[ambchang]

I am recently contemplating downgrading from my ALO RX MKII.  I love that amp, but am always wondering if I necessarily need an amp of this level.  I am looking at the JDSlabs C421, and the O2 amp right now.  Does anybody have any experience with all three of these amps, or have any suggestions to other portable amps that are <$300?
 
The thing that I particularly love about the ALO RX MKII amp is how clean and open it sounds while also having  great bass impact.
 
My earphones are W3, modded Fostex T50-RP, and a UE Triple.fi (in the mail).
 
Should I even downgrade if I am happy with the amp?  If so, which amp would be the best for my preferences?

 

[TheAwesomesauceShow]

Dude, I don't get your problem. So the reason you want to downgrade is to be sadder(or "un-satify" yourself)?  If you're in a financial pinch then either sell your Alo or don't buy anymore products until you are stable.  More money than sense(common sense that is) is your problem.
 
P.S. I feel like this is a troll thread  

 

[estreeter]

Quote:

Dude, I don't get your problem. So the reason you want to downgrade is to be sadder(or "un-satify" yourself)?  If you're in a financial pinch then either sell your Alo or don't buy anymore products until you are stable.  More money than sense(common sense that is) is your problem.
 
P.S. I feel like this is a troll thread  

I couldnt agree more. As someone who is successfully ignoring toys in favour of fiscal reality atm, you really need to be able to separate the two. Great post, AwesomeSauceShow.
 

 

[ambchang]

I am not sure how you can jump to the conclusion of me being a troll.  I am not in any real financial trouble, but why is it not OK for me to sell an amp if I am guessing that I am overkilling?  Where in my original post did you see me wanting to be unsatisfied?  I said I am satisfied with the sound of the ALO Rx MKII, but would like to know if there are other alternatives out there that would allow me to get some cash back, but getting the same/similar amounts of sonic enjoyment.  I made an effort to clearly spell out why I like the ALO Rx MKII, hoping someone with any real insight would provide me with some downgrade suggestions, and even spelled out my phones so that people can possibly give me some synergies between amps and phones.
 
The question is, are there cheaper alternatives for the ALO Rx MKII with similar performance?  If there is, then it is a great case for me to downgrade since why would I leave money on the table?  The market has changed quite a bit since the ALO Rx MKII came out, and I am thinking about getting something else as a downgrade.  A portable amp that could give me the same/similar level of enjoyment as the ALO Rx MKII, but cheaper.  From what I have read, the O2 sounds like an attractive option (without the portability) and I haven't read much about the sonic capabilities of the C421 compared to the ALO amp.
 
I was very specific with my question, is/are there alternative(s)?  Getting preached on fiscal responsibility is something I do not expect, and is frankly, none of your business.
 
Neither of you knew what my problem was, despite me explicitly spelling in out in my original post.  It's a very sad case of know-it-all'ism from both of you  I am here to ask for headphone gear, and not preached about how I should spend my own money.
 
If you do not know my true intentions, ask.  If you don't want to, keep your mouths shut and mind your own business.  I am perfectly fine with no one being able to answer my questions, because unlike you, I do not expect anyone to have all the answers.

 

[estreeter]

Quote:

If you do not know my true intentions, ask.  If you don't want to, keep your mouths shut and mind your own business.  I am perfectly fine with no one being able to answer my questions, because unlike you, I do not expect anyone to have all the answers.

You are basically asking the questions you should have asked before you bought one of the most expensive portable amps on the market, and I would have suggested the uHA-4 if you had asked this question before spending so much money - the problem is that I have absolutely no way of knowing whether you will enjoy it anywhere near as much as the ALO amp. That's a question only you can answer.
 

 

[TheAwesomesauceShow]

After reading your response OP, I re-read your opening post and did not find any indication that you want to sell your ALO to be replaced by a less expensive amp.  Again, if you're not in a financial pinch then keep what you have and enjoy it.  Trust me if I have money to buy expensive gear then I would do that and not even look at the "affordable" gear topics that this forum has.

 

[ambchang]

Thanks guys. I guess I will keep my amp and not downgrade if it is so much better than the other amps that are cheaper.

Trust me, I did my research before I got the amp back then. It is just that so much have changed over the last year.

 

[PXSS]

I honestly think that the previous 2 replies to the OP were overly rude.
I think were all into this hobby for the simple enjoyment of music at an adequate cost, whatever that may be for each and eveyone of us.
The OP obviously thinks he could be satisfied with an amp at a lower tier and if so, I'm glad for him (and his wallet).
 
@ TheAwesomeSauceShow: I thought that the term downgrading in the initial post was more than enough to figure out that the OP was planning to sell and replace his Rx Mk II if he indeed found a better bang for his buck.
 
@OP:
My recommendation would be to audition lower tier amps and see how they fare with your taste in sound and if you are pleased with what you find to the point where the extra expense of the Rx Mk II seems illogical then by all means keep that.
 
I haven't heard either of the amps you mentioned but I thought I'd chime in and tell you that you are not crazy for wanting to save some money.

 

[F900EX]

Only way you are going to know is get either the JDSlabs C421, or the O2 amp. I guess the one that interests you most and then decide.
 
If its not too your liking just sell them at $10-$15 less and know that Rx Mk II is worth keeping, OR could be there other way around.
 
C421 not too shabby, you like the sound and decide it's there is not to much difference to justify the price = sell the RX.
 
That's what I have done so far, buy to try it, do not like it. Sell it and move on
 
fyi C421 is next on the list for me

 

[estreeter]

Quote:

I haven't heard either of the amps you mentioned but I thought I'd chime in and tell you that you are not crazy for wanting to save some money.

I don't recall anyone claiming he WAS crazy - I still think AwesomeSauce made some excellent points re 'love the one you're with'. End of the day, these are expensive *toys* - nothing more - but it's easy to get caught up in the mania on HF. Folk come here looking for an upgrade from their iBuds and leave with a CLAS stack and a pair of JH13Pro customs .....
 

 

[ambchang]

Quote:

You are basically asking the questions you should have asked before you bought one of the most expensive portable amps on the market, and I would have suggested the uHA-4 if you had asked this question before spending so much money - the problem is that I have absolutely no way of knowing whether you will enjoy it anywhere near as much as the ALO amp. That's a question only you can answer.
 

FYI, of course I researched before buying the ALO Rx MkII.  And lo-and-behold, I loved it.  It was way better than my old CMoy (it better be), and leaps better than the Tomahawk. I have since sold both of them and kept my Rx MkII.
 
I tested some other portable amps, and felt that the clean transparency of the Rx MkII was what I wanted (turned out to be true).  However, there has been some new amps out in the market lately (the two I mentioned earlier on in the 1st post), and they seem to have incredible reviews for the price paid.  People are comparing O2 to some reputable desktop amps, and describing it alone the same lines as how I would describe the MkII.  I am most interested in it, but then I saw the C421, which looks like another intriguing option.
 
I do not have any experience with the uHA-4, but I have heard it being compared to the TTVJ, which I personally found too warm (I found the Tomahawk too warm, and the TTVJ was even warmer).  That was ultimately the reason I did not go with it.
 
And thanks for the buy-and-try suggestion.  I will give that a shot and see if I like the O2 / C421 as much as the ALO Rx MkII.

 

[ambchang]

Quote:

I don't recall anyone claiming he WAS crazy - I still think AwesomeSauce made some excellent points re 'love the one you're with'. End of the day, these are expensive *toys* - nothing more - but it's easy to get caught up in the mania on HF. Folk come here looking for an upgrade from their iBuds and leave with a CLAS stack and a pair of JH13Pro customs .....
 

The think his/her points were valid, just that it had absolutely nothing to do with my original post.  I guess the right message at the wrong time.