HeadAmp Pico Slim Portable Amplifier

[GreenLeo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by episiarch /img/forum/go_quote.gif An auto-power-off 'fall asleep without draining the battery' mode could be nice.

x2

 

[dfkt]

Indeed, the XM5's auto-off sounds like a very nice feature.

 

[Edwood]

Quote:

Originally Posted by episiarch /img/forum/go_quote.gif An auto-power-off 'fall asleep without draining the battery' mode could be nice.

Not sure how you'd add that without an extra button. Perhaps an option that can be programmed in. Otherwise, I'd really hate to have an amp shut off automatically in the middle of listening to music because I accidentally enabled a "sleep timer" feature.

 

[Bojamijams]

If it doesn't detect a signal for a certain amount of time (programmable through USB maybe?) then it turns off. Done

Possible justin?

 

[episiarch]

Well a lot of these conjectured features-that-could-be-downloaded-over-USB need controls of some kind. Mine's not the only such suggestion. I'm assuming Justin has something in mind about how to control such features, even if it's only enabling or disabling them over USB via some kind of control-panel app.

And I do agree that many people would prefer classic amp behavior: it stays on until you darned well tell it otherwise. I have no interest in changing that dominant paradigm. But I see no harm if other modes were optionally software-selectable.

(For my purposes, for example, a nice rule would be, "blink the power light if I haven't touched the volume control in an hour, and shut off a minute later if I don't touch power or volume in the meantime." In practice I don't think I ever go that long without making a volume adjustment unless I'm away or asleep, and this would be a nice way to prevent inadvertent battery drainage. But I have no desire to take away anyone else's on-until-switched-off behavior if that's what they want.)

 

[dfkt]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Edwood /img/forum/go_quote.gif Not sure how you'd add that without an extra button. Perhaps an option that can be programmed in. Otherwise, I'd really hate to have an amp shut off automatically in the middle of listening to music because I accidentally enabled a "sleep timer" feature.

The XM5 does it this way, via the power button: Practical Devices Corporation

It's not overly elegant, admittedly, but it seems to work. Might be better if one press means "never turn off", for example.

 

[shredder]

Ooooo..... Was looking to buy a Pico soon........ I may just have to wait for this one! Any additional comparisons from orig Pico to this slim as far as SQ go?

 

[nc8000]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dfkt /img/forum/go_quote.gif The XM5 does it this way, via the power button: Practical Devices Corporation It's not overly elegant, admittedly, but it seems to work. Might be better if one press means "never turn off", for example.

I seem to remember that the Xin SuperMacro had a 3-state power toggle where the amount of time between being turned full on and then down to the middle auto power off state determined the length of time before power off.

 

[deadguy99]

i'm not sure how effective that would be with all players, my D2 for instance makes an assortment of sounds while there's nothing playing and just navigating through the menu's which are easy to hear with high sensitivity earphones and might set off the no input for 1 hour rule

 

[WalkGood]

Auto off without a signal after a period of time might be nice, but not a deal breaker for me. Personally as long as the sound quality, build quality and this new smaller size is there, I’m onboard too. Sure pan and a few of the other features are fine, although using cowon firmware or rockbox certainly has it’s advantages as they already provide it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by HeadphoneAddict /img/forum/go_quote.gif I listened to the Pico Slim as well, and really liked it with my ES3X. It has the extra warmth that I said I was missing in the original Pico, and yet retains the bigger/spacious soundstage that I have always like about the Pico, instead of becoming more forward or aggressive like I sometimes find with other portable amps around here. … …

Interesting how our ears hear such a difference on the original pico’s warmth, I’ve been using her a little over a year now and my take on it can be read in my review via the link under my signature, but to briefly quote myself:
Quote:

If you are a fan of mids like I am, the Pico is a must listen, as this is her main strength! She is elegant, warm and similar to the sound quality that tube amps reproduce. Sure, she’s not as great as the Woo Audio 6, but she can put out a richness that make the vocals and percussion instruments sound great and if you close your eyes for a moment, you might even think that your plugged into a tube amp, a delightful experience. So it’s enough to say that the mids are great!

By this ^^ I mean feeling the warmth, not the beautiful harmonic distortion that tube amps provide.

 

[b0ris84]

hands itchy................ me want

 

[hockeyb213]

I think the auto off is a nice feature as long as it can be controlled in same way or another so it does not become an annoyance while listening to music.

 

[qusp]

hehe, looks like its time for me to buy a pico again Justin. really enjoyed my pico amp only while I had it. any ideas on pricing?? i'm gonna run this with ES3X or JH13 as ultraportable with DIYMOD,. looks sexy as.

 

[nc8000]

Quote:

Originally Posted by qusp /img/forum/go_quote.gif hehe, looks like its time for me to buy a pico again Justin. really enjoyed my pico amp only while I had it. any ideas on pricing?? i'm gonna run this with ES3X or JH13 as ultraportable with DIYMOD,. looks sexy as.

I'll be running one with your dock from my iPhone in place of the T4.

 

[Bojamijams]

Any updates to ETA yet? JH-13 is coming!