[mrarroyo]

It has been about 9 months since Rob (Vorlon1) and I did a portable amp comparison. Since then I have had an idea of going back and adding additional amps. I hope that the additional listening time and perspective of all these months allows us to provide a better insight especially as we all growth in this hobby.

The initial comparison took on a humorous turn when we decided to write the comparison from two perspectives, kind of along the ways that Siskel and Ebert & the Movies used to be. Since that review many portable amps have come and gone with a select few remaining constant. Thus we decided to get together and see if we could add value to our old write-up.

On this first post I will attempt to set up the stage by first copying here the 1st post the review and pictures we did about 9 months ago. On the second post I will post pictures of the latest get together and a list of the equipment used. I should point that for this second installment we had a third member, Ron (HiFlight).

Finally on the third post I will attempt to add notes from this second get together and arrange the portable amp rankings from my perspective. I look forward to both Rob (Vorlon1) and Ron (HiFlight) post their comments as well as the additional pictures they took. I will take their pictures and add them to the 2nd post. Their rankings will be added to the third post so that you the end user have only three posts to get the overall idea.

Chances are that as the thread develops we may change some of these ideas with the intent to make for a more enjoyable reading experience. Be advised we are posting our opinions, which in no way are neither the last nor the best. Hope you gain from reading but most importantly that it makes you want to go out and listen to more music and some of the great equipment available.

The following is a copy of a post I made back in 10/14/06. It can be found at: http://www.head-fi.org/forums/showpo...04&postcount=1

Today Vorlon1 and I got together to go over a few portable amps. Specifically we had:

-PA2V2
-Go-Vibe 5
-LaRocco PRII
-Ray Sammuel SR71
-Ray Sammuel The Hornet "M" with about 225 hours of burn in
-Dr. Xin Supermini IV
-Dr. Xin Supermicro IV
-Xenos 0HA-REP
-Pint Amp made by DieInAFire
-Pint Amp made by MisterX (the one in the Hammond case)
-Practical Devices XM3

We also had at our disposal two home amps, these were:

-Musical Fidelity X-Can V2 (un-modded)
-LaRocco Home PPA

For sources we had:

-4th Generation 60 Gb iPod Photo with the iWine Mod
-5th Generation 60 Gb iPod Video
-4th Generation 60 Gb iPod Photo

For interconnects we had:

-ALO cotton mini to mini IC
-ALO cotton mini to rca IC
-Blue Jean Cable mini to rca IC
-Turbo mini to mini IC
-Pocket Dock

For headphones we had:

-2005 Beyer DT990
-2003 Beyer DT880
-A +/-15 year old Beyer DT990
-Westone UM2 with ear molds for Vorlon1
-Sennheiser HD600 with Headphile Senn V2 cable in Black Silver
-Etymotic ER4S

Here are some thumbnails taken, click on them to see the full size picture.







Vorlon1 and I will write a single impression which will get posted in an upcomming post. Hopefully it will help some prospective buyers or it may just confuse you further

. I can say I had a lot of fun listening to so much gear.

The following is a post I made on 10/18/06. It can be found at: http://www.head-fi.org/forums/showpo...8&postcount=21

Everything writen in blue below was done by mrarroyo, in red by Vorlon1.

Here is the write-up, hopefully it will be helpful.

Doing a product comparison is not only a demanding task but most important it is a means to clear up some misconceptions on what you thought was good and ends up being average. It is also an opportunity to be surprised by equipment that you did not expect to fare well yet against all odds it surprises you.

That was the case, at least for me (mrarroyo). Another thing I should mention is that the particular setting was very appropriate for comparing equipment, since it was a quiet office environment with no visual distractions, with comfortable seating arrangements as well as a good table to use as a platform. I say this because in some meets the sound level gets a bit loud, this is great for making new friends and to express yourself openly. However the noise and coming and going of people can definitely influence the way you perceive a particular piece of equipment.

Vorlon 1: Maybe we will end up the Ebert and Roper of the Head-Fi set, but I have some doubts. I’m glad Miguel found the environment so conducive to good listening. I, on the other hand, was expecting my staff to bang down my door any second with some crisis or other. It was quiet in there though, and we had plenty of equipment to listen to.

In my (mrarroyo) case I started comparing equipment with The Hornet “M” as my base against which I compared the various other offerings. My impressions were:

Vorlon 1: Generally I use the SR-71 as my baseline for comparison because of its many sonic attributes. (Impact, weight, clarity and detail for example).

mrarroyo: SR-71: Here I was surprised, based on my initial comparison about a year ago in which the SR-71 was the clear winner in every category I could think of. This time around it still came ahead in the clarity and detail departments. However, the differences were subtle, The Hornet “M” was a more fun and involving amp with a really great bass. Neither is better than the other, just different. An analogy I can offer is that both my AKG K701 and my Beyer DT990 sound different but both are fantastic cans. If you are looking for an amp to constantly carry around due to a hectic schedule I would recommend The Hornet “M,” it allows you to switch cans on the go without having to worry if they would be overpowered by the amp or worry that the amp won’t be able to drive them. All of this thanks to the gain switch, do not forget that it has a built in charger which would allow the user to get two wall warts, one for the office and one for home without having to worry about running out of juice or having to carry an additional battery. On the other hand if most of your listening will be at one location then the SR-71 would be a better choice. I would also choose the SR-71 if most of my listening is of classical or jazz.

Vorlon 1: mrarroyo’s Hornet really impressed me. I had an original Hornet some time ago, but I sold it because I found it too intense on the treble end and harsh sounding on many recordings. The M version has no such problem. It is warm, but very well defined and clear, with a bigger and deeper soundstage than the un-modded version. Guitar notes are sharp and clear, and vocals have detail and subtlety and a more forward presentation than the SR-71, but a pleasant degree of forwardness. I really like the presentation and tonality of the M Hornet.

mrarroyo: Go-Vibe 5: Ok, for this one I will put on my flameproof suit. Yes, the overall winner in sound quality is The Hornet “M,” however the differences IMO are very minute. The Hornet “M” does have an advantage on features such as again switch, rechargeable battery, and smaller size. However, if you are on a budget the difference in sound is not justified by the increase in price (390.50/82=4.76). By the way, those who may be concerned about theft will find that having the Go-Vibe 5 would give them the flexibility to carry a top of the line amplifier (soundwise) and not be paranoid at loosing $400 due to being mugged.

Vorlon 1: I got a Go-Vibe 5 soon after they became available and I like this amp very much and think it is a fantastic value at its price. I think it has many qualities of the SR-71 and Hornet without having all the refinement of the SR-71 or all the warmth and simultaneous clarity of the Hornet. We used mrarroyo’s Go-vibe and I thought it had a bit more warmth and sounded more like his Hornet than my Go-vibe which seems slightly less warm, but very open and clear.

mrarroyo: Pints: We had two available, one built by DieInAFire (mint case) and the other by MisterX (hammond case). I really liked the sound out of the MisterX Pint and when I compared it to the Go-Vibe 5 and The Hornet it was very close to the point I do not think I would not be able to tell them apart in a double blind test. However seeing them I would choose the Go-Vibe 5 and The Hornet over them.

Vorlon 1: The DieInAFire Pint originally had an AD 8397 in it, but I found it too upfront and asked him to modify it with an LM 6172, which he did. I find this very smooth and clean, with very good detail and a pleasant uncolored sound. The other Pint was originally in a mint tin also, but MisterX , who did not build the original version of it, was kind enough to put it in a Hammond case and put an LM 6172 in it also. It uses one 9V battery instead of two, which the DieInAFire Pint uses. It sounds similar, but I don’t think the bass is as weighty on it as the two battery version. A great amp for less than 100 dollars if you can still find the boards.

mrarroyo: Practical Devices XM3: This little amp is a great bargain overall, its only drawback is its implementation of the crossfeed since it loses a lot of volume but most importantly clarity/detail when the crossfeed is engaged. It does have various unique features such as gain switch, variable crossfeed, you can roll OP Amps, built in charger, a way to program how long you would like to have the amp on for, and a system to let you know the voltage remaining in the battery. Sound quality wise I would say it is close to the Pint by MisterX but just a tad less detail and punch.

Vorlon 1: I bought this one to see what it was like. I like the design and looks and it has entertaining features, but the crossfeed wasn’t so hot. I think it can be adjusted, but I never use crossfeed anyway so it was left at the default setting. It is a clean sounding pleasant amp, but nothing to write home about.

mrarroyo: Xenos OHA-REP: You know what they say about chocolate and vanilla? There are some people who truly love one but do not want anything to do with the other? Well, although in my case the differences were not as pronounced, this amp is not for me. I can’t honestly say it did anything wrong but at the same time it did not do anything extraordinary either. At its price I would choose the Go-Vibe 5. I will say I like the built in recharger, its smaller size, built in clip that by the way it is detachable. I do believe when OP Amp rolling is added this amp will merit a second look.

Vorlon 1: This little amp has a lot of power and gain and will drive high impedance cans very well, but I honestly find the sound mediocre. It’s not that it sounds bad, it is smooth sounding and tonally it is fine, but I like amps that let you hear background details very clearly, like the high hats in the back of a small jazz combo. These details are present with the Xenos, but the finer points of them seem lost in the mist, so to speak, they don’t sparkle like with an SR-71 which is excellent at reproducing those details.

mrarroyo: PA2V2: This amp has a special significance since it was the first portable amp I ever owned. Listening to it again brought back its abilities and limitations. If you only have $60 get it, especially if you have Grado or Etymotic cans. This little amp is made to drive Grado/Etymotic a job it does extremely well. When you put into the equation the excellent service that Gary provides it makes this amp an easy amp to own.

Vorlon 1: This is also the first amp I ever owned, and I still have it. It is smooth and warm, very pleasant to listen to, sounds good on vocals, and really does nothing very wrong. For its price it produces very nice sound, but it won’t power hard to drive cans, give you a deep and wide soundstage or bring out small details in the recording as well as the other amps, and particularly the Go-Vibe which is only 20 dollars more. Still, I haven’t sold it off…..

Mrarroyo: Dr. Xin’s Supermicro IV: Ok, here I lost all objectivity. Why, because there is no way something this small can have this huge sound. I truly believe that Dr. Xin made a deal with the Devil to make it happen. This gem has clarity, punch, detail, sound stage etc. Until you try it you can’t believe it, I mean it was driving my Senn HD600 and my Beyer DT990 without any problems!!! I have one coming in black, if it sounds as good as Vorlon1’s blue Supermicro IV I will most likely sent it back??? because I will upgrade to the Supermacro IV since I want the crossfeed feature, as well as the bass boost and the OP Amp rolling capability.

Vorlon 1: It was very entertaining to watch mrarroyo’s face when he listened to this amp. Pleasure and surprise were the order of the day, and well deserved too. This is an amazing amp. I think it was just really beginning to “bloom” in the days leading to our little meet, and it has continued to develop. If anything, it is sounding more open, clear, and crisp than it did last Saturday. I was listening to it for several hours today and found it very tubelike in the best sense, smooth, warm lush mids, clear and natural highs, no harshness anywhere, and the largest and deepest soundstage of any portable amp I have ever heard, including all the more expensive ones we listened to. It’s a real adjustment to hear sounds like this coming from a device not much larger than a hand held pencil sharpener!!

mrarroyo: Dr. Xin’s Supermini IV: This amp sounds IMO the same as the Supermicro IV. However it costs $20 more and you still need to get a charger specific to the OP Amps you will be using. This could mean another $20 to $30 each, so at the end of the day you are to about $250. Although it sounds great I would get the Supermicro IV or the Supermacro IV. Yes the Supermacro IV is $350 but you do not have to deal with jumpers for which you have to open the case and have tweezers available to change the jumpers.

Vorlon 1: Today I sent the super-mini in for the latest updates. It sounds very much like the micro, but not as open or tubelike, and doesn’t have the sparkle the micro has recently shown. This may be because it is not burned in yet and hasn’t been used as much as the micro. When it comes back from Dr. Xin I will give it more time to open up. Right now the micro is superior in sound.

mrarroyo: LaRocco PRII: This is a tank, the finish and attention to detail are everywhere. Once you hold it you are in awe at the quality it exudes. It has a very long list of attributes to make it a home amp and many use it that way. However, for me it is too big and I can not see using it as a portable or a transportable. Others may disagree and that is fine. Furthermore even though it sounds great I do not see it having much value at $500, for that money I would rather get The Hornet “M” and a Supermicro IV or the Supermacro IV and the Go-Vibe 5.

Vorlon 1: The Larocco is a very powerful amp. I had to send it back to get the gain lowered to use it with IEM’s. Even with that, it will still drive K 701’s with the volume turned high. This is a very, very clean and detailed amplifier. You can hear background details effortlessly, and the highs sparkle. At first I thought the amp a bit cold sounding, but it has warmed up some as it has burned in. The SR-71 and Hornet are warmer, the Larocco probably more neutral and it has a somewhat larger soundstage than these two amps. If you like power and detail with super clean sound you will like this amp. I do not think it is fully burned in yet, this one has the black gate caps and may very well continue to evolve. I am also trying to get the mods with the 744 chips that have been mentioned earlier in this thread.

mrarroyo: LaRocco PPA: I did not spend to much time with this amp, however it is a very solid performer and it had no noise floor (totally black). I found it to be very clear, detailed, and a fun amp to listen to.

Vorlon 1: I just got this one in a trade and haven’t listened to it much yet, but I agree with mrarroyo’s discussion above. I think it reminded me a bit of a Gilmore Lite, but with more weight and impact. I have to listen to it more….

Mrarroyo: Musical Fidelity X-Can V2: I will be brief since it is my amp and I am biased. This amp is a bargain, you can get it for $160 to $190 on the used market,and these prices include S&H to your home. It is my opinion everyone should own one because this amp has so much…groove and soul …it makes all kinds of music come alive. FYI, since I have shipped my X-Can V2 to PinkFloyd to have it modded.

I will stop because the fanboy will come out!

Vorlon 1: I am not an X-Can fanboy, but I thought this amp sounded excellent. I liked it better than my Larocco PPA and thought it was warm, clean and detailed with a good soundstage. It was very musical sounding and I thought more “tubey”(good tubey, not bloated tubey) sounding than mrarroyo’s X-Can V3 which I had heard previously. This amp is a great bargain at the used price, in my opinion.

mrarroyo: I was not going to comment on cans but since Vorlon1 did I will add my $0.02 on the Beyer DT990. This can is a major find, it has many of the elements of my RS1 and my HD600. It is extends a bit more on both bass and treble than the K701, in the begining it was to much, however it has mellowed and settle nicely. This can is a lot of fun to listen to and will get your feet tapping.

Vorlon 1: DT990s: Mrarroyo brought his new DT990s and I had the opportunity to hear them and I was very favorably impressed. I thought they sounded much more open and more natural than my 2004 DT 880s, for example. I like the open and spacious presentation of K 701s and found that these were very similar, while still having the Beyer house sound. Very enjoyable cans.

Mrarroyo: Since at the end of the day everyone will want a ranked list I will do so. Be aware that most if not all will not agree with these rankings and that is fine. We all have different ears, cans, listen to different music, and we all have different preconceptions and biases. The list is going to be done only for the 11 portables. Here it goes:

RankAmp
1Supermicro IV Xin SuperMicro IV/LaRocco PRII
2SR-71/The Hornet "M" SR-71/Hornet M
3Go-Vibe 5 DieInAFire Pint/Go-Vibe 5
4LaRocco PRII Xin Supermini IV
5Supermini IV MisterX Pint
6MisterX Pint Xenos OHA-REP
7Practical Devices XM3 PA2V2
8DieInAFire Pint Practical Devices XM3
9Xenos OHA-REP
10PA2V2


Footnotes/Clarifications by mrarroyo:
Although I ranked the LaRocco PRII as a 4 on its sound quality it would not be an amp I would purchase if I wanted a portable amp. For home use yes and for that there are better options IMO.
Although the sound of the Supermicro IV and the Supermini IV is virtually identical I have ranked the Supermini IV lower due to its complexity in using the jumpers and that you need to purchase a separate charger.
Although ranked last the PA2V2 would be my choice if I had $65 or less and I was only planning on driving Grado 60, 80, or 125 or Etymotic ER6 or ER6i. The synergy with those cans is fantastic.

 

[mrarroyo]

Well here is the first revision to the posts Rob (Vorlon1) and I did back in October, 2006. As you can see by the pictures below we had a varied number of portable amps in this second round. Some are repeats which helps in a relative type of comparison, so that new amps can be ranked accordingly even though we did not have all the same amps as in the first round.

The list of seventeen portable amps available today is:

-LaRocco PRII w/ AD744 and Black Gates (blue)
-LaRocco PRII MkII w/ AD744 and Black Gates (silver)
-Meier’s Porta Corda MkIII
-Meier’s Move (less than 10 hours of burn in)
-C&C Box
-Supermicro IV post 4/11 mods
-Supermicro IV pre 4/11 mods
-Supermacro IV-LE (faceplate has III): OPA2134 in L&R, with single HA5002 buffers. 3/4 is the LMH6643 (buffers bypassed)
-Two (2) RSA’s SR-71
-RSA’s Tomahawk
-TTVJ Millet Portable Hybrid Amp
-Portaphile V2^2 Maxxed w/ LT1210 and Black Gates
-Little Dot Micro+
-Practical Devices XM3 w/ an AD822 op-amp (instead of the OPA2134)
-Two (2) versions of the Xin Reference Amp

Some pictures of the seventeen (17) portable amps follow. You will also see three home amps, these were: Channel Island VHP-2 w/ its dedicated power supply VAC-1, an old Auri Digital Processor amp, and a Dared MP-5. Please remember to click on the thumbnails to view the full size picture.













There are three additional portable amps that both Rob (Vorlon1) and I have recently evaluated and written on. This thanks to Asr’s generosity in the “Loaner Program #6). You can read our comments at: http://www.head-fi.org/forums/showpo...28&postcount=4 and http://www.head-fi.org/forums/showpo...69&postcount=5

-Xenos X1HA-EPC amp
-HeadAmp AE-2
-Go-Vibe 6

As you can see by the end of this comparison we will have reviewed a total of twenty seven (27) portable amps when we include the seven (7) portable amps which Rob (Vorlon1) and I reviewed in the October 2006 comparison but which were not reviewed today. Please be aware that we had enough carry over amps so that a relative comparison can be made amongst all of the twenty six (26) amps (two SR71s so only 26 different amps). The seven (7) amps compared in October 2006 but not today are:

-Go-Vibe 5
-Hornet “M”
-DieInAFire Pint
-Supermini IV (pre 4/11 mods)
-MisterX Pint
-Xenos OHA-REP
-PA2V2

There was a varied type of headphones available today. These were:

- Grado RS-1
- Ultrason PROline 2500
- Equation RP21, modified by defoaming and with a pad swap for Beyer's Velour Pads
- Equation RP21, defoamed
- Yuin PK1
- Alesandro MS-2
- Sony MDR-F1
- Senn HD600 w/ Revelation Audio Cryo 99.999% Silver
- Senn HD650 w/ Stefan Audio Equinox
- Audio-Technica ATH-EW9 Sovereign Wood
- Older Beyer DT990
- Ultimate Ears triple.fi 10 Pro
- V-Moda Vibe

As far as interconnects we had:

- Three from Revelation Audo
- One by Turbo
- One by Oelbach
- Two by ALO
- Zu Pivot Mini

Sources were:

- Two (2) iModded 4th Gen 60 Gb iPods: One loaded with all apple lossless files, the other with apple lossless and high bitrate MP3s.
- One 4th Gen 60 Gb iPod
- iAudio D2
- iRiver H120 - Rockboxed

 

[mrarroyo]

Ok, here I find myself trying to decide where to start. I mean, there are 27 different portable amps involved and so many thoughts, ideas, and notes come to mind. So, I took the easy way out and instead of starting with the portable amps I will discuss two big surprises, the Yuin PK1 and the Sony MDR-F1.

I recall hearing how good this ear buds sound but had never taken the time to listen to them. Well, the accolades are well deserved, this little buds have a level of detail, clarity, bass impact, and overall enjoyment that I was not expecting. Someone looking for a nice no-compromise bud solution needs to search no further and should run and get a pair.

I had not heard anything before about the MDR-F1, thanks to Ron (HiFlight) for bringing them to my attention (he is also the owner of the Yuin PK1). When you pick up the MDR-F1 you ask yourself: What, what happened to the weight? I guess they are indeed made of magnesium and aluminum alloy. For those who do not know of this can the driver is in an enclosure separate from the earpadas and they are an inch or more away from the ear and angled backwards. This combination makes for a very open and airy sound which. By the way the Sony MDR-F1 “leaks” more than a Grado. However they retain an incredible level of impact and detail, do not know how they have achieved it but … I forgot that I might have to order a pair for my own use soon. J

It is getting late so I will not have the opportunity to finish tonight (7/30) the amp comparison as I had envisioned. However to give an idea I will at least list them as I ranked them. Note 1: This time I am only ranking based on sound, not including portability, or charging, etc. Note 2: You will notice I do not rank either of the two Beta Reference amps, this is due to both units being 2 months + old and way to many changes have been incorporated since.

1.Xin Reference (late production and w/ a 12,000 pF cap)
2. Supermicro IV w/ 4/11 mods
3. LaRocco PRII MkII
3. MiniBox-E+
3. SR71
3. iBasso P2 w/ LM4562 and AD8599 op-amps
4. iBasso D1 (modded w/ different op-amps)
4.Supermicro IV w/o 4/11 mods
5. Minibox-E tied w/ Mini3
6.Supermacro LE (Hi-Flight's) and the TTVJ Millet Hybrid Portable
7.Xenos X1HA-EPC tied with the Hornet “M” and Predator (amp section only)
8.Meier’s Move and 2Move tied with the LaRocco PRII
9.iBasso P2 tied with the Voyager
10.Porta Coda MkIII tied w/ the Pico (amp section only)
11. Go-Vibe 7
12.AE-2 tied with the Tomahawk and the iQube
13.Supermini IV (pre 4/11 and late May mods)
14.Portaphile V2^2
15.Go-Vibe V6
16.Practical Devices XM3 w/ AD822 tied w/ the UHA-3
17.Go-Vibe V5 tied w/ DieInAFire Pint
18.Mister X Pint
19.C&C Box
20.Little Dot Micro+
21.Xenos OHA-REP
22.PA2V2
23. iBasso P1

Any of the amps ranked 1 through 10 will provide the user with excellent service and make him/her very happy. Any of the amps ranked 1 through 5 are very close and IMO it is more a matter of what you like than any one being better than the other. The only amp that is difficult to rank is the TTVJ Millet. If you listen to four piece Jazz Combos this would be a top contender, perhaps as high as 3rd place. However with other music it falls short and thus a rank of 7th.

Ok, here it goes:

Supermicro IV w/ 4/11 mods: I continue to get goose bumps every time I listen to this jewel. It just brings an instant smile and gets my foot tapping. How can this $180 amp smaller than my thumb sound this good is beyond me. The bass is tight, punchy, with a wonderful lush/musical presentation. The highs are as good as any and the soundstage is wider than anything else I have heard. But none of the above makes it number one, its tube-like sound is what IMO makes it the best, the edge of the notes are rounded but yet retains the detail and clarity of a SS amp. I realize it is hard to put into words; you will just have to listen to one. I should mention that there is another set of mods (late May 2007) that have been reviewed by a select few that make this amp even better. When will it stop?

LaRocco PRII MkII: I became enamored of the LaRocco PRII when I first listened to it in 10/2006 (That is the blue amp in this comparo and it ranked #6). Anyways the MkII does everything the previous version did but better. Gone is the hiss (specially w/ the attenuator engaged) and the MkII has a larger soundstage with a lush and warmer presentation than the original version. It also has the best bass of any portable amp, besides being tight and punchy, it goes very low and it makes my PROline 2500 and RS-1 sing.

Supermicro IV w/o 4/11 mods: This would still be number 1 if it was not by the appearance of the LaRocco PRII MkII, and if Dr. Xin had not come out w/ the 4/11 mods. Basically it is just a step below the Supermicro IV w/ the 4/11 mods.

SR-71: This is such a good amp; it does everything with very little flair and with no complaints. In many ways it is my standard against which I test all the amps. If the amp can sound good against the SR-71 then it deserves a second listen. It is in many ways very neutral as compared w/ the other offerings by Ray. If I could only have one transportable amp it would probably be this. Why? Because not only does it sound very good but it also is not to big, not to small, does not have any flaws and it goes well with any kind of music. It is not Number 1 because even though it does so many things well it does not get me involved with the music as much as the previous 3.

Supermacro LE: This was a pleasant surprise, I had a pair and IMO it was not worth keeping and I sold it. Do not misunderstand me, is not that it did anything wrong it just did not do anything great. Before anyone jumps to ask, the answer is yes. I tried a boatload of op-amps and I could not get it to sound “good enough”. This amp has been looked after by Ron (HiFlight) who spent many hours looking for the best sound. Well it shows and this would make a great amp for those who would use it as an IEM, IMO it clearly surpasses the Tomahawk and it has the added bonus of a bass boost as well as impedance, gain switch and a charger. So as a portable amp for IEM with the occasional use of large cans this would make me very happy indeed. Note: The Supermacro LE uses a 15,000 uF capacitor that requires at least 400 hours of burn in. Although 600 hours would be better IMO.

Xenos X1HA-EPC: This is a great amp! And a bargain to boot! I have had the opportunity to listen/audition it twice and both times I came away very impressed. It only had three very small issues that I picked on: light too bright, gain too high, and big/heavy. Well they have reduced the gain, which is a good indication of a company that wants to work with the customers. As far as sound well it is very close to the SR-71 with some of the paunchiness of The Hornet. I have said before that if Xenos could reduce the length of this amp by 1.5” it would sell like hot cakes.

Hornet “M”: Nothing new with this little jewel, except that it continues to be an excellent all around amp. It is one of those amps (Like the Supermacro LE, Reference, and Tomahawk) that require a significant amount of burn in. IMO anything less than 400 is not enough, but for those who have the patience you will be rewarded with fantastic bass (second only to very few amps, the Portaphile V2^2 comes to mind) and very warm mids. Just like other offerings by Ray it is built like a tank and it offers the users a lot of benefits like a built in charger, gain switch and except for very few exceptions one of the smallest amps available.

I will continue tomorrow.

I am back! (7/31/07)

Move: This is a bit smaller than the pictures would indicate. Very nicely packaged and with plenty of goodies which most vendors no longer include. When I get a laptop this sucker will be ordered to pull double duty of both soundcard and headphone amp. The sound of this amp was impressive the down side is that it had less than 10 hour of burn in. Definitely one that I will re-visit in the near future to see how it has evolved with 150 hours or so. At first I felt that if a person already had the Porta Corda MkIII and did not need the built in dac in the Move then no need to order the Move. As the day progressed and I re-listened I was not sure so do to its lack of burn in I decided to give it the benefit of the doubt and ranked it higher than the Porta Corda MkIII and at the same level as the LaRocco PRII. I will have to validate this as stated above and it may move up as well as down.

LaRocco PRII (blue): This is a very nice amp, warm, lush, detailed, and with great punch. This version is very close to the MkII. You will probably ask why is it ranked so much lower than the MkII? This is a very good question and the best answer I can give is that I failed to judge it only on sound and threw in size and cost. Not fair and I may have to re-adjust my rating in the next few days.

TTVJ Millet: As stated above this is the amp which gives me the hardest time to rank/evaluate. If all I heard was small jazz combos this would be a very hard to beat amp and would be ranked as high as third. It has a very mellow and lush presentation, and possibly one of the best mids of any portable amp. My problem is that with other type of music it just does not compliment them. For example I would not use this amp with rock or metal, it just would not work. I would caution anyone who is thinking of getting this amp and use it for exercise or strenuous activity. The jarring will cause the tubes to vibrate and you will hear distortion, if used as a transportable or light walking no problems.

Porta Corda MkIII: I have given this amp plenty of accolades; it just continues to astound me. At $160 delivered it is a bargain. Its only drawback is that is jus PLAIN UGLY. BTW the crossfeed implementation by Dr. Meier has to be the best I have ever heard.

Tomahawk: At first I had ranked his amp as an 8th placed tied with the Porta Corda MkIII. However after further reflection I moved it to 9th place. I guess if I used IEM’s then it would be ranked higher, however I rarely use IEM’s and this amp lacks the in your face punch of The Hornet “M”, LaRocco PRII, or the Porta Corda MkIII. Thus I re-ranked as 9th tied with the AE-2. Although a repeat this amp needs well over 600 hours of burn in, IMO 800 is the optimum and then it gets very close to The Hornet “M”. I will say that its battery life as reported by many is beyond belief (400+ hours), exceptionally well built, and having a gain switch a very useable amp for IEM fanatics regardless of what volume they listen too.

AE-2: As a past owner of an AE-1 I had high expectations for this follow up. In some areas it still is top notch: finish is outstanding, built like a tank, charger, mini and RCA input/bypass, and a gain switch. However, although it’s a much better sounding unit than its predecessor it just fails to grab me and say, “here I am”.

Supermini IV (w/o the 4/11 nor the end of May mods): Like the Move this amp will require a second look. This because two sets of mods have been implemented on the amp by Dr. Xin which have been reported as taking this amp to a whole new level. Based on the differences in the Supermicro IV pre and post 4/11 I can believe it and look forward to its evaluation. The second reason is that I would like to try the op-amps that Ron (HiFlight) is using on his Supermacro LE. If those op-amps can make the Supermacro LE sound so good I wonder what it will do for the Supermini IV.

Portaphile V2^2 Maxxed w/ LT1210 and Black Gates: I have owned this amp and it was a love-hate relationship. While I loved its presentation and bass impact I hated the fact it only lasted 2.5 hours w/ all the switches engaged (except the high gain). I might not be so bad if it had a battery charger but there is no provision for it, only plug to run the amp out of a wallwart. Yes I said that sound quality would be my only basis but IMO a portable amp that lasts 2.5 hours w/ alkaline battery as a source is totally unacceptable. I wish Cesar would find a way around this issue, if he did the amp would definitely break the top ten.

Go-Vibe 6: I have been a fan of Norm’s amps and now that you can buy it for $60 it is a no brainer, especially for those looking for a first amp under $125. I certainly have not listened to anything that comes close in its price range. This amp has a very strong deep and well-controlled bass presentation, with good treble extension and a nice warm sound. When you add Norm’s customer service, a built in charger and a new smaller metal case I say run to get one.

Here is to long awaited input by Vorlon1:

I generally agree with mrarroyo’s overall impressions of these amps with some specific exceptions.

My first preference is for the TTVJ Millett Portable. At present it is my favorite portable amp. I find its overall presentation excellent: warm and smooth, yet detailed. Superb with all vocals, great soundstage, beautiful with classical and jazz, acoustic guitar, some forms of rock. I agree it is not great for metal and hard rock.

The new Move is an excellent amp. I find it to have an excellent large soundstage, a slightly warmer presentation than the Porta Corda Mk III, but with no loss of detail. I thought it sounded a bit like the AE-2, but with better focus and clarity. It reminded me in overall sound quality of the SR-71 with a somewhat more forward presentation.

For people with XM-3 or XM-4s I recommend trying the AD 822 op amp instead of the stock one. I was fooling around with the XM 3 the other day and put this chip in it and found that it improved the bass and mids significantly and gave a very nice soundstage with good detail.

I’m not the fan of the Xenos amps the way mrarroyo is. I find their presentation pleasant, but a bit two dimensional and not as transparent as I prefer.

I also don’t like the Larocco as much as mrarroyo. It is a superbly detailed amp with good punch and power, but I find it somewhat “cold” and analytical for my taste. Vocals are not forward enough for me. For whatever reason, it never gets my foot tapping like my favorite amps, and I just don’t find it having the “musicality” of the amps I have ranked above it. I can’t fault it on pure sound quality, and I wouldn’t argue with anyone who ranks it higher than I do, or enjoys it’s presentation more.

The Sony Headphones HiFlight brought along are the most comfortable I have ever had on my head...feather-light, but without the overall detail and extension of the K 701s or HD 600s for example.

My rankings of the portable amps follow. The top five are so close in quality as to be strictly a matter of personal taste. Six through ten vary a bit in qualities like transparency and soundstage and so are in that second group. Eleven through thirteen are quite decent amps, but maybe one step below the others in various aspects of sound quality. It needs to be emphasized that all these amps produce quite good listening experiences. None of them could remotely be called “bad” they are merely lesser degrees of “good” based on my particular way of hearing things and my preferences.

1. TTVJ Millett Portable
2. SR-71
3. Xin Super-micro post 4-11
4. Corda Move
5. Larocco PR-II
6. Hornet M
7. Porta Corda Mk III
8. Super Mini IV
9. Portaphile V2^2
10. Xenos X1 HA-EPC
11. Tomahawk
12. Go-Vibe 6
13. Practical Devices XM-3 with AD 822 mod

Here is HiFlight's input, including three additional pictures:

There were MANY amps to play with, as well as a number of sources and a variety of headphone, some IEM, but the majority were circumaural types.

While I largely agree with Miguel's and Rob's rankings, I did feel that there were a few differences of opinion between my rankings and those of the other reviewers. Most of the differences were not due to the sound quality of the amp, but rather how it sounded with my particular headphones. I mainly used my Sony F-1's for amp comparisions, often then trying an A-B between the Sony and the PK-1.

I will say at the outset that listening to different phones demonstrated more differences between phones than between amps when using the same phone.

I do think that one of the best sounding phones I listened to were Vorlon1's Senn. HD600 with the Revelation cable. It sounded just stunning!

I quickly listened to most of the amps, but did not A-B compare all of them. I mainly focused on the 2 Reference Betas, the Meier Move, the LaRocco MKII, both Micros, pre and post 4/11, and Ray Samuel's amps. I also spent a good bit of time listening to Rob's beautiful Dared MP-5 tube amp. While not truly portable in any sense of the word, I like the sound enough to convince Rob to part with it! It does have, especially with my F-1's, a beautiful, clean and transparent sound. Plus, it is a joy just to look at it.

Overall, I would have to place the LaRocco MK11 at the top of my list of the portable amps. Probably the 2nd place winner would be the latest post 4/11 Xin Micro. One has to listen to this little jewel to really appreciate the sound quality and 3-dimensonal soundstage of this tiny amp.

I would place the SR-71 and Move as a tie for 3rd place. They both sound very good, but different. The SR-71 is more laid-back and a bit more distant with a narrower soundstage. The Move has a more surrounding soundstage, with deeper bass. Although I had only accumulated about 10 hours of burn-in on the Move, there does not appear to be very much change so far as more time accumulates on the amp. Choosing between the 2 will be strictly based on personal listening preferences. The DAC that is built into the Move is an added bonus and really does sound great.

Quality of construction is first-rate on both amps. (on all of Ray Samuels' other amps as well) For those of you familar with the rather spartan looks of the Porta Corda amps, the Move will much impress you! Very solid precision construction thruout, with the most complete and professional packaging I have seen with any amp.

4th place would go to the Xin LE. With the current opamp configuration of OPA2134/HA5002 in L&R and LMH6643 in 3/4 (buffer bypassed) I thought it sounded better than either Reference. Having the 4 switches to easily customize the sound would make the difference for me, unless the final version of the Reference is ultimately improved. At this time, the Micro still sounded better to me.

The remainder of the amps, while interesting to listen to, did not motivate me enough to go out and place an order. The were all decent sounding, some more than others. There were no obvious dogs in the lot.

As is the case with any review, there are few absolutes. What sounds great to one person will not necessarily sound the same to another. Much of the differences can be both psychological as well as physical, as each person has ear anatomy that is about as individualistic as are fingerprints. As many studies have demonstrated, the shape of one's outer ear can affect our perception of sound.

Most of the current crop of quality headphones and amps are so close together in SQ that subjective considerations such as comfort, features, size and weight often become the deciding factor when attempting to make choices between them.

In summary, it was a really fun day and I hope that we can do it again, with even more participants and more toys!!!

September 15, 2007 update!

A large portion of the afternoon was spent listening to Ron's iBasso D1 in which he had replaced all the op-amps. For example he replaced the DAC AD8616 with an AD8656. In the amp section he has replaced the NE5532 (2) buffers with two AD8397, furthermore he replaced the AD823 with a variety of op-amps. Two of his favorites are a LT 6241HV and the 2111.

Those who are fans of Dr. Xin amps would recognize the LT 6241HV as the chip Dr. Xin refers as the "Tube Chip". It sounded very nice in the D1 almost evoking the sound of the Supermicro IV and the Reference. However I chose the 2111 since IMO its soundstage is slightly larger and it has great detail and clarity.

So during the 1st round various op-amps were swapped on Ron's D1. At this stage Rob was assessing them and it seems to me that Rob and Ron were pretty much in agreement and the LT 6241HV was one of their favorites if not the top. I then proceeded to compare the two (stock versus modded) and although the sound change is not night and day it is there. I find I can detect the instruments easier, there seems to be more air between the notes and the soundstage is wider (specially with the 2111 chip).

I then compared the stock D1 with a Supermicro IV w/ post 4/11 mods, LaRocco PRII MkII, and SR71. IMO the stock D1 is very close to the SR71, this did not come to me as a surprise since I had reached the same on a previous comparison I had conducted at home. When I used Ron's modded D1 it was a tad better than the SR71. The soundstage was wider and more open, there was a level of lushness that the SR71 lacks. As far as detail and clarity as well as tone I would say they are pretty even. Thus I will probably will rank the SR71 and the D1 as a tie.

Then came the production Reference that belongs to Ron. This unit has a 22,000 uF main cap, I did not ask Ron how many hours of burn in (sorry). Here, well lets say there is a new "Numero 1" on my amp's rankings.

At the same time I will say that it is a subtle difference, the Reference has more impact and tad wider soundstage. IMO it is a bit clearer, however it seems to have lost a bit of the tube sound the Supermicro IV has. I think I would be happier on a day to day basis with the Reference but the Supemicro IV will definitely remain a very special amp with a tube sound not equaled.

Finally the turn for the iBasso P1. I almost did not listen to it, since I felt it would be crushed specially since I listened to it after the Reference and the D1. Well I was surprised, it was significantly better than I expected. No it wont be on my top 10 list but it doesn't do anything bad either. I asked Rob how he thought the P1 compared with the PA2V2 which funnily enough it was the first amp we both had. The answer is mix in that we both would rather listen to the PA2V2 but I would concede that the highs are better on the P1.

September 19, 2007 Update
With 108+ hours of burn in on the LM4562 (2) in place of the NE5532 (2) and the OPA211 in place of the AD823 I have to say that the D1 sound is in the same league as the LaRocco PRII MkII. So I have changed its ranking.

Well today (October 6, 2007) I was able to complete the 3-way amp review I started a couple of weeks ago. However instead of a three-amp review it became a 4-way amp review, since Vorlon1 added a Mini3 by Rockhoper.

Of course these being new amps to both of us we decided to use old favorites as points of reference. To that effect we chose: LaRocco PRII MkII, SR71, Portaphile V2^2 Maxxed w/ LT1210 and Black Gates, Tomahawk, Porta Corda MkIII, Supermicro III, and TTVJ Millet Portable Amp.

Below you will find thumbnails which when clicked will take you to a full size picture of the amps described. The first thumbnail is of the 4 new amps and the second thumbnail of the old amps used as a point of reference.





This time in a slight departure I will start listing a couple of items, which I believe, need to be improved upon. The Rockhoper Mini3 needs to have a bit more attention to detail in its overall construction. Yes it is very inexpensive at $125 including a wall wart but a little more attention to detail should be given to its construction, it just looks amateurish. The UHA-3 (like Meier’s amps) has the headphone out to the right of the input. The majority of portable amps have the headphone out to the left of the input, which is IMO more convenient especially if you are using a headphone that terminates in a large plug.

There were two great surprises amongst the 4 amps we tested today. Both of these units (in our opinion) sounded better than the SR71, which is a major accomplishment. For those who have not followed the SR71 it is thought by most that it is a very detailed sounding amp with very good soundstage and clarity. What makes the finding more interesting is that both of the amps cost a third of what the SR71 does.

These were the MiniBox-E and the Mini3. Those who prefer a wide soundstage (I do) would prefer the MiniBox-E; the ones who prefer a warmer presentation in which the treble produces a good round, natural piano tone would prefer the Mini-3 (Vorlon1 does). However we both agree that w/o having them side-by-side you would not notice the difference. We both agree that these two amps are fantastic values and we could be happy if it was the only amp available. The MiniBox-E has sockets on its buffers and amps, so I will be rolling op-amps in the near future. I am optimistic that the MiniBox-E sound can be further improved upon and it should make for a great portable unit.

Both the MiniBox-E and the Mini3 have a bass w/ great punch and impact. IMO the bass boost switch in the MiniBox-E should be toned down a bit. When it is engaged the bass becomes a bit uncontrolled and boomy. Perhaps if the boost is cut in half it would make for a more useful feature, as it is I do not see myself using it. The P to S switch is well implemented and it is a nice feature to have for those w/ sensitive iems.

These two amps extend well into the treble with a very nice midrange. Those who like a more of in your face midrange would prefer the Mini3. The MiniBox-E has as good a midrange but it is presented in a wider soundstage so is not as much in your face. As you can imagine Vorlon1 has a slight preference for the Mini3’s presentation while I have an affinity for the MiniBox-E. These differences are not night and day but not subtle either. With them side-by-side it is an easy thing to distinguish.

The Go-Vibe 7 uses the same chip (AD8397) as the Mini3 but they sound quite different. I personally believe the V7 sounds better than the V5 or V6 while retaining the Go-Vibe sound. I preferred the sound of the MiniBox-E and the Mini3 with the Go-Vibe 7 slightly behind. It has a nice punchy presentation with a good extension into the higher frequencies. The sound is more in your face like the Mini3 and it has a similar size soundstage.

The UHA-3 has a lot of good features but I believe it needs a bit more development. No it does not do anything bad and some things it does well. However it fails to get my foot tapping as the other 3 amps did. Basically there is a slight veil to its presentation, where it does not let the music come through. Furthermore I hear a bit of graininess, neither my wife nor Vorlon1 heard it. If you use a laptop as your source and you need an amp/dac the UHA-3 is an attractive alternative, however if you can put up w/ the increase in size and price I would select the iBasso D1. I certainly hope Leckerton Audio can squeeze a bit more performance out of the UHA-3 because it could become a much sought after amp/dac.

This is now part of the 27 portable amp review, which will be re-titled to 31 portable, amp review and these 4 have been ranked there as well. As a recap:

1.MiniBox-2
2.Mini3
3.Go-Vibe 7
4.UHA-3

As a reminder, 1 and 2 are pretty much interchangeable. Yes they are that close that their individual presentation differences can have some choose one over the other.

1/12/2008 Update:

It has been a while since I have posted/updated this thread. In that time I have had tested three additional portable amps. First a high gain and a low gain versions of the Graham Slee Voyager, then an iBasso P2. Only a few have had an opportunity to listen to the Voyager Amp, however a large number of users have been able to listen to the iBasso P2.

Graham Slee Voyager:

Once you get past the use of a plastic case by Graham and start listening to the unit you start appreciating the very nice and cohesive sound this unit makes. IMO the bass is amongst the best, but the area where this amp shines is in TONE! It just gets it right.

This unit can be powered three ways: 1) the included wall wart, 2) a 9 volt battery (one is included), and 3) via an usb cable (it does not have a dac). FYI a single 9 volt alkaline battery provides about 50 hours of use.

A future of this amp is a contour switch. This might be of interest to bass heads or to those who use a bass shy iem or portable can. I am not one of those who would use it but many who have tried it love this feature.

The Voyager is an amp which requires massive ammounts of burn in, for those who do not believe in burn in then enjoy your amp w/o it. I would say that a minimum of 400 hours is needed, if you have the patience let it go for 800 hours. I will add that based on information at the Graham Slee website the case of this amp will be changed to a machined unit in the future. Personally I prefer a plastic case for an every day amp, this because it would be lighter and I would not be as concerned about scratching it.

Finally I would like to address the exchange rate. This amp sells for $180 British Pounds, with the dollar so low it becomes $350 which puts it in a very elite company. The exchange rate did influence me a bit on the ranking (sorry).

iBasso P2:

I will not describe thisamp because many have posted pictures and descriptions. If you are looking for a fantastic value w/ a great sound you are in luck. Not only do we have the P2 but also the Mini^3 and the MiniBox-E (I am expecting a MiniBox-E+ shortly and I will add it to this test). Any of these 3 amps will bring an smile to your face and will not destroy your wallet. As you can see the rankings above I truly like this unit.

UPDATE - March 8, 2008

It has been a long time since I have posted on this thread. Many amps have come and gone since and of those I will be writing a bit on:

- MiniBox-E+
- iQube
- Predator
- Pico

If you compare this latest set of 4 amps there is no doubt tha the MiniBox-E+ is the ugly duckling. The iQube exudes elegance, the Pico pizzaz, and the Predator tank like quality. The iQube is the largest but still small as compared to other units like the LaRocco, or the Xenos. The reamining three are small w/ the Pico having an edge.

In this review I am only comparing the amp section of this 4 new amps and not their dacs. I should mention that Boomana was present and she brought the Stax Portable Electrostatic amp/can unit. Lots of clarity and detail. However the bass was a bit light. This stax will not be included in the comparison since it is for dyanmic amps.

To me and I believe also for Vorlon1 and Boomana the MiniBox-E+ was a very eye opening experience that such an small and relatively inexpensive unit (about $180) could sound so good. Well it does and IMO just about every one should own one. The Minibox-E+ allows op-amp rolling, a task that I hope to start soon.

The iQube was somewhat of a dispointment, I had high hopes for this amp and based on looks, quality of construction, features and size it should have been in the top 5. However its sound which was not bad was lackluster and at a $500 premium I felt the other three offer way bette value. A few have reviewed this unit and have given it a very high mark, since I respect their opinion I expected the iQube to be ranked as high by myself as well.

The impact and bass of the Predator is in lines w/ Ray's house sound. If you do not need a dac go and get a Hornet unless you listen to Jazz/Classical in which case I would suggest the SR71. BTW, the SR71 is one of my favorite portable amps of all time. I will start looking for one soon.

The Pico is a beautiful amp, just begs to e placed on a display. However it is not my cup of tea. I should mention that I did try it as a dac and as such it is amazing. If you are looking for an amp/dac combo in an ultra miniature size give the Pico a lot of consideration. I have not listened to the new iBasso D2 but even if it sounds better it is a larger unit.

A couple of pictures from today. Remember to click on the thumbnail to view the picture.





That is for it now. The adventure continues. Note: Any of the top 15 amps on the list will make anyone happy.

UPDATE as of 3/22/2008

Thanks to Skylab I received on 3/18/08 a Meier 2Move. The unit is much nicer than pictures do it credit, as well as smaller than it appears on Dr. Meier’s website: Meier-Audio

The unit that belongs to Skylab is IMO nicer in that it only has the logo on the amp. In the website referenced above you will see that besides the logo it has written Corda on one side and 2Move on the other. I much prefer the cleaner looks of Skylab’s amp, I wonder if he removed the additional writing or if Dr. Meier shipped Skylab’s unit that way. I should also mention tha the 2Move is built like a tank and that I like the type of mechanism used on the battery door, very easy to use and elegant if I may say so.

Here are some pictures I took; I chose to include a 4th Gen iPod in a Contour case and a MiniBox-E+ as a size comparison. Please click on the thumbnail to view the full size picture. The 4th picture is one I took when I got together with vorlon1 on Saturday, March 22, of 2008.









I will be comparing this unit as a follow up of the review I did on a Move with only 10 hours of burn in. At the time I wrote that I should revisit the Move to see if additional burn in would improve it. I should mention that the 2Move amp section is identical to the one in the original Move; this latest version has an upgraded USB DAC.

Note: I will only be testing the 2Move as an amp not as an amp/dac. This to be in line w/ the multi amp review I started with vorlon1. Furthermore I will be using my “normal” transportable gear that consists of:

·iModded 4th Gen 60 Gb iPod Photo loaded with Apple Lossless Files
·Revelation Audio 99.999% Cryo Silver IC
·Ultrasone PROline 2500
·Ultrasone HFI-780

The music I have chosen is six CD’s I know well and it is all Jazz, my preferred type of music.

·Barney Kessel – Autumn Leaves
·Bill Evans – Waltz for Debbie
·Diana Krall – The Look of Love
·Jane Monheit – Surrender
·Cassandra Wilson – Belly of the Sun
·Chet Baker – In Paris

I was able to recruit vorlon1 to assist in the comparison and as part of the test I will be comparing the 2Move with various portable amps. Such as:

·MiniBox-E+
·SR71
·Pico

The day we met we had some additional amps as can be seen on the 4th picture of this write-up. However some of those amps were either modified with a different op-amps (iBasso P2) or were not fully burnt in (iBasso D2). Therefore those two amps were not included in the comparison.

As you can see this was not done in one sitting, but I did complete the testing by March 22, 2008, which will allow me to ship the amp back to Skylab early on Tuesday, March 25, 2008.

So, what is the verdict? First I cannot honestly say how this new 2Move compares with the original Move. Way to much time has come and gone, even if only a week had lapse it would still be a difficult proposition. Auditory memory is IMO not very good. However at the end of the day I will rate both units the same based on the 2Move since they both have the same amplifier section.

The 2Move sounds a bit congested, and its soundstage is not as wide as that in the SR71 or the stock MiniBox-E+. I find its highs not as natural as either of the other two offerings.

Following the 2Move I swapped op-amps on the iBasso P2 and it now has an LM4562 and an AD8599. The amp now has much better dynamics, detail, and overall presentation.

I then swapped op-amps in the MiniBox-E+, now it has two AD797. Now it is a bit warmer/darker and with more rounder treble, very extended and with no harshness.

More to follow!

 

[mrarroyo]

Reserved 3

 

[tbonner1]

I like this format.

We have our own Ebert and Roeper

 

[itsborken]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tbonner1 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I like this format. We have our own Ebert and Roeper

x2, great format. sure wish that Move had more than 10 hours on it before reviewing it though.

 

[oicdn]

Mine has been burning in nonstop since the day I got it two weeks ago (7/19)...the sound hasn't changed much, if at all.

How has it been burning in? It's been plugged into a computer or laptop since the second I got it, playing random through itunes. Even during transport to and from work, it's been on a loop through an ipod.

I've been switching between Boomanas Hornet M and my Move throughout my entire vacation, being either walking around the mall, or being on the plane or traveling through airports. I like the Hornets size and lighter weight, but the sounds from the Move just "moves me". It's slight edge in the bass and impact department just keep drawing me more and more towards it. But for whatever reason, there's still a reason why I like the hornet...I dunno what it is, I'm thinking it's probably because it's beautiful and more expensive, lol.

So, that's about 300 hours of burn in on my Move...that's probably more than anybody elses on Head-Fi, lol.

 

[dissembled]

Can you tell us the impedance ratings of the Beyers? Thanks.

 

[dw6928]

Miguel, my only quibble is the Xenos over the Move. I own both and find the Move the superior amp, not by much but it gives a more resounding sound presentation than the Xenos. I think you will agree once the 100 hour burn in is accomplished. Other than that, your work is thorough, unbiased and delightful to read. Well done. Wayne.

 

[dw6928]

duplicate post.

 

[Dual]

Great read. I just got my Move now you're making me want the Xin supermicro!

Im glad you like the Sony F1. I love mine.

 

[wakeride74]

What are the opamps in the supermicro IV w/ 4/11?

 

[jamato8]

IF the Reference hits the pavement. . . .

The Micro doesn't used opamps.

 

[boomana]

Thanks again, guys. I remember following your first impressions thread and happily blame you for my purchase of the PRII, though I have the AD8620 version. I also have a RSA SR-71, but I put them as equals with just slighly different sound presentations. When I get my Diablo (yes, I'm still hopeful), I would love to get together with you guys and simply have a Larocco comparison. Plus, I'd be interested in hearing if the AD744 is as good as you guys, and even Phil, has said.

 

[PFKMan23]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jamato8 /img/forum/go_quote.gif The Micro doesn't used opamps.

When did Xin stop using op amps in the Micro? (I assume you're talking about the Xin Super Micro)