GK 1-J revisited
This is the small portable s-state version of the Jade. Not quite as refined as Jade, but better in some respects, especially bass on low impedance headphones, according to designer hz_joe.
Some years since I tested it, with AKG 701 headphones (62 ohm). Now I am testing with Audioquest Nightowl and Nighthawk (both 25 ohm). Joe was right. This sounds very good indeed. Better than my small battery driven Denon DA-10 headphone amp, and not much bigger, although it needs AC (no battery). GK has a more forceful, wider and deeper sound with less distortion. I am impressed.
The benefit of balanced cable is clearly heard, just like on Jade. The GK has two big jack contacts on the front (like Jade) for balanced cable, and a pair of rca contacts at the back, for input. I can insert it into my office system just like Jade. The power supply seems ok but it could maybe benefit from a linear supply.
The sound is clearly recognizable from the Jade sound. It is basically the same, although achieved with s-state components. I think it reflects what joe said about same topology.
However I note some variation in sonic quality.
1 Top of the list - Nightowl and Nighthawk. Great.
2 Akg 701 - also good.
3 As desktop speaker amp - Arche Fr2 single drivers - not so good. GK1 doesn't sound hard or shrill with the headphones, but here, it does. Jade sounds softer and better. But these speakers are quite bright anyway, and the gain matching maybe not be optimal.
The GK 1-J does what was claimed - it drives low impedance headphones very well.
This is the small portable s-state version of the Jade. Not quite as refined as Jade, but better in some respects, especially bass on low impedance headphones, according to designer hz_joe.
Some years since I tested it, with AKG 701 headphones (62 ohm). Now I am testing with Audioquest Nightowl and Nighthawk (both 25 ohm). Joe was right. This sounds very good indeed. Better than my small battery driven Denon DA-10 headphone amp, and not much bigger, although it needs AC (no battery). GK has a more forceful, wider and deeper sound with less distortion. I am impressed.
The benefit of balanced cable is clearly heard, just like on Jade. The GK has two big jack contacts on the front (like Jade) for balanced cable, and a pair of rca contacts at the back, for input. I can insert it into my office system just like Jade. The power supply seems ok but it could maybe benefit from a linear supply.
The sound is clearly recognizable from the Jade sound. It is basically the same, although achieved with s-state components. I think it reflects what joe said about same topology.
However I note some variation in sonic quality.
1 Top of the list - Nightowl and Nighthawk. Great.
2 Akg 701 - also good.
3 As desktop speaker amp - Arche Fr2 single drivers - not so good. GK1 doesn't sound hard or shrill with the headphones, but here, it does. Jade sounds softer and better. But these speakers are quite bright anyway, and the gain matching maybe not be optimal.
The GK 1-J does what was claimed - it drives low impedance headphones very well.