AshKIN A SIGN that no audio company is immune to the temptations of the portable audio category, Sony has released the PHA-1, a portable headphone amplifier that supports 3.5mm analogue sources, offers PC or Mac connectivity via USB, and also supports iPad, iPod and iPhone.
At 67 x 26 x 130 mm (w x h x d) and 220 grams, the PHA-1 is a compact device that’s designed to provide go-anywhere high quality audio playback. It’s powered by a built in rechargeable Li-Ion battery pack that provides up to 10 hours of playback from analogue sources and five hours from digital sources.
The PHA-1 offers asynchronous Transfer Mode to reduce jitter, and a high quality DAC capable of 96 kHz/24 bit resolution. The PHA-1’s analogue and digital sections are isolated from each other to reduce internal noise and interference, while top components are used throughout to ensure maximum audio quality. There’s even adjustable gain to cover a wide range of headphones.
Our review unit arrived today, we’ll try to get the review written and loaded soon for all you head-fi addicts.
The RRP is $599 and the PHA-1 is available now from Sony stores or online.
