September 2018


Best Of 2018 Blue Note Equipment Awards

HeadAmp Gilmore Lite Mk2 Class A Headphone Amplifier
Price: $499
Click here to read the complete review.

  It's always a welcome surprise when you stumble across a product that absolutely rocks for a reasonable price. The HeadAmp Gilmore Lite Mk2 does just that, providing true reference quality sound that rivals HeadAmp's critically-acclaimed GS-X Mk2 ($3199) at just $499.

The Gilmore Lite Mk2 is extremely neutral and transparent, offering a perfectly clear window to the gear around it. Delivering up to 1.5W of class-A power into 50 Ohms, the amplifier is fast and clean, a perfect example of solid state done right. In our evaluation, reviewer Dave Hanson described the amplifier's exceptional attack and decay properties:

"Listening to California Guitar Trio's rendition of "Yamanashi Blues" from the album Highlights puts the pulse pounding immediacy of the Gilmore Lite Mk2 on full display. Every note fires with a crispy clean sheen, rising and falling exactly as it should with nothing added and nothing taken away. The sense of PRAT here is absolutely perfect – the amplifier never rounds off a transient or lingers a little too long – in turn, there is a very tactile and rhythmic feel to the music from the microdynamic texture of the song. Each subtle gradation in volume is reproduced with stunning accuracy, which really allows the artist to take you on a journey from note to note."

This is an amplifier with exceptional bang-for-buck value and very few, if any real weaknesses. While many other amplifiers struggle to overcome basic issues like cheap parts, inconsistent volume controls, sketchy build quality, etc., here comes a really nice piece of gear that does absolutely everything well for the very reasonable price of $499. Well done!

Click here to read the complete review.

Previous Annual Blue Note Awards

Product of the Year Awards 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002, and 2001.