Review: Portable amp roundup! 56 portable amps reviewed and compared - FINAL update 12-20-10... - Page 149  

Wait - I have already reviewed the SR71 - it's in the rankings - I don't need to do it over again

So for now I guess I am NOT reviewing the SR71A.

As long as we are talking about amps that do not use a bass boost, then the answer is the P-51 is as good a bass amp as there is, although lots are good.

Update 1/4/09

HeadphoneAddict was nice enough to loan me the 3 following amps for review. While all three incorporate USB DACs, and I did very briefly listen to their USB DACs, the comments below refer to them being used ONLY as headphone amps, driven by my iMod iPod from their analog inputs. HeadphoneAddict has done the definitive review of these products as DAC/AMPs, and my review has only ever been about them as portable amps.

> iBasso D3 Python

iBasso

The D3 Python is nice looking, well built, and medium-large portable headphone amp. It does not have a facility for charging batteries (that I could tell). Does have a USB DAC, and gain switch.

Build Quality: A: Very attractive and sturdy chassis. Much nicer than previous generation iBasso products.
Treble: A-: The treble is reasonably clean, transparent, and neutral. The treble is just a little soft, and lacks ultimate air and extension. I don’t think the treble is a problem, though, unless you try to use it with dark or rolled off sounding headphones. This was evident in comparison to the very extended but smooth treble of the Qables iQube.
Midrange: A: Nicely open, transparent, and clean sounding. The mids were smooth and enjoyable, if just slightly warm (which is better than the alternative). Nothing truly special, but nonetheless excellent performance.
Bass: A-: Full, punchy, and well defined. Enjoyable bass on music like Steely Dan’s “Babylon Sisters”. Could have a little better depth. But it was very enjoyable nonetheless.
Neutrality: A: The most neutral sounding iBasso ever IMO. In fact, I was surprised to find it more neutral than several other amps I have heard, which went through the review process recently. Would be A+ if it were not for the very slight treble reticence and added midrange warmth. For me, a better amp for Beyers or Grados than for Sennheisers.
Soundstaging: A: Great depth and width, and a very palpable image. Excellent performance here. Nice wide presentation of Alison Krauss and Union Station’s live recordings.
Transparency: A-: Occasionally just a bit thick sounding, but generally very transparent.

The D3 Python is the best iBasso yet by far. It’s a great performer, and at its price, and with the nice built in DAC, it’s a great product. I still felt it wasn’t quite as detailed as the Meier 2Move, and another head-fier who did some comparative listening with me agreed, but that doesn’t take away from how good the iBasso is. The Meier is a little more neutral. If you want a great amp/DAC combo and want your sound just a little warm/mellow, the D3 Python is an excellent choice.

> iBasso D2 Boa

iBasso

With regard to the D2 Boa – In general, it has a sonic signature close to the D3 Python, but seems to have an overall lower level of performance. It was a little less clean, a little less transparent, with a less well defined soundstage, less treble detail, and less bass definition. It has the same basic sonic signature but the mids are a little more colored, and has an even more noticeable lack of treble extension. You can basically take my rankings for the D3 and just take them all down a half-grade.

It is a good value for the money at its price of $165, But for those wanting just a headphone amp in this price range, the Meier XXS is a much better choice. If you DO want an amp/DAC combo, I would save up for the D3 Python. It’s noticeably better and not that much more.

If you look at the rankings below, you will see I think the D2 fares well. But against competition from its own D3 brother, it does not quite measure up. The D2 Boa is a nice product , and its owners will be quite pleased with it. I can recommend it enthusiastically only to people who have a strict budget and need a amp/DAC combo.

> NuForce Icon Mobile

Nuforce, Inc

The NuForce Icon is incredibly light, and fairly small. It’s also very cheaply built. It has no actual power switch, but comes on when you plug in headphones – which I don’t like. It has a gain switch, which is hard to operate.

Build Quality: B-: See above. It was also fussy in terms of its headphone jacks. I know it’s wrong to expect much build quality from a $99 amp/DAC, but you sure don’t get it.
Treble: B: Piercing, bright, aggressive, and somewhat unclean treble compared to any of the better amps here. Not truly dreadful in absolute terms, but the amps main liability. Unless you have VERY dark, rolled off headphones, BE CAREFUL. The NuForce’s treble is kind of scary. Downright unpleasant with my Beyer headphones. Better with the AT ESW9’s, but they are pretty forgiving.
Midrange: B+: Slightly forward, and with a noticeable chalky grain. Decent, but not great. Vocals have some extra presence which is can be nice, but is not real.
Bass: A-: The bass was very good. Both powerful and deep. Not world class, but not as problematic as the above
Neutrality: B: Generally not very neutral. Forward and bright sounding. VERY careful headphone matching will be needed, and with something like the Ultrasone 780, it will be just plain awful.
Soundstaging: A-: Convincing image stability, and reasonable width combined with excellent depth give it a good score here.
Transparency: B+: At times it seemed very transparent, and with other material, it was not at all. The aggressive, forward sound signature just didn’t give the illusion of transparency.

I guess the best thing I can say about the NuForce is it’s cheap. But I didn’t really care for its sound. My recommendation is to save your money for something better.

Conclusions (1/4/08)

NOTE: All new reviews have to be added to the end of the thread due to the length of this post - only the rankings will now change.

OK, so now it’s now 47 amps! Here is my view on how the amps stacked up. Note that the sum of the "Grades" I give does not always tell the whole story in how I rank them, since the whole is sometimes greater or lesser than the sum of the parts, and I am often forced to split hairs here, since the list has gotten so long. Also please note that even if these amps include a DAC, that DAC performance was NOT a factor in these rankings AT ALL. Also, for clarification, this ranking is based on sound quality ONLY, and does not take things like size or battery life into account.

1. Triad Audio Lisa III @ $925.00
2. Qables iQube @ $605.00
2. RSA Mustang P-51 (review here) @ $375.00
2. Larocco Audio Pocket Reference II mk 2 (availability unknown - PLEASE read entire review)
3. Headamp Pico @ $349.00
3. Meier Audio 2MOVE (and the older MOVE) (3MOVE @ $270.00)
4. RSA SR71 @ $395.00
4. RSA The Predator @ $475.00
5. RSA The Hornet “M” @ $370.00
6. Xenos 1HA-EPC (discontinued)
7. RSA Tomahawk @ $295.00
7. Meier Audio XXS / Headsix @ $166.00/187.00
8. TTVJ Portable Millet Hybrid @ $459.00
8. Decware Zenhead @ $295.00
8. iBasso D3 Python $219.00
9. Xin Reference @ $279.99
9. Meier Audio Porta Corda III (discontinued)
9. Xin SuperMicro IV (current version auditioned 1/22/08) @ $199.99
10. ALO Double Mini3 (review here) @ $235.00
10. Headamp AE-2 @ $349.00
10. Graham Slee Voyager @ $233.00 + S&H from UK
11. iBasso D2 Boa $165.00
11. Go-Vibe 7
11. Mini3 (Price depends on build) built @ $125.00
12. Leckerton Audio UHA-3 @ $189.00
13. Portaphile V2^2 @ $275.00
14. mSeed Spirit (discontinued)
14. Mini-Box E @ $229.00
15. Storm 3 (NOT B3) (review here)
15. Storm Little-2 (review here)
15. Storm B4
16. iBasso P-1 (discontinued)
17. Visely HEA- 1 @ $135.00
18. Microshar uAmp107 @ $135.00
19. Practical Devices XM4 @ $135.00
19. C&C XO @ $209.00
19. iBasso T2 (T4@ $109.00)
20. NuForce $99
20. Go-Vibe 6 (discontinued)
21. Xtra X-1 Pro @ $104.00
22. Xenos 0HA-REP (discontinued)
22. iBasso T1 (discontinued)
23. Xtra X-1 (discontinued)
24. C&C Box V2
25. Storm B3
25. Little Dot Micro+ (discontinued)

As always, this is JUST MY OPINION, but I hope it has been helpful.

I don't expect us to agree on everything, although I think in the main, we actually do. I spent some extra time with the NuForce just to be sure of my findings, since jvlgato also liked the NuForce more than I did. This is what I thought of it. YMMV



Nice having you over, and I was glad to get a chance to listen to the DACs with your set-up. I didn't feel that the DACs changed my feelings about the amps much versus the line inputs, although i do think the NuForce sounds better via USB than via analog.