[bada bing]

So on the topic of HOT or NOT.....  can anyone confirm that harder to drive headphones like the HE-6 increases the heat output of the gsx

In saying that I haven't really notice any change in temperatures using different headphones

Class A means the output transistors are biased "on" with a set bias current whenever the amp is on, even when there is no input signal. The GS-X will use about the same power and generate the same heat regardless of load *until* it is pushed hard enough to fall out of Class A. Falling out of Class A means when the current demands of the headphone load exceed the steady state bias. I don't know if the HE6 is inefficient enough to take enough power at sane listening levels to drop a GS-X out of class A. I don't believe any other headphone will, the GS-X drives the K1000 without breaking a sweat, and rather nicely.

Short answer is the GS-X will generate very close to the same heat anytime it is turned on except with very unusual volume and output load.

I haven't heard the GS-X fall out of class A, but it is a common occurance with Class A/B speaker amps, and doesn't cause any horrible audible transgressions.

 

[Justin_Time]

  So on the topic of HOT or NOT.....  can anyone confirm that harder to drive headphones like the HE-6 increases the heat output of the gsx
 
In saying that I haven't really notice any change in temperatures using different headphones

Class A amp runs with high bias where it is the most linear and is "on" all the time. It is therefore very inefficient in terms of power utilization, i.e.  a relative small fraction of the power is being used to drive the HP or speakers.
 
While using different HP consumes different power, I doubt that it makes a big difference in the total heat being produced.  Besides, a well designed class A amp will have a very efficient heat dissipation (fins, chassis, etc) to maintain a fairly constant temperature for protection of the active elements and other devices.
 
At steady state after turn-on, my GS-X runs about the same temperature all the time, i.e. warm to the touch but not hot, regardless of the HP I use.  

 

[Gandah]

  Class A amp runs with high bias where it is the most linear and is "on" all the time. It is therefore very inefficient in terms of power utilization, i.e.  a relative small fraction of the power is being used to drive the HP or speakers.
 
While using different HP consumes different power, I doubt that it makes a big difference in the total heat being produced.  Besides, a well designed class A amp will have a very efficient heat dissipation (fins, chassis, etc) to maintain a fairly constant temperature for protection of the active elements and other devices.
 
At steady state after turn-on, my GS-X runs about the same temperature all the time, i.e. warm to the touch but not hot, regardless of the HP I use.  

True that's exactly my experience I just needed clarification..... Cheers

 

[justin w.]

The polished/anodized panels/knobs for the next batch of GS-X mk2 arrived today. This means i now have everything to complete assembly of this batch with the exception of the amp modules which can go in last. 
 
oh no, it's not going to take a year

 

[drgajet]

Thanks for the update Justin.

Jim

 

[kphfrail]

  oh no, it's not going to take a year

LOL

 

[icebear]

  The polished/anodized panels/knobs for the next batch of GS-X mk2 arrived today. This means i now have everything to complete assembly of this batch with the exception of the amp modules which can go in last. 
 
oh no, it's not going to take a year

That's some good news, I am only in the queue for 10 month, so more or less a newbie

.

 

[cooperpwc]

I have a question for Justin or anyone else who knows. If I want to use a (longer high quality) balanced HD800 cable prior to getting a balanced DAC, can I use Cardas RCA to XLR adapters at the rear of the GS-X mk2 to feed an SE signal into the balanced ins?
 
I assume that this would not provide the 4x power benefit at the headphone output... Would it cause deterioration of sound quality compared to using the SE in and my SE HD800 cable?

 

[Jazz59]

  The polished/anodized panels/knobs for the next batch of GS-X mk2 arrived today. This means i now have everything to complete assembly of this batch with the exception of the amp modules which can go in last. 
 
oh no, it's not going to take a year

 
Quote:

 
That's some good news, I am only in the queue for 10 month, so more or less a newbie

.

Yes, this is good news. I've been waiting more than 10 months (since December 1, 2013). I hope I get my GS-X Mk2 before reaching one year of delay.

 

 

[Solude]

  If I want to use a (longer high quality) balanced HD800 cable prior to getting a balanced DAC, can I use Cardas RCA to XLR adapters at the rear of the GS-X mk2 to feed an SE signal into the balanced ins?

 
Don't bother.  Just use the RCA input and the XLR output until you have a balanced DAC.

 

[cooperpwc]

   
Don't bother.  Just use the RCA input and the XLR output until you have a balanced DAC.

I thought that this is impossible: RCA in SE out, balanced in, balanced out. Am I wrong?

 

[Solude]

Am I wrong?

 
Yes.  Also possible to go XLR in, SE out.

 

[Asr]

I have had the GS-X Mk2 for a few years now.

 
Um, that's not possible when the amp has been available since only the beginning of last year (2013).
 

I have a question for Justin or anyone else who knows. If I want to use a (longer high quality) balanced HD800 cable prior to getting a balanced DAC, can I use Cardas RCA to XLR adapters at the rear of the GS-X mk2 to feed an SE signal into the balanced ins?  
I assume that this would not provide the 4x power benefit at the headphone output... Would it cause deterioration of sound quality compared to using the SE in and my SE HD800 cable?

 
Yes you could theoretically do that, but there's no point in doing that when you need a balanced signal to actually get balanced output. (Plus the amp has RCA inputs for convenience so you don't need adapters.) The amp does not contain phase inverters as some other balanced amps do and will only output SE if an SE signal is input, or balanced if a balanced signal is input into the XLRs. The "4x power benefit" is actually irrelevant unless you actually have a proper balanced source, because if you don't, you won't actually get full benefit of balanced operation. While you can use the jacks to get single-ended output from balanced input, or not-really-balanced output from single-ended input, you won't get the full dual-mono balanced output unless you run a balanced source using XLR interconnects into the XLR jacks, into balanced headphones.

 

[Justin_Time]

Um, that's not possible when the amp has been available since only the beginning of last year (2013).

In the past few years I have had over thirty amps and over two dozen pairs of headphones going through my listening room of which at least 20 amps still remain, the HeadAmp GS-X Mk2 being one of them.

So I apologize for not remembering exactly when The GS-X Mk2 joined the Zoo. The misquoted time is from a lapse,of memory, not from any desire to deceive.

I do not recall either which of my post your excerpt was from but the erroneous time was probably meant to simply indicate that whatever my statement was, it was based on actual long-term listening/use, not from hearsay or short-term exposure at a dealer's place or CanJam. That 's all.

 

[cooperpwc]

Guys, thanks for the replies. I understand now.