New RSA amp...

[justin]

Yes.

It's the most stupid thing to have on a portable amp next to that god-awful connector he uses.

the yield on the pots without using separate left/right would be ridiculously poor. i doubt more than 5-10% of pots would be acceptable.

[nattonrice]

Could he not use a digital solution?

Surely a "balanced" version of his shadow's attenuator would have been better.

[justin]

Could he not use a digital solution?

Surely a "balanced" version of his shadow's attenuator would have been better.

yes no reason it couldn't be used. even has a built-in balance control feature.

on my upcoming Pico Power (18V) i decided against using the digital volume control because of the noise floor. The Pico Slim maxes out at 1.5x gain (same as the Shadow despite Ray lying about it being 3x) and people STILL complain about hearing hiss at max levels on the volume control. At a gain of up to 10x, which would be required to take full advantage of the 18V with low output sources, it would be a disaster w/ sensitive IEMs.

[elnero]

The Pico Slim maxes out at 1.5x gain (same as the Shadow despite Ray lying about it being 3x) and people STILL complain about hearing hiss at max levels on the volume control. At a gain of up to 10x, which would be required to take full advantage of the 18V with low output sources, it would be a disaster w/ sensitive IEMs.

I can't believe people actually complain about the noise floor on the Pico Slim, it's easily the quietest portable I've used, in fact I suspect it's probably one of the quietest amps I've owned regardless of portability.

[The Monkey]

I can't believe people actually complain about the noise floor on the Pico Slim, it's easily the quietest portable I've used.

^This. But if you look at the various fanboi RSA threads, it's more clear than evar that the only criterion for a great amp is if it can drive headphones to ear-splittingly loud levels. Who gives a shit if it's loud AND crappy.

[nattonrice]

Indeed. To make the slim's noise floor audible when playing music or a game it has to be turned up to a point where a bee flapping its wings gives me a nose bleed.

[kevin gilmore]

So 26 volts peak to peak is about 9 vrms, which into hd800's results in a maximum volume level of a

bit over 110 db spl. Dangerously loud. Ray samuels loud.

[HeadphoneAddict]

I can't believe people actually complain about the noise floor on the Pico Slim, it's easily the quietest portable I've used, in fact I suspect it's probably one of the quietest amps I've owned regardless of portability.

Yeah, I don't hear any noise at all, but my Amphora hisses a lot.

[monsieurguzel]

^This. But if you look at the various fanboi RSA threads, it's more clear than evar that the only criterion for a great amp is if it can drive headphones to ear-splittingly loud levels. Who gives a shit if it's loud AND crappy.

I totally agree with you about this thread. There used to be a time when we cared about the quality of the sound and how a certain amp / headphone pairing would render a certain musical passage. Now ever since the release of orthos, all anymore talks about in amps is amount of current output and how loud something can play without distorting or clipping. Hell, if all I cared about was that, people could have saved themselves a hassle and just plugged their headphones into their home theater receivers and called it a day. The big buzz word with powering headphones now is doing it with "authority", whatever that means...

Oh, and on a side note, who the hell is going to use an HE-6 with a portable setup?? To me that makes absolutely no sense...and for that matter a fully portable balanced amp makes no sense either...

[Asr]

I'd like to know who's seriously going to pay $600 for a portable amp, balanced though it may be. It'd be a lot more practical to get a mini-size integrated amp (for the HE-6, that is) - there are lots to pick from and they're all <$500!

As for balanced IEMs, totally not getting why anyone would bother. I can't think of a single ultraportable scenario in which someone would be paying that much attention to the sound.

[K3cT]

I actually really like the SR71A so I hope this B version will at least sound similar but balanced-only for a freaking portable, really come on now?

[luvdunhill]

Now ever since the release of orthos

I disagree. Orthos has nothing to do with it, it's more about the decline of HF and lack of seasoned veterans posting there.

[The Monkey]

I think part of what is happening is that the ding-a-lings are getting orthos and then realizing "der, these things done don't get loud enough...I needs MOAR LOUDNESS."

Orthos + portable amp = On the road to a place called Fail.

[luvdunhill]

If only someone would speak out about using portable amps with full sized cans!

[monsieurguzel]

Can you imagine what a douche you'd look like rockin' to a pair of HE-6s out in the open, let alone in public transit. Granted you wouldn't hear any of the 'audiophile goodness' considering that they are open headphones and all the outside noise would make them sound no better than a pair of ibuds. Maybe that's why they feel the need for those headphones to have Ray Samuels approved loudness

[Dusty Chalk]

I run my AKG K271 MkII out of a pico slim at work, and it works just fine.

[justin]

I actually really like the SR71A so I hope this B version will at least sound similar but balanced-only for a freaking portable, really come on now?

Maybe you'll like the Pico Power I think it may be the smallest 2x9V amp

[HeadphoneAddict]

I know you guys are aware that portable amps aren't only good for using on public transit and walking around, and that we use them in laptop rigs, bedside rigs, office rigs, transportable rigs, and more. In many of those cases it's nice to have something that can drive a full size phone when the desktop rig is not nearby.

[grawk]

you should read boomy's newbie faq on the other site

[bozebuttons]

Oh, and on a side note, who the hell is going to use an HE-6 with a portable setup?? To me that makes absolutely no sense...and for that matter a fully portable balanced amp makes no sense either...

I use the HE6 with my Pico amp/Dac & laptop sitting on my couch a lot & it sounds pretty good. Sure the HE6 can use a better amp & I have them.

I heard the SR71b driving the HE6s at the NY meet & was surprised how good that combo sounded.

[The Monkey]

How dare you insert your measured and rational response into this thread!

[bozebuttons]

How dare you insert your measured and rational response into this thread!

What was I thinking:palm:

[deepak]

If only someone would speak out about using portable amps with full sized cans!

You might have just nominated yourself

[CD44hi]

Bangraman used to wear qualias while riding the tube... Out of the portable source... no amp....IIRC

[atothex]

Who?

And what's a tube?