[Fapandeggs]

There is nothing remotely like sandpaper about the GSX.

I belive you,like I said two times before,vast majority of opinions I read from that person,upon my personal testing I almost always found that its untrue ( for my ears),infact its often exact polar opposite so when I read that how much that person dislikes GSX,I thought to myself I must hear it becose remembering how radicaly different our tastes in audio go,it will probably end up being the best amplifier ever made to my ears.

To clarify,I in no way am calling GSX sandpaper like,I just wanted to share funny and interesting experience I had while reading the forums,it teaches that people have vastly different tastes and encourages to take any opinion you read with "grain of salt" and that there is no substitude for forming own opinion from personal real world listening.

And even if there are people who dislike it,so what,many people hate marmite but many also love it,marmite sells well and all its good,no need to please everybody.My thinking is that the amp is so extremly revealing that it exposes imperfections in DAC,the headphone and the music itself and that certain people like to listen in what is equivalent of the saying "looking with rose tinted glasses",they dont necesarily want the ultimate truth,they just want to enjoy the music,I mean the tube people,R2R people,the "warm side of neutral" folk,I found these people hate brutaly honest stuff that doesnt pleasantly color the sound,but I love that kind of sound thats why I believe I would enjoy GSX greatly.

 

[TSAVJason]

I belive you,like I said two times before,vast majority of opinions I read from that person,upon my personal testing I almost always found that its untrue ( for my ears),infact its often exact polar opposite so when I read that how much that person dislikes GSX,I thought to myself I must hear it becose remembering how radicaly different our tastes in audio go,it will probably end up being the best amplifier ever made to my ears.

To clarify,I in no way am calling GSX sandpaper like,I just wanted to share funny and interesting experience I had while reading the forums,it teaches that people have vastly different tastes and encourages to take any opinion you read with "grain of salt" and that there is no substitude for forming own opinion from personal real world listening.

And even if there are people who dislike it,so what,many people hate marmite but many also love it,marmite sells well and all its good,no need to please everybody.My thinking is that the amp is so extremly revealing that it exposes imperfections in DAC,the headphone and the music itself and that certain people like to listen in what is equivalent of the saying "looking with rose tinted glasses",they dont necesarily want the ultimate truth,they just want to enjoy the music,I mean the tube people,R2R people,the "warm side of neutral" folk,I found these people hate brutaly honest stuff that doesnt pleasantly color the sound,but I love that kind of sound thats why I believe I would enjoy GSX greatly.

No worries! I didn’t interpret your post as you saying that

 

[Fapandeggs]

Ok,I will seek the technical information on the DIY forum,I just want to read some comparsion between GSX MKII and DIY Dynalo MKII.If I understand it correctly,the GSX MKII is upgraded version of Dynalo,in the Innerfidlity article Tyll even lists the changes.

• Higher power supply voltages.
• New Gilmore Dynalo+ module design, one of the feature is increased output current.
• Larger power supply transformers.
• New circuit board layouts.
• Added a 2nd RCA input.
• Added a pre-amp output on/off switch.
• Improved 3-way gain switching - got rid of long wires, added relay instead.
• Option of Alpha 21mm potentiometer or the DACT stepped attenuator.
• Added a 4-pin XLR balanced output, changed 2x 3-pin XLR and 1/4" stereo outputs to combo jacks.
• Improved build quality (thicker, polished front panels, laser engraving, powdercoated body)

I would only use it with HD660S and HD800 so I dont need big power,the thing I am most curious about is the "New Gilmore Dynalo+ module",Tyll wrote one of its features is more currect,which I dont need,but I wonder if there is sound quality improvement too.Is that Dynalo+ module the Dynalo MKII or is it some special secret version thats not released to public?

 

[Rhamnetin]

Ok then,how different is that Dynalo MKII when it comes to sound and measurements? I read from that certain someone that Justin GSX MKII is like "sandpaper" harsh bright sound,that person also wrote that he heard other Kevin Gilmore designs like unknown persons DIY Dynalo and that it was "smooth" and pleasent sounding.Like I wrote earlier I found that my taste is complete opposite of that person so what he praises I dislike and what he hates I love so that makes me worried Dynalo would sound different and not as good to me as the GSX.

As Jason said, no "sandpaper" graininess, the GS-X Mk2 is ultra refined compared to other headphone amps. The GS-X Mk2 and spritzer's Pure BiPolar were both measured at Innerfidelity but by different people.

https://www.innerfidelity.com/content/lightning-quick-headamp-gs-x-mk2-headphone-amplifier

https://www.innerfidelity.com/content/katzs-corner-episode-18-icelandic-wonder

I've listened to both quite a bit, and owned that Pure BiPolar in fact. They have similar sound characteristics, but the Pure BiPolar was perhaps a bit less forward up top, but both are more neutral than anything.

Like Whitigir said, do what you like with what's available to you. If I had the skill and patience, I would just build my own amps. Silver PCB traces? Yes please! Awesome post by rumina above to give you a good idea of some real world examples.

As for Dynalo+ vs Dynalo Mk2, good question, I'm not sure of the answer. I think the Mk2 uses more easily obtainable parts, but not sure how they compare in power and measurements and overall sound.

 

[Whitigir]

Mini Dynalo MKII, when you want to DIY, just do it !

To say GSX sound like sand-paper ? You probably never heard or auditioned it, or it was defected somehow

 

[Fapandeggs]

OMG compact,black Dynalo MKII... thats exactly how I want mine.I read that the Spritzer too prefers compact,tightly packed enclosures,there is something so cool and satisfing about not wasting any space and shrinking things down to the absolute limit.

 

[Whitigir]

OMG compact,black Dynalo MKII... thats exactly how I want mine.I read that the Spitzer too prefers compact,tightly packed enclosures,there is something so cool and satisfing about not wasting any space and shrinking things down to the absolute limit.

Except soldering an 20 legs chips with 3mm square.....and poking eyes out on little components ! Everything is fun and sound wonderfully

Like I said, only when you pull DIY project, then you would appreciate how much a favor it is that Justin and Headamp is doing to release the GSX MKI / MKII/ BHSE/ Mini GSX....they are all worth absolutely every freaking pennies and some more

 

[Fapandeggs]

Except soldering an 16 legs chips with 3mm square

Is that some IC with multiple OP Amps inside? Yeah that sounds hard.

 

[Whitigir]

Is that some IC with multiple OP Amps inside? Yeah that sounds hard.

No, a regulator, but let’s get back to why and how I think there is extreme value from GSX Mini. There are amps that can cost just as much and won’t be performing technically or subjectively close, but I won’t say it out.

From the personal point of view by DIY, I can only say that the Mini GSX will be worth every pennies and some more, period.

 

[TSAVJason]

Except soldering an 20 legs chips with 3mm square.....and poking eyes out on little components ! Everything is fun and sound wonderfully

Like I said, only when you pull DIY project, then you would appreciate how much a favor it is that Justin and Headamp is doing to release the GSX MKI / MKII/ BHSE/ Mini GSX....they are all worth absolutely every freaking pennies and some more

Hahahaha you’re not supposed to put them up to your face. Aim for the pcb next time

 

[Fapandeggs]

I read that Katz article from Innefidelity,correct me if I am wrong but PureBipolar is kind of like Dynalo MK3 that was designed by Spritzer becose some of the MKII parts become obsolete and hard to get.Also your describtion as possibly less forward up top worries me becose thats exactly why I want Gilmore amp,I read that it doesnt have any capacitors in the signal path,I dont see any technical reason why it shouldnt be perfectly extended up to 20KHz.

 

[Whitigir]

I read that Katz article from Innefidelity,correct me if I am wrong but PureBipolar is kind of like Dynalo MK3 that was designed by Spritzer becose some of the MKII parts become obsolete and hard to get.Also your describtion as possibly less forward up top worries me becose thats exactly I want Gilmore amp,I read that it doesnt have any capacitors in the signal path,I dont see any technical reason why it shouldnt be perfectly extended up to 20KHz.

And who stated such exactly ?

 

[Fapandeggs]

Sorry my bad,Rhamnetin wrote that.

 

[Whitigir]

Sorry my bad,Rhamnetin wrote that.

I am sure he meant that PureBipolar VS MKII which is the same differences variant. I am not sure what you meant by being afraid.

The GSX is nothing “sand paper” or even close to being...lacking at top. Get a piece and listen for yourself before you possibly mislead others by some miss-information

Also, by all account, He is right. I hear the differences between THAT340 and FET versions in the MiniDynalo, and is exactly what @Rhamnetin just said

 

[wdh777]

Does anyone know how much power the GSX MK2 has. I seem to recall reading 3w unbalanced and 6 w balanced but now I can’t find it on their web site. Thanks