[CareyPrice31]

What are the best ultra portable amps for IEM's under $400USD?
 
Obviously, I will be using it with IEM's and I want it to be slim and portable.

 

[Jalo]

Pico Slim.

 

[cn11]

Headstage Arrow..... It comes in well under budget too. It has some serious cajones to drive my new Ultrasone Pro 900s, so any IEM will be more than adequately powered. 

 

[CareyPrice31]

Thanks for the opinions guys....
 
Anyone else?

 

[mitsu763]

Don't forget the RSA Shadow and TTVJ Slim

 

[cn11]

I would love to hear the TTVJ slim.... 
 
I had the Shadow, and I think the Arrow handily betters it sonically, as well as regarding features mix. Plus, it has gobs more power to drive a bigger variety of ear/headphones.

 

[chron]

cn11, or anyone else with the headstage arrow 3G, could you comment on the channel imbalance at low volumes that others have described? At how low a volume does that set in and is it noticeably pronounced when not listening critically?
 
Currently looking at the arrow 3G / Shadow / TTVJ slim / Alo Rx to pair with JH16s. Apart from the imbalance, I'm pretty much leaning towards the arrow...
 
Thanks a lot!

 

[billybob_jcv]

Quote:

I would love to hear the TTVJ slim.... 
 
I had the Shadow, and I think the Arrow handily betters it sonically, as well as regarding features mix. Plus, it has gobs more power to drive a bigger variety of ear/headphones.

Gobs of power is not always a good thing with low-impedance IEMs - if the gain too high it might cause big problems.  I see the Headstage has a low-gain setting of 6 dB - is that low enough for sensitive IEMs?  I know I gave up trying to use an amp with my Westone's.  27 ohms & 119 dB SPL/mW caused overdrive problems with several amps I tried.
 

 

[mythless]

Quote:

cn11, or anyone else with the headstage arrow 3G, could you comment on the channel imbalance at low volumes that others have described? At how low a volume does that set in and is it noticeably pronounced when not listening critically?
 
Currently looking at the arrow 3G / Shadow / TTVJ slim / Alo Rx to pair with JH16s. Apart from the imbalance, I'm pretty much leaning towards the arrow...
 
Thanks a lot!

 Too my ears I hear no imblance with my IEMs, higher impedance headphones I don't know.  Look at the protector, it has the balanced inputs.
 
@OP:  If you're just using IEMs my vote goes to the Pico Slim.  For the size, nothing can beat it right now.

 

[s1rrah]

Quote:

cn11, or anyone else with the headstage arrow 3G, could you comment on the channel imbalance at low volumes that others have described? At how low a volume does that set in and is it noticeably pronounced when not listening critically?
 
Currently looking at the arrow 3G / Shadow / TTVJ slim / Alo Rx to pair with JH16s. Apart from the imbalance, I'm pretty much leaning towards the arrow...
 
Thanks a lot!

From my personal experience with the Arrow, the channel imbalance is a moot point as it's only evident at that point that sound actually becomes perceptible; admittedly and unlike myself, some folks do enjoy music that low and so technically it could be an issue for some folks. But for my own ear, it's moot as I never listen at the bleeding edge of perceptible sound (except when going to sleep to music and I use my desktop setup for that).
 
Happy hunting.
 

 

[Mad Max]

Quote:

Gobs of power is not always a good thing with low-impedance IEMs - if the gain too high it might cause big problems.  I see the Headstage has a low-gain setting of 6 dB - is that low enough for sensitive IEMs?  I know I gave up trying to use an amp with my Westone's.  27 ohms & 119 dB SPL/mW caused overdrive problems with several amps I tried.

Gain of two is a little better for more sensitive IEMs.  With gain of six there can be channel imbalance issues when using low volume, but that depends on the amp.
Overdrive?  You didn't try speaker amps, did you? 

 

[CareyPrice31]

Thanks for the opinions guys!

 

[jc9394]

For IEM only, I highly recommend the Pico Slim over the Arrow. I do listen at low level at work with JH13, that channel imbalance drives me crazy. I have to hunt for the level where the imbalance is gone. With Pico Slim, I did not notice ant channel imbalance at all. That being said, the Arrow is very fun to listen to.

Looks like you got the Arrow already.

 

[chron]

Thanks for your replies! I'd be using it with the JH16s...
 
jc9394, do you agree with s1rrah above that the imbalance only sets in at "the bleeding edge of perceptible sound" or at least at really very low volume? If so, I'd lean towards the arrow from what I've heard in combination with my preferences..
 
Quote:

For IEM only, I highly recommend the Pico Slim over the Arrow. I do listen at low level at work with JH13, that channel imbalance drives me crazy. I have to hunt for the level where the imbalance is gone. With Pico Slim, I did not notice ant channel imbalance at all. That being said, the Arrow is very fun to listen to.

Looks like you got the Arrow already.

 

[jc9394]

Yes and no. For me, I like to listen to just a notch below the just balanced mark. I tend to use the Arrow while traveling and Pico Slim at the office.