mines maybe around 2-3 weeks time....

if u think this forum is poisonous enough... u may not want to go to head-fi then lol!

i went there for reviews mostly and doses of periodically poison
i'm more of a lurker

garbage in = garbage out. the source is definitely important and if you're getting a Stax, its even more important as the high resolution power of stax paired with a not up to par source = pain.

you heard my T1? hmmm i can't seem to put a face to your nick?
if you're interested, i know of a second hand stepdance and a concerto for sale.

concerto slightly on the warm side of neutral. goes well with beyers, possibly hd650 though i've not heard the concerto + hd650 combo.

oh! okay, i remember you now. my post above is sightly edited, btw.

This post has been edited by hongrui: Apr 24 2012, 10:06 PM

yea lol when you held a small TT at your place at JB
me walabies and the missing windcent

yea i'll think about it, tight budget atm

This post has been edited by musica22: Apr 24 2012, 10:06 PM

FLAC/ALAC Lossless via MacMini optical---> Cambridge Audio DACMagic Plus (tentative) ---> Stax SRM-007ta/727---> Stax SR-009(if I go the Stax route) = still PAIN?

So technically that setup does hold water? Does FLAC/ALAC lossless serves as a legit and good enough source for the STAX or am I holding too much credence to the ear speaker?

Thanks. I'll have to get to Sapphire Audio Systems to take a listen to the Stax before I can decide.

Desktop/home DAC search is over. Purchased Benchmark DAC1.

no, the DACmagic plus addition is good.

your proposed ALAC/FLAC -> DACmagic plus -> Amplifier is a good mid-range setup already, with the matching amplifier, you can pretty much run any headphone of your choice.

wanna ask about sound devices HX-3 headphone amp.. is it any good to pair with sennheiser hd650?

Apart from Centrance series, is there any other "small" dac/amp combo out there that equals / better the centrance's performance with almost the same price?

i've not heard of this particular brand before, so can't advise. but generally, it is unlikely to be powerful enough to fully drive the HD650.

The TTD has a better amp but poorer
DAC than the dacport, but it's at almost half the price of the dacport.

Govibe mini dac vs t muso, Help me decide which one is better?? or any other dac around that price

tmuso is good enough

Hi guys,

Would appreciate some recommendations on what are the best portable headphone amp/dacs combo out there. Or maybe mini desktop amp/dacs that can be carried around.

In the market for something I can use at the office and on the go. Something I can fit into my laptop bag and bring around to improve my music when I listen to my headphones.

Budget isn't a concern, though value for money would be great!

Thanks in advance!

FiiO E17 You will have the option to add on the E9 desktop amp as you need.

Thanks for the reply
Sounds like a really good deal! Though what if I wanted something that gives better SQ, is this the best sounding portable? or would I have to go desktop?

It really depends what headphones are you driving while at a fixed location

Best sounding portable will be quite a big stack.

Good portable amp with USB DAC : predator & pico.

Transportable: TTD & dacport

Ultimate portable: iPod -> CLAS -> Alo Continental v2 or amp of your choice.

Two things. You moving around or transporting these around and then listening at another location? Coz I am in your shoes when it comes to these two options, and I've solved my dilemma this way:

Moving around: iPod Classic playing lossless - Fostex HP-P1 DAC - ALO Continental amp - Beyerdynamic DT1350.

Transporting then listening at another location: iPod Classic playing lossless - Fostex HP-P1 DAC - ALO Continental amp - Audez'e LCD-2.

[EDIT]Another "transportable setup" I'm using is this: MacBook Air running up to 24bit/192Hz lossless - Centrance DACPort LX - ALO Continental amp - LCD-2. This will only for me to use while already settled in the hotel rooms while I'm traveling.

The main difference between the two as you can see is the headphones. Wearing any open-backed headphones while walking around is a big no-no, sound leaks and you won't be enjoying your music with the garbage ambiance sounds of KL. Trust me, I move around a lot in KL in public transport, and the nail-biting screeches of the LRT train scratching its rails is more than I can endure. Hence a noise-isolating close-backed headphones like the DT1350.

Hongrui says it best, the ultimate portable can be a sizable stack. How mine looks like:



I'm still looking for the best way to bring this around in a proper bag of its own.

And the best compliment I had about this portable rig of mine is the uncle who handled Tong Lee Audio in LYP, who listens mostly on desktop/large home-only setups he had at the show floor, and after listening on my rig, told me it's better than some of the desktop/home DAC/amp he's selling. Sorta tells me I've went the right direction.

This post has been edited by stringfellow: Apr 29 2012, 03:29 AM

hongrui: Thanks for the reply. Will consider the CLAS, but how would you think it stacks up to the HP-P1 DAC?
Would both of these be considered some of the best portable DACs ?

stringfellow: I'm transporting these around and then listening at another location. I'm not into mobile audio cause there's too much background sound during travel to make it enjoyable enough for me. Would prefer to save my 'ear damage quota' for quality sound. Already have tinnitus

Seems like the ALO Continental amp is highly regarded here. Both hongrui and you recommend it

Do you prefer the Centrance DACport LX or the HP-P1? Also I just read that the P1 has a built in amp already, wouldn't adding the ALO after that, be double amping, and affect the sound in a negative way?

That's quite a sizable stack, don't see how it can be managed except with rubber bands or a cloth bag. Thanks for sharing.

I've never listened to a really good portable setup before. Good to hear that the Tong Lee uncle finds your setup impressive. Must be quite a formidable setup On the other hand, are you guys moving into like a home stereo setup? Would you see that as a natural progression?

So, you're looking into a transportable setup. That depends on what you consider transportable. Some desktop DACs and amps are considered transportable, coz they're small and can fit into a sling bag. If that is the case then it's wide open, although to me, I'd rather have that kind of setup as a permanent setup at that location than bringing it to and from from that location and home.

My advice is to look into these two setups I've mentioned:



The first one if you're running off a DAP, the second if you also happen to carry a laptop with you with all your music in it.

As for the amps, it depends on what you want to run it with. I was initially thinking of an amp that can run and drive my Beyer T1 successfully until I came to the conclusion that only a dedicated home amp can properly run the T1. Relegated the T1 to home rig. I then moved on to my previous Denon D2000, which isn't hard to drive at all, even the built-in amp in the HP-P1 can drive it to satisfactory level. But I wasn't satisfied, I needed more. Got myself an ALO Continental, and this beast of an amp drives even the Beyer T1 with gusto and authority. Got myself an LCD-2, relegated the D2000 to [WTS]. Been running the LCD2/Continental/HP-P1 ever since.

Only 3 portable amps I know that can drive the T1/LCD2 satisfactorily: ALO Continental, Triad Audio L3, Ray Samuels Audio SR-71B running balanced. Out of the three, I discarded RSA SR-71B coz I'm not ready to go the balanced route. Triad Audio L3 is humongous for a portable amp, so that's out of the question. ALO Continental is the only one left. Was lucky to find one in Osaka when I was there. The ALO Continental is of limited run, already discontinued. They're moving to the solid state version, the ALO National, but even after reviews, the National isn't as powerful as the Continental.

Centrance DACPort LX vs Fostex HP-P1. Apples and oranges here. The HP-P1 only takes iDEvices as source. DACPort LX takes any USB sources. Which is why I had them in two different rigs. I'm not bi-amping my audio because the HP-P1 has a line-out port that is free from the amplification circuitry. Just don't plug your mini-to-mini interconnect to your phone out lah.

I already have a dedicated home setup. This happened by accident and out of necessity. Accident coz I wasn't satisfied of what I can drive at using my planned portable setup at the time, and necessity coz I needed something to run the Beyer T1 properly at the time.

My home setup: MacMini running lossless up to 24bit/192hz - Benchmark DAC1USB model - Burson Audio HA-160 amp - Beyer T1/Audez'e LCD2.

Previously the Centrance DACPort LX was in charge of the DAC duties before the Benchmark DAC took over. The DACPort LX does an admirable job for its size! The DACPort LX is now part of my transportable setup: Macbook Air running lossless up to 24bit/192hz - Centrance DACPort LX - ALO Continental - LCD-2.



This post has been edited by stringfellow: Apr 29 2012, 07:42 PM

CLAS sounds a little drier compared to hp-p1, the p1 slightly more 'analog' sounding. Hp-p1 can do line out to Continental so there's no double amping.

Home stereo setup? You mean for headphones or speakers?

Stringfellow: there is a v2 of the continental amp out.