I am trying to decide between the Headroom BUDA+DPS and GS-X to use as a "backup" balanced solid state amp to use with HD800 and ECD-1 for those times that I don't want to fire up the tube amp (Woo Audio WA5 LE). There are advantages to both of them. For instance, BUDA+DPS is maybe slightly smaller, bit cheaper (can't members of the other site get some sort of 10% discount?), will convert SE to balanced from an unbalanced source like my SA8001 that I use to listen to the few SACDs that I own, has a shorter waiting period. However, the GS-X is fully discrete while the the BUDA is chip based, the GS-X has stepped attenuators, and Justin's work is absolutely amazing. Also, I am not sure what the specs are on the BUDA like output power, etc. I would go for the GS-X but I am worried that the BUDA has some special "synergy" with the HD800's which the GS-X does not have. Has anyone heard both with the HD800? I have a GS-1 and the Woo certainly trumps the GS-1 with the HD800 but of course the GS-X will be balanced so moar power....

Edit: I admit I made a thread on the "other" site asking the same question (mostly out of habit/comfort) and didn't get very good feedback. I hope you won't hold this against me.

Uh from all reports, aka Dreadhead and others, the GS-X sounds amazing with the HD800s.

Uh from all reports, aka Dreadhead and others, the GS-X sounds amazing with the HD800s.

Good to know.

Early Friday morning at CanJam, I listened to balanced HD800s from HeadRoom's BUDA stack. At that point in time, I wasn't sure if I was going to keep my HD800 order or cancel it. I listened to it for about 1/2 hour while Tyll and the Sennheiser guys unpacked. I can say that a balanced HD800 and BUDA is a world-class combination. After that 1/2 hour, I knew I was going to keep my order (and did).

I haven't had the pleasure of doing the same listening with a GS-X. From every thing I've heard and read, that is also a world-class combination. In my mind, this is reverse Hobson's choice. You can't make a wrong decision.

Well Headroom does have a 30 day return policy that you could take advantage of.

I can confirm the HD800 sounds great out of the GSX. I can't confirm but suspect the HD800 would sound just fine out of the BUDA+DPS, so it sounds like one of those non-lose choices (you know, like choosing between two different flavors of ice cream that you like).

Shelly, the old 10% Head-Fi discount is long gone as far as I know.

Shelly, the old 10% Head-Fi discount is long gone as far as I know.

Well, I suppose the prices are about the same then.

You may want to try emailing if there is any sort of discount for return customers (assuming you are one).

I can confirm the HD800 sounds great out of the GSX. I can't confirm but suspect the HD800 would sound just fine out of the BUDA+DPS, so it sounds like one of those non-lose choices (you know, like choosing between two different flavors of ice cream that you like).

I have a heck of a time deciding which ice cream to get, which bottle of wine to order, which album to listen to at the moment; my partner always gives me a hard time with this.

Everyone does -- it's a classic foible. If your partner doesn't, then he's the odd one out.

(I have a really hard time with ice cream -- if French vanilla is available, it's an easy preference, but it usually isn't. If it's just chocolate or vanilla, I let other people go first, and then I pick whatever there's more left of. Thank god for swirls.)

I'll take a BUDA GS-X swirl please.

Everyone does -- it's a classic foible. If your partner doesn't, then he's the odd one out.

(I have a really hard time with ice cream -- if French vanilla is available, it's an easy preference, but it usually isn't. If it's just chocolate or vanilla, I let other people go first, and then I pick whatever there's more left of. Thank god for swirls.)

Well I finally got to hear my HD800s balanced out of my GS-X today and it sounds truly amazing much like it did single ended. That said I was really impressed by the BUDA amp + HD800s at CJ. I think everyone stating it's a no-lose is pretty much on the money.

Dreadhead: How much improvement did you see running it balanced vs single-ended (presumably, SE would sound the same as a GS-1 which I currently have)?

Well I finally got to hear my HD800s balanced out of my GS-X today and it sounds truly amazing much like it did single ended. That said I was really impressed by the BUDA amp + HD800s at CJ. I think everyone stating it's a no-lose is pretty much on the money.

Early Friday morning at CanJam, I listened to balanced HD800s from HeadRoom's BUDA stack. At that point in time, I wasn't sure if I was going to keep my HD800 order or cancel it. I listened to it for about 1/2 hour while Tyll and the Sennheiser guys unpacked. I can say that a balanced HD800 and BUDA is a world-class combination. After that 1/2 hour, I knew I was going to keep my order (and did).

I haven't had the pleasure of doing the same listening with a GS-X. From every thing I've heard and read, that is also a world-class combination. In my mind, this is reverse Hobson's choice. You can't make a wrong decision.

How did you get away with using "world class" twice in one post without getting shovelled? You guys are becoming soft.

IpodBj has hijacked guzziguy's computer

Buying both... hmm... an interesting and expensive solution. If I could only make one invisible so that the better half couldn't see them both...

Ok, I have sort of a dumb question. I assume that the Headroom BUDA+DPS has a single power supply whereas the GS-X has separate power supplies. Is this true? Will this give some advantage to the GS-X? I'm not exactly sure what is going on with the DPS since my knowledge of electronics is pretty limited.

Also anyone know any specs on the BUDA and/or BUDA+DPS? I cannot find much online.

Dreadhead: How much improvement did you see running it balanced vs single-ended (presumably, SE would sound the same as a GS-1 which I currently have)?

I'm not sure I can really comment one way or another on this as at least with the GS-X my experience in actual listening is that the balanced drive really didn't make a difference when properly volume matched. That said in doing some auditory tests I have proven to myself that there is less distortion with balanced drive and there certainly is a lower noise floor so I generally go that route (that and there is no reason to ever get rid of a GS-X ).

Ok, I have sort of a dumb question. I assume that the Headroom BUDA+DPS has a single power supply whereas the GS-X has separate power supplies. Is this true? Will this give some advantage to the GS-X? I'm not exactly sure what is going on with the DPS since my knowledge of electronics is pretty limited.

Also anyone know any specs on the BUDA and/or BUDA+DPS? I cannot find much online.

The DPS is an upgrade external power supply for the BUDA. Someone else will have to respond about the GS-X.

How did you get away with using "world class" twice in one post without getting shovelled? You guys are becoming soft.

It's probably due to my boyish good looks.

IpodBj has hijacked guzziguy's computer

Sorry if I used a term he uses. He's on my ignore list and I don't read his posts.

Oh, I guess I didn't phrase my statement/question correctly. I am pretty sure the GS-X has separate power supplies for each channel. I assume that the BUDA+DPS does not. Is this correct and is it going to give the GS-X an advantage over the BUDA+DPS, at least on paper?

The DPS is an upgrade external power supply for the BUDA. Someone else will have to respond about the GS-X.

Oh, I guess I didn't phrase my statement/question correctly. I am pretty sure the GS-X has separate power supplies for each channel. I assume that the BUDA+DPS does not. Is this correct and is it going to give the GS-X an advantage over the BUDA+DPS, at least on paper?

Shelly,

Your assumption is correct, the BUDA shares a common power supply between the two channels. My understanding of the GS-X is the same as yours, that it is a true "dual mono" design and uses a separate power supply for each channel.

Now if you want to talk advantages I'm not sure that I would say that the "dual mono" approach is going to yield as much as some other differences. I don't think there's a bad choice to be made here, each offering some advantages over the other. The GS-X is probably the more brutally pure design, the BUDA offering crossfeed, both offering switchable gain.