# What is the best portable amp with iPhone, ipod integration?



## audioslave909

I'm looking for a small high quality portable amp that can plug into my iphone via apples port with enough power to run Headphones.   It seems like a lot of the ones that are highly regarded on here either have a long wait or aren't available anymore.
   
  I have heard AOL audio's amp and it sound great but wouldn't mind a bit more compact.


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## Eric_C

Sorry, what do you mean by Apple's port?


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## Jalo

I think the Pico slim will fit the bill very well and there are some in the for sale forum that you can get right away without having to stand in line.  I think there is even one in the first 250 unit meaning you'll get life time battery and warranty.


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## slapshot30

I think I know what you mean by "apples port". You're probably going to be better off getting a LOD for your iphone and just using that with any portable amp of your choice. Fiio amps work pretty well with iphones. They are coming out with a portable amp in March that is especially for mp3 players like the iphone. Heres a link to the thread about it.
http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/527342/e11-a-new-start-of-fiio-s-portable-amp


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## yifu

Yes ALL amps have "Ipod integration" if you use a LOD to 3.5mm or to a RCA jack. BTW if you are going to get a LOD DONT get the fiio L3. I have got it and it looks very cheap and has durability issues.


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## slapshot30

Eh that alarms me, I have yet to get one but I was planning on the L3, which would you recommend? I do almost all my buying on Amazon and there isn't much to choose from with LOD's...
  
  Quote: 





yifu said:


> Yes ALL amps have "Ipod integration" if you use a LOD to 3.5mm or to a RCA jack. BTW if you are going to get a LOD DONT get the fiio L3. I have got it and it looks very cheap and has durability issues.


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## burnliff

I've been using my Fiio L1 for a few weeks now and it seems to be fine.


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## audioslave909

OK. So if I get the Fiio cable then I use any Amp with a 3.5mm input.  How are these amps then rated.  How do you know you are getting better or cleaner signal than using the built in pre-amp on the iphone, which is pretty good for one set of headphones but would like to have a little extra power for full size cans or running two earphones with a splitter.  Does the power output control volume on these small mini amps?


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## audioslave909

Quote: 





jalo said:


> I think the Pico slim will fit the bill very well and there are some in the for sale forum that you can get right away without having to stand in line.  I think there is even one in the first 250 unit meaning you'll get life time battery and warranty.


 


  How does the Pico slim attach to the iPhone?


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## estreeter

The Rx II remains the only amp I can think of which presents a slimline pairing with the iPhone/Touch - both have similar height/width dimensions and, paired with the Algorythm Solo, its arguably an attractive stack, if somewhat bulkier than the rig many here would like:


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## Eric_C

Quote: 





audioslave909 said:


> How do you know you are getting better or cleaner signal than using the built in pre-amp on the iphone


 

 If you use a line-out dock, that's a cleaner signal by virtue of the fact that you've bypassed the amp. It's line-level, you can't get it cleaner unless I've missed something about the line-out being "dirty" and thus degrading the signal.
   
   
   
   
  Quote: 





> Originally Posted by *audioslave909*
> 
> Does the power output control volume on these small mini amps?


 
   
  Sorry, what do you mean by this? Amps connected to iPhone or iPod via LOD (line-out dock) bypass the iPhone's/iPod's own volume control.
   
   
  Quote: 





audioslave909 said:


> How does the Pico slim attach to the iPhone?


 

 By a LOD.


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## estreeter

Quote: 





> Originally Posted by *Eric_C* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> 
> If you use a line-out dock, that's a cleaner signal by virtue of the fact that you've bypassed the amp. It's line-level, you can't get it cleaner unless I've missed something about the line-out being "dirty" and thus degrading the signal.


 
   
  Yep, and if you use the USB connector to the Solo, you bypass both DAC and amp - pure digital Nirvana, or at least thats what they are promising over at 32 Ohm Audio. That, my dear Eric, *should* be cleaner than the line-level signal from your LOD. albeit at several times the cost of a good LOD.


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## Eric_C

estreeter: wait, you mean you can connect an iPhone to a GH Solo via USB? I thought Apple only licensed the DAC-bypassing LOD to a few companies.


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## 50an6xy06r6n

http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/527376/venturecraft-go-dap-design-ingenuity-makes-an-awesome-iphone-rig
  This looks like it fits the bill pretty well...


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## GreatDane

Quote: 





50an6xy06r6n said:


> http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/527376/venturecraft-go-dap-design-ingenuity-makes-an-awesome-iphone-rig
> This looks like it fits the bill pretty well...


 


  If he has a 3G.


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## estreeter

Quote: 





eric_c said:


> estreeter: wait, you mean you can connect an iPhone to a GH Solo via USB? I thought Apple only licensed the DAC-bypassing LOD to a few companies.


 

 Indeed they do, and the 32 Ohm consortium paid handsomely for said license. Asynch USB, no less. To quote Ken:
   
   
_In my opinion it will reset the bar for portable hifi. That's because the Solo delivers uncompressed high-quality audio from an iPod, iPhone or iPad to portable or home audio DACs and amplifiers via both digital and analog outputs. There are currently no portable devices that do that. Key features include pending Made for iPod, iPhone and iPad certifications; a reference-level Wolfson DAC driven I²S;* decryption of Apple's USB output (not a pass-through line-out) via asynchronous transfer and an ultra-low jitter cloc*k; two parallel Li-Ion batteries with fully isolated AC switching; and a design to match in size and pair up its input with our Rx MkII headphone amp. The Solo is designed and assembled in the USA and available in black or silver. Prices start at $579._
   
  http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/aloaudio2/1.html


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## Eric_C

Good grief. With all due respect, I think that's far too much cash for a clean signal out of an iDevice. I'd just stick with a laptop or good ol' CD transport, thanks.


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## Jalo

Eric, I totally agree with Estreeter, especially if you use multiple idevices like iphone/ipad/ipod etc.  Yes, the cost is a little high but that should not be any news for us in the hifi field.  But with the Solo, I can listen to my iphone/ipod in near desktop setup and watch movies on ipad with theater sound.  To me, I travel a lot and it's worth it.


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## estreeter

Quote: 





eric_c said:


> Good grief. With all due respect, I think that's far too much cash for a clean signal out of an iDevice. I'd just stick with a laptop or good ol' CD transport, thanks.


 

 And thats fair enough. I guess 32 Ohm Audio looked at the iMod market, factored in the phenomenal takeup of the iPhone/iPad and said 'Hey, this has the potential to be a serious money maker'. Kevin Halvorsen from HRT clearly agrees with that sentiment. Interesting times ahead.


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## Eric_C

Jalo: Interesting...I hadn't considered that application. What, perchance, do you think of an alternative in form of a laptop and Astro Mixamp? I believe the Mixamp can decode via USB or TOSlink into Dolby.
   
  estreeter: No doubts about the market analysis there. I tip my hat off to companies like 32 Ohm that recognise an opportunity when they see one.


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## Jalo

Quote: 





eric_c said:


> Jalo: Interesting...I hadn't considered that application. What, perchance, do you think of an alternative in form of a laptop and Astro Mixamp? I believe the Mixamp can decode via USB or TOSlink into Dolby.


 

 Eric, of course if you are using laptop, you really don't need a device like the Solo.  You already can get the digital signal out of the laptop.  All you need is a good Dac/amp.  I am not familiar with the Astro Mixamp but if it can decode from USB or toslink, sounds like it already has a built in DAC.  You are all set then.


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## audioslave909

Quote: 





50an6xy06r6n said:


> http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/527376/venturecraft-go-dap-design-ingenuity-makes-an-awesome-iphone-rig
> This looks like it fits the bill pretty well...


 


  Now that is one beautiful rig!  Now I wonder what ordering one is actually like.


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