[kukrisna]

Hey All,

so my setup will soon be a 5g ipod with a pocketdock, looking at a Sky Blue Mini v3 or a Diamond Class interconnect, and Shure e4 IEMs

and since i have a $200 budget for an amp, and doing some research i came up with the xin supermini-3 and the portaphile v2^2

in terms of SQ i want something neutral (well good midrange, tight but a tad emphasized bass - esp with the shure e4's, and not piercing but clean and present highs) and as detailed as possible with the best soundstage i can get (so that it doesnt sound like im in a booth) and kudos to separation of instruments

in terms of switches - the stuff with the power im clueless to, crossfeed - never tried it though i suppose it will make those old sinatra recordings sound less left + right so it could be cool, size doesnt matter, battery life doesnt matter

in terms of what i listen to - lots of sinatra, lots of classical, lots of soundtracks, musicals, classic rock, lots of oldies, and less on the modern stuff (i.e. pop, rap, techno, trance, w/e - though i still enjoy those from time to time but they're more of a minority in terms of what i listen to)

my searches yielded results that said both were close to the RSA amps (Hornet/SR-71) but i couldn't find anything discussing these two together

so long story short btwn the xin supermini-3 and the portaphile v2^2, which comes closer to my needs?

 

[papakoks]

xin super mini3

 

[Ko Nectic Jazz]

I have the same question, but for a DT-990.
I want something portable 'cause I will take home amp too for it. It is really if I need to move with DT on vacation.
My music tastes are Electronica, Electro/Lounge, Electro/Jazz, Jazz, Minimalist, and some Classic (mostly Piano and Orchestral+Vocals) too.

Mini-3 or 2² ?

 

[cerbie]

I don't think anything will match the Supermini-3 for portability (maybe the Micro-3, but it's at an extreme). The Supermini-3 is about half as big as altoid tin (probably smaller than that by volume), and the two AA batteries make up most of its weight.

 

[papakoks]

Quote:

Originally Posted by cerbie I don't think anything will match the Supermini-3 for portability (maybe the Micro-3, but it's at an extreme). The Supermini-3 is about half as big as altoid tin (probably smaller than that by volume), and the two AA batteries make up most of its weight.

that's true...and supermini3 sounds excellent...

 

[cerbie]

Yes, but being my only headphone amp, I'm not qualified to make any comparisons on that basis. The portability alone has me hooked, though--it's not a hassle to use at all--just have to remember to turn the knob all the way down before each use (else, accidental bumps during transit can

).

 

[xUKHCx]

.

 

[fkclo]

Can't be wrong with Mini3. I have one with over 150 hours burn-in, and it definitely sounds great. Drives my HD650 and EP4P/S with ease. Don't be fooled by its plastic toy-like casing. Mini3 is really in the high end league. Great sound, ultra-quiet noise floor, neutral and very detailed, long battery life, bass boost, extremely portable, built in charging circuit. Very good value for the money, and performance wise, it even tails my Black Cube Linear (plus power conditioner plus dedicated power cord) !

 

[johnmatrix]

You could also get a cheaper interconnect by making your own or buying the cardas and actually purchase the hornet which is on sale for 295 or buy a used sr-71. It is a strech but I think putting more money in the amp and not the interconnect is the best way to go. For you, the soundstage of the SR-71 would be the best.

 

[alanz]

Quote:

Originally Posted by fkclo Great sound, ultra-quiet noise floor, neutral and very detailed, long battery life, bass boost, extremely portable, built in charging circuit.

A small correction:

The SuperMini-3 does not have a charging circuit, as far as I know. The SuperMacro-3 (with the metal case) does.

Both of these amps accept external power supplies, but the SuperMini-3 bypasses the internal batteries when used this way, while the SuperMacro-3 charges the batteries.

 

[socrates63]

kukrisna, I'm glad you're getting a better response on this thread.

I doubt you'll find many people who have experience with both of the amps. From what I can tell, the Portaphile isn't one of Head-Fi's more popular amps -- at least not to the degree of the Xin amps. And for that reason, you may get a skewed response to your thread.

I'm not trying to sway you one way or the other as I don't have any experience with either amp but just trying to help you get a balanced perspective so you can make the right decision for you. If you haven't seen it yet, there is a Portaphile owner's thread in this forum that you may find useful.

 

[JeffS]

Add another vote for the Mini-3!

I just got the amp in the mail recently, so I don't know how much will change
with burn-in. Anyway, this little thing sounds terrific. I've been listening to
a lot of heavy vocals, folk, acoustic stuff, and it's a perfect fit. I haven't
even had the need to play with the switches for the addtional features yet.
I figured after I log about 100 hours, and get a baseline for it, I'll adjust the sound.

Get the Xin, you'll be glad you did.

-Jeff

 

[fkclo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by alanz A small correction: The SuperMini-3 does not have a charging circuit, as far as I know. The SuperMacro-3 (with the metal case) does. Both of these amps accept external power supplies, but the SuperMini-3 bypasses the internal batteries when used this way, while the SuperMacro-3 charges the batteries.

Thanks for pointing that out. I did not order the power supply so I may have overlooked it. Thanks again.

 

[goto2003]

I have a Mini3 on order. According to Xin, the coming Mini-3 will have even better sound with better power supply, better PCB layout and better caps. I can't wait to see how this baby goes against my V6+V3 comb. It's not a surprise to me if the coming Mini-3 will even sound better than my SM3V6 that I got one month ago.

 

[BushGuy]

Kukrisna, I think your two choices (Xin Supermini, and Portaphile) are easily the most appropriate to your needs. One setup I use with Nano is the Xin Supermini and Et 6i. When using the iem's, I've found activating the Xin crossfeed to be more pleasurable. My IC of choice has been the Sik Ram Din because of the thinness of the Nano and that it is locked onto the Nano, whereas the Pocketdock is not. The ic made by Turbo does lock onto the Ipod. Since your Ipod will be a full size, I don't think the size/weight differences between these two amps is a real issue for you....and your budget is most appropriate (iow $300 or more is excessive to your needs running an iem - and remember the two you have in mind are plenty adequate for good circumaural cans)......if you want to improve your intended rig (i.e. spend more money) the best reason to spend more money should be getting the best iem's you can - eg. if you really like e4, then maybe stretch yourself to E5....or Sensaphonics. I love my Xin Supermini. The only thing I'd find troublesome would be the relatively short battery life the Portaphile (I actually intend to order a Portaphile in the spring, but it will live indoors tied to a wallwart, Emu 0404, and k271s)