1. BlueElephant

    BlueElephant New

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    Any opinions on sony amplifiers? I'm currently using the PHA-1 and was wondering if it is still capable of holding its weight in today's market.
     
  2. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    What headphone or IEM. What source?
     
  3. BlueElephant

    BlueElephant New

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    Inear SD2. Typically from the desktop or laptop so used as a dac/amp
     
  4. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    The best thing about the PHA-1 was its integration with the iPhone. If you are plugging it in to a laptop, there are much better options now. The PHA-1 against the current crop of gear (see the mid-Fi DAC/Amp comparison thread) isn't all that good sounding. The PHA-1 sounds really flat, un-resolving, slow, and veiled. Pleasant and too forgiving (although this is something you may prefer). @zerodeefex owned it once (both Ravi and I are Sony fanboys), but he ended up selling it.
     
  5. BlueElephant

    BlueElephant New

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    Can I infer that (flat, un-resolving, slow and veiled) = (Pleasant and too forgiving)?
     
  6. Griffon

    Griffon 2nd biggest asshole on SBAF

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    Well the recent Sony gears (Z7, 1A, ZX1, A17, PHA) tend to have a "sweetened" tuning. Presentation are soft and forgiving.
     
  7. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    Yes. Too forgiving in the sense that it sounded rather dull. The newer PHA-3 is not bad, but awfully expensive. My travel unit is the Geek Out V2 running in balanced output with the FRM filter. I think they are sold out right now and no idea when they would deliver.

    My old Sony X Walkman has that sweet sound, but it's more resolving and lively than the PHA-1. Same thing for an A series I have lying around. The PHA-1 seems to be lacking energy the most among them.
     
  8. BlueElephant

    BlueElephant New

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  9. zerodeefex

    zerodeefex SBAF's Imelda Marcos

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    I tried desperately to convince the guy trying to buy it he didn't want it (the PHA-1). He didn't listen.
     

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