[kova4a]

Well, I just dug up my 20 years old (might be even 25) casette player and I've carried this for quite some years in my pocket, so it kinda make me feel that I've spoiled myself and the technology for the past 10 years has really changed what I consider to be portable. 
 

 

[slwiser]

Quote:

Sorry I know this is off-topic.
 
I auditioned the HP-P1 (with Classic and JH13s) recently at Jaben. It was brief, and I tend to hear a little less well in Jaben (I don't know why).
 
TBH, it was a little underwhelming for me. Yes, it widened the soundstage quite a bit, and sounds were more focussed than before, but vocals also became a tad less intimate in some cases, and overall dynamics didn't improve significantly (should I be looking at Amps more than DACs for this?). Overall, it just didn't strike me as a product worth buying, especially given its cost and (lack of) portability.
 
Am I alone on this?

If a component device uses capacitors then how long the  unit has been burned in is important to the final sound that one can hear.  For example when I got my iBasso DB2 balanced dac I heard nothing over the dac of the HP-P1 but after a couple of weeks I heard better soundstage and imaging with certain headphones.  Out of the box I can understand why you could say "underwhelming" but this is not quite valid I think after burn-in.
 

 

[Totally Dubbed]

Quote:

 

[size=small]

port·a·ble

   [pawr-tuh-buhl, pohr-]  Show IPA[/size]

[size=small] [size=small] adjective [size=1em] 1. [size=small] capable of being transported or conveyed: a portable stage.[/size]
[/size]

[size=1em] 2. [size=small] easily carried or conveyed by hand: a portable typewriter.[/size]
[/size]

[size=1em] 3. [size=small] Computers . (of data sets, software, etc.) capable of beingused on different computer systems.[/size]
[size=small]  [/size]
[size=small]  [/size]
[size=small] I think what most people class as a portable rig is met by these definitions. I would hate to try and carry my Caspian Pre and Power amps and MF X-Can round with me 

[/size]
[size=small]  [/size]
[size=small] Having said that.....I couldnt fit my RSA-71 portable amp and modded iPod in my pocket......however I can transfer it between office / train / hotel rooms and office very easily. I can also use it in the garden in any room in the house, when camping etc etc etc. So to me my rig is portable.[/size]
[size=small]  [/size]
[/size]

[/size]
[/size]
 

understood

But problem here is, when you have a noob, quite like myself in amps, that is mislead to believe some amps are portable.
That's why in my reivew, I included size comparisons + ruler dimensions.
 
 


Quote:

Well, that's strange coz I found the low-profile one I use to be the least expensive - from where I got it 100cm were 5 bucks, so I just got 2 meters for $10 and now I have so much to play with. I see that on amazon it's a little bit more expensive but still not 5 bucks for 20cm. 
 
I also think portable rigs are percieved differently by different people as some of us don't carry bags always or don't use cars for our commute. I for one like to go out for a walk and enjoy my music without all the other people staring at the bulge in my pocket and my friends asking me if that's my "rig" and that it seems happy to see them.

hahaha - no surely happy to see you.
I'll never forget when i was younger, I had my glass case in my pocket.
 
And a girl asked me what it was...i said it was my glass case - she had the confidence to put her hand and touch it haha
I was like :O really? You actually thought i was THAT big hahaha
 


Quote:

x2
 
My Class Rig is 4 stacked including my iPod but the Class + DB2 + PB2 generally sit in my messenger bag and the iPod is on a USB umbilical to the Class. My messenger bag goes everywhere with me anyway (Wallet / Camera / Wife's lipstick 

etc...) so I may as well have the best portable rig I can afford and carry. This rig also doubles as my vacation rig but I swap the ES5's and use my balanced D7000's in the evenings indoors. Small rig, big, big sound.....
 

haha women's bags...i have to say...are like dungeons.
 


Quote:

Well, I just dug up my 20 years old (might be even 25) casette player and I've carried this for quite some years in my pocket, so it kinda make me feel that I've spoiled myself and the technology for the past 10 years has really changed what I consider to be portable. 
 
 

 
OLD SCHOOL
 

 

[Akin]

Quote:

Well, I just dug up my 20 years old (might be even 25) casette player and I've carried this for quite some years in my pocket, so it kinda make me feel that I've spoiled myself and the technology for the past 10 years has really changed what I consider to be portable. 
 

Nice "retro" look!
 
I gotta ask, how did it sound?
 

 

[maverickronin]

Quote:

 

[size=small]

port·a·ble

   [pawr-tuh-buhl, pohr-]  Show IPA[/size]

[size=small] [size=small] adjective [size=1em] 1. [size=small] capable of being transported or conveyed: a portable stage.[/size]
[/size]

[size=1em] 2. [size=small] easily carried or conveyed by hand: a portable typewriter.[/size]
[/size]

[size=1em] 3. [size=small] Computers . (of data sets, software, etc.) capable of beingused on different computer systems.[/size]
[size=small]  [/size]
[size=small]  [/size]
[size=small] I think what most people class as a portable rig is met by these definitions. I would hate to try and carry my Caspian Pre and Power amps and MF X-Can round with me 

[/size]
[size=small]  [/size]
[size=small] Having said that.....I couldnt fit my RSA-71 portable amp and modded iPod in my pocket......however I can transfer it between office / train / hotel rooms and office very easily. I can also use it in the garden in any room in the house, when camping etc etc etc. So to me my rig is portable.[/size]
[/size]

[/size]
[/size]

The correct definitions are...
 
Quote:

PORTABLE: smaller and lighter than the average refrigerator
 
TRANSPORTABLE: neither chained to a wall nor attached to an alarm system

 

 

[Totally Dubbed]

Quote:

The correct definitions are...

HAHAHAHA
 
 

 

[kova4a]

Quote:

Nice "retro" look!
 
I gotta ask, how did it sound?
 

Well, as far as I remember it was pretty warm sounding and the mids were a little bit laid back but overall was nice. I was using it with some huge Sony cans that I can't find right now. I used it for a really long time before I upgraded to a Sharp casette player, which was smaller and lighter and overall better in sq. After that jumped on the first Sony cd players, which was later on replaced by a Creative zen.
 

 

 

[Akin]

Quote:

Well, as far as I remember it was pretty warm sounding and the mids were a little bit laid back but overall was nice. I was using it with some huge Sony cans that I can't find right now. I used it for a really long time before I upgraded to a Sharp casette player, which was smaller and lighter and overall better in sq. After that jumped on the first Sony cd players, which was later on replaced by a Creative zen.
 

 

Wow! I'm only 13 so I only remember cd players from the time when I was like 4 years old!

 

[Tilpo]

Don't worry. When you're older you can tell your children that you used to have these things called 'iPods' and 'smartphones'.

Heck, even headphones might become outdated at some point when sound is transmitted directly to the cochlear nerve.

 

[Akin]

Quote:

Don't worry. When you're older you can tell your children that you used to have these things called 'iPods' and 'smartphones'.
Heck, even headphones might become outdated at some point when sound is transmitted directly to the cochlear nerve.

Well, my theory is that ipod's will be built in to headphones.

 

[Tilpo]

Well, my theory is that ipod's will be built in to headphones.

That would require batteries with far higher energy density. Weight is also a problem in that case.
Additionally it removes the ability for us audiophiles to tinker with the system.

And how on earth are you going to look on the screen if it is attached to your ears?

Seems like a very bad idea to my ears.


I think direct transmission to the optic/cochlear nerves are a far more practical solution to our earthly problems.

That, or dilithium crystals.

 

[Akin]

Quote:

That would require batteries with far higher energy density. Weight is also a problem in that case.
Additionally it removes the ability for us audiophiles to tinker with the system.
And how on earth are you going to look on the screen if it is attached to your ears?
Seems like a very bad idea to my ears.
I think direct transmission to the optic/cochlear nerves are a far more practical solution to our earthly problems.
That, or dilithium crystals.

I'm not talking about putting the iPod itself directly into the headphone, maybe the haedphone can have built in memory. This year there were super crazy stuff at CES! Have you heard about the Parrot Zik? I don't know about the sound, but thats a lot of tech right there!
 
Anyways, I'm just expecting a lot until 2015-20!
 
 

 

[kova4a]

Well, probably a superior wireless technology and the players will be like wrist wathes with 1TB of storage or something. Anyway, technology advances pretty fast nowadays. When I got this Sony cd player like 11 years ago I couldn't believe how portable it is and that I can change the songs with a click of a button - you have no idea how much I've rewinded my cassettes back in the day just to listen to my favorite song of the album again. And after that when the mp3 players came out I was like "Whoa!" just like Neo in the Matrix.

 

[triodesteve]

 
Sorry I know this is off-topic.
 
I auditioned the HP-P1 (with Classic and JH13s) recently at Jaben. It was brief, and I tend to hear a little less well in Jaben (I don't know why).
 
TBH, it was a little underwhelming for me. Yes, it widened the soundstage quite a bit, and sounds were more focussed than before, but vocals also became a tad less intimate in some cases, and overall dynamics didn't improve significantly (should I be looking at Amps more than DACs for this?). Overall, it just didn't strike me as a product worth buying, especially given its cost and (lack of) portability.
 
Am I alone on this?
 
I can't say if you are the only one who thinks so, but I sure don't.  I'll go as far as to say that I think people are wasting money amplifying poor sources. Even compared to my diyMod, the Fostex improves in so many ways. Maybe none of them earth shattering, but all of them add up to an experience that makes me think it is very worth the money. I have noticed dynamics improving significantly, especially percussion...a drum wack really sounds like a wack! 
 

 

[blackmoly]

Quote:

Still looks awesome. I would imagine that it's very hard to not make the edges look horrible when you do that.

yeah pretty tough on the edges and curves, i had to use fresh blades to cut it. had to wait 2 days for the topcoat to fully dry. but it's all worth it =)
 
 
my other portable :
 

 
diy imod (47uf BG NX, mundorf wiring)
diy mundorf ag/au LOD to rca
diy battery pack (12pcs harmolattice AA @ 2500mah)
modified FiiO e9 desktop amp (sprague, sanyo,nichicon caps/ kimber wiring)
modded/ recabled yamaha vintage ortho HP-2 and YH-1
 
it fits inside a dslr bag