The All Purpose Advice Thread

I'm using HD 800's but I assume same advice applies? Mjolir 2 is mayyybe in my price range. hmm

Edit: Sorry didn't realize this was a reply to someone else. Ignore me.

 

I own the Lyr 2 and am a big fan - using it with my HD800's right now. I've said this enough times that people are bored, but the Lyr is a high end single ended versatile amp. It can accomplish many different sounds and satisfy many different headphones with a tube change. Gobs of power, but not necessarily the absolute in resolution. I have not heard the Valhalla with the 800, I've mostly heard its a perfect fit for the HD650.

 

Any idea how the mackies cr4 might compare to the jbl lsr305?

@Eric_C if the mackies interest you those might be selling for 289sgd at Valentine Music Centre.

 

The LC sounded flat and lifeless with my Senn HD650's

 

@Friday my mom has the cr3 in her room for music, and it's decent, but the cr4 definitely sounded warmer in the store. She got the cr3 due to budget and space constraints. Valentine Music Centre is new to me, but it looks like their prices are the same as City Music for the CR series.
Never heard the JBL so I can't comment. But man, if the CR4 is comparable...

 

Say, how much can EQ minimise wall reverb in speakers?

 

LC struggled with HD650, in what way? I'm driving it single ended right now, which is not optimal as it's a balanced amp, and I have no problems with the volume.

 

Sorta cross posting from another thread.

I've just acquired the Schiit Valhalla 2. Previously I've been using the Asgard 2 and I was wondering if it's worth keeping both amps. Anyone with any experience with both amps able to advise?

My DAC is the Bifrost Multibit and my main headphones are the HD600 together with several IEMs. I also have active speakers that were fed through the pre-amp outs of the Asgard 2.

 

Well I have a HD800/Valhalla 2 and I just got a Lyr 2 Last night so here are my quick and dirty impressions

The HD800 sound better on Low gain consistently but I dislike having to go SO deep in the volume knob to get to the levels I want.



Stock Lyr 2 tubes: Where the hell did my sound stage go? Kinda lifeless up top, nice tighter bass though. Thicker/slower vs the Valhalla 2.



LISST Lyr 2: Super Linear top to bottom, tightest bass, however when they start to distort they sound AWFUL. Sound stage feels way more 2d versus the Valhalla. Interesting option though.



Orange Globe Lyr 2: Tonally getting a lot closer to how the Valhalla 2 sounds with these in them. I feel like I'm getting a tiny bit more resolution, but I feel like I'm losing some dynamics, sound staging, and speed.



Over all I'm going to give it a longer listen, but my gut reaction is if you are trying to decide between the two amps, I think for less money the Valhalla 2 is the better choice if you only Have/want High Z cans, it obviously falls on it's face with hungry planars. I'm not entirely sure I'm willing to give up the last few percent of magic the Valhalla gives me for more felxbility but you might/need to and I don't think the Lyr 2 sounds bad with the HD800 at all, just not quite as special.



How I listened: Jriver-STX ST coax out-Bifrost Multibit-Sys-Lyr 2 & Valhalla 2 volume matched by ear.

 

Your advice is good @MrTie . I'd say similar. If you like high z cans and efficient planars, the Valhalla 2 is the better amp for less money. With the new trend in efficiency with headphones like HEX and Ether, then Val 2 is a compelling purchase. IMO

 

refer to post #1088, also I don't listen to very much modern highly compressed music, ie. vinyl vs mp3/FLAC.

 

I see. Were you running it balanced as well?

 

Ran balanced with LCD2.3F, Fostex TH-x00 and of course the HD650. I sold my LC and my MJ2, but you have to remember the LC is a "transportable" amp going up against a full fledged home amp in the MJ2. I don't think it's fair to compare the two.

 

Yeah that's fair enough, and I agree. I do think it's a great amplifier though when you consider it's price of $599 and, as you say, that it's a transportable unit which limits the power supply. And then you also have to remember it's solid state vs tube.

 

I don't think the LC is a good value at $599. I prefer my Vali2 over the LC in the transportable scheme of things, that's why I sold the LC, poor price to performance in my eyes, YMMV.

 

I never know where my ears are going. It seems like every time I change a component in my chain my headphone preference changes. I didn't like the X00 with any setup. I wasn't listening to my 400i for a while but I like it more now with the Bifrost Multibit and is my all-rounder. I disliked the Grado 325e when I had a SS amp but now it sounds great with tubes on the Lyr and I reach for it a lot because it's so exciting but isn't as comfortable for long sessions. I haven't been reaching for the Alpha Dogs over the 400i or 325e but they will probably become a staple when I'm forced to run an AC in the summer (it's pretty loud). I'm getting a cheap beat-up HD650 that I haven't heard yet. (Very curious about it.)

But overall I would rather take all the equivalent cost and condense down to one higher-end open and one closed. Mid-fi purgatory, etc. I have no idea what the endgame open can would be for me. It's not going to be something like a HEX, that's too pricy for me to justify. Audeze is very love or hate, it seems, and I'm not too sure about their weight. I know people love the HD800 (my upper end for price, used) but in the past I disliked the HD600. I've had one eye on the HE-6 but I'm not really sure how the hifiman lineup is configured. The HE-6 was the TOTL for them before the HE-1000? Is it still well regarded? How does the 560 fit in? Is there something better in that price range I'm not considering? If anyone had similar upgrade paths and wants to offer their perspective that would be appreciated.

 

That's fair enough. Can you elaborate a bit on what exactly you mean with flat and lifeless? I hear some people think it's too warm, is that what you're talking about?

 

I just recently came to kind of the same conclusions as yourself in terms of mid-fi purgatory. I ended up going for an HD 800. Still trying to decide on an amp but narrowing it down. Probably eventually will get a THX-00 as my closed can or possibly a PM-3 so I can use it on the road as well.

I don't really have any advice as I think the direction I went it will be different then yours but I'll say I wasn't huge on the HE-560s. I picked up a used pair at one point and found them terribly bright. HE-6's were Hifiman's former flagship but they require quite a bit of power. I'm fairly certain they are still held in extremely high regard but they suffer from build quality issues that kind of plagued Hifiman's older line up.

 

I started with an Asgard 2 when I was playing with orthos, then got a Val 2 when I got into the hd800 and hd650, and then realized I wasnt ever using my Asgard and sold it. If you're primary headphones are high z like the hd600, then the Asgard is redundant. I never once picked the Asgard over valhalla2. The only drawback is if you are going took be listening to something that requires high power at lower impedance, valhalla2 will not cut it by itself.

 

Hey guys. How much of an upgrade would I be expecting if I were to go from ER4S to Campfire Jupiter?