first portable amp - Page 2

Me too Both the sacd and vinyl

It is a paradox. Most inexpensive amps are highly colored, and expensive amps are.. expensive (portable ones). My suggestion is work your way up to the 225. getting an amp may satisfy your burning wallet but getting the 225's will satisfy your ear's thirst.

Unless you have a horrendous source like an ipod, then an amp for the 225's are honest just added flavoring, nothing else.

People will disagree with me, but look honestly into it, for a grado user, does it really matter until you get up to the rs2/1 range? Most likely not. Save your money for grados or other headphones. And when you do get an amp, make it a good one, xin, meier, rsa, headroom, etc.

The delicious dilemma!

Firstly, if you go down the amp route at this stage then I would consider the mSEED LABS Spirit as well. Real bang for your buck. Furthermore don't feel that being a junior poster on head-fi somehow stops your ears working properly . I have been a head-fi member since 2004 and my first posts have been this week.

I would take the junk in - junk out addage on this and take the view that if you start with good SQ, lossless or high bit rate compressed material then everything else can follow on. If your Zune is delivering a clean output and is capable of driving the headphones you use currently then there is an argument to say don't bother with an amp at this stage. If you then upgrade the headphones there is a risk that they will not be driven properly and could also expose the limitations of your source material.

It is generally fair to say that adding an amp into this chain may add colour only (a question then of taste) or you may suddenly find you are driving your current Grado's properly and they realise their full potential. Sometimes colour can be introduced to your system to bring balance while maintaining sound quality, a subtle form of EQ.

I would also take on board the valuable comments from Onizuka-gto regarding 'training' your listening instruments (ears) to ascertain whether you are hearing differences in colour or real differences in quality. One thing is for sure....this delicious dilemma is likely to last as many people here will testify to, as will their bank accounts

Have fun.

I meant 'adage' not 'addage', sorry.

There's an edit function. :P

And, I somewhat disagree. People told me amping my E4C's wouldn't help, but it really did. I get a _much_ cleaner sound out of my X5 now, and everything just sounds better. It was definitely worth it.

Thanks for edit tip.

I would say definitely go for an amp but make sure the system has some balance, both in audio and cost terms.

The pa2v2 isnt bad at all with grados because it has a warm theme which would be more musical. It also comes with the wall adapter already, which is a great deal at the price.

Since you are already anticipating upgraditus, it's hard to imagine going wrong with the pa2v2 for what you get for the $. By the time you are ready to upgrade, who knows what will be available in your price range?

So many great amps are coming out right now. I would say it's' a little premature to set your sites on the Hornet when there will probably be a Wasp or a Stick Insect II by that will blow the hornet away at 1/2 the price within a matter of months at the rate we are seeing new amps right now.

As much as I like the mSeed, I can tell that you are going to regard whatever you get now as a (very) temporary stepping-stone. In that case, why stretch your budget on a stepping-stone when you could be saving up for your future goal?

Hope you enjoy getting to know your new system .

Oh noooo...I'm in the same situation and I just pulled the trigger on a mSeed. I tried ordering a bling bling dock as well but paypal wouldn't play nice. The joys of living at the tip of Africa

I'm hoping by the time upgraditis hits again I'll have fifty posts so I can sell the mSeed to fund a brighter, shinier toy.

Curse you head-fi...

Don't worry, I am pretty sure that you will enjoy the mSeed and it may take longer than your 50 posts to fully burn in . .

That's cute man - you gave me negative feedback before even sending me a note and that was two days after the auction ended.
You've spoilt my ebay experience.
I've got a friend from TX who can receive U.S. packages instead of me and send them forth to me.
I'd never get things like Tascam US-428 for $75...

So:

Hell please tell me what your prejudice means?!


(That guy from Slovakia)
PS
You may not know it but we belong to the EU and have a bit less crappy government than thee US of A and our post officers never leave packages in front of the doors like UPC! - several Americans have complained to me...

What do you think of the Go Vibe V6 on sale for $60 now?