Giella ∏ headphone amplifier

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tpetsch
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Re: Giella ∏ headphone amplifier

Post by tpetsch »

Spannko wrote: 2022-10-19 23:21
ThomasOK wrote: 2022-10-19 22:44 Marco, You should let Werner know that the Giella ∏ knob is solid Sterling silver, not plated.
Does the solid silver knob contribute towards an enhanced musical performance?
Well, we know that Silver is 7% more conductive than Copper, so there's that!
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Re: Giella ∏ headphone amplifier

Post by ThomasOK »

Spannko wrote: 2022-10-19 23:21
ThomasOK wrote: 2022-10-19 22:44 Marco, You should let Werner know that the Giella ∏ knob is solid Sterling silver, not plated.
Does the solid silver knob contribute towards an enhanced musical performance?
I seriously doubt it (although you never know). But seeing as Kerstin Öhlin Lejonklou is a renowned silversmith I'd hate her to see that she was accused of using silver plating on her beautiful handmade solid silver knob!
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Giella ∏ version 1.2

Post by lejonklou »

Giella is now in version 1.2!

As I mentioned before, I sent Giella ∏ 1.2 to Pierre in Paris, the headphone expert and aficionado among my retailers, for evaluation and approval before releasing it. I tend to use my Giella mostly as a preamp and in that situation, version 1.2 has been very convincing. Even more addictive than the original version.

Pierre approved wholeheartedly of the new version, so therefore it's now official.

Version 1.1 consists of the new chassis ground that is now on many other units. It is simply two new parts, selected out of many that were tested, fastened with a new torque. Seems inconspicuous, almost obscure, and then it makes such a profound difference. Chassis ground is one of the fundamental mysteries in HiFi. You need to hear what it does to understand its importance.

Version 1.2 consists of the addition of a resistor. I posted some clips in the Playground thread when I thought I was going bonkers over how sensitive the exact value of it is. Well, Oscar measured 5000 of them and found just over 100 that are within +/-0.003% of the optimal value. Can't get any closer without new equipment and I also did find it difficult to tell the selected resistors apart, so I think we got close enough.

Both Giella and Giella ∏ are upgradable to version 1.2 and the cost will be around SEK1800 or €180 plus shipping, and something similar in US$.

The original version of Giella will be discontinued in March and only Giella ∏ remains. The upgrade to ∏ will remain available (there aren't that many original units left that haven’t already been upgraded to ∏).
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Re: Giella ∏ version 1.2

Post by matthias »

lejonklou wrote: 2023-02-07 01:18 I tend to use my Giella mostly as a preamp and in that situation, version 1.2 has been very convincing. Even more addictive than the original version.
Fredrik,

for use as preamp only how would you differentiate between the new Giella Pi 1.2 and the upcoming SuperKikkin?

Thank you
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Re: Giella ∏ headphone amplifier

Post by Pierre@headonist »

I instantly heard a difference between 1.2 and 1.0 version of the Giella Pi. With version 1.2, there is more light in the music playback. This is the major output of this upgrade which impressed me a lot. Tones bloom with beautiful colors. As of the rest (dynamic, image, soundstage), this is still the Giella.
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Re: Giella ∏ version 1.2

Post by lejonklou »

matthias wrote: 2023-02-07 12:19
lejonklou wrote: 2023-02-07 01:18 I tend to use my Giella mostly as a preamp and in that situation, version 1.2 has been very convincing. Even more addictive than the original version.
Fredrik,

for use as preamp only how would you differentiate between the new Giella Pi 1.2 and the upcoming SuperKikkin?

Thank you
It's been back and forth between the two.

If we were four people instead of just Oscar and me, this could have been a great in-house battle. Best team wins! They are so different in design, so it would be really interesting. Giella sounds so analogue and emotional, the challenge is to make it even cleaner and tighter. With Superkikkin, which is super tight, the challenge is rather to make it more relaxed and involving, something that is largely accomplished in the digital domain.

The Superkikkin prototype beat Giella ∏ in its 1.0 version.
Giella ∏ 1.2 is now better than the Superkikkin prototype.

The Superkikkin team in me wants revenge and there are still two parameters left to play with.
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Re: Giella ∏ headphone amplifier

Post by matthias »

This sounds very interesting...

Just a layman's question:
When the new Giella is so good, would it makes sense to skip the HP output and fine tune further the line output (if possible) to get a terrific minimalist preamp?

Thank you again
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Re: Giella ∏ headphone amplifier

Post by lejonklou »

matthias wrote: 2023-02-08 09:04 This sounds very interesting...

Just a layman's question:
When the new Giella is so good, would it makes sense to skip the HP output and fine tune further the line output (if possible) to get a terrific minimalist preamp?

Thank you again
Giella doesn’t have remote operation. If it was just a single input, all manual preamp, nobody would buy it.
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Re: Giella ∏ version 1.2

Post by Charlie1 »

lejonklou wrote: 2023-02-07 01:18 They are so different in design, so it would be really interesting. Giella sounds so analogue and emotional, the challenge is to make it even cleaner and tighter. With Superkikkin, which is super tight, the challenge is rather to make it more relaxed and involving, something that is largely accomplished in the digital domain
Are 'clearer and tighter' and 'super tight' references to the sonic presentation, or are they musical references, or possibly a bit of both?
lejonklou wrote: 2023-02-08 19:51 Giella doesn’t have remote operation. If it was just a single input, all manual preamp, nobody would buy it.
Well, almost nobody :)
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Re: Giella ∏ headphone amplifier

Post by lejonklou »

A bit of both!
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Re: Giella ∏ headphone amplifier

Post by Charlie1 »

lejonklou wrote: 2023-02-09 00:00A bit of both!
So, with Giella in particular, have you ever been in the situation where you've found something that brings you a solid step forwards with 'clearer and tighter' but at the expense of just a little 'analogue and emotional' character? If you have, then I guess you go for it? It's an intriguing place to be. I guess it's a bit like the torque settings. And I suppose this is where you lean on your experience to 'voice' the product, or does that idea not sit right with you?

Whilst we're on a topic like this, you've shared so much interesting insight into your product developments over the years, but one thing I don't recall reading is how you have developed and how your approach has grown. Maybe one day we can learn a bit about that. I could be wrong here, but I get the feeling that even your concept/use/understanding of The Tune Method has shifted slightly over the years. We don't really talk about this stuff on the forum anymore, probably cos we did it to death :)
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Re: Giella ∏ headphone amplifier

Post by lejonklou »

Yes, the resistor that was first added to Giella 1.1 (trying to make it a 1.2) made it sound tighter, musically in particular. But some kind of ease was also lost. I found it difficult, as when evaluating with the Tune Method it was a little worse, but it was also obvious that it did something good.

That became the start of the crazy fine tuning of the precise value, the one I posted some clips of (they were about 0.05% apart). When we finally nailed the value, it was simply better than without the resistor.

I think that whenever you feel that a change brings you some gain but also some loss, you need to pay attention and keep working. There is likely another way to solve it with no losses.

Yes, let’s bring up the “What exactly are we doing when we evaluate musical performance?” discussions again! I happen to love those and each time we had them I felt that I learned something new.

I have definitely changed a bit in how I evaluate performance. The differences that spring to mind are that I’m faster and I have an internal “library” of different traps that I have previously fallen into and which sort of alert me automatically. Like “Ah, this could be one of those that seem to add some intensity to the performance, but in fact is a trap. If I play this other genre it will likely show its true colours.”

That’s what sprung to mind just now. Will contemplate the subject further.
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Re: Giella ∏ headphone amplifier

Post by Charlie1 »

lejonklou wrote: 2023-02-09 00:35 I have definitely changed a bit in how I evaluate performance. The differences that spring to mind are that I’m faster and I have an internal “library” of different traps that I have previously fallen into and which sort of alert me automatically. Like “Ah, this could be one of those that seem to add some intensity to the performance, but in fact is a trap. If I play this other genre it will likely show its true colours.”
I like the sound of that!
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Re: Giella ∏ headphone amplifier

Post by lejonklou »

As Thomas O'Keefe mentioned in another post, we found a new favourite pair of headphones in Axpona.

This is the best pair I've listened to so far: ZMF Caldera. Easily outperformed my previous favourite Abyss Diana.

Very expensive, but very comfortable and highly musical.

The less expensive ZMF Verite were also good, but not like Caldera. I had some trouble ranking ZMF Verite in relation to Abyss Diana.
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Re: Giella ∏ headphone amplifier

Post by u252agz »

That is high praise for the ZMF's indeed, considering how impressed you were with Abyss Diana.

Its such a shame these planar magnetic headphones are so expensive as Listening to Kalla/ Giella Pi through good headphones ( I have Grado RS2e, which is much more musical than my SR125e) is incredibly enjoyable and really quite addictive at times.

The other issue is the very limited availability of ZMFs, at least in the UK. The Abyss are a little bit easier to find here but very difficult to demo.
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Re: Giella ∏ headphone amplifier

Post by lejonklou »

Check out this review of DCA Stealth where Giella ∏ receives praise:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ML64A4FDrOk

Special thanks to Pierre at Headonist in Paris, who sent Koji a Giella!
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Re: Giella ∏ headphone amplifier

Post by Charlie1 »

Slightly eccentric guy but I quite like him.

Lot of audiophile speak but I still get the impression he enjoyed the Giella Pi's music making abilities.
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Re: Giella ∏ headphone amplifier

Post by lejonklou »

Another review, this time in French! 🇫🇷

https://lejonklou.com/AMPLI%20CASQUE%20 ... A%2321.pdf
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Re: Giella ∏ headphone amplifier

Post by beck »

A great review! (Yes I do understand some french. :-))
Playing cd’s…………
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Re: Giella ∏ headphone amplifier

Post by Charlie1 »

Yes, very positive and more about the music this time.
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