What Amps Should I Consider With My New ER-4S?

[Chiboy]

Now that I'm spending half my day reading stuff on this web site, as well as spending all of my disposable cash on headphone related stuff, I thought I'd ask the experts:

I just got ER-4S phones and I really like the detail. I mainly use them with my iRiver imp350 CD player on my night table. The music I listen to tends to be live Grateful Dead stuff, although I have found that since I got the Ety's, I've been listening to more pristine studio stuff. Figure I'll be listening to some jazz, but mainly acoustic and electric rock.

I'm hoping to spend about $200 on an amp, either new or used. Actually finding a better amp used and getting it for around $200 would be ideal. I don't think amps get "used up", so I'm more than happy to save a bit of depreciation. It isn't mandatory, but I would certainly prefer an amp with an a/c connection, since I won't be wandering the streets with my rig. In my recent flurry of reading activity here, I've heard good things about four amps in particular:

1) the Xin SuperDual. Unfortunately, it now seems to be discontinued.

2) Ray Samuels SR-71. Seems to be too good (ie too expensive) for me, but perhaps when it's out a bit longer, it will be available for less as a used amp. Also it doesn't seem to be available without a battery.

3) Gilmore Lite. A bit too expensive, but perhaps used it will fall into my range. I think it's been updated, and I'm not sure if the new version is significantly better than the old.

4) Grado RA-1. Used they seem to be in my price range, and I'm interested because a local audiophile store has one that I can borrow this weekend.

So I ask you, what would be a great complement to the Ety ER-4S? I don't want to buy something and then have to upgrade it, but I don't want to pretend my iRiver imp350 based system is "audiophile elite" either. What I'm looking for is to get far enough over on the quality curve that I'll be happy, without spending big extra dollars for small incremental improvements. I'd love to have a slightly fuller, richer sound with the Ety's, more bass punch, and a wider and more dynamic soundstage (if possible).

Also, do the opinions on amps that are well thought of today tend to change dramatically in a few months when something else new comes out?

Thanks for your thoughts! This site is a bit addictive...

 

[ampgalore]

PPA with a battery board. It is better to spend as much as you can for an amp, so it will save you the headache of needing for future upgrades again.

 

[Chiboy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ampgalore PPA with a battery board. It is better to spend as much as you can for an amp, so it will save you the headache of needing for future upgrades again.

I don't know what a PPA is.

 

[md01]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chiboy I don't know what a PPA is.

PPA

 

[gpalmer]

The Gilmores are fantastic with the Etys, so far the best I have heard with them, and I have heard all your contenders...

 

[Zanth]

The Gilmore V2 is the best amp I have ever had the pleasure of using with my Ety's. If the Lite is anywhere near the V2, you would be quite pleased with it.

 

[geekay]

i prefer xin's superdual

 

[OneMalt]

Well, if you have access to the RA-1 for the weekend, try it out and see what your ears tell you.

 

[Turner_Brown]

So...I too am in the market for a portable amp for my Grado 225's. Unfortunately I have never had the pleasure of ever hearing music through a headphone amp...so I have a "stupid" question. I know, of course, the music will sound "better" when using an amp...but will it be considerabley louder? I mostly listen to music on my iRiver H120 (HDD mp3 player). So yeah, how much different can I expect the volume levels to be from the unamped headphone jack to the amped line out?

 

[md01]

High impendance cans will sound louder when feed through an amp, from an underpowered source. Allthough an amplifier does increase the stregth of signal being passed through it, the purpose of an audio amp isn't just to make headphones louder. Low impendace cans, like Grado, should sound loud enough to satisfy your volume needs without an amp. The purpose of an audio amp is to alter the sound to make it more coherent, extended, defined, refined, etc. What you refer to as "better" is what you should be looking forward to in an amp, instead of louder.

 

[john_jcb]

Will you be able to attend the Chicago meet?

If you can attend I would hold off making any decision until then. You should be able to audition a number of amps before you decide. It is nice to use the Ety's for your impression of an amp's performance as the normal commotion at a meet will not bother you in the least. I also have a META amp that was all the rage before the PPA came on the scene. I will look for it if you want to try it as well. I also have an older Total Airhead that you might like to listen to. It works with a Wall Wart so you don't need to use the batteries if you don't want to.

Let me know.

 

[Chiboy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by john_jcb Will you be able to attend the Chicago meet? If you can attend I would hold off making any decision until then. You should be able to audition a number of amps before you decide. It is nice to use the Ety's for your impression of an amp's performance as the normal commotion at a meet will not bother you in the least. I also have a META amp that was all the rage before the PPA came on the scene. I will look for it if you want to try it as well. I also have an older Total Airhead that you might like to listen to. It works with a Wall Wart so you don't need to use the batteries if you don't want to. Let me know.

Yes, I should be there! I may not be able to be there right at 11 -- I have a 9 am tennis match in Aurora -- but I will be there and am looking forward to my first Head Meet! Thanks for bringing anything you don't mind me demo'ing.

 

[penbat]

Xin has a Supermono amp out quite soon for $199, twice the size of a Superdual but still very small and even better sound than a Superdual. It will allow op amp rolling like much more expensive amps.

 

[Chiboy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by penbat It will allow op amp rolling like much more expensive amps.

I hate to display my ignorance, but what does "op amp rolling" mean and why do I want to do it? Is it tying together more than one amp to get the benefits of both?

 

[john_jcb]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chiboy I hate to display my ignorance, but what does "op amp rolling" mean and why do I want to do it? Is it tying together more than one amp to get the benefits of both?

Op Amps or Operational Amplifiers are electrical components that are used in solid state amps. Each one has distinctive characteristics that impart subtle changes in the amplified sound. Many different op amps will often work in a headphone amplifier. A person will change or roll the op amps. The rolling part comes from doing the same thing with vacuum tubes. If you would like to read a little bit about op amps here is a link.

http://www.uoguelph.ca/~antoon/gadgets/741/741.html