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Just got my (practically new) ALO Mini^3 amp....! - Page 3

post #31 of 39
2/14/09 at 12:06am
yeah Nirvana, thanks for the pics but can you post clearer shots? congrats on your purchase though! I think this'll be my next portable hp amp

and chiefroastbeef, that thing looks clean.

I think this is gonna have to be my next project
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post #32 of 39
2/15/09 at 7:36pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Xan7hos View Post
yeah Nirvana, thanks for the pics but can you post clearer shots? congrats on your purchase though! I think this'll be my next portable hp amp

and chiefroastbeef, that thing looks clean.

I think this is gonna have to be my next project
Thanks.I'll try to get clearer pics.This amp is terrific,very musical and has awesome potential.If you can improve an already fantastic design,who knows how some tweaks would result in sonic improvement.
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post #33 of 39
2/16/09 at 8:12pm
I also recently purchased a premium Mini3, (Soundwise), and love the sound. I run a 5.5 ipod with a LOD and various headphones. Today I drove back from New Hampshire to Boston, using this setup with some also recently acquired PK1's to allow others in the car to do their own thing. After a few minutes I noticed that the sound wasn't that great- flat, a little foggy, no dynamic range. Have I wasted money on a new amp? I looked down and (did you guess?) noticed that in my hurry I had plugged the headphones into the headphone jack of the ipod instead of the amp. I had to smile at that- a real-world blind test.
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post #34 of 39
2/16/09 at 10:09pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by csblock View Post
I also recently purchased a premium Mini3, (Soundwise), and love the sound. I run a 5.5 ipod with a LOD and various headphones. Today I drove back from New Hampshire to Boston, using this setup with some also recently acquired PK1's to allow others in the car to do their own thing. After a few minutes I noticed that the sound wasn't that great- flat, a little foggy, no dynamic range. Have I wasted money on a new amp? I looked down and (did you guess?) noticed that in my hurry I had plugged the headphones into the headphone jack of the ipod instead of the amp. I had to smile at that- a real-world blind test.
ha, nice. First comment in this thread that hasn't made me
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post #35 of 39
2/17/09 at 8:34pm
Thread Starter 
When the Minibox E's are back in stock i'm going to buy one and do a comparison.I actually think the Minibox E is probably a better amp for a couple of reasons.Not having listened to it yet but making a judgement like a lot of other people.The Minibox has a seperate bass control(or bass boost),which the ALO Mini^3 is missing.I think all amps should have a bass control.As you know most mp3's have different sound quality and a bass adjustment is a very useful function.Also the Minibox E has an 18volt battery.And the more voltage power, the better.Most of the higher quality amps do use higher voltage batteries. Anyways at 200 hours the amp(ALO Mini^3) has settled down into a very warm sounding amp.The sound stage has definitely taken the spot lite.It has an airy,defined and generously spacious effect."Skylab" said in his review the sound stage is better then the 2Move and on par with iQube.It's instrument separation is obvious and clear.Synthesizers flow euphorically.(especially with Electronica and Trance)Symbols and high hats crash and splash nicely while controlling sibilance on those quality challenged mp3's.Music that is heavily layered is a delight to listen to,as mentioned earlier electronica,trance,and ambient.The thing that is enjoyable and inviting is when music starts off softly and then morphs aggressively and then that bass comes in completing the song.The bass now has great extension,impact and has this warm non fatiguing quality.It has no problem taking the drivers in my M Audio Q40's to the max and then some.If it had a little more weight it would be perfect.The mids beautifully join highs and bass.Smooth but a little laid back maybe because of the prominent bass.Overall the amp is very musical,warm and non fatiguing.The things i would add are a separate bass control and higher voltage lithium battery.
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post #36 of 39
2/17/09 at 9:39pm
Thread Starter 
Actually the Rockhopper Mini^3 and the Minibox E are similar in sound quality according to "Mrarroyo's" review here. http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f5/minibox-e-260019/
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post #37 of 39
2/18/09 at 5:53am
i would be very interested to know what do you think about mini^3 VS Minibox E+ when you will have both
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post #38 of 39
2/19/09 at 10:07am
Quote:
Originally Posted by PhaedrusX View Post
when reading any ad copy from a company, i think it's important to try to separate the chaff from the wheat.

regarding the Black Gates, you need to try to reconcile ALO's statement with amb's technical information, lifted straight from the Mini^3 site:

Fully direct-coupled
There are no signal-degrading coupling capacitors at the input, output or negative feedback loop.

as for the resistors, substituting even spendy boutique parts here will still result in a cost differential equivalent to the amount of change you can pull out of your sofa in any given month.

i give credit to ALO for getting behind a solid design, but in the end they are a business and, like all other businesses, they need to justify their price tag. and when cold hard facts are scarce, flowery language takes its place. it's hardly a pioneering tactic in the audio world, though "extra rail stiffness" is a new one for me.

in any event, the case is a lot prettier than my plain Hammond. i gotta admit that :]

enjoy your new Mini^3. i find it pairs particularly well with Yuin PK1s and Grados.

imho, caveat emptor, and all that.
It doesn't sound to me like you understand what is being said here. A "coupling" cap is not the same as a "decoupling" cap and they're not used in the same place or for the same functions.

The coupling caps or absence thereof mentioned in the original literature have to do with the signal path. The decoupling caps added by ALO are not in the signal path, they're added to fortify the power supplied to the amp. They make the power supply impedance lower so that the amp's ability to reproduce bass slam and weight is improved by virtue of a better power supply.

I think it's a bit unfair of you to denigrate something you don't understand.
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post #39 of 39
2/19/09 at 10:33pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by kwkarth View Post
It doesn't sound to me like you understand what is being said here. A "coupling" cap is not the same as a "decoupling" cap and they're not used in the same place or for the same functions.

The coupling caps or absence thereof mentioned in the original literature have to do with the signal path. The decoupling caps added by ALO are not in the signal path, they're added to fortify the power supplied to the amp. They make the power supply impedance lower so that the amp's ability to reproduce bass slam and weight is improved by virtue of a better power supply.

I think it's a bit unfair of you to denigrate something you don't understand.
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