I am looking for an amp and would like to go with a portable(Zen Head, Mustang, ELO Mini3, etc) but would consider a desk-top for $2-300 if the sonic advantages were there. Do RCA inputs amount to better sonics or to the guts of the units decide that fact? And do desktop units have better parts, necesarily, than portables? The desktops units i'm considering are the new Trends, and any other that are priced $2-300.

thanks

Overall design is probably more important than the one junction. I know someone who has a ... M^3, is it? ...portable entirely outfitted with black gates, which probably sounds better than an entry level desktop. I would say the 1/8" vs. dual RCA debate is overshadowed by the interior guts of the thing in that case.

That said, everything else the same (including the cables leading up to it, gold plating on both, etc.), I'd say dual RCA's, if only for the increased separation (I mean, you wouldn't tie the grounds from your preamp to your power amp together, would you?). But I doubt I'd be able to hear the difference, it's probably mostly psychological at that point.

Everyone needs to start drifting over to 5 pin DIN or Lemo connectors (L/R +/- [==4] & ground). That'd be optimal. Then you could have "stereobalanced".

Welcome to head-case, sorry about your thin-skinned back of the head.

Dusty, that new avatar of yours is oddly disturbing to me, like he's about to bite into the brains of a younger sibling.

Mmmm, tasty looking brains...

I am looking for an amp and would like to go with a portable(Zen Head, Mustang, ELO Mini3, etc) but would consider a desk-top for $2-300 if the sonic advantages were there.

I know someone who has a ... M^3, is it? ...portable entirely outfitted with black gates, which probably sounds better than an entry level desktop.

Its meaningless to say that desktops are definitely better than portables, as illustrated by dusty. However, blackgates aren't cheap, and so far I haven't seen anything that violates the pattern that desktops have better price/performance ratios to portables.

And do desktop units have better parts, necesarily, than portables?

Again no. However, portables are usually a compromise in design, simply because you can't have the kind of power and space avaliable to desktop setups, not to mention heat dissipation capabilities. Thus I don't really expect to see class A amplification in portables, or your pocket would be smokin.

Whether to get portables or not is a matter of need. If you need it portable, then you really have no choice. But if you don't need portability, then if I were you I'll stick to desktop setups.

Do RCA inputs amount to better sonics or to the guts of the units decide that fact?

I don't think it matters, but then I don't own any real powerful equipment to be able to make that statement authouratively. But frankly even if it DID matter, your amp budget at 2-300 bucks would probably not give any discernable differences.

My 2 cents worth. I'm new here, so I stand to be corrected.

Arthur.

Overall design is probably more important than the one junction. I know someone who has a ... M^3, is it? ...portable entirely outfitted with black gates, which probably sounds better than an entry level desktop. I would say the 1/8" vs. dual RCA debate is overshadowed by the interior guts of the thing in that case.

portable m^3???

portable m^3???

I suspect that the PPAv2 is more likely.

portable m^3???

Oh yeah I totally misread that. I thought he meant Mini3.

diy some millet amps. great sound at great price.

satisfaction guarantee given the hard work you put in.

Dusty, that new avatar of yours is oddly disturbing to me, like he's about to bite into the brains of a younger sibling.

Mmmm, tasty looking brains...

Nom nom nom...