This amp is reasonably priced and produces rich tones. Its size is so tiny, making portability a breeze.
The
Firestone Audio Cute Beyond has a name that says it all: it’s cute, and it will
definitely exceed your expectations.
Don’t be fooled by its petite size.
We heard this little headphone amp is capable of significantly improving the
sound quality of a variety of headphones, and thanks to www.HeadAudio.dk (who was gracious enough to send us this neat little product), we were able to test it out for ourselves.
The
Cute Beyond is the newest and final addition to the Cute family of headphone
amplifiers, which also includes the Cute Battery and Cute Encore. This unique Firestone line is notable for its
reasonable prices. Sure, $300 isn’t
pocket change, but for the quality and design implemented into an amp such as
the Cute Beyond, $300 is a very acceptable price.
This
model is a class A headphone amp, designed to work favorably with varying load
impedances. You can use a wide variety
of headphones with the Cute Beyond: anything from the Etymotic ER4P(27 ohm) to
the AKG K240 DF (600 ohm). With OPA2227
as its main amplifier, you’ll experience nice, full-bodied sound and dynamic
transients.
Before
even removing the amp from its packaging, you’ll notice the effort and quality
that went into every aspect of it, from presentation to performance. For a headphone amp in this price range, we
were surprised to see how much effort went into the packaging of the product
alone. Even its manual was impressive, introducing
Cute Beyond owners to their newly purchased product’s functions in simple and
elegant form.
Don’t
expect cheap construction because the price is so reasonable. The Firestone Cute Beyond is built like a
tank. Its main frame is manufactured
with solid aluminum chassis and its face plate is made from anodized aluminum
which comes in different colors like gray, red, violet, or blue.
Listening
to music through the funky little Cute Beyond was nothing short of truly
enjoyable. The bass is very balanced and
deep. I have to admit that my HD-650s
were singing.
I’m
not saying its performance is exactly on par with the $1000 headphone amps out
there, but what I am saying is that you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the
quality you’ll get from an amp that costs a fraction of the price of comparable
models. And though the Firestone Cute
Beyond won’t overtake much space on your equipment table, it will take up a big
part of your heart.
You can purchase the Firestone Audio Cute Beyond here.
Matej Isak
mi@sgn.net
The Verdict