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REVIEW: PenguinAmp Caffeine portable headphone amp w/BASS BOOST - Aka HEADSTAGE LYRIX - Page 8

post #106 of 138
3/30/09 at 8:49pm
Thread Starter 
The Penguin amps compete with and sound as good as amps like the $160 Meier Headsix, and line out is almost always better with an LOD than amping the headphone out. Not all cmoy amps or amps in a penguin till are equal - the sound can be very different, so accept no substitutes!
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post #107 of 138
3/31/09 at 3:26am
I'm slightly confused but which is which in the first picture? The altoids case is the...? and the penguin case is the...?
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post #108 of 138
3/31/09 at 4:14am
Thread Starter 
The Altoids case amp is the JSeaber cmoy bass boost (early version below 2.0 without volume knob, like maybe v1.4) and the Penguin case amp is the PenguinAmp Caffeine Pro.

I gave the Altoids one to my brother-in-law who still uses it with some DT-231, and I sold the Caffeine after I bought the Headstage Lyrix which was an upgraded version of the Caffeine (in build, but the sound is similar).
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post #109 of 138
3/31/09 at 12:57pm
^Thanks, I was just reading some reviews about it, and I don't think it sounds like a god match with the IE8s.
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post #110 of 138
3/31/09 at 2:37pm
Thread Starter 
I think the Caffeine Pro would be a good match for IE8 - it's tonality lies between the Headsix and Pico and is slightly brighter than Headsix. The bass of the Headsix is not a problem with the IE8, but the treble is smoother more laid back than something like the Tomahawk which was more aggressive. That led me to sell the TH and use the Headsix once I modded my stock SE530 into customs with a more extended freq response. I'd bet the Tomahawk would also be a good match for the IE8 as well since it was favorite for the stock SE530.
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post #111 of 138
3/31/09 at 5:18pm
No more Caffeine's in stock till May
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post #112 of 138
3/31/09 at 8:05pm
Thread Starter 
Good things come to those who wait.
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post #113 of 138
4/3/09 at 6:47pm
I guess no one read this the first time so I'll resubmit it.

Quote:
Originally Posted by benbrown View Post
Noob here...I just found this thread and have been reading it all day. Very interesting and a very nice review too. I have been looking at these types of amps on Ebay for some time now and after reading the review I now know what I want. I checked the Penguin website and it seems they won't be available until May. I do have a question tho. I have an ipod 120 with a pair of Sony V900HDs. I have a LOD for it but I haven't had a chance to utilize it yet. What should I expect as far as SQ improvement goes if I get one of the Penguin amps using the line out?
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post #114 of 138
4/3/09 at 9:05pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by benbrown View Post
I guess no one read this the first time so I'll resubmit it.
My reply in post #106 was directed toward your question: http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f5/rev...ml#post5567899

If I wasn't specific enough, then READ post #1 !
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post #115 of 138
4/4/09 at 2:32am
Quote:
Originally Posted by HeadphoneAddict View Post
My reply in post #106 was directed toward your question: http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f5/rev...ml#post5567899

If I wasn't specific enough, then READ post #1 !
Thank you.
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post #116 of 138
5/14/09 at 3:07pm
sorry to bring up an oldish thread, but is it worth buying the penguin amp for the Audio Technica ATH-ESW9?
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post #117 of 138
5/14/09 at 8:20pm
Thread Starter 
I bet it would be - the only ones I have heard are the Caffeine Pro and the Royal, and both were very good values. I have not heard an Ultra, and don't know what was different than the Pro. I do plan to review the Headstage Arrow at some point in the future as well.
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post #118 of 138
5/28/09 at 7:25pm
what is op rolling
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post #119 of 138
5/29/09 at 2:20am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by dhp1161 View Post
what is op rolling
Swapping out little chips inside the amp to get a different sound. Can't do that with all amps, only some.
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post #120 of 138
5/29/09 at 1:47pm
thank you very much
wonderin if the caffeine amp will increase SQ with RE2's
if not why?
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