Long-term mini-reviews: Brise Audio Fugaku, Nipo N2, R2R2000, AK SP3000T, DX340 MAX, HiFiMAN HM-801 and etc.
Long-term mini-reviews: Brise Audio Fugaku, Nipo N2, R2R2000 Black, DX340 MAX & HiFiMAN HM-801
I haven't posted anything here in a while. So, during that time, I've had the chance to check out quite a few interesting (and sometimes controversial) pieces of gear. Here are my thoughts on them:
1. Brise Audio Fugaku
- MSRP: $17,000+
- What it is: One of the most expensive IEM systems in the world, consisting of an active crossover, an amplifier, and the IEMs themselves.
I can't really call it 100% portable — the control box is quite heavy and operates, well, rather oddly. For example, on headphones priced at $17k, you can actually hear the physical amplifier turning on and off. Not quite the premium customer experience you'd expect at this price point.
Sound & Verdict: The sound is good, but whether it’s genuinely worth $17,000 is a purely rhetorical question.
2. Nipo N2
- What it is: An interesting DAP, but unfortunately, the build quality is disappointing.
The volume wheel is wobbly, and the firmware is typical Android without even a dedicated audio menu — all audio settings have to be managed exclusively through the notification shade. The sound is decent, but the price is clearly inflated, and while it probably boasts impressive power figures on paper, in reality, it doesn't feel all that powerful.
Verdict: If I had to choose a player, I'd probably just go with a tried-and-true DAP for the same price.
3. Hifiman R2R2000 Black
- What it is: A compact and lightweight player built around the PCM1704K chip.
Firmware definitely isn't its strong point, and the price remains quite high even by today's standards. It delivers a typical R2R sound with a bit more detail than usual — which is probably a nice touch for a portable player, but nothing groundbreaking beyond that.
4. iBasso DX340 MAX
- What it is: A chunky DAP.
Sound-wise, it's okay, but it's both expensive and very thick despite the weight. The metal finish doesn't feel quite as premium as Astell&Kern's Ultima series, and the overall "unboxing / luxury" experience falls a bit short of the competition.
Verdict: It does have its advantages — like genuinely good bass — and overall, the sound signature is quite interesting.
5. HiFiMAN HM-801
- What it is: The legendary 801 paired with a balanced card.
In my opinion, the price is simply too high today. This is much more of a collector's item than something meant for daily use. Mini-USB ports, questionable overall build quality, impossible-to-find chargers, and batteries of dubious origin leave you with way too many headaches.
Sound & Verdict: It delivers a typical R2R sound with surprisingly good detail for its architecture (I'd say it's somewhat comparable to the QLS MUB5 / modern equivalents like Ibasso D17 sources). But bottom line? It seems much more reasonable to grab a modern alternative. What was considered top-tier sound 15 years ago has been matched or beaten by modern gear, and the romanticized stories about "super-grade PCM1704K chips and high-precision resistors" belong firmly in the past.