Impressions - HeadAmp GS-X
May 15, 2007 at 8:01 PM Post #31 of 67
Quote:

Originally Posted by warubozu /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Thanks for posting your impressions, look foward to reading more as time progresses. What gain setting are you currently using?


High, for my K701. That's all I've been using lately.

UPDATED IMPRESSIONS - 38 HOURS

OMG I LOVE THIS AMP!!!!!!

There's no question about it, my old favorite the GS-1 has been dethroned! The GS-X destroys it into little pieces and sweeps those pieces into the closet of old and battered remnants of war-ravaged electronics!

It has a quality that creeps up behind you, sneaking about like a thief, but then it grabs you from behind, and then you turn around and it's a hot sexy woman! (or conversely a man, if you're a female)

The space, the detail, it's captivating and thrilling!

THE SONICS ARE THE BEST I'VE EVER HEARD! THE BEST! NOTHING ELSE COMES CLOSE, NOTHING!

/begins planning the GS-1 giveaway
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May 15, 2007 at 8:29 PM Post #32 of 67
And the bad thing is the fact that I cannot squeeze out another $800.00!
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Nevertheless, please keep up posted!!!
 
May 16, 2007 at 8:33 PM Post #37 of 67
UPDATED IMPRESSIONS - 62 HOURS
hours corrected on this post and the last one, I forgot to include the hours I left the amp on unattended burn-in!

As quickly as the love began, almost as quickly it's disappeared.

The GS-X is still without a doubt THE most technically adept amp I've heard to date. It blows me out of my mind what Justin has accomplished with it - the sound is so incredibly open & clear, fast & articulate, super-detailed, all that stuff. Surreal soundstage depth, it feels like it could plumb into the Marianas Trench if it wanted to. It not only has depth, it has incredible width and throwback ability - it splits apart the performers so they really sound 3D. It has the single most amazing L/R tracking you could possibly imagine - there's SO MUCH and well-defined distance between performers it's truly horizontal and doesn't sound compacted at all. Bass is wholly integrated with the frequency spectrum so it sounds REAL and as if it's coming from an instrument.

The level of performance here is a GIANT leap over the GS-1. Never before in my dreams did I imagine the GS-X would perform at this level. However, at the same time I have indeed discovered a few "flaws" with it - not that I'd call them flaws per se though, but they're definitely points that bear pointing out for those considering this amp. Definite potential negatives depending on sonic preferences. Not that the amp is bad, but I feel like everyone should know what they'd get into with the ultimate HeadAmp/Gilmore sound.

The reason for the sinking of the lovefest is because while I absolutely love the GS-X's sonics, they don't exactly mesh well with the CD33's for a sound that really aligns with my preferences. Music is sounding boring and not very involving - loads of detail, a speaker-like soundstage, and that's all well and good, but without intimate musicality, it's all for nothing. I want a sound that makes me feel a sample of the emotion. True the AD2000 does this on its own, and I'm grateful for that, but I need better meshing with the K701 for a more enjoyable sound, not this technical whiz-bang. So sad to say, I'm seriously giving thought to replacing the CD33 for a source that will give me the sound I want. I have the amp that gives me the sound I want, but not exactly the source.
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I'll be posting a full in-depth lengthy review of the GS-X within the next couple weeks - some time to burn-in, but I don't think burn-in would really be an issue on a discrete solid-state.
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My time-to-review has very much accelerated with the CD33 in place and also due to the fact I can easily compare to the GS-1, my former reference.
 
May 16, 2007 at 9:47 PM Post #39 of 67
I'm sitting here reading through Asr's glowing description of how the GS-X destroys the GS-1 into little pieces, which thoroughly floors me since I'm still waiting for my GS-1 to be delivered! I had asked this question once before, so here it goes again -- did I make a big mistake buying a GS-1 (I will be using the K701s)? Surely there are many head-fiers who have very good things to say as to how well the GS-1 and K701s work together. I could certainly cancel my order and just get the GS-X or should I first try out the GS-1?
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May 16, 2007 at 9:50 PM Post #40 of 67
It's never a mistake. How can it be when the GS-X is double the priceo f the GS-1?
 
May 17, 2007 at 12:26 AM Post #41 of 67
Asr, if you're serious about parting with the GS-1, drop me a PM with your price. I'm in need of a good SS amp for a bedroom setup. Wish it were silver but hey....if the price is right, I can live with the black.
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May 23, 2007 at 5:58 AM Post #42 of 67
Heh, I was just kidding about the GS-1 giveaway of course. And I don't see myself parting with it right now either.
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UPDATED IMPRESSIONS - 100 HOURS

I actually got a chance to try the GS-X in fully balanced mode today! I took the amp to a local dealer to help me audition another CD player, the Primare CD31, and all it took was a request for some XLR interconnects so I could hook up the GS-X in XLR, and using my Mogami-balanced K701!

While my impressions of that CDP are relatively ambivalent, I got a much better handle of what the GS-X is capable of, and to put it as short as possible:

I LOVE THE GS-X!!!!!!!!!

This amp is first-class without a doubt! I think it was exposing flaws in the CDP in fact. Its raw resolution abilities are incoherently, unbelievably, reach-for-the-stars amazing! It can spring forth detail like a fountain and make things pour out upon you and you don't even realize they're there until you pay attention.

The amp is extremely transparent too - it took on a different character with the Primare CDP and had left wondering: "is this the same amp?! I can't believe this is the same amp!"

I tip my hat - nay, BOW DOWN to the GS-X. This amp is beyond awesome in balanced! And I've gotta say too, you've gotta be extremely careful what kind of source you're pairing it with, because it will ruthlessly reveal it, for good or bad.
 
May 23, 2007 at 8:10 AM Post #43 of 67
Quote:

Originally Posted by Asr /img/forum/go_quote.gif
I think it was exposing flaws in the CDP in fact.


When I do 'critical listening' to assess how good a piece of equipment is I use vinyl, because we know that Red Book CDs have a specification (bit depth and sample rate) that is a bit tight for high quality reproduction. Also, using an analogue source removes the imponderables of conversion between analogue and digital, especially in the case of a source that was recorded by analogue methods all the way back to the microphones.

In my set-up I consider that vinyl is my best source, followed by the SACDs.
 
May 24, 2007 at 3:08 AM Post #44 of 67
Quote:

Originally Posted by Asr /img/forum/go_quote.gif

Heh, I was just kidding about the GS-1 giveaway of course. And I don't see myself parting with it right now either.
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And there I was with my hopes up and everything.....
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