[Edil]

First of all please excuse my ignorance.

I want to know if a small, portable, battery operated, integrated amp, with optical input exist? I check the Headroom products but in order to get optical input and amplification you have to buy 2 separate units (DAC and AMP).

I recently bought the Shure E4 (haven't arrive yet) and I'm planning to use them with the Iriver iHP140. Since the DAP have an optical output I was wondering if I could get a better sound with an external amplifier. I also have the iPod 4th gen but I don't use it much because in my personal opinion the Iriver sounds better and is also more practical.

So, Will I get any advantage using the optical connection or I should stick to an analog amp-only device that I can use with both players?

probably I will not use the iPod much but anyway I want to read your opinions.

 

[Sovkiller]

It is not battery operated AFAIK, but it is the smalest I know off....Check also AOS website

http://www6.head-fi.org/forums/showt...ghlight=apogee

 

[Edil]

Thanks SovKiller

So far I have found only two options that have a small/portable/battery operated integrated amp with optical input. One is a DIY that seems to weight a ton (8 AA and 2 9V batteries):

http://www.headwize.com/projects/ifkovic_prj.htm

The other is commercial, not in one unit but two units for $600:

http://www.headphone.com/products/h...the-micro-line/

Now it has come to my attention that the signal is processed and modified by the iRiver iHP-140 before it comes out the optical port (don't came out raw) and that the only advantage using the optical output is that you got a fixed output level for the amp. As I said I will be using the player with the Shure E4 iec-phones. For those small earphones I think that I will not need amplification. I was looking for an external DAC to get better sound but there is no way to use an external DAC without external amplification. Is that correct or I'm wrong?

What you think? Will the sound be so good that it worth to expend $600?

 

[Oliver :)]

"Small" and "optical input" seem to be somewhat incompatible. Didn't Xin have sth. in development there? Or was that a rumor? Maybe you want have a look at http://www.fixup.net/ and the forum there. If you want a really really portable amp you may also beg Xin to build you a SuperMicro before he is done with his upgrades. You cannot get more portable, and you will *love* your iPod with it (with a line-out cable of course).

 

[jpelg]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sovkiller It is not battery operated AFAIK, but it is the smalest I know off....

The Apogee can easily be run off of a portable battery power source. Quote:

Originally Posted by Edil it has come to my attention that the signal is processed and modified by the iRiver iHP-140 before it comes out the optical port (don't came out raw) and that the only advantage using the optical output is that you got a fixed output level for the amp.

Hmmm...not sure about processing the digital signal of the iRiver before output. Quote:

there is no way to use an external DAC without external amplification. Is that correct or I'm wrong?

All of the "integrated" units have the DAC & amp in the same box. Headroom's mini-stack is a two-box setup. Headroom has also an integrated DAC/amp unit forthcoming, that sounds great, btw. Price is on par with the Apogee & Benchmark. Quote:

What you think? Will the sound be so good that it worth to expend $600?

These are all great units that provide a big sound quality improvement, imo.

 

[Sovkiller]

Have you checked AOS site, as I suggested you do it?
The PACE is a headphone amp and DAC combo together, AFAIK some friends i ahve like the sound of it, the PPA is an excelent amp, not sure what implementation he had made of it, but with diamond buffers is amazing

http://www.aoselectronics.com

 

[Edil]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sovkiller Have you checked AOS site, as I suggested you do it? The PACE is a headphone amp and DAC combo together, AFAIK some friends i ahve like the sound of it, the PPA is an excelent amp, not sure what implementation he had made of it, but with diamond buffers is amazing http://www.aoselectronics.com

I did a search in Google for AOS when you told me but couldn't find it. Thanks for the link didn't get it right. The PACE seems to fit the bill. It is sad that they are not making th flute any more because it looks more simple, light and small.

 

[Sovkiller]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Edil I did a search in Google for AOS when you told me but couldn't find it. Now that you gave me their web site in seems that the Flute or Picolo models fits the bill but on the web site they said that they are no longer making them. They even say that they are not makin portables anymore. I then check on ebay but found none.

He is a member of this forum, why not sending him a PM or an email, also you may contact Phil (ppl) of Larocco audio, they work together for some time, and maybe he could help you out also...