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FEATURE<br />
PERSONAL FIDELITY<br />
Listening<br />
Borrowing a few pairs of headphones<br />
for this review, I had the<br />
opportunity to listen though Audeze<br />
LCD-X, Sennheiser HD-650,<br />
and others on hand. Two watts<br />
produced by the Gemini 2000<br />
proves more than enough for the<br />
driving power needed to make all<br />
the headphones sing. Trying both<br />
the single-ended (1/4") and balanced<br />
outputs, sound is quite similar,<br />
but with a bit more detail retrieval<br />
and bass substance though<br />
the latter.<br />
CD-quality 44.1 KHz or 48 kHz<br />
songs render very nicely through<br />
the AURALiC. There’s never the<br />
singe of high frequency edge, and<br />
midrange portrays both vocals and<br />
instruments well. Piano, trumpet<br />
and cymbals on Enrico Rava Quintet’s<br />
“Tears for Neda” demonstrate<br />
the Gemini’s prowess with the nuances<br />
of instrumental jazz.<br />
When listening to some rock<br />
tracks with Apple Lossless files,<br />
bass through the Gemini can appear<br />
slightly subdued. It’s not quite<br />
as robust and punchy as some<br />
other amps I’ve heard. However,<br />
what’s there is both tuneful and<br />
enjoyable. To my ears, the Gemini’s<br />
overall sound signature is wellvoiced<br />
and slightly warm, focusing<br />
on the bigger musical picture more<br />
than every minute, ambient detail.<br />
Switching to the Sennheiser HD-<br />
650 reveals similar sonics from the<br />
Gemini.<br />
Listening to higher fidelity<br />
DSD files truly gives the Gemini a<br />
chance to sing. Listening to Bob<br />
Marley’s “Three Little Birds” with<br />
high res, the soundstage opens<br />
up, and every aspect of the musical<br />
spectrum comes further to life,<br />
bass included. Similarly, listening<br />
to the title track from Paul Simon’s<br />
Graceland on DSD offers a sonic<br />
treat. Background vocals, various<br />
types of percussion and other instrumentation<br />
float into the soundstage<br />
and with a more pronounced<br />
attack and decay. The driving<br />
guitar and bass give a sense of<br />
speed and energy to the recording,<br />
and Simon’s voice remains very<br />
upfront.<br />
For those who have invested<br />
in DSD-quality files, you’ll definitely<br />
get more mileage out of them<br />
through the Gemini. If your digital<br />
collection does not yet have any,<br />
this amp is a very good incentive<br />
to take the plunge in purchasing a<br />
few favorite albums.<br />
Is the Gemini 2000<br />
right for you<br />
After experiencing the Gemini<br />
2000, I find myself a fan of its modern,<br />
practical design and the very<br />
good sound it produces. Indeed,<br />
there’s a lot to love! However there<br />
are three considerations a potential<br />
buyer should be aware of. First, the<br />
Gemini is designed primarily for<br />
use in a desktop scenario. There’s<br />
no battery-powered option so the<br />
electrical tether is a must. Obviously,<br />
this isn’t the kind of portable<br />
setup you will take with you on a<br />
plane.<br />
Second, for those who want<br />
to bypass the Gemini’s DAC and<br />
input an analog source from an<br />
iPod or a turntable directly to the<br />
amplifier, you are out of luck. The<br />
unit does not offer an RCA or a minijack<br />
input, so many portable sources<br />
prove incompatible with a Gemini<br />
rig. To be fair though, the Gemini’s<br />
DAC is quite good, so there’s not a<br />
lot to be achieved from bypassing it<br />
anyway.<br />
As a last minor quibble, there’s<br />
not a manual impedance selector to<br />
help optimize the feed to a variety of<br />
headphones. While the Gemini is no<br />
slouch regardless, it’s nice to have<br />
some options to experiment with<br />
to ensure your ‘phones are giving a<br />
listener the best sound they are designed<br />
to provide.<br />
If those caveats are no concern<br />
to you, the Gemini 2000 could become<br />
your new best friend at home<br />
or at the office. The form factor is<br />
elegant and practical, with options to<br />
match any décor or preference. The<br />
sound it offers is very good, and it<br />
pairs well with the headphones I had<br />
on hand for testing. A key benefit<br />
with the Gemini 2000 is price-performance.<br />
In the often-expensive world<br />
of hi-fi, $1,995 is a reasonably small<br />
investment. Heck, the Audeze headphones<br />
cost almost that much. For<br />
all the technology packed into this<br />
marvel the price tag is very reasonable.<br />
Trying to buy a top-of-the-line<br />
headphone stand, DAC, and amp as<br />
standalone units will cost a lot more.<br />
Do keep in mind that the Gemini<br />
1000 costs $995, so if you need only<br />
a single-ended ¼” headphone output<br />
and can get by with less power,<br />
it might be a more economical alternative.<br />
Either way, if you seek an allin-one<br />
solution for personal hi-fi, do<br />
yourself a favor and check out the<br />
Gemini!<br />
150 TONE AUDIO NO.64<br />
July 2014 151
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