Who gets the Head-Fi Crown for Best Portable Setup?

Heya,

 

 

HE-500, GoVibe Porta Tube (portable tube amplifier), Sansa Fuze.

 

Portable ortho & tube based setup with FLAC behind it.

 

Very best,

Edited by MalVeauX - 10/23/11 at 2:49pm

One of these things is not like the others.

 

If there is one thing I have noticed about some of the wackier portable amp reviews that are published here, its the totally insane rigs that some folk have - fine if you never plan to leave the house with your fully-balanced CLAS-into-LCD2 rig, but not very realistic for genuinely portable use. I'm tempted to hand it to the custom IEM brigade, but even then I would be petrified of losing/damaging a $1300 investment on a bus etc.

 

No shortage of 'out there' would-be portable rigs on Head-Fi, but you have to ask yourself just how realistically 'portable' many of them are. Anyone who has been to a (sanctioned) drag race meeting knows that you can put number plates on a racecar, but good luck actually driving it on the street ...

 

it needed to be done.

I actually don't use an amp for my UE-11's for the first reason - I want my portable to be, well, portable. I've got a T4 and it's just not worth using it.

The only thing I consider using is the Fiio E1 - it can help some brighter earphones like my UE's to calm down a little bit. But mostly I go straight out of an i-device into my IEM's.

As for using incredibly expensive custom IEM's, yes, that is true, there is a risk. I took it and after four years, I paid the price about a month ago. I dropped them and one ear shell burst. I got it fixed (by a one-man business by the name of Cinepaq in the Netherlands) and bar a tiny fit issue, they are now perfect. The fit issue is being worked on right now and I expect a pair of perfect earphones to arrive next week. Great, personal service all around.

But it is an (expensive) risk nonetheless. I think it's utterly worth it - custom IEM's are amazing, easily beating anything else you can bring with you, ever.

- Excellent!

Best setup for portable use I've come up with: (I'm also not in the running, but it's beats the crap out of many other setups I've tried)

 

Sansa Fuze with LOD

Nuforce Icon Mobile (very small and perfect synergy)

Koss Pro DJ100 with M50 pads (Mogami recable)

 

It makes no sense to me to use some of these larger portable amps on the go. My Total Airhead is nice, but can barely fit in my pocket.

 

With this setup I could probably retire from this hobby if I wanted and be perfectly happy. The only advantage my other headphones have is that they're open.

I really don't know anymore what the heck they even do better..something maybe. Oh yeah, they're "technically" better! I forget about that!

 

 

Using my 3gs to shoot the new 4S 64GB with Pico Slim attached & customs:

 

 

Used some 3M Command strips to attach Pico Slim + some "Best Skins Ever" plastic to protect Pico Slim (thanks aamefford).

 

(Some dust got in there so I will have to re-apply plastic "skin" later.)

 

I'm very happy so far...if I am not using the iems, I store them with the LOD.

Yeah - I think we've all had similar fantasies yet, here we are - back at Consumer Central.  

MalVeauX's suggestion is pretty much where it's at, an alternative would possibly be HM801 -> Lisa III -> UE 18, tack all those three together after taxes, shipping, and an audiologist appointment you might as well get an amp less SR-009 setup (haha?), also something you can use as self defense, look around and you'll quickly see "portable rigs" that just aren't practically portable.

One person's unwieldy, is another person's perfect fit. I carry a bit messenger bag every day - already with laptop, graphic tablet, camera around my neck, etc... adding an iPod classic + CLAS + Continental + full size cans quickly disappears into the bag, and is not big deal to take on the train/bus home. 

 

Not that I have that rig - just that depending on your own comfort, needs, etc. - a 3 box solution can still be considered very portable. 

Mine is very similar to CEE TEE's. Touch 4G instead of iPhone, different brand of customs, I think, and a black Pico Slim.  I sub in a pair of DT1350's at least half the time.