[WindyCityCy]

I need some help here. I have spent the better part of 2 days surfing the web and reading reviews on Head-Fi and other sites. I'm looking for a high quality portable amp for extended business trips (airport, airplane, office, and hotel use). My criteria for selection include:

1) High quality sound w Beyer DT880 & Grado SR325 w flat pads
2) Quality construction to handle extensive travel
3) Powered by internal batteries & small in size for portability

I think I have narrowed the list to the following:

1) Emmeline XP-7
2) Meier PortaCorda 2
3) Headsave Elite SL custom with 9V battery power source

Please post your experiences with the above and your suggestions. The main goal is to be able to travel with this as I already have a quality home headphone amp.

 

[Hunter_Killer]

Try the headsave tempo. Its got 2 9v batteries and Norm is quick and helpful to deal with. But you must wait a few weeks since hes on holidays

 

[lini]

WindyCityCy: I can only say good things about the Porta Corda (II), but powering the DT880 at higher volumes is quite a hard job. So if you don't listen at high levels, I can recommend the PC(II). Otherwise you might indeed be better off with the dual 9 V cell powered Headsave...

Greetings from Munich!

Manfred / lini

 

[markl]

Haven't heard the others, but the XP-7 with AD797 op-amps is a great portable, very rugged construction.

 

[davidmiya]

Quote:

Originally posted by Hunter_Killer Try the headsave tempo. Its got 2 9v batteries and Norm is quick and helpful to deal with. But you must wait a few weeks since hes on holidays

Headsave is going to be on haitus for the next few months... or at least I think..

 

[andrzejpw]

For portable usage, I'd go with a META42. The sound that you get for your dollars is quite outstanding, and it's small/compact size means that it's easy to setup and tear down. Besides, with the XP7 I'd be worried about theft/loss. Do you really want to take close to $1000 (with your other equipment) with you when you travel?

 

[cmpatti]

Quote:

Headsave is going to be on haitus for the next few months... or at least I think..

From the Headsave web site:

Quote:

Headsave will be closed for vacation from December 24th 2003 until February 1st 2004. During this time I will still be available for consultation at norm@headsave.com. I will begin accepting orders late January 2004 for building early February.

Norm is building a Tempo for me this weekend, which might be his last before his break. But he'll be gone only one month, not a "few."

 

[rodbac]

Quote:

For portable usage, I'd go with a META42. The sound that you get for your dollars is quite outstanding, and it's small/compact size means that it's easy to setup and tear down.

I hope this isn't a stupid question (comparing apples to oranges or something like that), but how does a META42 compare to a Xin Super Mini?

 

[andrzejpw]

Actually, this is a very valid comparison. I heard an earlier version of the mini (not the current one), and the META42 edged out the mini by a bit. Although the mini is based on the meta circuit, the meta has the advantage of having a bit more space to work with. No doubt: the mini wins in the size department, but by having a larger board for the meta, you're free to use higher quality resistors and capacitors (not SMD).

 

[BANGPOD]

I second the Headsave Tempo suggestion.
A good combination of clean sound and an affordable price.

If you plan on buying a home amplifier in the future...
(which this site, making me come from only wanted to spend $350.00 for an amplifier and headphone combination, to willing to dish out $1700.00 for a headphone amplifier, DAC, CD-ROM, and interconnects... This place does things to you.)

The Headsave Transit would fit in perfectly.
I personally would not be satisfied having, in my opinion, a slightly overkill portable amplifier (XP-7), when I could spring for a Headsave Mint and put the rest on the way to a buff home amplifier (like the HR-2 which is only $200.00 more, in my opinion, for a good, worthwhile 10% increase in sound quality, mine will be ordered soon).

Again, this is just my personal opinion...
But the Headsave Tempo or Mint would be a great purchase.
Great quality for portable use, without overdoing it.

BANGPOD

 

[BANGPOD]

Also, Norm just built my friend an Elite SL home amplifier.

The first thing I noticed was the impeccable build quality, inside and outside. I have never seen such perfect soldering, perfect organization (wires, et cetera) in a home design.

He really takes pride in his work, IME. And the sound was more than I expected from a $270.00 amplifier. The bass was controlled, defined, and tight from the moment we put it with his Panasonic CD/DVD player and HD-600's. The second thing we both noticed was that the soundstage now gained more depth foward to back than the HD-600's had without the amplifier. Lastly, the HD-600's sounded as if they were faster with the amplifier. Before, without the amplifier, it sounded as if the Sennheiser's were struggling with some passages. Now, they were on top of the music and had little no difficulty separating instruments on very complex techno passages. Also, vocals were much clearer than before and again, during complex passages, the amplifier made the vocals much more audible (however, not emphasizing them) and giving them a more discernable and definite quality.

Overall, an amazing buy for $270.00, including RCA to RCA interconnects and a 24v Elpac Regulated Linear Power Supply.
My personal Headsave Tempo was not extremely different in any regard.

Hope this helps,
BANGPOD

 

[Nightfall]

I dont feel that there is ANY portable amp out there that can touch the XP-7. It sets a whole new standard for this class. Outstanding product, beautifully built, with superb sound and the support is world class............I dont know what else can be said.



JC

 

[BANGPOD]

To each his or her own? :-D

EDIT: Added "or her" to above statement... Politically correct.

BANGPOD