@hakushondaimao @Peter West
Sent it off today, and it should be reaching you soon
Let me preface my ramblings by saying that I am not really familiar with sonic terminology and I try to use words I don't fully understand in the hopes that people think I am smarter than I really am
With that said, here are my brief impressions:
My week with the Aune B1 Amp Tour unit is alas at an end and I sent the it on its way to Peter West. Truth be told, I was sad to let them go today. Its beautiful design and hassle free operation really grew on me.
Although this was my first experience with a really capable portable amplifier, I was already aware from my readings, that properly headphones demonstrate improved sonic characteristics, but I was truly taken back by the changes which I noticed with the Havi B3 Pro 1 + Aune B1 Combo. Listening to the Havi now, I realize that the Havis does benefit from power full amplification as it is quite power hungry. The Aune B1 is by no means bassy as it was clear and neutral but for some reason, it made the Havi sound fuller in the midrange with a hint of warmth and very textured bass.
Over all, the amp is balanced, clear and close to neutral. I did find a bit of a roll off in the sub bass and in the higher registers in the treble, with a bit of forwardness in the mids. But that is not at all a bad thing! I am not one to frequently indulge in orchestral pieces, but the amp makes violin pieces sound so sweet, I would find myself listening to video game sound tracks on spotify for hours. The soundstage accuracy and size improved noticeably and stringed instruments sounded very realistic and sweet.
Furthermore. the B1 amp is quite detailed without being fatiguing. In fact, this description would be apt for other aspects of the amp. The treble is rolled off just enough for me to enjoy hotly mastered Top 40 pop songs on louder volumes without ear fatigue. There was just enough warmth in the midrange to make my Havi B3 Pro 1 sound mesmerizing when it came to female and male vocals. It had just enough bass to enjoy EDM but not bleed into the midrange. Sonically it does just enough to not cross the line into fatiguing, sibilance territory or basshead territory.
However when it comes to battery life, it really is not enough. When running in 40mw mode with Hi gain, I would get a very disappointing 3 or 4 hours if I turned down the volume. In addition, I found the volume markings on the volume adjustment knob hard to gauge on occasions, so perhaps making them brighter, or putting the little number indicator on the knob itself will make for more precise volume adjustments imo.
If not for the battery life this amp would be a really great choice as an allrounder. It may lack fancy features such as bass boost or crossfade, but what it does, it does very very well. Great soundstage, great cohesion between treble midrange and bass, and it is engaging without being fatiguing. Since the time I opened the box, till I had to pack it again, it was being used non stop with my macbook because frankly, I enjoyed doing everything with it, whether listening to music , watching movies or playing video games. It truly is a Jack of all trades.
In conclusion, The Aune B1 amp looks gorgeous, sounds fantastic to my ears and most surprisingly, it made me connect with my music in away that I have not before. These are the less tangible elements that may vary user to user, but this left a lasting and positive impression on me. From what I have read, their rev 2 model will have a lower output impedance, and if they improve the battery life, this would make a fine addition to anyone's collection.
Edit:
@money4me247 thanks for reminding me to list what I compared them with.
I compared the Aune B1 to the following:
- Stock Macbook on board amp
- Blackberry Z30 stock amo
- Fiio E17 on 12gain with no EQ - Amp only in aux input mode
- SMSL M2 Line out
I wasn't planning on writing a full review so I didn't take details notes about how it specifically differs comparing to the aforementioned amps and sources, but one thing I can say for certain, the B1 was the best of the bunch.
