HeadAmp GS-X mini Impressions

What you are describing is perfectly normal behavior for the GSX-Mini. To my ears, the Mini gets noticeably more punchy when switching to high gain. I actually prefer my Focal Clear using high gain on the Mini but then I have very little adjustment range on the pot so I need to drop the output voltage on my Mojo 2 to compensate. Sometimes its a bit too much of a good thing though and it can start to bleed over into “fatiguing” territory.

The dynamic shift and subtle change in tonality is actually one of the things I really like about the Mini. I just see it as added flexibility rather than a flaw. If you prefer a smoother, less incisive presentation, you can get that in low gain.

The other nice thing about the Mini is is it’s transparency. It adds a subtle amount of warmth to upstream gear but the amp is still good a revealing tonal differences between DACs.

YMMV on this stuff but I’m still very happy with my Mini. Since it’s not a flavor of the month hype amp anymore, you can find them used for close to 50% off retail and they are absolutely worth it at that price. This amp never really caught on here and that’s probably because of the Kevin Gilmore factor to some degree. I could totally be wrong on that presumption though. Maybe it’s just because the Mini is really overpriced brand new, especially now that the MJ3 is in the picture.

 

Indeed, the difference between high and low gain, it's definitely there. Been running the Focal Elear lately, out of the balanced GS-X Mini output, in low gain I hear more separation in layering while in high gain layers kind of close the distance between them, increase in forwardness / punch.

Although what's layering and what's separation in what's being portrayed is kind of tricky to define, since it's an interplay of record composition, in terms of what part of the audible range each instrument plays, and how the brain interprets it.

I prefer low gain and cranked up volume pot. Especially with those, pre CD era, heavy metal records from the early '80s, that are so full in juicy layers of sound. Mid and late '80s CD releases were also mastered with decent dynamic range.

Btw, the same I notice happens with other solid state amps, I usually like low gain better with headphone under 150-100 Ohm.

 

I am really loving having this flexibility at the flick of a switch and a spin of the knob. Some tracks or albums are served really well by one or the other.

Yeah! I'm starting to think it's almost like High Gain is just a tiny bit v-shaped - the bottom takes a step forward, the highs maybe take a half step forward, and the mids kind of slink back a little quarter step or something. Low Gain is definitely a bit more delicate which but now it's the mid range that takes a step forward and somehow grows bigger and clearer but now I'm just killing this metaphor.

Sometimes, I think one works better than the other, but they both sound great and you can kinda choose your mood. With ASC - After Dark, High Gain lends an appropriate weight to the bottom end and that top end nudge balances it out, but then maybe you want to swirl out into space by switching to Low Gain and letting the mids surround you. On Monolord - Skyward, choose Low Gain to hold your lighter up and sway or choose High Gain to headbang a little bit. Up to you really.

Edit: I should add, the soundstage is also just a little wider with Low Gain