Go Vibe v5 or Xenos for ER-4S?

[MKAL]

After doing a search it seems that the Go Vibe v5 and Xenos amps are currently considered the best under $100 portable amps? I did not find much info on which is a better match for the ER-4S though. What do you think?

 

[episiarch]

I haven't heard the Xenos amp, but the Go-Vibe V5 is now my favorite portable amp for the ER-4S. I prefer it to the SR-71 and a couple different flavors of Pimeta I have, all of which were more expensive.

 

[MKAL]

The only thing that concerns me about the Go Vibe v5 is a couple comments I read about treble emphasis. While I think this could benefit the etys, I think it could also make them sound too bright. Is this a potential problem with the Go Vibe?

 

[episiarch]

I don't find it to add treble emphasis - it just doesn't subtract any. So really, it's a matter of how you feel about Etys. If you think, "I love them but I wish the highs were rolled off a little bit," then the GV5 is not the amp that will accomodate you. If you think, "these are just right," then you should like the GV5.

 

[MKAL]

I thought the highs were nice with the SR-71, which I currently own but am reserving for at home use. I have not heard any other amps with the etys though.

 

[episiarch]

OK, well then compared to the SR-71, the GV5 is less rolled off in the highest highs. The SR-71 plays high notes really beautifully, but I find that it takes a some of the punch and impact out of the "sharp corners" of percussive sounds. The sound of a slap on a hand drum, say, just doesn't have the sharp attack that I expect, and I found myself compensating for it with more volume, which isn't good.

With the GV5 that attack is very present and has much more of the clarity that I get from my Gilmore Lite desktop amp. The mids on the GV5 perhaps have a little less body than on the SR-71, but if so (and I'm not truly sure), it's not enough to bother me.

I respect both amps very much, but the SR-71 gives me a little bit less of what I'm looking for when paired with the ER-4S, and I now use the GV5 pretty much exclusively as my portable amp.

 

[MKAL]

Thanks for the informative explanation. It seems that the I might just have to give the Go Vibe a try. Just out of curiosity, with what type of phones do you prefer the SR-71 over the Go Vibe, and vice-versa?

 

[episiarch]

The ER-4S is so much the target of my amped portable listening that it's hard for me to answer that question. Broadly speaking, I'd say that if I were listening on a set that didn't render highs as sharply as the ER-4S does, then the difference in the high frequency extension would be irrelevant. But I don't listen to that kind of rig on my portable amps enough to tell you which amp I'd prefer.

It also is, I think, very much a matter of personal preference. I love hearing the full range of what the ER-4S can do, but I think there's a good sized population of people to whom that level of treble energy sounds wrong. For those people, a slightly treble-limited amp is a good "fix" for the Etys' sound, while for me a more wide-spectrum amp is preferable.

 

[Andrea]

I'd recommend the Xenos 0HA-REP. Its sweet, smooth natural sound with no loss of detail should suit the ER-4 very well... Sorry though, I've never compared it to an SR-71. I find that it's an amp that sounds true, as opposed to artificially spectacular. That's what I like (I'm no audio-phile).

 

[kaushama]

I have never heard GV5 but my vote goes to Xenos as Andrea said it is a very natural, warm and accurate amp. I am very impressed with it for its accurate reproduction of music and it seems to be improving day by day with burn in.

 

[MKAL]

Sounds like there are supporters of both amps, but has anyone outside of Andrea heard both who is willing to comments on their relative merits for etys?

 

[mrarroyo]

I have, and my vote goes for the Go-Vibe 5. Click the picture below and you will see the amps Vorlon1 and I tested on Saturday 10/14/06. Beating the Go-Vibe 5 is very hard indeed, I personally can say that the more expensive units may have some attributes you prefer. However the diferences are very small.

So if you want to spend $100 or less the Go-Vibe 5 will do you well. Good luck.

 

[Andrea]

How true it is that we all hear differently... If the Go-Vibe v5 was the end all and be all of reasonably priced headphone amps, I would have to abandon the headphone hobby straight away.

 

[DDF]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrarroyo I have, and my vote goes for the Go-Vibe 5. Click the picture below and you will see the amps Vorlon1 and I tested on Saturday 10/14/06. Beating the Go-Vibe 5 is very hard indeed, I personally can say that the more expensive units may have some attributes you prefer. However the diferences are very small.

Any plans to post a report on the listening session?

Inquiring minds and all,
Dave