Comments on Profile Post by roshambo123

Honestly maybe have them get someone to mod the modi mb v1 with 2156 or 1656 op amps. That'd be the best value upgrade probably.

Vali 2++ plus Modius E would be a real upgrade I'd say. Not sure how true an upgrade you can get for $800 unless s/he considers second hand.

Genelex Gold Lion.

Recc needs to be new setup. Vali 2+Modi are going to the office, so he needs a new home rig

And @Mdkaler, you're right about the second hand. My recc was get Lyr+ or Lyr 3 used and a Modius E and eventually Bifrost.

@roshambo123 agree on the Lyr 3/+ - this was my upgrade path from Vali and it was very clear. I would keep Modi Multibit at home for now and get Modi+ maybe for office if the budget is fixed and then save for Bifrost like you say. Other option for a DAC with smooth treble would be something from iFi, but won’t make nearly as pretty a stack if that matters.

New Bifrost 2/64 may not have smooth treble, depending on ears. Used BF2 OG has smooth treble fosho.

For which headphone, primarily? Any others he uses often enough to be taken into consideration?

@Claritas He uses stock Irish HD650's

Valhalla 2, without question. The stock tubes are fine. Forget about the Lyr. As to a DAC, if he likes the O.G. Modi MB, why not buy the new one? Amongst cheaper D/S's, the Mousai MSD192 (Wolfson) is easily my favorite. Hope he's pleased with whatever he decides on.

@Claritas have never heard Valhalla 2. Interested you say it would be superior over Lyr 3/+ with HD650. Would you say it also aligns to the desire for “smooth treble”? Have read some things that seem to contradict that.

@rlow Good point! But barring, perhaps, kilobuck hybrids (Cavallis that I haven't heard), HD-6 sounds better on regular tube amps, specifically OTLs. The stock tubes *will* be a problem and an expense. If that's what the guy's going for, the O.G. Cavalli Liquid Carbon would be a *great* choice. (I've not heard the MD version, so ask about it.) Look into SW51+ too. It's well-regarded, but I couldn't say.

New LP pushes the budget too much and requires balanced DAC. Good warm choice though. Sounds like he should start leaning towards a Crack.

@Claritas Forgot to say, he has to have Pre outs. That means no SW51+, I believe. @Azimuth, Agree but Crack is out. He wouldn't want anything he needed to assemble or had an inch of DYI in it. He found my DarkVoice too scary to deal with. Valhalla 2 is a great choice but he has a child and thus will be scared of many hot tubes. He also doesn't like dealing with tubes in general, although likes the sound.

In that case, you and @rlow were right from the start in recommending Lyr 3. The stock Darkvoice is underrated. It played well with every dynamic headphone I threw at it. But it made HD-6 sound a little "oily." Back then, I liked that sound. But my taste, always pretty neutral, has become ever more "neutered."