Leaving portable hifi - it's too silly

[Sherwood]

I love how this thread is progressing, though I have a question for you Jackson:

Do you enjoy wearing the PX100s more than the Ed. 9s? Even straight out of an ipod, I assume the Ed. 9s are sensitive enough to be driven reasonably well (though I've not EVER tested this in any way). Do you like the size and convenience better, or do you have some lingering "I remember when these sounded a little better with the big rig" feeling when you hear the Ed. 9s and not the PX 100s?

My meager portable rig is a compromise. It's good enough that I can enjoy my music fully, though not nearly as critically as my home rig. Do you find this is the case as well?

[1UP]

I approve the OP's message - never understood the portable amp fetish (impractical, not portable!) - just get some good IEMs and off you go

[younglee200]

I don't use my portable amp on every situation, and it's usually in my front part of backpack when I go to school or anything like that, but I use it every time I'm about to listen for any period longer than 30 minutes. I myself find it practical to carry around a portable amp for situations like when I'm studying at the library or Starbucks since 75%+ of my music listening is portable.

I much prefer the sound of my IEMs with my mini^3 and I personally find my mini^3 very portable, especially since I have a small MP3 player such as the Iriver e10.

I do understand the OP's POV, but for me, the extra carry weight on my jacket pocket and the <100 dollars I spent on my amp is definitely worth the sound improvement I've been getting.

[troymadison]

Too bad I sold my ESP950, it would have made an excellent portable setup.

[skamp]

Originally Posted by morphsci

Well besides being useless your impression of the impressions is incorrect. Did you actually read more than one?

Why don't you give me some useful input instead of flaming me? Please let me know how the iBasso D2 is an utter piece of crap, and how the Pico is the second coming of portable amps.

[Luminette]

The PX 100s are definitely loads lighter and more convenient. The isolation is of course worse but is actually surprisingly good for some foamie supras

I A/B'd the two from the headphone out and the difference isn't very stark except for in soundstage. It was clear that the Ed 9s were not being driven anywhere remotely close to their capabilities

I do miss hearing my Ed 9s from a real setup. I'm done w/ith the Ed 9s for anything out of the house, that's for sure.

PX 100s and 280 pros all day long. The 280s are great for super isolation when/where it's needed and I have always loved them. I'm a bass lover and they certainly aren't bassy phones. But I like them, and they're just fine for a lot of music.

[frozenice]

hobby 1 |ˈhäbē|
noun ( pl. -bies)
1 an activity done regularly in one's leisure time for pleasure : her hobbies are reading and gardening.

[WindowsX]

The key for veiled portable-fi is lame ass interconnects and wiring, also crappy ass-saving ipod firmware.

To poster, I beg you to try this once and reconsider it.

1. Cut down Nordost Tyr, Valhalla or Odin speaker cable to use as iMod wiring inside iPod 3G (Mine is 22awg Valkyrja which is Tyr for now from speaker cable) and mod my crossroad dock with it too.
2. Install Rockbox 3.0 to your DIYMod iPod 3G with flac file format for playback (and use EAC to rip your own CDs)
3. Now you have the world's best portable-fi source. Let's move on to interconnects. Mostly, portable-fi interconnects are all snake-oil, costing a lot more compared to rca cables to get similar sound quality. For me, I made 2x22awg Valkyrja wiring and it sounds out-perform all market ones. You may find decent RCA ones with rca to mini adaptor, though.
4. For amplifier, I recommend iQube since the rest (excluding Lisa which is transportable, not portable) lacks power to make sound really smooth.
5. Headphone? Be it HD600, GS1000 or your favs that gives synergy. Mine use custom-made prototype 3-drivers IEM which sounds 3 times better than UE10Pro to me and it's only IEM which I shall consider "highend".

To summarize, here's my setup:
Player: Rockboxed 3.0 DIYMod 3G with 22awg Valkyrja wiring
Mini Cable: 2x22awg Valkryja
Amp: iQube
Headphone: Specially made IEM with possible up-to-date best drivers.

Cost? Don't dare to ask lol.

P.S. Million thanks to Patrick for his spared cut Valkyrja speaker cables which help me out from snake-oil cable companies.

[Luminette]

I thought your post was a joke when I first started reading it

Then I realized that it was actually serious

And then I read the rest of it and I moved a little bit back towards the side of thinking it was a joke - but I think I have to face the horrifying reality that you are actually serious

I can't even begin to address your post until I'm sure that you are actually serious

Please tell me you aren't?

[Maxvla]

Unfortunately I'm quite sure he's serious.

[Luminette]

Wow

This is like a godzilla-league mutation of what happens when you buy into bananas and keep it confined to the portable realm. I didn't know the condition existed to such a severe extent.

[TheMarchingMule]

I'm pretty sure nobody really listens to what WindowsX says anyway.

[Maxvla]

I suggested krmathis get a camping rack thing, strap his redwines and macbook and wear his K1000 out in public.

I was joking, but I bet some people in this portable craze might really think about it.

[nsx_23]

I have a XXS which I use only ever at home with my AKG K601, so now I'm starting to build up a home rig with a SOHA amplifier, and possibly a set of HD650.

I agree with the OP that there really isn't that much value in portable gear. I just plan on getting a set of customs or TF10/SE530 with custom tips, than finish the portable gear collection.

[slwiser]

I have not read the development of this thread but the initial post has something to be said for it.