[Eric_C]

Rule of thumb: high impedance phones need more voltage, low impedance need more current. PA2V2 uses 2x rechargeable AA. "High voltage" for batteries would be a 9V.

Also note that Beyers aren't necessarily 600 ohms. The 770, 880, 990 come in multiple variants, some as low as 32 ohms.

 

[apatN]

Um, you know your DT 880s are 600 Ohms right? Any portable amp(with some exceptions) would struggle to the drive those 'phones properly. While I don't own this amp personally, just looking at the specs and reading what others have said about it, one would assume it should drive most full size headphones easily. By the way have you tried the PA2v2 with your other headphones?

Of course I have

The Alessandro doesnt need much amping and does not benefit much from it. Still, it does benefit from bypassing the horrible internal amp on the ipod.
The same thing that happens with the dt880 happens with the k701 which is nowhere near 600 ohms. The pa2v2 just does not have the balls to drive them properly and you hear it the moment you put them on.
I have not done enough testing with the orthos...

Anyway, that is why I think it's not a good starter amp. A good starter amp should at least hint at what a good amp/headphone combo can do. I am then thinking along the lines of the new fiio amp for example, which seems to fit this description (havent heard it though). The pa2v2 is a nice addition to your ipod and iems but I think people will be massively disappointed when they try their full size headphones with it.

 

[Roller]

Eric_C, it's on apatN's sig that his DT880 is 600Ohm ver. And along with that DT880, K701 is another not so easy to drive set of headphones. While there is no specific info on Electric Avenues site on which headphones are a better match for PA2V2, Gary did tell me that lower impedance and higher sensitivity headphones perform the best with the amp.
 
I'm also looking forward to see what the new Fiio amp can do, along with a few nifty features it has so far.

 

[Eric_C]

Roller: Ah sorry, I missed that cos I was reading the thread on my phone. 
 
apatN: It's arguable that someone just starting out with amps is likely to have a lower impedance headphone/IEM, thus making the PA2V2 desirable. Additionally, how high an impedance would a portable headphone have (since the PA2V2 seems designed for portable use)? With my super-efficient & sensitive IE8, the PA2V2 didn't exhibit any hiss, which was great, and it didn't distort either.
Having said that, what DO you consider a good starter amp for portable?

 

[Roller]

And how expensive would a starter amp be, for that matter? I think that 100$ to be the maximum for someone who is starting to embrance head-fi and such.
 
Slightly off topic, Eric_C, which phone are you using to browse head-fi, and how is the experience?

 

[Eric_C]

iPhone 4. It's far from ideal: I have to use it in landscape cos posts run "wider" midway through each page, replies have limited functionality (Basic Editor only), and the forum is unresponsive cos there's too much graphics loading (e.g.: display pics load when I scroll to them)

 

[Roller]

Then I guess I'll just wait longer for mobile devices to evolve, as a half experience doesn't really cut it for me.
 
But back on topic, so far I always had the feeling that starter amps went as Fiio E5, various Cmoy amps, PA2V2 and perhaps some lower end iBasso amps. So it's not exactly like there's any high impedance driving champ among them

 

[Melvins]

hahah. I adore this thing, anyone use it with PA2v2?

 

[Eric_C]

Roller: totally agree on the amps.
Melvins: use what with PA2V2?

 

[Roller]

After all, there's a reason they're called starter amps

 
Melvins, still around? I thought you were banned.

 

[Melvins]

pahaha....
 
I meant Ath-AD700. I was. But then I made a miraculous comeback. I see your in good health rolly.

 

[Roller]

As long as you keep from harassing others like you did in the past, it's all good. And I don't know you from anywhere for you to be all familiar with me.

 

[Melvins]

who...
 
did I harass? 

 

[Roller]

Just go on with your life, and the next time don't be condescending to other people. Perhaps that ban was well deserved.
 
Have a nice day.

 

[Melvins]

......alright.