For months, the Vorzüge PURE II portable headphone amplifier has delighted me. It is one of, if not the highest-performing portable high-current headphone amps. For great-sounding, DAP-burning earphones like ortofon's e-Q8, it is heaven-sent. It's handsome design also looks fab in photos.

Having recently decided to shoot every review image with the X100s, and liking the experience, I set out with great optimism.

Unfortunately, the X100s focus system is extremely unreliable when aimed at objects less than 30cm from its sensor plane. Naturally, I switched the camera to manual focus, employed 100% magnification, and shot away. Remember, I shoot macro, advertising, and still life for a living. I'm a pro.

Pro or not, there is no making the X100s a reliable macro snapper. It can nab a sharp image at time of focus, the lens jumps when the shutter button is pressed. Every X100s I tried at Yodobashi Camera had the same trouble focusing on close objects.

The good news is that the X100s isn't trying to be a macro camera. It's just a shame that its macro capabilities are so unreliable. (This is another example of the problems that pop up from the over-use of fly-by-wire controls that override human input.)

The great news is that the PURE II will get the best sound out of your earphones whether in of out of focus. My Headfonia review of the PURE II is scheduled for Thursday. On Friday I will talk more of the ridiculous hoops I had to jump through to get the PURE II to come out sharp. Ditto the beautiful Noble K10 custom earphones.

Check out Vorzüge for some of the best portable headphone amps out there.

NOTE: click an image to advance