Nick B
Head-Fier
- Joined
- Feb 16, 2005
- Posts
- 81
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Greetings Learned Fourm:
Tomorrow (if the UPS Gods smile upon me) I will receive my new Westone UM2 canal phones. They will be paired with my iAudio G3 player. As much as I am looking forward the huge improvement in sound that this combo will bestow, I am looking ahead to the possibility of adding amplification to the mix.
My application, about 80% of the time, is music while riding my motorcycle. While canal phones do an OK job of blocking wind noise, it is still pretty loud. This forces me to increase volume and flirt with distortion, especially in the bass regions.
So I'm wondering if an amp would be a waste, given the noisy environment I am trying to listen in. Subtle changes in "airyness" and "presence" will certainly be lost under my helmet at 60 MPH. However, a cleaner and more powerful sound will most definitely help out.
There is already a thumb on the scale against amplification: size and weight. Even though I'm looking at portable amps (SM V3, Portphile V2, Headroom Micro), it is still another bulge under the jacket (DON'T GO THERE
), another pocket filled, another wire to wrestle with when purchasing gas, etc.
As always, your impressions, opinions and advice is greatly appreciated. Thank you.
Nick B
Tomorrow (if the UPS Gods smile upon me) I will receive my new Westone UM2 canal phones. They will be paired with my iAudio G3 player. As much as I am looking forward the huge improvement in sound that this combo will bestow, I am looking ahead to the possibility of adding amplification to the mix.
My application, about 80% of the time, is music while riding my motorcycle. While canal phones do an OK job of blocking wind noise, it is still pretty loud. This forces me to increase volume and flirt with distortion, especially in the bass regions.
So I'm wondering if an amp would be a waste, given the noisy environment I am trying to listen in. Subtle changes in "airyness" and "presence" will certainly be lost under my helmet at 60 MPH. However, a cleaner and more powerful sound will most definitely help out.
There is already a thumb on the scale against amplification: size and weight. Even though I'm looking at portable amps (SM V3, Portphile V2, Headroom Micro), it is still another bulge under the jacket (DON'T GO THERE
As always, your impressions, opinions and advice is greatly appreciated. Thank you.
Nick B