Archives for February 2018

Advanced Sound Lightning DAC/Amp for $45 w/FS [MD]

We begin a mini “Massdrop trilogy” of posts 🙂 First up, something for Lightning iOS listeners. Massdrop is offering the new condition Advanced Sound Accessport Lightning DAC/Amp for $45 with free US shipping, running for the next four days and change (from blog-posting date). An MFI button trio is built-into the physical device.

A list of compatible devices is included in the Massdrop product listing. Basically iPhone 5 and later, iPod Touch 5 and later, iPad Retina (4th gen) and later, and all the iPad Mini and PROs. They will ship from the vendor in early March 2018 with all sales final.

February 8, 2018 Filed Under: amps and dacs Tagged With: ,

Thinksound IEMs Grab Bag for $50 + S&H [MD]

If you like the mysteries and wonders of a grab bag, Thinksound is back with a grab bag of their own at Massdrop running for the next four days and change (from blog posting time). You pay $50 plus shipping and for that you will receive randomly one out of four Thinksound wood in-ear models. About half of the people will get the ms02, about a quarter each will get either the rain2 or the ts03, and 6% will get the USP1. You can buy up to two grab bags but each grab bag is randomly generated so you may get two of the same.

They come with a 1-year warranty from the manufacturer and will ship in early March 2018. All sales final as usual.

February 8, 2018 Filed Under: in-ears Tagged With: , , ,

EarFirst T23 High-Fidelity Earplugs for $18 w/FS [MD]

Ooops! I almost missed this! Running until around 3am eastern on Friday are the new condition EarFirst T23 High-Fidelity Earplugs offered for $18 with free US shipping at Massdrop. They are available in two color schemes, coffee (in case you frequently soak them in coffee or tea [do not try this at home; it is a joke!) and transparent. A protective ABS carrying case is included. These will ship from Massdrop in early March 2018 with all sales final as usual.

February 8, 2018 Filed Under: accessories Tagged With: , , ,

Bose Quiet Comfort 25 ANC Over-Ears for $150 w/FS

More headphone action at the NewEgg sale, it’s back to Black Friday pricing for the new condition BOSE Quiet Comfort 25 ANC Over-Ears. The black color scheme with the iOS button configuration is on sale for $150 with free shipping until Wednesday 2/14/18 or earlier if sold out. No promo code is needed.

As of the time of writing, amazon.com has not price-matched it.

February 8, 2018 Filed Under: headphones Tagged With: ,

Philips SHP-9500S Open Over-Ears for $50 w/FS

NewEgg is back with another email newsletter promotion with a focus on mobile gear, and among the headliners in the email is the return of the new condition open-back over-ear Philips SHP-9500S headphones to $50 with free shipping. No coupon needed for this. The sale ends next Wednesday (or earlier if sold out). Limit up to twenty pairs per customer.

This is sold and shipped by NewEgg actual, not iffy marketplace sellers. We have a text and pictures unboxing of it here [it = the headphone; not NewEgg]. Still no review, but I’m gonna guess the moment I publish the review, the headphone will get discontinued 😉

February 8, 2018 Filed Under: headphones Tagged With:

Thur: JBL Reflect Mini Wireless Earbuds for $45 w/FS

Good until Thursday at 11:59pm eastern, five different color schemes of the JBL Reflect Mini Wireless Earbuds are on sale for $45 with free shipping as one of the deals of the day at B&H Photo.

February 8, 2018 Filed Under: in-ears Tagged With: ,

[DEAD] Friday: Plantronics Headphone & Headset sale (13 options)

This Friday deal of the day expired…

[Read more…]

February 8, 2018 Filed Under: headset Tagged With:

[DEAD] Repurpose This (earphone/DAP case): Small Nikon Camera Bag for $1.25 with free shipping

Party’s over, the sale ended…

[Read more…]

February 8, 2018 Filed Under: accessories Tagged With: , ,

Sony MDR-V6 Studio Headphones for $67 w/free S&H

This is not the lowest price ever, but if you need to get the good old Sony MDR-V6 studio headphones (closed over-ears) in new condition, they are going for $67~ with free shipping by Amazon actual which looks to be an automated price-match of a couple of marketplace sellers. Limit up to three pairs per customer at the sale price from Amazon actual, and more from the marketplace sellers.

If you prefer to shop on eBay, you can get them for about a dollar more from Ritz Cameras on eBAY. There is no mention of warranty in the Ritz eBay listing, so assume no warranty.

You can’t go wrong with these headphones even at full price, they are a time-tested model and one of the benchmarks a number of people use to compare performance of other/newer headphones.

February 7, 2018 Filed Under: headphones Tagged With: ,

Pre-order 62 track “Big Classical Beatles Box” for $0.99

On now something new to test your headphones with. Ooops, I mean, new music to listen to 🙂 Coming out on Friday February 9 in 2018 (Friday is the new Tuesday for music releases after all) there is a brand new 63-track classical music compilation with Beatles music. It is the Big Classical Beatles Box by the BachGuid. The whole set can be yours for $0.99. Total run time is 3 hours and 22 minutes, not bad for 99c 🙂

Almost all the tracks are available as 30 seconds samples. Mouse over an individual track and the option to play the sample appears (this with a laptop/desktop browser). Or you can go to the top of the track list and press the master PLAY button and it will play all 62 samples. That’s half an hour of sampled music 🙂

This is just the tip of the iceberg for 99c mega-bundles at Amazon. For example, here are a handful of Little Big boxes featuring various composers and instrument-centric music as well.

February 7, 2018 Filed Under: music Tagged With:

Apple AirPods with $30 Kohls Cash for $159

These typically don’t last long in-stock, so if interested, jump in! The Kohls website is offering the new condition Apple AirPods for $159 with free shipping or store pickup and $30 Kohls cash. You cannot use coupons towards the AirPods, but you can pay for your purchase partially or fully with Kohls rewards (YES2YOU Rewards).

Kohls Cash is a limited shelf life store credit/reward you can spend in future purchases at Kohls. This particular $30 store credit must be spent between February 9-14 in 2018.

February 7, 2018 Filed Under: earbuds Tagged With: , ,

Phones as DAPs: LG G6+ with Quad DAC for $520 (Prime only)

Starting today (February 7 in 2018), Amazon is no longer selling their Prime Exclusive phones with Lockscreen and other Ads. Instead they are sold ad-free. Their prices went up by $20 since yesterday to counter the ad removal. Of audio interest, the LG G6+ with its Quad DAC and 128GB on-board storage is now going for $520 with free shipping. This is a US warranty model, unlocked, and working with US carriers. Only Prime members can buy them.

February 7, 2018 Filed Under: digital audio players Tagged With: , ,

Bose SoundTrue Ultra Earphones for $70 w/FS [updated]

The iOS offer below expired but now it’s Android time! The Android version of the Bose SoundTrue Ultra Earphones is on sale for $70 with free shipping at NewEGG by NewEgg actual until Wednesday night 2/14/18. No promo code needed this time!

This offer expired: Good until Wednesday at 11:59pm pacific time, NewEgg is offering as one of their daily deals (the Shell Shocker Thing, because …Eggs) the new condition Bose SoundTrue Ultra In-Ears in the charcoal color scheme with the iOS button configuration for $64 with free shipping using promo code EMCSPRPV2 with up to three pairs per customer at the sale price. Promo codes typically require an email address from NewEgg. This is sold and shipped by NewEgg, not iffy marketplace sellers.

February 7, 2018 Filed Under: in-ears Tagged With: ,

[DEAD] Friday’s Offers: Symphonized, SteelSeries

These Friday lightning deals expired too…

[Read more…]

February 7, 2018 Filed Under: in-ears

[DEAD] Hifiman RE-400i In-Ears for $35 w/free S&H

As of a 2/12/18 recheck, this sold out before its expiration and the listing is pulled, so it can no longer be ordered…

Electronics EXPO through NewEgg FLASH is offering the new condition Hifiman RE-400i in-ears for $35 with free shipping. This went live today and it is running for a full week (or earlier if sold out). Only the “i” model (iOS buttons) is on sale. The other two options are not listed at NewEgg FLASH. Limit up to thirty pairs per customer.

February 7, 2018 Filed Under: in-ears Tagged With:

[DEAD] Brainwavz HM5 Velor Memory Foam Earpads for $17

This particular offer expired but Brainwavz is a recurring feature at the Gold Box these days…

Live at the Amazonian Gold box up until 6:14pm ET tonight (2/8/18 Thursday) you can get the new condition Brainwavz HM5 Velor Memory Foam Replacements Earpads for the very specific price of $17.10 with free shipping for Prime members or with a $25+ order. The price before the sale went live was $22.50 last night. This is only available in one color option, the black velor you see in the listing where it averages 4.5 out of 5 based on 845 customer reviews.

February 7, 2018 Filed Under: accessories Tagged With: ,

New Blog Series: Headphones to …AVOID!

I am doing this blog for you, the audio fans, not the audio manufacturers! With this brand new blog series, I will guarantee that I will never be invited to cocktail parties by the audio manufacturers 🙂 It’s a brand new series, “Headphones to Avoid”. In this series, I am spotlighting headphones that have deal killer problems that make them a pain and a bad buy for consumers. The first subject/victim of this series is the Sony RF-995 RK, an otherwise well-made RF-wireless system (base and headset; not unlike the Sennheiser RS-series) which fails at its number one priority, wireless audio, with audible clicking with the slightest of body/head movements.

We have a text-and-pictures unboxing of this headphone, click on the picture below to get to our previous unboxing post…

February 6, 2018 Filed Under: website news Tagged With:

Used AudioQuest NightHawk Carbon Semi-Open Over-Ear for $449

The AudioQuest NightHawk Carbon Over-Ear Semi-Open go for $700 in new condition at authorized dealers but if you want to save some, marketplace seller “Audio Advice Online” is offered them in “Used – Like New” condition for $449 with free shipping through Amazon Warehouse Deals. These ship directly from them, they are not Prime eligible.

February 6, 2018 Filed Under: headphones Tagged With: , ,

Used PSB M4U ANC Headphones for $129

ListenUP of Colorado has the PSB M4U 2 Active Noise-Cancelling Headphones available in “Used – Very Good” condition for $129 with free shipping in your choice of black color scheme or white color scheme [CORRECTED messed up link] through Amazon Warehouse Deals. These ship directly from ListenUp in Colorado. Next close-up price is open-box for $149 in white by Gramophone of House Maryland.

February 6, 2018 Filed Under: headphones Tagged With: , ,

Repurpose This: 2pk Anker Universal Waterproof Case for $7

We have another “Repurpose This” item. If your [Edit: NOT “you are”] digital audio players or DAC/amps are shaped like a modern smartphone (or smaller), Anker is having a sale of their universal IPX8 waterproof cases, they are going for $8 as a 2-pack, sold by the Anker Direct store and the orders fulfilled by Amazon, so Prime members get free 2-day shipping (not an Add-On item).

February 6, 2018 Filed Under: accessories Tagged With: , ,

Save the Date: Lots of new Headphone Drops at NewEgg FLASH on Thursday/Friday

This is a heads-up! Looking at the upcoming schedule for new headphone listings at NewEgg FLASH, it looks like they will have a handful of potentially interesting headphones going live this week on Thursday and Friday. The sale prices are not revealed ahead of time, and neither are the sellers of each particular offer.

Among those scheduled:
+ Hifiman RE-400i
+ Fiio EX1ii 2nd generation
+ MEE X7 Wireless
+ Sony MDR-XB950N1
+ Plantronics Backbeat Sense SE

PS: unfortunately the DT 770 (80 ohm) PRO offer for $100 after promo code sold out before I could post it 🙁

February 6, 2018 Filed Under: store sale

AKG K181 DJ UE Reference Class On-Ears for $40 + S&H [MD]

If you are interested in AKG’s more serious attempts at DJ headphones, then it’s Massdrop time, where it is currently fully-unlocked and running for the next five days and change (from blog-posting time), it is the closed-back on-ear AKG K181 DJ UE Reference Class offered for $40 plus shipping and handling.

Since this is in co-operation with AKG, they come with a 2-year warranty. They will ship fairly quickly, mid-February 2018 by Massdrop. All sales final as usual.

February 6, 2018 Filed Under: headphones Tagged With: , ,

[DEAD] Thursday’s Offers: Brainwavz M2 IEMs, HM5 Velour Earpads, Etc

These lightning offerings expired…

[Read more…]

February 6, 2018 Filed Under: in-ears

Used Open-Box Chord Mojo DAC/amp for $450

It’s back down to $450 again for the “Used – Very Good” open-box condition CHORD Electronics Mojo DAC/amp with those marble-style buttons, offered at this price by real-world A/V dealer “HiDef Lifestyle” through Amazon Warehouse Deals. It ships directly from HiDef and it is not Prime eligible.

February 5, 2018 Filed Under: amps and dacs Tagged With: , ,

New Blog: Unboxing the Tennmak PRO In-Ears

The unboxing that was promised is here! I was supposed to be do this during the weekend but it fell behind! It is our customary Text and Pictures Unboxing of a chi-fi darling, the Tennmak PRO in-ears, in the black color scheme, without a mic. It was an impulse/review buy when they were on a lightning deal last week. A total of 18 useful pictures are included!

FAQ: Why Aren’t the Pictures Pretty/Professional?

One thing I keep forgetting to mention [I need to create an FAQ for the website] is this: “Why aren’t the pictures pretty/professional” like you see in magazines and hifi websites? The answer may surprise you!

1. I am not doing product marketing or advertising for the manufacturers or sponsor worship. The purpose of the pictures is to show the product and what’s included, not to make the product look like a beautiful work of art 🙂

2. professional pictures take time, and the more time I spend on pictures, the less time I can spend on audio-related things

3. I currently have a ghetto photography setup. It’s a basic lightbox thing, and I use either a simple digital camera or a smartphone (and occasionally a tablet if that’s the only thing that’s charged) to take pictures. I crop most of the published pictures but rarely do any post-processing/Photoshopping 🙂

February 5, 2018 Filed Under: website news Tagged With:

Sabaj DA3 portable USB DAC/amp for $90 after coupon

Clip-on coupons are all the rage at Amazon these days The official Sabaj (fulfilled by Amazon) store is having a $10 off clip-on coupon on either color scheme of the new condition Sabaj DA3 portable USB DAC/amp, dropping its price from $100 to $90, with free shipping (fulfilled by Amazon). It averages 4.4 out of 5 based on 13 customer reviews.

Note that this is offered for the same promotion from the Sabaj as “ships from China”. Since the price is the same, if you are in the US, the “fulfilled by Amazon” will arrive a lot faster!

February 5, 2018 Filed Under: amps and dacs Tagged With:

Anker ZOLO Liberty Truly Wireless for $80 after coupon

Anker revealed at CES 2018 their new ZOLO Liberty+ Truly Wireless Earbuds with Bluetooth 5.0. And as it is often the case, the previous model gets some discount. Their ZOLO Liberty (no +) model drops from $100 to $80 thanks to coupon code 9AAR5XQ4, sold by Anker Direct with the order fulfilled by Amazon.

There is certainly a level of convenience with the “Truly Wireless” genre, as long as they can stay in your ears [depending on what you are doing]. We have here a text and pictures unboxing of a different model, the Jaybird Run. It’s the only one I tried so far.

February 5, 2018 Filed Under: earbuds Tagged With: , , ,

Repurposing: 2pk Guitar Wall Hangers for $4

Their primary use is guitar wall hangers, but you could also repurpose them as headphone or earphone hangers or stand. IF they are strong enough to hold a guitar, they can certainly hold a headphone/earphone. This is not a lightning deal, so expiration time unknown It is a 2pk of Guitar Wall Hangers for $4. You can buy as many as you like.

Don’t tell the Amazon bots, but this is NOT an Add-On item, so if you are a Prime member, you can get one 2-pack for $4 and still get free 2-day shipping [or select no-rush shipping and get a $1 digital credit]

February 5, 2018 Filed Under: accessories Tagged With:

[DEAD] Wedn: Tao, Cowin, Cozy, Brainwavz, Etc

Wednesday along with its daily deals are over…

[Read more…]

February 5, 2018 Filed Under: accessories

[DEAD] Tue: refurb Beats Mixr DJ On-Ears (David Guetta) for $60 w/FS

This sale ended but A4C daily deals are typically of the recurring kind…

If you like neon yellow/white color scheme on-ear headphones, today may be the day. Running until Tuesday at 11:59pm eastern, as one of their daily deals, you can get the refurbished closed-back on-ear Beats Mixr (David Guetta Edition) by All4Cellular (A4C) for $60 with free shipping. These come with a 90-day-warranty from the seller A4C (not Apple/Beats).

February 5, 2018 Filed Under: headphones Tagged With: ,

[DEAD] Brainwavz Krudul Duo Earphone Hanger for $8

This expired…

Another one of the Amazonian Gold Box Brainwavz lightning deals is now live and in progress, running until 5:50pm ET today (Tuesday 2/6/18) you can get the new condition Brainwavz Krudul Duo Earphone Hanger for the very specific price of $8.35 with free shipping for Prime members or with a $25+ order. The price before the sale was $11 last night.

February 5, 2018 Filed Under: accessories Tagged With: ,

[DEAD] Brainwavz Replacement Memory Foam Earpads for $18

This lightning offering expired…

[Read more…]

February 5, 2018 Filed Under: accessories Tagged With: ,

[DEAD] Denon AVR-X2300W 7.2 Channel Full 4K Ultra HD AV Receiver with Bluetooth for $341

This limited time offer expired…

Another one of the Gold Box offers we previously mentioned as scheduled is currently in progress, running until 11:30pm eastern today (Tuesday 2/6/18), and it is generating traction, 45% claimed as of the time of writing, the new condition Denon AVR-X2300W 7.2 Channel Full 4K Ultra HD AV Receiver with Bluetooth for $341~ with free shipping, sold by real world A/V dealer “HiDef Lifestyle” with the order fulfilled by Amazon (Prime shipping for members). The price before the sale was $450.

February 5, 2018 Filed Under: audio gear Tagged With:

Sony WH-1000X M2 Closed Over-Ear BT/ANC drop to $298

Just like the Bose discount mentioned earlier today, Sundays often bring in new manufacturer-initiated discounts that are part of their *cough* price control *cough* MAP pricing. Which brings us to the Sony WH-1000X M2, which despite the slightly different name, it is the second generation model of the MDR-1000X. The new condition M2 is on sale in either color scheme for $298 per pair at Amazon actual (limit three per color) along with BuyDIG
and Focus and such…

February 4, 2018 Filed Under: headphones Tagged With: , ,

Audeze iSine VR planar-magnetic earphones for $180

The convergence of technology makes for strange retailer bedfellows. At the moment you can get the new condition iSine VR planar-magnetic earphones for $180 at Think Geek of all places. Only the VR version is available. These are not eligible for site-wide Thinkgeek coupon discounts.

February 4, 2018 Filed Under: headset, in-ears Tagged With: ,