Yuin Pk3 Earbuds for $27 shipped [MD]

Actual Earbuds are making a mini resurgence, partially thanks to a variety of “pods” by Apple. Before the “Monks craze” there was Yuin, and right now, their Yuin Pk3 Earbuds are fully unlocked for $24 plus $3~ flat shipping at Massdrop. This offer has three more days left to go (from blog-posting date). Shipping estimate is early November. They are available in the black color scheme.

Speaking of the Monks, we have here an unboxing (text/pictures only) along with an in-progress diary-style review of the Monks Plus model.

October 13, 2016 Filed Under: earbuds Tagged With: ,

Massdrop x AKG K7XX Red Edition for $200

If you like tasteful red in your open-back headphones, the Massdrop x AKG K7XX Red Edition is back on again, going for $200 with free shipping with a late October 2016 shipping estimate. This is done in co-operation with AKG, so you get a 2-year AKG warranty. Offer ends in about seven days from today (= blog-posting date). A total of 190 units are available as part of this promotion and they are individually serialized (see picture #2 in the gallery over there for the number). I’m assuming the first song to hear on these is Chris deBurgh’s “Lady in Red”? 🙂

October 12, 2016 Filed Under: headphones Tagged With: , ,

Thinksound Wooden IEMs for $36 shipped [MD grab bag]

If you like wood in your in-ears, and like a bit of mystery and randomness, a new grab bag promotion is now live at members-only Massdrop, it’s a Thinksound Wooden IEMs offer, you pay $33 plus $3~ flat shipping and you randomly receive one pair of their IEMs out of six possibilities. 79% of available units are the ts02, so assume that’s the default. Limit two buys per customer during this offer which is limited to 1500 units and ends in about eight days from today (= blog posting date). Shipping estimate is early to mid November 2016.

October 12, 2016 Filed Under: in-ears Tagged With: , , ,

CEntrance DACport Slim (MD exclusive) for $100

Another Massdrop exclusive has rolled out, with eight days to go (from blog-posting date), it is the CEntrance DACport Slim, fully unlocked for $100 with free shipping and a Black Friday shipping estimate. There is no mention of warranty in the listing. They typically list the warranty and whether it is offered by MD or the manufacturer.

October 10, 2016 Filed Under: amps and dacs Tagged With: ,

Little Dot MK II Tube amp for $129 [MD]

It’s tubes, but not tubular bells at Massdrop, where the Little Dot MK II tube headphone-amp is now fully unlocked, going for $120 plus $9~ flat shipping. The offer has seven days left (from blog-posting date) and the shipping estimate is early November. MD is offering a 1-year warranty on this. During checkout you have the option to upgrade the tubes to more expensive models.

October 8, 2016 Filed Under: amps and dacs Tagged With: ,

TFZ Series 5S IEMs for $74 [MD]

The TFZ hype train continues to build up steam, and another model is now fully unlocked at members-only Massdrop, it is the TFZ Series 5S IEM going for $70 plus $4~ flat shipping with about eight days left (from blog-posting date) with a 1-year warranty from MD, and an early November shipment estimate. They have detailed pictures of what’s included (eartips, pouch, clips).

October 7, 2016 Filed Under: in-ears Tagged With: ,

AKG M220 Semi-Open Over-Ears for $58 [MD]

It’s back on again and it went fully unlocked quickly, with eight days to go (from blog-posting date), it is the semi-open over-ear AKG M220 studio headphone going for $50 plus $8~ flat shipping. One (unintentional?) homage to the AKG K240 is that this headphone weighs 240 grams (without the cable) 🙂 This will ship in early November 2016.

October 6, 2016 Filed Under: headphones Tagged With: , , ,

Two days left on LZ and TFZ IEMs [MD]

Sometimes having too many letters in your company’s name is too expensive, which is the theme of two more unlocked Massdrop offers, with two days to go (from blog-posting date). The LZ A3 Triple Hybrid IEMs go for $130 plus $4~ flat shipping, while the TFZ Series 1S IEMs go for $33 plus $4~ flat shipping. Color choices are available at checkout, and pictures aplenty of the kits are shown over there. Shipment is estimated to be late October 2016.

October 5, 2016 Filed Under: in-ears Tagged With: , ,

Accessories Unlocked: Earplugs and Stand [MD]

It’s accessories unlocked day at members-only Massdrop. The Rooth C&P Earplugs (hearing protection at live music events, these don’t play music) are unlocked at $18 plus $3 flat shipping with five different models / color schemes available at checkout… On the stands front, if your bananas decided to reclaim the banana stand and you need to get one of the headphones, the Just Mobile HeadStand is unlocked for $30 plus $8~ flat shipping. Three color options are available… Both offers are running for the next eight days (from blog-posting date, not the date you are reading this).

October 4, 2016 Filed Under: accessories Tagged With: , ,

Beyerdynamic DT 880 Premium (600 ohm) with Fiio A1, Slappa Case, 32GB card for $229

The new condition Beyerdynamic DT 880 PREMIUM (600 ohm) are currently unlocked for $218~ shipped at Massdrop with a late October shipment estimate, but in terms of bang for the buck, this offer is “defeated” by Beach Camera on Amazon offering them for $229 with a Slappa HardBody Case ($20 price on its own), along with the Fiio A1 tiny little amp ($28 on its own), and a 32GB Lexar microSD with reader.

October 2, 2016 Filed Under: headphones Tagged With: , , ,

Thinksound ON1 Headphones for $128 [MD]

The Wood Cult is one of the many special interest groups in headphones, perhaps only eclipsed by the Tubes Glow Cult 🙂 Which brings us to Massdrop, the new condition Thinksound ON1 Headphones are fully unlocked for $120 plus $8~ flat shipping. The offer is running for the next eight days (from blog-posting date) and comes with a 2-year warranty and will ship in late October 2016. Around 120 units are available for this particular offer per the listing.

October 1, 2016 Filed Under: headphones Tagged With: , ,

Massdrop x AKG K7XX Open-Back for $200

It’s back on again, the Massdrop x AKG K7XX open-back headphones are fully unlocked and going for $200 with free shipping. The offer is running for the next eight days (from blog-posting date, not the date you are reading this), comes with a 2-year AKG warranty and is estimated to ship mid-October 2016, which is fast by MD standards 🙂 A total of 590 units are available for this particular offering.

September 28, 2016 Filed Under: headphones Tagged With: ,

Kennerton Magisters for $350 to $700 [MD]

Never a dull moment in the world of headphones these days, many and more new models and brands surface left and right, which brings us to the Kennerton Magisters being offered and fully unlocked at Massdrop. There are two options, the “Light” go for $350, while the standard non-Light go for $700. These are hand assembled in Russia and they allegedly use solid bog oak from trees older than 2000 years old. They have 64 ohm impedance and MD covers the warranty (the standard 1-year). Shipment is late October 2016, and the offer is running for the next seven days.

September 27, 2016 Filed Under: headphones Tagged With: , , ,

MEE Audio MMCX Cables for $28+ (fits various in-ears) [MD]

MEE Audio (formerly MEE Electronics) is diversifying with detachable cables that cannot only be used in their own P1 Pinnacle in-ears, but a handful of other popular brands that have models with MMCX. Their MEE Audio MMCX Cables are currently fully unlocked at Massdrop for $25 plus $3.50 flat shipping (without mic) or $30 plus $3.50 flat shipping for the mic/remote cable. The offer has seven days to go (from blog-posting date; approximate since MD does not provide an exact expiration date/time). Warranty is 1-year from MD, and the purchases will ship late October 2016.

On the other hand, if you don’t want to wait and instead prefer near-instant delivery, you can get them for $30 (no mic/remote) or $35 (with mic/remote) at Amazon.com, with the usual free shipping terms.

NOTE that not every MMCX earphone works with these. Check the listings at both places for more details.

September 27, 2016 Filed Under: accessories Tagged With: ,

Vibes High-Fidelity Earplugs for $21 [MD]

These earplugs are all about hearing protection when listening to loud live music, but you could also use them to troll your friends, trying to convince them they are new Apple AirPods 🙂 It’s the Vibes High-Fidelity Earplugs fully unlocked at Massdrop for $18 plus $3~ flat shipping. The offer runs for the next eight days and comes with a 1-year warranty from Massdrop, with a late October 2016 shipping estimate.

If you don’t want to wait for that long, they are sold by Vibes for $24 with the orders fulfilled by Amazon, so a Prime membership gets them to your door in 2-ish days.

September 26, 2016 Filed Under: accessories Tagged With: , ,

WoodLab Royal Glam Headphone Stand for $59 [MD]

If you are part of the “audio wood” fan club, another offer has unlocked at Massdrop, with eight days to go (from blog-posting date = today), it is the WoodLab Royal Glam Headphone Stand going for $50 plus $9~ flat shipping. Three finishes are available, which you can select at checkout. Shipment estimate is early November 2016, patience is after all something heavily encouraged by the trees 🙂

September 26, 2016 Filed Under: accessories Tagged With: , ,

XDuoo XD-05 DAC/Amp for $168 [MD]

Unlocked at Massdrop, the XDuoo XD-05 DAC/Amp is going for $160 plus $8~ flat shipping in the next six days or so. This is available in black or silver. It has a display and even includes …wrist bands. They will ship late October 2016.

If you prefer a lower price and are willing to buy directly from China, it goes for under $160 with free shipping from GearBest and Everbuying.

Speaking of Massdrop, with just one day left, the Colorfly C3 Digital Audio Player is going for $45 plus $3~ flat shipping. You can optionally upgrade to the 8GB version for +$10. It does have a memory card slot too, so the on-board storage is not such a big deal (think Sandisk Clip+).

September 25, 2016 Filed Under: amps and dacs Tagged With: ,

Thinksound ms02 IEMs for $68 [MD]

Another one is live, the Thinksound ms02 IEMs have reached their lowest price tier under this offer at Massdrop, going for $60 plus $8~ flat shipping. The offer runs for the next 7 days (from blog-posting date), and comes with a 1-year warranty and will ship in mid-October 2016.

September 24, 2016 Filed Under: in-ears Tagged With: , ,

Shanling M5 DAP for $348 [MD]

More DAP action, this time at Massdrop, where the slow-burn finally got the Shanling M5 digital audio player fully unlocked for $340 plus $8 flat shipping. This is available in either black or silver color schemes and can support up to 32-bit 384 kHz and DSD 64 and 128. This will ship in mid-October 2016. All sales are final and the offer has another six days to go (from blog-posting time).

If you instead prefer near-instant gratification, it offered for $400 with free S&H by ShenZenAudio through NewEgg Flash.

September 23, 2016 Filed Under: digital audio players Tagged With: ,

Little Dot I+ Headphone Amp for $99 [MD]

Another day, yet another offer is currently fully-unlocked at the members-only Massdrop shopping club (free to join though). It is the Little Dot I+ Headphone Amp going for $90 plus $9~ flat shipping. This has seven days to go (from today = blog-posting date) and it is estimated to ship in early November 2016, so patience is an audiophile virtue 🙂 It comes with a 1-year manufacturer warranty. This is a tuby amp-only, as it is visually hinted by the inputs and outputs. Optionally at checkout there are two options for tube upgrades for +$13 or +$28.

September 23, 2016 Filed Under: headphones Tagged With: ,

Earsonics Velvet IEMs for $533 [MD]

IEMs are multiplying like bunnies these days, it’s a fully time job keeping up with them. And this is happening across the board, it’s not just bandwagon consumer price-tier models. Which brings us to the Earsonics Velvet IEMs, currently fully unlocked at Massdrop for $520 plus $13~ flat shipping. This is an “all sales final” offer, and is running for the next eight days (from blog-posting date). They come with a 1-year warranty from MD and ship mid-to-late October 2016.

Their claim to fame is a tunable sound signature, a tool is included to switch between the three options. Or you can use your Jedi mind powers to change the position 🙂

September 22, 2016 Filed Under: in-ears Tagged With: ,

Vsonic GR02 Bass Edition In-Ears for $25 [MD]

Another offer is now unlocked at the members-only shopping-club Massdrop, it is the Vsonic GR02 Bass Edition going for $22 plus $3~ flat shipping. It comes with many colorful eartips (an easy way to tell left from right as I discovered with the Monk Plus) and a basic pouch and a 1-year warranty from Massdrop (not the manufacturer). Considering the price, worrying about the warranty is probably not a big deal. The shipping estimate mid-to-late October 2016, and the offer is running for the next 8 days (from blog-posting date).

If you don’t want to wait that long, and you are a Prime member, you can get them for $30 from “Lend Me UR Ears” with the orders fulfilled by Amazon. “Lend Me UR Ears” is in Singapore, but “fulfilled by Amazon” means they sent a box of items to an Amazon USA warehouse and they get shipped with all the other shipped-by-Amazon items.

September 22, 2016 Filed Under: in-ears Tagged With: ,

Dekoni Premium Ear Pads for Fostex TH-X00 for $36 [MD]

This is a very specific offer but considering this is a popular headphone at MassDrop (MD), it makes sense that they would be offering this, it is the Dekoni Premium Ear Pads for them, going for $32 plus $4~ flat shipping. Optionally you can upgrade to Sheepskin for +$13. The offer is running for the next 7 days (from blog-posting date), comes with a 1-year warranty from MD, and will ship late October 2016. This is an “all sales final” type of an offer.

September 21, 2016 Filed Under: accessories Tagged With: ,

AKG K553 PRO Closed Over-Ears for $120 [MD]

This is the first (in reverse chronological order that is) of a handful of Massdrop posts today, they are back, the closed-back over-ear AKG K553 PRO headphones are fully unlocked for $120 with free shipping. The offer is running for the next seven days (from blog-posting date), and will ship in mid-October 2016. It comes with a 2-year AKG warranty as MD and AKG have been increasing their co-operation in recent months.

September 20, 2016 Filed Under: headphones Tagged With: ,

Thinksound ON2 Headphones for $178 [MD]

Another offer at Massdrop got the mid-week bump and it is now fully unlocked, it is wooden earcup time with the Thinksound ON2 Headphones going for $170 plus $8~ flat shipping. The offer has four more days to go (from blog-posting date), and comes with a 2-year warranty from the manufacturer, and will ship in early October 2016. These have detachable cables (two are included).

September 20, 2016 Filed Under: headphones Tagged With: ,

DarkVoice 336SE OTL Head-Amp for $233 [MD]

Another offer is now fully unlocked at members-only Massdrop, and it has four days to go (from blog-posting date), it is the DarkVoice 336SE OTL Head-Amp going for $220 plus $13~ flat shipping, with a mid-to-late October 2016 shipping estimate. This is an amp-only (it only has analogue inputs).

September 20, 2016 Filed Under: amps and dacs Tagged With: ,

Fanmusic E6 IEMs for $38 [MD]

It’s unlocking day it seems at Massdrop, yet another offer is now at its lowest during this promotion, it is the Fanmusic E6 IEMs with mic/remote (1 button) going for $35 plus $3~ flat shipping. They come with multiple eartip sizes and a basic drawstring pouch. Shipment estimate is mid-October 2016 and the offers runs for the next eight days (from blog-posting date, since MD does not post an actual expiration date, only a “X Days Left”).

September 20, 2016 Filed Under: in-ears Tagged With: ,

Grace Design x Massdrop m9XX DAC/Amp for $500

Dave Matthews thinks Grace is Gone, but it is back at Massdrop, another one of their exclusive is back on and fully unlocked, the Grace Design x Massdrop m9XX DAC/Amp going for $500 with free shipping, with seven days left in the offer, with 250 units available for this particular listing. The shipment estimate is mid-October and the listing there has plenty of pictures and specs.

September 20, 2016 Filed Under: amps and dacs Tagged With: ,

SMSL IDOL+ DAC/Amp for $35 shipped [MD]

The parade of small USB DAC/amps continues with the SMSL IDOL+ DAC/Amp currently going for $32 plus $3~ flat shipping at the members-only (but free to join) shopping website Massdrop. There are seven days left in the offer, it comes with a 1-year warranty from MD (not the manufacturer) and shipments will begin in mid-October 2016.

September 18, 2016 Filed Under: amps and dacs Tagged With: ,

Creative Sound Blaster X7 DAC/Amp for $320 [MD]

It took a couple of days but the Creative Sound Blaster X7 DAC/amp combo device is now fully unlocked at members-only Massdrop going for $300 plus $20 flat shipping, with five days left in the offer (from blog-posting date). You can optionally upgrade to the Limited Edition for +$100. Shipping estimate is mid October 2016.

September 18, 2016 Filed Under: amps and dacs Tagged With: ,

SP ATH-M50x Velour Earpads for $25 shipped [MD]

The Audio Technica M50x are popular enough their accessories are becoming stars 😉 Which brings us to another unlocked Massdrop offering, it is the Sound Professionals (the brand name) Velour Earpads for the M50x going for $22 plus $3~ flat shipping. There are five colors to choose from. The pads don’t just fit the M50x, they also fit the whole new Mx0x lineup (M20X to M50X) along with the good old M50. Shipping estimate is early October and there are about eight days (from blog posting date) to go on this offer.

September 14, 2016 Filed Under: accessories Tagged With: ,

Massdrop Objective 2 (O2) Headphone Amplifier for $88

Another day, another unlocked offer at Massdrop, it’s their offering of the Objective 2 (O2) Headphone Amplifier going for $80 plus $8~ flat shipping. But that’s not all. You can also get the Desktop version for $15 more, or the 1.0 version for $10 less. The options are available during checkout. Pictures and details over there, with eight days left in the offer, and an early October 2016 shipping estimate.

September 14, 2016 Filed Under: amps and dacs Tagged With: ,

Etymotic Research HF5 in-ears for $104 [MD]

Massdrop continues to expand its offering, just today I saw some A19 LED light bulbs there. Not smart lightbulbs, just a 4pk of simple LED ones 🙂 Regardless, another offer has gone fully unlocked, it’s a small discount versus the other retailers, but a discount it is, the Etymotic Research HF5 in-ears going for $100 plus $4~ flat shipping with a reasonable early October 2016 shipping estimate. Two colors are available. The drop ends in 8 days from today but could end earlier because only 50 units are available (I don’t know if it’s 50 per color or total).

If you don’t want to wait for MD, you can get it for $110 with free shipping at B&H Photo’s.

September 13, 2016 Filed Under: in-ears Tagged With: ,

AKG K7XX RED (Massdrop exclusive) for $200

Melisandre’s favorite AKG headphone, the Red edition of the open-back over-ear AKG K7xx, a another Massdrop-exclusive model, is back on again, going for $200 with free shipping and with 10 days to go from today (= blog-posting date). These are serialized units and a total of exactly 622 units is available. Maybe the oddball number is because some of them are taken out to be included as prizes in grab bags? 🙂

These have a reasonable shipping estimate, October 10 in 2016.

September 13, 2016 Filed Under: headphones Tagged With: , ,

Massdrop Unlocked Trio: XDuoo X3 DAP for $98 and more

A trio of new offers are currently fully unlocked at members-only Massdrop, with all three offers having about seven days to go from today. They are:

  • XDuoo X3 DAP for $94 plus $4 shipping
  • FX Audio DAC-X6 DAC/amp for $62 + $8 S&H
  • SMSL Ivy Micro-USB DAC/Amp for Android for $20 + $3 S&H (this is tiny)

Shipping estimate is early-to-mid October 2016, a slightly different date for each one of the above items.

NOTE: The SMSL Android model requires a micro-USB port (we have to say that now that USB-C is becoming more common) and the phone must have the necessary support for audio to flow through the micro USB port).

September 11, 2016 Filed Under: amps and dacs, digital audio players Tagged With: , , ,