Portaphile 627 Micro Progress

Looks like Portaphile's 627 Micro is coming along well. Portaphile maker, Cesar Aguilera, has some good news for fans of the brand, and some comparison photos showing off the small-is-beautiful character of 627 Micro.

“The little guy is progressing along just great. I just finished the first panel and will building out the first circuit boards this weekend. As long as it all goes, I hope to be finished sooner than the dead line of March 25th, 2014. Here are a few pics of the first panel in bare aluminum. Once the boards are done I will be able to make sure all holes are aligned and can move forward with building out a few more and then sending out the finished panels to get annodized in black. I also need to find some nice hex head screws to give it a nicer look.”

Stay up to date on all things Portaphile at... Portaphile!

Headfonia: Beyerdynamic A20 headphone amp review

Headfonia's Lieven has some good stuff to say about the Beyerdynamic A20, including news that will make headphone and earphone lovers rejoice.

“The A20 is not really supposed to be used with custom IEMs but while I’m at it I’ll just add them to the list. The Cosmic Ears BA4 is dead silent when connected and there is no hiss and no channel imbalance. Be careful with the volume dial however cause it will get loud fast.”

It seems that more and more home headphone amp makers are designing circuits that accommodate earphone listeners. Antelope Audio's Zodiac is another that, at least from a volume balance/noise perspective, very well with sensitive earphones.

Lieven concludes:

“what’s not to like? Mid-Fi doesn’t get any better than this.”

The one gotcha is that the A20's output impedance is high, which may render the output of certain low Ω headphones (even some Beyerdynamic) subject to aberrations in frequency response, stereo performance, among others. At least the noise floor is low.

Portaphile 627 Micro pre-order

Portaphile fans, the new 627 MICRO headphone amp is up for pre-order at 399$ USD.

Headfi: Schiit Happened - words from Sci-Fi author and audio engineer Jason Stoddard

Content like this is what makes Headfi 2,0 the best freaking headphone resource/community on the internet. The best part is that if you're not really hog-ho for a 30 page history of Schiit Audio, you can head to Amazon and pick up any of Jason Stoddard's takes on the future. (I recommend  starting with Winning Mars, the story of a survival reality show on the red planet.)

Full story at Schiit Happened: The Story of the World's Most Improbable Start-Up

headfi: Westone AC20 musician's review

Headfier and admitted basshead, RiKToR, got all up into that custom IEM thing, having his church foot the bill for the Westone AC20. His impressions are frank and well-organised from a musician's, not an audiophile's perspective. 

Thank you again, headfi.

Check out Noble Audio's new K10 shells

If you're just about to head to bed, wait. Noble Audio upped a couple of new images of their Kaiser 10 custom IEM. Gorgeous work. Be sure to follow Noble Audio on Twitter for more updates.

If you're keen to know what Ω's take on Noble is, take a peak at ohmage to the Tzar 90, 350, and IEM 5,0.

Nox Arcana: music for classic gothic novels

I'm going back over a few favourite gothic reads: Bram Stoker's Dracula, and Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, to name but two. With a newly purchased 30GB iPod 5G attached to my hip, and my favourite earphones always in my ears, enhancing my commute is hot on my to-do list.

Nox Arcana have come, oh so dearly, to the rescue. Nox' music features lines from classic novels, and an over-the-top cheesiness that, when synced with a favourite gothic novel, make for a lovely page-turning alliance. 

iTunes reviews of Nox Arcana's albums are pretty good. My music budget has been curtailed by my better half. Thus far, Transylvania, the gaudily eery companion is my singular entry into the Nox/gothic novel world. So far, so dig.

Headfonia: Fostex HP-A4: Mini HP-A8

Mike's upped a review of the Fostex HP-A4 USB headphone/DAC about which I briefly wrote at the end of 2013. I didn't really get a chance to listen to it for more than a few minutes, but my opinions reflect Mike's rather well. He concludes:

“While I don’t really care about DSD or 24/192 capabilities, at the end I just can’t help being excited about a box that plays everything I throw at it pretty good. Just about the most perfect balance of technicalities and musicality I’ve seen south of $1000. It has the sound stage, the depth, resolution, separation, but it manages to be so musically involving and toe-tapping. I wanted to say that the HP-A4 has re-set the bar on the $500 USB DAC/Amp but it’s such a cliche statement. Perhaps you the reader can help me with a closing statement.”

Ω may take a longer look at it in the future with the proviso that readers understand that Fostex are one of Ω's recently acquired clients. 

How to make a knockoff product

While Saddleback Leather isn't exactly a camera, lens, earphone, speaker, or audio cable-making company, it is a quality, and original, manufacturer. Its products are its own and are worth every peso. But being a benevolent manufacturer, Saddleback is offering a How to Knock Off a Bag how-to video. It points out where you can save money whilst ripping off a better manufacturer, be it audio, shoes, or Q-Tips.

If this video gave you pointers on how to save some dosh, don't bother contacting ohm image for product photography or reviews. The world is overflowing with uncreative lumps like you. Contact one of our knock-offs instead.

Thanks, DaringFireball.