Schiit Valhalla 2

Discussion in 'Headphone Amplifiers and Combo (DAC/Amp) Units' started by Cspirou, Oct 8, 2015.

  1. The Alchemist

    The Alchemist MOT: Schiit - Here to help!

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    Well I listened to V2 again today and it was quiet as a mouse. No popping, hissing, or distortion. I am kinda baffled but perhaps that is the nature of tubes. I am very new to tube rolling so I am not sure what to expect out of old tubes or tube rolling in general except what more experience members here tell me. I did receive a reply from the seller and he wrote the following, which I am posting to see if some of our experienced members here agree with what he told me to do:

    Here is his reply:

    "It is SUPER important to clean the pins as explained in the instructions. 90 % of the time this cures that problem. If not, wait 50 hours for the tube to burn in. I will not hold you to any time frame for return on these so don't worry about that. I just want you to be happy. Please let me know if the pin scraping helps. If not, after the tubes are warmed up, a firm thwacking with your finger can help sometimes with micro debris on the control grids. You hold the backside of the tube with one finger to support and thwack the tube firmly. Sounds kinda funny but is can solve the problem as well. So in order, 1. scrape the pins, 2. Let the tube burn in for 50 hours, 3 Thwack the tube. If it works, I will extend the money back guarantee for an additional 90 days. If this does not alleviate the problem, we can replace or refund you all of the money you paid."

    Just wanted to know from the more experience members and tube rollers here if that sounds right as I am new to the whole tube rolling thing.
     
  2. thegunner100

    thegunner100 Hentai Master Chief

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    I wouldn't hold the tubes while they're warm. If you're going to track "thwacking" it, hold it with a microfiber tower or something and twack it with the eraser on a pencil.

    Some days my amperexs hiss audible in one channel, and other days they're pretty quiet.
     
  3. The Alchemist

    The Alchemist MOT: Schiit - Here to help!

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    thank you Gunner
     
  4. AustinValentine

    AustinValentine Friend

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    My Mjolnir 2 will arrive sometime this week. Bought LISST and tubes, so I'll be able to give them a try in the Val 2 and see what happens.
     
  5. Clear Water

    Clear Water Friend

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    @Alchemist

    Where did you buy the tubes? This guy sounds like someone I'd feel comfortable doing business with.
     
  6. The Alchemist

    The Alchemist MOT: Schiit - Here to help!

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  7. The Alchemist

    The Alchemist MOT: Schiit - Here to help!

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    As I stated in an earlier post, I installed the AMPEREX ORANGE GLOBE 6DJ8 ECC88 VACUUM TUBE 1969 MATCH PAIR tubes in the Valhalla 2. The seller recommended I scrape the pins of the tubes. He suggested in a different email to use an exact-o knife to scrape the pins. IS that the best way to scrape the pins of the tubes or is there a better way, say like a coarse sandpaper? Can anyone show me perhaps a picture of how to do it properly as I have never done this before?

    Thanks!

    P.S. Going to copy this post over to the Tube Rolling Thread as I may get help there from those who do not read this thread.
     
  8. BleaK

    BleaK Friend

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    After trying some different tubes in both the output (the long in back) and input (short in front) tubes in the Valhalla 2 this is some points I came up with to those who just purchased the Val2 and/or are looking for trying new tubes:

    - Don't bother try rolling output tubes( long tall ones in the back). I've tried 4 different, and while they aren't expensive they all sound the same, stick with stock.

    -Around 50usd is the sweetspot for good new input tubes. It takes Val2 from being great value at 350usd to insane value. My personal recommendation is getting a matched pair of Russian 6H23p-EB before 1979. Greater sound over the whole freq. and also a bigger more hard hitting sound.

    -The Val2 scales really well with input tubes, but you're gonna hit a ceiling somewhere. So before you are chasing 400usd tubes, consider another upgrade path.

    -It's easy to be hooked on tubes. There's always something better with better synergy etc. Don't get too caught up in it. While tubes matter, what matter most is your system as whole. Find something that makes you tickle and stay with it.


    Just some words from one who has spent maybe too much and tried a few too many different tubes.

    (BTW, love the new site. The dark makes for much better night browsing.)
     
  9. The Alchemist

    The Alchemist MOT: Schiit - Here to help!

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    Thank you for your post BleaK, it is very informative and seems like solid advice. SO far I am pretty happy with the AMPEREX ORANGE GLOBE 6DJ8 ECC88 VACUUM TUBE 1969 MATCH PAIR tubes in the Valhalla 2. They probably have about 30-35 hours of burn-in and I can really start to hear their warmth.

    You stated you recommend matched pair of Russian 6H23p-EB before 1979.

    Are those expensive? Do you have a link you could post to them?

    Thank you BleaK!
     
  10. zonto

    zonto Friend

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    I heard a little bit of hiss and static coming from just the left driver of my HD650 last weekend when listening to a CD through the Valhalla 2. Did not hear the sound after that CD, which I thought was weird. Got my Valhalla 2 used and have probably used it a total of 10 hours now.
     
  11. The Alchemist

    The Alchemist MOT: Schiit - Here to help!

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    You can try switching around the input tubes on the V2, and if you hear the hiss and static then coming from the right driver of your HD650's, then it is probably a tube issue. If after you have switched the tubes around and you still have hiss and static in your left channel of the HD650's, then it could be a poor connection of the cable to the driver or the left side of the HD650's cable may have a problem. Of course you can rule out any problem with the HD650's cable by plugging the Hd650's into another amp if you have one available and see if the hiss and static in the left channel remains. If that's the case, then it is probably a bad connection to the left driver of the HD650's, conversely, as stated above, if you switch the tubes around and notice that you get static from the right side of your HD650's channel, then it could be the tube.

    Also, you may want to check your RCA cables connected from your DAC to the V2, it could be a bad left channel RCA cable. Just some thing you can check out.
     
  12. BleaK

    BleaK Friend

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    No problem!

    Your Amperex is a great choice. The tubes I recommended are maybe slightly different from the orange globes. It hits a bit harder and isn't that relaxed up top, and if I recall correctly more in your face kinda tube. They go for about 40-60usd on various sites and ebay. I am unsure if I would recommend getting them when you already have some awsome tubes. But the rabbithole is deep ;)
     
  13. Huhnkopf

    Huhnkopf Friend

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    Is 6H23p-EB correctly written? All ebay shows me is 6N23p
     
  14. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    Sounds about right to me. The explanation given to me was that sometimes there are impurities that need to be burned off hence the pops. Seems scary though when it happens, but in two instances where I heard this, it did go away.
     
  15. sorrodje

    sorrodje Carla Bruni's other lover - Friend

    Staff Member Pyrate MZR
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    6H23p is the cyrillic name for 6N23p . same tube. Different origin different logos.

    [​IMG]
     
  16. gurubhai

    gurubhai Friend

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    I haven't tried a the EB version but personally, I prefer the 1967 reflector 6H23p to the amperex 'orange globe' from the same year.
     
  17. fierce_freak

    fierce_freak Friend

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    Thanks for the tip on the 6n23p-ev. Just grabbed a pair from '73 on eBay. Now comes the long wait for international shipping.
     
  18. BleaK

    BleaK Friend

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    Gonna sound awsome! Mine is reflector from 72' and sounds great!
     
  19. fierce_freak

    fierce_freak Friend

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    As I'm waiting for the next shipment of gumbys, I'm considering changing my order over to Yggdrasil. Would that be a big waste through valhalla 2? I plan to eventually go with a higher-end amp (mainline maybe) but could be a while. Obviously something I need to weigh out for myself, but I'd definitely like to hear some thoughts on it.

    Headphones will be hd650 for now and maybe hd800/hd800s in the future.
     
  20. drfindley

    drfindley Secretly lives in the Analog Room - Friend

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    It won't really be worth it for the Valhalla 2, but I prefer the Yggdrasil myself and I know that I will have an endgame DAC from here on out. I'm not sure difference in price is worth it, but I'm not returning my Yggdrasil.

    The most important thing is to not purchase something you'll replace. Buy something you intend to use for the long haul and then enjoy, enjoy, enjoy.
     

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