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I am a huge fan of the Cypher Labs Algorhythm Solo. I have been enjoying portable audio and listening to headphones for years, primarily relying on a line out dock from my iPod to a portable headphone amp, which right now is the ALO audio Rx MKII Portable Headphone Amplifier Black.
After plugging the Solo into my portable set-up, all I could say was 'Dang!' The Solo presents the music with such clarity and engaging detail that is really something special. As cliche as it might be, listening to the Solo with my MKII was like cleaning the dirt off the window I didn't know was dirty. Really the improvement in fidelity is that good.
The build of the unit is very study. It has a fairly utilitarian look, a compact metal case, inputs on each end. But that's really what I needed in a portable component, something that would not have parts that could break off or come loose because I'm dragging it around every where with me, which, by the way I am.
I really haven't come across too many products that can as dramatically improve the sound simply by plugging it in. While my portable set-up is getting larger by the moment, amp+dac+iPod, it is getting better too and that's what really matters.
Do your ears a favor and check out the Cypher Labs AlgoRhythm Solo
Note: This is a portable DAC (digital to analog converter) and not a headphone amplifier. The mini-plug out is to take the analog signal off the Solo. Reading the other review, I think this may have been confused with a headphone amp, which it is not.
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this is quite a good dac, when I comparing it to some so called "hd" portable devices' lineout, it won without doubt. The sound is clean and detailed just as my computer's soundcard (but not when you first connect it to ipod, it needs about 5 minutes' "warm up" to reach the best state).
the only thing I am not satisfied is that it can only connect to some apple devices that can not play 24bit audio files, which means that you can only enjoy 16bit41.1khz on the road. It does not recognize any device but ipod/iphone/ipad, which means if you have a portable device with SPDIF output then you'll not be able to connect it to this dac.
anyway, if you want to enjoy music on the travel and this can be one of the best choices for its quality and small size.
Read Best Reviews of Cypher Labs AlgoRhythm Solo Portable iPod DAC Black Here
I have the Algothythm Solo. I also have some of the ALO headphone amps. I have connected the AS to Ray Samuels portable amps as well as IQube. I think it is a marvelous product. The Algorhythm Solo is an Ipod transport and dac. When I say "Ipod transport" I mean that it turns an Ipod into a harddrive device that spits out ones and zeros. The Ipod dac is disengaged. In order to obtain the data as ones and zeros, the transport must have a chip licensed from Apple that allows the Ipod to be turned into a harddrive storage device. It is only useful with the Ipod if you have an amplifier to actually manage the volume of the Ipod because when you use it, you are disengaging not only the dac in the Ipod, but the internal amp which means that the sound could be so loud it is too much to listen to.
What you can do with an Ipod, Algorhythm Solo, and first rate earphones/headphones is amazing. It can be portable if you have big pockets. I will tell you that you will need a very high quality LOD cable that connects with the 30 pin connector at the bottom of the Ipod. Again, when you connect to the 30 pin connector, you totally lose the volume control on the Ipod (the circle that you increase or decrease volume with your finger). Without the amplifier, you have a line output device like a compact disc player, but without control. In essence, the volume control lowers the volume as much as it increases volume.
Since it only controls the Ipod as a transport and dac, it has better battery life than the Fostex HP-P1. With the Fortex HP-P1, it operates as a transport, dac and amp. It is a great device, but it has to do so much with the battery that the battery life is shorter.
Now the Fostex HP-P1 is very portable, but it does not sound as good as the Algorhythm Solo with another very good amp. The Fostex is a great device and is nearly perfect with an inner ear monitor, but it does not have the power to dive a full size headphone that is inefficient. For instance the Sennheiser 650 will play on the Fostex HP-P1, it does not really sing with the Fostex HP-P1 like it does for the Algorhythm Solo.
I actually recommend both the Algorhythm Solo and the Fostex HP-P1 in a big way. They have both revolutionized the sound of an Ipod. If you use either or both, you will have in your pocket a portable stereo that would cost many thousands of dollars to replicate with a traditional stereo in your home.
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I don't know where to begin, there are all of the sudden so many options on the market and changes can be expensive.
About a year ago, I saw the Fostex HP P1 DAC/AMP and have been using it without complaint, until recently. The Fostex is a great little guy becasue it's Apple compatible and all-in-one, whereas this AlgoRythm Solo which is also USB/Apple compatible, really only works at it's best with another device attached to it (an Amplifier), like the ALO Continental (portable vacuum tube amp -limited supply at ALO), or the ALO Rx MK3b Amp, their newest flagship portable.
The reason that the Fostex became an issue was a silver USB Dock cable from Audioquest called "Diamond". I bought one thinking it would deliver even more clarity to the Fostex, but it was rough, coarse and too clear. Somehow it became a tinny, bright, digital sound again.
So I looked around and found a combination package at ALOaudio with an actual analog vacuum tube amp (very cool, military grade -100,000 hours). They sell the AlgoRythm Solo with their portable vacuum tube amp, the "Continental" as a package deal, including their cables. It's an amazing combination. I initially used the AlgoRythm Solo with the supplied ALO copper recipe cabling (a USB and mini-to-mini). But when I used the silver Audioquest Diamond with the AlgoRythm Solo, and the Continental all working together, the silver started to show it's true value. The diamond's are around $600 unfortunately, but that combination of pure silver, with the AlgoRythm Solo DAC, and a warm tube amp like the Continental, it was the best of all the combinations that I tried.
The people at ALO are correct, it depends what music you prefer. I listen to a lot of Electronica, but also love live music, like Peter Gabriel's "Secret World". So after experimenting withe the cables, I did find that the high quality copper mixtures are better for vocals like Secret World, marginally better. BUT with Electronica, like "This Moment" featuring Jonathan Mendelsohn (hair-tingling) vocals, mixed by Armin Van Buuren, a mixture of both vocals and digital harmonics, the SILVER hands down is piercingly tight and clear and not painful. There's no static or congestion at the highs. And bass is delivered by the Solo/Continental combination.
I've read about some folks who go with players like the ColorFly Hi-Fi Man, that play CD quality sound without the need for an additional amp. But unfortunately, I'm pretty much married to Apple and their proprietary empire. So the Solo is really it, because it will stream the digital signal without loss to the DAC while using an Apple product.
In my setup, I still need to replace their (ALO) packaged mini-to-mini cable that goes from the AlgoRythm Solo to the Continental. The two cables ALO provides together for their package are about $250 combined, they're nice, and I intend on bringing them with me for travel, incase I am listening to live music. But Audioquest Diamond does better for demanding techno/dance. I have a feeling that the silver will benefit all lines of transmission until it reaches the vacuum tube, from there the warmth takes over from the natural anaolg sound coming from the Continental Amp to the high quality silver-plated copper headphone-adapter (1/4 to 1/8 plug at $220), to my Fostex TH900's (which I also am in love with).But I've heard that the best headphones for the Solo are the Audeze Reference (also available at ALOaudio with modified cabling at $2600).
So bottom line is that I love this thing. It took a solid 100 150 hours to break-in, and sounded terrible out of the box actually. Which is actually perfectly normal.
It will work best in tandem with ALOaudio's "Continental" (portable tube AMP) or their most recent accomplishment: the new Rx MK3b Amp at around $700. I've also seen people using the AlgoRythm Solo with the SR71 (balanced headphone outputs?).
For PC users, the HeadAmp "Pico" available at ALO also, has really-really impressed me for it's tiny size and excellent quality interconnects. The bass, power and D/A conversion coming from that little device are definitely the best for it's size, that I have tried (it's not available at Amazon). The Centrance DACport LX (DAC) is another device that I am curious about, it's the only portable with a 1/4 headphone jack (unfortunately it's mini-USB input only, for PC's only?).
And my two cents regarding metals and cabling: The experts are right, it does actually depend on your preference. Silver being more of a clear no-loss, and bright signal, where the silver-plated copper recipe's are more for deep bass and broad analog sounds. So actually they work well together. For instance, the silver Diamond USB going from the iPod to the AlgoRythm Solo, then (I need to get this) a silver mini-to-mini Diamond from Solo to the Continental, and then a high-quality silver plated copper headphone adapter (1/4 to 1/8 plug), the last link in the chain.
I do have the ALO headphone adapter (220$), Grado and Sennheiser's 1/4 adapter to 1/8 plug are both made in China and cost $20 -For an adapter, definitely go to ALOaudio, or Moon-audio for a nice one.
I'm using Fostex TH900 headphones (with my ALO adapter), the rest are all Audioquest Diamond pure silver. EXCEPT, when I play Lionel Richie, or anything with deep live music and vocals, then I use their supplied copper recipe.
I have to say, it's a big rig, with the three devices stacked, iPod, AlgoRythm Solo DAC and Continental tube Amp. But well worth it on a plane ride or anywhere you want desktop quality audio on the go. You could just use the Solo with your favorite headphone amplifier.
I did use the AlgoRythm Solo DAC with the Fostex HP P1 DAC/AMP just to see what would happen, but the Continental was much more powerful. I would imagine that the other high-end amps are better as well. Fostex couldn't really drive big-big headphones, but does have plenty of power.
Its hard to say that I prefer the Solo over the Fostex, because the situation changed with that Diamond. So, if you want an all-in-one, the Fostex is not At all a bad way to go. The nice thing about the Solo, is that you could always get a better amp later on (if you already have one you will need to control the volume Solo does not). It's said that the internal DAC on the iPod is really bad, so just using the solo may have benefits for D/A conversion, but again no volume control.
Fostex and Solo are Unique: these two devices are the only two portable that connect via Apple certified USB/30-pin Dock connection (stream bit pefect audio).
A side note, ALO also customizes really high-end headphones, like the Audeze that would normally have a 1/4 gold plug, they replace it with a 1/8 silver or silver plated copper for around $600 extra. And the Beyerdynamic t5, also modified from ALO.
Moon-Audio also carries many handmade quality cables and adapters, hard to find, that are slightly more reasonable than ALO.
