Want to see these Reviews Early & Get in on Monthly Yard Sales? Check out... ⚔️www.SubscribeStar.com/Zeos -- Subscribe Star 🥇www.Patreon.com/Zeos -- Check out the Patreon
I own the Singxer. I like its warm sound signature. I also own the Asgard 2, which is a pure class-A and I like the Singxer better. The Asgard sounds a bit harsher and distorts a bit sooner, because it has less overall power. However I think the marketing for the Singxer is deceptive. Class A vs class B is a sliding scale. Audio power amps are pretty much never pure class B, because it would distort where the signal crosses 0V and sound bad. Which is why they are usually referred to as class A/B, because they all have at least a little bit of class A. But exactly how much class A is a tuning factor of the design. The drawback of pure class A is that it gets very hot, due to the inherent inefficiency. If you design pure class A to get less hot then you also have less power output. The Singxer stays cooler than the GSX because the Singxer is actually class A/B with a plenty of class A bias. This is fine for most listening because you aren't using all that power all of the time, so it mostly stays in class A operation with the possible exception of the dynamic peaks. This is why the two amps can sound the same most of the time. But also why the hd600 + too loud would show a difference. Its just enough to tip the Singxer into class B region of operation, but not the GSX. To be clear I like the Singxer and I think it sounds better than at least one other pure class A amp. It just irks me that it is marketed as class A, when it is only a class A biased A/B amp rather than actual pure class A.
I recommend trying the Asgard 3 since I heard it fixed most, if not all, of the issues the Asgard 2 had. A lot of people see it as the best amp available for under $300.
@@TimBaoht I didn't design the particular amp being discussed and I don't have the circuit diagram to hand. So I can't say for sure. But I'd guess not. I'd expect the amount of bias to be set using either a fixed resistor or a mini potentiometer somewhere. Reconfiguring this to add more class A bias would then dump more heat into the cooling. This could either just run hotter or overheat depending of the headroom in the original cooling solution and the thermal limits of the components. Basically the heat is the effect rather than the cause and I wouldn't expect it to thermal throttle / boost like a CPU.
The reason class A amps get so hot is because of the way they are biased. To get class A operation out of a transistor (in this case a FET) you have to bias the drain at the maximum drain voltage over 2 to get the bias point in the middle of the linear region of the FET. This means that the DC power is Vd/2 * Id/2 = Pdc/4. The amplified audio power is Vac*Iac/2 = Pac/2. The efficiency is then (Pac/2)/(Pdc/4) = 0.5, meaning a class A amplifier at most can be 50% efficient. They are the least efficient amplifier topology, but the most linear since they introduce very little distortion. The rest of that power has to go somewhere, hence the very large heatsinks. Signed, an audiophile RF engineer.
The GS-X mini is my first gemstone amp and I'm so happy with it. Took all the harshness and things I didn't like with any of my headphones/ music and I just love it so much
@@antpage2 doesn't super bother me actually. It does everything I want it to and it looks good doing it. Not trying to bash singxer but I mean just look at the board on the gsx.. it's gorgeous. The engineering and built in America tax is worth it for me. And it's still less than the built in Canada tax since nothing is made here
@@antpage2 Of that, I'm not sure. It runs argons better than the SMSL SP200 for sure and I like the sound better than the Sennheiser HDVD800 but that's really all I have the reference against
The GS-X Mini is better in every way to the Singer SA-1. Makes me wonder if it might be the headphones he chose. I'll give him the benefit of the doubt, but having both the Singxer and the GS-X mini, it's not even close. The singxer SA-1 sounds class A, agreed, but the GS-X Mini sounds better. You may ask, does it sound 1,400 dollars better? Yes, I think so. The Singxer punches above it's price point, but the GS-X is in a higher league.
To be fair class A is not class A is not class A. Some class A designs run very hot so if you thermocycle them the stress from extremes can be night and day. Other Class A designs can almost be ice cold in comparison when you touch the case. The Burson products I've used have not run that hot compared with others. Not to completely overwrite your comment just to say the issue isn't all that cut and dry.
@@aceofspades6667 Yeah, those amps are Class A/B with a Class A bias since true Class A amps are supposed to run VERY hot. Someone else in these comments was ranting about Singxer's marketing being incorrect due to it not running hot enough to be a true Class A amp.
I have the same Burson. I've left it on for 5 years, only turned it off every now and then. Still works fine but it has developed a weird thing where the DAC clicks/ turns on and off if I for example turn on a lamp nearby.
I wish the SingXer came in different colors, because that GS-X purple makes it look like it's worth the extra money. In fact I want my desk to have an audio stack rainbow of different colored brushed aluminum enclosures.
@@ZReviews yeah I guess it could be professionally done, Black paint removed, then re-brushed and/or sand blasted, painted and labels and stickers re done all for less than $1300.
I expected just as much. The gsx is just ludicrously expensive for what it brings, but I just can't help be attracted to the gsx for its looks and the engineering that went into it.
Agreed. Such a beautiful amp, but not worth the price tag. I want more companies to allow for such customization since I've only seen it here and with Geshelli Labs.
So, the deal with the GS-X Mini heat sinks, as I understand it: They are on the power supply regulators. It's a linear power supply, which is why it produces a bunch of heat. The actual headphone amp output devices are on the right. There are 4 groups of discrete devices: L+, L-, R+, and R- which dissipate their heat into the PCB which apparently has enough copper area and ventilating holes that it doesn't need a further heat sink. The Singxer, OTOH, appears to use switching power supplies, which will run much cooler. It's heat sink is on the headphone amp device(s), since they are not spread out over as much board area. Since the heat sink is covers the amp, I can't tell whether it's discrete devices or a chipset. Presumably a chipset would have some thermal management which would control the bias dynamically to further reduce heat dissipation, as opposed to the static bias of the GS-X Mini. Bottom line: the GS-X Mini is an old school, straight ahead class A design, and there's something to be said for its simplicity. The Singxer is likely a newer, but not necessarily better sounding, design.
thanks for comparing the GS-X Mini with the SingXer SA-1. Definitely a must buy for me is SingXer SA-1 because I live in Europe and headamp has no resellers in Europe. If I ordered from US, I would pay extra taxes and that is too expensive for me. And I’m glad it sounds very similar. I was informed that SingXer SA-1 is the best solid state amp for my future sennheiser hd 800 s headphones. At first I wanted to buy a topping a90 with hd 800 s but I found out that this combination would sounds too flat and sterile and it would be a boring sound in music.
I love the Singxer Sa-1. It use it mainly as a preamp though. It seems to just make everything sound better. My DAC is the Bifrost 2 and the Singer is pre-amping my Liquid Gold X, Darkvoice, and two Parasound Zamps in Mono. It makes all these amps more dynamic somehow. Also, the Dethonray Honey is amazing, which has nothing to do with this review but more people need to try it.
Currently I run it as a headphone amp (it just got in and I love it!) - and I was planning to replace my integrated amp with a power amp. It seems that this would work nicely - thanks ;o)
@@sjoerdhoogeland9149 It sounds amazing and it is a ridiculous good combo. The SA-1 is a marvelous amp but the SDA-6 really shines for me. It is a hell of a DAC. I am coming from a Gustard H16 + X16 combo and own a Topping A90 as well but the Singxers blew me away!
@@DDomiJi i expected just as such. I have the sa1 but doesn't have the sda6, but people in headfi is saying that the sda6 is the best ak4499 dac out there.
Zeos. DC offset is a difference from a zero reference. Just measure your AC signal (easiest off xlr) with DCV function; red to hot, black Lead to chassis ground set screws or the ground plug/prong off an extension cable.
Its very simple. If you have the actual money. Go with the purple one. For the ones that are afraid to hurt their wallets. The black one is the way to go.
So if they're both peak Class A sound, does this make the GSX mini overengineered? Maybe the GSX mini is a longer lasting unit? There has to be a justification.
Cost of production in both countries of origin differs quite a lot - that makes up for most of the price difference. In high end audio a lot is over-engineered - but that is also part of it's charm.
I can't even tell the difference between gsx mini and A90 when I compare them on a switch box. I might be able to tell if I know what to hear for, But the difference is wayyyyy too subtle to be able to tell right away.
I have the A90 and the Singxer - and they sound quite different on my Focal clear, but a lot less different on my Denon AH-D5200 - so it depends on the headphone you are using. You could try an old 'garage quality' poorly recorded/mastered rock band track - that should sound a lot sharper and generally more unpleasant on the A90 than on your GSX.
Which one I prefer really depends on the album I put on and in what mood I am. The Topping is more direct and works great with good recordings and the Singxer is more relaxed and forgiving with records that are not of top quality. So I am glad to have both.
V281 vs. GSX Mini Vs. Soloist 3XP is where it's at... I'm sure the Singxer is solid but if you're going top shelf headphones the above 3 will separate. Flux Volot is coming fellas that will be am amp to behold on the level of the Wells Headtrip 2 and XI Formula S + Powerman combo.
By top shelf I'm talking 1266 Phi TC + Susvara + HE6 Sev2 + Final D8000/Pro + Verite Closed + LCD4 + Utopia... I'd bet my right nut most audiophiles can tell the difference between the GSX and Singxer on these cans.
You can measure DC offset by sticking your multimeter leads between pins 2 and 3 of the xlr output and setting the meter to the lowest possible DC voltage setting. It should read 0. Most modern DAC's will read 0, but if the DAC fails it could generate DC and you don't have protection and will fry the amp. Not something I would run all the time unless you're rich, but definitely worth trying to see how it sounds after you've confirmed the DAC has no DC voltage present.
just gonna put this out there "Most consumers don’t know that these stickers are actually illegal-and that’s because manufacturers don’t want you to. Under the 1975 Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, the Feds mandated that you can open your electronics without voiding the warranty, regardless of what the language of your warranty says. That makes all of that inconsistent (albeit crafty) language used by the 50 manufacturers surveyed by the U.S. PIRG illegal."
I hear the mids in the gs-x mini sounds slight mashed up and could be better in mid separation. I've never heard it personally. Is this anyone else's experience?
Watching the Singzr review made my heart ache. Such a high praise from Z, the perfect, the best, the hottest single ended output near you. But I considered it too expensive. This video brought me back down to earth, like 2000 dollars? 2000?? That's way too much money for an amp. Even the Singzr I flinch at, but if Z is to be believed, that's money well spent. End game. You don't need anything else ever. And now my hand itches to import one. I won't. But dang I wanna.
Think about your thought process here. Did the price of the Singxer change with this review? Did the quality of it change with this review? And even if it really sounds on par with the GS-X (which I strongly doubt), does that mean the Singxer is THAT good, or does it mean the GS-X is THAT underwhelming? Don't fall for this classic sales trick so easily.
My biggest takeaway from this video was to just get a Burson. The Soloist 3X Performance is cheaper and performs better than the GS-X Mini. Then it's worth spending a little more to get the Burson Soloist 3X Grand Tourer which outperforms the GS-X mini for days.
@@joesavini hahahah that was funny :) Team GSX here as well. Satin Black with blue volume knob. I tried getting Purple but they aren't making it currently. So you really couldn't tell the difference between your GSX and the Singxer?
I get confused by rebellious amplification gear with the integrated power transformer on the (facing) left side, when the vast majority have it on the right. Whether rackmount or tabletop hifi, that’s been standard circuit topography since the 1950s
This review is a waste of your viewers' time. I owned both of these amps at the same time for about 3 months, and they don't sound AT ALL alike. To evaluate these amps, you need to listen to just one for a week or more, then listen to another for a week or more. Don't just do immediate A/B comparisons. You need time to identify the characteristics of an amp. Since you couldn't figure it out, I won't tell you except to say I liked one of them a lot better than the other and it wasn't even close. I will tell you there is an amp that falls in between the prices of these two, and is significantly better than either the HeadAmp or Singxer. It is the amp I have now, which is a Burson Soloist 3X and sells for $1144.
Going to change my original comment here. I just got the GS-X mini and it is definitely better than the Singxer. Noticeably so. I did an A/B comparison, and I can immediately tell. The GSX is more 3D (holographic), more natural(smooth and lifelike), and overall more balanced (bass, highs, mids, everything is better). The Singxer's sound is 2D in comparison.
@Steve W. Hi Steve. I'm still using my Burson Soloist 3X and very happy with it, especially with my Meze Empyrean. The Burson is even better with the new Burson Supercharger power supply.
Great and insightful review, thank you Zeos. I think the essence of the Holo review hold true....can you clearly hear the $ amount difference...if the answer is meh 😑 ..save your $ Better headphones, better Amps , more and better recorded music and enjoy life . Hope you and Pasta are doing well. Looking forward to more great reviews. Once again thank you for your honesty.
Singxer is selling a class a/b amp with a switching power supply as "pure class A." Imagine what other corners they're cutting... no one should support that bs.
Well every human ear is different. There is people that can hear the difference between the gsx and the sa-1, and i trust Zeos ear because his ear is identical to mine
Hi Zeos as you mentioned it and partly why i now own the SA1. I followed the Headfi thread and applied the DC coupling jumpers and i think it sounds superb now not as silky smooth but more clarity. Great before.. But there are risks to headphones i am told... trying it may suprise you but you can articulate the risk better for what you get.... my DAC has no dc offset but others wanting to try may mess up !!! Try for your self as a reviewer or your thoughts on DC coupling.... Ty for the review BTW fun to watch..
I owned the questyle cma400i and it broke. This seems to happen to alot of people and their costumer service is terrible. So questyle might sound good, i would never buy from them again honestly.
@@woutervdbroek4176 Lmao, do you know what actually was wrong with your unit? I've had a 400i for over 3 years and not a single issue. I only use USB and the unit never leaves my desk so very few things can go wrong. I got the glass cover and vertical stand and I think it's a sick setup for less than a grand.
@@ZReviews I ordered the FA-12 before your singxer review. But either way, the copper/rose gold face plate and the tanky toroidal transformer will still win me over ... You have to agree, the singxer ain't so much of a looker....
One reason for the flux unit is that you get the stepped relay attenuator. However the lower power, and higher price compared to the singxer makes the singxer much more appealing for most people. (I own a FA-12 so I'm sure I'm biased)
I'll go to Patreon to hate you, then. "Baise-moi et prends mon Argent!" ... you are guilty of TWO recent headphone purchases: Stellia, and 1266. Now my broke wallet is looking accusingly at me as I am pondering amps.
Could you make a video telling us the difference between Class A and Class D amplification? As far as I understand from what you say: Top-notch Class A and Class D headphone AMPs can be represented respectively by the GSX Mini and Topping A90. How would you compare them both tough? What is actually changed in the listening experience? Also, does class A makes more difference in speaker's amps rather than headphones' amps?
There are very few class D headphone amps nowadays. Most of them are speaker amps. Topping A90 is a class AB amp. It is not class D. With high enough impedance headphones, you could pretty much make all class AB amps stay at class A bias. Yes, high impedance headphones "make" every class AB amps into class A amps. It's all about the impedance of the headphones.
@@MrJave_ Tons of caps VS relying on 2 big ones. The dual PSUs. The bigger heatsink. It just seems to me like the SingXer was made with more electronic know-how and plenty of additional tolerance. Whereas the GSX Mini is made like a Rolls, yesteryear's tech taken to it's utmost both in quality but also aesthetics however thereby sacrificing more modern quality safeguards like for instance a bigger heatsink. Then again I don't know the eletronics themselves, I am looking at this from the point of view of PC motherboards and the SingXer just looks quality as hell. Zeos was talking about how the expanding and compressing of heat fluctuation is what breaks electronics and he's right, although it generally only matters with tech that fluctuates more than 40 degrees C like a GPU. But there's another failure point too and that is capacitors so I just get weary seeing the GSX Mini rely on only 2 even if they are massive. Just seems to me like they will have to work harder and get closer to failure faster than the that whole collection in the SingXer, especially with less thermal protection.
@@88Opportunist I disagree, ultimately those things have to be tested. and as far as my knowledge goes, the more electrolytic caps used the more points of failures you create. the GSX uses film capacitors in the amplifier circuit instead which will not only outlast any original buyer but are known to deliver better signal performance. and the oversize electrolytic power caps should be better than smaller ones because they will better dissipate heat and even as the capacitance goes down through the years there will still be plenty headroom to remain within required circuit specs leave aside the short lead length which is better archived with fewer capacitors and help with negating the effects of electrical interferences and Singer is a Chinese manufacturer, and it's no secret that they are famous for lower QC standards and cutting corners. I wouldn't go out and proclaim they will last longer because they have more electrolytic caps. that would sound stupid. and heat sink are dimensioned according to requirements and if they meet requirements they will last a very longtime. so long that they shouldn't be worried about. you have to know the transistors specs, and the amperage flowing and average power loss among many other things like the junction temperatures to even guess which transistor is taking more abuse and which one is able to take more abuse without problems. not just look at the heatsink size and that's all.
Celestee via DMS on loan from Resolve at the headphone show... I believe... It's a legit $1k Focal closed back with great tuning/resolution but limited sound stage and not great imaging.
Blue light is very energetic compared to pure red and green light. Personally, I discovered that Blue LEDs at night can prevent me from having a good nights sleep so most likely Z has a similar aversion because of pure blue’s energy.
@@ZReviews Great! I got Burson Funk on the way, class A headamp + class AB speaker amp combo, probably going to replace my A-100. xDuoo XA-10 is another powerful class A which is also very interesting. Should do all class A showdown!
question is now: for sound alone, disregarding power and connections and features, if I have RebelAmp, is there a reason to buy GS-X Mini? ps. SingXer, AudioGD and others are a no go just because China. I don't care who screams, cry, call names, but buying stuff in your region, and expand the range does way more good to the economy, so that person can just f.. off because we are in mid of world crises because of them, so China is literally the last place on earth we should buy things for right now.
I think the Singxer/GSX are an upgrade to the Rebel. It does similar things to the sound but has the power to keep up on all headphones. Higher quality components throughout.
Go buy the 1400$ more expensive amp and call yourself a proud American. Your choice. On the other hand i am not an American and I'll definitely gonna buy the SingXer.
@@4EverJoyDivision well not just GSX mini, there're also Denafrips Artemis, luxman P750u, Bryston BHA1, SPL Phonitor etc.... Singxer is like a BMW M3, a very good car but others may want a Ferrari, Lambo, Bentlry etc...
The common rule of thumb should be to never test an amp's quality with headphone costing less than it. The headphone would bottleneck the capacity of an amp. I haven't tried much but this seems like common sense to me
Want to see these Reviews Early & Get in on Monthly Yard Sales? Check out...
⚔️www.SubscribeStar.com/Zeos -- Subscribe Star
🥇www.Patreon.com/Zeos -- Check out the Patreon
wheres chewbacca
I own the Singxer. I like its warm sound signature. I also own the Asgard 2, which is a pure class-A and I like the Singxer better. The Asgard sounds a bit harsher and distorts a bit sooner, because it has less overall power. However I think the marketing for the Singxer is deceptive. Class A vs class B is a sliding scale. Audio power amps are pretty much never pure class B, because it would distort where the signal crosses 0V and sound bad. Which is why they are usually referred to as class A/B, because they all have at least a little bit of class A. But exactly how much class A is a tuning factor of the design. The drawback of pure class A is that it gets very hot, due to the inherent inefficiency. If you design pure class A to get less hot then you also have less power output. The Singxer stays cooler than the GSX because the Singxer is actually class A/B with a plenty of class A bias. This is fine for most listening because you aren't using all that power all of the time, so it mostly stays in class A operation with the possible exception of the dynamic peaks. This is why the two amps can sound the same most of the time. But also why the hd600 + too loud would show a difference. Its just enough to tip the Singxer into class B region of operation, but not the GSX. To be clear I like the Singxer and I think it sounds better than at least one other pure class A amp. It just irks me that it is marketed as class A, when it is only a class A biased A/B amp rather than actual pure class A.
Thanks for that explanation.
I recommend trying the Asgard 3 since I heard it fixed most, if not all, of the issues the Asgard 2 had. A lot of people see it as the best amp available for under $300.
Question Mr. Spriggs, Would active cooling prevent the switch from A to B?
@@TimBaoht I didn't design the particular amp being discussed and I don't have the circuit diagram to hand. So I can't say for sure. But I'd guess not. I'd expect the amount of bias to be set using either a fixed resistor or a mini potentiometer somewhere. Reconfiguring this to add more class A bias would then dump more heat into the cooling. This could either just run hotter or overheat depending of the headroom in the original cooling solution and the thermal limits of the components. Basically the heat is the effect rather than the cause and I wouldn't expect it to thermal throttle / boost like a CPU.
@@FiniteCS yeah I'm debating on whether to get an Asgard 3 or a Jotenheim 2 for single-ended in terms of sound.
I laughed out loud when Z went “OH NO” to Imagine Dragons
The reason class A amps get so hot is because of the way they are biased. To get class A operation out of a transistor (in this case a FET) you have to bias the drain at the maximum drain voltage over 2 to get the bias point in the middle of the linear region of the FET. This means that the DC power is Vd/2 * Id/2 = Pdc/4. The amplified audio power is Vac*Iac/2 = Pac/2. The efficiency is then (Pac/2)/(Pdc/4) = 0.5, meaning a class A amplifier at most can be 50% efficient. They are the least efficient amplifier topology, but the most linear since they introduce very little distortion. The rest of that power has to go somewhere, hence the very large heatsinks. Signed, an audiophile RF engineer.
The GS-X mini is my first gemstone amp and I'm so happy with it. Took all the harshness and things I didn't like with any of my headphones/ music and I just love it so much
How don you feel about the fact that you overpaid 1000$ for it when you could have had a Singxer SA 1 for 600$?
@@antpage2 doesn't super bother me actually. It does everything I want it to and it looks good doing it. Not trying to bash singxer but I mean just look at the board on the gsx.. it's gorgeous. The engineering and built in America tax is worth it for me. And it's still less than the built in Canada tax since nothing is made here
@@Captain_Panaka I hear the GS-X mini is more powerful than the Singxer
@@antpage2 Of that, I'm not sure. It runs argons better than the SMSL SP200 for sure and I like the sound better than the Sennheiser HDVD800 but that's really all I have the reference against
@@Captain_Panaka Bryston is Canada made, check em out if you haven't already
The GS-X Mini is better in every way to the Singer SA-1. Makes me wonder if it might be the headphones he chose. I'll give him the benefit of the doubt, but having both the Singxer and the GS-X mini, it's not even close. The singxer SA-1 sounds class A, agreed, but the GS-X Mini sounds better. You may ask, does it sound 1,400 dollars better? Yes, I think so. The Singxer punches above it's price point, but the GS-X is in a higher league.
Maybe if you actually listened to SA-1 you wouldn't be saying this. Buyers remorse? Most likely.
I've owned both, together with extensive listening. It's not even a comparison. @@Ab-ru1ew
I've owned a class A Burson Conductor since 2012. I never leave it on over night, and it hasn't had any issues.
People overstress problems with thermal stress.
To be fair class A is not class A is not class A. Some class A designs run very hot so if you thermocycle them the stress from extremes can be night and day. Other Class A designs can almost be ice cold in comparison when you touch the case. The Burson products I've used have not run that hot compared with others. Not to completely overwrite your comment just to say the issue isn't all that cut and dry.
@@aceofspades6667 Yeah, those amps are Class A/B with a Class A bias since true Class A amps are supposed to run VERY hot. Someone else in these comments was ranting about Singxer's marketing being incorrect due to it not running hot enough to be a true Class A amp.
I have the same Burson. I've left it on for 5 years, only turned it off every now and then. Still works fine but it has developed a weird thing where the DAC clicks/ turns on and off if I for example turn on a lamp nearby.
@@kingstoler mine does that occasionally too.
I wish the SingXer came in different colors, because that GS-X purple makes it look like it's worth the extra money. In fact I want my desk to have an audio stack rainbow of different colored brushed aluminum enclosures.
I guess DIY is the way to go for you ;)
Having a purple/violet a90 on the desk would set you apart I guess ;)
I mean paint exists.
@@ZReviews yeah I guess it could be professionally done, Black paint removed, then re-brushed and/or sand blasted, painted and labels and stickers re done all for less than $1300.
I expected just as much. The gsx is just ludicrously expensive for what it brings, but I just can't help be attracted to the gsx for its looks and the engineering that went into it.
Agreed. Such a beautiful amp, but not worth the price tag. I want more companies to allow for such customization since I've only seen it here and with Geshelli Labs.
So, the deal with the GS-X Mini heat sinks, as I understand it: They are on the power supply regulators. It's a linear power supply, which is why it produces a bunch of heat. The actual headphone amp output devices are on the right. There are 4 groups of discrete devices: L+, L-, R+, and R- which dissipate their heat into the PCB which apparently has enough copper area and ventilating holes that it doesn't need a further heat sink. The Singxer, OTOH, appears to use switching power supplies, which will run much cooler. It's heat sink is on the headphone amp device(s), since they are not spread out over as much board area. Since the heat sink is covers the amp, I can't tell whether it's discrete devices or a chipset. Presumably a chipset would have some thermal management which would control the bias dynamically to further reduce heat dissipation, as opposed to the static bias of the GS-X Mini. Bottom line: the GS-X Mini is an old school, straight ahead class A design, and there's something to be said for its simplicity. The Singxer is likely a newer, but not necessarily better sounding, design.
I love how you describe the front of that LA Lakers looking monstrosity as featuring a "flashlight."
thanks for comparing the GS-X Mini with the SingXer SA-1. Definitely a must buy for me is SingXer SA-1 because I live in Europe and headamp has no resellers in Europe. If I ordered from US, I would pay extra taxes and that is too expensive for me. And I’m glad it sounds very similar. I was informed that SingXer SA-1 is the best solid state amp for my future sennheiser hd 800 s headphones. At first I wanted to buy a topping a90 with hd 800 s but I found out that this combination would sounds too flat and sterile and it would be a boring sound in music.
LED usage in electronics is not only for diag/info etc. In some cases LEDs are better as standard diodes in signal path.
Those warranty lost if removed stickers can be ignored. They will not hold up in court. =)
I used a pair of DACT switched resistor volume control for 25 years in my Luxman 5C50 preamp. Perfect sound and never needed cleaning.
The gain dipswitches on the bottom of the Singxer are a deal breaker. I'd be more interested in a shootout of GSX mini vs Jotenheim 2
AGREED. I'd love to see how he reacts to the Jot2's apparent "two amps in one box" with the linear balanced and Class A single ended outs.
I love the Singxer Sa-1. It use it mainly as a preamp though. It seems to just make everything sound better. My DAC is the Bifrost 2 and the Singer is pre-amping my Liquid Gold X, Darkvoice, and two Parasound Zamps in Mono. It makes all these amps more dynamic somehow. Also, the Dethonray Honey is amazing, which has nothing to do with this review but more people need to try it.
Currently I run it as a headphone amp (it just got in and I love it!) - and I was planning to replace my integrated amp with a power amp. It seems that this would work nicely - thanks ;o)
Hi land walkers, just wondering what gain setting you are using and impedance for the hifi setup?
I would choose the GSX-Mini because of that beautiful circuit board layout.
I ordered the Singxer SA-1 along with the SDA-6 Pro DAC because of your Review :-) i hope it will arrive till tomorrow. Can not wait for it 😎
i'm very curious how this combo sounds.
Did u like it?
@@sjoerdhoogeland9149 It sounds amazing and it is a ridiculous good combo. The SA-1 is a marvelous amp but the SDA-6 really shines for me. It is a hell of a DAC. I am coming from a Gustard H16 + X16 combo and own a Topping A90 as well but the Singxers blew me away!
@@DDomiJi i expected just as such. I have the sa1 but doesn't have the sda6, but people in headfi is saying that the sda6 is the best ak4499 dac out there.
Zeos.
DC offset is a difference from a zero reference.
Just measure your AC signal (easiest off xlr) with DCV function; red to hot, black Lead to chassis ground set screws or the ground plug/prong off an extension cable.
They are built in Charlottesville, Virginia
so Its for lovers
Hey I'm from Virginia that's pog
@@ZReviews yes, that is why I purchased one.
@@alancrome3684 I still live there.
Its very simple. If you have the actual money. Go with the purple one. For the ones that are afraid to hurt their wallets. The black one is the way to go.
The first time I've hears Zeos correct his mispronounciation of "Toroidal" and he still fks it up 🤣 "tOrOiDIaL"
So if they're both peak Class A sound, does this make the GSX mini overengineered?
Maybe the GSX mini is a longer lasting unit?
There has to be a justification.
Cost of production in both countries of origin differs quite a lot - that makes up for most of the price difference. In high end audio a lot is over-engineered - but that is also part of it's charm.
I think this reviewer guy is just deaf. Even hearing the sound via his mic I can hear that the GSX mini have a more warmer sound
Just saw on Amazon...there’s a Singxer DAC 😮
I can't even tell the difference between gsx mini and A90 when I compare them on a switch box. I might be able to tell if I know what to hear for, But the difference is wayyyyy too subtle to be able to tell right away.
I have the A90 and the Singxer - and they sound quite different on my Focal clear, but a lot less different on my Denon AH-D5200 - so it depends on the headphone you are using.
You could try an old 'garage quality' poorly recorded/mastered rock band track - that should sound a lot sharper and generally more unpleasant on the A90 than on your GSX.
Yh solid state amps just really aren’t that characteristic
@@alphaniner3770 Thanks for the insight, I will give it a try.
@@alphaniner3770 Which one do you prefer?
Which one I prefer really depends on the album I put on and in what mood I am. The Topping is more direct and works great with good recordings and the Singxer is more relaxed and forgiving with records that are not of top quality. So I am glad to have both.
V281 vs. GSX Mini Vs. Soloist 3XP is where it's at... I'm sure the Singxer is solid but if you're going top shelf headphones the above 3 will separate. Flux Volot is coming fellas that will be am amp to behold on the level of the Wells Headtrip 2 and XI Formula S + Powerman combo.
By top shelf I'm talking 1266 Phi TC + Susvara + HE6 Sev2 + Final D8000/Pro + Verite Closed + LCD4 + Utopia... I'd bet my right nut most audiophiles can tell the difference between the GSX and Singxer on these cans.
@@aceofspades6667 how do you compare GSX Mini and Soloist 3XP? I use HD800s
You need to balance mod your DT 880s
Fun fact... Warranty stickers are not enforceable in the US.. In face they aren't legal
You can measure DC offset by sticking your multimeter leads between pins 2 and 3 of the xlr output and setting the meter to the lowest possible DC voltage setting. It should read 0. Most modern DAC's will read 0, but if the DAC fails it could generate DC and you don't have protection and will fry the amp. Not something I would run all the time unless you're rich, but definitely worth trying to see how it sounds after you've confirmed the DAC has no DC voltage present.
That purple looks goooood
If it weren't for the cost, I'd 100% have bought it just for the purple by itself. Luckily Geshelli Labs has a similar look for a LOT less.
@@FiniteCS spraypaint it lol
The GS-X is THE recommended headphone amp for Abyss cans by Abyss themselves. Just to give an idea of the status that this thing has.
Formula S is their go-to.
@@ks_3.14 For solid state, I'm pretty sure overall they prefer the WA33
So how is the Fostex TH909 on the GSX mini? Really would like to know, how, those two pair up together.
Well if Singxer had made it possible to connect an external PSU we could figure out. I wish they did - making such a great amp otherwise.
just gonna put this out there
"Most consumers don’t know that these stickers are actually illegal-and that’s because manufacturers don’t want you to. Under the 1975 Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, the Feds mandated that you can open your electronics without voiding the warranty, regardless of what the language of your warranty says. That makes all of that inconsistent (albeit crafty) language used by the 50 manufacturers surveyed by the U.S. PIRG illegal."
I hear the mids in the gs-x mini sounds slight mashed up and could be better in mid separation. I've never heard it personally. Is this anyone else's experience?
Watching the Singzr review made my heart ache. Such a high praise from Z, the perfect, the best, the hottest single ended output near you. But I considered it too expensive. This video brought me back down to earth, like 2000 dollars? 2000?? That's way too much money for an amp. Even the Singzr I flinch at, but if Z is to be believed, that's money well spent. End game. You don't need anything else ever. And now my hand itches to import one. I won't. But dang I wanna.
Think about your thought process here. Did the price of the Singxer change with this review? Did the quality of it change with this review? And even if it really sounds on par with the GS-X (which I strongly doubt), does that mean the Singxer is THAT good, or does it mean the GS-X is THAT underwhelming?
Don't fall for this classic sales trick so easily.
Also remember that amplifiers is all about placebo.
@@Terra101 says the guy with no amp....
@@TimBaoht I do have an amp because a volume knob is pretty nice to have.
I was considering SMSL Sp200... now I’m in doubt too
thank u for ur honesty
My biggest takeaway from this video was to just get a Burson. The Soloist 3X Performance is cheaper and performs better than the GS-X Mini. Then it's worth spending a little more to get the Burson Soloist 3X Grand Tourer which outperforms the GS-X mini for days.
It’s just so ugly though lol. I know sound is the ultimate priority but I like my amps to at least look good on a nice piece of furniture.
The warranty void sticker is meaningless btw as per the FTC
Team GS-X Mini.
What color?
@@ZReviews Purple. You reviewed my amp.
I've got a black one, love it! Perfect pairing to the ZMF Verite closed.
@@joesavini hahahah that was funny :)
Team GSX here as well. Satin Black with blue volume knob. I tried getting Purple but they aren't making it currently. So you really couldn't tell the difference between your GSX and the Singxer?
Blue baby and it’s merica not friggen china
ngl the smol thumb nail makes that logo looks like yours and the purple thought it was a zeos custom for a sec.
I get confused by rebellious amplification gear with the integrated power transformer on the (facing) left side, when the vast majority have it on the right. Whether rackmount or tabletop hifi, that’s been standard circuit topography since the 1950s
Hey have you done the DC jumper modification on this? Or is it bs? Thought plz
You also need a hybrid so you can get tube sweetness in low impedance planars...so 4 amps needed...why do I have 11 ?
watching Z reviews:
step 1: click the product link
step 2: check the price
step 3: leave
This review is a waste of your viewers' time. I owned both of these amps at the same time for about 3 months, and they don't sound AT ALL alike. To evaluate these amps, you need to listen to just one for a week or more, then listen to another for a week or more. Don't just do immediate A/B comparisons. You need time to identify the characteristics of an amp. Since you couldn't figure it out, I won't tell you except to say I liked one of them a lot better than the other and it wasn't even close. I will tell you there is an amp that falls in between the prices of these two, and is significantly better than either the HeadAmp or Singxer. It is the amp I have now, which is a Burson Soloist 3X and sells for $1144.
Going to change my original comment here. I just got the GS-X mini and it is definitely better than the Singxer. Noticeably so. I did an A/B comparison, and I can immediately tell. The GSX is more 3D (holographic), more natural(smooth and lifelike), and overall more balanced (bass, highs, mids, everything is better). The Singxer's sound is 2D in comparison.
@Steve W. Hi Steve. I'm still using my Burson Soloist 3X and very happy with it, especially with my Meze Empyrean. The Burson is even better with the new Burson Supercharger power supply.
You absolutely NEED to review the spirit torrino headphones that headamp sells!!! super fancy Italian Grados!!
Can we get a re rewiew of the lcd x ?
Zeos, can you at least TRY a gimbal and let your fans decide?
Great and insightful review, thank you Zeos.
I think the essence of the Holo review hold true....can you clearly hear the $ amount difference...if the answer is meh 😑 ..save your $
Better headphones, better Amps , more and better recorded music and enjoy life .
Hope you and Pasta are doing well.
Looking forward to more great reviews.
Once again thank you for your honesty.
Singxer is selling a class a/b amp with a switching power supply as "pure class A." Imagine what other corners they're cutting... no one should support that bs.
Hear, hear!
Is this going to be the 2k amp is no different than a 600 dollar amp???
I think this reviewer guy is just deaf. Even hearing the sound via his mic I can hear that the GSX mini have a more warmer sound
Well every human ear is different. There is people that can hear the difference between the gsx and the sa-1, and i trust Zeos ear because his ear is identical to mine
Hey zeos have you tried to combine the singxer with the aune x8 magic dac?
Is it a good combination?
yes I have both and I can tell you that they are a very good combination
@@wassimalouach3243 thanks, what headphones u recommend using with this stack any suggestion?
Hi Zeos as you mentioned it and partly why i now own the SA1. I followed the Headfi thread and applied the DC coupling jumpers and i think it sounds superb now not as silky smooth but more clarity. Great before.. But there are risks to headphones i am told... trying it may suprise you but you can articulate the risk better for what you get.... my DAC has no dc offset but others wanting to try may mess up !!! Try for your self as a reviewer or your thoughts on DC coupling.... Ty for the review BTW fun to watch..
So the bowling pinsetters I work around are also called gs-x
I assume that this is just the MINI version of that.
I wonder which unit is better :
Questyle cma 12 master or this one 🤔
The CMA Twelve is the complete package for $1500. This is $300 more and is just an amp/pre, so they are very different products.
I owned the questyle cma400i and it broke. This seems to happen to alot of people and their costumer service is terrible. So questyle might sound good, i would never buy from them again honestly.
@@woutervdbroek4176 Lmao, do you know what actually was wrong with your unit? I've had a 400i for over 3 years and not a single issue.
I only use USB and the unit never leaves my desk so very few things can go wrong. I got the glass cover and vertical stand and I think it's a sick setup for less than a grand.
@@woutervdbroek4176 bad luck I would guess my 600i is still working 4 years . Let's see how long the 12 master will last .
The question is , singxer, gsx mini or FA 12?
Singxer
@@ZReviews I ordered the FA-12 before your singxer review. But either way, the copper/rose gold face plate and the tanky toroidal transformer will still win me over ... You have to agree, the singxer ain't so much of a looker....
One reason for the flux unit is that you get the stepped relay attenuator. However the lower power, and higher price compared to the singxer makes the singxer much more appealing for most people. (I own a FA-12 so I'm sure I'm biased)
That's one pretty circuit board.
whats is the player app that he use?
What's the 0-60?
if I buy the SA-1 do they include your girly sticker :)
Lol I bought Joe's GS-X Mini here in the video.
Can the Sing have its faceplate removed and anodized to ma funky color??
Yeah, so my Singxer died already.....
you have a real one or an Alibaba stunt double?
@@alphaniner3770 Right from Apos audio. (getting slightly annoyed waiting for Apos support too....)
@@TimBaoht that's unfortunate. hopefully that will be sorted out soon then!
chifi 🤷♀️
@@RathOX that is the risk of it yes - customer support. In my country we have Magna hifi - which is a great in-between
I'll go to Patreon to hate you, then. "Baise-moi et prends mon Argent!" ... you are guilty of TWO recent headphone purchases: Stellia, and 1266. Now my broke wallet is looking accusingly at me as I am pondering amps.
Could you make a video telling us the difference between Class A and Class D amplification?
As far as I understand from what you say: Top-notch Class A and Class D headphone AMPs can be represented respectively by the GSX Mini and Topping A90.
How would you compare them both tough?
What is actually changed in the listening experience?
Also, does class A makes more difference in speaker's amps rather than headphones' amps?
There are very few class D headphone amps nowadays. Most of them are speaker amps.
Topping A90 is a class AB amp. It is not class D.
With high enough impedance headphones, you could pretty much make all class AB amps stay at class A bias. Yes, high impedance headphones "make" every class AB amps into class A amps.
It's all about the impedance of the headphones.
@@hamedshahr
I see;
I thought all these chi-fi amps (Topping and SMSL) were Class D
Looking at those internals I am pretty sure the SingXer will also outlast the GSX Mini by quite a few years.
How so? Genuinely interested.
@@MrJave_ Tons of caps VS relying on 2 big ones. The dual PSUs. The bigger heatsink. It just seems to me like the SingXer was made with more electronic know-how and plenty of additional tolerance. Whereas the GSX Mini is made like a Rolls, yesteryear's tech taken to it's utmost both in quality but also aesthetics however thereby sacrificing more modern quality safeguards like for instance a bigger heatsink. Then again I don't know the eletronics themselves, I am looking at this from the point of view of PC motherboards and the SingXer just looks quality as hell.
Zeos was talking about how the expanding and compressing of heat fluctuation is what breaks electronics and he's right, although it generally only matters with tech that fluctuates more than 40 degrees C like a GPU. But there's another failure point too and that is capacitors so I just get weary seeing the GSX Mini rely on only 2 even if they are massive. Just seems to me like they will have to work harder and get closer to failure faster than the that whole collection in the SingXer, especially with less thermal protection.
@@88Opportunist I disagree, ultimately those things have to be tested. and as far as my knowledge goes, the more electrolytic caps used the more points of failures you create. the GSX uses film capacitors in the amplifier circuit instead which will not only outlast any original buyer but are known to deliver better signal performance. and the oversize electrolytic power caps should be better than smaller ones because they will better dissipate heat and even as the capacitance goes down through the years there will still be plenty headroom to remain within required circuit specs leave aside the short lead length which is better archived with fewer capacitors and help with negating the effects of electrical interferences
and Singer is a Chinese manufacturer, and it's no secret that they are famous for lower QC standards and cutting corners. I wouldn't go out and proclaim they will last longer because they have more electrolytic caps. that would sound stupid. and heat sink are dimensioned according to requirements and if they meet requirements they will last a very longtime. so long that they shouldn't be worried about. you have to know the transistors specs, and the amperage flowing and average power loss among many other things like the junction temperatures to even guess which transistor is taking more abuse and which one is able to take more abuse without problems. not just look at the heatsink size and that's all.
I thought the mouse pad was dirty af at first.
That must have the most expensive volume knob.
The dact are more than $200 if you buy them seperatly.
It’s called thermal shock, Zeos
I think this reviewer guy is just deaf. Even hearing the sound via his mic I can hear that the GSX mini have a more warmer sound
Do the focal damn it !!!
blue LEDs are superior, bow to them
Asgard 3 Zeos, review that. I can send you mine edit best budget amp.
I click cuz the wallpaper and i stay for the review :)
I'm a simple man. I see Zero Two, I like. Thanks for the review Zeos.
At long last
What are the blue Focals?
Celestee via DMS on loan from Resolve at the headphone show... I believe... It's a legit $1k Focal closed back with great tuning/resolution but limited sound stage and not great imaging.
@@aceofspades6667 think DMS prefers Aeon Noir
I thought Celestee is almost black navy blue. Those look hideous to me at least, but looks better everywhere else I've seen them.
I thought it was black too. To me these look more like a Drop x Focal style, and I think they're beautiful.
Can someone tell me why Z have a phobia to blue LED's?
Blue light is very energetic compared to pure red and green light.
Personally, I discovered that Blue LEDs at night can prevent me from having a good nights sleep so most likely Z has a similar aversion because of pure blue’s energy.
I just want it because it's purple
RebelAmp is over there looking sexier than both of them.
Ikr!
SingXer, Topping, SMSL and Gustard are making life way too hard for any non-chinese competition.
Well, topping / SMSL are just making measurement boxes so take those out
How's Jotunheim 2 stack up against these? Also class A with plenty of power and getting good reviews.
Won't know until Schiit finally send me one. They said they would which is why I didn't just buy one.
@@ZReviews Great! I got Burson Funk on the way, class A headamp + class AB speaker amp combo, probably going to replace my A-100.
xDuoo XA-10 is another powerful class A which is also very interesting. Should do all class A showdown!
Fuck the amp where do i get the sticker?
question is now: for sound alone, disregarding power and connections and features, if I have RebelAmp, is there a reason to buy GS-X Mini?
ps. SingXer, AudioGD and others are a no go just because China. I don't care who screams, cry, call names, but buying stuff in your region, and expand the range does way more good to the economy, so that person can just f.. off because we are in mid of world crises because of them, so China is literally the last place on earth we should buy things for right now.
imo if you want to use XLR then why not but if you don't then maybe try different flavor like tubes
I think the Singxer/GSX are an upgrade to the Rebel. It does similar things to the sound but has the power to keep up on all headphones. Higher quality components throughout.
Go buy the 1400$ more expensive amp and call yourself a proud American.
Your choice.
On the other hand i am not an American and I'll definitely gonna buy the SingXer.
@@4EverJoyDivision well not just GSX mini, there're also Denafrips Artemis, luxman P750u, Bryston BHA1, SPL Phonitor etc.... Singxer is like a BMW M3, a very good car but others may want a Ferrari, Lambo, Bentlry etc...
@@ZReviews thank you
Fantastic ASMR 17:04
The common rule of thumb should be to never test an amp's quality with headphone costing less than it. The headphone would bottleneck the capacity of an amp. I haven't tried much but this seems like common sense to me
Thats not how it works lmao