[LTUCCI1924]

I have a total airhead 2 AA battery unit. It runs my er4p no problem but when I use the adapter to make my er4p to a er4s I have the T/A at max and it still ant enough puwer. Is there a stronger portable amp that could handle the er4p with the adapter with power to spair? This is when I use my mini disc mdr-r700 5 m/w I even tried my supreme amp with it and had the volume at max and still not right. Could it be the the 5 m/w mini disc just ant capable of useing the adapter plus amp to any good power level? Is there something that I can do for this problem for portable use?

 

[Joe Bloggs]

A JMT or Porta Corda?

Or you can try opening up the TA and changing the gain...

 

[LTUCCI1924]

Joe Bloggs
HI JOE: are the jmt or porta corda portable a lot stronger than the total airhead. If so by how much? I seem to neen a lot more power fot the adapter with my 4p. I mean my supreme amp ant even strong evough and I thought the the supreme was a strong amp. Or am I just use the wrong amps for portable use.

 

[jpelg]

lou -

the portable amp arena is a very tenuous place indeed. one persons "acceptable" is another persons "crapola". the bottom line is that portable amps present alot of compromises. these compromises may be acceptable under certain (mobile) conditions, but I think that for critical home or non-mobile portable use, many (such as myself) eventually find them lacking.

but i am suprised to hear you say that even the Supreme does not output enough for you. i have never heard that amp, but was under the impression that the current models are pretty good. i guess, it is up to you to decide what is "acceptable" to you, your headphones, and your ears!

 

[Joe Bloggs]

The Porta Corda is the portable version of the Corda, with the same circuit layout, and even more gain than the big Corda to compensate for the fact that portable CDPs and MDPs have lower line out levels than home players. A while ago I was bitching about how because the PC has too much gain for me--even with the HD580 I can never turn it up past halfway--and beyond halfway it quickly gets deafening, the second half of the pot is certainly not there for decoration! I think you will never run out of pot on the PC as you did on the Airhead. And with the standard battery supply of 9V and the option of using a PSU or chaining batteries together to power it with up to 28V the PC should have enough power to drive the 4S without distortion.

A JMT or any DIY amp from other people here should be fine too, if you tell the builder that you will be using the amp with the ER4S on a portable. The builder will set the gain appropriately.

As I've said, you can also try changing the gain on your Airhead or Supreme--especially as the supreme should have no problem powering the 4S if you set the gain higher.

 

[kwkarth]

Lou,
I'm not sure what's going on with the portable MD player you have, but the Airhead should have plenty of gain to drive the ER4P/S. Aside from that, I have a Porta Corda and like Joe says, there's plenty of gain to spare there too!
Cheers!

 

[DeanA]

Quote:

Originally posted by kwkarth Lou, I'm not sure what's going on with the portable MD player you have, but the Airhead should have plenty of gain to drive the ER4P/S. Aside from that, I have a Porta Corda and like Joe says, there's plenty of gain to spare there too! Cheers!

At the the very least, his Supreme amp should be able to power the ER4S headphones.

 

[LTUCCI1924]

GUYS Thank you for all your responces. When I use the er4p with adapter on my srteoe amp and cd deck It is find at 12 oclock volume. This is with my supreme amp. But not for portable use. I am begging to think that maby its me and some hearing loss. I thought it would be nice to hear the er4p with adapter for portable use but I must be wrong. For I agree that the supreme amp should give enough power to dive the er4p with the adapter and to spend more money on another amp and be disapointed would be real bad for I am poor. lol The er4p sounds great with my mini disc and T/A so I guess I will have to settle for that. Now dont get me wrong. The er4p sounds better than any portable can that I have ever had. So to use the mini disc and T/A and er4p still is a great joy. Thanks again for responding. This forum seems to always be here to help and I do realy aperchate it.
ps. I think that the mini disc with its 5 m/w is very limited for use with the adapter or even my 580s' with any portable amp it seems. Keep in mind that I am 60 years old and must have some hearing lost I think.

 

[Tim D]

The Porta Corda would not give you the gain you want. On the otherhand maybe you should try to get used to lower listening volumes to keep the hearing you have left.

From my own experience the gain on both Porta Corda and Airhead are both pretty thumb twitch sensitive because they have high gain. And they both may start to clip at higher volume settings when battery powered driving some harder to drive headphones at loud volumes especially if you have a tendency to just listen that loud. Now if you are clipping the Supreme, than it just sounds to me that you are listening too loud.

Headroom and Jan try to build their products to suit everyone...but not everyone wants to listen to hearing damage listening levels and would much rather have more volume control. If however you just can't get used to lower listening levels...than a 2 9V Cmoy would work without distortion or perhaps the Grado amp even which is also 2 9V(although your Supreme should already have even more horsepower at +/- 15 V).

 

[TimSchirmer]

Quote:

Originally posted by Joe Bloggs The Porta Corda is the portable version of the Corda, with the same circuit layout, and even more gain than the big Corda to compensate for the fact that portable CDPs and MDPs have lower line out levels than home players. A while ago I was bitching about how because the PC has too much gain for me--even with the HD580 I can never turn it up past halfway--and beyond halfway it quickly gets deafening, the second half of the pot is certainly not there for decoration! I think you will never run out of pot on the PC as you did on the Airhead. And with the standard battery supply of 9V and the option of using a PSU or chaining batteries together to power it with up to 28V the PC should have enough power to drive the 4S without distortion. A JMT or any DIY amp from other people here should be fine too, if you tell the builder that you will be using the amp with the ER4S on a portable. The builder will set the gain appropriately. As I've said, you can also try changing the gain on your Airhead or Supreme--especially as the supreme should have no problem powering the 4S if you set the gain higher.

lol, time for AKG's

 

[joelongwood]

I have the Total Airhead and ER4S.......no volume problem at all. But here's a thought, Lou..........since you are running the amp out of the portable minidisc's headphone out jack, have you checked to see if the volume on the minidisc player is up about 3/4 of the way. If your volume is set too low on the md player, the amp will not be getting enough signal to drive it properly. Check it out. Hope this helps.

 

[LTUCCI1924]

joelongwood
HI: The volume on my mini disc is at full always. I think you guys are younger than me and have better hearing. Example, when I plug my er4p into my mini disc it ant loud enough for me and I must use my T/A to get where I want the volume to be. The 4p is doing great with my mini disc and T/A. It is the best portable sound I have ever heard. I just cant use the adapter With the T/A because I am at full T/A volume and still not there. I think itis just old age and some lost of hearing. Check back with me in 25 years and you will understand. LOL

 

[Ken]

I have minidisc + supreme as well as cha47. I have no problem with volume. Plenty to spare

 

[kwkarth]

Quote:

Originally posted by LTUCCI1924 joelongwood HI: The volume on my mini disc is at full always. I think you guys are younger than me and have better hearing. Example, when I plug my er4p into my mini disc it ant loud enough for me and I must use my T/A to get where I want the volume to be. The 4p is doing great with my mini disc and T/A. It is the best portable sound I have ever heard. I just cant use the adapter With the T/A because I am at full T/A volume and still not there. I think itis just old age and some lost of hearing. Check back with me in 25 years and you will understand. LOL

Lou,
Maybe there's something wrong with your adapter cable??
I have no trouble with mine. It should be louder than you can stand even with the adapter cable in line.

 

[LTUCCI1924]

kwkarth
HI: I got te 5" adapter from fixup.net. Icould send them a e=mail