Small enough to carry on a keyring, the super-simple Fireye Mini from Firestone Audio (who brought you the ILTW high-rez DAC Geoff Morrison reviewed this week) packs enough punch to power your portable phones. When Brent Butterworth examined miniature headphone amps in December, he commented that the Mini "reminded [him] of some of the old tube amps I’ve owned, with the same fat, satisfying sound." So if you're in need of more power for your new headphones, the Mini's well worth considering — especially, of course, if you can get one gratis.
Firestone Audio have given us a Fireye Mini to give to a lucky reader, so one of these solid, easy-to-use performers can be yours — and as usual all you'll have to do to qualify to win is share your thoughts with us. This one comes to us in a lovely white finish, suitable for any wardrobe or keyring.
This week's topic: How big a percentage of your listening time is spent with headphones, as opposed to speakers? Are you listening to headphones on the go, at home, or are you doing both? And has this mix changed over the past few years? No need to address all of these points, but clue us in to your changing headphone listening habits and how they've changed over time.
The winner will be chosen randomly from among those who leave on-topic comments. You will have to register, however — no anonymous commenters, we need a valid e-mail contact address to inform you of your win. We'll take entries until midnight (Eastern Time), on Wednesday, February 22nd, and notify the winner via e-mail by Friday, February 24th.
Best of luck!
I do not use cans
Headphones probably account for more than half my listening time. That is probably a bit more than five years ago, as my family has decided they don't like my audio choices....
I haven't listened using headphones in over a year. I used to use headphones when I had a full-time job. At home I use speakers.
Headphones account for probably 60% of my listening time. Most of which is done at work with my NuForce HDP and various headphone models depending on the music. I rarely listen on-the-go and sometimes at home. This has increased since a year ago since discovering quality headphones and amps.
I can use a set when i take a walk
Almost all of my music listening occurs at work with headphones on. I really do enjoy my large setup at home, but I just to have the opportunity to listen to it that often. In the car I only listen to NPR.
Being in the transportation industry, I'm listening to my earphones on the road (actually a plane) about 90% of the time versus speakers at home. That percentage has been pretty steady over the past few years. I am looking forward to getting some headphones for my high rez tracks I down loaded lately to use at home. Keep up the timely reviews!
I listen to music about 70% of the time through headphones and mostly at home. I used to listen to most of my in my truck as I had what I like to believe was a nice system. Started listening through my home theater speakers and the progressed to headphones.
Looks great. I like the small size. I bet it will make a big improvement over my laptop's sound card.
I have listened to headphones and ear buds on and off ever since the first Walkman came on the scene. I much prefer the sound of my home theater speakers whether for movies or music, but for the past year and a half, I've been listening to my iPhone on ear buds as I go for my daily 5-mile brisk walk with my Ski-Walking sticks. So I suppose I listen to the wide variety of music I have on my phone about 80% of the time I listen to anything. I've tried various buds and small phones, but they always seem to be wanting something. I can get them loud, but pain is not music. I tried some noise-cancelling ones, but I had a near-miss with a quiet car so I had to ditch them. Walking for health is great but it should not preclude enjoying some PDQ Bach, Rockapella, Chanticleer, or Doc Severinsen. Cheers! (from my iPhone Nike+GPS no less)
would be fun to try
Most headphone use for me is while exercising.
I being using headphone since the first time that I try one set, I use then every day to play music in my computer (AKG K-240) but now I have one Android (Galaxy II S) phone and he do not go well with high impedance earphones , maybe this amp can help.
I have a pretty even mix of headphones & speakers. Of course on the go headphones, but I also listen to an hour or so of music on the headphones to relax before bed. Having some health issues that makes sleeping a fight every night, the music helps to relax me. Then during the day I listen to my Squeezebox Touch thru the main rig. If I had to give an approximation I'd say 60% speakers and 40% headphones.
I listen occasionally when I need to travel using public transportation in NYC. Maybe couple hours a week in total. Makes the time on the train a lot easier. At home and at work it's all speakers.
When I was younger...a child of the 70s and 80s I used speakers almost exclusively. The Bigger the Better! Then of course, with technology and design the speakers got smaller. Despite the beauty of these new speakers, I found that I started using headphones alot more. First with the old Walman when I went out and then thru all of musics evolutions I stuck with headphones and still use them to this day. I am however, falling back in love with the joy of speakers, little by little. Of couse as far as a party goes..it is speakers all the way.
I've been an avid headphone user since about the age of ten. My uncle brought something special to our house one weekend: a copy of "Dark Side of the Moon," two pairs of headphones and a Y- adapter. "This really is something you want to listen to on headphones," he said, or something like that. And he was right. Headphones captured my attention in a way speakers never had. The stereo image was always perfect, no matter where or how I sat. I became a devotee, an enthusiast, a convert, right there on the spot. Soon I had a good set of phones and my own basic stereo system, and from that point listening carefully to my favorite LPs over headphones became the thing that consumed most of my evenings for quite a few years.
Later in life I had more money to spend on gear, and became the head of my own household, so my headphone fascination did recede for a while. But when marriage and a family was added to the scene, headphones became an important tool to let me continue enjoying music while not disturbing others. That's pretty much been the standard for me in the present day. I have an iPod and a small collection of good in-ear monitors, but I also have Sennheiser HD424s and an old amp at bedside. I do own speakers, but 90% of my listening now is private, in that uniquely personal electro-acoustic domain that only extends across my head from one ear to the next.
I have been using headphones all my life, as a kid listening to a mono in-ear bud on my AM radio at night, in HS I had headphones from a Helicopter pilot, those large heavy grey ones you still see in every shot of a helo pilot, later when I had a recording arts and sound reinforcement/DJ company I spent all my time with headphones one, some great, many not so much. Now I wear wireless wraparound headphones when I walk, as well as to take calls on my cell phone, they almost act like ear warmers in the winter but are a little too hot for summer, I have two good pairs I used in my project studio, but the sound is a little imperfect, perhaps tinny for my tastes even as others say they sound fine to them. When I listen to music it's mostly with headphones too because I live in an apartment with thin wall.
So I guess I use headphones all the time, Sometimes for pleasure, sometimes for hobbies and for work, as well as for exercises. I guess if you want to communicate with me you better plan on doing it over a set of headphones!
I use earphones about 25% of the time, but with a small amp like this it would be more like 75%
I listen 3 hours/day with headphones while riding my commuter bus to/from work.
The split for me is probably 50% through headphones at work (CDs, Pandora), 25% in my car (mostly satellite radio, some CDs, no headphones), and 25% at home (hi-rez downloads, good equipment/speakers, no headphones).
I need headphone amps for work!!!!!
Current use of cans? About nil. In another lifetime, they were a tool of the trade: radio DJ. If luck has it, this Firestone would go to The Boy, our prime consumer of portable audio.
Used to listen to headphones every night when first married as my wife thought disco had value while I would listen to Megadeth, Johnny Winter and so on. Now that the kids are teenagers I usually spend all of my time running them around when not working or sleeping. We'll always listen through speakers while in the car. My son has exceptional taste in music while my daughter not so much (must be a female thing). The kids did give me an Ipod and high end pair of headphones to listen to while flying but that would only equal about 10% of my total listening time. I think I'm going to go dig out the old Sennheisers and take the home system for a ride.
I really enjoy my speakers, approx 80%;20% for headphones. Seems like I have more freedom of thought while using the speakers...the sound just amplifies around my space better. I employ the headphones at times in my auto and more at home for certain types of music with lots of brass involved--I like the high of the brass on the headphones and the quality of the "zing" in it....only problem the headphones need " a zingy juice up" and I can't get that as compared to my home speakers.
Overall nothing is as good as superb speakers for me and the speakers can be a work of art and a conversation piece as I have found out by accident in comments from guests to my abode.. I have many friends who visit me and we "group listen" to the insanely dynamic speakers I have...sorry won't name brand name here for now.
I spend a lot of time searching through Youtube for music to post for a group that I have started on Facebook and I find that headphones provide for better audio quality.I listen through a great pair of ear covering phones,they sound good to me but it could be better I suppose.The group on Facebook is Music Appreciation 101.Everyone is invited to check it out.We're a friendly group.
I mostly listen to my speakers. I use a headphone about 20 percent of the time.
My main speaker is the headphone since I don't have audio system
I mostly use headphones since im constantly working.
I own Grado SR80i's and they are fantastic sounding but any phones will sound better with an amp when listening from a laptop. I could really use this Firestone amp.
I would LOVE to find out the difference a headphone amp would make to the listening experience. Could it really be all that much? Or is the quality of the headphone the primary determinant of a quality listening experience? Hmmmmmmmmmm.
Not to much headphone listening for me.... Yet. Have been thinking of investing in a good set and I can see this amp expanding the experience furher.
50-50 headphones. On the go and at home.
My listening used to be about half and half, headphones and speakers. I used headphones so that I could move around and listen anywhere without the limited sweet spot of my speakers. Recently we have moved from a house to a condo and my listening is now about 95% headphones for the above reason and so that I don't disturb neighbors.
I use about 5% headphones but with the amp I would probably go to 50%. Could use it with my Xoom.
I don't listen with headphones, but my kids do. They listen to headphones both on the go and at home. I don't think this has changed much over the past few years.
100% of my listening is on headphones for the last 5 years or so. i work from home and use a computer and a laptop as my sources since I cannot setup speakers properly in my layout and I couldn't play them either way since I'm working mainly from 6pm until 6am so i do everything on headphones. I could probably use this on the laptop.
I see that would be great for person like me who have sone hearing lost
I listen to headphones in the evening and late night so to not disturb anyone in the household and I use them on trips when I am a passenger, I am really curious to try a headphone amp.
Probably 20% to 30% of my listening is via headphones, almost exclusively while commuting. The rest of the time, my wife seems to prefer to be able to get my attention without waving in front of my face.
I would say 50/50, it depends on what I'm doing & if I have available a decent pair of headphones or earphones!
Of course I prefer 5.1 audio thru the main home system, however after the wife goes to bed it is headphone time. I like that though because I can turn it up as loud as I want. I'm hoping that the Fireye amp will improve the quality at higher volumes.
I almost never use headphones. I have a fantastic surround sound in the living room, a Bose in the bedroom and no use for them in the car. :)
I almost never use headphones. I never found any that were truly secure and comfortable.
working offshore I need to consolidate my noise.Let me jam out with my phones of choice.Let this mini amp do the knockin`.
Small size, big sound, great combo!
i use headphones more than half the time
I use noise-cancelling earbuds only when I'm walking around (especially by noisy roads), or have to wait with a bunch of people without annoying them (like in a doctor's waiting room). That means using the cans only a few times a month. Otherwise, it's the home speaker system all the way!
I'm an audiophile at heart but due to budgetary constraints over the past few years the only mode of audio nirvana that I can afford is headphones. Headphones are actually fantastic for listening to music, except when you have people over...then not so much.
I'm an audiophile at heart but due to budgetary constraints over the past few years the only mode of audio nirvana that I can afford is headphones. Headphones are actually fantastic for listening to music, except when you have people over...then not so much.