[ngkou]

well, although  i am a bit confused , I start leaning torwards the portable solution because:
 
My personal experience with the  tiny 150gr Cayin C5 headphone amplifier ($200) is superior to my full size 7 kg Cambridge Audio 540 AV amplifier ($900) headphone out (i know this av amp does other jobs as well, but still couldnt they offer a decent head amp section?)
Looking at the internal circuit of the HA-200 , Burson, Lehman etc I see that the amplification circuit is very small and simple. The rest of the space is transformers and rectifying circuits which in fact are quite  needless if you have a DC battery like the portable amplifiers. In addition to that , Mike s personal experience with the expensive desktop  Oppo DAC/Amp ($1500) proves to be inferior to the small and cheaper Oppo HA-2. So , size seems not to matter !
 
Reading further reviews , people use the ifi micro iDSD which is also a powerful amplifier and say it is better that the expensive  Burson :
 
iFi Micro iDSD was a really nice surprise. I never expected this quality at that price. I didn’t feel like I was listening to a portable unit at all. I felt like listening to a full blown desktop rig. Actually, I think it might beat a lot of more expensive and bigger desktop rigs.
 
Going to stretch my memory  a little more and make another bold remark.
I think that iDSD might overall be better than Burson Conductor as well. The DAC section is clearly superior and the amplification section is more transparent, giving a more natural sound presentation. The amp in conductor is faster and has more impact, but overall, I think that iFi might be better.
 
http://headmania.org/2015/02/07/ifi-idsd-micro-review/

 

[ngkou]

ifi Micro iDSD Rocks $50k SOUND!!!! sorry audiophiles your investment is now obsolete! lol
 
By 
Amazon Customer

 


This review is from: iFi Micro iDSD DSD512/PCM768/Double DXD DAC/Headphone Amp (Electronics)

Perfect!! Dont waste your money on other equipment. This is crowd source designed. It means humans who like other humans, built it for humans to enjoy! I could not order it from amazon, they were out of stock. But either way its awesome! it does DSD 64,128,256,and 512 also does PCM all the way to 768!. It is very advanced and will last for years to come. You can use it with your amplifier or walk around with it connected to your phone lookin like an Alien!! I am glad i discovered iFi Company. I am waiting for the Pro model coming out in may. The sound this device puts out rivals setups of $10k to $50k. Why?? How??? can this be... Simple. Technology evolves and iFi company loves to use cutting edge chips in their engineering. This model uses a Burr Brown Double dac chip design. In my opinion it blows away the ess sabre dac. It is the most advanced device on the market for Hi Resolution music. Unless you want to drop $50k up to you for braggin right on golf course! But for $500 very very smart! Thank you ifi Company, you won a customer for life!
 
 
5.0 out of 5 starsBetter than expected
Bydefbearon September 12, 2015
Verified Purchase

The iFi Micro iDSD has great reviews everywhere. Still the unit was more impressive than I thought it would be. You can tailor the sound for anything from iems to hd800 headphones. I really wanted the unit to sound good with my Sennheiser HD800 phones, and they sound great with them. I took it on vacation and listened 2-3 hours a day and the battery still going strong after 10 days or 30 hours of listening.
 
5.0 out of 5 starsBest DACs under $3K!!
Bybakieryigiton June 5, 2015
 

if you are looking for DACs under $3K. The Micro is a perfect example of a device that is narrowing the gap between budget and reference performance in the “Race to the Top.” the iFi Micro iDSD gives you true High-End performance. Highly recommend..

 

[Armaegis]

  Looking at the internal circuit of the HA-200 , Burson, Lehman etc I see that the amplification circuit is very small and simple. The rest of the space is transformers and rectifying circuits which in fact are quite  needless if you have a DC battery like the portable amplifiers.
 
In addition to that , Mike s personal experience with the expensive desktop  Oppo DAC/Amp ($1500) proves to be inferior to the small and cheaper Oppo HA-2. So , size seems not to matter !
 

 
Just be careful to not completely overgeneralize. Batteries still require a power supply circuit after them which can be non-trivial. Aside from the expected downside of batteries (size/weight, capacity, current draw limits, recharging shenanigans, etc), they are not the "perfect" power source that people think they are either. Plenty of advantages sure, but as all things, there are tradeoffs.
 
And really, drawing a conclusion about size from only a couple anecdotal experiences online is a flimsy premise. The usage is so utterly different, and besides the HA-1 is a piece of croc

 

[ngkou]

What i mean is that it seems that there are short cuts in order to achieve high enough performance with small devices.
The phrase "it seems" is far  from a conclusion  
Bigger devices definitely have the room consequently the advantage of achieving the highest performance if build expensively.
 
Now, The question is whether the ifi micro iDSD can harvest the 80-90% of the HD800 capability ? and i have no experience to answer this

 

[zilch0md]

Well, I guess I lied.  

  And, as I've said before, "You know me too well!"   LOL
 
 

Spoiler: Going thoroughly off-topic...

Note:  I've since replaced the LME49990 singles with dummy buffers (I finally made
up my mind) and I've also added bypass caps to the Burson V5 Duals.
 
 

 
I also use the Sony NWZ-A17 as my microSD card reading FLAC file source for the 
Oppo HA-2's ESS9018K2M DAC, bypassing Sony's proprietary DAC and amp (yuck).
 
 
This is truly my ultimate portable AND desktop HD800 rig.
 
Nothing else I've ever tried comes close.  I prefer the Oppo HA-2's ESS9018K2M DAC to my $1200 Metrum Octave MkII and I prefer the iBasso PB2 with the amazing Burson V5 Duals to my $1200 Metrum Aurix.  This is the rig I've been using almost exclusively for several weeks (with the HD800).
 
I am still trying to find a local, old-school machinist who can precisely mill some just-large-enough, rectangular holes into the top of a spare iBasso PB2 case that I managed to order from iBasso for only $20, including shipping - that will allow a pair of Burson V5 Duals to protrude, as shown in this crude mockup.
 

 
I also want the machinist to fashion "+"-shaped bars that arc across the top of each op-amp, to protect them from getting knocked. 
 
Every place I've been tells me they're not even interested in giving me a quote, saying that they have plenty of work, the job is too labor-intensive for just one piece, the job is too small, I wouldn't want to hear how much they would need to take it on, etc. etc. etc.  
 
I can't even get anyone to throw me a "crazy" number.  I've even thrown out an offer to pay $300 - to a guy who really impressed me as capable of doing the job, but he turned me down! 
 
Meanwhile, I've added Elna SILMIC II caps (10uF 35V) to DIP8 extenders - to great effect (increased bass control and dynamics, with no loss of transparency):
 

 

 

 

 

 

 
As is, with no lid on the case and no protection for the Burson V5s, I'm confined to using it as a desktop amp.  
 
Ugggh!   I'm actually considering the idea of looking for a local trade school where I might be able to take a metal-working class in the evenings!  Why not?  I could then have access to all the gear (and perhaps the instructor's guidance) to do the job myself.  Enough already.  The sound I'm hearing warrants the effort, but my time is precious, so maybe I just need to bump up my offer to something like $500.  I know that's crazy, because out there somewhere is a guy who would quote me about $100 or $200, at most, but I can't find anything but machinists who are cranking out hundreds of copies of stuff for their clients - mot of them using waterjet cutters or 5-axis CNC machines, etc.  They look at me and roll their eyes.
 
Arrrrrgh!
 
But stepping back a few feet, if ever there was a "first-world problem" - this is it. 

 
Mike

 

[zilch0md]

Spoiler: More off-topic stuff...

   
[snip]
 
... and besides the HA-1 is a piece of croc

 
Haha!  I hear you.  But it does have a few strengths in some situations.
 
Here's my rating of some possible HA-1 roles in which it might be used - giving role each  a 0-to-10 rating, with 10 being awesome:
 
 
As a USB input DAC for the HD800:  4 out of 10
As a USB input DAC for anything but the HD800:  6 out of 10
 
 
As an iDevice input DAC for the HD800:  6 out of 10
As an iDevice input DAC for anything but the HD800:  8 out of 10
 
 
As a Coaxial or Optical input DAC for the HD800:  5 out of 10
As a Coaxial or Optical input DAC for anything but the HD800:  8 out of 10
 
 
As an amp for the HD800:  5 out of 10
As an amp for anything but the HD800:  9 out of 10
 
 
That's why I've dedicated my Oppo HA-1 for use with Optical Input from my Sony Bravia TV to use its DAC and amp, balanced out to the LCD-2 rev.1, for which it does a truly marvelous job.
 

 
Joy!

 

[zilch0md]

   
Just be careful to not completely overgeneralize. Batteries still require a power supply circuit after them which can be non-trivial. Aside from the expected downside of batteries (size/weight, capacity, current draw limits, recharging shenanigans, etc), they are not the "perfect" power source that people think they are either. Plenty of advantages sure, but as all things, there are tradeoffs.
 
And really, drawing a conclusion about size from only a couple anecdotal experiences online is a flimsy premise.
 
[snip]

 
Nathan is providing some good advice, here, ngkou.
 
There's good and bad to be found in both desktop and portable systems, but the portables, tend to be less expensive.  Batteries can be advantageous if you live in a home with noisy AC power and you lack a good power conditioning solution for your AC-powered gear, but you still need good power management circuits in the gear that uses batteries.  For the record, from what I've read, I suspect both iFi and Oppo do a very good job with their battery-operated gear, in this regard.
 
There's a lot to be said for buying only portable gear that can be used at your favorite easy chair, as well.  But batteries need a lot of TLC or you'll soon find yourself replacing them - can that be done easily in the gear you select?
 
If you have no intention of buying and trying other gear later, then you should be extra diligent to look for opinions of people who have the exact chain you intend to build - to see if you can identify a consensus of opinion - leaning strongly one way or the other.  And really, you will be at the mercy of a lot of people who are clueless, for lack of listening experience, raving about this or that, mixed in with just a handful of people whose opinion can be trusted - like ClieOS, for example - who I consider to be the reigning guru of portable gear.  
 
You could really educate yourself about both the HA-2 and iDSD by reading everything ClieOS has written about them here:
 
ClieOS' posts in the HA-2 thread:  
http://www.head-fi.org/newsearch/?search=&resultSortingPreference=recency&byuser=ClieOS&output=posts&sdate=0&newer=1&type=all&containingthread%5B0%5D=755879&advanced=1
 
ClieOS' posts in the iFi iDSD thread:  
http://www.head-fi.org/newsearch/?search=&resultSortingPreference=recency&byuser=ClieOS&output=posts&sdate=0&newer=1&type=all&containingthread%5B0%5D=728236&advanced=1
 
 
 

 
Mike

 

[ngkou]

thanks Mike !
 
I ve just paid $500 for the hardly used Lehmann Linear headphone amplifier. The dealer said that  If i dont like it, i can always exchange it with the ifi micro iDSD or whatever else. My HD800 still have not been shipped. It may take a couple of weeks before i receive them from UK.
As I said before the fact that Sennheiser and Lehmann were working together for many years to promote their products especially the HD800 (see the pictures below) convinced me to buy the Leahmann.
I expect them to perform much better than my Portable Cayin C5 head amp. If not then i will do exchange them for the ifi.
I will still need a DAC but i havent made my mind yet... perhaps Audiolab Q-DAC (cheaper than the M-DaC) or ifi nano iDSD or Oppo HA-2
 
 
http://www.hifi.com.sg/journal/sview.asp?id=227

 

[ngkou]

Ah, do you think generally my APC UPS unit around $1000 provides good AC for the sound system ? 

 

[Armaegis]

  Well, I guess I lied.  

  And, as I've said before, "You know me too well!"   LOL
 

 
I feel like the legs on those power supply bypass caps should be shorter, but I guess that's not possible since it has to stick out the side there. Any possible way to fit it between the legs of the socket?

 
I've actually modded some sockets before with much smaller caps that fit right inside the hole in the middle.
 
Have you heard of Sparkos opamps? http://sparkoslabs.com/discrete-op-amps/
They seem to generally be held near the same regard as the Bursons, and are significantly smaller. Then you wouldn't have to do that ridiculous machining of the case (trying to get the proper tolerances on that would be next to impossible if you're actually looking for a "tight" fit).

 

[zilch0md]

  Ah, do you think generally my APC UPS unit around $1000 provides good AC for the sound system ? 

 
No.  You have to spend a lot of money to get a UPS that outputs a clean sine-wave AC, instead of a modified square-wave output and there are other noise-related issues as well.  (And besides, you don't really need uninteruptible power.)
 
Here's my solution for affordable power conditioning (the result of a lot of reading and testing):

 

[zilch0md]

   
I feel like the legs on those power supply bypass caps should be shorter, but I guess that's not possible since it has to stick out the side there. Any possible way to fit it between the legs of the socket?
 
I've actually modded some sockets before with much smaller caps that fit right inside the hole in the middle.
 
Have you heard of Sparkos opamps? http://sparkoslabs.com/discrete-op-amps/
They seem to generally be held near the same regard as the Bursons, and are significantly smaller. Then you wouldn't have to do that ridiculous machining of the case (trying to get the proper tolerances on that would be next to impossible if you're actually looking for a "tight" fit).

 
Yeah, I tried my best at shortening the leads of the caps, removing quite a bit, but I guess I could squeeze it in a little closer.  It's definitely too big to go between the legs.  
 
I've heard about Sparkos, but their 13.75 x 15.0 mm PCBs are too large to mount in my iBasso PB2.  A typical brown dog adapter measures only 10.0 x 10.0 mm.
 
Raising them up above the buffers doesn't help, because they would still run into the gain jumper pins (and the jumpers themselves) that rise up between the I/V sockets and the battery.  Ugggh!  
 
And...  I really cannot imagine any op-amp sounding better than the Burson V5 Duals, but admit it's at least possible.  

 
Thanks for brainstorming with me, though.  
 
Mike

 

[Armaegis]

Hmm, the only other thing I can think of that would fit would be the Muses (can't remember which version is the audiophile one). There's Dexa and Audio-gd, but those are all bulkier than the BursonV5.
 
Is there enough space to mount the V5's horizontally in the case with the use of a socket extension cable? That could also potentially clear more space for the power supply bypass caps
 
http://www.bursonaudio.com/burson-hd-opamp-101-part-2-soft-extension-cable-for-smd-smp-installation/
http://www.audio-gd.com/Pro/diy/OPA/OPAEN.htm

 

[ngkou]

Come on Mike ! You want me to bankrupt ! lol

 

[zilch0md]

  Hmm, the only other thing I can think of that would fit would be the Muses (can't remember which version is the audiophile one). There's Dexa and Audio-gd, but those are all bulkier than the BursonV5.
 
Is there enough space to mount the V5's horizontally in the case with the use of a socket extension cable? That could also potentially clear more space for the power supply bypass caps
 
http://www.bursonaudio.com/burson-hd-opamp-101-part-2-soft-extension-cable-for-smd-smp-installation/
http://www.audio-gd.com/Pro/diy/OPA/OPAEN.htm

 
I'll look into that.  I could Blu-tack them to keep them from rattling around inside the case.  
 
By the way, I have a pair of JRC Muses 02 (purchased from Mouser.com for $150.00 plus shipping - to minimize the chance of getting couterfeits), but I really don't like them.  They are among the worst audio purchases I've ever made in terms of very little bang for the buck.  And I can't even find a buyer at $75 for the pair.  I gave up and closed my classified.  I'd rather just give them to worthy friend than take less than 50% for them. 
 
It's ridiculous how much they cost when you consider that the discrete Burson V5 Duals sell for less than the Muses 02 - at $130/pair plus shipping.