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HeadAmp Pico DAC/Amp, Power & Slim
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HeadAmp Pico DAC/Amp, Power & Slim
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Product Description
HeadAmp’s smallest amplifier at just 9.4 millimeters thick, the Pico Slim is an ideal companion for IEMs and low-impedance headphones. Its advanced circuitry creates a jet-black background for relaxed listening, and its special technology helps maintain perfect channel matching, even at very low listening levels Read More
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keyboard_arrow_downGUTB
238
Mar 19, 2017
Got interested at first...but then saw the images of the internals. Just a chip amp with a WM7840. I've heard these low-end Wolfson implementations before, unimpressive. Just because it's by a company with name recognition in high end headphone amps doesn't mean this going to be anything special.
kuhnsrc
91
Jun 6, 2017
What's you level of understanding of electricity? Just curious, because all of your comments and posts lead me to believe you are a second grader with a really good thesaurus...
Tman72
76
Jul 5, 2017
So the iDSD black label is much better than the Pico DAC/Amp ?
I know it is about double the price (compared to the price here)
Is it worth double the price?
My cans are the HD6XX..... thanks.
Looking for a mobil/portable solut for the Senns.
Looking for a mobil/portable solut for the Senns.
fazalmajid
175
Dec 4, 2016
Lovely little amp and DAC. I paid $500 for mine back when it first came out in 2008. It has enough oomph to power Sennheiser HD650 headphones.
Pathworks
81
Mar 19, 2017
I wouldn't, this has a DAC chip that plays up to 96/24.
Mojo supports DSD256, 768/32 PCM... from the Chord Site:
TECHNICAL SPEC
Inputs:
1x Micro USB 768kHz/32-bit Capable Input
1x 3.5mm Jack Coaxial 768kHz/32-bit Capable Input
1x Optical TOSLINK 192kHz/24-bit Capable Input
1x 1amp Micro USB Charging Port Input
Output: 2x 3.5mm Headphone Jacks
Technical Specs: Output Power @ 1kHz – 600Ω 35mW Output Power @ 1kHz – 8Ω 720mW Output Impedance: 75mOhms Dynamic Range: 125dB THD @ 3v: 0.00017%
Output: 2x 3.5mm Headphone Jacks
Technical Specs: Output Power @ 1kHz – 600Ω 35mW Output Power @ 1kHz – 8Ω 720mW Output Impedance: 75mOhms Dynamic Range: 125dB THD @ 3v: 0.00017%
fazalmajid
175
Mar 23, 2017
Sorry for the late response. I can't advise you on the Chord, having never had one. There are plenty of portable DAC/Amp combos nowadays, like the Oppo HA-2SE, and far too many for any but the pros at Head-Fi to have a comprehensive knowledge of the market. I was just endorsing the Pico because it is an excellent device, and not that many people outside the enthusiast community know the maker. Whether it is competitive with newer designs, that I don't know.
On the other hand, I am suspicious of manufacturers like Chord who make outlandish claims, tout over-the-top specs like 768kHz PCM, or claim they can deliver high-quality audio over lousy connections like Bluetooth. Who are they marketing to? Dolphins? Then again, even reputable firms like Bryston have yielded to audiophile snake-oil cultists and started selling power conditioners.
On the other hand, I am suspicious of manufacturers like Chord who make outlandish claims, tout over-the-top specs like 768kHz PCM, or claim they can deliver high-quality audio over lousy connections like Bluetooth. Who are they marketing to? Dolphins? Then again, even reputable firms like Bryston have yielded to audiophile snake-oil cultists and started selling power conditioners.
Mshenay
135
Jan 10, 2018
Love this amp! I paid full PRICE for one last year and I've never regretted it. The Pico Power is really a phenomenal little device, battery life is great with the Li-ion they recommend on their web site. Compared to a lot of other portable amps at at THIS price it's hands down the BEST! Clarity is top notch, imaging is top notch, the power it'll push is again TOP Notch!
At $290 I'd grab the Pico Power and call it a day, as the only better portable amps out there are balanced, only marginally better , very difficult to find and expensive, and the only headphones that really need them are old school Planar magnetics like the HE4/5/6 or the Legacy Audezes, other wise this is imo hands the BEST portable single ended solid state amp out there for about 95% of in production headphones these days!
At $290 I'd grab the Pico Power and call it a day, as the only better portable amps out there are balanced, only marginally better , very difficult to find and expensive, and the only headphones that really need them are old school Planar magnetics like the HE4/5/6 or the Legacy Audezes, other wise this is imo hands the BEST portable single ended solid state amp out there for about 95% of in production headphones these days!
Mshenay
135
Jan 11, 2018
Astro_SevenTechnically yes the Pico Power is better, but beyond technicalities the two amps differ in presentation and design.
If you a more technical listener who values resolve an detail over naturalness you'll like pico power. Especially if you have what you feel is your end game portable source/dac. As it simply amplifys what your Dac produces, feed it from a burr Brown chip an its very natural, with an Esabre chipset its colder an more dynamic or exciting. Sometimes too much or too little, it's really an amp for discerning listeners who have what they feel are their end game headphones or portable players. What ever strengths or flaws you find in the presentation of your headphone or DAP will be amplified with the Pico Power.
The B1S is natural regardless of the source, it presents a wider image than the Pico Power though which helps balance the added body n decay. It's also a bit more forgiving. But while it's presentation is different its technically not as resolving nor as powerful. Aune did NOT design the B1S to drive full sized less efficient and harder to drive headphones.
Where as Head Amp has designed and built this portable amp drive the more demanding loads of a Full Sized Headphone. I've successfully used it to drive both my HE 4 and AKG K240, and it does so better than the B1S does.
Now where things get interesting are how the two amps pair with what I'd consider less resolving or price conscious DACs\sources , with my HM901 set to "vintage" the Pico Power is again clearly better... always. I do consider my HM901 to be... a reference class DAP. I've gutted it's amp section to maximize on battery life and it's been impressing me for 4 years now! It'll even trade blows with the Hugo 2, but that's neither here nor there
When I step into the Shanling M3s, which is not as resolving as the HM901 then the differences in presentation matter more, with the Pico Power the M3s is very dynamic, very taut and well textured but the timbre is kinda off... with the Aune B1S there's a "magic" a warmth to the sound that really pairs nicely with THIS DAP. So on one hand I have a more technical presentation, but because the source it self clearly lacks some naturalness... which the Pico Power only magnifies I frankly can't appreciate technicalities of the sound as a whole because it's... un-natural. On the other hand with the Aune B1s imbues a lovely naturalness to the chain as a whole. So while there's less resolve, timbre is correct and the overall experince is more enjoyable. An yes I volume matched both my impression with a Galaxy Audio CM 140, which meets the IEC 651 Type 2 standards. It's not the best thing ever I'm sure, but it's more than sufficient for my use. I even have a little couple I use to help standardize position when I measure for volume
Non the less at this price the extra spent on the Pico Power and upgraded batteries are well worth it, especially IF your happy with your Source/Amp/DAP. Otherwise at its normal 500( including the li ion rechargeable batteries) price, the B1S will be the better value especially if you can use the 280 difference to upgrade your DAC or Source
Rest assured though when I post my impressions and thoughts of the B1S, I'll mention the Pico Power. I'll speak of it's better technicalities, and overall better performance, but also it's higher cost and very limited availability at the "best price," and it's ability to magnify both faults and strengths,
If you a more technical listener who values resolve an detail over naturalness you'll like pico power. Especially if you have what you feel is your end game portable source/dac. As it simply amplifys what your Dac produces, feed it from a burr Brown chip an its very natural, with an Esabre chipset its colder an more dynamic or exciting. Sometimes too much or too little, it's really an amp for discerning listeners who have what they feel are their end game headphones or portable players. What ever strengths or flaws you find in the presentation of your headphone or DAP will be amplified with the Pico Power.
The B1S is natural regardless of the source, it presents a wider image than the Pico Power though which helps balance the added body n decay. It's also a bit more forgiving. But while it's presentation is different its technically not as resolving nor as powerful. Aune did NOT design the B1S to drive full sized less efficient and harder to drive headphones.
Where as Head Amp has designed and built this portable amp drive the more demanding loads of a Full Sized Headphone. I've successfully used it to drive both my HE 4 and AKG K240, and it does so better than the B1S does.
Now where things get interesting are how the two amps pair with what I'd consider less resolving or price conscious DACs\sources , with my HM901 set to "vintage" the Pico Power is again clearly better... always. I do consider my HM901 to be... a reference class DAP. I've gutted it's amp section to maximize on battery life and it's been impressing me for 4 years now! It'll even trade blows with the Hugo 2, but that's neither here nor there
When I step into the Shanling M3s, which is not as resolving as the HM901 then the differences in presentation matter more, with the Pico Power the M3s is very dynamic, very taut and well textured but the timbre is kinda off... with the Aune B1S there's a "magic" a warmth to the sound that really pairs nicely with THIS DAP. So on one hand I have a more technical presentation, but because the source it self clearly lacks some naturalness... which the Pico Power only magnifies I frankly can't appreciate technicalities of the sound as a whole because it's... un-natural. On the other hand with the Aune B1s imbues a lovely naturalness to the chain as a whole. So while there's less resolve, timbre is correct and the overall experince is more enjoyable. An yes I volume matched both my impression with a Galaxy Audio CM 140, which meets the IEC 651 Type 2 standards. It's not the best thing ever I'm sure, but it's more than sufficient for my use. I even have a little couple I use to help standardize position when I measure for volume
Non the less at this price the extra spent on the Pico Power and upgraded batteries are well worth it, especially IF your happy with your Source/Amp/DAP. Otherwise at its normal 500( including the li ion rechargeable batteries) price, the B1S will be the better value especially if you can use the 280 difference to upgrade your DAC or Source
Rest assured though when I post my impressions and thoughts of the B1S, I'll mention the Pico Power. I'll speak of it's better technicalities, and overall better performance, but also it's higher cost and very limited availability at the "best price," and it's ability to magnify both faults and strengths,
Santhu
3
May 7, 2018
Can someone help me decide between Pico power and Sound Blaster E5 for my Sennheiser HD 6XX please
botisto
111
May 8, 2018
I'd go with the power for the s8... It's got a decent enough DAC and the pico power has a very high 50k ohm input impedance so it's putting almost no load on your S8's amp so you'll get the best possible performance out of it.
People get 40+ hours out of the EBL 840 rechargeable li-ion batteries which is pretty insane. And it's only two thumb screws to change them. I actually prefer having removable batteries in this case... amp tech like this doesn't really go out of date and when your li-ion batterys can't hold a charge anymore you can just put in a new pair. If Justin from HeadAmp had included the circuitry to charge batteries the amp would have to be bigger, and that pretty much sums up the no BS performance attitude.
I'm in for this drop on the power for my HD6xx and Open Alpha T50s :D. Had been researching portables before the drop and nothing really comes close to the power anywhere near this price.
People get 40+ hours out of the EBL 840 rechargeable li-ion batteries which is pretty insane. And it's only two thumb screws to change them. I actually prefer having removable batteries in this case... amp tech like this doesn't really go out of date and when your li-ion batterys can't hold a charge anymore you can just put in a new pair. If Justin from HeadAmp had included the circuitry to charge batteries the amp would have to be bigger, and that pretty much sums up the no BS performance attitude.
I'm in for this drop on the power for my HD6xx and Open Alpha T50s :D. Had been researching portables before the drop and nothing really comes close to the power anywhere near this price.
ducman
72
Feb 15, 2018
Got my pico today, bloody lost the nut instantly. lucky they come with a spare set haha!
JustinWilson
134
HeadAmp
Feb 16, 2018
ducmansend me an email with your address and i'll send out a couple
LEWayne
54
Jun 16, 2018
Got an email from Massdrop unceremoniously cancelling my order. While it's nice that they dropped a few bucks back into my account for the trouble (seriously, thank you), gotta admit I'm a bit pi**ed off. If you can't provide it, don't advertise it. Was really looking forward to the product.
wanjuderenxing
4
Jun 19, 2018
Hi,any updates from massdrop?I can only get the amp for joining the new drop?
JustinWilson
134
HeadAmp
Jun 20, 2018
wanjuderenxingYou can join the new drop. As mentioned in another posts, our enclosures arrived late and massdrop cancelled the drop. We have plenty available now for this drop.
MrMotion
26
Aug 25, 2017
Anyone here able to tell me if this would provide better sound quality than an Odac/O2 combo?
WeirdG
69
Aug 25, 2017
MrMotionI'm trying to find that out too. I have a first gen Magni/Modi stack, and O2+ODAC combo. The Magni/Modi sound similar to the O2+ODAC, except the build quality and finish is nicer on the Schiit stuff.
A few sites I checked are saying that the Pico Dac/Amp is one of the best under $500 options around, but I haven't found much in the way of comparison to the Schiit stack, or the O2+ODAC.
I just remember about 4-6 years ago, I really wanted a Pico. At the time I couldn't justify the expense, when the other two options I currently have were significantly cheaper.
A few sites I checked are saying that the Pico Dac/Amp is one of the best under $500 options around, but I haven't found much in the way of comparison to the Schiit stack, or the O2+ODAC.
I just remember about 4-6 years ago, I really wanted a Pico. At the time I couldn't justify the expense, when the other two options I currently have were significantly cheaper.
MrMotion
26
Aug 23, 2017
Could anyone tell me how this would compare with something like the Schitt stack?
I'm more interested in performance as portability is not something i need.
Jackula
1743
Aug 24, 2017
MrMotionPretty much everything is better than Schiit's range at similar price points.
EdipisReks
70
HeadAmp
Apr 30, 2017
It's not necessarily about "extra power" with IEMs, it's about bypassing the usually fairly subpar built in amplifier and taking the line out and using a better amplifier. Better amplification isn't necessarily about more volume, it's about deeper bass, better soundstage, and more linear response.
KITTY
1456
Apr 30, 2017
EdipisReksTechnically speaking, that "extra power" is boosting up deeper bass, better sound-stage, and more linear response, and volume.... but the sound is still terrible with a low-end DAC. Don't get me wrong, I agree with you and I understand your point, but that wasn't my case. I prefer the sound on my IEMs with no AMP with a better DAC than having an AMP with a terrible DAC.
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