Randy Myers
Active member
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- #1
I have always had speakers in my system however I also enjoy listening to headphones. Over the years I have had some very fine cans and usually a nice amplifier to power them. Here are some of the headphone amplifiers I have owned. The highly rated inexpensive Drop 789 and SPL Phonitor SE, and the basic Woo WA6 tube amp. My first higher end amp was the McIntosh MXA70, and then the fine tube amp from Dennis Had called the Dragon IHA1. I have also owned some nice step-up amplifiers such as the Bryston BHA1, the fantastic SimAudio NEO 430 HA, and most recently the Woo WA22 2nd Gen.
What makes me remanence about headphone amplifiers I have had in my audio setup? I just received an amplifier that I have been interested in and wanting to try. HeadAmp builds the renowned Blue Hawaii electrostatic amp and the GS-X mk2 two box conventional design. Their latest offering is the GS-X Mini which is a single box amplifier that is using their newest technology. Many have stated (including the guys at Abyss) that the Mini may well be a better choice than the mk 2.
The HeadAmp GS-X Mini is a pure class A, fully balanced headphone amplifier that uses an internal linear power supply. The unit can also substitute as a pre-amp (should make for an excellent back up unit). With their latest technology both single ended and balance input signals are balanced internally and therefore it does not make any difference if your source is SE or XLR, the amplifier will sound the same! The inputs are selected from a toggle switch on the front.
The unit has both a 4-pin XLR and a ¼” SE output, however the company highly recommend using the balanced output for best performance. There is also a High and Low Gain switch on the front. It is recommended to start trying the high-level position first.
The pre-amplifier section is selectable from a switch on the front panel. There are both SE RCA and Balance XLR outputs. Either can be used or at the same time, which will work well for a setup using both a speaker amp and powered subwoofers.
As I listed above, I have owned quite a few headphone amplifiers. All have their strong points and some of them are SOTA in my view. With only a short time listening to the GS-X Mini my first reaction is WOW! It is simply a fantastic amplifier. Quality of construction is second to none. Having all controls on the front is a very nice improvement over some of the others. The toggle switches are excellent quality, and I really like the feel of these little stick type that are used. Being able to use it as a pre-amp with two outputs is a nice bonus.
Performance is over the top. Detail is as good as any other amplifier that I have listened to. Instrument separation is in a class of its own which is not a surprise being that HeadAmp is building a pure class A amplifier. One surprise is how full and detailed the bass notes come through on my Abyss Diana Phi headphones. Better than any amplifier I have previously used. This is truly a musical amplifier in every way, picking out and listening to individual instruments is very easy to do. My Abyss have never shined more than they do with this new HeadAmp amplifier.
This write up is from only a few hours listening. I fully expect the amplifier to improve with break-in, especially considering that in my experience class A amplifiers usually improve during their first 50 – 100 hours of use. I highly recommend giving this amplifier a try if you are looking for a compact high-performance headphone amplifier to get the best out of your high-end cans!
What makes me remanence about headphone amplifiers I have had in my audio setup? I just received an amplifier that I have been interested in and wanting to try. HeadAmp builds the renowned Blue Hawaii electrostatic amp and the GS-X mk2 two box conventional design. Their latest offering is the GS-X Mini which is a single box amplifier that is using their newest technology. Many have stated (including the guys at Abyss) that the Mini may well be a better choice than the mk 2.
The HeadAmp GS-X Mini is a pure class A, fully balanced headphone amplifier that uses an internal linear power supply. The unit can also substitute as a pre-amp (should make for an excellent back up unit). With their latest technology both single ended and balance input signals are balanced internally and therefore it does not make any difference if your source is SE or XLR, the amplifier will sound the same! The inputs are selected from a toggle switch on the front.
The unit has both a 4-pin XLR and a ¼” SE output, however the company highly recommend using the balanced output for best performance. There is also a High and Low Gain switch on the front. It is recommended to start trying the high-level position first.
The pre-amplifier section is selectable from a switch on the front panel. There are both SE RCA and Balance XLR outputs. Either can be used or at the same time, which will work well for a setup using both a speaker amp and powered subwoofers.
As I listed above, I have owned quite a few headphone amplifiers. All have their strong points and some of them are SOTA in my view. With only a short time listening to the GS-X Mini my first reaction is WOW! It is simply a fantastic amplifier. Quality of construction is second to none. Having all controls on the front is a very nice improvement over some of the others. The toggle switches are excellent quality, and I really like the feel of these little stick type that are used. Being able to use it as a pre-amp with two outputs is a nice bonus.
Performance is over the top. Detail is as good as any other amplifier that I have listened to. Instrument separation is in a class of its own which is not a surprise being that HeadAmp is building a pure class A amplifier. One surprise is how full and detailed the bass notes come through on my Abyss Diana Phi headphones. Better than any amplifier I have previously used. This is truly a musical amplifier in every way, picking out and listening to individual instruments is very easy to do. My Abyss have never shined more than they do with this new HeadAmp amplifier.
This write up is from only a few hours listening. I fully expect the amplifier to improve with break-in, especially considering that in my experience class A amplifiers usually improve during their first 50 – 100 hours of use. I highly recommend giving this amplifier a try if you are looking for a compact high-performance headphone amplifier to get the best out of your high-end cans!
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