[Chromisdesigns]

We are taking delivery of a new RV next month at the factory in Florida and driving it home to the SF Bay area.  As we plan on frequent trips, I am in the market for a headphone amp to complement my Sennheiser HD600's.  It can be battery operated, so long as it doesn't eat my wallet with battery replacements, but ideally would plug into the coach 12 volt system. 

For comparison, in the house I have a vintage Home Headroom which I love in combination with the HD600 phones.  Feeding the Headroom with a SqueezeBox Touch and Theta Cobalt DAC.

I will be taking my digital music library with me on a tiny 1TB portable hard drive, which will attach to our laptop (Macbook air).  Not sure what to do about music server software or DAC yet. 

I'd like to keep the new kit under $1000 total for amp, DAC, or combined unit.

All suggestions welcomed.

[Noseyears]

Wa7 looks really nice.

A SS alternative: 160Ds amp/dac
or Soloist SL, with W4S uDac
http://www.wyred4sound.com/webapps/p/74030/117839/618197 (i bet its a killer combination)

[Chromisdesigns]

After looking at a lot of dac/amp combos, and reading the reviews, I ordered a Pico DAC/AMP combination from Jonathan.  Just got an email from him, it shipped today.  Really looking forward to a head-to-head comparison with my old, trusty Home Headroom / Theta dac combination.  That should give me a good idea of what it sounds like.  If that works out, then the next thing is building a portable music server/player out of one of the cheapo linux platforms, like the Raspberry Pi, or maybe a dogbone.

OK, Dalethorn, now if I don't like it, it's on you!   

[rob-fi]

If that works out, then the next thing is building a portable music server/player out of one of the cheapo linux platforms, like the Raspberry Pi, or maybe a dogbone.

OK, Dalethorn, now if I don't like it, it's on you!   

Squeezeberry comes to mind
http://www.emmaanuel.com/SqueezeBerry-a-Music-Player-based

[Chromisdesigns]

Pico dac/amp came today.  No serious listening yet, just a quick check to make sure everything was working correctly.  Sounded pretty good for the 10 minutes or so I got to use it!

More detailed review coming.

[Chromisdesigns]

Please do give more impressions. I don't have one myself - just know a couple people who do, but I sure am interested. Did you decide on software? I seem to remember there's an affordable version of Amarra.

Looks like the server/player side will have to wait until we get back from our trip. This time I'll take the old iPod loaded with apple lossless copies and use the analog input to the Pico.  After I get back, I'll try rigging something up with the pocket USB drive and a plug computer or Pi.

[Chromisdesigns]

Spent a couple hours last night listening to the Pico via line-level input from my iPod Nano 5g (Apple Lossless files) and again this morning using the usb dac plugged into my pc playing FLACs via MediaMonkey.  Cans are Sennheiser HD 600.

First impressions: 

The one thing that jumps out immediately, either with the line-level or usb dac, is how "open" and clear the sound is across the whole range.  Highs are very clean and detailed without any harshness -- cymbal ring and "shimmer" are easily heard, for example, and the high registers don't sound grainy or strained at all.  Midrange and voice is well balanced, and bass very similar to what I am used to with my main system, with good attack and presence.

Overall the sound is a bit less warm than I am used to with the Theta Cobalt / Home Headroom combination in my main system, but I have to say the Pico is noticeably more open and detailed.

The amp itself is completely silent -- even turned up all the way, I can hear no noise or hiss in the absence of input signal.

I think so far the most surprising thing is how good the Nano sounds through the Pico amp section!

More to follow once I have a few more listening hours in with the new setup.  In any case, I think it's going to be exactly what I was looking for in a travel amp. 

[Noseyears]

Glad that Dalethorn suggestion worked for you 

How's the battery life on it?

[eclein]

The very first time I use a small portable headphone amp with an ipod I was shocked at how subtley good it made them sound. I bet that PICO is nice, nice!!!! LOL...congrats!!

[Chromisdesigns]

Glad that Dalethorn suggestion worked for you 

How's the battery life on it?

Longer than 6 hours, at least...   That's how much time I have on the first charge.  Justin says 30 hours per charge.

[Chromisdesigns]

I thought you guys might like to see the cabinet my portable system is going into...

[eclein]

Nice cabinet! Very roomy and well appointed, congrats!! and enjoy that baby.....

[Noseyears]

You have an adequate listening space man, happy listening!
(in the future you can consider a full size as well, if you have the upgrade itch) i started my journey with portable amps. 

[Chromisdesigns]

You have an adequate listening space man, happy listening!
(in the future you can consider a full size as well, if you have the upgrade itch) i started my journey with portable amps. 

Just got home yesterday, tad under 5000 miles and 3 1/2 weeks from Florida to San Francisco...we took the long way home, dodging all that nasty weather in the midwest by staying south and west of it, then hooking north from western Oklahoma (stayed a night in Black Mesa State Park), through northern New Mexico into Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, Washington, Oregon coast, then home.  Had to cut the trip about a week short because SWMBO managed to bust her wrist at Beverly Beach State Park in Oregon by tripping over some tree roots on a trail a couple days ago.  She's fine, though;  got a temp cast put on in Newport and sees the hand surgeon on Tuesday.  I think she actually enjoys being waited on...

The new camper is just what we wanted, and it was a great trip.  We are already talking about Alaska next summer.  I can't forsee wanting to upgrade to anything larger.  In fact, Coach House sells to quite a few people down-sizing from big Class A rigs.  Ours is 25 feet long and I had no problems at all taking it into towns and cities along the way, including Portland and SF.  The Mercedes chassis makes it drive like a big sedan.

The Pico and my iPod worked just fine to keep me in tunes for the trip.  Next project is the portable music server/player previously discussed. 

[ajzepp]

That looks like an absolute blast!