THE HONEST AUDIOPHILE

Why Gaming Reviews of Audiophile Gear Confuse the Community — And Why Audiophile Gear Works for Gaming (But Not the Other Way Around) There’s a strange asymmetry in the audio world that almost no one talks about: Audiophile gear often works beautifully for gaming. Gaming‑tuned gear almost never works well for music. And yet, gaming content creators have become some of the loudest voices reviewing IEMs and headphones. Their videos reach millions of people, and their vocabular

Why You Shouldn’t Trust Me (Or Any Reviewer) An Honest Audiophile Perspective Today I want to have a real conversation with you — not about gear, not about measurements, not about tuning curves — but about trust . And specifically, why you shouldn’t trust me. Or any reviewer. Not blindly. Not automatically. Not completely. This isn’t a “gotcha” article. This isn’t drama. This is about honesty, transparency, and helping you become a smarter, more confident listener. Because th

THE HONEST AUDIOPHILE — SHILL DETECTOR CHECKLIST A simple way to spot hype, hidden bias, and “giant‑killer” nonsense. 1. Praise Before Proof If the reviewer starts with: • “This thing is amazing.” • “Absolute bargain.” • “This destroys XXX twice the price.” before showing any testing, that’s a red flag. Honest reviews test first, conclude second. 2. “They sent it to me, but they don’t influence my review.” This line is almost always a script cue, not a guarantee. If the di

Introduction — Why Ear Tips Deserve More Attention Ear tips are one of the most overlooked parts of an IEM, yet they shape more of the sound than most people realize. They control the seal, the bass response, the upper‑mid energy, the staging, the comfort, and even how the driver loads your ear canal. Swap the tips, and you can turn a warm IEM bright, a bright IEM smooth, or a lean IEM full. This guide breaks down why ear tips matter, how they influence tuning, why I always r

Why The Honest Audiophile Reviews Without Processing — and What That Means for You The audiophile world is full of tools designed to help listeners shape, modify, and personalize their sound. PEQdB, AutoEQ, DSP systems, and target‑curve software are becoming increasingly popular — and they can absolutely be useful. But they’re often misunderstood, and they’re frequently used in ways that blur the line between evaluating  sound and changing  sound. This article explains where

In recent weeks and over the past months, I’ve seen an increase in posts and videos claiming that people with higher body fat have “worse ears,” that their hearing is “inflamed,” or that their impressions are inherently unreliable. Some of these claims are framed as science, some as personal revelation, and some as blunt opinion — but all of them misrepresent how hearing actually works. Because this hobby depends on trust, clarity, and respect, it’s important to address these

A complete framework for becoming a better listener Listening is more than hearing. It’s a craft — a skill built through intention, consistency, and curiosity. In a hobby full of hype cycles, spec sheets, and endless debates, it’s easy to lose sight of the only thing that truly matters: the music. The How to Listen (Master Guide)  brings the focus back where it belongs. It distills years of reviewing, teaching, refining, and re‑evaluating into a clear, practical process anyon

In a hobby overflowing with opinions, personalities, and endless streams of content, identifying a trustworthy audio reviewer has become increasingly difficult. The rise of social media, forums, livestreams, and YouTube channels has created a landscape where anyone can publish a review — regardless of experience, knowledge, or listening skill. Some reviewers offer genuine insight. Others unintentionally spread misinformation. Others knowingly prioritize hype over honesty. For

The audiophile reviewer community is currently grappling with a significant and troubling issue: the excessive promotion of products that...

Audiophile reviews have been around for longer than my 49 years of life. Since the era of monthly magazine subscriptions, audiophiles...

Back in November 2021, I created my first reference‑track list to help explain what I listen for when evaluating audio gear. I still use many of those tracks today, but over time my listening habits have evolved, and so has the music I rely on. Some songs have stayed, others have been replaced, and many new tracks have earned a permanent place in my testing rotation. Another major change since then is how I listen. I use Tidal and Amazon HD far less than I did four years ago.

People frequently inquire about the USB-C DAC/Amp dongles I use in everyday, non-review scenarios. Honestly, I'm usually in reviewer...

People often ask me which headphones I use every day. To be frank, I'm typically in reviewer mode, so I use products that are either...

People frequently inquire about which IEM I use daily. To be completely honest, I'm usually in reviewer mode, so I tend to use products...

I typically don't create reaction pieces to content from other channels, but I'm making an exception this time. I recently discovered an...