[Spasticteapot]

I'd like to build a portable headphone amp. Can anyone reccomend a good design?

I can do basic SMD work, and would like something that can drive a variety of headphones.

 

[Mimesis]

mini3

 

[FallenAngel]

Mini3 is Very portable and small, but to say the truth, I like my Pimeta somewhat more and in a Serpac H65 case, it's not that much larger, plus the Pimeta has more options on opamps + buffers (and some discrete types can be made as well - designing one right now

).

 

[Sinwerm]

Mini3 is a good option for first time , very good support and a nice instruction and overview of parts and ordering. The Mini³ Portable Stereo Headphone Amplifier and a build link HeadWize: DIY Workshop > Mini³ v2: A portable headphone amplifier

 

[Spasticteapot]

The Mini3 looks like..well, an op-amp. Not exactly fancy stuff there.

I'm wondering about the ESP Project 109. It has crossfeed (which can be switched on or off), and uses a seperate op-amp for gain and current amplification.

 

[FallenAngel]

The Mini3 has a few very nice things about it - it's a 3-channel design using extremely high speed opamps with a fairly nice power supply and it's all off a 9V battery in a Hammond 1455C80x case, which is pretty tiny.

ESP Project 109 has a few serious drawbacks. One, it uses an input cap (bad unless you need it). The crossfeed is easy to implement, take your pick of the Corda Cross circuit or CMOY's Linkwitz crossfeed, both are there for you to DIY on a very simple board if you want it, and Tangent offers CMOY's crossfeed PCBs.

The Mini3, although unbuffered and simple looking, offers nice sound because of its nice implementation of the AD8397 and OPA690 opamp which in general don't need a buffer (AD8397 has an output current of 300mA+, who wants to buffer that).

 

[kipman725]

something with boards available if its your first big bit of soldering if not then anything you like the look of.

HeadWize Library

has quite a few interesting designs if you don't want to just use an opamp. Are you familier with vero/perfo board? thats what I build most things on. It's messy but works.

 

[SoundGoon]

Sorry to but in but wanted to ask a few questions - this is probably an obvious one, but is the mini3 better than a regular CMoy, and how much does it cost?

 

[FallenAngel]

Quote:

Originally Posted by SoundGoon /img/forum/go_quote.gif Sorry to but in but wanted to ask a few questions - this is probably an obvious one, but is the mini3 better than a regular CMoy, and how much does it cost?

Yes, it's much better than a "regular" cmoy. It costs about $70 to build, just add ~ $10 for a battery and another ~ $10 for power supply. Jeff offers kits for it at Glass Jar Audio if you want don't want to pick your own parts. It's a nice kit.

 

[pcyl]

Quote:

Originally Posted by FallenAngel /img/forum/go_quote.gif Yes, it's much better than a "regular" cmoy. It costs about $70 to build, just add ~ $10 for a battery and another ~ $10 for power supply. Jeff offers kits for it at Glass Jar Audio if you want don't want to pick your own parts. It's a nice kit.

any guy build this amp? how good are they
i mean glassjaraudio?

 

[bearmann]

Have a look at the build and discussion thread on headwize... the mini³ was build many... many... many times!

And Jeff (GlassJarAudio) is the best! Nothin' less...

best regards,
bearmann