Gemstone Blue Diamond Owner's Thread

I have not come across an owner's thread for Gemstone though i know quite a few people have used/ are still using it.

I am driving my Dali Helicon's through the Gemstone and can't believe how effortless and powerful this amp is. It's also sad that not a whole lot of people are aware of this amp which(IMHO) is a great value for money in light of what it offers.

I believe the Gemstone scored very high points in the amp shootout done a few years ago here at AVS as well.

Here is the link to their website that also has the specs listed.

http://www.gemstoneaudio.com/amplifi...ue_diamond.php

Great to hear from fellow owners I agree with you, this is one piece in my gear that i don't envision having to change for a very long time... I'm very impressed at how effortlessly it delivers. Even after the hardest of driving i have never noticed it even slightly warm to the touch.


thanks for replying! I'm sure that McIntosh gear would be very nice! Not to mention how attractive their amps always are.

I can totally relate to your statement of clear, neutral and powerful.. the Gemstone basically outputs what you give it and very cleanly. I have a Marantz AV8003 Pre-Pro that helps in the warmness area instead

Sorry Wally, i myself do not have experience with either of those amps.. but i have read comments from lot of happy Gemstone owners who have been amazed by its performance.

I had a B&K earlier to compare with the Gemstone and the Gemstone while sonically is not too different, it brought a certain airiness and openness to the soundstage and felt really clean and effortless.

I know all these things are hard to quantify in real terms but that is the general feeling i get from it. I feel it takes the whole part of even thinking about an amp out of equation in your setup(which is a good thing)... kind of like being a very strong link that you never have to worry about.

If its power you want there is no way you would be disappointed with the Gemstone believe me.. its 200X7 at 8ohms and doubles down to 400 under 4 ohm loads. If you were closer i would have loved to give you a demo.. maybe you can find a dealer/owner in Chicago area. Wish you all the best in your quest and whatever amp you end up deciding on.

There is an old thread here somewhere about the amp shootout, ill try to find it and post a link for comparisons. I believe they compared the amp very favourably with other amps costing twice the money.

Found the link to the shootout after some googling..

http://archive.avsforum.com/avs-vb/s...0&pagenumber=1

I hear you Wally! Amp is something i would also not want to upgrade in my setup for a long time(and currently i feel this will be case). The light weight of the D class amps seems attractive.. the gemstone is really heavy. Regarding the heat factor, i can comment from Gemstones perspective that i have never felt it even warm after the heaviest of driving so they may fare equally there. Let us know what you end up choosing!

Nice! How do the Sonus Faber's sound with the Gemstone.. i had them shortlisted along with Dali when choosing my speakers a few years back.

Would love to see some photos of your setup if you have em.

Welcome to the thread Steve and thanks for making such a fantastic amp I don't think i will ever feel the urge of upgrading from this for a long time.

The only thing i wish a little different was if it was a little smaller in length as im finding it hard to find normal av racks(like Salamander) to fit it. But i'm being nitpicky here so please don't mind.

Did I mention again how much i love this mated with the Dalis

Oh they definitely are Wally! They sound incredible with both music and ht.. and the added fact that they are so beautifully crafted.. perfect

Sweet! You would love the Dali's! If you are going the 2ch route may i suggest that you take a look at the Helicon 800's also, they provide that extra bass and are perfect for 2ch from what i hear. Otherwise you can always add a sub to the 400's mix like i have. These baby's also really open up when bi-amped(which i have done with the gemstone).

Gemstone, Dali and bikes must have some co-relation i think I can't wait for the warmer weather to start riding mine again as well. A winter storm hitting here today, so i can only dream of warmer days

Wonderful!! I would love to see some pics of your setup if you have em.

I also have some Diana Krall SACD's and i agree her vocals are fantastic, more so on the right speakers.

Fantastic! Your picture made me remember again why i loved the look of the Sonus Faber's so much. They are more like a piece of expensive Italian furniture than just speakers(which they are aplenty as well) thanks for sharing!

Thanks so much for the kind words! The Helicons and the SF's were the final 2 standing on my list and i ended up with the Dali's.. but i digress. I'll google up the SF Anniversario

I also hope that bailout check comes soon, but i fear the wife factor would not let me spend it this time around

One of the channels of my Gemstone short around a month back(probably my 1 and half yr old daughter had something to do with it ) I talked to Steve and he said Gemstone is not made to protect against shorts as it compromises the dynamics.

I have sent it out for repairs(its been a month now), hoping i would get it back soon as im really missing it