Electric Avenues PA2V2

I bought some Beyer DT770 250ohm's that I knew I would need an amp for. Gary was extremely helpful and answered all my questions concerning the headphone working with the amp and which batteries I should get. He also enjoys the photos I send him of my amp with the headphones. I try to take some good shots :).

The length the batteries last, of at least 100 hours, I've never run out of battery life on amp and I've had the same rechargeable batteries in it since I bought it. Sure I've charged them but its a pretty infrequent thing. An A+ amp to be sure compared to the Filo E7 since that is only 80 hours and I am not sure if that battery is replaceable or not. Gary's is :).

For quite some time that I wanted to get a portable amp that could make the sound more lively, with low noise and still be able to pump enough juice to some more power hungry cans, and PA2V2 definitely suited me.

The amp was used with different gear, so I could check it was a good purchase (aside from all raving reviews) and I couldn't be happier. I listened through Philips SHP1900, SHP2000, Technics RP-F290, Pioneer SE-H33, Audio Technica M40fs, A&H XD-53 and some Numark HF125, plugged to a few computer onboard chipsets, an external Creative X-Fi, Echo Audiofire 2 and NI Audio 2 DJ. The first thing I noticed was an issue many people had, scratching and hissing while adjusting volume, but that is easily solved, just pop 2 rechargeable batteries and you're set, after they were inside the amp felt quite different, despite the batteries only suppose to serve as a noise filter. I've read people having hissing in different conditions than me, I only had that issue when using the amp without batteries, plugged to an outlet.

From all rechargeable batteries out there, I'm using 1700mAh ones that seem to last ages until the next charge.

It's good to have separate channel gain control and a bright red led to show that it's powered on.

Overall, the build quality is quite good, volume knob is sensitive at the right amount, the overall black look fits most environments. If the case was made from some metal, would give a more solid feel, specially since it's portable, but nonetheless there is no fault as it is well put together as it is.

If PA2V2 could be charged through usb, it would be perfect due to the low price and higher quality when compared to cmoy amps and Fiio E5, for instance.

It has already been said a million times before, but Gary, the guy behind Electric Avenues is helpful beyond measure and overall a great guy. Nowadays, more than ever, good customer support is quite important, and that's a thing that excels.

Great deal, recommended :)

The PA2V2 is an ideal candidate for a portable headphone amp.  It works extremely well for my low impedance, inexpensive cans. And once I figured out the gain control adjustments (blue screws inside), it also works equally well for my high impedance, expensive cans. I listened to jazz, female vocals, crooners, classical, rock, country and new age and found it handled all. I don’t miss a DAC or sleek design.

One odd thing: I listened to it without batteries and heard noise in the background. I put batteries in and no more noise. I found out this is a known issue that fixes itself.

So, try it. For $60 it’s wonderful. The proof? The smile on your face when you turn it on with your fav headphones.

The PA2V2 was my very first experience with any headphone amplifier. I was not expecting it to make any difference, because the concept of an amp sounded silly to me. My ATH-M50s sounded fine running right out of my laptop, or my iPhone! After just a few minutes, the PA2V2 showed me just how wonderful amplifiers are. I have been rocking the PA2V2 for two months now, and I never leave my house without it.

BUILD & DESIGN: To start off, the build is fantastic. The plastic feels incredibly tough, and can definitely handle months of abuse. The only part I was worried about was the power switch on the top. It doesn’t feel weak or loose, but it’s much thinner than any part on the body, and sticks out very far. The PA2V2 is small enough to put into any backpack or laptop bag, and it’s so light that you’ll never feel it. Unfortunately, it’s too thick to slip in your back pocket. The design of the PA2V2 is exceptionally boring. It’s just a black box. I’m not saying it’s ugly, but it’s definitely not something that takes your breath away from the first sight.

SOUND: The first thing I noticed in the PA2V2 was the colorful bass and lows. It eliminated the muddy “womp womp womp” sound of the iPhone’s headphone jack, and allowed the bass to open up and really shine. Bass drums were punchy, synthesizers tickled your eardrums, and bass guitars were incredibly clear. The bass was punchy and fun to listen to, but never overpowering. The mids were very impressive, and brought out clarity in my music that my laptop could never do. I could hear fingers sliding down strings, loud slams coming from floor toms, and very rich vocals coming from almost any song. The highs were slightly disappointing. They still sounded great, but sounded as if they were coming directly from the iPhone jack. The soundstage was improved, but it would have been great to see the sound opening up a little more.

FINAL THOUGHTS: I could go on-and-on about every small detail about the PA2V2 and scrutinizing every aspect as carefully as possible, but I see no reason to. The PA2V2 a fantastic amp for the price, it’s that simple. I highly recommend the PA2V2 to anyone who owns headphones that cost over $100, you’ll never regret purchasing it.