[rob99]

I am compiling a list of portable single ended headphone amplifiers with or without a DAC. Once I compile my list I will compare reviews, prices and specifications and then decide which brand and model to buy. There are three that I know which are the Portaphile 627x(I think the Micro also), the VorzAmp pure II(I think the pure and the duo also) and the Emmeline SR-71A(I think the SR-71B also). Does anyone know of any other brands and models?

 

[alv4426]

You could just do a search, on headfi or even just google. You are also doing it backwards you should decide what you want in an amp (specifications, price, w/DAC, etc) before and then figure out what models offer what you need.

 

[cel4145]

You could just do a search, on headfi or even just google. You are also doing it backwards you should decide what you want in an amp (specifications, price, w/DAC, etc) before and then figure out what models offer what you need.

Agreed.

You can find out a lot by reading through this head-fi subforum:
http://www.head-fi.org/f/105/portable-headphone-amps

 

[rob99]

You could just do a search, on headfi or even just google. You are also doing it backwards you should decide what you want in an amp (specifications, price, w/DAC, etc) before and then figure out what models offer what you need.

 
There was very limited information at Google for portable single ended headphone amplifiers. Google was how I found out about the single ended portable headphone amplifiers I listed. My goal is to find the least expensive portable single ended headphone amplifiers and then compare the sonic qualities to comparably priced portable push pull headphone amplifiers. I want to start with single ended and then take it from there.

 

[cel4145]

Why not just look for the best sounding portable headphones in your budget range? Why does it matter if one is push pull vs single ended design, as long as you get the one that sounds the best?

 

[rob99]

Agreed.

You can find out a lot by reading through this head-fi subforum:
http://www.head-fi.org/f/105/portable-headphone-amps

Before I posted this thread I did a search on this forum and there does not seem to be very much information for portable single ended headphone amplifiers and there appears to be no thread or subforum that is dedicated for portable single ended headphone amplifiers. Most of the reviews on this forum for portable headphone amplifiers do not state whether the output of the amplifier is single ended or push pull and most manufacturers do not state what type of output their portable headphone amplifiers have on their websites.

 

[rob99]

Can anyone else help?

 

[cel4145]

Before I posted this thread I did a search on this forum and there does not seem to be very much information for portable single ended headphone amplifiers and there appears to be no thread or subforum that is dedicated for portable single ended headphone amplifiers. Most of the reviews on this forum for portable headphone amplifiers do not state whether the output of the amplifier is single ended or push pull and most manufacturers do not state what type of output their portable headphone amplifiers have on their websites.

See my next post after that. Why does that matter as long as one gets the best sounding amp?

 

[ProtegeManiac]

  Before I posted this thread I did a search on this forum and there does not seem to be very much information for portable single ended headphone amplifiers and there appears to be no thread or subforum that is dedicated for portable single ended headphone amplifiers. Most of the reviews on this forum for portable headphone amplifiers do not state whether the output of the amplifier is single ended or push pull and most manufacturers do not state what type of output their portable headphone amplifiers have on their websites.

 
PP or SE doesn't matter as much as for whether that amp will drive whatever headphone you want, nor is an indicator of battery life. Best choose what source you're going to use, then what headphone. Given that, you can then figure out whether you even need an amp, or if you can also opt to use an amp that also has a DAC. The reason why reviews don't even list such specifications is that, well, they don't matter as much as, say, output impedance and power. If and when design features like balanced output are mentioned, it's for a lot of other things that will benefit certain headphones (or drive more debate about it; personally, there are SE amps that can produce just as much power, but they actually tend to be larger); if it's Class A, half of that is basically fair warning on the battery life.