The All Purpose Advice Thread

I have the NOVIB version and quite like the quality. I have seen the other one and the quality is a little dicey.

Also, if you bought those very nice sounding WE 396A tubes from Changeling, you will need a pair of these:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2pc-Gold-...111735?hash=item2c9e670177:g:~IoAAOSw~OVWwGvh

 

Thanks, guys.

@Armaegis @winders
I have those on my watch list. I was about to order and I just came across these ones with a metal case from the same seller. Any reason to go with one over the other?: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1pc-Gold-...263159?hash=item2ef2847737:g:u~0AAOSwTZ1Xn~6S

Yep! @Changeling is a real gent. I jumped on that pair of WE396a tubes like:

 

Gold means the pins won't tarnish or corrode over time. I can't speak for the quality of the rest of it though.

 

I have a few different types of the plastic base adapters from that seller and they all seem pretty good.

Note they also have socket savers which appear a bit less shonky than the other HK ones you linked.

 

Hi guys,

I've been reading through different forums here for a while now, and had been to many of the more popular posts here in the past (like the dac shootouts etc...) and even bought the SDR mod here but somehow never looked in the newcomers area for how to actually post correctly.

So I'm trying again.

I'm planning on getting a Utopia soon. For my Dac I was planning on the Yggdrasil, but am open to other options (Other recs I've been given were the Holo Spring L3 and Chord Hugo 2 (That one seems to small and untested to recommend to me).

My main question was about amp advice. I have WA7s with rolled tubes. I think the CBS Hytrons really improved the amp compared to stock but I wanted to see what you guys would recommend in the sub 3K range as while aesthetically gorgeous, I'm more concerned with sound quality. (To be fair I got the WA7s for a really good price) So I'm looking for something that will complement the Utopias. I've read through the thread, but I'm not sure if the amp pairings in there line up with my tastes... (I like almost all genres but rock is crucial)

Thanks in advance!

Oh one other thing, I SDR modded my HD800s because I wanted more bass oomph (and the CBS Hytron tubes in the WA7s are meant to add warmth) would I like the Utopia's more with the elear pads? SBAF seems to have a more negative opinion of doing that.

Thanks again!

 

Which dacs have you tried? It's difficult to universally recommend a dac without knowing some background, although Yggdrasil or maybe Gungnir MB is as close as it gets for universal recommendation. There might be some more good dacs around the corner if you can hold your breath a while longer.

SDR will not change bass oomph. Maybe try HD650M, while it doesn't have more bass (relative to mids), it's darker and feels less lean, also very good for most rock.
For bass slam maybe a higher tier Cavalli hybrid will do, or even Mjolnir 2.
Have you tried Utopia yourself? Don't read too much into others impressions, it's still quite expensive piece of gear to gamble on.

 

What DAC do you have now? What do you and don't you like about it? What do you want to hear from you next DAC? What source material do you listen to? Are you interested in playing DSD or MQA source? What is your budget?

The Yggdrasil is a great DAC. But there are other great DACs out there that may be better depending on your requirements.

 

It seems like you're starting from scratch. There's different opinions on how to go about doing that. I guess budget is a fair place to start before looking further, but from what I can gather from your post - you're ready to buy a $4000 headphone, a sub-3k amp and the $2299 Yggdrasil. So you're looking at a +$9000 setup and a jump into end game headphone land. Here's my advice.
- There's other DAC's than Yggdrasil although many here, and rightly so, thinks highly of it.
- Have you thought about how you're feeding the DAC of your choice? USB? AOIP? AES?
- In the sub 3k amp range there's everything from some of the best solid state options (Ragnarok, Black Widow, HeadAmp GS-X mk2 ...) to tube amps Zana Deux S, there's also a 3k DNA Stratus for sale here, Mjolnir2 could be an option although I'm not sure about the match with Utopia... see the Utopia thread and review for more.
Finally - can you audition these setups for synergy before buying?

 

Right so unfortunately I don't live near much hifi stuff so my experience is limited.

One of the reasons I'm inclined to Yggdrasil is I tried Bifrost Multibit and was very impressed, it beat my Mojo pretty handily. Any eta on those dacs you hinted at? I'm not planning on buying for another month or so.

Sorry I didnt mean it increased the bass, the SDR mod just tamed the sibilance a bit making the bass easier to notice. I paired it with warm tubes to increase the bass a little. Havent been able to try Utopia myself. I'll look more into Cavalli.

I have the WA7 stock dac (2nd gen) and a Cayi iDac-6. I think the Cayin works well in tube mode to complement the HD800 but I love detail and it isnt quite as good as Bifrost Multibit to my ears.

Source material will mostly be Tidal. I've experimented with DSD but don't have much. Budget is around 2K for the dac.

I'll be feeding the dac from my PC, so optical and USB are easy AES seems quite a bit more difficult. One of the reasons I asked about amps is I'd prefer to keep my WA7s (and probably will to start) but wanted to know if there was a pairing I should look out for.

The upgrade to Utopia and Yggdrasil should cost me around 3K as I'll be selling/have sold some of my existing set up, and Utopia I can find for less than 3K not 4K.

And no the reason I posted here is I can't audition them myself reasonably any time soon. I'd trust my ears over all else if I could . Living in NY or California would make this way easier.


Thanks for the replies everyone!

 

If you haven't been able to try the Utopia, I would recommend you not make drastic system changes before you've been able to do so and directly against your HD800SDR. It's too expensive to buy on a whim. I would sit tight and try and get to a meet this summer to try different equipment. There may also be dealers within driving distance that have equipment you can try, including Utopia.

I would also suggest you visit the Resources and Search page and explore, especially The Basics links, Comparative Reviews and Impressions links, the compendia, DACage links (particularly Life after Yggdrasil: Watering the Ash), and each All Things HD800 link.

 

I was planning on holding on to my HD800s to directly compare before getting rid of them (or maybe keeping both I guess.)

Because of my work schedule and other obligations its pretty hard for me to go and do something like that. I will eventually go to NYC but it won't be for months. That's why I wanted to just get a Utopia to see for myself. Even if I hate it, I'm not overly concerned about the cost of selling it as long as I got it originally for a good price I suppose. I could probably make someone else pretty happy.

Additionally I hated HD800 when I tried it in a public setting, I really needed some time alone with my set up to give it a fair evaluation. So I'd like to do the same with Utopia.

Thanks for the resource links. I've already a few of 'em but some are new so I'll check them out.

I appreciate the response!

 

Anyone recommending the Hugo 2 is almost certainly doing so based off, at best, impressions from a show (hardly the best way to evaluate something), and at worst blind-faith. The only "reviews" I've found so far for the thing weren't even on final code.

And it's still delayed ... with no specific dates being quoted at this time.

This is one unit I plan to do impressions/review of as soon as I can get my hands on it, however, and part of it'll be driving Utopia directly.

 

Yeah the people who were recommending it to me had tried it at shows (well I guess I can't prove that lol) so I was reluctant.

I may end up waiting for you to get yours, but I'd be more than happy with Yggdrasil I suspect. Yggdrasil would be far easier to also use with my speakers anyway.

Thanks for responding!

 

Hi all,

Im constantly on the road for work and would love a little setup to take around with me. Stuff around the Modi MB size is fine but id like it to be either USB or battery powered (or both). Will be run out of my MacBook Pro and using Spotify Premium. Ive at various points had a fully loaded T3 \, Gungnir Multibit, HD800SDR so unfortunately have been shown the high end. I know I won't be getting near there but ill do the best I can. Over ears are a must, closed or open either is fine. Listen level usually low but occasionally crank it.

There seem to be lots of little amps floating around, the THX aaa thing, MiniDSP and Sony PHA2-A, good dacs seem to be a little harder to find in a small form factor. Im guessing efficient headphones will be a must. Happy to spend around $1800 on the whole chain but if I can do just as well for less I could definitely save the cash.

 

Oppo PM2 or its modded big brother the Audio Zenith PMx2 is worth consideration with that budget. I've heard an earlier version of the latter. Great sound, cups swivel making them foldable for easy packing, and they are sensitive enough to not require a crazy amp. Only hesitation is if you have big ears they may be uncomfortable.

http://www.oppodigital.com/headphones-pm-2/headphones-PM-2-Features.aspx (32ohms impedance and 102db / 1mW sensitivity)

http://superbestaudiofriends.org/in...th-pmx2-redux-and-quick-impressions.60/page-3

 

Do read this.

 

Just checking back in midway through my vacation and no feedback yet
Guess not many Android experts here, though I remember seeing some pretty geeky posts in the past (@zerodeefex?).

 

For what it's worth, I've used USB audio on the latest versions of android on my older Nexus 6P and my current Pixel, and I've never had a listening session that hasn't been interrupted a few times by brief drop-outs like you describe. I just assume it's a software issue, and I hope they'll address it in a future version.

 

I have a Modi Multibit and a Lyr 2 that I thought I would be using in my home office. That is no longer the case. I can certainly sell the Lyr 2. But, should I keep the Modi Multibit as as backup to my Yggdrasil? Maybe for when I have to send it in for an upgrade or, heaven forbid, to be repaired. The ~$200 I could get for it isn't a huge deal. Thoughts?

 

I posted in the adFi thread and and no response from Davey yet.