Graham Slee Voyager portable headphone amp
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 high fidelity 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.
Here are what reviewers are saying about the Graham Slee Voyager:
"The GSP Voyager is the best sounding portable headphone amp I've heard to date... ...It's notable for two things; its eerie smoothness across the midband and strong but supple bass. Driven by 'the Hi-Fi World' iPod (Classic, running Apple Lossless) it produced very nice noises indeed, removing at a stroke the iPod's cold, steely, hardness and limp bass response. In its place is a warm, \fulsome and naturally musical sound with nicely detailed treble that's as fluid as it is spacious. In short: it sounds just like a Graham Slee phonostage!" David Price, Hi-Fi World, April 2008
"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.
"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." Rockgrotto Review
The Voyager volume vontrol
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.
Voyager headphone amplifier 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
Voyager 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. Headphones of 16 - 600 Ohms impedance can be used. It will not drive electrostatic headphones.
Voyager headphone amplifier specificationsDimensions: 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, 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
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The Voyager headphone amplifier is designed by Graham
Slee, a real electronics designer specializing in bi-polar technology. Graham
Slee has over 30 years industry experience and has been "behind the scenes" designer in both professional and hi-fi audio, designing and developing a number
of preamps and power amplifiers.
The Voyager is hand built and fully specification tested in England using selected
high quality components to achieve its excellent resolution and sound quality.
