[Robster1958]

i just got my SuperMini. First i must say that i'm moving pretty fast in this field, and in the last 2 months have bought (in order): iPod, Ety 4P's, and now super-mini.

just when i thought it couldn't get any better:

this tiny amp is absolutely amazing...right out of the box (bag). immediate and substantial improvemnt in soundstage. WOW...i'm really a little surprised. or maybe it's just my lack of experience with headphone amps. i feel like my head grew 5-fold.

in addition...there is more...weight <?> to drums, plucking strings and assorted other mid bass..

high end seems unaffected..but on Ety's this is a good thing.

and for me ...size matters! after seeing other small amps, it's hard to belive this quality is in such a small package. now if the batteries truly last 200 hrs....
the device is exactly one-half the size of the iPod.

now all i got to do is figure out cord managment with the iPod remote -> amp -> headphone.

say what you want about FixUp (and i said a thing or two myself!)...the guy makes cool stuff. (i also got an enhancement cord).

 

[LTUCCI1924]

HI Robster1958
Its amazing isn't it. Now I am giving my super mini a 5 day burn it and after 3 days I already hear a big improvement as hard as that may seem. Fixup told me 3-5 day burn in. Its just hard to believe the sound that this amp puts out. Did you get the + 10 db gain if not fixup will do it for free.

 

[Robster1958]

here's a stupid question. burn-in requires a signal going through i assume? not just turned on.


yes i did get +10 gain. although i ordered it without volume control, he inadvertantly shipped with volume. i may sned it back for exchange. with the iPod i don't need volume, but i like simplicity.


btw..Ltucci, i met williamgoody the other day (sold him my Koss 35's); he had good things to say about you.

 

[LTUCCI1924]

HI Robster1958
Yes when you burn in the super mini plug in a headphone. Volume I use is what I normally listen to. I also was going to get the no volume control but fixup said that because of the + 10 db gain that I should get the volume control so I did. BILL is a great guy and fun to be with. He always has lots of stuff in his bag to listen to. One day we meet for me to sell him a amp and I wound up buying one of his after he bought mine. LOL

 

[pigmode]

I'm glad things worked out for you Ropster. What's an enhancement cord?

 

[purk]

Pigmode,
Quote:

I'm glad things worked out for you Ropster. What's an enhancement cord?

The supermini and mini comes terminated with 6 inch long OFC line in cord. Many have said that the cord is too short. My guess would be the cord is now longer. Someone correct me here.

Purk

 

[Robster1958]

What's an enhancement cord?
------------------------------------

Pig:

it's also made by FixUp. it's a replacement for the original Ety4 cords. it has two obvious benefits: much lower microphonics; and a flatter fit for the wire coming down from your ears. less obvious (so far at least) is a supposed improvement in overall sound.

http://www.fixup.net/tips/ety/ety.htm

also...at least in my case, he made my cord in iPod white and shorter length.

------------------------------------------------------------------
Someone correct me here.

Purk:

yes..the input cord is quite short...which i knew about...it's exactly 6 inches. while this length is good for direct plug-in to the iPod, it's complicates my cord management when using it plugged into the iPod remote.

 

[Spad]

I often use the same system (iPod, ER4P w/FixUp cable, and Super Mini v2) and am also blown away. As you know, the iPod sounds great driving the 4Ps directly, but I agree that the addition of the Super Mini takes everything to a new level.

I'm also surprised that the SM drives such a wide variety of phones of varying impedence and sensitivity so well. I've tried it with the 4P/S, the W2002, CD3000 and HD600 and all sound terrific. As I expected, the W2002 and CD3000 sound superb, but the biggest surprise is its apparently effortless handling of the HD600.

I'm not a big Sennheiser fan (although I own a half dozen models), but I must say that being able to run them from a shirt-pocket sized sized system casts the HD600 in an entirely different light. I'm going to replace the cable with a one meter version and try them as my around-the-house portable system for a while.

I'm sure you've already considered this, but not having a volume control is a bad idea if you ever plan to use the SM with a PCDP or MD (or other) source having a line-out.

Spad

 

[pigmode]

Quote:

Originally posted by Robster1958 What's an enhancement cord? ------------------------------------ Pig: it's also made by FixUp. it's a replacement for the original Ety4 cords. it has two obvious benefits: much lower microphonics; and a flatter fit for the wire coming down from your ears. less obvious (so far at least) is a supposed improvement in overall sound. http://www.fixup.net/tips/ety/ety.htm

Sweet!!! Ropster, can you comment on build quality?

 

[Robster1958]

build quality:
the wire (and/or insulation) is thinner than Ety original. very much like i had on Sony EX70's. this fact, plus the shortness of the cord in my case makes for an extremely compact setup. no more squeezing into the little padded Ety bag.

the mini plug is gold-plated tip with chrome barrel...(great match to iPod, FixUp); it also has a spring around the wire going into the barrel for protection.

the connectors that fit into the Ety transducers themselves look solid...some kind of heat seal/wax, covered in black rubber.

 

[BoardC3]

Hey I just ordered a pair of cosmetically damaged Ety's (the cord has 2 small cuts in it but it works fine), and im thinking of getting a fixup cord. How do you install these cords? and if it requires any soldering would fixup do it?

 

[Robster1958]

no soldering.

the cord plugs..the color-coded ends pull out of the transducer piece. and the new cord just plugs in.

i grabbed the colored piece with a needle-nosed pliers and pulled the transducer off with my fingers.

 

[ejacobsen]

any of you folks using Ety 4P's with iPod and a supermini tried the conversion cable to make the 4Ps a 4s? How did the sound change? Better? Worse?

 

[PatM]

I have the conversion cable and am waiting for the super-mini to arrive. Will let you know.

 

[Spad]

Quote:

Originally posted by ejacobsen any of you folks using Ety 4P's with iPod and a supermini tried the conversion cable to make the 4Ps a 4s? How did the sound change? Better? Worse?

I use iPods with the Ety4P and SuperMini. The Etys have FixUp's replacement cable, the P/S converter and Comply tips. The combination works well and sounds considerably better than the standard iPod/4P which--as you likely know--already sounds terrific.

My favorite phone for use with the iPod/SuperMini combo is actually the CD3000. It's an odd looking group and I would never wear it out, but the sound is truly exceptional.