Elekit TU-HP03

Preface:
1. I've sold my Andromeda and major IEMs for quite some time. I was mostly just listening to the TU8600 and HD650 mod. I'm back in the game for not too long. Now all I have is a pair of LS200i I just got from Shotgunshane. I find the LS200 a bloody awesome IEM with a super typical Audio Technica Japan-Fi signature. A lot of things are by memories. I should also note that the LS200 is not a most sensitive IEM.
2. The TU-HP03 is a loaner unit from Victor Kung, the North American distributor of Elekit. I've got to keep it for about two weeks. So far I don't get incentives from reviewing this unit. In fact he asked me if I can write something somewhere just this afternoon. And hell yeah why not. So here we go.
3. The TU-HP03 is op-amp roll-able. I decided to just use the stock op-amp.
4. It's about some 250US on Amazon Japan.

I'd like to keep things short.

- This thing is nearly as big as an iPhone 8 and as thick as a pack of cigarettes. 4 AA batteries and it's got some weight. Sharp looks. The lack of USB charging seems to be rather inconvenient, as any major portable amp which comes to mind has USB charging. I haven't noticed any major issues with too short running time. High/low gain switch is always a good thing. I have no idea of its output impedance (Andromeda users be aware).



- Sounds clean and clear. Quiet. On high gain with LS200i fed by Sony A35, the sound is significantly bigger and more energetic & powerful (not nearly as powerful as say, a Mjolnir 2 driving HD650). Not brutal power.
- I felt the power was refined, delivering pretty awesome layering, detail extraction, and separation.
- This is a somewhat revealing amp. The worst kind of recordings would be problematic. Half-decent recordings may be fine.
- The LS200 is already a pretty holographic IEM, and the TU-HP03 added a bit more depth and width to it.
- Maybe a tad too bright. I donno about the tube or opamp, maybe you can adjust? As per VK, the tube doesn't seem to have settled.
- The very low end is lacking in texture. Therefore, basshead should look somewhere else.
- A tad of tubeness, but not overly so. The tubeness may manifest in a somehow rounded timbre presentation and reverb (if this statement makes any sense).
- Much more disposable power than the ALO Rx (by distant memories). With LS200 the knob comfortably sits at no more than 10 o'clock.
- Not much plankton to speak of with this set up. In fact, unless we are talking about the very best of IEMs by SBAF standards, I don't think there are much plankton to speak of.

At this price point I can't find any other portable tube amp. It sonics compare favourably against rather typical unrefined Chi-Fi sound signatures commonly found in this price range. I think people with rather harder to drive IEMs can have one more choice.