[gjg]

Hello All:

Looks like I'm in this hobby to stay, might as well go with an amp. My current setup - Nano 16gb 4th gen (filled to the brim - another player next after the amp), Ety ER-4P (will convert to an S with amp) and some Phonaks here Monday. Also searching for an LOD in the <$75 range. Some criteria - Hopefully <$300, and preferably American made by a company with good CS. As small as possible - will give up rechargeability for compactness. And finally compatability with other high quality phones I may purchase in the future.

The one unit that caught my eye first was the Ray Samuels Tomahawk. Any and all feedbak will be appreciated here!!
TIA,
Greg

 

[swayne]

Have you checked any of the review links?

Portable amps.

Portable DAC/Amps.

Steven.

 

[gjg]

Yes - read them. Just wondered if anybody has info with this particular combination of IEM's and the criteria of good Customer Service and non-Chinese manufacture.
gg

Quote:

Originally Posted by swayne /img/forum/go_quote.gif Have you checked any of the review links? Portable amps. Portable DAC/Amps. Steven.

 

[EFN]

Any particular reason you want a "Non Chinese" amp? just curious.


PS:
I am not a Chinese BTW

 

[gjg]

First let me say - NOTHING against the Chinese as a people or a nation! China is my first choice as a vacation destination (but the wife wants to go to Tuscany, so I guess we're Italy bound first....), I'm fascinated by the history, the culture, the people. I'm a bit of a student on Chinese business practices and manufacturing, and as a Quality analyst I appreciate the strides they have made on QC. I truly ADMIRE what China has done as a country since the time of Mao.

But on the other hand some of the business practices SOME Chinese companies use really rubs me the wrong way. I live in central Wisconsin, which USED to be a huge papermaking area. Not so much now. And a large reason why is the practice of Chinese paper companies "Dumping" their paper in the USA - actually selling it for less than the cost of manufacture to gain a foothold on the market. The result - loss of many papermaking jobs in the area. The mill I was working at is running at half production. Another mill a mile down the road making the same product (Coated paper) is shut down. And it's because the playing field is uneven - No OSHA or EPA regulations there. And a salary that is a small percentage of what it is here. Not that American papermaking (and manufacturing in general) is perfect - far from it. We have to sleep in the bed we have made. But it be nice to somehow even the playing field to give Americans a chance to compete. How? Tariffs? I don't know, I'm not that smart. But hopefully some folks are.

OK, off my soapbox. So my reason for not wanting a Chinese made amp - I just want to support American companies and American workers. I'll have to pay the premium to by the USA-made product, and I'm willing do do that. I'm not a flag-waving nut, I just want to see this little bit of discretional spending stay here. I do buy Chinese product and will continue to. Just not this amp.
gg

Quote:

Originally Posted by EFN /img/forum/go_quote.gif Any particular reason you want a "Non Chinese" amp? just curious. PS: I am not a Chinese BTW

 

[Eagle Eye]

You may want to think about a used RSA Hornet. I just picked one up and am in love with it. Sounds fantastic with the ATH ES7 and Koss Porta-Pro. You can look on the for sell section and they have some that were selling for 225.00 or so. Mine was in perfect condition and looked brand new. Also I found out that the Ray Samuels have a three year warranty and it is transferable to any owner. Good deal I think. Just a suggestion, if you are like me you will do what you want to anyway. LOL.

 

[Headphile808]

x2 on RSA. I would suggest a Ray Samuels Audio P-51 Mustang, although, at $375 is a little more than you initially stated as your budget, but you did say "Hopefully". Seems to fit the bill perfectly, Made in U.S.A., Custom-Built, Hand-Crafted, Best Customer Service in the industry. Also, has one of the smallest footprints & exceptional battery-life, as I am getting about 60-72hrs. off a single charge w/IEMs & 50-60hrs. w/Full-Size Cans. Would've initially suggested a RSA Tomahawk at $295, which seems to be more within your budget, though I'm not sure what you were referring to "And further compatibility with other High-Quality Phones I may purcahse in the future". You see, the Mustang has twice the output power of a Tomahawk @250ma per channel, and thus has three-level-gain switch @2-6-11 compared to the Tomahawks two-level @1-4. So If you're referring to getting HD600/650s or K701/702s, of High-Impedance I would go Mustang, if you going with Low-Impedance Cans/IEMs Tomahawk. Good Luck.
Aloha

Headphile808

 

[idpadan]

The headamp Pico is also something to look at. Am currently listening to lossless files on my ipod/pico/SR-80's and am very happy with the combination.

 

[gjg]

Bringing this one back up from the dead. Nothing in a used amp available right now, and I can't post to find an amp on that forum yet. Also tried Audiogon. Anything cheaper than a RSA recommended? Or if if ANYONE is selling a minty, used Mustang or Tomahawk please let me know.

gg

 

[Lil' Knight]

There's a used Mustang in the FS now I think.