[FortisFlyer75]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jelt2359 /img/forum/go_quote.gif The iQube just has a very special flavour- very clean and neutral. If you like your music more 'fun', it's not for you. But for what it does, the iQube is unparalleled.

To be honest i like both flavours if done well enough!

I think though with the new benchmark in size parameters they are now getting these amps it will have to be the more stream lined designs like the Rx, TTVJ slim, Pico slim or Shadow type amps for me as i will want a easy and true in the sense "portable" amp, but without the sacrifice on that SQ at the same time.

amazing what a few mm can make though, as i keep telling my wife, or is that what she keeps telling me

but that is another story!

 

[jp11801]

Quote:

Originally Posted by FortisFlyer75 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Encouraging considering the excellent reputation the iqube has. What you say about the Rx being not warm is what i am looking for in respect to my source and ironically my Sony X surprisingly is slightly on the warm side so would not want to accentuate that with an amp that was to warm either, as currently it sounds great with my AKG702's through my British Naim headphone amp and is not to warm due to the 702's more natural balanced sig. I am leaning towards the Rx or the TTVJ slim as the Pico slim has just come out and the que is a mile long for that at the moment! Have just read on a site called Headfonia there is a hi gain switch under the cover which even drives the HD800's! But is meant to be enough without it on to drive full cans okay anyway like my 702's for example. Oh boy! - i can't wait for my JH's with a twag and which ever portable amp it may be! cheers on your thought's of the Rx, much appreciated

AKG 702s are not going to be optimally powered off a portable try as you may. You'll get sound and it won't suck but it won't get near the potential.

Quote:

Originally Posted by FortisFlyer75 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Wow, sure that is not a Toyota Prius under the hood of that Shadow with that battery stamina! That is the thing that is a turn of with the TTVJ slim would be 15 hours of juice at full charge with that, which makes me think how much would it then be with my 702's if i decided to listen to them with it. Turn's out, just checked the RSA site and is 72 hours with iem's on a full charge with the Shadow which really does put it in contention against the TTVJ and Rx in that respect. Going to be a hard choice, will most probably come down to which one comes along first on the for sale thread and take a punt! lol!

There is NO free lunch to oversimplify things a bit SQ/Available Power/Battery Time Between Charge are all interrelated. Assuming the same size battery to get longer battery available power may be sacrificed which leads to lower SQ. Your Prius example is a good one great mileage but how much available power is there compared to a Tesla? Battery life in these sized cases is going to be on the 15/20 hour range if SQ is optimized.

 

[FortisFlyer75]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jp11801 /img/forum/go_quote.gif AKG 702s are not going to be optimally powered off a portable try as you may. You'll get sound and it won't suck but it won't get near the potential. There is NO free lunch to oversimplify things a bit SQ/Available Power/Battery Time Between Charge are all interrelated. Assuming the same size battery to get longer battery available power may be sacrificed which leads to lower SQ. Your Prius example is a good one great mileage but how much available power is there compared to a Tesla? Battery life in these sized cases is going to be on the 15/20 hour range if SQ is optimized.

Thanks for confirming that JP, well then it has to be SQ performance over stamina as after all 15-20 is still enough to cover a trip somewhere easily.

Cannot wait to get a Tesla then! in that case

 

[kiwirugby]

I have both the Shadow and the P51. Really tough choice between the two, but after a 5-hour flight on Sunday with the Shadow, I think I'd have to give the nod to it just for the quality of the bass. But, who knows when I go back to the P51??? You can't go wrong with either.

Pico Slim coming sometime soon, I hope. Then, I will have more to try to figure out!

 

[grawk]

For me, the most important concern with a portable amp for JH13s was volume control. On most analog volume controls, the lower 1/3 of the control is the worst sounding, and worst matched portion. So you need to either operate at REALLY low gain, or have an attenuator designed for that range. The Pico Slim and TTVJ slim both do a great job with this end of the spectrum.

 

[warp08]

I think the digital volume control on the Shadow works well.

 

[FortisFlyer75]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kiwirugby /img/forum/go_quote.gif I have both the Shadow and the P51. Really tough choice between the two, but after a 5-hour flight on Sunday with the Shadow, I think I'd have to give the nod to it just for the quality of the bass. But, who knows when I go back to the P51??? You can't go wrong with either. Pico Slim coming sometime soon, I hope. Then, I will have more to try to figure out!

Even harder to try and figure out when i cannot get to demo any of them and get one punt at getting one as after getting the JH13 or 16 with a twag and a lod to compliment it will need to be a keeper from the start which ever amp i get as the recovery time will be very long financially after this!

I really do like what i hear about the P51 & shadow on here, but i think at the moment it will come down to possibly the Rx, TTVJ slim and Pico slim.

I still invisage when i do recover from my financial fall out from this latest jaunt when i am in a position to think about adding a second or perhaps even third porta amp as no doubt i will get the bug i think a RSA would have to be tried for sure.

 

[YtseJamer]

I have tried a lot of portable amps (D10, Pico, Mustang, Shadow, Protector & ALO Rx) with my JH13s recently and the one that I prefer is the RSA Protector.

 

[FortisFlyer75]

Quote:

Originally Posted by pfillion /img/forum/go_quote.gif I have tried a lot of portable amps (D10, Pico, Mustang, Shadow, Protector & ALO Rx) with my JH13s recently and the one that I prefer is the RSA Protector.

The Protector is the balanced version with two amps isn't it?
Must sound pretty good like that, but would not exactly make it truely portable though like that i would of thought?

How did you find the Shadow and Rx with the 13's?

 

[YtseJamer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by FortisFlyer75 /img/forum/go_quote.gif The Protector is the balanced version with two amps isn't it? Must sound pretty good like that, but would not exactly make it truely portable though like that i would of thought? How did you find the Shadow and Rx with the 13's?

Yes it's a balanced amp but you can also use it in single ended mode.

The Protector is not that big and IMO more portable than the ALO Rx.

Shadow vs Rx, I slightly prefered the Shadow because the Rx was a little bit too sterile for my tastes.

 

[grawk]

more portable than the Rx? In what way? The Rx is a great size, imho. Thin, flat shape that works well in conjunction with an ipod touch or iphone.

 

[FortisFlyer75]

Quote:

Originally Posted by pfillion /img/forum/go_quote.gif Yes it's a balanced amp but you can also use it in single ended mode. The Protector is not that big and IMO more portable than the ALO Rx. Shadow vs Rx, I slightly prefered the Shadow because the Rx was a little bit too sterile for my tastes.

Could you elaborate on "sterile" on the Rx please?
Was it unable to reflect instruments with a true sense of realism, or did you just not find it dynamic and lively in it's presentation for your liking?

 

[kiwirugby]

Quote:

Originally Posted by FortisFlyer75 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Even harder to try and figure out when i cannot get to demo any of them and get one punt at getting one as after getting the JH13 or 16 with a twag and a lod to compliment it will need to be a keeper from the start which ever amp i get as the recovery time will be very long financially after this! I really do like what i hear about the P51 & shadow on here, but i think at the moment it will come down to possibly the Rx, TTVJ slim and Pico slim. I still invisage when i do recover from my financial fall out from this latest jaunt when i am in a position to think about adding a second or perhaps even third porta amp as no doubt i will get the bug i think a RSA would have to be tried for sure.

If you weren't so bloody far away, I'd be happy to send you the Shadow or P51 (not both at the same time, though)!!!

However, it looks like you've done your research and those amps you list I am sure will do you brilliantly. I know it's hard when pennies are hard to come by some times, but whatever you decide on for an amp, the IEMs and Craig's superb cables will suffice - more than suffice - as your wallet fattens!

Please let us know how things progress.

 

[FortisFlyer75]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kiwirugby /img/forum/go_quote.gif If you weren't so bloody far away, I'd be happy to send you the Shadow or P51 (not both at the same time, though)!!! However, it looks like you've done your research and those amps you list I am sure will do you brilliantly. I know it's hard when pennies are hard to come by some times, but whatever you decide on for an amp, the IEMs and Craig's superb cables will suffice - more than suffice - as your wallet fattens! Please let us know how things progress.

Lol, Thanks for the thought and offer anyway, maybe i will move closer to you

It would have to be the shadow out of the two if i did go with one as it has the digital volume control that suits the JH13's by what i have read.

Yes, i have plenty of pennies at the moment until it goes down on the 13 or 16's with the twag cable and a descent lod for which ever amp i might go for.

I am sure i will be happy with either of the shortlisted amps, but i suppose in our strive for perfection it is trying to go with one that will be pleasure to the ears for many a year to come potentially and also have a synergy with everything else in the setup and obviously without listening to one this is where this forum becomes precious with smashing guys like yourself sharing the experience and paints a great picture of a product (wether good or bad) with so many people who have used them, thus allowing me to make a very good educated decision at any rate.

 

[Sceptre]

Quote:

Originally Posted by FortisFlyer75 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Lol, Thanks for the thought and offer anyway, maybe i will move closer to you

Yo Fortis!

I'm guessing I'm about 50 miles away from you. Happy to meet up for a few hours to let you see the difference some of my portable amps make. I was the first in the UK to get the JH13Pro (sn 1409) and took the plunge on them without any regrets. I have number 111 Pico Slim arriving soon, so you might be one of the first in UK to hear that too! Glad to let you demo the gear at a mini meet.

I'm looking forward to hearing the iMod, ALO PV-Cap to Pico Slim to JH13. I have a bunch of LODS and stuff to experiment with too.

PM me for location or phone number.

Regards

Sceptre