[Canuck57]

 
I recently received the most recent version of the Headstage Arrow amplifier & I'm totally impressed with it!
 
The shape & size is perfect for use with an iPod or other similar playback device. I can't believe how thin the amp. is and how great it sounds.
 
The amps. features,, as I'm sure the majority of you all know, are plentiful:
 

1. replaceable battery
2. Bass boost
3. Treble boost (not many portable have this - as far as I know)
4. Automatic on & Off (lov ethis feature)
5. Cross feed
6. Gain switch

 
I have a variety of headphones and so far all the headphones I've tried sound excellent with the amp. It has no problem driving any that I've tried so far. My Senn. HD-650s sound particularily good with the amp. I use the first treble boost to give the highs a little sparkle & leave the bass boost off. The SQ is so good that sometimes I forget that I'm listening to a portable amp., rather than one of my desktops! The background is dead quiet and the amp., (with the bass boost & treble off) is very neutral (neither warm or cold) & transparent.
 
I've owned quite a few portable apms. over the years & this is simply the best portable taking into consideration its form factor, ability to tailor the amp., to suit a particular headphone, features & sound quality!
 

 

[Gofre]

I've got a really bad case of upgrade fever this week, this is my current crave =P
 
Is anybody aware of any uk retailers stocking the Arrow, or does it have to be bought direct?

 

[DNZGamer]

I bought the Arrow when it was $325 instead of the usual $299. Robert said that it was because of low stocks and that the people who paid $325 get priority. It has since gone back to $299 and he says anyone who orders now will have theirs ship after THREE WEEKS. I kind of believe him. Either I don't mind paying that extra money since he shipped mine a day after I bought it and should arrive within a week from germany while I hear others on this forum have waited even months to get theirs.

 

[Canuck57]

I've got a really bad case of upgrade fever this week, this is my current crave =P
 
Is anybody aware of any uk retailers stocking the Arrow, or does it have to be bought direct?

I believe it can only be ordered directly from Headstage

http://www.headphonia.com/The-Arrow-Amp:::1012.html

 

[Gofre]

Quote:

I believe it can only be ordered directly from Headstage
http://www.headphonia.com/The-Arrow-Amp:::1012.html

Yeah I've hunted around and I can't even find any of the older models being sold anywhere haha.

 

[Stoney]

As others struggle with the E17 (mostly digital issues but also brightness), I feel I should chime in on how great the Arrow is!  This is the first time I've heard IEMs sound so natural, and in so many different dimensions.  While the E7 for example seems a revelation due to the level of detail, one listen to the Arrow shows it to be so much more neutral and able to pass subtleties in texture, harmonics, dynamics, transients, and smooth frequency response to the upper treble.  Naturalness and insight into the performance is what I notice.  I hear things I've never heard from headphones from familiar music. Even imaging is improved, mostly in the sense of dimensionality of each instrument.  
 
At $300 it is 5 times better than a $150 amp!  It is like changing from a low-end op-amp to tube amps.  I don't know how he did it, but this is a high-end product, about the size of 10 business cards.  The features are terrific, but it is so neutral that all I use is the low level of crossfade when there are pure L or R mono instruments in the mix, like old Beatles stereo.  
 
I've just returned to the website after over a month of solid listening, so I'm not yet aware of threads that might be singing its praises.  
 
Only drawback is that it is far more sensitive to RF noise from my iPhone to which I strap it than was my E7.  But it is still worth it! 
 
PS: one major reason I get such great performance is that I pair them with the Phonak PFE 232. Each shows the other to be tremendous value... yes value for a $600 universal IEM. 

 

[ChrisSC]

How sensitive is it to RF noise?  Everything about it sounds perfect, except I would be listening to it through my iPhone4 while streaming music over wifi/3g...would that be unlistenable?

 

[Stoney]

I don't know about RF noise from streaming.  I'll try next time.  But I'd be surprised if WiFi creates any noise; I have WiFi on all the time, and browse while listening, with no problems.
 
I believe it is when the phone's transmitter sends data to the cell towers (I assume), that it becomes noisy briefly.  Still fully worth it compared to the E7 (no RF noise) or straight from the headphone out; the amp is incredible.  
 
Earlier notes: http://www.head-fi.org/t/574116/delivery-of-headstage-arrow-he-4g/165#post_8253571

 

[ChrisSC]

Thanks Stoney!
 
Please let me know when you get a chance to use it while streaming over 3g- I walk to work and would like to know if it would be commute-friendly 

 

[Stoney]

 
Quote:

Thanks Stoney!
 
Please let me know when you get a chance to use it while streaming over 3g- I walk to work and would like to know if it would be commute-friendly 

 
I played some streaming KQED talk and WBGO jazz tonight, and didn't hear any interference from the phone.  I had WiFi turned off and it was indicated 3 bars of 4G reception.  The quality of the amp was apparent with the jazz, but of course nowhere near the resolution as from the iPhone dock line out.  

 

[ChrisSC]

thanks again!

 

[dragonfyra]

with my headstage 2G, i can definitely pick up some interference either from my router or my cell phone when they're close to each other.
 
with my iphone's, i can sometimes hear a buzz from the wifi as it's searching for routers, and of course worse noise whenever sms or call comes in.
 
this is using my westone es5's 
 
 

 

[Canuck57]

I have not heard any noise with mine while in use from my wireless router or cell phone...​

 

[KT66]

Why would any well designed amp need a bass boost and treble boost?

 

[M3NTAL]

The quality of the amp has nothing to do with "needing" a bass boost or treble boost. They are features that allow the end user to decide if they want to use them or not. Also, crossfeed is known to make the two ends of the spectrum sounds different, so this allows you to compensate if you feel the need.