Schiit Amp Compendium - Guide to Schiit Amps (headamps)

Discussion in 'Headphone Amplifiers and Combo (DAC/Amp) Units' started by purr1n, Oct 22, 2016.

  1. Prydz

    Prydz Friend

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    What do you mean?
    When you nod your head yes
    But you wanna say no
     
  2. Rthomas

    Rthomas Friend

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    You're not a DAC believer but you're an Audioquest USB cable believer? Their website has some of the most creative marketing nonsense I've seen in the hobby.

    I hope you got their stuff cheap....

    Ive never heard a $1000+ DAC so I'm DAC agnostic at the moment.
     
  3. Prydz

    Prydz Friend

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    I'm not a cable believer. All the cables are the cheapest the local dealers had available, and yes, I got them cheap.
    You shouldent prejudge people like that man, what are you trying to accomplish?
     
  4. Rthomas

    Rthomas Friend

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    I should've added a wink. I'm not being serious...
     
  5. gaspasser

    gaspasser Flatulence Maestro

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    I don't think we need to gang up on @Prydz
    Also this tangent is noise in the Schiit Amp Compendium Thread. I think you have a sour taste left from Audio GD (luckily I have no personal experience from which to comment). I think going with any Schiit multibit DAC will make any agnostic "see the light" and "feel the spirit" ;)
     
  6. Zed Bopp

    Zed Bopp Friend

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    Pardon me for some more OT, but I went the exact opposite DAC-route - I found the Modibit lacking in slam and crunch. Arcam irDAC seems to be lots better for my needs. It just sounds more punchy and fun and has similar quality resolution and separation.

    But yeah, the clarity and natural mids of Modibit were quite a revelation after lesser DACs. It just wasn't the cure-for-all one might think reading the universally glowing praise.
     
  7. a44100Hz

    a44100Hz Friend

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    I suspect using something like a Gungnir Multibit would alleviate most of that issue, but of course it's 4x the price. Still, the Gungnir Multibit is superbly good. I'm more aware of that now after using it direct into active monitors and skipping the preamp stage. As I noted on my profile comments recently, the Schiit tube headamps don't seem to make for good preamps due to a lack of transparency (not sure about the Rag). Gungnir Multibit -> active monitors is much, much more crisp, detailed, layered and wide compared to using a Mjolnir 2, Vali 2, or Lyr 2 (even with LISST) as a preamp. So if you've got monitors and something at Gungnir Multibit level or higher, get a Saga or Freya or other dedicated preamp and reap the rewards.
     
  8. FallingObjects

    FallingObjects Pay It Forward

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    From information that I got from the "Tale of 8 Bifrosts" thread and a few other various discussions, I went with the Bifrost Multibit for the slight edge in detail. Modi Multibit was stated to be slightly more laid back, and I already have the Vali 2, so I didn't want to double up on that front.

    It's worth noting that I wasn't a DAC believer too. I didn't really notice a huge difference going from my E10K to a GOv2, but the Bifrost Multibit was definitely telling. I can't say whether it's because the Bifrost Multibit has a dedicated power supply, to be fair.

    Is it worth the price jump? Meh. It was stock market money anyways. Could have lost it just as quickly as I spent it.
     
  9. Luckbad

    Luckbad Traded in a unicorn for a Corolla

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    I'm beginning to feel like a dope.

    A majority of my experience with Schiit products was the first generation of a lot of their stuff. Magni, Modi, Vali, Asgard, Bifrost, and briefly Valhalla.

    I found a lot of it to be some level of analytical, dry, boring, even sometimes bright, grainy, and incisive.

    The first digital Schiit product I nearly got along with was the Bifrost Multibit. I wasn't quite able to get along with it and still preferred my MHDT DACs for musicality and involvement.

    I've been pretty dismissive of Schiit--perhaps unfairly so. The name is childish, but I've begun to appreciate the irony of it as well as what they stand for. A legitimate USA audio company that doesn't charge absurd prices for their gear (I thought it was all overpriced back in the day before I started spending 4 figures on single components in my system).

    At one point I bought a Schiit Sys to make it easier to compare DACs against each other. It solved a problem. It's not 100% transparent, but it's good enough to get the job done. I later purchased a Schiit Wyrd to see if I could solve a problem with my work USB that the Intona solved for less money. It did.

    Moving along, I ordered a Schiit Eitr the day they came out. Within a couple of days, I'd ordered two more (one for someone here who was kind to me during some crappy financial times, one for work).

    What I'm getting at is... I finally said screw it, I'm giving this shit another chance.

    I bought a Jotunheim to see if I could enjoy a solid state amp these days and a Vali 2 to see how much better that is than the Vali 1 I used to have. If good enough, it's bound for my work system so I can keep a tube amp and solid state at home and still have something reasonable at work (but cheaper than what's there now). Both are being tested with modded Sennheiser HD650s.

    Starting with the Vali 2. Damn. This really is an enjoyable listen! Coming from my heavily modded MHDT Labs Atlantis DAC, which is tuned for a pretty forward sound, it's extremely musical and fun to listen to. I happen to also have some 5670 -> 6922 adapters that I used in my Sonic Frontiers DAC and various 5670 tubes, so I'll probably try one or two of those in it for giggles. I also have a couple of 6N23P that should drop right in. Even with the stock tube, the Vali 2 is really amazing at its price point.

    Let me put a quick asterisk on this. When I had the Vali 1, I believe I had an ODAC, a Sound Blaster Titanium HD, and a Modi. If I had paired it with a DAC at this price point tuned to complement it, I don't know how big of a gap there would be between the two. But, I remember the Vali 1 feeling strained and boring. The Vali 2 does not.

    Moving to the Jotunheim. From the Atlantis+, I understand the claims of brightness in the upper mids/lower treble. Serendipitously, I had the MHDT Labs Orchid warmed up and heard the Jotun from that first, so I didn't immediately paint the forums red with angry posts about my ears hurting.

    From the Orchid, which has a much wider soundstage and comparatively forgiving upper registers, the Jotunheim sounds fantastic (long side note: The Atlantis could easily be tuned to complement with a darker tube. I'd probably go with a Western Electric JW 2C51 to soften the treble, enhance the soundstage further, but keep the DAC fairly warm so as not to make upper bass encroach on the mids).

    I have a suspicion that the Jotunheim using the Saga as a preamp would knock my underwear to my knees, maybe even my ankles. I'd have a Saga on order this very moment if there were any black ones in stock (I got a black Jotunheim and have to match the stack!). Now I need to save up some cash and camp the Schiit website for a black Gungnir Multibit as well. Edit: Note that I'm using the single-ended output right now. Reterminating the HD650 tomorrow.

    Sorry @schiit and @baldr for being a dismissive prickbag and thinking/stating that Schiit is shit. My early experiences with Schiit were misleading and I failed to give this shit a chance ever after. Until now. Enjoy my money.
     
    Last edited: Aug 5, 2017
  10. FallingObjects

    FallingObjects Pay It Forward

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    You could try using the Vali 2 as a pre-amp into the Jot as well, and see whether that does any favors for your ears. I've heard some people have had success with that, albeit with a higher noise floor than a proper tube pre.
     
  11. Luckbad

    Luckbad Traded in a unicorn for a Corolla

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    I'll try it out. I tried the Garage1217 Project Horizon III in front of it and it did some good things (coloration) and some bad things (coloration). The Vali 2 as pre will likely yield similar results.

    That said, I'm being absurd even keeping an eye out for a black Saga. My MHDT Dacs have a tube buffer and I can color the crap out of the sound with the right (wrong?) tube as it is.

    Update: Vali 2 in front of the Jotunheim is pleasant, but a lot of detail seems to get smeared or lost in translation. This is going to be lost on most people, but: If the Jotunheim were to make pancakes, it knows exactly when to stop mixing the batter to ensure that they're still perfectly fluffy. The Vali 2 is like, "nruhhhh weee!" and happily overmixes the batter just a bit. The Jotunheim can't unmix the batter after the Vali 2 hands it over.

    Update 2: Put the Project Horizon III back in front of the Jotunheim after using the Vali 2 in front of it for a while. I greatly prefer the coloration provided by the Garage1217 amp vs. the Vali 2. Much more of the detail remains intact as well. It's like a direct ($400) upgrade to the amplification section of the Horizon.
     
    Last edited: Aug 6, 2017
  12. insidious meme

    insidious meme Ambivalent Kumquat

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    LOL, I've remembered for a while that you weren't much of a Schiit fan. And that was okay. Not everyone should just follow the crowd if you have your own legitimate reasons for not doing so. Funny that you would give this another shot.
     
  13. gixxerwimp

    gixxerwimp Professional tricycle rider

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    Off to the Schiit shills thread you go! |\/|
     
  14. Elnrik

    Elnrik Super Friendly

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    Shouldn't shill be Schill in this case? Hehe
     
  15. Deep Funk

    Deep Funk Deep thoughts - Friend

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    Is the Schiit Magni 2 a good amplifier for the money? I looked at the "Uber" but I do not see the appeal of the extra functions.

    My Vali 2 has channel issues so I am checking out some alternatives. My system would be my CD-player + amplifier + Modified HD600.
     
  16. Mystic

    Mystic Mystique's Spiritual Advisor

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    Between the Magni 2 Uber (not regular) and Vali 2, I much preferred the later with my 600, though I'm not sure what kind of mods you are using with your 600. Treble timbre is more realistic and overall upper mids are smoother, less shouty.

    May be worth getting your Vali fixed?
     
  17. Deep Funk

    Deep Funk Deep thoughts - Friend

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    I miss that tube bliss. Of course it is worth it. Tubes are awesome!
     
  18. Mdkaler

    Mdkaler Friend

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    I had both Magni 2 and 2U The uber sounds better to me, I remember better bass control and slam but not a whole lot.
    That said, I like the Vali 2 more than the Magni 2U. But I didn't have the 6xxK back then and I don't want to critically compare them base off memory.
    Try turning the volume knob pass 9 o'clock? People say Vali 2 are prone to imbalance at super low volume. Mine has some but pass 8-9 o'clock it doesn't bother me anymore.
     
  19. HHS

    HHS Almost "Made"

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  20. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    Magni 2U has more natural treble than Magnu 2U, a tiny bit more slam, a tiny bit more resolving. The circuit is slightly different and power brick is slightly bigger. It's all moot now.
     

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