[ewynn]

Hey guys,

Just joined this forum, so I want to say hi to everyone out there. I have a pair of UE 11's that I'm in love with but every time I use it I feel that I more sound could be squeezed out of it. I currently have an ipod touch but I'll upgrade to a sansa clip + (upgrading sound quality that is). I'm also planning on buying purchasing and building a mini3 amp.

But before purchasing purchasing the components, I'm wondering if the components could be upgraded. Are the default components the best that the market has to offer? Could I upgrade it but still retain the same main board and chassis? If so where could I go to buy them?

Any input or experience would be much appreciated. If you have pics of your DIY amp projects, that will be most helpful

Source: 1st gen 8 GB iPod Touch

Headphones:
UE 11
Triplefi 10 Pro
Superfi 5 Pro
Shure SE 530

 

[kb1gra]

You can do the "high performance" version with the dual opamps and it will be pretty close to top of the line.

You also have a choice of components to some extent when you order...Wima caps, vishay-dale resistors, etc. But sourcing them can drive your cost up some. I have one built with the standard parts and one with all top of the line caps etc and the difference isn't big enough to justify the huge effort in finding some of the parts.

I changed out the enclosure for one that was less boring looking, silver extruded aluminum with blue andonized front plates and matching knob--this requires a little finagling with the mainboard but gives you more room for a larger-than-spec battery.

I'll post pics when I remember.

 

[Justin Uthadude]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kb1gra /img/forum/go_quote.gif I changed out the enclosure for one that was less boring looking, silver extruded aluminum with blue andonized front plates and matching knob--this requires a little finagling with the mainboard but gives you more room for a larger-than-spec battery. I'll post pics when I remember.

I went with the boring "don't steal me" black, but would love to see the pics of your silver and blue one.

 

[CodeToad]

I would stick with the stock parts list. There is no room for error inside the amp. As it is, the tallest caps clear the case by thousandths of an inch. There are no caps in the signal path anyway.

Pay attention to the gain you use if you're running iem's.

 

[Judge Buff]

Quote:

Originally Posted by CodeToad /img/forum/go_quote.gif I would stick with the stock parts list. There is no room for error inside the amp. As it is, the tallest caps clear the case by thousandths of an inch. There are no caps in the signal path anyway. Pay attention to the gain you use if you're running iem's.

Would you recommend a gain of 3 for IEMs?

 

[livingplasma]

I have the SuperFi 5 Pro's and with my mini^3 at stock gain of 5 I have decent range of volume with the Sansa Fuze on max volume (too lazy to make an LOD), however I can't get it low enough with the Bantam Dac or any home audio line out only because my potentiometer doesn't track well until the 9 o'clock position. The stock gain is quite versatile though if you need to drive larger headphones, just about loud enough with AKG 501's with a 150ohm impendance adaptor on the Sansa, more than enough with other sources. I would recommend at least buying more than one potentiometer and picking the better tracking one, gain of 2 or 3 should work well.

 

[chesterqw]

you can replace all the caps with black gates for a start *evil*

 

[nattonrice]

The electrolytics are not in the signal path.
A good Nichicon or Panasonic would do just as well.

 

[hyg71886]

I am having one built, what would be the best config so I don't have to have it upgrade later, I'm having it built by x86inside@charter.net(Marshell Wyant). I'm also currently breaking in my M50's just got em

 

[kb1gra]

^ that is MisterX here on head-fi. His stock configuration is perfectly fine.

 

[hyg71886]

what gain would you recommend for the AKG's and audio technica's i have