[Frank I]

 

[preproman]

http://www.head-fi.org/t/529873/amps-that-can-drive-the-hifiman-he-6-planar-headphones/1320#post_9587268

 

[preproman]

Specs?
 
Can someone tell me what's the watts into 8 ohms or better yet 50 ohms?  I know the older GS-X was 1W unbalanced/2W balanced into an unspecified load.  What's the GS-X mk2 delivering?  
 
Also what's the quiescent current biased at?
 
The user manual says this:
 
When paired with the +/-20V power supply, the modules can output up to 23Vpp/100 ohm, 21Vpp/25 ohm, and 16Vpp/10 ohm.  These voltages are double when using balanced outputs. 

 

[MacedonianHero]

Justin, please correct me if I'm wrong, but a little bird (Solude 

) told me 8W into the LCD-3/HE-6s in balanced mode.

 

[Solude]

And I got it from a thread, I of course can't find now, where Kevin wrote that number as what it delivers as pure class A.  So no killing the messenger
 
Bias is ~480mA for balanced. 30mA per device, 16 devices.  Except prep, he got original modules so his only runs warm instead of hot.  Not First Watt light a fire hot but hot in the context of a preamp.

 

[preproman]

So are we sure it's pumping 8 watts into a 50 ohm load?

 

[Solude]

I can't find the post.  Just shoot Kevin a PM he'll tell you one way or another.

 

[takato14]

Any word on when the second batch of the GS-X MKII will ship out? Maybe an estimate even?

 

[takato14]

I guess not...?

 

[Icenine2]

Maybe I missed it but has anyone posted listening impressions here?

 

[Solude]

It's just one of those amps.  But here it is... I listened, I was impressed, I'm done rolling amps.
 
In all seriousness though, the HeadAmp Reference, GS-X and now GS-X mk2 have sold hundreds and there is both little conversation and even less available for sale used over the years.  That's really all you need to know.  When you get a top flight HeadAmp, you walk away from Head-Fi and just listen to music.  BHSE enjoys the same numbers and end game feel.
 
As far as what it sounds like... the source.  So in my case, very clean, very natural, huge dynamic range and the immediate stand out over everything in my profile... deep powerful bass.  It makes even something like a B22 sound thin and dry.

 

[Mr.Sneis]

Not really impressions per-se but some general comments that ring true for me plus findings that have already been said by others for what you might come to expect with the GS-X.
 
Unlike some folks, I like SS sound as well as tube sound.  I do not consider the GS-X to be the be-all-end-all amp like I foolishly may have thought several years ago.  I think initially it was budget that made me think this way,  in reality to my ears it is not like it is one or the other wins out.  I may like the sound of certain headphones or pieces of gear even if they are not perfect, take the HD800 for example, you can mask or lessen flaws by pairing with the right amp and/or dac to (close in soundstage, smooth out the high end, etc.)
 
The GS-X is brutally honest, going in with the idea that it is your endgame amp really only applies when you are already at endgame territory elsewhere in your chain IMO.  When I read impressions of a holographic soundstage, limitless bass extension, etc. I see those descriptions as a derivative of what the source and headphone are able to produce.  It can make your headphones sound their best if that's what you've got.  It'll point out that your source is woefully inadequate if that's an issue.  One very useful function I can see the GS-X serving is as a review tool for source equipment or headphones based on their individual merits.  To be honest, I still need to find a source pairing that I find acceptable and I don't even find the ad2kx to sound their best yet with the configurations I have tried.  For all I know the ad2kx's may max out in terms of what they need for power straight out of an iphone or portable amp; I find them preferable with a tube amp (more distortion) so far.
 
FWIW I did brief back and fourth the other day with my Lynx Hilo and found that while I did not much like the HD650 with the GS-X, I did like what it did with the HD600 instead.  The 650's sounded to me like the bass flabbiness that some say the hd650 can have became evident; in contrast I don't feel that way listening out of a tube amp with the same 650's.   The HD600 sounded more snappy and impactful than I was used to from my other amps, less boring as a result.

 

[MacedonianHero]

Quote:

It's just one of those amps.  But here it is... I listened, I was impressed, I'm done rolling amps.
 
In all seriousness though, the HeadAmp Reference, GS-X and now GS-X mk2 have sold hundreds and there is both little conversation and even less available for sale used over the years.  That's really all you need to know.  When you get a top flight HeadAmp, you walk away from Head-Fi and just listen to music.  BHSE enjoys the same numbers and end game feel.
 
As far as what it sounds like... the source.  So in my case, very clean, very natural, huge dynamic range and the immediate stand out over everything in my profile... deep powerful bass.  It makes even something like a B22 sound thin and dry.

Totally agreed!
Quote:

Not really impressions per-se but some general comments that ring true for me plus findings that have already been said by others for what you might come to expect with the GS-X.
 
Unlike some folks, I like SS sound as well as tube sound.  I do not consider the GS-X to be the be-all-end-all amp like I foolishly may have thought several years ago.  I think initially it was budget that made me think this way,  in reality to my ears it is not like it is one or the other wins out.  I may like the sound of certain headphones or pieces of gear even if they are not perfect, take the HD800 for example, you can mask or lessen flaws by pairing with the right amp and/or dac to (close in soundstage, smooth out the high end, etc.)
 
The GS-X is brutally honest, going in with the idea that it is your endgame amp really only applies when you are already at endgame territory elsewhere in your chain IMO.  When I read impressions of a holographic soundstage, limitless bass extension, etc. I see those descriptions as a derivative of what the source and headphone are able to produce.  It can make your headphones sound their best if that's what you've got.  It'll point out that your source is woefully inadequate if that's an issue.  One very useful function I can see the GS-X serving is as a review tool for source equipment or headphones based on their individual merits.  To be honest, I still need to find a source pairing that I find acceptable and I don't even find the ad2kx to sound their best yet with the configurations I have tried.  For all I know the ad2kx's may max out in terms of what they need for power straight out of an iphone or portable amp; I find them preferable with a tube amp (more distortion) so far.
 
FWIW I did brief back and fourth the other day with my Lynx Hilo and found that while I did not much like the HD650 with the GS-X, I did like what it did with the HD600 instead.  The 650's sounded to me like the bass flabbiness that some say the hd650 can have became evident; in contrast I don't feel that way listening out of a tube amp with the same 650's.   The HD600 sounded more snappy and impactful than I was used to from my other amps, less boring as a result.

Glad you're digging my GS-X Ricky! Brutally honest is a fantastic definition...if one isn't overly impressed with the GS-X, then as you said, look at your source or headphones. For what I'm looking for, I'm extremely happy with this dynamic amp as an "endgame".
 
BTW, completely agree with your assessments between the HD600 and the HD650s.

 

[Gandah]

For many reasons I think the GSX mk2 is one of, if not the best amps around and its not just SQ alone, mk2 versatility is a major factor, any headphone no matter the impedance will sound brilliant on this amp, which other than SQ is what ultimately sold me...... however what really took me by surprise, "which was a added bonus" was how it sounded using the pre-out to a powered amp and speakers, it's quite incredible, honestly my 20 year old Richter, Excalibur speakers have never sounded this good ever......
 
To me HeadAmp's GS-X mk2 is much more than a good sounding HP amp, which I plan to live with for quite sometime..........

 

[Solude]

True it's also a great pre-amp.  I use it for my powered monitors and couldn't be happier.  That it has a pre defeat switch is also huge.  Powering off and then back on class A amps to use headphones is a major PITA.