[SpudHarris]

I have been rolling and I believe I have found the chipset to kill all others, I dare anyone listening with their eyes shut to put a cost to this anywhere close to the RRP. This amp punches sooooo far above it's weight it's just astounding.
 
OPA637BP (L/R) > BUF634AU x 4 (Stacked x 2) > LT1363CN8 (G) / Dummy (VG)
 

 

[jamato8]

Excellent. I will have to try it. 

 

[Armaegis]

So a dumb question... I'm assuming the first row is for the L/R opamps, the second for the buffers, but what's the third row for?

 

[SpudHarris]

3rd row is Ground and Virtual Ground....

 

[Armaegis]

Oi, I should have known that...

Interesting to note that it has a separate buffer each for the ground and virtual ground.

 

[estreeter]

Quote:

I have been rolling and I believe I have found the chipset to kill all others, I dare anyone listening with their eyes shut to put a cost to this anywhere close to the RRP. This amp punches sooooo far above it's weight it's just astounding.
 
OPA637BP (L/R) > BUF634AU x 4 (Stacked x 2) > LT1363CN8 (G) / Dummy (VG)
 
 

Great stuff, spudly, but I have made a solemn vow to myself : if I do buy another P4, the case will never be opened. Given the right source/headphones, the stock P4 is sensational VFM.

 

[n5750547]

I've been reading about this amp for a couple of days now as I'm looking for something a bit more portable than my current HeadRoom Portable Micro Amp. The Micro Amp sounds great with my UM Aero's which really need a good amp to reach their potential on the lower end of the spectrum. That said, the Micro Amp weighs over 300g and is becoming a pain on my daily commute.
 
I don't have experience with other portable amps but from what I've read the P4 might be a good alternative. So my question is this (and I'm hoping someone has tried both), will the P4 give me as good or better SQ than the Micro Amp? It will definately have plenty of power, I'm just curious weather there is a opamp combo that will give me the tiny bit of extra oomph in the low range while still sounding clear/precise.
 
Thanks
Phil

 

[flargosa]

How does it compare with your Stepdance? How is battery life?
 
Quote:

I have been rolling and I believe I have found the chipset to kill all others, I dare anyone listening with their eyes shut to put a cost to this anywhere close to the RRP. This amp punches sooooo far above it's weight it's just astounding.
 
OPA637BP (L/R) > BUF634AU x 4 (Stacked x 2) > LT1363CN8 (G) / Dummy (VG)
 

 

 

[SpudHarris]

Battery life is something I can't comment on because I never let it run all the way down. But it's in excess of 15 hours....
 
People are always asking me about the P4 and 2Stepdance but I'll reiterate what I've written elsewhere. Both amps are great, brilliant in fact. The 2Stepdance is however limited in what it can drive with authority, I really should explain what I mean here as others may take it wrongly. When I say ''with authority'' I'm not talking about just being able to hear the music, anyone with a proper powerful amp will understand the term. Yes you can hear music through the Stepdance, even my HE-4's could be driven but they didn't sound BIG and other harder to drive phones are the same in my opinion. However, with IEM's the 2Stepdance is fantastic (especially with my ES5's) and probably a little better than the P4.
 
The P4 is more flexible as it will drive anything in my stable and yes, with authority..... It is also superb with IEM's but I do have a gripe using it with IEM's. The P4 to my ears is siblant without an opamp in ground, I can't shift it without something in the G socket, period. Best results in my experience are from the LT line and my personal favourite is LT1363CN8. However, there is quite a thud when switching it on which worries me when using $1000 IEM's so generally I switch it on first but do forget now and again. I'm digressing again......
 
Can't choose between them really coz they both offer something the other doesn't. Value for money and flexibility goes to the P4 but no nonsense ultra clean, neutral sound (especially for easy (er) to drive phones and IEM's) goes to 2Stepdance.
 
Update on L/R chips - You guys have to try the OPA602BP!! Oh my....

 

[estreeter]

flargosa, my advice to you is to buy this amp. Give it a hundred or so hours to settle in, and be prepared for an iron fist in a velvet glove. Every single time I see my bro-in-law, I think of the day we trashed my P4. 

 

[uelover]

I have just gotten myself a P4!

 

[Varley]

I'm about to join the club

 

[civilaudio]

I had the P4 matte black, only thing I don't like is the white volume control knob.... it is strange silver in the black. --> changed to the black knob --> look great..
 

I got too many choice but the favorite is the HiFlight suggestion (1638 and HA5002)..

 

[estreeter]

If the worst thing about the amp was the color of the volume knob (!), I'd say thats a pretty good outcome. Next we'll have people telling us that the silver P4 gives a brighter sound sig than the black one, but only till you reach 1000 hours .....   :banghead:

 

[civilaudio]

Quote:

If the worst thing about the amp was the color of the volume knob (!), I'd say thats a pretty good outcome. Next we'll have people telling us that the silver P4 gives a brighter sound sig than the black one, but only till you reach 1000 hours .....   :banghead:

 
and we will have some people say some "white" noise make the amp change color from black to white.... (after 2000hs)
 
Color personalizing was the RSA amp school... Does he charge extra +$15 for anything other than black..