ipod Boost That Won’t Break The Bank

I’ve tested a few ipods, and I’ve owned a few, and one thing that always get me, is that they do need a kick up the backside when it comes to powering your headphones. After my brief spell with the Cowon iAudio F2 player, I realized what all ipod owners seem to be missing, which is a good bit of power to make your music sing.

The Cowon F2 rocks!

I’m afraid the ipod just doesn’t cut it on it’s own, and most people wouldn’t even dream of buying a headphone amp to give it their ipods a new lease of life. I was one of those who spent years dodging headphone amps. Instead I relied on all those magazines that told me how good the ipod sounded, and all the time, I was missing out.

The fact is you don’t have to take out a second mortgage or start working at a fast food restaurant in order to save for a headphone amp. There are some very reasonable amps available at a good price. So don’t sweat about it, just buy one!

No limits to their imaginations!

Is there no limit to imagination of a CMoy producer? Visit ebay this week and type in “cmoy” and you’ll be amazed at the sheer amount of different ranges of CMoy portable (and not so portable) headphone amplifiers on offer. Budget amps that start at a few dollars, to beautifully built one off designs. Lets take a look at what’s out there.

Let’s start off with a few traditional headphone amplifier designs available on the market.

Traditional Style Amps

zigisg

zigisg amp, comes highly recommended to me by a friend who knows a whole lot more about electronics than myself. In fact, my friend also recommends this above many high priced amplifiers (non CMoy Amps) telling me that ….

“They won’t offer any real improvement over this amp!”

Praise indeed!

Silver Key Audio

Again, a simple no nonsense design from Silver Key Audio. This reminds me of my Go-Vibe V5 amp, in terms of design. A good aspect is the easy access to the battery compartment (an essential for a true portable headphone amp). Another hit for those looking for a good and traditional looking portable headphone amp.

Walking Wolf Amps

Walking Wolf Amps creates amps in all shapes and sizes, even headphone amps for use on a motorcycle. But for a traditional design point of view, and my personal choice, I’d have to go with this headbanger version.

Traditional CMoy Amps

Moving over to the more traditional Tinned CMoy amps, even they come with some interesting variations and designs on the tin principle. Altoids tins, both rectangle and circular and the Peppermint penguin tins.

Walking Wolf Amps

Starting with Walking Wolf Amps, they also offer a more traditional CMoy tin amp designs. Once again the silver headbanger amp has got me chomping at the bit. I might have to get my hands on one for a review! The Yip Yap amp, is another interesting design, but underneath the skin it’s business as usual.

Headphonia

coming from another prestigious headphone amp supplier, headphonia also build the Headstage Lynx amp, but for now, lets concentrate on their CMoy amps. I would also encourage you to check out the Penguin Amp website, www.peguinamp.com

juice2214

We’re hoping to bring you a review if this juice2214 amp very soon, but this is one of my favorite designs. My fellow Art students love my Altoid amp, they think it’s funky, and interesting and I’d have to agree.

sharpywarpy

“Dark Chocolate Dipped Mints” interesting, but so is this amp. Now, I’ve contacted sharpywarpy, to see if we’re going to see more of these, but for now, I’ll call it a one off. I’ll keep you posted.

homecolors1

Feeling Blue? 3.5 mm cable, some headphone amp producers supply them, some don’t, but homecolors1 has decided to include one ……. and has made it an integral part of the amp. I’ve got a cable review coming up, so this amp should be interesting.

Extreme CMoy Machines

kiteandcamera

Both of these come from kiteandcamera and the description states that these are a one off. Shame because I think they’re mad and funky! This a far cry from any other CMoy amp. Try and explaining what it is to your friends? Er, what! Fatboy Amp or Swiss Army tin? The choice is yours.

Wood Designs

Silver Key Audio

This has appeared in a previous post, but it’s so beautiful, It’s worth mentioning again. This is a test amp of sorts. Silver Key Audio wants to gauge the general reaction. Tinamps says,

“we love it!”

teatootsie

Last, but by no means least, this beautiful walnut amp from teatootsie. Again this seems to be a one off amp with customs made (not bought) parts. And again from tinamps, we love it. It’s just a shame its a one off.

So there you have it, one fantastic week in the world of CMoy amps. I hope that the ‘One Off’ designers will be encourage to build a few more, and you have a nice selection of CMoy amps, for every budget and design taste. Some interesting and crazy designs, but all worth your attention.

As a quick note, my biosciencegeek amp is lovely and I’m hoping to bring you a full review in the near future.

King size M&M’s? I’m Afraid Not!

Believe or not, this isn’t a king size M&M, it’s indeed a CMoy amp. Built by an enthusiast in Mexico, this has to be one of the most original portable headphone amplifier design in the whole existence of headphone amplifiers! But the seller does offer some more … …conventional designs, for those who have more… …traditional tastes.