Bakoon Products Bakoon Products has added the HDA-5210mk4 middle-class headphone amplifier to its lineup.
The product page isclick here
The MK3 had a unique elongated shape, but the MK4 is now the same size as the compact half-size series.
Perhaps Japan, the country of production, is the least well known and least sold. Bakun Products is so popular that there are forums on Western audio sites. No, actually, it is so well known and popular in certain countries, like Matsuzaka beef, that there is a court battle over trademark registration issues.
In Japan, we have not advertised them at all, but recently they have been featured in an audio magazine, and we are happy to see that they are gradually becoming more well-known.
I digress to the HDA-5210MK4, whose shape has changed from the MK3, but the sound has also become even more refined. Originally, the HDA-5210MK4 became popular overseas by word of mouth due to its excellent performance, but now it has gone even further.
From MK4, SATRI-IC is now only available in UL specification for all models, the attenuator is available in two types: metal film resistor and non-inductive wire wound resistor, and the normal volume specification is no longer available for the HDA-5210 headphone amp.
The transparency of the sound is very high, so much so that it seems you can see everywhere, and Eiichi Otaki is impressive, extending into the high frequency range as if it were crystal clear. The grain of the sound is very fine, delicate, and light. The background is also very, very quiet, which is the reason why the sound has a firm and unambiguous contour, and the MK4 is simply quiet. You can even hear Mika Nakashima's breath and the slight intake of breath at the beginning of her singing, which can be heard through the pop guard of the microphone when recording in the studio. There is no sound distortion or noise. If anything, the sound is not emphasized and is conveyed straightforwardly, so those who prefer heavy bass may feel the bass is lacking, but under normal circumstances, this should not bother you at all.
This time, we compared the voltage output from the voltage input and the current output. The sound was satisfactory even with the voltage output, but when we switched to the current output, the contour, brightness, and extension of the sound clearly improved, as if a thin layer of haze was removed. However, when I switched to current output, it was as if a thin haze had been lifted, and the sound's contour, brightness, and extension were clearly improved. Some people may find the voltage output to be just right.
By using a high-performance attenuator, the sound does not become thin and there is no deterioration in sound quality even when the volume is lowered, so you can enjoy music even at low volume in a quiet environment.
Also, as can be said for the entire Bakoon sound, there are no strange piercing spikes in the sound, so listening for a long time does not cause listening fatigue, which is also a beautiful point.
The page for the HDA-5210mk4 headphone amplifier isClick here
