The Audio Files
Your place for audio reviews, news, learning, and guides from our experts.
Prisma Lumen: The New Standard of All-Around Excellence
With Lumen, Prisma puts the rest of the IEM market on notice: All-around excellence is indeed achievable, but only when manufacturers care more about versatility and craftsmanship than they care about hype. Join listener as they review one of the most important IEMs of this generation.
I was not expecting this - Thieaudio Cypher Review
A mid-forward tuning with rich vocals, soft treble, light bass, sounds pretty agreeable, but is this $399 headphone worth it if it also comes with QC concerns?
Listener's CanJam NYC 2026 Impressions
Join listener as they recount the best, worst, and most surprising gear from CanJam NYC 2026.
We measured our HRTFs to try PERFECT headphone sound
We traveled to the UK to measure our own HRTFs at Imperial College London, pushing headphone reviews toward truly personalized science.
Latest Reviews
View all
Prisma Lumen: The New Standard of All-Around Excellence
With Lumen, Prisma puts the rest of the IEM market on notice: All-around excellence is indeed achievable, but only when manufacturers care more about versatility and craftsmanship than they care about hype. Join listener as they review one of the most important IEMs of this generation.
I was not expecting this - Thieaudio Cypher Review
A mid-forward tuning with rich vocals, soft treble, light bass, sounds pretty agreeable, but is this $399 headphone worth it if it also comes with QC concerns?
Listener's CanJam NYC 2026 Impressions
Join listener as they recount the best, worst, and most surprising gear from CanJam NYC 2026.
Hifiman Ananda Unveiled Review - ONE Big Problem
Hifiman's Ananda Unveiled delivers a solid overall balance, but for Resolve, a sharp 7–9 kHz treble peak makes it fatiguing and potentially hard to recommend.
Latest Buying Guides
View all
Buying Guide: Best DACs, Headphone Amps and DAC/Amp Combos to buy in 2026
As we head into 2026, join us at The Audio Files as we round up some of the best and most compelling products in audio source gear. No matter if you're looking to spend a few hundred, or thousands for the best you can get, we've got you covered!
The Best High-End IEMs (Unlimited Budget) - Start of 2026 Edition
Wonder what the best IEMs in the world with an unlimited budget are? Fc-Construct gives you some of his top choices that are worthy of attention.
The Best IEMs Under $2,500 - Start of 2026 Edition
Looking for the best IEMs under $2,500? The Headphones.com reviewer team has you covered with our favorite picks for the luxury end of the IEM market.
The Best IEMs Under $1,000 - Start of 2026 Edition
Looking for the best IEMs under $1,000? The Headphones.com reviewer team has you covered with our favorite picks, with some context on the state of the IEM market.
Latest Features
View all
We measured our HRTFs to try PERFECT headphone sound
We traveled to the UK to measure our own HRTFs at Imperial College London, pushing headphone reviews toward truly personalized science.
Headphone reviews need a reset.
Resolve explains why our new headphone ranking system gives lower scores than expected—and why that reset is necessary to raise industry standards.
The Headphone Show's EQ Tier List
EQ tier lists sound useful—but they’re built on a misunderstanding. Here’s why headphone rankings for EQ don’t work, and what listeners should focus on instead.
Latest News
View all
Audeze Maxwell 2 Officially Announced
Audeze has just announced the release of the Maxwell 2, the much anticipated follow-up to the original Maxwell, Audeze's best-selling entry in the gaming headset market.
ASUS ROG x HiFiMan: New Flagship Hi-Fi Gaming Headset at CES 2026
ASUS has just teased a new upcoming flagship gaming headset in partnership with HiFiMan to be revealed at CES 2026. Here's what we might expect from this.
New Audeze LCD-S20 Press Release with Initial Reviewer Commentary
Audeze has recently announced the release of their new closed back planar headphone, the LCD-S20. Fc-Construct gives us a rundown on its specs and provides some initial commentary.
Focal releases Bathys MG Wireless Closed-Back Headphones
Focal pushes back the boundaries of wireless sound excellence with Bathys MG headphones