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Review: Sugden Headmaster vs Emmeline HR-2 vs Gilmore v2
Note: Special thanks goes to Justin Wilson (Headamp Gilmore V2) and Ray Samuels Audio (Emmeline HR-2) for allowing me to review their wonderful amplifiers! Please also note that these are my perceptions and your mileage may vary given your own ears!
Source material used:
Dire Straits: On Every Street : Warner Remasters : Track 1 (Calling Elvis), Track 10 (My Parties), Track 11 (Planet Of New Orleans)
Counting Crows: August And Everything After : Geffen Records : Track 1 (Round Here), Track 4 (Anna Begins)
Paula Cole: This Fire : Warner Brothers : Track 1 (Tiger)
Bonnie Rate: Luck Of The Draw : Capitol Records : Track 3 (I Can’t Make You Love Me), Track 12 (All At Once)
Tool: Lateralus : Track 3 (Patient), Track 5 (Schism)
Pink Floyd: The Division Bell : Track 9 (Keep Talking)
Technics: Digital Inspection Vol. 2 (Classic Best Collection): Track 2 (The Four Seasons)
Test Bed:
CD Player: Denon 370 (headphone jack disconnect modification)
Interconnects: Kimber 1.0M Heroes
Headphones: Grado SR325’s (original flat donut pads), Etymotic 4S
Rating Scale: 0 to 10 with 10 being the highest
Built Quality:
Sugden Headmaster Excellent (Beautiful workmanship and finish) (10)
Emmeline HR-2Excellent (Quality construction and materials used throughout) (9.8)
Gilmore v2Good (8.5)
Sound:
Sugden Headmaster (Stock)(9.0)
Emmeline HR-2(9.3)
Headamp Gilmore v2(9.7)
Sugden Headmaster:
This is a wonderful amplifier that I’ve personally owned for 1 1/2 years. Overall, I’d consider its presentation a very neutral one. Never fatiguing, everything in its presentation is there without any emphasis given to any particular frequency range. It effortlessly provides tons of pure clean power. Out of the three amps reviewed here I would have to say that the Headmaster’s presentation was the least upfront of the three. It is also the weakest of the three with regard to bass response but by no means is it bass shy. Overall, it possesses a very balanced sound.
Emmeline HR-2:
Another wonderful amplifier with special high marks given for its ability at providing a punchy, tightly controlled, and extended bass response. Like the Headmaster it to provides tons of pure clean power to spare. Sonically, at times I detected a slight edginess given to string reproduction on the Technics Digital Inspection CD which was not present with either of other two amps. I also noted that slight edginess to be present on certain vocals like Paula Cole’s Tiger. However, high marks go to this amps rock solid imaging ability. Cymbals to me seemed more accurately reproduced through the Emmeline then the Headmaster. Vocal presentations seemed on par to me with the Sugden. On the Dire Straits track ‘Planet Of New Orleans’ I noted an anomaly with regard to the floor tom tom not being that distinguishable (pitch wise) from the standard tom tom when played through this amp. Actually, the only amplifier that accurately distinguished this tonal difference realistically between these two drum sounds was the Gilmore v2. Overall, a nicely balanced presentation with much more punch (low end) then the Headmaster. The HR-2 was excellent in its ability at differentiating instrument textures during complex musical passages.
Gilmore v2:
All I can say is W O W! I was totally shocked and blown away by this amps ability at reproducing the most realistic presentation of the three amps. The V2’s ability at reproducing vocals and piano is uncanny! This amp also reproduced electric guitar better than any other amp I’ve heard to date. Bass response is also punchy and controlled. Just like the other two amps reviewed here the v2 also had plenty of power to spare. Everything played through this amp just sounded much more natural and alive. Highs were reproduced effortlessly, and never appeared strident. Of the three amps reviewed here it was the closest experience to being there! It made these recordings sound as though one were right in the studio listening to the performance as it was being performed. In direct comparison both the Headmaster and HR-2 both sounded like I was listening to that same performance after the fact. The performance though both of those amps seemed like it was being played back through a completely different playback system after compression and equalization had been added to the mix. Both the Headmaster and HR-2 also seemed to distant the listener from the performance. In contrast the Gilmore just opened everything up! Special high marks go to the Gilmore’s ability at representing the best soundstage of three amps reviewed here. Being a musician, the V2’s ability in recreating a more upfront sound (closer proximity to the performance) is a characteristic I’ve always been drawn to. The Gilmore v2 actually seemed to breathe life into these performances, yielding a truly magical experience! It’s been said before that this amp is considered by many to be a ‘Giant Killer’ and I have agree.
Summation:
In all fairness, one would be very fortunate to be able to call anyone of these excellent headphone amplifiers their own! However, given their various price points the Gilmore v2 has to be considered one hell of a sonic bargain among them!
Note: Special thanks goes to Justin Wilson (Headamp Gilmore V2) and Ray Samuels Audio (Emmeline HR-2) for allowing me to review their wonderful amplifiers! Please also note that these are my perceptions and your mileage may vary given your own ears!
Source material used:
Dire Straits: On Every Street : Warner Remasters : Track 1 (Calling Elvis), Track 10 (My Parties), Track 11 (Planet Of New Orleans)
Counting Crows: August And Everything After : Geffen Records : Track 1 (Round Here), Track 4 (Anna Begins)
Paula Cole: This Fire : Warner Brothers : Track 1 (Tiger)
Bonnie Rate: Luck Of The Draw : Capitol Records : Track 3 (I Can’t Make You Love Me), Track 12 (All At Once)
Tool: Lateralus : Track 3 (Patient), Track 5 (Schism)
Pink Floyd: The Division Bell : Track 9 (Keep Talking)
Technics: Digital Inspection Vol. 2 (Classic Best Collection): Track 2 (The Four Seasons)
Test Bed:
CD Player: Denon 370 (headphone jack disconnect modification)
Interconnects: Kimber 1.0M Heroes
Headphones: Grado SR325’s (original flat donut pads), Etymotic 4S
Rating Scale: 0 to 10 with 10 being the highest
Built Quality:
Sugden Headmaster Excellent (Beautiful workmanship and finish) (10)
Emmeline HR-2Excellent (Quality construction and materials used throughout) (9.8)
Gilmore v2Good (8.5)
Sound:
Sugden Headmaster (Stock)(9.0)
Emmeline HR-2(9.3)
Headamp Gilmore v2(9.7)
Sugden Headmaster:
This is a wonderful amplifier that I’ve personally owned for 1 1/2 years. Overall, I’d consider its presentation a very neutral one. Never fatiguing, everything in its presentation is there without any emphasis given to any particular frequency range. It effortlessly provides tons of pure clean power. Out of the three amps reviewed here I would have to say that the Headmaster’s presentation was the least upfront of the three. It is also the weakest of the three with regard to bass response but by no means is it bass shy. Overall, it possesses a very balanced sound.
Emmeline HR-2:
Another wonderful amplifier with special high marks given for its ability at providing a punchy, tightly controlled, and extended bass response. Like the Headmaster it to provides tons of pure clean power to spare. Sonically, at times I detected a slight edginess given to string reproduction on the Technics Digital Inspection CD which was not present with either of other two amps. I also noted that slight edginess to be present on certain vocals like Paula Cole’s Tiger. However, high marks go to this amps rock solid imaging ability. Cymbals to me seemed more accurately reproduced through the Emmeline then the Headmaster. Vocal presentations seemed on par to me with the Sugden. On the Dire Straits track ‘Planet Of New Orleans’ I noted an anomaly with regard to the floor tom tom not being that distinguishable (pitch wise) from the standard tom tom when played through this amp. Actually, the only amplifier that accurately distinguished this tonal difference realistically between these two drum sounds was the Gilmore v2. Overall, a nicely balanced presentation with much more punch (low end) then the Headmaster. The HR-2 was excellent in its ability at differentiating instrument textures during complex musical passages.
Gilmore v2:
All I can say is W O W! I was totally shocked and blown away by this amps ability at reproducing the most realistic presentation of the three amps. The V2’s ability at reproducing vocals and piano is uncanny! This amp also reproduced electric guitar better than any other amp I’ve heard to date. Bass response is also punchy and controlled. Just like the other two amps reviewed here the v2 also had plenty of power to spare. Everything played through this amp just sounded much more natural and alive. Highs were reproduced effortlessly, and never appeared strident. Of the three amps reviewed here it was the closest experience to being there! It made these recordings sound as though one were right in the studio listening to the performance as it was being performed. In direct comparison both the Headmaster and HR-2 both sounded like I was listening to that same performance after the fact. The performance though both of those amps seemed like it was being played back through a completely different playback system after compression and equalization had been added to the mix. Both the Headmaster and HR-2 also seemed to distant the listener from the performance. In contrast the Gilmore just opened everything up! Special high marks go to the Gilmore’s ability at representing the best soundstage of three amps reviewed here. Being a musician, the V2’s ability in recreating a more upfront sound (closer proximity to the performance) is a characteristic I’ve always been drawn to. The Gilmore v2 actually seemed to breathe life into these performances, yielding a truly magical experience! It’s been said before that this amp is considered by many to be a ‘Giant Killer’ and I have agree.
Summation:
In all fairness, one would be very fortunate to be able to call anyone of these excellent headphone amplifiers their own! However, given their various price points the Gilmore v2 has to be considered one hell of a sonic bargain among them!
