The Voyager Portable Headphone Amplifier
£176.06 inc 15% UK VAT
The Voyager is a truly portable headphone amplifier. It is small and light
enough to fit a shirt pocket! It also has a similar "footprint" to a regular
pod player which will sit on top. It connects using a supplied jack-lead and
even via a pod player's headphone out, sounds remarkably good, saving the need
for an expensive dock connector.
The Voyager portable headphone amplifier features
a contour switch to equalise street-wear headphones, emulating the sound you get from "home"
or hi-fi
headphones - putting back that missing bottom-end bass and replacing the usual
scratchy highs with the whole clarity that makes this portable headphone amplifier "hard
to switch-off".
Rather
than cramming-in "Whistles and Bells" features, it simply concentrates
on the sound, giving you sufficient options to get the best performance
out of your music, on the move, in the office or at home.
The Voyager portable headphone amp is purely analogue. It has no digital
clocks to veil the sound. The Voyager can bring out the magic in the music, whatever
source it comes from.
You can power this portable headphone amplifier from its 9 volt battery,
a USB port, or its own AC adapter mains power supply.
"I had a chance to listen to a Graham Slee Voyager Portable Headphone
Amplifier and OMG!
this thing sounds amazing.
It drove my HD600's (300 Ohms) to much higher volume levels
without any distortion and everything sounded so much fuller, if I closed my
eyes I could have sworn I was listening to a tube amp!!
This is on my shopping list as my next portable amp, simply stunning."
From a UK Head-Fi meeting.
The Voyager Volume Control
Unlike hi-fi amplifiers the Voyager volume control is designed to be
operated fully up for when a weak source signal is used, or if insensitive
high impedance headphones are used. Please take care not to damage your
hearing when reverting to high output source equipment and low impedance
headphones.
under
the bonnet
"Great fun this little thing is! ...... sure, it doesn't "look" expensive but it sure does sound expensive and that's what counts.
I had a good listen last night before I went to sleep (the best time to listen
when you're most relaxed) and this little guy brought about a couple of hair
standing on the back of the neck moments..... The first was listening to Mike
Oldfield "the songs of distant earth" and the second listening to Roger Waters
"pros and cons of hitchhiking"...... On both occasions it was with the contour
switch ON.
To hell with being a purist (flat earth brigade and all that bunkum) this amp
sounds best with contour circuit switched on... there is more weight to the
sound (more body if you like) and at low to moderate listening levels I prefered
it over flat.... at medium to high listening levels I'd listen to it flat as it
may start to run out of steam with contour switched in.
Pretty perverse listening to a portable rig with a pair of ATH W-1000 but
they're the only closed backs I have at the moment (apart from Senn HD=200 and a
pair of Senn PX-200.. both of which I detest) I'll be honest, I'm on holiday and
I want to show the W-1000 off.
Synergy between the W-1000 and Voyager couldn't be better.... the voyager
(contour on) does a VERY good job of dressing the W-1000's in velvet which
really does give you the impression you're listening to a typical "warm"
sounding valve amp.... close your eyes, let the music wash over you.... open
your eyes and ask yourself "is that little thing REALLY producing that sound?"
YES.... it is!
The Voyager seems to get inside the W1000's wooden ear cups and spray a fine
mist of high quality varnish onto them... It enrichens them, it softens them and
it makes them an absolute pleasure to listen to. Think of the W-1000 as a fine
instrument in much the same way as musician considers a fine instrument like a
stradivarius (well.... a silly comparison but they're both made out of wood and
they both play music)
Your average Joe on the street couldn't even pronounce stradivarius let alone
play one.... only a master violinist can get the best out of one of those
puppies... The same holds true with amplifiers / headphones and the old "garbage
in / garbage out" addage holds true..... feed the W-1000 with a shrill sounding
amp and yup, you guessed it, the W-1000 will treat your ear drums to an ear
bleedingly awful battering.... however, feed those beauties with a velvety,
silky, mellifluous amp and, boy, you're in for a treat!
Out of all of my amps I can honestly say the Voyager is my favourite partner to
the W-1000, whether it's because I'm listening with contour setting on or
whatever, I don't care.... to my ears this is what the W-1000 should sound
like... rich, flowing and silky smooth.
You ever enjoyed a nice glass of vintage cognac with a cuban cigar? (nope,
neither have I!) well..... that's what this combo is akin to..... put your feet
up, relax and let the wonderful vibes this combo create take you away into the
land of exotic things.... wonderful!"
edited from
this post at Rockgrotto (click here)
Features
- Fully portable headphone amplifier - long battery life
- Powerful sound
- Pod player size match
- Lightweight - 180 gram (6.5 ounce)
- Street 'phones contour-boost switch
- USB powered for office desk top
- AC adapter for home amp use
- Drives Hi-Fi and Studio headphones
Features explained
The powerful sound from the Voyager portable headphone amplifier gives an average (noticeable) 10dB boost in sound pressure
level above that of most portable players. The Voyager portable headphone
amplifier's fast wideband circuit
assures all the sound quality of the source is delivered to the headphones, even
when used with high performance sources up to studio standards.
It is fully portable, powered by its own replaceable standard issue 9 volt
(MN1604; 6LR61) battery (supplied installed). If left playing into headphones
from a continuously looping music source, the battery can last 50 hours or
longer. Usually however, battery life will last a number of weeks if the power
switch is set to its other positions when not in use, or when being powered by
USB connection or by its AC adapter. It does not recharge the battery - a
rechargeable 9 volt battery does not have the capacity of a disposable 9 volt
battery.
A number of pod type players will sit comfortably on top of the Voyager.
The Voyager is light weight, similar to that of a "classic" pod player.
The street-wear contour switch is designed to improve the tonal range of
street-wear headphones. For use from domestic and studio players using Hi-Fi or
studio headphones, the "flat" position may be found more appropriate.
The Voyager can be used in the office taking its input from line-out sources
like the 3,5mm jack on many computers. While in use at the desk top, it can be
powered by a spare USB cord having a mini AB plug.
The Voyager is supplied with an AC adapter that can power it when used at
home or in the office
Hi-Fi and studio quality stereo headphones can be used with the Voyager. When
using high impedance headphones at home (typically 300 Ohm types and above), it
is best used with high output line-level sources like a CD player, amplifier
line/tape out, or the output of a phono preamplifier, if required to reach high
volumes. A 3,5 to 6,3mm jack plug adapter may be required for some Hi-Fi or
studio headphones. A stereo phono to 3,5mm jack plug, or DIN to 3,5mm jack plug
cable may also be required depending on your home equipment. It will not drive
electrostatic headphones.
Headphones of 16 - 600 Ohms impedance can be used.
Specification
Dimensions: L. 12.5 W. 6.7 H. 2.8 (cm)
Weight: 180 grams approx.
(700 grams with plug top PSU)
Case colour: Black
Case material: ABS and Polyester
Battery life: 50 hours continuous play,
2-3 weeks average usage
Output: 12mW rms into 32 Ohms,
10mW rms into 600 Ohms
Frequency Response:
Flat: 5Hz to 70kHz (-3dB),
Contour: +10dB at 45Hz and 20kHz
Channel Balance: 0.5dB*
Hum & Noise:
-94dB CCIR Q-pk 20Hz-20kHz,
<-100dB "A" curve weighted
Stereo Crosstalk: -52dB
Distortion (THD+Noise):
at 80Hz: 0.03%,
at 1kHz: 0.03%,
at 5.6kHz: 0.05%,
at 16kHz: 0.13%
Power sources:
Battery, 9V (MN1604; 6LR61),
USB 5V via "mini-B" (internal
analogue voltage conversion to 9VDC),
AC/DC mains adapter 12-24V DC,
(polarity protection on each)
* = typical