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- Aug 9, 2006
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Full review is up at TouchMyApps now. Full benchmarks for performance will be posted tomorrow.
I assume that Pan Am users will start to blossom out of this forum soon enough. I've been using one ahead of schedule (thank you ALO) for about two weeks now and wrote my preliminary impressions at TouchMyApps. They haven't changed. This is a great all-in-one desktop AND portable system for users who are not satisfied using portable-only systems near their desks or in their HiFi systems.
Reviews are few and far between so far. My official one will be up and out I hope within the next week. For now, make do with TouchMyApps' short impressions.
Likes:
Modularity
Portability
Power
Low noise
Customisability
Wants:
Coaxial input either 3,5 or RCA
Slightly lower gain (for earphone usage)
That said, earphones are almost no problem at all because gain isn't aggressive at all. It mimics ALO's portable amplifiers such as the National, making usage with say, FitEar To Go! 334 a breeze. But, it gets my favourite headphones up to where they don't need to go in terms of volume whilst being distortion free.
People who know me, know that I listen at reasonable volumes, but when I test amps, I stress them, make sure they push a headphone until clipping/phase errors strain the signal and measure how far the volume pot and gain mode sets against the amp. The Pan Am has far more than enough for my DT880 600Ω (admittedly an easy to drive headphone), sliding nearly into the position occupied by the larger Graham Slee Ultra Linear Diamond. Power is no problem.
I'm still not done testing all my headphones (takes too long for me to do this, I admit) but I'm impressed. The sound is more The National than it is The Continental, which fits my tastes. The valves aren't bottom heavy nor are they dulling. I think this system is very very well thought out.
Currently, ALOAudio have the Pan Am up on their home page: http://www.aloaudio.com
Specs are:
Optional Accessory: The PassPort
Dimensions:
124mm (L) x 98mm (W) x (36)mm (H)Battery Play Time:
10 hoursBattery Recharge Time:
5-6 hoursFrequency Response :
+/- 1 dB:40 Hz - 30kHzInput Impedance:
10KOhmsChannel Tracking:
< +/- 0.2dBTHD+N:
1%So far, I've found these reviews:
TouchMyApps
AudioHead