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Do you use amp in public?

post #1 of 138
6/10/09 at 4:45pm
Thread Starter 
I thought of bringing it outside but it seemed too much of a hassle, even for a small E5. Now that I think about it, isn't the purpose of using portable amps to use it in public? If you do use it outside, can you post a pic on how you carry them? Or do you just leave them hanging from your ipod?
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post #2 of 138
6/10/09 at 4:52pm


this is my old portable rig, for a little while I ditched the amp in favor of iphone/C2s, unfortunately I don't have my new rig together yet but I'll be using an ipod classic (black) > LOD (instead of mini-mini with a female LOD) > RSA Hornet > C2s

I'd keep that rig exactly as it is and shove it in my pocket with the cables sticking up so I still have control. I'm considering making/buying a little pouch for it that i can clip to two belt loops so it's more secure and doesn't take up my whole pocket. Some people also use phone/camera belt clips to keep everything together.
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post #3 of 138
6/10/09 at 5:18pm
At work: yes
At the coffee shop: yes
Walking outside: yes
In security line at airport: no

:-)
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post #4 of 138
6/10/09 at 6:45pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by flatmap View Post
In security line at airport: no
I am currently considering this. I'm going on a trip with two short connections next week, so I will potentially be standing in a security line six times (at 3 diff't airports). I decided that my rubber-banded rig with a headroom total airhead would look too conspicuous (especially with thick red/black mini->mini), so will most likely take E5 and strap it to my belt, running a thin 12" interconnect to my DAP. Still, bound to raise questions at one point ^^. Maybe if i take a bottle of water and some shaving creme they will disregard the amp.
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post #5 of 138
6/10/09 at 7:49pm
Pretty much only when I'm sitting down for a while like on a plane.
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post #6 of 138
6/10/09 at 7:56pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by ljokerl View Post
...so will most likely take E5 and strap it to my belt, running a thin 12" interconnect to my DAP...
Right. strapping electronics to yourself will not be suspicious at all.

With an obviously consumer electronic-looking item like the e5 I'd guess it would be no problem. It's the black brick DIY with braided cables that wigs out the TSA.
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post #7 of 138
6/10/09 at 8:21pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by LeftyGorilla View Post
Right. strapping electronics to yourself will not be suspicious at all.

With an obviously consumer electronic-looking item like the e5 I'd guess it would be no problem. It's the black brick DIY with braided cables that wigs out the TSA.
If I were going to blow up a plane, carrying bomb that looks like a DIY brick with cables would be the last thing I do. An ipod shuffle skin on the other hand...

Now I almost wanna try my brick to attempt reverse psychology on the TSA... On the other hand I'd actually like to get to where I'm going. Security at LAX is not taken lightly.
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post #8 of 138
6/10/09 at 9:12pm
Sure I use an amp all the time. I have traveled with my Monica II dac that I configured and modified for an Altoid tin with a velcroed battery pack and associated wires. I have flown to Paris, to China and lived there 1.5 years and I have been through many security checks with this configuration that to me would be questionable and never a problem. Maybe I have been lucky but no one even wanted to look at it.

Anyway, amp in public, yes.
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post #9 of 138
6/10/09 at 9:14pm
I do amp in public, and I do get strange looks at times. One guy, a teacher at my school, is the only person to correctly tag it as a headphone amp.
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post #10 of 138
6/10/09 at 9:23pm
amp in public; sure, everywhere I go pretty much. I just use qables iqube bands to keep it together; but I have just bought some of those custom printed ones, which are sweet. if i'm using the full rig with iriver->D10->Lisa III or DIYMOD->VCAP/Mundorf SIO dock->Lisa III I put it in the front pocket of my bag, if i'm just using iriver->D10 or DIYMOD->LOD->D10 it goes in my pocket. I like the hippocases, but they would not suit my main rig as too small, but i'm going to buy one of the headroom portable desktop bag for it next week. the headroom bags are great, a little pricey but really well made and designed specifically for this purpose.

heres the pocket rig



will post a pic of the main rig later.
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post #11 of 138
6/10/09 at 11:02pm
I used to use my E5 in public until I noticed that it made my Q40s sound a little bit worse.

When I get my G1As I will certainly be using my Icon mobile with them, cheapo interconnect and all.
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post #12 of 138
6/10/09 at 11:12pm
I usually just put the amp in my bag when i commute
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post #13 of 138
6/10/09 at 11:39pm
I put my D10 in a camera bag and attach it to my belt loop with a spring lock which allows it to hang on my side. I don't see it as cumbersome at all, but to each his own....
however, I mostly use it as transportable to quiet cafes and parks etc. not in loud public places....
LL
LL
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post #14 of 138
6/10/09 at 11:43pm
My current ultra portable (a.k.a. pocket-able): Fuze - LOD - T4 - RE0

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post #15 of 138
6/11/09 at 12:39am
I would use my little semi-cmoy in a Hammond case in public all the time, especially during the long nights in the Design lab doing CAD work but now that I transferred it to a Hach testing container:

in order to go from AAA to AA, I don't think I can use it in public quite as much anymore.
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