[Jalo]

I know the whole arguement about driving full size can with portable and/or transportable amp. I am not asking whether portable/transportable amp can compete with full size amp, nor am I asking whether portable/transportable amp can bring the best sound out of HD800, I know they can't. I am only asking if I like my HD800 so much that if I want to take it on vacation, what kind of amp (of course the smaller the better) can at least drive it decently. It doesn't have to be used on plane. Would something like LISA, SR71A be able to do the job? Or do I have to go to something like a ultra Micro amp with AC adaptor? or any other option is best?

 

[usinare]

i use the headroom portable micro amp with dac and hd800 and i am very satisfied. i consider myself an audiophile. i did compare this little amp with the benchmark dac 1 usb. the benchmark was a little better for 2x the price of the micro amp...........??????

 

[tjumper78]

i havent had a chance to test hd800 but i used to enjoy hd600 and hd650 with headamp pico and ibasso d3 python. both hd600 and hd650 are known to be hard to drive but i really like their sound driven by those two portable amps.

 

[Uncle Erik]

I'd get something like a EC/SS, HeadRoom transportable or one of Dr. Meier's amps that is transportable. You need something that plugs into the wall and does not have a battery. Battery operated amps do not have enough power to operate the HD-800 and make it sound good. Smaller solid state amps that have to be plugged into the wall can. You'll want one of those.

 

[Jalo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uncle Erik /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'd get something like a EC/SS, HeadRoom transportable or one of Dr. Meier's amps that is transportable. You need something that plugs into the wall and does not have a battery. Battery operated amps do not have enough power to operate the HD-800 and make it sound good. Smaller solid state amps that have to be plugged into the wall can. You'll want one of those.

Thanks, I kind of knew that but just wanted some confirmation. You are right, it has to be something that plug into the wall. I really doubt that any battery power amp can drive the 800 satisfactorily. By the way I was told that the 800 is about the same as 650/600 and I just question whether the Pico can drive it well without crackling sound. My Predator can't do it w/ my 600.

 

[usinare]

battery powered amps can drive the hd800 easily especially the headroom micro amp. all that is needed is the battery being able to output the needed voltage and current. i even use the dac on this battery powered amp and it sounds much better than the analog input.

dont believe the hype.

 

[Uncle Erik]

Quote:

Originally Posted by usinare /img/forum/go_quote.gif battery powered amps can drive the hd800 easily especially the headroom micro amp. all that is needed is the battery being able to output the needed voltage and current. i even use the dac on this battery powered amp and it sounds much better than the analog input. dont believe the hype.

Which full-sized desktop amps have you compared the Headroom Micro Amp to?

I've noticed a sizeable difference between battery powered and mains powered amplifiers.

 

[The Monkey]

Quote:

Originally Posted by usinare /img/forum/go_quote.gif battery powered amps can drive the hd800 easily especially the headroom micro amp. all that is needed is the battery being able to output the needed voltage and current. i even use the dac on this battery powered amp and it sounds much better than the analog input. dont believe the hype.

I believe the hype.

 

[qusp]

well I do believe the hype is definitely overstated, for sure potables cant drive HD800 or HD6XX to the fullest potential, but thats not what we are talking about I dont think, I think most people that ask these type of questions already have the headphones in question and would like to know if they could use them portable or at work or whatever without having to buy another mains amp for that venue. of course buying HD800 specifically for portable use wold be silly, but i'm pretty sure, like HD6XX you could get some enjoyable noise from them if you did; just not as good as with a home amp. would they sound as good as a lesser quality set of headphones more suited to being driven with batteries. likely so

if you are game to wear HD800 on the subway or walking along the street, you are a braver man than I. I couldnt bring myself to wear what looks like an expensive swedish vacuum cleaner on my head, no matter the sound

 

[usinare]

there are always better amps even among AC powered. but for someone to say no battery powered amp can drive the hd800 is absolutely false. i use mine as a portable at work, in the library, at home. i do not walk around with it on the streets.

 

[mrarroyo]

The Red Wine Audio Isabellina HPA or the Isabella have one or two 12 volt sealed lead acid batteries respectively. The Isabellina HPA been able to drive anything I have thrown at it. Of course portable it is not.

 

[Uncle Erik]

Quote:

Originally Posted by qusp /img/forum/go_quote.gif ...for sure potables cant drive HD800 or HD6XX to the fullest potential....

Exactly.

And why wouldn't someone want the drive a HD-600 or HD-800 to its fullest potential?

It would be like drinking a beer at nearly room temperature because you only want to use a cooler that runs off a 9V rather than a refrigerator.

 

[qusp]

the point Erik is they want to be able to run them; full stop.... of course they would like to drive them to full potential, but that simply isnt possible with the swing provided by small cell batteries, but it is entirely possible to drive them to acceptable levels. which IMO is possibly a better option than having to buy an entirely different set of headphones that they may or may not like the sound of as much as their headphone of choice driven passably. and portable; otherwise of course you dont want a portable amp, but if you only have budget for one set of headphones and one amp for both situations it is possible to find a solution that works; does it sound as good as it can?? no, does it sound good??...yes it does

 

[Jalo]

Qusp and Erik, you are both right in that I don't think anyone is arguing about fullsize vs portable. I think most headfiers will agree that fullsize amp will and can drive cans like HD800 better and to its full potential. The point of my original post stated very clearly that I am not asking which is better, nor whether the portable amp can bring out the best sound in the HD800 (this arguement has been raised and fought a few times and I don't intend to start another one).

The reason for my post is because I recently recabled my 800 with SAA Voice balance and running it through balance DAC and AMP and I liked it so much that I thought about if I am going on a vacation, I may want to take the 800 with me. But then of course I need to find an amp for it on the road. I was just curious whether the 800 can be used with a portable setup, though not to its full potential but at least fun enough for listening (as Qusp indicated). And if so, which portable could drive the 800 to such a level.

In a follow up post, I mentioned that I wonder whether amps like PICO could drive the 800 without crackling sound. Since that post, I received a pm from Justin (Pico) who informed me that the original PICO actually uses two 3.7v batteries for a combine of 7.4v capacity which is much higher than many of the single battery design used in many of the small portable amps these days. I appreciate that info from Justin.

And then I read recently about the ALO Rx that also utilized the dual battery design for dual channels driving and some of the pictures and You Tube showing the Rx actually driving a pair of 8" subwoofer for some 18 hours. That is UNBELIEVABLE even though it may only be for fun. But that fact that it can actually drive it to any level is hard to believe. So after seeing and hearing the above feedback, my current thoughts about driving the 800 has changed quite a bit. I am beginning to believe that with proper battery design, it can actually happen that a little portable amp can drive the big guys to a level that is fun to listen to though may not to its full potential. And in terms of small portable amps, I think the PICO, ALO Rx, SR71, SR71a falls in this category. Is ther any other that anyone knows? The LISA III is really a transportable.

 

[The Monkey]

If you're willing to spend $1400 on a cable, maybe the best answer is to get a pair of JH13s for portable use and forget about the portable amp.