Official Audio-gd Sparrow thread

[Eagle Eye]

If it ran off battery I may be interested. Without it I am not.

 

[littletree76]

This is a transportable rather than portable, so there is no point of comparing apple with orange. I don't think any portable come with ACSS system built in and able to supply sufficient current to drive difficult headphones such as K701 and HD650 to their full potential ?

I have sold all my portable headphone amplifiers except one and right now only invest in transportable/desktop headphone amplifiers. To me appropriate power supply is an essential component to any amplifiers for good sound reproduction, so I have to give up on battery-powered portable amplifiers. There are always compromises/trade-offs because of restricted space.

I notice exchangeable modules used in Sparrow are similar to those used in FUN (I own one). Differences I have noticed include removal of line/DAC interfaces for pre-amplifier and external headphone amplifier as well as exchangeable output module. Though these features have been removed to reduce its size, I suppose sonic signature of Sparrow should be close to FUN. With a TRS-to-RCA adaptor (sold with Sparrow) connected to its only headphone output, Sparrow still can be used as dedicated DAC/pre-amplifier with buffered RCA outputs. Since Sparrow is much smaller and cheaper than FUN, perhaps it is a good choice for limited budget and installation space if it sound the same as FUN.

 

[moonboy403]

I would be interested in one if it has the option of RCA inputs as I would like to make use of my DAC at home.

 

[tim3320070]

Ask Kingwa- may not be enough room.

 

[avocado]

The website still says "coming soon." Any idea when they'll start shipping? I'm thinking about getting the Sparrow for my first amp, and the sooner the better

 

[kunalraiker]

Quote:

Originally Posted by avocado /img/forum/go_quote.gif The website still says "coming soon." Any idea when they'll start shipping? I'm thinking about getting the Sparrow for my first amp, and the sooner the better

what would you use it for mate.

 

[avocado]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kunalraiker /img/forum/go_quote.gif what would you use it for mate.

701s. I know that a more expensive amp is probably in order, but there's only so much I can spend right now (headphones were a graduation present)

 

[kunalraiker]

I feel it would be a nice idea to send a quick e-mail to Kingwa to check with him, he would be the best judge,I would advise taking his recommendation.

 

[Currawong]

For "full potential" it depends on who you ask. I tend to set the bar for the usual top-of-the-regular-range headphones at a mid-range amp. However, it's not as if the music is going to sound rotten if you plug K701s into something lowly, even an iPod. You tend not to get a lack of bass and a narrower soundstage, as if all the music is in the middle with everything mushed together. As you get better gear, the music sounds like it was recorded in a larger studio or venue and instruments/players sound more like individual entities. The main thing one benefits (hopefully) from going from onboard sound to dedicated audio gear is you lose the awful distortion and harshness.

 

[Ypoknons]

Right, it's not so much the fact you're getting horrifying sound under a 'underamped' 'phone as much as if you do run out of an iPod or similar, then why not get something more efficient? ESW10JPN and (from hearsay) the HF2 are great, very sensitive headphones...

Getting an budget DAC/amp like the Sparrow or Audinst isn't necessarily a bad idea either, I know that from using the Icon with headphones for quite a while. It avoids some of them problems with portables and laptops, the amplifier is going to be a bit better and if it's well designed, escapes the inference and power limitations of chips inside computers and other mobile devices. Especially if you are poor, low on space (e.g. a dorm you switch every few months) and have efficient headphones. But for me it's not in any way a replacement for a big rig.

 

[avocado]

Exactly, that's what I figure. I already own the ESW9 and love it, the K701 is something a bit nicer to add to my (admittedly poor) lineup --> firm believer in different tools for different jobs. Since I'll probably be doing a lot of moving over the next year or so (different cities, different countries, etc) it probably isn't a great idea to get something too prone to breakage or irreplaceable.

That said, not being amped is out of the question.

 

[movi]

curious how big of a step up in sound quality exists between Sparrow and FUN. i have been thinking of buying a FUN to properly drive my HD-650's. how well do you think the Sparrow would do this job compared to the FUN, or to my existing amp, a CORDA Move?

 

[tim3320070]

Kingwa uses a stable of headphones to "mate" his designs to (or at least that's what he states on the website), K701 being one of those shown on the Sparrow page.

 

[les_garten]

Just found this thread. This is a pretty neat "small footprint" Dac/AMP. I have a small over bed Hospital table that has my laptop on it. I have been trying to figure out how to get a FUN or Compass bolted to the underside. The footprint of those beasties is BIG. This looks ideal. I could get one of these on the top of the table. And a trivial job to put it under the table. As usual another sharp product from a guy who never rests!

Curra, this is what you were looking for originally as a Zero replacement before that project bloomed.

 

[tennisplyr3]

Quote:

Originally Posted by movi /img/forum/go_quote.gif curious how big of a step up in sound quality exists between Sparrow and FUN. i have been thinking of buying a FUN to properly drive my HD-650's. how well do you think the Sparrow would do this job compared to the FUN, or to my existing amp, a CORDA Move?

x2

I'm curious about this as well.