[justin w.]

I haven't shipped a GS-X mk2 to Norway

 

[Maxvla]

Thanks all for your comments, seems Master 7 is indeed the DAC to go for. The Master 7 thread says it needs 60-90 minutes to warm up from cold start which is a bit long for me, and since it cost twice of the X-Sabre, I would probably wait for more impressions of the X-Sabre to come up, before pulling the trigger.

X-Sabres will be shipping out in about a week for the first run. Should start to see many more impressions in about 2 weeks.

 

[vergefio]

Quote:

I haven't shipped a GS-X mk2 to Norway

 
Justin, I'm in Italy! 
Gs-x s/n 17

 

[justin w.]

Quote:

 
Justin, I'm in Italy

i know - i emailed you

 

[CDWMcInSpots]

Quote:

"It ain't neccessarily so". I've got a (rather) new box here. The LED never lit up, but everything else seems to work as expected. A new LED has been ordered and repair is planned.
 
Edit:
The "box" is not a box from HeadAmp. It's from an other manufacturer.
 
I'm sorry for any confusion I may have caused.

 
Quote:

I haven't shipped a GS-X mk2 to Norway

 
I have appended my post as shown in the quote above, and I don't have any HeadAmp equipment in my gear list.
 
I'm again sorry for any confusion I may have caused.

 

[alota]

Quote:

 
Justin, I'm in Italy! 
Gs-x s/n 17

bella rottura di scatole.

 

[cwtim01]

Thanks Shahrose, clear now.

 

[Rico613]

Quote:

bella rottura di scatole.

LMAO . . .

 

[David1961]

I decided to listen to my HD-600 / GS-Xmk2 and SR-009 / BHSE switching between both by using my source, but this time they'd been on power for a couple of hours. In one of my posts I said the difference wasn't as wide as some might think, but this time the 009 / BHSE was easily better than the 600 / GS-X, but the 600 / GS-X is still very good. I once had the SR-007mk1 / SRM-007t and the HD-600 / GS-X reminds me of that combo, but at the time I had the 007 / 007t my source was the Esoteric x-03se.
 
I've got a pure silver 4 pin XLR custom cable for my HD-600 / GS-X and that cable does a lot to improve the SQ of that combo.

 

[preproman]

It would interesting to see how close the HD800 + GS-X mk2 comes to the 009 + BHSE with the same source.  Not saying you David.  I'm just saying in general.  

 

[purk]

David, you should try the GS-X with the HD800 in a balanced mode.  The HD800 out of my Balanced Gilmore Reference (equivalent to GS-X version 1) was great and a superbly musical combo when I had it. 

 

[verber]

I have been listened to the GS-X mk2 for the last week and find myself very impressed.  Nearly all my listening is using a Lavry DA-11 DAC and HD800 headphones.  I mostly ran fully balanced, but I did do a brief sighted A/B comparison between running the HD800 fully balanced and through a 3 wire 1/4 plug.... honestly, I didn't hear a difference. Source material is mostly loseless 44/16 though I have a few higher resolution tracks.  Musical genre has been a wide range: classical, folk, bluegrass, jazz, rock, electronica.
 
Summary: The GS-X mk2 is the best solid state amplifier I have heard with the HD800 -- this is relying on memory not A/B.  I the past I have had a chance to have extended listening to several great amplifiers which have included B22 fully balanced, Dynahi, Bryston BHA-1, and Apex Arete + Volcano. Lifestyle keeps me away from tubes, but I like the GS-X mk2 better than most tube amplifiers, though there was a modded  Eddie Current SS7 I listened to which I think would give the GS-X mk2 a good challenge. For people who have heard other Dynalo or Dynni amplifiers, I would say that is the same, just better, in every dimension.
 
I have spent the most time comparing it to my Headamp GS-1, but I had a one day "Headamp" fest with Gilmore Lite with ELPAC , Pico Power, GS-1, GS-X original, and a GS-X mk2 in the rack. In other people's reviews I read that there was more of a difference between the Gilmore Lite and the GS-1, than being the GS-1 and the GS-X.  I found this to be the case with the original GS-X, but I found the difference between the GS-1 and the GS-X mk2 to be as dramatic as between the Gilmore Lite and the GS-1.
 
At some point I will try to take the time to work through my notes for specific examples, but for general impressions:
 
Bass: Tight, Controlled, GREAT detail, Good impact. I have heard some people say the HD800 properly amplified has good bass control and tone, but are a bit light in quantity. With the GS-X mk2 there is no issue with quantity.
 
Mid:  Smooth but with great detail. Doesn't have the warming of tubes, but very engaging.
 
Tremble: Better extension that any other amplifier I have heard. Crisp and crystal clear without being shrill. There are several tracks that seemed a bit to bright when listening to the HD800 with other solid state amplifiers. Somehow these tracks are more listenable for me on the GS-X mk2 even though there isn't a roll-off which is damping things down. Don't understand, but I am enjoying it.
 
Sound Stage: Amazing!
 
My "problem" with the GS-X mk2:
 
Between the time I ordered the GS-X last fall and it arriving I switched from having the HD800 being my end-game to SR-009.  The HD800 generally won't be used in my living room, they will do office /  "transportable" duty. I was planning on giving the GS-X mk2 a listen, and then sell it, because it would sit idle in my living room. Now that I have spent a week listening to it, I am not sure I am ready to let it go and am tempted to move it to my office, even though it's overkill there since I mostly work with music being more background than foreground.  I really like how this amplifier and the the HD800 sound.  I am even having second thoughts about the SR-009.  I have been using a friend's for the last two months while he has been in Japan. I was going to send him money to buy my own pair just before he returns, but now I am wondering if the GS-X mk2 + HD800 might be my end-game in view of other things I could spend the money on.  I still think the SR-009/KGSSHV is a step above the GS-X/HD800, but sometimes money is better spent on things that aren't headphone related.
 
--Mark

 

[preproman]

Nice Mark...
 

 

[David1961]

The two headphones I wouldn't mind trying with the GS-Xmk2 are HD-800's and TH-900, but even if I liked them both more than my HD-600's, it would be quite along time before I'd have the spare money to get either. 
The good thing about my GS-Xmk2 as opposed to the BHSE, is I can listened to it straight away, whereas I prefer to leave my BHSE on power for over an hour before I use it, but IMO once warmed up, the BHSE takes some bettering, even with the SR-009's.

 

[purk]

Quote:

The two headphones I wouldn't mind trying with the GS-Xmk2 are HD-800's and TH-900, but even if I liked them both more than my HD-600's, it would be quite along time before I'd have the spare money to get either. 
The good thing about my GS-Xmk2 as opposed to the BHSE, is I can listened to it straight away, whereas I prefer to leave my BHSE on power for over an hour before I use it, but IMO once warmed up, the BHSE takes some bettering, even with the SR-009's.

 
That's my point about the solidstate setup.  I'm a tube guy myself but it isn't maintenance free as SS gears.  Do you need isolation, if not...the HD800 should sound mighty fine with your GS-MKII.