Tiny, powerful and dangerous. That is how I would describe the Derringer pocket single-shot pistol that was used in the 1800s in casinos and card tables. Go-Vibe has churned out many portable amplifiers named after guns but none of them come close, in size that is. Enter the Go-Vibe Derringer. It fits easily in a person's palm and features the mandatory controls that would classify it as a full-fledged portable amplifier. Other than its size, has Go-Vibe come up with an amplifier that resembles the actual gun? Read on to find out as I explore the ups and downs of this little bugger.

Features/Build:
The package is a very simple one. A ziplock bag with a straight- right-angled mini to mini interconnect and of course, the amplifier itself(battery included!). The Derringer runs by a single AAA battery and has full amplifier controls, featuring a slide/rotary type of volume knob, input and output jacks, and a power switch. It is of a fishfinger shape, reminiscent of the Fiio E3 albeit slightly wider. The control and jacks layout however are all on the long side of the amplifier, with the battery access plate on the opposite side. Battery replacement requires unscrewing 2 nuts and complete removal of the back plate.  The 2 jacks are adequately spaced to accomodate most average 3.5mm connectors. Please be considerate though, anyone plugging a huge Canare into such a petite amplifier would be deemed as ill-mannered! The volume control has a smooth and very gradual increase, and no crackling is heard. This tiny amplifier is encased in brushed black metal which seems sturdy to the touch. In terms of durability, I cannot vouch for it as I have not used it for a long enough period of time, so far so good, but I am particularly careful around my stuff so YMMV.

Rating: 80%

Sound Characteristics:
Testing equipment: iPod Touch 2nd Generation 8GB - iDock - Default IC - Amp - SR60i/Livewires Dual
Music: Mainly modern British rock and alternative bands, Oasis, Muse, Kaiser Chiefs, Travis, Radiohead etc.

Plugging the Derringer into the iPod Touch, immediately I feel the difference in terms of bass. Not a night and day difference per se, but it is noticeable. There is an added impact and appreciable increase in depth in this popular department but do take note that there is no added quantity. There may be even a loss in amount of bass, but what you get back in return is more detail and punch. For BA IEMs, a more organic/natural bass response is heard, loosening the deeper bass frequencies while tightening up as you go higher, giving a closer representation to the timbre of bass drums and electric bass.

Another more noticeable effect of the Derringer is the damping of treble overtones of the midrange. What it means is that vocals and guitars passages that tend to be harsh become smoother, sort of making the overall balance warmer and with more presence in the midrange. Some may deem this as loss in detail but for the reviewer, this property lends itself to making music more relaxing, just not overly so as to preserve the engaging moments. This is especially so for rock songs that have harsh sounding electric guitars and vocals, like in Oasis' Some Might Say. Noel's guitar and Liam's voice do not sound as piercing while the lead tones still soared. Enjoyable indeed.

One nice treat that this little one has that this reviewer really digs is the better separation compared to the stock amplifier in the iPod. Each instrument moves further away from each other without expanding the perceived soundstage. The result, a more 3D sound without losing details and added depth to the overall presentation.

Rating: 85%

In use:

This is where the Derringer gets marked down in terms of overall rating. There are some inherent flaws in its design and some situations where its sonic characteristics seem unuseable by the reviewer.

- The placement of the jacks leads to inconvenience mainly due to the shape of the amplifier itself and the right-angled jack of the supplied interconnect. This does not really affect the reviewer as the iPod Touch is big enough to place the Derringer horizontally. Users of smaller players may have to make adjustments or find solutions. Refer to picture.


- This reviewer is not one who indulges in head-banging-inducing or ego-pumping amounts of bass but even then, putting the Derringer into some bass-polite cans/earphones turn them into unsatisfactory bass-shy proponents. No doubt there is more punch and a deeper bass, but they turn sterile and boring IMO. Not that bassheads will ever invest in such 'phones, and in fact, if the user enjoys forward, clear vocals with some warmth, he/she may enjoy this quality.

For the reviewer, clear separation and balanced sound with a touch of brightness to bring out the lower and higher frequencies is preferred, so the sonic traits that this amplifier brings about are much appreciated. And since the source in question is an iPod Touch, the design flaws do not have as big an impact hence the rating. Bassheads with bass-heavy 'phones and no amps can look to it for more punch, while jazz and blues lovers should love it for the added warmth and midrange presence. Another point to note is the volume that this amplifier give is not as significant as its bigger brothers like the Martini. Those looking to drive bigger cans or just a volume boost should look elsewhere or at the E3 for double-amping.

Rating: 75%

Conclusion:
The Derringer is definitely a praise-worthy addition to the already packed family of Go-Vibe amplifiers. I guess this amplifier does resemble the actual gun in some ways dues to its small size and punchy, deep bass.  One may not be able to tell the other differences like separation off the bat, but upon removal, yeah you miss it already Cheesy. With its small size and price-tag, I am sure there will be a large following to this little one. Despite flaws in its design, I am sure that solutions will be found to overcome them. Those looking for their first portable amplifier or to upgrade from an E3 would be pleased to find that the Derringer fills the gap between the E5 and the Go-Vibe Martini/.22 in terms of price. As usual, music preferences are indeed personal so do head down to Jaben to try out this exciting amp.

Overall Rating: 80%

Pros:
- Full features
- Separation
- Natural bass
- Price

Cons:
- Design needs some workaround
- Might not suit bass-light 'phones
- Small volume boost

Worthy competitors:
Fiio E5
Ordnance .22
iBasso T4

Notes: This review is meant to be a subjective one. Please take my opinions with a pinch of salt and feel free to discuss yours and your criticisms/disagreements in the forum. But please just direct your flames to my PM box. Thanks! I have also decided not to compare the Derringer to the E3 and E5 in this same post as it is getting a little long. Comparisons are only to unamped outputs from the iPod Touch itself.

hi guys, i think u might need to add some links as to our previous bulk section for easier reviewing and researching

woo, one stop for evrything lol, nicey

Am interested in either Crossroad Mylarone x3i and iGrado...I can stretch my budget to max of RM250, wht do u reckon?

Am interested in either Crossroad Mylarone x3i and iGrado...I can stretch my budget to max of RM250, wht do u reckon?

Looking for the triple flange and black foamies.

I killed my only triple flange and that was an accident 
Black foams..it starting to get abit stiff and losing its spongy feels.
Need spares!

Just to make sure, the triple flange shown comes with 1 pair or 3 pairs?
If im not mistaken, model PA755(older) comes with 1 pair, and EA306(newer) alrdy replace the former
comes with 3 pairs.
For the black foams, how many pairs it comes with? 5? ... or 1   

Anyway, keep updated! 

What about X3i vs IM716 vs PK2?

*Edited*
And the PK1..
must use with amplifier? If use without amplifier for e.g. connect direct to output from "normal" mp3 player how?

Thanks!

Orite then, walabies pls count me in ur bulk for x3i.pls PM me the details.Thx!