According to Enleum, their HPA-23RM does well into the Dan Clark Audio planarmagnetic Stealth and Expanse and they successfully tested also the ZMF Caldera ortho. That's valuable intel when I had none of those. Once my amp sample landed in Dublin awaiting clearance, Soo In recalled it for a last-minute parts change. Given the many delays across our lengthy story arc, one more was par for this course. Enleum are a small company with limited human resources. Things take their time even if that messes with review schedules. Against the firm's track record, patience simply promised to be well rewarded. By mid August my replacement unit had boarded its FedEx plane in Seoul. Magic in the air? For playtime on a single charge, the final specs promise up to 5 hours on the 3.5mm 0.5wpc/30Ω voltage output, up to 3 hours on the 1wpc 6.3mm current output. Continuous play obviously needs the USB C charger; or a bigger outboard battery pack from the smartphone sector. For pure mobile use, potential buyers could feel just a bit short-changed on time? Maximize it with the voltage output; headphones of high sensitivity; and lower playback levels. It's when the HPA-23RM is on not off the USB C leash that endless play and heavier loads beckon. That's the inherent compromise in an AMP-23R that was miniaturized so much as to only take two batteries. With build quality, power and size non-negotiable, the thing that had to give was mobile playtime. It's really common sense like very little trunk space in a two-door roadster with an enormous engine.

How big is small? Looking for relatable size comparators, Ivette's library scared up a paperback, our Volvo a rarely used Samsung smartphone to bracket the Enleum parked belly forward. Two business cards and my wrist watch complete this circus; as do Final's D8000 headphones.

For instant sound…

… the 23RM had just enough clearance to park atop my desktop's AMP-23R. A spare USB C-to-A cable drew power through the HP monitor screen whilst a Zu Event RCA cable forwarded signal from a legacy Auralic Vega DAC. In low gain off the current port, the Final wanted 11:00 on the throttle to generate my usual SPL. I had headroom to spare. Three white LED showed I had endless battery power to boot. Time to hibernate with some tunes. If you were in vain looking for a power switch, at zero the fully recessed volume knob doubles as mains switch.

As befits a slim arse, the assets 'round back are sparse: a 3.5 stereo mini, a pair of standard RCA and the charger port.