Electric Avenues is one of those small business success stories you love to see in the music industry. The company’s founder was an electrical engineering student who built a small amp to bring along for a four-hour round-trip daily commute.
The goal was to have the headphones sound the same on the bus while headed to school as they did when using a home stereo.
Although having a nice system helped, the tech breakthrough led to the Pocket Amp 1 getting offered to the audio community. It was a handmade product delivered to those who were interested in the same experience.
The lessons learned from the original pocket amp led to the creation of the Electric Avenues PA2V2.
Electric Avenues PA2V2
The Electric Avenues Pocket Amp 2 – Version 2 (PA2V2) is a portable headphone amplifier that improves individual listening experiences. It connects between the source device and the listener’s headphones to make the music louder, crisper, and cleaner in the higher frequencies.
What makes the Electric Avenues PA2V2 such a unique product is its handmade nature. Instead of rolling off of some assembly line, you can have the confidence in knowing that someone put their love and passion into creating the product.
The experience starts with a robust ABS case that withstands the rigors of a long commute or busy environment. It uses an acrylic front panel with transparency to display the circuit board’s high-quality components.
Instead of using glue or cheap fasteners to keep everything in place, the Electric Avenues PA2V2 uses metal screws with threaded locks.
The goal is to give you something that lets you take it apart for a quick fix or upgrade and put it back together again without needing additional assistance.
When you see the quality of the Electric Avenues PA2V2, you’ll know that it was made to give you several years of service. If any of the parts wear out, the design makes it an easily serviceable product.
Every amplifier purchased comes with a no-fault lifetime warranty. You can even transfer that benefit to another party if you decide to sell your PA2V2 one day, although that seems unlikely once you give it a try.
What Are the Technical Specs of the Electric Avenues PA2V2?
When you open up the Electric Avenues PA2V2 to take a look inside, you’ll see that it is based on the LM4881 opamp. It’s built with a traditional and straightforward inverting feedback circuit.
Instead of looking for the cheapest parts possible to increase the company’s profit margins, you’ll see that everything was hand-selected to create the trademark sound character of Electric Avenues.
It’s slightly warmer, with richness in the bass, while the top end shines brightly when your headphones or speakers have the range to support its capabilities.
Here are the published specs for the amplifier to consider if you want a closer look at the Electric Avenues PA2V2.
| Battery Life: | Up to 100 hours, depending on what type you use when operating the amplifier |
| Frequency Response: | From 5 Hz up to 40 kHz |
| SNR (Signal to Noise Ration): | 100 dB |
| Input Capacitors: | 2x 470 uF Panasonic |
| Output Capacitors: | 2x 2,200 uF Panasonic |
| Measurements: | 2.6 x 2.6 x 1.1 inches |
| Resistors: | 1% precision metal film |
| Variable Gain: | 0% to 610% |
Electric Avenues also says that there are several secrets with the PA2V2 that they don’t want to have published.
It operates on two AA batteries, uses a Bourns audio potentiometer, and provides some of the best sounds that you’ll ever hear from an amp with this design.
If you’re tired of listening to subpar music from your favorite playlists while commuting, working, or navigating a long road trip, you’ll want to invest in the Electric Avenues PA2V2 today.
Batteries for the Electric Avenues PA2V2
The Electric Avenues PA2V2 operates on two AA batteries. You’ll want to select rechargeable NiMH 1.2V products to maximize the performance of this unit.
Why select this option for power when so many others are available? The goal of the PA2V2 is to create a long-term investment.
Since AA batteries have been around for decades, there shouldn’t be any issues trying to find them in the future when you need a replacement.
You can use the charging jack to plug it into a USB cable or take advantage of the AC adapter to make the process simple and straightforward. Most people can achieve about 100 hours between charges during typical use.
This design ensures that you can reduce waste while saving money.
If you’re looking for replacement batteries for your PA2V2, I highly recommend using the Energizer 2300 mAh product. They come pre-charged in packs of two, four, or eight so that you can long-lasting power.
You can charge them through 1,000 cycles without noticing significant changes to their output, allowing for up to 4x more use in most products.
The Energizer Recharge Power Plus batteries are also the first ones made with at least 4% recycled components.
You should not use lithium or alkaline batteries with the Electric Avenues PA2V2. You could damage the equipment when using that power source instead of the recommended option.
If you purchase an AC adapter for your amp, the batteries should remain installed even if you’re using power from the receptacle.
You’ll need the charger to supply an output voltage of 3V DC and an output current of 200 mA or higher. It uses a standard 2.5mm male mono plug with a positive barrel and a negative tip.
If you’re charging the batteries while the Electric Avenues PA2V2 is plugged into the wall, you can expect it to take between 12 to 16 hours to get everything topped off.
What Are the Applications of the Electric Avenues PA2V2?
The primary goal of the Electric Avenues PA2V2 is to improve your overall sound quality. When you let it serve as the bridge between your primary device and headphones, the immediate improvements will tickle your ears!
You’ll also find that the Electric Avenues PA2V2 amp delivers a positive outcome with several other applications.
As long as there is an audio line out or a headphone jack to use, this product can go almost anywhere.
Here are some examples to consider if you want to maximize your investment with the Electric Avenues PA2V2.
- It can serve as a preamp between your full-sized home stereo system and a portable player.
- You can install it with your vehicle’s audio components to be the bridge between an AUX input jack and your mobile device.
- It can get used between a television and your headphones or other listening equipment to let you watch shows or movies at night without disturbing other people.
- If you are on an airplane, you could use it to boost the volume levels of your songs or other entertainment mid-flight.
- You can use it to power up to three pairs of headphones simultaneously so that everyone can enjoy the fun.
- It can be part of an on-stage monitoring system to keep performers and musicians in-sync with each other.
You can even use the Electric Avenues PA2V2 to power your speakers when the specs match up. That’s why this product is such a fantastic investment!
You’ll receive the amp in the box with a six-inch audio connection cord and a USB charging cable.
When you’re ready to start making adjustments to the Electric Avenues PA2V2, you’ll find two blue screws behind the volume knob.
These components let you make adjustments to the gain level with each clockwise rotation for increases or counterclockwise for decreases.
If you have full-sized headphones, you can use the product’s medium setting to have a successful result. The higher one is better for products that have impedances above 120 ohms.
The best gain setting on the amp is when the screws are turned in such a way that the main knob for the Electric Avenues PA2V2 can get twisted to full.
That means your music will come out to the point where it would get distorted if the settings went any higher.
By adjusting the screws while listening to your playlist, you can find the perfect spot for your preferences.
Although you can turn the screws all of the way to the full setting, the results are less than optimal if you do.
The Verdict of the Electric Avenues PA2V2
I took the time to order the Electric Avenues PA2V2 and use it in several situations. What I loved about this little amp is that it really is 100% portable. You can take it almost anywhere without worrying about what happens to it.
The cost is quite fair, especially since the units are all handmade. You’ll pay $50 for the amp, and that price includes free worldwide shipping.
You’ll want to make sure that you click on the “Buy Now” button for the PA2V2 and not the AmpliRider, which is the other product offered by Electric Avenues.
You can pay using PayPal or a credit card through that provider without signing up for an account.
Don’t forget about grabbing some batteries! Although you can add them on when ordering the amp, I highly recommend upgrading to the Energizers. They last much longer, provide a faster recharge, and deliver more consistent results.
I found the listening results to be as advertised. My preferred headphones are the Bose QuietComfort 35 II, which delivers three noise reduction levels to improve the listening experience.
When you add the amp to the wired connection, you won’t believe the sounds that come through with each song.
Since you can personalize the headphone settings while tinkering with the EQ from the amp, the entire experience feels like you spent thousands on your setup instead of less than $1,000 overall.
If you want to hear more depth and clarity in your music, I highly recommend trying the Electric Avenues PA2V2.
When you want to maximize the output from that amp, grab the Bose QC 35 II headphones for a luxurious listening experience!