UK 2012 Head-Fi Meet - September 15th Cambridgeshire.
Aug 20, 2012 at 12:43 PM Post #1,141 of 1,381
Im Curious, I currently dont use a portable amp as i thought id find it an inconvenient to carry one around as i rarely go anywhere with a bag.
 
My current portable setup is clip+ > MTPCs, would these benefit from amping? 
 
Aug 21, 2012 at 4:31 AM Post #1,142 of 1,381
Andy,
 
Put me down for the meal please.
 
Thoughts on portable amps.
I used to have larger desktop setups but found that I spent more time listening either on the move, away from home, or on the bedside.
The journey of investigating portable options started with an assessment of the advantages (e.g. smooth power supply)  but also the limitations (library size, limited hours of use, and inability to drive current hungry full sized headphones).
 
I shall bring about 4 portable setups that I believe are comparable to top end desktop units for people to try.
 
Can you tell I'm a fan of portable setups?
 
Regards
 
Sceptre
 
Aug 21, 2012 at 4:44 AM Post #1,143 of 1,381
Sceptre makes some very valid points below and I concur with his assessment of the pros and cons of using portable gear.
 
The distinction for me between larger setups and portable kit has been somewhat blurred recently by the Cypher Labs AlgoRhythm Solo and ALO RX MK3-B, as it's now possible to obtain high quality sound from an iPod that rivals that of some home based systems.
 
Cheers,
 
Andy.
 
Quote:
Andy,
 
Put me down for the meal please.
 
Thoughts on portable amps.
I used to have larger desktop setups but found that I spent more time listening either on the move, away from home, or on the bedside.
The journey of investigating portable options started with an assessment of the advantages (e.g. smooth power supply)  but also the limitations (library size, limited hours of use, and inability to drive current hungry full sized headphones).
 
I shall bring about 4 portable setups that I believe are comparable to top end desktop units for people to try.
 
Can you tell I'm a fan of portable setups?
 
Regards
 
Sceptre

 
Aug 21, 2012 at 7:02 AM Post #1,144 of 1,381
Behold the granite encased behemoth! 
 
 

 

 

 
I reckon that this Polish headphone amplifier from White Bird Amplification http://white-bird.pl/ and NOS valves from Mullard Magic (thanks Steve) will drive just about any headphone with aplomb and could be a BHSE beater for around 25% of the cost!
 
Cheers,
 
Andy.
 
Aug 21, 2012 at 9:48 AM Post #1,145 of 1,381
Looks interesting but IMHO no way could it be considered a BHSE beater, just compare the components used and the specification.  
Totally different designs as the BHSE is designed for electrostats not dynamics in any case.
 
Quote:
Behold the granite encased behemoth! 
 
 

 

 

 
I reckon that this Polish headphone amplifier from White Bird Amplification http://white-bird.pl/ and NOS valves from Mullard Magic (thanks Steve) will drive just about any headphone with aplomb and could be a BHSE beater for around 25% of the cost!
 
Cheers,
 
Andy.

 
Aug 21, 2012 at 9:54 AM Post #1,146 of 1,381
complin,
 
Admittedly I was being slightly controversial with my BHSE beater comment, but with a few tweaks I reckon that the behemoth will sound astonishingly good for the price.
 
Cheers,
 
Andy.
 
Quote:
Looks interesting but IMHO no way could it be considered a BHSE beater, just compare the components used and the specification.  
Totally different designs as the BHSE is designed for electrostats not dynamics in any case.
 

 
Aug 21, 2012 at 1:43 PM Post #1,147 of 1,381
Yes I agree It looks well finished and may be good value for money.
Would be good to see the "Quality" inside though with some interior photo's and the circuit design.
 
However you don't need to go for Poland for a cracking headphone amp, NVA audio in the UK do two, one which also drives speakers for about £300'ish.  The NVA is very under rated I feel and deserves to be more widely known.  Much better than that Chinese C**P.
Solid state though and hand built too, drives everything i've ever thrown at it.  The speaker/headphone version drives my Stax via a transformer with ease and Audeze et alt via the headphone socket. They are based in Essex I believe, you might be able to get them to come to the event?
beerchug.gif

 
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NVA-AP10P-Personal-Integrated-amplifier-/270505082352?pt=UK_AudioTVElectronics_HomeAudioHiFi_Amplifiers&hash=item3efb5bfdf0#ht_5648wt_909
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NVA-AP10H-Headphone-Amplifier-/270458507882?pt=UK_AudioTVElectronics_HomeAudioHiFi_Amplifiers&hash=item3ef895526a#ht_2310wt_909
 
Quote:
complin,
 
Admittedly I was being slightly controversial with my BHSE beater comment, but with a few tweaks I reckon that the behemoth will sound astonishingly good for the price.
 
Cheers,
 
Andy.
 

 
Aug 22, 2012 at 6:33 AM Post #1,148 of 1,381
geeta182,
Congratulations! You are the lucky winner and soon to be recipient of an unused PA2V2.  
L3000.gif

 
Please PM me your address and I'll post this fine starter headphone amplifier to you soonest.
 
Cheers,
 
Andy.
 
Quote:
I personally would be very grateful to try out the pa2v2. Audio is a new hobby for me (and one that is taking all my time) but i haven't got a portable amp for 2 reason, firstly money doesn't come exactly easy to me...and also I have read around that portable amps might not be worth the money? So I thought my money would be better spent getting good headphones instead of dividing my money up for both an amp and headphones. I currently use a saunas clip+ and some vmoda m80s, which is as far as my budget currently takes me. So like I said the pa2v2 would me greatly appreciated
smily_headphones1.gif

 
Aug 22, 2012 at 6:50 AM Post #1,149 of 1,381
MEET TASK
 
Guys, great news! 
 
I've negotiated an interesting deal with the manufacturer of the behemoth valve amplifier below. If 10 meet attendees audition the WHITE BIRD and are prepared to write a brief Head-Fi post of their sonic impressions, the amp will be entered into the raffle as a prize. Obviously there's an element of trust and altruism involved here, as only one person will win the amp but 10 people who've demoed it are required to post a short writeup of their impressions.
 
As an added incentive I'll include the Osram valves (NOS from 1949) and the other smaller tube pictured below.
 
What a great prize!  
L3000.gif

 
Cheers,
 
Andy.  
 
Quote:
Behold the granite encased behemoth! 
 
 

 

 

 
I reckon that this Polish headphone amplifier from White Bird Amplification http://white-bird.pl/ and NOS valves from Mullard Magic (thanks Steve) will drive just about any headphone with aplomb and could be a BHSE beater for around 25% of the cost!
 
Cheers,
 
Andy.

 
Aug 22, 2012 at 7:24 AM Post #1,150 of 1,381
Yes thats a great prize and very generous of White Bird, but should it be the best review of the sonic impressions written that wins?
Perhaps they should select the winner?
 
Quote:
MEET TASK
 
Guys, great news! 
 
I've negotiated an interesting deal with the manufacturer of the behemoth valve amplifier below. If 10 meet attendees audition the WHITE BIRD and are prepared to write a brief Head-Fi post of their sonic impressions, the amp will be entered into the raffle as a prize. Obviously there's an element of trust and altruism involved here, as only one person will win the amp but 10 people who've demoed it are required to post a short writeup of their impressions.
 
As an added incentive I'll include the Osram valves (NOS from 1949) and the other smaller tube pictured below.
 
What a great prize!  
L3000.gif

 
Cheers,
 
Andy.  
 

 
Aug 22, 2012 at 7:37 AM Post #1,151 of 1,381
complin,
 
Nice idea, but the amp will be entered into the raffle as an incentive for attendees to buy tickets, thereby raising even more money for charity. Plus the behemoth weighs around 15kg and there's no way that I'm paying freight costs to ship it to the winner!  
eek.gif

 
Cheers,
 
Andy.
 
 
Quote:
Yes thats a great prize and very generous of White Bird, but should it be the best review of the sonic impressions written that wins?
Perhaps they should select the winner?
 

 
Aug 22, 2012 at 12:56 PM Post #1,152 of 1,381
I'd be perfectly willing to write some detailed impressions on it, though I'd need a reasonable amount of head-time and wouldn't want to be hogging it from any other people! It would also be good to make sure that the source/headphones can be changed easily so that people can get balanced impressions with their own 'phones and music.
 
Aug 22, 2012 at 2:50 PM Post #1,153 of 1,381
Quote:
Yes I agree It looks well finished and may be good value for money.
Would be good to see the "Quality" inside though with some interior photo's and the circuit design.
 
However you don't need to go for Poland for a cracking headphone amp, NVA audio in the UK do two, one which also drives speakers for about £300'ish.  The NVA is very under rated I feel and deserves to be more widely known.  Much better than that Chinese C**P.
Solid state though and hand built too, drives everything i've ever thrown at it.  The speaker/headphone version drives my Stax via a transformer with ease and Audeze et alt via the headphone socket. They are based in Essex I believe, you might be able to get them to come to the event?
beerchug.gif

 
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NVA-AP10P-Personal-Integrated-amplifier-/270505082352?pt=UK_AudioTVElectronics_HomeAudioHiFi_Amplifiers&hash=item3efb5bfdf0#ht_5648wt_909
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NVA-AP10H-Headphone-Amplifier-/270458507882?pt=UK_AudioTVElectronics_HomeAudioHiFi_Amplifiers&hash=item3ef895526a#ht_2310wt_909
 

Are you bringing the NVA to the meet?  Have wanted to listen to this for years.
 
Aug 22, 2012 at 5:14 PM Post #1,154 of 1,381
Quote:
MEET TASK
 
Guys, great news! 
 
I've negotiated an interesting deal with the manufacturer of the behemoth valve amplifier below. If 10 meet attendees audition the WHITE BIRD and are prepared to write a brief Head-Fi post of their sonic impressions, the amp will be entered into the raffle as a prize. Obviously there's an element of trust and altruism involved here, as only one person will win the amp but 10 people who've demoed it are required to post a short writeup of their impressions.
 
As an added incentive I'll include the Osram valves (NOS from 1949) and the other smaller tube pictured below.
 
What a great prize!  
L3000.gif

 
Cheers,
 
Andy.  
 

 
 
I'd certainly be interested in listening to this and writing a review.  It'll be interesting to see how it compares to my Earmax, the size and weight are a trifle different! 
 
Aug 23, 2012 at 7:34 AM Post #1,155 of 1,381
JoetheArachnid,
 
I'll have a CDP, iPod connector to RCA cable and laptop available as sources, so listeners should be able to use their own music, either on CD, iPod or via a USB stick and computer playback. 
 
Cheers,
 
Andy.
 
Quote:
I'd be perfectly willing to write some detailed impressions on it, though I'd need a reasonable amount of head-time and wouldn't want to be hogging it from any other people! It would also be good to make sure that the source/headphones can be changed easily so that people can get balanced impressions with their own 'phones and music.

 

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