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I'm considering some Schiit gear for computer-fed headphone listening. I have HiFiMan HE-400is and Sennheiser MassDrop HD-6XXs, and also a Meridian Explorer2 and an NAD D 3020. Been playing with audio for about 40 years, but new to the headphone thing. It's quite a playground and I'm still exploring.
Besides really kinda wanting a Bottlehead Crack, I'm looking at some Schiit kit for a possible next exploration. My full-on home audio systems have always been tubed, but I'm holding off on going tubed with the headphone stuff for the moment.
I trying to get a sense of what might be best value-for-money Schiit configuration. I'm keen on spending some more time with multi-bit DACs. The arrangements I'm considering play out like this:
1. Magni 3 amp with Modi 2 multi-bit DAC, $350
2. Asgard 2 amp with Modi 2 multi-bit DAC, $500
3. Jotenheim multibit amp/DAC, $600
Does anyone know whether the multi-bit DAC option is the same board across all these DACs? If so, that leaves the difference with the amplification. Any major sonic benefit to be gained by the different amps? There's more output power/voltage going up the line. I thinking this could help the Sennheiser HD-6XXs.
Thoughts?
Cheers!
- SJ
Follow Ups:
Is the Valhalla 2...by far. You will get the tubed magic of the Bottlehead Crack in a US made product with full warranty support.The problem is that your HiFi Man HE-400i headphones are the exact opposite type headphones. They run best when matched to an amp that mates well with low impedance headphones (HE-400i - 35 ohms).
The Schiit Modi Multibit DAC is a no brainer choice for the money. You have to spend much more to better its performance. My Schiit headphone setup is as follows:
1) Schiit Wyrd (USB signal cleaner)
2) Schiit Modi Multibit DAC
3) Schiit Loki Tone Controls
4) Schiit Lyr 2 Amp
5) USB Cables - Pangea Silver USB
6) Analog ICs - Kimber 0.5m Hero Cu w/WBT connectorsTo drive both headphones you might consider the Schiit Lyr3 with its Multibit DAC module. The Lyr 3 Multibit DAC module is essentially the same circuitry as the Modi Multibit DAC. If purchased for use in the USA you are talking about $699 USD for the Lyr3 with the multibit DAC module and a Russian NOS 6N8S tube.
The Lyr 3 can drive both the HiFi Man HE-400i and your Sennheiser Massdrop cans. I do not own the Lyr 3 so I cannot personally comment on the sound quality but according to the specs you will be able to drive your current headphones and any headphone that will ever be marketed.
The Lyr 3 is a powerful amp capable of lots of power for both low impedance (6.0 watts at 32 ohms) and high impedance loads (900mW at 300 ohms). You may not be able to find a better solution, assuming the Lyr 3 is everything I have read it to be.
My Lyr 2 is excellent. I use it every day to drive a pair of Focal Clears or my HiFi Man HE-400S. My HE-400S get little use now I have my Focal Clears. I am using my Lyr 2 w/Philips 7DJ8 tubes.
I also own the Schiit Magni 3 and have boxed it back up due to poor sound quality. If you own an excellent set of headphones, like your Sennheiser Massdrop cans, the Magni 3 may be not up to the excellent sound quality you are looking for.
I tried driving my Focal Clears with the Magni 3 and the high frequencies were too stringent sounding for my tastes. The setup was exactly the same as above but the Lyr 2 was replaced by the Magni 3. I tried to listen to the Magni 3 for 2 months but it never got better.
The Focal Clears revealed old fashioned SS type high frequency issues. I replaced the Magni 3 with the Lyr 2 and the sound quality issue went away. It was back to beautiful music.
I also owned the older Magni 2 Uber and the Magni 3 is better than the Magni 2 Uber but its not up to driving high quality cans.
Ed
We don't shush around here!
Life is analog...digital is just samples thereof
Edits: 07/30/18
Thanks! That's THE reply. Helpful stuff to navigate the choices.
Okay, then. If the Schiit Lyr 3+MultiBit DAC board vs the Valhalla 2+Modi MultiBit DAC is the choice (the former is about $50 more than the latter), the DACs are the same, then is there anything to consider between the Lyr 3 and the Valhalla 2? The tube types and implementation are different between them. The Lyr 3 offers a bit more power. Sonics?
The one-box and one-tube Lyr 3 could be a bit more convenient and a bit tidier solution. I like the 6SN7 tube and I have a large selection of them. I also have a nice selection of 6DJ8s, 6922s, 7308s, etc. So, I do some rolling.
How do you like the Wyrd? I am using a laptop to serve music, connecting with both USB and S/PDIF.
When you choose the Valhalla 2 you are buying a headphone amp that will work with high impedance headphones like Sennheiser Massdrop 6xx cans but will not power low impedance headphones that require a decent amount of power.The Lyr 3 is an amp that can handle whatever headphones you can buy now or in the future. The Valhalla 2 is a great tubed amp that is tailored for high impedance phones only.
Some people prefer the OTL tubed amp sound and for those the Valhalla 2 is the choice. If you want an amp that will handle any headphone and you are not tied to OTL (output transformer-less) tubed design amps, the Lyr 3 is the amp to buy.
With the Lyr 3 you can switch to headphones like Audeze planar headphones and you have the amp to drive them. You can choose any headphone design and the Lyr 3 will handle them beautifully.
The Valhalla 2 is a one trick pony but it does it very well.
Ed
PS. The Wyrd does a good job of cleaning up the USB connection but to tell the truth the one thing that I tried that did the best job with the USB connection was the Pangea Silver USB cables. You can find these at Audio Advisor.
I was a bit surprised when I first tried the cable. I had a high quality copper USB cable with nice shielding. I substituted the Pangea Silver USB cable and there was a definite upgrade in the sound quality.
I know it sounds like BS but its not. I substituted the Pangea Silver USB cable, noticed the difference and replaced the original cable. The sound returned to where it was. I put the Pangea Silver USB cable back in and yes, it was an improvement.
I have nothing to do with Audio Advisor and just tried the cable to see how it worked. I have since replaced all of the USB cables with Pangea Silver USB cables.
With those cables and the Schiit Wyrd I have the best quality USB sound I have ever experienced.
We don't shush around here!
Life is analog...digital is just samples thereof
Edits: 08/07/18
I tried both the Wyrd and Uptone Audio's Regen with my Lyr 3 and ended up keeping the Regen (the Wyrd is going in my home system with the Ayre QB-9 DSD). However, they weren't all that different...both offered a significant improvement in my electrically very noisy work environment.
From Schiit's jotunheim page:
"Multibit DAC. Choose the optional Multibit DAC Module to get Schiit's unique digital filter and multibit DAC architecture, as used in Modi Multibit, for $200."
Cheers
Welly
He hoped and prayed that there wasn't an afterlife. Then he realized there was a contradiction involved here and merely hoped that there wasn't an afterlife.
- Douglas Adams
Thanks. Looking to confirm that. If the full benefit of the MultiBit DAC can be had in the least costly option, then I'll just head that way.
The Jotenheim has a balanced headphone output which is a worthy upgrade. Of course if you don't have a balanced cable, you would have to buy one.
bigshow
Agreed. I'd be happy to try balanced. A cable is easy. I've listened to balanced audio gear, and used it with pro audio, but never owned balanced home audio. Get the idea, I get the benefits, but never felt compelled to go balanced with my home audio stuff. And, more power with the Jotunheim balanced.
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