Something more reliable than my MINT?

[Geoff Rymer]

Hey guys, I've not been over on this board before (usually stay on the headphone board) but I was after a little bit of advice...

I have a MINT amp which I bought from Headphonic in Perth. I mainly use this with my ipod but sometimes also with my home rig. Most of my listening lately has been with my HF-1's, but usually when I'm out I listen to my ER4S'.

I enjoy the sound out of the amp (bass tightens up considerably out of the ipod lineout, and it kicks the crap out of the headphone out in my Cambridge Audio 640A amp. The Sony amp is better though), but after a couple of months it started shorting the left channel. I sent it back to headphonic who were very helpful and repaired it for free. I got it back about 2 months ago, and yesterday it started to exhibit the same fault. Stress on the jacks apparently, but this time it didn't even go in my pocket, so I have hardly been abusing it.

So while I'll try Headphonic again, I'm kinda over the whole thing. I can't afford to spend too much at the minute, given that I'm getting married in a couple of months, and anyway, I want a Gilmore Lite before too long, but something that sounds at least as good and doesn't keep breaking on me!

Cheers for your ideas,

Geoff

 

[Geoff Rymer]

Anybody?

 

[Teerawit]

Either a Hornet or SR-71? Ray Samuels products are built like tanks...oh and same with Headroom products too.

 

[Geoff Rymer]

Am quite interested in the Hornet though I can't really spend that much at the moment. Maybe I should keep an eye out on the F/S forum. Is the SR71 really small enough for portable use?

 

[fewtch]

Consider a Headsave Go-Vibe with AD8397 opamp... plenty of current to drive those Grados, and you can't beat $87 + shipping. Word is that Norm may be backed up as far as making new amps, but it's worth a try.

I can vouch for the superb sound and build quality of the Go-Vibe in general... the price reflects only the simplicity of the amp, not the sound quality. Amazing bargain IMO.

 

[Geoff Rymer]

Thanks Fewtch, does sound like a bargain. Will it cope with the Ety's higher impedence ok?

 

[fewtch]

Just read a message in another thread that the Go-Vibe is being discontinued

. Well, there's always the FS forum...

P.S. yep, it would be fine with higher impedance.

 

[K2Grey]

Maybe the MINT v2.0 (aka PINT) would be nice? Tangent hasn't released the final version yet, though. IIRC, it is currently on track for AD8397, and includes a trickle recharging circuit (so I imagine it has a DC jack as well, since I don't see how else it'll be recharged).