[andrew3199]

Hello all. I'm currently looking in to upgrading the amp in my computer/desktop rig (Mini m3 -> Ety ER4's) and have been reading a lot of reviews on Ray Samuels amps, in particular the SR-71 and Mustang. I then came across this review by Wes Phillips regarding the Channel Islands Audio VHP•1  Click here: Stereophile: Channel Islands Audio VHP•1 headphone amplifier. Has anyone ever tried the CIA Audio amp with Etymotics, the Ety's are suppose to pair very well with the SR-71 and the two amps (according to Wes Phillips) are quite close in sound signature.
 
Quote:

 I had the Ray Samuels Audio Emmeline SR-71 battery-powered headphone amp ($395) in-house while I was auditioning the VHP•1, so I did some comparative listening. The two share many characteristics—like the VHP•1, the SR-71 is dead quiet, warm, and detailed. In fact, using my favorite on-the-go headphones, the Etymotic ER-6Ses, it was hard to choose between the two. The SR-71 sorted out the layers of Trevor Horn's pop operatic flights of fancy on Dear Catastrophe Waitress with aplomb, albeit with perhaps a tad less sparkle. Was the VHP•1 bright or the SR-71 dark? I couldn't decide. I finally left it as a matter of perspective—the tonal difference was very, very subtle.