Sorry about the poor quality photos. These were taken at Can Fest Charlotte, NC Saturday using the current working prototype of Ray's new amp board. The case design has not yet been completed at the time of the event.
Note that it the volume control and the current PCB design may change subject to ongoing development process. The final version may not feature the existing volume controls but an integrated one which may allow simultaneous manipulation of both output channels. It's TBD at this point.
I did spend considerable time, courtesy of Ray, with this one listening from both balanced (Meridian G08->B52 XLR-to Protector Loop mode->SR71B balanced input) and later S/E input (Ray's own iPod Classic strapped to the prototype).
Brief, brief impressions: Balanced mode provides a giant soundstage and a sound quality that I have not heard from any portable amps yet, including the Protector. I was, frankly, blown away. Listened using a balanced JH16 Pro and Ray's HD600, TWag X recabled (both using Protector balanced plugs). The amp has loads of power with a quad-Li-ion battery pack. The complexity of the design is approximately 3 times to that of the Protector and that will no doubt result in higher price levels purely based on higher component costs. Pricing has not been determined yet, but it will definitely be higher than the Protector. From what I have heard--depending on the actual price of course--a 30-40% price premium would be well justified, and I'd have gladly paid that much even for the naked prototype if Ray was willing to sell it to me. He was not, unfortunately. It was that good.
Comparing it with the Protector using the iPod proved to be more challenging, but in the end, I still heard improvements. Interestingly, Ray needed to be convinced of this, but I kept insisting based on what I have heard, so he finally admitted that he made improvements in the output stage as well over the Protector design. It sounded mighty good even from that standard iPod, but the sound stage had narrowed down somewhat, as expected from the balanced configuration.
Bottom line: I suspect that this amp, when completed, will be a signature Ray Samuels product in the portable space. How do we get portable balanced sources? One solution would be to persuade Craig@Whiplash audio to build custom iPod/iMod/WhipMOD LODs terminating into a 4-pin balanced male Protector plug and, there, we would have a fully balanced portable solution. Just a thought, but with this amp, I wouldn't have it any other way, because the sound stage improvement is just so significant.
Hmmm....fully balanced and portable. Who would've thought?
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