Introduction -I've been looking forward to this day for over a year. It all began with Jason's announcement of a 'statement' amp way back in, what, 2011 or 2012 (?). At that point, I didn't even own HD800s, so I had no plans in motion, but I knew I needed to keep up with this project. Later I did pick up HD800s after having moved solely to custom in ear monitors, then making a pit stop in Stax land with a SR-007 mk1 and SRM-323. I learned a lot from both avenues. In ear monitors can have incredible holographic imaging, but their treble detail/clarity is not up to standards of high end full size phones. Stax (and other planar devices) are amazingly clean and articulate, but a little boring. The other lesson from this is that I don't like the soundstage presentation of planar headphones. There are gaps in frontal imaging I just couldn't let pass. It took a while to conceptualize this problem, and I went back and forth on it for a while.
The next step was almost a backpedal to a headphone I'd largely discarded previously, the HD800. I'd heard these right after release in 2009 at a meet and thought they were good but not great. I heard them a few more times at meets but never connected with them, until I heard them on some great rigs at RMAF 2011. As mentioned before, I had problems with planar headphones, so when my RMAF 2011 impressions listed planar headphones in positions 1 through 4 of my top 5 rigs, one would probably not have expected me to purchase the headphones in the 5th rig. I enjoyed the tone and smooth delivery of the planars, but in the back of my mind I had hesitation. After RMAF I was still using Ultimate Ears Reference Monitors and knew they were excellent but had room for improvement, and that meant going back to full size headphones. I looked around at those using UERMs and what full size phones they used, which almost without fail were HD800s. I recalled finding the HD800s greatly improved with the rigs I heard at RMAF, and decided to take the dive, going as far as ordering from Colorware, paying full retail and getting the color scheme I liked best, rather than finding a deal from Meier, Crutchfield, or elsewhere.
Thus began the hunt for HD800 amplifiers. I started with the Woo Audio 6 I was using for my CIEMs, due to its lack of noise with high sensitivity drivers. This was woefully inadequate, but I could hear some of that HD800 magic despite the less than stellar pairing. I recalled Jason's statement amp and found it was still a long way off, so I found the new Bryston BHA-1 that was soon to be released. It looked the part and it delivered. Good sound, though slightly bright. It later stood up to the Mjolnir's budget attack, though just barely. What it did not stand up to, was the Headamp GS-X mk2, which I heard at the Austin 2013 meet. I ordered it shortly after, and sold the BHA-1 anticipating the delivery of the GS-X mk2 about 6 months after ordering. Delivery stretched out, and I began to see other options out there, and I was tired of using a Matrix M-Stage, which is great for what it is, but it's not a TOTL amp.
Sometime around March of this year I became aware of Doug's Black Diamond prototype, which was well reviewed (by Radio_Head) along side the other two recent ECP amps. I decided I would get one to test against the GS-X mk2. At this time Ragnarok finally got its name and semi-firm delivery estimates were coming out. I knew at once, I'd be looking at a three way comparison, it would just be a matter of waiting for the stars to align and all three be delivered. In the end, the last amp I became aware of was the first to arrive, just a month after I ordered it. The GS-X mk2 came next (16 months after ordering), with the Ragnarok showing up just a couple weeks ago, the amp I kn
ew about first. Now I've placed the three combatants in a coliseum, all armed with HD800s, winner stays, losers go.
The Test -Going into this test, I knew I had to be ready for a higher level of scrutiny than ever before. These were all TOTL caliber amps, and none would be outright bad. My comments in this review will likely be somewhat exaggerated as necessary to point out differences at this tier. During the course of this review I did use other headphones for alternative perspective, but the differences I heard from the amps were consistent with what I heard form the HD800s, so I will be speaking from the HD800 experience only. Similarly I used three different DACs (Matrix Mini-I, Mini-I Pro, and X-Sabre) to feed the amps and again all chains performed similarly with respect to the amp in use.
The test system goes like this: JRiver (WASAPI) > Matrix X-Sabre (USB) > Amps > HD800. Two of the three amps are balanced, and I did use them in balanced mode exclusively. The Black Diamond is unbalanced only, however its performance is not out of place. I used HD800 cables made by the same person (Ted Allen of FBI Cables/Headphone Lounge), one balanced 4 pin, the other unbalanced.
As the focus of this site is headphones, the bulk of my testing was using headphones. I did test the Ragnarok against my 1983 Pioneer SX-9 (top of the line) 125WPC stereo receiver with Paradigm Studio 40 large bookshelves. As this doesn't pertain to the GS-X or Black Diamond, it will be in its own section following the review conclusion.
I won't bore you with a track by track list of the music I used, but know this – I listen to a very wide range of music. Most of my listening, however, tends to be aggressive music such as metal, alternative rock, pop, and, with increasing frequency, electronica. I do have some favorite albums that are calmer styles such as classical and folk that were used in testing. When I listen critically, I do so at reasonably loud volume, such that I would want if I were listening live, but lower than actual live sound, in most cases. At the beginning of my testing I used an app to level match the amps, but with different mastering levels, re-balancing every time I changed albums got old fast.
The Challengers -
ECP Audio – Black Diamond ($1600, limited run, out of production)
As mentioned before, Tari's ECP review got me interested in the Black Diamond. I was drawn to its lack of tubes or transistors for gain. A completely different topology must have a unique sound, I said to myself. I also found it interesting to be supporting Doug Savitsky, someone who seems to have a blast figuring out crazy topologies, building a limited run, and moving on to the next project. It felt like I was supporting an artist, someone pushing the envelope, and moving on to create again and again. I had no idea what to expect, other than Tari's assessment, so this purchase was largely from curiosity and anxiety about the GS-X taking so long. Despite being a small operation, Doug was very attentive to emails and worked with me to ensure I would be happy with the product I received. Production seemed to be well in order, and there were no snags that caused delay. Doug even tried to grant a custom request for certain woods for the side panels. In the end those woods were too hard on the tools, and while still different than the standard walnut, we went with teak panels which turned out great.
The Black Diamond is neither black, nor diamond shaped, though Doug gave it a try with the wooden side panels. The name is drawn from the innards, the diamond buffers. Back on the outside, the front panel is minimalist with just the headphone outpu
t, a power indicating red LED, and the volume knob. The headphone output is sort of an odd choice, since it is actually a combination jack, as found on the GS-X mk2. The usual use of this jack is to provide unbalanced output (center area) along with one side of a balanced output (3 pin, around the center), but the Black Diamond is unbalanced only. Perhaps Doug had extra combination jacks? Regardless, the jack operates nicely, firm but not too gripping. The power switch is located on the rear, and the switch incorporates its own LED, a nice touch. The single set of unbalanced RCA inputs make up the rest of the rear. The top of the unit is peculiar because of the partially exposed Cinemag transformers, custom made for this amp. They remind me of steamship smokestacks such as the RMS Titanic, or RMS Lusitania. This amp features the least functionality as it has only one input, one gain setting, and no pre-amp.
The workmanship of the amp is very good. Everything lines up correctly and the metal looks high quality. There are some edges that are a little sharp, especially the corners of the face and rear plate. The wooden side panels have a diamond-like shape and those edges are quite smooth. While not as exacting as the fit and finish of the GS-X mk2, it is certainly more than adequate and much better than most smaller run electronics I've seen. This amp runs at room temperature, so you don't have to worry about burning a finger, or adding to your cooling bill.
Headamp GS-X mk2 ($2800-3000, in production)
Although recently updated with mk2 improvements, the GS-X is decidedly an older design than the other participants. The benefits here are that Justin is intimately familiar with every millimeter of the design, so you know everything will be physically perfect. In fact, that is how I would describe Justin's work, physically perfect. The dual chassis setup is unique in this trio, and the level of attention devoted to appearance and construction really shows. The attention grabber, of course, is the polished anodized aluminum face plate on each chassis. It is beautiful and free of flaws. I ordered a special color, red, and Justin was even able to make the screws match perfectly, something he suggested might not be possible when we were in talks early on. He also changed the LED color from the standard blue to white, a better match to red. The powder coated panels are no less perfect, with a light texture that adds to the quality feel. What was surprising was how light the amp section is, while still being quite rigid. There is nothing flimsy about the GS-X, nothing an after-thought. The power umbilical is even keyed so that you can't insert it incorrectly, and the fastener is a nice design, as it turns a couple times like a nut, but then clicks into place, instead of having to rotate endlessly until tight.
Functionally, there were only two issues I ran into. The first of which was that the switches used are quite stiff, and so requires you hold the amp section either with your other hand, or switch it in such a way that you brace it with the same hand you are using to manipulate the switch. If you don't, the amp section, light as it is, will slide out of position, particularly if flipping the switch up. This is a minor problem, and the trade off is that these stiff switches are heavy duty and likely to last a very long time. The other issue was that the combination jacks required excessive force to plug in and especially pull out. As mentioned before, this can easily result in a sliding amp section. All inputs, outputs and switches are marked in an easy to read font and represent all possible functions of the amp. As long as you are familiar with the terms, this is an amp that requires no reading of a manual. This amp runs slightly warmer than room temperature, just enough of a difference that you can tell it is on by
feel. The GS-X mk2 has all you need in a headphone amp when it comes to functionality. Between three inputs, three gains, and pre-amp outputs you'll be able to use it in almost any configuration you can think of.
Schiit Audio Ragnarok ($1699, in production)
As the first amp I knew I would get when I first got my HD800s, its coming last has certainly built up expectations. I'd tried it's little brother, the Mjolnir (also Circlotron), against the Bryston BHA-1 and found it the better bargain, but the BHA-1 the better sounding. To this point I'd never heard a Schiit amp that really impressed me other than from a value perspective, so though I was expecting the moon, I was ready to say “It's good for the money”.
The Ragnarok weighs more than the other two amps combined, and takes up the most real estate, even factoring the feet on both GS-X units. I had expected big, but this was a little bit more than that. It also runs hotter, though still far from finger burning or seriously denting your cooling bill. It is merely warm. The familiar Schiit shell is ever present, and I can't decide whether I like it more in this form factor or on the smaller units. It's almost too big for this styling. The Ragnarok is the functionality king, sporting everything you need for both headphones and speakers. Five inputs, three gain settings, pre-amp and binding posts will ensure compatibility with whatever gear you throw at it. I appreciate the push buttons instead of levers, though the slow-ish reaction and multiple clicks from inside the unit upon button press had me concerned the first few times I changed a setting. The buttons and knob have a polished surface, which some have commented is a finger print magnet. Sorry, but who cares? It's an amp, not a runway model. I like the contrast to the brushed aluminum and feel it helps separate the Ragnarok from the rest of the line. I also appreciate that the LEDs are not blindingly bright as my past Schiit has had.
Where it falls short is the front panel labeling. It's almost the same color as the aluminum in a household environment (darker), and not very easy to read. In order to cycle between output modes (headphone only, speaker only, combined) you must read the manual, it is not intuitive from just looking at the panel. OK, so it's not really that big of a deal, except that we're guys and guys don't read manuals. I saw criticism of the execution of the unbalanced output, namely the hex nut around the jack, and at first thought it too nit-picky, but I have come to agree that this tiny detail does detract from an otherwise high end look. Again, not a big deal, but it could be better.
Another area that has met with constant criticism on Schiit products is the location of the power switch. Again it is on the rear of the unit to avoid internal interference problems. This doesn't affect me as I keep my headphone gear on open shelves next to my chair, and I also leave solid state gear on all the time. I do find it interesting that in this review, the two amps made by engineers have power on the back. Coincidence? I think not. Justin takes it a step further and puts power in its own chassis at the cost of higher total price.
Sonics -ECP Black Diamond -As the first to arrive, the ECP Black Diamond was a relief. I'd been stuck with a Matrix M-Stage for about 6-7 months at that point. The first thing I noticed about the BD was its smoothness. The next was how seamless it is both in frequency response and imaging. This is a very well put together soundscape. Later, in comparison to the GS-X, I noticed the BD has a smaller soundstage (though still at least medium i
n size), but it is as if all of that extra space is drawn up into this incredible density of tone. I'd never heard a truly intimate HD800 rig before, but this is one. It is really special, combined with the accuracy and spacial characteristics of the HD800s. Guitars feel like you can just reach out and strum them, vocals sitting in the same room.
What this means, though, is that recordings that sound best in a grand scale, aren't as grand. The Black Diamond doesn't have as much air as most amps recommended for HD800s. As things are drawn up somewhat, the layers of sound are still separated, but much closer to each other. It still sounds great with full scale orchestral works, it just doesn't have the depth to pull off a real life deja-vu. Where it also lacks somewhat is bass sustain past the impact. I noticed this most when playing an electronic track with pounding bass, as the impact was fine, it felt like the bass dropped off too fast from that impact. Overall I think this is a fantastic amp that can do an intimate setting with HD800s like so few others can. As long as you know what you are getting into, this could be your best amp ever.
Headamp GS-X mk2 -When I heard the GS-X mk2 at the Austin 2013 meet, I loved it. It was a better version of the Bryston BHA-1 I had just a few tables away. Clean, clear with great depth. I wanted one. Now! I knew I'd have to be patient, and Justin sure did tax that patience. I received my GS-X mk2 a couple months after receiving the Black Diamond. From March 2013 until July 2014, I had tried to hold a sonic picture of the GS-X mk2. After selling my BHA-1 and listening through an M-Stage for many months, the Black Diamond was a breath of fresh air, and a warm up for the GS-X mk2, I hoped. Right out of the box, the GS-X mk2 wasn't as perfect as I'd remembered. In the 16 months since ordering, my music tastes had shifted somewhat to more aggressive music. The acoustic, jazz, and downtempo electronic I was fond of then, had been supplanted by metal, alt rock, and more-experimental electronic music. My recent favorites are certainly not the best mastered albums ever, but they aren't Death Magnetic or Night Visions.
I was experiencing sizzle on vocals, cymbals, strings, anything with harmonics reaching into the high mids/low treble. It was so noticeable, I felt instantly depressed. Later I went back to some of the music I was listening to when I ordered the GS-X mk2, and found the effect greatly reduced, but did recognize its' happening. Some genres, like classical seemed to benefit from this increased treble presence, but most did not. I suppose I wasn't diligent about testing a wide enough range of music in my audition at that meet. I confided with a few close friends, but dodged questions about GS-X mk2 impressions until now. I had proclaimed the GS-X mk2 to be great with the HD800s after my audition, and now... sizzle.
It took me a while to get past the sizzle and explore the rest of the sound. Otherwise, I found a nice presentation that was deep and clear. Bass impact was good, almost great. Lower range vocals (that didn't incur the sizzle) were excellent. Texture all around was certainly better than the BHA-1. The BHA-1 also had a slight sizzle, but it wasn't as pronounced with aggressive music as the GS-X mk2 was displaying. For a while, I used the GS-X mk2 exclusively, with the Black Diamond in reserve (it had already had 2 months solo) hoping the GS-X would break in and the sizzle was just a 'right out of the box' thing. Either I got used to it, or there was indeed some break in, the sizzle reduced, but was and still is there to this day. Eventually I put it away, opting for the Black Diamond while I waited for Ragnarok.
Schiit Ragnarok -Coming from the disappointment of the GS-X mk2, and my l
ack of positive experience with Schiit's amps (Mjolnir aside), I was worried my 3 amp comparo had ended with the first arrival. I liked the Black Diamond well enough, but there was a feeling of needing more. A couple weeks ago, 'more' landed. Right out of the box, the Ragnarok impressed me. And as a matter of fact, as Purrin has mentioned, this amp sounds the same, whether on for a few minutes, or hours. Jason has the fairy dust working overtime in the C2. The space of the GS-X mk2 was there, further reaching than the Black Diamond, but gone was the sizzle. The treble is still quite present, and sharp, to be sure. It simply wasn't forced-sounding as with the GS-X mk2.
This was a good start, having leaped the space and sizzle hurdles of the forerunners. The rest followed suit. The Ragnarok doesn't have the same tight-knit density of the Black Diamond, but layers are laid out perfectly, so the sense of continuity is very much there. Bass impact surpassed both prior amps and sustain was even with the GS-X, but better than the Black Diamond. I'd put the GS-X mk2 and Ragnarok on a level field when it comes to controlling dynamic shifts with the Black Diamond just a little behind. In a way, I find the texture of the Black Diamond best as it gives the feeling of living sounds, however, in another way, I find the Ragnarok has more accurate texture, sort of a stark, more real presentation. It was not until I had all three amps together that I finally noticed the texture of the GS-X mk2 lacking. Behind the excellent bass and dynamic control, the textures themselves were flatter, less convincing, though, by itself, the GS-X mk2 sounded fine.
Getting back to the Ragnarok's accuracy, its presentation seems to be dry, in that things are crisp without any tube type distortion to romance the listener, nor should it, being solid state. That doesn't mean it's a cold lifeless hulk, though. In fact there is warmth to the sound, which brings balance to the dry, creating the most honest soundscape I've heard yet. Certainly the Ragnarok has some coloration, no amp is immune, but of the three I find the Ragnarok to be the least colored, with the Black Diamond on the smoother, more lush end, and the GS-X mk2 to be on the colder harsher end. As I was moving back to the Black Diamond after packing away the GS-X mk2, this is part of what I felt needed improving, my search wouldn't be over, even if the Ragnarok failed.
If you know me, you know soundstage comes first in any equipment evaluation. Having all three amps together, I noticed something I certainly wouldn't have apart. The three amps have distinctly different shapes of soundstage. With the GS-X mk2, the soundstage has a peculiar shape to it, sort of a flying saucer shape. Tall in the center diminishing from top and bottom until narrow at the edge. When listening to ambient spacial electronic music, I never look up and out with my mind's eye when using the GS-X. The field is certainly deep, and nearby images have a good sense of vertical position, but far images are all in the same vertical space. Moving to the Ragnarok, I have the impression of being in the center of a jelly doughnut, with a tall yet mostly flat ceiling and floor with extensive depth retaining the height until just before the end. The Black Diamond feels like a smaller, perfect sphere. The most realistic, to me, is the Ragnarok's, as it gives appropriate depth, and height to go along until at the edge of perception. The GS-X mk2 reducing height as it nears the horizon is unnatural. The Black Diamond simply feels like living in a dome with only a void beyond the wall.
Is the Ragnarok my ultimate amp? Perhaps. It ticks all my boxes, and anything it does less than perfect is made up in a complimentary way, such as the cohesive layering I mentioned before. It performs more cleanly than the other two, and does so without sounding lifeless. Impressive. I think the Black Diamond is impressive in its own way, but I cra
ve the space Ragnarok and GS-X give me. Overall the GS-X mk2 was a disappointment that still performs at a very high level.
Results:#3 Headamp GS-X mk2
#2 ECP Black Diamond
#1 Schiit RagnarokYet the Ragnarok doesn't end there. Unlike most headphone amps that can also drive speakers, Ragnarok has the ability to push real power, making it possible to power almost any speakers, save full size planar types. This is a feature I was also looking forward to, but had zero bearing on my amp comparison above. I admit now that my listening room is not treated, has awful walls (brick on one, half wall on another, and an open tile floored entry way on the other), and generally sounds bad. Despite that, I have an inexpensive speaker system I enjoy using.
The system I use is as follows:
1983 Pioneer SX-9 (Japan only, TOTL) 125WPC
Paradigm Studio 40 v.4 large bookshelves
Velodyne CHT-12 Subwoofer crossed at 45-50Hz
As I was waiting for Ragnarok to arrive, actually before the GS-X mk2 arrived, I was about to use my speakers one day and suddenly there was sort of a feedback warble effect that was getting louder and louder. I raced to my vintage amp and shut it down. I had no idea what was going on, so I gave it a few minutes and tried again hoping it was a one-time problem. No luck. It happened a few more times before I decided it must have had an old part fail. I didn't want to risk further damage before I sent it off to be repaired, so I was speaker-amp-less for several months. The day before Ragnarok was to be delivered, I decided to give it another try, ready at the power switch to kill it. To my relief the warble didn't start up right away. I next started music playing, and it played as it always had. It was back from the dead! In retrospect, I must have had a cable connected wrong, and having attended two meets between my Pioneer 'failing' and resurrecting enabled me opportunity to reconnect all the gear I had taken with, and connect it properly.
So, now armed with a working speaker amp to compare with the Ragnarok, I had to carve some time out of my headphone focused audition time. I managed a few hours comparing back and forth. Given my environment and lack of previous focus on speakers, I didn't detect large differences. Taking a step back, I realized I was comparing a high end amp from the 80s with a similarly high end amp from 2014, and if all things were equal, I shouldn't hear large differences. In fact, the original price of the SX-9, in today's dollars, is $2400. Realizing I was in for more than just a cursory 'Yeah Rag destroys it', I settled in for a detailed evaluation. As this is largely a headphone review, I'll keep it brief.
Ragnarok has edges in every category over the Pioneer, but they are quite small. The largest is probably in macro dynamics, large shifts in volume in short periods, and the control that needs to come with them. Soundstage seems the same in all regards, but the Ragnarok has more detail to the sound making for a more transparent presentation. As glad I am that the Ragnarok came out on top here, as well as with headphones, I've gained a new level of appreciation for my old Pioneer. When I got it from a family member, it replaced a crappy Harmon Kardon 5.1 receiver and the difference was shocking. Realizing the Pioneer can hang with the Ragnarok makes me think the last 20-30 years have been mostly about cutting costs, not improving sound. Purrin has been saying much the same thing about DACs of the last 10-20 years. I am certainly not a vintage enthusiast about anything, but this experience will help keep my mind open to auditions in the future.
Thanks for reading.
