Review: Portable amp roundup! 56 portable amps reviewed and compared - FINAL update 12-20-10... - Page 3  

Sylab, thanks for the effort put into the comparison review. This type of review is very helpful to those of us considering purchasing one of the amps reviewed. With respect to the comment on the ranking of the Headphonia amp, if anything I was impressed with high it ranked given the quality of the competing amps.

Thanks Skylab~

I've been waiting for this review since Christmas! I think the overall review was great and hope you add the Xtra in soon as that was the amp I was debating on getting. I still dream of the Hornet-M, but I just don't have the funds tog it yet. =T

Thanks for the great review. For those of us who have yet to purchase their first portable amp, and have had no experience of any, this is a great help.

Must resist urge to buy RSA Tomahawk...

Skylab -- thanks very much for the review -- a portable amp is next on my list, and I've been reading your posts (along with Andrea, mrarroyo and others), trying to work out which one I want.

I also would like to see how the AE-2, 1HA and Xin -IV amps fit into the picture. But I understand this was not intended to be exhaustive -- just indicative.

Since I have a TBH 2006, it'd help me personally to see how you judge that portable amp in the mix -- just for a baseline.

Two more variables which could be included if you wanted to grow the review -- opamp selection (where possible), and headphone choice (I'm an AKG fan - K701, K240S, K271, and Shure E4c, E3c -- with a cheap HD580 coming in the mail).

I think my shortlist is down to Hornet, 1HA, AE-2, Headphonia. Maybe Xin. I find the DAC incredibly useful. Most of my listening is from a laptop via the TBH both at work and at home. It would probably make more sense for me to buy 2 desktop amps with DACs (eg Meier's new one), and stop carrying the TBH around...

Either way -- it might help others to have two lists -- portable amps in general, and then a list of portable amps with integrated DAC. I suspect, based on your previous posts, you'd recommend the Headphonia hands-down as the amp+DAC combo to pick?

Thanks again Skylab -- very much appreciated!

Michael

(hmmm. Heed Canamp with integrated DAC? maybe I should email them...)

It seems on the Headphonia thread (http://www.head-fi.org/forums/showthread.php?t=209233) that some changes were made to the design after some feedback (can't really remember them, though). Do you know what version you tested?

Nice review thanks for making the time and effort to publish it here. I appreciate that you reviewed amps you own and did not include others you once owned as reviews from memory are unfair in my view.

As you have the Corda HS2 MkII SE and the Larocco PRII I was a little curious about heir comparisontoo as the PRII was once on my shopping list but dropped off due to the initial supply/waiting issues.

Will also lookout for your views on the diablo when it arrives.

Steve

Thanks for the reviews Skylab.

Thanks very much for the great review, Skylab. Multiproduct reviews are a tough assignment and your input is much appreciated.

I think the main difference is changing the opamp from LM6171 to AD8397. Also, he's adding charging via USB. Do you remember anything else? I'm looking forward to your impressions. I think I'm leaning towards the Headphonia over the Bithead at this point - seems like a great little multipurpose amp.

any chance the OP can become a featured review sticky? it would be very helpful and shouldn't go out of date too soon.

They are, but maybe your new one came before that change.

From headphonia.com: