Paskii,
I'm very sorry. Somehow I missed your post from 10/26, and just happened to see it now.
Well I initially owned the $599 (now $549) Celsus Sound Companion One (CO), which a few reviews said was superior to the HA-2. The CO is the first of its kind (portable amp/DAC) that offered Wi-Fi streaming instead of the more inferior but more common Bluetooth. A very cool feature, but when testing it against a wired connection, I was able to tell a small but discernible difference. Once that happened, I wasn't as excited about it anymore. So despite what the reviews said, I decided to get the HA-2 and compare it vs. my CO. Sometimes you have to do that. After doing some very in-depth comparisons using the same tracks at same volumes, I was UNABLE to tell any difference between the 2 devices, and the HA-2 was HALF the price of the CO, and a more portable too (the CO looks like a fat iPhone lol, though still very nice). The CO was a bit bulky, and I was always worried I'd drop it. The HA-2 however is smaller and sleeker and comes with its own genuine stitched leather casing (not a case, but close). Since returning my CO, I have been EXTREMELY happy with my HA-2! So just keep that in mind if you ever wanna reconsider the HA-2.
Now to answer your question, I have 2 less expensive recommendations:
1) The
Cozoy Astrapi: I don't own it, but I'd tried it out before giving it to a friend of mine for his b'day last fall. When I tried it out, it sounded very good and also a guy at the T-Mobile Store I was trying them out at thought they were fantastic and even took pics of the box so he could buy one himself. lol It's tiny..... like a flash drive, made of metal, doesn't have a battery so no recharging necessary (uses about 5% of your smartphone battery an hour), very easy to use, and nicely priced too. Best price is found by buying it from a
reputable seller on eBay (free shipping). It's compatible with all phone types and PC.
2) The
FiiO E18K Kunlun: Here you have a great amp/DAC which also offers Low/High Gain options, Bass Boost (I don't recommend it though), and more power than the Astrapi can offer. It has its own battery, so you must recharge it separately. It also doubles as a power bank, so you can use it to recharge your phone. Very nice quality, like the Astrapi. Though it is much more similar to the HA-2 in design, style, and features.
Hope that helps!!