[Charente]

It certainly looks very nice but what does the Golden Reference do exactly? Like will it give more power for hard to drive cans like the HE6 or other planars?

The power output is still 1.5 watts ... my brief impressions earlier in the thread may help ...

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/gilmore-lite-amp-owners-unite.478785/post-16032870

 

[Svperstar]

I think that many listeners hold power conditioners in high regard. The cool part about this product category (...and power components in general) is that once you have something, you don't replace it as often as DACs, amps, speakers or cans. May your power conditioner serve you well for another 20 years then

I finally got some smart plugs, I realize they are old news but I didn't get around too it. Anyway I have my power conditioner plugged in, with my smartphone I can turn off my entire setup. Can even set off and on times, its pretty neat. I have two bedroom lamps set to turn on at 8 am automatically and they turn off at 8:20 am since I am out of my place by then.

 

[crazywipe]

I can add that I am absolutely floored about how good this amp sound with the Sennheiser 6xx. It has a combination of: punchyness, PRaT/speed, resolution, vividness, euphonic sound, than I am running out of adjectives.
Compared to my Aune x7s that I own, It is apparent that the latter sound is kinda slightly veiled/laidback, less resolving, with less punchy in the bass. A little bland and boring.

Aune x7s Sinad: 117; Gilmore Sinad: 87
Funny thing, from an online review: "The Gilmore lite mk2 unit is a loss". The Aune x7s was reviewed as solid enginereed with good sound.

The aune x7s is on sale

 

[Charente]

Just goes to show that 'numbers' aren't everything. Great to hear you're enjoying the GL2 with your ears ... the best measuring devices !

 

[crazywipe]

Just goes to show that 'numbers' aren't everything. Great to hear you're enjoying the GL2 with your ears ... the best measuring devices !

I can only say that I am tempted to try the Focal Clear with the Gilmore, but I can't take the 6xx off of my head!
Never enjoyed an amp so much. 100% happy

 

[iFi audio]

I finally got some smart plugs, I realize they are old news but I didn't get around too it. Anyway I have my power conditioner plugged in, with my smartphone I can turn off my entire setup. Can even set off and on times, its pretty neat. I have two bedroom lamps set to turn on at 8 am automatically and they turn off at 8:20 am since I am out of my place by then.

I have the same device with some home appliance and works wonders. Not on audio products though

 

[ShenaRingo326]

I can add that I am absolutely floored about how good this amp sound with the Sennheiser 6xx. It has a combination of: punchyness, PRaT/speed, resolution, vividness, euphonic sound, than I am running out of adjectives.
Compared to my Aune x7s that I own, It is apparent that the latter sound is kinda slightly veiled/laidback, less resolving, with less punchy in the bass. A little bland and boring.

Aune x7s Sinad: 117; Gilmore Sinad: 87
Funny thing, from an online review: "The Gilmore lite mk2 unit is a loss". The Aune x7s was reviewed as solid enginereed with good sound.

The aune x7s is on sale

i've got a similar setup with hd600 and dca aeon 2 open as my main headphones on this rig.. sourced from a bifrost2, i find that I need to EQ the bass down a bit on the a2o, but the the hd600's are good as is

since this is headfi.. i'm tempted to try out an OTL amp at some point to see how diff the hd600 can sound

 

[Svperstar]

Just for fun I got the Golden Reference Power Supply(GRPS) for the Gilmore Lite mk2. I got the mk2 in like late 2019 I think? Whenever it was still pretty new.

The "basic" power supply is 1/4 of an AMP, according to HeadAmp the GRPS is 1.2 amps.

Anyway. I am in the office working and listening on my Sennheiser HD6XX, I turned up my mk2 as loud as it would go then turned down the volume on YouTube and compared some tracks I have heard a ton. I would pause the song, turn off the mk2 and swap between the "basic" power supply and the GRPS and hit play without touching the volume knob.

I realize this is far from scientific but to my ears the bass sounds louder with the GRPS hooked up. I wish I had a crazy power hungry headphone to compare. The Gilmore Lite was specifically designed for 300 ohm loads IIRC I could be wrong about that.

 

[jonathan c]

Just for fun I got the Golden Reference Power Supply(GRPS) for the Gilmore Lite mk2. I got the mk2 in like late 2019 I think? Whenever it was still pretty new.

The "basic" power supply is 1/4 of an AMP, according to HeadAmp the GRPS is 1.2 amps.

Anyway. I am in the office working and listening on my Sennheiser HD6XX, I turned up my mk2 as loud as it would go then turned down the volume on YouTube and compared some tracks I have heard a ton. I would pause the song, turn off the mk2 and swap between the "basic" power supply and the GRPS and hit play without touching the volume knob.

I realize this is far from scientific but to my ears the bass sounds louder with the GRPS hooked up. I wish I had a crazy power hungry headphone to compare. The Gilmore Lite was specifically designed for 300 ohm loads IIRC I could be wrong about that.

… with GRPS, bass may sound louder … I’ll venture that everything, even at lower volume settings, has more ‘heft’, ‘impact’ …

 

[Charente]

Just for fun I got the Golden Reference Power Supply(GRPS) for the Gilmore Lite mk2. I got the mk2 in like late 2019 I think? Whenever it was still pretty new.

The "basic" power supply is 1/4 of an AMP, according to HeadAmp the GRPS is 1.2 amps.

Anyway. I am in the office working and listening on my Sennheiser HD6XX, I turned up my mk2 as loud as it would go then turned down the volume on YouTube and compared some tracks I have heard a ton. I would pause the song, turn off the mk2 and swap between the "basic" power supply and the GRPS and hit play without touching the volume knob.

I realize this is far from scientific but to my ears the bass sounds louder with the GRPS hooked up. I wish I had a crazy power hungry headphone to compare. The Gilmore Lite was specifically designed for 300 ohm loads IIRC I could be wrong about that.

I use mine with Meze Empyrean, a 32Ohm planar ... I find that pairing to be very good. Class A is sometimes associated with a warmer presentation, but find that with the Empyrean, it doesn't add any more warmth. YMMV.

EDIT: It may be that the more incisive nature of the QUTEST DAC may contribute to this overall result.

 

[Svperstar]

I work from home today so I brought home my GLMK2 + GRPS and I was going to spend all morning swapping between the GRPS and the basic power brick.......................got home and realized I left the power brick at work. Debating if I wanna go pick it up or not. Can always compare next time I am working from home.

 

[Hyde00]

Hello guys, I saw someone selling the Gilmore Lite MK2 + Golden Reference Discrete Regulated Power Supply in the local used market. And I've been using hybrid tube amps but I find sometimes it feels a bit wasteful to leave it on just for YouTube and Zoom meetings. So I've thinking to buy a solid state amp so I can leave it on all day.

But I don't really know much about this amp so I started doing some research, for reference here is my current gear:

Lawton TH900
Lyr 3 / Project Solstice
SDAC

So my biggest worry is that would I miss my hybrid tube amp when using solid state amps? Was currently considering trying either Hifiman EF400 or RNHP until I saw the local seller posting regarding the Gilmore Lite MK2.

I noticed this amp doesn't have gain switch, would it work well with TH900 or would it be too loud too fast?

Thanks!

EDIT: Forgot to say I listen to a lot of female acoustic performances (guitar, piano, violin), and rock and pop. I also watch movies on my computer (so having good soundstage and bass helps too). Thanks!

 

[Charente]

Hello guys, I saw someone selling the Gilmore Lite MK2 + Golden Reference Discrete Regulated Power Supply in the local used market. And I've been using hybrid tube amps but I find sometimes it feels a bit wasteful to leave it on just for YouTube and Zoom meetings. So I've thinking to buy a solid state amp so I can leave it on all day.

But I don't really know much about this amp so I started doing some research, for reference here is my current gear:

Lawton TH900
Lyr 3 / Project Solstice
SDAC

So my biggest worry is that would I miss my hybrid tube amp when using solid state amps? Was currently considering trying either Hifiman EF400 or RNHP until I saw the local seller posting regarding the Gilmore Lite MK2.

I noticed this amp doesn't have gain switch, would it work well with TH900 or would it be too loud too fast?

Thanks!

EDIT: Forgot to say I listen to a lot of female acoustic performances (guitar, piano, violin), and rock and pop. I also watch movies on my computer (so having good soundstage and bass helps too). Thanks!

I was using the GL2 & GRPS until recently (I still keep it) ... I've commented on it earlier in the thread.

I don't have experience of your gear ... see my sig

The hybrid-tube sound is certainly different, as one would expect, and as I noted with my Schiit MJOLNIR 2 ... so, I keep that in the chain and use it when I feel like something different. If you feel you might miss that sound, I would do that, if you have the room.

IME GL2/GRPS worked well with the headphones that I have ... particularly the DCA Aeon Flow Open. The GRPS doesn't have a power switch, as it is meant to be kept on 24/7. The GL2 does have a power switch but I used to keep that on all the time as well.

Perhaps someone else could chime in regarding matching with the TH900 ?

 

[Hyde00]

I was using the GL2 & GRPS until recently (I still keep it) ... I've commented on it earlier in the thread.

lol nice I just took a look, it sounds like the GRPS is a nice upgrade.

The hybrid-tube sound is certainly different, as one would expect, and as I noted with my Schiit MJOLNIR 2 ... so, I keep that in the chain and use it when I feel like something different. If you feel you might miss that sound, I would do that, if you have the room.

Yeah I just read that GL2 is pretty neutral, so I wonder if in comparison this would be too neutral compare to hybrid tube...... hmmmmmmm.........

IME GL2/GRPS worked well with the headphones that I have ... particularly the DCA Aeon Flow Open. The GRPS doesn't have a power switch, as it is meant to be kept on 24/7. The GL2 does have a power switch but I used to keep that on all the time as well.

I think the most comparable in terms of driving requirement to TH900 from all the headphones you own, I think it would be Elegia I think.

Easy to drive low impedance dynamic headphone lol.

Perhaps someone else could chime in regarding matching with the TH900 ?

Yeah maybe this amp is not too popular with TH900, but I've seen 1 or 2 people using Grado so it would be similar in the sense that it's easy to drive dynamics.

Otherwise let's see what people have to say.

Thank you for your feedback though!

 

[chesebert]

GL2 + GRPS is warm/neutral and is actually warmer than some hybrid. Need to be left on 24/7 for best performance.