The iBasso P3+ Herron has made its way to my door and there are images and more . . .

[jamato8]

It is pretty impressive. Not at all broken in yet but the bass is already a noticeable quality with slam and definition.

The number of opamps and what buffer arrangement is unbelievable. You get a wrench for the faceplate, extra screws, bypass adapters, a grey/silver matt finished anodized body and a black matt finished one. The traces are gold plated and the battery compartment has all the kinks worked out. The rear round nuts for the rear plate have an inner bevel that makes them easy to thread (the bolts are in the body now and stay there to guide the rear plate into place.

You get a good Alps potentiometer, Dale resistors, the latest top of the line Nichicon caps bypassed with Wima caps, no DC blocking capacitors in the signal path and gain adjustment that works great for IEM's or for the harder to drive phones a high gain setting.

I got to tell you, the dynamics of this thing are awe inspiring.

Oh, and the owner's manual, though one page (front and back), has more information and shows the placement of the opamps and buffers.

The Stack, iRiver H140 with a 120gb drive, iBasso Cobra and the P3+ Heron doing the amplification.

 

[clasam]

I hear my bank account crying. My wallet has already run away, trying to save its life.

 

[wsatia]

How different is it from the P3?

 

[trueno84]

Great... Hearing this from the Guru after my D2 is on it's way.... My bank account is drying up soon..... T_T But the green enclosure of D2 Boa is irresistible

 

[gooky]

Is the body the same material as the original P3? Because from the picture, it looks heftier, maybe a little higher quality? Not that there is anything wrong with the P3 in terms of durability, but the P3+ looks like it has a more brushed metallic texture. Pretty slick.

 

[jamato8]

The finish is different. It is an anodized matt finish rather than glossy. The edges of the front and back plate are slightly rounded and where you insert the 9 volt external power supply is nicely beveled.

The combinations with this amp are extreme. I mean you can have 3 channel or 4, you can have it with or without buffers and you get the buf634, transistor buffer and bypasses. You can use single and dual opamps and many different types.

Mine needs time to form the caps and just settle in, then I will be able to know more on the sound but it promises to be one of the best, IMO but time is needed.

With all the opamps and buffers iBasso gives you with the amp it is like getting a tube amp with a bunch of tubes, which normally does not happen. I know of no one else that does this.

 

[trueno84]

Hmm do u reckon that it would be better than pico amp?

 

[jamato8]

I haven't heard the Pico so I wouldn't know.

Well I still need some more information than what the manual states. There is a G, ground (I understand) and V channel ?. Well and email to iBasso.

 

[HiFlight]

Quote:

Originally Posted by wsatia /img/forum/go_quote.gif How different is it from the P3?

My stock P3+ sounds better to me, richer and with deeper and wider soundstage than my P3 with Topkit installed.

It clearly has more output power. The soundstage and imaging are astounding. So far, it is my impression that the P3+ has raised the bar for portable amps.

 

[jamato8]

Mine went muddy already for a while and now back to speed again. It is one of, if not the fastest amps I have ever heard. The caps must have a low dissipation factor and low ESR with the "snap" I hear. There isn't any frequency muddling either, just clean. More hours needed but this is exciting.

So Ron, what is the V channel? I get the G for ground but then there is a V.

On "The Dead Set" by the Grateful Dead, Jack Straw is excellent.

That's right, they also increased the quality of the attenuator. Everything else was stepped up in quality with the top latest Nichicon caps etc and some nice large resistors under the board. Hey R, I think what you did is pretty good.

 

[HiFlight]

Couldn't resist....Opened it up and tried (2)AD743JNs, AD8022, and OPA2727 in LR, Transistor buffers, and AD797 in Ground. All sounded good. Of course, this is a virgin amp, with few hours on it. Like nearly all other amps, the P3+ really shines with the AD743s.

With all the possible combinations in this amp, I can foresee myself tied to my bench, ignoring meals, pets, wife, personal grooming....etc,etc!!!

I have not yet had a chance for head to head comparisons with my D10. That will be down the road somewhere after the P3+ accumulates more playtime.

X2 to Jamatos comments about the quality of both the exterior as well as the inside circuitry. Clearly very high quality of both. Even gold-plated battery contacts. It is obvious that much attention was given to even the smallest details of this amp.

 

[h.rav]

Any internal shots?

 

[jamato8]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HiFlight /img/forum/go_quote.gif With all the possible combinations in this amp, I can foresee myself tied to my bench, ignoring meals, pets, wife, personal grooming....etc,etc!!!

Gahhh, not personal grooming. You gotta look cool doing this Ron! Respect man, reeeespect!

I have already compared some to the D10 as I have three stack with velcro going on with the iRiver H140 on top then the D10 with the dac out to the P3+ on the bottom. Who ever thought stacked separates could get so small with so much to offer?

Anyway, I hear a little less congestion with the P3+, not that I noticed any with my Black Gated D10 but the D3+ is something else. Time needed though, time.

I will try and get some internal shots tomorrow but I was also impressed with the step up in internal quality. The spring system for the batteries and contacts all rock solid and gold plated.

 

[ZoNtO]

This sounds intriguing.... Wish it had a 75 ohm impedence switch!

 

[wsatia]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HiFlight /img/forum/go_quote.gif My stock P3+ sounds better to me, richer and with deeper and wider soundstage than my P3 with Topkit installed. It clearly has more output power. The soundstage and imaging are astounding. So far, it is my impression that the P3+ has raised the bar for portable amps.

oh right thanks! keep us updated on whether it's a worth it upgrade if I already have the P3