[saadi703]

Anyone using Mini with Susvara?

 

[skedra]

Can you please explain the differences that what was improved and up to what extent?

I can also reply to this as I had both side by side for weeks (and owned a90 for months).
A90 while not as clinical as something like THX789 or HPA4 was still leaning that way, it could at times make the treble overly "clear" or "accentuated" in terms of it not sounding smooth. You can mistake that for extra detail but it's just a presentation issue. On the other side, the mini doesn't suffer from it. It's a lot more musical and smooth (and a bit warmer) while keeping or improving on the A90 technicalities. It also has a much more holographic stage presentation.
If you want me to elaborate on any point just let me know

 

[saadi703]

I can also reply to this as I had both side by side for weeks (and owned a90 for months).
A90 while not as clinical as something like THX789 or HPA4 was still leaning that way, it could at times make the treble overly "clear" or "accentuated" in terms of it not sounding smooth. You can mistake that for extra detail but it's just a presentation issue. On the other side, the mini doesn't suffer from it. It's a lot more musical and smooth (and a bit warmer) while keeping or improving on the A90 technicalities. It also has a much more holographic stage presentation.
If you want me to elaborate on any point just let me know

Thanks for explaining this. I know what you mean. Are you 100% sure that Mini has similar level of detail as A90 and not trading any detail for smoothness? Does the bass slam harder as compared to A90 or is it just in the mind of people? Does Mini has usual Class A glare or fogginess? I have heard the words as musical and smooth before about other amps as well however when I heard them what I have found is less detail or rolled off treble or grainy treble. I am not questioning your finding but rather want to make sure because at this moment I am considering to add either Mini or Burson Soloist 3XP in my amps collection but at the same time I do not want more of the same. If someone who has Burson Soloist 3XP can also share his experience then it would be great.

I have Flux Lab FA-10 as well which is musical, smooth, has more body in mids and bass etc. but it lacks the detail of A90 and treble seemed a little rolled off & grainy (not complete) and truth is that it is a colored sound and vocals does come across thicker and not exactly how the singer sound. I agree that A90 treble can at time come across a little accentuated or not smooth sounding but mostly it is because of the poorly recorded tracks. I am not planning to replace my A90 because I enjoy this amp a lot and what it offers especially for this price however I want to upgrade my FA-10 to something better.

I just want to make sure that Mini does not sound too colored but rather linear with very little less accentuated treble while maintaining same, if not more, detail (it cost 4 times more than A90 so it should some more detail not just smoothness as smoothness can be done with EQ, although I do not use EQ as such except when I buy a new headphone). So far I have not seen a single Class A amp which can provide the same level of detail. To me grainy or less complete treble is also a problem just like overly clear or accentuated treble. This is why I have both type of amps i.e. fully transparent as well as smooth sounding. I just keep coming back to A90.

 

[saadi703]

I can also reply to this as I had both side by side for weeks (and owned a90 for months).
A90 while not as clinical as something like THX789 or HPA4 was still leaning that way, it could at times make the treble overly "clear" or "accentuated" in terms of it not sounding smooth. You can mistake that for extra detail but it's just a presentation issue. On the other side, the mini doesn't suffer from it. It's a lot more musical and smooth (and a bit warmer) while keeping or improving on the A90 technicalities. It also has a much more holographic stage presentation.
If you want me to elaborate on any point just let me know

I would really appreciate more thoughts on the comparison between the two and also with example songs where you find Mini is better than A90 and why you think it is better in terms of sonic characteristic.

 

[Chibs]

I would really appreciate more thoughts on the comparison between the two and also with example songs where you find Mini is better than A90 and why you think it is better in terms of sonic characteristic.

So tough to know weather or not a GSX Mini can work for you & compliment what you already have. For me, I found the A90 to be very similar to the Thx 789 amp that I already had. Both sound great but similar. Now that I have the Mini, I don’t want to listen to music off of anything else. Best advice I can offer is to try it out with your gear and personally compare. I think Headamp may offer some sort of a trial period? Hopefully they do. Still have not seen anyone give the GSX Mini a mediocre review. Once you demo one, you’ll understand why.

chibs

@HeadAmpTeam or anyone with experience,
How well do the Meze Emperian’s pair with the GSX Mini?
Thinking this may be my next set of cans.

 

[ThanatosVI]

@HeadAmpTeam or anyone with experience,
How well do the Meze Emperian’s pair with the GSX Mini?
Thinking this may be my next set of cans.

Many in the Empyrean thread reported thst they love the pairing

 

[Makiah S]

@HeadAmpTeam or anyone with experience,
How well do the Meze Emperian’s pair with the GSX Mini?
Thinking this may be my next set of cans.

Many in the Empyrean thread reported thst they love the pairing

I'm going to be 100% honest in that I've never really much liked Empyrean... however I had a chance to hear it off the Bricasti M3 direct streaming thru Ethernet into the GS-X Mini and I feel like my reaction speaks for the experience...

Spoiler: Selfie Warning

I thought the GS-X Mini with a truly top of the line DAC and the Velour Pads + a ZMF 2K Copper really brought out the best in Empyrean and while I don't love it I do GET it... lol I get why people really dig it! Hence my AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHA moment

 

[Chibs]

I'm going to be 100% honest in that I've never really much liked Empyrean... however I had a chance to hear it off the Bricasti M3 direct streaming thru Ethernet into the GS-X Mini and I feel like my reaction speaks for the experience...

Spoiler: Selfie Warning

I thought the GS-X Mini with a truly top of the line DAC and the Velour Pads + a ZMF 2K Copper really brought out the best in Empyrean and while I don't love it I do GET it... lol I get why people really dig it! Hence my AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHA moment

So glad I clicked on the "spoiler".
Totally made me laugh out loud

 

[milkdudd]

I'm going to be 100% honest in that I've never really much liked Empyrean... however I had a chance to hear it off the Bricasti M3 direct streaming thru Ethernet into the GS-X Mini and I feel like my reaction speaks for the experience...

Spoiler: Selfie Warning

I thought the GS-X Mini with a truly top of the line DAC and the Velour Pads + a ZMF 2K Copper really brought out the best in Empyrean and while I don't love it I do GET it... lol I get why people really dig it! Hence my AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHA moment

Were you standing in a puddle of water and touched an exposed wire?

 

[Makiah S]

Were you standing in a puddle of water and touched an exposed wire?

No but I was SHOCKED at how good it sounded... given how many time's I'd heard it and felt it was just underwhelming!

 

[skedra]

Thanks for explaining this. I know what you mean. Are you 100% sure that Mini has similar level of detail as A90 and not trading any detail for smoothness? Does the bass slam harder as compared to A90 or is it just in the mind of people? Does Mini has usual Class A glare or fogginess? I have heard the words as musical and smooth before about other amps as well however when I heard them what I have found is less detail or rolled off treble or grainy treble. I am not questioning your finding but rather want to make sure because at this moment I am considering to add either Mini or Burson Soloist 3XP in my amps collection but at the same time I do not want more of the same. If someone who has Burson Soloist 3XP can also share his experience then it would be great.

I have Flux Lab FA-10 as well which is musical, smooth, has more body in mids and bass etc. but it lacks the detail of A90 and treble seemed a little rolled off & grainy (not complete) and truth is that it is a colored sound and vocals does come across thicker and not exactly how the singer sound. I agree that A90 treble can at time come across a little accentuated or not smooth sounding but mostly it is because of the poorly recorded tracks. I am not planning to replace my A90 because I enjoy this amp a lot and what it offers especially for this price however I want to upgrade my FA-10 to something better.

I just want to make sure that Mini does not sound too colored but rather linear with very little less accentuated treble while maintaining same, if not more, detail (it cost 4 times more than A90 so it should some more detail not just smoothness as smoothness can be done with EQ, although I do not use EQ as such except when I buy a new headphone). So far I have not seen a single Class A amp which can provide the same level of detail. To me grainy or less complete treble is also a problem just like overly clear or accentuated treble. This is why I have both type of amps i.e. fully transparent as well as smooth sounding. I just keep coming back to A90.

Let me try to be concise. To me mini has more/similar amount of detail to a90, but it had the smoothness and the texture that the a90 is lacking. Is mini coloured? Yes it is, but I wouldn't say it's overly so. Just enough to make the music enjoyable.
From what I've heard about fa-10, it's not really in the same league as the mini in terms of technicalities but take that as you will.

 

[Makiah S]

Let me try to be concise. To me mini has more/similar amount of detail to a90, but it had the smoothness and the texture that the a90 is lacking. Is mini coloured? Yes it is, but I wouldn't say it's overly so. Just enough to make the music enjoyable.
From what I've heard about fa-10, it's not really in the same league as the mini in terms of technicalities but take that as you will.

Yea when I've heard A90 it's always been rather flat and maybe little bit in your face? GS-X mini does have that slight touch of color but I feel the overall amp and implementation adds a little bit of depth, there'a some slight emphasis on the trailing edge and decay which helps open up the staging and add a little body compared to something like A90 which comes off as really aggressive and forward...

But yea some amps add tooo much color or emphasis such that you lose some resolution, speaking just from my brief experience with both I too didn't find my self missing anything with Mini in comparison to A90. If anything have what I felt was a more natural presentation allowed a little more detail to stand out

 

[Chibs]

No but I was SHOCKED at how good it sounded... given how many time's I'd heard it and felt it was just underwhelming!

So you think it was the GSX Mini that made all the difference? I'm getting more and more excited.

 

[Astral Abyss]

So you think it was the GSX Mini that made all the difference? I'm getting more and more excited.

It's a great SS amp. Really clean sound, loads of power, without being sibilant. Depends on what you're looking for in an amp but it really lets the headphone shine. That's what I like in an amp. It can color the sound a bit (I love tubes), but let the headphones do their thing and shine. That's a good amp in my book.

 

[Makiah S]

So you think it was the GSX Mini that made all the difference? I'm getting more and more excited.

Well having both Bricasti M3 and GSX Mini, as I didn't like Empy with the Bifrost 2 behind GS-X mini (which was another system present at the meet)