Earphone showdown, part 2 - The DQSM D2, LKER I8, and Crazy Cello [Resources_Review]

More than a year ago I noticed I was spending most of my music-listening time playing songs on my smartphone. That realization sent me on a quest to find the most inexpensive earphone-based setup that would give me high-end, audiophile sound. I listened to dozens of earphones, half a dozen headphone amplifiers, and a like number of digital-to-analog converter-headphone amplifiers (DAC-headphone amplifiers). I found a few gems, such as the DragonFly Red DAC-headphone amplifier from Audioquest, in Irvine, Calif.