[wuwhere]

Quote:

Originally Posted by aamefford /img/forum/go_quote.gif Here's my 2 cents, after owning a Tomahawk for 2 weeks, and just receiving a Pico, both used: First, I sold the Tomahawk after receiving the Pico, but only because I really want/need the DAC of the Pico, and I ran into a good price on #220, which looks like the day it was made (thanks Andychen!). With my shure SE530's, the Pico might just sound as nice as the T-hawk, then again, the T-hawk might have the slightest edge. With my Senn 580's, the Pico is better. That said, the T-hawk holds it's own for a 2xAAA powered amp! Final words - Tomahawk obsolete? Not a chance! Brilliant, wonderful, juicy, gorgeous with Shures, and likely other IEM's, decent even with my 580's, 300-400 hours of bliss from 2 x AAA batteries? I'll own another one. I'd have kept the one I had, but $ are too tight right now. I don't care how good the P-51 is (I have not had the pleasure), the Tomahawk has a place in the world. It's a fine amp!

I have both. The Pico (amp only) sounds really smooth and liquid with ER4s with the soundstage closer. It is more intimate. The Tomahawk has a further soundstage, better instrument separation, lean, and more transparent. I like both.

 

[SierraHotel01]

Quote:

Originally Posted by gwilo /img/forum/go_quote.gif I am reading this thread with great interest, as I will most likely pick up one of Ray’s amps next year. The Tomahawk & the Mustang where the two I am looking at. As for the Tomahawk per Ray’s site “There was a time when I didn’t care much about IEMs….. This created a need for a good pair IEMs that can ease the pain and give the pleasure of listening to music….. But first things first, they would have to have good symmetry with these very sensitive IEMs phones and offer a soundstage and detail that would be close to my full size headphones while having the ability to fit in my pocket.” And the P-51 Mustang “Headphones used for this review were the Audio Technica AT-ESW9, Kenwood K1000, and the Sennheiser PXC-350.” “By Skylab @ Head-fi.org." So my question is if you use IEM do you get the Tomahawk and for CANs do you get the P-51?

qwilo,

I've got both (run SE530's through Tomahawk, and W3's thru Mustang)

fwiw: best advice I can think of..

-if you're going to drive SE530's, W3's, (UE11's? haven't heard them) or full size cans - definitely get the Mustang. Incredibly small. It's been called the best portable amp on the market today, and some even say it tops the SR71/a. You'll have to pry mine "from my cold dead hands". It really is unbelievable. It makes a difference on the SE530's and an even bigger difference on the W3's, when a/b compared against the T-hawk.

-if your going to use IEMs only, anything less than absolute top of the line, you might want to consider saving $100 by going with the Tomahawk - it's an absolutely awesome sounding amp, insane AAA battery life, and it that lights up a lot of IEMs. (A possibility?, for the budget-minded: keep your eye out on the "For Sale" forums, for a few used Tomahawks in the wake of the Mustang release. Some new Mustang owners might be willing to part with their T-hawks, since having both is an indulgence.)

 

[gwilo]

^ Thanks, I do have time to wait for a good price on a previously enjoyed Tomahawk as I have a FiiO E5 and a XM4 on their way to me.

 

[vjcs20]

Check out my thread below on using both the Tomahawk and Mustang together:

http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f105/r...-combo-398105/

 

[LFC_SL]

I finally purchased a LOD for my iPod (google iPod line out dock) to use with my portable amp as intended. Thus far I have been running my RSA Tomahawk amp out of my Edirol UA-25 sound card at home

Wow

The below thoughts are 4G Nano straight headphone out vs
4G Nano > LOD > T115 > Audio-Technica ESW9

Deeper tighter bass. Bone shaking yet firmly controlled. ESW9 places vocals quite close. Intimate might be one way of calling it but claustrophobic would be more accurate. The T115 moves the vocals out and allows them room to breathe. A lovely body yet airiness is added that brings the voice alive. Wider sound stage also with greater instrument separation. Instruments now have body and a much better sounding tone and timbre structure to it

And just for good measure that little quality of sibilance is removed from the vocals and you have a much more enjoyable sound. Beautiful... still not enough for me to take the amp out and about though

I know I should have bought a home amp with hindsight

Lastly, new appreciation for my Edirol UA-25. I thought about selling it but it is of a higher quality than the Nano. Music reproduction on another plane

Looking forward to upgrading home dac and home amp in years to come

 

[vanhalen26]

How is the Tomahawk with Grados? I'm going to test an SR-71A and Tomahawk with a Grado HF2 and listen/evaluate if I hear a difference.

 

[melomaniac]

Quote:

Originally Posted by wuwhere /img/forum/go_quote.gif I have both. The Pico (amp only) sounds really smooth and liquid with ER4s with the soundstage closer. It is more intimate. The Tomahawk has a further soundstage, better instrument separation, lean, and more transparent. I like both.

x2

 

[tnmike1]

Posted here on Dec 2008, so I'll revise comments a bit. Have owned every Samuels amp except the newest one. Sold my tomahawk awhile back, then rebought one two months ago. Love it with my Ety4p and will alsogo well with Trip Fi. Also use with larger pair of Beyer 880s. Still don't care for the size of Mustang--just too small in its geometry--but sound is amazing.

Big plus factor for the Tomahawk is the cheap AAA batteries it uses, and uses the same ones for hundreds ofhours. Which translates into cheap and quality listening pleasure

 

[fidele-caput]

While far from obsolete, IMHO for the price it's hardly competitive any longer. The battery life alone (for me) is hardly an incentive compared to many reasonably priced new offerings.

ATM I'm putting together an ultraportable setup and got everything else sans the amp. and from top preference:
- Tomahawk $335 (I want colours to match my customs

)
- Arrow 12HE $80 less
- TTVJ Slim ~$50 more
- T3D half at $150!

So naturally I'm still reluctant to pull the trigger, but it won't be the case if a green/brass tomahawk can be had ~$250.

ps: not to underestimate Ray and his great talents. I'm just a poor cheapskate. It's not Ray, it's me.

 

[tnmike1]

fidele-caput--having listened to the T3D and the Tomahawk side by side, the T3D in no way compares to the Tomahawk. Don'tknow about the others, but I'd eliminate the T3D from consideration.

Another thought: I THINK you could buy a used Tomahawk on the forums here and Ray could sell you the case and faceplate of your choice, probably a whole lot less than a new, multicolored Tomahawk.

Just a few suggestions

 

[fidele-caput]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tnmike1 /img/forum/go_quote.gif eliminate the T3D from consideration. Another thought: I THINK you could buy a used Tomahawk

Cheers. I mentioned T3D just for the price comparison sake and obviously not as equal. I'm already on a lookout for a used one, and thought of that case option, but tbh I was rather skeptical because I wouldn't be too happy if I were him

but I'll give it a shot.

Thanks for the kind suggestion.

 

[Drag0n]

Ill prolly never sell my Tomahawk. I use it and my Portaphile as a team

 

[Young Spade]

Quote:

Originally Posted by fidele-caput /img/forum/go_quote.gif While far from obsolete, IMHO for the price it's hardly competitive any longer. The battery life alone (for me) is hardly an incentive compared to many reasonably priced new offerings. ATM I'm putting together an ultraportable setup and got everything else sans the amp. and from top preference: - Tomahawk $335 (I want colours to match my customs :wink_face - Arrow 12HE $80 less - TTVJ Slim ~$50 more - T3D half at $150! So naturally I'm still reluctant to pull the trigger, but it won't be the case if a green/brass tomahawk can be had ~$250. ps: not to underestimate Ray and his great talents. I'm just a poor cheapskate. It's not Ray, it's me.

You should definitely add the ALO Rx to that list.

 

[cbeaumont001]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Young Spade /img/forum/go_quote.gif You should definitely add the ALO Rx to that list.

X2. The more I read about the Rx in comparison threads here, and the more I listen to mine against other amps, the more I come to love my Rx. I thought the price was a little steep when I first bought it, but given the form factor, the battery life that lasts twice as long as my 80GB iMod and the ridiculous sound, I won't be giving it up!

That being said, I haven't sold my Tomahawk yet, either, which probably says something...