Make sure you hear the combo first. I have a F3 and I prefer it to the INT-30. Of course you need a good pre with good gain in front of the F3 to sound right too.
yes, it was a better job than i would have done, and tyll's camera did manage to capture some of the detail of the front panel better than static photos
A lot has been said and discussed about the wait time for such a beauty.
Tyll's comments and Justin's description about the selection/matching process for the parts make it seem that the wait time at the customer end is part of the process to achieve what the GSX-MkII is. Hopefully one of the best value TOTL SS head phone amplifier out there...
It always take two to party. Here a builder quality obsessed (I regard that as a compliment
), not settling for "good enough/ within specs " and pushing the limits of a design and there customers willing to wait until it's finished when it's finished.
Just trying to stay motivated and tame my excitement, as patience runs low seeing the 2013 batch going out the door and mine will be in the 2014 batch
I totally agree with you icebar. I prefer to wait longer, knowing that the object of my hobby will be built with great attention to the smallest details, and that no things will be botched.
So we must be patient, which I think motivates Justin, who give the best of himself. The satisfaction of these customers must represent something special and know that the products are built to be even be much appreciated around the world.
If everything goes well, we should get around September 2014, perhaps a bit more soon.
I am fortunate enough to live in Virginia and a when I placed my order a year ago Justin and I agreed on a local pick up combo with an LCD3 for a HeadFi meet. As you all are well aware there were unforeseen delays. The delay gave me a chance to get to know the LCD3s and the amp is currently burning in (with me listening to it passively). I'll probably talk more about the sound at a later point, but suffice it to say this amp is rock solid (and after seeing all the colors, I'm jealous of the people who ordered Red!). The 2+ hour drive there and back was well worth it!
Justin's work space is off a sleepy road in a cluster of other buildings in a nondescript part of Charlottesville. From the outside you'd never think there are some seriously high end gear in the building, but I think that goes along with Justin's humble and unassuming nature. The whole line about everything being hand tested is not hyperbole folks, I watched one of his guys hand test the JFETS one at a time! We talked a little about his history and how he got hooked up with Dr Gilmore's design over a decade ago when he started headamp (he just asked the good Doctor and Doc G said ok!).
When I asked about the biggest challenge for him that's causing the slow down in production, Justin indicated that sourcing components ended up being the biggest limiting factor. He pointed out a few of what seems to be BHSE and indicated that sourcing parts, such as the aluminum panels, took over 2 years! When I asked what was the problem with the panels, Justin was nice enough to show me a 'reject' black panel and at first glance it seemed fine to me. It seems, however, the grain did not go the way Justin liked and when placed side by side with a 'good' panel the difference is very much evident. If Justin just said 'forget it, let's use the panels anyhow!' I don't think most of us end users would know the difference and he would have sold a bunch of them. Such a small story that evidences Justin's dedication quality!
At any rate, I wanted you guys to know that the amps are coming and well worth the wait!
This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.