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At long last, Lieven's and my sweet sweet together review of Cypher Labs's Picollo (which I previewed last month) is up at Headfonia. Picollo is an impressive amp in both form and function.
This is totally an aside, but I think Cypher Labs's need of a good still-life photographer.
You can read the entire thing here: CYPHERLABS PICOLLO: OLD SCHOOL ANALOG
Head to Cypher Labs for more information.
Piccolo's machining is tight
A package from Ω's #1 patron, AnakChan, has put me to work this afternoon. First, I shot the Grado GR10 earphone for a Headfonia review whilst plugging my ears with John Denver and The Alan Parson's Project. Driving it all was the all-new Cypher Labs Picollo.
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Back in black
Lil' ohm doing a review is one thing. This time, I get the word out via Headfonia.
Headfonia: Vorzüge PURE II - single ended perfected
Be sure to check out Vorzüge's website for more information.
Audio360's round table discussion of the WA7tp tube power supply companion to the WA7 headphone amplifier is encouraging to say the least. Specifically, it is worth highlighting Kevin Venable's impressions:
“Ah cool... I find lapsteel to be a hard instrument to listen too on a lot of gear. It sounds too harsh, a bottleneck slide playing like in blues as well. It is quite enjoyable with the WA7tp. My prefered rig for this kind of music has always been my vinyl rig, but this is getting closer.”
The entire discussion can be read here: early impressions: woo audio's wa7tp
It was so awesome getting to know you, Fostex HP-V1. I will miss your sweetness, your rich breath, your tantalising highs. You are a headphone amp worth every penny asked. And now, I ask Ω readers to head to Headfonia to read, to commiserate, to drink with me. The long night of my soul has come. And I am bereft one of the finest portable amplifiers ever made.
Check out Portaphile for a new group buy option that nets instant savings of 50$ (449$ vs 499$). This deal is only until 16 April 2014, so hurry.
In case you're wondering, the Portaphile Micro is awesome.
The prodigiously-thumbed pioneering headphone reviewer, Sasaki, published his thoughts on the Portaphile Micro (in Japanese) the same day as yours truly. Here's a bit of trivia for you: what country houses both of us?
He seems particularly ecstatic, especially when comparing the MUSES Micro version to his older 627, which delivers a plainer, less exciting sound. My take is that the OPA627 version is better for a wide range of headphones, but both work nearly flawlessly for earphones.
Classified, iPod 5g, and Portaphile Micro. All that's missing is the Audeze LCD-X
At long last, I got Headfonia to publish my review of the inspiring Portaphile Micro headphone amp. While no amp comes sans niggles, Portaphile Micro's few (but hefty) niggles are part of a package that is entirely worthwhile.
“I didn’t expect Micro to positively bump me so well. But it truly is an excellently engineered amp. The 627x has actually become my new bench mark among all-in-one battery-powered headphone amps. But the Micro isn’t far behind. It certainly pairs better with IEMs. It is light, well-made, and compact. It also costs less than the 627x or the Vorzüge, and for the most part, is able to match the performance of either. Yes, battery life is a pain, and yes, you have to ice down your dip stick from time to time, but I think it is worth it.
And if you own Audeze’ awesome LCD-X, it is so damn worth it.”
Meier Audio's DACCORD & CORDA Classic reviewed at Headfonia.
“If you’re looking for a setup with an incredible sound stage and a smooth musical and very dynamic sound this isn’t the setup for you. If you’re a fan of neutral sounding units however, where you don’t want your amp/dac to influence the sound and you really want to hear what your headphones sound like, you certainly need to have a listen to the Meier Gear. This is a combo for those who want a clear, neutral, detailed and original/correct presentation of their music. In this price range there is a lot of competition but you should definitely put these Meier units on your shortlist if you’re looking for the above mentioned characteristics.”
Great video review from Amos Barnett on one of the portable world's most well-engineered headphone amps. Pico Slim retails for 399$ USD.
Tsukuba, Japan