[Shahrose]

the thread title says it all. i just want to know which is the more powerful amp (not better). i'm just curious and this should be a quick answer for those who've calculated/know already. assume the M^3 a typical one set to 24V.

 

[sacd lover]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shahrose /img/forum/go_quote.gif the thread title says it all. i just want to know which is the more powerful amp (not better). i'm just curious and this should be a quick answer for those who've calculated/know already. assume the M^3 a typical one set to 24V.

At what impedance? The Gilmore is supposedly good for 1 watt @ 32 ohms .... the 24 volt M3 should be good for 2 watts @ 8 ohms.

 

[jellojoe]

The amb website lists the M^3 with 27 V psu to output 0.6 W into 33 ohms.

 

[Shahrose]

well if i were to use the DT990 250ohm with both. sorry i forgot to mention the impedance.
Edit: 0.6W at 33ohms vs 1 watt at 32 ohms...so the GS-1 would be my answer? how about for 250ohms as i've listed above?

 

[FallenAngel]

Uhm... no offense to the GS-1 which is definitely a very nice amp (and I think is better than an M^3 with most headphones), but what makes you think that more power is "better"?

Think of this, what would you rather drive... a BMW M3 or a tractor... the tractor has more power.

 

[amb]

The two amps could swing approximately the same output voltage, so they're really about the same as far as output power is concerned. The published specs are not directly comparable due to different testing criteria.

The GS1 is a very nice amp, but it has an output stage comprised of four paralleled pairs of small-signal TO-92 transistors rated at 0.15A each, and without heatsinking. Compare to the M³, which uses a pair of 17A heatsinked MOSFETs per channel. There is no question which amp will be able to deliver more current. This is why M³ can drive 8 ohm speakers (provided, of course, that you use a power supply with enough cojones).

 

[Shahrose]

Quote:

Originally Posted by FallenAngel /img/forum/go_quote.gif Uhm... no offense to the GS-1 which is definitely a very nice amp (and I think is better than an M^3 with most headphones), but what makes you think that more power is "better"? Think of this, what would you rather drive... a BMW M3 or a tractor... the tractor has more power.

this is exactly why i specifically mentioned in my post "(not better)". i know more power doesn't always equate to a better amp. i was just curious. i knew someone would make this comment despite my post

 

[Shahrose]

Quote:

Originally Posted by amb /img/forum/go_quote.gif The two amps could swing approximately the same output voltage, so they're really about the same as far as output power is concerned. The published specs are not directly comparable due to different testing criteria. The GS1 is a very nice amp, but it has an output stage comprised of four paralleled pairs of small-signal TO-92 transistors rated at 0.15A each, and without heatsinking. Compare to the M³, which uses a pair of 17A heatsinked MOSFETs per channel. There is no question which amp will be able to deliver more current. This is why M³ can drive 8 ohm speakers (provided, of course, that you use a power supply with enough cojones).

i was just going to PM you about this originally, but i thought you might not have that info on the GS-1. in the end, you turned out to be the one to answer anyways. thanks

 

[scootermafia]

M3 > *insert amp here*

I knew I was right, that the M3 can drive more current than the puny chips on the GS-1. Those little transistors sitting there coming off the board, compared to the chunky MOSFETs on large heatsinks that the M3 has. I just didn't want to say it.

 

[Cankin]

Quote:

Originally Posted by scootermafia /img/forum/go_quote.gif I realize I can't say that the Grado or the Gilmore GS-1 are bad in any way, because that would be unfair, and because I literally do not know first hand. The GS-1 is a thing of beauty and it is a very nice design. ....

Thankyou

 

[panda]

but fone and speaker drivers are far different...

 

[Shahrose]

if i were to go solely off people's impressions (my only reference since i haven't heard the GS-1) i would say it is a more neutral and transparent amp than the M^3. for many, this means a 'better' amp. personally, it does for me too, but that's highly subjective since we've confirmed that both of these are very sound technically.

 

[scootermafia]

Well, I still didn't say the GS-1 was bad, it has good qualities such as its overbuilt power supply and hand matching of parts and its appearance, it's just that AMB confirmed that its transistors are not capable of the sort of current that the M3 can deliver, and some headphones greatly benefit from plenty of current.

 

[scootermafia]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cankin /img/forum/go_quote.gif Thankyou

You also don't have to act like I killed your sacred cow. I'm of the mind that the Lite was the best value of the line because it is basically a GS-1 with a wall wart instead of a nice internal power supply, and its transistors are biased with trimpots, they are not hand matched which probably impacts the sound a little, but the circuit boards are stuffed with the same thing. And the Lite is what you have.

Shahrose, if you flip your M3 to get a GS-1, i'll hang myself.

 

[jinp6301]

The GS-1 is AT LEAST comparable to the M^3 with steps imo.