[Drag0n]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tnmike1 /img/forum/go_quote.gif First, I'll address your battery issue. Go to Thomas distributing and get the 9.6v PowerX--if I have the name wrong, it's a white battery with black and blue lettering. Should be on the first page of the 9v NiMH page. Fits very well with room to spare in my Portaphile PLUS lasts about 10 hrs. Second--my Portaphile just came back from Cesar with a switch problem and I asked--because somewhere someone else asked--if I REALLY needed all switches "on" for maximum sonic quality. asked this because I'm running a 5.5g Imod with ALO cryo cables so wanted best sound possible out of the amp. He said if I had the latest version--which I do--then the "wide bandwidth" option could be switched to "off" and that the wide bandwidth option was better used in the older maxxed Portaphiles. So if you have a recent, or latest, version, would suggest you switch it to "off" and will get better battery life. If the battery is whistling, it means it's about dead, so probably wold not be worth putting it in the Portaphile. But yeah, you me and Romanee--and I suppose some others--praise the quality of this little amp. Too bad, asyou say, battery life is so low, but Cesar helped in his suggestions on how to stretch it a bit. O forgot to mention: those batteries are 300 mah and 275 mah so you should be getting longer life between charges than the one you're using

Thanks...
What i may do is use the V2^2 Maxxed on the Elpac with my pc and Grado SR80 , and the V2 2005 vintage for portable,cuz the battery life is much better, and ill try those batteries also for more life.
The V2 seems to work with any 9v i stick in it, and the maxxed totally needs really good batteries or it whistles like it does when the battery dies,so it shows how much the thing draws. I did a comparo between them tonight,and the maxxed is a bit better....but not crazy better for my portable setup, so the standard v2 is fine with my Zune and Igrados.

I heard Romanee's V2 against a Hornet and Tomahawk at the NY meet,just before Head-Fi fell in November, and it was noisy and hard to compare....but from what i can hear, it was in the same league in sound i would think.

Id love to do a much better listen with my own headphones and in a quiet location sometime, against some top portables.

I went looking for a 12v battery pack with a plug on it to carry when i want to use the maxxed as a portable, but i havent found what i want yet.
As i said,the battery is a pita to change in the maxxed, but awesome in the V2.....so maybe ill open the maxxed and think of a way to improve it,if possible. Maybe a better wire and plug or some kind of thing.

 

[oicdn]

I think the only reason this amp gets no love is cause of the hit and miss stocking/availability. I know it's of no fault to Cesar because of the availability of parts, be people nowadays, whether they like to admit it or not, want things NOW.

The Portaphile is BEAST...it just sucks about the battery life because you can get amps with similar SQ, with much longer battery life. If you carry around spare batteries, or usually have your amp plugged in, Portaphile = winner.

 

[BIG POPPA]

Quote:

Originally Posted by oicdn /img/forum/go_quote.gif I think the only reason this amp gets no love is cause of the hit and miss stocking/availability. I know it's of no fault to Cesar because of the availability of parts, be people nowadays, whether they like to admit it or not, want things NOW. The Portaphile is BEAST...it just sucks about the battery life because you can get amps with similar SQ, with much longer battery life. If you carry around spare batteries, or usually have your amp plugged in, Portaphile = winner.

Bravo, well said!

 

[tnmike1]

check out Cesar's website. The Portaphile is back in production since parts are now available

 

[Romanee]

Quote:

Originally Posted by oicdn /img/forum/go_quote.gif I think the only reason this amp gets no love is cause of the hit and miss stocking/availability. I know it's of no fault to Cesar because of the availability of parts, be people nowadays, whether they like to admit it or not, want things NOW. The Portaphile is BEAST...it just sucks about the battery life because you can get amps with similar SQ, with much longer battery life. If you carry around spare batteries, or usually have your amp plugged in, Portaphile = winner.

Yep. It is a power vacuum. Personally, I don't agree that you can get amps with similar SQ with longer battery life. I feel that the Portaphile Maxxed has quite a unique sound -- very lifelike, uniquely layered imaging, etc., etc. A little home amp in a portable box.

Pity that iPower ruined their 500mAh 9V Li-Po battery when they revised for a smaller case (needed for many amps). Their earlier 500mAh was dependable with better quality control. I still have 5 of 6 early ones that work fine. I bought 4 of the new smaller ones and 1 of 4 failed very quickly. Another of them needs to have the amp's power switch flicked a few times to jump start. Other buyers have had nothing but problems with the new ones, so it seems Thomas Distributing has failed to pull this lousy version and still has the temerity to sell them. Shame that they don't just "whip" the mfr into fixing the issues, since it's a valuable product -- when it works.

Anyway, my Portaphile sounds very good even with Wide Bandwidth off, so with Class-A Bias on I get about 8.5 hours from a 500mAh iPower 9V -- and carrying a charged spare in my briefcase I get a work day + enough for the very long days I often put in...

...and enjoy what I feel is still a unique and very engaging sound.

The portable amps keep evolving and there are quite a few I haven't yet heard. Just got the loan of a Predator, and will hopefully have access to a Pico sometime in the not-too-distant future.

My favorite portable amps to date, in NO particular order, are AE-2, Hornet-M, SR-71, Portaphile Maxxed (LT1210/BlackGate1500NX), Tomahawk/Predator. So far the amp section of the Predator sounds pretty much like my Tomahawk. I have yet to experiment with the internal USB DAC vs other DACs>analog-out-to-Predator, and with various headphones, having only tried it a bit with my ES2 IEMs and DT880-250.

I heard the Lisa III at HeadFest and unlike many, I was not enthused (unless that unit was defective). I've always disliked the PortaCorda (find it rather unnatural), found the GoVibe 5 & 6 so-so (haven't heard 7 or Petite). PocketRefII was okay but not quite my cup of tea (haven't heard III). So many toys, so little cash/time.

Though Portaphile's power challenges are definitely a deterrent for many, some very well-respected (venerable 'ol) Headfiers have gotten the Portaphile and been very happily surprised by/enthusiastic about the SQ, but have written little or nothing about it.

Cesar created and builds the amps as a true amateur -- lover of the pursuit of excellent sound -- rather than as a business or avocation, and so doesn't really market the amp as he would if it were a business. He also has kept the price reasonable by using the stock hammond case (less than glitzy, to say the least), though my case and the easy to handle rear knurled screws have held up admirably.

Further, as with all amps, the sound isn't for everyone. I love it, but not everyone hears what I hear in it.

Pretty cases with colorful finishes would certainly go a long way in attracting attention, but the power issue would still be a stickler.

My 8.5 hour energy solution works very well for me, and I rarely use a wallwart any more. But then, I switch between Tomahawk and Hornet (mostly Tomahawk for portability) so.....

 

[htbyron]

Like Drag0n, I love my old V2 and it is now my only portable amp. I agree it mates nicely with the iGrado, which I often use in a transportable rig. To my ears, the maxi-moy doesn't even come close. I had one, and used it for a while, until I got the Portaphile and realized how much better it is! I have been contemplating a v2^2 maxed with walwart as a home amp. I think I would keep the V2 for portable use because of the better battery life.

 

[Drag0n]

Well thats why i use my V2 as my portable and my V2^2 Maxxed at home....but, Office Max just put some Duracell VCR/DVD NMHD battery packs on clearance for $10.00 each, and theyre 9v @ 2000mah each. For the price its worth it,and the adapter plug fits my V2^2, so even though i have to carry it..its good for a transportable solution,and i tried it this morning,and it works fine and should last me pretty long.

Really i wouldnt mind switching batteries every 2-3 hours,except the battery is hard to get in right and route the wire,and im afraid itll pull out the circuit board having to do it so often,and ill have to try to figure out where they go and resolder them in. Im going to see if i can put something better inside to hold the battery and also take pictures of the inside so incase it pulls out,i can fix it.
The V2 version is awesome to change the battery.......plenty of room,and as ive said before, the capacitors form a little enclosure inside and protect the battery from hitting the other componants...awesome!

Now make a V2^2 Maxxed with that form factor,and a switch on the outside for long battery life,or maxxed....and theres a hit!

 

[Drag0n]

With so many new amps....Pico,Predator,2Move,XXS, etc........Has anyone purchased a new Portaphile from the site new?

Im not seeing much on here about Portaphiles lately.
Theyre back in production,but if theyre not being sold,then who knows for how long they will be available.
Theyre cheaper than some of their competition soundwise.
I guess maybe its the lack of a custom extruded case.
Nothing wrong with a Hammond i think. Its all about the sound!!!
Could also be battery life.......but there is a reason the thing eats batteries........its all for the end result......eargasm!

 

[tnmike1]

don't know the answer to that, DragOn--just know I've got my Portaphile playing now as I type, and I've migrated thru a buncha Xin amps, Samuels' amps, and am now down to just the Portaphile and a Tomahawk. Still, the Portaphile is one of the best I'veheard with my 5.5g Imod, big ol' ALO jumbo dock and IEMs.

 

[Drag0n]

Maybe the un-maxxed model has to be offered again for the people who want more battery life?
Id like to compare it again to the hornet and tomahawk. Last time i compared them,i was at a noisy meet and it was hard to tell.
I like both versions though... the v2 and v2^2 maxxed.
I bring the regular v2 with me as a portable for the extra battery life, and use the v2^2 maxxed as a home rig on A/C.
For the times when i do want to take it out, i have an external rechargeable battery pack that i can bring along, and i can run my amp,and i got one for my Zune also.

 

[BIG POPPA]

I have the Portaphile and Tomahawk. They compliment well. The the Tomahawk for my Livewires and recabled MS-1's and the Portaphile for Hd-580's and recabled KSC-75's with 75 OHM resistor.

 

[Romanee]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Drag0n /img/forum/go_quote.gif Maybe the un-maxxed model has to be offered again for the people who want more battery life? Id like to compare it again to the hornet and tomahawk. Last time i compared them,i was at a noisy meet and it was hard to tell. I like both versions though... the v2 and v2^2 maxxed. I bring the regular v2 with me as a portable for the extra battery life, and use the v2^2 maxxed as a home rig on A/C. For the times when i do want to take it out, i have an external rechargeable battery pack that i can bring along, and i can run my amp,and i got one for my Zune also.

I never thought of it that way. I personally can't listen to the V2 after having the V2 Maxxed -- but in the context of portability, which usually means at least somewhat noisy venues, much of the beauty of the V2 Maxxed might be lost anyway -- so real-life battery longevity would be preferred.

I have to say again, though, that with my original iPower 500mAh LiPo rechargeables, and wide bandwidth off (my unit has only the subtletest improvements with wide bandwidth) I get 8.5 hours per charge.

Sadly Thomas Distributing apparently has chosen not to bludgeon iPower to withdraw and fix their newer, smaller, disastrous version of the 500mAh. Disgraceful for an otherwise (I think?) reputably company.

I guess it's time I called and e-mailed Thomas D. until they do something.

From a more inclusive point of view, though I do know at least one owner who prefers his V2 to my V2 Maxxed because it better suits his listening prefs. He found mine, early in its lifetime, perhaps a bit "hot" at the top wth some of his favorite classical music.

The V2 Maxxed is dramatically better than the un-maxxed version, and is to my ears a completely different amp -- one that I feel is a little home amp in a tiny box. Obviously not on the level of the better home amps, but of significant merit for a portable, nonetheless.

I think mine has actually mellowed and has (very surprsingly) gotten richer in the mids and sweeter (less hot) at the top. How many thousands of hours is that?!

I noticed this effect while comparing it to the new Pico (now at 140+ hours and burning) and mature Predator (1300+ hrs) that I have on loan.

I wonder if the BlackGate caps are starting their lifetime decline? Caps don't last forever, though I don't know what the projected longevity is supposed to be. No time to do extensive listening for a while, especially since I have to do that with the Pico & Predator.

 

[Drag0n]

Romanee.....How does the Maxxed Portaphile compare to the Pico and the Predator, and after a description of the comparison (amp side)....which do you prefer in order of the 3 ?

Oh also.....that noisey meet was the Nov 2007 Babylon NY meet when i compared your (Romanee) Portaphile to the Tomahawk and Hornet. In all that noise,i liked the Portaphile better and bought the V2^2 Maxxed and also the V2.

My wallet is much lighter to carry around so i have room for my Portaphile now because of you.

 

[tracyrick]

Hey, I want to check out that battery you mentioned for my V2 Maxxed, but I can't find these on the Office Max website. Maybe they only have them at your local store? Do you have a sku #?

"Office Max just put some Duracell VCR/DVD NMHD battery packs on clearance for $10.00 each"

 

[tnmike1]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tracyrick /img/forum/go_quote.gif Hey, I want to check out that battery you mentioned for my V2 Maxxed, but I can't find these on the Office Max website. Maybe they only have them at your local store? Do you have a sku #? "Office Max just put some Duracell VCR/DVD NMHD battery packs on clearance for $10.00 each"

If you're addressing this to Romanee, those batteries are only on the Thomas website. I had four of them, with the charger, and NOTHING worked, including the charger. Returned the whole kaboodle and got PowerX 9.6v 300 mah batteries from Thomas that last me about eight hours, all switching "on" in the Portaphile except the "wide bandwidth". An email from Cesar at Portaphile said that if I had the newest Portaphile amp--which I do-=with the latest Blackgate cap that the wide bandwidth option could be left "off", that it was useful only for the older Portaphiles. So i suppose that's why my life between charging is eight hours, altho in all honesty I usually have the little amp plugged into the wall and rarely use it as portable.

Anyway, would highly recommend visiting the Thomas site and checking out that PowerX 9.6 volt. Plus it's a smaller size than most 9v batteries and fits very nicely inot the Portaphile