[BruceBanner]

   
It's a great setup. Small, durable, great sounding. 
 
I don't get the idea of adding an amp. Doesn't that defeat the whole size factor advantage of the Alien?

 
I do understand what you're saying. I spent $69 which added perhaps a 5-10% increase in sound quality, but I'm paying the price for it both financially and physically. My Alien + A10 combo now brings the weight of the device to 120g, it's getting kinda heavy and inappropriate for some scenarios (gym). I'm not sure I'll always amp, it's just there as an options and that's nice.

 

[whoever]

I'll amp in Winter and unamp in summer....

 

[Stuff Jones]

I should have known better then to ask headfiers why amp. Its hard to for us all to resist that SQ siren call. 

 

[whoever]

The Duo is a real upgrade to the Alien, but the alien is an, if not, the best base source for it! The Duo brings an awesome V-Shaped signature which goes with the fantastic Alien organic but yet open and clean sound....if only the duo was as thin as the alien...

Ok I'll shut up now....

 

[shigzeo]

  I should have known better then to ask headfiers why amp. Its hard to for us all to resist that SQ siren call. 

I think it could be proved relatively easily that it's not SQ at all, but it is the love of different sound, or idiosyncratic sound that fits personal preference. The PURE and DUO are excellent machines, but no amp can ever outperform the signal which it is fed. The best it can do is perform UP TO the level of the original signal, but even that is impossible. 

The signal in is amplified. If the original device has problems driving certain headphones, the job of the amp is to offload the burden and take it on. It may actually outperform the loaded original device, but in many cases, it may not. But either way it performs you may like it.
 
Usually, it's not about SQ, it's about sound preferences.
 
I love the way the PURE II sounds. It also performs well. If fed a high quality signal it will perform to that signal. If fed a low quality signal, it is limited by that signal. It's just an amp.

 

[BruceBanner]

I need some advice on amp attachment to the Shozy. My Fiio rubber band is too large, i'm guessing all thick bands like that from other amp manufacturers are like that. I don't want to do velcro or some other means like that as it puts too much distance between the amp and shozy (too much depth). It needs to be a rubber band like thing but I can't find any rubber bands that are suitable for the task. Thick ones tend to be extremely long, whereas I need thick but very short...
 
Any ideas?

 

[NLNH]

  I need some advice on amp attachment to the Shozy. My Fiio rubber band is too large, i'm guessing all thick bands like that from other amp manufacturers are like that. I don't want to do velcro or some other means like that as it puts too much distance between the amp and shozy (too much depth). It needs to be a rubber band like thing but I can't find any rubber bands that are suitable for the task. Thick ones tend to be extremely long, whereas I need thick but very short...
 
Any ideas?

 
May try 3MDual Lock 
 

 
No bands needed anymore and the holding force is n times stronger

 

[waynes world]

May try 3MDual Lock 

No bands needed anymore and the holding force is n times stronger

Yes, the low profile stuff. I used it to join my c3/bh combo. Works really well.

 

[BruceBanner]

Thanks I'll try that.

 

[Loquah]

3M also make reusable adhesive pads that look like double sided tape. They're thinner than the Dual Lock tape

 

[NLNH]

3M also make reusable adhesive pads that look like double sided tape. They're thinner than the Dual Lock tape

 
That doesn't really work for heavy gears tho, but 1M of that double tap thing i posted above may stick a kid on the wall =D

 

[BruceBanner]

i ordered sum dual lock. I actually have some white stuff like it but it adds quite a bit of thickness, I really wanted a rubber band like the Fiio one but smaller...

 

[NLNH]

  i ordered sum dual lock. I actually have some white stuff like it but it adds quite a bit of thickness, I really wanted a rubber band like the Fiio one but smaller...

 
Buy some Noble stuff  and you will get a smaller band, or you can buy from e-earphones / plead Jude to give you the glory head-fi bands 

 
 

 
^headfi bands have the smallest diameter

 

[H20Fidelity]

i ordered sum dual lock. I actually have some white stuff like it but it adds quite a bit of thickness, I really wanted a rubber band like the Fiio one but smaller...

You can try using an o-ring from your local hardware store. Just pop in and size it up. I've searched for all kinds of bands, hair bands, rubber bands, I highly doubt you'll find one small enough in 'Audio bands'.

Worse comes to worse you can go full ghetto and use stationary rubber bands. Pretty ugly but holds it together.

Check out the o-rings first.

 

[BruceBanner]

   
Buy some Noble stuff  and you will get a smaller band, or you can buy from e-earphones / plead Jude to give you the glory head-fi bands 

 
 

 
^headfi bands have the smallest diameter

 
Is the Noble any smaller than the Fiio range?
Any idea where I can pick up a Noble band from Oz? A quick search brought up this page http://www.music-sanctuary.com/collections/accessories/products/noble-audio-bands