[eugenius]

Here's a battery powered amp that's fully discrete, and I was wondering if anybody has heard it:

Welcome to Scherzo Audio - Home of the Andante Headphone Amplifier.

Scherzo Audio Andante Headphone Amplifier

Description: Rest assured, this is no glorified "op-amp-in-a-box". Build quality is evidenced from the machined, anodized, laser-etched faceplate to the stout Cardas RCA jacks at the rear, and it continues on inside. Its fully discrete, DC-coupled design, total isolation from the power grid, and careful layout featuring the highest quality parts (metal film resistors in the audio path, ultra low ESR capacitors, silver content solder, etc.,...) combine to ensure that you will hear all your music source has to give.

Specs: Inputs: Front - 1/8" stereo mini jack, Rear - RCA, dual pair, connected in parallel for feedthrough operation
Outputs: Front, 1 ea. 1/4" and 1/8" stereo headphone jacks
Status indicator: Tri-color. Blue in normal operation, green indicates low battery, red during charger circuit operation. Blue and red when listening while charging.
Input impedance: 25K ohms.
Output Impedance: <1 ohm.
Frequency Response: DC to >300 kHz
Power Output: 300mW RMS into 32 ohms
Max Voltage gain: 10.5 dB, Higher gain config available on request.
Battery Life: >60 hours
Warranty: 3 years parts and labor


Any opinions? Would this stand up to a desktop amp?

 

[eugenius]

If no one has heard this amp, then what are the other completely discrete (powerful) portable amps?

 

[abyrvalg]

I am afraid none. There is no commercially available discrete, non-op-amp based, class A portable amps. At least I could not find any when I was looking for it, so I will have to build one myself

Well, to tell the truth, there is a portable (transportable, let's say) dac-amp combo (PCM1794UK, proper reclocking and all the fancy-shmancy stuff, battery powered) that does have a full-discrete headphone amp, but it is made in Belorussia, costs $1200, has a bigger size than Andante and is pain in the butt to buy (the authoir\manufacturer is really difficult to deal with in terms of transaction). It is a no-compromize piece of gear, yes, but payment and delivery is almost impossible.

 

[ClieOS]

The website is certainly too vague for a piece of $550 gear.

[EDIT] I like how the review describes K1000 as "away-from-the-ears phone", ha.... and wow, lead-acid battery?

 

[steaxauce]

Quote:

Originally Posted by abyrvalg /img/forum/go_quote.gif I am afraid none. There is no commercially available discrete, non-op-amp based, class A portable amps. At least I could not find any when I was looking for it, so I will have to build one myself Well, to tell the truth, there is a portable (transportable, let's say) dac-amp combo (PCM1794UK, proper reclocking and all the fancy-shmancy stuff, battery powered) that does have a full-discrete headphone amp, but it is made in Belorussia, costs $1200, has a bigger size than Andante and is pain in the butt to buy (the authoir\manufacturer is really difficult to deal with in terms of transaction). It is a no-compromize piece of gear, yes, but payment and delivery is almost impossible.

What is the amp?

 

[abyrvalg]

I have no idea what is inside (i.e. what amp), he doesn't say. The device itself is called Cataphonic DAC 50 Micro. People have compared it to LavryBlack Da10 and supposedly it trashed Lavry in terms of resolution and bass quality.

If you were asking what I will build - I don't know yet, I had very good experience with a Nabe's discrete amp, but sold it, and will re-build one again. Apart from that I may try to adapt some non-portable amp to battery power.

 

[steaxauce]

I was just wondering what the device itself was called. Thanks.

 

[AndrewV]

Quote:

Quote:

Originally Posted by abyrvalg /img/forum/go_quote.gif I am afraid none. There is no commercially available discrete, non-op-amp based, class A portable amps. At least I could not find any when I was looking for it, so I will have to build one myself Well, to tell the truth, there is a portable (transportable, let's say) dac-amp combo (PCM1794UK, proper reclocking and all the fancy-shmancy stuff, battery powered) that does have a full-discrete headphone amp, but it is made in Belorussia, costs $1200, has a bigger size than Andante and is pain in the butt to buy (the authoir\manufacturer is really difficult to deal with in terms of transaction). It is a no-compromize piece of gear, yes, but payment and delivery is almost impossible.

What is the amp?

 
 

 
  It is not the amp ).

 

[eugenius]

They figured out 550$ is too much, it's 390$ now.

 

[HiFlight]

That thread is almost 2 years old.  BTW, I owned one of those amps and it is quite a decent performer.