Hi, I'm new to this and need help to decide if a PORTABLE headphone amp is worth the expense in terms of CLEARLY PERCEPTIBLE SOUND QUALITY TO THE LAYMAN (NOT 'golden ears' types) when I'm using the following:   1. iPod Touch, 4th generation 2. IEM: the UE700, dual armature, impedance 40...

Can anyone suggest a portable amp or dac/amp that offers easy access to a 9v for power? I am familiar with the iBasso-line. Any others that are well regarded? I would be using a Cowon 7 and U3; and occasionally the iPhone 3GS > SE535s. TIA. 

This may be a no-brainer, but I just wanted to put it out there. Is there a huge difference in sound quality between on of the portable mid-high grade amps and their similarly priced, desk sitting and wall leaching counterparts such as the Matrix M-Stage, Schiit Asgard, or even an old headroom...

I see this amp available at CryoParts and ALO Audio, but no mention about it at all on Head-Fi. So...   ...Any owners?   ...And how does it compare with other 9V battery amps (RSA Hornet, RSA SR-71, iBasso D4, Graham Slee Voyager, etc)?

that's a $370 RSA Hornet:       it's a joke, right? are most headamps just CMoy's w/ stellar markups?

Hello, I currently use the RSA Hornet with the Ultimate Ears UE-11 and was thinking of getting the JH Audio JH16 or the UE-18 and possibly upgrading the amp if there has been any breakthroughs in portable amps that can offer me something that would be considered better than what I currently...

I recently bought a used RSA Hornet "m" and was very excited to be getting this amp with all the great reviews. I am not a huge basshead but I am somewhat of one. My rig is an iphone 2g > silver x copper lod > penguin ultra caffeine (bass boost on) > triple fi 10's. I was pretty happy but I...

with balanced input and output or single in and single out or single in and balanced out! It has a 26 plus voltage swing in balanced, 12 to 14 volts in single ended and plenty of power. The size is the same height as the Protector, a 1/2 shorter than the 71a and as wide. The measurements are...

NOTE: This is a SUBJECTIVE Review that has occurred over a long time horizon. All observations, rankings, and comments are my personal opinion and nothing more. For testing Methodology please see post#8. Some pics of the initial batch of amps reviewed: #1: from top to bottom, the RSA...

What’s that?  You’d like a review of the smallest fully balanced portable amp in the world?  Why I’d be happy to, here you are my friend.         But before the write up, I must offer special thanks to Ray Samuals for asking me to review his latest amp.   Ray has been a strong...

I had an interesting chat during the week with a nice chap from Sennheiser who felt the reason they haven't made a portable amp / dac is because they didn't think there was much demand. So head-fi gurus, would you or would you not be interested in a good quality portable amp/dac from...