[purrin]

   
Sorry dude, Yeah - it's a load of crap - period.  Even the lessor amps of all kinds are not exaggerated upon like that.  That was over exaggerated as over exaggerated can get.  
 
The HE-6 with the GS-X mk2 was a pretty good match for a headphone amp - not the best by far, but not as bad as some would make it seem.
 
It seems to be some kind of product bias, some kind of clique.  Oh It must be those kung fu people..

 
Never heard GSX2 with HE6. But yeah. GSX2 with HD800 was horrible. Unlistenable treble with [Mod Edit: *cough*] bass. I mean how the fugk you can any amp make an MSB Analog DAC sound so unanalog? I know a local guy here who had a GSX2 briefly and promptly got rid of it. "overrated" he said. Ultimately, just not my kind of sound. But I'm sure many like the antiseptic.
 
Funny you mention product bias or some kind of clique. That's been said about people who like the GSX. Goes both ways I guess. Like with placebo there is always nocebo.

 

[magiccabbage]

   
Never heard GSX2 with HE6. But yeah. GSX2 with HD800 was horrible. Unlistenable treble with limp dick bass.

Thats funny because I heard the complete opposite from others. In fact greed who had both amps said that the GSX had more slam than the Stratus. 
 
Macedonian hero and DG have all said that the GSX has great bass. 
 
I have never heard anyone say it was "limp dick" just transparent but I haven't heard it myself

 

[paradoxper]

Maybe that's how gear sounds at meets. Not a great way to judge.

 

[magiccabbage]

  Maybe that's how gear sounds at meets. Not a great way to judge.

maybe they just don't like the amp - which is fine. Most people love it. 

 

[paradoxper]

  maybe they just don't like the amp - which is fine. Most people love it. 

Whether or not they ultimately like it or not isn't the point. It's more about did they get enough of it in that time or in that environment. 

 

[ultrabike]

Quote:

  Maybe that's how gear sounds at meets. Not a great way to judge.

 
Heard the "meet impressions" excuse before. The issues with this paring were not subtle. Again, HD800 + GSX2 should not be mixed IMO.

 

[paradoxper]

  Quote:
 
Heard the "meet impressions" excuse before. The issues with this paring were not subtle. Again, HD800 + GSX2 should not be mixed IMO.

I think it is a valid point. I know having one on one time with gear has brought about different experiences/findings compared to squirt type exposure. 

 

[purrin]

  maybe they just don't like the amp - which is fine. Most people love it. 

 
Yup. Lots of people like it. Just saying I don't like it with the HD800. I don't deny it's "transparent" or very clear sounding and resolving. I already stated that.
 
I mean if the GSX is go great, why did prepoman sell it and replace it with a cheap ass Master 7.3.1415926 from Audio-GD?

 

[Greed]

  Thats funny because I heard the complete opposite from others. In fact greed who had both amps said that the GSX had more slam than the Stratus. 
 
Macedonian hero and DG have all said that the GSX has great bass. 
 
I have never heard anyone say it was "limp dick" just transparent but I haven't heard it myself

 
It depends on what your definition of slam is. The control.. taughtness of the GS-X mk2 pairs nice with cans that have more bloom (i.e LCD-3, HE-500, etc.). With the HD800, none of that is needed. In fact, the bass sounds anemic and lacks authority. I've never professed to like the GS-X mk2 with the HD800, actually I've said many times that amp does not pair well even with the smoothest DACs I've heard. The Stratus in a sense does have more slam when talking about presence and weight. 
 
The GS-X mk2 is a nice amp with certain headphones. Would I buy one again after seeing the light and what the rest of the price range has to offer? Doubtful. Put it this way, build quality = excellent, sound quality = mediocre (can be good with certain rigs/headphones).

 

[purrin]

  I think it is a valid point. I know having one on one time with gear has brought about different experiences/findings compared to squirt type exposure. 

 
Never ever happened to me as long as I knew the recordings being used and how the source (DAC) sounded like. If I don't know the source, recordings, and headphones, I won't comment or say inconclusive. Wasn't one meet by the way. More like four or five meets. Lots of them down in SoCal these days. Both public and private.

 

[ultrabike]

  I think it is a valid point. I know having one on one time with gear has brought about different experiences/findings compared to squirt type exposure. 

 
For minor and subtle differences and /or when not having a reference this is probably very true. When you have a point of reference and when the differences are not so subtle, the point looses ground IMO.
 
Also not the first time hearing an HD-800. Heard it already through quite a few different sources. Purrin heard quite a few more.

 

[paradoxper]

   
Never ever happened to me as long as I knew the recordings being used and how the source (DAC) sounded like. If I don't know the source, recordings, and headphones, I won't comment or say inconclusive. Wasn't one meet by the way. More like four or five meets. Lots of them down in SoCal these days. Both public and private.

That's in part what wasn't so clear initially. I know you've mentioned in the past how you didn't care for the GS-X and I know
you've mentioned before hearing it more than once. But still, it wasn't clear how much of a shot you gave it or the associated gear
you heard it on. You cleared up those uncertainties.

 

[purrin]

   
It depends on what your definition of slam is. The control.. taughtness of the GS-X mk2 pairs nice with cans that have more bloom (i.e LCD-3, HE-500, etc.). With the HD800, none of that is needed. In fact, the bass sounds anemic and lacks authority. I've never professed to like the GS-X mk2 with the HD800, actually I've said many times that amp does not pair well even with the smoothest DACs I've heard. The Stratus in a sense does have more slam when talking about presence and weight. 
 
The GS-X mk2 is a nice amp with certain headphones. Would I buy one again after seeing the light and what the rest of the price range has to offer? Doubtful. Put it this way, build quality = excellent, sound quality = mediocre (can be good with certain rigs/headphones).

 
I love how you explain things - you are so much more diplomatic and gracious than I. Greed now speaks for me. I refuse to speak any more on the topic of GSX2, unless I am baited.

 

[magiccabbage]

   
 I've never professed to like the GS-X mk2 with the HD800, actually I've said many times that amp does not pair well even with the smoothest DACs I've heard. . 
 
 

Didn't you buy it twice? Maybe you were using it with other headphones? 

 

[Greed]

  Didn't you buy it twice? Maybe you were using it with other headphones? 

 
I did, but that was purely for cosmetic craziness. Once you go black you never come back.