[Zaek]

Btw guys, try switching powercords to try. I been using Nordost frey2 powercord for a week on my GSX mini. When I switch to Nordost Valhalla 2 powercord, the improvement was quite significant. Didn't know powercord can affect my gsx mini that much.

 

[Astral Abyss]

Btw guys, try switching powercords to try. I been using Nordost frey2 powercord for a week on my GSX mini. When I switch to Nordost Valhalla 2 powercord, the improvement was quite significant. Didn't know powercord can affect my gsx mini that much.

I can't justify a power cord that costs 2x as much as my amp. I'd rather buy a new amp.

 

[Tubewin]

Btw guys, try switching powercords to try. I been using Nordost frey2 powercord for a week on my GSX mini. When I switch to Nordost Valhalla 2 powercord, the improvement was quite significant. Didn't know powercord can affect my gsx mini that much.

I wonder how it compares with zenwave power cables like the pcr or psr models. I own a pl-11 with upgraded connectors and it sounds really good on my source, not as good on my amp. I'm looking to get a psr-11 or pcr-11 for my gs-x mini, but the nordost cables seem interesting.

 

[Zaek]

I can't justify a power cord that costs 2x as much as my amp. I'd rather buy a new amp.

I was in the same situation previously. But somehow, I got over it. A good powercord will almost never spoilt (if u take care of it), where as all electronic will fail eventually.

 

[Clsmooth391]

Please drop a PM if anyone has a GSX Mini for sale.

 

[DisguisedPikachu]

My GS-X Mini arrived last Friday, here to share my thoughts after using it very actively for 3 days.
Im coming from an entry level JDS Labs EL Amp II and using the amp with an Abyss Diana V2.
I'm still new to the highend audio world (had my Diana V2 for a year now) and I haven't listened to much different gear.

The first thing I noticed when listening to the GS-X mini is that my music feels a lot bigger, this was very noticeable in all songs I listened to.
Lower frequencies also feel like they hit harder than with my old Amp II (which was a pain point with my old amp, music didn't feel that alive).
Honestly I didn't expect the change to as big as it is, but my music feels so much 'smoother' and alive while hearing all the detail in the music.

Build quality is super and it breaths boutique. Also one of the reasons why I chose this amp over some other amps with similar specs.
The DACT volume knob is very very fun to play with ^^"

Really glad American assembled products like this exist in a IMO reasonable price point!

 

[Tubewin]

My GS-X Mini arrived last Friday, here to share my thoughts after using it very actively for 3 days.
Im coming from an entry level JDS Labs EL Amp II and using the amp with an Abyss Diana V2.
I'm still new to the highend audio world (had my Diana V2 for a year now) and I haven't listened to much different gear.

The first thing I noticed when listening to the GS-X mini is that my music feels a lot bigger, this was very noticeable in all songs I listened to.
Lower frequencies also feel like they hit harder than with my old Amp II (which was a pain point with my old amp, music didn't feel that alive).
Honestly I didn't expect the change to as big as it is, but my music feels so much 'smoother' and alive while hearing all the detail in the music.

Build quality is super and it breaths boutique. Also one of the reasons why I chose this amp over some other amps with similar specs.
The DACT volume knob is very very fun to play with ^^"

Really glad American assembled products like this exist in a IMO reasonable price point!

What gain do you have your gs-x mini on? I've noticed that even with volumes being similar, I prefer hi gain. Hi gain does raise the noise floor slightly (I can hear very very faint background noise on hi gain, completely disappears when listening to music) but it also makes everything I listen to sound more lively, dynamic, and a touch "sweeter". Lo gain with the Utopia sounded a little dry and less enjoyable, but it had a lower noise floor which gave way for more treble detail. As a side note, I could not use the Stellia's on Hi gain. The background noise was clearly more audible on the 35ohm set of cans. Lo gain was perfect for the Stellia. Strangely enough, Hi gain sounded really good on my focal clear mg's, which were rated at 55ohms (only 20 more than the Stellia).

 

[vonBaron]

When i have GS-X mini i get the same feeling.

 

[thehutch]

What gain do you have your gs-x mini on? I've noticed that even with volumes being similar, I prefer hi gain. Hi gain does raise the noise floor slightly (I can hear very very faint background noise on hi gain, completely disappears when listening to music) but it also makes everything I listen to sound more lively, dynamic, and a touch "sweeter". Lo gain with the Utopia sounded a little dry and less enjoyable, but it had a lower noise floor which gave way for more treble detail. As a side note, I could not use the Stellia's on Hi gain. The background noise was clearly more audible on the 35ohm set of cans. Lo gain was perfect for the Stellia. Strangely enough, Hi gain sounded really good on my focal clear mg's, which were rated at 55ohms (only 20 more than the Stellia).

I agree – high gain delivers a fuller sound on most headphones. I use low gain only on very sensitive headphones.

 

[Slim1970]

I agree – high gain delivers a fuller sound on most headphones. I use low gain only on very sensitive headphones.

It’s the same way on the GS-X MK2. I prefer listening on high gain with most headphones. The sound is just more dynamic, lively and full.

 

[DisguisedPikachu]

What gain do you have your gs-x mini on? I've noticed that even with volumes being similar, I prefer hi gain. Hi gain does raise the noise floor slightly (I can hear very very faint background noise on hi gain, completely disappears when listening to music) but it also makes everything I listen to sound more lively, dynamic, and a touch "sweeter". Lo gain with the Utopia sounded a little dry and less enjoyable, but it had a lower noise floor which gave way for more treble detail. As a side note, I could not use the Stellia's on Hi gain. The background noise was clearly more audible on the 35ohm set of cans. Lo gain was perfect for the Stellia. Strangely enough, Hi gain sounded really good on my focal clear mg's, which were rated at 55ohms (only 20 more than the Stellia).

With my Diana V2s Im always using the Hi gain. Like you said; the music sounds way more lively and dynamic in this mode!
The Diana's are at quite low sensitivity at 91 dB/mw, I dont hear noise in the Hi gain with these cans.

 

[Currawong]

It might be an audible illusion, as our perception of different frequencies change with loudness. Almost all amps aren't audibly different at different gain settings in other than in loudness.

 

[K3cT]

I thought the perceived change has something to do with how the feedback characteristic changes with different gain setting?

 

[Tubewin]

It might be an audible illusion, as our perception of different frequencies change with loudness. Almost all amps aren't audibly different at different gain settings in other than in loudness.

I don't know... volume matched, it sounds different. Even having the low gain volume audibly higher than the high gain, the high gain still sounds better (to me).

 

[Currawong]

I don't know... volume matched, it sounds different. Even having the low gain volume audibly higher than the high gain, the high gain still sounds better (to me).

I went and had a listen after volume matching and you're right -- low gain sounds a bit more muted in dynamics as well, even at a higher volume. That was unexpected.