Been running the DBAs through my Headstage Arrow HE 3G amp which arrived last night.. and I'm completely enamored with the pair! There isn't an earthshakingly dramatic improvement w/ the amp vs coming straight out of the iPhone 3GS. This isn't a knock on the Arrow at all (read on).. more a compliment to how it's possble to get the best out of the DBA with low-power portable devices & how great the 3GS amp is. But what the Arrow does to the DBAs is so impressive that there's not a chance I'll be able to go back to listening to them unamped if the Arrow is within arms reach! Read on..
The Arrow still improves the sound NOTICEABLY. Immediately, the tightened presentation became very apparent.. every part of the frequency spectrum gains impact, definition, and becomes so so SOOOOO refreshingly crisp. The soundstage deepens more than it widens. Now, onto the aspect of the Arrow that really blew me away: the added clarity, definition, depth & instrument separation. More impressive than how much authority crashing cymbals, bellowing bass drums, twinkling pianos, the edges of delicate turntable scratches, and sweet flutes provided.. it was the quieter parts of music that became so mesmerizing. Breathing, fingers sliding across fretboards, feet tapping, faint hand claps.. all these elements came through with mind-boggling clarity and depth. In much of the music I listen to, the ambient sounds and noises are as much a part of shaping the songs as the actual vocals, melodies, and rhythm are. The HS Arrow really impressed me with the detail & fidelity they pump out. The improvement in this region was so significant I felt it paid for the amp alone. It surprised the hell out of me cause the DBAs really excels at these two areas unamped. That should give you an idea of of awesome this amp is.
The DBAs are famed for their easy-to-listen, yet highly detailed sound.. they give the feeling of listening to a set of full sized phones more than a cramped IEM.. and the Arrow takes that very characteristic and runs with it. I think they pair VERY well together. Despite how good the DBAs sound out of my 3GS, it's going to be downright impossible going back to listening to them with out the Arrow.. one audible taste and I'm hooked.
I haven't got to playing with all the great tweaks (impedance, gain, crossfeed, etc.), I did all my listening before writing this review with the settings on zero. I did use the bass boost on a few albums to see how well it was implemented and came away VERY impressed. I've actually never heard a bass boost implementation done as well as it was done on the Arrow. The DBA with the Bass Boost set to 1 is something to truly behold. Listening to Eightball & MJG's classic album "Lost".. the DBAs produced fully defined, skull shaking bass when paired with the Arrow on BB 1.. that is not a misprint! You gain a real appreciation for how well done the bass boost was done by Rob @ Headphonia & how articulate the DBA's bass can be if properly tuned and amped. Id venture to say the boost is applied to the bass/sub-bass region (<50 hz) w/ no bleed into the upper bass/lower midrange. I grow more and more impressed with how versatile the DBAs are and the Arrow is the perfect amp to show off that versatility.
From a visual standpoint, it's a beautiful amp. So sleek, professional, and clean in appearance and design. And it's so FREAKING THIN!!! Nothing feels flimsy on it and the auto-off/on feature is really handy. It blends perfectly into minimalist workspaces. It's understated & sharp appearance modestly hides the tremendous craftsmanship that went into what lies beneath.
I consider the Arrow a fantastic value at $260 (I got it bundled with the DAC cable for $300, but I think it's getting shipped separately). The amp alone is now $300 .. and I would buy it at that price in a heartbeat too cause I'm sure it could compete and beat amps costing $500. I love that Rob used a robust iPod battery (that easy to replace, if ever needed) too.
So, I would highly recommend the Arrow as a portable amp.. in fact, I think it could work really well even as a desktop amp (which is how it probably will in my house). I think it's a great value and maintains a very transparent signature.
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