[DaejeonCitizen]

So I've been given some money to spend by my better half and am curious about this amp. I have a Sony NW-A25 Walkman with MDR-100AAP headphones. I LOVE this combination. How significant an upgrade would adding this amp be? I don't get to upgrade much so this would probably be lasting me for years. Is it a significant upgrade, or am I better just spending $300 on music? All thoughts appreciated.

 

[Krutsch]

  So I've been given some money to spend by my better half and am curious about this amp. I have a Sony NW-A25 Walkman with MDR-100AAP headphones. I LOVE this combination. How significant an upgrade would adding this amp be? I don't get to upgrade much so this would probably be lasting me for years. Is it a significant upgrade, or am I better just spending $300 on music? All thoughts appreciated.

I don't have your Sony headphones, but I do have the HD-598 in your signature. The PHA-1A really makes a difference with these cans.

 

[DaejeonCitizen]

 
I don't have your Sony headphones, but I do have the HD-598 in your signature. The PHA-1A really makes a difference with these cans.

Thanks for the response. I'm really torn on whether to go for it or not. If the difference will be negligible then I'd obviously spend money on something else. If the difference is night and day then I'm all in.

 

[Krutsch]

 
Thanks for the response. I'm really torn on whether to go for it or not. If the difference will be negligible then I'd obviously spend money on something else. If the difference is night and day then I'm all in.

None of this stuff is night-and-day... if you are happy with your A25 + 'phones combo, spend the money on music.

 

[ruthieandjohn]

Perhaps tangential, but perhaps helpful.... I have the Sony PHA-1, and I cannot discern any improvement into any of my Grado headphones, including top of the line PS1000 and GH-1, when driven by an iPhone 5 or iPod Touch 5 or 6.

 

[DaejeonCitizen]

 
None of this stuff is night-and-day... if you are happy with your A25 + 'phones combo, spend the money on music.

Exactly what I wanted to hear. Time to start saving for the PHA-3 and Z7 

 

[Krutsch]

Perhaps tangential, but perhaps helpful.... I have the Sony PHA-1, and I cannot discern any improvement into any of my Grado headphones, including top of the line PS1000 and GH-1, when driven by an iPhone 5 or iPod Touch 5 or 6.

 
Try the same experiment with your HD-800s.

 

[ruthieandjohn]

   
Try the same experiment with your HD-800s.

Oh, yes... I have.  Here.  I've compared the PHA-1 to several other amps on the HD 800.
 

 

[Krutsch]

  Oh, yes... I have.  Here.  I've compared the PHA-1 to several other amps on the HD 800.
 

 
Cool. I've seen that chart before.
 
What I was really referring to was not hearing any difference between the PHA-1A and the headphone out with your iPhone with Grado cans. With higher impedance 'phones, I suspect you *would* hear a difference.

 

[ruthieandjohn]

Right. I agree that for hard to drive headphones like the HD800, I would hear a difference. That was not one of the cases here but is certainly true. Thanks.

 

[pinoyman]

guys, may i know which sounds better?
this sony amp dac or the OPPO HA-2?
im using iphone 6 as source (playing mp3s only)

 

[438555]

  guys, may i know which sounds better?
this sony amp dac or the OPPO HA-2?
im using iphone 6 as source (playing mp3s only)

I'm curious to know this as well, particularly as I'm unsatisfied with the performance of the PHA-1A with iOS devices, especially my 2 iPod Classics.  It seems that all Apple devices I plug in have these intermittent pops and clicks that are noticeable at high volume during quiet passages of music.  I even bought one of those expensive VentureCraft 30-pin iPod cables and still get the artifacts.
I don't hear any of this when using the NWZA17 walkman with the amp, but the problem with that one is its apparent inability to play gapless albums of AAC format that either ripped to AAC or purchased in AAC from iTunes.  They suggest that I rip the CDs using MediaGo on a Windows machine I don't have, which is particularly hard if I purchased them digitally in the first place
 
Still looking for that perfect DAC/Amp that works with my iPod classic and doesn't have artifacts.  So if the the HA-2 fits the bill, I'd buy one.

 

[pinoyman]

 
I'm curious to know this as well, particularly as I'm unsatisfied with the performance of the PHA-1A with iOS devices, especially my 2 iPod Classics.  It seems that all Apple devices I plug in have these intermittent pops and clicks that are noticeable at high volume during quiet passages of music.  I even bought one of those expensive VentureCraft 30-pin iPod cables and still get the artifacts.
I don't hear any of this when using the NWZA17 walkman with the amp, but the problem with that one is its apparent inability to play gapless albums of AAC format that either ripped to AAC or purchased in AAC from iTunes.  They suggest that I rip the CDs using MediaGo on a Windows machine I don't have, which is particularly hard if I purchased them digitally in the first place
 
Still looking for that perfect DAC/Amp that works with my iPod classic and doesn't have artifacts.  So if the the HA-2 fits the bill, I'd buy one.

hmmm.
well, if thats the case, i think ill have to jump to the ha-2 this coming week since it is already a tried and tested amp dac for the ios devices.
and it has many very good reviews.
 
i tried the pha-3 by sony, and it sounds just a tad nicer than my headphone out (iphone 6).
i do have an ak10 as my portable amp dac.
 
*gears currently own: 
dita truth, 
heaven 7, 
fibass

 

[YamaVega]

Looking forward to swap my pha1a with ha2 as well. Soundwise, I have no issues but praise for the Sony DAC, but no line out and low powered amp leads me to ha2

 

[bkssed]

Thinking of getting mdr 1a for this in future. But having read about impedance matching/damping factor around here, could anyone comment why sony has recommended a 24ohm headphone on a 10ohm amp?