R-Rated

Fostex HP-A4 Headphone Amplifier / DA ($399.00)

The Fostex  HPA-4 Headphone Amplifier / DA ($399.00 USD) and HiFiMAN RE-600 "Songbird, S" we rate as R-Rated audio. The Back is not much to look at, but boy, look at the front panel. Quite a change from the Teac UD-301: the reflections in the glass are delightful and faithfully reminiscent of 1970's electronic component design, and yet the sound and handling are pure 2014: double-rate (5.6 MHz) DSD, along with a solid 24/192 studio (24-bit) replay.

We like the sheen of the knobs, the sexy ultra-thin screen printing of the panel selector labels, and the HPA logo itself is just grand. It makes us think of giving the back-connectors some attention, and bringing them to Hi Fi Art Level of the Lumin S1.

http://www.fostexinternational.com/docs/products/HP-A4.shtml

Gucci Bamboo Silver Necklace ($599.00 CDN)

The HiFIMAN RE-600S and Songbird models are upgraded audiophile models of their ubber-popular RE-400 model.

That model is reminiscent of Gucci's silver bamboo necklace, shown below, of which we have two-pair. For our third, we intend to have Yamaha lacquer em to the black sheen of their Custom Phoenix Alto Saxophones. Anyhow, the HiFIMAN RE-600 S and Songbird, are cosmetically similar to the end-tips of the Gucci bamboo necklace and RE-400, in design. Just black-plated, as we'd like our Gucci lacquered.

While talking about R-Rated Audio, we should also bring up the Final Audio Pandora Hope Headphone, which comes in a delightful fur-lined box. This we hope to use as a jewelry box, and give the headphones themselves away, as they aren't quite to our taste.

You can see we like the silver of the Fostex and the black of the RE this Spring.

http://hifiman.com/Products/?pid=157