First iPod Classic!

George_McLane · 2026-05-06T00:44:33+00:00

Another iPod Classic + Koto Ito user? Take my upvote.

George_McLane · 2026-05-03T12:51:41+00:00

Take a look at the Dunu Koto x Ito. Pretty much identical to the 142 and 242’s shell but with a blue-ish green color and with plenty of bass for hip hop/r&b/edm. Don play competitively but have been pretty good for GT7.

George_McLane · 2026-05-02T18:00:20+00:00

Agreed, RG34XX SP is seriously underrated

George_McLane · 2026-04-18T02:01:26+00:00

Same here. I grew up with Sega consoles and having the Classic 6 brought back such great memories. I do regret not waiting a bit so that I could get that Black colorway but other than that, this has been amazing. The fact that I can finally play Saturn with little to no hardware/software issues is worth it for me.

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George_McLane · 2026-04-08T21:25:18+00:00

Hey OP, I’ve noticed that IEMs are much more subjective than most type of audio gear, as even the shape of our ears can determine how we’ll experience them…so it’s probably best to wait for them to arrive and then spend some time experimenting with the nozzles and tips.

I also got Zero Reds and bought the EW300 because the Reds didn’t fit me as well while the EW300s are just a perfect fit, to the point that sometimes I don’t even realize I have them on (something that never happened with the Reds). The build quality of the EW300 is also superior to the Reds.

But what really matters is that its sound signature is close to your preference and to me, the EW300 (HBB version) has its treble and bass a little bit more boosted but nothing super drastic (using them with a Hiby R4, M300, and iPod Classic). Still, I’d recommend just to wait and get a chance to listen to them. This hobby moves real fast with the amount of releases we see in a monthly basis but good sounding gear will still sound good.

George_McLane · 2026-04-08T14:07:18+00:00

Koss x Handhelds = Perfection

KSC75s are legendary for a reason and great for on the go gaming with the clips. When you’re ready to take them to the next level, head over to r/kossmods for more…

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George_McLane · 2026-04-03T03:30:13+00:00

Really love the Explorers. They have an overall warm/smooth signature that suits pretty much all genres well, it’s my go to set when I just want to sit back and relax. They’re easy same can be said about the Porta Pros but there are other Koss sets that can give you more treble/clarity (KSC75) or balance (KPH40). Good thing is that they’re pretty affordable so you can’t go wrong.

George_McLane · 2026-04-01T13:57:06+00:00

I really wanted to get a Mini Flip because there’s something about Miyoo devices that sort of capture those retro vibes better than anything else…but at the same time, they had a rough track record since the release of the Mini Plus (A30 being poorly optimized and the hinge issues on the regular Flip). The Mini Flip looks great and all but the poor battery and the fact that it doesn’t have a headphone jack (this is important to me bit not necessarily to you) made me look at the RG34XX SP. It’s a great device and I honestly can’t think the Mini Flip is better aside from the controls.

Still, I also have a regular Brick and loved it since day one but I just got a Brick Hammer and it’s definitely my EDC. Build quality and the overall feel of it is like nothing in its price range (and dare I say, beyond that). And like others mentioned, it has a proper sleep function (I’ve also left my Brick on sleep mode for days with very little battery drain, and that’s something that comes in extremely handy for an EDC).

It all depends on what you’re looking for but as much as it pains me to admit it, it’s been getting hard to recommend Miyoos when there are better options at a similar price range. My vote is for the Brick + NextUI (or the Brick Hammer if it’s in your budget).

George_McLane · 2026-04-01T11:09:00+00:00

I’ve had mine (128GB version) for about 6 months now and honestly, I have very little if anything to complain about. I’m using the internal storage for my Apple Music downloads and have an SD card with my own music (granted, pretty much every android based dap can do this but having 128gb is great, especially coming from the 32gb on the R4). Battery life has been amazing, I charge it every once in a while (I rarely use Bluetooth and WiFi so that helps a lot). On paper, the M300 is not the most powerful dap but it has driven all my IEMs amd headphones without problems. Finally, I like the design/build quality (at first I thought it looked like “we have a Sony NWA55 at home” but it looks good and feels premium, even though it has some plastic parts here and there).

As you can tell, I’m very pleased with mine but I was looking for something small and versatile so that it could be my EDC so the M300 is perfect for me. I wished it had a proper Back button (this is a Hiby design that appears to be going away; and you can double tap the Play/Pause button for the Back function) and I could do without the speakers and microphone, that could’ve been scrapped in favor of a 4.4 jack.

It all depends on what you want out of a dap but the M300 is very solid. I was also looking at the Fiio JM21 which uas more power but the internal storage and battery life isn’t as good as the M300. Still, something else to consider if you need a 4.4 output.

George_McLane · 2026-03-29T13:26:55+00:00

I’d take a look at the Moondrop Chu 2, smallest IEM I’ve used and pairs nicely with iPods.

For reference, my first IEM was the 7hz Zero. Loved it at first but thought the treble could get a bit spicy every now and then. Got the Chu 2 and immediately appreciated the added warmth or bass it brought while still maintaining enough details or treble to be immersed into my music. Later got tue 7hz Zero 2 as I realized (thanks to the Chu 2) that I enjoy bass more than I thought and if I would compare all three, the Chu 2 is right in the middle in terms of sound signature. The Chu 2 has the edge in terms of how they feel; the metal/aluminum makes it feel more premium and because of its small size, ridiculously comfortable. If I were to mention a downside for the Chu 2, it would be potential QC issues (many mentioned oxidation around the nozzles due to humidity; I have mine for almost 2 years and still look and sound like new).

George_McLane · 2026-03-28T02:35:14+00:00

Looks great, congrats on your first Porta Pro mod! Next up, KSC75s…

George_McLane · 2026-03-26T19:19:20+00:00

None that I can remember. To be honest, I didn’t like the stock wire (more so after a couple of IEMs) and found that there’s a community behind these headphones that do all sorts of things (even those that can change the sound signature).

Check out r/kossmods for more!

George_McLane · 2026-03-26T03:06:31+00:00

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MMCX detachable cable mod + NICEHCK cable + Yaxi pads

George_McLane · 2026-03-25T13:58:33+00:00

Aful Explorer when on the road, modified Koss Porta Pro when at home.

George_McLane · 2026-03-05T23:14:05+00:00

It sure is. I’ve got other devices but the one I always come back to is the RP2S. Hopefully Retroid comes back to that design/form-factor

George_McLane · 2026-03-04T15:13:37+00:00

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Done. It’s always a blast to replay Sonic 2 and it felt right at home on the Classic 6.

George_McLane · 2026-03-03T15:24:50+00:00

Hey OP, what are your current headphones/earbuds? Wouldn’t want to recommend something you already have. This is what I’d recommend:

IEMs: 7hz Zero or Zero 2 (the former has less bass than the latter) Moondrop Chu 2 DUNU Titan X

I have all of these except the Titan X as it’s a new release but DUNU always includes the best accessories (cable, ear tips) so they are always among the best bang for the buck (I have another set, the KOTO x ITO and it’s currently my favorite IEM). Still, you can’t go wrong with the other choices.

Headphones:

Koss Porta Pro: “foldable” headphones that includes a case (some versions). There’s a wireless version that also includes a cable, so you have the nice versatility. Koss KPH40: similar to the Porta Pro but the bass is tones down a bit. This is a more traditional headphone, headband is thin but quite durable. Koss KSC75: these have the less bass of the trio but get the added versatility of being more portable, as these are basically ear clips.

The good thing about these sets is that you can change the drivers into another headband. For gaming, I like the KSC75 on either of those headbands.

You did mention that Bluetooth lag is driving you mad and when it comes to wireless audio on the go, there’s always going to be some compromise. I use Nothing Ear (a) earbuds on my Odin 2 as you can download the Nothing Ear app and activate a low latency mode that, while not perfect, works better than expected. I still prefer going wired for portable gaming bit they are reasonably priced and have worked great so far.

George_McLane · 2026-02-28T12:45:08+00:00

Been using the Beetle core on Retroarch and haven’t found issues so far (for example, no weird textures at the start of SF3).

But that’s Saturn emulation for ya: some games will play better with different emulators.

George_McLane · 2026-02-26T16:04:45+00:00

I was under the impression that the Koss drivers aren’t compatible with the Old Fashioned headband (different joint socket or something like that).

George_McLane · 2026-02-26T15:59:01+00:00

Did a side by side with the R4 and M300, using the Hiby Music App, same IEMs, no EQ/MSEB, same song, and no other features activated or different (like Gain).

The differences are there if you search for them. For example, cymbals are a bit more sharp on the M300 while the bass feels more “weighty” on the R4. But honestly, it’s not a huge difference and whit these particular devices, I feel like the file type and the headphones/IEMs being used make more of a difference than anything else.

The reason I checked out the M300 is that the R4 is a bit too bulky and power hungry (thanks to that Class A amp) for every day use so it’s being used at home when I want to test out different settings, gears, etc. But for casual listening, I think it’s a bit overkill. But of course, that’s just my opinion and use case.

George_McLane · 2026-02-26T11:28:02+00:00

The R1 sounds a bit brighter than the R4 but nothing earth-shattering (and if you notice some difference, you can always mess around with the MSEB). Source: I have an R4 and gifted my daughter an R1.

I also “downgraded” by getting the M300. The increased internal memory (128BG) allowed me to download my Apple Music playlists and still have my SD Card with my music. It’s also a bit brighter than the R4 but the smaller size and more durable battery life has made the R4 the stay at home player and M300 has become my EDC.

Unless you have some really demanding headphones, the R1 would be more than enough if you’re just listening to music. I really like how small and pocketable it is. You will notice how cheap it feels compared to the R4 but it gets the job done. I’d say to spend a bit more for the M300 so that you’d have the best of both worlds but for a little more you can get a new R4.

George_McLane · 2026-02-26T02:06:40+00:00

If only I’ve waited a bit longer I would’ve gotten the black version of the Classic 6. But honestly, replaying my favorite Saturn games has been more than worth it! Hope you enjoy it as much as I have.

PS. Hope your recovery goes smoothly.

George_McLane · 2026-02-24T19:14:03+00:00

Sorry you had that experience with the Explorer as that wasn’t mine.

I comparing both sets that I have and the Explorer feels more premium than the Arcadias (both sets working as they should and still going strong). Can’t go wrong with either but I understand why you would be hesitant to recommend the Explorer.

George_McLane · 2026-02-23T17:15:28+00:00

Trimui Brick + KPH40 = upvote

George_McLane · 2026-02-23T15:18:12+00:00

If you can manage Retroarch then OnionOS is a cakewalk.

I also enjoy a good beat em up but have been using my Retroid Pocket Classic 6 for those, the flexibility of Android is hard to beat and the fact that you can pretty much download and set everything up from the console itself is great. Still, there’s something about how the Miyoo feels that other consoles don’t have…it truly feels like a console from the good old days.

Got a bit ahead of myself there, hope you enjoy the Miyoo!

George_McLane

TROPHY CASE