[rei_yano]

so I am still looking around. i have read like almost every review of these things (except the go vibe) and I want to know what would be the best option for ms2is, yuin pk1 or ok1 (haven't fully decided yet) and maybe even some high impedance phones I might get eventually like some high end senns or something. gonna use it in conjunction with a mp3 player (ipod mini or ipod touch... don't know yet...) and also a netbook like eee or wind or something like that. thanks again for your help.

EDIT: must not be too large like the corda move or something. has to be extrmely portable.

 

[trickywombat]

Compact, and best bang for the (depreciating) buck currently - iBasso D2
You still need to buy a line out dock and iPod, so save some money where you can.

 

[aegid]

I'll second the D2 Boa. You can shave off a few dollars by sending them your payment directly through PayPal instead of using the site's system. Email them to make sure of the price. It was $179 for me a couple weeks back but that might have changed.

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

These reviews might be helpful, or at least I hope so.

http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f105/m...-micro-306883/

http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f103/s...ess-up-338443/

My D2 Boa is still burning in, so I wont have a review on it till next week at the earliest, but so far it is very promising.

 

[rei_yano]

well im gonna be using the dac amp at first just for my netbook. the ipod comes later. otherwise I wouldnt bother with the dac cuase I already have one. the netbook would be rather useless if I was having to lug around a 0404 usb I think lol. size is a matter unfortunately.

additionally how does the basso compare in size to its brethren? smaller or bigger than the pico?

EDIT: also this is all considering I will have about 1000 (a bit more maybe?) bucks to work with in the near future. 300 - 400 goes to netbook and the rest to a dac/amp plus some yuin ok1 or pk1s. the most important part of the unit for me would likely be the amp itself. the dac is important ofc but I want something powerful so that it will last me a while and when I do get some high impedance cans they will be ready. thanks again! sorry for the long winded post!

 

[tjumper78]

i have boa and pico. boa is certainly a great product but pico is just better in every aspect. i find the boa's output not as powerful as pico or a few other portable amps i've tried.
you might want to look into go-vibe magnum and corda 2move. i read that they were great products, and some people even liked them more than pico or predator.

 

[aluren]

the predator and the pk1 is a very good combo! if budget permits, you should definitely consider either the pico or predator. i've had both and the pk1 sounds more alive with the predator due to better bass impact. the pico is very neutral and is more detailed, so it be a little boring, but good for those that likes detail.

 

[rei_yano]

Im into detail. I like bass dont get me wrong however Im into a lot of different music and not all of it is bass heavy. thanks though. this thread has only re inforced my decision towards a pico. although Im still open to other choices.

 

[trickywombat]

IMHO, I have the GoVibe Magnum. While it's a very pleasant-sounding amp, it is not the most detailed amp I have heard. If detail is what you're looking for, spend the extra and get a Predator or Pico. If you're really into detail, transparency and neutrality and don't care for the DAC, it's hard to beat an iQube.

If you want to be able to tailor the sound signature to fit bass-heavy music, the Magnum is great. I'm not sure how well it drives high impedance cans, though, as I don't have any such cans.

The Corda 2Move has a high current mode to drive big cans, but the amp is the biggest of the lot (though it is built like a tank). It also has great detail, crossfeed, it runs on easily replaceable batteries and is attractively priced ($275 including shipping). The 2Move and the iBasso D2 are great ways to save money.

You mentioned your budget above, and from what I understand, that you will have about $700 to spend after getting the Eee PC. After getting the Predator or Pico, you'll have $200 left. You'll need to get a high-capacity SDHC, say 16GB for about $60 - leaving you with $140.

Save that $140 for when you get an iPod. You'll need to get a line out dock to connect your iPod to the amp, and apps for your iPod Touch.

 

[BigEat]

I agree with above on the iQube. Super high resolution and very neutral presentation.

 

[rei_yano]

Quote:

Originally Posted by trickywombat /img/forum/go_quote.gif IMHO, I have the GoVibe Magnum. While it's a very pleasant-sounding amp, it is not the most detailed amp I have heard. If detail is what you're looking for, spend the extra and get a Predator or Pico. If you're really into detail, transparency and neutrality and don't care for the DAC, it's hard to beat an iQube. If you want to be able to tailor the sound signature to fit bass-heavy music, the Magnum is great. I'm not sure how well it drives high impedance cans, though, as I don't have any such cans. The Corda 2Move has a high current mode to drive big cans, but the amp is the biggest of the lot (though it is built like a tank). It also has great detail, crossfeed, it runs on easily replaceable batteries and is attractively priced ($275 including shipping). The 2Move and the iBasso D2 are great ways to save money. You mentioned your budget above, and from what I understand, that you will have about $700 to spend after getting the Eee PC. After getting the Predator or Pico, you'll have $200 left. You'll need to get a high-capacity SDHC, say 16GB for about $60 - leaving you with $140. Save that $140 for when you get an iPod. You'll need to get a line out dock to connect your iPod to the amp, and apps for your iPod Touch.

no need for sdhc card since I have a networked hdd. also as far as an LOD im not gonna get something that is 140 bucks. maybe at the most 75 bucks. Im not a huge believer in expensive cable = better sound. but I have very little experiance so that opinion could change when I go to a meet or something and get blown away with different cables. I appreciate the advice but Im thinking of making sure I have a wicked source before I get into extras like cables and the like.

btw everyone thanks for the help. now im down to pico, pred, iqube, and go vibe. Im still looking into the corda 2move as well. tough with all these choices! I think I might need to narrow down by looking at input output options as well.... just as a tie breaker thing..

 

[michaelv20850]

I have Go-Vibe Petite+DAC. It's good amp and much improved than listening to Ipod alone. Since this is my first amp and it fits my budget, i can't compare to the others. However, i read a good thing about RSA Predator which i plan to upgrade in the future.