanaticism.
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