[doublea71]

   
Quality usually trumps wattage.  The Burson with 250mW of Class A easily handled everything I played through it.  Some gear I have heard with way more power lacked the ease the Burson had, so all in all getting to wrapped up around Watts is less important than quality of the Watts, and that, is of course REALLY relative, which was the point of my post.
 
Sometimes my amp choice is driven by my mood.  

 
Thanks for clarifying, Dan - sometimes things just sail right over my head....Have you ever happened upon either the Audio GD 11.32 or 15.32? Those do have tons of power, but also seem to have good implementation of their respective DACs (based on what I've read on various threads). 

 

[mameilide]

It really gives me a feel for how they're supposed to sound. Directly out of my iphone the sound is nowhere close to this. 

 

[eac3]

  Directly out of my iphone the sound is nowhere close to this. 

 
this?

 

[mrspeakers]

Haven't heard those Audio GD units, need to find them at a meet...  Anyone else?

 

[eac3]

  Haven't heard those Audio GD units, need to find them at a meet...  Anyone else?

 
I know of one user who enjoyed the Audio GD SA-31 (Not the new SA-31SE). That amp supposedly provides 8000mW for $600. Apart from that, it seems everyone buys desktop amps such as the Schiit Asgard/Lyr/.. or vintage receivers

 

[spurxiii]

The brightness of the iBasso gear lightens up the darkness of the Mad Dogs

 

[doublea71]

That's a heck of a photo - thanks for sharing.

 

[DanBa]

"I’m sure there are people who would tell you that it makes no difference whether you run your Mad Dogs balanced or 1/4″ out of the Hi-Fi-M8. I own and LOVE my Mad Dogs, and just used them with my HiFi-M8 on a recent trip down to Los Angeles. I was just posting about it at Head-Fi.org actually (so funny you should ask).
I ran both 1/4″ and balanced, and personally I preferred running my Mad Dogs balanced (4-pin XLR) out of the HiFi-M8. I’m listening to that match-up right now as I type this. After going back to the 1/4″, and then back to the 4-pin XLR (balanced) I find I get better separation, deeper dimensionality (space between instruments/sounds) and the bass response sounds more controlled, more rounded. The notes are easier to pick out. As a matter of fact I often find this to be true whenever I have a source that gives me the balanced option for my Mad Dogs. It’s a great combination btw. I also want to stress that listening through the 1/4″ is also a grand experience w/ the HiFi-M8, if that’s your only option you still get the sparkle factor from the CEntrance unit."
[CEntrance HiFi-M8: An Evolution in Portable Fidelity - Michael Mercer]
http://parttimeaudiophile.com/2013/09/14/centrance-hifi-m8-an-evolution-in-portable-fidelity/
 
Any other comments on "single-end Mad Dog + single-ended CEntrance HiFi-M8" VS "balanced Mad Dog + balanced CEntrance HiFi-M8"?
 
Thanks

 

[kupleh]

I think I've read the review of emotiva mini-x a-100 with the Mad Dog somewhere in the other thread. Has anybody tried this pairing?

 

[kstuart]

It's not a direct answer to your question, but here is a thread about using the Emotiva Mini-X A-100 with headphones:
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/629352/he-500-lcd2-d5000-dt770-sr80-on-a-speaker-amp-emotiva-mini-x-a-100-project

 

[Shorty03]

I am on a budget of about $100. Is there anything ,that I could find used, better than the fiio e12 in that price range?

 

[doublea71]

For portable use, I think you'd have a hard time finding something better than the E12. Dan has said that the E12 does a pretty good job with the Mad Dogs considering its price.

 

[Taveren]

For portable use, I think you'd have a hard time finding something better than the E12. Dan has said that the E12 does a pretty good job with the Mad Dogs considering its price.

What he actually said was "the E12 is one of the FiiO's that can drive them (mad dogs)"

 

[Taveren]

I am on a budget of about $100. Is there anything ,that I could find used, better than the fiio e12 in that price range?

If you read through this thread you will see a quote from the website which states you can Drive the MD directly from your iphone. But Mr. Speakers recommend quality amp/dac.

That said, just get any portable amp in your price range and enjoy.

 

[doublea71]

What he actually said was "the E12 is one of the FiiO's that can drive them (mad dogs)"

Yup, you're right - my paraphrase was a bit off.