I use an amp with my mp3 player during my commute because I carry a bookbag to hold my hardcove novels and other shit I don't want to carry in my pockets (cigs/keys). So carrying a mini3 isn't much of a problem. When I go to the gym, I detach the mini3 though so that I can use the armband for my mp3 player.

I got lucky with my work actually. My boss doesn't mind me listening to headphone at work and I have an office. I use my L3000 and DHA3000 at work everyday and when at the end of the day I place the DHA3000 in a case and leave it at work and take the L3000 home. I re-purchased the Pico b/c I will have to be on the road a lot starting next month and the Pico has a very nice synergy with the L3000. I can relate to why Irondremer liking his Pico+L3000 a lot. Of course, my DHA3000 is better but I'm not going to be bring it out to the construction stie with me.

When I'm on the go, I don't use amp. My E500+MP3 player does a great job.

Purk

I got lucky with my work actually. My boss doesn't mind me listening to headphone at work and I have an office. I use my L3000 and DHA3000 at work everyday and when at the end of the day I place the DHA3000 in a case and leave it at work and take the L3000 home. I re-purchased the Pico b/c I will have to be on the road a lot starting next month and the Pico has a very nice synergy with the L3000. I can relate to why Irondremer liking his Pico+L3000 a lot. Of course, my DHA3000 is better but I'm not going to be bring it out to the construction stie with me.

Purk

Naturally, but you'd take a $2500 headphone to the construction site

It's a question of convenience not how expensive an item is, duhhh ;p

Naturally, but you'd take a $2500 headphone to the construction site

Well...I will be overseeing the construction project so it will be o.k. and I will have a small office there anyway so the pico + L3000 will keep me sane. Of course, I might just bring the HD-650 out there instead.

a question of convenience not how expensive an item is, duhhh ;p

That is actually true. That's one of reason why I bring my L3000 to work everyday. First they sound pretty darn great with the DHA3000 and second is I spend most of my listening time at work so I like to listen to one of my favorite setup.

I'll add to this Lovefest. I bought the Pico because I downsized my full-size balanced rig to partially fund my BHSE purchase. Having had a taste of the good stuff, I could not live without a decent DAC or amp, so I targeted the Pico. I originally planned to live with the Pico and 650 until my BHSE arrived, but of course I had to blow money on a Stax 3050A, because curiosity got the best of me. Now, the Pico holds a very special place among my rigs. I leave it at my home in the South Bay, and keep the Stax at my college home in the East Bay. I use the Pico exclusively with the AD2000 (sold all other dynamics), and keep it hooked up to my laptop on the kitchen table. I could not imagine a better (sound and space efficiency) setup for "Kitchen Table-Fi."

I imagine that Pico+AD2000 is a very nice combo, as they seem to have some similar traits.

x2. I used the W5K with Pico exclusively for a bit and I think it was a great bang for buck combo comparatively. Have a W1K coming this week and hope for similar results.

For me, the combo far exceeds the enjoyment I got with the HD650 out of the Pico. Not even close, imo.

For me, the combo far exceeds the enjoyment I got with the HD650 out of the Pico. Not even close, imo.

Yes, the Pico didn't out perform my maxed out PPA either with the HD-650, but it did with the L3000.

I do wish I could be convinced a portable amp(even with the onboard dac) was anything more than an extravagant toy. It would be great to think I could get a Pico in MacBook Pro silver and have it serve as my office setup. I know I won't use it with my iPod/E500. Never have felt amping IEMs gave enough improvement to justify the cost and headache of carrying a portable amp. Still, this Pico intrigues me.

Well if you've got a Macbook might as well Duet.

Well if you've got a Macbook might as well Duet.

Well, the Mac wouldn't be the only use. I'm still interested in putting a little nightstand rig together using the Squeezebox so the Duet won't be in the mix.

Well, the Mac wouldn't be the only use. I'm still interested in putting a little nightstand rig together using the Squeezebox so the Duet won't be in the mix.

I think I'd have a real problem giving up my Pico now, I know to some of you it's just an extravagant toy but for me it's become the cornerstone of my system. Eventually I'll start to build another home based system but until then the Pico or something of it's ilk is a godsend.

Well if you've got a Macbook might as well Duet.

On this subject, there are more than a few of us Apple users that are nervous about where Apple is going with Firewire. Sure dumping it from the iPods and Air could show their specialized nature, but then again with Apples history of legacy hardware (even its own), they could as easily shift Firewire 400/800/1600/3200/etc. to specialized video editing models. I'd hate to get the Duet for its price/performance ratio then have to spend an extra grand in two years time for a 'pro' model to use it. Also take a look at the iSub burying in Leopard for another warning sign.

I, for one, would have a Duet if not for this. USB is less likely going anywhere and as long the Pico nears the Duet performance I'd consider its hardware interface to be a plus (not to mention could be used with majority of non-Firewire/non-Mac computers or Macs with other OSs installed). Course, I'd rather the Pico had optical/coaxial inputs so I could use it away from the computer too.

Is there something that would stop your current mac from working as an audio workstation 5 or even 10 years from now? I don't get the need to upgrade something that does the task it's being used for.

Is there something that would stop your current mac from working as an audio workstation 5 or even 10 years from now? I don't get the need to upgrade something that does the task it's being used for.

Maybe not assuming your computer functions only an audio workstation or you don't mind collecting computers (or at least not selling one to afford another - resale values on Macs tend to be higher than normal so resell is common). Assuming other uses of a computer (after all it's a computer ), a required hardware or software upgrade is easy to imagine and could brake the OS X/Duet relationship. Hell, even dedicated solely to iTunes duty it's possible to see a hardware or especially software upgrade necessary within a few years. Want to play a music video or concert footage in a new codec/format/DRM or send to an Airport Express? Again who expected Apple to drop their own speaker (iSub) support with an OS upgrade? There wasn't even an warning there and suddenly people had tied-to-the-OS dead audio hardware. I assume there's some relationship of customers affected to continued support (though I also assume Duet sales will never match iSubs). If there are enough Duet owners (or maybe more importantly 'professional' owners), perhaps this will not be an issue for the conceivable future. And finally there's no reason to assume this will be an issue, just a concern it may be.

I look at the mini and the duet as a single unit, and as such, it's still the best deal in audio, imho.

Pico #073 (black, w/ DAC) is on sale at Audiogon: AudiogoN ForSale: Headamp Pico

I look at the mini and the duet as a single unit, and as such, it's still the best deal in audio, imho.

Can't touch my $40 custom AE-2.

$40 worth of raffle tickets at the 2006 SoCal meet.

Can't touch my $40 custom AE-2.

hehehehe thats not a deal

was just about to get this:

FS: Sony R10 - Head-Fi: Covering Headphones, Earphones and Portable Audio

but then this came up:

For Sale Pico Amp-DAC Shipped Worldwide (SOLD to JimP) - Head-Fi: Covering Headphones, Earphones and Portable Audio

woohoo! now an excuse to pick up one of those Asus-type netbooks

(also some mini-fans to roll, if I can cut some holes into the case)

brown is the new black, baby!

I would say that the Pico is the best IEM amp on the market - bar none.

None of the other high end amps seem to really get a clean nearly neutral sound for IEM's.

Nah, I'd say it's on the warm side of neutral.