IEM

E-sports has massively grown in popular culture. Football is being replaced by EA FC and stadiums are being filled up to the brim with fans who want to watch their favourite players or teams win the biggest and best prizes.One of the biggest CounterStrike 2 tournaments in the world takes place at the Spodek Area in Katowice, Poland called the Intel Extreme Masters where some of the biggest and the best teams from around the world compete for a prize pool of $1million - and it takes place every single year.Not only is it a…

When it comes to gaming extravagance, there's no one who really does it better than Acer Predator with some of its most over-the-top peripherals and hardware that realy doesn't do itself justice until you actually see it in person.We were invited to see some of Acer Predator's newest products at IEM Katowice that it has coming around the corner after announcing its newest line of products at CES 2024 - and you might want to hold onto your hats.One of the most standout products was the Acer Predator Z57 - and its probably…

It’s been over seven years since Apple found the “courage” to remove the 3.5mm headphone jack from the iPhone, in turn forcing wireless headphones into the limelight. To this day, listening to hi-res lossless music on a phone usually means a hunt for a rare handset with a 3.5mm jack or accepting your new dongle life. As if from nowhere, a new breed of wired headphone has emerged, and it promises audiophile quality on any phone with no need for a dongle. Of course there’s a marketing term to go with it: True Lossless…

The CCA PLA13 are the company's first IEMs with planar magnetic drivers. It's quite possible the PLA13 are just rebranded PR1 from CCA's sister company KZ. At just $65, the PLA13 are one of the cheapest planar IEMs you can get today, which is quite an achievement since just a few years ago you would have to spend hundreds of dollars for the same privilege. In this review, I will be looking into the audio quality of the PLA13 and assessing whether it's worth getting on to the planar hype train in this price range.…

In recent years, the audiophile hobby has become considerably more affordable for beginners, attracting many more people to the fold. This is because of the rapid growth and global spread of ‘Chi-Fi'; entry-level IEMs from China look and sound pretty good, and don't cost too much either. The emergence of good portable DACs has also largely covered for the lack of 3.5mm sockets on modern smartphones, making it possible to set up a decent portable audiophile kit on a budget.I've had a chance to test many Chi-Fi products,…

While most mainstream personal audio brands have pivoted towards a wireless future, Sennheiser is perhaps the only major brand to continue earnestly on its wired audio portfolio, while also working on competitive wireless products. This also means that it's among the few big names with products made for audiophiles, including wired headphones and earphones across price points. Among the latest in the company's range is the Sennheiser IE 200, which is priced at Rs. 14,990 in India.The Sennheiser IE 200 has a similar form…

Audiophiles on a budget are spoilt for choice thanks to plenty of excellent, affordable IEMs from various brands based in China, that are available in India. A lot of these ‘Chi Fi' brands come and go, but one particular brand has stuck around for a while and has consistently produced excellent, value-driven products. Moondrop is popular for its budget and mid-range audiophile IEMs, and its most recent launch is the Moondrop Chu, which has been the subject of some hype in audiophile circles.Priced at Rs. 1,999 for the…

With Apple Music rolling out support for high-resolution lossless audio in India, there is renewed interest in wired earphones and headphones, particularly of the audiophile kind. I've tested the service with a number of headphones and earphones since its introduction in India, and while there's plenty to enjoy even with budget equipment, spending more money on premium, well-engineered kit will give you a considerably better listening experience. That's where the Sennheiser IE 300, the in-ear monitors I'm reviewing here,…

The CCA CRA is the latest single dynamic driver IEM from KZ's sister brand. The CRA is the company's entry-level model, starting at just $15. The combination of price and CCA's reputation for producing high-value products has resulted in a substantial buzz around this affordable IEM. We just had to get a unit in to see what all the fuss is about. Design and comfort The CRA have a pretty standard design for CCA/KZ products, with a chunky design molded to the shape of the ear. The chunky shape makes it very easy to…