Best Mini Amps Out There!!

[Thaddy]

Hell I consider my Zemo-built Cmoy to be an excellent "bang for my buck", so it gets my nomination. The next one I'm getting will have an impedance selector and a bass boost switch, and enclosed in a nice hammond case, so I'll be re-posting pics of her

Let me know if you want a pic of my CMoy, since it could be a debatable entry

 

[erikzen]

DIY amps are an interesting entry into the "Best Mini Amps Out There" discussion. Because they are hand built by enthusiasts they often provide a much greater value than amps produced commercially. Hobbyists tend to undervalue their time. Because they derive enjoyment from building the amps, they don't necessarily calculate what it's actually costing them in terms of labor. They get as much enjoyment out of building the amp as the person buying it gets from listening to it. On the other hand, these amps sometimes have that "homebrew" feel to them (generic or "mint tin" cases, no badging or markings) and you don't have the backing of a legitimate company behind them in case something goes wrong. I am not knocking any of the DIYers out there because, in general, they do great work. I'm just trying to be objective and point out the pluses and minuses.

There is also a cottage industry of DIY amp builders that have gone on to become more professional with their own websites and loyal customers. These builders may provide the best of both worlds in that they offer custom work done with great craftsmanship and have established themselves in the community, so if problems arise they are there to back up their work.

 

[skitzo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MonkeyMan No matter which amp you choose, you definately should shell out the cash for the very best batteries of the given type you need. I believe this to make a BIG difference in performance in any amp...

MonkeyMan, what is your suggestion for AAs? Thank you

 

[gorman]

Quote:

Originally Posted by erikzen The general consensus on the Porta Corda II is that it is a very good portable amp, especially for the price. It is comparable to the Headroom Airhead/Bithead series and Fixup amps.

When you say it's comparable to Fixup you mean I could get comparable performance out of the eminently more portable SuperDual?

 

[erikzen]

Quote:

Originally Posted by gorman When you say it's comparable to Fixup you mean I could get comparable performance out of the eminently more portable SuperDual?

I have not heard the Porta Corda II and only have a Super Mini. I was commenting on the "general consensus" meaning based on what I've read from a lot of people here. I don't want to mislead anyone.

That being said, I would consider them comparable based on price and performance. I know I said I hadn't heard either the Super Dual or the PC II but I have heard a variety of different amps in that price range. In my experience the difference in sound quality is not that great and really only apparent when listening head to head. I'm sure if you bought the Super Dual because it fits your needs, i.e. size, you would not be disappointed. Likewise, if you bought the Porta Corda because of the fact that Meier Audio is based in Germany, I don't think you would be disappointed with that purchase either.

 

[erikzen]

Quote:

Originally Posted by skitzo MonkeyMan, what is your suggestion for AAs? Thank you

...and how about AAA?

 

[boodi]

Quote:

Originally Posted by gorman What's the general consensus (if any) on this model? For me it could be an ideal solution, as it's shipping from Germany, and that would save me import taxes...

I've had both porta corda 2 and total airhead 2004 burr brown ( sounding a lot better than std. with some headphones )...
if i were you i would get an headsave go-vibe now , these are little beauties and i bet they are going to astonish somes here
www.headsave.com it's also cheap ( and it suppousely sounds good )
don't let the price fool you

 

[gorman]

Quote:

Originally Posted by boodi I've had both porta corda 2 and total airhead 2004 burr brown ( sounding a lot better than std. with some headphones )...

Out of these two I don't understand what you preferred...

Quote:

if i were you i would get an headsave go-vibe now , these are little beauties and i bet they are going to astonish somes here www.headsave.com it's also cheap ( and it suppousely sounds good ) don't let the price fool you

Even more confused...

Why are you reccomending a product you have not listened to? On what basis? This doesn't want to sound aggressive, I'd just like to understand the rationale behind your suggestion. Thanks!

 

[erikzen]

Quote:

Originally Posted by gorman Out of these two I don't understand what you preferred... Even more confused... Why are you reccomending a product you have not listened to? On what basis? This doesn't want to sound aggressive, I'd just like to understand the rationale behind your suggestion. Thanks!

Headsave enjoys a very good reputation around here for build quality, sound and customer service. Headsave is one of those builders that started out making DIY amps and turned it into a nice business. Previously, Headsave made amps based on the META42, PIMETA and PPA circuits. Now they make amps based on some kind of proprietary circuit. The amps are priced much cheaper than they used to be and many are expecting good things from Headsave. However, not many people have had the opportunity to buy these new amps yet so there is not much information on them.

 

[boodi]

Quote:

Originally Posted by gorman Out of these two I don't understand what you preferred... Even more confused... Why are you reccomending a product you have not listened to? On what basis? This doesn't want to sound aggressive, I'd just like to understand the rationale behind your suggestion. Thanks!

gorman feel free to ask me particulars about them on pm

porta corda has a quite flat response but it's a bit rolled off at edges of frq.
opa 4743 total airhead is on the dark/light side of the sound and also give a nice bass beat + control ( it's a "beautiful bass" little amp , there aren't many )

I don't prefer one among these two they're differrent , my suggestion on one headsave product is based on Norm reputation+ very good comunication and information ( my experience ) + he "customizes to your fit" amps + opas used in go-vibe ( they seem to sound better then 4743 fmt ) and also threads on the forum about the new amps ( and I'm getting one too ..)
Spending less then 100$ on a portable that's supposed to sound close to a ppa by head-fier here simply is dragging my attention very quickly ,and i sure wouldn't say pc2 and ta2004 perform near a ppa .

up to you to decide , there are also other very nice semi portable amp , the Larocco PR , the Emmeline XP7 , and some others ... if i were you ( and i saw your profile ) I'd get what i said , that is a norm go-vibe , but sure feel free to rage on the forum to make a meticolous choice since it's always been important for me to do the same

sorry as i know my advices can seem too brief sometimes , again if you have more questions just ask me on pm , no hassles at all

 

[ampgalore]

XP-7, although not mini, it is definitely transportable. More than enough power for even the mighty HD600 with 300ohm impedance. Not every portable amp can power the HD600 so effortlessly.

 

[fewtch]

Quote:

Originally Posted by erikzen Headsave enjoys a very good reputation around here for build quality, sound and customer service. Headsave is one of those builders that started out making DIY amps and turned it into a nice business. Previously, Headsave made amps based on the META42, PIMETA and PPA circuits. Now they make amps based on some kind of proprietary circuit. The amps are priced much cheaper than they used to be and many are expecting good things from Headsave. However, not many people have had the opportunity to buy these new amps yet so there is not much information on them.

Sadly, there may never be because of the "price bias" around here... IMO a lot of people are prone to assuming that an $85 amp is not going to be worth comparing against pricier models, or that it couldn't possibly sound good. I'm not saying that people aren't going to buy these amps, but that people are not going to talk very much about them after the initial newness of seeing a new design on the market. For this reason, I hope that at least one person will write a review that will be put in the "featured full reviews" section (hopefully someone with a lot more experience with amps than I have).

 

[gorman]

Quote:

Originally Posted by boodi sorry as i know my advices can seem too brief soemtimes , again if you have more questions just ask me on pm , no hassles

No problem, it's not as if giving me advice is your full-time job!

Thanks for the more detailed explanation, btw, now I have a clearer picture.

One question: the difference between the Mint-Vibe and the Go-Vibe is purely aesthetic, right?

 

[fewtch]

Quote:

Originally Posted by gorman One question: the difference between the Mint-Vibe and the Go-Vibe is purely aesthetic, right?

Looks that way from the website, but Norm could verify it for sure if you drop him an Email.

 

[boodi]

Quote:

Originally Posted by gorman No problem, it's not as if giving me advice is your full-time job! Thanks for the more detailed explanation, btw, now I have a clearer picture. One question: the difference between the Mint-Vibe and the Go-Vibe is purely aesthetic, right?

yes it is .
again .. ask Norm and he answers always