Thoughts on the Voyager

So I have had a GSP voyager for a total of 2 1/2 days and I'm still in a state of awe with this unassuming device. Originally I had planned to organise a loan from the scheme here but then noticed a lightly used copy for sale here on the forum. A PM, a couple of messages on Skype and a painless deal done with Ash. Thanks again :-)
My setup is a relatively low end affair, Jolla mobile + AKG K450s which I had been pretty happy with. The AKG's are a known quantity, small, lightweight and from my own experience deliver good performance from a value to sound perspective. The Jolla is a bit of an unknown quantity but from my own testing with a Lumia 1520, Samsung Notes 2 and 3 and a brief test of a iPhone 5S with my own mp3s and AKG's it has the best implementation for audio. The iPhone will go louder and the Samsung can be improved with dedicated audio apps but the Jolla is in my opinion still superior for listening with flac and 192+ mp3s. It has a better handling of detail, good handling of bass and allows treble to sing.
Now add the Voyager to the mix :-), first song I threw at it was a bit of a curveball, Caught a light sneeze by Tori Amos. Listening, trying to comprehend the difference, hearing it but trying in vain to pinpoint where it was exactly. That was my mistake, it wasn't one area it was everywhere, clearer, more detailed, better control. The Voyager had taken completed mastery of the AKG's, and it had ripped the digital veil that had shrouded what I had previously thought was a good combo. So I stopped thinking and rediscovered a Tori I had subconsciously imagined I could hear. Emotion and warmth was added and I was delighted in sitting in a solo rendition of one of my all time favourite albums.
Next up was a high energy affair by German band Rammstein, a lively number called Adios. This is a very drummer led song with side swipes of multiple guitars sweeping in which all of a sudden became unmuddled, I could now hear the audio tricks they added into production but also feel the energy of the bass and electric guitars. Wow...
London Grammar, If I wait, full album at one sitting, her unique voice captured beautifully, full of emotion. It's the only way I can describe it, I was hearing and feeling emotion delivered by the Voyager.

Some quotes from colleagues as I made them listen:
"I could be sitting in front of the guitar" - Anna Calvi song
"Wow,that is so analog sounding, I do mixing and I'm trained to hear"
"No distortion at all, so much headroom, fantastic detail"
"I am hearing this but feeling it through my body"
"looks a bit old but sound is good"

As I hope you can tell, I am delighted by the Voyager but it does have a couple of weaknesses, looks being one, it does look a bit chunky and industrial. The younger generation think slimmer is better, fact and it puts Voyager at a disadvantage. Battery type is also old school, slim it down, full length lithium ion and you might get 6 months between charges and you have a nice USP. Add in usb charging capabilities for icing on the cake.

The other weakness the Voyager has is that while is sympathetic with low quality rips, it will highlight previously unknown defects and so will make you rerip your cds and or replace with higher bit rates and then you begin to wonder if your headphones are holding you back. It's ultimate weakness is that it is so good, that you want to do it ultimate justice by giving it highest quality source material to work with, and then you have to find an output that is its equal that you'll end up spending multiples of it cost trying to balance it. Which is a massive compliment to the Voyager, it is special, from your first listen you'll know it is and it potentially could make you spend quite a bit I think to find out just how special and good it actually is.

The thing about a chunky box is there is plenty of room inside for larger components - especially capacitors - and through-hole soldering.

OK this Voyager is beginning to freak me out a little. As an experiment I am using as a sort of pre-amp through my Cambridge Audio A5 through to couple of Gale mini monitors sitting on my kitchen table. Toed in ever so slightly, it is as if any singer is directly in front of me. Remove the Voyager and the sound stage is dispersed blandly. I know Graham will say that this is just physics and component tuning but there is some magic at play here. Speakers are 1.2M apart and yet the centre is only about 10cm in front of them and they are only Toed in by around 10 degrees. Fantastic to listen to though

robbiec wrote: I know Graham will say that this is just physics and component tuning but there is some magic at play here.

It's the 'little people' we put inside each one....