Shure E3's have a pretty big hole in their treble response, but they're a good value at ~$115 new (look around, you'll find them). Quote: Originally Posted by elephantman how about a game called use the search engine. BTW - elephantman, your intelligent use of sarcasm blew...

A FAQ by Mr. Moy himself. it covers...well...what it covers, but answers few of the above raised questions. http://www.headwize.com/faqs.htm By the way, I'm going to use this post to edit in links to sources, then put them together into a single meta-FAQ. mmmmm...meta-FAQ.... oh...

Quote: Originally Posted by HankTheTank Interesting, now that I have a couple answers I was thinking either the HD 595 or the Shure E4. The senns are not going to be usefull to you: they are big, not flexible, and not easy to, say, throw in a bag and take to the library. Further...

Quote: Originally Posted by Helter Skelter Just keep in mind that not everybody's ears are made for canalphones. My ear canals are apparently very small, I can't get the triflanges for my ER-6i beyond the second flange (resulting in rather R10-like bass, which is to say, nearly...

Quote: Originally Posted by taymat This is true, unless your talking about speakers and headphones. i think that's what's under discussion, right? well, then, it's settled (again)!

Quote: Originally Posted by recephasan I will answer none of your questions, not because I am but because the main issue is not in mW. The benefit of a good amp is its ability to provide power on demand. watt [for James Watt], abbr. W, unit of power, or work done per unit...

OK, I have some time to kill, and putting together the FAQ will answer all the questions I have and some I don't even know enough to ask. What do you mean by "the digital stuff" - like digital signal processing in general, DACs, digital I/O, etc?

Quote: Originally Posted by Teerawit I believe in burn-in. I was kinda skeptical about burn-in at first, but I experienced it first hand (with headphones, not an amp yet, though I'll be getting a brand-spanking new Hornet and tell you more about my burn-in philosophy when that arrives)...

why are head amps needed at all? http://www4.head-fi.org/forums/showt...impedance+load What's a DAC? not to mention: differences between analog, digital and hybrid signal processing (amps)? speaking of which: what does "hybrid" mean here - i mean it's either 1's and 0's or it isn't...

By the way, um whoever: I have seen a large number of reoccurring questions that could be answered in a single noob-FAQ. Somebody want to start one? it's probably a bummer to write or collect all the questions and answers, but it'll also be a really nice thing for noobs (like, say, me) and...

Quote: Originally Posted by radfaraf What is a crossfeed? Check out any of the head amp companies' pages for anything from an ultra-technical to a Very Small Words explanation.

" Originally Posted by Danamr Think about this: if this was true, how could you build a precision electronic measuring instrument? You could not take it out of the box and use it because it would need hours or days to "break in".' " it's worth noting that, in fact, labs don't just take...

speculation: the idea of "burning in" a solid state component was borrowed from experience with both headphones, speakers, and tube components where "burn in" is a real and significant phenomenon. the idea may not be applicable to solid state equipment, or not applicable in the same way. the...

I'm mostly in the same boat - using hd600s & sr80s & shure e3, looking for a well made portable amp - and i would suggest looking carefully in the amp for sale forum. a used porta corda ii, jmt PIMETA, total airhead, and a portaphile 2 are either there or have sold for under $150 in the last few...

There is also the Little Dot I. This was mentioned to me as a Very Cheap tube amp - I saw one on ebay going for ~$130, and I think that was already above retail. Unfortunately the little-tube.com website seems not to work, so I don't really know. And I've never heard either of the Little dot...

hi - at the risk of revealing my newbie status: head-fi seems to have a large number of technically expert members, so can someone explain what buffers do in an amp and why more would be better? i have the more=better impression because on a number of amp sites (viz. portaphile site)...