Review: Portable amp roundup! 37 portable amps reviewed and compared - Page 4 - Head-Fi: Covering Headphones, Earphones and Portable Audio

Asr · #46 (**permalink**) 01-02-2007, 11:11 PM

Awesome review Skylab! So much info crammed in there, I think I'm going to have to read it multiple times to absorb it all.

Very informative, and very interesting to see how they stack up against your ears. I'm surprised at your criticism of the LDM+ - I never thought its internal noise was that bad. :\

I'd love to hear a Hornet M or PRII at a meet one day. Don't think I'll ever buy either because my team affiliation to HeadAmp is just too strong and I can't justify more than 1 portable amp...

mrarroyo · #47 (**permalink**) 01-02-2007, 11:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nickknutson

Skylab,
What are the dimensions of the RSA Hornet and the PRII?

The folllowing picture is from another mini meet but will show the two amps stacked and should give you an idea on how small the Hornet is.

http://xs.to/xs.php?h=xs207&d=06416&f=DSCN0683.JPG

FreeBlues · #48 (**permalink**) 01-02-2007, 11:12 PM

Skylab - that was a GREAT piece of work. The listening sessions alone must have taken forever, but then to write all you did is way above and beyond. Excellent review!

I have both the Hornet M (450+ hrs) and the Tomahawk (<100 hrs) and agree completely with your comments. Both are great products and I'm hard pressed to choose between them using IEM's only.

I share your opinion of Xin. I didn't think you dissed him, just called it for what it is.

Keep up the good work!

kiwirugby · #49 (**permalink**) 01-03-2007, 12:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FreeBlues

I share your opinion of Xin. I didn't think you dissed him, just called it for what it is.

I agree...and I am a big Xin and SMIV fan!

Thanks, Skylab for an excellent review and taking the time to do this. As others have said, I wish you still had your SuperMacro just for the excercise. But you do say it's a good amp, and I am sure many of us will have to rest with that and not make an ex post facto ranking.

Great contribution to the head-fi community.

Skylab · #50 (**permalink**) 01-03-2007, 12:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kiwirugby

I wish you still had your SuperMacro just for the excercise.

Yeah, me too! I really wish I'd had it, a Meier PCIII, and a Headroom TA (all of which I have owned before). I'd also love to have had the Xenos 1HA, which I understand is shipping to moe tomorrow, so I will add it to the review later. I'd also have loved to have had an AE-1 - as this I have never even heard.

But then again, if I'd had 5 more amps, I'm not sure I'd have ever finished the review

Thanks for all the kind words folks.

3x331m · #51 (**permalink**) 01-03-2007, 01:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skylab

> Ray Samuels Audio Tomahawk

Treble: A-: clean, grain-free, extended and transparent. Lacks the last little bit of treble air that the Hornet and PRII have, but it also lacks the slightly forward character of the Hornet’s treble, and in some ways I preferred the Tomahawk’s treble presentation to the Hornet’s.

IMO, this well controlled treble (High) is a very good feature for Grado phones. I think the TH has more synergy with Grado phones than many other amps. I really enjoy my TH with the Grado phones.

radz · #52 (**permalink**) 01-03-2007, 01:24 AM

Is there any chance of you including afew photos Skylab?

It would be great to be able to see how all these amps compare to each other size wise (maybe 1 photo with them all lined up).

TVaudio · #53 (**permalink**) 01-03-2007, 01:32 AM

Thanks for the great review.
I think anyone who takes time to offer their opinions in comparison is a great resource. Not all of us have the means to sample a number of amps, and comparisons like this I appreciate to help me in my next spending spree.

mchang · #54 (**permalink**) 01-03-2007, 02:20 AM

Superb review! Well organized and written. I wish I had this three months ago when I started my upgrade journey.

I'm already getting ready to close this window and start searching "Headphonia" here.

Happy Camper · #55 (**permalink**) 01-03-2007, 02:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skylab

Yeah, me too! I really wish I'd had it, a Meier PCIII, and a Headroom TA (all of which I have owned before). I'd also love to have had the Xenos 1HA, which I understand is shipping to moe tomorrow, so I will add it to the review later. I'd also have loved to have had an AE-1 - as this I have never even heard.

But then again, if I'd had 5 more amps, I'm not sure I'd have ever finished the review

Thanks for all the kind words folks.

Perhaps some members could come off their amps long enough for you to review a second set. Perhaps the top three of each review for a final. I'd offer a Xin Macro4 Shipped nov. 10 w/8620 w/634x2 out. Approx. 400 hrs.

In this vane, it would be interesting to have new equipment reviewed by rotating camp members and some random new members with a test rig developed by membership. No vendor involvement. Maybe a CD made for newbs (by membership) to teach language/performance listening and a few reference discs. As long as the reviews are kept as honest as possible, doing a three product review shouldn't take too much. Opamps & tubes could be done this way as well. Gets people that otherwise w/couldn't get involved and offsets the camp banter. Rig(s) could be reviewed at meets (before selected debauchery) and at home. Cost could be collected at meets w/donations. I would pay shipping to hear some of this stuff. I'd really like to read reviews on worldwide (no clones) products from folks who are in a different camp that for whatever reason won't review competition.

..........Just thinking out loud. No serious request for you to do this again. Thank you for the considerable effort and willingness to be critiqued.

daggerlee · #56 (**permalink**) 01-03-2007, 02:52 AM

great review! would have been nice to see some of the DIY amps featured. well, maybe that can wait until Tangent releases his next portable amp design, and when amb has finalized the mini^3.

GreatDane · #57 (**permalink**) 01-03-2007, 02:57 AM

Great job Skylab, I enjoyed reading all of your thoughts.

Lets see who can out do him. I wanna see a 21 amp salute.

Skylab · #58 (**permalink**) 01-03-2007, 03:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by radz

Is there any chance of you including afew photos Skylab?

It would be great to be able to see how all these amps compare to each other size wise (maybe 1 photo with them all lined up).

Good suggestion. I can do this with a few of them, but I already sold the LDM+ and the Go-Vibe V5, and the Xtra is on it's way back to China for repair...But I can snap a quick one of the rest of them tomorrow.

3X0 · #59 (**permalink**) 01-03-2007, 03:29 AM

Excellent review; this really gives perspective on the whole spectrum. Too often do you see only amps compared to one another in their similar respective price segments. With the whole picture, it's really much easier to determine the overall ranking of an amp among the rest.

Dregur · #60 (**permalink**) 01-03-2007, 03:54 AM

Man, the (basic) Headphonia and the XM-4 are head to head right now. Same price, it's either going to be sound or features if I get either. Headphonia looks like it sounds better, but the XM-4 has some great features in a cheap package (and in a better enclosure), including socketed opamp rolling, gain switches and bass boost. It can also be used a flashlight in a pinch.

It also doesn't help that I both have warm phones (E2C and Super.Fi 5 Pros) and am soon to be recieving the bass lean EW9. Along with the fun KSC75's....

Choices, choices...

-The Grinman