[Jason36]

Hi Guys,
 
I am looking to build an extremely portable rig for whilst I am out and about, away on business etc using my iPhone 4s (mainly) or possibly iPad as the source. I am ideally looking for a one box solution that will bypass the iPhones onboard DAC and feed this into a portable DAC / Headphone Amplifier and then into my headphones......Beyerdynamic T70p / Grado Magnum's / Sennheiser IE6.
 
Ideally I am looking for a one box solution that wont break the bank, but this is a completely new area to me so I'm a bit lost.....so far I have come up with:
 
Fostex HP-P1 
 
Moon Audio iqube V3
 
JH Audio JH-3A
 
Cypherlabs AlgoRythm Solo & H/P Amp
 
The problem I have with these is the first three are quite expensive - $600 plus and the Cypherlabs is a two box solution. Ideally  am looking for something with a similar size to the iPhone.
 
Can anybody help me out at all?? 

 

[AnakChan]

There's the VentureCraft Go-DAP 4.0 which integrates around the iPhone 4S so it looks like 1 device (like the Mophie charger). It's a DAC/Amp.
 
This is my portable setup and I'm very happy with it. At least to me, I prefer this to the CLAS even (and I chose the CLAS over the HP-P1 after owning both).
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/533084/venturecraft-go-dap-gd-04-for-iphone-4

 

[Jason36]

Quote:

There's the VentureCraft Go-DAP 4.0 which integrates around the iPhone 4S so it looks like 1 device (like the Mophie charger). It's a DAC/Amp.
 
This is my portable setup and I'm very happy with it. At least to me, I prefer this to the CLAS even (and I chose the CLAS over the HP-P1 after owning both).
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/533084/venturecraft-go-dap-gd-04-for-iphone-4

Thanks for that.......where can these be purchased.......trying to find it online to look into it further and I cant find a store etc?
 
Sounds like this could do the trick for me and you obviously rate it on a par with the CLAS / HP-P1 solutions
 

 

[AnakChan]

Here's the catch. You won't be able to find it in any stores outside Japan. However I asked the sales rep if he would ship overseas and apparently he does.
 
I'd rate it on par to the CLAS/HP-P1 only in it's upgraded form :-
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/533084/venturecraft-go-dap-gd-04-for-iphone-4/45#post_7995394
 
Here's what I wrote for someone else on PM :-


Base versions Y34,800 (regardless of amp chosen below)
 
1) Go-DAP 4.0 Muses 8820 amp
2) Go-DAP 4.0 BurrBrown (OPA2134) amp (Between the two, I prefer BurrBrown)
 
If you're going only for the base models above, I have a preference to the BurrBrown over Muses. It had slightly better lower and upper extensions.
 
Now for the upgrades 
a) amp only +Y9,800 (regardless of amp chosen below). Above amp versions will be redundant and replaced by one of the chosen below.
   i) OP-275 (nice, smoother than the BurrBrown above)
   ii) AD8397 (my fav, seems slightly nicer treble extension over the OP-275)
   iii) OPA-2604 (never experienced)
b) DAC improvement (Muse F95). It's still the same DAC but they change (or add) the capacitor to make it smoother (+ Y6,800)
c) gain improvement (RK73). The RK73 resistor is supposed to change the gain to allow smoother (controlled?) current flow  through the DAC. Y+ Y4,800)
d) Package Upgrade #1: choice of amp above + DAC improvement (+ Y14,800)
e) Package Upgrade #2: choice of amp above + gain improvement (+ Y12,800)
f) Package Upgrade #3: amp + DAC + gain upgrade (+ Y17,800)
 
So for example for my two Go-DAPs (or one I kept and another I sold to my friend), I went for full package #3 upgrade for both. Each costing Y34,800 + Y17,800 = Y52,600. Plus delivery on top of that.
 
Notes about my Go-DAPs :-
* Pre-upgrade, they sounded good but somewhat grainy. I still preferred my HP-P1+Pico Slim, or CLAS+Pico Slim combo. Naturally both these were bulkier than the Go-DAP.
* After upgrading both (1xGo-DAP was the OP-275, the other was AD8397), both sounded better than the CLAS+Pico Slim combo in my opinion. Somewhat a little more detailed but smooth with decent bass extensions. The AD8397 had a slight edge of treble extension over the OP-275. So I sold the OP-275 version to my friend.
* If you intend to use the Go-DAP as an iPhone charger, I'd say don't buy the Go-DAP yet. The latest firmware v1.04 was supposed to fix the iPhone 4S charging (iPhone 4 charging is fine) but what I found is that with this version, it connects/disconnects the iPhone 4S continually and it's bloody annoying. The battery will drain in approx 2 hrs.
* If you intend to use the Go-DAP only for the DAC/Amp (i.e. the Go-DAP battery is only for the DAC/Amp but not charging the iPhone), then this is fine. Whilst listening to music your iPhone battery will drain naturally and so will your Go-DAP battery for the DAC/Amp. It's approximately 7-8 hrs of continuous music listening.
 
I highlighted the charging as a very big thing. To me, if you're after a product that you buy and just use and forget about upgrades, this charging is a -VERY- big show stopper and recommend you to hold off the Go-DAP at least until they improve the firmware. I live only 10 km away from Venturecraft's office so I can drive and get them to upgrade once they come out with a new version. You don't and it'll be a hassle for you to ship back 'n forth through a proxy such as myself since Venturecraft isn't selling these products overseas officially.

 

[Currawong]

AnakChan: Very interesting. As I have a 4S now, my 4 is going unused so I was thinking of using it just for music. I hope to get some customs in the future as well, so the GoDAP might be good for me.

 

[AnakChan]

Currawong, did you make it to the Headphone Festival in Osaka yesterday? VentureCraft was there yesterday. Anyhow, if you haven't gotten anything by May (or whenever you head up to Tokyo next), do feel free to try out my Go-DAP. It's upgraded with the AD8397+F95+RK73.
 
Seems recently with the Osaka show, they have further added the following options :-
1) BurrBrown OPA1612 amp
2) 2000mAh battery
3) Go-DAP 4.0 in white (for white iPhones??)

 

[Currawong]

Quote:

Currawong, did you make it to the Headphone Festival in Osaka yesterday? VentureCraft was there yesterday. Anyhow, if you haven't gotten anything by May (or whenever you head up to Tokyo next), do feel free to try out my Go-DAP. It's upgraded with the AD8397+F95+RK73.
 
Seems recently with the Osaka show, they have further added the following options :-
1) BurrBrown OPA1612 amp
2) 2000mAh battery
3) Go-DAP 4.0 in white (for white iPhones??)

I had no idea there was a Headphone Festival there at all? If I'd known I might have tried going.  I'll be at the next FujiyaAvic festival for sure. 
 
Those new options look promising.
 

 

[AnakChan]

This was the event yesterday. Apologies, it's called the Portable Audio Festival :-
 
http://gigaplus.makeshop.jp/gcom1420/PAF/index.html

 

[Currawong]

Next time then. Might try and get a mini-meet happening at it. 
 
Jason36: Sorry for derailing your thread a bid. I've been conspiring for a bit to battle off the latest digital portable gear for fun.
 

 

[Mr Do]

VentreCraft's webpage is offering the GoDap-4.0 in base form with both Burr-Brown and Muse options shipped world wide for $425. Customs fees may apply. I totally want to pick one of these up with Package Upgrade #3. I hope AmazonUS will start to carry these soon.
 
http://venturecraft.jp/gadget_en/gd04_buy.php
 

 

[AnakChan]

Just FYI they released a 2000mAh version. IMHO, if you' don't mind spending a little more, that extra battery capacity will help. There's a newer BurrBrown version too OPA1612.

 

[Jason36]

thanks for that mate......I'm now in the posistion of just deciding exactly what I want.
 
I have the option to potentially get a second hand Fostex HP-H1 at a fairly good price and I do like the idea of just being able to connect and disconnect the iPhone without having to keep swapping   it in and out of the case. I would really only have it in the Go-DAP case when I wanted to listen to music....otherwise it make the iPhone a bit of a bulky proposition for everyday use.
 
If I decide on the Go-DAP and the spec I want do I just email the company and ask them for the options and confirmation of price?  Are the bigger battery size and newer BurrBrown OPA1612 options mods or standard?
 
With the Mods the Go-DAP will probably be about £406.00 + Import Tax (so nearly £460.00) I do think that on that basis it make it an expensive option and just as expensive as a new Fostex HPP1. I would probably get the Fostex for about £300.00 from the UK so no tax to pay.
 
Thanks for all the advice by the way.

 

[Mr Do]

I emailed VenturedCraft about getting the White Go-Dap 4.0 with all the upgrades. Still waiting for reply. I'm located in the U.S.

 

[AnakChan]

PM me if you have any problems. Until 3 weeks ago I was talking to the VentureCraft guys regularly - then I got busy with moving apartments.
 
Personally I went for the aforementioned upgrades for my Go-DAP a few posts back. It cost me as much as a used Fostex HP-P1. At least in my personal opinion and from  what I remember, it had higher extensions and detail than the HP-P1 in its upgraded form. If you're familiar with the HP-P1 sound vs the CLAS, I'd say that my Go-DAP with the AD8397 leans more towards the CLAS+Pico Slim detail whereas the HP-P1 is (at least to my ears) a tiny tad warmer.
 
Portability wise, naturally with it's 4S jacket, it's more convenient than carrying the HP-P1. Having said that, at least "officially", the HP-P1 is more diverse in supporting iPad/Touch, iPod, etc. However I've fixed that problem with the Go-DAP by simply carrying one of these :-
 

And I can plug my iPad to the Go-DAP just as easily as with the HP-P1. As such I have let my HP-P1 go.
 
I have repeatedly told Venturecraft that if they made a modular jackets, the customer can still have an integrated system regardless of an iPod, iPhone, Touch (ok maybe difficult for the iPad ). They cannot do anymore changes to the current Go-DAP but maybe in a future model.

 

[Mr Do]

Is there any interference when using the Go-Dap with 3G enabled on the iPhone?