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[Pictorial] Miniature Amps Face-off: Colors, E3, E5 and T4 as guest of honor.

post #1 of 8
Thread Starter 
Just got the iBasso T4 this afternoon, so here are some pictures and a quick impression. Sorry boys and girls, no Xin here















Quick Impression:
I was mainly comparing T4 to E5, which is my main on-the-go portable amp at the moment. The source is iriver clix2's headphone-out on 80% volume. Music of choice are various album ripped as >256kbps LAME mp3 or WMA. The earphone of choice is Head-Direct RE0.

In very rough and subjective term, I'll say E5 is about 70% of a T4. The main improvements are bigger soundstage, slightly better instruments separation, slightly better treble and better bass (fuller, warmer body) if you switch both to bass mode. In comparison, E5 sounds more mid centric while T4 is better on extending to both end.

Regarding hiss, I chose to use UM2 for the test. For E5, hiss is most noticeable in max volume, and decreases to none as the volume approaching minimum setting (about <1/4 of total). For T4 in low gain with lowest volume, a constant hiss is detected but the volume is very low, roughly the same as E5's hiss on 1/4 volume setting (which is when E5 just starts to hiss). For T4 in high gain with lowest volume, the level of hiss about about E5's hiss b/w 1/2~3/5 volume. The good news is, T4's hiss doesn't increase a lot even when the volume is turn to max. The increase of hiss b/w lowest and highest volume is perhaps less than 50% of that in lowest setting..
post #2 of 8
hows the battery life of the t4?
i want the t4 but its low battery life is causing me to lean towards the nuforce icon mobile.
post #3 of 8
Mine lasts for a few days of listening. I just plug it in each night.

On the hissing I never get any and I have the UM2 IEM's. Have you tried it without the source plugged in?
post #4 of 8
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by mambo5 View Post
hows the battery life of the t4?
i want the t4 but its low battery life is causing me to lean towards the nuforce icon mobile.
I haven't have it long enough to tell how the battery last, but I do feel like it will last at least a few days since I usually listen less than 2~3 hrs per day.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jamato8 View Post
On the hissing I never get any and I have the UM2 IEM's. Have you tried it without the source plugged in?
The tests mentioned above were carried out without the source plugged in. Shouldn't make any different since iriver clix2 is quite silence anyway. The hiss is very fainted in low gain so depends on how sensitive your hearing is to hiss, you might not hear it.
post #5 of 8
Quote:
Originally Posted by ClieOS View Post
I haven't have it long enough to tell how the battery last, but I do feel like it will last at least a few days since I usually listen less than 2~3 hrs per day.


The tests mentioned above were carried out without the source plugged in. Shouldn't make any different since iriver clix2 is quite silence anyway. The hiss is very fainted in low gain so depends on how sensitive your hearing is to hiss, you might not hear it.
The one thing I don't like, and eliminated in my own designs, is hiss, which is why I wonder why I have read a few times that people hear this. My hearing is pretty good and I have a number of different phones. I also don't like unnatural bass, i.e. heavy bass that is not realistic.
post #6 of 8
The hiss is coming from his headphone out, which is being amplified.
post #7 of 8
Hmm would you suggest buying a T4 if you already have an E5? $100 vs. $20 is a big difference, is it sonically similar enough not to warrant the extra cost of the T4?
post #8 of 8
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by HeadphoneAddict View Post
The hiss is coming from his headphone out, which is being amplified.
No sure whether this refers to me or not but I'll reply anyway

The tests mentioned above were carried out without the source plugged in.
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Head-Fi.org › Forums › Equipment Forums › Portable Headphone Amps › [Pictorial] Miniature Amps Face-off: Colors, E3, E5 and T4 as guest of honor.