Portaphile?

Any portaphile here?


Easier for me to enumerate my portable set up than my home setup...

Here it is:

Source: Imod (80 G Ipod modified by Red wine audio)+ ALO audio cable ("Jena labs" cable cryogenized with top notch plugs)

Portable amp: Qables Iqube (but i'd like to change for the much smaller RSA Mustang P51)

Headphones: Senn HD25 + Cardas cable




All the ingredients in picture for a killer 1500 dollars portable system (to use with wav files ripped from original new condition CDs) :














Edited by oliverstoned - February 17 2011 at 13:50

iPad + Nokia BH-505 (Bluetooth headset).

Edited by Mr ProgFreak - February 18 2011 at 01:39

I think that especially for portable use, the goal is to build headphones that are smaller, but without sacrificing sound quality. I think the proper way to go is in ear headphones (like the ones I showed above). Move the speaker as close to the eardrum as possible - then it can be an order of magnitude less loud (thus consuming much less power), and since it's lodged in the ear canal it naturally blocks surrounding noise. 

ps: there is a better way of modifying an iPod, and that is to do away with the DC blocking capacitors completely ("capless" in the graph below) - there is a third audio output associated with the L/ROUT1 connections that outputs the Voltage Reference level called MONOOUT - using this as a phantom ground connection for the headphones/line-out removes the DC component completely, which not only improves the THD, it also improves the bass frequency response since it does away with this low-cut filter of the capacitor/load. The disadvantage is that the ground connection of the output is no longer 0V, but since the iPod is floating that is not a problem.

Edited by Dean - February 18 2011 at 05:52

I thought the question referred to enthusiasts of festival porta-loos.

Interesting technical points here Dean. Actually the Imod comes as a whole since there are the internal modifications into the Imod and the cable which as you know contains the "race" component too big to fit into the Imod. Fortunatly the Imod is not more expensive than the classic Ipod, at least when i bought it several years ago.
But the tiny piece of Alo cable itself enhanced a lot compared to a standard cable. Moreover the Imod only works with external amp as the variable output is desactivated. I admit i've never compared to a classic Ipod so it's hard to tell. But the cable itself change the sound so it complicates the comparison.

As for HP cables, the HD 25 often comes with a steel cable which sounds awful. Replace it by the Standard cooper Senn cable and it's much smoother and musical. Replace it by a Cardas or an ALO (each one has its
sound signature, i prefer the rounder Cardas) and it's still another world on all criterias.

Edited by oliverstoned - February 18 2011 at 06:51

The ALO cable is £195 !!!  - ALO will sell you a modded 80Gb iPod plus cable for $565 - which means the iPod costs $120 (which is about the price they are going for on eBay).

oliverstoned wrote: I've got the ALO cable pictured in my first post which was provided with the 80g Imod i bought directly. "A standard iPod with the ALO cable would sound the same IMO." I've got doubts now with all that you said. But only a listening comparison will tell.

Edited by Dean - February 18 2011 at 07:56

^ so my statement is still valid

Padraic wrote: Ultimately what I want to do probably wouldn't fall under the term "portable", but my nettop has an S/PDIF out, which I would send to a small, good quality DAC (maybe something by Audophile Products, the "FUBAR"), and then to a good amp and good set of speakers - I'm not talking top of the line, my ears aren't good enough to justify it.